King of Ten Thousand Years

”He’s lost. Luo Tian is going to lose for sure!”

”I just wonder how many moves he can last against Qi Yuntian.”

”Ten moves at most, I’d say. Luo Tian’s victories against the other Celestial Prides were either flukes or because he had a counter to their styles. But Qi Yuntian is flawless!”

As the battle began, the surrounding audience burst into fervent discussion.

In their eyes, the course of this battle, and even its outcome, was already set in stone, so they could afford to be distracted by discussion.

One move!

Two moves!

Luo Tian retreated again and again.

”See? Facing the flawless Qi Yuntian, Luo Tian has no chance to counter-attack. This fight will be over in less than ten moves!”

The corner of that man’s mouth curled up as he continued.

But before Qi Yuntian’s third move landed, Luo Tian revealed a slight smile and said, ”Qi Yuntian, an attack like this isn’t enough to defeat me!”

After all, Luo Tian had practiced Body Refining Techniques, and his Guiyuan True Skill was also geared toward defense, making him quite resilient!

But for Luo Tian to provoke Qi Yuntian like this struck the audience as incredibly foolish and arrogant.

’Even if you’re good at defense, you don’t have to ask for a beating, do you?’

If this was a deliberate attempt to agitate Qi Yuntian and make him lose his cool, it was also far too childish.

”As you wish!”

Qi Yuntian said flatly, already planning to end the fight.

A battle where Luo Tian did nothing but defend was simply too uninteresting.

”Wuji Palm!”

Qi Yuntian’s entire body shone with a brilliant white light, like a god descending to the mortal realm, exuding an air of arrogant disdain for all.

BOOM!

The void trembled violently. A magnificent, resplendent Palm Force tore through the clouds, pierced through the world itself, and smashed down toward Luo Tian.

Qi Yuntian’s Palm Technique was incredibly fast. Even with his Wind Manipulation Technique at the Great Achievement Realm, Luo Tian found it difficult to dodge.

He fiercely swung his sword a few times, then used the momentum to rapidly drift backward.

POW!

That incredibly powerful palm strike crushed Luo Tian’s Sword Light, descended in an instant, broke through his True Qi Body Protection, and grazed his arm!

A massive force slammed into him. Luo Tian staggered back several steps, his arm growing numb and losing all sensation.

Qi Yuntian was slightly surprised.

No one had ever managed to directly dodge his Wuji Palm before, yet Luo Tian had just avoided the vast majority of the damage. He had been just shy of a perfect evasion.

This required not only speed but also keen observation and sharp reflexes.

”Let me see just how many palms you can withstand.”

Qi Yuntian’s expression was indifferent.

BOOM!

He unleashed another Wuji Palm, its power greater than the last. The void quaked and gales howled as the astonishing palm strike arrived in an instant!

’Here it comes!’

Luo Tian’s expression darkened. He executed the Fourth Technique of the Nine Heavens Sword Technique, Sword Rolling Residual Clouds!

A wave of dark, cold Sword Qi surged forth, forming a vast Sword Qi Tornado that charged forward with icy, violent fury.

However, Luo Tian didn’t use his full strength for this strike. At this stage, he was focused on defense. After the clash, he used the force to retreat!

BOOM! POW!

The result was beyond doubt. Qi Yuntian’s Palm Technique easily crushed Luo Tian’s Sword Technique and rushed toward him.

This exchange was similar to the last one; Luo Tian defended successfully at the cost of a minor injury.

Fifth move!

Sixth move!

The situation remained the same. Luo Tian consistently employed a defensive strategy and endured every attack, sustaining only minor injuries.

’His Palm Technique is getting stronger and stronger!’

A sharp glint flashed in Luo Tian’s eyes.

The nearby prodigies and the hundred thousand spectators showed not a trace of disdain for Luo Tian’s fighting style.

”Facing Qi Yuntian, perhaps only an all-out defense can last a while!”

”If Luo Tian keeps fighting like this, he might last even longer than the other four Celestial Prides!”

”I think it still depends on Qi Yuntian. If he gets bored and decides to get serious, he could beat Luo Tian in a single move!”

The many spectators expressed their thoughts.

