21: Chapter 21 Heavenly Palace Storm

Central Plains, Tianque City.

This city is located in the hinterland of the Central Plains. Legend has it that it is the ruins of the capital of the ancient immortal dynasty, the "Tianque Divine Dynasty." After countless years and several ups and downs, it is now recognized as one of the Holy Lands for Cultivators in the five regions, and it is also the venue for this century's grand competition.

It was late autumn, and the sky was high and the clouds were sparse. The towering city walls were over a hundred feet high, built entirely of unknown blue-grey boulders. Having weathered wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, the surface was covered with mottled traces and mysterious ancient Talisman patterns, exuding an atmosphere of vastness, heaviness, and immovability. The city gate was wide enough for ten carriages to pass abreast. Cultivators came and went like a weave, their Auras complex and varying in strength. However, even the weakest were at the Late Stage of Qi Refining. Foundation Establishment Cultivators were everywhere, and occasionally, Golden Core Immortal Masters could be seen flying past on their Magic Treasures, drawing gazes of awe.

Lin Wan and his group, led by Senior Brother Han Lingtian, traveled for nearly a month, crossing several large states and experiencing two small interceptions (both of which were repelled by the joint efforts of Han Lingtian and Lin Wan), finally arriving at this majestic city.

There were eight people in the group. The leader, Han Lingtian, a Mid-stage Golden Core, was decisive in killing and served as the pillar of strength for Tianjian Peak this time. Lin Wan, Early Stage Golden Core, with the five elements sword core and the Lifebound Treasure five elements sword, was the core of this trip. Senior Sister Su Qing, Early Stage Golden Core, a third-tier Alchemist and Artifact Refiner, was the core of support and logistics. Xu Feng, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, was responsible for external liaison and intelligence. There were also three Late Stage Foundation Establishment and one Great Perfection Foundation Establishment elite Disciples selected from the Main Peak, Danxia Peak, and Shenbing Peak, all of whom were formidable in battle.

After entering the city, Han Lingtian, familiar with the route, led everyone straight to the Qingyun Sect's stronghold in the city—a manor called "Qingyun Courtyard." The manor covered a large area and was located in a relatively quiet area of the inner city. It had pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing water. Although the concentration of Spiritual Qi was not as good as the inner Sect of the Qingyun Sect, it was still quite good, obviously purchased and managed by the Sect at a great cost.

After arranging the accommodation, Han Lingtian gathered everyone in the meeting hall.

"The grand competition will officially begin in seven days at the 'Asking Dao Platform' in the center of Tianque City. In these few days, you can move freely, familiarize yourself with the environment, and gather information, but you must be careful. Tianque City is a mix of fish and dragons, where all kinds of people gather. There are also forces from other regions and even local Central Plains forces entrenched here. Do not easily provoke trouble, especially..." Han Lingtian's gaze swept over Lin Wan, "Junior Brother Lin, you are now famous, and you have just formed your Golden Core. There will certainly be people who want to weigh your worth. If it is not necessary, do not go out alone, and do not easily fight with others to reveal your bottom line."

"This Junior Brother understands." Lin Wan nodded. Along the way, he had already felt countless gazes spying on him, both openly and secretly. A five elements sword core, forming a core at twenty-one—no matter which point it was, it was enough to attract attention.

"Senior Sister Su, Junior Brother Xu, you are responsible for connecting with the Sect's deacon here, receiving the latest information, and purchasing some Medicinal Pills and Talismans that may be used in the grand competition. Others can form groups on their own and move around in safe areas of the city. You must return within three days." Han Lingtian arranged.

Everyone accepted the order and dispersed.

Lin Wan returned to the independent small courtyard assigned to him. The courtyard was quiet and came with a simple Formation. After he set up a few warning Restrictions, he sat cross-legged in the quiet room and took out the Jade Slip given by Revered Master Yue Lingyun to study it carefully again.

The Jade Slip recorded the intelligence of the top geniuses from various regions who might appear in this grand competition. There were hundreds of people mentioned, and more than thirty were highlighted.

"Saint Son Yan Wuji of the Eastern Wilderness 'Skyfire Sect', suspected to possess the 'Skyfire Physique', Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, rumored to have touched a trace of the Law of Fire, with combat power comparable to an Early Stage Golden Core."

