As soon as Guan Long finished speaking, he attacked without hesitation.

He didn't care in the slightest that others would criticize a cultivator at the Dharma Realm taking the initiative against someone in the Heavenly Place Realm.

Fang Hao, equally unafraid, gripped his longsword and stepped forward on the wind.

There was a vast gulf between the Dharma and Heavenly Place Realms. The moment they clashed, Fang Hao immediately fell into a disadvantage.

This time, it wasn't an act like before—he had truly fallen behind.

"You really do have some skill."

After exchanging a few moves, Guan Long couldn't help but admit it, while his attacks became even sharper and more aggressive.

At this moment, Fang Hao still hadn't gone all out—he hadn't yet revealed the full power of his Primordial Saint Body.

As the strongest among Saint Bodies, rivaling even Immortal Bodies, the Primordial Saint Body at its current stage could allow Fang Hao to fight opponents four minor realms above his own.

Even though Guan Long was in the Dharma Realm, Fang Hao had a good chance of winning if he went all out and fully unleashed the power of his Saint Body.

But Fang Hao didn't want to be too eye-catching in front of the crowd. So instead, he chose another path—

He used a secret technique.

Fang Hao formed a spell seal with one hand, and suddenly, his aura surged violently.

"Boom! Boom!!"

Fang Hao, at the sixth level of the Heavenly Place Realm, had his cultivation instantly boosted to the eighth level under the effect of the secret art!

Guan Long snorted coldly.

"Eighth level of Heavenly Place? So what? You're still no match for me!"

"Suppress!!"

He raised both hands, and a massive golden seal, over 300 feet wide, appeared before him. The seal was engraved with a ferocious ancient beast, exuding overwhelming might and savagery.

"Rumble!!!"

The golden seal descended like a golden mountain, crashing toward Fang Hao with unstoppable force.

Fang Hao met it head-on with a punch—one drawn from Tu Jiuming's Burning Heaven Annihilation Palm.

Tu Jiuming's martial technique was indeed well-suited for use by cultivators in the Heavenly Place and Dharma Realms.

"Boom!!"

The flaming fist collided with the descending golden seal, creating a deafening explosion that echoed across the heavens.

Sparks flew. Thunderous roars shook the air.

Eventually, both the golden seal and the blazing fist exploded, and the violent shockwaves battered the defensive array of the martial platform, making the entire stage tremble violently.

Fang Hao and Guan Long hovered in mid-air, their garments billowing in the wind.

"He actually blocked it…"

Guan Long was surprised. After all, that had been his most powerful technique. He knew some elite cultivators in the Heavenly Place Realm could resist the Dharma Realm, but he didn't expect to meet one himself.

"Your secret art must have a time limit. Once it ends, I'd like to see how you defend yourself!"

Fang Hao smiled calmly. His secret technique did indeed have a time limit, but he had full confidence he could defeat Guan Long before it expired. He simply didn't feel the need to explain.

"Sword Dance Across the Skies!"

With a swing of Fang Hao's longsword, blinding sword light burst forth.

Guan Long's pupils shrank. He hurriedly summoned a simple black shield.

Clang!!

The sword light struck the shield head-on, sending Guan Long flying back dozens of yards before he barely stabilized himself.

A fine crack had appeared on the ancient black shield.

Guan Long winced.

"My foolish brother was killed by this move—how could I not be prepared?"

He felt deeply fortunate. Had he not been ready, this strike might have ended him too.

Though Fang Hao regretted not finishing him off in one move, he didn't dwell on it. He swung his sword again.

Guan Long no longer dared to be careless. The two clashed once more, but this time, Fang Hao had the clear upper hand. Guan Long was beaten back relentlessly, forced into full defense.

The audience below was dumbstruck.

"I thought he was just a guy with connections. Turns out he's a true genius! Fighting a Dharma Realm cultivator while only in Heavenly Place—insane!"

"If Guan Long hadn't come prepared, he might've lost for real!"

"His swordplay is way too fast and fierce!"

"He's the biggest dark horse of this selection!"

"If he's given a few more years to break into the Dharma Realm, he could really shine for Qilan City."

Though Qilan City had a slot in the Hundred City Tournament, it was considered a minor player compared to major cities. No one really expected their representatives to achieve much.

But Fang Hao's strength offered a sliver of hope.

His combat power was impressive. It was just his cultivation that hadn't quite caught up.

Jin Tianlu was already slack-jawed.

He'd thought he understood Fang Hao best—now he realized he knew nothing.

"Brother Fang, you've really shocked me time and again…"

Guan Long knew the secret art couldn't last forever, so he stuck to defending. Not that he had much choice—Fang Hao's attacks were deadly, and soon, Guan Long was starting to sustain injuries.

Seeing that he was about to be overwhelmed, Guan Long erupted in fury.

"Damn it! You think you're the only one with a secret art!?"

Guan Long had his own power-boosting secret technique. He hadn't used it out of fear it wouldn't recover in time before the next round, leading to elimination.

But with Fang Hao forcing him into a corner, he had no choice.

He quickly began forming a series of seals.

"Sword Dance Across the Skies!"

Fang Hao didn't give him a chance, unleashing the same deadly move again.

Guan Long's heart trembled. He raised his black shield once more.

Crack…

This time, the sword light pierced straight through the shield—and through Guan Long.

Though the shield absorbed most of the force, it couldn't save him completely.

"You—!!"

Guan Long's secret art was interrupted, and he was wounded. He burned with rage, but was powerless to do anything.

Though furious, Guan Long began to consider retreat.

He didn't know how long Fang Hao's secret art would last, but he did know that he couldn't hold out much longer. If he didn't fall back, he'd die before Fang Hao's technique even ended.

Pfft!

Just then, Fang Hao suddenly coughed up blood, his face pale.

"Damn!" Jin Tianlu's heart sank.

But Guan Long's eyes lit up.

"His secret art ended!"

The thought of giving up vanished. Guan Long immediately pressed forward.

"Suppress!!!"

He summoned the golden seal again, bringing it down like a mountain.

The frail-looking Fang Hao seemed about to be crushed—but suddenly vanished.

In the next instant, he reappeared behind Guan Long, his movement ghostly.

It was a top-tier body movement technique he'd never revealed before, so Guan Long was completely unprepared.

Shlick!

One sword pierced the throat.

Guan Long's eyes widened in disbelief. He fell, his gaze full of complex emotion.

He couldn't believe it—Fang Hao had been acting the whole time!

His secret technique hadn't ended!

And that elite body movement skill—he'd never used it before! Everyone had assumed his speed was average.

This man hid way too deeply!

"Phew…"

Fang Hao exhaled deeply, finally releasing the secret art. Now, the weakness, the exhaustion, the emptiness in his dantian—it was all real.

This battle—Fang Hao had the stronger secret art, the better acting, and the sharper instincts.

Guan Long's secret art took too long to activate and was too easily disrupted. Otherwise, he might've lost, but not died.

As for the outcome? The bookmakers were laughing. The audience was stunned.

"He won that?"

"Heavenly Place Sixth Layer defeating Dharma First Layer? That's insane!"

"I'd say this guy has Emperor potential!"

"Great, there goes the consolation prize again!"

"Anyone who bet on Fang Hao winning just made a killing!"

Jin Tianlu, overwhelmed with shock and guilt, wished he could slap himself.

Despite being proven wrong over and over, he still hadn't believed in Fang Hao.

If only he'd placed his bets the same way every time—he'd have made a fortune in spirit stones.

Now he could only cry inside. It's one thing to never have a chance to profit, but it was something else entirely to miss such an opportunity due to his own stupidity.