Many onlookers had gathered on the Floating Sky Island. Seeing Qiānlíng step forward to actively confront the Jinwu Li Clan, they were both shocked and found it unbelievable, utterly inconceivable.
Regarding Qiānlíng of the Xiaoluo Secret Realm, they had all heard her name to some extent.
That was over ten years ago. Li Fengyan of the Jinwu Li Clan and a group of young masters from the Jinwu Secret Realm had tried to harass Qiānlíng. When she refused, Li Fengyan and the seven or eight young masters resorted to force. The result was Qiānlíng, with her four-layer Cultivation Level, thoroughly trouncing those seven or eight Grand Luo Golden Immortals.
Qiānlíng had become famous from that battle. Many only then learned that there was a Xiaoluo Secret Realm in the Dual-Pole Celestial Domain, and that within it was a Qiānlíng whose strength at the Grand Luo fourth layer was astonishing.
Although more than ten years had passed since that incident, a decade meant little to Grand Luo Golden Immortals. Especially for mortal immortals from impoverished minor secret realms, raising one's Cultivation Level by a single layer in over ten years was rare and precious, let alone advancing a whole major realm. Even if this Qiānlíng had some fortuitous encounter, at most over ten years she might have advanced one layer, reaching the fifth-layer Cultivation Level.
With a mere fifth-layer Cultivation Level, she dared to challenge the Jinwu Li Clan?
One must know that within the area, the dozen or so young masters of the Jinwu Li Clan all had Cultivation Levels around the fourth layer, while Li Tianhua was a fifth-layer Grand Luo Golden Immortal.
Furthermore, besides the dozen or so young masters of the Jinwu Li Clan, there were also three sixth-layer experts who had cultivated for thousands of years.
There was even Ding Da, a ninth-level great law immortal.
Even more terrifying was that over a hundred Grand Luo Golden Immortals had come with the Jinwu Li Clan. While their Cultivation Levels might only be around the second or third layer, their sheer numbers were overwhelming!
Three first-layer Grand Luo Golden Immortals could trap a second-layer one. Five first-layer Grand Luo Golden Immortals could force a second-layer one to flee in defeat.
With over a hundred second and third-layer Grand Luo Golden Immortals present, even a ninth-level great law immortal like Ding Da would only be able to take a beating.
What gave Qiānlíng, a mere fourth-layer Grand Luo Golden Immortal, the audacity to challenge the Jinwu Li Clan?
No one knew.
No one understood.
Not far away, Xuan Yun and Liuli were also particularly surprised when they saw Qiānlíng step forward. They had met Qiānlíng eight years ago and clearly knew that her Cultivation Level had increased by one layer compared to over a decade ago, but it was still only the fifth layer.
With that Cultivation Level, challenging the Jinwu Li Clan was undoubtedly seeking death.
Liuli pleaded, "Senior Brother! Please don't be stubborn anymore. Quickly help Sister Ling'er. It was that upstart Little Tipple who upset you, it has nothing to do with Sister Ling'er. Please help her, okay?"
"Don't worry! I know my limits!"
Xuan Yun retracted his earlier words. Firstly, he genuinely disliked that upstart Gu Qingfeng. Secondly, he wanted to teach Qiānlíng a lesson, to make her understand his importance, and to show her that without his help, she, Qiānlíng, was nothing.
He was waiting!
Waiting for Qiānlíng to beg him.
Only then could his importance be displayed.
"Since she doesn't know her own limits and wants to challenge the Jinwu Li Clan, then let her try. Otherwise, she'll never be convinced. Liuli, you needn't worry. As long as I'm here, I won't let the Jinwu Li Clan harm Qiānlíng. However, she must be made to recognize what cruel reality is!"
Within the area, the members of the Jinwu Li Clan were slightly surprised at first by Qiānlíng's active challenge, then filled with disdain.
