171: Sword intent? Is it strong? In front of me, it's nothing!

"Good! Well done, Xiao Jue!"

Atop the dragon throne, an unprecedentedly brilliant light erupted from the Emperor of Great Xia's eyes!

Today, he had truly found a treasure!

One was Li Qing, whose Physical Body was invincible and whose dominance was unparalleled.

The other was Xiao Jue, who possessed a Clear Sword-Heart and had comprehended Sword Intent.

With these two Qilin sons, why should he worry about the Great Xia not flourishing!

However...

Just as everyone was shocked by Xiao Jue's comprehension of Sword Intent, and even believed he had gained a bit of capital to contend with Li Qing...

On the arena, that earth-shattering punch and that seemingly indestructible barrier of Sword Intent collided fiercely!

Clang—!!!

A terrifying, thunderous roar, louder and more piercing than any before, as if a heavenly bell had been struck, exploded outwards!

The barrier formed by Entry-Level Sword Intent, enough to withstand a full-strength strike from an Early Stage Spirit Transformation Realm expert, twisted violently the moment it touched Li Qing's fist!

Countless fine cracks, like a spider's web, spread frantically across the barrier!

Xiao Jue's face instantly turned as pale as paper!

He could feel an indescribable, irresistible, and terrifying force frantically battering his mind through the Sword Intent barrier!

That was not Essence Qi.

It was a kind of absolute power, pure and domineering to the extreme!

It was as if he was not facing a man's fist...

But a star falling from the Nine Heavens!

"Hold... for me!!!"

Xiao Jue let out an unwilling roar, and the Essence Qi within his body was frantically poured into the Sword Intent barrier without reservation!

He tried to repair those cracks and block this fatal blow!

However...

It was useless.

Before absolute power, all techniques appeared so pale and weak.

Crack—!!!

Accompanied by a crisp shattering sound that was heartbreaking to hear.

That Sword Intent barrier enveloping Xiao Jue, upon which countless people had pinned their high hopes, finally could not hold on any longer.

Under Li Qing's matchless and domineering fist force, it shattered inch by inch like glass struck by a heavy hammer, disintegrating with a bang!

It turned into a sky full of crystalline spots of light.

Pfft!

With his Sword Intent broken and his mind connected to it, Xiao Jue felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and a mouthful of blood sprayed out!

His handsome face was filled with horror!

Defeated?

He had comprehended Sword Intent, yet he was still defeated?

Moreover, he was defeated so cleanly and thoroughly!

After shattering the Sword Intent barrier, Li Qing's fist did not lose its momentum.

But in the instant before it was about to hit Xiao Jue's chest, it suddenly paused.

The fist transformed into a finger.

Under Xiao Jue's stunned gaze, it lightly tapped the center of his forehead.

A gentle yet irresistible force instantly spread through his entire body.

It forcibly calmed the Essence Qi that was running wild within him due to the breaking of his Sword Intent.

"You..."

Xiao Jue looked at the calm face before him, opened his mouth, but could not say a single word.

He knew that the other party had shown mercy.

If that punch had truly landed on his body just now...

By now, he would probably be a cold corpse.

"Your Sword Intent is not bad."

Li Qing withdrew his finger and gave his evaluation as he looked at the despondent Genius before him.

"Unfortunately, it is still not enough."

After saying that, he ignored Xiao Jue, turned around, and scanned the preparation area once more.

"Who else?"

The calm voice rang out again.

But this time, the entire world seemed to fall into an eternal, deathly silence.

Quiet.

A deathly quiet.

In the entire Central Martial Arena, the hundreds of thousands of spectators and nearly a hundred prodigies all seemed to have been placed under a binding spell, staring blankly at the arena.

They looked at the black-clad youth who still stood in the center of the arena, his expression indifferent as if he had only done a trivial thing.

Everyone's brain had crashed.

Even Xiao Jue, who had comprehended Sword Intent, had his defense broken by a single punch and was defeated by a single finger.

How could they still fight?

What would they fight with?

Would they fight with their lives?

In the preparation area, the prodigies' faces were pale, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably.

The way they looked at Li Qing was no longer with fear.

It was despair!

It was the powerlessness and despair from the depths of the Soul when a Mortal gazes up at a god!

They finally understood.

They and this youth named Li Qing were simply not from the same dimension!

The so-called peer prodigies were a joke before him!

A massive joke!

"Sigh..."

Someone let out a long sigh filled with bitterness and resignation.

Following that, one, two, three... more and more prodigies silently stood up from their seats.

They did not look at Li Qing on the arena again.

They simply cupped their fists toward that massive Obsidian Arena and toward that figure who was like a god or demon.

Then, they turned and silently walked out of the preparation area.

They gave up.

Not because of cowardice.

But because they knew that continuing to fight would be meaningless.

The competition was no longer in doubt!

Even Xiao Jue, who was comparable to the Spirit Transformation Realm, had lost.

And he had lost so easily.

Would they go up there just to humiliate themselves?

Rather than going up to humiliate themselves, it was better to preserve the last shred of dignity belonging to a Genius.

This session of the Martial Selection had already ended.

There was only one champion of this Great Xia Martial Competition.

And that was Li Qing!

Looking at those lonely figures leaving the stage, the audience below felt a mix of emotions.

They did not boo.

Because they understood.

If it were them, they would have made the same choice.

Before absolute, matchless strength, any struggle was futile.

Soon, the originally packed preparation area became empty.

Only fewer than ten people remained stubbornly sitting there.

It wasn't that they didn't want to leave.

But they could not.

On their shoulders, they bore the honor and disgrace of their families, the expectations of their Sects, and even the orders of certain big shots.

On the Viewing Platform.

The Emperor of Great Xia watched this dramatic scene below, and the smile on his face grew even more intense.

The way he looked at Li Qing was filled with unprecedented appreciation and fondness.

One person, suppressing a generation of prodigies!

Such style, such spirit—looking back at the thousand-year history of his Great Xia Dynasty, one could not find many such people!

"Yuan'er."

He suddenly spoke to the Crown Prince beside him.

"What do you think of this lad?"

Hearing this, Crown Prince Xia Yuan's heart stirred.

He knew that his Imperial Father was testing him.

He took a deep breath and answered in a low voice:

"Replying to Imperial Father, Li Qing's talent is stunning across the ages; he is a Qilin talent blessed by heaven for our Great Xia!"

"His Heart-Nature is even more as solid as a rock, unmoved by external things."

"I believe that such a person should be treated as a Pillar of the State and entrusted with heavy responsibilities, so as not to fail his talent!"

"Hahaha! Good! Well said!"