Spectators

"Explode!"

The moment the golden seal finished forming, Lu Duo let out a sharp shout, and his face instantly turned pale.

"A decent martial art technique, but unfortunately, this kind of attack is useless against me."

Looking at the golden seal crashing down from above toward all sides around him, Lin Chen sighed softly. His already dark, bright eyes became as clear and brilliant as black obsidian at that moment, impossible to look at directly.

"Spirit Fire! Burn!"

Vast Spiritual Power surged from Lin Chen's Mud Pill Palace and rapidly spread through the surrounding heavens and earth. Then, with a point of his finger into the air, a crimson flame instantly formed above his fingertip before slowly touching the oncoming golden seal.

Though the crimson flame was tiny, only a few feet long, the immense spiritual force contained within it made even the Origin Energy Light Barrier isolating the high air above the arena somewhat unstable.

The next moment, the golden seal condensed from Origin Energy abruptly dimmed, while the golden feather fan above it lost its spirituality in that brief contact, its golden radiance fading away.

Whoosh!

Accompanied by the sound of flames scorching, the golden seal diving down from the sky was destroyed in an instant.

Lu Duo immediately spat out blood because of it, his face turning deathly pale. His body swayed violently, and without even having time to retrieve the Gilded Feather Fan that had completely lost its spirituality, he slowly fell from the sky and fainted.

"Peak High-grade Spirit Talisman Master!"

What had happened in those few short moments left everyone throughout the area stunned!

The first to react was the purple-clad beautiful woman who had somehow appeared in the air above the arena. As she used Origin Energy to reinforce the arena beneath Lin Chen, her gaze remained fixed on the calmly standing Lin Chen. Her slightly narrow eyes were filled with astonishment, and she could not help murmuring.

A Heavenly Symbol Master was comparable to a Nirvana Realm expert. Yet across the entire Great Qing Dynasty, while there were quite a few Nirvana Realm experts and even several Three-Origin Nirvana Realm experts, there was not a single Heavenly Symbol Master. Even High-grade Spirit Talisman Masters were extremely rare.

Compared to Origin Energy, cultivating Spiritual Power required even greater talent. Moreover, the value of a Symbol Master far exceeded that of someone at the same Origin Energy realm.

Even the most ordinary weapon would become extraordinary in the hands of a Symbol Master. Once Spiritual Power reached the level of a High-grade Spirit Talisman Master, one could even condense peculiar symbols with Spiritual Power and forge High-grade Spirit Treasures.

A Heavenly Symbol Master could inscribe and forge earth-grade spirit treasures. By the same logic, one could well imagine the value of a high-level Symbol Master.

"If this person reaches the level of a Heavenly Symbol Master within eight years and represents our Great Qing Dynasty in the Hundred Dynasties War, then even when facing High-level Dynasties, our Great Qing Dynasty will have the confidence to stand its ground..."

Setting aside the thoughts in the purple-clad woman's heart, as Lin Chen revealed his Spiritual Power without holding anything back, the entire plaza, both inside and out, erupted in shock and uproar.

After all, Lin Chen looked far too young. If his talent for cultivating Origin Energy was still something people could accept, then this level of immense Spiritual Power had greatly surpassed some people's understanding.

This was different from the deliberate attention Lin Chen had received when Liu Jiang appeared, due to the Origin Energy fluctuations he had displayed. Now, Lin Chen had transformed in everyone's eyes from an exceptionally gifted genius into an expert, a lofty Symbol Master.

"Such powerful Spiritual Power..."

"Hehe... Lu Duo is really unlucky this time, running into such a monstrous genius."

"..."

"This person is so young, yet his Spiritual Power has already reached such a level. Even Su Kui of the Qing Xuan Sect probably cannot compare to him..."

"It is more than simply being unable to compare. They are not even worth mentioning in the same breath. From what I can tell, this person's Spiritual Power is likely not far from the level of a Heavenly Symbol Master..."

"I have heard of the Great Yan Dynasty. It is merely a low-level dynasty, yet I never expected such a genius to emerge from it..."

"..."

"A High-grade Spirit Talisman Master..."

After sensing Lin Chen's vast and mighty Spiritual Power, Liu Cheng's rather handsome face was filled with shock, though there was also a faint bitterness in his expression. The way he looked at Lin Chen now carried a trace of reverence.

A minor-success Creation Realm cultivator and a peak High-grade Spirit Talisman Master were not equals in strength. The gap between them was enormous.

In Liu Cheng's eyes, based on the talent and strength Lin Chen had displayed so far, Lin Chen was no longer someone from the same world as him. One day, Lin Chen would leave him completely behind.

"..."

Elsewhere, on a broad viewing platform beneath the plaza.

"Big Sister, it seems I really must congratulate you this time..."

"Congratulate me? For what?"

Liu Ya furrowed her delicate brows slightly and looked at her younger sister, Liu Xuan, in confusion.

"It seems Big Sister has truly become muddleheaded from cultivation."

Liu Xuan gently shook her head. A trace of melancholy appeared on her lovely face as she said, "Looking across our Great Qing Dynasty, have you ever heard of anyone with such extraordinary cultivation talent?"

"No..."

"Lin Chen's talent... I fear even the geniuses of some High-level Dynasties cannot compare." After thinking for a moment, Liu Ya answered.

"Exactly. Because of that, after this Arena Competition, Aunt Qian will definitely do everything she can to win him over. Perhaps even Father will personally intervene in this matter. He absolutely cannot remain indifferent..."

"And according to the imperial family's usual practices, the bargaining chips used to win over someone like him will surely include royal women like us. Father only has the two of us as daughters. I am already out of the question, so this time, Big Sister, you are the most likely candidate..."

Liu Xuan spoke in a light, hesitant voice, and a trace of indignation appeared in her clear eyes.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. I should go find Little Sister Su Rou. Yesterday, Big Brother Su Kui brought back quite a few good things from Qing Prefecture..."

Seeing Liu Xuan leave as soon as she finished speaking, Liu Ya inexplicably felt a thread of panic rise in her heart. A few traces of worry also appeared on her delicate, snowy-white face.

At that moment, she finally understood why her younger sister had matured so early and become so perceptive and thoughtful.

As the crowd gradually recovered from their shock, the matches on the other three arenas continued, while Lin Chen withdrew his surging Spiritual Power back into his Mud Pill Palace.

After two guards carried Lu Duo away from the arena, Lin Chen was the only one left on his stage. The match that should have continued was halted because no one stepped forward.

Above the plaza, those who had previously been eager to try shifted their gazes in unspoken agreement after witnessing Lin Chen's terrifying Spiritual Power, turning instead toward the other three arenas.

Even some Creation Realm geniuses from the Great Qing Dynasty were no exception.

It was not that they did not want to take the stage as soon as possible, but they could not guarantee that they would achieve the results they wanted on Lin Chen's arena.

Although the imperial family's Arena Competition offered no rewards beyond those given to the first victors, at their level, every action represented the face of their sects. Acting rashly and exhausting Lin Chen's strength would only be making a wedding dress for someone else.

Seeing that no one was willing to challenge him, Lin Chen would be able to enter the final round without fighting. He simply became a spectator instead, turning his gaze toward the other three arenas in the plaza.