Especially Li Jingya. Staring at Qiānlíng, she said contemptuously, "A lowly little immortal like you dares to challenge this immortal maiden? Truly overestimating yourself. Today, this immortal maiden will beat you until you're picking your teeth off the ground!"
Li Jingya had long disliked Qiānlíng. If Jin Lie hadn't previously instructed that the goal this time was the 1.8 billion in that upstart's hands, she would have long since been unable to restrain herself from acting.
Now, seeing Qiānlíng step forward, she hesitated no longer. As she leaped into the air, she circulated her immortal spirit. Radiance shimmered around her body as she brandished her flying sword, charging straight at Qiānlíng.
However, the moment she leaped up, Qiānlíng raised a hand and pointed. Radiance flashed at her fingertip, releasing layers of profound mysteries. A streak of azure light, like an arrow, instantly struck Li Jingya's body.
Bang!
The immortal radiance surrounding Li Jingya was instantly shattered by that arrow-like azure light. Her immortal armor and robes cracked apart, and she herself was sent flying sideways, crashing heavily to the ground, disheveled and covered in dirt, her face deathly pale, blood trickling from her mouth.
One move!
Just one move, instantly defeating Li Jingya.
Yes.
Defeat.
The shattering of the immortal radiance around her body indicated that the immortal power Li Jingya had just unleashed had been absolutely crushed. Even more terrifying was that her immortal armor had cracked.
One must know her immortal armor was of innate grade. How could it be cracked by a mere fingertip radiance from Qiānlíng in the blink of an eye?
What kind of divine ability was this fingertip radiance?
No one knew.
No one understood.
And what was Qiānlíng's Cultivation Level?
Similarly unknown.
But one thing was certain: it was definitely not just the fourth layer, and definitely not as simple as the fifth layer.
A fifth-layer Cultivation Level could not possibly crush the immortal power Li Jingya unleashed with just a fingertip divine ability.
In the brief moment it took to describe this, as Li Jingya was sent flying and crashed to the ground, Li Tianhua was the first to act. Wielding his flying sword, he raised his hand and unleashed a Sword Art slash.
Simultaneously, the Water-Cloud Sword in Qiānlíng's hand shimmered slightly as she similarly raised her hand and swept out a Sword Art.
The Sword Art unleashed by Li Tianhua was like a long rainbow, majestic and imposing, its immortal power profound, its divine ability vast, and filled with layers of profound mysteries.
The Sword Art unleashed by Qiānlíng, however, was as thin as a thread. Due to its extreme speed, so fast the naked eye couldn't capture it, one couldn't discern what immortal power or what kind of Sword Art divine ability it contained. By the time everyone reacted, they saw Li Tianhua's unleashed Sword Art being split in two by Qiānlíng's, dispersing and vanishing.
The frightening part was that the thin, long Sword Art Qiānlíng had unleashed did not disappear. It continued toward Li Tianhua. Li Tianhua was so frightened he froze on the spot, at a loss. Just as the thin Sword Art was about to strike him, a hand blocked in front of him. This hand erupted with dazzling radiance, vast immortal power erupting in rolling waves as it forcefully pushed out a palm strike, finally dispersing the thin Sword Art.
"What a deeply hidden wild girl!"
The one who had acted was none other than the ninth-level great law immortal Ding Da. Standing with his hands behind his back, he stared at Qiānlíng, his gaze both shocked and surprised.
"This young master refuses to believe he can't defeat a little immortal from a minor secret realm like you!"
Li Tianhua was hailed as one of the seven young masters of the Jinwu Li Clan. Having nearly been defeated by a single move from someone from a minor secret realm like Qiānlíng, he was deeply unconvinced. He leaped up again to attack.
"Go! Protect Tianhua, kill this wild girl!"
With a wave of Ding Da's hand, the three sixth-layer Golden Immortals who had cultivated for thousands of years leaped up, surrounding Qiānlíng while protecting Li Tianhua.