Chapter 1765 to Chapter 1772

Chapter 1765: A Brutal Xiahou Zong

Those eager to plumb the depths of Jiang Chen's strength couldn't help being disappointed. If the young man could only go neck and neck with Wu You, he was far from good enough. Although Wu You was one of the Five Great Gentlemen, even the best of the five was nowhere close to Xiahou Zong's level. On top of that, Wu You wasn't even the strongest at all.

While appearances could be deceiving, there seemed a long way to go before Shao Yuan could go head to head with the greatest genius, even if he seemed competent enough.

Shao Yuan's fight with Wu You attracted a lot of attention, even more so than Xiahou Zong's match. The Xiahou genius was going to win no matter who his opponent was, while Shao Yuan's fight would test his true abilities. Everyone wanted to see for themselves how good Xiahou Zong's challenger was.

Venerated Elder Xiahou Zhen scoffed to his peers. "It's undeniable that the Eternal Sacred Land has put in a lot of effort in scouting geniuses. Given eight to ten years, Shao Yuan may grow into someone who can pose some threat to Xiahou Zong. But right now? In his dreams!"

Xiahou Ying huffed. "His confidence is completely unfounded. And here I thought there was a thing or two to him. He's nothing in front of big brother."

"Right, he's far from good enough to go against Xiahou Zong," Xiahou Zhen responded, bemused. "However, I hear that he was only a great emperor when he joined House Yan. It's surprising that he's made such significant progress in only two years."

"So what? He's going to lose to big brother anyways. All of his potential combined won't save him unless he doesn't get into a fight with my brother."

Xiahou Zhen smiled coolly without a word.

The emperor of the Eternal Divine Nation and his expert bodyguards watched Shao Yuan's match with rapt attention.

"Haha, there seems to be a shortage of geniuses in the sacred land these years. Wu You ranks second or third among the Five Great Gentlemen, doesn't he? He's quick. I'll give him that. But a thousand years ago, someone like him could only be considered a second-tier genius."

"Your Majesty has keen eyes," a man dressed like a supervisor of palace affairs agreed. "If even Wu You is considered one of the Five Great Gentlemen, that signifies a lack of talent in the sacred land. They don't have enough new blood."

"That's right. They clearly suffer from a lack of new blood. Shao Yuan, however, has risen rapidly to fame," the emperor mused.

"True. Shao Yuan is the sacred land's biggest surprise in recent years. However, he's too young and brash. If he'd given himself a few more years, he might've been able to threaten Xiahou Zong. It's a shame that the young man forgot himself after meager achievement and put himself out in the open. Xiahou Zong won't allow him to live now."

The emperor smiled slightly. "Perhaps the sacred land was too eager to raise a genius who could challenge Xiahou Zong and ended up exposing him too soon to the public's eye."

"Your Majesty is indeed insightful."

Jiang Chen fought with ease, ignoring the inquisitive looks cast his way from the audience. For him, the battle couldn't be less challenging.

Meanwhile, Wu You was in a completely different state. It might seem like the fight wasn't taxing, but only he knew how difficult it was to persevere. He was giving this fight his all, calling upon his full potential. It felt that he'd be able to win if he tapped into a little more of his strength, but every time he did so, it still wasn't enough.

The feeling motivated him again and again, but in the end, it also doused his battle intent. It was like hitting a ball of wool. The lack of impact was driving him crazy.

Finally, he realized that his opponent was going easy on him, waiting for him to notice and surrender. There were many openings that Shao Yuan could've taken, but hadn't.

There's no way Shao Yuan lacks that little bit of power to defeat me.

Wu You attacked with maximum speed and full force several times, but Shao Yuan always matched him and remained unbeatable.

The fruitless fight broke Wu You's will. After about half an hour, exhaustion caught up to him. Shao Yuan, on the other hand, was far from depleting his stamina.

I think… he's trying to save me face.

Wu You had his pride. If he insisted on fighting under these circumstances, it'd be looking at a gift-horse in the mouth. He halted his movements and sighed with cupped hands.

"Daoist Shao Yuan, I admit defeat. I can't win this fight. It's better that I yield now."

Most of the audience members had gotten the impression that the two of them were at equal level. In fact, Wu You seemed to have the upper hand. Why had he forfeited?

The top geniuses were observant enough to see what had been going on, while those at a lower level were still befuddled. Some even questioned if Wu You had purposefully thrown the fight. Perhaps It was the sacred land's attempt at glorifying Shao Yuan!

