Since entering the sect, Lin Xuan had been on a winning streak, performing exceptionally well. However, in the eyes of the crowd, his physical strength was still far inferior to Zhang Kuishan's. Yet now, he had chosen to clash head-on with Zhang Kuishan using pure strength. Was he courting death?!
Everyone watching was deeply shaken.
The next moment, under the gaze of the entire arena, their fists collided with a thunderous impact.
*Boom!*
A deafening explosion rang out, sending sound waves scattering in all directions. The onlookers felt their eardrums ache, and even their blood qi churned slightly. Their shock deepened. If even the residual shockwave carried such power, how terrifying must the true force be?!
And this clearly wasn't Zhang Kuishan's full strength. Realizing this, the crowd trembled even more. No wonder he was known as the "Fierce Bear" of the inner sect, dominating with raw power. His reputation was well-deserved, they silently marveled.
As for Lin Xuan, who had borne the brunt of that strike, what would become of him? Curiosity and doubt stirred in their minds. Yet no sound of cracking bones followed, making them even more bewildered. Their gazes returned to the arena.
They saw the two separate after that single clash, each retreating backward. Lin Xuan took three steps back, steadied himself with a slight sway, and remained calm, as if nothing had happened. Across from him, Zhang Kuishan's expression shifted as he stumbled back a full ten meters before barely stopping with a lurch.
The disparity between them was now starkly evident—but it was the complete opposite of what everyone had expected. Stunned, the crowd froze, their eyes vacant, unable to process the scene. It took several breaths before anyone snapped out of it.
*Hiss...*
A wave of sharp intakes of breath filled the air. The arena erupted like an explosion, boiling over with noise that soared to the heavens.
"Holy crap, am I seeing this right?!" "After a single clash of strength, Senior Brother Zhang Kuishan actually lost the upper hand?!" "How... how is that possible?!" "I never expected Senior Brother Lin Xuan to be this strong—even his physical power has reached such a level!" "He's even stronger than Senior Brother Zhang in raw strength! Is Lin Xuan some kind of freak?!" "This is the sect's number one genius! Too powerful!" "..."
The crowd buzzed with exclamations and disbelief, their pupils widening in utter shock. They had never imagined this outcome. The "Fierce Bear" Zhang Kuishan, unrivaled in strength within the inner sect, had been bested in his own domain. And Lin Xuan, a new disciple who had joined less than two months ago, possessed such terrifying power that even Zhang Kuishan seemed inferior. The scene was too staggering to accept.
Even as they came to their senses, their overwhelming shock refused to subside. Lin Xuan was already immensely strong—his swordsmanship alone could easily break into the top ten of the Elite Ranking, possibly even the top three. Now, even his physical strength had surpassed Zhang Kuishan, the second-ranked and formerly strongest in the inner sect. The crowd couldn't help but call him a freak, their hearts filled with awe.
Though they had heard rumors about Lin Xuan, seeing him in person proved those tales were no exaggeration—and perhaps even understated. Such a formidable existence, seemingly without flaws, was terrifying. His title as the sect's foremost genius was well-earned, with no trace of hyperbole.
Realizing that Lin Xuan had achieved this in less than two months since joining, the crowd was even more astounded. They had now truly witnessed his terrifying talent. No one in the sect could compare to Lin Xuan—not even close. In fact, not just within the Flowing Cloud Sect, but likely across the entire Cangyuan Kingdom, no one could rival him. Calling him the number one genius of Cangyuan wouldn't be an overstatement, they thought, trembling with admiration.
On the high platform, the inner sect elders—including several at the Spirit Yuan realm and other high-ranking officials—smiled and nodded slightly. Truly worthy of the rumored genius surpassing Liu Qianyu as the sect's best. Today's display confirmed it. His solid foundation and rapid progress far outstripped what Liu Qianyu had achieved at the same cultivation stage. The elders were pleased. With such a genius in the sect, the Flowing Cloud Sect had hope of climbing higher and reaching new peaks. As elders and leaders, their fates were tied to the sect's—shared loss or gain. They were overjoyed, their gazes at Lin Xuan growing even more approving.
On the small platform, the Elite Ranking disciples were also startled by Lin Xuan's performance. Even Chen Yu, the top-ranked champion, narrowed his eyes with a grave expression, then smiled faintly, returning to calm. If this had been the old him, he'd have had no confidence in defeating Lin Xuan. From the rumors, Lin Xuan's strength lay in swordsmanship, and now even his physical power rivaled Zhang Kuishan's. His swordsmanship must be unimaginably potent—enough to potentially dethrone Chen Yu from the top spot. Lin Xuan now posed a greater threat than Zhang Kuishan or Bai Yunfei, the other top-three contenders.
But Chen Yu was different now. Feeling the surging power within his body, far beyond before, he smirked. He had far surpassed his former self. If he unleashed his true strength, he could easily crush both Zhang Kuishan and Bai Yunfei. Against the rising, unstoppable Lin Xuan, hailed as the sect's number one genius, he was confident he could prevail.
Would it turn out as Chen Yu expected? That would be revealed when they clashed. Lin Xuan had no intention of giving up his challenge to Chen Yu.
On the third tier below the small platform, Wu Jie sat watching, his heart pounding as if it might leap out of his chest. He, too, hadn't expected Lin Xuan's strength to be so overwhelming that even Zhang Kuishan was forced back by sheer force. If that punch had hit him, he'd likely have been sent flying, severely injured and defeated. And this clearly wasn't Lin Xuan's full power. So far, what Lin Xuan had shown was just the tip of the iceberg.