Chapter 1101: Defeated in One Move
Since these ladies were elite disciples, the murderous sword dance was much stronger than what Long Fei faced on the jade bridge and harder to deal with.
Due to the direction of the murderous music, this set of the Lunar Palace's ancient Bright Moon Sword Dance underwent a change worth more than ten thousand years of revision. It truly lived up to its fame.
With the ten grandmaster-level Martial Sages cooperating with Fang Qingxuan's flute music, it did not just merge these people's strength. Instead, there was a multiplier effect.
Even a Holy Scion would get entangled in a bitter battle if they got trapped in the sword dance.
Most of the outstanding talents did not go in early mainly because they were not very confident of breaking through this sword dance in a short time. Even if they won, they would expend a lot of effort.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen made the first move; hence, these outstanding talents scolded him in their hearts for his arrogance.
Several people smiled coldly, wanting to see how the arrogant Xiao Chen would fall in this murderous sword dance, losing his chance to obtain the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet in his attempt to snatch the initiative and limelight.
However, would Xiao Chen reveal his trump card in fear of wasting too much time after getting trapped by this murderous sword dance?
Clearly, he would not. Since he could not find an opening, he would forcibly make one.
Just as the murderous sword dance surrounded Xiao Chen, he smiled faintly before opening his mouth to roar.
The Magic Energy in Xiao Chen's sea of consciousness burned as he executed the Dragon Tone Art at full power. The resulting dragon roar instantly shook the sky, even more horrifying than the thunder of heaven.
A beam of light pierced the clouds, scattering them. Then, it landed on Xiao Chen, causing the white-clad Azure Dragon King to radiate a golden light that dazzled onlookers everywhere.
In short order, the clouds for five thousand kilometers fled like leaves swept away by the autumn wind. The light coming from Xiao Chen's body spread to the entire area.
In that instant, it was like the entire region became several times brighter because of Xiao Chen—piercingly brighter.
Only he, the Azure Dragon King, could tear the skies with one roar echoing everywhere and scattering the clouds for five thousand kilometers!
The Bright Moon Sword Dance did indeed not have any weakness. However, if one grasped the opportunity properly, one could create an opening in a simple manner.
Naturally, the opening came from Fang Qingxuan's murderous flute music.
The Dragon Tone Art had mainly been used to counter the Deity Race's Mental Energy Martial Techniques. However, Martial Techniques were dead while people were alive.
As long as it could be used to disrupt the opponent's rhythm, any Martial Technique was appropriate. This was the principle of creatively combining learning with usage.
The moment the clouds scattered and the sunlight hit the ground, Xiao Chen made his move. He charged over in a straight line and knocked back the white-clad disciples in his way, sending them flying like sandbags.
The rhythm of the Bright Moon Sword Dance was already broken. Before Xiao Chen, these Lunar Palace disciples were just ordinary grandmaster-level Martial Sages now. Naturally, they could not last a single round against him.
He continued onwards, charging at Fang Qingxuan in an instant. As the person playing the flute, Fang Qingxuan suffered the most from his Dragon Tone Art.
At this moment, she was pale, and blood trickled out from a corner of her lips. She had just grasped her sword when Xiao Chen struck her wrist, disarming her.
Xiao Chen did not stop moving, pressing on. He threw another heavy palm strike. Just as the palm strike was about to land, he reined it in somewhat on second thought.
When Xiao Chen's hand landed on Fang Qingxuan's right shoulder, some force came from it but only enough to knock her back, not injuring her at all.
A dragon roar echoed endlessly in the place. Xiao Chen had easily broken the famous Bright Moon Sword Dance.
The situation of Xiao Chen getting stuck in a protracted fight, which many people expected, did not happen. On the contrary, he quickly dealt with the Bright Moon Sword Dance, cutting through it at lightning speed.
As a strong wind blew, Xiao Chen did not let things drag out at all, quickly finishing the battle cleanly.
His white robes fluttered as he stood on the most eye-catching arena. If not for the clouds for five thousand kilometers that were slowly regathering in the sky, most people would suspect that they just saw an illusion.
"Thank you for going easy!"
Xiao Chen turned around and performed a cupped-fist salute to the white-clad female disciples in the arena.
The Moon Palace disciples elegantly bowed in response and flew away, looking like fairies dancing in the air. They always appeared very pleasing to the eye.
The various Holy Scions in the jade pavilions were all shocked. They had not expected that Xiao Chen could break the Bright Moon Sword Dance so easily.
All of the Holy Scions remained silent as if they could not accept this reality.
In the jade pavilion where the Cyclic Astral Palace's group was, Chu Yang had a sullen expression as he stood up, prepared to charge down. Fu Hongyao and a group of elders quickly stopped him.
"Holy Son, don't rush. This is just the beginning. He will not be able to stand strong for long," a Cyclic Astral Palace elder with a goatee advised.
Fu Hongyao said softly, "Senior Brother, there is indeed no need to rush. There are many experts in the hundred small arenas below. Several of the outstanding talents from the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering are there too. These people are forty-odd years old, and their cultivations are not low at all.
"They will definitely be able to force Xiao Chen to draw his saber. At that time, we will be able to see all his trump cards."
Chu Yang's expression changed as he slowly sat down. "I'll let him remain cocky first. When he climbs too high, I will ruthlessly trample him."
In the jade pavilion where the Five Poison Sect was, the Five Poison Sect's Holy Son showed an uncertain expression. Soon, he decided to continue watching a bit more.
In the Myriad Fiend Island's group, Yan Shisan said with some shock, "I forgot that he knows the Dragon Tone Art. We should wait longer, until he draws his saber. Only then can we see his true strength."
"Bang!"
Just as the white-clad female disciples left the arena, someone flew over in a rush. This person stood across Xiao Chen while holding a heavy staff.
"It's Wang Meng!"
[TL Note: This Wang Meng is a different one from the Wang Meng of the seven giants. The Chinese characters for the Meng are different as well.]
"In the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering, he ranked fourth. Now that twenty years have passed, he already reached quasi-Emperor long ago. He is no doubt Xiao Chen's match!"
The moment this person appeared, a great commotion immediately broke out after several people recognized him.
Xiao Chen took a look and saw that this person's cultivation was indeed vast, comparable to some of the Holy Scions'. It was just a pity that this person was older and had already exhausted most of his potential.
Without any fortuitous encounters, Wang Meng would have extreme difficulty advancing to Martial Emperor.
Wang Meng slammed his staff on the arena. Countless cracks immediately bloomed on the floor. As a strong wind surged, his aura soared continuously.
Then, he twirled his staff with one hand, strengthening the gust even further. This simple movement boosted his aura to the peak.
Under the pressure of Wang Meng's aura, the air turned solid and pressed down on Xiao Chen like it was a mountain.
"I am Wang Meng. I have not heard of the Azure Dragon King. Today, I come forward to have a battle with you. Sorry for the offense!"
