The Grand Elders of the Nine Great Mountain Gates had arrived in person, demonstrating their absolute dominion over the Heavenly Pool's opportunity through overwhelming force and scaring everyone else away.
Who could have imagined that, in these circumstances, someone would still dare to barge in—and act so arrogantly, as if the nine men didn't even exist?
Everyone immediately turned toward the source of the voice. A young man strode toward them. He wasn't particularly handsome, but there was something about him that made it impossible to look away.
"This young man's got some nerve!"
"Like a newborn calf that doesn't fear the tiger. I finally understand what that means."
Age was equated with cultivation.
That was the consensus among most people.
It was like traditional Chinese medicine: people instinctively assumed that the older the physician, the better the doctor.
Perhaps there were gifted people in the world, but their talent wasn't apparent at first glance. It took evidence to change people's ingrained opinions.
So when everyone saw Yuan Tianzong's youthful face, disappointment immediately welled up in their hearts.
They had assumed that anyone who could say something so brazen would be some infamous old monster from China. They hadn't expected a youngster like this.
Zhong Wanli's expression was indifferent. "Kid, where did you come from, acting so arrogantly?"
Perhaps the young man came from an extraordinary background, perhaps from a Great Sect.
That was the only reason the nine of them hadn't immediately struck him down.
Yuan Tianzong had already reached the Heavenly Pool, and he paid no one any heed. The only thing reflected in his eyes was the extraordinarily brilliant twelve-petal Golden Lotus. Knowing what Zhong Wanli was getting at, he replied:
"A wandering cultivator from the wilderness."
"A wandering cultivator dares to act insolently in front of us? You're asking to die!"
"Wait, he's the one who killed Liu Mei and Elder Xia!"
"That's right, it's him!"
At last, someone recognized Yuan Tianzong as the man who had killed Yin Xu Mountain's disciples not long ago.
As soon as those words were spoken, Zhong Wanli struck.
First, the young man was his enemy.
Second, Zhong Wanli had already investigated his background and confirmed that he wasn't a disciple of a Great Sect.
"You murderous lunatic! You could've taken the road to heaven, but instead you've barged straight into hell!"
With a cold snort, Zhong Wanli sent a Flying Thunder Sword hurtling forward. It left a visible Lightning Mark in the air and appeared before Yuan Tianzong in an instant!
It was even faster than when he had killed the Boar King earlier, and the speed left the onlookers shaken.
"Oh, no!"
"Is he your relative?"
"No."
"Then why are you worried?"
"He's so handsome! And he has such a presence!"
"..."
Just as everyone thought Yuan Tianzong was about to be annihilated, things took an interesting turn!
One punch!
Facing the deadly Flying Thunder Sword, he simply threw a punch, meeting it with bare flesh and knocking it back with a thunderous blow!
What?!
Every onlooker stared in shock.
The nine men, Zhong Wanli included, were so stunned that they thought their eyes were deceiving them.
He'd knocked back the Flying Thunder Sword with one punch?
Some were horrified. Some refused to believe it. Others couldn't make sense of it.
"Who are you, really?!"
Zhong Wanli couldn't believe that a youngster could possess the cultivation and strength to contend with him—unless he came from a Great Sect and was one of its most outstanding disciples.
"A wandering cultivator from the wilderness."
Zhong Wanli's eyelids twitched violently, and his whole body grew hot.
Hah! So you're saying that I, the Grand Elder of Yin Xu Mountain, a top expert in the Dragon Opening Realm, spent a fortune mastering the Flying Thunder Sword technique... only to be no match for a wandering cultivator from the wilderness?
And in front of everyone, too. How am I supposed to live this down?
What will become of Yin Xu Mountain's reputation?!
"Good! You really do have the strength to back up your arrogance! But no matter what, today you'll be taking a trip to the underworld!"
With a furious shout, Zhong Wanli no longer held back. The three swords on his back shot out in an instant, joining the first. Surging true qi burst from his body, interwoven with threads of lightning!
Flying Thunder Sword!
Thunder Dragon's Wrath!
The four swords shot forward, and lightning flared!
They tore through the air and transformed into a thunder dragon!
The onlookers trembled with fear, even though they weren't the ones directly facing Zhong Wanli's attack.
