The fist met the palm, and the clash created an oppressive sound. Astral energy rippled out everywhere. Everyone believed that the collision would cripple Xiang Shaoyun's fist. But when they saw the sight of Li Tianba clutching his arm with his other hand and retreating, their eyes nearly popped out from disbelief.
"H-how is this possible? Li Tianba is the one retreating? Am I seeing things?"
"No, you're not seeing things. I saw it too. What kind of strength is this? I thought Xiang Shaoyun was only a third-stage Basic Realm cultivator two months ago? Why is he suddenly strong enough to face Li Tianba without losing? This makes no sense!"
"This Xiang Shaoyun is totally a freak! He is actually a match for Li Tianba. No, he is probably even stronger. No wonder he dares to challenge all four of them at once."
"He is definitely an expert at hiding his own strength, and has been hiding his actual strength all along. How else can he be this strong? What a trickster!"
"Oh heavens, he is so handsome! This young lady has a new crush!"
On the arena, Xiang Shaoyun domineeringly advanced with his Overlord's Nine Nether Steps, leaving numerous afterimages behind as he streaked across the arena. The crowd couldn't even see which of the afterimages was the real him. Li Tianba retreated without stop and madly waved his axe around to create a wall of axe afterimages to force Xiang Shaoyun away from him.
"Is that all you have? Too weak," Xiang Shaoyun said with disdain. He sprinted through the wall of axe afterimages then attacked with his Gale Winds Kick.
Bang! Bang!
Several kicks struck Li Tianba, causing him to lose his balance and crash onto the ground. If he hadn't been wearing heavy armor, the kicks would have seriously injured him.
"Come on, stand up! I thought you were amazing? I thought you were going to break all four of my limbs? If you don't get back on your feet right now, I will be breaking your limbs instead," Xiang Shaoyun stopped and said. He needed to vent his anger and prove his dominance.
Li Tianba crawled back up and said furiously, "Do you think this is all I have? Open your eyes wide and watch!"
And then, Li Tianba finally unleashed all the power available from his peak sixth-stage Astral Realm cultivation base. A dense crimson radiance shone from his axe; the radiance surrounding the axe reached a height of several meters. A massive sense of oppression appeared, one that was comparable to even the sense of oppression a seventh-stage Astral Realm cultivator could release.
Bloody Axe Slices the Night Away!
With all his power, he swung his axe, sending a terrifying wall of crimson energy crashing down toward Xiang Shaoyun. This was an attack not even a seventh-stage Astral Realm cultivator could resist. This was a tier-3, high-grade battle technique, an extremely mighty attack.
"That's more like it!" Xiang Shaoyun's battle intent surged as he drew the Lightning Spear from his back and stabbed forward.
Cling! Clank!
Instantly, sparks filled the arena as an intense exchange unfolded. After a while, Xiang Shaoyun's hand started to grow numb. But he could still hang on. Li Tianba was not enough to defeat him. As for Li Tianba, the more they fought, the worse he felt. In a head-on collision, Xiang Shaoyun had actually suffered no disadvantage. In fact, Xiang Shaoyun countered all his attacks perfectly, and Li Tianbe couldn’t accept this result.
Right this moment, electrical currents started crackling around Xiang Shaoyun's spear as the spear shot forth from a tricky angle and went right through Li Tianba’s defense before striking him. Li Tianba’s heavy armor, however, was no ordinary item. It stopped the spear's advance, and he was only forced to take a step backward.
Xiang Shaoyun continued his attack, this time aiming for Li Tianba's limbs, which weren't protected by the heavy armor.
Kill!
An intense killing intent surged out of Xiang Shaoyun as his spear stabbed forward and unleashed 80 percent of the Lightning Spear Technique's power. His astral energy turned into a bright purple radiance that flooded the arena as he launched attack after attack. This was not something a fourth-stage Astral Realm cultivator was supposed to be capable of. His combat prowess had already reached the sixth stage, or perhaps even higher.
"Ahhhh!"
Li Tianba's defense finally faltered and several bloody holes appeared in his arm. The pain caused him to wail. Xiang Shaoyun took this opportunity to push on. He dashed forward and flung his spear at Li Tianba's axe, sending the axe flying. He then jumped and sent a kick at Li Tianba's face.
Bang!
The attack landed, causing blood to spray from Li Tianba's nose as he was sent flying toward the edge of the arena. The crowd, witnessing this scene, sank into absolute silence. Li Tianba, one of the top 10 disciples and the number one overlord of the Martial Hall Palace, was defeated just like that?
They felt like they were dreaming. This was too unbelievable.
"Get up. Is that all you got? If you don't get up, I will kill you right now." Xiang Shaoyun's blood was still boiling from his raging battle intent.
Li Tianba was indeed still able to stand. As he held his injured arm with his other hand, a look bordering insanity surfaced on his face. He yelled, "You asked for this! You asked for this!"
As he yelled, his entire person suddenly turned blood red, and a bloody aura flooded his surroundings. The bloody aura emanated an intense murderous intent, one that caused everyone's hair to stand on end.
"Tianba, stop!" an anxious voice suddenly rang out. The voice belonged to Li Xuemeng, who had been observing the entire battle. He did not wish to see his son using that technique. It was a forbidden technique. But Li Tianba acted as if he did not hear anything. At this moment, Li Tianba’s vitality suddenly erupted.
Blood Eruption Technique!
This was a technique that gathered a person's vitality into the person’s stars to forcefully increase the person’s cultivation level for a limited time. It would only last an hour, and the user would suffer a terrible backlash after the hour was up.
Thus, from the seventh stage, Li Tianba's strength grew to mid seventh stage, late seventh stage, all the way to primary eighth stage. A certain presence seemed to be appearing in the air as well. This was different from the power of presence one would unlock during the Transformation Realm. Instead, it was a presence reeking of blood.
"He actually reached the eighth stage?" Ever since Xiang Shaoyun unlocked his presence of a king, he gained an ability to judge a person's cultivation level from their aura. That was how he could see Li Tianba's new strength with a single look.
"Xiang Shaoyun, die!" Li Tianba roared and charged Xiang Shaoyun like an insane beast.
He charged at a breakneck speed and reached Xiang Shaoyun in the blink of an eye. A fist enveloped with a bloody aura shot out towards Xiang Shaoyun.