"Hiss..."

As if sensing the Black Flame Giant Dragon’s disdain, the peach-colored Flaming Poison Snake flicked its tongue, letting out a low hiss.

"Hmph!"

Guan Zhi snorted coldly. He formed a Seal Technique, and the Flaming Poison Snake above his head began to writhe before charging toward Shen Haoran!

"ROAR!"

Seeing the Flaming Poison Snake attack first, the Black Flame Giant Dragon above Shen Haoran’s head let out a furious roar. It transformed into a streak of black light and shot forward to meet the snake, kicking up a scorching gale in its wake.

The next moment, the snake and the dragon collided in mid-air. They immediately began to tear and bite at each other, sending countless sparks flying. The temperature in the arena shot up, and the bluestone slabs on the ground cracked from the intense heat. The sheer power of the clash made the disciples in the audience tremble with shock!

"So powerful! Is this really a fight between two Alchemists?"

"This level of power... it’s like a battle between two top-ten masters from the Dragon and Tiger List! It’s terrifying!"

"Who do you guys think will win?"

Watching the Flaming Poison Snake and the Black Flame Giant Dragon locked in a vicious struggle in the air, the crowd grew curious. But from the looks of it, the two seemed to be at a stalemate!

The situation in the sky made Guan Zhi furrow his brow. He had summoned the giant flaming snake at the cost of burning his own Spiritual Thought, yet even so, he had only managed to fight Shen Haoran to a draw. He was shocked. ’Isn’t Shen Haoran’s Spiritual Thought damaged? How can he still unleash such incredible combat power?’

Shen Haoran watched the dragon and snake, his face impassive as he sneered inwardly. ’Guan Zhi’s choice this time was his greatest mistake. To think he would challenge me to a battle of Spiritual Thought!’

Shen Haoran possessed the Chaos Divine Body. Not only was his physique powerful, but his Spiritual Thought was also far beyond that of an ordinary person. Combined with the enhancement from the Ancient Divine Relics, the quality and strength of his Spiritual Thought were simply beyond anything Guan Zhi could hope to match!

Although Shen Haoran’s Spiritual Thought was currently damaged, it still didn’t affect his combat capabilities!

Of course, Guan Zhi knew none of this. He was already drenched in sweat as the Black Flame Giant Dragon, formed from the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, slowly began to overpower the Flaming Poison Snake!

The quality of the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian was far superior to Guan Zhi’s Thousand-Year Peach Wood Fire to begin with. On top of that, Shen Haoran’s control over his Spiritual Thought was a cut above. Even though Guan Zhi was burning his Spiritual Thought, he was slowly starting to lose ground!

"ROAR!"

In the sky, the Black Flame Giant Dragon roared. Its massive jaws snapped shut right on the Flaming Poison Snake’s vital spot, and it began to devour the snake frantically!

Just as the saying goes, to defeat a snake, you strike its weak point. The Black Flame Giant Dragon’s move instantly caused the Flaming Poison Snake’s aura to wither, leaving it without even the strength to struggle!

"Damn it!"

Guan Zhi roared in anger. With a wave of his hand, a drop of bright red Essence Blood flew from his body and merged into the Flaming Poison Snake!

"HISS!"

Stimulated by Guan Zhi’s Essence Blood, the Flaming Poison Snake thrashed wildly, trying to break free from the Black Flame Giant Dragon! However, the massive jaws were like a vise, clamping down tightly on the snake’s body, and its Devouring Power grew even more ferocious!

Seeing the Flaming Poison Snake’s body gradually grow unstable, a flash of panic crossed Guan Zhi’s eyes. His brow tightened, and he hastily formed another Seal Technique!

"BANG!"

With a soft explosion, the Flaming Poison Snake burst apart, transforming into a sky full of peach-colored flames, finally escaping the Black Flame Giant Dragon’s jaws!

The next moment, the peach-colored flames reconverged into the Flaming Poison Snake. Its triangular pupils stared venomously at Shen Haoran. However, the fire snake’s aura was now weak and unstable, looking as if it could dissipate at any moment!

