Thunder Spear's First Cry

The semi-final arena was heavy with tension, like lead.

Zhang Tianyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his bright yellow Daoist robe fluttering as if by itself. Spiritual energy surged around him, faintly accompanied by the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers growling – a phenomenon indicating that the Dragon Tiger Mountain's direct lineage technique, the Dragon Tiger Golden Core Great Dao, had been cultivated to a profound level.

The pressure of the peak ninth layer of Qi Refining was released without reservation, bearing down on Mo Yuan like a mountain.

Spectators below held their breath, their gazes fixed. The disciples of Dragon Tiger Mountain wore looks of pride, confident that their senior brother Zhang Tianyuan would surely win.

The disciples of Mount Mao, however, appeared anxious. They hoped Mo Yuan could create another miracle, yet they also worried about the vast difference in their cultivation levels.

"Junior Brother Mo, be careful!" Zhang Tianyuan spoke no further and made the first move.

He brought his fingers together like a brush and drew in the air. Spiritual energy surged, and a golden, intricately structured talisman instantly took shape – the "Dragon Tiger Spirit Suppression Talisman"!

This talisman was not for attack, but a powerful talisman for suppression and binding.

The moment the talisman was formed, it blazed with golden light, transforming into a massive illusion of a dragon and tiger entwined. With the majesty of heaven, it descended upon Mo Yuan.

Wherever the golden light passed, the formation light screen on the arena floor rippled slightly. The air seemed to thicken, as if trying to completely imprison the Mo Yuan.

"He's using one of Dragon Tiger Mountain's trấn-mountain talismans right from the start! Senior Brother Zhang wants to finish this quickly!"

"With this talisman out, cultivators of the same level can barely escape. Mo Yuan is in danger!"

Facing this powerful suppressive force, Mo Yuan felt his spiritual energy circulation become sluggish.

His eyes narrowed. He dared not be careless and activated the Ghost Shadow Footwork to its extreme. His figure became like smoke as he tried to escape the range of the golden light.

However, the dragon and tiger illusion seemed to have locked onto his aura. It followed him like a shadow, its speed not slowing down at all.

"Can't dodge it?" Mo Yuan's mind raced. If that's the case...

He abruptly stopped. The spiritual energy within him, infused with Geng Metal Thunderous Evil, erupted. His hands quickly formed seals, and he uttered a low cry:

"Nine Heavens Edict, Thunder Gather Upon Me! Break!"

He wasn't drawing a talisman, but using himself as a conduit to perform the lightning-summoning technique from the Nine Heavens Thunder Talisman Scripture.

In an instant, purple-gold lightning flashed around him. Countless fine, platinum arcs of electricity covered his body like armor, making him look like a thunder god.

Especially his joined fingers, where lightning condensed as if it were tangible!

"Geng Metal Thunder Finger, Pierce Delusion!"

He brought his fingers together, transforming into a platinum lightning bolt that tore through the golden light. Instead of retreating, he advanced, striking the forehead of the solidified dragon and tiger illusion.

"Chiii--!"

Like a red-hot iron plunged into ice, the finger-sword, imbued with extreme sharpness and the power of thunder to dispel evil, pierced the solid dragon and tiger illusion from the center.

The golden talisman trembled violently, letting out a mournful cry before instantly shattering!

"What?! Breaking a talisman with a finger? And the Dragon Tiger Spirit Suppression Talisman?!" Exclamations erupted from the crowd.

Zhang Tianyuan's pupils also contracted sharply. He hadn't expected his opponent to break his spirit talisman in such a domineering manner!

"Good! You do have some skill!"

Zhang Tianyuan's fighting spirit intensified. He brought his hands together, and the spiritual energy around him changed again, a scorching heat spreading out. "Take this 'Samadhi True Fire Talisman'!"

Three fire threads of different colors, yet all emitting terrifying heat, shot from his fingertips. Like three agile fire dragons, they intertwined and lunged towards Mo Yuan.

This Samadhi True Fire was no ordinary flame; it could melt metal and iron, and even burn the soul!

Before the flames even reached him, the intense heat caused Mo Yuan's hair to curl slightly.

He felt the potency of the Samadhi True Fire and knew that a direct confrontation with his Thunder Finger would likely be disadvantageous.

With a thought, the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear behind him let out a low dragon's roar and leaped into his hand on its own.

With the spear in hand, Mo Yuan's aura underwent a dramatic change, shifting from agile and sharp to steady and domineering.

"Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying, Purge Demons and Burn Evil!"

He flicked his wrist, and the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear transformed into a purple lightning dragon, piercing forward with a sharp whistling sound.

At the tip of the spear, the platinum thunderous evil energy was highly condensed, even drawing upon the surrounding thunderous spiritual energy of the heavens and earth!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The spear's shadow was like a dragon, precisely striking the three threads of Samadhi True Fire.

