“How is this possible?”
In that instant, everyone was utterly shocked, their faces filled with disbelief.
Mu Haoran actually still possessed Violent Spirit Pills. The explosively surged power had seized the opportunity to heavily injure Tantai Wenjun.
Tantai Shuo’s eyes froze solid. He had never even considered the possibility that Tantai Wenjun could be enslaved by Lin Xiao.
Thus, he directly assumed she had been ambushed and gravely wounded after Lin Xiao’s sudden surge in strength.
Even Ximen Haoyue was visibly moved.
In that same moment, Lin Xiao’s figure had already charged forward. Holy Hand Covers the Sky was unleashed once more. The vast tricoloured energy palm slammed towards Tantai Wenjun.
“You!” Tantai Wenjun put on an expression of fury. She hurriedly urged out a spiritual form barrier, condensing it before her.
However, that spiritual force barrier could not defend against Lin Xiao’s energy palm at all. It was directly shattered.
“Boom!” …
A thunderous explosion rang out. Tantai Wenjun was sent flying far away, her body becoming a bloody mess, gravely injured.
At this point, Lin Xiao did not stop. He continued charging forward, about to launch the next strike. Tantai Wenjun, still flying backwards, hurriedly called out, “I admit defeat!”
Only then did Lin Xiao halt. He let out a long breath of relief inwardly, thinking, “This should fool everyone, right?”
He had managed to kill Lu Mohan, then seize the chance to defeat Duanmu Gaoming. His own strength was not weak either.
With his cultivation level, no one would ever link the idea of Tantai Wenjun being enslaved to him.
Nor would they think Tantai Wenjun had done it on purpose.
Even though the battle had turned somewhat abruptly.
Moreover, he had used Thunder Dragon Extinguishing Heaven Light, not Holy Hand Covers the Sky. Others could not gauge his exact strength. With the element of surprise, Lin Xiao had concealed it extremely well.
Tantai Wenjun had genuinely suffered heavy injuries. Even the eighth-grade initial spiritual controllers present probably could not see through it.
“How is this possible? The champion is actually Mu Haoran?”
The crowd stared in stunned silence, their expressions somewhat dazed. They could never have imagined such an outcome.
Mu Haoran taking second place had already been hard for them to accept.
Now, he had taken first…
“I must be dreaming. The champion of this continental spiritual controller tournament is actually a youth in his early twenties.”
“The greatest yuan cultivation genius of the Nine Provinces, first place in the continental spiritual controller tournament. This Mu Haoran is simply defying the heavens.”
“And more than that, he is a spiritual controller who possesses spiritual energy. This fellow has claimed all the fortunes.”
“In the future, who knows how many proud geniuses and beauties will throw themselves into his arms.”
“To live as a person, one should be like Mu Haoran.”
…
Waves of utterly astonished voices rose from all directions. The entire venue alternated between silence and cries of shock.
Even An Miao’s face was filled with surprise. She had never imagined Lin Xiao would reach this stage.
“Elder An Miao, where on earth did you find this fellow?” Beside An Miao, an elder from Spirit Pool Island could not help asking.
“I never expected him to achieve so much either,” An Miao said sincerely.
Though she had thought highly of Lin Xiao, this accomplishment still far exceeded her expectations.
“Mu Haoran was chosen by our Spirit Pool Island. He has brought great prestige to Spirit Pool Island.”
“Exactly. After the tournament, Mu Haoran will surely join Spirit Pool Island. A heaven-defying monster will emerge on our Spirit Pool Island.”
“Elder An Miao has a keen eye for talent!”
…
At this, the other elders and disciples of Spirit Pool Island began praising her, claiming Mu Haoran’s glory for Spirit Pool Island.
Among the younger crowd from Spirit Pool Island, Nangong Jun’s face turned ugly. He had once warned Mu Haoran to stay away from An Miao.
Now, forget yuan force, even in spiritual force, he was far inferior.
In the future, the elders of Spirit Pool Island would surely favour Mu Haoran even more. Mu Haoran’s status would far surpass his own.
If even Mu Haoran could not get close, perhaps no other young man in the world could approach An Miao.
Nangong Jun felt as though he had been fiercely slapped across the face.
Ji Zhen, Wu Meng, and the others from the major forces were all stunned.
Shangguan Tong and Murong Jin were also completely dazed.
Especially Murong Jin. Since even Tantai Wenjun could not match him, what could she use to avenge the elders and disciples of Spirit Phoenix Valley by killing Lin Xiao?
Wang Qi was shocked. Wang Xizhi was astonished. The people from Inflammation Province, the sect master of Demon Void Sect, Feng Yuan, Long Tutian, Bi Zhuang, the crowd from Azure Dragon Gate, and countless others present were all astounded.
No one had expected Lin Xiao to claim the championship.
“Look at them, just look. Lin Xiao only took the championship. See how shocked they are. Truly people who have never seen the world.” At that moment, Bi Zhuang’s teasing voice rang out.
“Exactly. We long ago knew Lin Xiao would take the championship.”
“The greatest yuan cultivation genius of the Nine Provinces becoming the top spiritual controller in the continental tournament. Isn’t that a sure thing? Why even question it?”
“Hahaha…”
The people from Azure Dragon Gate chimed in one after another, full of smugness, as if each had “known it all along”, revelling in their superiority.
This caused the faces of the nearby Ji family and Holy Heaven Gate members to darken.
These Azure Dragon Gate people were clearly doing it on purpose. Known it all along? If they had known, why had they been so nervous in the earlier rounds?
Among everyone present, who could have foreseen Lin Xiao claiming the crown?
“This boy absolutely cannot be allowed to live!” Ji Zhen sighed deeply inwardly. A cold gleam of killing intent flashed in his eyes. “He must not be allowed to leave Spirit Pool Island alive, or the future troubles will be endless!”
Wu Meng harboured the same thought. For Holy Heaven Gate, the urgency to kill Lin Xiao was even greater than for the Ji family.
“This Mu Haoran must be drawn in.” Tantai Shuo also made his decision inwardly. He glanced meaningfully at Tantai Xin beside him and said, “Xin’er, across the entire continent, Mu Haoran is second to none in talent. You must build this bridge well.”
Tantai Xin’s proud, icy face collapsed slightly. She said, “From the start, he has had a peerless beauty by his side. I’m afraid he won’t want me.”
“Since ancient times, even heroes struggle to resist beautiful women. A hero’s side can always accommodate more beauties. As long as you put in enough effort, nothing is impossible,” Tantai Shuo said.
“This disciple understands,” Tantai Xin replied.
“Now, I announce the rankings for this continental spiritual controller tournament: first place, Mu Haoran; second place, Tantai Wenjun; third place, Duanmu Gaoming. With Lu Mohan fallen, fourth place goes to Murong Dian, and fifth place to Yan Huashu!” Ximen Haoyue’s voice rang out clearly, echoing across the entire area.
With Lu Mohan’s death, Murong Dian moved into fourth, and fifth brought in Yan Huashu, who had qualified to challenge the second group.
Whether his combat strength truly deserved fifth was another matter.
However, there would be no further challenge for fifth. Yan Huashu’s prior results placed him there, and everyone accepted it.
Though Hou Zixiao and Situ Kongchen did not believe Yan Huashu could defeat them, they had to accept the reality.
“Now, I shall present the rewards!” Ximen Haoyue declared.
