Chapter 146: Devastating Power!

Boom!

An earth-shattering explosion echoed through the air!

Kong Sheng’s entire body shook violently. His right arm, tightly gripping the Halberd, trembled as if struck by a current. He clearly saw a white, lightning-like arc of energy whip forth from the sharp blade of the halberd, propelled by an indescribable, unstoppable momentum and speed. In an instant, it vanished into a century-old scholar tree in the courtyard.

Merely three to five seconds later, the thick trunk of the old tree, as wide as two men's waists, emitted a low, groaning creak. This was immediately followed by a sharper, cracking explosion. Pushed by the howling gale, the tree snapped clean in half and toppled toward the northwest courtyard wall, crashing down and smashing half of the wall into rubble.

The sounds of hurried footsteps and gasps echoed continuously. The previously quiet Chemen Mountain Stronghold was startled awake in an instant, descending into utter chaos.

The scene was a mess of debris.

Nie Chuchen and Nangong Wang rushed over one after the other, followed closely by a group of fierce-looking bandits brandishing weapons. Meng Zhan and many of his subordinates had already surrounded Kong Sheng, their expressions a mix of anger and shock, though they did not dare to act rashly without orders.

Caught off guard, Nie Chuchen had hastily thrown on her outer robe without time to bind her hair. Wearing only a heavy cloak, she let her long, dark hair stream wildly in the wind. Reaching out, she brushed away a stray lock from her forehead, her willow-like brows furrowed as she looked toward Kong Sheng. Kong Sheng stood facing the wind, holding the Painted Halberd in his right hand. The tip of the weapon pointed slightly downward, and his expression was solemn.

In the courtyard, a massive hole had burst open in the middle of the old tree trunk, as if it had been cleanly cleaved into two. The upper section, bearing the canopy, had toppled over and crushed the courtyard wall.

Nie Chuchen’s expression changed abruptly: Could the Painted Halberd possess such terrifying power?

Nangong Wang, catching his breath from the run, looked at Kong Sheng with a gaze filled with deep solemnity and awe.

This commotion had clearly been caused by Kong Sheng. A perfectly fine tree had been... Could it be...? Nie Chuchen was filled with doubt and suspicion, taking a slow step forward.

Behind her, Meng Zhan and the other bandits also advanced a step with their blades raised.

Kong Sheng let out a long breath. He slowly turned around, planting the Painted Halberd firmly into the ground. His robes fluttered in the wind; man and weapon seemed fused into one, emanating the natural majesty of a heavenly deity.

Kong Sheng remained calm on the surface, but a storm of astonishment was raging within him. He had not expected the internal cultivation taught by Sima Chengzhen to be so miraculous and profound. When his internal energy had inadvertently surged through the Painted Halberd, the resulting destructive force was far beyond anything he had imagined.

However, at this moment, his entire body felt drained and weak. His lips were dry, as if his physical energy had been severely overdrawn. A thin layer of cold sweat coated his forehead, quickly chilled by the biting wind.

Nangong Wang hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to ask softly, "Junior Brother Kong, what... what just happened?"

Kong Sheng did not answer Nangong Wang immediately. Instead, he lowered his head, reaching out to gently stroke the shaft of the Painted Halberd standing before him. The surging warmth of familiarity and the ineffable bond flowing through his blood were impossible to put into words.

He could seemingly sense a reciprocal joy and emotional resonance emanating from the halberd in the ethereal realm. Gripping the shaft tightly, he yanked the weapon effortlessly from the ground and held it in his hand. A surge of peerless confidence and courage welled up within him. He laughed heartily, "Senior Brother Nangong, this junior was struck by a sudden impulse and practiced a routine with the halberd in the courtyard. I did not expect this weapon to possess such formidable might. I accidentally cleaved the tree in half and brought down the courtyard wall, waking you all up. I am deeply apologetic!"

Surprised gasps erupted all around. Having the confirmation straight from Kong Sheng's mouth, the bandits could not help but gasp in shock!

The Painted Halberd left behind by Nie Chuchen's master was no secret in Chemen Mountain Stronghold. Most of the bandits knew it was a betrothal token given to Nie Chuchen by Fan Yuncong. Whoever could wield this heavy halberd would be Nie Chuchen's destined husband.

