As Zhang Tianhe stepped onto the stage, a palpable tension gripped the hearts of all cultivators present.

The reputation of the Zhengyi Sect was simply too vast! Zhang Tianhe was not only the youngest son of the Sect Master but also the final disciple, meaning his mastery of skills and divine abilities was beyond question.

Which power would prove superior—the orthodoxy of the Xuanmen, or this suddenly emerging, unknown young man? This was the thought spinning through the minds of every cultivator watching.

Zhang Tianhe formed a sword-finger gesture and slowly stroked the body of the Seven-Star Precious Sword in his hand, rapidly calculating the situation before him.

Just moments ago, impulse had driven him forward, but now, standing on the stage facing Li Yundong, a sudden clarity washed over him. To claim absolute certainty of victory based on the strength Li Yundong had just displayed would be a lie.

The contest between cultivators generally hinged on several aspects: Firstly, personal might, which encompassed the depth of one's Dao cultivation—the sheer power of one's internal energy. Yet, deep internal energy alone was insufficient; one needed Dao techniques, the specific methods of combat, judging who commanded more Daoist arts and supernatural spells, and who could deploy them with greater finesse.

Li Yundong’s display of might just moments ago had been profoundly shocking. Not only was his True Essence robust, but it was also incredibly condensed, clearly the result of immense labor in his cultivation. Especially when he commanded the paving bricks on the ground as if they were a carpet, dragging them back half a meter—this feat was impossible without True Essence that was both immensely powerful and highly refined.

Secondly, the comparison turned to their respective magic artifacts. A superior artifact could elevate an ordinary cultivator into a renowned master; Zhao Wuji, wielding the Nine Yin Locust Wood Sword, was the perfect example. Had Li Yundong not coincidentally infused the Seven Treasures Spirit-Arousing Fan with ghostly Yin energy previously, his fan would have been defeated long ago. Once the artifact lost, the battle was largely lost, allowing for almost no comeback unless one possessed tremendous supernatural power.

Although Zhang Tianhe’s Seven-Star Precious Sword was the treasured artifact of the Zhengyi Sect and ranked among the Five Great Swords of the world, Li Yundong’s Seven Treasures Spirit-Arousing Fan was no ordinary item either. It was a top-tier artifact recognized in the cultivation world; the Fox Elder of Panshi once roamed undefeated with it, enjoying unmatched glory. It was only because the Fox Zen Gate had produced few powerful male cultivators afterward that the fan’s fame gradually faded.

Being widely read, Zhang Tianhe was certainly aware of the power of the Seven Treasures Spirit-Arousing Fan. Witnessing the intense and bizarre clash between it and the Nine Yin Locust Wood Sword earlier had opened even his eyes, a master of the orthodox Xuanmen. If the Seven Treasures Spirit-Arousing Fan were to contend with the Seven-Star Precious Sword, no one could predict the victor.

Thirdly, victory was not guaranteed merely by deeper cultivation or a stronger artifact. During the exchange of spells, one also had to assess the agility of one's adaptation, the richness of one's experience, and the steadfastness of one's will. Any single one of these elements could tip the scales toward defeat or victory.

Considering these three points, Zhang Tianhe felt no certainty of an assured win in any category.

"My defeat would be a minor matter, but disgracing the Sect is a great one! In this fight, victory is the only option!" Zhang Tianhe meticulously scrutinized Li Yundong, attempting to ferret out any weakness.

Yet, watching Li Yundong standing there, his entire being seemed riddled with openings, as if a mere gesture from Zhang Tianhe would bring him down. But then, remembering the fighting genius and astonishing reactions Li Yundong displayed during his seven straight victories, a sense of dread filled Zhang Tianhe.

Slowly, Zhang Tianhe circulated the True Essence within his body. He gritted his teeth, having resolved to fell this rare and formidable opponent in the shortest time possible!

Zhang Tianhe positioned himself five meters in front of Li Yundong. He slid the Seven-Star Precious Sword into the scabbard on his back, took a deep breath, crossed his arms as if embracing an invisible, massive sphere, and slowly raised them. At the peak of his reach, his body suddenly shuddered.

This shudder was like a black bear shaking off fleas; Zhang Tianhe’s robes vibrated violently, emitting a sharp snap. Ziyuan’s eyes immediately shone with strong approval, and she whispered, "A fine move, Qiankun Yi Bao (Cosmic Embrace)!"

Ruan Hongling, lacking the necessary cultivation, could not discern the profundity of Zhang Tianhe’s shake. She asked, puzzled, "Sister Ziyuan, is that really so impressive?"

Ziyuan replied, "This Zhang Tianhe is indeed worthy of the Xuanmen orthodoxy and being the Grandmaster Zhang’s final disciple. His skill is exceptionally pure. Observe this shudder: his protective Qi erupts outwards. That initial embrace signifies drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth for one's use, striving for unity between man and nature. But that shudder is even more remarkable—it transforms the surging protective Qi into a soft force. His robes actually pierce the air with a sound! Extraordinary, truly extraordinary!"

