165: Chapter 165 The Battle of the Peak

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

For ordinary people, two days might just be ordinary time, but for Ye Tian, every second of these two days counted.

He did not slack off because his cultivation had surged to the Middle Stage of the Tenth Level of the Ningyuan Realm; instead, he devoted all his focus to cultivating the Heart-Piercing Finger.

Inside the quiet room of the courtyard, the atmosphere was heavy.

Ye Tian sat cross-legged, the five-colored brilliance around his body restrained.

With the help of the Star Qi Induction Art and the chaos bead, his newly broken-through Realm quickly stabilized, and his majestic True Yuan was no longer the least bit unstable.

With a slight thought, a wisp of True Yuan flickered at his fingertip, transforming into a soft, hidden force.

Having poured a great deal of effort into it over these two days, he had finally cultivated it to the Minor Achievement stage.

The Heart-Piercing Finger was soft and lingering, specializing in breaking internal defenses; its advantage lay in its rapid activation, not requiring a long charge time like the Starfall Finger.

In a duel against a master like Lei Zhen, victory or defeat might be decided in an instant; having an extra instant-kill move meant one more chance of winning.

Ye Tian's eyes flickered; he knew deeply that facing an opponent of Lei Zhen's caliber, any tiny advantage could be an opportunity, and he had to adjust his state to the Peak!

As the first ray of dawn pierced through the clouds, the massive Martial Arts Arena was already submerged by a surging crowd.

Today's atmosphere was far more heated than any previous day!

Looking out, it was a sea of black; not only had the Outer Sect Disciples come out in full force, but even many Inner Sect Disciples, and even some rarely seen Core Disciples and Deacons, had appeared to find a spot and watch the battle.

At the front of the crowd, Liu Ruyan clenched her hands, her beautiful eyes staring unblinkingly toward the arena, her pretty face filled with worry.

"Junior Brother Ye..."

Lei Zhen's terrifying strength made her heart ache with worry for Ye Tian.

Leng Feng stood beside Liu Ruyan with his arms crossed, his expression no longer as cold as usual.

"Ye Tian... I believe in you."

He muttered in his heart, both proud of his friend's strength and solemn about the upcoming fierce battle.

"Hahaha! This fellow Ye Tian has really done us proud! He actually made it into the finals!"

Ren Qianyang's voice was booming as he slapped Chen Jianfeng's shoulder hard, his face full of excitement. "Regardless of how powerful Lei Zhen is, just do it! I bet Ye Tian can win!"

Chen Jianfeng grimaced from the slap and shook his head helplessly, but his eyes also sparkled. "Junior Brother Ye's strength is unfathomable. Since he could defeat Senior Sister Luo, he might not be without the power to fight.

This battle, regardless of the outcome, will surely be recorded in the annals of the outer Sect! It is a blessing that we can witness it with our own eyes!"

Although the opponent was Lei Zhen, he had an inexplicable expectation for Ye Tian.

On the other side of the crowd, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

Lie Yang crossed his arms, a playful smile on his rugged face. "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect the one standing opposite Boss Lei in the end would be this kid named Ye Tian. Interesting, truly interesting! Mo Ling, what do you think?"

He turned his head to look at the black-clothed woman beside him.

Mo Ling gave a wicked smile, a sharp light flashing through her eyes. "I can't see through him. This boy is shrouded in mist. However, we both know Lei Zhen's strength. For Ye Tian to win, it will be as difficult as reaching the heavens. Unless... he still has trump cards we don't know about."

She paused and looked at the cold, immortal-like Luo Qiushui nearby. "Senior Sister Luo, you've fought him; how did it feel?"

Luo Qiushui looked at the arena with a cold gaze. Hearing this, she only faintly uttered a few words: "He is very special."

She said no more.

But those familiar with her knew how rare it was to receive the evaluation of "special" from her mouth.

Han Bing stood a bit further away, her face still somewhat pale, looking at Ye Tian on the arena with a complex gaze.

She had lost to Luo Qiushui and was thoroughly convinced, but Ye Tian could defeat Luo Qiushui... this made it impossible for her to accept for a moment.

Shi Gandang spoke in a gruff voice: "Boss Lei will definitely win! That kid's Physical Body is decent, but compared to Boss Lei, he's still far off!"

Having lost to Lei Zhen, he knew his terror well.

Liu Jingtao remained silent, his face dark.

Losing to Ye Tian was a thorn in his heart.

He both hoped Ye Tian would be crushed by Lei Zhen to avenge his humiliation and had a faint, unwilling-to-admit thought...

On the high platform, Elder Lei Gang's rugged face could not hide his excitement, his voice still making the eardrums of those nearby itch. "Hahaha! Good lad! Haven't seen him for two days, and his aura has become much more settled! I really didn't misjudge him! To still have such Battle Intent when facing Lei Zhen, he's to my liking!"

Elder Shuiyue frowned slightly and spoke coldly, "Thunder Gang, pay attention to the occasion. However... this boy indeed has extraordinary qualities. In the battle with Luo Qiushui two days ago, the way he dealt with the Sword Intent was definitely not as simple as just having a strong Physical Body."

