On the day of the final, the streets of Tianbei City were deserted as everyone turned out to watch.
The central martial arts square was already packed so tightly that not even a drop of water could pass through. Even the surrounding rooftops and treetops were crowded with people. All eyes were fixed on the newly repaired main arena, waiting for the climactic showdown that would decide the ultimate winner.
On the raised platform, Zhou Xiaotian sat upright in the seat of honor, flanked by the leaders and elders of Tianbei City's major factions. Even some old monsters who had not appeared in public for years had shown up, clearly attaching great importance to the final. Li Xuantong, Master Liu, and the others looked especially tense, their palms slick with sweat.
With a roll of earthshaking drums, the final officially began.
Xiao Yan and Wang Hao leaped onto the arena almost at the same time.
Wang Hao wore golden battle armor and held an ancient-looking spear. He stood tall, his imposing presence as oppressive as a prison. He released his Peak Origin King presence without restraint, and Hegemon Qi swirled around him, forming a golden wave visible to the naked eye and radiating immense pressure.
After days of fierce battles, his presence had grown more concentrated than before, and he had pushed his Hegemon Qi to its limit. Clearly, he had made thorough preparations.
Xiao Yan still wore azure robes, standing tall with a calm expression. Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames flowed slowly through his body. He seemed ordinary, yet gave the impression of a deep, still abyss and a towering mountain. After his battles with Blood Butcher and Su Muxue, his strength had advanced again, leaving him only one step away from Peak Origin King. The fighting spirit in his eyes burned more fiercely than ever.
"Xiao Yan, I didn't expect you to make it this far." Wang Hao looked at him, his eyes full of undisguised fighting spirit. "Su Muxue certainly didn't lose unjustly when she fell to you."
"You're not bad yourself," Xiao Yan said evenly. "Defeating so many experts on your way to the final is proof enough of your strength."
"But that's not enough." Wang Hao tightened his grip on his spear. Golden Hegemon Qi gathered at its tip, radiating a keen edge. "The top spot on the Northern Region Youth Strongest Expert List can only be mine! This isn't just for the Wang Clan's glory. It's also to prove that only geniuses like us, from clans with long-standing legacies, are the Northern Region's future!"
His words carried the pride and sense of superiority peculiar to a scion of a great clan.
Xiao Yan shook his head. "Strength has nothing to do with one's origins. Today, I'll show you that so-called great-clan geniuses aren't unbeatable."
"Arrogant!" Enraged by Xiao Yan's words, Wang Hao unleashed a sudden surge of Hegemon Qi. "Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish! I'll show you the true power of my Wang Clan's Hegemon Qi!"
"Hegemon Spear · Formation Breaker!"
With a mighty shout, Wang Hao moved like lightning. His spear shot toward Xiao Yan like a cannonball, carrying an unstoppable momentum. Golden Hegemon Qi gathered at the spear tip into a roaring giant lion, bearing the might to shatter mountains and split rocks. Wherever it passed, the air tore apart with a piercing shriek.
This spear strike gathered all of Wang Hao's Hegemon Qi. It was supremely tyrannical and unstoppable!
The spectators below cried out in shock. Wang Hao had opened with a killing move, clearly intending to end the battle swiftly!
Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened, and he dared not be careless in the slightest. Wang Hao's Hegemon Qi was indeed tyrannical, fiercer and harder to resist than Su Muxue's ice-type Origin Qi.
"Heavenly Flames Eternal Ruler!"
With a low shout, Xiao Yan sent the two Heavenly Flames within him surging wildly, condensing them into a gigantic flaming ruler in his hand. Red and blue flames churned over it, radiating a terrifying presence that could burn mountains and boil seas.
He gripped the flaming ruler and smashed it down to meet Wang Hao's Hegemon Spear!
Clang!
The flaming ruler collided with the Hegemon Spear, producing a deafening clash of metal that seemed to shake heaven and earth.
Golden Hegemon Qi and red and blue Heavenly Flames intertwined and annihilated each other in a frenzy. A terrifying energy shockwave spread out from the two combatants, cracking the hard Black Stone Steel floor!
Wang Hao felt an incomparably fierce, scorching force travel up the shaft of his spear. The impact numbed the web between his thumb and forefinger and sent a dull ache through his arm. He involuntarily stumbled back three steps before regaining his footing.
Xiao Yan was also driven back two steps by the Hegemon Qi's recoil, his blood and Qi churning slightly. He marveled inwardly, This Hegemon Qi truly lives up to its reputation. Its tyrannical power can almost rival the Heavenly Flames.
"Interesting." Wang Hao steadied himself, surprise flashing in his eyes before giving way to an even fiercer fighting spirit. "It seems I underestimated you. But this is only the beginning!"
"Hegemon Spear · Sweep Away a Thousand Armies!"
Wang Hao struck again, sweeping his spear across. Golden Hegemon Qi surged out like raging waves, forming an enormous golden wave that bore down on Xiao Yan. Space itself seemed to warp wherever it passed.