"Buddha Son Liao Chen of the Western Desert 'Vajra Temple', Cultivates the 'Vajra Indestructible Body', with a powerful Physical Body and unparalleled defense, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment."

"Holy Maiden Xue Jian of the Northern Plains 'Ice Soul Palace', mutated Ice Spiritual Root, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, her Ice-type Divine Ability is superb."

"Young Lord You Quan of the Southern Region 'Xuanyin Sect', Cultivates Demonic Technique, mysterious and unpredictable, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, suspected to have a Golden Core Stage ghost protecting him."

"True Disciple Zhuge Ming of the Central Plains 'Heavenly Secret Pavilion', a Genius of Formations, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, can instantly cast third-tier Formations, extremely difficult to deal with."

"The 19th Prince Xia Wushang of the Central Plains 'Great Xia Dynasty', possesses the Imperial Dragon Qi, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, with Dragon Qi protecting his body, his combat power is astonishing."

"Young Lord Sword Master Jian Wuming of the Central Plains 'Tianjian Villa', born with a sword bone, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, has comprehended the realm of 'Human-Sword Unity', and his talent in the sword Dao is known as the first of the younger generation."

One by one, names and achievements were shocking. These people were all rare geniuses of their respective regions for a hundred years, with deep Foundations, powerful backgrounds, invincible at the same level, and even capable of fighting across levels. Compared with them, although Lin Wan had condensed a second-grade five elements sword core, he had just entered the Golden Core Stage, and there might be gaps in combat experience, cultivation of Divine Abilities, and the use of Magic Treasures.

"Sure enough, there are so many talents in the world." Lin Wan was not discouraged, but rather his fighting spirit became higher. Competing with such opponents was the only way to live up to this life and this Golden Core cultivation.

He put away the Jade Slip, took out the five elements sword, placed it across his knees, and slowly nurtured it with his own Golden Core fire and Divine Soul. The Lifebound Treasure refined from Chaos Five Elements iron was of the same Origin as his five elements sword core, and nurturing it was twice the result with half the effort. He could feel that every moment of nurturing brought his connection with the five elements sword closer, and the spirituality of the sword body grew a little bit.

Half a day later, he finished nurturing and walked out of the courtyard. Senior Sister Su Qing and Xu Feng were talking in low voices outside the courtyard, and when they saw him come out, they greeted him.

"Junior Brother Lin, this is the latest intelligence collected by the Sect deacon regarding the rules of the grand competition and some opponents to watch out for." Xu Feng handed over a new Jade Slip, "In addition, there are undercurrents in the city these few days. It seems that many forces are inquiring about your news, especially focusing on your Five Elements Legacy and Lifebound Treasure. Junior Brother still needs to be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother." Lin Wan took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Divine Sense. The rules of the grand competition had not changed much from previous years, divided into two stages: "Arena Battle" and "Secret Realm Trial". The Arena Battle eliminated the weak, while the Secret Realm Trial was more cruel, allowing a certain degree of killing and fighting, and the death rate was not low. As for the list of opponents to watch out for, there were a few more unfamiliar names, seemingly from some Hidden Families or Loose Cultivators.

"Senior Sister Su, do you have any clues about the 'Five Elements Spiritual Objects' and 'Earth Heart Flame Fire' I asked you to inquire about?" Lin Wan looked at Senior Sister Su Qing. The subsequent improvement of the five elements sword required the continuous integration of Five Elements Spiritual Objects. The Earth Heart Flame Fire was the key he intended to use to assist in cultivating the "Five Elements Divine Light" Divine Ability.

"Five Elements Spiritual Objects are occasionally sold by major firms in Tianque City, but the quality is uneven, and the price is expensive. Earth Heart Flame Fire..." Senior Sister Su Qing frowned slightly, "I heard that in three days, the 'Wanbao Tower' in the city will hold a high-end auction. The finale is rumored to be a wisp of fourth-tier 'Earth Heart Spiritual Flame' of extremely high quality. But the competition will be fierce, and such spiritual objects usually only accept barter or Top-Grade Spirit Stone transactions."

