Chapter 21: Cheating?

“Forget it, after all, this guy is the son of my second uncle, I can't be too ruthless.”
He had originally planned to use the perfected Whistling Wind Flash, but worried the boy wouldn't be able to withstand the blow.
So Xiao Yang decided to hold back, use only the master level, and just play around with him a little.
“Hurry up, my time is precious.”
Seeing Xiao Yang just standing there in a daze, Meng Changsheng assumed he was scared and trying to stall for time, so he urged him on.
A cold sneer lingered in his heart.
“A useless fool like him actually has a million—what a gift from the heavens!”
Xiao Yang gave a chilly laugh.
The more smug he was now, the more miserable he'd be later.
A spirit sword worth one and a half million!
Even a Marquis-level warrior would feel the pain of losing it.
“Snivel-nose, do you still remember the vow you just made?”
“Hmph! Of course I do. Whoever goes back on the bet is the son of a turtle…”
Meng Changsheng replied coldly.
He only made that blood oath out of fear that Xiao Yang would renege; how could he possibly forget?
“Heh, as long as you remember.”
Xiao Yang grinned wickedly.
He strolled over to a large tree that would take a man’s arms to encircle.
He reached out to touch the trunk, then gave it a couple of experimental punches.
“Pretty sturdy, it should withstand my kick.”
“Just trying to impress!”
Meng Changsheng spared it only a glance before dismissing it.
That tree—even with a warrior’s full-force attack, let alone a quick kick, it would be hard to bring it down.
Xiao Yang’s actions were nothing but self-humiliation.
To fell such a tree with a single strike, one would need to have mastered Whistling Wind Flash to a high level.
Perhaps then, there might be a slim chance.
But if even he, with his talent, couldn’t do it, how could a useless wretch possibly manage?
At this thought, Meng Changsheng was already preparing to ask Zhou Yan for the promissory note.
“Sister Yan, this loser is just wasting our time. Why not give me the note first, and I’ll go find Brother Zhao to cash it in?”
“Of course, I wouldn’t let you do it for nothing—I’m willing to offer one hundred thousand taels as a thank you.”
He put on a fawning expression, his youthful face trying to please her.
Glancing at Xiao Yang, who seemed lost in front of the tree, Zhou Yan hesitated—perhaps she should go exchange the silver first.
That way, she could give it all to her senior brother, at least helping to ease his mood.
She was just about to nod in agreement when a sudden wind howled behind them.
Then came a muffled thud.
Both immediately turned to look.
They saw the large tree in front of Xiao Yang slowly tilting—
And then the entire tree fell to the ground.
Stunned!
Both of them were utterly dumbfounded.
Their minds went blank, unable to process what had just happened.
Even when Xiao Yang walked up beside them, neither paid him any attention.
“Snivel-nose, you lost. Hand it over.”
He patted Meng Changsheng’s shoulder.
“No—no way! How could you bring down that tree? You must have cheated!”
“Yes! You definitely cheated!”
Meng Changsheng finally snapped back, immediately seizing on the accusation.

Xiao Yang felt an urge to smack the brat.
“Is your skin thicker than a city wall, kid?”
“You useless wretch, you obviously cheated! How could you possibly master a mid-level yellow martial art in a single hour?”
Unable to hold back any longer, he began to shout.
He simply could not believe Xiao Yang had that kind of strength—if he did, why would he have spent ten years as a servant?
And besides, he couldn’t accept it—even if he lost the Ice Soul Sword, his father would never forgive him.
“What will it take for you to believe me?”
Realizing Meng Changsheng was about to renege, Xiao Yang remained calm and gentle.
“What will it take? What…”
“If you want me to believe you, it’s simple. Knock down another tree of the same size!”
He pointed as he spoke.
Hearing this, Zhou Yan couldn’t take it any longer.
“Meng Changsheng, you’re being shameless! My senior brother must have used up most of his inner energy just now—how could he possibly bring down another one?”
For newly advanced warriors, their inner energy was scant, usually enough for only a single use of a martial art before running dry.
In Zhou Yan’s view, kicking down such an ancient tree must have cost him dearly.
“That’s not my problem. If he can’t bring down another tree of the same size with Whistling Wind Flash, then he cheated.”
To keep his Ice Soul Sword, Meng Changsheng was willing to forsake even his goddess.
“You…”
Seeing Zhou Yan ready to act, Xiao Yang quickly stepped in to stop her.
“We must convince people with virtue…”
He said with a cheerful smile.
“Just watch, senior sister!”
After soothing Zhou Yan, he walked toward another massive tree.
“How about this one?”
He rapped it twice with his knuckles, then turned to smile at Meng Changsheng.
Meng Changsheng hesitated, then nodded, still a bit dazed.
“Fine! If you can bring this one down too, I’ll admit defeat.”
He eyed the tree, which was even thicker than the last, and nodded his agreement.
“Alright! You said it.”
Xiao Yang stretched lazily, then assumed a stance.
Seeing all this, Meng Changsheng snickered to himself.
“Maybe he can break one, but two in a row? Not even a sixth-level warrior could do that, let alone him.”
The thought filled him with glee.
In the end, the million would still be his.
Whoosh!
A whistling wind.
Meng Changsheng never even saw Xiao Yang move, only heard the sound—
Crack! Crack!
The ancient tree snapped apart as if struck by a beast.
Boom!
A tremendous crash.
Dust flew.
Meng Changsheng could hardly believe his eyes and rubbed them in disbelief.
A voice sounded at his ear:
“Is that enough, child? I can kick down two more for you!”
With that, he strode over to another similar tree and let fly with a kick.

Boom!
After yet another thunderous crash,
Meng Changsheng finally came to his senses.
He stared at Xiao Yang, speechless with shock.
Beside him, Zhou Yan clapped her hand over her mouth, equally incredulous.
“Child? Is that enough?”
That familiar voice rang out again.
Both of them looked up,
Just in time to see Xiao Yang approach yet another ancient tree.
He made no move, but a whistling wind sounded—
The tree snapped in two.
He moved on to the next, and again,
Xiao Yang turned to Meng Changsheng with a gentle smile and called,
“Child, is that enough?”
Then came another kick,
The tree split, the ground shook.
“Enough, enough, enough!”
After four or five rounds, Meng Changsheng couldn’t take it anymore.
Gone was all his previous arrogance, replaced by sheer terror.
One image filled his mind:
A savage beast in human skin.
At Xiao Yang’s words, he shrank back in fear,
Retreating several steps, legs trembling uncontrollably.
Even if someone lent him courage now, he wouldn’t dare renege.
Too violent, too inhuman.
To snap trees as thick as a man’s embrace with a single kick—
Meng Changsheng had no desire to experience that force for himself.
“What a shame—I was hoping to knock down a few more and build myself a house, but I suppose I’ll stop here.”
Xiao Yang said with a hint of disappointment.
At these words, both of them were at a loss for words.
Today’s events had burned themselves into their memories, unforgettable.
“Enough, it’s getting late. Hand over the goods—I still need to pay my respects to my master.”
Remembering all the unfinished business he had, Xiao Yang asked for the promised items.
At this, Meng Changsheng’s face turned the color of pig’s liver.
He was caught in an impossible dilemma.
If he refused to hand over the Ice Soul Sword, he might die here and now.
But if he did surrender it, he’d likely face death at home too.
One and a half million taels!
Meng Changsheng remembered clearly what his father had said.
That was two years of savings—after buying the Ice Soul Sword, they’d lived in hardship for two years.
To lose it now…
He dared not imagine it.