Guan Zhi looked at the weakened fire snake, his teeth clenched and the veins on his forehead bulging. Then, with a thought, the fire snake stopped tangling with the Black Flame Giant Dragon and instead shot toward Shen Haoran as a streak of light!

Watching the fire snake charge directly at him, Shen Haoran snorted coldly. "A futile last stand!" With a wave of his hand, the Black Flame Giant Dragon circling above his head converged into his palm, transforming into a long spear!

With the spear in hand, Shen Haoran’s figure flashed as he charged forward to meet the fire snake’s gaping maw!

"HISS!"

The fire snake shrieked and lunged at Shen Haoran. From its momentum, it looked as if Shen Haoran would be bitten clean in two!

However, Shen Haoran showed no intention of dodging. He executed the Nine Heavens Shocking Cloud Step, pointed his long spear forward, and shot into the fire snake’s mouth like an arrow loosed from a bow!

"He... he was swallowed?"

The crowd in the stands was stunned as they watched Shen Haoran charge into the fire snake’s mouth. But in the next moment, their expressions changed once again!

On the stage, the fire snake continued to charge forward after swallowing Shen Haoran. But just a moment later, a black flame spear burst out from its tail, carrying Shen Haoran’s body with it as it shot directly toward Guan Zhi! The impaled fire snake dissolved into a cloud of peach-colored flames and gradually faded away!

The instant the fire snake vanished, Guan Zhi’s body trembled violently, almost dissipating entirely. The fire snake had been created by burning his Spiritual Thought Origin. Now that Shen Haoran had destroyed it, he himself had suffered a massive backlash!

Just as Guan Zhi managed to stabilize himself, Shen Haoran’s Black Flame spear lashed out and struck him. Before Guan Zhi could be sent flying, Shen Haoran lunged forward and grabbed him by the neck!

"Cough, cough..."

Guan Zhi’s eyes were half-open, filled with terror as he looked at Shen Haoran!

"You’re too weak!" Shen Haoran said indifferently, looking down at Guan Zhi. He exuded a faint but imposing aura that extinguished any thought of resistance in Guan Zhi’s mind!

Feeling the terror in his heart, Guan Zhi’s face darkened, and a wave of indignation washed over him. He stared at Shen Haoran and squeezed out a few words through clenched teeth, "I... I won’t lose!"

As he spoke, Guan Zhi’s body began to swell. He was going to self-detonate his Spiritual Thought!

"Hmph!" Seeing Guan Zhi swell up like a rubber ball before him, Shen Haoran snorted coldly. The Black Flame in his hand surged, engulfing Guan Zhi completely. Then, with a vicious clench, the expanding form was crushed. Guan Zhi’s Spiritual Thought body burst into motes of light that floated back into his physical body!

"PUH..."

As his Spiritual Thought returned to his body, Guan Zhi’s eyes flew open. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell backward, stiff as a board!

Seeing Guan Zhi collapse, Shen Haoran’s spiritual form also turned into a streak of light and flew back into his own body. The next moment, he also spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning pale. His Spiritual Thought had already been injured, and after such an intense battle, his old wounds had nearly flared up!

Taking a deep breath to suppress the churning qi and blood in his body, Shen Haoran slowly stood up. He glanced at the weakly breathing Guan Zhi before turning to walk off the stage. If not for the rule against killing during the Sect’s grand competition, Guan Zhi would already be a corpse! ’But even now, he’s not much better off than a dead man. After burning his Spiritual Thought and then being severely injured by my Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, it’s hard to say if he’ll ever wake up. And even if he does, he’ll be a cripple!’

’Yes, killing is forbidden in the Sect’s grand competition. But for those who hold killing intent toward me, I will never show mercy. Since I can’t kill him, turning him into a cripple doesn’t count as breaking the rules, right?’

After Shen Haoran left the stage, the referee for Arena Eight finally snapped out of his stupor from watching the match. He gave Shen Haoran a deep look and then shouted, "Shen Haoran wins!"