The sudden outburst of fierce energy in the hall quickly drew the attention of everyone around. When they saw the young man with a fierce expression, they were all stunned and then cast sympathetic glances towards Xiao Yan, who was standing in confrontation with him. Clearly, they recognized this young man who had quite a reputation in the imperial capital.
“Finally, a fight…” In the hall, the little princess swirled the red wine in her transparent glass with a smile, murmuring softly.
“Uh… That’s… Mu Zhan?”
Among the people surrounding the little princess, most were from noble families, and they immediately recognized the fiercely-looking youth. Their faces changed as they spoke, many of them having been on the receiving end of his wrath in the past.
“No wonder you said something interesting would happen tonight, it turns out you meant this guy…”
Looking at Mu Zhan, who was dressed in green, Liu Ling was also surprised, then he laughed softly, “Many people in the imperial capital know that Mu Zhan has a deep affection for Ya Fei of the Mi Teer family. When he left, he boldly declared that anyone who dared to touch Ya Fei would be killed…”
The little princess smiled faintly, her gaze shifting to Xiao Yan, whose face darkened due to the unexpected attack. “He’s quite unlucky, running into such an intimate scene with Ya Fei when Mu Zhan just returned.”
“With Mu Zhan’s temper, Ya Xiong will not have an easy time tonight. When Mu Zhan left the imperial capital, he was already a three-star Dou Shi, and after two years of training at the border army camp, his strength has likely reached the peak of Dou Shi…”
“If he’s going to suffer, let him suffer. It’s the price one pays for flirting with someone else’s woman. It might knock some sense into him, making him realize that he can’t just swagger around like a country bumpkin,” Liu Ling sneered, hoping that someone would come to challenge Xiao Yan’s arrogance.
“However, this is the Nalan family, and Old Nalan wouldn’t let Mu Zhan get too out of hand. So, if Mu Zhan wants to teach Ya Xiong a lesson, he must do it quickly. Otherwise, once Old Nalan or Mi Teer Tengshan returns, he won’t have another chance.” The little princess smiled, still a bit annoyed that Xiao Yan had refused her invitation earlier.
Liu Ling snorted, “But Mu Zhan is exactly the kind of person who never wastes words once he starts. Watch, it’s about to get physical…”
As he spoke, his gaze fixed on the commotion in the hall.
…
Xiao Yan stretched out his fist, then clenched it again, repeating the motion several times until the numbness dissipated. He glanced at the ferocious young man before him, took a deep breath, and said coldly, “Got a problem with your head?”
Xiao Yan was fully aware that the young man in front of him had no intention of holding back. If it had been someone with a slower reaction, they would have been severely injured. For someone who would attack without warning, Xiao Yan’s heart was filled with rage.
Mu Zhan grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, looking rather menacing. He did not respond but fixed his fiery gaze on Ya Fei, who was fuming with anger. “Ya Fei, it’s been a long time. You’ve gotten even more beautiful, as expected of my future wife…”
“You… you madman!” Ya Fei’s face turned red with anger, her chest rising and falling. She hadn’t expected that after two years, he would still be as rude and unreasonable, launching an attack without any warning.
“Ya Xiong, are you okay?” Ya Fei rushed to Xiao Yan’s side, looking him up and down, and asked anxiously.
Xiao Yan shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the young man in green. “Who is he?”
“Mu Zhan, from the Mu family, one of the three great families. He’s a troublesome madman. I left for training partly to avoid him.” Ya Fei said with a bitter smile.
“He’s ruthless and brutal,” Xiao Yan chuckled, the chill in his laughter making Ya Fei’s face pale slightly.
“Don’t be rash. Mu Zhan is a standout among the younger generation of the Mu family. When he left the imperial capital, he was already a Dou Shi, and after two years of training at the border, his strength is now on par with the older generation. You…”
Knowing Xiao Yan’s temperament, Ya Fei knew he was genuinely angry, but Mu Zhan was not an easy opponent. If they fought, the outcome was uncertain. She tried to dissuade him.
“Kid, new to the imperial capital? No wonder you dare to get so close to Ya Fei.”
Ya Fei’s concern for Xiao Yan only made Mu Zhan’s face more savage. He twisted his neck, and a series of bone-cracking sounds echoed crisply.
