The sound of clashing metal rings out!
Zhao Guang’s eyes are filled with disbelief, and in the next moment, the Sword Light disappears, prompting gasps from all those watching.
The anticipated bloodshed does not occur; Lin Chen doesn’t even raise his hand. The flame wings, condensed from the Golden Crow Radiance Flame, suddenly retract, and the bright golden feathers interlace into a shield before him.
The Sword Light, capable of cleaving mountains and splitting peaks, crashes into the wings but cannot advance an inch; the earlier clang of metal was born from this collision.
"What is this?"
Zhao Feng’s pupils contract suddenly; his prized finishing move cannot penetrate the opponent’s defense.
The wings unfold slowly, with bits of golden flame flowing like molten gold through the gaps between the feathers. As the wings spread back behind Lin Chen, they reveal him unscathed, his clothing untouched.
Numerous Martial Artists watching the battle fix their gaze on this scene, including many sect experts.
"When did Canglan Sect obtain such a cultivation technique?"
Major sects have collected numerous cultivation techniques; not every technique is known to the outside world, but other sects are familiar with powerful or uniquely useful techniques.
It’s normal not to know ordinary cultivation techniques; which sect doesn’t have thousands of techniques that can’t all be known?
But a defensive cultivation technique capable of withstanding the full force of an Innate Martial Artist from Guixu Sword Tomb cannot be obscure within the Flame Dynasty, yet they’ve never heard of Canglan Sect possessing such a technique.
The Inextinguishable Divine Face Technique is not a technique of Canglan Sect but was discovered by a senior from Canglan Sect in a Secret Realm years ago. It’s exceptionally difficult to cultivate, so even the sect’s disciples barely know about it, let alone other sects.
Even those who do know of the Inextinguishable Divine Face Technique find it without reference value due to the varying Divine Faces it condenses from different flames.
"It seems he’s got some skill; no wonder he dares to challenge the hundred thousand consecutive victories, but this alone is not enough."
Zhao Feng recovers from his brief shock and becomes calm again. His sword stance changes once more; his figure slips into the void, and seven elusive shadows dart from different angles to strike Lin Chen’s vital points, the sword tips etching sword markings onto the ground.
"Guixu Sword Tomb’s Breaking Gang Sword specifically targets the Gang Qi of Innate First Realm Martial Artists."
Outside the screen, Chai Daoqi sees Zhao Feng perform this move, his eyes becoming solemn. He was just a bottleneck away from breaking into the Innate Second Realm years ago and chose to travel abroad, encountering a disciple of Guixu Sword Tomb.
During sparring, the opponent used this move to break his Protective Gang Qi.
This disciple from Guixu Sword Tomb regards the wings behind Junior Brother as the manifestation of his Protective Gang Qi.
Lin Chen does not remain idle this time but steps forward half a step.
As this half-step is taken, molten golden flames explode and ripple outward like waves. Zhao Feng’s seven sword shadows are entirely extinguished by the flames before they can pierce Lin Chen.
Three breaths later, Zhao Feng’s figure appears a hundred meters away, half his hair curls up, the result of enduring high flame temperatures. Even though he immediately protected himself with Sword Qi, he could only block the flames, not the heat.
"What technique is this?"
Zhao Feng’s hand, gripping the sword, is now white at the knuckles; his two full-force finishing moves were so seemingly effortlessly dissolved by the opponent.
...
Beside a Flame Mountain.
"Senior Brother Zhao, did you see the flames under Lin Chen’s feet just now?"
"Too fast to see clearly, but it should be some kind of Innate Fire."
"It’s Li Fire."
A middle-aged figure appears on the scene, prompting the two young men conversing to hurriedly bow respectfully: "Disciple greets Steward Chen."
"What appeared beneath Lin Chen’s feet was Li Fire, but only First Tier Li Fire."
"Li Fire?"
The young men display surprise; the sect has many Innate Fires, including Li Fire, but few disciples focus on Li Fire because it’s challenging to control.
"Why would Lin Chen join Canglan Sect? Given his talent in Fire Manipulation, he should come to our Ten Thousand Flames Sect."
The middle-aged man muses to himself. He doesn’t know what technique Lin Chen cultivates, but he can tell Lin Chen possesses at least two different types of Innate Fire.
Especially those flame wings—they should undoubtedly be the Golden Crow Radiance Flame.
The Golden Crow Radiance Flame, formed from Golden Crow Essence Soul, is extremely fierce and dominant. Even in the Ten Thousand Flames Sect, disciples are only introduced to it after entering the Innate Second Realm, yet Lin Chen, still in the Innate First Realm, has already mastered the Golden Crow Radiance Flame.
This kind of genius is wasted on Canglan Sect; he should come to us instead.
"Why don’t we suggest to the Elders to discuss with Canglan Sect, having them agree to transfer Lin Chen to our Ten Thousand Flames Sect?"
The thought arises in the middle-aged man’s mind, but he dismisses it with a smile, knowing Canglan Sect won’t let him go.
Such a talent—what sect wouldn’t want him?
