Deep shock and anger appeared in Ma Yuan's eyes.
Ma Hong actually wanted to break Ning Jiang's arms and legs, and Ning Jiang was the very person Liu Xianyu had gone to great lengths to find!
"Brother, I..."
"Shut up," Ma Yuan snapped. "You bastard, all you ever do is cause trouble for me!"
Ma Yuan was truly furious. He knew his younger brother's personality well. In the past, Ma Hong had used his backing to cause no small amount of trouble, but he had never gotten into any major disasters. Because of this, Ma Yuan had always turned a blind eye.
But this time was different. Ma Hong had offended no ordinary person, but someone Liu Xianyu held in high regard!
And what was Liu Xianyu's status?
Besides being one of the Luoyang Ten Heroes, Liu Xianyu herself was the most outstanding genius of the Liu Family, the leader of the younger generation, and highly valued by Patriarch Liu.
Liu Xianyu's position within the Liu Family was extraordinary. To some extent, even Ma Yuan's own backer, Master Liu Si, Liu Zhensheng, couldn't compare to her.
One must know that the Liu Family's Black Guard Team was under Liu Xianyu's command.
The Black Guard Team had a total of 108 members, all at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer or higher. They were the elite of the Liu Family.
Of course, the Black Guard Team was nothing. Above them was the Silver Guard Team. The thirty-six members of the Silver Guard Team were all at the Postnatal Middle Stage or higher. Its six captains were even at the Peak of Postnatal.
This Silver Guard Team could only ever be mobilized by the great Elders of the Liu Family.
And Ma Yuan had heard that Patriarch Liu recently intended to hand over the Silver Guard Team to Liu Xianyu as well.
With Ma Yuan's intelligence, it was impossible for him not to understand the deep meaning behind this. Patriarch Liu was clearly grooming Liu Xianyu to be the Liu Family's successor!
If nothing unexpected happened, the position of Clan Leader would undoubtedly be within Liu Xianyu's grasp in the future.
Once Liu Xianyu took over the Liu Family, she would also command the Liu Family's Golden Guard Team!
The Golden Guard Team, the core team personally trained by Patriarch Liu, consisted of twelve people. Each one was a ruthless killer, and all of them were Innate Realm experts.
This Golden Guard Team alone was enough to sweep away any second-tier family in Luoyang City.
Besides the first-class noble houses, who could contend with them?
Although the Liu Family had fallen to the status of a second-tier family three years ago, they were in fact the strongest among the second-tier families. Even the current first-class noble houses were quite wary of them.
One could say that in front of Liu Xianyu, he, Ma Yuan, was just an insignificant pawn.
Even if Liu Xianyu killed him right here, his backer, Liu Zhensheng, would at most complain a little. He would not dare to hold Liu Xianyu accountable.
And now, his brother, of all the foolish things to do, had offended Ning Jiang. Given how highly Liu Xianyu regarded Ning Jiang, what would she be thinking of them now?
'Would she kill us casually just to appease Ning Jiang's anger?'
At this thought, Ma Yuan quickly glanced at Liu Xianyu's face. When he saw her pretty face covered in frost, even with his deep cunning, a cold chill ran down his spine.
"You bastard! Apologize to this young master at once and beg for his forgiveness!" Ma Yuan's voice was practically a roar. After speaking, he seemed to feel it wasn't enough. "No, get on your knees and apologize!"
"What?"
Ma Hong stared at Ma Yuan in shock. "A man's knees are precious as gold;" for him, kneeling was worse than death.
He felt unconvinced and wanted to retort, but when he saw the fiery anger in his brother's eyes and Liu Xianyu's indifferent gaze beside him, he couldn't say a word.
The surroundings fell deathly silent.
Who could have thought that Ma Hong, who had been so aggressive just moments ago, would now be forced by his own brother to kneel and apologize to Ning Jiang?
"If you don't kneel, I'll break your legs!" Ma Yuan's words were like ice.
'Liu Xianyu still hasn't said a word, which means she's willing to let me handle this. But if she becomes dissatisfied, then true disaster will strike!'
Ma Hong's body couldn't stop trembling.
Xu Yan, the woman he was pursuing, hadn't expected a Martial Technique to cause such a situation. She stood to the side, not daring to make a sound.
Liu Mi's brows furrowed even tighter. 'Ning Jiang... what is his background, exactly?'
"Enough. Even if you force him to kneel, he won't submit to me in his heart. Instead, he'll just hate and resent me."
Ning Jiang's voice was as cold and emotionless as ever. "We are all Martial Artists. The very character for 'martial' is a combination of 'to stop' and 'halberd.' In other words, its true meaning is to cease hostilities. Let's resolve this conflict the way Martial Artists should. You and I will have an honorable battle, right here and now."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was astonished!
Ning Jiang was at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, while Ma Hong was at the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer. To fight across three layers, the chances of victory were almost zero!
Besides, there was no need for Ning Jiang to do this. With Liu Xianyu present, Ma Hong could only obediently apologize.
"Young Master, if you are dissatisfied, I can handle it. Why must you..."
Liu Xianyu also saw the problem with Ning Jiang's Cultivation, but she was only halfway through her sentence when Ning Jiang interrupted, "My mind is made up."
How could he not understand Liu Xianyu's intentions? It was clear she was seeking him out for a favor.
If Liu Xianyu were to help him resolve this matter now, he would owe her a small favor.
'A debt of gratitude is the hardest to repay!'
Liu Xianyu wasn't displeased. She recalled Ning Jiang's free and easy manner after he had given her pointers, and how he had drifted away so coolly. From that, she could roughly guess his personality.
"Very well then. Everyone, stand back."