Right after Wang Meng spoke, he shouted a war cry and soared into the air. Then, he thrust his staff towards Xiao Chen.
Wang Meng's body was like a mountain. The moment he pushed off the floor and soared up, the arena tremble intensely, unable to tolerate the force.
When the staff smashed over, a mysterious phenomenon instantly appeared: three huge mountains gathered in the air. These mountains were so huge that everyone was flabbergasted at them.
Indistinct cracks appeared in the air, which went to show how mighty this staff strike was.
Just when everyone thought that Xiao Chen would take out his saber to face this strong Profound Martial Technique, to everyone's surprise, he took out a staff as well.
The staff in Xiao Chen's hand whirled like the wind. A gale howled, and an aura that could topple mountains and flip seas surged out. The sky instantly turned dark. Thunderclouds filled the sky, making it looked like the Armageddon.
Bolt after bolt of lightning tore through the sky. Just as Wang Meng's staff was about to smash down, the staff in Xiao Chen's hand suddenly stopped, no longer spinning around.
The gale led more than ten thousand lightning bolts forward from behind Xiao Chen. It looked like he was pulling ten thousand ancient ferocious beasts as he dashed through the air—a vast and shocking scene.
Xiao Chen's feet did not stop moving as the staff in his hand collided with Wang Meng's. The power of wind and lightning suddenly erupted at this moment.
Xiao Chen was like a king commanding an army ten thousand strong. His white robes fluttered in the blood-dyed battlefield, looking very elegant and outstanding.
With Xiao Chen's staff strike, the three mountains pressing down immediately shattered and dissipated.
Wang Meng, who arrived with a strong and ferocious aura, vomited blood in midair and fell to the floor on one knee.
"Whoosh!"
Xiao Chen used the staff like it was a spear and leaped into the air. The instant Wang Meng landed, Xiao Chen charged over.
Wang Meng retreated continuously. However, the tip of Xiao Chen's staff remained a constant two centimeters away from his throat. The terrifying aura forced him to keep backing away quickly in a fluster.
Wang Meng gave ground until he reached the edge of the arena. Just as he was about to fall off, Xiao Chen stomped on the ground and suddenly pulled the staff back.
Wang Meng's heart thumped loudly as he thought to himself, How close! If I really fell off, I would completely embarrass myself.
"Thank you for going easy!"
Xiao Chen performed a cupped-fist salute. He did not display any arrogance at defeating his opponent or any hypocritical posing. He was as calm as still water, as polite as he should be.
Wang Meng felt a burning sensation on his face. Without saying a word, he turned around to leave; he was simply left speechless.
Before Wang Meng ascended to the arena, his thoughts had been very simple. He wanted to trample this has-been Azure Dragon King and become even more famous in this Four Seas Hero Gathering.
If he really pulled that off, then in the future, when others discussed his life, there would be a part where people talked about how he became the Northern Sea outstanding talent that dealt the final blow to the Azure Dragon King.
However, the reality was rather cruel. He could not handle even one move from Xiao Chen. Furthermore, he would have lost in a much more unsightly manner if Xiao Chen had not held back at the last moment.
Not only Wang Meng but also all of the many cultivators of the Heavenly Starry Ocean could not accept such an ending.
How could a seasoned outstanding talent of the Heavenly Starry Ocean not be able to withstand even one move of this outsider? Furthermore, he lost to a Staff Technique, the thing he was best at.
The entire plaza immediately fell silent. No one said a word like they were all struck dumb. They had been hoping to see the arrogant Xiao Chen trampled.
However, the reality was like a slap to them. How could they accept this?! How could they?!
The extraordinarily bustling Four Seas Hero Gathering never had such a scene happen in the past ten thousand years. Everyone remained silent, leaving the place very peaceful and quiet.
After a long while, three more outstanding talents of the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering entered the arena. However, Xiao Chen defeated them all in one move.
Whatever weapon his opponent used, Xiao Chen would use. With the imitation of the Changing Character Formula, his skill at every weapon was no weaker than his opponent's.
The Four Seas Hero Gathering slowly proceeded in silence. No one shouted or cried out anything. No one had anything to say or to discuss.
Chapter 1102: Inherited Holy Land, Immortal for Ten Thousand Years
When the Lunar Palace's judges saw this scene, they did not know what to say.
Could it be that these people could not even make the Azure Dragon King draw his saber?
Rage burned in the hearts of the Heavenly Starry Ocean's cultivators, all of them feeling as sullen as they could be.
Xiao Chen's performance embarrassed the many Heavenly Starry Ocean cultivators considerably. Rage blazed in their hearts, but they were powerless.
There were millions of people here, but no one dared to utter a single word. This was a very dismal scene.
In the arena, the top outstanding talent of the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering had just lost to Xiao Chen in a battle with spears, defeated in one move.
After losing in a battle with the weapon that was his forte, this particular outstanding talent could no longer contain his emotions. He shouted angrily, "You so-called Holy Scions, how long are you all going to hide like turtles?!"
This outstanding talent's voice resounded throughout the vast and quiet Bright Moon Plaza, echoing many times and appearing very sorrowful.
Right then, all the rage and sullenness in everyone's heart burst out after a moment of silence.
Everyone stood up at the same time and looked to the exquisite jade pavilions in the air. All of them could not hold back on shouting.
"Inherited Holy Lands, immortal for ten thousand years, if you do not go up now, when will you?!"
"Inherited Holy Lands, immortal for ten thousand years, if you do not go up now, when will you?!"
The ear-splitting outcry echoed throughout the plaza. This scene of several million people shouting at the same time had never happened before in any Four Seas Hero Gathering.
In the various jade pavilions, the Holy Scions of the Heavenly Province Academy, the Five Poison Sect, the Cyclic Astral Palace, and the Yinyang Paradise, as well as the Young Palace Lords of the Divine Dragon Palaces of the four seas all showed extremely unsightly expressions.
The words "Inherited Holy Lands, immortal for ten thousand years," in particular, chagrined them.
Today, an outsider—the Azure Dragon King who was past his prime in their eyes—actually forced the millions of cultivators in Bright Moon Plaza to turn on them and pressure them.
As Xiao Chen stood on the arena, he entered deep thought. He had not expected such a scene before him, either.
However, this was fine. Since everyone had nothing to say, then he would remain high-profile to the end. He did not mind adding oil to the flames.
Xiao Chen said leisurely, "Inherited Holy Lands, immortal for ten thousand years, you are all Immortal Holy Lands. Today, this untalented Xiao is here to fight for the last mountain tablet of the Dragon's Gate. Various Holy Scions, do you dare to come down and fight?!"
His voice was not loud. However, it carried to every corner, suppressing the cries of the millions.
Instantly, everyone in Bright Moon Plaza fell silent, leaving only Xiao Chen's clear voice echoing everywhere.
