40: No one dares to challenge it?

Cang Lingchuan had experienced countless things in his life. After turning a hundred, he had also clashed with many Geniuses within the Clear Wind Sect, rarely suffering defeat in the Spirit Aperture Realm.

Even the Geniuses he occasionally lost to, such as Du Qi, had been wounded by this move of his back then.

When had he ever encountered a monster like Zhang Yang, who met his strongest killing move head-on yet didn't even have a single hair harmed?

The immense power contained in Zhang Yang's left fist surged through the long saber!

"Crack!"

Cang Lingchuan felt an irresistible, terrifying force travel along the hilt of the saber. His tiger's mouth instantly split open, dripping with blood!

He could no longer hold onto the precious saber that had accompanied him for half his life. It flew out of his hand like an arrow from a bow,

With a "shink," it plunged deep into the hard bluestone ground in the distance, buried up to the hilt!

"You've lost. Do you wish to continue?"

Zhang Yang slowly retracted his stance, his voice flat and calm, as if he had only done something trivial.

Cang Lingchuan's combat experience was indeed rich. If he had continued to fight Zhang Yang using that experience, Zhang Yang would have been happy to drag it out.

But Cang Lingchuan insisted on deciding the outcome with his strongest move. Although the move Cang Lingchuan had comprehended was powerful, compared to Zhang Yang's Sovereign Extreme Heaven Severing, the difference was like night and day.

Furthermore, although Cang Lingchuan had comprehended Saber Intent, it was only at the first Realm. To Zhang Yang, it was like a gentle breeze against his face.

"...Thank you, Your Excellency... for showing mercy!"

Cang Lingchuan looked at the youth before him, whose aura remained as steady as an abyss and whose expression was indifferent. A bitter smile appeared on his face as he difficultly cupped his fists in salute.

He knew very well that if the other party hadn't restrained that terrifying power at the last moment—power enough to shatter his saber and rupture his internal organs—the outcome would definitely not have been as simple as his weapon flying out of his hand.

He was already old. Once he suffered a heavy injury, the three-hundred-year Spirit Aperture Realm limit would likely arrive early.

Zhang Yang showing mercy with this punch was no different from extending his life by several decades!

Cang Lingchuan turned with staggering steps, silently walked into the distance to pull out his saber, and his figure slowly disappeared at the edge of the Martial Arts Stage.

"He won! Zhang Yang won!!"

"Heavens! Even Cang Lingchuan lost! Is this Zhang Yang... truly invincible in the Spirit Aperture Realm?"

"Incredible! He even took Elder Cang's strongest saber strike head-on and remained unscathed! Such a Physical Body is unprecedented throughout history!"

"I think Senior Brother Zhang is the true champion of this session! He's enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with Senior Brother Du Qi! No, he surpasses him! He will suppress this generation!"

Deafening cheers and exclamations instantly erupted below the stage, the sound waves piercing the clouds!

Not far away, the faces of several people watching the battle turned ashen. Their fingers gripped the railing tightly, and the hard jade groaned under their pressure, nearly being crushed!

They had long heard of Cang Lingchuan's strength. Asking themselves, if they had faced that final move, even if they could win, they would definitely have had to pay the price of light or even heavy injuries!

How could they be like Zhang Yang, taking it head-on with a hand-saber and remaining unscathed?

This boy... is truly a Prodigy!

"Everyone! Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge?" Zhang Yang's voice rang out again.

For a moment, the Disciples watching nearby exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a faint sense of terror.

That crushing battle just now had left an indelible mark on their hearts.

The strength Zhang Yang displayed at this moment could be called absolutely terrifying!

Someone as strong as Cang Lingchuan, an old-timer in the Spirit Aperture Realm with over two hundred years of martial arts experience and a deep Foundation, had actually been defeated by him so effortlessly.

Looking around, among the Disciples of the same generation within the Spirit Aperture Realm, who else had such strength to dare face his edge?

"Well? Should we send someone else up?"

Not far away, one person looked toward the center of the Martial Arts Stage with a grave expression and asked his companions in a low voice.

"Even Cang Lingchuan lost... In the Spirit Aperture Realm, who else can be a match for this Zhang Yang?" Another person shook his head and sighed, his tone powerless.

