29: If you're going to slap someone in the face, then slap them hard enough.

"Little brother?"

Dao Yi's face instantly darkened to the point it could drip water.

In all his years, this was the first time someone dared to use such a word to describe him.

In the Taiyi Holy Land, he was the Saint revered by everyone, the hope of the future.

In the Central Plains, he was at the top of the heavenly prodigy ranking, a myth unreachable by those of his generation.

But now, in this desolate Eastern Wasteland, he was actually being called... a little brother... in public by a Foundation Establishment Stage ant?

"Very well."

"Very good."

Dao Yi slowly stood up from his animal-skin cushion.

The divine light around him was no longer restrained; instead, it erupted like the sun, its blinding golden light instantly illuminating half the sky.

A terrifying pressure belonging to the Golden Core Great Perfection swept out like a tsunami.

"You have successfully enraged me."

Dao Yi's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"Originally, I intended to give you a three-move handicap."

"Now, it seems there's no need for that."

"I will make you regret every single word you just said in endless agony!"

"Taiyi Divine Light!"

Dao Yi formed a hand seal, and the brilliant "great sun" behind him instantly condensed into a thick pillar of golden light, carrying an aura that could purify and destroy everything as it shot toward Xiao Chen!

This was one of the core ultimate techniques of the Taiyi Holy Land!

With his first move, he used a killing blow!

Wherever the light pillar passed, even the air was scorched into distortion, emitting a "sizzling" sound.

This strike was enough to instantly kill any Early Stage Golden Core Cultivator!

Below.

At the entrance of the Hidden God Sect's main hall.

Shi Tian clenched his fists nervously. "Can Senior Brother block it?"

Leng Yanran was expressionless, but her hand gripping her sword hilt tightened slightly.

Only Li Daoxuan still wore an expression as if he were watching a play.

He even had the leisure to pick the largest and reddest apple from the fruit tray and hand it to Shi Tian beside him.

"Don't just watch, have some fruit."

"Watching a show without eating snacks—I just can't do it."

In mid-air.

Facing that golden light pillar capable of destroying heaven and earth.

Xiao Chen's expression didn't change in the slightest.

He even had time to recall his Revered Master's teachings from just a moment ago.

"Slapping faces must be loud."

"Not only must you win, but you must win beautifully."

"Make the opponent feel what true despair is, from their body to their Soul."

"Understood."

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, and the rusty iron sword in his hand finally moved.

He didn't use the tip of the sword to pierce.

He didn't use the edge of the sword to cleave.

He simply and casually held the wide, rust-covered flat of the blade in front of him.

“Clang—!!!”

A deafening sound of clashing metal suddenly exploded!

That thick golden light pillar slammed violently into the iron sword that looked like it would crumble at a touch.

There was no explosion.

There was no stalemate.

Under the horrified gazes of the Taiyi Holy Land's group.

That indestructible "Taiyi Divine Light" was like an egg crashing into an immortal divine mountain.

“Crack!”

A crisp sound rang out.

The light pillar split down the middle and then shattered with a bang, turning into a rain of golden light that dissipated into the air.

As for Xiao Chen.

He remained floating in place, with not even a corner of his clothes disturbed.

The rusty iron sword didn't even have a single mark left on it.

"This... how is this possible?!"

On the war chariot, the Nascent Soul Stage old servant's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"That was the Saint's full-power strike! It was actually... actually blocked by a broken sword?!"

Dao Yi himself felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his face turning pale instantly.

He could feel that the moment his Divine Ability touched that sword, it was... swallowed by an indescribable, terrifying power?

No.

It wasn't swallowed.

It was annihilated!

It was like a drop of water falling into a red-hot iron pan, evaporating instantly!

"You... what kind of sword is that?!" Dao Yi's voice trembled, all his previous arrogance gone.

Xiao Chen didn't answer.

He just looked at Dao Yi's face, which was distorted by shock, and shook his head.

"Too weak."

"This is the strength of the Central Plains Saint? You're not even worthy of carrying my Revered Master's shoes."

