The withdrawal of the third competitor left the ravaged martial arena steeped in an indescribable, heavy stillness. Peng Mian, expressionless, sat firmly at the edge of the combat area. Shuang Wu clenched his fists tightly, betraying the emotions hidden deep within him.
A streak of golden light descended from the sky, dispelling a significant portion of the somber atmosphere, and the attention of the crowd was once again drawn to the newcomer standing in the center of the arena.
Shangguan Chuanqi! This was his second time standing in the heart of the arena. The last time, his opponent was Yama, the second strongest master from the Underworld, which ended with Yama forfeiting the match.
This time! People couldn't help but marvel at Shangguan Chuanqi’s strange fate with the Underworld; two consecutive opponents hailed from there, and this time his challenger was none other than Ksitigarbha, rumored to be the strongest in the Underworld!
A true veteran powerhouse! No one had expected Ksitigarbha to be drawn out so early in the competition, and to face the young generation challenging him—Shangguan Chuanqi, who possessed the Bone Structure—so soon.
The gazes of the spectators followed the sweep of the camera to Ksitigarbha.
Ksitigarbha, clad in a plain cyan robe, slowly rose. He reached out, flicked a speck of dust from his garment, and with a placid expression, he stepped one pace after another into the ring.
Entering the center of the arena, Ksitigarbha raised his hands in a respectful salute, sweeping them around gently, before his gaze finally settled before Shangguan Chuanqi.
Shangguan Chuanqi stood arrogantly at the center, his posture as rigid and upright as a heavenly pillar. Facing Ksitigarbha’s salute, he merely offered a slight smile, offering no return gesture, effectively accepting Ksitigarbha’s bow without reciprocation.
“Huh?”
“Isn’t that a bit too arrogant?”
“To treat an elder martial artist with such disdain.”
Those watching the online broadcast began to voice their displeasure. Even the martial arts masters surrounding the arena frowned slightly; a young person could possess backbone, but arrogance was instantly off-putting.
Zhuque, Shangguan Shengyu, wore a cold sneer on his lips. He lightly fanned his eyes, spitting out two icy runes: “Pedantic!”
These two simple words elicited different reactions from different ears.
“Exactly! Zhuque is absolutely right. Why should the younger generation always bow down to the older generation?”
“Couldn’t agree more! Pedantic! The older generation of martial artists only have age to rely on; in the world of martial artists, as long as your fist is big enough, you can be like Shangguan Chuanqi.”
“Nonsense! If Ksitigarbha was your father, and Shangguan Chuanqi treated your father like that, you’d still dare say that, and I’d respect you!”
“What right does Zhuque have? Ksitigarbha, teach this Shangguan Chuanqi, who clearly lacked proper upbringing, a lesson!”
“How dare you insult our Chuanqi? Where are you from? Our Chuanqi Fan Group declares eternal enmity with you!”
The fight hadn’t even begun in the arena, yet the online audience—those against Shangguan Chuanqi and his supporters—had already descended into a full-blown war of words. Soon, this verbal sparring escalated from mere argument to mutual insults aimed at each other’s parents.
The battle of words had no effect on those within the arena. Ksitigarbha calmly retracted his hands, his expression composed as he effortlessly assumed the stance for the Great Vajra Fist.
Shangguan Chuanqi felt Ksitigarbha’s gaze lock onto his temples, his skin twitching several times. The five fingers on both his arms slowly spread wide. He wore a confident, almost mocking smile, and lightly addressed Ksitigarbha: “Ksitigarbha, you are old. The next era belongs to me, Shangguan Chuanqi.”
Ksitigarbha’s lips curved into a faint smile. He gently shook his head from side to side, offering no spoken reply, responding only with an even more confident aura.
“My era…” Shangguan Chuanqi slightly tilted his head back toward the sky, his eyes blazing with boundless yearning, “…is coming!”
In an instant, Shangguan Chuanqi’s long hair billowed out, and a visible wave of heat surged around his body. The air ignited at that moment! His inflated confidence transformed into a crushing momentum, overwhelming pressure that struck before anyone else could move.
The word “Coming!” reverberated through the air like a thunderclap, seeming intent on shaking the entire Black Sphere.
Shangguan Chuanqi surged forward, enveloped by that searing, fiery airflow, arriving before Ksitigarbha! His speed was so blinding that the martial arts masters could only follow the afterimages left hanging in the air, unable to track the true form or trajectory of Shangguan Chuanqi’s movements.
