Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

He took a heavy step forward, and the paving stones beneath his feet trembled slightly.

The black iron hammer in his hand, weighing hundreds of catties, hummed as a layer of light surfaced on it. It was clearly infused with immense Star Power.

The hammer felt as light as a feather in his grip. The claims of his innate Divine Power were no empty boast.

Jiang Mu chuckled. "Haven’t you heard? I killed over three hundred demons in Black Wind Valley by myself."

"I have."

"And could you do that?"

Chen Da Chui froze for a moment, then honestly shook his head. "No, I couldn’t."

Jiang Mu asked, "If you couldn’t do it, what makes you think you can seize my Star Position? Who gave you the courage?"

Chen Da Chui said in a deep voice, "It’s because I couldn’t do it that I don’t believe it! Someone must be exaggerating on your behalf!"

’Makes sense.’

’His logic is flawless, in a way.’

Jiang Mu nodded. ’Too bad he’s just some poor fool being used as a pawn.’

This guy had clearly been tricked into coming here.

The fight for a Star Position had to be a one-on-one duel, an open and honorable contest.

And those people hiding in the shadows, watching the show, wanted to use this big oaf as a touchstone to test Jiang Mu’s mettle.

If Jiang Mu was truly as strong as they said, they would naturally retreat in silence.

But if Jiang Mu was all talk, this pack of hungry wolves would rush in to seize his Star Position.

"Enough talk! Let’s go!"

Chen Da Chui couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries either. He roared, "Take three strikes from my hammer! If you can withstand them, it proves you’re the real deal. I’ll turn around and leave, and I won’t bother you again!"

BOOM!

The muscles on Chen Da Chui’s arms bulged as he swung the giant hammer, kicking up a dull, howling wind.

The displaced air cracked with a deafening pop.

Before it even landed, the fierce wind it generated stung Jiang Mu’s face.

Jiang Mu had originally planned to use the True Explanation of Mystic Gang, a technique taught to him by Ling Ye, to test how much force his Protective Gang Qi could withstand.

But upon sensing the ferocious aura—strong enough to shatter mountains and split stone—he instantly abandoned the idea.

’This guy’s a beast. I can’t get cocky.’

He suddenly executed the Spirit Snake Body Step, his figure slipping to the side like an eel to evade.

"CRASH!"

The great hammer smashed heavily onto the ground.

The hard bluestone slabs shattered like tofu, sending shards of rock flying. A pit half a chi deep was blasted into the ground.

’This guy’s innate Divine Power is the real deal.’

His first strike having missed, Chen Da Chui changed his move with incredible speed.

Using the force of the rebound, he twisted at the waist and swept the great hammer horizontally. Despite being built like a bear, his movements were exceptionally nimble.

The wind from the hammer howled, cutting off Jiang Mu’s escape to the left or right.

Jiang Mu continued to dodge.

His figure drifted backward as the tip of the hammer grazed past his lapel.

After a few evasions, a ferocious light flared in Chen Da Chui’s eyes. He roared, "Let’s see where you run now!"

His biceps bulged, and the momentum of his hammer suddenly changed.

In an instant, countless overlapping hammer afterimages filled the sky like a dark cloud, blotting out the heavens as they bore down on Jiang Mu, leaving him with no room to dodge.

SWISH!

Without any warning, Jiang Mu’s figure vanished into thin air.

In the next instant, he reappeared ten zhang away.

This time, all the cultivators watching the show were astonished.

’What the hell?’

They had never heard of the Earth Concealing Star having a Divine Ability like Instant Teleportation.

Chen Da Chui was also stunned for a moment before he gritted his teeth and roared, "I told you to take three of my hammer strikes! What kind of man are you, just dodging all the damn time? If you have any guts, face me head-on!"

"Fine."

Jiang Mu, having finished gathering his power, said coolly,

"I will only use one strike."

"If you can take it, you walk. If you can’t, you die."

Before his voice had even faded, his saber was already out of its sheath!

A blood-red Saber Gang, shaped like a crescent moon, shot into the sky with an imperious aura capable of sundering rivers and cleaving mountains.

This single strike tore through the night and silenced the wind.

"Good! Come on!"

An excited look appeared on Chen Da Chui’s face. Gripping the hammer with both hands, he leaped high into the air.

’When it comes to a head-on clash, no one can beat me!’

In mid-air, the body of the hammer suddenly swelled several times its size, transforming into a mountain-like phantom that crashed down toward Jiang Mu with the force to shatter the very earth!

KABOOM!!

The Saber Aura and the giant hammer collided in mid-air.

The resulting shockwave roiled outwards, the sound waves visibly spreading and shaking the roof tiles on either side until they rattled.

Jiang Mu’s body slid back several steps before he stabilized himself.

The bluestone beneath his feet cracked inch by inch.

Chen Da Chui, however, was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, the giant hammer slipping from his grasp.

It crashed into a nearby earthen wall with a "CLANG," collapsing half of it.

He himself slammed heavily into the middle of the street several zhang away. He spat out a large mouthful of blood with a "BLECH," his chest heaving violently. He was clearly severely injured.

The scene fell into a dead silence.

The only sound was the creaking of lanterns under the eaves as the wind blew past.

Jiang Mu sheathed his saber and stood tall.

He scanned his surroundings, the moonlight illuminating his calm face:

"Who’s next?"