Translator: Silavin
Within the Battle Hall, an absolute silence descended.
Countless horrified gazes locked onto the wrecked duelling platform, where a small mountain obscured nearly half of its surface. Standing amidst the debris, the surrounding area bore witness to molten rock that had solidified once more, now fractured with vicious cracks across its hardened surface!
To overturn one’s hand and create mountains, to turn it again and churn the seas… Such was what it means to be a Martial Ancestor!
At this moment, innumerable gazes fixed themselves beneath that small mountain, faces frozen in expressions of utter stupefaction.
What had begun as a mere contest between veteran Disciples and newcomers had evolved beyond anyone’s expectations.
The Manager representing the Outer Sect Battle Hall, the supreme martial authority here, had in his fury, openly attacked the Outer Sect Southern Brilliant Hall Manager who commanded terrifying influence.
Moreover, given the devastated state of the duelling platform, anyone would question how they could possibly survive such destruction!
Could this Heaven Martial Artist, who had astonished countless observers, truly vanish like a meteor, brilliant for but a fleeting instant?
*Crack!*
Within this oppressive silence, a faint sound suddenly reverberated. Eyes contracted as observers witnessed fractures appearing across the mountain’s surface. Like spider webs, these cracks spread rapidly until they covered the entire formation.
*Boom!*
Under countless bewildered gazes, the mountain created by a Martial Ancestor’s power finally collapsed, disintegrating into scattered rubble.
Amidst the debris, two figures emerged. Those presumed dead now appeared seemingly unscathed by any grievous wounds. Sharp-eyed observers noticed the jade plaque in Dong Yu’s hand. It was covered in fractures before crumbling into ash that drifted downward.
The Martial Ancestor hovering above showed no surprise at this. His expression suggested he had anticipated this.
“Dong Yu, truly unexpected. For this Junior, you were willing to expend even your Divine Jade Talisman!”
From above, the Battle Hall Manager’s face darkened as he looked at the two below, his eyes radiating a coldness that caused the surrounding temperature to plummet.
“Divine Jade Talisman!? His Divine Jade Talisman is capable of withstanding a Martial Ancestor’s strike?”
“No wonder…”
“Rumour has it that Elder Dong received that Divine Jade Talisman three years ago after crafting Pills for an important figure within the Inner Sect.”
“Who would have imagined Manager Dong valued that Junior so highly!”
Throughout the Battle Hall, the words ‘Divine Jade Talisman’ triggered waves of exclamations.
“Hmph, Old Lin, someone of your status openly attacking a Heaven Martial Artist Disciple, you show such little regard for the Sacred Land’s regulations!”
Dong Yu’s complexion had paled considerably. With his final safeguard, the Divine Jade Talisman, now shattered, if his opponent attacked again, he had no confidence in protecting Qin Yichen.
He could only rely on verbal delays, hoping that the items had reached those four Elders within the Inner Sect Pill Hall!
“*Hmph!* That boy’s thoughts are far too venomous! Yi Buzui had already fallen in defeat, yet he still delivered a killing blow. What I do now merely enforces the Battle Hall’s regulations!”
Manager Lin’s face remained iron-dark as he responded coldly.
In that previous instant, he had indeed harboured murderous intent toward Dong Yu as well. However, he knew the Southern Brilliant Hall Manager possessed a Divine Jade Talisman, which was why he had struck without hesitation, hoping the latter would recognise the futility of resistance!
“Manager Lin, do you perhaps believe that earlier exchange was mere child’s play? Did Yi Buzui show me the slightest bit of mercy before? Why did you step out only when he was about to get killed?” At this moment, Qin Yichen, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward with a cold laugh. “Moreover, according to regulations, once a Death Waiver is signed, unless someone concedes, combat continues until one party dies. With so many Senior and Junior Brothers present, who has heard of Yi Buzui surrender!?”
Upon hearing these words, Manager Lin’s argument faltered. Yi Buzui had indeed intended to concede, but Qin Yichen had given him no such opportunity to do so! So, the latter’s words held logical weight.
In verbal sparring, he would gain no advantage against Qin Yichen.
Immediately, Manager Lin’s expression darkened completely. As his countenance grew more severe, the space surrounding him began to violently distort.
“Dong Yu, since you remain so stubborn, don’t blame me for what follows next!”
Manager Lin did not bother responding to Qin Yichen. His voice reverberated slowly across the sky. Yuan Energy boiled forth, as if his words commanded reality itself, carrying a terrifying oppressive force.
Under this dreadful pressure, everyone felt like solitary leaves adrift in raging seas, as if they might be obliterated in the next instant. Fear painted itself across countless faces.
At the duelling platform, Qin Yichen’s expression grew extremely grave. Yet despite sensing the opponent’s crushing power, his eyes betrayed not the slightest trace of fear. Even unto death, he would maintain the truth in his heart!
“There must be an explanation for Hall Master Xu!” Finally, Manager Lin murmured these words. A vicious glint flashed through his eyes as his palm moved. Boundless Yuan Energy converged, ultimately transforming into an enormous hand formed of pure energy.
In the next instant, without further words, his palm pressed downward through empty air. That hand, nearly a hundred metres in size, ruthlessly crushed toward the duelling platform below.
*Boom!*
Before the palm even landed, the vast duelling platform bore the imprint of a handprint spanning several hundred metres. The two figures within its range found their bodies involuntarily bending under this oppressive force.
*Ah…*
Witnessing this scene, countless observers couldn’t help but avert their gazes, unable to watch what would follow.
“Stop!” At this critical moment, an aged voice rang out. Though it contained no trace of vigorous Yuan Energy fluctuations, it caused everyone’s consciousness to violently tremble.
In mid-air, the previously furious Manager Lin shuddered, his complexion paling. That enormous Yuan Energy palm, which had been descending with terrifying pressure, dissipated and vanished completely!
Every gaze turned toward the source of that voice. At the Battle Hall entrance, two white-haired Elders walked steadily.
Though these two merely walked at a measured pace, observers discovered with shock that they could perceive nothing about these Elders. If not for witnessing them with their own eyes, they would doubt whether these two truly existed!
Elders capable of shocking everyone into silence with a single word could never be ordinary. This could only mean one thing: their Spiritual Energy had reached a level strong enough to shield themselves from all perception!
“Hea… Heaven Grade Alchemist!”
Four supremely noble figures simultaneously surfaced in everyone’s minds!