The Masked Strength of the Sect's Trash chapter 99

A figure appeared on the deck, standing tall and looking down coldly at Xiao Yi. As he emerged, a powerful aura enveloped the surroundings like a creeping darkness, centering entirely on him. Even though the sky was dim, Xiao Yi could clearly feel the piercing pressure of his gaze, sharp as a blade.

"What boldness," came his voice. Though calm and faint, it resounded like thunder in the night. "You dare block my path, Zhang Conglong’s, with just your measly strength?" His tone was overbearing, filled with arrogance.

Zhang Conglong stood with his hands behind his back, a powerful wave of energy cascading toward Xiao Yi, clearly expecting to see her crumble under its force.

But to his surprise, the moment his aura clashed with the other ship, it was like a stone sinking into the ocean—it made no impact. Xiao Yi remained standing, unaffected, still smiling confidently.

"Huh?" Zhang Conglong couldn't help but feel a twinge of disbelief. As a Core Formation cultivator at the ninth level, his very presence alone should have been enough to shatter the vessel below. Yet, the ship remained intact, and the girl atop it was completely unscathed.

His expression darkened as he roared, "Who’s interfering? Show yourself!" His voice reverberated like waves crashing through the sky, sending ripples across the heavens. The thunderous roar reflected his fury.

Recognizing someone was protecting Xiao Yi from the shadows, Zhang Conglong surged forward with even greater pressure, the air around him howling as if ripped apart by the intensity of his aura. He made no concessions, nor did he care that this was Lingxiao Sect's territory—his actions were utterly domineering.

If she had been alone, Xiao Yi would have quickly bowed her head, apologizing to de-escalate the situation. But now, she felt at ease. Her expression was calm, a playful smile on her face.

"Both my senior brothers are here," she thought confidently. "And you, Zhang Conglong, think you can act arrogantly in front of me?"

As Zhang Conglong's aura neared the ship again, it was once more dissipated by an unseen force, more powerful than his own. Alarmed but undeterred, he shouted, "Coward! Show yourself! Hiding in the shadows—what kind of hero does that?"

Just as Xiao Yi was about to retort, a surge of sword intent arose behind her. It was unmistakable—her eldest senior brother, Ji Yan!

Ji Yan’s aura radiated clearly, and his figure slowly materialized before Zhang Conglong.

Upon sensing this familiar sword intent, Zhang Conglong’s face grew stern. "Ji Yan," he muttered, his voice filled with a mixture of jealousy, resentment, and anger.

The disciples from Guiyuan Pavilion erupted into a series of exclamations.

"It’s Ji Yan!"

"He's here—Ji Yan is here!"

There were varying tones among the crowd—some filled with shock, others with loathing, but many carried a hint of awe. Even though Ji Yan was the chief rival of their senior brother, some couldn’t help but admire him. It was human nature to admire the strong, and Ji Yan’s meteoric rise and undefeated record had earned him begrudging respect.

Now, having reached the Nascent Soul stage, Ji Yan was seen as the pinnacle of his generation. Those who had once tried to chase after him had mostly given up, overwhelmed by the sheer distance between them.

Seeing the panicked reactions of his own sect's disciples, Zhang Conglong’s rage flared. "Silence, all of you!" he roared. "You pathetic lot—have you never seen Ji Yan before? Is he that impressive?"

He then shifted his attention fully to Ji Yan, completely ignoring Xiao Yi. In his eyes, only Ji Yan mattered.

Facing Ji Yan's ever-calm demeanor, Zhang Conglong felt a deep-seated unease. Ji Yan’s breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage had left him feeling inadequate—he himself was still stuck at the final threshold of Core Formation, unable to break through despite two months of closed-door cultivation. The recent interruptions were likely Ji Yan’s doing as well.

Staring intensely at Ji Yan, Zhang Conglong finally asked, "What are you doing here, Ji Yan? Are you waiting for me?"

Before Ji Yan could respond, Xiao Yi couldn’t help but interject, "Why would my senior brother wait for you? Don’t flatter yourself."

"How dare you!" Zhang Conglong roared, but he refrained from making any rash moves. Xiao Yi was standing next to Ji Yan, and he wasn’t foolish enough to provoke Ji Yan by attacking her directly. Although Zhang Conglong was known for his arrogance, he wasn’t reckless.

Ji Yan then said calmly, "My junior sister is right."

His words were simple, but the protective tone was clear, making Zhang Conglong grit his teeth in frustration. His body trembled with rage, wanting nothing more than to land a blow on Ji Yan’s face.

Suddenly, a wave of sword intent shot toward him. Instinctively, Zhang Conglong summoned his sword and thrust it forward to parry the attack. The clash resounded with a sharp, metallic ring, forcing Zhang Conglong to retreat several steps, leaving deep imprints on the deck of his ship.

The Guiyuan Pavilion disciples scrambled in panic, shocked by the powerful force.

After retreating ten steps, Zhang Conglong managed to steady himself. Seeing the disarray on the deck and his fellow disciples’ frightened faces, his anger boiled over.

"Ji Yan!" he roared. "Don’t push me too far!"

Ji Yan’s response was calm. "Just returning the courtesy."

Zhang Conglong’s eyes blazed with fury—Ji Yan was merely reciprocating for his earlier attempt to intimidate Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi, feeling even more at ease, taunted, "So much bravado, yet so little power."

"You—" Zhang Conglong was livid, his face twisted with anger. "Don’t force me to act, girl."

"Go ahead," Ji Yan said indifferently. His words hit Zhang Conglong like a bucket of cold water, freezing him in place.

Fight? He couldn’t win.

Don’t fight? It was humiliating.

Just as Zhang Conglong struggled with indecision, a voice echoed from the ship: "Young Ji, you’re quite impressive."

A terrifying aura spread through the air, warping the space around them.

Xiao Yi gasped in shock. "Nascent Soul?"