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Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Not Qualified!
"So, that’s Jiang Xinglie. I can’t believe he’s so young!"
"No wonder Sun Yingyang acts so fearlessly. Turns out he even brought this man along. Iron Hand Wu Tong was a half-step Tongxuan martial artist, not a weakling, yet he was killed outright by Nine Palm Strikes. This shows Jiang Xinglie’s potential is truly extraordinary!"
"Jiang Xinglie is incredibly powerful, nearly sweeping through the entire Transcendence Realm. Luo Cheng doesn’t stand a chance..."
Upon hearing the name Jiang Xinglie, the expressions of the Xuanyuan Sect Elders all turned grim.
It’s not that they underestimated Luo Cheng, but Jiang Xinglie’s record was simply too astonishing.
Defeating a half-step Tongxuan martial artist with just Nine Palm Strikes—using the term ’invincible in the Transcendence Realm’ to describe him would not be an exaggeration!
No matter how strong Luo Cheng was, his physical body alone could never compare to a half-step Tongxuan martial artist who could wield Essence Energy!
Even the Fifth Elder’s face grew heavy as he said, "Chen Xuan, I think it’s time for Luo Cheng to step down."
Although he disliked Sun Yingyang, he couldn’t bear to risk Luo Cheng’s life and future for the sake of pride.
Chen Xuan said nothing, his gaze fixed on the platform.
On the stage, Luo Cheng stood upright, like a sword piercing the heavens, showing not the slightest trace of fear at Jiang Xinglie’s appearance.
Seeing this, Chen Xuan pondered for a moment before saying, "Let him decide for himself."
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Jiang Xinglie stopped ten steps away from Luo Cheng.
"I never thought I’d be wrong about someone. You’ve surprised me—you even defeated Xu Ling."
"But unfortunately for you, this is not a good thing. Against them, you might have had a sliver of hope. Against me, however, there’s only one path—death."
Jiang Xinglie stood with his hands behind his back, looking down on Luo Cheng with an expression as calm as water, his gaze like that of a deity inspecting an ant from above.
Though Sun Yingyang had merely ordered them to cripple Luo Cheng, Jiang Xinglie had already decided differently.
After all the damage done to the Fierce Cloud Sect, only blood could atone!
Luo Cheng replied calmly, "Who is facing a dead-end path? That’s still too early to say."
"Oh?"
Jiang Xinglie raised an eyebrow.
It had been a long time since anyone dared to speak to him like this.
Anyone who had once dared to speak to him like this was already dead!
"You’re confident! But unfortunately, in the face of absolute power, confidence is nothing but a joke."
Jiang Xinglie chuckled lightly and shook his head. "If I’m not mistaken, you’re a swordsman. Draw your sword. I’ll crush your so-called confidence bit by bit."
Luo Cheng replied indifferently, "Whether I draw my sword depends on whether you’re qualified to make me do so."
Being able to unleash Sword Qi was Luo Cheng’s greatest card!
How could he reveal it so easily?
Hearing Luo Cheng’s words, everyone present showed astonishment in their eyes.
No one had expected Luo Cheng to remain so composed in front of Jiang Xinglie, even seeming not to take him seriously at all!
Sun Chuanwu looked at Luo Cheng as if he were a fool:
"Truly arrogant. Looks like he still doesn’t realize who he’s up against."
"If he knew that Junior Brother Jiang once killed a half-step Tongxuan martial artist with Nine Palm Strikes, I wonder if he’d drop to his knees in terror and beg for mercy!"
Sun Chuanwu smirked, eagerly awaiting the moment when Luo Cheng learned of Jiang Xinglie’s true strength.
On the platform.
Jiang Xinglie’s pupils contracted slightly.
Since defeating Iron Hand Wu Tong, he had been the center of attention wherever he went. No martial artist of the same level dared to meet his gaze!
And now, a Sixth Layer Transcendence Realm martial artist had the audacity to claim he was unqualified!
Jiang Xinglie did not get angry. Instead, he found it laughable.
It was as if he were watching an ant baring its fangs and claws.
"Heh, let me show you whether I’m qualified or not!"
A cold smirk appeared on Jiang Xinglie’s lips as he stepped forward, instantly closing the ten-step distance, and struck with his palm.
