178 The Celestial God Clan Arrives
Ling Fei, ranked third on the Rising Star List, cultivated Wind Mystic Power and specialized in movement and leg techniques. His Sky Soaring Steps and Wind God Legs were renowned throughout the Inner Academy, allowing him to both control the pace of battle and unleash devastating bursts of speed.
However, Yan Zhen’s movement technique was even more profound. With Starry Sky Dance, he moved like a phantom, leaving only trails of starlight in his wake.
Their figures flickered across the arena, appearing for less than a second at a time, legs and fists clashing, Fire and Wind Mystic Power colliding, sparks and flames flying, scorching and cracking the arena floor.
Bang!
Yan Zhen and Ling Fei reappeared simultaneously, leaping back from the explosion, their gazes locked on each other.
“You’ve got some skills, kid. Few in the Inner Academy can keep up with my speed. You’re one of them.”
“So, Senior Ling Fei, you honed your movement skills just to be someone’s lackey?”
Ling Fei faltered, then chuckled wryly. “Some things… are beyond our control. No matter what you say, I’ll do what I have to do. Just give up, Junior Brother Yan Zhen. You can’t beat that gloomy, bespectacled guy. I hate to admit it, but he’s stronger than me, probably already at the Mystic King realm—you should understand the difference between a Mystic King and a Mystic General.”
Mystic Kings could access the power of heaven and earth.
What was the power of heaven and earth? The vast, ambient Mystic Qi between heaven and earth.
Although they couldn’t control it as freely as Mystic Lords, even a sliver of this power was enough to overwhelm any Mystic General!
A Mystic General’s power was like a river, while a Mystic King’s was like a vast ocean, incomparable!
Yan Zhen chuckled. “Senior Ling Fei, do you really think you can force me to use my full strength?”
Ling Fei slowly gathered his power, his legs glowing with emerald Wind Mystic Power. “Are you saying a quasi-Mystic King isn’t enough to make you serious? That’s quite a boast.”
“Because you lack fighting spirit, Senior Ling Fei. You don’t even want to fight. Who are you trying to win against?”
Ling Fei snorted and charged, launching a kick at Yan Zhen.
Yan Zhen, without even looking, closed his eyes, adopted a horse stance, and raised his hands, using the Yin-Yang Stance of Tai Chi Quake.
Beneath his feet, a black and white Yin-Yang symbol appeared, spinning rapidly and neutralizing Ling Fei’s attack.
Amidst the flurry of kicks, Yan Zhen grabbed Ling Fei’s leg and, using the accumulated force, redirected the attack, doubling its power.
“What?!”
The immense force sent tremors through Ling Fei’s body, shattering his Mystic Power armor as he was sent flying backward.
Just as he was trying to regain his footing, a flash of starlight appeared before him. Yan Zhen materialized and kicked him in the chest.
And that wasn’t all. As Ling Fei flew backward, Yan Zhen reappeared and kicked him again.
While Ling Fei struggled to regain control of his Mystic Power, Yan Zhen landed three consecutive kicks, sending him flying off the stage.
Yan Zhen landed gracefully at the edge of the arena, while Ling Fei crashed into the spectator stands, coughing up blood.
According to tournament rules, anyone who fell off the stage was defeated.
Ling Fei smiled wryly. “I didn’t expect you to have such a move… I underestimated you.”
Yan Zhen ignored him and, after the referee announced the result, left the arena.
Ling Fei hadn’t been serious. Otherwise, defeating him wouldn’t have been so easy.
He returned to Wen Canglan and scratched his head. “Sorry, Wen, I couldn’t force him to use his trump cards.”
Wen Canglan glanced at the talented Ling Fei. “It’s enough. That soft yet powerful fist technique is troublesome. It’s good to have seen it beforehand.”
The two wealthy alchemists, having exhausted their resources and severely injured each other, both forfeited, unable to continue. Now, only Yan Zhen, Huangfu Wenqing, and Wen Canglan remained.
Normally, under these circumstances, the three of them would engage in a free-for-all, the last one standing declared the victor. However, everyone knew that Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing were close, while Yan Zhen and Wen Canglan were enemies. A free-for-all would become a two-against-one situation.
Vice Dean Wen Qingshan naturally wouldn’t allow this, and the other elders also felt it was inappropriate. Grand Elder Yu Yan smiled and said, “Since we can’t decide, let’s ask the three of them for their opinions.”
The referee relayed Grand Elder Yu Yan’s message to the three finalists.
Wen Canglan adjusted his glasses and said calmly, “A free-for-all is fine. Let them team up. As a senior, I should be magnanimous towards my juniors.”
The referee turned to Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing. After a brief discussion, they replied, “A free-for-all is fine, but Wenqing won’t participate. I’ll fight him one-on-one.”
The referee nodded, satisfied. Neither of them was backing down. Let the battle begin!
The three of them entered the arena, but Huangfu Wenqing retreated to a corner, leaving the stage to Yan Zhen and Wen Canglan.
“Not even letting your fiancée help you? Don’t regret this later, Yan Zhen.”
“I’m just worried you’ll make excuses if you lose. It’s better to cut them off at the source.”
“Hmph, advancing from a four-star Mystic Master to Mystic General in a year… has that made you so confident?”
“Better than you, remaining stagnant, refusing to advance to Mystic King, just to participate in this Star Picking Ceremony and fight me? How childish.”
Wen Canglan’s face darkened, and crystalline Mystic Power formed a thin, translucent armor around him, shimmering with a rainbow of colors.
“Since you know, then prepare to die.”
Yan Zhen also unleashed his flames, his body bathed in swirling gold and silver, like a demon emerging from a pool of blood.
“Let me experience this so-called Wen family ultimate technique. Let’s see how you plan to injure me with that pathetic palm strike without resorting to a sneak attack.”
Boom!
As his words fell, gold and silver flames clashed with the shimmering crystalline energy, a powerful shockwave rippling outwards, ruffling Huangfu Wenqing’s hair and clothes as she watched from the corner, worried for Yan Zhen.
She didn’t think he would lose, but who knew how badly he would be injured?
In the audience, Zi Xunyi and Long Ying sat together, their eyes fixed on the battle.
…
Almost simultaneously, outside the Sacred Ground Academy, a distorted purple vortex slowly appeared, and a violet-gold warship emerged, a flag with the character “Tian” (Heaven) fluttering in the wind.
On the deck, a group of soldiers stood in formation, led by a young man. Despite his youthful appearance, he was a Mystic Venerable, wielding spatial power!
And the soldiers under his command were all at the Mystic Lord realm!
—The Celestial God Clan had arrived.
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