Chapter 54

The next moment, it collided with the incoming true essence.

He held out for less than ten seconds.

Then the true essence erupted with overwhelming force, shattering his defense and slamming into his sword.

The impact sent him staggering back countless steps.

Liu Tianxiang’s face turned pale.

He was just one step away from falling out of the arena.

“Oh? You actually blocked it?”

Yunhai’s expression remained calm, but his eyes were full of mockery.

Liu Tianxiang looked grim.

He was no match.

The gap between the Core Formation Realm and the Condensed Truth Realm was simply too vast.

Earlier, he had been able to suppress Yunhai.

But now…

He couldn’t even withstand a single blast of true essence.

“But this makes it more fun. If it ended too quickly… I’d have wasted the opportunity.”

Yunhai grinned viciously.

Liu Tianxiang’s pupils contracted.

He realized Yunhai’s intent.

This guy…

Was about to go too far.

Thinking fast, Liu Tianxiang opened his mouth to surrender.

“Too late.”

Yunhai smirked.

He flashed forward like a beam of light, appearing right in front of Liu Tianxiang.

Then he swung a punch infused with true essence.

Boom!

The moment Yunhai punched, it felt like the heavens trembled.

Liu Tianxiang saw the space around him distort.

Before he could speak…

The terrifying force slammed into his abdomen.

“Cough… ugh! Pfft!”

He had no time to defend.

The punch crushed his stomach.

His face twisted in pain, his body curled up, trembling on the ground.

Blood gushed from his mouth.

Just one punch…

And Liu Tianxiang was severely injured.

There was no helping it.

This was the massive gap between Core Formation and Condensed Truth.

Liu Tianxiang tried to raise his hand and speak.

But Yunhai gave him no chance.

He stomped on Liu Tianxiang’s shoulder.

Crack!

The sound of bone breaking echoed.

A scream of agony rang through the arena.

“Bastard! Stop right now!”

Flowing Cloud Sect’s Grand Elder Li Tianming couldn’t hold back.

He rose in fury, true essence erupting from his body.

Yunhai noticed and sneered.

He kicked Liu Tianxiang hard, sending him flying toward Li Tianming.

Li Tianming rushed forward to catch him.

Liu Tianxiang had already lost consciousness.

His face was pale, his body covered in wounds.

“You’re courting death!”

Li Tianming was about to strike back.

But White Sun Sect’s Grand Elder Xue Wujian stepped forward.

He blocked Li Tianming.

“Elder Li, battles between true disciples are brutal by nature. What, you want to break the rules?”

Xue Wujian stared at him with mocking eyes.

He actually hoped Li Tianming would attack.

That would give him an excuse to retaliate against Flowing Cloud Sect.

Li Tianming was furious, but he quickly calmed down.

The rules of the tournament couldn’t be broken.

Otherwise…

He’d provoke all three other sects.

Though he burned with rage and wanted to tear Yunhai apart…

He held back.

“You’ll pay for this!”

Li Tianming spat the words and quickly fed Liu Tianxiang a healing pill.

Then he left to tend to his injuries.

Seeing him walk away, Xue Wujian’s smile grew even more arrogant.

“Wait for me? What a joke!”

“Yunhai, well done!”

He turned and praised Yunhai.

Yunhai grinned. “Thank you, Grand Elder.”

Seeing Xue Wujian and Yunhai so smug, the Flowing Cloud disciples clenched their fists.

Especially Gu Yun and Li Xiao…their eyes burned with hatred.

White Sun Sect had gone too far.

But they could do nothing.

With their strength, they weren’t qualified to challenge Yunhai.

He was in the Core Formation Realm.

Even if all of them attacked together, it would be suicide.

The surrounding disciples stared at Yunhai in awe and fear.

After all, he was the only Core Formation cultivator among them.

They had thought Gu Yang was the dark horse of this tournament.

But now, near the end, another monster had emerged.

Though Yunhai’s talent might not surpass Gu Yang’s…

In terms of raw power…

The title of number one was already decided.

On the viewing platform…

The Grand Elders of Frostwind Sect and North Snow Sect also looked on with emotion.

“I didn’t expect Yunhai to break through to the Core Formation Realm.”

“Even before the breakthrough, he already had the potential to enter the Genius Ranking. Now that he’s reached Core Formation… he’s probably qualified for it.”

“Yes. Once word of this battle spreads, the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion will surely record it. Soon, our Haonan Province will have a new name added to the Genius Ranking.”

They held no grudges against White Sun Sect. So although Yunhai’s methods were ruthless, they didn’t comment further…only expressed their admiration.

Beside them, Xue Wujian wore a proud smile.

“Of course!”

“Yunhai is one of the greatest geniuses our White Sun Sect has seen in centuries.”

“His talent is unmatched!”

“As for Gu Yang of Flowing Cloud Sect…his talent is decent, but nowhere near Yunhai’s!”

Xue Wujian raised his head high, his face full of arrogance.

The other two Grand Elders remained silent.

Clearly, they didn’t agree with Xue Wujian’s assessment.

That Yunhai’s strength surpassed Gu Yang’s…sure.

But in terms of talent?

That was debatable.