Chapter 569: Chapter 462: The Human World’s Limit

"On the Heaven List, aside from the first-ranked Demon Lord, over the years, some new talents have emerged in the martial world, achieving inner landscape cultivation and reaching the rank of Grandmaster, with their rankings occasionally changing."

"But the Hero King ranked first on the Earth List is exceptionally unique!"

His tone became grave: 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Since the establishment of the Earth List, Shen Chunqiu has held the first position, and for ten consecutive years, there has been not even the slightest shake!"

"Some of the Grandmasters on today’s Heaven List, back in their external landscape phase, could only rank below him, unable to even measure up!"

A tea drinker nodded and chuckled lightly:

"The Demon Lord and the Hero King, one is first on the Heaven List, the other is first on the Earth List, they are truly ’fixed stars’ on the three major lists, immovable by anyone!"

A young tea drinker curiously asked, "Mr. Zhang, just how powerful is this Hero King to remain first on the Earth List for ten years?"

"Powerful? He’s more than just powerful!"

A glimmer of admiration flashed in Zhang Tiezui’s eyes:

"The Hero King, Shen Chunqiu, practices the ’Grand and Righteous Qi Technique.’ His martial arts will is just and grand, and he fully understands the ultimate principle of ’Unity of Heaven and Man’ in cultivation!"

He slowly said:

"In those days, a Blood Demon appeared at the southwestern frontier, practicing the ’Blood Spirit Classic,’ slaughtering countless beings and absorbing essence blood for cultivation, leaving a thousand miles of desolation and suffering wherever he went."

"Upon hearing the news, the Hero King set out alone, racing across a hundred thousand miles to the southwestern frontier, battling the Blood Demon by the banks of the Nu River!"

"That battle turned heaven and earth black, and the sun and moon lost their light!"

"The Blood Demon’s blood path divine techniques were incredibly eerie, capable of corroding primordial qi and devouring vitality; ordinary external landscape martial artists would die upon contact."

"The Hero King used the Grand and Righteous Qi Technique to counter him, with righteous qi clashing against evil qi, stirring up a sky full of blood mist and golden light; within a ten-mile radius, mountains and rivers crumbled, and the Nu River flowed backward!"

"After a fierce battle lasting three days and nights, to kill the Blood Demon, the Hero King reached the extreme of life and death, attracting heaven and earth’s primordial qi, momentarily achieving ’Unity of Heaven and Man’ and thereby opening up the embryonic form of the inner landscape!"

Zhang Tiezui’s tone was passionate:

"Unfortunately, before dying, the Blood Demon exploded all his essence blood and cultivation, unleashing a forbidden secret technique."

"Although killed by the Hero King, it shattered the Hero King’s inner landscape, causing his realm to plummet, falling back to external landscape perfection, unable to advance any further, stuck at external landscape..."

"Even so, the Hero King still maintained the first position on the Earth List with his peak external landscape combat power and understanding of ’Unity of Heaven and Man,’ creating a legend!"

The crowd was filled with sighs upon hearing this.

Although the title of first on the Earth List was prestigious, compared to the Grandmasters of the Heaven List, it was ultimately a realm and a level apart, undoubtedly a great regret for the Hero King.

Zhang Tiezui changed the topic, with a hint of mystery in his eyes:

"But just recently, a major event occurred in Hero King’s City!"

The crowd, being long-time listeners, knew there was more to come upon hearing Zhang Tiezui’s words, so they stopped their discussions and listened intently.

Someone speculated: "Could it be the Hero King’s disciple or those Nine Famous Knights achieving another great deed?"

"I think it’s the Hero King solving an astonishing case!"

"Maybe... maybe the Hero King reversed fate and restored his inner landscape, ascending to the Heaven List!"

Faced with the crowd’s speculation, Zhang Tiezui did not respond immediately; instead, he leisurely picked up his teacup, took a sip, keeping everyone in suspense.

He only began to speak calmly after the chatter in the teahouse gradually quieted:

"None of that. Recently, a young man arrived in Hero King’s City."

"A young man?" Everyone was taken aback.

"Yes, a young man!" Zhang Tiezui nodded affirmatively:

"This young man looked no more than in his early twenties, yet his cultivation had already reached external landscape perfection, on par with the Hero King!"

"Upon arriving in Hero King’s City, he headed straight for the Hero King’s Manor, first unleashing a tiger’s roar like thunder, imbued with vast evil power and pure martial arts will, immediately repelling the Nine Famous Knights under the Hero King, leaving them all with rolling qi and blood, in great distress!"

The crowd was shocked: "What?! The Nine Famous Knights?"

The Nine Famous Knights were all external landscape experts, with two achieving great success on the external landscape, ranking on the Earth List, yet they were repelled by a single roar from a young man; such strength was terrifying!

"That’s not all!"

Zhang Tiezui continued:

"After repelling the Nine Famous Knights, that young man directly challenged the Hero King!"

"The two fought in the martial arts arena at the Hero King’s Manor; the young man’s fist intent was peerlessly domineering, containing mysteries of the world’s inception and subjugation of all beasts."

"With every punch, he attracted the primordial qi of metal and evil power in the heavens and the earth, forming a massive White Tiger fist shadow, suppressing all directions!"

"The Hero King was not to be outdone, unleashing the Grand and Righteous Qi Technique, his entire body shining with golden light, as vast righteous qi surged like rivers and seas, clashing with the White Tiger fist shadow!"

"The clash of fist intent and righteous qi, and the interweaving of golden light and white light caused the bluestone slabs in the martial arts arena to shatter inch by inch, with an invisible wave spreading outwards, collapsing several yards of the courtyard walls at the Hero King’s Manor!"

Zhang Tiezui vividly described:

"Despite this, the Hero King still couldn’t withstand that young man’s offensive!"

"Within just three rounds, the young man pierced through the Grand and Righteous Qi with one strike, his fist aimed directly at the Hero King’s face! The Hero King had no choice but to concede defeat!"

"The Hero King was defeated!"

These five words were like a thunderclap in the teahouse, leaving the martial artists there utterly astonished, their faces full of disbelief.

"How is that possible?! How could the Hero King be defeated?"

"Indeed! The Hero King has been a legendary figure holding the first position on the Earth List for ten years; how could he lose to a young man in his early twenties? And in just three rounds?"