"Wanbao Tower auction?" Lin Wan noted it down. He had some Top-Grade Spirit Stones (from Sect rewards and Secret Realm gains), but not many. If it was barter, he had some Secret Realm Materials he didn't use, as well as some special items exchanged by the System, which might be worth a try.

"In addition, if Junior Brother wants to improve his strength quickly, you can go to the 'Fighting Platform' in the east of the city." Xu Feng suggested, "That is a place for Cultivators to resolve grievances and spar. It's a mix of fish and dragons, but occasionally experts appear. Fighting with Cultivators from different schools and regions is a great improvement for combat experience. Just need to hide your identity, stop at the point, and don't expose your trump cards."

Fighting Platform? Lin Wan's heart moved. This is a good place to go. Closed-door cultivation is not as good as actual combat tempering.

For the next two days, Lin Wan stayed behind closed doors, spending most of his time nurturing his Magic Treasure, studying the Golden Core chapter of the "Great Five Elements True Scripture" and the "Five Elements Divine Light" Divine Ability. Occasionally, he would exchange information with Senior Sister Su Qing and Xu Feng, or guide the cultivation of the few Foundation Establishment Junior Brothers and Sisters who accompanied them.

On the evening of the third day, he changed into an inconspicuous grey Dao robe, slightly adjusted his appearance and Aura (simulated by "Mind Splitting Technique" and Five Elements Spiritual Qi), and quietly left Qingyun Courtyard, heading towards the Fighting Platform in the east of the city.

The Fighting Platform was located in an open area of the outer city, consisting of ten huge black stone arenas, surrounded by powerful protective Formations. At this moment, the lights were just lit, but the area around the arenas was bustling with thousands of Cultivators. There were those who were purely watching the excitement, those who were betting, and those who were rubbing their hands, ready to go on stage to show their skills.

The air was filled with the smell of sweat, blood, and boiling Battle Intent. Shouts, cheers, curses, and the sound of metal clashing were mixed together, making a deafening noise.

Lin Wan mixed into the crowd, his eyes sweeping across the arenas. On the arenas, Cultivators were fighting in pairs, with Spells, Sword Qi, and Magic Treasure lights constantly exploding, drawing bursts of exclamations from the audience. The level of combat varied, with both Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, and occasionally Golden Core Cultivators went on stage, but most were Early Stage Golden Core, and their Auras were complex, obviously mostly Loose Cultivators or from small forces, which could not be compared with the Golden Cores cultivated by large Sects.

He observed for a moment and had a preliminary understanding of the fighting style of Central Plains Cultivators. Compared with the tricky and dexterous style of Southern Region Cultivators, the Cultivation Techniques of Central Plains Cultivators were more dignified and upright, focusing on Foundation and Aura, and many people possessed unique Physiques or Bloodline Divine Abilities.

"Next match, Great Perfection Foundation Establishment 'Mountain Opening Axe' Shi Yue, versus Early Stage Golden Core 'Ghost Hand' Wuchang! Odds are one to three, place your bets!" Beside an arena, a bookmaker shouted loudly.

Great Perfection Foundation Establishment vs Early Stage Golden Core? The odds are one to three? Lin Wan was slightly surprised and looked at the arena.

On the arena, one side was a sturdy man nine feet tall, with knotted muscles, holding a giant axe as wide as a door panel. His Aura was heavy and condensed; he was the "Mountain Opening Axe" Shi Yue, with Great Perfection Foundation Establishment cultivation, but his blood was as vigorous as a furnace, obviously having achieved success in Body Refining. The other side was a tall and thin man in a black robe with a pale face, black fingers, and gloomy eyes. His Aura was cold and obscure, with a faint Death Qi. He was "Ghost Hand" Wuchang, an Early Stage Golden Core, but his Foundation seemed a bit vain, as if it had been forcibly improved by Medicinal Pills.

"Foundation Establishment fighting Golden Core? Is this Shi Yue crazy?"

"Not necessarily. This Ghost Hand Wuchang is a well-known water-goods Golden Core, relying on Medicinal Pills to pile up. His real combat power may not be much stronger than the top Great Perfection Foundation Establishment. Shi Yue's 'Mountain Opening Thirty-Six Axes' is fierce and unparalleled. He has killed Pseudo-Core Cultivators across levels, so he may not have no power to fight."