Everyone was stunned at Xiao Chen's words to the Holy Scions. Unexpectedly, he wanted to challenge all the Holy Scions alone. This was simply too arrogant.
With Xiao Chen mocking them directly, the various Holy Scions could no longer sit still. Anyone who had any courage at all would not be able to endure this, what more these extremely proud outstanding talents?
"Damn it, do you really think that there is no one in my Heavenly Starry Ocean that can challenge you? I, Young Master Qingshu, will challenge you!"
Young Master Qingshu flew out of the Heavenly Province Academy's jade pavilion and landed gracefully on the arena. Then, he looked coldly at Xiao Chen.
Young Master Qingshu smiled coldly and said, "Azure Dragon King, you sure are arrogant. Do you dare to be even bolder? When you bullied the outstanding talents of the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering, you did not use your saber. Do you dare to continue doing that when you fight with me?"
After seeing Xiao Chen's strength, Young Master Qingshu knew that he was not Xiao Chen's match. So, he quickly came up with a clever idea and said this to agitate Xiao Chen.
Everyone immediately looked at Xiao Chen to see how he would reply. If Xiao Chen did not agree, then by Young Master Qingshu's logic, he would become a person who only dared to bully the old outstanding talents.
"As you wish!"
Xiao Chen remained calm. With a flip of his hand, a white folding fan appeared in his palm.
In the palace where the Lunar Palace's judges were, Yue Bingyun appeared somewhat distracted. Was this what Xiao Chen meant by making everyone unable to say a thing?
The world was rife with heroes. An endless stream of outstanding talents filled the four corners of the seas. There was never a lack.
However, the Azure Dragon King Xiao Chen only used one move and the weapon that his opponent excelled at to defeat them. With such style and elegance, if he could endure to the end, then indeed, no one could say anything; dispute would be impossible.
Even if the Lunar Palace's judges wanted to make things difficult for Xiao Chen on purpose, they would have no choice but to let Xiao Chen take away the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet without any protest.
However, could Xiao Chen really do it?
Earlier, he defeated the various old outstanding talents in one move. Now, he challenged all the Holy Scions alone; that was truly arrogant.
The cultivators in Bright Moon Plaza were all shocked. Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen dared to not draw his saber when fighting the Holy Scions of the Immortal Holy Lands despite it being the weapon that he was best at.
With such style and elegance, even if no one said it, they all had to submit in their hearts. At the very least, in the younger generation, no one else would dare to do what Xiao Chen did. In all the Four Seas Hero Gatherings of the past ten thousand years, no one else had been daring enough to do that.
Unprecedented and unrepeatable!
Young Master Qingshu smiled and said, "You are really boundlessly arrogant. To think that you dare to dabble with the folding fan before me, Young Master Qingshu! In that case, let's decide this with one move. Do you dare to accept?!"
Previously, Xiao Chen defeated Young Master Qingshu with the unpredictable fist, claw, and palm. So, Young Master Qingshu did not dare to drag things out. As long as Xiao Chen dared to agree to decide the victory in one move and not use his saber, he believed that he could make Xiao Chen suffer an unsightly defeat.
Before Xiao Chen could say anything, Qi Wuxue, who was on a small arena below mocked, "A bona fide Holy Scion, and yet you have so many requests. Do you think that you are a small kid playing house? Why don't you just ask Xiao Chen to stand still and not attack, let you just attack him?!"
The moment Qi Wuxue said that, no one could rebut. Young Master Qingshu's requests were indeed somewhat shameless. Even the people who wanted to speak up for him were too embarrassed to say anything.
Young Master Qingshu's expression did not change. He continued smiling coldly. The winner wrote history. As long as he defeated Xiao Chen, all this would vanish like smoke.
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and said, "Determining victory in one move, that suits me. Make your move."
Upon Xiao Chen's agreement, Young Master Qingshu rejoiced in his heart. He laughed loudly and said, "You are the Azure Dragon King indeed. Such boldness is admirable. However, there is no such thing as medicine for regret. I, Young Master Qingshu, will end your short-lived legend.
"Today, I will show you that not just anyone can use the folding fan!"
"Whoosh!"
Young Master Qingshu pushed off the floor and turned into an azure beam of light, charging straight at Xiao Chen.
Everywhere Young Master Qingshu passed, lush green bamboo sprouted, standing strong and tall while firmly planted in the ground.
Soon, the entire arena was filled with bamboo, so many that bamboo was all one saw. A strong and surging wood-attributed Spiritual Energy surfaced; it was so dense that it felt viscous.
Together with the Righteous Qi that Young Master Qingshu cultivated, his aura soared without restraint until it reached an incredible level, rivaling that of a Great Perfection quasi-Emperor.
"Soaring in the white clouds above the mountains, the holy one rides the wind while lushness follows below!"
A poem came from the lips of Young Master Qingshu. As a Confucian scholar, he was filled with Righteous Qi. The moment he uttered the verse, his aura changed entirely, merging with the noble bamboo.
Xiao Chen's eyes lit up. This was different. Using a poem to temporarily change one's aura, to allow one's aura to fuse completely with a Martial Technique and mysterious phenomenon, amplified the might of the move so that it reached perfection.
However, no matter what, this aura was a sham. After all, there was no truth behind it; it was just a facade.
If Young Master Qingshu were truly noble like the lush green bamboo, it would be hard to say if Xiao Chen could defeat him with the folding fan.
As for now, Xiao Chen intended to watch Young Master Qingshu put on this show before dealing a critical strike. Amid the stands of green bamboo, he appeared at ease as he fanned himself with the folding fan in his hand.
"In one's life, one must be confident when going through difficult tribulations.
"One must be open-minded and have strong integrity, so when one goes through wind and rain, one will not feel the cold."
The profound and mighty poem echoed through the place, spreading out. Every cultivator in Bright Moon Plaza clearly felt a vast Righteous Qi.
Young Master Qingshu's body flickered endlessly in the air. With each flash, there would be a line of the poem.
While in the air, Young Master Qingshu used the world as his ink and the folding fan in his hand as a brush. He wrote these verses in the air, forming a vast, eternal will.
With the bamboo-filled ground and the poem in the air, the entire arena seemed to turn into an ink painting filled with spirituality.
As for the person holding the brush, Young Master Qingshu looked ethereal. He became one with the world, making it difficult to distinguish where he would appear next.
One could only watch as he wrote the poem in the air, letting his Martial Technique slowly strengthen and become perfect.
"Peach blossoms fall outside the bamboo grove; when will the water of spring turn warm?!"
Peach blossoms fell outside where the bamboo was, adding some color to this elegant painting.
All the spectators were astounded. Although Young Master Qingshu's methods were somewhat despicable, his Martial Technique was shocking, nearly unbreakable.
Indeed, when it came to the folding fan, no one could surpass him. No wonder Young Master Qingshu was so confident, declaring that Xiao Chen would lose before even fighting.
