“Yes!”
“This feels amazing~”
“Smashing people and gaining merit is just too satisfying, hahaha…”
Wu Yi’s heart soared with joy as he saw a merit point added with each strike. Ever since the Hammer King System had awakened, he had been dying to smash someone, barely restraining himself until now.
The Hammer of Boundless Merit had ten strikes, each with a unique ability.
[First Strike: Reversal of Heaven and Earth]
As long as the opponent’s cultivation was higher than his, no matter who they were, they had to take the hit. Not only did it shock the soul, but it also continually weakened the opponent’s cultivation. It was completely unavoidable.
Moreover, the merit gained could be used to improve his own cultivation, spiritual roots, physique, and soul. Smashing others to improve oneself—who wouldn’t love such a thing?
However, using the Hammer of Boundless Merit consumed his mental energy, and the higher the opponent’s cultivation, the greater the consumption. In just this short moment, Wu Yi had already expended nearly a tenth of his mental energy.
“Smashing people is great! Everyone should learn to smash!”
“This Master, I, Long Yayin, must definitely follow!”
At that moment, Long Yayin watched Wu Yi, who was furiously swinging the hammer until smoke almost came out of it. Xu Yangshuo was twitching all over from the blows, and Long Yayin was stunned.
“Hmm?”
Long Qiyue’s pupils suddenly contracted. She looked at Wu Yi in disbelief—more precisely, at the small black wooden hammer in his hand. It looked utterly ordinary, yet it could directly strike the soul?
What kind of magical artifact was this?
Not just Long Qiyue, even the civil and military officials were all shocked.
Wu Yi, however, ignored them and continued striking relentlessly.
Clang~ Clang~ Clang~
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
[…]
Xu Yangshuo, completely dazed from the hammer blows, let out a miserable wail.
“Ah… so dizzy…”
“Wu… Wu Yi, you bastard, what the hell did you do to me?”
The soul-crushing dizziness shattered his concentration. He dropped to one knee, trembling all over, trying to stand up. But the world around him spun violently, and he couldn’t even steady himself.
Wu Yi ignored Xu Yangshuo’s whining. He calmly closed his eyes and muttered in a low tone, “A brute without manners is beyond redemption.”
Then he began chanting softly as he struck, the incantation sounding like an ancient and mysterious chant.
“Traveled afar for the feast of mortals, ate instant noodles on Mount Lao Jun…”
“Spring breeze never passes Yumen Pass, and Buddha never saves iron-fisted fools…”
“Failed brakes going downhill in a Wuling car, young master’s hammer will leave a scar…”
“Your goddess took the dive years ago, after this hammer you’ll change, you know…”
Clang~ Clang~ Clang~ Clang~
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
[…]
Everyone: “…”
Even more terrifying, everyone began to notice Xu Yangshuo’s cultivation level dropping at an alarming rate.
3rd stage Martial General!
2nd stage Martial General!
1st stage Martial General!
9th stage Martial Master!
“What?!”
“He can suppress cultivation levels too? What kind of divine technique is this?!”
At this point, even the Empress was visibly shaken. Duke Wu An stared in disbelief at his own good-for-nothing son.
This… what the hell was going on?
The Empress glanced over, and Duke Wu An looked just as confused. He spread his hands as if saying, “Your Majesty, don’t look at me—I’ve no idea either~”
Still smashing away, Wu Yi raised his voice arrogantly, “Young Master Xu, why aren’t you fighting back? Weren’t you going to smash my mouth?”
“Come on then. Can’t find a move you like? Huh?”
“You dog bastard, you better hit me already!”
At that moment, a furious Xu Yangshuo roared, eyes bloodshot.
“You’re courting death! You forced me into this!”
He, a dignified Martial General, had been completely overwhelmed by a mere Martial Disciple? And in front of the entire court and the Empress?
This was utter humiliation!
In his rage, Xu Yangshuo pulled out a longsword from his spatial ring. Initially, he thought bare hands were enough to deal with Wu Yi, using a weapon would be too disgraceful. But now, pride was out the window.
In the next second, intense flames erupted from the longsword.
“Blazing Sun Slash!”
With a furious roar, a ten-meter-long flame blade shot out from his sword, surging toward Wu Yi with explosive force.
Long Qiyue narrowed her cold eyes, her expression tense. A Martial Disciple like Wu Yi couldn’t possibly block this strike. If it hit, he would definitely die!
