Chapter 73

The young martial artists of Yunwu County all knew that before the Ninth Prince broke through to the Xuanji Realm, he was already the top of the Yellow List, with combat strength comparable to a mid-stage Xuanji Realm martial artist.

Now that the Ninth Prince has reached the Xuanji Realm, his cultivation has undoubtedly advanced to a higher level. How could Shen Mengxi possibly be his match?

This was because Zhang Ruochen had only been the top of the Yellow List for two months, and the news had not spread to other counties. Naturally, Shen Mengxi did not know Zhang Ruochen's true strength.

The young faces of the Yunwu County martial artists all showed a strange smile, thinking that Shen Mengxi was overestimating himself. However, no one pointed it out.

Zhang Ruochen stared at Shen Mengxi and said, "Since you want to fight me, I will accept your challenge. But if you lose, it won't just be a matter of compensating with 30,000 silver coins; it will be 100,000 silver coins."

"Why?" Shen Mengxi asked.

Zhang Ruochen replied, "You were just cursing so much, don't you need to pay for it?"

"Hmph! Even if it's 100,000 silver coins, or even a million silver coins, what does it matter? You can't possibly win against me!"

True Qi surged within Shen Mengxi's body, flowing down his arm to his palm.

His five fingers came together, forming a palm blade, which he swung at Zhang Ruochen.

The Palm Blade technique is a high-grade human-level martial skill.

Jiang Heng was severely injured by Shen Mengxi's Palm Blade.

Just as Shen Mengxi's palm blade was about to strike Zhang Ruochen's chest, Zhang Ruochen moved even faster, his arm trembling as he slapped back, striking Shen Mengxi's face.

"Slap!"

A loud slap.

Shen Mengxi flew backward, spinning 360 degrees in the air, and landed with a thud.

The smiles on the faces of the young martial artists from Sifang County froze, unable to believe their eyes. Many did not even see how Shen Mengxi flew out.

Zhang Ruochen's speed was too fast!

"You... you..."

Shen Mengxi supported himself with his hands, struggling to lift his head, his mouth full of blood, his left cheek swollen and purple, looking like a pig's head.

Zhang Ruochen's slap was extremely harsh, knocking out Shen Mengxi's teeth and shattering his jaw and cheekbones.

At this moment, Shen Mengxi could hardly speak, his mouth leaking air.

Liu Chengfeng laughed, "Well done! Shen Mengxi, I told you long ago not to overestimate yourself. With your level, you wanted to fight the Ninth Prince? Now that you've lost, hand over 100,000 silver coins."

"I... I don't have..."

At this moment, Shen Mengxi felt like crying. He only had a total of 30,000 silver coins, where could he get 100,000 silver coins?

He never expected that Zhang Ruochen, at just sixteen years old, would be so powerful.

Hearing Shen Mengxi's words, Liu Chengfeng's face darkened. He walked over and stepped on Shen Mengxi's hand, pressing down hard, causing Shen Mengxi to scream like a dying pig.

Liu Chengfeng said in a threatening tone, "The fourth son of the seventh-rate Shen family can't even come up with 100,000 silver coins? Do you think I, Liu Chengfeng, am a fool? Before you fought the Ninth Prince, you agreed to it. Now you want to back out? Elder Xie, Elder Situ, you heard it, right?"

Elder Situ's face was somewhat awkward. He didn't expect Zhang Ruochen to be so strong, knocking Shen Mengxi to the ground in one move. This Shen Mengxi was really useless!

Elder Xie, however, was very pleased and looked at Zhang Ruochen with newfound respect, but his face remained serious. "This elder can vouch for it. Debts must be repaid, it's a matter of principle."

Liu Chengfeng's foot remained on Shen Mengxi's hand as he laughed, "Did you hear that? Debts must be repaid. If you don't hand over 100,000 silver coins, do you think I won't break your legs today?"

Shen Mengxi was truly afraid. He knew Liu Chengfeng was a bully who would do anything. He quickly said, "I... I have... I have silver coins..."

Shen Mengxi hurriedly pulled out a purple silk package from his chest, his fingers trembling as he handed it to Liu Chengfeng.

Liu Chengfeng opened the package and saw thirty spirit crystals and several hundred silver coins inside.

He closed the package and kicked Shen Mengxi hard, saying, "Where are the 100,000 silver coins? There are only 30,000 silver coins here. Do you dare to deceive me?"

"I... I don't dare... I only have this much silver, it's all I have..." Shen Mengxi kept begging for mercy.

Liu Chengfeng handed the purple silk package to Zhang Ruochen, saying, "Your Highness, he only has this much silver. What should we do?"

Zhang Ruochen took the purple silk package and glanced at Shen Mengxi.

"Understood."

Liu Chengfeng seemed to have grasped Zhang Ruochen's intentions, nodded at him, and walked over to Shen Mengxi with a sinister smile.

"Understood? What do you understand? I didn't say anything!"

Zhang Ruochen was speechless, looking at Liu Chengfeng, wondering what he understood.

