A Stunning Display of Skill

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Ye Tang's expression changed. "How is that possible? Though the power of my hand blade is not even half of what it is when I wield a saber, it is still not something a Qi Cultivation Realm martial artist can withstand."

What he did not know was that Ye Chen's physical strength had long surpassed twelve thousand jin. At sixty percent, it was still over seven thousand jin—the force of two or three rampaging water buffaloes.

Crane-Controlling Capture Hand!

His attack shifted. Ye Tang's robes fluttered as he swept forward, his right hand spreading wide, fingers hooked like iron claws as they reached for Ye Chen's shoulder.

In that instant, Ye Chen felt as though he had been targeted by a bird of prey. He knew he could not let the other man lock him down; otherwise, even if he was not injured, he would lose control.

Whoosh!

With Golden Goose Steps unleashed, Ye Chen's body drifted away, leaving behind a faint afterimage.

Ye Tang shredded the afterimage in frustration. When he looked up, a single point suddenly appeared before his eyes.

It was Sword Light!

Sharp, dazzling Sword Light!

The instant it appeared, it had already reached Ye Tang.

"Ah!" Ye Tang had not expected his opponent to still have the strength to counterattack. The moment he struck, there was nowhere to evade, nowhere to hide—it had reached a realm Unpredictable as Gods and Ghosts.

"Break!"

With an angry roar, Ye Tang's right hand turned white as jade. He pinched at the air with two fingers, intending to block Ye Chen's attack and snap the Fine Steel Sword in two.

Ye Chen sneered. "Dream on!"

The Fine Steel Sword's trajectory was elusive, like Flowers in the Mirror, Moon in the Water. Illusory Sword Light spread out and flickered several times.

Sshk!

A bloody hole appeared on Ye Tang's True Qi-infused finger. Fine threads of blood sprayed out, only to be thoroughly shredded by the Sword Light and vanish into nothingness.

"Tang'er's Ice Condensation Finger was broken!" Ye Batian's face abruptly darkened. He could scarcely believe his own eyes.

Ye Tianhao and Shen Yuqing were equally incredulous. They knew Ye Chen was strong, but how could he be this strong? Was he truly planning to defeat Ye Tang across realms?

"Not good!"

Ye Tang retreated again and again, reaching behind his back to draw his Treasure Saber.

The saber was four chi and one cun long, two cun and six fen wide. Its blade was smooth and bright as snow, its entire body emanating a chilling yin aura that made one shudder. This proved it was no ordinary weapon, but a rare Treasure Saber—a saber for killing. And indeed, it was so. At North Snow Manor, this saber was called the Glittering Snow Saber, and only Inner Sect Disciples were permitted to use it.

Heavy Snow Covering the Sky!

The moment the Glittering Snow Saber fell into his hand, Ye Tang's Momentum surged. With a flick of his wrist, innumerable drifting saber lights swept back toward Ye Chen's position, as though a winter blizzard had arrived ahead of time.

Ye Chen gripped his sword in both hands and swung it with all his might.

Every saber light that swept toward him shattered and exploded, unable to advance an inch. This showed just how fast and airtight Ye Chen's sword swings were.

Frost on Top of Snow!

Pressing his advantage without mercy, Ye Tang infused his saber light with biting frost qi. It easily froze the moisture in the air, as though it would seal the entire arena in ice.

Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack...

Just as Ye Chen was about to move, cold qi suddenly rose from the ground. A thin layer of frost covered the surface, spreading outward from Ye Tang toward him and forming a semicircular patch of snow.

Retreat!

Ye Chen withdrew his sword stance. With a tap of his foot, he flew backward.

"Ye Chen, it is truly impressive that you lasted so many moves against me. Unfortunately, you will still lose. Proud Snow Piercing Frost!" Ye Tang gripped his saber in both hands and slashed down from above.

Clang!

A curved saber light half a zhang long shot from the Glittering Snow Saber, tearing through the air as it flew out with an irresistible aura. In the next instant, it would cleave Ye Chen in two with a single blade.

