The great battle lasted for three full days. Li Xiaotian and Mo Tian bathed in the sea of lightning, fighting with all their might. Li Xiaotian unleashed all his life's learning.
His body was broken, his blood spilled into the void, but Mo Tian was also heavily injured, his body pierced by a punch from Li Xiaotian.
"Boom!"
Violent fluctuations erupted in the void, as if the entire universe was being torn apart. The terrifying scene made all the trial-takers who witnessed it tremble with fear and gasp.
Even Shen Ming, who had already left, opened his eyes and looked towards this place, a flicker of shock in his gaze.
At this moment, he understood that when he had fought with Li Xiaotian before, the latter had not unleashed some of his means. Although he also had some trump cards to save his life, seeing the opponent fight evenly with Mo Tian, who was at the half-step high-level, filled him with apprehension.
But then, Shen Ming breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that Li Xiaotian was doomed. This time, in order to heavily injure Mo Tian, the opponent must have paid a very heavy price.
Even if the opponent survived this time, he would definitely hide to recuperate. By the time he recovered, Shen Ming would likely already be at the high-level.
"Boom!"
Another earth-shattering roar echoed, and the place where the two had fought turned into nothingness. The vast sea of lightning also gradually dissipated.
"Ahhh, Li Xiaotian!!"
Mo Tian's enraged roar sounded, and a heart-palpitating, terrifying pressure instantly filled the entire void of the universe. At this moment, all the trial-takers were shocked.
Mo Tian had reached the high-level!
But it was obvious to all that Mo Tian's advancement to the high-level was not perfect. Li Xiaotian had interrupted his final lightning tribulation, preventing him from undergoing the deepest transformation.
This was like a congenitally flawed infant. Although the opponent had successfully advanced to the high-level, his foundation was damaged. It would take a long time for him to fully recover.
In the void, Li Xiaotian's figure had long since vanished, leaving Mo Tian alone.
He was covered in blood, his hair disheveled, looking particularly ferocious. His eyes were blood-red, filled with boundless killing intent.
At this moment, even those trial-takers who were accustomed to all sorts of killings felt a chill run down their spines and dared not look him in the eye.
"Bastard!!"
Mo Tian was furious, filled with hatred. He never expected that what he thought was a sure victory, his own powerful tribulation, becoming the first high-level and claiming the imperial throne.
Then he would descend like a king, looking down on all opponents.
But who would have thought that at the last moment, Li Xiaotian would interfere, causing his foundation to be severely damaged.
Although he was now at the high-level, this was not what he had envisioned. His strength had only increased by a mere twofold, far from the perfect high-level state.
And for him to fully recover, it would require a long time and unimaginable rare treasures.
Therefore, he was enraged, he hated!
Although he was now the strongest among this batch of trial-takers, even Shen Ming was no match for him, if Shen Ming were to break through, his strength would definitely crush his current self.
Even other trial-takers, after breaking through, might be stronger than him.
How could he not hate this?
Before, he was the phoenix head, and now he had become the phoenix tail. How could he accept such a blow?
"Rumble!"
Mo Tian furiously attacked the surrounding void, his terrifying attacks easily shattering the void and destroying stars.
Every blow seemed to contain world-ending power, incredibly terrifying, making all the trial-takers tremble with fear.
Many people widened their eyes, their hearts pounding. Mo Tian's attacks were too terrifying; any single blow was enough to kill any of them.
But at the same time, they felt a secret joy, having seen through Mo Tian's condition.
It could be said that Mo Tian's breakthrough at this time, taking advantage of the opportunity when Li Xiaotian and Shen Ming were both heavily injured, was thought to be unstoppable. But who would have thought that Li Xiaotian would give him a surprise, severely damaging his foundation.
This time, Mo Tian suffered a huge loss.
Finally, after Mo Tian's frenzied venting for a few minutes, he stopped his attacks. A profoundly gloomy expression appeared on his face. He glanced at the trial-takers who were watching, then turned and fled into the distance, quickly disappearing without a trace.
According to his original plan, after successfully breaking through, he would declare himself the Demon Emperor, accept everyone's worship, and reign supreme.
But now, he had no face.
Moreover, although he was now at the high-level, his combat power had increased very little, and his injuries were not light. He dared not stay any longer.
He dared not gamble whether these trial-takers would attack him.
So he fled. He needed to heal, to hide, and then wait for an opportunity to take revenge.
Meanwhile, on a barren meteorite more than a hundred thousand miles away from where they had fought, Li Xiaotian slowly opened his eyes, a hint of bitterness on his lips.
Mo Tian's furious attacks just now had left him covered in wounds, and even his soul had nearly collapsed. But he had persevered and seized the opportunity to heavily injure Mo Tian.
The price paid for this battle was too great!
Now, he was probably not even a match for the weakest trial-taker.
He also needed to recuperate and be extremely cautious to prevent being discovered.
"However, it's not without its benefits."
Li Xiaotian whispered. He had absorbed some of the energy from Mo Tian's third lightning tribulation, gaining considerable insights. Once he fully absorbed these insights, his combat power would definitely increase further.
"Now it depends on whether heaven shows me some face."
Li Xiaotian scoffed. From now on, the time left for him was running out.
Mo Tian was heavily injured and would not appear for a short time. As for himself, his injuries were even more severe, and he dared not make a move.
At this time, if Shen Ming seized this opportunity to break through, Li Xiaotian could only watch, with no ability to stop him.
Even other trial-takers would take this opportunity to break through.
By then, he could not imagine how many enemies would advance to the high-level!
Time flew by. After the great battle between Li Xiaotian and Mo Tian, both of them seemed to have vanished completely, with no further news. Even Shen Ming had not reappeared.
The situation in the ninth stage gradually changed. Some strong individuals began to reveal their sharpness, replacing the positions of Li Xiaotian and the other two. The entire void universe began to engage in endless warfare, with all trial-takers resorting to any means necessary to break through.
"If Li Xiaotian doesn't appear, I'm afraid Mo Tian and Shen Ming won't either."
"Is he dead? Five years have passed, and there's been no news. And Shen Ming, logically speaking, his injuries were the lightest among the three. He should have taken this opportunity to break through by now."
"Mo Tian, hehe, what a pity. He was once one of the strongest at the peak, but he was heavily injured by Li Xiaotian. Although he is now at the high-level, his foundation is incomplete, and his combat power is not as heaven-defying as before. In fact, once we break through, any one of us will be able to defeat him!"
"But we can't underestimate him either. Mo Tian's injuries are only temporary. Once he fully recovers, his combat power will still be among the top existences. Of course, this will take a very, very long time, and perhaps he won't appear again until the end of this trial."
Countless trial-takers discussed and sighed. They, who had once been suffocated by these three individuals, now had very complex emotions, filled with pity and regret.