Soul Emperor Awakening

Lin Xuan and Huang Ming faced off. Lin Xuan’s expression was placid, but Huang Ming was practically radiating fighting spirit. The sword in his hand pulsed with Sword Intent, as if he were seconds away from running Lin Xuan through.

It wasn’t that Lin Xuan looked down on Huang Ming; it was simply that there was no suspense in this battle. It was entirely unnecessary from the start. But since Huang Ming was so intent on courting death, he had no one to blame but himself.

"This is a sparring match. Pull your punches. Anyone who intentionally tries to kill their opponent will be permanently barred from joining Qingcheng Mansion!" Elder Chen announced, looking at them sternly. With a sharp wave of his hand, he declared, "The match begins now!"

The words had barely faded when Huang Ming let out a sinister laugh. "Brother Lin, I’ll give you a three-move head start. I won’t make a move until after your third!"

This was an incredibly magnanimous gesture, a display of immense self-confidence that earned him a round of applause from the crowd. This was the demeanor of a true expert, and it served as proof that he was undoubtedly stronger than Lin Xuan. Otherwise, he never would have made such an offer.

"Is that so? In that case, I won’t hold back." Lin Xuan retrieved the Dragon Cloud Rod from his Storage Pouch. The moment the red rod appeared, everyone’s expression shifted.

Even those with an untrained eye could tell this Dragon Cloud Rod was extraordinary, especially from the engravings on its surface. It was clearly a remarkable weapon.

"A Treasure Artifact!" Elder Chen’s eyes lit up. Anyone who could produce a Treasure Artifact definitely had an extraordinary background.

Treasure Artifacts typically cost over a thousand Primordial Stones. How could a minor clan or an ordinary Martial Artist possibly afford one? Of course, one couldn’t rule out a stroke of incredible luck, like stumbling upon a fine weapon by chance. However, as a rule, only the major clans could acquire artifacts of the Treasure Level.

"A Treasure Artifact..." Huang Ming’s eyes widened as a sense of foreboding rose within him. The weapon in his hand was also a Treasure Artifact, but he had never imagined Lin Xuan would possess one as well.

’Having a Treasure Artifact means his background is definitely not weak! And if his background isn’t weak, his strength can’t be weak either... Could it be true? Did he really pass the Seventh Layer?’

’If he really passed the Seventh Layer and is a disciple from a major clan, then I’m in an impossible position. If I back out now, wouldn’t that be like slapping my own face? Especially after I offered him a three-move head start... I won’t even see my death coming.’

"Brother Lin, you really hide your strength well, to even have a Treasure Artifact. May I ask which school Brother Lin hails from?" Huang Ming asked cautiously.

"No master, no sect," Lin Xuan said, holding the Dragon Cloud Rod. "I’m on my own."

"No master, no sect? For you to have obtained a Treasure Artifact, Brother Lin, your luck must be Heaven-Defying..." Huang Ming was skeptical of Lin Xuan’s claim. If it were true, however, then he had nothing to worry about.

"That said, may I make my move now?" Lin Xuan asked, holding his Dragon Cloud Rod. He had already mobilized the Elemental Power within him, and a faint Qi Force pulsed from the rod, ready to erupt at a moment’s notice.

"Go ahead," Huang Ming said warily.

Lin Xuan walked slowly toward him, Dragon Cloud Rod in hand. His stance was wide open, full of flaws. Unfortunately for Huang Ming, he couldn’t attack. After all, he had promised a three-move head start and could only wait for Lin Xuan to make the first move.

"First move!"

Lin Xuan didn’t use any fancy Body Technique. He simply charged forward and brought the Dragon Cloud Rod crashing down. There was no finesse to it, just a pure, simple smash!

Huang Ming’s expression turned grave as he swung his sword up to meet the blow, clashing with the Dragon Cloud Rod.

CLANG!

The heavy blow sent Huang Ming stumbling back several steps. His sword hummed violently, as if wailing in agony. Forget the sword—Huang Ming himself almost lost his grip and was nearly sent flying. The webbing between his thumb and forefinger was completely numb.