Her gaze tried to probe Ye Tian again, but it was still like looking at flowers through a fog.

Another Elder stroked his beard and pondered, his gaze deep. "This boy is like a deep well; he appears clear, but his bottom is hard to measure.

Surviving Wan Jian Cliff, taking Guixu Ji with his bare Physical Body, and now standing on the final arena... if he truly only had the cultivation he showed on the surface, it would be absolutely impossible.

I remember the Sect's ancient records mentioning ancient breath-concealing secret arts or certain special Physiques that can obscure the heavenly secrets... Perhaps we have all underestimated him."

The black-robed Elder in charge of the Hall of Punishment snorted, his tone serious: "In any case, the rules of the Grand Competition cannot be desecrated.

If he truly has a secret method or a rare treasure to hide his cultivation, as long as it doesn't violate the rules, there is nothing to criticize.

But in the finals, everything speaks through strength. Lei Zhen's advantage in Realm is solid; the chasm between the Half-step True Martial and the Ninth Level of the Ningyuan Realm is not easily crossed."

The elegant Transmission Elder's eyes sparkled with the light of wisdom: "When this boy's Cultivation Technique operates, there is a faint flow of Astral Power, yet it is mixed with the wonders of the Five Elements' mutual generation and destruction; it is truly unheard of.

If there is an opportunity, I would like to discuss it with him.

As for victory or defeat... I am more looking forward to seeing how much of Lei Zhen's strength he can force out.

That child Lei Zhen has been silent for too long; he also needs a sufficiently hard whetstone."

Although the Elders' discussions varied, without exception, none of them believed Ye Tian could win.

They just wanted to see how long he could hold out under Lei Zhen.

At this time, Elder Zhao Wuji's gaze swept across the crowd below, and he spoke in a deep voice: "Silence! Both sides of the final, take the stage!"

In an instant, everything became silent!

Everyone's gaze simultaneously turned toward the channel entrances on both sides of the arena.

On the left, a figure in green robes walked out slowly.

It was Ye Tian!

He was still in simple green robes, his figure tall and straight, his steps steady.

Compared to two days ago, his aura was even more restrained.

But if one sensed carefully, they could discover that under that calm surface, the power contained was like a volcano about to erupt!

On his face, the usual indifference was gone, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.

His gaze was sharp as lightning, looking directly across the arena.

"It's Ye Tian! He's here!"

"His aura seems even more settled! Has he made further progress?"

"To be able to remain so calm when facing Senior Brother Lei Zhen, this Heart-Nature is extraordinary!"

Bursts of low exclamations rose from below the stage, and everyone's emotions were instantly ignited.

Immediately following, a figure emerged from the right channel.

His purple robes moved slightly, his figure tall and straight; it was Lei Zhen!

His face was calm, his eyes deep, and his steps were neither hurried nor slow, yet he carried an inherent kingly aura.

He did not intentionally release his aura, but the pressure of the Half-step True Martial Realm and the invincible confidence cultivated from long occupying the Peak made everyone except the Elders feel a hint of pressure.

"Senior Brother Lei Zhen!"

"Tyrant Blade! The number one person in the outer Sect!"

"What a strong aura!"

The cheers rose like a tsunami!

The two finally stood in the center of the arena at the same time, ten zhang apart, facing each other from a distance.

At this moment, it was as if only the two of them remained in the world.

The wind stopped, the clouds stalled, and all was silent.

Liu Ruyan's heart rose to her throat, Leng Feng clenched his fists, Ren Qianyang's eyes widened, and Chen Jianfeng held his breath.

Lie Yang, Mo Ling, Luo Qiushui, Han Bing, Shi Gandang, Liu Jingtao... the gazes of all the prodigies were focused on the arena, waiting for the start of this battle between dragon and tiger.

Ye Tian took a deep breath, suppressing the hint of pressure in his heart; his eyes became pure, leaving only a blazing Battle Intent!

Lei Zhen's gaze fell on Ye Tian, and a ripple finally appeared in his originally calm eyes.

He spoke slowly, his voice peaceful: "Junior Brother Ye Tian. Your growth speed is remarkable. To be able to stand here, you are already qualified to fight me."

Hearing this, everyone below the stage was shocked!

Who was Lei Zhen? Even the former Luo Qiushui had not made him say such words.

It was clear that Lei Zhen's evaluation of Ye Tian at this moment had surpassed that of Luo Qiushui!

Ye Tian met Lei Zhen's gaze, neither humble nor arrogant, and cupped his hands in a salute: "Senior Brother Lei's cultivation is heavenly; I have admired it for a long time. Having the honor to seek guidance today, I will certainly do my best. I hope Senior Brother will not hesitate to teach me!"

"Good!"

A sharp light flashed in Lei Zhen's eyes. "I am also looking forward to seeing how much of my strength you, this dark horse, can actually force out."

After the words fell, the two spoke no more.

Their gazes met in the air, their Battle Intent reaching the heavens!