Bang!
Though Ming Wenzhai acted in haste, he unleashed his full power. Countless fist shadows collided, and a muffled sound, like thunder, echoed between heaven and earth.
Below them, the earth, lakes, and mountains began to collapse and sink. Even the ground itself cracked under the successive shockwaves.
"How is this possible! Why is this kid's physical strength even greater than mine!" Amidst this ferocious offensive, Ming Wenzhai's expression grew increasingly grim.
At this moment, Ming Wenzhai clearly felt that no matter how he channeled his power, Li Xuan seemed like an insurmountable wall, unyielding.
What astonished Ming Wenzhai the most was that he couldn't believe a disciple from a minor family like the Lin family could make him feel so powerless.
What truly filled him with a sense of helplessness was that as the clashes intensified, he felt Li Xuan's physical strength growing stronger.
"Damn it! If he continues like this, my momentum will be completely suppressed. If I don't change tactics, this battle is perilous!" After exchanging another punch with Li Xuan, Ming Wenzhai's figure faltered. With a thought, he shot backward.
"It seems your physical strength is nothing special," Li Xuan said with a slight upturn of his lips at Ming Wenzhai's retreat.
Deep within Li Xuan's eyes, a hint of joy flickered. The breakthrough in his transcendent realm physique had brought about significant changes. It seemed the next stage was within reach.
Hearing Li Xuan's words, Ming Wenzhai's face darkened. Among the Grand Elder's family, Ming Wenzhai had always prided himself on his powerful physique.
Now, being outmatched by a disciple from an unknown minor family was a profound humiliation. He quickly formed seals with his hands, and a violent aura emanated from his body.
"I must admit, your physical strength is worthy of a battle against me! But those from small families are ultimately small figures! Now, I will show you what true divine abilities are!"
"Netherworld Divine Art, Ghost Face Smile!"
As Ming Wenzhai finished speaking, his figure instantly vanished from his spot. In his place, a massive black light appeared in the sky. Within the black light was a terrifying ghost face. It then descended towards Li Xuan's space with a destructive aura.
As the ghost face appeared, a piercing cackling laughter echoed through the heavens and earth. Upon reaching Li Xuan's ears, it caused his blood and qi to churn.
Furthermore, the already cracked ground began to collapse and sink even more.
"It seems you're giving it your all this time. In that case, let's have some fun," Li Xuan muttered to himself as he observed Ming Wenzhai's attack.
The next moment, a divine sword materialized in Li Xuan's hand.
For someone like Ming Wenzhai, Li Xuan saw no need to use his master's sword.
"A small figure from a small family is indeed utterly foolish! To actually think of clashing head-on with me, do you believe this Netherworld Divine Art is a mere trifle!" Ming Wenzhai sneered upon seeing Li Xuan draw a divine sword.
Despite sensing that Li Xuan might be a sword cultivator, Ming Wenzhai harbored no worries due to his confidence in the Netherworld Divine Art.
Moreover, a smirk appeared in Ming Wenzhai's eyes, as if he already foresaw Li Xuan being trapped and immobilized by the Ghost Face Smile, his spiritual energy then being completely absorbed by the ghost face.
However, Ming Wenzhai's triumphant expression soon froze. His confident face contorted into one of terror.
As Li Xuan unleashed his sword strike, the Ghost Face Smile lasted for less than five breaths before it exploded. With the disappearance of the Ghost Face Smile, Li Xuan's figure rapidly approached Ming Wenzhai.
In an instant, a torrent of sword light enveloped Ming Wenzhai, then crashed down with a resounding impact.
Boom!
The boundless sword light, carrying immense divine might, struck Ming Wenzhai's chest heavily. His figure then plummeted towards the earth like a kite with a severed string.
Puff!
A mouthful of blood erupted from Ming Wenzhai's lips as he fell through the air. His body landed within a crack in the already broken earth, sending dust and stones flying.
As time passed, Ming Wenzhai's aura rapidly faded. Finally, not a trace of his presence could be sensed.
Buzz.
With a humming sound, a golden token slowly floated out from the crack. Seeing the token appear, Li Xuan shook his head with a sigh.
The seemingly formidable Ming Wenzhai had been killed by that single sword strike.
However, Li Xuan's eyes lit up with anticipation at Ming Wenzhai's token. Since Ming Wenzhai was ranked one hundred and twenty-third, by defeating him, Li Xuan now occupied the one hundred and twenty-third position on the Netherworld Rankings.
In truth, it wasn't that Ming Wenzhai wasn't powerful enough. After all, to be a mid-stage World Creation realm cultivator, one needed considerable talent. The issue was that the Netherworld was devoid of lightning tribulations, preventing the Nine Nether race from undergoing tribulation to strengthen themselves.
Despite possessing mid-stage World Creation realm strength, their combat power and spiritual energy were significantly diminished. Facing Li Xuan, who had already passed his lightning tribulation, they were naturally defenseless.
Seeing the color of his identity token change, Li Xuan smiled faintly. He then murmured, "Ming Hetai, you're next. I hope you won't disappoint me."
Buzz.
Five days passed, and a humming sound suddenly rang out. Li Xuan, who had been meditating atop the mountain peak, opened his eyes at the sound.
"This is... the Netherworld Rankings have opened?"
Li Xuan murmured as he looked at a scroll slowly unfurling in the sky. As the scroll expanded, names began to appear within it. Observing the names, rankings, and individual strengths displayed, Li Xuan felt a sense of shock.
The contestants within the top thousand, their lowest strength was at the mid-stage World Creation realm!
"The power of a single race can be so formidable. It's no wonder they exist above the Great Thousand Worlds. It seems I must remain cautious."
With that thought, Li Xuan mentally commanded, collected Ming Wenzhai's storage ring, and then his figure vanished.