This spear strike covered a vast area and was even more terrifying than the last. Clearly, Wang Hao meant to crush Xiao Yan outright with the tyrannical power of his Hegemon Qi.
Xiao Yan's gaze hardened. He pushed his Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames to their limits, and the flaming ruler shone even more brilliantly.
"Heavenly Flames · Burning Heaven and Destroy Earth!"
With a low shout, Xiao Yan drove the flaming ruler into the ground.
Boom!
Red and blue flames erupted like a volcano, forming a colossal torrent of fire that charged headlong into the golden wave!
Bang!
The torrent of flames collided with the golden wave in an earthshaking explosion. Red flames and golden Hegemon Qi annihilated and canceled each other out. The two forces engulfed the entire arena, while scorching waves and tyrannical pressure spread in all directions, leaving the spectators below feeling suffocated.
The two traded blows, exchanging dozens of moves in an instant. Every strike of Wang Hao's Hegemon Spear was tyrannical and heavy with force, each blow powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks. Xiao Yan's flaming ruler, by contrast, was agile yet tyrannical. The Heavenly Flames broke through everything in their path, constantly dismantling the Hegemon Qi's assault.
Golden Hegemon Qi and red and blue Heavenly Flames collided repeatedly across the arena, unleashing waves of terrifying energy. All of Tianbei City could feel the earthshaking battle.
On the raised platform, Zhou Xiaotian and the others watched the two fighters intently, their expressions grave and their eyes full of amazement. Even they had not seen a clash between members of the younger generation like this in a long time.
"Wang Hao has already cultivated his Hegemon Qi to the fourth level, only one step from major accomplishment. I didn't expect Xiao Yan to be able to match it with his Heavenly Flames. Truly remarkable," a white-haired elder said admiringly.
"Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames are exceptionally tyrannical, and his control over them has reached a masterful level. I'm afraid it won't be so easy for Wang Hao to win," another elder said.
Wang Zhan clenched his fists, his eyes full of tension and anticipation. He had complete confidence in Wang Hao, but Xiao Yan's performance had also left him faintly uneasy.
In the arena, the battle had reached a fever pitch.
Although Wang Hao's Hegemon Qi was tyrannical, Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames were even more unpredictable. He alternated between the two flames, now fierce, now agile, repeatedly making Wang Hao's Hegemon Spear miss and forcing him to expend more and more Hegemon Qi.
Damn it! Wang Hao cursed inwardly. He had not expected Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames to be so troublesome. Not only could they withstand his Hegemon Qi, but they also kept burning away his Origin Qi, leaving him increasingly irritated.
"Hegemon Qi · Unrivaled Hegemon!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Wang Hao's eyes as he unleashed all the Hegemon Qi in his body. The golden waves condensed behind him into the enormous phantom of a hegemon, radiating a terrifying might that looked down upon the world.
This was one of the ultimate secrets of the Wang Clan's Hegemon Qi. It could double the user's strength for a short time, but it also placed an enormous burden on the body and would never be used lightly unless absolutely necessary.
"Xiao Yan, die! This is my final killing move. If you can't withstand it, then die!" Wang Hao roared and merged with the hegemon phantom behind him. Spear in hand, he launched his final attack at Xiao Yan with world-destroying might!
This spear strike gathered all of Wang Hao's strength and the essence of his Hegemon Qi. Space itself seemed to be pierced wherever its tip pointed, and it carried an irresistible tyrannical force!
The spectators below held their breath, their eyes full of shock. The power of this spear strike had already reached the Initial Origin Emperor level. Could Xiao Yan withstand it?
Li Xuantong and Master Liu were so tense that they stood up, their palms covered in cold sweat.
Xiao Yan watched the earthshaking spear strike and felt the Hegemon Qi that looked down upon the world. There was not a trace of fear in his eyes. Instead, an unprecedented, burning fighting spirit flashed through them.
"Bring it on!"
Xiao Yan burst out laughing as the Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames within him boiled over. Green Lotus Core Flame and Fallen Heart Flame intertwined and fused at an unprecedented speed, condensing before him into an enormous tricolored lotus of fire-the product of the perfect fusion of the two Heavenly Flames and his own Origin Qi!
"Heavenly Flames: Emperor Flame Lotus!"
This was the strongest move Xiao Yan had created in the Great Thousand World by drawing on his experience from the Dou Qi Continent. It contained everything he understood about Heavenly Flames and Origin Qi!
The tricolored lotus of fire rotated slowly, radiating a presence more terrifying than any of his previous attacks, as though it could burn everything in the world to ashes!
"Go!"
Xiao Yan gave it a gentle push, and the tricolored lotus of fire flew slowly toward Wang Hao's Hegemon Spear with the might to burn heaven and destroy earth.
It seemed slow, yet carried an irresistible momentum!
Boom-!
The instant the tricolored lotus of fire collided with the Hegemon Spear, time seemed to stand still.