"Another red sun rises again; my heart will always remain with heaven!"
A dazzling morning sun soared out of Young Master Qingshu's chest, allowing his aura to rival that of a peak Great Perfection quasi-Emperor. This aura was already sufficient to squash people to death. Then, he used this red sun to smash down on Xiao Chen.
From every direction, the eye-catching arena looked like a painting filled with bamboo, a poem, a river, and peach flowers. As for Xiao Chen, he looked like a caged beast trapped in the painting.
Many felt very happy. This is the result of being arrogant. We let you be arrogant first. Now that you are trapped, you can't even cry.
"Inherited Holy Lands, immortal for ten thousand years, the Holy Son appears, and the Azure Dragon is defeated!"
Perhaps because the crowd felt repressed for too long, when they saw that Young Master Qingshu held such a great advantage, someone took the lead in shouting, inciting the entire plaza to follow. This cheer sent Young Master Qingshu's reputation soaring at this moment.
In a small arena below, Qi Wuxue scolded, "This group of people is too shameless. Xiao Chen is also too stupid. Why did he agree? He should just beat that fellow up!"
The ten judges of the Lunar Palace exchanged glances. They had their answer.
Yue Bingyun understood. If Xiao Chen lost this, no matter how strong, outstanding, or elegant he was, the judges would not award the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet to him.
"A bright full moon lights up the realm, the bridge crosses the river, and snow fills the sky. Who knows my heart like the moon? Whoever is the one laughing is the one trapped in the painting!"
Chapter 1103: Contend in Beauty and Fascination
Just when everyone saw that the arena had turned into a painting with Young Master Qingshu trapping Xiao Chen securely in the painting, Xiao Chen recited a cold and proud poem.
The scene on Xiao Chen's folding fan expanded out. The small bridge, the flowing water, and the bright moon all appeared. With the Thousand Frost Battle Snow as a supplement, snow filled the air, falling to the ground and stopping the flowing water, making the moon appear even colder.
Everyone was shocked to discover that many more details were suddenly added to the painting of the arena, making the originally elegant painting very diverse as the various scenes contended in beauty and fascination.
However, something even more horrifying happened. Xiao Chen, who was clearly trapped in the painting, leaped out of the painting the instant he finished reciting the poem. Now, he became someone outside the painting. As for Young Master Qingshu, the one using the folding fan as a brush and the world as his ink, he became the person trapped within the painting.
"What is going on? What in the world is going on?!"
The crowd shouting "Inherited Holy Lands, immortal for ten thousand years" stopped. Shock flooded their hearts as their faces filled with incredulity. They could not understand the scene before them.
Why was it that Xiao Chen had been the person in the painting in one instant, and then he became the person outside in the next, making Young Master Qingshu the one trapped instead?
How could the crowd yelling "Holy Son appears, and the Azure Dragon is defeated" endure this development?
The many Confucian experts in the Heavenly Province Academy's jade pavilion revealed expressions of disbelief when they saw this scene.
Others might not understand, but how could they, as peak experts of a Confucian sect, not?
The Martial Technique that Young Master Qingshu practiced was one of the Heavenly Province Academy's ten great Profound Martial Techniques, Picturesque Landscape. There were a total of four levels: raising the brush to draw; one with the painting; breaking out of the painting; and the most profound, painting outside of the painting.
Young Master Qingshu was a rare outstanding talent that only appeared once every few hundred years. He had learned this Martial Technique at a young age and already reached the level of raising the brush to draw, using the world as his ink and his folding fan as the brush.
He could even forcibly reach the second level of being one with the painting to increase the might of this Picturesque Landscape.
However, who could have imagined that Xiao Chen would figure out Young Master Qingshu's trick with one glance? Young Master Qingshu's original aura was not as noble as that of the green bamboo, resulting in a big opening in this painting.
As for Xiao Chen, he was simply like a god of copying. With just one glance, he comprehended the essence of this move and used a poem that was similar to his own character—Whoever is the one laughing is the one trapped in the painting—instantly displaying his superiority.
"This person must have a Cultivation Technique that can duplicate others' Martial Techniques. Otherwise, even if he can make out the essence of this move, he would not be able to break out of the painting and use it to trap Qingshu instead," one of the old men in the jade pavilion calmly analyzed.
Another person added, "That should be right. Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain why he, a bladesman, can use so many different weapons and even do so quite proficiently."
"How high is his comprehension ability for him to cultivate such a Cultivation Technique?" an old man sighed softly.
Indeed, even if such a Cultivation Technique were placed before these Consummation quasi-Emperors, they would not dare to cultivate it.
The reason was none other than insufficient comprehension ability. Not only would they fail to increase their strength, but they would also end up lost in the Cultivation Technique, unable to proceed further, and even suffer a regression in their strength.
In the palace where the Lunar Palace's judges were, Yue Bingyun muttered to herself repeatedly, "Who knows my heart like the moon?"
The moon was self-loving; no one could understand it. It remained alone for eons, cold and proud but alone. What kind of person could come up with a poem comparing himself with the bright moon?
What kind of person could use this to turn things around, to trap the confident Young Master Qingshu securely in the painting?
Young Master Qingshu looked lost in the arena; he did not understand what had happened. One moment, he was suppressing Xiao Chen, when suddenly it was like there was a barrier that he could never cross. He could only continuously fly forward, but Xiao Chen just got farther and farther away from him.
Young Master Qingshu clearly already brought out the greatest might of this Picturesque Landscape. However, he could only watch as the distance to Xiao Chen kept widening, unable to do anything.
Xiao Chen did not say anything. He closed the folding fan in his hand and gently tapped the painting before him right on Young Master Qingshu's chest.
To Young Master Qingshu, it looked like Xiao Chen, who was a world's distance away, stretched out his hand and closed the gap. This caught him completely off-guard, forcing him to endure this heavy strike.
However, to others, it looked like Xiao Chen was just standing outside the painting and had gently tapped the painting.
"Bang!"
Young Master Qingshu vomited blood. His organs ruptured, and he suffered from the backlash of his Martial Technique. The various mysterious phenomena scattered, and the painting shattered. Then, he tumbled in the air and fell out of the arena. When he hit the ground, a large patch of dirt and dust flew up as the plaza rumbled endlessly.
After getting shocked to his senses, Young Master Qingshu looked at the highest arena, staring at the white-clad Xiao Chen, who still appeared spotlessly clean. Goggling in horror, he pointed at Xiao Chen. "You…you actually trapped me in the painting. How can that be…"
"Pu chi!" Young Master Qingshu vomited another mouthful of blood. Unable to endure this blow, he fainted from frustration.
Young Master Qingshu's words still lingered in everyone's mind. Despite all his efforts and schemes, even to the point of shamelessness, he still could not end Xiao Chen's legend. Instead, his own reputation ended up buried here.
You want me to not draw my saber, so I will not draw my saber. You want to decide victory with one move; I will do as you wish.