Jiang Chen cupped his hands in return and responded calmly, "Daoist Wu You has remarkable speed. I greatly admire you for that."

His was kindly disposed towards Wu You. The latter had admitted defeat of his own accord and knew when to back down. Jiang Chen wasn't going to make things embarrassing for his peer.

Wu You laughed heartily. "I lost. I won't hold a grudge against you, Shao Yuan. I only hope that you can continue winning on behalf of the sacred land and defeat everyone else for me."

"I'll do my best," Jiang Chen promised seriously.

"Good lad. I have high hopes for you." Wu You guffawed as he dashingly jumped off the stage and rejoined the sacred land. He didn't find it humiliating to admit defeat, given the circumstances.

Though Jiang Chen had entered the next stage, he wasn't much congratulated when he left the stage. On the contrary, many whispered behind his back, considering Wu You's submission part of the sacred land's strategy to make Shao Yuan look good. They didn't think of his victory as a real win.

Yan Qingsang had won his match much faster than Jiang Chen had and walked forward to greet his brother.

"Brother Yan, you look in good spirits." Jiang Chen chuckled. "You won the second round with ease, haven't you?"

"Your fight seemed intense, but you haven't gone all out yet." Yan Qingsang knew Jiang Chen's true strength quite well. He knew his friend had been holding back in this fight.

The second round fulfilled the organizer's goal. Half of the eight competitors from the sacred land were eliminated, including Gan Ning, who had faced Xiahou Zong.

Jiang Chen looked around and noticed Gan Ning about to be carried away on a stretcher.

Xiahou Zong had made quick work of him and showed no mercy, his moves brutal to the point of wanting to destroy Gan Ning. Gan Ning wasn't completely crippled, but it had been a close thing.

Seeing his pale face and sickly form, all the young geniuses felt a pang of sympathy. They were normally rivals that didn't respect each other, but when they represented the sacred land, they were a united front.

Fury raged in their hearts when they saw what Xiahou Zong had done to Gan Ning. An indescribable fear descended at the same time. Xiahou Zong clearly wanted to destroy all of them.

Jiang Chen pushed past the crowd and went up to Gan Ning, who twisted his lips without a word.

Jiang Chen felt guilty for the other's plight. He was very likely part of the reason why Xiahou Zong had inflicted such serious harm to Gan Ning. The latter had just been unfortunately caught in the crossfire.

"Brother Gan Ning..." Jiang Chen called out.

Gan Ning shook his head softly. "You don't need to pity me."

Jiang Chen fell silent. He did pity Gan Ning, but that wasn't something he should voice at the moment.

"What a cretin that Xiahou Zong is! He showed no mercy. It's obvious he wanted to destroy Gan Ning!" one of the geniuses from the sacred land exclaimed. "This is supposed to be a friendly duel, but Xiahou Zong treats it like a fight to the death. He… he's absolutely crossed a line!"

Jiang Chen quietly took out a pill. "This is a healing pill, Brother Gan Ning. Take it if you trust me. It'll help with your recovery."

Gan Ning shook his head in agony. "It's no use. He's destroyed me. I'm crippled. I might as well give up on treating my injury. What awaits me is nothing but torture."

Jiang Chen checked his pulse for a moment and whispered, "If you trust me, Gan Ning, take the pill. I promise that you will recover. I can restore you to your full health."

A hopeful glint split through the lifeless glaze in Gan Ning's eyes. "Really?"

Chapter 1766: Suspected Collusion

No cultivator would willingly give up pursuit of martial dao when there was even a sliver of hope. Gan Ning was no exception. Xiahou Zong had completely destroyed his dantian, completely sucking him dry of all future and driving him to despair.

Jiang Chen's words were made believable by his unparalleled talent in pill dao. Gan Ning's eyes lit up, clinging to the chance of recovery.

Jiang Chen nodded earnestly. "I never lie. Take the pill and rest well. After the sword competition, I'll find ways to restore you to peak condition. Everything Xiahou Zong has done to you, I'll pay him back in spades!"

Gan Ning cut in urgently, "You mustn't! Don't lose your calm and go toe-to-toe with him! He hates you much more than he does us. He was merely taking out his anger on me, but you? You'll be subjected to all his fury. He wants nothing more than to mince you into meat paste. A fight to the death is exactly what he wants!"

He was very concerned for Jiang Chen. Their last fight had ended in a tie, so he believed that he had a good grasp on Jiang Chen's strength. Even if the other genius had improved significantly over the past few months, he couldn't have bridged the gap between him and Xiahou Zong.