Shangguan Chuanqi launched his attack first, planting himself directly in front of Ksitigarbha. His arms rotated, mimicking the spreading wings of a phoenix, and two enveloping fists pressed down toward Ksitigarbha’s body. The entire arena seemed instantly engulfed in heavenly fire.
Phoenix Blazing Prairie! A top-tier killing move inherited from Zhuque!
Ksitigarbha’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow. He sank his stance, lowered his hips, and slightly retracted his chest. He stepped back half a pace, using his left foot as a pivot, executing a swift, large turning rotation. His right elbow swept out in a vortex, transforming into the tip of a spear aimed directly at Shangguan Chuanqi’s back.
Suddenly, Shangguan Chuanqi’s hands clamped down, and his entire body seemed to plunge downwards like a diving hawk. The motion of his wrists instantaneously shifted from inwardly pressing with both arms to flaring outward. His two arms morphed into a pair of wings belonging to a fiery phoenix, soaring toward the sky! These wings then became like twin battle blades, sweeping upward from below, aiming directly for Ksitigarbha’s ribs!
Ksitigarbha yielded by falling back, while simultaneously kicking his right leg upward. His heel struck Shangguan Chuanqi’s lower abdomen! In that moment, Ksitigarbha displayed the true strength of a veteran powerhouse—when strength is evenly matched, even when losing the initiative, one can seize an advantage from a disadvantageous position.
Shangguan Chuanqi, caught in peril, found a hint of amusement in the corner of his eye. His lips parted slightly, and he roared, “Defeated!”
Simultaneously, Shangguan Chuanqi drove his right knee upward. His entire body’s momentum shifted dramatically in an instant. Vast currents of energy surged uncontrollably from within him, and his body blazed with ten thousand beams of golden light!
For a split second, the observing martial arts masters instinctively closed their eyes—the intense brilliance and scorching airflow were like a martial [text error, assumed to mean: world] where an artificial sun had suddenly appeared!
Powerful! In that instant, Shangguan Chuanqi seemed to transform into the Sun itself, his inherent power and momentum skyrocketing, rendering him utterly unrecognizable from moments before.
Ksitigarbha was too close to Shangguan Chuanqi. The sudden transformation left him unable to react. His lower back took the full impact of Shangguan Chuanqi’s knee strike—a blow possessing the bone-shattering force capable of crushing mountains. At that moment, his composure could no longer be maintained—a continuous, crisp sound of shattering steel rang out repeatedly.
Bang!
Ksitigarbha’s body flew like a sack full of sand, soaring a hundred meters away. He slid across the ground for several hundred meters before finally stopping, only to be sent flying again!
The golden light in the arena had vanished. Only the shimmering heat remained, lingering in the center of the field. No one knew when, but the cracked earth was no longer dry; it had turned into sand.
Under the instant, intense heat, large sections of the martial arena had been reduced to sand. Shangguan Chuanqi stood proudly in place. The sunlight shone upon him, giving the impression that he was not being illuminated by the sun, but rather that the light emanated from him.
Crack, crack, crack, crack…
Every single bone in Ksitigarbha’s body fractured incessantly. In just a few moments, over a thousand snapping sounds echoed from his body. He lay sprawled on the ground, resembling a pile of sludge.
After a few more seconds, Ksitigarbha’s body began to writhe again. His integration and regenerative abilities, inherited from the Beast Transformation, allowed his skeletal structure to completely reform itself anew.
Slowly, Ksitigarbha rose from the ground. He bowed slightly toward the cyan-robed Shangguan Chuanqi, his expression devoid of emotion, and stated calmly, “You won. Congratulations.”
Defeated! Ksitigarbha had lost!
Countless online viewers and the martial arts masters present stared blankly at the scene before them.
The battle had just begun, yet it ended instantly! The speed was so fast it was suffocating. Was this truly a confrontation between the new generation of martial artists challenging the old guard?
No one had expected the once-lofty Ksitigarbha to be utterly vanquished in a single moment against Shangguan Chuanqi, a defeat so complete there was nothing left to say.
No one had anticipated that Shangguan Chuanqi’s strength had reached such a terrifying level, defeating Ksitigarbha—a figure famed alongside the Heavenly Emperor—in an instant!
After a brief moment of shock and stupefaction, people quickly regained their senses.
