A tall figure vaulted onto the stage, landing about ten meters from the boundary line marked beneath Li Yundong’s feet. He cupped his hands and boomed, “I am Zhang Hongcheng of the Jinshan Sect. Esteemed Daoist Li, I request your guidance!”
Without waiting for Li Yundong to return the salute, he stomped his foot, and his entire body instantly plunged beneath the earth!
The crowd on the field had barely time to erupt in an uproar when the ground began to swell slightly, rapidly surging toward Li Yundong.
Li Yundong had not anticipated that his opponent would use an Earth Evasion technique to approach him from underground. He inwardly frowned, let out a mighty roar, and leaped abruptly, descending like a meteorite onto the path his opponent was bound to take.
With a thunderous impact, Li Yundong forcefully stomped the ground, creating a deep pit right in Zhang Hongcheng’s intended trajectory. His path blocked, Zhang Hongcheng instantly diverted around Li Yundong and darted rapidly toward the boundary line behind him.
Li Yundong hadn't expected his opponent to avoid a direct confrontation, choosing instead to bypass him. He whipped his head around and saw a visible arc rising in the earth, reaching the vicinity of the boundary line in the blink of an eye.
Only then did Li Yundong grasp his opponent’s intention. He moved instantly, flashing back near the boundary line like lightning. He formed the Immovable Fundamental Seal with both hands, roared, and brought his palm down forcefully onto the ground. With a massive boom, the bluestone-paved floor undulated as if it were a wave.
Zhang Hongcheng felt the earth concealing him suddenly twitch as if it were a blanket violently shaken. A tremendous force transmitted from above violently shook him right out of the ground.
Li Yundong, striking the earth with the Immovable Fundamental Seal, forcibly ejected Zhang Hongcheng. He immediately kicked his toe against the large bronze cauldron beside him, sending it flipping end over end. He caught it with one hand, turning it upside down like an inverted bowl, and brought it down with overwhelming force, sealing Zhang Hongcheng squarely beneath it.
Seeing Li Yundong use the great bronze cauldron to trap him, Zhang Hongcheng sneered inwardly: Is this enough to hold me?
He was about to begin casting a spell to resume his Earth Evasion, but suddenly Li Yundong formed a Great Hand Seal and slammed it powerfully against the outside of the cauldron. With a reverberating hum, Zhang Hongcheng was instantly paralyzed by the shockwave, blood trickling from his eardrums!
Zhang Hongcheng cried out in agony, clutching his ears. Forget casting spells; he couldn't even circulate his internal energy to resist.
But Li Yundong followed up with another Great Hand Seal outside, striking the cauldron once more, leaving a clear palm print and eliciting another dull thud from the bronze.
Trapped within the cauldron, Zhang Hongcheng was shaken to the verge of disintegration, screaming in torment, “Stop hitting it! I surrender! I yield!”
Li Yundong snorted, then flicked his toe, flipping the massive cauldron over. It landed with a clang beside him. But before he could speak, a figure suddenly leaped out onto the stage and quickly declared, “Chen Anji of the Donghua Sect! I request your guidance!”
As this Chen Anji spoke, he was already charging toward the boundary line. Although technically a one-on-one duel, his approach was tantamount to a sneak attack.
Without hesitation, Li Yundong formed a Great Hand Seal with both hands and struck the large bronze cauldron again, launching it like a cannonball directly at Chen Anji’s figure.
Chen Anji was extremely wary of Li Yundong’s speed and had kept a significant distance, almost brushing against the other large bronze cauldron nearby. But as he rushed toward the first cauldron, mere steps from crossing the line, the cauldron hurled by Li Yundong descended upon him like artillery.
If Chen Anji had taken one step further, he would have been caught squarely between the two massive cauldrons and crushed flat. Chen Anji had no choice but to stop abruptly.
But the moment he halted, Li Yundong was instantly upon him, arriving like a shadow. With a sweeping gesture, Li Yundong lunged to grab him.
Chen Anji swiftly formed a paper talisman, pointed it at Li Yundong, and cried out: “Hasten!”
The talisman instantly ignited, and soon, numerous vines and thicket sprouted rapidly from the ground beneath Li Yundong’s feet, tightly coiling around his legs.
