And the reality was just that! Under Shen Haoran’s frenzied assault, Zuo Chuan was like a small boat on a stormy sea, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any moment.

BANG! After another fierce exchange, Zuo Chuan was once again forced back. His entire body was now scorched black, and there was even a faint smell of roasting flesh in the air.

After struggling to extinguish the black flames on his fist, Zuo Chuan stared at his red, swollen knuckles and screamed internally, ’Damn it, what in the world is this flame!’ He had never imagined that Shen Haoran’s black flames could actually burn the Spiritual Power within his body. Having to divert his focus to resist this bizarre fire in the middle of a fight was making things incredibly difficult for him.

Meanwhile, Shen Haoran was also gasping for breath. The berserk power within him was surging, growing ever stronger. The after-effects of his Heaven-Dominating Technique were starting to manifest. ’If I don’t end this fight soon,’ he thought, ’it’s all over!’

At this thought, Shen Haoran’s gaze sharpened. The power within his body began to converge, and a storm of Spiritual Power formed around him.

Seeing Shen Haoran gathering his power, Zuo Chuan ignored his pain. Shen Haoran’s next attack would likely decide the outcome of the battle, and Zuo Chuan knew he had to unleash his full strength.

Zuo Chuan took a deep breath, and the giant palm materialized in the sky once more. This was his most powerful attack—his final act of defiance.

As the giant palm formed, Shen Haoran’s eyes remained completely placid. In the next instant, his figure vanished, and the storm of Spiritual Power around him converged in a flash.

Sensing the imminent danger, Zuo Chuan slammed his hand down without hesitation. The suffocating pressure rained down from the heavens once more.

"Prajna Palm!"

"Heaven-Breaking Kill!" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The next moment, fist and palm collided. A terrifying storm of Spiritual Power swept across the entire plaza. Some of the weaker Martial Artists below the stage were thrown into the air by the blast, while others were knocked unconscious by the sheer force of the impact.

In mid-air, the two formidable torrents of Spiritual Power remained deadlocked. The black fist dominated half the Martial Arts Arena. Slowly, the giant white palm began to falter. The immense aura radiating from the black fist filled Zuo Chuan with a sense of powerlessness. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he watched the fist draw steadily closer, able to do nothing but grit his teeth and endure.

"ARGH...!" On the other side, Shen Haoran was drenched in sweat. He could no longer control the berserk power within him. With a furious roar, it all poured out! This was the power of the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian—the purest and most terrifying explosive force in the world. Under the onslaught of this rampant power, the giant white palm was obliterated, and the attack continued hurtling toward Zuo Chuan.

As the giant white palm shattered, Zuo Chuan’s face turned deathly pale. His body shuddered as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He stared blankly at the berserk power hurtling toward him, the chilling premonition of death gripping his heart.

"This is bad!" Sensing the berserk power, He Yiming’s expression changed drastically. In a flash, he appeared in front of Zuo Chuan, extending a palm to intercept the fatal blow.

BOOM... With a loud bang, even He Yiming, a Spirit Aspect Tier powerhouse, was forced back two steps.

He Yiming stared at his scorched, trembling palm, his face a mask of horror. ’What is my cultivation level? I’m a Spirit Aspect Powerhouse! I can move mountains and fill seas with a flick of my wrist!’ And yet, he had just been injured by a mere boy at the Spirit Pupil Tier. A furious rage began to boil in his heart, and he made no effort to hide the killing intent in his eyes.

Shen Haoran drifted down from the sky. The effects of the Heaven-Dominating Tribulation had worn off, and his body was now a complete wreck. His meridians were riddled with fractures. It was a good thing his constitution had been reinforced; otherwise, this battle would have certainly claimed his life.

Shen Haoran frowned as he looked at He Yiming, who was standing in front of Zuo Chuan. He had thought that last attack would kill Zuo Chuan, but he hadn’t counted on He Yiming’s interference. ’It’s impossible to cripple Zuo Chuan now.’

"Hmph. So young, yet your heart is so venomous," He Yiming snarled at Shen Haoran. "This was merely a competition, yet you tried to kill your opponent. A person like you is bound to become a menace. Today, I, on behalf of the Spirit Crane Sect, will cripple you to prevent future trouble!"

Shen Haoran was stunned by He Yiming’s words. In the next instant, a sense of grave danger washed over him. He Yiming was attacking him directly!

Sensing He Yiming’s killing intent, Shen Haoran’s gaze turned icy. But his body was in such a wretched state that he lacked even the strength to dodge.

As He Yiming closed in, a ruthless glint flashed in Shen Haoran’s eyes. ’So you want my life? I’ll make sure to break some of your teeth before I go down!’ With that thought, a savage aura emanated from his body. He used the last vestiges of his Spiritual Power to channel the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian, and his body began to swell. It looked as if he was preparing to self-destruct!

Seeing this, He Yiming quickened his pace, appearing before Shen Haoran in an instant. He looked down condescendingly and said coldly, "This is the price for offending the Spirit Crane Sect!" With that, his palm swung down toward Shen Haoran’s head.

"No!" It all happened too quickly. Before Ji Lingxuan could react, He Yiming had already attacked. A terrifyingly cold aura exploded from within her.

BANG!

However, just as He Yiming’s strike was about to land on Shen Haoran, a streak of fiery red Spiritual Power shot toward his temple. If he didn’t dodge, it would surely pierce straight through his head.

Everyone cherishes their own life. Startled by the sudden attack, He Yiming had no choice but to give up on Shen Haoran and leap backward to evade.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so utterly shameless!" the scruffy old man on the high platform said, stretching lazily with a roguish air. "It was clearly a life-and-death battle, yet not only did you break the rules, you then tried to bully the weak with your superior strength. How could this old man just stand by and watch that?"

"Hmph, Elder Huo, you’d best not meddle in affairs that don’t concern you!" He Yiming retorted, frowning at the scruffy old man.

In response to He Yiming’s words, the scruffy old man leaped down from the main platform. He ambled over to Shen Haoran and placed a hand on his shoulder. A warm current of Spiritual Power flowed into Shen Haoran’s body. Nourished by this warmth, the berserk power within him began to calm, eventually settling down inside his Dantian.

Shen Haoran stared at the scruffy old man in astonishment. ’That warm Spiritual Power can actually pacify the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian! And... it feels strangely familiar!’

"I’m making this my business today. What are you going to do about it? You wanna fight?" the scruffy old man said, nodding to Shen Haoran before turning to face He Yiming with an arrogant smirk.

"You..." He Yiming’s face darkened at the old man’s roguish behavior. ’Shen Haoran must be eliminated,’ he thought. ’If an enemy with this much potential is left alive, the future safety of the Spirit Crane Sect will be in grave danger!’

But the scruffy old man shielded Shen Haoran protectively, giving He Yiming no opening. He Yiming was furious, but he was also helpless. ’Fight Elder Huo?’ he fumed internally. ’What a joke. I’m not nearly strong enough for that!’

"Alright, let’s call it a day," Jian Wuxin said, also leaping down from the platform. He gave Shen Haoran a fleeting, meaningful glance before turning to leave with Liu Yu. The Rose Fairy followed them with a faint smile, appearing completely unfazed by the day’s events.

"Hmph!" Since things had come to this, He Yiming could only let out a cold snort. He picked up Zuo Chuan, who was still sitting on the ground in a daze, and left the plaza.

The VIPs departed one by one, leaving the crowd below to stare at each other in utter disbelief.

What the hell just happened? A Tier Seven Spirit Pupil had utterly defeated a Spirit General, and two Spirit Aspect Powerhouses had nearly come to blows. It was all a bit too much for them to process.