123: Chapter 123 The Fifth Life, The Blazing Sun Illuminates the Martial Path (Seventy-One)

Amidst the discussions, the two exchanged a silent look.

Subsequently, Bing Hao stood up, his face devoid of expression.

With a flicker of his figure, he landed on the arena like a silent snowflake, standing opposite Ling Chen.

He remained in that same pristine white robe, radiating a bone-chilling cold.

"Ice and Snow Holy Land, Bing Hao."

His voice was as cold as he was, without the slightest ripple.

Ling Chen took a deep breath, and the blood energy throughout his body suddenly boiled to the extreme.

Cyan blood energy surged around him like burning flames, carrying a violent and terrifying cyan fire.

His gaze became incredibly focused, and he slowly raised his right hand, his palm condensing a ball of cyan blood energy refined to the extreme.

"Qingyang Peak, Ling Chen. Please offer your guidance!"

Before the words had even faded, Ling Chen made the first move.

His figure was fast as lightning; with a single step, he traversed the distance, appearing instantly before Bing Hao.

He struck out with a palm, a blow that condensed all his blood energy.

The wind from his palm whistled, vaguely taking the form of a blooming cyan lotus of fire; this was the opening move of Qingyang Peak's signature ultimate technique, the "Qingyang Cyan Lotus Method."

However, facing Ling Chen's full-force strike, Bing Hao merely raised his right hand casually.

The moment Ling Chen's palm was about to touch Bing Hao's lapel, a pale blue, glass-like transparent film suddenly appeared on Bing Hao's body surface.

"Dong!"

A dull, piercing sound of metal clashing rang out.

Ling Chen felt as if his palm had struck a mountain forged from ten-thousand-year black ice.

A terrifying counter-shock force surged up his arm into his entire body, shaking his blood energy into turmoil and instantly splitting the web between his thumb and forefinger.

His all-out attack hadn't even managed to shake that thin film on Bing Hao's body in the slightest, only stirring up a fleeting ripple.

This was the hallmark that distinguished the Iron Skin Realm from a mortal body.

Life field, Order Iron Film.

The moment a martial artist breaks through the Stone Skin Realm and steps into the Iron Skin Realm, they complete a true leap in life.

This incredibly vigorous essence of life guides the metal energy of heaven and earth to mix with the surging blood energy within the body.

While converting into true energy, the physical body is repeatedly tempered by the origin energy of heaven and earth, and a passively interwoven Order Iron Film naturally forms on the surface of the body.

This Iron Film is indestructible; it is an absolute chasm that Body Tempering Realm martial disciples, no matter how talented or strong their techniques, cannot break.

Ling Chen's face turned pale, but instead of retreating, he advanced. His palms flew, striking at Bing Hao continuously like a violent storm.

Cyan palm shadows overlapped, enveloping all of Bing Hao's vital points.

"Peng, peng, peng, peng, peng!"

The dense sound of collisions was incessant, like raindrops hitting a sheet of iron.

However, no matter how fierce or tricky Ling Chen's attacks were, they could only leave fleeting ripples on that pale blue Iron Film.

Bing Hao just stood there quietly, allowing Ling Chen to attack, not moving his feet even a fraction, his eyes as cold as if watching a clown.

Twenty rounds. Thirty rounds.

Ling Chen's breathing became increasingly ragged, his forehead covered in bead-sized sweat. His blood energy was exhausted, his punching speed slowed, and his strength weakened.

His arms were already numb; every collision felt like beating his own bones.

"That is enough."

Bing Hao finally spoke, his voice still cold and carrying a hint of impatience.

He casually threw a punch.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, no dazzling brilliance, just a plain, simple punch.

But this punch carried the unique, all-crushing advantage of the life level possessed by an Iron Skin Realm martial artist.

Ling Chen's expression changed drastically; he hurriedly crossed his arms to block his chest, pouring his last trace of blood energy into them.

"Boom!"

The punch landed.

Ling Chen felt an irresistible massive force arrive, and his arms instantly emitted the crisp sound of cracking bones.

He was instantly sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena.

A mouthful of blood sprayed onto the golden arena floor, blooming like a striking red plum blossom.

He struggled to crawl up, only to find that all his bones felt as if they had fallen apart; he couldn't muster any strength at all.

He looked up, watching Bing Hao, who was still standing in the center of the arena with his breath as steady as before, his eyes filled with unwillingness and bone-deep despair.

He was unwilling to accept it! But he finally understood.

The gap between major realms cannot be easily bridged by talent and hard work.

It is a chasm between a mortal and the transcendent.

"I have lost." Ling Chen said in a low voice, a hint of bitterness in his tone.

The Holy Land deacon, who had been ready, quickly stepped forward to help Ling Chen off the arena.

There was a deathly silence below the stage.

Everyone was shocked by this scene.

Ling Chen, who had been invincible and had defeated several people in a row, was actually so vulnerable when crushed by a major realm difference.

This is the power of the Iron Skin Realm.

Bing Hao withdrew his fist and turned his gaze to Zhou Xuan below the stage.

Zhou Xuan smiled slightly and slowly walked onto the arena.

He was still in that same green robe, with a emerald green spring bud sword hanging at his waist, its scabbard engraved with delicate vine patterns.

His smile was gentle, his eyes clear, as if he were a boy next door.

But the moment he stood opposite Bing Hao, the aura around him changed suddenly.

A massive amount of true energy erupted from Zhou Xuan's body, flowing around him.

The pale green true energy was like a newly born sprout, carrying the fresh scent of vegetation.

The surrounding origin energy of heaven and earth was stirred; on the arena, there was vaguely the subtle phenomenon of a spring breeze brushing against the face and all things coming to life.

This is the true power of the Iron Skin Realm: channeling the origin energy of heaven and earth, and condensing true energy for one's own use.

"Brother Bing Hao, please." Zhou Xuan cupped his hands at Bing Hao, his smile still gentle, but his eyes becoming incredibly sharp.

Bing Hao nodded, then drew the ice soul sword from his waist.

Pale blue true energy enveloped the sword body, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and a thin layer of white frost condensed on the arena.

Both of them moved at the same time.

Two figures crossed rapidly on the arena, sword light flickering, and the explosive sounds of true energy clashing were incessant.

Bing Hao's swordsmanship was extremely cold, extremely fast, and extremely still.

Every one of his strikes was simple and clean, without any superfluous movements, the tip of the sword always pointing at the opponent's vital points.

Wherever the ice soul sword passed, the air was frozen into tiny ice particles, leaving behind streaks of pale blue afterimages.

As for Zhou Xuan's swordsmanship, it was extremely soft, extremely resilient, and extremely full of life.

He integrated the artistic conception of "Spring" into his swordsmanship, deconstructing it to the fullest.

New Sprout Style: The sword tip is tricky and agile, like a sprout breaking through the soil, always able to thrust from the most unexpected angles; seemingly weak, it can pierce through hard rock;

Spring Breeze Style: The footwork is as elegant as a spring breeze, wandering around Bing Hao, the sword moves are dense and incessant, like a spring breeze brushing against the face, penetrating every gap;

Drizzle Style: The sword energy is fine as silk, drizzling down; seemingly powerless, it can wear through stone, constantly wearing down Bing Hao's true energy and Order Iron Film;

Blooming Flowers Style: With a light flick of the wrist, the spring bud sword weaves countless sword shadows, like spring flowers in full bloom, making it hard to distinguish reality from illusion, dazzling the eyes.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

As the sword light swirled, their swords collided repeatedly, emitting crisp sounds of metal clashing.