10: So you have tried your best?

Long Ao presented the map with a humble posture, and the atmosphere of the entire training ground shifted from the previous tension to a strange calm.

Lin Tian toyed with the data chip, which shimmered with a faint blue light, and his gaze returned to Long Ao.

He looked at this leader of the younger generation of the Long Family, at his handsome face filled with awe and apprehension, and a thought suddenly emerged from the bottom of his heart.

Having accepted an S-rank relic map, it seemed unreasonable not to 'test the goods'.

Moreover, he had just Cultivated the Nine Transformations of the Divine Dragon to its second transformation and was looking for a suitable 'punching bag' to test the practical effect of his new abilities.

Wasn't this number three heir, who had just Broken through to the Martial Ancestor Rank, a perfect candidate, whether in terms of strength, identity, or resilience?

So, as Long Ao was feeling anxious, thinking he had finally passed the test, Lin Tian suddenly spoke in an innocent tone, as if inviting a playmate to a game:

"Since you're here, accompany me for a few moves."

"I just practiced some new things and happen to need a punching bag."

"Punch... punching bag?"

The muscles on Long Ao's face twitched violently, and he froze in place. He looked at Lin Tian's clear, innocent big eyes, and his heart was instantly submerged in endless bitterness.

Was he... not going to let him go?

He desperately wanted to refuse, but looking at Lin Tian's 'innocent' gaze, and at Long Ling'er behind him, whose hand was already on the hilt of her energy sword and whose Phoenix eyes gleamed with cold light, he knew he had no right to refuse.

"It's... my honor."

Long Ao squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, his face looking worse than if he were crying... "Extra! Extra! number zero heir will publicly spar with the number three heir at the Dragon Perch Residence!"

This news, as if it had grown wings, spread at a speed exceeding that of light, instantly reaching every corner of the entire Long Family Manor.

For a time, countless young disciples of the Long Family who were Cultivating, studying, or carrying out missions all put down what they were doing and rushed towards the Dragon Perch Residence like a tide, at their fastest speed.

Within just ten minutes, the vast training ground outside the Dragon Perch Residence had already gathered thousands of onlookers, a dense crowd, bustling with noise and excitement, comparable to a Family ceremony.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Does that even need to be asked? It's definitely the Third Young Master! He's a genuine Martial Ancestor Rank expert, two whole major Realms higher than us! No matter how much of a Prodigy number zero heir is, he's only five years old, right?"

"Exactly, talent doesn't equal strength. number zero heir can smash a testing device with one punch, proving his power is indeed terrifying, but real combat isn't just about comparing strength. Movement, technique, combat experience, energy manipulation... these all require time to accumulate."

"I agree. In my opinion, the purpose of this spar for number zero heir is probably just to experience the pressure of a Martial Ancestor Rank under the Third Young Master. If he can last ten moves without defeat, that would be enough to be proud of and recorded in the Family's history!"

Public opinion was almost overwhelmingly in favor of Long Ao.

In their view, while Lin Tian's talent was Heaven-Defying, the huge gap in age and Realm was something no talent could bridge.

The suspense of this battle was not about winning or losing, but about how many moves Lin Tian could last.

In the center of the training ground, listening to the discussions from outside, Long Ao's face grew even paler.

Last ten moves?

You must be dreaming!

The only question he was currently considering was how much strength he should use to both avoid injuring this little ancestor and not lose too badly.

The battle officially began under the gaze of all.

Long Ao took a deep breath, and his joints crackled. He decided to test the waters first, so he only used thirty percent of his strength, mobilizing a faint green wind-attribute internal energy, and remotely threw a probing punch towards Lin Tian, who was ten meters away.

He controlled this punch with extreme precision; the power seemed fierce but was actually gentle, enough to easily repel a nine-star Martial Apprentice, yet without causing any substantial harm.

However, facing the whistling punch, Lin Tian did not dodge or evade. He casually raised his small hand and, meeting the punch, lightly threw out a punch of his own.

The two forces collided in mid-air.

