323: Battle against Long Xu

At the head was a man with a posture as upright as a pine tree.

Clad in a mysterious black robe, his face was handsomely unparalleled, and his temperament was as gentle as jade, yet he carried an indifference that looked down upon all living beings.

Just by standing there, stars seemed to flicker and fade around him, and dao rhyme flowed.

He attracted the gazes of nearly ninety percent of the female Disciples present, triggering waves of suppressed screams.

The legendary True Disciple of the Yin Yang Sect, the first in the True Disciple sequence,

Nascent Soul Great Perfection, ready to break through to Soul Transformation at any moment—Dao Changge!

"Heavens! Senior Brother Dao is here too!"

"Senior Brother Dao is so handsome! His temperament is even better than Senior Brother Yao's!"

"Shh! Don't talk nonsense! Senior Brother Yao is also very handsome; they have two different styles!"

"Senior Brother Dao is as vast and profound as the stars, while Senior Brother Yao is as dazzling as the blazing sun... they're both so charming!"

The whispers of the female Disciples added a different touch of color to this solemn martial arts arena.

At the main seat on the high platform, it was not Sect Head White Cloud Master who sat, but an old man with white hair and a youthful face, his complexion as rosy as a baby's.

He wore a daoist robe embroidered with cauldron and cloud patterns; his aura was peaceful yet unfathomable.

He was the Dan Chenzi—Dan Chenzi!

With a peak master of such esteemed status personally presiding over the martial contest, it was clear how much importance the Sect placed on this assessment!

"The time has come!"

Dan Chenzi's gentle yet majestic voice echoed throughout the venue, instantly suppressing all the noise.

His gaze fell upon Yao Delong, who was already standing quietly below the platform, and he nodded slightly with encouragement.

Yao Delong took a deep breath, his eyes instantly becoming as sharp as an eagle's!

He took a step forward, and his figure appeared in the center of the massive white jade Contest Platform as if teleporting!

In white clothes as white as snow and with an upright posture, he faced the gazes of the fifteen True Disciples, which were either scrutinizing,

curious, filled with Battle Intent, or indifferent. His expression remained calm,

only in the depths of those eyes, Battle Intent burned like a blazing sun!

His gaze swept across the fifteen True Disciples.

He had interacted with several of them: Feng Wuya had a handsome face and a gentle temperament, a warm smile on his lips as he nodded slightly in greeting;

Long Xu was as burly as a mountain, with knotted muscles and eyes full of Battle Intent;

Zhuge Chuixue carried an ancient longsword on his back, his aura as sharp as ice;

Cang Yunyao had a graceful figure and eyes like silk, observing him with great interest.

The other eleven were all meeting him officially for the first time, each with a different and extraordinary aura:

Chiyan Peak: Lin Chi, with an aura as violent as fire and a defiant gaze; Lin Yan, Lin Chi's younger sister, with a fiery yet agile aura.

Jinxin Peak: Jin Feng, with an aura as sharp as metal and a keen gaze; Ji Xiaoman, with a restrained aura and a calm gaze.

Thunder Marsh Peak: Lei Zhen, with a fierce and overbearing aura, and faint lightning surrounding him;

Tuyao Peak: Man Shandao, with a heavy aura and a burly build.

Zhuàn Zhèn Peak: Zhen Xuanji, with an ethereal temperament and deep eyes that seemed to contain the trajectories of stars.

Pill Cloud Peak: Yan Bugui, with a peaceful aura and a faint scent of medicinal herbs; Su Manxi, with a gentle aura and clear eyes.

Every single one of them was an elite meticulously nurtured by the main peaks of the Yin Yang Sect!

Dan Chenzi looked at Yao Delong and smiled warmly:

"Delong, will you choose your opponent yourself, or shall I, your Junior Martial Uncle, designate one for you?

Among our Yin Yang Sect's fifteen True Disciples, the lowest is at the Mid Nascent Soul Stage, while the highest, Changge, is already at the half-step Soul Transformation Realm."

He specifically pointed out the gap in Realms, his intention being self-evident; he did not want Yao Delong to rashly challenge Dao Changge.

"Thank you for the reminder, Junior Martial Uncle," Yao Delong smiled and nodded to Dan Chenzi.

"I will choose for myself."

His address of "Junior Martial Uncle" and Dan Chenzi's obviously close address of "Delong"

caused many sharp-minded Disciples and Elders to raise their eyebrows slightly.

Leng Yuekui is Dan Chenzi's Junior Sister. According to seniority, Yao Delong should have called Dan Chenzi "Senior Martial Uncle,"

but the address of "Junior Martial Uncle" seemed exceptionally close.

