The words fell, and the arena fell into silence. All eyes converged on Lin Xuan, filled with anticipation. This was perfect timing. After several days apart, following past patterns, Lin Xuan’s cultivation level and strength were bound to have improved significantly. They could witness it now. And at the same time, deal with Zheng Yuan, who had incurred everyone’s wrath.
With that, Lin Xuan leaped onto the arena platform in one bound. He stood opposite Zheng Yuan. The overwhelming aura that had filled the air receded like a tide into Lin Xuan’s body, making him seem as ordinary as any common man. But no one dared to underestimate Lin Xuan in the slightest. Even the top three on the Strength Ranking felt the same. Because that aura was far too terrifying. Even an ordinary early-stage Spirit Opening cultivator might not compare.
On the other side, Zheng Yuan, upon hearing this, showed fear on his face and was about to call out his surrender. But he realized that, somehow, he could no longer speak. Even turning to flee was impossible. It was as if he were bound by a terrifying, invisible force. Meeting Lin Xuan’s gaze and feeling that icy stare, he understood at once—this was Lin Xuan’s doing! Yet Lin Xuan stood still, doing nothing. Merely by releasing his aura, he rendered Zheng Yuan utterly powerless, unable even to move. Such strength was overwhelmingly fearsome. Far greater than the rumors suggested—far, far greater!
Zheng Yuan was instantly plunged into deep shock. At the same time, boundless fear and regret surged in his heart. He regretted why he had tried to take that petty advantage, to exploit that loophole. Lin Xuan’s fearsome reputation wasn’t built on words alone. It was forged through his own strength, victory after victory. Every opponent Lin Xuan faced ended up with at least severe injuries. Or they proactively paid to avoid disaster, using money to settle the grudge. Why had he provoked such a being? His heart was filled with remorse. He could already foresee his miserable fate. He looked at Lin Xuan with pleading eyes, hoping for mercy. But alas, an arrow shot has no return. In this world, there is no cure for regret. Since he had acted, he must pay the price. Lin Xuan, for his part, remained unmoved. His resolve was already firm.
Nearby, the referee also showed a hint of satisfaction in his eyes and announced loudly: “The challenge begins!” As the words fell, Zheng Yuan’s face turned even paler. He was already terrified out of his wits and wanted to turn and flee. But under Lin Xuan’s aura, he couldn’t move an inch, let alone escape. Lin Xuan, with a cold expression, wasted no words and struck directly. “Ten Thousand Fold Surging Wave Palm!” Lin Xuan shouted softly, delivering a palm strike. Boom! Boom! Instantly, it was as if endless waves surged forth, covering the sky, even suppressing the space itself. The power was horrifying. It crushed down toward Zheng Yuan. This palm strike used only thirty percent of Lin Xuan’s true qi and fifty percent of his strength. But even so, it was far beyond what a peak Condensation Whirl cultivator could withstand.
Beside them, the referee, also a peak Condensation Whirl cultivator, felt this power and his expression shifted dramatically. He quickly activated his movement technique, retreating and jumping off the arena. But he was still grazed by the residual force, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He had clearly suffered internal injuries. Frightened, he kept retreating until he reached the edge of the crowd, then stopped. Turning to look at Lin Xuan, he was also stunned, his heart trembling violently. He hadn’t expected Lin Xuan’s strength to have reached such a level. After all, he himself was a peak Condensation Whirl cultivator. Yet he couldn’t even withstand a mere residual wave! If he hadn’t sensed it in time and fled, his injuries would have been far worse. And this was clearly not Lin Xuan’s full power. At the very least, Lin Xuan hadn’t even used his intent yet! But even so, this single strike from Lin Xuan possessed such terrifying might. One could only imagine how fearsome Lin Xuan’s true strength was! The referee’s heart quaked, and he sighed in admiration. The rumors were true. Lin Xuan at least had the strength of the top ten on the Strength Ranking. Even breaking into the top three was highly possible. And in just a few days, Lin Xuan’s power had surged like this again! His talent was terrifying. No wonder he was the sect’s number one genius. The referee lamented inwardly.
And if the referee felt this way, Zheng Yuan, as the target, felt it even more acutely. In an instant, Zheng Yuan sensed a deadly threat approaching. He trembled all over, his hair standing on end, cold sweat pouring down, scared half to death. But under Lin Xuan’s oppressive aura, he couldn’t dodge at all. He could only watch helplessly as this torrent-like, terrifying attack descended, his mind turning to mush, unable to think.
The next moment, Under the gaze of everyone present, this immense force crashed down. Bang! A deafening explosion rang out. The residual force scattered in all directions. The disciples on the square involuntarily retreated several meters further back, looking at Lin Xuan with even greater shock.
On the arena, Crack! Crack! The sound of breaking bones echoed continuously. Zheng Yuan had turned into a bloody mess, like a torn sack, flying backward hundreds of meters before crashing onto the square with a dull thud. But there was no scream of pain. Because Zheng Yuan had already fainted from the agony. His entire body was limp, like a soft-shelled shrimp, twisted into a strange posture. All his bones had been shattered into fragments. His original peak Condensation Whirl aura deflated like a punctured balloon. It rapidly weakened and dissipated. If not for his extremely faint breathing, One might have thought Lin Xuan had killed him on the spot.
On the arena, Lin Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, his aura unchanged. As if nothing had happened. But beneath Lin Xuan’s feet, several cracks several centimeters wide had appeared on the arena surface. Looking at these cracks, the ordinary inner disciples felt nothing special. But on the small elevated platform, the Strength Ranking disciples, and on the high platform, the inner elders, all froze. Then they realized what had happened and looked at Lin Xuan with some shock. This arena was specially made for inner disciples; in theory, even a full-force battle among Strength Ranking disciples couldn’t damage it in the slightest. Yet now, Lin Xuan’s palm strike had created several cracks. This showed just how terrifying the power of that palm strike was! And clearly, Lin Xuan hadn’t used his full strength. Otherwise, Zheng Yuan wouldn’t have ended up so miserably—he would have been killed on the spot, his body not even intact. This further highlighted Lin Xuan’s fearsome power.
The Strength Ranking disciples all wore expressions of extreme gravity. Even the top three felt the same. After witnessing Lin Xuan’s palm strike, they had no confidence in defeating him. And after this, the arena fell into a dead silence. Everyone stared blankly at Lin Xuan and then at Zheng Yuan, who lay on the ground, unconscious from pain, their eyes shifting back and forth. After a few breaths, people gradually came to their senses. Instantly, the sound of sharp intakes of breath echoed throughout the area.