Second Courtyard area.
Wen Liang recognized Chen Changqing at a glance.
"So it's this kid."
"He's got some nerve, challenging a body cultivator at Foundation Establishment Late Stage?"
Wen Liang was secretly astonished, finding it rather unbelievable.
After all, faced with Shi Tian's strength, he had already given up on competing for first place in this grand competition.
Yet at this final moment, Chen Changqing had actually stepped onto the stage.
"Only at Foundation Establishment Early Stage—he probably can't even withstand a single punch from Shi Tian, can he?"
Wen Liang narrowed his eyes slightly, not holding any hope for Chen Changqing at all.
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 toward Chen Changqing brimming with venomous hatred.
Earlier in the Void Realm, he had led several Second Courtyard disciples to surround Liu Ruyan, intending to snatch all the points from her.
Who would have thought that at the crucial moment, Chen Changqing had appeared?
Seeing that Chen Changqing was only at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, Cui Hao had not thought much of him.
Yet after exchanging blows, he discovered that Chen Changqing's strength far exceeded his expectations.
Not only had Chen Changqing defeated Kong Ning, who was also at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, but he had also shattered the Seven Kill Sword Formation Cui Hao had presided over with one punch.
In the end, he had even taken all the points from their Identity Tokens.
As a result, Cui Hao's points had fallen out of the top twenty on the Points Leaderboard.
The more he thought about it, the more hatred 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 Qi Refining Ninth Layer in the Void Realm before.
Now that Chen Changqing had broken through to Foundation Establishment Early Stage, Meng Zhou naturally thought of the opportunity that had been snatched away.
After thinking for a moment, Meng Zhou came back to his senses and sighed helplessly.
"So what if he obtained an opportunity?"
"Against Shi Tian, a body cultivator at Foundation Establishment Late Stage, he's simply not worth mentioning!"
Meanwhile, Chen Changqing had already arrived atop the White Jade Arena.
"Hm?"
Shi Tian narrowed his eyes at Chen Changqing, then waved his hand.
"Junior Brother, you should go back down!"
"I have no desire to bully you."
Chen Changqing smiled calmly and cupped his fist in salute.
"Senior Brother, please."
Seeing that Chen Changqing still insisted on challenging him, a fierce gleam flashed through Shi Tian's eyes as he said in a low voice.
"Since you insist on asking for humiliation!"
"Then don't blame me."
The instant his words fell, a vicious light flashed in Shi Tian's eyes as his right fist shot forward!
Boom!
As the punch flew out, the air exploded with a crackling, popping roar.
Shi Tian was extremely confident.
He figured that this single punch would be more than enough to settle Chen Changqing.
At the same time, everyone watching assumed that Chen Changqing would be blasted off the arena by Shi Tian's single punch.
But at that moment, Chen Changqing gave a cold, faint smile.
Facing Shi Tian's fist force, he had no intention of retreating or evading. Instead, he threw a punch in return, meeting it head-on.
Boom!!
In less than a few breaths, their fists had collided.
Bang...
A violent shockwave exploded outward, and cracks spread across the arena floor under the assault of their fist force.
Even the barrier surrounding the arena shook violently.
Their fist forces canceled each other out, and both of them staggered several steps backward.
Seeing this, disciples from every courtyard were utterly stunned, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"Ah?"
"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 deceiving me?"
"..."
The disciples cried out in shock, hardly daring to believe it.
"What?"
After steadying himself, Shi Tian's pupils contracted sharply as numbness spread through his arm.
"What terrifying strength!!"
"He's only at Foundation Establishment Early Stage, yet he can unleash such power?"
Shi Tian cried out inwardly in shock, his gaze at Chen Changqing filled with disbelief.
This was the first time he had encountered an outer sect disciple capable of meeting him head-on.
At the same time, Chen Changqing was also somewhat astonished.
"Shi Tian's physical body truly is extraordinary!"
Chen Changqing murmured in amazement.
He sensed the force lingering in both his arms.
After all, he had broken through into the Qi Refining level from the limit of Body Refining.
After advancing to the Foundation Establishment Realm in the Void Realm earlier, his arms could unleash the force of ten thousand jin. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could not withstand a single punch from him.
Yet Shi Tian could!
Just as Chen Changqing was distracted, Shi Tian suddenly burst into wild 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.
Thunder Fist!
Seeing this, Chen Changqing gave 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 clashing fists rang out continuously from the arena.
Every strike Chen Changqing threw carried the roar of thunder.
Shi Tian, meanwhile, was like a savage beast from the ancient wilderness. His fists and kicks opened and closed in sweeping arcs, every move blasting the air with a thunderous boom.
Boom! Boom!
The arena shook without end as violent spiritual power surged and raced about.
Seeing Chen Changqing and Shi Tian fighting blow for blow, the disciples of every courtyard were all dumbfounded.
"Is this really a battle in the Foundation Establishment Realm?"
"Chen Changqing, a disciple at Foundation Establishment Early Stage, can actually fight Shi Tian on equal footing?"
"How is that possible?"
"How did he do it? Shi Tian is a body cultivator at Foundation Establishment Late Stage!"
"..."
The many disciples exclaimed in astonishment.
They had originally believed that Chen Changqing would be knocked from the arena the moment he failed to take Shi Tian's punch.
Who could have imagined that after they exchanged blows, 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 cultivation of Foundation Establishment Early Stage to face Shi Tian's Foundation Establishment Late Stage strength.
That made it all the more incomprehensible.
Seeing this, the First Courtyard disciples all wore ugly expressions.
"Damn it!"
"Where did this Chen Changqing come from?"
"He can do this at only Foundation Establishment Early Stage?"
"Senior Brother Shi Tian is the strongest member of our First Courtyard!"
"And 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.
Yet now, he was fighting Chen Changqing to such a state.
On the other side, the Seven Courtyards disciples erupted into an uproar.
"Holy shit!"
"Junior Brother Chen... is actually this strong?"
"To meet Shi Tian head-on like this—he's incredible!"
"He's only at Foundation Establishment Early Stage!"
"If he were at Foundation Establishment Late Stage, wouldn't he be able to crush Shi Tian whenever he wanted?"
"..."
The disciples were tremendously excited. Though they had supported Chen Changqing in taking the arena to challenge Shi Tian earlier,
deep down, they had held little hope that Chen Changqing could defeat Shi Tian.
But now, seeing Chen Changqing fight Shi Tian blow for blow, hope blazed to life in the hearts of the Seven Courtyards disciples.
Before you continue