Now, during this battle, they were all guessing how many moves Luo Tian could endure.

This year’s competition for the King of the Celestial Pride had seemingly turned into the Qi Yuntian challenge. The audience was using Qi Yuntian’s strength as a yardstick to measure the other geniuses—the longer they lasted, the stronger they were.

Luo Tian seemed to have a chance of lasting the longest.

But just then.

On the Martial Arts Arena, Qi Yuntian’s gaze was cold, and his sharp eyebrows furrowed slightly.

”This battle is uninteresting.”

He stated with some impatience.

Luo Tian’s purely defensive fighting style brought him no enjoyment.

”It ends now!”

A brilliant light erupted in Qi Yuntian’s eyes. He unleashed an overwhelming aura that shook the heavens. On his slowly rising palm, the light steadily intensified, and his presence grew more and more terrifying, making hearts tremble in fear.

”This is bad!”

Ye Feng’s expression changed.

”Qi Yuntian is getting serious! It’s over. Luo Tian won’t even last ten moves!”

”What a terrifying aura!”

The surrounding audience gasped in unison.

’Sure enough, how long his opponent lasts is completely up to Qi Yuntian!’

BOOM!

A massive Palm Light that illuminated everything, like a falling star, radiated a vast, boundless, and transcendent momentum that seemed to rise above all.

The surrounding air vibrated violently as all matter was pulverized.

It seemed as if Luo Tian would also be sent flying and severely injured by this blow!

His Swordsmanship was unable to stop it and was swiftly crushed.

Luo Tian’s figure flew backward, but he couldn’t escape the range of this palm strike.

He immediately took out the [Spirit Wind Gourd] and poured his True Qi into it, creating a massive cyan vortex that covered an area forty to fifty meters wide.

The vortex created by the [Spirit Wind Gourd] could absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi as well as True Essence, weakening the power of Qi Yuntian’s Palm Technique.

However, with Luo Tian’s Cultivation, the power of the vortex he could create was limited, and its weakening effect on Qi Yuntian’s Palm Technique was negligible.

His true intention was to use the vortex to augment his Body Technique!

WHOOSH!

The power of the Wind Manipulation Technique increased in the presence of wind. Luo Tian transformed into a gust of wind, merged into the vortex, and shot rapidly to the left along its rotation, instantly covering a distance of several dozen meters.

BOOM! WHOOSH!

He didn’t completely evade Qi Yuntian’s incomparably powerful palm strike. A portion of the Palm Force hit Luo Tian, sending him flying over ten meters away. His body was wracked with intense pain, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

However, this injury wasn’t considered severe. Luo Tian quickly got back to his feet.

”He hasn’t lost yet?”

The crowd below was astonished.

Luo Tian had actually managed to endure even that palm strike.

”All he knows is how to dodge. He’s nothing but a coward hiding in his shell. Let’s see how many more moves he can last.”

Extreme Ice Fairy snorted coldly.

On the stage.

Qi Yuntian’s brows furrowed slightly. Luo Tian was like a loach, far too slippery.

”Qi Yuntian, why don’t you follow up with another attack?”

Luo Tian suddenly spoke. His words felt provocative, as if he were asking for a beating.

But a glint flashed in Qi Yuntian’s eyes, and he didn’t answer.

”Could it be... that you need to rest... and can’t attack?”

Luo Tian revealed a slight smile.

Qi Yuntian’s eyes widened, a hint of shock showing through.

”Heh heh, in that case, I’ll be counter-attacking!”

Luo Tian let out a loud laugh, switched from defense to offense, and suddenly struck.

His Sword Intent Prototype erupted. He activated the Celestial Sword Technique, and the Cold Power from his Nether Dragon Divine Vein flowed into the [Ice Trace Sword].

With a swing of his sword, a brilliant, icy Gale Sword Light transformed into a stormy tornado. It carried a boundless, cold, and piercing momentum that soared to the heavens as it charged toward Qi Yuntian.

This scene took the audience completely by surprise. They didn’t understand what was happening.

Luo Tian had been defending the whole time, so why did he suddenly attack? Did he feel he was about to lose and wanted to get one last attack in?