Despite all your plans and schemes, I will defeat you in one move!
The strange silence descended on Bright Moon Plaza again. The scene of millions of speechless cultivators appeared in this Four Seas Hero Gathering once more.
The one that everyone thought would be their savior failed to make Xiao Chen draw his saber. Instead, even when using his best weapon, he still fell to Xiao Chen in one move.
Given this, the Holy Scions of the various Immortal Holy Lands and the scions of the hidden Noble Clans all no longer dared to behave rashly. Even if a billion people spurred them on with taunts or encouragement, they would not step forward.
These people needed Xiao Chen to expose some weakness first before they would risk facing him. Otherwise, instead of trampling him, they would end up losing their reputation.
The activities in the silent Bright Moon Plaza came to a brief halt. No one showed any interest in the other outstanding talents in the small arenas any longer.
One person had snatched the limelight and all the attention. No matter how excellent these fights were, it would be pointless if no one paid them any mind.
However, these people did not have the courage to ascend to the most eye-catching arena. Even when a Holy Scion went up, he lost in one move. How could they dare to do so?
In the Yinyang Paradise's jade pavilion, a female disciple produced a lovable smile. "First Senior Sister, these men all do not dare to take the challenge. How about you go? That way, you will be able to raise the reputation of our Yinyang Paradise."
"That's right, that's right! Elder Sister said so earlier. To prevent those smelly men from injuring the Azure Dragon King, you will personally defeat him in a gentle manner."
Tong Susu rolled her eyes at these two girls. She scolded them with a smile, "This Elder Sister of yours has never been beaten up by a man before. If I really am defeated in one move, even if he does not become a Martial Emperor in five years and has twenty years left to live, Elder Sister's heart will never be able to leave this person."
In the Cyclic Astral Palace's jade pavilion, Chu Yang and Fu Hongyao remained silent, showing complicated expressions. Chu Yang's earlier bravado had disappeared long ago. He hated that he was incapable of beating up Xiao Chen ruthlessly.
However, Chu Yang's rationality told him that this was definitely not the time to step forward. It was simply not worth suffering defeat and the loss of his reputation at the hands of someone who did not have long to live.
The expressions of Lunar Palace's judges indicated that they had everything under control. However, they were also somewhat at a loss. One single person managed to bring the Four Seas Hero Gathering to a halt. This was a rather big joke.
In the Myriad Fiend Island's jade pavilion, Yan Shisan stood up, prepared to fight. However, Di Xinhan held out a hand and stopped him, saying, "Brother Shisan, never mind, let me go. After all, this is the Four Seas Hero Gathering of my Heavenly Starry Ocean."
Yan Shisan replied, "Think about it. You are just asking to be defeated. If I go, I can make him draw his saber. That will give you a better chance at victory. I have already left the Yan Clan long ago and do not care about my reputation. You are different; you have the Myriad Fiend Island, an Immortal Holy Land, behind you."
Di Xinhan smiled and said, "Victories and losses are part and parcel of a cultivator's life. It seems like I have not suffered defeat at the hands of someone from the same generation in the Heavenly Starry Ocean ever since I made my debut. So what if I lose once?"
Finally, he added sullenly, "Furthermore, this is the Four Seas Hero Gathering of my Heavenly Starry Ocean, after all. Someone has to take up the challenge. If everyone just remains silent and watches, trying to take advantage only when it is favorable, then our generation is finished."
After thinking for a while, Yan Shisan stopped insisting and stepped back. He said, "Take care."
Just as everyone remained silent, the Myriad Fiend Island's Di Xinhan silently landed on the most eye-catching arena.
"Di Xinhan!"
Di Xinhan's appearance instantly made everyone's eyes light up, planting a small seed of hope in their heart.
Di Xinhan was born with the Heavenly Spiritual Body, a special physique. He was the top genius of the Myriad Fiend Island. Since his debut, he had never been defeated.
The reason was none other than his strong Heavenly Spiritual Body. It always served to balance things at the crucial moment even if he could not defeat his opponent.
In regard to physical strength, Di Xinhan was publicly acknowledged as the strongest in the same generation within the Heavenly Starry Ocean; no one could compare to him.
Furthermore, he also had his cultivation and combat techniques. His comprehension ability was also pretty good. No matter where he was, he became the center of attention.
Di Xinhan always belonged to that small batch of people who stood at the top of the pyramid among the younger generation. His place there remained firm and unshaken.
Despite so many Holy Scions waiting and watching, not daring to fight, Di Xinhan dared to step forward. He was indeed a true man.
However, no one present spoke; they only thought the words "good luck" in their hearts.
"Azure Dragon King, I have long heard of your great name. Back in Despair City, I wished to battle with you. Unfortunately, at that time, our cultivations did not match up, and I did not dare to challenge you. Today, I come to seek your advice."
Di Xinhan performed a cupped-fist salute and spoke politely as he looked at Xiao Chen calmly. There was none of Young Master Qingshu's schemes or the rage of those outstanding talents of the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering.
Xiao Chen politely returned the cupped-fist salute. In his opinion, if Di Xinhan had challenged him at that time, Di Xinhan would have had a thirty percent chance of victory; however, now, he did not have anywhere close to a thirty percent chance of victory.
On the surface, it looked like the two were of similar cultivations, both Small Perfection quasi-Emperor. However, in reality, the disparity was great. Xiao Chen was a peak Small Perfection quasi-Emperor. Furthermore, his foundation was the ten thousand Heavenly Laws he had when he advanced to quasi-Emperor. Di Xinhan could not compare to Xiao Chen on this point.
The most important thing was that Xiao Chen had been fighting with all sorts of ferocious beasts while he sought dragons and fixed veins. By now, he had already gained a deep comprehension of the Changing Character Formula.
Chapter 1104: Might of the Heavenly Spiritual Body
While in the dark and cold ocean depths, Xiao Chen had honed his mental state further to a horrifying level. It was now much stronger than even that of older-generation cultivators.
He collected his thoughts as he said calmly, "This Xiao also heard of your name long ago. The Heavenly Spiritual Body was the peak physique during the Ancient Era. As one's cultivation grows, the Heavenly Spiritual Body improves as well, allowing one to fight people above one's cultivation level.
"Now that Brother Di is a quasi-Emperor, your Heavenly Spiritual Body must have improved further."
Di Xinhan revealed a proud expression. He neither confirmed nor denied Xiao Chen's evaluation, merely saying, "All other aspects aside, when it comes to the physical body, I believe that no one in the same generation is better than me, that includes Brother Xiao.
"However, I do not like to play those kinds of petty tricks, using the thing that I am best at to compete with other's shortcomings, then feeling immeasurably self-satisfied after winning like that."
Clearly, Di Xinhan's words were aimed at Young Master Qingshu. He evidently disdained those kinds of petty tricks.
