A Three-Way Standoff

Old Freak Wang sat motionless, a reserved smile on his face, but the slightly upturned corners of his mouth and his eyes, almost squinting into slits, had already betrayed his inner ecstasy.

Keep pretending.

Old Freak Wang thought to himself, "These old guys finally realize how powerful they are?"

It's too late!

Seeing that the competition had reached a stalemate, the elder of the Nine Provinces who was presiding over the competition coughed and his deep voice resounded throughout the venue.

If no one challenges within one incense stick's time, the final battle will proceed based on the number of remaining participants!

These words caused a stir among the remaining Prodigies on the field.

A moment later, a sharp-looking genius smiled freely and clasped his hands in a fist salute to the others on the field.

"The title of Champion is out of our reach. I will not participate in this grand drama."

Having said that, he decisively crushed his identity token and vanished in a flash of white light.

Once someone takes the lead, others follow suit.

They were all proud and arrogant people who knew they had no hope of winning. Rather than being easily defeated in front of everyone, they preferred to preserve their dignity and leave the stage entirely to those who truly stood at the top.

As the light flashed, only three figures remained on the vast White Jade Plaza.

A three-way power struggle.

First, there was the chief of the Ancient Martial Arts School at the Star River Martial Academy, a young man dressed in a simple gray robe, with a deep and unfathomable aura, who kept his eyes closed and meditated the entire time.

Secondly, there is another ace of the Nine Provinces Academy, a man with a towering figure like an iron tower, an incomparably heavy aura, as if he were one with the earth beneath his feet.

Finally, there was Chen Fan, who stood in the center, his expression still calm and composed.

"Call..."

A gentle breeze blew by, stirring up dust from the ground.

Chen Fan moved.

He didn't look at his Senior Fellow Apprentice from the Star River Martial Academy, but instead turned his gaze to the powerful figure from the Nine Provinces Academy.

He stepped forward, his figure graceful, and stopped ten feet in front of the other person. Then, he bowed respectfully to the imposing figure.

The gentle voice reached everyone's ears clearly.

"Nine Provinces Academy, Wei Yan Senior Fellow Apprentice Wei Yan."

"Chen Fan from the Star River Martial Academy, I'd like to ask for your guidance."

When Wei Yan's name was called, his eyes, which had been as calm as an ancient well, suddenly lit up with a divine light. His expression was solemn, and he did not show the slightest disrespect for Chen Fan because of his youth. Instead, he spoke in a deep voice, as resounding as a bell:

"Junior Fellow Apprentice Chen Fan, your path is quite unique. But I wonder if it can shake this immovable mountain of mine!"

The moment he finished speaking, Wei Yan stomped his foot on the ground!

"Boom!!"

The entire White Jade Plaza trembled violently, as if an earth dragon had turned over. Endless, earth-yellow divine light burst forth from his body, connecting closely with the entire plaza and even the deep earth veins beneath.

Amidst the light, a towering mountain, hundreds of feet high, formed entirely from the purest earth elemental law and radiating an aura of eternity, immortality, and invulnerability to all laws, rose from the ground, completely protecting Wei Yan's figure within it.

Immovable Mountain, Wei Yan!

At the Late Stage of the Seventh Grade Immortal Realm, his Dao is renowned for its ultimate defense, and it is said that no one of his level can break through it!

Seeing this, all the spectators outside the arena gasped in shock.

"It's Senior Fellow Apprentice Wei Yan's Immovable Mountain! It's said that he once used this technique to withstand the combined attack of three experts of the same level for half an hour without sustaining any damage!"

"This is true absolute defense! Although Chen Fan's Dao is profound, he is probably helpless against such a barrier that pushes power to its limit."

Although everyone was amazed by Chen Fan's previous performance, they did not believe that he could be as relaxed and at ease as before.

However, facing that colossal mountain of laws exuding an absolute aura, Chen Fan's face did not show solemnity, but rather a hint of appreciation.

He did not attack immediately.

Instead, they walked around the mountain at a leisurely pace, as if admiring a perfect work of art.

After a moment, he stopped and let out a soft exclamation of admiration.

"My Senior Fellow Apprentice's path is profound and pure."

"Only..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his voice becoming somewhat unsteady.

"No matter how high or hard a mountain is, it is still an inanimate object."

After saying that, amidst everyone's puzzled gazes, Chen Fan slowly raised his right hand and gently placed his fair and slender palm on the earthen-yellow law barrier.

A soft yet dazzling green light, like the first ray of warm sunshine in early spring, flowed continuously from his palm into the mountain.

The next moment, something unexpected happened!

On that Immovable Mountain, a symbol of absolute stillness and defense, a tender green shoot stubbornly broke through the solid barrier of laws!

Then came the second, the third, the tenth, and hundreds and thousands of them!

These tender shoots grew wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye, sprouting branches and leaves, transforming into resilient vines, and eventually into towering ancient trees!

Their roots, like the sharpest cones, savagely pierce and tear apart that incredibly stable structure of laws!

In just a few breaths.

A stone mountain symbolizing absolute desolation has been transformed into a lush, verdant mountain range!

Inside the mountain, Wei Yan's face was ashen.

He could clearly feel that his connection with the laws of the earth was being forcibly rewritten by a higher and more unreasonable Life Law!

His Immovable Mountain is being disintegrated from within by the power of life!

Finally, he let out a bitter laugh and voluntarily dispelled his supernatural powers.

The vibrant green mountain then transformed into countless specks of light and vanished without a trace.

Wei Yan's figure reappeared. He looked at the slender figure opposite him and bowed deeply.

This time, his tone was no longer somber, but rather filled with relief and understanding.

"Use vitality to break the silence... Use living things to overcome inanimate things..."

"My Dao is indeed inanimate."

"Junior Fellow Apprentice Chen Fan, I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."

With Wei Yan's surrender and departure, only the last two remained on the vast White Jade Plaza.

They all came from the Star River Martial Academy.

Chen Fan.

And the chief of the Ancient Martial Arts School who kept his eyes closed and seemed detached from the matter from beginning to end.

At that moment, the chief finally slowly opened his eyes.

Those were eyes filled only with pure fighting spirit.

He didn't look at Chen Fan, but instead looked up at the empty sky.

An indomitable Martial Dao will surged from his body, like an invisible, peerless divine spear, poised to pierce a hole in the sky!

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but with a resounding quality like the clash of metal, echoing throughout the entire venue.

"The Life-and-Death Cycle, the natural order, is truly wondrous."

"But my Ancient Martial Arts lineage only believes in the power of the fists!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly turned his head, his gaze like two tangible lightning bolts, piercing straight at Chen Fan!

That burning fighting spirit sent a chill down the spines of all the spectators.

"Chen Fan!"

"Your path may be powerful, but do you dare to challenge me...?"

"Only martial arts are considered, not principles?"