"Since you're useless, it's my turn."

With that.

Xiao Chen moved.

The iron sword beneath his feet let out a clear chime, and he transformed into an afterimage, instantly crossing a distance of a hundred feet to appear before the golden war chariot.

Fast!

So fast that even Dao Yi, a Golden Core Great Perfection, only had time to raise his protective spiritual light!

"Stop!" The old servant was pale with fright and was about to intervene.

But it was already too late.

Xiao Chen swung the iron sword in his hand, without using any fancy sword techniques.

He was like a village schoolteacher punishing a disobedient student.

Using the wide flat of the sword as a ruler.

Aiming at Dao Yi's handsome face.

He fiercely...

...slapped it down!

“Smack—!!!”

A crisp sound echoed through the clouds!

That sound was even louder than the "Taiyi Divine Light" from earlier!

Dao Yi's prideful protective spiritual light was like a fragile soap bubble before the rusty iron sword.

With a "pop," it shattered.

Immediately after.

The iron sword slapped solidly against Dao Yi's left cheek.

In that instant.

Dao Yi felt as if his head had been violently struck by an Immemorial Bull.

Half of his face instantly lost sensation.

Then came a burning, intense pain.

The massive force sent him spinning three hundred and sixty degrees on the spot like a top.

“Pfft!”

A mouthful of blood mixed with teeth sprayed from his mouth, tracing a graceful arc in the air.

The entire field fell into a dead silence.

Everyone was stunned.

The followers from the Taiyi Holy Land gaped, forgetting to breathe.

Below, Li Daoxuan nodded in satisfaction. "Mm, that slap was loud."

However.

This wasn't over yet.

Without waiting for Dao Yi to steady himself.

Xiao Chen delivered another strike with a backhand!

“Smack—!!!”

Another crisp slap.

This time, it was the right cheek.

It was perfectly symmetrical.

Dao Yi's face, originally handsome enough to captivate countless Saintesses, swelled up at a visible rate.

A finger-mark on the left, and a finger-mark on the right.

He looked like a freshly steamed pig's head.

"One."

Xiao Chen spat out a single word expressionlessly.

Then, the third strike!

“Smack!”

"Two."

The fourth strike!

“Smack!”

"Three."

...In mid-air, an extremely bizarre and brutal scene unfolded.

A Foundation Establishment "ant" was using a rusty iron sword like a baseball bat, frantically slapping a Golden Core Great Perfection Saint.

Every strike was accompanied by a crisp "smack."

Every "smack" made the hearts of everyone present twitch violently.

"Stop! Stop it right now!"

Dao Yi was going crazy.

The physical pain was secondary; the psychological humiliation made him want to self-detonate on the spot.

He, the dignified Taiyi Saint, was actually being slapped in public?!

And with a sword, no less?!

"This is for waking my Revered Master up!"

“Smack!”

"This is for acting tough!"

“Smack!”

"This is for looking down on us people of the Eastern Wasteland!"

“Smack! Smack! Smack!”

Xiao Chen muttered as he slapped, as if he were paying back all the grievances he had suffered over the past three years twofold to this unfortunate Saint.

Finally.

After an unknown number of slaps.

“Thud.”

A muffled sound.

That arrogant Taiyi Saint, who claimed to have the potential of a Great Emperor, rolled his eyes and fell straight down from the golden war chariot.

Like a meteorite trailing a cloud of dust, he crashed heavily in front of the Hidden God Sect's mountain gate, once again smashing the broken plaque that had just been set back up.

A Prodigy of his generation had... fainted.

The entire field was so quiet that a falling needle could be heard.

Everyone stared blankly at the youth floating in mid-air, holding the iron sword.

Then they looked at the unconscious Saint on the ground, whose face had swollen into a pig's head.

An absurd thought simultaneously cropped up in all their minds.

"That's... it?"

"This is the legendary number one Prodigy of the Central Plains?"

"That's all?"

"I feel like... he's not even as tough as the wild boar in my back mountain..."