"Today, I know that I am unable to match up to Brother Xiao. I do not ask for much. It would be worth it if I can just force you to draw your saber."
Di Xinhan seemed rather magnanimous, not arrogant at all. In the earlier battles, Xiao Chen had already proven his strength through his actions.
There was no need to deny it. If one was not comparable to the other, then so be it. Admitting it was nothing embarrassing.
Xiao Chen really liked the way Di Xinhan was. Among the many Holy Scions, Di Xinhan was a true man.
"Actually, in the Kunlun Continent, before my King conferral ceremony, I also relied on the advancement of my physical body. It was that which allowed me to gain some fame among those of the same generation. Now that I see Brother Di today, I have no other wish than to experience the might of the Heavenly Spiritual Body."
Di Xinhan quickly understood after thinking about Xiao Chen's words for a bit. "You want to fight a purely physical battle with me?!"
Xiao Chen nodded. "That's right. Only the physical body and nothing else."
After saying that, Xiao Chen did not hesitate to circulate the Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art. He used the pure Dragon Energy to form the Azure Dragon Battle Armor to cover his body.
Azure draconic patterns were carved on the Azure Dragon Battle Armor. It gleamed with light and looked very impressive.
At first, Di Xinhan thought that Xiao Chen was joking. He was the clearest on how horrifying his Heavenly Spiritual Body was.
However, when Di Xinhan saw the azure armor appearing on Xiao Chen's body, his expression slowly turned grave.
When the Azure Dragon Battle Armor was completely formed, Di Xinhan no longer showed any traces of relaxation. He smiled bitterly and said, "I take back what I said earlier. However, I am still confident. If we are just competing with the physical body, I still have an even chance of victory."
Xiao Chen smiled and said, "Honestly speaking, if we use Martial Techniques, I am confident in defeating Brother Di in one move. However, I have never competed with anyone in the same generation using just the physical body. The reason is none other than having no opponents. I believe that Brother Di understands my feelings."
Di Xinhan could not help roaring with laughter. He had truly found a kindred spirit. He also had never competed with anyone else in the same generation using only the physical body. The reason was the same: he could not find an opponent within the Heavenly Starry Ocean.
"Very well. Today, this Di will compete with Brother Xiao with the physical body. Let's see which is more powerful, your Azure Dragon War Body or my Heavenly Spiritual Body."
Right after Di Xinhan spoke, he activated his Heavenly Spiritual Body. Sky-blue armor appeared around his body as well, made from the pure Spiritual Energy gathered. It looked very solid and sturdy.
Xiao Chen and Di Xinhan were going to fight with their physical bodies. This stirred up the crowd that had been silent all this time.
Di Xinhan's physical body was famous in the Heavenly Starry Ocean. He was the top of his generation without a doubt.
Xiao Chen was really stubborn. In an instant, he made his chances of victory unclear, piquing the interest of countless people.
Although they did not say it, many people's impressions of Xiao Chen changed significantly.
The words that Xiao Chen said upset some people. However, there had never been any arrogance in his words. Instead, he fought hard, showing true strength.
In each victory, Xiao Chen had defeated his opponent with overwhelming strength. Nevertheless, he never became proud or arrogant despite emerging victorious in battle after battle.
On the other hand, several of the Heavenly Starry Ocean's outstanding talents arrived so arrogantly but ended up making jokes of themselves.
Honestly speaking, such an expert was very easy to accept—especially now, when Xiao Chen was very polite in his conversation with Di Xinhan. From his words, one could tell that he genuinely desired a challenge.
When dealing with a person with the Heavenly Spiritual Body, even a Consummation quasi-Emperor would not dare to say such words about competing with the physical body.
However, Xiao Chen had. He stepped up in the face of difficulty and challenged it head-on.
"Brother Xiao, are you ready?" Di Xinhan asked. His Heavenly Spiritual Body was an innate special physique. Xiao Chen's Azure Dragon War Body was something cultivated later.
At this moment, the difference between the two was not much. However, in regard to the speed of circulation, Xiao Chen, who cultivated his physique after birth, would be slower than Di Xinhan.
Di Xinhan's question was to give Xiao Chen a chance, so that the fight would start on an equal footing.
After a while, Xiao Chen finished circulating the Azure Dragon Body Nourishing Art for a cycle. Then, he nodded and said, "I'm ready."
The two bowed to each other and moved back a kilometer each. The moment they landed, their auras burst forth.
Azure-colored Heavenly Dragons came out of Xiao Chen's body. This was the mysterious phenomenon created from pure Vital Qi.
A total of ten huge Heavenly Dragons danced behind Xiao Chen, stirring up the winds and clouds, causing lightning to flash and thunder to roar.
Di Xinhan's aura was no weaker than Xiao Chen's. Ten light-blue Heavenly Dragons flew out from him, and many hurricanes formed in his surroundings. As the hurricanes moved around and howled, several horrifying bolts of lightning flashed.
The two showed serious expressions as they each shouted a war cry. Then, they dashed quickly towards each other.
Their bodies were like tall mountains. With each step they took, they left a perfect footprint on the floor, shaking the entire arena violently.
The mysterious phenomena were even more horrifying. Before the two got close, the two different auras already clashed and were now hard to differentiate from each other in the air.
The heavy footsteps sounded like thunder, making the hearts of all the cultivators watching pound in tandem.
This was the hardest battle to predict ever since the Azure Dragon King Xiao Chen ascended to the highest arena. Everyone was anxious over who would snatch the final victory.
If one was watching from above, one would discover that the footprints left by the two were of nearly equal depth. However, at the edges, the imprints Xiao Chen left were perfectly round and distinct, while Di Xinhan's had fine cracks.
As the crowd watched in anticipation, the two in the arena approached each other. The answer to who would gain victory would soon be known.
"Boom!"
The heavy clash happened in an instant.
These two were of the same generation, peak experts of the physical body. One could not find an opponent in the Heavenly Starry Ocean, and one could not find an opponent in the Kunlun Continent.
Who was stronger? Everyone was excited to find out.
The situation turned blurry as a loud sound rang out from the arena. Tiny rifts appeared in space, which looked like it would be torn apart.
Berserk dragons flew about, dancing wildly. In just a mere breath of time, the victory was decided.
Di Xinhan's figure rebounded rapidly. Cracks appeared in his armor before it shattered and fell to the floor. Then, he skidded back on one knee, reaching the edge of the arena and nearly falling off.
Xiao Chen took ten steps back, blood leaking from a corner of his lips. He coughed and then vomited three mouthfuls of blood. Clearly, he was significantly injured.
A situation where the two clashed head-on with the physical body was akin to dealing a thousand damage to the opponent but eight hundred to one's self. It was nearly impossible to escape unscathed.
Xiao Chen was well aware that fighting in such a manner would put him at a distinct disadvantage, but he still chose this honorable contest without second thoughts.
