Ling Fei, ranked third on the General Star List, cultivated Wind Mystic Power. He was exceptionally skilled in movement techniques and leg arts, with his Soaring Heaven Steps and Wind God Legs renowned throughout the Inner Academy. He possessed both the tenacity to drag out a fight and terrifying burst power, allowing him to easily control the battle’s tempo.
Yet Yan Zhen’s movement technique outshone his. As soon as Starry Sky Dance emerged, trails of starlight lingered in his wake, making Yan Zhen seem to vanish entirely.
The two figures flickered ceaselessly across the arena platform. Each appearance lasted less than a second before legs clashed against fists, Fire Mystic Power collided with Wind Mystic Power, sending gusts of wind and fire scattering everywhere. The platform scorched with blackened marks and split with deep gashes.
Boom!
Yan Zhen and Ling Fei materialized simultaneously, propelled backward by the airflow from the Mystic Power explosion. They stared at each other intently.
“You’ve got some real moves,” Ling Fei said. “Few in the Inner Academy can keep up with my speed. You’re one of them.”
“So Senior Brother Ling Fei honed those movement skills just to play henchman?” Yan Zhen shot back.
Ling Fei faltered, then gave a wry smile.
“Some things are out of my hands. No matter what you say, I have to do what I must. Let’s call it, Junior Brother Yan Zhen. You can’t beat that gloomy bespectacled guy. I hate to admit it, but he’s a cut above me—probably strong enough to advance to Mystic King now. You know the gap between Mystic King and Mystic General better than anyone.”
A Mystic King could commune with the Power of Heaven and Earth.
What was the Power of Heaven and Earth? The vast Mystic Power drifting freely between sky and land.
Though not yet able to wield it at will like a Mystic Lord, even a single strand of that power could crush any Mystic General!
A Mystic General’s strength was like a river, but a Mystic King’s was like a mighty river—worlds apart!
Yan Zhen chuckled.
“Senior Brother Ling Fei, you actually think you can force me to go all out?”
Ling Fei slowly gathered his power, his legs glowing with the verdant light of Wind Mystic Power.
“Are you saying even a Quasi Mystic King isn’t enough to make you try? That’s some pretty big talk.”
“Because you lack any will to fight. If you don’t even want to win, who could you beat?”
Ling Fei snorted coldly and charged forward, his foot slamming toward Yan Zhen.
Yan Zhen didn’t even glance his way. Instead, he closed his eyes, assumed a horse stance, and softly raised his hands, deploying the Yin-Yang Stake from Tai Chi Shock.
At his feet, a black-and-white Yin-Yang Fish materialized, spinning around him and neutralizing the force of Ling Fei’s kick.
Amid the phantom-like barrage of strikes, Yan Zhen’s hands shot out and seized Ling Fei’s leg. He then redirected twice the accumulated force right back at him.
“What?”
The immense power surged through, shaking Ling Fei’s body to its core. Even his Mystic Force Armor shattered, and his entire form rocketed backward.
Just as Ling Fei tried to use the momentum to retreat and readjust, starlight converged before him into a figure. Yan Zhen reappeared and drove a kick straight into his chest.
That wasn’t the end. After Ling Fei flew a short distance, Yan Zhen pursued with the same technique, landing another kick.
While Ling Fei struggled to disperse the Mystic Power raging inside him, Yan Zhen delivered three kicks in rapid succession, sending him flying clean off the arena platform.
Yan Zhen landed lightly at the platform’s edge, while Ling Fei crashed onto the perimeter wall of the spectator stands and spat out a mouthful of blood.
By the rules of the assembly, falling off the platform meant defeat.
Ling Fei gave a bitter laugh.
“I didn’t expect you to have that trick up your sleeve. I got careless.”
Yan Zhen ignored him. After the Referee Mentor announced the result, he stepped down from the platform.
Ling Fei hadn’t truly wanted to fight him; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so straightforward.
Ling Fei returned to Wen Canglan and scratched his head.
“Sorry, Wen. Couldn’t force out his trump card.”
Wen Canglan glanced at the genius who rivaled him.
“That’s enough. That soft-yet-unyielding fist technique is troublesome enough. Knowing about it in advance is a good thing.”
The two whales who poured money into power-ups had gone all out against each other, leaving both badly injured in a draw, so they forfeited. Now only Yan Zhen, Huangfu Wenqing, and Wen Canglan remained in contention.
Under normal circumstances, this would lead to a three-way battle royale on the platform, with the last one standing claiming first place. But everyone in the Inner Academy knew Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing were thick as thieves, while Yan Zhen had bad blood with Wen Canglan. It would devolve into a two-on-one.
Vice Dean Wen Qingshan naturally objected, as did the other elders. Elder Yu Yan chuckled and said, “If we can’t decide, why not ask the three of them what they think?”
The Referee Mentor relayed Elder Yu Yan’s suggestion to the final three contenders.
Wen Canglan adjusted his glasses and said coolly, “A three-way battle it is. Let those two team up if they want—what of it? As a senior, I naturally have an inclusive heart toward my juniors.”
The Referee Mentor turned to Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing. After a brief discussion, they replied, “Fine, a battle royale. But Wenqing won’t fight. It’ll just be me against him one-on-one.”
The Referee Mentor nodded approvingly. Neither side was backing down—let the fight begin!
The three ascended the platform together, but Huangfu Wenqing immediately retreated to a corner, content to watch from the sidelines and leaving the arena to Yan Zhen and Wen Canglan.
“You won’t even have your fiancée help? Don’t regret it midway, Yan Zhen.”
“I’m just worried a sore loser like you would make excuses. Better to cut it off at the source and leave you speechless.”
“Hmph. In one year, rising from Four-Star Mystic Master to Mystic General—has that given you such wild confidence?”
“Better than you stagnating, holding back from Mystic King just to fight me at the Star Plucking Assembly. How childish.”
Wen Canglan’s expression darkened gradually. Crystalline Mystic Power formed a thin layer of crystalline armor over his body, its translucent surface shimmering with rainbow hues.
“Since you know, then die obediently.”
Yan Zhen erupted in blazing flames, his entire form bathed in rolling torrents of gold-and-silver duality, like a flame demon freshly emerged from a hellish blood pool.
“Come on, let me see that so-called Wen Family ultimate technique again. Without a sneak attack, how exactly do you plan to hurt anyone with that trashy palm art?”
Boom!
As the words fell, the shadow of gold-and-silver flames clashed ferociously with the clear, iridescent crystalline shadow. A fierce gust swept outward, whipping Huangfu Wenqing’s hair and dress in the corner of the platform. In her heart, she worried for Yan Zhen.
She didn’t think he’d lose, but who knew how badly he’d be hurt.
In the spectator stands, Zi Xunyi and Long Ying sat together, their beautiful eyes fixed tightly on the battle unfolding onstage.
…
At almost the same moment, beyond the Holy Land Academy, a twisting purple vortex slowly emerged. From it drilled a purple-gold warship, flying a banner emblazoned with a single “Celestial” character.
On the deck, a team stood in neat formation. At their forefront was a young officer who, despite his youth, was a Mystic Venerable wielding Spatial Power!
And those under his command were all Mystic Lords!
—The Heavenly God Clan had arrived.
