Chapter 100: The Master Delights in Concealing His Talent
The blazing sun hung high in the sky, the azure expanse stretching endlessly.
The hour of Wei arrived in the blink of an eye.
Everyone grew excited, as if they themselves were about to step onto the stage.
Dong Wuwang slowly opened his eyes; his breath deep and unfathomable like an abyss.
In Yu Zhantian’s battle-ready eyes, fierce war intent surged turbulently; with each exhale, the dark-patterned armor on his body emitted a faint, eerie glow.
On ten jade chairs sat ten figures, all focused intently on the platform below.
The presiding elder appeared on the battle stage, scanning the scene. In a clear voice, he announced, “Please, the top three contenders step onto the stage to draw lots for their matchups. This round, one will have a bye and advance directly to the final battle for first and second place!”
No sooner had the words fallen than two figures simultaneously appeared on the stage, indistinguishable in precedence.
Lin Cheng awoke from his nap, stretched his tall frame, yawned, and leisurely walked onto the stage.
Above, the pointer on the circular board spun rapidly before slowly stopping on the names of the two combatants.
“The third round match: Dong Wuwang of the Purple Sun Sect versus Yu Zhantian of the West Sand Sect.”
“Lin Cheng, you will have a bye this round—please step down and await your next match!”
At the announcement, the crowd fell silent, eyes fixed on the battle platform.
The two men clasped fists in salute. Yu Zhantian charged forward fiercely, war intent raging as he threw a punch. Behind him, a phantom image of a black-armored war god materialized, striking alongside him.
“Well met!” Dong Wuwang shouted, unleashing innate vital energy to clash head-on.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave stirred up a fierce wind; both took three steps back.
“Again!” Yu Zhantian laughed heartily, resuming the fight. The clash of metal and flesh rang out. Yu’s invincible aura was evident; so far, only the exceptionally skilled Liu Feng, a great sword master, had managed to break through it.
Yet Yu Zhantian’s dark-patterned armor was equally formidable. The two exchanged blow for blow, utterly disregarding the battering attacks from each other. For a time, the battle was evenly matched.
The fight lasted for three hundred exchanges, neither showing the slightest sign of fatigue. Instead, they grew ever stronger, exchanging injuries with reckless abandon.
Boom, boom!
Each took a punch to the chest, sliding back several yards. As soon as they regained balance, they lunged forward again.
“Damn! These two are like rabid wild dogs, going crazy...” Lin the Fat swallowed nervously, eyes glued to the fight.
“More like two raging male dogs in heat... way too fierce...” Niu Thirteen’s blood boiled watching the battle.
The fight continued, the spectators fully engaged, eyes never leaving the stage, fearing to miss a single moment of brilliance.
---
“This Yu Zhantian is truly fierce, his attacks are wide and bold, and that black armor seems custom-made for him...”
“Though I still firmly believe Senior Brother Wuwang is invincible, I must admit Yu Zhantian is extraordinary. At the peak of Spirit King Realm, he can hold his own against a Senior Brother at the False Pill Realm... impressive!”
...
“You’re quite formidable. In close combat, I’ve never met anyone who can last a hundred rounds against me undefeated. But if we keep clashing like this, neither of us will break through the other’s defense...”
“Unleash your move. Show me your trump card, or you cannot defeat me!” Dong Wuwang said calmly.
Yu Zhantian stepped forward, expression serious. “You are one of the few peers I’ve met who can stand shoulder to shoulder with me in defense. Today’s battle, win or lose, I seek only a thoroughly satisfying fight!”
A roar!
A crescent moon dragon blade appeared in his hand, gripped tightly.
“Fight!”
He swung the blade fiercely at Dong Wuwang.
A vast, hundred-foot-long blade aura slashed at Dong’s invincible aura; cracks seemed to form with a faint ‘crackling’ sound, a tiny fissure spreading...
Dong Wuwang frowned slightly, the Haotian Mirror in his hand enlarged against the wind, emitting a white radiance.