Aside from the desire in his heart, he also needed to prove to the Lunar Palace's judges that he, Xiao Chen, could defeat anyone in the Heavenly Starry Ocean using the thing that they excelled at no matter who they were.
He wanted to leave the Lunar Palace's judges speechless, to take away the last mountain tablet of the Dragon's Gate remaining in the world.
Even if Xiao Chen ended up injured, he would not regret it. So what if he was proud and violent this once, challenging all the various Holy Lands?!
Di Xinhan appeared pale, clearly in a much sorrier state than Xiao Chen. He smiled bitterly and said, "My Heavenly Spiritual Body is no weaker than your Azure Dragon War Body. Unfortunately, my control of the strength is quite inferior."
As Di Xinhan spoke, he vomited a few mouthfuls of blood. However, he did not show much sorrow on his face. Instead, he appeared rather carefree.
Xiao Chen said calmly, "My Azure Dragon War Body is something cultivated while your Heavenly Spiritual Body is something innate. In regard to control, I'll naturally be stronger."
The explanation was simple. To cultivate the Azure Dragon War Body, he needed to consistently examine himself, testing many things and tempering himself several times.
As for the innate Heavenly Spiritual Body, it did not take much effort to cultivate. It was already there since birth. All one needed to do was consolidate and raise one's cultivation continuously.
Xiao Chen did not stop there; he continued, "However, in reality, the innate physique is clearly much more convenient. If you did not give me time to prepare at the start, it would be hard to determine who would win."
Di Xinhan smiled and said, "The Azure Dragon King is being too humble. Even if I did not give you any time to prepare, my chances of defeating you would still be slim. Your fine control of strength is much better than mine.
"In this battle, I, Di Xinhan, accept my loss wholeheartedly. I have seen the weakness of my Heavenly Spiritual Body. In the future, after I redress it, I will definitely seek you out for a rematch."
After saying that, Di Xinhan blithely turned and left, flying away.
Defeated. Di Xinhan was defeated as well. Furthermore, he lost in the aspect that he was the strongest at, beaten in one move.
This ending was truly sorrowful. No one could make Xiao Chen draw his saber after all.
Such a scene where the Four Seas Hero Gathering became the stage for an outsider had never happened in the past ten thousand years. The cultivators in Bright Moon Plaza had a sour feeling in their hearts. The bitterness was easy to imagine.
However, although these cultivators were all bitter about the situation, most of them no longer held hatred and envy for Xiao Chen.
Xiao Chen observed proper conduct, not playing any tricks. Although his words were arrogant, he fought each battle with true strength, forcing everyone to accept his superiority.
"Whoosh!"
This time, everyone did not have to wait for long. Someone quickly flew out of one of the jade pavilions—the Five Poison Sect's Tang Xun.
Why was it that after the previous time when Xiao Chen defeated his opponent in one move, there was a long pause before Di Xinhan arrived, and this time, the moment the match ended, Tang Xun charged over?
The reason was simple. Xiao Chen was injured. To be more specific, he was even significantly injured.
Chapter 1105: Phantom Poison Palm
While it looked like Xiao Chen defeated Di Xinhan in one move, it was truly a miserable victory. His robes were dyed with blood, and his internal organs all suffered significant injuries. Completely recovering in a short period was practically impossible.
Tang Xun smiled so sinisterly that his eyes were reduced to slits as he said, "I know the state you are in now. You no doubt want to defeat me in one move as well in order to avoid aggravating your injuries. Unfortunately, I will not give you this opportunity. My Five Poison Sect is the best at long, drawn-out fights, torturing the opponent to death."
Right after Tang Xun spoke, he did not bow politely or give Xiao Chen any chance to reply. He simply threw a palm strike.
An inexhaustible, poisonous black fog spewed out of Tang Xun's palm. In the blink of an eye, it covered the entire arena.
The thick poison fog seemed to both have and not have a form.
The poison fog was clearly thick and was sticky. However, it was rather illusory as well. When one tried to grab it, they would end up with nothing. It seemed extremely strange.
"This is the Five Poison Sect's Phantom Poison Palm!"
All the spectators immediately recognized this poison fog. They all revealed expressions of horror.
This kind of Martial Technique was extremely insidious. It could not be executed with just one's Cultivation Technique or Martial Technique. It also needed the King Grade poison that the Five Poison Sect specially refined for one to successfully execute it.
But once successfully executed, it would not be easy to eliminate; it was extremely challenging to deal with. Even the older-generation Great Perfection quasi-Emperors could only flee at the sight of this poison fog.
"This is not easy to handle; the people of the Five Poison Sect are originally hard to counter in the first place. Furthermore, Xiao Chen was just injured. His body is at its weakest. Now that the poison fog appeared, he will be further injured."
"Even before the fight started, Tang Xun already claimed the advantage."
"Given Tang Xun's craftiness, he will not face Xiao Chen head-on. He will keep using poison to wear Xiao Chen down. When Xiao Chen is completely weakened, Tang Xun will go and humiliate the Azure Dragon King."
"However, even if he wins in this manner, it is not too glorious."
Several people sighed softly. It looked like even though Tang Xun held the advantage, he did not gain much favor.
If Tang Xun behaved like a proper man—like Di Xinhan—even if he lost, the crowd would still consider him a hero.
Using a poison fog to deal with a weakened person who was just injured was simply too unsightly.
"Haha! Azure Dragon King, if you want to beg for mercy now, I can keep this short. Otherwise, this Phantom Poison Fog will continue to accumulate in your body, further injuring you over time. By then, it will be hard for you to bear."
Tang Xun's pleased, maniacal laughter came from the poison fog.
"Don't think for too long. Otherwise, even if you beg me like a dog, I will not show you any mercy at all."
Tang Xun came and went like the wind, seeming to have merged with the Phantom Poison Fog and impossible to find.
Xiao Chen tried several times to use a strong wind to blow away the poison fog but was unsuccessful. So he gave up on the attempt; instead, he opened his mouth wide and sucked.
He sucked in all the poison fog and tossed it into his dragon-shaped Heavenly Seal.
Although the poison fog covered the entire arena, when Xiao Chen tossed it all into his incomplete Heavenly Seal, it was like a poison dragon thrown into a boundless sea.
Aside from kicking up some waves, the poison dragon could not stir up a storm at all.
Even after using hundreds of Holy Spirit Veins, Xiao Chen's Heavenly Seal was still not full, and he had not succeeded in forming it yet. What did this little bit of poison fog count for?
Xiao Chen did not even intend to refine this poison fog. He simply let it run its course and perish on its own in the vast Heavenly Seal.
When the poison fog disappeared, Tang Xun reappeared with horror splashed across his face. He found this feat extremely incredible. "How can this be? You actually swallowed up the Phantom Poison Fog!"
Xiao Chen did not feel like bothering with him. He raised his hand and mercilessly sent out a palm strike.
A bright moon rose behind him, burning like a flame with hot-bloodedness as fuel.