Li Yundong let out a cold laugh, roared loudly, and suddenly unleashed his Nine Revolutions True Essence. His legs instantly swelled to more than double their size, tearing the vines apart!
Chen Anji was so shocked his eyeballs nearly popped out. Before he could react, Li Yundong’s palm shot forward, snatching him up and tossing him away like a kite.
Li Yundong slapped Chen Anji away. As he turned, he saw a figure rapidly sprinting toward the other boundary line. The first two challengers had at least announced themselves, and even Chen Anji's sneak attack had a thin veil of propriety, but this new opponent hadn't even bothered with introductions—he was bare-chested and attacking directly!
Li Yundong let out a cold snort. He slapped the side of the two large cauldrons lying flat nearby. The resulting massive force sent the second cauldron flying sideways, hurtling toward the attacking figure.
Li Yundong was repeating his tactic, expecting the opponent to halt. However, the attacker didn't slow down at all. Moreover, when the bronze cauldron struck the figure, it passed straight through him!
Li Yundong was greatly alarmed, thinking: Is that an Yin Spirit? To invade my boundary line using the vile trick of Spirit Projection is utterly shameless!
Furious, Li Yundong unleashed a surge of energy that rushed from his lower Dantian straight to his chest, then erupted from his chest like a torrent to his throat. He opened his mouth wide, and an astonishing, mighty roar burst forth: “BHA!!”
This single roar carried the potent effect of a Buddhist True Utterance. The man's Yin Spirit was instantly shattered, vanishing from the edge of the boundary line in an instant.
But immediately following Li Yundong’s shout, another figure appeared near the boundary line. This person saw that Li Yundong was still far out of reach, while he himself was mid-air. A single landing on the other side of the line would secure the victory. He immediately burst into laughter, shouting, “I win!” and began to bring his heel down toward the ground.
Li Yundong instantly surged with his entire True Essence like a mountain flood. With a wild bellow, he slapped the ground with both palms, causing the bluestones to heave and undulate like ocean waves. He forcefully controlled this undulating bluestone surface, pulling it backward like dragging a carpet!
As the man’s foot descended, intending to plant firmly past the line Li Yundong had drawn on the ground, the earth suddenly surged. The boundary line beneath his foot was yanked back nearly half a meter!
The man had no time to react. When his foot landed, the boundary line was a full half-meter away. This distance seemed close enough to touch, yet it evoked a feeling of being utterly separated by the world.
While he was stunned in shock, Li Yundong suddenly appeared before him, thrust both palms forward, and shouted, “Get out!” He pushed the man away, sending him flying horizontally like a cannonball.
The man tumbled into the crowd, knocking over several people before coming to a stop. He scrambled up furiously and shouted, “You’re cheating! Why did you pull the boundary line back!”
Li Yundong let out a cold, contemptuous snort and replied disdainfully, “I don’t know which sect you belong to? And which sect did the previous one belong to?”
Li Yundong’s unspoken message was clear: You accuse me of being unscrupulous? You are far more so than I!
The man’s old face flushed red as shame washed over him. He cupped his hands stiffly and mumbled, “Fine, you’re ruthless. Our Qingwei Sect admits defeat!”
Saying this, he didn't even bother to give his name before ducking into the crowd.
From the coordinated, relentless assaults by these four individuals to Li Yundong’s systematic dismantling of each challenge, the entire sequence—which was actually less than a minute long—showcased methods from the four major sects that were extreme and almost unbelievable. Yet, Li Yundong's countermeasures were even more astonishing.
It wasn't until Li Yundong confronted the Qingwei Sect member that the observers truly reacted. A wave of awe swept through them, and some cultivators, forgetting their adversarial stances, couldn't help but shout applause: “Good!”
This shout soared to the heavens, born from genuine admiration deep within the hearts of the cultivators.
This series of rapid-fire duels had been blindingly fast, so swift it left spectators breathless. Just watching felt overwhelming; they couldn't imagine having to devise strategies and react in real-time.
Yet, Li Yundong had conceived and executed various countermeasures in the blink of an eye, employing magical techniques and ingenious maneuvers that drew gasps of admiration.
