Chapter Thirty-Two: Are You Out of Your Mind?

Chen Xiang sneered coldly, casually unleashing a Mountain-breaking Seal. Behind the massive energy handprint, a palm-sized jade-green crystal handprint was cleverly concealed, hidden from everyone’s sight.

Di Yi let out a derisive laugh. This attack was clearly weaker than the last one—Chen Xiang must have exhausted himself! He still hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

“Dominating Blade Slash!”

His blade descended in a vertical arc, effortlessly cleaving the enormous yellow handprint in two. As the Mountain-breaking Seal split, it transformed into two streams of energy that struck the plaza, leaving behind two fresh craters where the protective wards had already been broken.

But as his blade fell, Di Yi’s expression twisted in shock and horror.

“No!”

A jade-green crystal handprint, seemingly slow but actually blindingly fast, shot toward him. By the time he noticed, it was already too late. He had no time to withdraw, only able to use the residual force of his Dominating Blade Slash to counter it.

In a flash, everyone saw Di Yi split Chen Xiang’s attack in two. They all shook their heads and sighed, thinking it was over. Even the Nascent Soul stage general wore a look of regret; he knew all too well the terrifying power of Di Yi’s move—he himself, at the third level of Nascent Soul, wouldn’t dare take it head-on.

But just then—

A deafening boom shook the air, this energy storm even greater than the last. Ripples trembled through the void, making everyone’s faces change dramatically.

A figure was blasted across the ground, skidding dozens of meters before finally coming to a halt.

Everyone stared in disbelief.

The figure was none other than Di Yi!

How was this possible? All eyes turned to the center of the plaza, where a lone figure strolled calmly out of the storm. Every step he took struck at the hearts of the crowd.

Chen Xiang smiled lightly and uttered just four words, sending a tremor through everyone’s chest: "You’ve made a mess of yourself!"

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for instilling fear in cultivators. You’ve gained twenty reputation points.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for instilling fear in cultivators. You’ve gained forty reputation points.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for inspiring awe in cultivators. You’ve gained thirty reputation points.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for inspiring admiration in cultivators. You’ve gained fifty reputation points.”

...

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for showing off and astonishing all the cultivators present. Special reward: five hundred reputation points.”

...

Chen Xiang listened to the notifications ringing in his mind, grinning from ear to ear. This single exchange had netted him a full thousand reputation points! He’d already made back what he spent on Qin’er last time—definitely worth it! He felt like shouting, “Look at me, am I not incredible?”

Yet there was still something that dissatisfied him—he hadn't managed to kill Di Yi! Such a powerful attack, even he had been afraid to use it, and his spiritual energy was nearly depleted, yet Di Yi still survived. The Nascent Soul stage truly was extraordinary. Or… was his own strength simply too weak? Chen Xiang wondered to himself.

Li Qiner's eyes sparkled with amazement. She hadn't expected this Young Master Li to be so powerful! Without using her Frost Scar Sword, her own strength was only a bit stronger than an average cultivator at the peak of Core Formation.

Chen Xiang walked forward unhurriedly, surrounded by cultivators. The entire cultivator marketplace had been alarmed by the commotion.

All eyes followed Chen Xiang’s every movement.

He approached Di Yi. The man’s robes were in tatters; his chest was scorched black. The spiritual weapon, a profound-grade blade, in his hand had lost its luster, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he glared venomously at Chen Xiang.

“You’re finished, brat! After today, you won’t leave Tianxuan City alive,” Di Yi spat, his face pale, his voice seething with anger. Gone was his former composure—he had never imagined he would be so gravely wounded by a mere youth.

Chen Xiang sneered, “Whether I leave or not isn’t yours to decide—and you’ll never see it.” He summoned the Qingfeng Sword, preparing to strike Di Yi down.

“Stop!” The city guard captain could no longer stand by as Chen Xiang moved to kill Di Yi. He shouted and rushed forward to intervene.

“Stop your nonsense!”

Without even looking back, Chen Xiang flung a jade-green crystal handprint behind him.

Then, his Qingfeng Sword, empowered by his own spiritual energy, sliced effortlessly through Di Yi’s neck.

The city guard captain was shocked to see the jade-green handprint flying at him. Though he didn’t know its power, he dared not underestimate this young man now.

He marshaled all his defenses—after all, behind him stood a troop of soldiers, none stronger than Core Formation stage, and none could survive such a blow.

As the jade-green handprint landed on his defenses, it dispersed into starlight with a soft pop.

The captain froze, instantly furious at having been duped. But it was too late—Di Yi’s headless corpse lay at his feet, the body now worthless.

“He actually killed a Nascent Soul cultivator?”

Someone exclaimed in a trembling voice, and the crowd nodded with difficulty.

What an unbelievable feat.

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for instilling terror in cultivators. You’ve gained twenty reputation points.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for instilling terror in cultivators. You’ve gained thirty reputation points.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for instilling terror in cultivators. You’ve gained forty reputation points.”

...

Chen Xiang smiled faintly. “Haha, that’s exactly the effect I wanted!”

At that moment, a flash of red light shot from Di Yi’s body, trying to escape.

“Ding. Nascent Soul detected. Would you like to capture it?”

The system’s prompt sounded, leaving Chen Xiang momentarily stupefied.

“Damn! I totally forgot—Nascent Soul cultivators have a nascent soul! As long as the nascent soul endures, the cultivator doesn’t die. Damn it, how could I forget?” Chen Xiang cried out in sudden realization.

“Heh, trying to run, are you? System, capture him for me!” Chen Xiang ordered in his mind.

Instantly, it was as if an invisible giant hand extended from within Chen Xiang, undetectable except to Di Yi’s nascent soul. In a blink, it caught up, seized it, and dragged it back.

“No!”

Di Yi’s nascent soul was filled with disbelief. The nascent soul could teleport, yet this force left it powerless—who could it be?

“Ding. Nascent soul captured. One hundred reputation points consumed.”

Chen Xiang’s eyes widened, and he cursed, “Damn it! System, are you trying to rip me off? It costs a hundred reputation points just to capture a nascent soul? Why didn’t you say so from the start? Are you a swindler? Do you know how hard it is for me to earn reputation points? I fought so long to get fifteen hundred, and you just deduct a hundred straight away? Swindler…”

“Ding. The system’s prices are absolutely fair. Please use with confidence. If dissatisfied, please uninstall!”

At the word “uninstall,” Chen Xiang’s mouth twitched, but he quickly forced a smile. “Alright, alright, think of it as a tip for you.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for killing a first-level Nascent Soul cultivator. You’ve gained two hundred thousand experience points and a storage pouch.”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, for your first kill of a Nascent Soul cultivator. You have received a ‘Mystery Grand Gift Pack.’”

“Ding. Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’, you have leveled up. Your current realm is Core Formation, fourth level.”

...

Hearing these notifications, Chen Xiang felt a bit better. He wondered what use a nascent soul could serve, and he’d also obtained a ‘Mystery Grand Gift Pack.’ He still hadn’t opened the one he received after killing a Core Formation cultivator last time—who knew what they’d contain?

“Young Master!”

Li Qiner landed quietly at his side, her voice gentle.

Chen Xiang gave her a slight smile, sighing with regret, “Qiner, it looks like we won’t be strolling the market today. Let’s come again next time.”

“To be continued…”