While everyone was still struggling to process the bombshell that Chen Haoran had just dropped, the man in question, Yan Houdong, instinctively took a step back, his body tensing.

  "Damn!" he cursed under his breath

  His eyes darted around in subtle panic, though he tried to mask it with a calm facade, the slight tremor in his fingers betrayed his inner turmoil.

  "Seize him!" Chen Haoran commanded without hesitation.

  The warriors who had accompanied Jin Yu swiftly closed in on Yan Houdong, their movements practiced and efficient.

  Yan houdong gritted his teeth, his muscles tightening, as if considering a st-ditch attempt to fight. But there were too many, too strong, and before long, his arms were wrenched behind his back, his knees forced to the ground.

  The entire hall fell into a heavy silence, the spectators holding their breath, as the situation came to a head.

  Chen Haoran turned to Jin Yu, his sharp gaze softening just slightly. "Young Master, come forward and deliver the verdict."

  Jin Yu stiffened.

  What?!

  Instantly, He could feel the weight of countless eyes on him, pressing down like an invisible force.

  The sheer attention made him a little uneasy. This was an entirely different kind of spotlight compared to being an amused onlooker. Now, he had the authority to decide someone’s fate.

  He hesitated. "Me?"

  Chen Haoran nodded and gave him his sword. "Yes. This is your pce to decide, Step forward."

  Jin Yu inhaled deeply, trying to calm his racing heart, but the weight of responsibility felt suffocating. He hesitated again, trying to convince himself that this was right.

  This is my chance to show them who I am.

  He thought.

  He had always acted impulsively on Earth, fought and caused trouble, but now, the stakes were higher than ever.

  He stepped forward, forcing his legs to move even as doubt gnawed at him.

  He collected the sword hesitantly then inhaled deeply.

  As he stepped towards Yan Houdong, the man suddenly let out a scoff, his voice dripping with disdain.

  "What a joke!" Yan Houdong sneered, looking up at Jin Yu. "You?, deliver a verdict? A weakling with such a pitiful cultivation level? What qualifies you to judge me? This whole thing is ridiculous"

  DING!

  Influence points +500

  (Emotion provoked: Disdain)

  The crowd stirred, murmurs rippling through the hall, some even nodded in agreement.

  Jin Yu felt a surge of anger welling up within him.

  This arrogant cheating fool dared disdain me? He even had the gut to mock me?

  It wasn't his first time being called a weakling, but now, for some reason, it cut deeper.

  I can’t let this slide.

  He thought.

  His blood began to boil, anger surging like a fire he could no longer contain.

  I'm teaching this fucker a lesson!

  Unknown to him, a sliver of divine energy seeped from an unknown pce and covered his mind like a massive net, which in turn fueled his fury.

  Chen Haoran, who had been watching closely, saw the flicker of rage in Jin Yu’s eyes.

  His hand instinctively moved toward his sword, but he held back. "Be careful, Young Master. Don’t let his taunts provoke you too much," he cautioned, his voice low but firm. "This man will likely try to use any opening against you."

  Hearing that, Jin Yu’s breath quickened, and the unsettling memory of Uncle Lin's harsh training fshed in his mind.

  I couldn’t stop his attacks then. What if I can’t stop this one too? His mind raced, uncertainty clouding his thoughts.

  For a moment, he considered retreating, but something within him hardened.

  No.

  He closed his eyes for a brief second, grounding himself.

  He stepped closer to Yan Houdong, fighting the instinct to pull away.

  As he neared, the tension in the air thickened. Yan Houdong scoffed, his expression full of contempt.

  DING!

  Influence points +500

  (Emotion provoked: Contempt)

  “You really think you can stand against me, boy?” Yan Houdong tauted again, making the air around them seem colder.

  Jin Yu hesitated, a bead of sweat running down his temple, but his anger was like a fire now.

  A fire he couldn't put out even if he wanted.

  His heart pounded, each beat matching his rising fury.

  I will show him. I’ll show them all.

  His gaze hardened as he gnced at Yan Houdong, who was sneering up at him, the contempt still etched on his face.