Liu Chengfeng, believing he had figured out Zhang Ruochen's thoughts, walked up to Shen Mengxi and directly snatched the True Martial Treasure-level war sword from his back.

"A sword with twelve inscription patterns, barely a fourth-grade True Martial Treasure, 10,000 silver coins!"

Shen Mengxi screamed, "That fourth-grade True Martial Treasure-level war sword cost me 20,000 silver coins... Ah..."

Liu Chengfeng stepped on Shen Mengxi's hand again, unfastening the jade belt from Shen Mengxi's waist, "Hai Shi Jade Belt, worth 800 silver coins."

"A second-grade True Martial Treasure-level heart guard, worth 2,000 silver coins."

...

All of Shen Mengxi's treasures were taken by Liu Chengfeng, even his clothes and boots were removed.

"Altogether, 20,000 silver coins. You still owe the Ninth Prince 50,000 silver coins. Write an IOU!"

Liu Chengfeng pulled off Shen Mengxi's last piece of clothing, bit his finger, and forced Shen Mengxi to write a blood IOU on the piece of clothing.

"Is... this what he understood?"

Zhang Ruochen's forehead was covered in black lines. Truly a bully, his methods were too extreme.

He could only sigh, "A bully will always meet his match."

To deal with someone like Shen Mengxi, only extreme measures would make him submit.

The face of Prince Huoxing from Sifang County was very dark, "Enough! Ninth Prince, you are too ruthless. Shen Mengxi is a martial artist from our Sifang County. Even if he owes you 100,000 silver coins, you shouldn't humiliate him like this."

Zhang Ruochen felt bewildered. From start to finish, it was Liu Chengfeng who humiliated Shen Mengxi, not him.

Liu Chengfeng folded the IOU and handed it to Zhang Ruochen, whispering, "Your Highness, be careful! Prince Huoxing was already a Yellow List martial artist when he was in the Huangji Realm. Now his cultivation has reached the late-stage Xuanji Realm, and he has royal treasures. He is a formidable opponent."

Zhang Ruochen, naturally not a coward, took a step forward, "Prince Huoxing, do you only allow your Sifang County to humiliate our Yunwu County's martial artists and not allow us to retaliate?"

Prince Huoxing coldly laughed, "The strong can naturally humiliate the weak."

Zhang Ruochen smiled, "If so, it seems we have no right to humiliate your Sifang County's martial artists?"

"Even if you get away with it for now, tomorrow's academy exam, I will make you pay back everything, with interest. This year, not a single young martial artist from Yunwu County will be admitted to the Wushi Academy." Prince Huoxing scanned the dozens of Yunwu County martial artists, letting out a cold laugh.

A cold glint flashed in Prince Huoxing's eyes, and he had already decided to kill Zhang Ruochen.

Two martial artists from Sifang County then helped Shen Mengxi away.

Liu Chengfeng looked at the Sifang County martial artists who had retreated to a distance, worriedly saying, "The situation is not good! Tomorrow's academy exam will be very dangerous for us!"

Zhang Ruochen asked, "Is killing allowed in the academy exam?"

Liu Chengfeng replied, "On the surface, the martial artists taking the exam cannot kill each other. But the first round of the academy exam every year takes place in the Tianmo Ridge. At that time, the Sifang County martial artists will definitely try to kill us."

Zixi, standing to the side, holding her war sword, stared at the young martial artists from Sifang County in the distance and said coldly, "If they want to wipe us out during the academy exam, why can't we counter-kill them?"

Zhang Ruochen glanced at Zixi.

He knew Zixi's cultivation was very high, already reaching the early-stage Xuanji Realm, but he didn't expect that as a woman, she would have such a strong and resolute side, which was rare.

Liu Chengfeng chuckled, "If Miss Zixi is willing to help, we can certainly defeat the young martial artists from Sifang County."

Zixi gave Liu Chengfeng a cold glance and then looked at Zhang Ruochen, "Ninth Prince, if you and I work together, we can deal a devastating blow to the young martial artists from Sifang County. It's time for them to pay back the humiliation Yunwu County has suffered for years."

Zixi wanted to assassinate Zhang Ruochen and needed to get close to him and gain his trust. Only by finding out Zhang Ruochen's secrets would she have a chance to kill him.

Zhang Ruochen showed a thoughtful expression.

Liu Chengfeng interjected between Zhang Ruochen and Zixi again, "Miss Zixi, don't underestimate the young martial artists from Sifang County. According to reliable information, they have at least three early-stage Xuanji Realm strong ones and over ten late-stage Xuanji Realm martial artists. If we really clash with them, it would be like hitting a stone with an egg."

Zixi used her sword to push Liu Chengfeng aside, looking very cold. Her beautiful eyes still focused on Zhang Ruochen.

Zhang Ruochen lightly touched his chin, looking at Zixi and smiling, "Since Miss Zixi has such courage, this prince will naturally stand by you. Tomorrow's academy exam, it's time for Sifang County to pay a price!"