"Hehe, there is a good show to watch. I bet one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones on Shi Yue!"

The audience discussed heatedly, and there were many bettors.

Lin Wan also became interested and stopped to watch.

"Clang—!"

The gong sounded, and the fight began.

Shi Yue roared, like a wild elephant charging, the giant axe in his hand carrying a shrill sound of breaking through the air, chopping towards Wuchang! Before the axe arrived, the violent wind had already pressed the arena's protective light shield into ripples.

Wuchang sneered, his figure retreating like a ghost, while his hands flicked continuously, and ten black finger Qis shot towards Shi Yue's vital points like poisonous snakes coming out of a hole. The finger Qis were fishy, obviously containing highly toxic poison.

Shi Yue did not dodge or avoid, earth-yellow light appeared on his body surface, actually using his powerful Physical Body to resist the finger Qi, the giant axe's momentum remained unchanged, and he slashed down fiercely!

"Bang bang bang!" The finger Qi hit Shi Yue's body, making a dull sound, only leaving faint black marks on his skin, failing to break the defense. And the giant axe had already reached the top of Wuchang's head.

Wuchang's face changed slightly, not expecting Shi Yue's defense to be so strong. In a hurry, he sacrificed a pale bone shield to block in front of him.

"Boom—!"

The giant axe slashed on the bone shield, making a deafening sound. The bone shield's spiritual light trembled, and cracks appeared. Wuchang was shaken back, his blood surging.

"What a powerful force! This Shi Yue's Body Refining technique is probably at the third tier!" Someone in the audience exclaimed.

Lin Wan also nodded slightly. This Shi Yue had a solid Foundation and had achieved success in Body Refining. His strength and defense were both top-notch. Although Ghost Hand Wuchang was a Golden Core, his Spiritual Qi was vain, and his combat experience was average. Defeat was only a matter of time.

Sure enough, Shi Yue's offensive was like a tide, his giant axe open and close, every axe was as heavy as a thousand pounds, forcing Wuchang to retreat repeatedly, only able to circle with strange escape techniques and poison skills, but unable to cause effective damage to Shi Yue. After only twenty rounds, Wuchang's bone shield was smashed by an axe, and then he was swept by Shi Yue, hit heavily on his chest, vomited blood and flew backward, falling off the arena.

"Shi Yue wins!" The referee announced loudly.

A deafening cheer erupted from the audience, and the gamblers who bet on Shi Yue were even more beaming.

"This Shi Yue is quite a decent opponent. His strength, defense, and Battle Intent are all top-tier. If I could spar with him, it might be beneficial for familiarizing myself with the power of the Golden Core Stage." Lin Wan pondered inwardly. Having just reached the Golden Core Stage, he was in need of a suitable opponent to hone his skills.

Just as he was considering whether to take the stage anonymously to spar with Shi Yue, an arrogant voice suddenly rang out:

"Hmph, a mere Body Cultivator relying on brute force, daring to be so arrogant here? Is there no one left in the Central Plains?"

Before the voice faded, a fiery red figure descended from the sky and landed on the arena. The newcomer was a youth of about twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in crimson brocade robes with a handsome face, but his brows were heavy with arrogance. His Aura was scorching and explosive, clearly at the Early Stage Golden Core, and his Foundation was solid, far surpassing the previous Ghost Hand Wuchang.

"It's the True Disciple of the Red Sun Sect, Lieyangzi!"

"The Red Sun Sect is a second-rate Sect in the Central Plains, famous for its fire-attribute Cultivation Techniques. It is said that this Lieyangzi possesses the 'Red Sun Spirit Body', has extraordinary combat power, and is quite renowned among his peers."

"Now there's a good show to watch; Lieyangzi is clearly here to stir up trouble."

Discussions broke out again below the stage.

Shi Yue carried his giant axe, looked at Lieyangzi, and said in a muffled voice: "Who are you? If you want to fight, then fight; why the insults?"

