Chapter 85: The Helpless Young Girl

Chu Feiyu was the cherished jewel of the Chu family. Although not a direct descendant, she was the only girl of her generation, showered with endless affection. Even her name had been personally chosen by the family's esteemed patriarch. “Feiyu” alluded to the saying from Jinling, “How could a dragon remain in a pond?”—a testament to the high hopes the old master placed upon her.

She had not disappointed. At just seventeen, she had reached the fifth stage of Essence Condensation. Within five years, she would surely attain the Innate Realm, becoming the youngest innate master in the history of the Chu family. Her path had always been smooth—whether in cultivation or academics, she was a leader among her peers. This bred a certain pride in her; she regarded others with the aloofness of someone standing above the crowd, and few ever caught her eye.

In her mind, Xiao Cheng was nothing. If not for his outrageous behavior, she would have found it beneath her to even interact with him. Now, seeing that Xiao Cheng refused to yield, she felt no reason to hesitate. Her purpose in seeking him out these days was precisely to teach him a lesson. With her strength at the fifth stage of Essence Condensation, dealing with a so-called “King of Dispersed Energy” should have been effortless.

A cold snort escaped her lips as she lashed out with a kick, her long leg snapping like a whip toward Xiao Cheng’s shin. The strike seemed ordinary, but it was as swift as a gust of wind. If it landed, it might not break his bones, but would certainly force him to his knees.

Yet to her surprise, as her leg shot out, Xiao Cheng was already in motion, as if he had foreseen her move. He pivoted his right foot, raising his sole to meet her whipping leg.

A trace of astonishment flickered across Chu Feiyu’s heart—she had no time to change her attack.

With a heavy thud, her ankle slammed against Xiao Cheng’s foot. Pain shot through her, and she immediately withdrew her leg, her eyes lighting up. Rumor in the hidden world held that Xiao Cheng was a master of wasted energy, his cultivation never surpassing the second stage of Foundation Building. She had not expected him to not only block her attack but even leave her at a disadvantage.

Perhaps Xiao Cheng was not so simple after all…

But that was just what she wanted. If Xiao Cheng fell with a single blow, what would be the point? Xiao Cheng smiled, knowing Chu Feiyu had not attacked with her full strength just now—she had considered him nothing but a powerless weakling, so naturally she had been the one to suffer. Still, he remained cautious; Chu Feiyu’s cultivation was superior to his own, and if she went all out, he would have to treat her seriously.

Since his rebirth, he had only encountered either masters or ordinary people. Rarely did he meet an opponent whose strength matched his—and so, a hunter’s joy kindled in his heart.

“Again!” Chu Feiyu cried, charging him with all her might. Xiao Cheng had actually put her at a disadvantage—a first among her peers. It stirred her competitive spirit.

This time, Chu Feiyu did not act as recklessly as before. Her hands formed open palms, attacking Xiao Cheng’s exposed defenses with every strike leaving room for adjustment.

She was employing the family’s secret skill—the Crushing Heart Palm. It was a powerful technique; at its peak, its force could extend beyond the body, injuring an opponent through the air. Chu Feiyu was not yet at that level, but even so, Xiao Cheng knew that a direct hit would damage his heart meridians.

Her palm techniques formed an impenetrable net, relentless and fierce. Most would have been overwhelmed, but Xiao Cheng was different. He possessed the advantage of spiritual awareness, allowing him to anticipate the direction of her next attack. Each seemingly dangerous strike was deftly resolved.

Chu Feiyu grew more aggressive, sweat beading on her brow.

It was the first time she had encountered such a situation. It felt as if Xiao Cheng understood her every move and could effortlessly counter her techniques. Yet the Crushing Heart Palm was not an internal style with set routines—it relied on the practitioner’s will and method, with no pattern to follow.

If one claimed Xiao Cheng was simply fast enough to react, she would never believe it—his movements were slow, nowhere near her speed. Still, she was unconcerned. Though Xiao Cheng deflected her attacks, he was clearly on the defensive and would inevitably fall.

As she pondered this, she brought her palms together and struck toward Xiao Cheng’s face.

Seeing the approaching strike, Xiao Cheng frowned. Though he could keep dissolving her attacks, his cultivation was far beneath hers. His true energy was weaker, and after dozens of moves, his hands were numb, his meridians throbbing with pain.

If things continued, his meridians would not hold. His cultivation simply wasn’t enough. He knew he could not keep stalemating Chu Feiyu, and since he had already grasped the essentials of her Crushing Heart Palm, there was no need to keep playing along.

Suddenly, Xiao Cheng thrust his hands through the gap between her palms and seized Chu Feiyu’s wrists.

It was a risky move. With his cultivation inferior, he risked being injured by her true energy. Even so, his body had been tempered by the Ninefold Immortal Sutra, making his tendons and meridians robust—though pain shot through him, it was bearable.

He tightened his grip and gave her wrists a sharp twist and a shove. Two sharp cracks echoed.

Pain flared in Chu Feiyu’s shoulders, and suddenly her arms went limp, hanging uselessly at her sides, swaying uncontrollably.

Her face changed dramatically, horror filling her eyes. How had Xiao Cheng done this? It was one thing to block her attacks—but to completely disable her in an instant?

She had thought he was struggling to keep up, but now she realized that Xiao Cheng had possessed the ability to end the fight at any time. Had the dozens of exchanges before merely been for her amusement?

The realization was a heavy blow—she had thought subduing Xiao Cheng would be effortless, but his strength had far surpassed her expectations.

Was this truly the “King of Dispersed Energy” the world spoke of?

Xiao Cheng gave her no time for further shock. With a single palm strike to her chest, Chu Feiyu was sent flying backward. Xiao Cheng acknowledged she was beautiful, but so what? A foe was a foe—he had no interest in showing mercy.

As she crashed to the ground, shame and fury warred within her. Not only had Xiao Cheng struck her, he had aimed directly at her chest, leaving it burning with pain.

True, his choice of target was somewhat improper, but in his eyes, an enemy was an enemy—there was no distinction between male and female.

With her shoulders dislocated, Chu Feiyu had no strength to resist. She landed stiffly on the grass, her clothing torn across her chest, exposing a swath of pink undergarment and a delicate curve of bare skin.

Scrambling to sit up, she looked down to see herself so exposed. Shame and anger engulfed her. She tried to cover herself, but her arms would not obey. Suddenly, a tightness seized her chest and she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

She looked up to see Xiao Cheng striding toward her, removing his clothes as he walked.

A wave of terror crashed over her. Who was Xiao Cheng?

Nothing less than a notorious lecher.

She knew she was beautiful, her figure outstanding—Xiao Cheng would not let her go. His intentions were all too clear. Behind her, a dense thicket of shrubs marked the perfect crime scene. And now, with her shoulders dislocated, she was utterly defenseless.

“Don’t come any closer, don’t come any closer!” At that moment, Chu Feiyu was no longer the campus queen, no longer proud or overbearing, but just an ordinary, helpless girl—frightened to her very core.