"That's the move he used to kill the Boar King!"
"Dragon Opening Realm, combined with technological flying swords... His combat strength has surged to the level of a half-step Grandmaster!"
"Too powerful!"
Zhong Wanli's aura surged as he attacked with all his might. Fixing his gaze on Yuan Tianzong, he shouted, "If you can withstand this move, I'll let bygones be bygones!"
"Haha, you wish!"
The ground shook violently as Yuan Tianzong took a step forward, radiating an imposing presence.
The onlookers swallowed hard. It looked as though he was stepping through the air, with dragons rippling beneath his feet. They made him seem like an emperor personally leading an expedition, with an indescribable majesty and unstoppable dominance!
Nine Dragon Ascending Emperor Step!
With every step Yuan Tianzong took, his pure-yang aura blazed more intensely.
One step!
The four swords wailed and vibrated, unable to advance another inch through the air!
On his second step, Yuan Tianzong appeared ten meters from Zhong Wanli. The oppressive force of an emperor whose word was law made the Grand Elder tremble from head to toe. The surging force ripped his clothes apart first!
Horror filled his heart as he realized he couldn't even withstand a single move from his opponent!
Who was this man?
He was so young, yet his presence surpassed that of the prodigies from the Great Sects!
No—he could even contend with the elder powerhouses of the Great Sects!
"Gentlemen, what are you waiting for?!" Feeling the aura of death invade his lungs, Zhong Wanli finally abandoned his pride and called to his old friends for help.
"Show mercy!"
"Don't go too far!"
"Young man, tell us your sect. Perhaps we have some connection!"
A roar erupted as Long Xiaotian unleashed his full strength and activated Rocket Leg, charging forward at top speed. He took his place beside Zhong Wanli, his blurred legs sweeping out countless kicks. Combined with the power of rockets, they shook the air with astonishing force!
At the same time, Chen Daofeng of Gui Cang Valley, Xu Qiantao of Ancient Path Mountain, and Guan Feiyan of Lotus Cove—all three half-step Grand Elders—rushed over and attacked together.
Their years of friendship, along with the interests tied to their respective sects, made it impossible for them to stand by and watch Zhong Wanli suffer another defeat.
Besides, they all shared the same thought: Five half-step Grandmasters, working together—surely you can't take all of us on? If you know what's good for you, we can each back down. Otherwise, the outcome really is hard to predict!
The onlookers erupted in an uproar.
"Five half-step Grandmasters joining forces?!"
"What astonishing true qi! Their cultivation methods are completely different, so how are they strengthening one another's auras?!"
Facing the five men, Yuan Tianzong didn't show the slightest fear.
He firmly took the second step of Nine Dragon Ascending Emperor Step!
A golden footprint formed from condensed true qi came down with the domineering force of an emperor personally leading an expedition!
Half-step Grandmaster? Dragon Opening is Dragon Opening, and Grandmaster is Grandmaster. Where did this 'half-step' nonsense come from? Heh.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The terrifying golden footprint crushed the five men's attacks with unstoppable force. Then, amid their repeated pleas for mercy, it came down without a trace of pity.
Boom—!
A violent tremor swept in every direction, sending snow and dust swirling through the air.
When the dust finally settled, five heaps of mangled flesh lay on the ground, plunging the entire world into silence.
The other Grand Elders were drenched in cold sweat, secretly glad they hadn't stepped forward to face him.
His strength had repeatedly surpassed their expectations. He was so powerful, it was as if he were... a Grandmaster!
No, that can't be.
Divine Smoke of Entering the Dao is the only opportunity to break through to Grandmaster. It hasn't even appeared yet. How could he have entered the Grandmaster Realm?
Everyone's expressions shifted, but not a word was spoken.
Even the companions of the dead disciples from the mountain gates remained as silent as the grave.
He'd crushed five half-step Grandmasters with a single stomp?
With strength like that, anyone who still dared to provoke him would only be courting death. It wouldn't make them a hero.
"The Golden Lotus King is mine. Anyone still have a problem with that?"
Yuan Tianzong swept his gaze over the remaining Grand Elders. They all shook their heads. None of them dared to object!
Then Yuan Tianzong turned, leaped across several hundred meters, and landed steadily atop the brilliant Golden Lotus King!
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