"Fight you? Are you worthy?" Lieyangzi sneered. His gaze swept over the crowd below the stage, finally landing in Lin Wan's direction. It seemed to linger on him for a moment with a hint of scrutiny and provocation. "I heard that a few bumpkins from the Southern Region have come, calling themselves geniuses and showing off on the fighting platform. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll teach you what a real Genius is. You, and that guy hiding over there, come up together, so I don't have to bother twice."

He pointed his finger at Shi Yue, then gestured vaguely towards Lin Wan in the crowd, his attitude extremely arrogant.

Clearly, he had come for the "Southern Region Geniuses," and having somehow obtained information about Lin Wan, he had come specifically to provoke him, hoping to make a name for himself by stepping on a Southern Region Genius.

Lin Wan narrowed his eyes; he hadn't expected trouble to find him so quickly. He had not intended to expose himself too early, but since the other party had named him specifically and was so arrogant, if he retreated, it would not only tarnish the reputation of the Qingyun Sect and the Southern Region but also hinder his Dao Heart.

"To deal with trash like you, why would we need two people? I, Old Shi, am enough alone!" Shi Yue was furious, pointing his giant axe at Lieyangzi. "Come, fight!"

"You don't know what's good for you." Lieyangzi sneered. Without any visible movement, raging crimson flames suddenly ignited around his body. The flames condensed, transforming into a lifelike fire python that coiled around him, emitting scorching high temperatures. The temperature around the arena soared instantly.

"Red Sun True Fire? Interesting." Lin Wan evaluated inwardly. This Lieyangzi's fire-attribute Cultivation Technique truly had its unique aspects; the flames were solidified, full of spirituality, and possessed considerable power.

"Take my axe!" Shi Yue roared, once again unleashing the "Thirty-Six Mountain-Opening Axes." The first move, "Forceful Cleave to Mount Hua," brought the giant axe down towards Lieyangzi with the momentum to split mountains and break cliffs.

"A petty trick." Lieyangzi did not dodge or avoid it. With a wave of his right hand, the coiled fire python lunged out, opened its maw, and actually swallowed the fierce axe light in one gulp! The fire python's belly bulged, then returned to its original state; the axe light had been refined by it.

"What?!" Shi Yue's expression changed. His full-power axe strike had been neutralized so easily?

"My turn." A cruel arc curled at the corner of Lieyangzi's mouth. He pinched a Spell seal with both hands, and the fire python's body surged, transforming into a ten-zhang fire dragon that bared its fangs and brandished its claws as it pounced towards Shi Yue! From within the dragon's mouth, countless crimson fireballs shot out like raindrops.

Shi Yue roared wildly, the earth-yellow light on his body surface shining brightly. He danced his giant axe into an impenetrable wall, shattering the fireballs one by one. But the fire dragon's power was too great, and the temperature of the flames was extremely high; his protective spiritual light hissed as it was burned, rapidly dimming. In just a few seconds, he was struck in the chest by the fire dragon's claw. His protective spiritual light shattered, leaving his chest charred black. He spat out blood, flew backward, and crashed heavily onto the edge of the arena, his Aura withered.

Defeated! Shi Yue, who was at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and had achieved success in Body Refining, had lasted less than ten moves under Lieyangzi!

The crowd below fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even greater uproar. Lieyangzi's strength was clearly far beyond that of an ordinary Early Stage Golden Core.

"Trash." Lieyangzi retracted the fire dragon and turned his gaze back to Lin Wan, with unconcealed contempt. "Is this the level of the Southern Region's geniuses? That one hiding, aren't you coming up yet? Could it be that you're afraid?"

Everyone's gaze followed Lieyangzi and focused on Lin Wan.

Lin Wan sighed, knowing he couldn't hide any longer. He walked slowly out of the crowd and stepped onto the arena step by step. With every step he took, his Aura changed, and the layer of mana used for disguise quietly dissipated, revealing his original appearance and Aura.

His grey Daoist robe fluttered without wind, his black hair swayed gently, his face was handsome, and his eyes were as calm as a deep pool. A condensed, heavy, yet implicitly sharp Spiritual Pressure slowly released, silently colliding in the air with Lieyangzi's scorching and explosive Aura.

