The white mist whirled wildly, heatwaves surged outwards, and flames blazed sky-high. It wasn't just this penniless, greenhorn kid; even Yuan Che alone facing this move would have lost a layer of skin, if not died.
"I told you long ago not to get cocky, you'd die. You wouldn't listen, so don't blame our Moonfrost Sect for being heartless."
As he spoke, a soaring pillar of fire surged upwards like a coiling dragon. The six people's expressions changed drastically, for they sensed a unique frequency belonging to another ability user!
This frequency emanated from the kid engulfed and consumed by the flames!
The flames danced in the air, traversing the sky. Yuan Hao's hand was empty, yet he casually raised his right hand. The flames were guided into the high heavens, rapidly transforming into brilliant, colorful smoke.
"You! You're an ability user too?"
Huang Yue stumbled backward in disbelief. This killer move was their life-saving ultimate technique. If this couldn't deal with the person before them, the six of them had no chance of victory.
They retreated repeatedly, while Yuan Hao flicked the dust from his white robe. Han Ling Shuang broke free from Tang Feng's grasp and immediately threw herself onto Yuan Hao, showering him with a torrent of affection that brought tears to the eyes of the onlookers.
"Hey, hey, hey, Shuang'er, I'm not dead yet. Now, isn't it my turn to fight back?"
Yuan Hao rolled up his sleeves and patted Han Ling Shuang's little head. His gaze, sharp and cold, fell upon the six people. "If this move were used on someone else, they'd probably be peeled layer by layer even if they didn't die. I'm just curious, is this a martial arts competition or a slaughter festival?"
He flicked his hand, and the Wuji Blade instantly flew back into his grasp. A vortex of wind element energy gathered in his left palm, scattering the white mist and ice shards. The mournful wind howled like a demon sharpening its teeth!
"Wind element ability! This power far surpasses our fire element. Could it be, could it be—" Huang Yue felt a blockage in his throat, his mind echoing with five simple yet violent words symbolizing absolute destruction: the Five Element Origin!
"Don't worry, it's not the origin, but it's more than enough to deal with you."
Yuan Hao's long saber pointed not at the six people, but at Wu Liti, who sat high in the arbitrator's seats on the viewing platform. "Kid, I have one thing I don't understand. Was this killer move your approval, or did it originate from these six?"
"Hmph, daring to point a saber at me, a mere disciple of a small sect? Did your sect master not discipline you properly, making you so ill-mannered?"
Wu Liti was already greatly alarmed. Her words were merely an attempt to salvage a shred of sect authority.
"Our master only taught us that cultivators draw their swords to slay demons, roam the world, and dare to be the first in all things. Not to stand by and watch plunderers oppress the people, and do nothing!"
Yuan Hao's eyes were sharp. With his saber, he seemed to be confronting the entire world.
Wu Liti knew what he was referring to, and felt a pang of guilt. However, for the sake of the competition and preserving strength, such actions were understandable.
She had a clear conscience.
Seeing Wu Liti's non-rebuttal, Yuan Hao retracted his saber. He withdrew the wind element energy from his left hand and said coldly, "Are you six going down yourselves, or shall I send you down!"
Everyone present shivered at Yuan Hao's roar. With this battle, his name would undoubtedly spread throughout the Western Barrens!
Though the six were unwilling, facing an enemy who completely suppressed them in terms of abilities and true qi, their reluctance was futile. They resigned themselves, walking off the ice platform with dejected faces and returning to their seats, not daring to look at Wu Liti or Mo Xinghe.
"Wu Liti, rest assured, I will not go back on my word for what I've promised. Furthermore, let us, the Canglong Sect, wash away your shame!"
Mo Xinghe stood up and declared, "The second match is concluded, the victor is the Chaoyang Sect. Next, it will be our Canglong Sect versus the Chaoyang Sect."
The crowd held their breath. Everyone was already amazed by the Chaoyang Sect's performance, but no one believed they could win this match against the Canglong Sect. After all, Yuan Hao was just one person, and he had been somewhat worn down by the six from the Moonfrost Sect. Even if the Canglong Sect could only field six people, four of them had reached the Foundation Establishment realm, and the remaining two were at the half-step Foundation Establishment state!
Such a Canglong Sect was undeniably superior to any other sect.
At this moment, even more troublesome news arrived.
Yuan Che, after consuming Yuan Hao's pill, had indeed awakened from his coma. With the internal energy conditioning from the Second Elder, his strength was preserved at seventy to eighty percent!
This meant that the Canglong Sect now had seven people able to fight, with five of them at the Foundation Establishment realm. In contrast, the Chaoyang Sect, apart from Yuan Hao, were all useless, like dried fish.
This absolute disparity had already rendered the competition's outcome predictable.
Yao Yuesheng murmured, "That kid fought two matches consecutively. Even with all his secrets, he probably can't turn the tide this time. The strength of Tang Feng and the others..."
Zhou Zihuan let out a muffled groan, her gaze fixed on Bai Zhanchen, who stood elegantly in his white robe.
At this moment, Mo Xinghe sneered, "Kid, I admit your strength, but your senior brothers and sisters are all trash. Even if you grew three heads and six arms, how can you contend with our Canglong Sect?"
Although most cultivators disliked Mo Xinghe's words, every word he spoke was the truth. In a team battle, Yuan Hao defeating the Moonfrost Sect single-handedly was shocking enough, but to expect him to fight one against seven was a scenario they couldn't fathom.
They looked at Tang Feng and the other six who had yet to make a move, all shaking their heads and sighing repeatedly, as if the scales of victory had already tipped in favor of the Canglong Sect.
However, what they found strange was the unwavering determination in the eyes of the six, and their calm expressions. Even Bai Zhanchen made a heart gesture towards Zhou Zihuan from afar.
Hmm... such expressions and gestures could only mean one thing—they were completely unfazed!
At this point, Yuan Hao retreated to the very back. After all, he had hogged all the spotlight. Now, it was time for the Chaoyang Sect to show off.
Tang Feng and Bai Zhanchen stepped forward, drawing their long swords in unison. The suppressed true qi suddenly erupted from them!
"Foundation Establishment realm!"
"One, two, three, four, five! All five are in the Foundation Establishment realm!"
The viewing platform erupted in a tidal wave of cheers and exclamations, as if everything before them was a dream!
Mo Xinghe nearly fell off the viewing platform. "No, impossible! How could your useless sect master suddenly cultivate five people to the Foundation Establishment realm? Impossible!"
But no matter how astonished Mo Xinghe was, the facts were laid out before him, leaving no room for disbelief.
In the clear sky, it felt as though the sound of slapping faces echoed.