“Heavenly Origin Unification!”
The blade halted, no further progress.
“Furious Dragon Slash!”
Yu Zhantian roared again, leaping into the air. The crescent blade seemed to emit a dragon’s roar; a phantom dragon shadow clung to the blade, its aura earth-shaking, slashing straight down.
“Together with Ke Yimeng!”
Dong Wuwang’s hand formed a mudra; the Haotian Mirror’s light flared brilliantly, releasing a green beam that struck the dragon’s forehead on the blade. The blade shuddered, losing its target, and the ferocious strike split the battle platform in two.
The array’s light screen flickered slightly; the stage instantly reverted as if time had rewound.
Yu Zhantian’s expression turned grave—his fierce move had been so easily countered. He had clearly underestimated Dong Wuwang!
He slowly closed his eyes; his emitted aura retracted. After a moment of silence, his eyes snapped open, battle intent soaring skyward, faint war drum sounds reverberating.
Unbeknownst to the spectators below, their blood surged with energy.
As his battle intent peaked, the dark-patterned armor on Yu Zhantian’s body automatically disassembled and reformed. A long spear appeared in his hand.
Nine feet long, the spear gleamed with golden light; its tip was blood-red, flames flickering faintly.
Grasping the spear, his posture upright, Yu Zhantian now resembled a war god incarnate.
On the ten jade chairs, Ximen Wudi watched Yu Zhantian on the stage, eyes filled with surprise and admiration.
Beside him, Master Shen Shang spoke: “Your West Sand Sect has truly taken in a fine disciple... Not only has he comprehended battle intent and reached Great Battle cultivation, but he has even mastered the second form of the West Sand elder’s dark-patterned armor...”
---
“Remarkable, remarkable!”
To the remarks beside him, Ximen Wudi smiled and replied modestly, “You flatter me, you flatter me.”
On the jade chairs, only Master Cang Feng and the Purple Sun Sect’s leader maintained impassive expressions, their thoughts inscrutable.
Facing Yu Zhantian’s sudden surge of attacks, Dong Wuwang no longer looked down on him, stepping forward slowly.
Boom!
An immense aura erupted, sweeping over the scene like a tidal wave. Waves of pressure spread, suffocating many watching disciples, their faces flushed and strained.
Mysterious Pill Realm!
The true pressure of the Mysterious Pill Realm!
Dong Wuwang had been hiding his true cultivation all along—he had long since reached the pinnacle of the Mysterious Pill Realm!
No wonder he had appeared so composed earlier; he had been restraining his true strength throughout the fight...
Now Yu Zhantian was in trouble; Dong Wuwang was truly a peak Mysterious Pill Realm master.
Both were prodigies, each capable of transcending their realm in battle. To defeat Dong Wuwang at this level was nearly impossible!
“I intended to save this surprise for the final battle... but I must say, you’ve truly exceeded my expectations. Forcing me to unleash my true power, you have every reason to be proud!” Dong Wuwang stood proudly, his vast aura continuously coalescing.
Below the stage, in the Qingyang Sect’s section,
Liu Feng’s gaze flickered with a hint of disappointment. He sighed silently, realizing he had been utterly left behind.
Lin the Fat: “Damn! Mysterious Pill Realm? This bastard’s really good at pretending!”
Niu Thirteen: “No kidding, a total show-off. Why didn’t he just reveal his level earlier? Would’ve had a clear path all the way!”
Lin Cheng: “Maybe great masters like to play it that way. Honestly, I like it too...”
The three girls of Xiao Cui giggled: “So that means Brother Lin is a great master too?”
“Of course!” Lin Cheng struck a mysterious pose.
Pang Bo: “Little Lin, when you face him later, you confident?”
All eyes turned to him, curiosity shining. Judging from Lin Cheng’s earlier performance, he wasn’t much weaker than Dong Wuwang.
Lin Cheng grinned: “I don’t know!”
The others: ........