Chapter 1027: Fierce Battle

"If you back out now and join me in guarding the ancestral land, I won’t hold a grudge for what happened earlier," the Head Elder raised his long-handled warhammer as he spoke.

"Do you think I would? Whether you are my match or not is one thing, but guarding the ancestral land? What a joke. Only fools who have never faced the true power of Central Plains warriors would do such a thing!" Ma Chao laughed arrogantly, provoking him with confidence.

Since returning from the Central Plains, Ma Chao remained just as arrogant, but he had become much calmer. That place made him feel the pulse of life, something completely different from Xiliang. Only the warriors there were true warriors!

"Then don’t blame me for being ruthless. Remember my name—Yue Ji," the Head Elder said calmly. He was deeply angered by the death of the Third Elder. Although the Third Elder often courted death on his own, letting someone kill him so easily was unacceptable.

Ma Chao sneered continuously, as if he didn’t care about Yue Ji at all, but in reality, he slightly bent his knees, preparing for defense. No matter how much he underestimated his opponent, Yue Ji was still a top-tier warrior.

The Second and Fourth Elders, seeing Yue Ji’s movements, leapt back to indicate they wouldn’t participate in this battle any longer.

Ma Chao’s eyes blazed with intense fighting spirit. He could feel the overwhelming pressure from his opponent, but it didn’t matter. When he provoked Lü Bu before, he had faced a far more terrifying situation.

The auras of the two men collided fiercely—Ma Chao's sharp like a blade, while Yue Ji’s was vast and boundless. The difference lay in the glint of fear in Yue Ji’s eyes, whereas Ma Chao’s eyes were filled with excitement.

With a sudden stomp, Ma Chao left a shallow footprint in the ground and tore through the air, charging toward Yue Ji.

[His control over his strength has reached such a level?] Dian Wei rubbed his bristly beard in slight astonishment.

In the past, for Ma Chao to exert such speed, his step would have shattered the ground within several meters despite channeling his strength into the earth. But now, Ma Chao left only a shallow print—similar to when Lü Bu leaped a hundred zhang (Chinese feet) from Hulao Pass without leaving a mark. Though not as exaggerated as Lü Bu’s feat, it was still impressive.

[I really want a fight!] Dian Wei's eyes glinted with fighting spirit. His favorite things in life, aside from drinking and eating, were dueling with powerful opponents. The reason he only enjoyed fighting top-tier masters was that with ordinary ones, a few strikes would be fatal.

Thinking back, when Cao Hong sought some thrills and Dian Wei patted him lightly, it had fractured Cao Hong’s ribs—a testament to Dian Wei’s terrifying strength.

The gust of wind caused by Ma Chao’s rapid charge exploded into a near storm as he tore through it, but to both combatants, it felt like a gentle breeze.

Yue Ji tightly gripped his warhammer, watching Ma Chao rush toward him at high speed. Without any flashy moves or sounds, Yue Ji swung his hammer down toward Ma Chao with incredible strength and speed.

"Boom!" The impact sent a powerful shockwave sweeping across the field, causing the Qiang chieftains standing a kilometer away to retreat even further.

"How’s it going?" Xun You, though protected by Dian Wei, couldn’t clearly see what was happening.

"Not good. Mengqi’s raw power and speed aren’t enough. He’s likely already injured from the first strike," Dian Wei shouted excitedly. He loved opponents with immense strength and speed.

Before the dust and debris could settle, Ma Chao had already burst from the cloud, and Yue Ji followed closely behind, chasing him.

As Ma Chao flew through the air, he quickly adjusted and flipped mid-air, thrusting his spear backward at Yue Ji. Yue Ji easily blocked Ma Chao’s attack with his warhammer, the clash of their weapons releasing shockwaves through the air.

After withstanding Ma Chao’s attack, Yue Ji gripped the handle of his hammer with both hands and unleashed a tremendous force, slamming Ma Chao down like a mole being pounded.

Ma Chao used the shaft of his spear to block the strike, but the immense rotational force caused by the hammer’s swing bent his spear and sent him crashing into the ground.

"Boom!" The impact rang out as Ma Chao was driven into the ground. Unlike when Dian Wei had shoved the Fifth Elder into the earth, leaving only a small hole, the area where Ma Chao landed shattered and fractured widely.

Dian Wei looked at Yue Ji, who hovered in the air, with a disappointed expression. His opponent wasn’t naturally strong nor had they specifically trained their body. Instead, they were using a secret technique that allowed an otherwise weak body to unleash power equal to that of physically trained warriors.

This was a kind of forbidden technique, but Dian Wei, with his deep understanding of the body, knew that such a method was mere overexertion and had no real strengthening effect. After just a few moves, the opponent’s muscles were likely already torn apart.

Thanks to the enhanced healing power of internal energy and the precise protection of it, the damage wasn’t visible, but his labored breathing revealed plenty.

This was a dead-end path. If someone reached the pinnacle of internal energy cultivation, they should rely on that power, not follow a reckless route like this. It looked like he had unmatched strength, but in reality, it did more harm than good. Such a person was destined to destroy themselves eventually!

"Bang!" Ma Chao leapt out of the crater, and from below, he noticed far more than before—such as his opponent’s slightly labored breathing and the unnatural tremor in his arms and legs. Though the shaking quickly subsided, it told Ma Chao a lot.

[A forbidden technique—one that consumes a great deal of energy. That earlier attack through the cloud must have drained him. For him to show such strength now… he can’t be as powerful as Lü Bu, which means he’s relying on a technique.]

Ma Chao quickly calculated. Now that he realized Yue Ji’s power wasn’t entirely his own, defeating him would be much simpler.

Ma Chao leaped into the air, stopping a few hundred meters from Yue Ji. Suddenly, the entire atmosphere stilled, and the golden glow around Ma Chao began to take on new colors.

Golden-purple, purple, blue, and blue-white hues appeared, and as this power surged, tiny sparks of electricity crackled and popped around Ma Chao. His hair began to float and sway, as though rebelling against gravity.

"Ready for round two?" Ma Chao’s eyes reflected lightning as he gazed coldly at Yue Ji. With the power of thunder infused into his body, his reaction time, agility, perception, and strength had all peaked. Though he could only maintain this state for thirty moves, those moves would far exceed his usual limits!

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