"Early Stage Golden Core? Interesting." Lieyangzi felt the Spiritual Pressure emanating from Lin Wan, which was not inferior to his own and even more solid. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but it was immediately replaced by even thicker arrogance. "State your name; this Young Master does not kill nobodies."

"Qingyun Sect, Lin Wan," Lin Wan said calmly. A stream of light flashed in his hand, and the five elements sword was already in his grip. The blade was a chaotic dark gold, containing the Five Elements within. There were no astonishing visions, yet it possessed an ancient, majestic air, as if it could suppress the Five Elements and stabilize Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind.

"Qingyun Sect? Never heard of it. Must be some small Sect from the Southern Region," Lieyangzi curled his lip. "Attack, let this Young Master see how much more durable you, a Southern Region Genius, are compared to Shi Yue."

Lin Wan said no more. Having just reached the Golden Core Stage, he needed a battle to establish his prestige and also needed practical combat to hone his skills. This Lieyangzi was not weak, serving perfectly as a whetstone for his sword.

He took a step forward, his figure moving like lightning. The five elements sword transformed into a chaotic sword light, thrusting straight at Lieyangzi's face! There were no flashy moves, no building up of momentum; it was the simplest, most direct thrust, yet it was as fast as lightning and as forceful as a thunderclap. Wherever the sword light passed, the air seemed to be sliced open, leaving behind a faint five-colored trail.

Lieyangzi's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected Lin Wan's speed to be so fast and the sword momentum to be so sharp. In his haste, he once again activated the Red Sun True Fire, setting up several fire walls in front of him.

"Hiss—!" The chaotic sword light pierced into the fire walls, like a hot knife cutting through butter; the fire walls were instantly pierced through and annihilated! The sword light's momentum slowed slightly, but it remained sharp, pointing directly at Lieyangzi's glabella.

Lieyangzi was alarmed and retreated rapidly. At the same time, he thrust both hands out, and two fire pythons darted from his sleeves, crossing and entwining as they bit fiercely towards the five elements sword.

"Clang! Clang!" The sound of metal clashing exploded, and sparks flew everywhere. The two fire pythons bit onto the five elements sword, emitting painful hisses. The chaotic dark gold light on the blade flowed, easily pushing aside and suppressing the Red Sun True Fire. Lin Wan flicked his wrist, the five elements sword flashed with light, and the two fire pythons were instantly shattered, turning into sparks that filled the sky.

Lieyangzi let out a muffled groan, retreated three steps, and his face turned somewhat pale. His Lifebound True Fire had been broken and suppressed by the opponent so easily? How was this possible?!

"Is that all you've got?" Lin Wan retracted his sword and stood with his hands behind his back, his tone flat but carrying an invisible pressure.

"You... are courting death!" Lieyangzi was both shocked and furious. As a dignified True Disciple of the Red Sun Sect, when had he ever been treated with such contempt? A fierce look flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence and sprinkling it onto his hands.

"Red Sun True Explanation, Burning Heavens and Boiling Seas!" As the blood essence merged, his hands instantly turned crimson like branding irons, and a terrifying high temperature radiated outwards, causing even the floor of the arena to begin melting. He pushed both palms out, and an immensely thick, extremely condensed, and nearly pure white column of flame, carrying the terrifying power to incinerate everything, blasted towards Lin Wan! This was his desperate trump card, with power approaching a strike from a Mid-stage Golden Core!

Everyone below the stage changed their expressions and retreated repeatedly. This strike was too terrifying!

Facing this "Burning Heavens and Boiling Seas" strike, Lin Wan's expression remained calm. He didn't even dodge, but slowly raised his left hand, spread his fingers, and pressed down vaguely towards the surging pure white column of fire.

"Five Elements Rotation, Suppress!" Following his low shout, five-colored light—gold, wood, water, fire, and earth—suddenly lit up in his palm, interweaving into a slowly rotating five-colored wheel. The wheel was not large, but it emitted a vast Dao rhyme that could stabilize the Five Elements and suppress all Laws.

The pure white fire column slammed fiercely into the five-colored wheel.

There was no explosion, no shockwave. The terrifying flames, capable of melting gold and iron, upon touching the five-colored wheel, were like a clay ox entering the sea, silently swallowed, decomposed, and assimilated by the wheel! The wheel rotated, transforming the violent fire-attribute Spiritual Qi within the flames into pure Five Elements Spiritual Qi, feeding it back into itself, making its light even more brilliant.