Jiang Chen smiled slightly in lieu of an answer and placed the pill onto Gan Ning's palm, patting the back of his hand. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Gan Ning closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "You wouldn't be Shao Yuan if you listened to me and just yielded. Fine, then one word of advice. Protect yourself and don't give him an opportunity to destroy you."

Xiahou Zong was now one of Gan Ning's worst nightmares. He'd always fancied himself one of the top geniuses of the Eternal Divine Nation, but the fight with Xiahou Zong showed him what a real genius truly was.

It might be a stretch to describe it as a fight between an adult and a child, but he had indeed felt as if shackled when facing the man.

Xiahou Zong's moves hadn't seemed particularly powerful, but the way he'd chained them together had turned Gan Ning into a puppet that danced to his tune. Xiahou Zong had maintained full control over the flow of the battle. Gan Ning had only been able to deploy a fraction of his usual level.

Only someone overwhelmingly stronger could control his opponent's pace of attacks.

Gan Ning resented Xiahou Zong's brutal cruelty, but there had been nothing he could do. There was simply too big a gap between them.

The first prime approached the group with a dark expression. Her rage was evident.

Gan Ning was one of the Five Great Gentlemen and among the best that the sacred land had to offer. Someone as protective of her own as the first prime naturally wasn't going to be happy about Xiahou Zong's lack of restraint.

She'd warned Duke Xiaoyao earlier, telling him to keep a leash on Xiahou Zong.

Duke Xiaoyao had chuckled. "First Prime, I told you the last time I visited that not even I can predict what Xiahou Zong will do when he's truly enraged. What can I do if he injures his opponent too seriously? I can't tell him to hold back, can I? This is a competition. He isn't going to throw his matches." With that, he brayed with exaggerated laughter.

His laughter was grating on the first prime's ears.

Duke Xiaoyao's remark had been insolent, but there had been some truth to it. The sword competition didn't forbid competitors from hurting their opponents. Even death was commonplace. Everyone participated knowing there was a chance they would perish. Those scared should drop out beforehand.

A fuming first prime now returned to the sacred land's area. She knew what House Xiahou was trying to do. It pained her to see how disheartened her youths were.

"Xiahou Zong is a monster who knows no restraint. If you encounter him and are going to lose, surrender rather than push yourself. This seat won't blame you for that."

"Hmph, that animal's gone overboard!" The geniuses shared in her anger.

The first prime waved a hand and cast a despondent glance at Jiang Chen, issuing a serious reminder, "Xiahou Zong hates you even more, Shao Yuan. If you encounter him, remember..."

Jiang Chen nodded noncommittally. "Worry not, First Prime, I know what I'm doing."

No one would believe him now if he declared his assurance. It'd only make the others dislike him. He reminded Yan Qingsang, "Any of us could run into Xiahou Zong in future rounds, Qingsang. If you do, yield and leave him to me."

Yan Qingsang was confident in himself, but he knew he was far from Xiahou Zong's level. He sighed. "Alright. I can't defeat that bastard anyway."

The Eternal Sacred Land was very dispirited that night. Only four of their members had entered the round of thirty-two, which was too little for a faction of their rank.

Jiang Chen was sure that the hosts were undermining the sacred land on purpose. As he expected, the four remaining competitors from the faction were struck again by bad luck the next day.

Jiang Chen's opponent was the top genius of the Cloudwave Sect, one of Xiahou Zong's most devoted supporters. He'd showed his devotion with great enthusiasm and sworn to Xiahou Zong that he'd aim to kill if he encountered Jiang Chen.

The other members of the sacred land were pitted against powerful opponents as well. The top of the Five Great Gentlemen, for instance, was going to fight Xiahou Zong, while Yan Qingsang and the others were facing strong contenders for the top five spots of the competition.

The sacred land was in danger of full elimination. Jiang Chen shook his head. The hosts had really gone overboard. Was the imperial family trying to free themselves from the sacred land and establish their own reign? Even a fool would realize that the matchmaking had been manipulated.

The first prime maintained a calm face. It wasn't the right time for her to make a scene, but the imperial family had thoroughly roused her ire with their little tricks.

There was a great chance that only one or two out of the sacred land would be able to enter the top sixteen, and none at all after the next round. If Jiang Chen won his match, he predicted that he was very likely to encounter Xiahou Zong next.

