Chapter 98: Chapter 96: Fierce Battle with Zhao Qiankun

"I alone am enough?"

Zhao Qiankun was stunned for a moment. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a dark and furious expression.

"’I alone am enough,’ is it? It seems you’ve forgotten how, just over ten days ago, I beat you until you couldn’t fight back, forcing you to flee like a stray dog."

His tiger-like eyes glinted with a murderous, bone-chilling light, as if ready to devour someone whole. His deep voice seethed with boundless fury, "Back then, I was only at the True Martial Realm Third Stage, and I thrashed you like a dog. Now, I have advanced to the True Martial Realm Fourth Stage. Killing you will be easier than crushing an ant! And you dare say you alone are enough to deal with me? Hahaha, that’s utterly ridiculous! Be careful not to bite your tongue!"

As he spoke, gales of True Essence whipped up around Zhao Qiankun.

His robes fluttered violently, and his black hair danced wildly in the wind, making him look like a world-conquering Demon Venerable!

A slight ripple went through the muscles of his body, emitting a resonant twang like a powerful bow. Blue veins, like coiled dragons, wrapped around his arms.

The gales formed a tornado that tore up from the ground, ripping the grass and trees below out by their roots. It furiously swept them high into the air, shredding them to pieces.

A bone-chilling killing intent locked firmly onto Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen’s sword-like brows twitched slightly. His deep, star-like eyes flashed with confidence. "Just over ten days ago, I was merely at the Martial Arts Ninth Stage, yet I nearly crippled one of your arms. Now, I have set foot into the True Martial Realm. This time, I’m not interested in crippling an arm or two. I hate trouble, and with a mad dog like you, I think only complete annihilation will put my mind at ease!"

"Kill me? You actually dare to think you can kill me? Hahaha, how absurd... Jiang Chen, don’t think that just because you’ve reached the True Martial Realm, you have what it takes to challenge me. Today, not even the Celestial King himself could save you!"

Zhao Qiankun spread his arms, and as his muscles stretched, a dull THUD rang out, like the bowstring of a powerful Dragon Horn bow snapping.

Waves of surging True Essence flooded into his arms.

A metallic clang rang out from his right arm as a layer of silver metallic light covered it entirely. He threw a punch brimming with destructive power straight at Jiang Chen.

Faint arcs of electricity flowed over the surface of the silver metal on his arm. The SIZZLING sound was enough to set one’s teeth on edge and make their scalp tingle.

The power of this punch was concentrated into a single point!

It was enough to pierce through a mountain peak.

Jiang Chen’s gaze sharpened. ’To concentrate his power into a single point... Zhao Qiankun truly is the leader of the Three Heroes of Yulan. In terms of power control alone, he far surpasses Si Xiaosheng and Yulan Tianpeng.’

He formed a Sword Finger with the index and middle fingers of his right hand and thrust it forward!

BZZZT—

A fleck of golden light flared on his Sword Finger. The golden light condensed into a sharp energy sword and shot toward the silver Iron Fist.

BOOM!

The golden sword light collided with the silver Iron Fist.

The void trembled violently. The golden and silver lights suddenly expanded, surging toward the sky like a radiant, two-toned wheel of gold and silver hanging in the air.

"You think a mere Sword Finger can stop me? Break!"

The silver light flared intensely.

The Iron Fist instantly swelled to the size of a house and, with overwhelming force, crushed the sharp golden Sword Finger.

The Iron Fist shot across the sky, leaving a silver trail of light. Spiraling silver threads of True Essence wrapped around its surface. A terrifying storm billowed out around the fist, resembling a spinning Wind Dragon soaring through the Nine Heavens.

The shockwave from the punch swept past a ten-meter-tall boulder, and with a BOOM, the rock was torn in half.

Dust and debris filled the air!

’Such terrifying power... After advancing to the True Martial Realm Fourth Stage, Zhao Qiankun’s strength has grown even greater. It seems I’ll have to get serious!’ Jiang Chen’s gaze sharpened, focusing on the oncoming silver phantom of the fist.

Zhao Qiankun possessed Innate Divine Strength and, on top of that, had a True Martial Realm Fourth Stage cultivation.

His power was far greater than before.

Although Jiang Chen’s strength far surpassed others at the same level, he was still outmatched when facing Zhao Qiankun’s Innate Divine Strength!

Competing with him in terms of strength right now was definitely not the best choice.