Has the era of the young martial artists truly arrived? No, it should be said: Shangguan Chuanqi’s era has arrived! This son of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast possessed truly terrifying strength. No wonder he dared proclaim the arrival of his own era; this young man indeed qualified to challenge the level of Divine Beast Martial Artists today.
This young man was no longer just Chuanqi from Mars; he could define the true legends of the grand martial arts era! To possess the strength to challenge the Divine Wing Martial Artists at such an age—what a legend he was! In that single moment, he resembled the sun itself.
“Too strong!”
“Sun King!”
“Sun King Shangguan Chuanqi!”
On the internet, someone must have first shouted these words, and soon, thousands began repeating the chant. In an instant, only one voice resonated across the entire network.
Regardless of their prior dislike for Shangguan Chuanqi, the viewers were all completely shaken by his immense power and aura. They subconsciously joined in the chorus, shouting loudly: “Sun King, Shangguan Chuanqi!”
Those in Shangguan Chuanqi’s fan club shouted until their voices were hoarse. The martial artist they had supported all along might become a Divine Beast Martial Artist after this Gathering of Heroes—how incredibly exciting that was!
“What powerful New Martial Arts!” Caesar couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. “The high heat burst out from him in an instant—even the pinnacle of the Nuclear Fusion Fist might not achieve that. Is this the highest level of the fire-based New Martial Arts mentioned in the legends? True Solar Fire?”
“Compared to the pinnacle of your Ancient Martial Arts Solar Inner Cultivation,” Yang Lie commented with a faint smile, “Afraid?”
“Not afraid, but in awe and admiration,” Caesar replied calmly. “The outside world mistakenly believes Shangguan Chuanqi is an Ancient Martial Arts master; who knew he was actually a supreme powerhouse of the New Martial Arts? I’ve never even heard of anyone cultivating the New Martial Arts to such a peak. I truly don’t know how he practiced it. As for my Ancient Martial Arts Solar Inner Cultivation, it certainly won't be inferior to his New Martial Arts. We can wait and see.”
Yang Lie shrugged. In a moment like this, boastful words were not brave, but reckless. The strength Shangguan Chuanqi displayed was truly superior to everyone else—he deserved the title of the undisputed number one of the previous generation.
“Alright, my turn.” Caesar watched Lü Dongchen rise, then lightly stepped off the ground, leaping into the center of the arena. He executed a respectful salute to Lü Dongbin: “Senior, it is an honor today to be able to witness your skill, the finest under heaven. I am deeply honored.”
Lü Dongbin focused his gaze on Caesar, surprise flickering in his eyes. This young man was infinitely stronger than when they met in the forests of Saturn. For a genius martial artist to improve so astonishingly—could he have also grasped the mysteries of the Unknowable?
In just over half a year, which member of Qin Fen’s team had not undergone immense transformation? That one long period of Heaven-Man Unity alone had caused their strengths to change drastically. Their daily sparring sessions and battles within the Pandora Space had led them to advance not just in star ratings, but also significantly along the path of Martial Dao.
Now, Caesar’s aura no longer carried the sharp, aggressive edge of before, the kind that instantly sought to crush an opponent with imperial dominance.
During these six months, besides practicing his martial arts, Caesar dedicated considerable time to poring over ancient classics, frequently discussing them with those strong in historical studies like Lin Liqiang.
Gradually, Caesar realized that while ancient emperors were numerous, the strongest ones were not merely characterized by fierce, oppressive strength. Their Imperial Way was both yielding and firm; only with true flexibility and strength balanced could one dominate the world and establish an unshakeable foundation.
Caesar’s Imperial Martial Dao was no longer solely focused on the expansionist emperors; nor was it concentrated only on the emperors of prosperous eras.
Every generation of emperors displayed different characteristics.
Therefore, the Imperial Martial Dao should also possess its own distinct variations!
“Young man? Are you practicing the Imperial Martial Dao?” Lü Dongbin slowly opened his Bajiquan stance. “Come, let me see what level you have developed this rarely trodden path to.”
The bell signaling the start of the match rang from the sky.
Caesar offered no false modesty. He thrust his spine taut, and before the sounds of his vertebrae cracking could cease, he stepped out to attack!
Caesar’s pace appeared unhurried, but only Lü Dongbin, at the heart of the battle, knew that Caesar’s speed was not just fast, but terrifyingly so! It was merely that the imperial presence and aura surrounding him created the illusion that an emperor should naturally move slowly.