Whoever pulling the strings must think the Five Great Gentlemen were more worthy foes for Xiahou Zong to deal with. There was no doubt that every one of Xiahou Zong's opponents would be from the sacred land.

This wasn't so much a competition, but a conspiracy against the Eternal Sacred Land.

"Do your best and don't push yourself," the first prime offered in comfort when she saw the match-ups.

Yan Qingsang's opponent was too strong for him to defeat.

The one pitted against Xiahou Zong was Gentleman Sui Chen, first of the Five. His level of cultivation was higher than that of Wu You. If his opponent hadn't been Xiahou Zong, it was almost a guarantee that he'd enter the finals. As it was, his journey in the competition had come to an end.

Jiang Chen didn't know Sui Chen well, so he couldn't offer the young genius any comfort. Sui Chen's scowl made his dark mood clear. It seemed that he was resentful of Jiang Chen for bringing him bad luck. In his eyes, it was Shao Yuan and his provocation of Xiahou Zong that had started the series of misfortunes for geniuses from the sacred land.

Jiang Chen could read the hostility in Sui Chen's eyes. He shook his head. In truth, he wished his opponent was Xiahou Zong rather than someone from the Cloudwave Sect. Unfortunately, Xiahou Zong seemed to deem Jiang Chen unworthy at the moment, or perhaps he wanted to toy with his prey a little longer.

"The situation is more complicated than it appeared to be, Qingsang," Jiang Chen reminded Yan Qingsang again. "Someone is plotting against the sacred land behind the scenes. Do your best, but remember to put your own safety first."

"Don't worry." Yan Qingsang grinned. "I won't give anyone a chance to hurt me. If I can't win, I'll surrender. Given my lack of reputation, I've achieved more than enough in the competition. I have nothing to lose and can freely admit defeat!"

As he said, it was remarkable enough for him to partake in the competition. He'd already defeated several; it was more than enough to prove himself.

"Alright, geniuses, go to your designated stage," announced someone from the host area. "Let the third round of matches commence!"

"Let's go!" said Jiang Chen as he rushed to his stage.

The genius from the Cloudwave Sect had been waiting for some time. He looked like a cat toying with a mouse, his gait relaxed and his smile frigid.

Jiang Chen glanced at him and didn't cup his hands in greeting.

"It's Shao Yuan, isn't it? You're talented in pill dao, but you're far from good enough in martial dao. Let me, Shen Fan from the Cloudwave Sect, teach you a lesson today."

Chapter 1767: Raging Serpent's Whip

Teach me a lesson?

Jiang Chen burst into laughter at the absurdity of the statement.

His bout with Wu You earlier might not have been a spectacular display of technique, so ordinary folks wouldn't have gleaned much from it. However, this guy wasn't much stronger than Wu You… so where did his confidence come from? Did he not like to use his brain?

"I am Shen Fan, the top genius of the Cloudwave Sect." The young man in question tossed Jiang Chen a contemptuous look. "In Eternal Divine Nation, I admire only one person – big brother Xiahou Zong. Since you've offended him, you're automatically my enemy. I will deign to teach you how big the world really is!"

"You?" Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed. "Teach me about the size of the world? What would you know about it?"

"Tsk tsk, I know why big brother Xiahou hates you so much. You're such an annoying brat."

"I've no problem with your preference for being Xiahou Zong's dog. However, I tend to beat up any dogs that yap in front of me." Jiang Chen didn't like wasting words on people like these. It was a waste of time and intellect.

Shen Fan's expression frozen over. How dare that kid call him a dog?!

"You've really made me angry now!" His voice had a sharp edge like a knife's.

"Just angry, hmm?" Jiang Chen smiled coolly. "More exciting things are about to come."

Shen Fan cackled. "Enough talk. Go to hell!"

Spirit energy whipped up from all around him as he said this, forming wave after wave of an inexorable tide. This was a water attribute ability.

It wasn't the first time Jiang Chen traded blows with a water attribute cultivator. He had fought more than three times with such enemies. Shen Fan was much superior to his past foes, but neither was he unchanged from back then.

Jiang Chen fearlessly cut into the powerful surge by wading in. He seemed almost relaxed amid the tempestuous waves. No matter how the waters swirled in space around him, he remained unfettered by their restrictive influence.

Shen Fan was a little surprised by Jiang Chen's agility. His water attribute ability didn't look very destructive, but it was very nearly perfect ace. Once an enemy was trapped by the waves, they would continually apply increasing pressure and constraining power until the enemy's inevitable demise.

