Outside the ninth Emperor Pass, Yang Qing stood upon the void, his voice shaking heaven and earth as surging battle intent gathered around him.
He did not have much time left to waste, so he chose the most direct and violent method.
Right outside the ninth Emperor Pass, he would challenge everyone. No matter who came, he would refuse no one.
He would temper himself in the fiercest battles, rise anew through the refinement of blood and fire, and force out every last bit of his potential.
He would fight his way to an opportunity for breakthrough!
He would fight his way to a Great Accomplishment Saint Body!
He would fight his way down an invincible path!
The prodigies of this era would be his whetstones. With their help, he would hone an unparalleled edge.
As Ji Xukong watched Yang Qing standing proudly in the void, his eyes were filled with undisguised admiration.
Though excessive rigidity was easily broken, he did not think Yang Qing had made the wrong choice!
There had never been any luck involved in the struggle on the Emperor's Road. Which Great Emperor had not defeated all heroes and remained invincible all the way?
He had watched Yang Qing's progress every step of the way, and he knew that Yang Qing was now only one step away.
Once he crossed the threshold of the eighth level of the Quasi-Emperor realm and entered the ninth level, Yang Qing's Saint Body would reach Great Accomplishment.
Yang Qing now lacked only a baptism of blood and fire to force out his potential and rise anew at the very limit.
Of course, this was also an extremely risky choice. Once Yang Qing was defeated in this struggle, he would essentially be ruined.
From then on, no matter how hard Yang Qing worked, he would likely be unable to break through his shackles and would have no hope of achieving Great Accomplishment with his Saint Body for the rest of his life.
Ji Xukong did not know whether Yang Qing could overcome this trial, but he strongly supported such a fearless choice.
Because this was the struggle on the Emperor's Road. It had never allowed the slightest cowardice; one could only press onward and ascend to the heavens.
Near the ninth Emperor Pass, everyone who heard Yang Qing's voice resounding through heaven and earth slightly changed expression.
Anyone who had made it to the ninth Emperor Pass was one of the most outstanding prodigies of this era. Who would think himself inferior to others?
And now, someone had openly challenged everyone. So arrogant, so domineering, so utterly full of himself—who could possibly swallow such an insult?
"Saint Body, don't be so arrogant! I will fight you!"
"A mere Saint Body? How laughable! Do you dare fight me?"
"Ha ha! Saint Body, what spirit! I wonder whether your abilities are as great as your spirit!"
One figure after another soared into the sky, treading upon the void and standing outside the ninth Emperor Pass, each radiating a powerful aura.
On the Emperor's Road, one advanced without retreating. If they remained unmoved, what was there left to compete for? They might as well go home at once.
This battle was inevitable. Whether they agreed or not, they had no choice but to come.
In this battle, they would make the Saint Body understand that there was always someone stronger and a sky beyond the sky!
Outside the ninth Emperor Pass, the crowd erupted. Everyone's gaze gathered upon those proud figures standing tall in the air.
"That is Ba Tian, the prodigy of the Overlord Body Clan. They say his combat strength is astonishing, and he is not far from Great Accomplishment!"
"That is the prodigy of Holy Spirit One. He calls himself the Holy Emperor, and they say he has an excellent chance of reaching the Great Perfection of the Holy Spirit!"
"The Saint Body is far too arrogant. He has not even reached Great Accomplishment, yet he wants to challenge everyone?"
As one peerless prodigy after another appeared, many people were stunned and could not help discussing it among themselves.
Every top prodigy was the focus of countless eyes, having carved out a formidable reputation through all nine Emperor Passes.
Ordinarily, it was difficult to witness even two top prodigies facing off, much less so many of them appearing together.
This battle had yet to erupt, but it had already become the center of the world's attention and was spreading at an astonishing speed.
"Good! Come at me together!" Yang Qing said calmly.
He did not look down on anyone. It was simply that a one-on-one duel could not give him enough pressure.
Coming together was about right. Only sufficient pressure could completely awaken his Combat Talent and make him stronger with every battle.
But the others clearly did not see it that way. Hearing Yang Qing's words, all of them felt deeply insulted.
"Hmph! Let me see whether you truly have the right to be so arrogant!"
Ba Tian, the prodigy of the Overlord Body Clan, snorted coldly and attacked first, using the Overlord Body Clan's supreme killing move from the very start.
The nine divine forms of the Great Accomplishment Overlord Body appeared at once, then merged into one and became a battle immortal that charged through the air toward Yang Qing.
"If you had reached Great Accomplishment, you might have been able to fight me. As you are now, you are far too weak!"
Yang Qing gripped the Sky-Supporting Sword and slashed out. Dazzling sword light shot straight into the heavens, while blazing sword intent condensed within the blade's radiance.
With one sword strike, heaven and earth were cleaved apart, as though the universe itself would be split in two. The peerless sharpness made Ba Tian shudder with dread.
The others were also shocked. When an expert made a move, his skill was immediately apparent. The Saint Body had revealed heaven-shaking combat strength the instant he attacked.
The next moment, Ba Tian and the other top prodigies alike were consumed by rage, their eyes brimming with icy killing intent.
Yang Qing's sword strike had not targeted Ba Tian alone. It had encompassed everyone standing in the sky.
The Saint Body had not merely talked arrogantly when he told them to attack together. He had put it into action.
Who did the Saint Body think he was, to challenge all of them alone?
Ba Tian was even more furious. The Saint Body clearly did not take him seriously and had even regarded him as an ant.
This was intolerable!
The battle immortal formed from the nine divine forms of the Overlord Body roared, stepped upon the heavens, and pressed forward, intending to trample the Saint Body beneath its feet.
Boom!
Amid the earth-shaking collision, the battle immortal was ground away by the dazzling sword light, and blood even dripped from Ba Tian's body.
Ba Tian stared dumbfoundedly at the Saint Body, his face filled with shock as though he had witnessed something unimaginable.
His proud, peerless killing move had actually collapsed in an instant, while the terrifying sword intent sent chills through his entire body.
The power of a single sword strike was truly terrifying!
As he watched the Saint Body charge at him with sword in hand, Ba Tian unexpectedly felt a trace of fear in that instant.
Though it lasted only a moment, it was enough to make Ba Tian fly into a rage from humiliation. He condensed the battle immortal once more and charged at Yang Qing.
At this moment, the other prodigies could no longer endure it either, both because of the Saint Body's provocation and because of that sword strike just now.
The sword intent within that strike had been so terrifying that every one of them had felt an immense threat.
On the Emperor's Road, there was advance but no retreat. Taking this chance to eliminate a powerful enemy was not necessarily a bad choice.
Since the Saint Body wanted to fight them, they would grant his wish!
The prodigies attacked together, each unleashing a peerless killing move. Heaven-shaking power intertwined, terrifying beyond measure.
"Good! Now this is getting interesting. Watch as my sword sweeps across three thousand realms!"
Facing the combined assault of so many top prodigies of this era, Yang Qing not only felt no fear, but the battle intent around him grew even more blazing.
Five years spent honing a sword had finally forged its edge; once unleashed, it would break bamboo with irresistible force!
He had cultivated for five years, climbing step by step to the summit. Now, it was time for his peerless sword to leave its sheath!
The four seas churned as clouds and waters raged; the five continents trembled as wind and thunder roared!
Watch how he would use the three-foot azure blade in his hand to defeat every prodigy of this era!
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