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Chapter 110: Battle of Body Cultivators
The sparring platform trembled under the sheer pressure exuded by Kang Yong-Jin. The air around his body shimmered as if heat radiated from him. Aldrian observed calmly, raising his hand and motioning for him to "come."
Without hesitation, Kang Yong-Jin stomped his foot and propelled himself toward Aldrian with immense speed, breaking the sound barrier. His fist shot forward with all his might, and in the next moment, it was right in front of Aldrian’s face.
As he watched the incoming punch aimed at his face, Aldrian’s thoughts were elsewhere.
"This is a good opportunity for me to train against a body cultivator."
He raised his own fist to meet the blow, but held back most of his power to avoid causing any serious injuries. Seeing Aldrian attempt to match his strength, Kang Yong-Jin smirked mockingly.
"You dare to compete with me in physical strength? You’re going to regret this."
When their fists finally collided, the impact produced a deafening sound. Kang Yong-Jin was shocked as their strength seemed evenly matched, with both forces canceling each other out. His hand trembled as he tried to push forward, but when he noticed Aldrian’s calm expression, a vein bulged on his forehead in frustration.
Kang Yong-Jin quickly pulled back his other hand, forming a fist. He concentrated his energy into a more powerful punch. Just as his fist was about to hit, Aldrian repelled the blow with his palm, then swiftly caught the punch. Using his powerful grip, Aldrian yanked Kang Yong-Jin’s body toward him.
Kang Yong-Jin almost lost his balance from the sudden movement, but he knew Aldrian’s intent as he saw his knee approaching. Twisting his body, Kang Yong-Jin leaped into the air, aiming a kick at Aldrian’s head. If Aldrian didn’t release his grip, the kick would surely connect. However, Aldrian dodged the incoming attack by slightly tilting his head back, allowing the kick to barely miss his face.
Despite failing to land the blow, Kang Yong-Jin had achieved his goal—forcing Aldrian to release his hold. He quickly put some distance between them, his expression now more solemn. From their brief exchange, he could sense the power in Aldrian’s body, as solid and tempered as his own body forged through the Heavenly Demon’s Black Dragon Scripture. Aldrian’s physical strength was a match for his.
Meanwhile, Aldrian’s outward calm remained unchanged, though inwardly, he felt a twinge of disappointment.
"I won’t gain much from this spar," he thought. "Even after reducing my physical power to just 10%, he still couldn’t break through my defense. But seeing how body cultivators fight will give me insight into how I should face them in the future."
Aldrian’s gaze shifted to Kang Yong-Jin, who was now preparing to unleash his technique. With a powerful punch aimed at the air in front of him, Kang Yong-Jin caused the atmosphere to tremble. The air pressure, infused with demonic energy, surged toward Aldrian, visible to the naked eye, demonstrating the immense force behind the attack.
Aldrian stood casually, raising his hand without any extra movement, allowing the incoming attack to meet his open palm. As his hand connected with the forceful strike, a booming sound echoed across the arena. The shockwave rippled through the platform, cracking the floor behind Aldrian and sending vibrations toward the spectators.
Kang Yong-Jin was stunned by Aldrian’s defense. The technique he had just unleashed was powerful enough to severely injure, or even kill, a High Earl stage cultivator. Yet, Aldrian had blocked it so effortlessly. The full extent of Aldrian’s strength remained a mystery for him, but Kang Yong-Jin was determined to test it further.
He then disappeared, putting distance between himself and Aldrian as Kang Yong-Jin’s aura surged reaching its peak. His body began to swell, muscles bulging and becoming denser. The demonic energy he emitted distorted the air around him, throwing the surrounding energy into chaos. The pressure he exuded was stifling, terrifying even to the spectators. A gust of wind swept past Aldrian’s face as he observed Kang Yong-Jin’s rapid transformation.
Kang Yong-Jin’s figure grew taller and more imposing. His already large build now appeared even more monstrous, making him a truly intimidating figure. The aura and energy he now radiated were comparable to that of a Peak Earl stage cultivator. Black, ominous energy leaked from his pores, enveloping him in a hellish hue, giving him the appearance of a demon risen from the underworld.