The vortex formed by the waves gained in ferocity once more, but they seemed insufficient to ensnare their target. Shen Fan was even more taken aback; he had considered himself capable of holding his own against the sacred land's Sui Chen.

He'd thought the suddenness of his best attack enough to overwhelm a wandering cultivator with panic. Though it seemed that he had been sorely mistaken, he had never been one to admit defeat to anyone in his generation – aside from Xiahou Zong, of course.

Someone comfortable as the foremost genius of the Cloudwave Sect was sure to be exceptional in more ways than one. He produced a sparkling, golden whip in his hand with a flourish. A powerful murderous aura emanated from the whip, along with a palpable bloodthirst.

"Do you think you can dodge my attacks with speed alone? How naïve!" Shen Fan chuckled. "This is the Raging Serpent's Whip, formed from the bone and tendon of a Raging Serpent from the infinite oceans of Myriad Abyss! It contains the spirit of that beast. I will use it to consume your soul in turn!"

Raging Serpent?

Jiang Chen knew the bloodline was draconic in nature, though a mutated offshoot. Raging Serpents were fierce and bloodthirsty, capable of consuming all in their paths. They were some of the most combat-capable dragons out there, and every part of their bodies was suitable to be refined into treasure. Their tendons especially, were superb for weaponry.

It was rare to see such a complete tendon in the wild. Jiang Chen was surprised that Shen Fan had something like this – and so well-refined, to boot. The quality of that empyrean weapon was nothing short of splendid.

Shen Fan actually isn't an enemy to take lightly.

"Shen Fan, a treasure like the Raging Serpent's Whip is supposed to be a blessing to its bearer. Alas, you'd rather wag your tail like a dog. Don't you know that dogs aren't fit to own valuable things? You bring shame to all Raging Serpents everywhere, and their draconic ancestors as well!" Jiang Chen intentionally poked at his opponent.

Shen Fan flew into a rage. "Death is staring at you in the face, kid! Shut up!"

He brandished his whip to create a myriad of swings and waves. The weapon created a series of afterimages that glittered enticingly in the air. The air whooshed ominously, like a reaper doing his work.

The power of the Raging Serpent's Whip didn't lie solely in its destructive ability. It could also strike at a cultivator's consciousness, tearing away bits of essence and blood with each blow.

Truth be told, Shen Fan could probably rely on his Raging Serpent's Whip to even fend off someone as strong as Xiahou Zong for a long time. The whip rent the air with terrifying force.

"I'd like to see how long you can dodge from me, kid!" Shen Fan had clearly trained extensively with his whip. He wielded it like an extension of his body.

Jiang Chen's speed advantage was more pronounced because of it. Thousands of his images danced through the air, making it impossible to see where he specifically was with the naked eye.

Shen Fan was hardly concerned. "You're very fast, kid, but that doesn't matter. In my zone of control, you won't escape my whip's judgment no matter how fast you are!"

As soon as his voice fell, the Raging Serpent's Whip seemed to elongate as it spun in circles in midair. Golden rings rippled outward from the weapon, creating a number of strange, black glyphs. Their oddness warranted special attention.

"Restrict, cut!"

The Raging Serpent's Whip suddenly collapsed inward.

Fwoosh!

Space seemed to be cut apart by ring after ring of the whip.

Shen Fan stared at the air, half-expecting an explosion of blood and guts. Unfortunately, the lack thereof of anything significant disappointed him.

"How can this be?"

The zone of control provided by the Raging Serpent's Whip was already absurd enough. There was almost nowhere in the ring the whip couldn't reach.

The whip first sliced up space horizontally, then vertically. No mortal man could escape the whip's fine dicing. Even flies were powerless before such a dense attack vector. But where had Shao Yuan gone??

"Looks like this whip really is a waste in your hands." A voice echoed forth from the air.

"Where are you?" Shen Fan roared, pushing his consciousness to the maximum. He raised his whip to deliver a lethal attack anytime.

"I'm here."

"And here."

"And here…" Countless voices rang through the air. Suddenly, images of Shao Yuan began to crop up all around Shen Fan.

Each afterimage was more real than the last. A faintly mocking expression decorated every face with biting disdain. Clearly, Jiang Chen didn't think much of him. This hurt Shen Fan deeply.

"All you know are little tricks, kid!" Shen Fan was positively infuriated. "Ghosts and spirits, begone!"

He flourished the Raging Serpent's Whip as much as he could. It swept into the indistinguishable afterimages like a bolt of lightning. By Shen Fan's logic, both true and false options were targeted by the whip.

