Everything fell into place naturally. With this resentment released and his thoughts clear, a Breakthrough was a matter of course.
If Tian Tong did not die, the stone weighing on his heart would remain, and over time, it would affect his Cultivation.
The subsequent changes greatly astonished him. His hearing and vision improved significantly, and numerous discussions entered his ears, which he could easily distinguish.
“Could it be that my Soul has become stronger?”
This was the only possibility. For a Martial Artist to Cultivate, physical talent was one aspect, but a powerful Soul was even more crucial in determining his future heights.
He stood on the platform, grinning foolishly, the happiest he had ever been.
He was soon startled awake by a wisp of Sword Qi, snapping out of his foolish grin.
Tian Yilin clenched his fists, suddenly rushing forward the moment Tian Tong died.
The spectators around the arena were somewhat numb. Tian Tong was dead, truly dead, killed by the waste they had mocked countless times.
“Chen Zheng, I want you dead!”
Tian Yilin appeared on the arena, holding a longsword, approaching step by step.
His eyes turned cold. With Tian Tong dead, his body relaxed, and he achieved a Breakthrough to the sixth level of Acquired Realm. His strength greatly increased, and it was a good time to meet this Tian Yilin.
The old man guarding the arena wanted to stop them, but it was too late. Tian Yilin was at the eighth level of Acquired Realm, possessing great strength.
The longsword slashed down from mid-air, drawing a strange arc, heading straight for Chen Zheng’s neck, incredibly tricky.
Even if he violated the rules by killing Chen Zheng, what did it matter? Who would offend a rising Genius for a dead man?
The Sword Qi came closer and closer. Chen Zheng had nowhere to dodge. Countless people held their breath, unwilling to miss this fatal sword strike.
“Young Miss, should we help him?”
He Lan spoke softly. The Young Miss coming in person was certainly not just to idly watch a group of children fight.
“No rush, it’s not time yet!”
Ai Linna’s beautiful eyes rested quietly on Chen Zheng, wanting to know how many more secrets he held.
“If there truly is a powerful Alchemist behind him, it would be of great help to our Family and could resolve our Family’s crisis. Does Young Miss intend to start with him to find that Alchemist?”
He Lan had followed the Young Miss for over a decade, and the two had long since reached a tacit understanding.
“How can a powerful Alchemist be so easily met? As long as there’s a glimmer of hope, I won’t give up.”
At this point, a hint of loneliness flashed in Ai Linna’s eyes. For over a decade, she had traveled to many places searching for a powerful Alchemist, but after all these years, she had found nothing.
The sword light in Chen Zheng’s eyes grew larger and larger, along with Tian Yilin’s distorted face.
“Saber, come!”
He drew the long saber from his back, which was neither a sword nor a saber, a single-edged long saber with a slightly upturned curve. The moment Chen Zheng’s long saber appeared, it attracted much attention.
He pointed it at the sky, assuming a strange posture, his left leg suddenly leaning forward, his body slightly bent.
“Chen Zheng, die for me!”
Tian Yilin roared, pouring all his strength into this sword strike to kill this boy and avenge his deceased brother.
At the critical moment!
Ai Linna, with the hidden dart clutched in her palm, was about to launch it when an astonishing saber light streaked across the arena, once again shaking everyone’s nerves.
Like an immortal descending from the heavens, an impeccable saber strike fell from the sky.
“Flowing Cloud Saber!”
The saber was like flowing clouds, unstoppable!
He had practiced it countless times in the mirrored projection, but this was the first time he used it in actual combat. A suffocating power spread outwards from Chen Zheng as its center.
Tian Yilin’s sword was fast, but Chen Zheng’s saber was ten times faster.
In just a single breath, Chen Zheng struck seventeen times with his saber, hitting Tian Yilin twelve times.
“Clang...”
“Swoosh swoosh...”
The sound of skin being cut echoed above the arena. Tian Yilin’s body recoiled, landing in a corner of the arena.
Twelve crimson saber marks were left on his white robe, but there were no fatal injuries. After all, he was at the eighth level of Acquired Realm, and at the crucial moment, he protected his vital areas.
Even so, he looked very disheveled. He was a dignified eighth-level Acquired Realm Martial Artist, yet he was struck twelve times by a single saber. What did this mean? His opponent’s strength was at least at the ninth level of Acquired Realm.
“Hiss hiss hiss...”
Gasps of cold air rose from all around, and countless people were stunned.
“Is he... still the waste we knew?”
A young man’s legs trembled, unable to stand steadily, almost falling headfirst.
“Indeed, a tiger father has no dog son!”
The mocking sounds vanished, replaced by fear, trembling, and shock... Tian Yilin took a deep breath, walking towards Chen Zheng step by step. He had been careless just now, drawing his sword in anger, which led to a flaw.
Terrifying Killing Intent enveloped them.
“Chen Zheng, you’ve hidden yourself so deeply, deceiving everyone. What if you, this waste, have achieved a Breakthrough to the sixth level of Acquired Realm? I can still kill you!”
Tian Yilin approached again. With each step, a pool of blood was left on the ground. He had been stabbed four times in the legs by Chen Zheng.
Their eyes met, and endless Killing Intent was released from both their gazes.
Ai Linna put away her playful smile, clutching the hidden dart in her hand.
“Let’s see if you have the ability!”
He dared not be careless. He circulated the Chaos Divine Sky Art, and a powerful force surged from him, causing the bluestone beneath his feet to crack inch by inch.
At the sixth level of Acquired Realm, challenging an eighth-level Acquired Realm Martial Artist, a difference of two Realms, made it extremely difficult for Chen Zheng to win.
After the various events of the past few days, no one dared to underestimate him anymore.
“Blazing Sun Sword!”
A powerful sword art of the Tian Family, Medium Grade Yellow Rank. The moment the sword was drawn, it was like a blazing sun illuminating the arena.
“Good timing!”
Chen Zheng’s body swayed, employing Ghost Shadow Seven Steps, disappearing from his original spot. He raised his long saber, pointing it at the sky.
They exchanged blows, and the figures on the arena could no longer be seen, making it impossible to distinguish who was Chen Zheng and who was Tian Yilin.
The battle between experts was fleeting!
“Clang clang clang...”
His body had been transformed by the Super Body Tempering Liquid, and his strength was already not weaker than an eighth-level Acquired Realm Martial Artist. With the Flowing Cloud Saber and Ghost Shadow Seven Steps, the two fought to a standstill.
They exchanged blows, fighting hundreds of moves. Chen Zheng faced several close calls, but relying on his strong conviction and elusive movement technique, it was difficult to determine a winner for a while. The Martial Artists watching from all around were already numb.
“Yan City is about to change. Tian Tong is dead, and a new person is rising. This year’s Autumn Hunt will definitely be exciting.”
Many elders muttered to themselves. Yan City had been silent for too many years.
Like lightning and thunder, the two collided hundreds of times, then suddenly separated, standing in opposite corners of the arena, both panting heavily.
Tian Yilin put away the arrogance on his face, his longsword pointing at the ground. A new wound appeared on his right arm, and blood dripped from his tiger’s mouth, falling onto the ground.
Chen Zheng had a wound on his chest, bleeding profusely. It was an even fight.
“Challenging a higher Realm, he can actually do a cross-Realm challenge!”
A burst of exclamations suddenly erupted from the crowd. Regardless of who won or lost this battle, Chen Zheng had completely shed the label of waste. From now on, who would dare call him a waste?