Eagerness flashed in Xiang Yun's eyes. Taking a bath in there would feel incredible.
The valley was already surrounded by people, nearly all of them at the Nirvana Realm. Their surging Origin Energy pressure stirred up a raging wind around them.
They sized one another up, exchanged glances, and probed one another's strength.
Nearly everyone was waiting for someone else to make the first move.
After all, anyone who acted now might be attacked by the crowd, wasting their Origin Energy for nothing.
Ji Shan pointed at the eight stone platforms in the valley. They were submerged beneath the water of the lightning pool, yet remained completely unharmed.
He said, "Those eight spots. The eight platforms are at the geomagnetic center beneath Geomagnetic Valley. Only there can you continuously absorb the water of the lightning pool."
"If you go straight in, you'll be struck by the heavenly lightning that's still there."
"Without the geomagnetic force to neutralize it, the power contained in the heavenly lightning would shatter even a Nirvana Golden Body."
"How are the spots decided?"
Xiang Yun glanced around. Their presences were all roughly the same, about on par with Ji Yanyun's.
Three days ago, he might have had to avoid confronting them, but now...
I just formed my Battle Immortal Golden Body. Why should I avoid them?
"Standing on a platform is enough to claim it. So sometimes two people fight each other to the death, only for someone else to swoop in and steal it."
Xiang Yun nodded and said, "Go claim two spots."
"Huh?"
Ji Shan and Ji Yanyun exchanged a glance. They had really only come to accompany Xiang Yun. In the past, they could have claimed one spot.
But being able to compete for one spot was already good enough.
Trying to claim another would be a little beyond them.
Besides, it only worked on those below Two Yuan Nirvana, so the Ji Family wouldn't send everyone they had.
And now Xiang Yun wanted them to claim two spots?
"Don't worry. They won't object."
Xiang Yun spoke calmly. At his words, Ji Shan and Ji Yanyun immediately turned into two streaks of light and rushed toward two of the platforms.
"How dare you!"
"Who's making a move so soon?"
"It's Ji Yanyun. Is the Ji Family planning to claim two platforms this time? Aren't they looking down on us a little too much?"
Someone roared. When an opportunity was at stake, who cared whether they were the Ji Family or some other family? These Nirvana Realm cultivators might not quite match the Ji Family in status,
but they weren't weak either.
Besides, there was an unspoken rule when fighting for opportunities: if you lost, you lost.
You had to acknowledge your defeat.
Anyone who sought trouble afterward would lose all face if word got out.
"I said it. Got a problem with that?"
Xiang Yun spoke calmly, and in the next instant, vast Origin Energy soared into the sky like purple Qi rising in the east.
The silver that had filled the horizon was now covered in purple, surging violet vying with silver lightning.
Even the savage heavenly lightning couldn't conceal his unbridled presence. Purple Origin Energy intertwined behind Xiang Yun, forming an enormous purple figure that looked down upon the valley.
"You can try stopping them. See if you can take one of my punches."
A voice like a great bell rang out from the spectral figure's mouth.
Its pressure surged forth, drastically changing the expressions of the One Yuan and Two Yuan Nirvana cultivators. Their Origin Energy was now almost completely suppressed, unlike the effect of the geomagnetic force.
This feeling
was more like being crushed beneath a vast, boundless presence. Even their bodies couldn't help trembling, and their Nirvana Golden Bodies activated on their own. Their surging might had only just erupted
when it was suppressed again.
The Nirvana Realm cultivators looked over and saw a young man walking through the air, his black hair flying like a waterfall and dazzling purple-gold light shining around him.
"Isn't that the Young Hall Master of the Primordial Hall who suppressed Ji Yanyun? Is that presence really from someone at the Nirvana Realm? Why do I feel like even Nine Yuan Nirvana can't compare?"
"He's that overbearing? Claiming two spots at once-isn't anyone going to stop him?"
Just then, a burly man rose into the air, glared at Xiang Yun, and growled, "Young Master Xiang, aren't you being a little too overbearing..."
Before he could finish, the giant figure in the sky slammed a fist down at him, its terrifying pressure like a Primordial Divine Mountain.
Golden light erupted around the burly man. He too was at One Yuan Nirvana, and judging by his build, he had also achieved success in a body-refining martial art.
"Panshi Body!"
Feeling the terrifying, boundless pressure, the burly man had already begun to regret it. His bones crackled and popped beneath the pressure.
He could only activate his body-refining martial art. His skin steadily turned to stone, giving off an undying presence.
But as the punch fell, cracking sounds burst forth all over the burly man's body, before everyone's horrified eyes.
Golden light scattered from his body, and with a bang, he exploded.
"Panshi just died like that?" someone cried out in shock. This One Yuan Nirvana cultivator was somewhat renowned in the area, and his Panshi Physique specialized in defense.
Yet even so, he had been blown apart with one punch.
"Is there really anyone here who can stand against him?"
Gazes fell on Xiang Yun as he walked through the air. Everyone drew a sharp breath, their eyes full of shock.
He had casually blown apart a One Yuan Nirvana cultivator?
In an instant,
nothing remained but the rumble of thunder. Everyone looked this way and that.
How were they supposed to compete now?
Just then,
a white figure rose into the air. A strange fluctuation seemed to faintly emanate from around her, accompanied by the faint, clear sound of a musical instrument being lightly struck.
Not even the surrounding thunder could drown out the clear sound.
"You really are overbearing! He only said one thing, and you killed him?"
Ying Huanhuan raised a finger and pointed at Xiang Yun. Her hand was exceptionally beautiful, slender and fair, like the most flawless piece of mutton-fat jade.
Her slender, jade-like fingers seemed perfectly proportioned, without the slightest blemish. Light flickered over her jade hand, dazzling the eyes.
Xiang Yun admired it for a while, then smiled. "Isn't this our Dao Sect's little miss, Ying Huanhuan?"
"Since when could the Dao Sect meddle in the affairs of the Great Desolate Region?"
"You-I'm talking about what just happened. What does that have to do with the Dao Sect meddling in the Great Desolate Region?"
Ying Huanhuan hadn't expected that before she had even condemned Xiang Yun, he would slap her with the accusation of the Dao Sect meddling in the Great Desolate Region.
That was no joke. Even with her sharp tongue, she didn't dare speak carelessly about it. One wrong move could affect relations between the Primordial Hall and the Dao Sect.
"That's how things work in the Great Desolate Region: the strong are revered. I made myself clear, and he still stepped forward. Wasn't it simply because he thought I wouldn't act?"
"He sought what he wanted and got it. Ying Huanhuan, you jumped out to accuse me. Aren't you trying to meddle with the rules of the Great Desolate Region?"
Xiang Yun wouldn't indulge Ying Huanhuan. He was indeed interested in her, but just as with Ling Qingzhu,
he wouldn't indulge her. If he kept indulging her, how would he be any different from a simp?
Speak of a simp, and a simp appeared!
Another figure flew out at that moment. He was tall and straight, with delicate features. He said coldly, "Huanhuan only thinks you're too overbearing. You pinned such a grave accusation on her for no reason..."
"Who are you?" Xiang Yun looked at the man and narrowed his eyes.
"Qing Ye of the Dao Sect's Earth Hall!"
Qing Ye spoke proudly.