Unless our Ten Thousand Flames Sect is willing to pay a tremendous price.
"Forget it, let the Elders worry about it; I’ll just inform them."
The Martial Arts Mountain hundred thousand victories challenge garners attention from Martial Artists between the Innate First and Second Realms like us; sect elders won’t watch this. At most, they’ll be briefed after results come out.
...
...
On the Martial Arts Mountain battlefield, Lin Chen does not give Zhao Feng a chance for a third sword strike. His flame wings burst forth radiant gold, and all witness a molten golden stream rush towards Zhao Feng.
The speed is such that even the screen shows afterimages.
Zhao Feng just raises his sword, yet the blade hasn’t descended when his expression changes drastically. Torrential high-temperature flames inundate, instantly evaporating the Sword Qi protecting him.
Ss!
Zhao Feng felt the severe pain in his chest and lowered his head, only to see a charred bloody hole on his chest. Although it did not penetrate his chest, it rendered him incapable of fighting.
Bam!
Zhao Feng’s figure plummeted from the air toward the ground and vanished completely from Martial Path Mountain just a yard above it.
He chose to concede.
If he didn’t concede, he would fall to the ground in front of all the martial artists of the Flame Dynasty. Proud as he was, he couldn’t accept such an outcome.
Nevertheless, Zhao Feng preserved his final dignity, but as his figure disappeared, countless spectating martial artists fell silent.
Splash!
In contrast, in the Canglan Sect, cheering erupted from several places.
In this challenge, those most concerned were surely the disciples of the Canglan Sect.
Even those disciples without Martial Arts Seals joined those with them early to watch Lin Chen’s top hundred challenge.
Excited cheers emanated from residences where outer and inner sect disciples lived.
On the plaza outside the Canglan Main Hall, Qiao Yuan smiled the moment Zhao Feng’s figure vanished.
...
...
Guixu Sword Tomb.
Pei Qingming also smiled, worthy of Junior Brother Lin, even capable of defeating Zhao Feng.
The gap between myself and Junior Brother Lin is growing larger. I’m still striving to break into the Innate Realm, while Junior Brother Lin is already challenging every genius in the Innate First Realm.
Zhao Feng’s figure returned to the mountain peak, his face pale, with blood constantly oozing from his lips and chest.
"Heal well."
A dignified voice came, and Zhao Feng looked up to see an arc of light shooting from high above, stopping and hovering in front of him.
A bottle of pills.
"Thank you, Master."
Zhao Feng took the pills, respectfully bowed to the sky, then without delay, opened the bottle, poured out a pill, swallowed it, and immediately sat cross-legged to begin healing.
...
...
In the light screen, Zhao Feng disappeared, but Lin Chen remained. Lin Chen was facing the front of the light screen, and everyone saw Lin Chen’s face.
This face, until today, was extremely unfamiliar in the Flame Dynasty but was memorized by many.
Lin Chen looked at the light screen with a calm expression. He knew, although the screen had no sound, as long as he spoke, many could discern what he said from his lip movements.
Ten breaths later, Lin Chen’s figure disappeared, but all the observers were shocked.
They understood Lin Chen’s lip movements and what Lin Chen said.
"Since you want a challenge, then come."
...
"Too arrogant!"
"Defeating a martial artist from Guixu Sword Tomb, does he not know his limitations?"
"Does he truly think he is invincible under twenty?"
Many martial artists were enraged; in their view, Lin Chen’s words were a taunt to all the geniuses under twenty in the Flame Dynasty.
Martial Path Mountain steps.
Lin Chen did not choose to leave Martial Path Mountain but instead stayed on the steps.
Indeed, his words were provocative. When he announced from Martial Path Mountain to the entire Flame Dynasty that he would start a hundred thousand consecutive victories, he knew many would try to stop him.
These people would not give him or the Canglan Sect face because of his modesty. On the contrary, if he acted arrogantly, they would fear him more.
Hundreds of millions of martial artists from the Flame Dynasty watched; losing carried consequences.
Reputation, strength, including the sect’s reputation, would be affected.
Ten breaths later, Lin Chen chose to challenge the previous participant, who straightforwardly chose to concede.
The next one,
The one after that.
After challenging two rounds in succession without receiving any challenges against him, Lin Chen understood that although these Innate Martial Artists were arrogant, they weren’t fools; if they weren’t confident, they wouldn’t challenge him.
He believed that there are some extraordinary geniuses in this world who don’t care about the rankings on Martial Path Mountain, but they are extremely rare. More don’t climb the mountain because they know they can’t reach the peak or the top ten.
If they can’t climb to the top or enter the top ten, they disdain the rewards beyond the top ten, so they simply stay off Martial Path Mountain; that’s the true thought of those geniuses.
Those two defeated by Senior Brother Qiao, including Zhao Feng whom I defeated, belong to this kind.
PS: Can’t guarantee the second update will be before 12 o’clock; see what time my daughter finishes her drip treatment. Maybe I’ll update at dawn like yesterday, just letting you know first.