In just a few seconds, the awe-inspiring pure white fire column dissipated into nothingness. On the arena, only Lin Wan's slowly rotating five-colored wheel remained, along with the pale-faced, withered-Aura Lieyangzi opposite him, whose eyes were filled with disbelief and fear.

"This... what Divine Ability is this?!" Lieyangzi's voice trembled. His strongest trump card had been neutralized and absorbed by the opponent so nonchalantly? This simply overturned his understanding.

"Five Elements, Suppression Law." Lin Wan said calmly, withdrawing his left hand, and the five-colored wheel dissipated along with it. This was a defensive and neutralizing Divine Ability he had figured out after initially grasping the basics of the "Five Elements Divine Light" and combining it with his own Five Elements Foundation. It could suppress, decompose, and assimilate Five Elements-attribute attacks. Against this single fire-attribute attack, the effect was excellent.

"I... I concede!" Lieyangzi no longer had any will to fight. He spat out the three words with difficulty, turned around, stumbled off the stage, and disappeared into the crowd without looking back. In this battle, he had not only been defeated but his Dao Heart had also been severely shaken.

Below the stage, there was dead silence. Everyone stared in astonishment at the figure in the green shirt on the stage. Lieyangzi, a True Disciple of the Red Sun Sect and a top-tier talent among the Early Stage Golden Core, had been so easily defeated by this unknown Lin Wan from the Southern Region? Moreover, that Divine Ability that neutralized the flames at the end was simply unheard of!

"Five Elements... He just used the power of the Five Elements!"

"Qingyun Sect of the Southern Region... Lin Wan... I remember now! He is that monster who condensed a Five Elements Golden Core at twenty-one!"

"So it was him! No wonder he's so powerful!"

"The Five Elements Golden Core is truly as legendary as rumored!"

After a brief silence, even more intense discussion and exclamations followed. With this battle, Lin Wan's name spread rapidly across the fighting platform and even through a small half of Tianque City.

Lin Wan didn't feel much about this. He sheathed his sword, nodded slightly to the referee, and prepared to step off the stage.

However, just at this moment, a gentle yet unquestionable voice suddenly rang out: "Fellow Daoist Lin, please stay."

Lin Wan's footsteps paused, and he looked in the direction of the voice. He saw that below the arena, at some unknown time, a youth wearing moon-white robes had appeared. His face was ordinary, but his eyes seemed to contain a sea of stars. His temperament was gentle, and a faint smile played on his lips. Standing there, he seemed to be the center of the entire world, causing the surrounding Spiritual Qi to faintly converge towards him.

Mid-stage Golden Core! And his Aura was unfathomable, far beyond the likes of Lieyangzi.

More importantly, Lin Wan felt an extremely subtle, yet immensely pure and vast... Five Elements Spiritual Qi fluctuation from him! And it was the kind of Five Elements Spiritual Qi that was nearly Origin-level, perfect and unobstructed!

Could this person also have cultivated an advanced Five Elements Cultivation Technique? And his attainments were likely even higher than his own!

"Who are you?" Lin Wan's gaze narrowed slightly.

"My surname is Zhuge, and my given name is 'Ming'," the youth in white smiled slightly and cupped his hands. "Just now, I saw you display a Five Elements Divine Ability, which was extremely profound, and I felt a yearning in my heart. Would you be willing to do me the honor of moving to another place to have a chat?"

Zhuge Ming? True Disciple of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, a Genius of Formations, Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment... No, the intelligence was wrong; this person had already formed a Core, and was at the Mid-stage Golden Core! Lin Wan's heart went cold. This was one of the opponents he had marked as requiring the most attention in his intelligence reports!

He hadn't expected to run into him so soon, and the other party seemed very interested in him.

Is this a blessing or a curse?

Lin Wan pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands in return: "Since Fellow Daoist Zhuge invites me, how could I refuse?"

What is meant to come will come. Since he couldn't hide, he would face it calmly.

He wanted to see what kind of medicine this Genius from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was selling in his gourd.