“Mo Wushang, you won’t concede?” Ling Xiao asked coldly, staring at him.
“There’s only a Mo Wushang who dies standing, not one who surrenders!” Mo Wushang declared.
“Get lost!” Ling Xiao didn’t waste words, kicking Mo Wushang square in the face, sending his massive frame flying off the duelling stage.
The scene stunned many. Standing before Mo Wushang, Ling Xiao looked delicate as an infant. Imagine a baby kicking an adult—it was bizarre.
Mo Wushang crashed outside the stage, and the chief referee reluctantly declared Ling Xiao the victor. At that moment, Ling Xiao absorbed Mo Wushang’s destiny, and his ninth cauldron began to form, surpassing Bai Qianjiao and trailing only Ji Mingkong.
The stands fell silent. They had expected a close fight, perhaps with Mo Wushang dominating. Instead, it was Ling Xiao’s show. Mo Wushang seemed as weak as a three-year-old before him.
“This Ling Xiao is terrifying. I can understand his movement technique—it’s fast and profound—but what happened earlier? Why didn’t the Immortal Dark Flame attack him?” a spectator asked.
“Something about the Power of Celestial Phenomena,” another replied.
“Right, it’s the power generated from cultivating that inner technique. They say it converts both True Essence and Heavenly Essence into Celestial Phenomena Power, incredibly potent,” someone added.
“That’s a god’s ability!” another exclaimed.
“Wasn’t the Lotus Master a god? His martial arts were never mastered by humans. Most who tried gave up after the first or second level, while others died horribly,” a voice explained.
“But what’s Ling Xiao? He’s human, yet he’s not dead and so powerful,” someone questioned.
“It’s not time yet. Didn’t he say he’s only at the fifth level? The higher you go, the more dangerous it gets. Celestial Phenomena Powers conflict, and the more you cultivate, the more problems arise,” another said.
“Sigh, I thought he could surpass the Holy Son, but he might just be a fleeting star,” a spectator lamented.
“Surpass the Holy Son? If he reaches Qin Bixue’s level, that’s enough. Who knows what’s next?” another countered.
“He might lose to Bai Qianjiao,” someone added.
Ling Xiao lacked a strong following. Despite his meteoric rise and growing fanbase, most still doubted him, even after defeating Mo Wushang. Ahead lay Bai Qianjiao, Qin Bixue, and a transformed Hong Li—three opponents he might not overcome.
The fourteenth round ended, and after an hour’s rest, the fifteenth began. As the competition neared its climax, attention focused on the top contenders. Matches beyond the top ten became breaks, with many spectators heading to the latrines.
Among the earlier fights, Fire Demon Lord versus Hong Sanmei and Hong Li versus Mo Wushang drew interest. Fire Demon Lord, now at the late First Heaven stage, easily defeated Hong Sanmei, boosting his destiny. The Hong Li-Mo Wushang fight was thrilling. As Bai Qianjiao had said, Hong Li seemed like a carp that leapt the dragon gate, a stronger version of Bai Qianjiao. Even the original Bai Qianjiao could match Mo Wushang, so Hong Li narrowly won after two hundred moves.
This crushed Mo Wushang. Losing to Ji Mingkong or Qin Bixue was tolerable, but losing to Ling Xiao and then Hong Li was unbearable. The Heavenly King Sect’s leaders looked grim.
After those matches, the most anticipated was Long Chen versus Hong Sanmei. Long Chen was highly regarded but had only defeated Liu Taiyin among the Six Princes of the Holy Dynasty, and that victory was hard-fought. Hong Sanmei, despite recent losses, was stronger than Liu Taiyin. Yet, she lost decisively. Heeding Ling Xiao’s advice, Long Chen disguised his Golden Dragon form’s power as a martial soul’s, boosting his strength and making his victory over Hong Sanmei expected.
“The next match: Ling Xiao versus Bai Qianjiao!” the chief referee announced, sounding excited, as if he believed Bai Qianjiao could challenge Ling Xiao.
On the VIP seats, Heavenly King Sect Leader Sikong Zun and the Holy Emperor smiled. Ling Xiao, this dark horse, was a headache. Someone needed to rein him in, or his arrogance would know no bounds.
The stands erupted. Despite losing to Qin Bixue, Bai Qianjiao’s defeat came only because Qin Bixue had broken through to the Heaven-Human Realm. Otherwise, Qin Bixue might have lost. The crowd still held Bai Qianjiao in high regard.
As for Ling Xiao, his reputation preceded him. This dark horse had defeated Jian Wuji, Hong Sanmei, and Mo Wushang—three of the Six Princes. Their prestige seemed to crumble before him.
For Ling Xiao, this fight was more significant than the audience realised. He was human; Bai Qianjiao was of the Sea Clan, a warrior of the Storm Legion. The Sea Clan’s enmity toward humans dated back to ancient times. The True Demon Emperor nearly succeeded in wiping out humanity. Now, with the Storm Legion’s advance, Bai Qianjiao was likely their vanguard. Losing to her, a member of another race, would gall him more than losing to Ji Mingkong.
“Before we start, may I ask a question?” Ling Xiao said calmly.
“Of course,” Bai Qianjiao replied.
“If humans and the Sea Clan go to war one day, what will you choose?” Ling Xiao asked, deeming the question crucial.
“You know of the Sea Clan. Impressive,” Bai Qianjiao said, frowning. “I admire you as a human, but as a vanguard of the Storm Legion, my duty is to the Sea Clan’s cause. I won’t show mercy to humans.”
“Understood,” Ling Xiao nodded. “I admire you too. Your talent isn’t exceptional, yet you’ve mastered such difficult techniques through effort. But in matters of righteousness, there’s no room for leniency.”
“Come, show me your righteousness!” Bai Qianjiao took a deep breath. Since her Sea Clan identity was exposed, she could fight unrestrained, using moves she had previously withheld to conceal it.