As Xiao Chen threw the palm strike, countless figures leaped down from the moon. This was a palm of lofty aspiration and hot-bloodedness.
This palm strike seemed to light a flame in everyone's heart—one that was inextinguishable and indomitable for thousands of years. Everyone felt the Azure Dragon King's lofty aspirations, which were higher than the sky.
With the suppression of cultivation and the Martial Technique's rank, Tang Xun could not resist Xiao Chen's Thousand Year Flame and got knocked directly out of the arena.
When Tang Xun landed, injuries covered his entire body with nowhere left intact. If Xiao Chen had not retained his calm and held back, this palm strike could have shattered all of Tang Xun's bones into powder.
The moon set as Xiao Chen withdrew the move. Then, he stood upright with his hands clasped behind his back before calmly looking around. He said, "Anyone else willing to fight me? If you can block two moves from me, then I, Xiao Chen, will admit defeat, admit myself to be unworthy of claiming the Dragon's Gate's last mountain tablet!"
The moment Xiao Chen said that, the crowd burst into an uproar over the Azure Dragon King's clear and indisputable tyranny.
Some people wanted to make a rebuttal. However, when they thought of how Xiao Chen defeated all his opponents with one move, from the moment he ascended to the arena and broke the Bright Moon Sword Dance, they had nothing to say.
No matter whether you are an outstanding talent of the previous Four Seas Hero Gathering or the Holy Scion of an Immortal Holy Land, I will defeat you with just one move.
This performance proved that at this moment on this day, the Azure Dragon King was indeed qualified to issue such a statement. Within the same generation, only he had the right to say something like this.
Aside from Xiao Chen, no one else could say this.
The ten judges of the Lunar Palace could no longer remain unmoved as they discussed this. After fighting to this point, Xiao Chen's strength went without a doubt.
Even if he stepped down now, these judges would consider giving the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet to him.
There was nothing much to say about this. Even if these judges did not like the Azure Emperor's descendant, they had to acknowledge Xiao Chen's current strength and elegance. The Lunar Palace still possessed that magnanimity and confidence.
However, Xiao Chen chose to continue fighting. This made things complicated. If someone really could block his moves as he said, then the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet might not go to him.
"The Cyclic Astral Palace's Holy Son has yet to appear. Let's continue watching!"
The head judge of the Lunar Palace made a decision. Whether to give the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet to Xiao Chen or not would depend on this final battle.
The other judges nodded gently, indicating they had no objections.
Yue Bingyun, who had been listening to the judges' words, shook her head slightly. She could not help looking at Xiao Chen, who was in the arena.
Can he still defeat Chu Yang with one move in his current state?
"Senior Brother!"
In the Cyclic Astral Palace's jade pavilion, Fu Hongyao called out to Chu Yang, who was preparing to go down. Worry showed on her face.
Chu Yang stopped walking, but he did not look back. Then, he sighed and said, "Hongyao, I promised you that I would repay the humiliation that Xiao Chen caused you. I will definitely keep my word."
After saying that, Chu Yang leaped towards the highest arena.
The instant Chu Yang emerged, the many cultivators in Bright Moon Plaza suddenly discovered that the sky had turned dark. When they raised their heads, they saw stars twinkling.
Next came a piercing feeling in their eyes like needles stabbing; the sensation was extremely hard to bear.
After circulating their energy for a while, the situation improved. When the spectators squinted and looked, they gaped, revealing horror on their faces.
At some point in time, a huge sun had appeared in the sky. Its light was too dazzling. From the very instant it manifested, it eclipsed the blazing sun—even to the point of exposing many scenes of the Starry Heavens for everyone to see.
However, after an instant, the dazzling light blinded everyone.
"It's the Sun Palace's Chu Yang. He is finally coming out!"
"If he also loses to Xiao Chen, then no one will dare to fight Xiao Chen anymore."
"Given Xiao Chen's current state, defeating Chu Yang in one move seems rather difficult."
While everyone watched, that huge sun, the bearer of all the Heavenly Starry Ocean cultivators' final hope, slowly descended to the arena. However, it did not land.
Chu Yang remained hovering in midair as he looked at Xiao Chen coldly like a king. Then, he said indifferently, "Azure Dragon King, you are really arrogant now. However, don't forget, no matter how arrogant you are now, if you don't become a Martial Emperor in time, you will just be a short-lived person."
As Xiao Chen stood upright with his hands behind his back, he retorted calmly, "Who can say for sure what will happen in the future? You must be Chu Yang. I do have a lot of grudges with the Cyclic Astral Palace. In today's battle, no matter the result, let's write off all these grudges."
Chu Yang smiled and said, "That suits my intentions. However, don't blame me for not reminding you, you'd best take out your Lunar Shadow Saber. Otherwise, I fear that after this battle, you will no longer have the courage to draw your saber in your short life."
Xiao Chen shook his head; he felt that there was no need for him to draw his saber.
When Xiao Chen did not move, showed no intention to draw his saber, rage flashed on Chu Yang's face. Chu Yang said, "You short-lived fellow, you have only twenty years left. Don't think you're really a major character.
"Today, I want to see how you are going to defeat me in one move. You might want to take away the Dragon's Gate's mountain tablet in the final moments of your life, settling all your final wishes. However, I, Chu Yang, will not let you do as you please."
Right after Chu Yang spoke, the blazing light on his body burned fiercely like a flame.
The piercing light appeared once more. The experienced crowd quickly closed their eyes, afraid of suffering injury.
Only after a while did the crowd circulate some energy to their eyes and carefully squinted.
The spectators saw that Chu Yang's aura had risen by another level. His body appeared within a red-hot sun, and there was a scarlet sun mark on his forehead.
A huge, indistinct image of a Sun Bird appeared behind him. He was like a sun descending on the world.
The air in Bright Moon Plaza became parched and hot, inflicting a stuffy sensation on everyone and making them break out in a heavy sweat.
"It looks like the rumors were true. Chu Yang did do his closed-door cultivation in the sun. Otherwise, this mysterious phenomenon would not be this horrifying."
"Do you see the sun mark on his forehead? That is the sign of successfully cultivating the Sun Sutra."
"Xiao Chen is really in trouble now. Even if he were at full power, he probably would not be able to defeat Chu Yang."
"So what if he wins? In the end, he has only twenty years to live. Could it be that he really thinks he can advance to Martial Emperor in time? He might as well just give up and exchange it for a favor."
"Chu Yang is right. No matter how powerful he is, he can only live for twenty years."
"Twenty years…he cannot live past fifty. That is rather tragic. As for me, no matter what, I should have no problem living to three hundred."
Seeing Chu Yang's horrifying aura, the many cultivators all started discussing.
A short-lived person with not much time left. A has-been genius that was merely a meteor.
This was not the first time Xiao Chen heard such words since the start of the Four Seas Hero Gathering.