He nonchalantly continued to pat the dust off his robes.

Beside him, Mystra was looking at Van with confused eyes. To be able to break the golden golem fist, he had to be quite strong. Even stronger than her. But she had never seen him before…?

The Cedar Sect's outer disciples looked the red-haired youth up and down.

"I know all the top disciples in the outer sect…but I've never seen this kid before…" one of them whispered. 

The Cedar Sect possessed over five hundred outer disciples, and of them, only eighteen were in the 7th rank. As a result, each of them enjoyed fame within the outer sect. The 6th rankers were also admired - although their numbers significantly larger - their names and appearance were also famous in the outer sect. 

"If he's not a top disciple, then who is he?"

 "He even dared to talk back to Rhogar! He must be of the 6th rank at least, otherwise, how would he have the guts?"

"He looks only thirteen or fourteen. Realistically, he can't be that strong."

"When I was his age, I was only in the 3rd rank of Qi Distillation. I'm at the peak of the 5th level now."

"Maybe he used a talisman to rescue her?"

The crowd's hopes dropped lower and lower. They did not believe that some unknown disciple would be able to defeat Rhogar.

Rhogar's face darkened as he looked at the red-haired brat in front of him.

[Who the f.u.c.k is this uppity trash? Does he think he can talk to me like that just because he was able to save her from one of my attacks?]

The Boulder Sect disciples were incensed by Van's words.

"How dare he!? That b.a.s.t.a.r.d just got lucky that's all! "

"He wouldn't last against you in a proper fight!"

"Beat him until his own mother won't recognise him, Rhogar!"

Van looked at the Boulder Sect disciples and saw a crowd of little monkeys in orange jumping up and down.

He could not help the smirk that formed on his lips.

Van chuckled, "Hehehe! How stupid!"

Rhogar heard Van's words and blistering anger grew in his belly.

"Hmph! From your att.i.tude you seem to think your pretty strong. Do you think you can stand up to me!?"

Rhogar himself was at the late stage of the 7th level of Qi Distillation. Unless his opponent's level matched his, he really was not concerned!

"You better run off and get w.a.n.g Hao to come out instead!" Rhogar spat.

Van started to retort but Mystra suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

"I don't know who you are, but Rhogar is the second-ranked outer disciple in the Boulder Sect. He beat three of us with one palm-strike earlier, and completely overwhelmed my Macabre Dance," she warned, "He cannot be beaten easily!"

"Yes, yes," Van patted her hand as if placating a small child.

Mystra looked at him weirdly.

[He is totally ignoring everything I am saying, isn't he?]

Annoyed, she withdrew her hand.

[If he is not going to heed my warning then I don't care!]

"There's no need to get w.a.n.g Hao," Van addressed Rhogar simply, "I will crush you myself!"

His arrogant words cut through the noise of the crowd.

…

He would crush Rhogar himself?

Whether they wore orange robes or green robes, each disciple looked at Van as if he had completely lost the plot. Where did this kid's confidence come from? Mystra, another 7th level cultivator had been defeated by Rhogar with just one move, what chance did this unknown disciple have?

Mystra took one more glance at the situation before leaving the centre of the crowd.

[I need to get w.a.n.g Hao!]

Van let her go.

The crowd rumbled with discussion.

"He's definitely joking."

"Obviously."

Rhogar's smile tightened.

"Ho? You think you can take me on yourself? I'll tell you now, apart from w.a.n.g Hao, no one here is my opponent!"

Van's smile did not waver. His dark eyes flashed.

Rhogar was vaguely able to perceive a terrifying aura emanating from Van's slim body. This was the killing intent he had been able to acc.u.mulate during his various life-and-death battles.

The scarred youth instinctively took a step back. A moment later, Rhogar realised what he had just done and stepped forwards again, ignoring his instincts.

[This kid… I can't see through him. At first, I thought he was just posturing…but the more I look at him, the more that I feel like… he genuinely does not take me seriously at all!]

The Boulder Sect disciples saw Rhogar's behaviour and were slightly surprised, "Rhogar is taking him seriously! Did the Cedar Sect have another notable outer disciple apart from w.a.n.g Hao?"

Rhogar addressed Van coldly, "You are courting death!"

