Liu Yongzhan's reaction was undeniably quick, but Ji Wuchang was quicker.
Before the long saber could swing around behind him, Ji Wuchang's fist slammed viciously into Liu Yongzhan's back.
With a bang, accompanied by a scream from Liu Yongzhan, his entire body flew into the air before crashing down below the arena!
At that moment, the entire venue fell silent. Many Longevity Sect disciples stared at Ji Wuchang on the platform in disbelief, thinking their eyes were deceiving them.
Someone at the Qi Refining Realm seventh layer had instantly defeated someone at the Qi Refining Realm eighth layer!
He had finished his opponent with just one punch. It felt a little unreal to them!
"How could this happen? How could he be so strong?"
Tai Yujie simply could not accept it and began muttering to herself.
An Kexin narrowed her eyes slightly as well, a trace of killing intent appearing in them!
Meng Caihong unclenched her tightly balled fist and slowly let out a breath.
"Senior Sister, you knew this would happen all along, didn't you?"
Surprise also appeared on Huang Wanqiu's face, and she turned to look at Zhen Miaoqing!
Zhen Miaoqing remained calm and said, "Do you think just anyone can stay in Wind Thunder Valley for several hours?"
Zhen Miaoqing's question left Huang Wanqiu speechless. It seemed she had vastly underestimated this junior brother's combat strength!
"Junior Brother Wuchang, well done!"
Huang Guangwen was the first to speak, bursting into laughter.
"Senior Brother Wuchang is amazing! He's my idol from now on?"
A female disciple gazed at Ji Wuchang with adoration, her eyes shining.
"Senior Brother Wuchang is so handsome! How did I never notice before?"
"None of you had better fight me over him! Senior Brother Wuchang is mine!"
"No wonder the Third Elder took a liking to Senior Brother Wuchang. His combat strength really is terrifying!"
On the Longevity Sect's side, the previously oppressive mood erupted the instant Ji Wuchang defeated Liu Yongzhan, and the atmosphere became immensely lively.
Zuo Yan, whose eyes had been tightly closed, opened them at this moment, glanced at Ji Wuchang, then slowly closed them again!
"Pavilion Master Zhao, what do you think of my surprise?"
Zhen Yaotian spoke with a smile, inwardly breathing a slight sigh of relief!
Zhao Sandao glanced at Ji Wuchang, then smiled and said, "His movement technique is good, but movement technique alone won't suffice in the face of absolute strength!"
Zhao Sandao's meaning was simple: Ji Wuchang had only defeated Liu Yongzhan so quickly by relying on his unpredictable movement technique!
Despite saying that, however, another shadow fell over his heart.
But when Zhao Sandao turned his gaze toward Jin Enting, he relaxed again.
After all, Jin Enting's combat strength was beyond comparison with the others. Even if Qian Zuo, Li Hao, and Lin Yuzhen joined forces, they would struggle to defeat him!
It could be said that Jin Enting was the trump card in his hand.
Zhao Sandao had proposed this format resembling a gauntlet precisely because he had considered all the possibilities.
With Jin Enting there, any situation could be turned around, even if he was the only one left!
Liu Yongzhan returned to the others with guilt written all over his face. This had truly dealt him a blow!
Jin Enting paid Liu Yongzhan no heed and instead slowly walked toward the arena.
He revealed no imposing presence, yet wherever he passed, those at the Qi Refining Realm felt a terrifying pressure bearing down on them!
Even those at the Foundation Establishment Realm second layer stared at Jin Enting with extremely grave expressions.
"This man is so strong!"
A Qi Refining Realm cultivator spoke softly, his voice trembling slightly!
No one around him answered. Their gazes were all fixed on the arena, their earlier joy having vanished without a trace.
This match was the final showdown at the Qi Refining Realm, and its repercussions would be far-reaching.
"Ji Wuchang, show us what you can do! Win this match, and the sect will reward you with ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones!"
Just then, a voice rang throughout the venue. It was Sect Master Zhen Yaotian's voice!
At those words, everyone from the Longevity Sect instantly stared with eyes as round as saucers.
What did ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones amount to? Even Little Bamboo Peak's annual resources were worth only about half that!
None of the elders present spoke up to stop Zhen Yaotian when they heard his words.
Compared with ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones, this match was far more important.
It was worth many, many lots of ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones!
Ji Wuchang had never expected such a windfall. His eyes instantly lit up, and he cupped his fist toward Zhen Yaotian. "How generous, Sect Master! Those ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones are mine!"
Ji Wuchang's words were as decisive as a blade cutting nails and iron, and a surge of heroic spirit soared skyward!
Zhen Yaotian was very pleased to hear Ji Wuchang's words. For some inexplicable reason, his confidence in Ji Wuchang grew!
Besides encouraging Ji Wuchang, he was also testing how much confidence Ji Wuchang had.
If Ji Wuchang had lacked the conviction that he could defeat his opponent, he would not have dared respond to his words.
"Since Sect Master Zhen is being so lavish, I naturally can't be stingy either!"
"Jin Enting, win this match, and I will reward you with a fourth-grade Marrow-Washing and Meridian-Cleansing Pill to strengthen your foundation further!"
Zhao Sandao laughed heartily, his voice carrying throughout the venue.
Everyone present was greatly startled. Although a fourth-grade Marrow-Washing and Meridian-Cleansing Pill did not cost as much as ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones, there were none available to buy.
Even if you offered ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones, the owner might not be willing to sell it to you.
If such a pill were given to a sect's Qi Refining Realm prodigy, it could allow him to condense more Dao platforms when establishing his foundation!
How could ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones possibly compare with the value of a prodigy?
Jin Enting's eyes instantly lit up upon hearing this, and he hurriedly cupped his fist. "Thank you, Pavilion Master! I will win this battle!"
The moment Jin Enting spoke, many from the Longevity Sect bristled!
"Senior Brother Wuchang, we believe in you! Beat him into the ground!"
"That's right! Our Senior Brother Wuchang is the strongest! Knock him down with one punch!"
Many Longevity Sect disciples around them cheered Ji Wuchang on, their momentum surging like a rainbow!
At that moment, the atmosphere was intensely fervent. Whether sect master, elder, or disciple, all felt their bodies tense slightly.
Deep within the Longevity Sect, a wisp of divine sense swept over as well, evidently stirred by the atmosphere at the venue.
How did this scene resemble a match between Qi Refining Realm cultivators? Even matches at the Foundation Establishment Realm or the Purple Mansion Realm did not have such an atmosphere!
No one knew that, high among the clouds a hundred thousand feet above the Longevity Sect, an old man sat cross-legged, watching the match in the sect below with great interest!
The old man wore nothing more than ordinary coarse hemp clothing, with a wine gourd at his waist and a storage ring on his left hand. He had nothing else.
"So this is my female disciple's sect? It's a little weak, but full of youthful vigor!"
The old man murmured to himself, then turned his gaze toward Zhen Miaoqing, his face filled with benevolent affection.
This old man was none other than Zhen Miaoqing's master.
Had Ji Wuchang seen him, he would certainly have recognized him. He had met this man in his previous life!