When the two collided, time itself seemed to freeze. The massive extraterrestrial star, capable of withstanding attacks from a Quasi-Heavenly Venerate, began to disintegrate silently.
Boom!
A fraction of a finger later, a violent explosion and endless radiance consumed everything. Those with cultivation weaker than a Quasi-Heavenly Venerate could not directly witness such a terrifying collision. Even Quasi-Heavenly Venerates felt a stinging pain in their eyes, almost injured by the formidable Dao rhythm within the aftershock.
After an unknown amount of time, when everything finally calmed down, a figure, stained with blood but still standing proudly, remained in the void. The extraterrestrial star was completely gone. On the plaza, a broken figure lay slumped.
Hiss!
Upon clearly seeing the outcome, countless powerhouses let out exclamations of disbelief. Because the one still standing was none other than Ling Fan! And the one who had fallen... was Zhuang Zhiyuan, the personal disciple of the Heavenly Court's Longevity Pavilion's Heavenly Venerate!
"Zhuang Zhiyuan actually lost! The one who stood until the end is that Fan Lin from Jinzhou!"
"What is this person's origin? With a cultivation of Half-step Emperor Venerate, he defeated Zhuang Zhiyuan, who was almost invincible below Heavenly Venerate... it's truly unbelievable."
"For the billions of prodigies in the entire Central Heavenly Realm, Zhuang Zhiyuan was an insurmountable peak! But today, a dark horse has crushed this peak under its feet, creating a miracle. Fan Lin! I believe that after today, this name will resound throughout the Central Heavenly Realm, becoming a true legend."
Countless powerhouses were filled with emotion. Lan Xueyi, despite her best efforts to remain calm, felt her pupils tremble slightly. Her premonition grew stronger and stronger. This Fan Lin's figure was almost overlapping with Ling Fan's. Because apart from Ling Fan, no one else in this world could accomplish such a feat. Therefore, she was almost certain that this Fan Lin was Ling Fan in disguise. Thinking of this, Lan Xueyi's heart tightened further. Her palms were covered in cold sweat.
"Fan Lin of Jinzhou... wins! Awarded ten pots of Quasi-Dao Pills, three Quasi-Dao Artifacts, and thirty-six hours of cultivation in the Longevity Pool." The Quasi-Heavenly Venerate expert from the Heavenly Court's face was extremely complex. After a long silence, he announced the result.
"Second semi-final, Gong Yuan of the Grand Void Realm Palace versus Yuan Hong of the Primordial Martial Palace."
...
Although this match was likely to be as intense as his own battle with Zhuang Zhiyuan, he did not pay attention to this semi-final duel. Regardless of who won between Gong Yuan of the Grand Void Realm and Yuan Hong of the Primordial Martial Palace, Ling Fan had no reason to lose.
As Ling Fan entered the Longevity Pool, countless pores in his powerful physique transformed into billions of black holes, frantically absorbing the liquid of the Longevity Pool. "To be safe, I must adjust my state to its absolute peak," he thought. "Between Gong Yuan and Yuan Hong, there might truly be someone comparable to a true Heavenly Venerate." Ling Fan's expression was one of slight solemnity. He looked at the Quasi-Dao Pills and three Quasi-Dao Artifacts in his hand, pondered for a moment, and sent all of them into his own world to begin refining and devouring them. As the vast Quasi-Heavenly Venerate origin and Quasi-Heavenly Venerate Dao patterns contained within the Quasi-Dao Pills and Quasi-Dao Artifacts continuously merged, Ling Fan's world, which had already reached its limit and was almost motionless, began to expand slowly.
...
On the other side. The great battle between Gong Yuan, the reincarnation of the Grand Void Realm's Seven Dao Heavenly Venerate, and Yuan Hong, the son of the Primordial Martial Heavenly Venerate, lasted for three days and three nights. This battle could truly be described as a clash of equals, a meeting of talented adversaries. Their endless stratagems and earth-shattering power stunned everyone. In terms of excitement, their battle even surpassed that between Zhuang Zhiyuan and Ling Fan. However, Ling Fan's victory over Zhuang Zhiyuan with his Half-step Emperor Venerate cultivation was more subversive and unexpected. As for the gap in strength between these two, it was almost negligible, making the fight evenly matched and difficult to determine a victor. In the end, Yuan Hong, the youngest son of the Primordial Martial Heavenly Venerate, emerged victorious. Although Gong Yuan of the Grand Void Realm was defeated, no one dared to underestimate him; he had proven his worth as the reincarnation of the Seven Dao Heavenly Venerate with his strength.
"Brother Yuan Hong, you truly live up to being Primordial Martial Heavenly Venerate's most cherished descendant. Your talent and insight almost rival your father's. However, the competition between us is not over yet. Let's see who enters the Heavenly Venerate realm first! Without becoming a Heavenly Venerate, one is ultimately ephemeral. Only by becoming a Heavenly Venerate does one have the qualification to resist the cycle of epochs." Gong Yuan showed no signs of dejection. Instead, his spirit became more radiant, his body tall and upright like a peerless deity, leaving behind a proud departing silhouette. Countless powerhouses were captivated by Gong Yuan's洒脱 (sǎtuō - free and easy) demeanor and soaring confidence.
"Heh heh, I eagerly await that day." Yuan Hong's voice was full of vigor, as powerful and soaring as a god or demon, as if there were no opponents in the heavens and earth that could make him fear.
"Swish!" After speaking, he abruptly turned his head to look at Ling Fan, who was still cultivating in the Longevity Pool. A trace of contempt naturally appeared in his eyes. Even though Ling Fan had defeated Zhuang Zhiyuan of the Longevity Pavilion, Yuan Hong still looked down on this unknown individual from a small state in the Heavenly Realm. He sneered, said nothing, but looked up at Lan Xueyi above, revealing a strong possessiveness.
"Sister Xueyi, you are my father's adopted daughter, the exceptionally rare Nine Deaths Spirit Phoenix Body. You and I are destined to be a perfect match. Among the countless divine maidens and saintesses in this vast Central Heavenly Realm, only you are worthy of my extraordinary talent! After you ascended, I proposed to you many times, but you repeatedly refused. Today, I will make you realize that no one in this Central Heavenly Realm except me is worthy of you! I only need one final battle to stand before you." Saying this, Yuan Hong let out unrestrained, hearty laughter like a young Overlord, and also entered the misty Longevity Pool.
"You are not worthy of her." A voice came from the mist opposite him. A young and agile figure stood up from the Longevity Pool. Then, with a splash of water, he walked out of the Longevity Pool. Yuan Hong let out a disdainful sneer. He paid no attention to Ling Fan's provocation and was too lazy to retort verbally. Similarly, after thirty-six hours, Yuan Hong, whose body appeared even taller and more imposing, emerged from the Longevity Pool. He casually twisted his neck, causing cracking sounds. His tall and slender physique was like the most perfect creation of heaven and earth, faintly emitting a jade-like radiance. Standing there, it seemed as if space itself could not bear his weight, forming small black holes, distorted by the power inadvertently emanating from his body.
"As expected, only by fighting an evenly matched opponent can I make further progress," Yuan Hong mused. Then, his eyes, like two blazing divine lamps, shot towards Ling Fan.