Lan Yuer’s eyes gleamed with astonishment and confusion.
To be fair, at the same cultivation level—or even if she were in Yang Cheng’s position—she’d at best fight Ling Xiao to a draw. A guaranteed victory was impossible.
This kid was a true prodigy.
She had worried he’d be thoroughly beaten by Yang Cheng, but now that concern seemed utterly unnecessary.
A strange thought struck her. She was currently a Ninth-Layer Transcendent Realm cultivator, but in a year or two, Ling Xiao might catch up—or even surpass her.
“It’s time to end this!” Yang Cheng’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
In that instant, Yang Cheng pulled a golden spherical object from his pocket.
“That’s a hidden weapon among Rare-Grade Treasures!” Lan Yuer’s heart leapt to her throat.
Rare-Grade Treasures were incredibly powerful, especially in the hands of a Half-Step Grandmaster, capable of easily killing martial artists below peak Ninth-Layer Martial Vein.
Only inner disciples and the top ten outer disciples were qualified to possess such items.
“Ling Xiao, be careful!” Lan Yuer couldn’t help but shout.
She knew the devastating power of a hidden weapon among Rare-Grade Treasures.
Ling Xiao, of course, knew as well.
The moment Yang Cheng revealed the object, he understood.
This fight couldn’t drag on. If Yang Cheng used a Rare-Grade Treasure, the battle would lose its value as a training exercise. Even if he won, it would be a pyrrhic victory.
He didn’t want that outcome.
He had challenged Li Anle and Yang Cheng today to exact revenge and teach them a lesson.
If he ended up battered himself, what was the point?
Indeed, it was time to end it!
Ice Heart · Terrifying Finger!
Even now, Ling Xiao hadn’t figured out the exact rank of “Terrifying Finger.”
He had comprehended this technique from the blue-clad woman in the Fulong Mountains, and it was now near perfection.
But the more he used it, the more it shocked him.
In terms of physical damage, it was nearly unmatched.
In terms of soul damage, it far surpassed all his other techniques!
The only drawback was its massive consumption.
The closer it came to perfection, the greater the cost.
This was why he rarely used it.
Today, combining Ice Heart with Terrifying Finger was a bold new experiment. He had tested it on his martial soul clone before.
Ice Heart could freeze both the body and soul with Terrifying Finger!
This move had no grandeur.
It was almost eerily subdued.
He simply raised his hand and pointed slowly.
Buzz~~
The moment he acted, the true essence at his fingertip transformed into a slender beam of light, instantly absorbing the surrounding natural forces.
“How does he know this move…?” Elder Bai shot to his feet, his expression shifting, though he seemed puzzled.
“It’s not quite the same, but why is the aura so similar?”
He wasn’t the only one shocked—Lan Yuer felt a familiar aura from Ling Xiao’s Terrifying Finger.
But she couldn’t place it.
“What’s he doing?” Yang Cheng thought before collapsing.
He had been preparing to use the deadliest hidden weapon among Rare-Grade Treasures to end the fight.
But then he saw Ling Xiao point at him.
He felt no reaction—just a sharp pain, followed by an icy chill flooding his body.
Deep in his soul, it was as if everything froze in an instant.
Thud!
Yang Cheng collapsed onto the challenge stage, a small bloodied hole on his shoulder glaringly obvious.
If this weren’t a sect spar, that hole would’ve been in his forehead or heart.
He was lucky to survive.
“Ahh~~” Suddenly, Yang Cheng, lying on the ground, let out a gut-wrenching scream.
He began thrashing wildly, clawing at his head as if trying to tear it open.
Boom!
In his frenzy, the Rare-Grade Treasure he had prepared to attack Ling Xiao accidentally activated.
It was a fire-thunder hidden weapon.
The explosion left Yang Cheng drenched in blood, his face unrecognizable.
Even his eyes were blown out.
His legs were nowhere to be found.
He was utterly ruined.
Ling Xiao sucked in a breath.
Thankfully, he had struck first. If that hidden weapon had hit him, he’d be dead or crippled.
Yang Cheng, in his rage, had clearly forgotten the sect’s rules, intending to maim Ling Xiao.
Instead, he reaped what he sowed.
No sympathy?
Ling Xiao felt none.
For someone like Yang Cheng, he’d have preferred to kill him outright, but sect rules held him back.
What a terrifying finger!
Though most couldn’t discern what Ling Xiao’s finger did, the result was clear.
Yang Cheng was finished!
The scene sent chills through the crowd.
Even without the hidden weapon’s explosion, Yang Cheng’s agonized screams were enough to make anyone shudder.
“Could it really be our sect’s…?” Elder Bai was still grappling with the question.
Lan Yuer shared the same doubt.
On the challenge stage, Yang Cheng had passed out.
He was quickly carried off to the medicine hall for treatment.
No matter what, he was still a Moonlight Sect disciple, and treatment was mandatory. His future, however, wasn’t a concern for now.
“Elder Bai, aren’t you going to announce the result?” Ling Xiao asked, looking at him.
“Oh, right, the result!” Elder Bai snapped out of his thoughts and announced loudly, “Ling Xiao has challenged and defeated Yang Cheng, the tenth-ranked outer disciple. He will replace Yang Cheng as the tenth quasi-inner disciple!”
His slightly excited voice echoed across the square.
He had held only a sliver of hope for Ling Xiao, but the kid had actually done it—an astonishing upset.
“Tell the top-30 outer disciples who didn’t come to watch: if you keep stagnating, you’ll be overtaken one by one, just like Yang Cheng today!”
Using Yang Cheng’s defeat, Elder Bai voiced his long-held thoughts.
This had been his message for years, but with no one challenging the top 30’s foundation, his words had lacked impact. Today was different.
Ling Xiao took a deep breath. He didn’t care about Elder Bai’s motives. He only hoped this battle would deter troublemakers.
His cold gaze swept toward Li Anle and the others.
Li Anle’s face turned ashen, his head lowered, body trembling. He had seen Yang Cheng’s fate and had no desire to end up a wreck himself.
