In this clash, Yang Cheng held the absolute advantage, his attack overpowering Ling Xiao’s.
Yet, strangely, the recoil forced Yang Cheng back seven or eight steps. Ling Xiao, despite taking the hit, also retreated only seven or eight steps. His face paled momentarily but quickly regained its color, showing no signs of injury.
Indeed, he was unharmed.
Yang Cheng’s attack was undeniably powerful, but after being filtered through Thunder Annihilation, Demonized Body, and Heavenly Dragon Scale Armor, only the impact force remained.
Ling Xiao’s formidable physique brushed off this force without a care.
Everyone thought Ling Xiao excelled in movement and attack, but his true pride lay in his defense and physical resilience.
“What’s going on? Ling Xiao took a direct hit from Senior Brother Yang and wasn’t injured?” Li Anle couldn’t stay seated, exclaiming in shock.
“It’s simple. His defense is likely no less than Jin Ming’s. In my view, his defense is his greatest strength!” Liu Qiang said excitedly. He had thought this exchange would settle things, but Ling Xiao surprised him yet again.
“That’s impossible. Has he cultivated a Gold-Grade Basic Defensive Martial Art to the Transformation Realm? Otherwise, there’s no way he could block that move. You and I both know its power!”
“Nothing’s impossible. This kid specializes in defying expectations. Who could’ve predicted he’d fight Yang Cheng this long? Who could’ve imagined he’d injure Yang Cheng? And who would’ve guessed he has at least four martial souls—something only those with special physiques can achieve?” Liu Qiang’s string of questions left Li Anle and the other quasi-inner disciples supporting Yang Cheng speechless.
On the challenge stage, the battle raged on.
Seeing his attack fail, Yang Cheng seized the moment to launch a second strike.
Still—Storm Dragon Roar!
Having reached the Transformation Realm, he could use this move multiple times, though it consumed a lot. To defeat Ling Xiao, he spared no expense.
“The same move won’t work on me!” Ling Xiao sneered and met the attack head-on.
—Thunder Ghost King Annihilation!
Having grasped the basics of Yang Cheng’s move, Ling Xiao adopted a different strategy.
Thunder Slaughter was more powerful, but Ghost King Annihilation was easier to control and carried a greater soul impact.
Ling Xiao always believed that the best move wasn’t necessarily the strongest but the one suited to the situation.
In this case, the slightly weaker Ghost King Annihilation fit his strategy perfectly.
His punch roared out, less imposing than before, but the faint Ghost King phantom was intimidating enough.
This time, Ling Xiao didn’t aim for a frontal clash. His punch targeted the weakest point of Yang Cheng’s sword technique.
Before, he didn’t know where to strike, but now that he did, he’d exploit it.
Yang Cheng couldn’t change his move in time.
His attack was too powerful, impossible to adjust freely.
Ultimate techniques were like that, and Ling Xiao knew it well.
Bang!
Boom!
Ling Xiao’s punch struck the weakest point of Yang Cheng’s sword technique. Though less powerful than Thunder Slaughter, the effect was even more stunning.
The proud wind dragon was shattered completely.
Ling Xiao pressed forward, giving Yang Cheng no time to think.
Yang Cheng responded hastily, his sword thrusting repeatedly, each move weaker than the last, clearly nearing exhaustion.
Bang! Bang!
Crack! Crack!
Boom!
After several exchanges, Ling Xiao’s attacks grew fiercer. As the fight dragged on, his true essence was constantly replenished.
Yang Cheng’s true essence, however, was rapidly depleting.
The battle had lasted a full half-hour, and Yang Cheng’s true essence was nearly spent.
One grew stronger, the other weaker.
The outcome was clear to any observer.
Watching the two clash on stage, the outer disciples felt a mix of emotions.
It was obvious that unless Yang Cheng had another trump card, he was doomed to lose.
Ling Xiao had pulled off a massive upset, his terrifying combat prowess shocking most of the outer disciples.
After this battle, aside from the top ten outer disciples, no one would dare trouble him lightly.
Even the top ten would have to weigh the consequences of losing to him.
“Senior Brother Yang won’t lose! He can’t lose! Ling Xiao’s just a peak Eighth-Layer Martial Vein cultivator—his true essence can’t be stronger or deeper than Senior Brother Yang’s! Ouch!” Li Anle refused to accept reality, shouting hoarsely until his wounds tore open, causing him to cry out in pain.
“Don’t the top ten all have trump cards? Yang Cheng should use his now, right?” Liu Qiang said suddenly.
“Right! Exactly! The top ten outer disciples all have Rare-Grade Treasures. But Senior Brother Yang’s still using that outdated Fine-Grade sword,” Li Anle said, his eyes lighting up.
He himself had a Rare-Grade Treasure spear, so there was no way Yang Cheng didn’t have something of that level.
If he couldn’t win with skill, winning with a treasure was fine—better than losing in disgrace.
“Yang Cheng likely has two Rare-Grade Treasures: one weapon, and the other unknown,” Liu Qiang muttered. “If he uses them, Ling Xiao might still lose. What a pity.”
Veteran outer disciples knew this, but they felt uneasy. The tenth-ranked outer disciple resorting to treasures to win? That’d be a laughingstock.
“I can’t keep going like this. His true essence seems endless, growing stronger. I’ll definitely lose!” Yang Cheng thought, frustrated.
“It looks like I have to use that thing.”
He cared about his reputation, so he hadn’t planned to use a stronger treasure to crush his opponent. But Ling Xiao’s performance was too monstrous, too unexpected.
By normal logic, a peak Eighth-Layer Martial Vein Martial Master’s true essence should’ve run dry by now.
Even an early or mid-Ninth-Layer Martial Master would be nearly out.
But this kid was uncanny!
Yang Cheng didn’t know that Ling Xiao’s true essence reserves rivaled those of a First-Layer Transcendent Realm martial artist.
Moreover, the Mountain River Martial Soul’s ability to devour true essence constantly replenished his losses.
If Ling Xiao’s true essence ran out, Yang Cheng’s would’ve been depleted even sooner.
Below, Lan Yuer’s beautiful eyes were wide with shock.
She thought Ling Xiao’s medical talent was already astonishing, but his combat prowess was even more monstrous.
