At another location in the stands, a young man and woman were focused on the situation on the martial arts platform.
"This fellow, he's always so full of surprises," said a beautiful woman dressed in yellow, a crimson mole adorning the space between her brows. She was exceptionally beautiful—Xiao Muyu, one of the Four Great Genius Disciples alongside Ling Chen.
The young man with her, dressed in green attire and a headdress, appeared ordinary, but his name, Gu Lingfeng, was anything but.
"Indeed, he's formidable. I, Gu Lingfeng, have admired few people in my life. Supreme Sky Feather is one, my master is another, and now Ling Chen counts as one too," Gu Lingfeng stated.
To climb back up after falling to the very bottom requires not only exceptional talent but also extraordinary willpower and determination.
In such desperate situations, most people's will would shatter, their genius would fade to mediocrity, and even if opportunities arose, they would likely fail to grasp them.
"However, his next opponent is Yun Tianhe. Yun Tianhe's strength is not something Zhao Wuxu's can compare to," Gu Lingfeng continued.
"We both know very well how strong Yun Tianhe is," Xiao Muyu said, her beautiful eyes fixed on the figure on the martial arts platform. "But I believe Ling Chen isn't reckless. Since he dared to accept the challenge, he must have some confidence." This person is surrounded by many unknown factors; the outcome of a battle is often impossible to predict early on.
"What a fascinating duel," the Black Market leader remarked, stroking his chin with a smile.
"Indeed fascinating, but I'm afraid this result has slapped certain people in the face," Zi Yun True Immortal responded coldly.
"A slap in the face?" Ye Nantian chuckled, seemingly unconcerned. "Yun Tianhe is my prized disciple. Wait until Ling Chen defeats him before you say such things."
With that, his gaze fell upon Yun Tianhe in the distance. This disciple of his had never let him down.
SWISH!
Just then, Yun Tianhe abruptly launched himself from his spot. He stepped onto the edge of the martial arts platform, took several strides through the air, and landed steadily upon it.
The two stood twenty meters apart, each exuding a battle intent that soared to the heavens.
"Yun Tianhe, three months ago, you looked upon me as an ant. Do you now regret not killing me back then?" Ling Chen's white robes billowed around him, though there was no wind.
"Heh, I don't know what tricks you used to raise your cultivation so quickly, but in my eyes, you're still an ant. Why should I have any regrets?" Yun Tianhe's expression was cold, his black robes whirling fiercely. The aura of his Nine Heavy Realm Dharma cultivation was completely unrestrained, sweeping out wantonly.
"Then I'll let you witness the power of this so-called ant!" As he spoke, Ling Chen had already drawn his long sword, its tip pointed directly at Yun Tianhe.
This brief exchange of words instantly ignited the atmosphere, pushing the excitement to its peak.
"Fight! Fight!"
Excited and anticipatory roars erupted from the Divine Intent Sect disciples around the martial arts platform; they were nearly frenzied.
It couldn't be helped; this battle was simply too captivating, too highly anticipated.
These two individuals were both top-tier geniuses of the Divine Intent Sect. One had reached the pinnacle of the Martial World's young talents at fifteen, personally taught by Supreme Sky Feather, the foremost expert of the Five Kingdoms. He had been surrounded by a dazzling halo since birth, and though he had faced a great calamity, he had now risen once more. The other, a disciple of Sect Sword Leader Ye Nantian, had enjoyed a smooth path in his cultivation and had now reached Nine Heavy Realm Dharma. He commanded a large following of disciples and held great prestige among the current members of the Divine Intent Sect.
A battle of titans! This was a clash between peak-level geniuses!
Even those influential experts from the Wind Country appeared highly interested, their attention fully focused.
If, previously, everyone in the Divine Intent Sect had thought Ling Chen challenging Yun Tianhe today was a colossal joke, mere self-humiliation, then after his battle with Zhao Wuxu, no one dared to call Ling Chen delusional any longer.
"Gentlemen, in this battle between these two young fellows, who do you think will come out on top?" Qin Shan asked from the high platform, a smile on his face.
"Hard to say," Prince Tai replied after a moment's thought. "If we compare cultivation levels, Yun Tianhe has, after all, reached Nine Heavy Realm Dharma, making him significantly stronger than that young man, Ling Chen. However, Ling Chen's swordsmanship is remarkably refined, and he didn't use his full strength against Zhao Wuxu. Of course, I am also unaware of Yun Tianhe's true capabilities. So, without a genuine fight, it's truly impossible to determine their relative strengths."
