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In the blink of an eye, relying on his strength at the Black Rank Fourth Grade, Tang Yan defeated two Black Rank Fifth Grade cultivators!

As the surrounding crowd looked at Tang Yan, deep wariness flickered in their eyes.

Without slowing down after his successful strike, Tang Yan charged straight toward a short, thin youth nearby.

The youth had not expected Tang Yan to remain so ferocious after taking down two opponents. Caught off guard, he allowed Tang Yan to seize the initiative.

With his Combat Heart unleashed, Tang Yan's moves were fast, fierce, and unpredictable. His physical strikes linked flawlessly with his martial skills. Even with Fifth Grade strength, his opponent was thoroughly overwhelmed, showing signs of defeat after just a few exchanges.

Seeing their companion falling into a disadvantage, the remaining two exchanged a look, let out a shout, and charged at Tang Yan.

"Kill!" Wan Fei's group of four had been closely watching the situation. Seeing the two men make their move, Wan Fei let out a crisp shout and took the lead to intercept one of them.

"Du Shu!" Fang Xuan called out. Du Shu immediately understood, and together they stepped up to block the other man.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The heavy thuds of colliding fists and feet continuously rang out across the battlefield.

Bang! Driven back step by step under Tang Yan's torrential barrage, the short, thin youth finally shared the fate of the previous two, sent flying by a ruthless punch.

Tang Yan walked over, picked up the spirit tablets from the three, and followed the white-haired elder's previous instructions to transfer the stars onto his own jade tablet.

A faint blue light flashed. The number on his wooden tablet instantly shifted to four points, while the color of the star upon Tang Yan's forehead deepened by a few shades.

Seeing the mark on his forehead, intense envy and jealousy flashed through the eyes of many onlookers.

Meanwhile, the three who had been beaten down glared at him with venomous expressions.

"Want revenge?" A gentle smile surfaced on Tang Yan's face, though in the eyes of the three, this kid clearly harbored no good intentions.

"If you want revenge, feel free to look for me later..." He glanced around. Before the fight, the five had tossed their travel sacks onto the ground. Tang Yan walked over and gathered them up, laughing. "Consider these my spoils of war!"

"You despicable bastard!" The tall youth's eyes were bloodshot. The sacks contained spiritual herbs meant to heal their injuries. If Tang Yan took them, their upcoming battles would become far more perilous.

"I'm not done yet." Tang Yan smiled, walked back over to the three, and began patting them down.

"You've got quite a lot of good stuff on you!" From the tall youth who seemed to be the leader, Tang Yan actually fished out a martial skill manual.

Although its grade was unclear, the words "Divine Capture Art" written across its cover were quite imposing. Tang Yan figured that any cultivation method these people carried on their persons must hold considerable value. Even if he didn't practice it himself, trading it for some spiritual herbs later would be a solid gain.

At that moment, the tall youth wanted nothing more than to tear Tang Yan apart with his bare hands. This martial skill was something his family had gone to immense lengths to acquire; its value was immeasurable. He hadn't even had the chance to practice it yet, planning to study it carefully in the future, only for this shameless brat to snatch it away!

After a thorough search, Tang Yan pocketed the trio's Spirit Pills, jewelry, and even their stray copper coins.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Tang Yan struck the three a few more times, completely sealing their True Qi, before laughing. "If you want revenge, I suggest coming back in three days. Because it will take you at least that long to break this seal."

As if recalling something, Tang Yan added, "I almost forgot. You were just injured by me, so you're in a weakened state. To break through this seal without external help, you'll need at least eight days."

Pfft! The tall youth felt a violent surge of vital energy and blood in his chest. Unable to hold it in, he spat out a mouthful of blood out of sheer rage.

"With such poor mental fortitude, you dare to plot against me?" Giving a contemptuous smile, Tang Yan turned his gaze to the other two ongoing battles.

Because Tang Yan had single-handedly taken out three opponents, the gap in strength between the two sides had widened drastically.

Fang Xuan had already stepped into the Black Rank Fifth Grade, and with the Black Rank Fourth Grade Du Shu beside him, it was a two-on-one fight. The scales of victory quickly tipped in Fang Xuan's favor.

Their opponent couldn't hold out for long. Soon enough, he was thoroughly crushed by their combined efforts.

"Take his Star Value, search him, and claim all the spoils," Tang Yan instructed plainly.

Left to their own devices, even if Fang Xuan and Du Shu won this battle, they would have only taken the Star Value and tossed out a few taunts.

Stripping someone of their personal belongings was an act they never would have stooped to.

But with Tang Yan setting the example, they cast aside their aristocratic reserve and patted the man down. Seeing that his porcelain bottles were filled with various Pills, their eyes lit up with joy, and they quickly divided up the Supplies.

Back in the Eastern Region, they had been the favored sons of heaven, showered with abundant cultivation resources by their families. When had they ever engaged in highway robbery?

"Turns out robbing people feels pretty damn good," Du Shu couldn't help but sigh in marvel.

Fang Xuan gave an almost imperceptible nod, seemingly agreeing with Du Shu's sentiment.

Noticing that Lin Dongxue was still fighting, Du Shu moved to help her, only for Tang Yan to block his path. "Everyone must face their own opponents. Relying blindly on external help makes it difficult to improve your own strength. Let them handle it themselves."

Du Shu and Fang Xuan were shaken by these words, gaining a sudden flash of insight. Though Tang Yan was younger than them, he seemed ten times more mature.

Although Lin Dongxue and Wan Fei were relatively weaker in cultivation, Lin Dongxue's close-quarters combat skills allowed her to precisely pinpoint her opponent's weaknesses and restrict his movements.

Meanwhile, Wan Fei's martial skills were naturally swift. With Lin Dongxue tying the man down, Wan Fei was free to unleash her techniques without restraint. Under their seamless coordination, their opponent gradually began to falter.

With all four of his teammates already defeated, the man's morale plummeted, making the two women's advantage even more pronounced. After Wan Fei unleashed several consecutive martial skills, he finally caved and was sent flying through the air.

Wan Fei had worked as a Mercenary in Yun City for some time and possessed a rather bold personality. Following Tang Yan's example, she ruthlessly picked the man clean of his valuables without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

"Sister Dongxue, take these Pills." Wan Fei handed over a porcelain bottle.

Delighted, Lin Dongxue accepted the bottle with a smile. When she discovered it contained a Third Grade Pill, her smile grew even brighter.

Following the same routine, Tang Yan sealed the Dantians of these final two. He then swept his gaze over the spectators gathering in the distance, his voice ringing out clearly. "We do not wish to stir up trouble, but we absolutely do not fear it either. If anyone else here wishes to test us, this Tang will gladly entertain you to the bitter end!"

Tang Yan also subtly released his Force. Combined with his overbearing words, it sent a deep shock through the minds of the onlookers.

His statement was not merely a warning; it was a brutal deterrent.

Those who had been waiting to pick off the weary victors after the battle now looked at Tang Yan with deep apprehension, no longer daring to act rashly.

"Let's go. We'll see what lies ahead." Seeing that the crowd made no move, Tang Yan turned back and gestured to his group.

Fang Xuan and the others immediately followed Tang Yan as they headed off into the distance.

Through this single battle, Tang Yan had quietly become the undisputed core of their group.