Thunder and true fire collided violently, creating deafening explosions. Lightning and sparks flew, and the impact of the rampant energy caused the arena's light screen to shake violently!

This time, it wasn't an easy break, but a head-on clash.

Mo Yuan's body swayed slightly, his tiger's mouth numb. Zhang Tianyuan also took half a step back, his face slightly pale.

"Satisfying!"

Zhang Tianyuan roared. He hadn't expected Mo Yuan's spear technique to be so formidable, capable of directly countering his Samadhi True Fire, not just his lightning techniques and finger force. "It seems I can't take you down without getting serious!"

He took a deep breath, his Golden Core Great Dao circulating madly within him. He formed a mystical hand seal in front of his chest.

A presence far more powerful and majestic than before began to condense.

Faintly, it seemed as if two massive illusory figures, one dragon and one tiger, appeared behind him, roaring at the sky!

"It's Dragon Tiger Mountain's secret killing move – the Dragon Tiger Intertwining, Great Capturing Hand!" A well-informed disciple exclaimed in shock.

On the high platform, Celestial Master Zhang of Dragon Tiger Mountain nodded slightly, seemingly quite satisfied with his grandson's performance.

Uncle Nine, however, had a solemn expression and clenched his fists.

Mo Yuan felt the terrifying power, capable of capturing mountains and suppressing demons, taking shape. He knew he couldn't let the opponent continue building momentum.

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he poured all his spiritual power, along with that wisp of Innate Spiritual Energy, Dragon Essence, and Geng Metal Thunderous Evil, into the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear.

The thunder dragon patterns on the spear's body blazed with light. The phantom image of the tiny Thunder Dragon Soul Essence seemed to come alive, roaring and moving across the spear.

He also drew upon a trace of the Primordial Chaos Thunder Source Dao charm he had obtained from signing in at the Small Thunder Sound Pool, integrating it into this strike.

At this moment, he discarded all flashiness, leaving only the purest, most extreme attack.

Man and spear became one, intent merged with thunder!

"Thunder Dragon... Pierces the Heavens!"

He stomped his foot down fiercely, and the green-blue stone of the arena cracked inch by inch. His entire being, along with the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear, transformed into a purple-gold, heaven-shattering rainbow that spanned the arena. With an unstoppable will to destroy everything, he charged towards the Dragon Tiger Intertwining, Great Capturing Hand that was about to take shape.

It was Mo Yuan's ultimate strike, gathering all his foundations, faster than lightning, fiercer than thunder.

Zhang Tianyuan's Dragon Tiger Intertwining, Great Capturing Hand had only half-formed. The dragon-tiger phantom had not yet fully solidified when he saw a destructive bolt of lightning stab towards him. Its speed far exceeded his reaction time!

"Not good!" Alarm bells rang wildly in his heart, and he could only hastily push out the half-formed Great Capturing Hand!

"RUMBLE--!!!"

It was like nine heavens' thunder exploding over the plaza! The dazzling lightning and the golden-red dragon-tiger protective energy clashed violently, forming a massive ball of energy that instantly engulfed the entire arena.

The ferocious shockwave slammed hard against the protective light barrier around the arena. The barrier emitted a grating hum under the immense pressure, flickering unstably, as if it might shatter at any moment!

The disciples below the stage were forced to retreat repeatedly by the terrifying wave of energy. Those with weaker cultivation levels turned pale.

The light lasted for several breaths before gradually dissipating.

On the arena, a scene of devastation unfolded.

Zhang Tianyuan knelt on the ground, his bright yellow Daoist robe scorched and torn in multiple places. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, his face pale, and his eyes filled with disbelief.

In front of him, the half-formed dragon-tiger phantom had long since dispersed.

Mo Yuan, on the other hand, stood several yards away, leaning on the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear to support himself. His face was also pale, his chest heaving violently, and the tiger's mouth on his gripping hand had split open, blood flowing down the spear shaft.

Yet, his spine remained straight, and his gaze was as sharp as ever.

In that clash, he had poured his full strength, nearly depleting his spiritual energy. However, he had ultimately broken through Zhang Tianyuan's incomplete killing move and inflicted a considerable internal injury.

The referee quickly stepped forward to check and confirmed that Zhang Tianyuan was no longer able to fight.

"Semifinals, Mo Yuan, wins!"

Silence! A deathly silence.

Then, an earth-shattering uproar erupted.

He had defeated Zhang Tianyuan, a true disciple of Dragon Tiger Mountain at the peak of Qi Refining Layer Nine, while only being at Qi Refining Layer Eight.

And he had done so in such a direct, head-on confrontation, without any trickery!

Mo Yuan's name, like his stunning spear strike just now, had now thoroughly echoed throughout the Three Sects.