In the next instant, Shen Haoran and Hu Da crashed into each other. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, and then a visible, incredibly potent ring of Powerful Qi erupted outward with the two of them at its center!

CRACKLE... The terrifying force of their collision shattered the bluestone slabs beneath their feet, sending cracks spreading out like a spider’s web.

’Damn it!’ Seeing the ferocious wave of Powerful Qi from the collision, the eldest of the Liu Family cursed inwardly and hurriedly withdrew the cyan Spiritual Power tentacles they had spread around the area. Those were formed from their own precious Spiritual Power; if the shockwave hit them, it would be a significant loss for the three of them! But even though the Liu Family’s Three Brothers saved their tentacles, they were still forced back by the blast of Powerful Qi. The blood and qi in their bodies churned violently.

After forcibly suppressing the roiling qi and blood inside them, the Liu Family’s Three Brothers exchanged horrified glances. ’Even the aftershock is this terrifying. I can’t imagine what kind of force the two of them are withstanding head-on!’

The crowd below stared, transfixed, at the two fighters in the center of the arena. There, Shen Haoran’s fist and Hu Da’s elbow were locked. Veins bulged on both their foreheads, their faces were flushed red, and a series of explosive pops echoed from their bodies. The sound made the onlookers’ scalps tingle!

"He... he blocked it... They’re evenly matched!" someone in the crowd stammered, watching the two locked in a stalemate on the stage.

"What... Hu Da has been practicing his Mountain Collapse for years. It reached the stage of Great Success long ago! Combined with the properties of his Earth Attribute Spiritual Power, a full-power strike is comparable to an Earth Tier Martial Skill! And Shen Haoran actually blocked it!" a disciple from Thick Earth Hall exclaimed. He had seen the power of Hu Da’s Mountain Collapse with his own eyes and couldn’t believe a new Tier Nine Spirit Pupil had stopped it.

"No, the outcome has already been decided. Both Hu Da and Shen Haoran are using explosive-type Martial Skills. With techniques like these, if a winner isn’t decided instantly, it comes down to a battle of attrition. Hu Da is an Earth Attribute Martial Artist, so endurance is his specialty. Once he gets through the initial burst of Shen Haoran’s Martial Skill, victory will belong to Hu Da!" a Level Three Disciple from Linglong Hall analyzed.

Hearing the disciple’s analysis, the surrounding Martial Artists nodded in agreement. ’The insight of a Spirit General really is sharp!’

And at that moment, Hu Da was thinking the exact same thing! ’At first, I didn’t think he could block my attack. I had absolute confidence in my Mountain Collapse; after all, I once used this very move to seriously injure a Spirit General head-on! But the moment we collided, I knew. The explosive power of his Heaven-Breaking Kill was in no way inferior to my own. If my overall strength weren’t slightly higher than his, this wouldn’t be a stalemate. I would have been crushed!’

’All I can do now is stall,’ Hu Da thought. ’Once I get past the initial burst of his Heaven-Breaking Kill, my chance will come. There’s no way he has any power left after an attack like that!’

However, just as Hu Da braced himself for a battle of endurance, he saw Shen Haoran, who was inches away, break into a grin. Shen Haoran’s grin sent a chill down Hu Da’s spine. Then, an incredibly dangerous power surged forth from Shen Haoran’s fist!

’Impossible! How can this be!’ Hu Da roared in despair in his mind. ’I’d already put every last ounce of my strength into my Mountain Collapse! It was shocking enough that Shen Haoran could withstand it, but how could he possibly have the power to strike back?!’

WHOOSH... The sudden surge of power from Shen Haoran instantly broke their stalemate. Hu Da’s feet scraped across the ground as he was pushed back, but he quickly managed to halt his retreat!

"Oh... my god, Hu Da is retreating! He’s being forced back! Has Shen Haoran been holding back this whole time?" the crowd cried out in alarm upon seeing Hu Da give ground.

"Damn it!" Hu Da snarled, gritting his teeth. Thick beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression was savage!

