Chapter 764 - 405: Challenging the Entire Prefecture (2)

Among these gazes were curiosity, envy, and jealousy. And, of course, there was no shortage of those waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Yang An couldn’t be bothered with the onlookers’ gazes. His heart as calm as still water, he went straight to the arena.

By now, a sea of people had formed around the arena’s edge. Nearly every Cultivator in Emei Mansion was present.

Cultivation is a tedious affair, so for these people, the arena Yang An had set up had become an incredibly lively event.

Under the watchful eyes of all, Yang An descended directly into the center of the open space, immediately drawing a myriad of different gazes.

Some studied his appearance.

Others tried to probe his Cultivation Level.

And of course, there were plenty of hidden sneers and taunts from those waiting for the show.

On a high platform to the east of the arena, a group of Cultivators with powerful auras stood with their hands clasped behind their backs. The one in the lead was an old man with a white beard and white hair, and beside him stood Elder Chang Wang.

This group was comprised of the various Elders of Emei Mansion. Their attire and expressions were all distinct, but every one of them was looking at Yang An.

Yang An, in turn, was sizing them up, his gaze focused primarily on these so-called Elders.

Like Chang Wang, most of the Elders’ Cultivation Levels were at the Divinity Transformation stage. However, a few had even more powerful auras; perhaps they were true Great Powers who had already reached the level of Harmonizing with the Dao.

He didn’t know who the Mansion Master of Emei Mansion was. The memories he had absorbed from the Bow Lady contained no such information; apparently, it was a secret beyond the reach of those at the City God Level.

But for Yang An, this meant his goal was already more than half achieved.

With all eyes on him, he had already made a big enough scene. Now, all he had to do was beat them so thoroughly they would be left speechless.

The aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator erupted from Yang An, and the once-noisy field instantly fell silent.

There was no need for Chang Wang or Yang An to repeat the Rules. Yang An simply cut to the chase.

"Who’s first?"

He scanned the surrounding Cultivators. ’The Elders certainly won’t be the first to step up,’ he thought. ’It will be these Low-tier Cultivators who can’t stand me.’ Many were already itching to make a move.

The moment Yang An finished speaking, a figure shot into the open space.

"Allow me—"

"BAM!"

The challenger was a Nascent Soul Cultivator, one who had only just reached the stage. He rushed into the arena, but his words were cut short. An invisible force sent him flying right back out the way he came.

"He’s too weak. Next."

Yang An’s casual voice echoed across the field, and the crowd fell utterly silent.

So fast!

Most of the Cultivators present hadn’t even seen how Yang An attacked; the man who had charged in was simply sent flying back out.

At the same time, this served as an unspoken rule, a stark warning to all: the moment you entered the arena, the battle had begun. Yang An would not bother with pleasantries.

Of course, Yang An had no intention of being courteous. He didn’t want to waste time. To get the people on the high platform to come down, he needed to dispose of these challengers as quickly as possible.

"I’ll go!"

Another figure shot forward.

This new challenger was much stronger than the last. Like Yang An, he had reached the Late-stage Nascent Soul. As a Guardian, he was one of the core pillars of the mansion.

But his greater strength did not grant him a better fate than his predecessor.

Less than a second after entering the field, the crowd once again failed to see how Yang An attacked. The second man went flying, leaving everyone present completely stunned.

Another instant kill?!

The third person followed close behind. He was at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, just one step away from Divinity Transformation. He was quite famous within the mansion; many people knew of him.

Seeing two of their Cultivators instantly defeated by Yang An in succession made most of the onlookers grit their teeth in frustration.

This wasn’t as simple as one person’s defeat. At this moment, Yang An was challenging all of Emei Mansion. From their perspective, he had become an enemy standing in opposition to them all.

They rose and fell together. Therefore, the failure of the first two challengers meant a loss of face for every single one of them.

But when they saw the third person appear, their eyes lit up with renewed hope.

"It’s Senior Brother Xu! This is a sure win!"

"Senior Brother Xu is the top candidate for the new Elder position next year. With his profound Cultivation Level, taking this brat down will be no problem at all."

"He won’t be so arrogant now! He’s guaranteed to lose against Senior Brother Xu. He can look forward to a century of servitude!"

The crowd began to cheer for this Senior Brother Xu.

Unlike the previous two, the man they called Senior Brother Xu didn’t rush into the arena. Instead, he walked in slowly, a casual smile on his face.

’What a little bastard. This guy’s so pretentious. Beat the ever-loving crap out of him for me.’

Before Yang An could even move, the Bow Lady, unable to watch any longer, started giving him orders.

As his opponent approached, this Senior Brother Xu gave Yang An a slight bow.

"I am Xu Jiaozhi. Please, enlighten me."

Yang An didn’t say a word. He didn’t even move an inch from where he stood.

But the moment Xu Jiaozhi’s voice faded, a phantom figure appeared before him. A sudden CRACK, like a clap of thunder, echoed through the air.

The instant the phantom figure appeared, its body was covered in cracks. It shattered in a moment, but an ’I knew it’ expression appeared on Xu Jiaozhi’s face.