Before Liu Xianyu's voice had even faded, the surrounding crowd had already retreated, clearing out a large space.
In the center of the area stood Ning Jiang and Ma Hong.
'I hope he can win.'
Zhao Peng thought to himself. But to be honest, he wasn't very confident. He could only hope that Ning Jiang had some hidden trump card.
"Let me see just what qualifications you have for Liu Xianyu to value you so highly," Liu Mi said softly. From her previous disdain for Ning Jiang, she was now filled with curiosity.
"Your arms are unusual. Your knuckles are large and your fingernails are sharp. Your skills should be concentrated in your hands. Use your full strength. Since I was the one who proposed this fight, even if I lose, I won't let Liu Xianyu hold you accountable."
Ning Jiang stood there, his figure straight and tall, but he looked a bit thin compared to the burly, tiger-backed Ma Hong.
He also knew Ma Hong was wary of Liu Xianyu, so he laid his cards on the table.
"Good Eye Power. My skills are indeed in my hands. But since you've given me a chance to fight, I won't hold back," Ma Hong said coldly. "I hope you meant what you said about a martial resolution and won't blame me when you lose."
Ning Jiang said nothing, simply extending his palm and beckoning to Ma Hong.
The crowd grew even more astonished.
Ning Jiang was at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, yet he was telling the higher-cultivation Ma Hong to make the first move. What kind of confidence was this?
"This move of mine is Evil Tiger Ripping Eagle, a Mortal Level Top Grade Martial Technique! I've cultivated it for five years, and it's just half a step from Perfection. If you can take it, I'll admit defeat!"
Ma Hong struck a pose, and his entire aura changed instantly. A ferocious Evil Qi erupted from him. Standing there, he no longer seemed like a man, but a tiger.
At the same time, True Qi surged through his body into his hands. His hands immediately swelled by a size, with blue veins bulging like steel whips and muscles that seemed forged from pure iron.
The nails on his five fingers grew sharp and prominent, like blades, glinting with a dark cyan luster.
His spine swayed gently. He stomped his foot, and the bluestone tiles on the ground cracked on the spot. His body shot forward like a vicious tiger, pouncing for the kill.
The people around could even hear a tiger's roar coming from within Ma Hong's body.
Though he was a man, his ferocious aura at this moment was more terrifying than a real tiger's!
Ning Jiang and he were dozens of feet apart, yet with this explosive burst, Ma Hong arrived in the blink of an eye.
"SHRRIIIP!"
The air shrieked as Ma Hong's fingernails, incomparably sharp and more terrifying than real tiger claws, aimed to tear Ning Jiang apart.
Evil Tiger Ripping Eagle—this move was all about an explosion of speed and the sharpness of the hands.
When unleashed, one would leap fiercely. If an eagle were circling low in the sky, it would be instantly snatched and ripped in half.
Ning Jiang was at the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer. Even if his True Qi had already been refined into his muscles, skin, and bones, he absolutely could not block this attack.
When a Martial Artist used True Qi to execute a Martial Technique, splitting steles and cracking stones was an easy task. Right now, even an iron man would be torn apart by Ma Hong's move.
"With this move, Ma Hong is qualified to enter the Black Guard Team. He could even hold his own for a bit against a master at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer. This person you're so optimistic about has basically already lost."
Liu Mi had moved to Liu Xianyu's side and spoke slowly. If before she thought Ning Jiang might have a chance to win, now she had no faith in him at all.
"Not necessarily."
Liu Xianyu's reply was just two simple words. Among everyone present, she was likely the only one who still had confidence in Ning Jiang.
She was the only one who had seen Ning Jiang's Cloud-Piercing Sword!
Liu Mi snorted inwardly. 'Once he loses, let's see what you have to say then.'
"CLANG."
A sudden sword cry rang out, interrupting Liu Mi's thoughts.
Ning Jiang's figure flickered and vanished from his spot.
Perfect Lightweight Skill, Cloud Traveling Step.
In the span of a finger snap, he was behind Ma Hong. He drew his sword, the muscles and bones in his body vibrating with a HUM, and the sword's cry echoed throughout the area.
"SHINK SHINK SHINK SHINK!"
Four consecutive strikes—the Big Splash Wind Sword—were delivered, urgent and fast, incomparably sharp.
"How is that possible?"
Thin lines of blood appeared on Ma Hong's hands and feet. His face was filled with disbelief.
In that instant, just as he pounced in front of Ning Jiang, Ning Jiang seemed to have predicted his move, directly evading his attack and flashing behind him.
"THUD."
His body collapsed. His life wasn't in danger, but the tendons in his hands and feet had all been severed by Ning Jiang's sword. He could no longer stand.
"Why?" Ma Hong turned his head, staring intently at Ning Jiang.
"Your speed is indeed fast. Anyone else would have been unable to react. But I am different. I observed the twitch of your muscles, watched every detail of your body. So, before you even made your move, I already knew what you would do. Your every action was within my expectations." Ning Jiang sheathed his sword, his white robes fluttering, his hair as black as ink.
A true master could see through an enemy's actions with their Eye Power alone. Without a doubt, he was such a person.
"So that's how it is. So that's how it is." A bitter smile appeared on Ma Hong's lips.
"A three-layer Cultivation gap, a body refined to the organs and Seven Apertures, and he even had the initiative by striking first, yet he still lost!"
"And the defeat was so swift!"
All the previous distrust for Ning Jiang had, at this moment, transformed into the sound of people swallowing hard.
The entire audience was in shock!
"I can't be mistaken. I can't be mistaken! It's definitely that Sword Dao Realm!"
Liu Xianyu murmured, a fervent light erupting in her eyes as she fanatically stared at Ning Jiang's figure.