There was no earthshaking explosion. Instead, a wave of energy of unimaginable terror spread out from the two fighters. Golden Hegemon Qi and tricolored Heavenly Flames intertwined and annihilated each other in a frenzy, forming a gigantic vortex of energy.
The entire arena was swallowed by the energy vortex in an instant. The hard Black Stone Steel floor shattered inch by inch and turned to powder!
The expressions of Zhou Xiaotian and the others on the raised platform changed drastically. They hurriedly unleashed Origin Qi barriers with all their strength to protect the people around them. Otherwise, the energy wave would have been enough to flatten half the square!
The energy vortex lasted for a full incense stick's time before gradually dissipating.
When the dust settled, the scene in the arena was revealed to everyone.
Xiao Yan and Wang Hao were both still standing where they had been, both looking somewhat battered.
Wang Hao's golden battle armor was shattered, blood hung at the corner of his mouth, and his spear had broken in two. The Hegemon Qi around him had almost completely dissipated, clearly leaving him greatly depleted. His face was as pale as paper, but he still stared fixedly at Xiao Yan, his eyes full of unwillingness and disbelief.
Xiao Yan was in little better shape. His azure robes were torn in several places, blood had seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his breathing was somewhat uneven. Yet his gaze remained sharp. Although his Heavenly Flames had also been greatly depleted, they continued to burn slowly, supporting him.
Neither man moved again, as though both were gathering the last of their strength.
The spectators held their breath, hearts pounding as they stared at the two men in the arena, waiting for the final result.
Just then, Wang Hao suddenly let out a muffled grunt. His body swayed, and he could no longer hold himself up. He fell to the ground and lost consciousness completely.
His Hegemon Qi had been exhausted, and his body could not withstand the backlash from Unrivaled Hegemon. In the end, he fell.
Watching Wang Hao lying on the ground, Xiao Yan let out a long breath. His tense body finally relaxed, and a wave of intense exhaustion washed over him. He staggered and nearly fell, but ultimately managed to steady himself.
The entire venue fell deathly silent at first, then erupted in deafening cheers and applause that swept across Tianbei City like a tsunami!
"Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan!"
"Champion! Xiao Yan is the champion!"
Countless people shouted excitedly and waved their arms, their eyes full of fervor and admiration.
The climactic showdown had ended in Xiao Yan's victory!
On the raised platform, Zhou Xiaotian smiled with satisfaction and rose to his feet. "I hereby announce that the champion of this Northern Region Young Strongest Expert List Competition is-Xiao Yan!"
At Zhou Xiaotian's announcement, the cheers in the square reached their peak. Countless streamers and flower petals rained down from the sky, landing on Xiao Yan as though crowning him.
Li Xuantong and Master Liu embraced in excitement, their faces lit with ecstatic smiles.
Wang Zhan's face was pale. He looked at Wang Hao lying on the ground, then at Xiao Yan in the arena. His eyes were full of complicated emotions, but in the end, he could only sigh helplessly.
Xiao Yan stood in the arena, looking at the cheering crowd below and feeling the glory that belonged to the champion, yet his heart was unusually calm.
This victory had not only won him the top spot on the Northern Region Youth Strongest Expert List; more importantly, it had allowed him to truly gain a firm foothold in the Great Thousand World.
But he knew this was only the beginning.
The Great Thousand World was vast and boundless, its experts as numerous as trees in a forest. His goals were to find Xun'er and Cai Lin, to stand at the pinnacle of this world, and to make the name "Xiao Yan" resound throughout the entire Great Thousand World!
After the award ceremony, Xiao Yan received generous rewards-ten thousand Middle-Grade Origin Qi Pills and the seventh-grade pill that could drive countless people mad with desire, the Sect Breaking Pill!
Holding the Sect Breaking Pill, Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with anticipation. With this pill, the day he broke through to the Origin Ancestor realm was close at hand!
Just as Xiao Yan was preparing to leave the martial arts square and return to the Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion to devote himself to cultivation, Li Xuantong suddenly found him and said gravely, "Xiao Yan, there's something we may need your help with."
"What is it?" Xiao Yan asked.
"We've learned that the Blood Shadow Cult's main force has gathered at Soul-Severing Cliff. They seem to be conducting some kind of secret ritual, and it's very likely connected to the Space Fragment," Li Xuantong said in a low voice. "The city lord's residence has decided to send an elite force to investigate. I hope you'll come with us."
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. The Blood Shadow Cult?
It seemed the peaceful days were about to end again.
But he did not hesitate. He nodded. "All right, I'll go with you."
As long as the Blood Shadow Cult's threat remained, Tianbei City would have no peace. Besides, he also wanted to settle his grudge with the Blood Shadow Cult once and for all.
A new adventure was about to begin.
And this time, Xiao Yan would face new challenges bearing the glory of the top spot on the Northern Region Youth Strongest Expert List and possessing even greater strength.
The scroll of the Great Thousand World had only just begun to unfurl before him.