Considering the conflict between Dan Chenzi and Spirit Plant Peak's Peak Master Luo Baiya after Yao Delong was trapped in the Burial God Abyss Secret Realm... there seemed to be an unknown history between them.

Yao Delong's gaze shifted and finally landed on the Spirit Forging Peak True Disciple, Long Xu.

His current Physical Body strength was also formidable, and he wanted to use this opportunity to test it!

"Senior Brother Long Xu!" Yao Delong said loudly, "I am also practicing Body Refining techniques now. Please grant me some guidance, Senior Brother!"

"Hahaha!" Long Xu let out a thunderous laugh that shook the surroundings,

"Good! Junior Brother Yao is truly exceptionally talented!

Since we last met in the Scripture Pavilion, in just a few short months, your cultivation has caught up to ours. This Senior Brother is ashamed, truly ashamed!"

Before his voice faded, his burly body took off like a cannonball,

crashing onto the center of the white jade platform opposite Yao Delong with a boom, making the surface hum.

The two stood facing each other and bowed.

"The first match of the martial contest, Yao Delong versus Long Xu, begin!" Dan Chenzi announced.

"Junior Brother Yao, watch out!"

Battle Intent instantly ignited in Long Xu's eyes. Without any probing, he exploded with power!

The muscles all over his body suddenly bulged, his skin taking on a bronze metallic luster,

a wild, heavy, and terrifying power that seemed capable of carrying a mountain erupted!

"Savage Mountain Collision!"

Long Xu growled, and his whole person turned into a blurred afterimage,

with a sonic boom that tore through the air, he charged at Yao Delong like an out-of-control ancient savage elephant!

This was a Move from the Earth Rank High Grade Martial Skills of Spirit Forging Peak,

it pushed Physical Body strength and impact force to the limit—simple, crude, and incomparably powerful!

Wherever he passed, space faintly distorted!

"Good timing!"

A brilliant light burst from Yao Delong's eyes, and he neither dodged nor avoided!

The Great Sun Body Forging Art and the Eight Desolations Prison Suppression Art operated frantically at the same time!

The blood in his body roared and surged like lava, making a sound like a rushing river!

His skin also took on a faint golden-red luster, as if divine radiance were flowing through it!

"Void Splitting Nine Strikes—Army Breaker!"

Yao Delong sank into a horse stance, his right fist clenched tight. Facing the terrifying figure charging at him, he threw a punch with full force!

As the fist passed, the air was extremely compressed, letting out a piercing whistle,

fine black spatial cracks even appeared around his fist!

Boom!!!

It was like two divine mountains crashing into each other!

A deafening roar exploded on the Contest Platform!

A visible, violent airwave centered on the point of impact, spreading out frantically in a ring,

slammed hard against the protective light screen at the edge of the arena, stirring up intense ripples!

The white jade surface around them was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Yao Delong's figure swayed slightly, and he retreated three steps in a row,

each step leaving a clear footprint on the hard jade platform!

Long Xu was also shaken back two steps, a flash of astonishment in his eyes!

He hadn't expected Yao Delong's strength to be so formidable,

to be able to head-on resist his "Mountain Shaking Collision" without falling into a disadvantage!

"Exhilarating!" Long Xu roared, his Battle Intent rising even further. "Again!"

"Earth Cracking Burst!"

"Star Shattering Finger!"

"Eight Desolations Prison Suppression—Suppress!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two figures collided violently once again!

There were no flashy Spells or exquisite Moves, only the most primitive and violent clash of strength!

Fist shadows were like mountains, and leg sweeps were like whips!

Every collision erupted with a dull, thunderous roar, and every exchange caused space to distort,

creating tiny black cracks that quickly mended under the powerful Laws of space!

In just a few breaths, the two had already exchanged dozens of blows!

The speed was so fast and the power so fierce that the Disciples below who specialized in Body Refining watched with boiling blood and dazzled eyes!

"So strong! Too strong!"

"Senior Brother Long's Physical Body strength is peerlessly fierce, like a human-shaped Vicious Beast!"

"Senior Brother Yao's strength is also as explosive as fire, and it seems even more pure and condensed!

Every collision carries a scorching sensation that seems to incinerate everything!"

"Is... is this really Physical Body strength that a Mid Nascent Soul Stage can possess? He's simply a human-shaped Vicious Beast!"

"Look! Even space is being cracked! Although they're just tiny black dots that heal instantly, this Physical Body strength... is too terrifying!"