One, Viggo, was the pinnacle of hundreds of outer disciples in the Boulder Sect. The other, Van, was a newcomer who had yet to display the true extent of his skills.

The Cedar Sect disciples didn't know what to think or feel. They whispered quietly amongst themselves.

"Why is Viggo is challenging Van, not w.a.n.g Hao?"

"Isn't it obvious? He's here to take revenge for his brother and regain the honour of his sect at the same time – two birds with one stone. Defeating w.a.n.g Hao is secondary at this point."

"I didn't think about it that way…but it makes sense."

"Who do you think will win?"

This was the question that they were most anxious to have answered.

"Van is strong and may even have hidden depths…but he's not Viggo's match. That man is the top outer disciple of a mighty sect for a reason."

"Viggo is a beast clothed in the skin of a human," someone whispered quietly, "The rumours are enough to give you nightmares for weeks."

A threatening, animalistic aura started to flow out from Viggo.

The audience members immediately shut their mouths. They felt jittery and on edge; as if they stood in front of a predator who could snuff their lives out with one bite.

Although Van was over ten metres away, he felt his limbs instinctively start to lock from the power of Viggo's b.e.s.t.i.a.l aura.

"What a strong killing intent! His aura is stronger than most peak 7th rankers," the crowd whispered.

"Viggo killed a Sabre-Toothed Winged Lion a few months ago, allowing his martial experience, cultivation and intent to develop immensely," the Boulder Sect disciples whispered amongst each other.

"No wonder his killing intent is so sharp."

"He was already unbeatable before that, but now his is absolutely the undisputed King of the Outer Disciples."

The Cloud River continent was a vast expanse of land filled with mysterious wonders and unknown territories. Despite millennia of human occupation, it seemed that the knowledge humanity held about the land they lived in was limited. If that knowledge had once existed, someone had made sure that it had been irrevocably destroyed. Even with this limited knowledge, there were many miraculous places and strange items that turn the lucky cultivator into the carp that leapt over the dragon's gate and transformed.

Those willing to risks their lives by battling terrifyingly strong demon beasts could also find themselves transformed by their experiences. Obviously, Viggo was such a person. Through his intense battle with the Sabre-Tooth Winged Lion that lasted over five days and five nights, his martial arts had been honed to the extreme and his focus sharpened to a deadly point.

Viggo increased the pressure of his killing intent once more and the atmosphere became stifling.

"I will let you have five moves. I won't retaliate until the fifth move is over," Viggo said softly, taunting. Though his eyes seemed calm, Van could sense the dangerous beast that lurked behind.

The green-robed disciples felt a cold chill settle into their bones.

Five moves…?

Only someone who was completely confident in their overwhelming strength could say something like that. How domineering!

After all, Viggo was at the peak of the 7th rank and had been the top outer disciple of the Boulder Sect for a while. His skills could not be less than someone who had just shot to the 7th rank. It was only expected that he could afford to give away five moves!

The green-robed disciples looked worriedly at their fighter. However, the red-haired youth still displayed an impa.s.sive expression.

Van suddenly smiled.

"Hahaha!"

His barking laughter took them all by surprise. His next words made their jaws fall to the ground.

"You wish to further ensure your defeat? That seems unfair -how about this: I give YOU five moves instead!"

The silence that dropped over the crowd was so absolute one could hear the cicadas in the trees.

Viggo was frozen with disbelief. He couldn't believe his ears.

The crowd's eyes dropped out of their sockets. They didn't know how to look at Van – was he a clown, or a monster?

"He's crazy. Who let this fool represent our sect?"

"He's telling Viggo to attack him five times without retaliation?"

 "Shhh! He must have a reason for saying that!"

 "He's going to lose anyway. Him giving Viggo ten moves doesn't matter anyway, but at least he'll be able to have his fifteen minutes of fame."

Viggo's veins were popping out of his forehead. A furious rage burned in his chest.

"Giving me five moves for free!? You will rue your choice!"

HUUU!

A giant lion with a vicious snarl materialised into the air behind Viggo. The young man shouted, and his aura merged with that of the beasts. Two cutla.s.ses appeared in his hand; they were short and curved, like a lion's front teeth.  

A layer of orange light appeared on the cutla.s.ses as they swept towards Van. The power of the flying cutla.s.ses could easily kill anyone of the 5th rank or lower and seriously disable a 6th ranker.

 Van smirked and disappeared. His image s.h.i.+mmered and he was instantly standing 10 metres from his previous spot.

The cutla.s.ses swerved around and returned to Viggo's hand.

Van reappeared.

"One," the red-haired youth teased.

Viggo growled, "Coward! Face me like a real man, instead of running around like the pansy you are!"

"If that's what you want!" Van started to circulate Thousand Saint Sacrifice. His skin took a copper sheen.

SLICE!