Boom!
The palm strike carried unparalleled power, sweeping mercilessly toward Luo Cheng.
Luo Cheng remained nonchalant, meeting it with a punch.
Boom!
When fist and palm collided, a deafening explosion reverberated, and dust billowed around the platform.
Thud, thud, thud...
Amid the chaotic surges of Qi Force, a figure was forced to retreat, stopping only at the edge of the platform.
Once the retreating figure became clear, everyone’s eyes widened in shock, faces filled with disbelief.
The one forced back was none other than Jiang Xinglie!
At this moment, his face was pale, his right hand trembled uncontrollably, and drops of blood dripped from his fingertips!
"Jiang Xinglie was actually repelled!"
Sun Chuanwu’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Even Sun Yingyang furrowed his brows into a deep crease.
A collective gasp resounded across the Martial Arts Square.
No one had expected that in the first exchange between the two combatants, Jiang Xinglie would actually fall to a disadvantage!
"Impossible!"
Yan Qi glared at Luo Cheng, his hand crushing the stone armrest of his chair with a loud crack.
The scene before him defied all explanation!
Jiang Xinglie, one of the Fierce Cloud Sect’s most renowned Outer Sect prodigies, capable of killing a half-step Tongxuan martial artist with Nine Palm Strikes!
His talent and reputation had even left Yan Qi in awe!
When Yan Qi had been in the Transcendence Realm, he certainly hadn’t possessed the ability to kill a half-step Tongxuan martial artist with nine strikes.
Yet, this martial arts prodigy had been repelled by a single punch from Luo Cheng!
The realization sent a chill down Yan Qi’s spine.
"Good! Very good!"
A low, rumbling voice broke the silence.
Jiang Xinglie stared at Luo Cheng, the disdain in his eyes now replaced by a deep-seated coldness.
"No wonder you could defeat Junior Sister Xu Ling in a single move. You do have the right to be arrogant! But when I say you’re on a dead-end path, that’s exactly what it means! You’ll have no other way to go!"
Boom!
As his words fell, an overwhelmingly violent aura erupted from Jiang Xinglie, stirring up a whirlwind across the platform!
Around him, countless strands of greenish light shimmered brightly!
These green lights, crystalline and impossibly concentrated, flowed like ribbons, rising and falling around his body.
"That’s Essence Energy! So, Jiang Xinglie really has reached the half-step Tongxuan level!"
"His Essence Energy is so dense and ribbon-like—it’s already at the final stage of refinement. He’s so close to unlocking the Essence Energy Mansion and breaking through to the Tongxuan Realm!"
"No wonder he could kill Iron Hand Wu Tong with Nine Strikes! His strength is already terrifyingly close to that of a true Tongxuan martial artist! Luo Cheng doesn’t stand a chance—there’s no way he can win!"
Many had suspected Jiang Xinglie was a half-step Tongxuan martial artist after his defeat of Iron Hand Wu Tong.
But no one had guessed that his cultivation was this profound!
He was only a step away from unlocking the Essence Energy Mansion and breaking through to the Tongxuan Realm!
At this point, no one believed Luo Cheng had any chance of victory—not even Chen Xuan.
Essence Energy could drastically amplify a martial artist’s combat prowess. With Jiang Xinglie’s cultivation, he was fundamentally on a different level from a Transcendence Realm martial artist!
"Now, do I have the qualifications for you to draw your sword?"
Surrounded by surging Essence Energy, Jiang Xinglie’s aura climbed steadily higher. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at Luo Cheng with a cold smile.
Luo Cheng slowly raised his head, his sharp eyes gleaming with an intensity so vivid it seemed tangible:
"Not qualified!"
Boom!
With those three words, Luo Cheng’s entire body surged with an earth-shaking presence.
In an instant, a terrifying wave of Essence Qi surged skyward, piercing through the clouds!
Golden sparks burst from every pore of Luo Cheng’s skin, flickering brilliantly. From within his body came a thunderous roar, like a great river rushing forward, shaking the very air around him!
The aura of the Seventh Realm of the Transcendence Realm—the Golden Body Realm—erupted unreservedly!
