At this moment, Wei Zhuang was both stunned and furious.
Stunned that his Embroidered Cloud Chain Armor had failed to block a single strike, and furious that this defensive Artifact had been slashed open, completely losing its protective function.
Consumed by rage, Wei Zhuang spun around and lunged at Yang Kai, shouting, "How dare you ruin my Artifact! I'll kill you!"
Wei Zhuang was at the Kaiyuan Realm, Third Stage, and unleashing his full power, his strength was nothing to scoff at. But what did it matter? Yang Kai had already slain enemies at the Fifth Stage of the Kaiyuan Realm back when he was still in the Body Tempering Realm. What kind of trouble could a mere Third Stage cause?
By the time Wei Zhuang closed in, the crimson blade in his hand slashed in a flurry of intersecting arcs.
Wei Zhuang's body froze mid-motion. His fist hovered a mere three inches from Yang Kai's face, yet he couldn't bring it down. He could feel a scorching heat emanating from his chest.
Eyes trembling, he looked down and saw the blood-red blade in Yang Kai's hand flickering like a viper's tongue, its tip pressed against the center of his chest.
"So much for defensive Artifacts," Yang Kai sneered, his gaze sweeping over the Embroidered Cloud Chain Armor tucked inside Wei Zhuang's clothes, now torn in several gaping rags.
Even Yang Kai was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected the blade conjured from his Yang Liquid to be this sharp.
Truthfully, if they fought fairly, he could still win, but it wouldn't have been this easy. Right now, he was simply leveraging the power of the Yang Liquid.
But if Wei Zhuang could rely on his Artifact, why couldn't he use the Yang Liquid?
"You wouldn't dare hurt me!" Wei Zhuang's face twitched, his expression twisted into a grimace as he glared at Yang Kai. Even with his life in the palm of Yang Kai's hand, he felt no fear. He was the Grand Elder's own grandson! He held a revered position — no one in the entire Lingxiao Pavilion dared lay a finger on him.
"Kid, maybe you don't know this, but my grandfather is the Grand Elder! Hurt me and you're dead!" Wei Zhuang threatened, his voice sharp and his expression fierce.
Yang Kai was unmoved. The crimson blade on his fingertip extended a little further, its flicker growing more dangerous, and the red glow in his eyes burned brighter.
"Who do you think will die first — you or me?" Yang Kai studied Wei Zhuang with amusement, a strange smile playing on his lips as he gradually applied more pressure with his finger.
A thin trickle of crimson blood seeped from Wei Zhuang's chest. His face went white and he couldn't help but let out a muffled groan. The instant his body was pierced, he felt a wave of searing Yuan Qi pour into him, scorching his flesh until it burned with pain.
"You actually dare—" Wei Zhuang stared at Yang Kai in disbelief. He simply couldn't imagine that within the walls of Lingxiao Pavilion, someone would truly dare to wound him.
"Dare or not, I've already done it. So, do you think I dare?" Yang Kai pressed deeper, the blade sinking half an inch further. Blood flowed freely, and Wei Zhuang's body shuddered violently. His voice trembled despite his attempt to sound fierce: "Are you not afraid my grandfather will kill you?"
"When disciples spar internally, life and death are their own responsibility!" Yang Kai snorted coldly. "You're weaker than me — if you die, you have no one to blame. So what if he's the Grand Elder? The Lingxiao Pavilion doesn't belong to him."
Wei Zhuang was terrified. He stared at this fellow disciple who seemed mad enough to stop at nothing, and a chill rose from the depths of his heart, turning his entire body cold.
He was about to speak when Yang Kai suddenly cut him off: "Before the word 'surrender' leaves your mouth, I'll have killed you. I'd advise you not to even think about it."
Wei Zhuang's face went deathly pale. He had, in fact, been about to surrender. During internal sparring between disciples, either side could concede when they felt outmatched, and the other party was forbidden from pressing the attack.
But now, he didn't dare utter those two words. He could see nothing joking in the other's eyes — only a deadly seriousness.
"What exactly do you want?" Wei Zhuang asked through gritted teeth.
"Nothing. I just think you're not Su Mu's equal. The only reason you beat him was because of your Artifact!" Yang Kai shook his head slowly.