Seeing Caesar approach, the true qi within Lü Dongbin surged like thunder. The muscles in his shoulders and arms exploded with sharp pops, unleashing torrents of forceful energy. His two arms shot out like twin cannons firing bullets, causing the air to crackle and boom as if divine power was stirring up clouds. Hundreds of cyan screens, like a rebellious peasant uprising, mixed with the irresistible current of history trying to overthrow an emperor, lashed against every inch of Caesar’s skin.
Suddenly, Caesar’s aura shifted again. His entire face contorted into a fierce and tyrannical expression. The hand he raised clenched into a jade turret, smashing head-on against the onslaught resembling the peasant revolt.
Imperial Martial Dao: Tyrant Style!
In an instant, Caesar’s entire being transformed into a historical tyrant. A vast, oppressive force swallowed all extraneous noise in the arena, even crushing the sound of Lü Dongbin’s fists.
The fist descending from the air was precisely Caesar’s Nine Generations Extermination! Against a historical peasant revolt, what tyrant would not unleash the power to wipe out the entire lineage?
Rumble!
In that moment, Lü Dongbin felt the momentum and power of Caesar’s punch.
Caesar’s fist was not particularly large, but wherever it passed, it seemed to sweep away Lü Dongbin’s shadow. His fair skin, scorched golden-yellow by the searing Solar System technique, rapidly compressed all the air in the arena, making the fighting space seem like a vacuum.
The martial arts masters observing from a distance felt extreme discomfort in breathing—as if the air within their own lungs was being forcefully squeezed out by that single punch. For Lü Dongbin, standing at the center, the pressure was unimaginable.
Strong! Too strong! Since consuming the Life-and-Death Pill, Lü Dongbin’s martial arts had continuously improved. He had believed that perhaps only Qin Fen could match him in this round. But after watching Shangguan Chuanqi’s fight, he realized that besides Qin Fen, there was also Shangguan Chuanqi.
He hadn’t expected that among the young, talented martial artists who emerged from Qin Fen’s lineage, there were others who were just as outrageously strong as these two!
If Divine Beast Martial Artists were excluded, Qin Fen now, if he decided to conquer the world, Shangguan Chuanqi might not even be able to stop him!
This was not because Qin Fen was necessarily stronger than Shangguan Chuanqi, but because the gap in their abilities was too vast! If Caesar possessed this strength, did Bruce, Suo Feng, and Yang Lie possess strength comparable to his? Lü Dongbin didn’t have time for further speculation; Caesar’s head-shattering punch was already descending.
Dodge? Lü Dongbin refused to dodge; he chose to meet it head-on.
Awoooo!
Lü Dongbin instantly entered a state of transcendence. The entire world narrowed down to the single fist before him. He crossed both arms and raised them upward to meet the Tyrant’s strike head-on.
The instant his arms clashed with the descending fist, Lü Dongbin heard the sound of his bones fracturing internally. His body instantly felt like a falling meteor. He was like a valiant knight struck by a colossal evil dragon’s massive slap; although he managed to deflect some of the force, he couldn't negate all the dragon’s immense power.
The ground beneath his feet could not withstand the Tyrant’s unleashed fury. The earth, already turned to sand by Shangguan Chuanqi’s New Martial Arts, billowed upward, whipping down an unprecedented sandstorm.
Bang!
The skin on Lü Dongbin’s forearms peeled back, and blood erupted from his arms and chest, spraying outward instantly, turning him into a complete blood man. Caesar’s second punch stopped right at his chin, not advancing a fraction further.
Lü Dongbin stared blankly at the fist stopped near his chin. A bitter smile curled at the corner of his lips. He had finally broken through his previous bottleneck after half a year, only to encounter an even more monstrous group of young people. It seemed the new era had truly arrived.
“I… I lost.” Lü Dongbin looked at Caesar with admiration. “Young man, your Tyrant Martial Dao is truly magnificent.”
Caesar retracted his fist and flexed his fingers, executing a cupped-fist salute: “Senior’s fierce martial arts have provided me with much enlightenment.”
“Heh heh, is that so?” Lü Dongbin patted Caesar’s shoulder. “In any case… since you didn't die this time, when we enter Pandora later, I might still have a fight with you.”
Caesar showed no surprise. How could someone of Lü Dongbin’s strength not know about Pandora’s existence now?