The Aurora Sword Technique and the Wind God Extreme both focused more on skill and speed. But as the saying goes, "one strong force can overcome ten skills." Since Zhao Qiankun’s combat power was on par with his own, many of his techniques would be far less effective against him.

As thoughts raced through his mind, a cold look appeared on Jiang Chen’s face. "Everyone says you, Zhao Qiankun, possess Innate Divine Strength. Well, I’m going to crush you precisely where you are strongest—in a contest of power!"

BOOM!

Pushing the Profound Yellow Undying Technique to its absolute limit, two beams of tangible, brilliant light shot out from Jiang Chen’s eyes.

He swiped his arm through the air, True Essence pulsing in his palm and leaving a golden-yellow trail of light.

"Eight Celestial Dragon Divine Fist—Fierce Tiger Shocks the Sky!"

Jiang Chen let out a sudden, earth-shattering roar that boomed like profound thunder. Following his shout, a ferocious punch came smashing forward!

RUMBLE—

The force shattered the vacuum. The punch was so fast it created several afterimages. Three phantom fists stacked upon each other in a triangular formation and slammed into the house-sized silver fist.

It was diamond cut diamond!

This was a contest of absolute power!

"Oh no, Jiang Chen is being too reckless! How could he compete with Zhao Qiankun in a contest of strength?" Si Xiaosheng’s pupils contracted as he exclaimed in shock.

Yulan Tianpeng’s sword-like brows furrowed deeply. His face showed a mix of frustration and worry as he said in a low voice, "Strength is Zhao Qiankun’s greatest asset. Jiang Chen is ninety percent likely to lose this exchange. We should both get ready. The moment Jiang Chen is defeated, we’ll intervene and save him."

"Right!"

Si Xiaosheng nodded, his expression grave. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The two of them gripped their Profound Weapons, ready for battle.

Watching his silver fist continuously crush the golden light of the opposing punch and clearly gaining the upper hand, Zhao Qiankun laughed heartily, a smug look on his face. "Jiang Chen, oh, Jiang Chen... I truly don’t know whether to admire your courage or be amazed by your stupidity. The whole world knows that I, Zhao Qiankun, possess Innate Divine Strength and can overpower anyone at my level. How dare you compete with me in strength? You’re simply courting death!"

"The outcome isn’t decided yet. Don’t celebrate too early!" Jiang Chen retorted, the corners of his mouth curled in a cold smile.

"Ridiculous. Don’t tell me you actually think your strength can beat mine? You’re daydreaming... dreaming... What’s happening?" Zhao Qiankun was sneering smugly, but as he spoke, his expression suddenly changed.

The unstoppable momentum of the house-sized silver fist suddenly stalled.

And then...

The golden fist, only the size of a human head, suddenly acted like a carp swimming upstream. It radiated a blinding golden light, twisting as it resisted the impact and pushed forward against the overwhelming force!

The house-sized silver fist was actually being forced back!

"How is that possible?"

Zhao Qiankun’s eyes flew wide open, his pupils contracting violently, filled with utter disbelief.

"Nothing is impossible..." Jiang Chen snorted coldly. His face instantly flushed red as he let out a great roar, "Break!"

VMMMM—VMMMM—VMMMM—

A continuous vibrating sound emanated from the golden fist of light.

Waves of terrifying Shaking Power rippled out from Jiang Chen’s golden fist. It was like a wild python coiling around its prey, its body trembling continuously. Under these successive waves of Shaking Power, the golden fist grew ever more brilliant, charging forward like an invincible Golden Armor War God!

BOOM—

The golden light flashed past, directly piercing through the silver phantom of the fist.

The house-sized silver fist shattered, breaking into fragments. Specks of silver light rained down.

Jiang Chen’s punch, its power also exhausted, transformed into a thin stream of golden energy that, with a SWISH, grazed past Zhao Qiankun’s cheek.

The golden light dissipated into nothingness.

Zhao Qiankun’s shocked face twitched slightly. A thin line of red slowly welled up on his cheek; he had been cut by the dissipating stream of energy.

Si Xiaosheng’s eyes went wide. "..."

Yulan Tianpeng’s Profound Weapon fell from his hand, and he stood there, dumbfounded. "..."

No one could have expected...

That in a contest of strength, Zhao Qiankun’s greatest specialty, when everyone was certain Jiang Chen would be defeated...

The one who came out of this exchange with a slight advantage...

Was actually Jiang Chen!