"You dare break my cousin's wrist! Today, I'll make you pay tenfold!"
Knowing Gu Qingfeng's physique was extraordinary, Li Can did not underestimate his opponent. He took a large stride forward, circulating the spiritual power within his body. Radiance shimmered around him as he threw a punch with a resounding boom, like an explosion of force, carrying the momentum to split mountains.
This was the Mountain-Splitting Fist.
Those proficient in martial arts all knew the Mountain-Splitting Fist was ferocious and peerless, containing the imposing force to cleave mountains. The punch Li Can unleashed had even reached the Fifty-Nine Mastery realm, containing a full forty-seven strands of mountain-splitting force. When the punch was thrown, the mountain-splitting force came crashing down in layers, suffocating to behold.
Such a punch was exceedingly fierce.
None of the disciples present dared to receive this blow.
In the blink of an eye,
Li Can's Mountain-Splitting Fist arrived instantly, aimed straight at Gu Qingfeng's chest. In everyone's minds, even if Gu Qingfeng's physique was exceptionally robust, he absolutely could not withstand Li Can's punch. Even Elder Rende and True Being Feixue on the high platform thought the same.
Yet, when Gu Qingfeng slowly raised his arm and casually blocked it, a shocking scene unfolded.
He had actually blocked it!
And he hadn't used any spiritual power.
Nor had he employed any immortal art, relying solely on the strength of his physical body.
The arena erupted in an uproar.
On the high platform, Elder Rende let out a soft exclamation of surprise. True Being Feixue couldn't help but frown, while Li Ziheng stood up nervously and called out, "Can'er!"
Everyone knew Gu Qingfeng's failed Foundation Establishment had caused abnormal changes in his meridians, making his physique different from ordinary people. They just hadn't expected it to be so formidable that even Li Can's full-power attack, containing forty-seven strands of mountain-splitting force, couldn't harm him in the slightest.
Li Can, unwilling to accept this, attacked again.
This time, he used the Flame Palm. One strike of the Flame Palm, also executed at the Fifty-Nine Mastery realm, contained forty-five strands of flame force.
However, it was useless.
As Li Can charged forward, he was once again effortlessly blocked by Gu Qingfeng.
Gu Qingfeng stood there quietly, his expression indifferent. Looking at the furious and humiliated Li Can, he said lightly, "I've let you have two moves. If you know what's good for you, stop now. Let this matter end here. If you continue, I'll let you taste some physical pain."
"I don't believe your physique is truly this powerful!"
Li Can roared, the radiance around him flashing wildly as he circulated all the spiritual power of his Fourth-layer Foundation Establishment. He leaped into the air, transforming into a swift gale as he charged straight down.
This was the Gale Leg.
The Gale Leg technique Li Can executed was fast as lightning, unpredictable and elusive. Moreover, he had unleashed it at the Sixty-Nine Pinnacle realm, containing a full fifty-four strands of gale force.
The difference between the Fifty-Nine Mastery realm and the Sixty-Nine Pinnacle realm wasn't just a quantitative increase, but a qualitative change. Each strand of gale force was a strand of profound force. Fifty-four strands of gale force didn't mean fifty-four separate forces, but fifty-four layers of profoundness.
This was Li Can's signature martial art.
In the last grand competition, he had relied on the Gale Leg at the Sixty-Nine Pinnacle realm to beat two Fifth-layer Foundation Establishment disciples until they couldn't fight back. Now, executing it with full power, everyone wondered how Gu Qingfeng would block it.
How would he block it?
Gu Qingfeng didn't block it this time. As Li Can descended from above, Gu Qingfeng suddenly raised a hand, grabbed Li Can's ankle, and forcibly yanked him down. With a thud, he slammed him viciously onto the ground. Li Can let out a pained howl.
But it wasn't over.
Gu Qingfeng raised a foot and kicked Li Can squarely in the chest. This kick sent a tremor through Li Can's entire body; blood spurted from his mouth and nose as he was sent flying on the spot. He landed on the ground, clutching his chest, writhing in pain.
Was it over?
Still not.
Gu Qingfeng flicked his fingers, radiance flashing at their tips. Instantly, a flame-wreathed lightning bolt appeared in the air—the Blaze Thunder Art.
This was a nine-meter-long blaze-thunder bolt, appearing utterly terrifying.
Electric light crackled and shot out from within it, sizzling and popping. Strands of blaze-thunder force condensed and manifested—a full eighty-one strands of blaze-thunder force!
Li Can had just struggled to his feet when the blaze-thunder bolt struck down with a crackle. In an instant, Li Can's clothes were shredded, his hair stood on end, his skin split and flesh tore, his entire body billowing thick smoke as if charred. Without even a grunt, he collapsed to the ground.
"Can'er!"
Seeing this, Li Ziheng hurriedly rushed down from the platform.
On the platform, the ever-proud True Being Feixue could no longer maintain her composure. She shot to her feet, her face filled with shock. Elder Rende beside her also couldn't remain seated. He stood there dumbfounded, staring at Gu Qingfeng with a gaze of utter disbelief, muttering, "He actually…
He actually cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to the Great Perfection realm, unleashing eighty-one strands of blaze-thunder force…" It wasn't that Elder Rende lacked experience; it was simply that this scene was too sudden, too shocking for him not to be astonished, not to marvel.