’What terrifying strength!’ Huang Ming was inwardly shaken. ’That strike had at least fifteen hundred pounds of force, and it feels like that’s not even his limit.’

This artless display, however, earned jeers from the audience.

"Competing with just brute force? Isn’t that a bit ridiculous?"

"Where’s the Martial Technique? Doesn’t he have any Martial Techniques?!"

...

They had no idea how many pounds of force that blow contained. They only saw Huang Ming handle it with relative ease and assumed it was a light attack. From their perspective, fighting with pure brute force instead of a Martial Technique showed a complete lack of skill. In a normal duel, they thought, Huang Ming would have dodged it easily if not for his promise to take three hits.

Lin Xuan paid them no mind, his eyes fixed on Huang Ming. "Second move," he stated calmly.

The second move came. There was no astonishing Body Technique, no incredible Martial Technique—it was, once again, just a smash!

He swung the Dragon Cloud Rod down hard. The rod whistled through the air, and the wind generated by its terrifying force made Huang Ming’s scalp tingle. Still, he gritted his teeth and raised his weapon to meet the attack, unleashing his Measuring Heart Swordsmanship. A brilliant flash of light erupted from his blade, transforming into several beams of sword light that lanced upward.

The sight made the crowd’s eyes light up. Now *this* was a real Martial Technique, a true display of skill! Not like Lin Xuan, who seemed to have nothing but brute force. A complete barbarian!

Lin Xuan’s expression remained unchanged as he brought the Dragon Cloud Rod crashing down.

CLANG!

With one heavy blow, the beams of sword light were shattered. The rod struck the flat of the sword with perfect accuracy. A deep, explosive sound rang out, and the blade of the sword was actually bent out of shape.

The staggering blow forced Huang Ming back several more steps, his face turning pale. The terrifying force made him feel as if he were about to be smashed into a pulp.

’This strike has at least two thousand pounds of force behind it! It’s five hundred pounds stronger than the last one... It completely shatters my limits!’

The crowd was left dumbfounded by this scene. Such an impressive Martial Technique had been shattered by Lin Xuan’s brute force. Did that even make sense?

"That’s not possible, is it? He broke the Martial Technique with just brute force?"

"Yeah, even if Measuring Heart Swordsmanship isn’t an Earth Level Martial Technique, it’s at least a very good Human Level Martial Technique. How could it be broken just like that?"

...

The lower-level Cultivators were utterly baffled. Perhaps Lin Xuan’s attack *was* a Martial Technique, and they simply hadn’t been able to perceive it.

"No. When one’s power reaches a certain threshold, even the most brilliant Martial Techniques become useless..." Elder Chen commented gravely, though a flicker of pleasant surprise showed in his eyes.

"You... you broke through to the Eighth Layer of Body Refining Stage!" Huang Ming said in astonishment.

’Such terrifying power... without a doubt, he could only unleash it after a breakthrough. What he showed before must have been his limit. To get stronger, he would have had to either break through to a new Cultivation level or improve his Martial Technique. To smash out with two thousand pounds of pure force... a breakthrough is the only explanation.’

Lin Xuan grinned. "You guessed right. I did indeed break through to the Eighth Layer of Body Refining Stage. That Cloud Ascension Tower is quite useful."

’He really broke through to the Eighth Layer?!’ Upon hearing this, Huang Ming felt his soul practically leave his body. From Lin Xuan’s tone, it sounded like he really had passed the Cloud Ascension Tower!

"Now for the final move. The third!"

Lin Xuan’s voice sounded like a Demon’s, coiling in Huang Ming’s ears and filling his eyes with profound terror. ’The first two strikes got progressively stronger,’ he thought, panicked. ’The final one... at my level, there’s no way I can take it!’

Huang Ming’s throat went dry. ’I want to slap myself,’ he thought. ’Why did I have to act so high and mighty and give him a three-move head start? I’ve really signed my own death warrant this time!’

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