The beat of war drums echoed through the air, electrifying the atmosphere in the central plaza. The crowd erupted into a frenzy of excitement.
Ordinarily, two hours might have felt like a fleeting moment to the spectators.
Yet, earlier, each second dragged on endlessly, the anticipation gnawing at their hearts as they yearned for time to speed up.
Finally, the agonizing wait came to an end and the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived.
The ultimate showdown was about to begin!
The first clash was the battle for third place between Jiang Chi and Li Hanxing.
Both of them were top-tier, peak Heavenly Star realm experts. Each of them had come across their own fortuitous encounters and legacies. Their fight felt like a meteorite crashing onto the earth, with neither side willing to give an inch.
Jiang Chi’s Concealed Stars Scripture was also a top heaven-tier martial art that summoned the power of the stars in the nine heavens. The primeval qi of heaven and earth transformed into blazing celestial bodies, descending with an unstoppable force.
Li Hanxing’s Eye of Double Splendor copied everything. A myriad of stars descended from both sides, threatening to obliterate everything in their path.
The battle was intense, a relentless exchange of devastating techniques that left the crowd on the edge of their seats.
In the end, Li Hanxing’s world-destroying divine light broke through Jiang Chi’s Concealed Stars Scripture. The explosive power left Jiang Chi heavily injured, solidifying Li Hanxing’s victory.
Although Li Hanxing won, it was a pyrrhic victory—fresh blood streamed from Li Hanxing’s eyes, his exhaustion palpable.
“Amazing. Truly amazing.”
“What a brilliant duel!”
“Next is the ultimate showdown. The final battle.”
“I’m really looking forward to it. My blood is completely boiling.”
Countless divine wills collided in space. Clamoring noises were abuzz in the plaza.
Everyone’s expressions were filled with excitement.
The next and final battle was between Chen Fan and Wanxin. The winner would claim the championship of the assembly’s Heavenly Star realm group.
Without waiting for a signal, Chen Fan rose from his throne and leaped into the spatial arena. Wanxin followed suit.
This highly anticipated match would determine the number one figure of the eastern continent’s younger generation. The champion would not only receive generous rewards but also step onto a bright martial path with limitless achievements ahead.
Experts from across the region fixed their gaze on Chen Fan and Wanxin. The crowd trembled with excitement, fists clenched as the two combatants entered the arena.
The air buzzed with chatter.
“The championship battle for the Heavenly Star realm group is starting. How exciting!”
“The champion will definitely be Wanxin. I’m afraid Chen Fan is a notch weaker.”
“You can’t say that for sure. What if a miracle happens?”
The massive kingdom-like spatial arenas disappeared, leaving only a vast, empty stage with Chen Fan and Wanxin standing face-to-face.
Wanxin looked at Chen Fan with a smile and said, “As expected, this monk’s final opponent is Benefactor Chen Fan.”
Chen Fan pressed his palms together, returning the greeting, and said, “Venerable Wanxin, you defeated my senior brother. Today, I will reclaim Peerless Peak’s honor. You will lose!”
The audience gasped at Chen Fan’s bold declaration. “How arrogant!”
“Amitabha, this monk shall wait and see.”
“Very well, let’s fight then!”
As Chen Fan’s voice fell, his aura soared, rolling and surging fiercely.
Facing Wanxin, Chen Fan unleashed all his strength. A terrifying, oppressive force erupted from him, pressing toward Wanxin.
At the same time, Wanxin also channeled his cultivation. Buddhist light shone on him, with layers of treasure light glowing behind his head. The void echoed with waves of chanting as if the Buddha of Nothingness were reciting scriptures.
Chen Fan strode forth, closing in on Wanxin.
He reached out with his hand, executing the Northern Star Reaper Hand. Three fingers collapsed fiercely like the pillars of heaven, blasting toward Wanxin.
Wanxin countered with his right palm, emitting a golden Buddhist light that lit up the world. The light transformed into a massive golden hand, sweeping across the sky to collide violently with Chen Fan’s attack.
The clash was apocalyptic—the earth quaked, mountains swayed, and stars seemed to crumble. It felt as if the sky itself had split apart.
“It’s begun, they have started clashing!”
The crowd’s hearts pounded as they fixed their gazes on the spatial arena, unwilling to miss a moment.
“Great Brahma Sacred Palm!”
Chen Fan struck again, summoning a colossal golden palm that crushed the heavens as it descended.
“Great Sun Tathagata Palm Seal!” Wanxin retaliated, thrusting his palm forward and summoning a gigantic golden hand identical to Chen Fan’s. The two colossal palms clashed repeatedly in the air.
Boom, boom. Boom, boom, boom...
Deafening explosions rang out continuously like planets were blowing up. The sheer intensity of the collisions made the spectators’ scalps tingle with unease.
Crack, crack, crack. Crack, crack, crack...
Their large golden palms collided fiercely hundreds of times. Finally, cracking noises rang out.
The palm seals shattered simultaneously, exploding into waves of destructive golden light.
As the Great Brahma Sacred Palm disintegrated, a streak of Green Lotus Sword Qi tore through the air, splitting heaven and earth as it slashed toward Wanxin with killing intent.
“Om, Ma, Ni, Pad, Me, Hum!” Wanxin chanted the Six-Character Great Bright Mantra, spitting golden lotuses out of his mouth that transformed into six large, ancient characters. They flew and rotated, blasting toward the Green Lotus Sword Qi.
Four of the ancient characters were thoroughly destroyed almost instantly, slashed apart by Chen Fan’s Green Lotus Sword Qi.
The two remaining ancient characters rushed toward Chen Fan, carrying an incomparably terrifying force.
Before the crowd could react, a streak of light shot through the two characters, shattering them instantly. The light didn’t stop—it hurtled straight toward Wanxin.
Chen Fan had hidden the Sword of Kassapa within the Green Lotus Sword Qi.
Wanxin’s expression froze for a moment, caught off guard. However, he quickly regained his composure. His kasaya flared outward, and deep rumbling noises emanated from him
“Vajra Fist, Vajra Pounds Mortar!”
Wanxin’s body gleamed with a golden sheen as his muscles tensed. His right arm twitched, releasing an explosive surge of power.
Wanxin punched and it seemed as if the punch would pierce through space itself. Rings of spatial ripples spiraled from his arm.
The entire spatial arena shook violently under this punch.
In the next instant, Chen Fan’s Sword of Kassapa collided with Wanxin’s Vajra Pounds Mortar, causing sparks to fly everywhere.
Crack, crack, crack...
Finally, the crowd saw the Sword of Kassapa’s appearance. It was thin as a cicada’s wing; a sword that was like a lancet. [1]
However, Wanxin’s punch shattered the Sword of Kassapa, its shards shot out in all directions.
1. A lancet is a small, broad two-edged surgical knife or blade with a sharp point. ☜