Second Courtyard area.
Wen Liang recognized Chen Changqing at a glance.
"It's that kid."
"He's got some nerve, challenging a Body Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage?"
Wen Liang was secretly startled, finding it somewhat unbelievable.
After all, faced with Shi Tian's overwhelming strength, he had already given up on competing for first place in this Grand Tournament.
Yet at this final moment, Chen Changqing had actually stepped forward.
"Only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage—he probably can't even withstand one of Shi Tian's punches, can he?"
Wen Liang narrowed his eyes slightly, not optimistic about Chen Changqing in the slightest.
He felt the gap in strength between the two was simply too vast.
"Damn it!!"
"It's this bastard!"
At the same time, Cui Hao beside him gritted his teeth in fury, his eyes brimming with venom as he looked at Chen Changqing.
Earlier in the Void Realm, he had led several Second Courtyard disciples to surround Liu Ruyan, intending to seize all the points on her.
Who could have known that Chen Changqing would suddenly emerge at that critical moment?
Seeing that Chen Changqing was only at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, Cui Hao had not thought much of him.
But after exchanging blows, he discovered that Chen Changqing's strength far surpassed his imagination.
Not only had Chen Changqing defeated Kong Ning, who was also at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, he had even shattered the Seven Kill Sword Formation Cui Hao had controlled with a single punch.
In the end, Chen Changqing had taken all the points from their Identity Tokens.
That had caused Cui Hao's points to fall out of the top twenty on the Scoreboard.
The more he thought about it, the more resentment filled Cui Hao's heart.
After all, he had originally been certain to enter the Inner Sect.
Now, because of Chen Changqing, he had no choice but to remain in the Outer Sect for another year.
Fourth Courtyard area.
Meng Zhou also recognized Chen Changqing.
"This kid?"
"Foundation Establishment Early Stage?"
"Could it be because of the opportunity he obtained in the Void Realm earlier?"
Meng Zhou muttered to himself. He remembered clearly that Chen Changqing had only been at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining in the Void Realm before.
Now that he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, Meng Zhou naturally thought of that opportunity that had been snatched away.
After thinking it over briefly, Meng Zhou came back to himself and sighed helplessly.
"So what if he obtained that opportunity?"
"Against Shi Tian, a Body Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he's simply not worth mentioning!"
At the same time, Chen Changqing had already arrived atop the White Jade Arena.
"Hmm?"
Shi Tian narrowed his eyes at Chen Changqing, then waved a hand.
"Junior Brother, you should step down!"
"I don't want to bully you."
Chen Changqing smiled calmly and cupped his fist in salute.
"Please, Senior Brother."
Seeing that Chen Changqing still insisted on challenging him, a fierce glint flashed through Shi Tian's eyes as he said in a low voice.
"Since you insist on making a fool of yourself!"
"Then don't blame me."
The moment his words fell, a savage light flashed in Shi Tian's eyes, and his right fist shot out!
"Boom!"
As the punch flew out, the air exploded with a crackling burst.
Shi Tian was extremely confident.
He figured that this one punch would be enough to deal with Chen Changqing.
At the same time, the watching crowd all believed that Chen Changqing would be blasted off the arena by Shi Tian's single punch.
But at that moment, Chen Changqing gave a cool, faint smile.
Facing Shi Tian's punch, he had no intention of retreating or dodging. Instead, he threw a punch of his own straight at it.
"Boom!!"
In less than a few breaths, the two fists collided.
"Bang..."
Violent shockwaves erupted, and cracks spread across the arena floor beneath the assault of their fist force.
Even the barrier surrounding the arena shook violently.
Their fist forces canceled each other out, and both retreated several steps.
The disciples from every courtyard watching the battle were all stunned numb, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"Huh?"
"Am I seeing things?"
"Chen Changqing actually... blocked Senior Brother Shi Tian's punch?"
"How is that possible?"
"How did he do it?"
"Could my eyes be playing tricks on me?"
"..."
The disciples cried out in shock, scarcely daring to believe it.
"What?"
After steadying himself, Shi Tian's pupils constricted sharply, while numbness spread through his arm.
"What terrifying strength!!"
"He's only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, yet he can unleash such power?"
Shi Tian exclaimed inwardly in shock, his gaze toward Chen Changqing filled with disbelief.
This was the first time he had encountered an opponent among the Outer Disciples who could meet him head-on.
At the same time, Chen Changqing was also somewhat astonished.
"Shi Tian's physical body truly is anything but ordinary!"
Chen Changqing murmured in amazement.
He felt the power coursing through both his arms.
One had to know that he had broken through into Qi Refining from the limits of Body Refining.
When he advanced to the Foundation Establishment Realm in the Void Realm earlier, both arms could unleash Ten-Thousand-Jin Force. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could not withstand a single punch from him at all.
Yet Shi Tian could!
Just as Chen Changqing was lost in thought, Shi Tian suddenly burst into laughter.
"Haha, good!"
"I never expected to encounter an opponent like you, Junior Brother."
"At last, I can have a truly satisfying battle!"
As he spoke, battle intent blazed in Shi Tian's eyes.
The next moment, he gathered his strength and attacked Chen Changqing once more.
"Thunderclap Divine Fist!"
Seeing this, Chen Changqing let out a low shout. Purple lightning coiled around his fist as he charged directly into battle with Shi Tian.
"Bang bang bang!"
For a time, deafening explosions of fists rang out continuously from the arena.
Every strike Chen Changqing delivered came with the rumble of thunder.
Shi Tian, meanwhile, was like a ferocious beast from the primordial wilderness. His fists and kicks opened and closed in grand arcs, every move blasting the air with explosive force.
"Boom! Boom!"
The arena shook without cease, while violent spiritual power surged wildly.
Seeing Chen Changqing and Shi Tian fight back and forth, the disciples from every courtyard were all dumbfounded.
"Is this really a battle in the Foundation Establishment Realm?"
"Chen Changqing is only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, yet he can fight Shi Tian evenly?"
"How is that possible?"
"How did he do it? Shi Tian is a Body Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage!"
"..."
Countless disciples exclaimed in astonishment.
They had all originally believed Chen Changqing would be defeated and knocked off the arena without even being able to take one punch from Shi Tian.
Who would have thought that once they clashed, Chen Changqing would erupt with such terrifying strength and fight Shi Tian to a standstill?
One had to know that Chen Changqing was using the strength of the Foundation Establishment Early Stage to battle Shi Tian's Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivation.
That made it all the more unfathomable.
The First Courtyard disciples all wore ugly expressions at the sight.
"Damn it!"
"Just where did this Chen Changqing come from?"
"He can do this while only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage?"
"Senior Brother Shi Tian is the number one disciple of our First Courtyard!"
"Yet he can't even take down a mere Chen Changqing?"
"..."
The First Courtyard disciples were indignant.
In their eyes, Shi Tian had always crushed his opponents.
But now, he was locked in such a battle with Chen Changqing.
On the other side, the Seven Courtyards disciples erupted into an uproar.
"Damn!"
"Junior Brother Chen... is actually this strong?"
"To go head-to-head with Shi Tian—he's incredible!"
"He's only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage!"
"If he were at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, wouldn't he be able to crush Shi Tian whenever he pleased?"
"..."
The disciples were wildly excited. Although they had all supported Chen Changqing's decision to step onto the arena and challenge Shi Tian earlier,
deep down, they had not held much hope that Chen Changqing could defeat Shi Tian.
But now, seeing Chen Changqing battle Shi Tian back and forth, hope immediately ignited in the hearts of the Seven Courtyards disciples.
Before you continue