As an Elder of the De generation in Yunxia Sect, having cultivated for several hundred years, he clearly knew how difficult it was to cultivate an immortal art to Great Perfection. In the entire Yunxia Sect, whether inner or outer gate, including the chiefs of the twelve courtyards and the nine halls, not a single disciple had yet cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to Great Perfection.
Because this required not only high talent and comprehension, but also day after day, year after year of constant practice and continuous contemplation. Only by thoroughly comprehending the profound mysteries of the Blaze Thunder Art could one achieve it—an extremely lengthy process. Forget Yunxia Sect's disciples; even some senior deacons, and even inner and outer gate Elders, had yet to cultivate the Blaze Thunder Art to Great Perfection.
Elder Rende had long ago cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to perfection, but it had taken him a full sixty-plus years.
Now, witnessing with his own eyes a young disciple casually flick his fingers to unleash a Blaze Thunder Art of the Eighty-One Great Perfection realm—how could Elder Rende not be shocked?
And Elder Rende wasn't the only one shocked; True Being Feixue was as well. To be honest, she had also cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art, but only reached Minor Perfection, which had taken her over twenty years. Later, utterly unable to comprehend Great Perfection, she had given up. She never imagined Gu Qingfeng could actually cultivate the Blaze Thunder Art to the Great Perfection realm.
If we're talking about shock, probably no one was more shocked than Fei Kui.
He was Elder Huode's trusted aide and knew the old master's plan.
Since the old master held Gu Qingfeng in such high regard, Fei Kui knew this Gu Qingfeng must be extraordinary.
But knowing was one thing. Earlier, seeing Gu Qingfeng unleash sixty-nine strands of blaze-thunder force had already surprised him considerably. Now, witnessing Gu Qingfeng unleash a Blaze Thunder Art at the Great Perfection realm with his own eyes left him utterly unable to believe it.
And only he in the arena knew that he had given the Blaze Thunder Art technique manual to Gu Qingfeng just a few days ago.
What did that mean?
It meant this young master had cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to Great Perfection in just a few short days!
Heavens!
Fei Kui felt his heart was about to leap out of his chest. He was also cultivating the Blaze Thunder Art, having practiced for thirty-four years. To this day, he could only unleash a Seventy-Nine Flawless realm at best. The Eighty-Nine Minor Perfection? He couldn't comprehend it and still hadn't achieved it, let alone the Ninety-Nine Great Perfection.
Below the platform, looking at the skin-split, flesh-torn, smoke-billowing Li Can, Li Ziheng's face turned ashen, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Good!
Ruthless!
Little!
Bastard!"
Li Ziheng spat out each word, filled with utmost fury!
"Elder Li, since it's a Dueling Platform Battle, injuries are naturally unavoidable," Fei Kui stepped forward, his tone flat. "Moreover, it was Li Can who initiated the Dueling Platform Battle. And after two moves, Gu Qingfeng specifically warned him, but Li Can refused to listen…
This can only be said to be the consequence of his own actions."
"You!"
Li Ziheng was furious beyond measure, his breathing heavy!
Indeed, as Fei Kui said, Li Can had initiated the Dueling Platform Battle. Gu Qingfeng had warned him, but Li Can stubbornly refused to listen. Now, beaten half to death, who could he blame? He could only blame himself for reaping what he sowed.
In the arena, Gu Qingfeng still stood there quietly, his expression neither sorrowful nor joyful, neither arrogant nor impatient. Not even a trace of emotion could be seen on his face—only calmness, as if everything happening here had nothing to do with him. He didn't care, nor would he pay it any mind.
"Tell your Li family members not to come looking for trouble with me in the future. Of course, if you insist on coming, then consider the consequences. I've said I'm not a Bodhisattva; I don't have a merciful heart. I'm not a Buddha either; I don't understand magnanimity."
Gu Qingfeng spoke lightly as he fastened the button on his collar. "If you respect me, I'll respect you. If you don't respect me, I won't respect you either. If you bully me, I won't just stand there and let you. I've lived this long without the habit of being bullied or beaten. Whoever bullies me, I'll bully back. Whoever hits me, I'll hit back."
With that, Gu Qingfeng turned and left.
Fei Kui followed, but then seemed to remember something. He glanced at True Being Feixue on the platform and chuckled. "True Being Feixue, hehe…
I remember you said earlier that unleashing a Blaze Thunder Art at the Sixty-Nine Pinnacle realm wasn't anything remarkable, that many disciples in the sect could do it, they just knew how to keep a low profile, right?"
"Hehe!
I wonder if there's any disciple in our Yunxia Sect who can unleash a Blaze Thunder Art at the Great Perfection realm?
If I recall correctly, there hasn't been one yet, right?
Seems like even you haven't cultivated the Blaze Thunder Art to Great Perfection, have you?"
"You also seemed to say Gu Qingfeng was deliberately showing off with his Sixty-Nine Pinnacle realm Blaze Thunder Art…"
"Hehe!
He wasn't showing off. If he wanted to show off, he would have unleashed a Great Perfection realm Blaze Thunder Art during the assessment itself."
"Keeping a low profile?
Being flashy?"
"Who's keeping a low profile?
Who's being flashy?"
"Hehe, also, don't say Gu Qingfeng isn't worthy of your disciple. When the time comes, who's worthy of whom is still hard to say."
True Being Feixue's expression changed, and she coldly snapped, "What did you say!"
Fei Kui paid her no mind and left with a laugh.