It was impossible for them not to submit to his skill!
Ruan Hongling and Ziyuan had watched Li Yundong rise from achieving Foundation Establishment, slowly cultivating his divine abilities bit by bit. But they never imagined that after passing through the trial of the Heavenly Tribulation, Li Yundong would suddenly soar, achieving astonishing fame overnight!
Ruan Hongling stared, utterly stunned, at the proud young man standing in the arena. For a moment, she felt utterly unfamiliar with that face! It was a familiar face, yet she barely dared to recognize it!
“Sister Ziyuan…” Ruan Hongling stammered, “H-how did he become so strong! So, so strong! So amazing!!”
This wasn't the first time Ruan Hongling had said such things, but this was the first time she had been shaken to her core by Li Yundong. The thought of opposing this young man vanished entirely. On the path of cultivation, Ruan Hongling watched as Li Yundong’s silhouette sped away, leaving her instantly in the dust.
Ziyuan’s expression was also deeply moved. Her eyes were wide as she watched Li Yundong stand proudly in the arena with an almost invincible bearing. He had defeated seven experts from seven sects in succession, yet his face remained flushed, as if the fighting only excited him more!
Zheng Yuan, the Sect Master of the Wuhua Mountain Yin-Yang Sect, had originally intended to step forward to demand justice, but seeing Li Yundong’s fearsome strength, he sucked in a cold breath and began to retreat mentally. He glanced at Ding Nan beside him, only to see his ‘beloved disciple’ staring at Li Yundong with an expression of profound shock—her eyes fixed and unmoving, her entire body seemingly turned to stone.
Zheng Yuan mistakenly thought Ding Nan was paralyzed by fear and despair over Li Yundong’s power, believing revenge was hopeless. He tried to comfort her, “Ping’er, don’t be afraid. I still have several magic treasures that haven't been fully refined. Once I return to the mountain and refine them, taking down that brat will be no problem!”
Ding Nan finally snapped out of her trance, responding vaguely, but her gaze remained locked on Li Yundong. A voice screamed wildly in her heart: Is there anyone in this world who is this powerful? How far must I cultivate before he even glances at me?
The remaining disciples of the Huxian Sect watched Li Yundong’s retreating back and sucked in a collective breath. Cao Yi, ranked sixth, excitedly asked Liu Ye, “Martial Uncle Sect Master, what is this person’s relationship with Su Chan? And with Ao Wushuang? How can he be so formidable?”
Liu Ye stared fixedly at Li Yundong, his eyes shining with excitement, as if forgetting his serious injuries. He replied, “I don’t know, but I guess the relationship must be very close.”
Cao Yi tugged on Liu Ye’s sleeve and whispered, “Martial Uncle Sect Master, we absolutely must find a way to keep this man here!”
Liu Ye merely chuckled and said no more.
On the stage, Li Yundong once again cupped his hands. “Is there anyone else who wishes to step forward?”
Having defeated seven opponents in a row, each match mesmerizing and convincing, the six major sects and the smaller opportunist sects fell silent. Some cultivators even subtly began to consider leaving.
However, some cultivators greedy for the Huxian Sect's treasures spoke up, addressing Zhang Tianhe of the Zhengyi Sect: “Daoist Zhang, must we slink away in disgrace? The Zhengyi Sect is the leading authority in the cultivation world. If even you cannot defeat him, only then will we be truly convinced!”
When Zhang Tianhe felt everyone’s gaze fixed upon him, though deeply cautious of Li Yundong’s astonishing combat talent and profound cultivation, he subconsciously glanced toward Ziyuan. He immediately noticed that Ziyuan’s gaze, unlike everyone else’s expectant stare directed at himself, was fixed intently on Li Yundong in the arena.
Zhang Tianhe had previously courted Ziyuan tirelessly without ever earning a single smile from her, yet now she was visibly moved by Li Yundong!
Jealousy immediately ignited in Zhang Tianhe’s chest. He hesitated no longer, sneered coldly, stepped forward, and boomed, “Shangqing Sect, Zhengyi Sect, Zhang Tianhe! I request instruction!!”
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