On the viewing platform, the upper echelons of the Four Major Sects didn’t understand the meaning behind Luo Tian’s words, nor did they comprehend his actions. Only Vice President Long’s gaze darkened slightly.

On the Martial Arts Arena.

Faced with Luo Tian’s full-power eruption, Qi Yuntian didn’t meet it head-on but instead retreated rapidly.

What was going on? Luo Tian’s counter-attack was certainly powerful, but did Qi Yuntian really need to retreat?

WHOOSH!

Qi Yuntian stared intently at Luo Tian, a trace of shocked suspicion hidden deep in his eyes, as his body drifted rapidly backward.

Just as Luo Tian’s sword strike was about to descend and hit Qi Yuntian!

Only then did he hastily thrust out his palm. A vast, surging, and resplendent Palm Force blasted out, shaking the heavens!

POW! CRACK!

The Sword Qi Tornado that Luo Tian had unleashed was instantly crushed to dust.

But the smile on Luo Tian’s face only widened as he said, ”I’ve already figured out the flaw in your Cultivation Technique!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience was stunned.

A flaw in Qi Yuntian’s Cultivation Technique?

”What flaw? That’s complete nonsense!”

Everyone refuted the idea.

So far, Qi Yuntian’s performance had been so dominant, crushing the four Celestial Prides. How could his Cultivation Technique possibly have a flaw?

But on the stage, Qi Yuntian said, ”It seems I have indeed underestimated you!”

Qi Yuntian didn’t deny it!

”However, you cannot win!”

Qi Yuntian closed in, striking with both palms. His offensive was powerful and ferocious. Streams of Palm Light shot out, covering a huge area and leaving Luo Tian with nowhere to hide!

Luo Tian’s expression darkened. Earlier, when he used the Celestial Book to deduce his chances of victory, he discovered they were higher than he had estimated, so he pushed the inference further.

Then, he learned of the flaw in Qi Yuntian’s Cultivation Technique.

The Wuji Saint Qian Skill was extremely powerful. Against opponents of the same realm, Qi Yuntian only needed to use sixty to seventy percent of his strength to win.

But this Celestial Level Technique was missing a part and had a flaw: if he unleashed more than sixty to seventy percent of his power, the True Essence in his body would become turbulent. When he approached his limit or used his full power, the backlash from this turbulent True Essence would become obvious, and he would need time to stabilize it.

Simply put, if he burst out with too much power, he needed time to recover.

This flaw wasn’t hard to spot, but no one had noticed it before.

Besides, even though Luo Tian knew about the flaw, it was still difficult for him to win.

There was only one reason: Qi Yuntian was too strong. He had never needed to use his full strength to crush his enemies. He was so strong that no one discovered his flaw, so strong that even knowing it, victory was still difficult.

Once Qi Yuntian unleashed his full power, it was simply terrifying. Whether one could even survive it was a question.

Now that Luo Tian knew the flaw in his Cultivation Technique, Qi Yuntian changed his fighting style. He only used sixty to seventy percent of his strength, but he fought with even greater focus.

By not unleashing his full power, he could wear Luo Tian down and defeat him!

POW! POW! POW!

Qi Yuntian attacked with both palms, launching a continuous frontal assault. His offensive was incomparably ferocious!

Luo Tian erupted with his full power, his Swordsmanship’s momentum piercing the heavens as he engaged in a direct clash with Qi Yuntian.

Even using only sixty to seventy percent of his strength, Qi Yuntian still held the advantage, suppressing Luo Tian!

”I admit that you are my strongest opponent in this Celestial Pride Conference. You may now lose!”

Qi Yuntian’s gaze was indifferent as he gradually increased the intensity of his assault. His attacks came like a violent storm, forcing Luo Tian back step by step and leaving a trail of wounds on his body.

”No! I haven’t lost yet!”

Luo Tian cried out, the momentum of his Swordsmanship suddenly surging.

A boundless, cold, and sky-piercing Sword Momentum erupted, resonating with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and stirring the winds and clouds in all directions.

”Nine Heavens Sword Technique Sixth Technique, Sword Wind Howl!”

An incomparably ferocious Sword Light kicked up a terrifying, biting storm, letting out a furious roar that shook the heavens!