Ruan Hongling’s mouth gaped open. "Then is Li Yundong his match?"

Ziyuan’s expression was grave. "I do not know. Zhang Tianhe is undoubtedly a top expert among the younger generation of cultivators. He is Li Yundong's formidable adversary! I cannot predict the winner or loser in their contest!"

While the two women spoke privately, the cultivators from various sects began whispering amongst themselves, speculating on who would triumph between Li Yundong and Zhang Tianhe.

With that shudder, Zhang Tianhe displayed the authentic internal arts of the Xuanmen. His imposing aura instantly climbed to its apex. He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, and boomed, "Immortal Li, forgive my offense!"

With that, the Seven-Star Precious Sword behind him leaped out from its sheath, hovering in the air, fixed menacingly upon Li Yundong, not attacking, but adopting a purely defensive posture.

Zhang Tianhe twisted his waist sharply, his upper body leaning extremely low, his posture undulating and constantly shifting. His arms stretched backward, resembling flowing clouds.

Ziyuan’s eyes widened immediately, and she secretly transmitted a message to Li Yundong: "This is Feng Shen Yun Shou (Wind Body Cloud Hands)! Li Yundong, strike at his center; you absolutely must not let him successfully mobilize his energy!"

Hearing Ziyuan’s warning, Li Yundong frowned slightly. He wanted to reply but was unsure how to transmit a message secretly, so he merely glanced at Ziyuan.

Ziyuan seemed to understand his predicament and anxiously shouted aloud, "This is the Five Thunders True Method! He is summoning lightning! Be careful!"

Just as Ziyuan finished speaking, a deafening crack echoed from the sky. Thunder rolled heavily!

Li Yundong started in alarm and looked sharply upward. He saw dark clouds churning above, with lightning writhing within them. However, Li Yundong had already passed through a Heavenly Tribulation, so his innate fear of this level of heavenly lightning was greatly diminished.

In fact, a subtle thought arose in Li Yundong: he might not need to fear this level of heavenly lightning; he might even be able to command it!

As this notion surfaced, Li Yundong inhaled deeply. The True Essence throughout his body surged upward from his crown like a plume of smoke, forming a perfectly straight column that pierced the heavens.

He mirrored Zhang Tianhe’s movements, beginning the "Wind Body Cloud Hands."

The cultivators of all sects were thrown into an uproar seeing Li Yundong mimicking Zhang Tianhe’s movements exactly. The two disciples accompanying Zhang Tianhe from the Zhengyi Sect stared with wide eyes and exclaimed loudly, "Impossible! How does he know Wind Body Cloud Hands!"

Hua Tuo created the Five Animal Frolics by observing birds and beasts; Zhang Sanfeng grasped the subtle art of Tai Chi by observing turtles and snakes; Ji Jike created Xingyi Quan after witnessing two roosters fight. Since ancient times, nearly all martial arts and Daoist methods originated from human imitation of animals and nature. The Wind Body Cloud Hands was no exception.

Lightning is the majesty of heaven. How does lightning arise? Nothing more than this: where there is wind, there are clouds; where there are clouds, there is lightning!

This Wind Body Cloud Hands technique was a secret art of the Zhengyi Sect. It harnessed the imitation of wind and cloud to mobilize one's True Essence and draw down heavenly lightning!

Zhang Tianhe’s "Wind Body Cloud Hands" was undeniably the genuine, orthodox version, utilizing secret postural methods to perform the rite of summoning lightning. Li Yundong’s imitation, though exact in appearance, actually relied on his own immense True Essence to summon the lightning.

Ziyuan clearly understood the difference between the two; she stared wide-eyed, murmuring in shock, "Is he a madman?"

Ruan Hongling was also stunned. "How does he know Wind Body Cloud Hands? I never saw him practice it before! Sister Ziyuan, did you teach him?"

Her words tumbled out in her extreme shock, forgetting the need for silent transmission. This immediately caused Zou Ping, the female disciple who had descended with Zhang Tianhe, to whip her head around toward Ruan Hongling, her expression flickering with suspicion and uncertainty.

Ziyuan hadn't recovered either. She shook her head. "I never taught him that! He’s just imitating to confuse Zhang Tianhe, he..."

Before Ziyuan could finish, Zhang Tianhe’s execution of the Wind Body Cloud Hands abruptly halted, as if a tumultuous, surging ocean had instantly frozen solid. The wind-whipped sky froze in that very instant!

A massive crack sounded between heaven and earth, and a bolt of lightning momentarily illuminated the cloud layer!

Zhang Tianhe suddenly clasped his hands from behind him forward, snapping into a finger seal, and roared, "Five Thunders of the Heavenly Dao, aid me in slaying the wicked!"

As he shouted, another thunderous crack split the air. The dark clouds in the sky began to spin rapidly, forming a vortex. Electrical sparks flashed at the center of the vortex, presenting a terrifying spectacle.

The cultivators of all sects looked up at the heavenly lightning, their faces etched with fear.