"However, generally speaking, Yun Tianhe has slightly higher odds of victory."
Prince Tai spoke very diplomatically. His analysis was logical and reasonable, thus offending neither side while still leaning slightly towards Yun Tianhe.
"Sect Leader Ye, what are your thoughts?" Qin Shan suddenly turned his gaze to Ye Nantian beside him.
"In this battle, Tianhe is certain to win," Ye Nantian said with a smile, stroking the beard on his chin.
"Oh? Sect Leader Ye, you have that much confidence in your beloved disciple?" Qin Shan maintained his smile.
"Allow me to analyze this for Mr. Qin. Observe: although the True Qi fluctuations from Ling Chen show he has reached the Seventh Realm, there's a hint of shallowness to it. This clearly indicates that Ling Chen has only just become a Seventh Realm warrior. How can such strength possibly contend with Tianhe, who is at Nine Heavy Realm Dharma?"
"Furthermore, we all know Ling Chen's martial arts were crippled three months ago. Now, only three months later, his Martial Realm has improved so drastically. This must be due to relying on many external aids to reach his current state." Ye Nantian's smile carried a hint of coldness.
"Indiscriminately consuming elixirs or treasures to boost True Qi cultivation, relying entirely on medicinal power to forcibly advance one's realm—such methods, while indeed raising cultivation, exact a heavy toll. Furthermore, do you believe strength gained through external aids can truly compare to strength built through steady, step-by-step cultivation?"
"This boy is over-relying on elixirs, depleting his own potential. I predict he will struggle to reach the Martial Artist realm in his lifetime. He might even succumb to internal demons before then," Ye Nantian declared with conviction.
"Brother Ye's reasoning is sound," Prince Tai and several Family Heads from the Aristocratic Families nodded in agreement. Indeed, they too had considered this possibility. After all, Ling Chen's cultivation had been crippled before. It was already a great fortune that he could cultivate again. He should have focused on consolidating his foundation. Instead, Ling Chen had done the opposite, frantically advancing his cultivation. It would be contrary to common sense if he hadn't resorted to using elixirs or unearthly treasures. However, such actions would inevitably bring severe repercussions.
But how could they know that Ling Chen's ability to repair his meridians and resume cultivation was entirely due to the Ling Tian Sword Scripture?
As for side effects, such things were non-existent for him—potential pitfalls that only ordinary warriors would face.
"That statement is flawed." At this juncture, Zi Yun True Immortal shook his head. "Observe Ling Chen's previous battle. Were there any signs of side effects? His spirit is abundant, and his swordsmanship contains a current of Righteous Qi. He absolutely will not succumb to internal demons. Just watch. In this battle, Ling Chen will undoubtedly prevail."
"Hmph, then let's all keep our eyes peeled and see," Ye Nantian retorted, a smile playing on his lips that didn't reach his eyes.
"Look, Yun Tianhe is drawing his sword!" Suddenly, a startled cry rang out.
CHING!
A long, resonant hum of a sword rang out as a sharp Silver Sword was drawn from its sheath, exuding a piercingly sharp aura.
"What an exceptional Treasure Sword!" Qin Shan's eyes lit up. As the leader of the Black Market, he had seen countless weapons and treasures. He recognized at a glance that this was a renowned sword, rarely seen in the Jianghu.
"The sword's name is Jinghong!" Yun Tianhe's gaze was as sharp as a blade, his aura erupting skyward.
Observing this, Ling Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. The Jinghong Sword was Sect Sword Leader Ye Nantian's personal sword, a famed and potent weapon well-known throughout the Jianghu.
Among the famous swords in the Jianghu, the Jinghong Sword could be ranked in the top five.
"What a shame. If Supreme Sky Feather were still alive, Ling Chen could be wielding the Lingtian Divine Sword to face his opponent," a disciple near the martial arts platform lamented at this moment.
"Indeed. Since Supreme Sky Feather passed away, the Lingtian Divine Sword has vanished without a trace. Who knows where that divine weapon has ended up now."
A wave of regret passed through the disciples; they would not be able to witness a confrontation between divine weapons.
"Ling Chen, today, I shall use this Jinghong Sword to taste your blood!" Wisps of deadly aura emanated from the Jinghong Sword. Yun Tianhe strode forward, his long sword raised, its tip aimed forward with unstoppable force.