"Chen'er, be careful." Shen Yuqing, anxious to protect her son, instinctively rose to her feet, preparing to go to his aid.

Ye Batian snorted coldly and pressed his right hand through the air, intercepting Shen Yuqing from afar and leaving her unable to move an inch.

"Sister-in-law, this is still a match. Do not act recklessly."

Ye Tianhao had reached the limit of his endurance. Fierce waves of qi erupted around him as he stepped forward with his right foot, sending the entire VIP seat flying into the air, where it shattered.

The situation was on the verge of exploding.

"Gentlemen, wait! The situation has changed!" City Lord Lin hurriedly circulated his cultivation to protect himself, calling urgently to Ye Batian and the other two.

At his words, the three turned their attention back to the arena.

Ye Tang's detached saber light sliced the air to pieces, its lingering shockwave carving a straight mark into the ground, three cun deep.

Ye Chen is going to lose this time. He might even die. Nearly everyone thought so.

Facing that terrifying saber light, Ye Chen's body trembled. The Blood and Qi throughout his body roared like rushing waters, and his entire presence suddenly grew lofty and immense, like an ancient celestial god.

"Destroy!"

With a loud shout, Ye Chen remained motionless and threw out a punch with his left hand.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

The detached saber light exploded into fragments in midair, accomplishing nothing.

"What is going on? How can his strength be so powerful?" Ye Xuan abruptly stood up, unable to believe it.

Ye Hai's face was equally grave, his eyes fixed tightly on Ye Chen.

Meanwhile, Ye Tang's eyes bulged, his movements frozen in place.

Mountain Rock Collapse!

Ye Chen's gaze was sharp as a sword. He lunged forward, carrying the Momentum of a collapsing mountain, and arrived three steps before Ye Tang. In an instant, the Fine Steel Sword rested against his neck.

"You lost," Ye Chen said flatly.

Ye Tang came back to his senses, unable to accept the reality before him. His eyes bloodshot, he said, "Impossible! I didn't lose! Die!"

The Glittering Snow Saber spun in his hand as he prepared to slash.

A trace of anger appeared on Ye Chen's face. With a sweep of his left hand, he knocked the Glittering Snow Saber from Ye Tang's grasp, then stepped forward and sent his body flying with a crashing blow.

Pfft!

Ye Tang spat out a mouthful of blood in midair and fell listlessly more than a dozen steps away.

"Ye Chen won—he actually won!"

"Who would have thought it? Even Ye Tang, who advanced into the True Condensation Realm, was no match for Ye Chen. Just how formidable is he? It seems the battle for first place will be full of suspense."

"Exactly. As one of the Ye Family's two great geniuses, and a disciple of North Snow Manor, Ye Tang's strength was nearly greater than that of True Condensation Realm Early Stage martial artists from the older generation. Yet he still lost to Ye Chen. It is truly beyond all expectation. If Ye Chen also enters the True Condensation Realm, how powerful will he become? He would absolutely sweep through all True Condensation Realm Early Stage martial artists. Even Mid True Condensation Realm martial artists might not necessarily defeat him."

"Challenging above one's realm—this is the legendary challenge across realms. So it really exists."

The crowd boiled like water at a rolling boil. After seeing Ye Chen defeat Ye Tang, no one believed he was unqualified to claim first place in the Clan Gathering. If anyone did, that person had to be mad—or blind, unable to see the truth.

Ye Xuan still had not sat down. A few months ago, Ye Chen had merely been a minor sixth-layer Qi Cultivation Realm martial artist. Now, he possessed the strength to challenge her. It left her uneasy and stifled, beyond words.

If she had to explain it, the contrast was simply too great.

"You beasts, all of you shut up!" Hearing the crowd's discussion, Ye Batian let out a furious roar from the wrecked VIP seat. Violent Qi Force spread outward like a surging river.

In an instant, the crowd was thrown into chaos.

Seeing this, Ye Tianhao said angrily, "Ye Batian, what are you trying to do?"