They're All Trash

That move just now had been enough to prove his strength.

No one who dared enter the Wind Cloud Genius Battle was a pushover. Every one of them was an outstanding talent, one in ten thousand. Defeating someone in a single move in a Battle of Geniuses spoke volumes about his strength.

This outcome had greatly exceeded everyone's expectations, sparking tsunami-like discussion and placing immense pressure on the remaining contestants.

"What combat skill did he use? That was incredible!"

"Fan Lang is actually this strong? How come I'd never heard his name before?"

"He's the rogue from the Underground Arena. I watched his fight a few days ago. He seems even stronger now than he was then. His rate of improvement is truly astonishing."

Everyone was full of amazement.

Those who had believed Fan Lang would lose had basically shut their mouths.

Fan Lang waited for a moment. When no one came onto the stage, he pointed at two contestants below and provoked them. "You, and you. Come up together. If you don't dare fight me, leave now. Don't just stand there like idiots. You're an eyesore."

As arrogant as ever, as disdainful as ever—enough to infuriate people to death without paying for it.

One of the two young men leaped onto the arena, gripping his sword hilt with one hand as he shouted angrily, "There's no need for two people. I alone can handle you. Accept the move!"

The young man darted forward in a charge, making as if to draw his sword. When he reached the middle of the arena, he suddenly unleashed an eye technique. His eyes changed, developing swirling patterns that spun rapidly, as though they would suck a person's soul inside.

His sword-drawing posture had merely been a feint meant to deceive. From the very beginning, he had intended to win using an underhanded technique like an eye technique.

This eye technique was called the Soul Trapping Eye, and it could make its victim fall unconscious.

He had put considerable effort into cultivating the Soul Trapping Eye and had kept it secret from everyone. He had intended to use it as a trump card in this Battle of Geniuses, but Fan Lang had forced him to reveal it so early. If he could defeat Fan Lang with the Soul Trapping Eye, it would still be worth it.

Unfortunately, eye techniques of the same level were completely ineffective against Fan Lang because he possessed the Eye of the Dragon!

Fan Lang's eyes changed at once, becoming glittering golden Eyes of the Dragon. His pupils stood vertically, flecked with mottled patterns, effortlessly neutralizing his opponent's eye technique.

The two met each other's gaze, and their eye techniques clashed. The difference between them was immediately clear.

"You were unlucky to run into me."

Fan Lang controlled the Sky Covering Hand and grabbed his opponent in one grasp. With a crack, he squeezed, crushing the man until his bones broke and his tendons snapped. He was brutally merciless. A scream rang out as the man's body twisted grotesquely. Even if he did not die, he would be severely injured.

With a casual toss, the defeated man hit the ground.

"Next."

Those three words were like a death warrant.

He still maintained the Eye of the Dragon as he looked down at the crowd below. Anyone who met his gaze felt fear, either backing away or shifting their eyes aside.

Being that strong was one thing, but he even knew eye techniques! Wasn't he a little too versatile?

Below the stage.

The remaining contestants were all dumbfounded. Even experts like Murong Bai and Yue Yifei wore extremely ugly expressions.

Murong Bai's face was pale, his brows knotted tightly together. That expression robbed him of some of his usual handsome charm.

"He's become so much stronger compared to that day at the Underground Arena. Back then, he wasn't even a Mystic Spirit. After only a few days apart, he's become a Mystic Spirit and even learned an eye technique!"

Waves surged through Murong Bai's heart.

Back then, he had provoked Fan Lang because he possessed absolute confidence. No matter how formidable a Mystic General was, he was still only a Mystic General. But after three days apart, one had to view someone with new eyes. Fan Lang had now become a Mystic Spirit, and his speed of improvement was simply inconceivable!

Even Murong Bai was no longer confident that he could defeat Fan Lang.

Yue Yifei on the other side was the same. After repeatedly assessing Fan Lang's strength, he found that his odds of winning were only twenty or thirty percent!

Yue Yifei had originally thought Murong Bai would be his formidable opponent in this competition. He had never expected Fan Lang to be even more terrifying than Murong Bai.

"Just where did this freak come from...?"

Yue Yifei suddenly clenched his fist, making it creak.

These geniuses had not come here merely to stand around foolishly. Someone had to take the stage eventually.

"Hey, didn't he say earlier that two or three people could come up together? Let's go together. If the three of us join forces, we still have a chance of winning."

"We can join forces."

"Count me in."

Several contestants chose to join forces, forming a temporary alliance. However, Yue Yifei and Murong Bai did not participate. For the moment, they could not set aside the pride they had cultivated over so many years.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three figures leaped onto the stage at once. Though it was somewhat dishonorable to outnumber one person, they could not worry about that now.

Fan Lang did not care in the slightest and even laughed. "Good. More people makes it more interesting, and it'll save a lot of time."

None of the three spoke. All wore tense expressions as though facing a great enemy. Each displayed a different ability and attacked Fan Lang.

Fan Lang spread his arms and swung them forcefully. A second massive hand of Mystic Power appeared in midair. The two giant hands reached out together, their sound like a gale sweeping through and their momentum like thunder tearing through the sky.

The Sky Covering Hand—one hand covered heaven and earth, one hand held life and death, one hand controlled yin and yang, one hand shattered mountains and rivers!

The two giant hands attacked from both sides, enclosing all three men at once. They clenched them in their grasp and crushed them several times, squeezing out miserable screams before casually tossing them all off the arena.

Even joining forces, the three had failed to make Fan Lang use a second move. The Sky Covering Hand alone had been more than enough. The Eye of the Dragon had merely been a passive precaution against eye techniques.

This result seemed inconceivable to outsiders, but in truth, it was entirely normal.

Fan Lang had modified his Mystic Power fivefold, giving him strength equivalent to five Mystic Spirits. He had also eaten crab meat that temporarily increased his Mystic Power, raising his strength even further.

Above Mystic Spirits were Mystic Masters. Fan Lang's current strength was infinitely close to that of a Mystic Master, so naturally it was no problem for him to crush Mystic Spirits. This was an overwhelming advantage.

Defeating three people with one move further elevated Fan Lang's image. People were no longer merely astonished.

To the few remaining contestants, Fan Lang was like an insurmountable mountain standing before them. They were incomparably tiny before that mountain and could only look up and stop.

"I'm not fighting anymore. Whoever wants to fight can go ahead."

"I concede defeat."

"Sigh."

The contestants retreated one after another when faced with difficulty. In the end, only Murong Bai and Yue Yifei remained. One represented the Murong Family, while the other represented the Silver Moon Merchant Guild. Both had originally been favorites to take first place, yet now they had fallen into an awkward dilemma.

If they advanced, Fan Lang was waiting for them on the arena. If they retreated, both factions would lose face.

On the arena, Fan Lang looked toward Murong Bai and sneered. "Earlier, you threatened me and said I had to enter the Wind Cloud Genius Battle. Now I'm here, so why aren't you showing any reaction? Did the dignified head of the Murong Family come here just to stand guard?"

Those words pierced Murong Bai's heart like ten thousand arrows, and they were also like a wall blocking his path of retreat.

Murong Bai's brows were tightly furrowed, his expression dark. At last, he took a step forward.

Yue Yifei suddenly reached out from beside him, placed a hand on Murong Bai's shoulder, and asked with a smile, "Family Head, how about we go together?"