Cultivators feared lightning most of all. During overcast or rainy days, those with lesser cultivation dared not use spells or artifacts, nor even ascend to high places. Among all types of cultivators, those who could cultivate lightning arts were absolutely the peak practitioners, yet they were still subject to the masses.

Zhang Tianhe’s sudden deployment of the Five Thunders True Method instantly shocked everyone present, instilling awe and the belief that the might of this heavenly lightning was unstoppable.

After the great shout, Zhang Tianhe pointed both hands sharply toward the sky and roared with a voice that split the thunder: "Let the lightning descend!"

The instant his finger pointed upward, Li Yundong’s movements also stopped. The white energy above his head grew thicker, shooting straight up into the churning dark clouds. He too let out a fierce roar, mobilizing all his True Essence to draw the heavenly lightning from the clouds downward.

Li Yundong had absorbed the power of heavenly lightning before. Thus, as he propelled his True Essence toward the cloud-choked sky, he immediately provoked the descent of the lightning.

"Rumble!" "Crack!!!"

Two successive thunderous reports sounded from the sky simultaneously, and two bolts of lightning instantly struck down, hitting both Li Yundong and Zhang Tianhe squarely!

In the instant before the lightning struck, Li Yundong violently commanded his True Essence to surge toward Zhang Tianhe. Simultaneously, the Baihui acupoint on his head instantly closed, and all his remaining True Essence surged upward to resist. His Seven Treasures Spirit-Arousing Fan suddenly leaped into the air to block the fierce heavenly lightning.

Although Zhang Tianhe’s Seven-Star Precious Sword also leaped up to intercept the lightning bolt, he never anticipated that the True Essence surging from Li Yundong would also draw down the heavenly lightning, causing him to be struck as well. Therefore, he had made no preparations for resistance.

While the Seven-Star Precious Sword managed to deflect the majority of the lightning's power, a small portion still struck his body. How could human flesh withstand the might of heavenly lightning? Zhang Tianhe immediately let out a cry, spitting a mouthful of blood, and fell backward.

Zou Ping and the other short, stout disciple from the Zhengyi Sect who had descended with Zhang Tianhe rushed forward in shock. Zou Ping swiftly struck pressure points on Zhang Tianhe’s body, while the other continuously channeled his True Essence into him.

Zou Ping turned around, her face a mixture of alarm and fury, looking toward the center of the stage.

There, Li Yundong stood with his hair disheveled, his clothes shredded by the strike, his shoes ruined, leaving only his trousers relatively intact. Although his appearance was utterly wretched, Li Yundong’s complexion was ruddy, his spirit vigorous, and his gaze seemed even sharper than before. He stood radiating imposing dignity, looking down upon the assembled crowd!

This sight was nothing short of astonishing!

Almost every cultivator present drew a sharp breath!

This duel had devolved into a mutual contest of summoning heavenly lightning!! This was too exaggerated!

But what was even more exaggerated was that Zhang Tianhe, an inner disciple of the Zhengyi Sect—hailed as the orthodox Xuanmen and the foremost sect in the world—was struck down by a single bolt from a nobody, while this nobody emerged completely unscathed!

"Could it be that this fellow is a Great Cultivation Master who has already passed the Lightning Tribulation?" one cultivator exclaimed in terror.

To pass the Eighth Realm Lightning Tribulation meant one was undoubtedly a Grand Cultivation Master, capable of standing as an equal to the strongest sect masters during their peak eras. Furthermore, to pass that stage, one first had to surpass the peak of the Seventh Realm, the Golden Body Stage, cultivating the Indestructible Golden Body.

But if Li Yundong had cultivated the Indestructible Golden Body, he could destroy every cultivator present with a single hand. How could this not fill them with fear and reverence?

Therefore, several cultivators immediately refuted this idea: "Nonsense! If he had reached the Indestructible Golden Body realm, why would he have bothered wasting breath talking to us before? He could crush us with a little finger!"

"Exactly! Out of thousands of years and so many cultivators, how many have reached the Indestructible Golden Body realm?"

"Reaching the Nascent Soul realm already makes one a grand master; the Indestructible Golden Body? Forget it. That requires the Earthly Spirit Pill! In the current cultivation world, no one can reach that level!"

These clamors filled the air, yet Li Yundong on the stage simply clasped his hands and announced loudly, "I have won another match. May I ask if you gentlemen will honor your promise and retreat from this place?"

For a moment, everyone looked at each other, many inwardly nodding, feeling the impulse to withdraw.

Zhang Tianhe of the Zhengyi Sect had lost, and lost in a single exchange. What use were they?

Seeing the intention to retreat in their faces, Li Yundong was secretly delighted and about to speak when Zou Ping suddenly stood up and declared loudly, "No! There is one more expert from a sect here who has not yet made a move!"

Li Yundong frowned. "Who? Who else hasn't moved?"

Zou Ping sneered, pointed behind her, and shouted, "The Spirit Palace Branch of the Zhengyi Sect, Ziyuan!"