Without uttering a word, Kang Yong-Jin stomped his foot and leaned forward, as though preparing to shoulder-charge Aldrian. He then launched himself with such force that the sound barrier shattered, followed by a shockwave that further damaged the platform beneath him.
Aldrian raised an eyebrow at the sight of the man charging toward him like an enraged bull. The strength behind this charge bordered on the Marquess stage—a feat very few could achieve. With this technique, Aldrian was certain that even a Low Marquess stage cultivator could be injured if they weren’t cautious.
He assessed Kang Yong-Jin as a formidable opponent for any Peak Earl stage cultivator, nearly unbeatable by anyone below that level. A smile tugged at Aldrian’s lips as he admired the sheer potential and strength on display. If this wasn’t even the full potential of the Heavenly Demon’s Black Dragon Scripture, Aldrian could only imagine how fearsome its true power might be.
Despite the ferocity of the attack, what appeared blindingly fast to the spectators was still slow in Aldrian’s eyes. Amused by the directness of the fight, he drew back his hand, forming a compressed space around his fist. The air around it trembled, distorting the scenery with its intensity.
Kang Yong-Jin, now mere moments away from colliding with Aldrian, suddenly felt an immense pressure radiating from Aldrian’s fist. His instincts screamed at him to switch to a defensive stance, but before he could react, Aldrian unleashed his punch.
The space around them cracked, though it didn’t fully collapse. Kang Yong-Jin felt the overwhelming power behind Aldrian’s incoming strike—enough to incapacitate him. Reacting instantly, he canceled his technique, halting in place as he raised his forearms to shield his face and upper body. He quickly formed his ultimate defense, channeling energy into his arms and hardening his skin, which took on the appearance of black scales.
The moment was so swift that as soon as Kang Yong-Jin finished raising his defenses, Aldrian’s strike landed. The impact was devastating. Kang Yong-Jin’s arms trembled under the force, and he felt his bones crack. The black energy and scales that had formed on his arms shattered immediately upon contact. His most formidable defense technique, Dragon Armor, was utterly destroyed by a single strike.
The force of the blow sent him skidding across the platform, nearly throwing him off its edge. His arms, though saved from severe injury by his defense technique, still bled—a testament to the power behind Aldrian’s attack. He had never lost to any cultivator within the same realm since comprehending the Heavenly Demon’s Black Dragon Scripture.
But today, he was forced to acknowledge the strength of an opponent in the same realm. Worse yet, it seemed Aldrian wasn’t even using his full power. As he looked at Aldrian, who appeared relaxed and untroubled, not even breaking a sweat, Kang Yong-Jin gritted his teeth and struggled to rise. 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒑𝒖𝙗.𝒄𝒐𝒎
"What a terrifying punch... no wonder he’s been chosen by the Heavenly Demon’s Scripture," he thought.
The spectators were equally shocked by the aftermath of the impact. They could sense that Aldrian’s attack had reached the power level of a Low Marquess stage! The cracks in space disappeared the instant his punch hit its target, restoring the area to its normal state.
Usually, a powerful attack from an Earl stage cultivator can’t break the space, as their attack power isn’t enough to tear through a space layer. If an attack from an Earl stage could affect the space layer, the only conclusion they could draw is that Aldrian comprehended space laws.
They looked at Aldrian as if he were a monster, trying to embed his face in their memories. Unfortunately for them, he was in disguise. Most people here had never seen or heard of Aldrian, but after this sparring match, he would gain recognition as the man who could defeat Kang Yong-Jin within the same realm.
Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae observed from his seat in his working room. He knew the outcome of the sparring match, but he hadn’t expected Aldrian to try to compete with Kang Yong-Jin in body cultivation.
"Well, he must have a cultivation technique that balances inner cultivation with body cultivation. I really wonder who this young man’s family is to possess such a formidable technique and power!"
The disciples buzzed with excitement after witnessing the epic spar. Even though it looked like a one-sided beating, as demonic cultivators, they loved the display of strength and a good fight.
Kang Yong-Jin, recognizing the gap between himself and Aldrian, let out a sigh. This spar had truly opened his eyes and served as a wake-up call. He stood up,
"I lost."