A loud hum filled the air as the apparition of a giant golden golem s.h.i.+mmered into existence around Rhogar's body. The giant golem spread its fingers.

Van readied himself.

Weng! Weng! Weng!

Three golden fingers detached and shot through the air like ballistic missiles.

Van disappeared. Pus.h.i.+ng his spiritual power around his body, he disappeared and reappeared randomly for indeterminate amounts of time.

 Not a single golden finger even came close to touching him.

This was the power of absolute evasion!

"What!"

"That move…!"

The Cedar Sect disciples opened their eyes wider. No matter how hard they tried, they could not pin down Van's body for more than a millisecond. This movement skill seemed really familiar!

"It can't be!"

"Is that 'Scattering Smoke Steps'?"

Only the Cedar Sect disciples recognised the infamous movement skill. Looking at each other, they suddenly realised that this unknown disciple could turn the tides of the match around!

Filled with new hope, they leaned forward with excitement.

"I don't know who you are, kid. But kick that idiot's a.s.s for us!"

Van smiled.

Rhogar was perplexed but he did not show it.

"Hmph! Even if your movement skill is good, you cannot escape the territory of my fist!"

"You're right," Van chirped, "I will just stand right here!"

He immediately stopped circulating Scattering Smoke Steps and just stood there with his arms held behind his back.

The crowd was flabbergasted.

Rhogar grew truly angry, "I don't know what you are playing at, but this goes no further!"

A giant golden palm s.h.i.+mmered into existence above Van's head.

Without hesitation, Van's skin turned a vibrant copper colour and he aimed a punch filled with might at the palm above his head.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

The golden palm did not even last for one minute before it shattered.

[What explosive strength!]

Rhogar spat blood. His strongest attack had now been cancelled twice and the effect that had on the circulation of his qi was not minor. He felt his right hand go numb.

"You use a physical cultivation technique? You will never go far with that!" Rhogar spat.

"Oh?" Van said, "I seem to be beating your a.s.s with my Copper Knight Wall though!"

Rhogar gritted his teeth. He quickly moved backwards.

His opponent's physical cultivation was high and possessed incredible weight and power. In addition, every punch had been aimed at the weakness in Rhogar's attack.

[He hasn't even used any Spiritual Arts yet…]

Rhogar felt a trickle of sweat down his neck.

The mirage of the Golden Golem behind Rhogar's back pulsed. Its eyes glowed white before it suddenly shrank down and encapsulated Rhogar's body.

Van felt Rhogar's power rise significantly as he merged with the power of the Golden Golem. The young man's muscles bulged with power and his hair billowed behind him with an invisible wind. Golden light emitted from his open mouth.

The expression of the spectators changed.

"Not good!"

"We need to get out of the way!"

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Van saw Rhogar's movement and saw that he was charging up for a big attack. However, he did not retreat.

BOOM!

 A giant beam of golden light shot out of his opponent's mouth. Filled with power, everything it touched vaporised.

[Scattering Smoke Steps!]

Van dodged the attack.

BOOM!

BOOM!

Van was impressed that Rhogar was able to spam this beam attack so often.

[He has a formidable reserve of spiritual energy… but mine is better! He will not be able to wear me out this way!]

Thanks to the effect of opening all 99 meridians, Van's spiritual reserves were unparalleled amongst people in the same rank. However, also meant that it took more spiritual energy for him to advance in level. It could be described by likening his spiritual reserves as a dam. If the dam is big, it can hold more water. However, it also means that it takes a lot more rain to fill it up! Additionally, Van had recently absorbed the Tri-Divine Blood Flame, which had vastly increased the quality of his spiritual power.

Rotating Scattering Smoke Steps, Van's body flashed closer and closer to Rhogar.

Rhogar felt Van's presence a millisecond too late.

There was a loud boom as the figures collided with each other. A large shock wave swept everything up in a ten-metre radius.

_______

[Cave within the forests behind the Cedar Sect]

"w.a.n.g Hao! w.a.n.g Hao!"

A battered-looking outer disciple burst into a secluded cave in the forests behind the Cedar Sect. He was followed by a rag-tag group who all looked decidedly worse for wear. There was a rip across the front of one's robe that was unmistakably from a sword slash. They were accompanied by a young woman with red hair.