Chapter 1048: The Old Fathers Motivational Speech

Xiong Zhong erupted with power, his confidence already soaring. Dozens of people stared up at him with wide eyes, seemingly dumbfounded in his view. This was the first time he had tasted the feeling of being a powerhouse, and it was utterly exhilarating. However, lacking experience, he wasn’t entirely sure how to command the situation with authority.

As he hesitated to act, Xiong Fen smiled and sent him an encouraging message through spiritual communication.

"Son, don’t be afraid."

"On this Cloud Star, you and I, father and son, are like gods. If you see any treasure you fancy, just take it. The strong rule, and that’s the law of the universe!"

Xiong Zhong’s confidence surged, and his eyes brimmed with arrogance.

"Hmph, don’t say I didn’t give you a chance. In three breaths, if you don’t drop your weapons, you’ll be buried here alongside these demon corpses!"

With that, Xiong Zhong placed his left hand behind his back and extended a finger on his right hand.

"One."

Xiao Zhan and the others exchanged glances, their expressions filled with the kind of exasperation one might have when dealing with a village idiot.

"Two."

The young man continued counting, but no one paid him any mind. It was as if they were looking at a fool from the countryside, not worth their time.

Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes in annoyance and called out to the group.

"Alright, alright, let’s get back to work. Nothing worth seeing here!"

The others chuckled in agreement and resumed their tasks.

The brief moment of silence was shattered as the scene became bustling once more. Some were shoveling demon corpses, others were hauling away remains, all focused on their work.

Xiong Zhong was momentarily stunned, then fury surged within him.

"Three!"

He gritted his teeth and spat out the word, but still, no one paid him any attention.

Instantly, his face flushed with humiliation and anger. He felt utterly embarrassed, as if he had been left hanging. His killing intent began to spread.

"Fine, fine!"

"You’re all just frogs at the bottom of a well, unaware of your impending doom! Today, I’ll show you what it means to have someone stronger than you!"

With a roar, he unleashed a full-powered palm strike!

Terrifying Dao power surged forth like a tidal wave, revealing the unmistakable strength of a Saint.

The commotion finally caught Xiao Zhan’s attention.

Oddly enough, there was no trace of the fear Xiong Zhong and his father had expected. Instead, Xiao Zhan merely raised his head with an annoyed frown.

As the terrifying wave approached, Xiao Zhan irritably threw out a punch.

"Boom!"

A seemingly casual punch, yet its power was overwhelming!

Everything crumbled before it. The punch’s force swept through the area, clearing the skies and dispelling all illusions and auras. Even the shocked father and son were sent flying into the distance by the gale.

"Whoosh!"

The two figures turned into shooting stars. Xiao Zhan watched them disappear into the horizon, muttering in disbelief.

"Honestly, what kind of trash is this? They dare to try and rob people?"

With just one move, he had sent them flying. His power was truly terrifying.

Xiao Zhan truly lived up to his reputation as a direct disciple.

The workers looked on with reverence, though they were already accustomed to the island’s many powerful figures. They simply glanced over and then returned to their tasks, not giving the two fools a second thought.

"Whoosh…"

The two shooting stars arced across the sky, tracing a sorrowful trajectory.

They flew for what felt like half an incense stick’s worth of time before crashing into the Ten Thousand Mountains, shaking the earth and creating a crater several zhang deep.

"Boom!"

The impact sent birds and beasts scattering in terror.

Dust and debris filled the air in the deep valley. After what seemed like an eternity, the father and son crawled out of the crater, covered in dirt and too shocked to even cry out in pain.

Xiong Zhong had two streams of blood running from his nose, his face pale as paper. His eyes trembled with fear, the look of someone who had narrowly escaped death.

"H-how is this possible?"

"That punch… it was too terrifying…"

His mind was filled with the image of that devastating punch, and his voice quivered as he muttered to himself.

He was completely numb, unable to even stand.

Trembling with fear, Xiong Zhong instinctively turned to look at his father.

He found his father equally disheveled, his face filled with nothing but shock.

"What a terrifying punch!"

Even his father was frightened, which spoke volumes about the opponent’s strength.

As expected, that person was likely a Heaven-tier expert!

Their only hope had crumbled in an instant. Xiong Zhong couldn’t believe it. He swallowed hard, his voice filled with frustration as he asked urgently.

"Gulp…"

"Father!"

"Didn’t you say that Cloud Star had no experts, and that the only one close to Heaven-tier was Yi Feng? How could that person have such terrifying strength?!"

Xiong Fen was at a loss for words, his expression turning grim.