Xiao Yan looked at the young man, who was making no effort to hide his murderous intent. He glanced around the hall, noticing that some members of the Nalan family were retreating, likely to report the incident to Nalan Jie and others.
Perhaps Ya Fei was right; the young man in front of him did give Xiao Yan a sense of danger. But even so, he did not intend to hide behind Ya Fei and wait for Nalan Jie and the others to arrive. The earlier sneak attack by Mu Zhan, which nearly left him severely injured, had ignited the suppressed desire and anger within him. So…
This time, he was not going to hold back.
Staring at Mu Zhan, ignoring Ya Fei’s advice, Xiao Yan spread his right hand, and a fierce suction force suddenly pulled a broken chair leg, as thick as a thigh, into his grip. Holding it tightly, Xiao Yan’s body fell silent. Moments later, green Dou Qi surged out, and he swiftly dodged Ya Fei, his foot stomping the ground. With a burst of energy, Xiao Yan’s figure shot towards Mu Zhan like a black streak of lightning.
“Kid, got some guts!” Mu Zhan sneered, seeing Xiao Yan taking the initiative to attack. His body erupted with emerald-green Dou Qi, and his fists turned a dry-wood color.
Xiao Yan’s area in the hall had become the center of attention. Seeing that Xiao Yan chose to attack instead of retreating, those who knew Mu Zhan’s strength couldn’t help but shake their heads. They thought Xiao Yan was just trying to show off in front of Ya Fei.
“This guy is truly courting trouble. Why not just stay put and wait for Old Nalan and the others to come? He insists on rushing forward and getting humiliated,” Liu Ling said, shaking his head with a smile. He had known Mu Zhan for a long time and understood how difficult a fighter he could be.
“It seems even the most outstanding people can’t help but get carried away in front of a beauty,” the little princess mused, swirling her glass with a mischievous smile. They, who lived in the imperial capital, didn’t have much faith in Xiao Yan’s chances against Mu Zhan.
As they spoke, Xiao Yan and Mu Zhan clashed under everyone’s watchful eyes.
Xiao Yan’s face was as calm as water as he stared coldly at the ferocious Mu Zhan. Just as he was about to reach Mu Zhan, he spun on his heel, appearing strangely beside Mu Zhan’s left hand. His right palm, now covered in green Dou Qi, wielded the chair leg, bringing a fierce wind, and smashed down mercilessly on Mu Zhan’s head.
Noticing the incoming attack, Mu Zhan sneered, and his fist slammed upwards, colliding hard with the sturdy chair leg.
“Boom!”
With a muffled sound, the chair leg shattered. After breaking the leg, Mu Zhan’s fist, still brimming with power, shot through the flying wood chips, aiming for Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan tilted his head, and the fist, which had just burst through the wood chips, grazed his shoulder. The fierce punch made his skin feel scorched, but the small pain did not slow him down.
As Mu Zhan’s fist passed by, Xiao Yan’s body slid down, and he flipped over, his right hand supporting the ground, his waist twisting, and his foot swung in a wide arc, cutting towards Mu Zhan’s neck like a pair of sharp scissors.
“Hey, not bad…”
Mu Zhan’s eyes lit up with excitement at the strange scissor kick. He raised his arms to protect his neck, and his skin rapidly turned a dry, yellow color, looking like two pieces of hard, dry wood.
…
Xiao Yan’s feet struck Mu Zhan’s arms, producing two strange sounds. The force of the impact made Mu Zhan take a step back, but his combat experience was far beyond Xiao Yan’s expectations. Even as he retreated, he steadied himself, and his foot kicked Xiao Yan’s head, who was upside down.
Xiao Yan’s eyes flashed with surprise at the counterattack. His left hand, which had been used to maintain balance, suddenly spun, and a thread of green flame appeared on his fist, colliding with Mu Zhan’s foot.
“Boom!”
The fierce collision sent a burst of energy outward, and cracks appeared where Xiao Yan’s right hand supported the ground.
“Hmm…”
Both of them grunted from the impact. Xiao Yan lightly tapped the ground with his right hand, causing the floor to shatter. Using the rebound, he sprang up, landing lightly on his feet, stepping back a few steps. His face was grave as he watched Mu Zhan, who had destroyed a table in his retreat.
In just a minute, they had engaged in a thrilling, close-quarters battle. Any slight lapse in concentration would have resulted in a humiliating defeat from the other’s relentless attack.
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