The next second, something happened that made everyone's eyes almost pop out!

The green punch thrown by Long Ao, upon contact with Lin Tian's seemingly powerless fist, was instantly torn, pierced, and crushed as if it were made of paper!

A more violent, purer golden Qi, its momentum undiminished, fiercely slammed into Long Ao's hastily deployed Protective Aura!

Bang!

Long Ao felt an irresistible immense force strike him, his chest Qi surged violently, and he uncontrollably staggered back three steps before barely stabilizing himself, his face flushing abnormally.

With just one probing collision, the victor was immediately clear!

The entire venue instantly fell silent.

Those disciples who had just been boasting about a 'ten-move agreement' were now all like ducks with their necks squeezed, unable to utter a single word, their faces filled with disbelief.

However, more shocked than them was Lin Tian.

He slowly withdrew his fist, and a clear hint of dissatisfaction appeared on his delicate, doll-like face.

He furrowed his handsome brows, looked at the pale-faced Long Ao, and spoke in a questioning tone:

"Long Ao."

"Are you holding back?"

"Is this... an insult to me?"

Pfft—!

Upon hearing this, Long Ao could no longer suppress his surging Qi, and a mouthful of old blood almost gushed out on the spot.

I'm holding back?

I'm practically suffering internal injuries from your punch, and you're telling me I'm holding back?!

He had a bitter taste in his mouth, his handsome face was beet red, and a million thoughts raced through his mind.

But looking at Lin Tian's 'I'm very unhappy' gaze, he knew that if he didn't show some real skill today, he probably wouldn't be able to end this.

"Pardon me!"

Long Ao was pushed against the wall, with no more room for luck. He roared, and his Martial Ancestor Rank internal energy burst forth without reservation!

"A-rank Martial Art — [Raging Wave Fist]!"

In an instant, the situation changed! Green energy gathered around him like towering waves, and he seemed to transform into the center of a tsunami. With a punch, carrying the terrifying might to crush everything, he swept towards Lin Tian!

Facing this strike, which could make even Martial Ancestors of the same Realm change color, Lin Tian still stood his ground, neither dodging nor evading.

First move: Defense!

With a thought, "Dragon Scale Astral Energy" instantly covered his entire body. The green punch, powerful enough to split mountains and crack stones, landed on the faint golden Protective Aura, yet it failed to even stir a ripple, being completely offset and annihilated!

Not a single scratch!

Second move: Acceleration!

Just as Long Ao's mind was reeling from the ineffectiveness of his full-power strike, Lin Tian activated "Dragon Blood Boiling"! His figure left a faint afterimage in place, and with a speed that surpassed Long Ao's dynamic vision limit, he instantly closed in on him!

Long Ao's pupils constricted violently; he only managed to see a golden flash, without even time to react!

Third move: Attack!

On Lin Tian's tender index finger, a point of intensely brilliant golden light condensed—that was "Dragon Qi Pierce," formed by compressing all his Qi and blood power to the extreme!

He lightly tapped Long Ao's wide-open chest.

Bang!

Long Ao's Protective Aura shattered like fragile glass. A powerful, highly penetrative force surged into his body, instantly destroying all his resistance. He was struck as if by a heavy blow, flying backward and crashing heavily onto the ground ten meters away, completely losing his combat ability.

Three moves!

Only three moves!

A genuine Martial Ancestor Rank expert, one of the Long Family's top Geniuses, was defeated just like that...!

The entire venue was dead silent, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

Everyone was as if under a petrification spell, staring blankly at the small figure in the arena, their brains completely losing the ability to think.

Lin Tian slowly walked up to Long Ao, who was lying on the ground, looking dazed and questioning life.

He put away his earlier dissatisfaction and adopted an expression of 'sudden realization,' even with a hint of well-placed 'apology,' and softly said:

"I'm sorry."

"It seems I misunderstood you."

"Turns out..."

He paused, looked at Long Ao with a gaze full of 'understanding' and 'sympathy,' and spoke the words that were enough to shatter the latter's Dao Heart.

"—You've already done your best."