Duke Wu An was already preparing to step in.
But just then…
Wu Yi shouted, raising the Hammer of Boundless Merit and smashing it into the air.
“Fifth Strike, Forbidden Output!”
He cursed under his breath, “Damn it, this lousy system almost made me mess up!”
[What the horse sees depends on the run.]
“Run your damn self back to town!”
Duang—
A resonant bell rang through the hall.
Everyone froze in shock.
CRACK—
The next moment, Xu Yangshuo’s martial skill was abruptly canceled. The ten-meter flame blade shattered into sparks midair.
“What?!”
The Empress’s eyes went cold as she watched, filled with astonishment. Martial skills, once released, were extremely hard to interrupt—unless the difference in cultivation was vast, or if one dodged or tanked it.
So how did Wu Yi do it?
Xu Yangshuo stood there, stunned, one hand holding his head, the other clutching his sword, completely baffled.
“This… how is this even possible?”
Wu Yi grinned and sped up his strikes.
Clang~ Clang~ Clang~
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
The fifth strike forcibly interrupted any martial skill, at the cost of spiritual energy. The higher the opponent’s cultivation, the more energy it consumed.
Clang~ Clang~ Clang~
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
[Merit +1]
[…]
While everyone was still stunned, Xu Yangshuo’s cultivation was forcibly suppressed down to the 2nd stage Martial Master—just one major realm above Wu Yi.
Wu Yi let out a cold shout, “Sixth Strike: Final Judgment!”
This strike still targeted the soul, but if the opponent’s cultivation wasn’t more than one major realm higher, it could knock them out cold. The only catch was its massive mental cost—it drained nearly half of Wu Yi’s energy.
Clang—
[Merit +1]
As the hammer landed, Xu Yangshuo froze like he’d been struck by lightning.
“You…”
Before he could finish speaking, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed flat on his back.
Everyone stared at the surreal scene in silence. Who would’ve thought Xu Yangshuo, a 4th stage Martial General, would be beaten down by Wu Yi and even knocked unconscious with a single hammer strike?
Wu Yi looked at the fainted Xu Yangshuo, eyes brimming with killing intent.
“You dared frame me? I’ll hack you to death, you mongrel.”
Zheng—
As he spoke, Wu Yi suddenly turned and snatched the sword hanging from Long Yayin’s waist.
“My sword! My sword~”
Long Yayin jumped in shock and immediately explained to Long Qiyue, “Royal Sister, you saw it! Wu Yi grabbed it by force. If something happens, it’s not my fault!”
Though he said that, he made no effort to take the sword back.
Why should he? He hung it on his waist on purpose—wasn’t this what he wanted? After all, he often blamed himself for not making enough of a mess.
Hehehehe…
Swoosh—
Wu Yi now gripped the sword and charged straight toward Xu Yangshuo.
With one slash, he brought it down.
“You dare?!”
Xu Xian’s pupils shrank in horror and he moved to intervene.
But before he could act, two powerful auras locked onto him—Duke Wu An and Long Qiyue.
Pfft—
“Ah~”
Xu Yangshuo let out a shrill scream. His right arm had been severed from the shoulder, blood spurting several meters.
“You’re courting death!”
Xu Xian roared in rage, his 8th stage Martial King aura exploding. His grandson had just been disarmed right in front of him—how could he not be furious?
Seeing Xu Xian about to strike—
BOOM—
Duke Wu An released his aura as well, also 8th stage Martial King.
“Prime Minister Xu… what are you trying to do?”
Just then, the Empress’s regal and imposing voice echoed through the hall.
“Prime Minister Xu, this duel between Wu Yi and Xu Yangshuo was agreed upon by both parties and supervised by me personally.”
“It concerns crucial evidence about Wu Yi molesting the Ninth Princess. Are you trying to defy my orders?”
Long Yayin, ever the troublemaker, muttered under his breath, “Yeah, before this you were acting all smug because you thought Xu Yangshuo would beat Wu Yi. Now that your grandson lost, you’re crying foul?”
Wu Yi chimed in casually, “This behavior is called double standards.”
“Definition: Holding different standards for the same matter or different people.”
Long Yayin’s eyes lit up. He’d learned something new again.
“Double standards? Yes, yes, good phrase.”
Then he pointed at Xu Xian and shouted, “Prime Minister Xu, you’re using double standards!”