Losing face in front of his son and suffering such a defeat was more embarrassing than anything else. But Xiong Fen was no ordinary man. As he brushed aside his disheveled white hair, his expression steadied.

His face bore the calmness of years of experience, far surpassing his son’s.

As he released his aura to shake off the dust, he spoke with composure.

"This trip has had some miscalculations, but it’s still within our control."

Xiong Zhong widened his eyes in disbelief, his face filled with doubt and hesitation.

"Father, we’re in this state, and you still think it’s under control?"

"Uh… maybe we should just return to Lan Star. Cloud Star doesn’t seem weak at all. This trip might not go well…"

The more he spoke, the more nervous he became, like a bird startled by the mere sound of a bowstring.

"Out of nowhere, we run into such a powerful expert. That Heavenly Weapon might not be easy to obtain either. What if we encounter another expert? What will we do then…"

Seeing his son so thoroughly demoralized, his earlier confidence completely shattered, Xiong Fen’s face hardened. He scolded him with a tone of disappointment.

"Worthless!"

"How can you achieve greatness if you crumble at the slightest setback!"

The scolding seemed to snap Xiong Zhong out of his panic. His fear subsided slightly, replaced by shame and frustration.

Seeing his son’s expression improve, Xiong Fen’s tone softened.

He spoke again, this time with a more fatherly, earnest tone.

"Son, it’s not that I’m being too harsh. It’s just that you’re still young. You need to steady your heart and strive for progress!"

Seeing his son nod quietly, Xiong Fen continued with a serious tone.

"This trip did have some miscalculations. It seems Cloud Star has more than one expert. Qing Yin Xianyun must have been so focused on exterminating demons that she overlooked the others."

"However, Cloud Star has been isolated for ten thousand years. It’s impossible for there to be too many experts. At most, there are one or two close to Heaven-tier."

"Our luck was indeed bad, running into Cloud Star’s top fighter right off the bat. But I believe that after hitting rock bottom, things will only get better from here!"

"Son, you must remember, those who achieve great things must be resilient!"

Xiong Zhong listened, his eyes filled with shame but gradually regaining confidence.

"I’ve learned my lesson."

After his father’s analysis, Xiong Zhong realized his own lack of perspective and mental fortitude. Thinking of Qing Yin Xianyun’s graceful figure, he silently vowed to improve.

Even in the face of setbacks, his fighting spirit only grew stronger!

Xiong Zhong quietly wiped away the blood and took a pill to recover. He then asked calmly.

"Father, what should we do now?"

Seeing his son regain his composure, Xiong Fen smiled with the satisfaction of a teacher seeing his student improve.

"Don’t rush."

"First, we’ll heal our injuries. Then, we’ll gather information about treasures and Yi Feng’s whereabouts. We’ve already encountered Cloud Star’s strongest fighter, which was bad luck, but it’s unlikely we’ll run into another one, right?"

"Every situation has two sides. This initial failure is actually a blessing in disguise. We’ve already met the strongest, so we can avoid them from now on."

"Aside from that person, everyone else on Cloud Star is nothing but ants. We can still roam freely!"

Xiong Zhong, having been served a hearty bowl of motivational soup, was no longer afraid or hesitant. His spirits lifted, and his confidence soared.

He stood up and bowed to his father, his eyes filled with admiration.

"Father, your wisdom is profound. I’ve learned so much and will remember it for life!"

Father and son exchanged a smile, eager for what lay ahead. They immediately began to meditate and heal their wounds.

"Whoosh…"

With the help of the Moon God Pavilion’s sacred medicine, the two men’s injuries healed significantly within half a day. They felt rejuvenated, their bodies brimming with energy.

When they opened their eyes again, their confidence was stronger than ever.

Just as they were about to set off, a flying ship streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of light and ripples in space. It was a breathtaking sight.

Xiong Zhong’s eyes lit up with greed as he gazed at it.

"This flying ship is extraordinary. It can even tear through space. While it might not be as good as the Moon God Pavilion’s collection, it’s definitely better than the common holy ships on Lan Star. What a treasure!"

Xiong Fen stroked his beard and chuckled, confidence shining in his eyes.

"Son, do you remember what I said? After hitting rock bottom, things will only get better. The ancients didn’t lie. Our luck has already turned…"

"Let’s go, seize that flying ship and add it to our collection!"

Father and son exchanged a smile and immediately tore through space.

In an instant, their voices faded.

When they reappeared, they were high above the clouds, standing on either side of the flying ship, looking down with an air of dominance.

"Hand over the flying ship, or you’ll meet your end!"

On the flying ship.

Fang Zaowu was reviewing a new design blueprint when the noise interrupted him. Annoyed, he looked up and scanned the surroundings.