The figures clashed together

Viggo's left scimitar left a red line across Van's forearm but was unable to dig deeper as the red-haired youth floated away and strengthened the skin in his forearm.

One of the figures flew back. The other staggered slightly before regaining their footing.

Viggo dug his cutla.s.ses into the ground and regained his footing.

Van looked coldly down at him. The red line on his arm turned pink and disappeared.

"Two."

The crowd was in awe.

The person who had been pushed back was the top outer disciple of the b.l.o.o.d.y Boulder Sect!

Viggo quickly attacked again but Van dodged nimbly.

"Three," the red-haired youth said.

Viggo felt a spike of unease.

 [How are his body cultivation and movement techniques so advanced?]

When Rhogar had spoken to him about Van's abilities, he had said that the other youth's body cultivation technique was merely a measly Copper Knight Wall. Even at the perfection realm, could it possibly withstand the might of his cutla.s.ses, which he had forged from the fangs of the Sabre-Tooth Winged Lion?

There was only one explanation – in the day since Van had fought Rhogar, he had improved vastly yet again!

Indeed, Van's control over his circulation of spiritual power had grown by leaps and bounds after a night's contemplation and purification of his spiritual river. Combined with the integration of the Tri-Divine Blood Flame into his body, Van's sensitivity to spiritual power had grown to new heights. The extent to which he was able to activate and execute his martial arts was more like a seasoned 9th ranker than a 7th ranker.

Van saw Viggo's wary look and smiled, unleas.h.i.+ng his battle intent at the same moment. A terrifying aura emanated from his body and swept over the crowd. In the air around him it was as if you could sense the desolation of an immense ice dragon.

Viggo's gaze sharpened, "I see. You love battle, just like me. Good!"

The Boulder Sect disciple raised his voice, "However, that body cultivation technique you are showing, it far exceeds the Copper Knight Wall technique!"

Murmurs spread through the crowd.

"Body cultivation techniques are not very popular, so good ones are extremely rare, like a goose laying a golden egg. If Van's technique is not the Copper Knight Wall, what is it and where did he get it from?"

Van did not show any discomfort at this line of questioning. He smiled enigmatically, "Yesterday's fight was very eye-catching…what if it was a gift?"

Van purposely kept his answer vague to encourage the idea that he may have caught the eye of a sect elder in the last couple days. He had technically not spoken any lies – fighting Rhogar had been eye-catching, and the Thousand Saints Sacrifice Method could be considered 'gifted' to him from Jet!

"Don't be too full of yourself – I have yet to exert all my strength!" Viggo interjected, annoyed at the crowd's amazement, "My martial technique has been pa.s.sed down to the most talented youth of each generation of my family!"

"Swift Biting Fang!" Viggo leapt up into the air and a mirage of flying lion appeared behind him. It leapt onto a cutla.s.s.

The cutla.s.s shot towards Van carrying the heavy vicious aura of an ancient beast. The speed was lightning fast and contained extremely condensed qi.

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Van almost reacted to late. He circulated Scattering Smoke Steps and barely avoided being hit.

A red strand of hair floated onto the ground.

Van was slightly impressed; Viggo frowned deeply.

"Four," Van said simply. His tranquil eyes betrayed no thought.

"Your next move is the last. Use it carefully!"

Viggo gritted his teeth and the winged lion behind him roared furiously. It leapt onto Viggo's cutla.s.ses and disappeared into the silver blades, which blazed with orange qi.

"Slicing Twin Fangs!"

The two cutla.s.ses became super-fast heat-seeking missiles. They shot furiously towards Van.

Like a predator locking onto prey, they could sense where Van was every time, he used Scattering Smoke Steps and would find him in a short amount of time.

Van calculated and briefly lingered at one spot. The heat-seeking cutla.s.ses pinpointed his location and shot towards him. The red-haired youth waited.

The crowd shouted for him to get out of the way.

Van felt the tip of a cutla.s.s part the air in front of his skin. Then, he heavily rotated Scattering Smoke Steps and appeared five metres away just as the two cutla.s.ses stabbed into the ground of the sect and became lodged there.

The orange qi that powered the cutla.s.ses returned to Viggo. The recoil made him cough blood.

"Five," Van announced gravely. A corner of his sleeve was missing, and a red line could be seen on his arm. Unlike the previous injury, it was slow to heal.

"You're five moves have finished. Not bad, but not good enough!"

His voice was soft and yet filled the hearts of everyone around him with ice. They had laughed at him when he said that Viggo would need the five-move head start and yet here they were and Viggo was nearly kneeling on the ground from the recoil of his finis.h.i.+ng move and Van was perfectly fine.

Whether they wore orange robes or green robes, the crowd was extremely disturbed. What would happen now that Van could fight back?

A deep cobalt colour appeared on Van's palm.