  Jin Yu took another step forward, and that’s when something clicked in his mind.

  "Wait… my ability," he muttered under his breath, barely audible even to himself.

  Immunity to Invading Qi.

  He had completely forgotten about it in the heat of the moment. My body isn't as defenseless as I thought.

  He reassured himself.

  With a rush of uncertainty, he looked down at his hand, wondering whether he should take the risk.

  Will that damn immunity really work?

  He wasn’t sure, but this was his chance to assert his authority in front of the disdainful crowd.

  Chen Haoran, noticing Jin Yu’s hesitation, took a step forward, his voice urgent. "Young Master, you don’t have to do this. Stay back. I can—"

  But Jin Yu cut him off with a swift motion, his mind made up. He didn't want to back down now, Not after the insults he'd recieved. This was his moment to take control.

  "Step back, Chen Haoran" Jin Yu said with more confidence than he felt."I will do it."

  Feeling a spark of determination, Jin Yu allowed the full weight of the crowd’s gaze to press on him as he stepped closer to Yan Houdong. The moment he did, the man’s eyes fshed with cruelty.

  In a split second, Yan Houdong escaped the warriors' grip, or perhaps they let him.

  He lunged forward, his fist brimming with votile energy aimed directly at Jin Yu.

  Without thinking, Jin Yu raised his hand, bracing for the impact. But as the punch came closer, something incredible happened.

  The force of the attack........dissipated.

  It felt as though it had collided with the vastness of an Ocean. The pressure simply vanished as if the air itself had absorbed it.

  Jin Yu stood there, unharmed, staring at Yan Houdong with wide eyes.

  it worked!

  Yan Houdong staggered back, his expression one of complete disbelief. He had attacked with everything he had, yet his punch had simply... vanished.

  "W-what is this?" Yan Houdong stammered, his voice trembling as confusion overtook him.

  Jin Yu’s heart thudded, a surge of exhiration washing over him. His immunity to Invading Qi had worked, but there was no time for celebration.

  He narrowed his eyes at the man before him. "You used this arm to attack this Young Master."

  Before Yan Houdong could react, Jin Yu raised his sword. In a swift, clean motion, he severed Yan Houdong's right arm at the elbow, blood spttering onto the stone ptform.

  "ARRRRRRRGGHHHHHH!"

  A scream erupted from the man, and Jin Yu winced at the loud scream, but his voice remained cold like ice. "You also used the arm to cheat and harm your opponent. It’s gone now."

  Yan Houdong colpsed to the ground, clutching his bloodied elbow arm, his face pale with pain and shock.

  The crowd erupted in a mixture of gasps, cheers, and whispers of awe. Some were stunned by Jin Yu’s decisiveness, while others reveled in the swift justice, but Jin Yu couldn’t hear them.

  His pulse roared in his ears, his mind a blur of many emotions.

  He turned away from the fallen man, unable to look at his handiwork for too long. But then, his thoughts stirred back to the anger that had led him to what happened.

  Why was i so angry?, that felt so..... unnatural

  Even though he has a vicious mouth, he was never the brutal type.

  Yet today, his anger hadn't allowed him to stop.

  Forget it, after all, the man had harmed his opponent far worse.

  He brought his sword up again, but this time, it faltered. His hand shook as he faced Yan Houdong’s remaining arm.

  "Your left arm," Jin Yu began, his voice quieter now. "You used this one to try and cover your crimes."

  But when he looked down at the man, unable to find the same burning fury as before, something held him back. His stomach churned at sight of the pool of blood and the thought of causing more suffering.

  Jin Yu exhaled sharply and stepped back. I can't do it again.

  Instead, he ordered with cold finality, "Arrest him."

  Chen Haoran stood still for a moment, his expression unreadable, but there was a spark of approval in his eyes. "You’ve done well, Young Master."

  Jin Yu nodded, his mind still racing with the events that had just transpired. His ability had worked, but he couldn’t help trembling slightly from what he has just done, he felt a strange mix of satisfaction and unease.

  He hadn’t fully understood it before, but now, he was beginning to realize what his status as a young master actually means.