Hu Da desperately tried to hold his ground, refusing to be pushed back another step. But the force coming from Shen Haoran’s fist was relentless, stacking wave upon wave. A sense of helplessness began to grow in Hu Da’s heart!

CRACK... CRACKLE... Suddenly, with a sharp cracking sound, the Rock Armor covering the point of contact between Shen Haoran’s fist and Hu Da’s elbow began to fracture. Seeing this, Hu Da’s pupils shrank. Then, a thunderous roar exploded in his ears!

"Heaven-Breaking·Double Kill!"

"CRACKLE... BOOM...!"

Following Shen Haoran’s roar, a tyrannical power surged forth, instantly shattering Hu Da’s defenses. A fist the size of a sandbag slammed heavily into his chest!

Hu Da’s burly frame was blasted into the air. The Rock Armor on his body shattered into pieces, scattering across the ground below. Blood sprayed freely from his mouth, dyeing the arena crimson!

THUD! With a dull thud, Hu Da’s body landed heavily outside the arena, knocked out cold.

The crowd stared at Hu Da’s unconscious form, and an audible gulp went through the audience.

GULP! The sound of several hundred people gulping in unison was bizarre, but no one paid it any mind. Right now, their minds were filled with the image of the moment Shen Haoran sent Hu Da flying. That figure, like a War God, was now firmly seared into their minds.

Shen Haoran was now on one knee, his face pale and his breaths ragged, but his expression was one of pure excitement. This was the first time he had successfully applied the principle of stacking power—something he’d grasped on the Chaos Celestial Ladder—to a Martial Skill. And he had executed it perfectly. The result amazed him; the killing power of his Heaven-Breaking Kill had doubled!

’My body can only withstand stacking the power three times, though. Any more and I’d probably explode. Still, the results are more than satisfying!’

Shen Haoran slowly rose to his feet. He looked at the unconscious Hu Da and let out a long breath. ’It wasn’t that Hu Da was weak. On the contrary, he was the most terrifying close-quarters opponent I’ve ever faced. I almost lost to him. But thankfully, I won. And I even gained new insights into close-quarters combat. Combat really is the fastest way to improve your strength!’

"He... he won again? Even a Half-Step Spirit General is no match for him!" someone in the crowd said, their voice trembling.

"Who says he’s won? Don’t forget about the Liu Family’s Three Brothers! Shen Haoran must have used up all his Spiritual Power by now. It’ll be a piece of cake for the Liu brothers to finish him off!" a disciple from Cyan Wood Hall declared.

That’s right, the fight wasn’t over. Shen Haoran had challenged five people! Now that Hu Da and Hu Er were defeated, the Liu Family’s Three Brothers were still on the stage!

Hearing the crowd’s shouts, the Liu Family’s Three Brothers snapped back to reality. They shot Shen Haoran a fearful glance, which quickly hardened into a vicious one. Shen Haoran was at his weakest now. It was the perfect time to strike while he was down and finish him off. The Liu Family’s Three Brothers attacked without a moment’s hesitation!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! Dozens of cyan tentacles shot toward Shen Haoran, whistling through the air!

However, they had underestimated Shen Haoran. After knocking Hu Da from the arena, Shen Haoran had kept his focus squarely on the Liu Family’s Three Brothers. With Mu Feng as the Elder of Cyan Wood Hall, he knew better than to be careless around his disciples. Sure enough, the three brothers made their move. But Shen Haoran was ready for them.

Watching the cyan tentacles shoot toward him, Shen Haoran showed no intention of dodging. From his sleeves, two beautiful, ethereal black Fire Lotuses slowly emerged and flew toward the incoming tentacles.

Just as they were about to make contact with the cyan tentacles, Shen Haoran formed a Seal Technique and barked, "Explode!" With a deafening explosion, a sea of black fire instantly engulfed the arena. A terrifying heat wave rolled out, and in the blink of an eye, the tentacles were incinerated!