Previously, quite a few men in the stronghold had harbored ambitions, but the halberd weighed two hundred and thirty-eight catties. Merely lifting it high required immense effort, let alone wielding it as a weapon in combat.

Recalling Kong Sheng's matchless valor in his battle against Tang Genshui at the foot of the mountain, and looking at the collapsed courtyard wall and the unfortunate century-old tree before them, the bandits felt a surge of fear. Subconsciously, they stepped backward, moving well out of the range of Kong Sheng's halberd.

Standing behind Nangong Wang, the bearded Tang Genshui also wore a solemn expression. Previously, he had suspected that Kong Sheng merely possessed brute strength, and that his defeat of the silver spear had been a trick. He had believed that while he might not win in a head-on clash, it would at least take dozens of bouts to determine a victor. But seeing this today, it was entirely the opposite. If Kong Sheng possessed such earth-shaking might, Tang Genshui wouldn't even withstand a single blow.

The two-hundred-and-thirty-eight-catty halberd was held effortlessly in Kong Sheng's single hand, his expression calm and his breathing steady. Tang Genshui knew he could never achieve such a feat himself.

Tang Genshui sighed inwardly, unable to comprehend how such terrifying, cataclysmic energy could be contained within the frail, slender frame of this young scholar.

Regaining her composure, Nie Chuchen suddenly burst into a clear, bright laugh. She raised a hand and said loudly, "Junior Brother, think nothing of it! It's just a tree. If it broke, it broke. We can just have someone repair the wall tomorrow. Alright, alright, Meng the Third, dismiss your men."

The light in Nie Chuchen's eyes grew increasingly intense. She had already chosen Kong Sheng as her lifelong partner; the stronger and more formidable he was, the happier she naturally felt. Yet, deep down, a shred of doubt remained: Could the sheer force of a halberd really cut a tree as thick as two waists clean in half?

Holding the halberd in one hand, Kong Sheng bowed to Nie Chuchen in gratitude. At that moment, a strong illusion washed over him: With this single halberd, he could easily sweep through these hundreds of bandits and carve a path straight down the mountain, cutting down anyone who dared to stand in his way!

Damn it, forget everything else—just fight the way out!

Nangong Wang turned to see his own men retreating as well. Lightly waving his folding fan, he stepped forward and sighed, "Junior Brother Kong's prowess is truly like that of a god descending from the heavens. It has truly opened my eyes. Now I must wonder whether you are a civil official or a military general."

Kong Sheng smiled faintly, "Senior Brother Nangong flatters me; this junior does not deserve such praise. In times of chaos like these, it is truly difficult to distinguish clearly between civil officials and military generals. I study martial arts simply to ensure I have the means to protect myself in these troubled times."

Nie Chuchen smiled and chimed in, "It is the middle of the night, and after the commotion Junior Brother has caused, none of us will be able to fall back asleep anytime soon. Senior Brother Nangong, why don't the three of us share some wine and drink to our heart's content?"

Nie Chuchen had always been a woman of decisive action who never dragged her feet. While she framed it as seeking Nangong Wang and Kong Sheng's opinions, she was already ordering her personal maid to quickly prepare food and wine.

Flapping her cloak, Nie Chuchen declared, "Senior Brother Nangong, Junior Brother, it is too chilly outside. Let us continue our conversation indoors."

The three of them entered the central parlor of Nie Chuchen's chambers. The courtyard returned to silence, save for the carefree northwest wind still howling through the night. From a shadowy corner of the courtyard, a dark figure suddenly emerged. He stood silently, glancing toward the brightly lit room, hesitated for a moment, and then quietly melted back into the shadows.

Naturally, this was Mu Changfeng. The appointed time to meet Kong Sheng had not yet arrived, but Mu Changfeng had been restless with anxiety, worried for Kong Sheng's safety, and had risked sneaking into Chemen Mountain Stronghold in the dead of night. He had not known Kong Sheng was at this specific location, but the earlier explosion and massive commotion had inevitably alerted him.

Seeing that Kong Sheng was safe and sound—having seemingly acquired a wondrous, highly responsive painted halberd and striking up a fraternal camaraderie with the stronghold's female chieftain and Nangong Wang—he felt a surge of curiosity. Unable to fully fathom the true situation just yet, he chose not to act rashly.