"Cang Lingchuan is old after all; his blood and Qi are no longer at their Peak. Besides, Zhang Yang hasn't asked for time to recover his breath. How about... a war of attrition?" a slightly sinister voice suggested.

"If they can't even withstand a single move, what's the point of a war of attrition?"

One person shook his head. The strength Zhang Yang was displaying now already showed signs of being invincible within the Spirit Aperture Realm of the Clear Wind Sect.

Everyone fell silent.

One person finally spoke coldly, stating a fact that made everyone despair.

"Unless someone in the Spirit Aperture Realm has comprehended their Concept to the third or even fourth level, it will be very difficult to defeat Zhang Yang."

There were indeed two Geniuses in the sect who had pushed their Saber Intent to the third heaven while still in the Spirit Aperture Realm, both of whom were strong contenders for the top five in the Inner Sect Grand Competition.

But how could such figures easily step onto the stage now, acting as stepping stones for others?

"Then... are we still sending someone?" someone asked hesitantly.

"Send them! Why wouldn't we?" The person who previously suggested the war of attrition had a glint in his eyes.

"However, there's no need to look for someone like Cang Lingchuan anymore."

"Send more fellow Disciples who have been stuck at the Ninth Spirit Aperture for many years and have decent Foundations."

"Even if they can't win, if they can force him to reveal a few more tricks and exhaust some of his mental energy, it can be considered a way for us to glimpse a bit of his true strength!"

"Agreed!"

Several groups of figures watching from a distance discussed in low voices for a moment before dispersing and blending into the crowd.

"Well? Is no one else coming to challenge?"

Zhang Yang stood tall in the center, his gaze like lightning as he slowly scanned the dense crowd below the stage.

However, the response he received was still a deathly silence. Countless gazes avoided him; no one dared to look him in the eye.

'Could it be... that I've shown too much of my edge?'

Zhang Yang thought to himself, should he have held back a bit more just now and put on a show?

Half an hour passed.

On the Martial Arts Stage, the green-robed figure remained, and below the stage, still no one came to accept the challenge.

A figure suddenly drifted down from mid-air; it was Elder Wang, who was presiding over this battle.

With a look of approval, he tossed the jade box to Zhang Yang.

"That last move of yours was quite good. I saw shadows of the Sovereign Extreme Heaven Severing in it!" Elder Wang praised.

Zhang Yang caught the jade box steadily. He cupped his fists slightly and said honestly:

"This move was created under the guidance of Senior Jiang Dao, merging the essences of many Saber Techniques this Disciple has studied, resulting from an occasional insight."

"Oh?"

Elder Wang's smile deepened upon hearing this, and his gaze toward Zhang Yang became increasingly appreciative. "To have such ability to create a technique while in the Spirit Aperture Realm... Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in a row. Being able to create such a move at this Realm made him even more certain that Zhang Yang had likely awakened a singular Physique related to the Dao of the saber.

His progress in the way of the saber was rapid, but he just didn't know why his progress in Body Refining Cultivation Techniques was also so fast.

The two chatted for a few more moments. Below the Martial Arts Stage, it was still desolate.

Zhang Yang shook his head slightly and waited no longer.

He steadily carried the jade box filled with eight hundred Purple Sun Pills in one hand, his steps composed.

Under the gaze of countless complex eyes, he lightly leapt off the high stage and went straight back to the quiet room on Xuan Yuan Peak.

Inside the quiet room, sandalwood incense curled. Zhang Yang sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his gaze falling on the jade box in his hand that was shrouded in purple mist, his expression as calm as water.

"Eight hundred Purple Sun Pills... are enough to support me in pushing for the Profound Core Realm."

Zhang Yang murmured to himself, the faint light of the jade box reflected in his eyes.

"It's just that... my Saber Intent is still stuck at the Peak of the sixth level, unable to touch the threshold of the seventh heaven's gate."

Zhang Yang looked at the jade box in his hand with an indifferent expression, then sat cross-legged, took out a Purple Sun Pill to swallow, and began to Cultivate.

Although he couldn't Breakthrough to the Profound Core Realm for the time being, Zhang Yang still wanted to fill his Ninth Spirit Aperture first.

When the time came, he would focus all his efforts on comprehending Saber Intent, hoping to raise it to the seventh level within ten days.

After that, he would spend a few more days forming a Profound Core, just in time to participate in the Inner Sect Grand Competition!