The afterimages were snuffed out like candles being extinguished. When they disappeared, they turned into blue smoke that vanished before his eyes. There was no anticipated detonation of biological matter.

Shen Fan felt his heart race. He recognized all too late that this opponent wasn't as easy as he'd thought. The Raging Serpent's Whip was his strongest tool. His prominence in the Cloudwave Sect – and among other youths of his generation as well – was owed to the weapon.

The whip was more than just a strong weapon. It transformed his aura and granted him hidden advantages. Many of his opponents crumbled thanks to the whip's passive intimidation alone.

Thus, Shen Fan almost felt that he could face Xiahou Zong without too much of a handicap. So why would he care about Shao Yuan? His battle against the youth merely a minor responsibility to Xiahou Zong.

But things hadn't gone nearly as easily as he had thought. Though he had the Raging Serpent's Whip, his opponent was significantly more recalcitrant. Jiang Chen's unfathomable way of moving and suite of various methods went beyond his scope of knowledge.

Chapter 1768: Tremble, Raging Serpent!

Shen Fan's speed of attack increased even further. He didn't believe that Shao Yuan could overcome the limitations of the arena. He firmly believed that if he waved his whip more quickly, he would eventually catch up.

Furthermore, he had created powerful turbulence in the entire area. How could his opponent move around freely under these tempestuous circumstances?

He made all attempts to push his own limits. As long as he could cover the field with attacks, where would his enemy hide?

"What good will hiding do you, kid? Come out and fight!" Shen Fan grumbled loudly, his voice agitated. Clearly, the minimal effectiveness of his attempts upset him somewhat. Rather than genuine anger though, his pride was wounded.

He'd already brought out his Raging Serpent's Whip – shouldn't he have won easily after that? Why couldn't he just kill his opponent already?

Fighting in the other arenas had largely concluded. Gentleman Sui Chen had surrendered to Xiahou Zong without actually fighting.

Yan Qingsang was wise to back out after a quick probe and sensing his opponent's intense killing intent. Just as Jiang Chen had instructed, he didn't give his opponent a chance to kill him.

He was also discovering an insidious hidden force that was targeting the Eternal Sacred Ground. It seemed that every competitor from the sacred ground faced a deathmatch in the ring.

Another genius from the sacred ground managed to win against his opponent after a vicious bout, but it was a pyrrhic victory: it was unlikely he would be able to do much in the next round.

Jiang Chen was the Eternal Sacred Ground's lone hope and even he was in a dangerous position.

No one had expected something like this to happen before the competition. This was only the third round! The top sixteen were still being decided, yet the sacred ground was almost completely eliminated.

Over in House Xiahou's area, Xiahou Ying clenched her fists and yelled. "Shen Fan, you bastard, you boast everyday about how skilled you are! If you can't handle an outsider kid, don't bother visiting House Xiahou ever again!"

Xiahou Zhen smiled slightly. "Ying'er, don't be so anxious. Shao Yuan is at his wit's end. The Raging Serpent's Whip increases in power with the fury of its master. Since Shao Yuan has riled Shen Fan up, he will fall as soon as whip and wielder reach an accordance to summon the Raging Serpent spirit within."

"Really?" Xiahou Ying brightened. "So Shen Fan isn't worthless after all!"

"Yes. Shen Fan is one of the few in the nation that can cause a bit of trouble for your brother. 'A bit of trouble' is all he can do, of course."

Xiahou Ying puffed out her chest, proud on her brother's behalf. "Of course. The genius who can challenge my brother in Eternal Divine Nation hasn't been born yet!"

Xiahou Zhen chuckled. He very much agreed with that analysis.

In the area designated for the imperial family and its retainers, the emperor watched the fighting with great enjoyment. "I didn't think much of Shao Yuan during his fight with Wu You," he remarked, "but it looks like he's much more capable than he seemed earlier. Does he match his strength to his opponent?"

"A reasonable statement, Your Majesty. Still, I don't think it's wise for him to anger Shen Fan like this. Sticking to evasion will prove futile in the end. If I were him, I would defeat Shen Fan before he has a chance to gather his rage. If he doesn't take this opportunity now, he might not get another."

The emperor quite agreed with his servant. "Indeed. With the Raging Serpent's Whip in hand, Shen Fan is sure to stand at the forefront of the divine nation's future."

"Astutely said, Your Majesty."

"Haha, let's keep watching the battle. Maybe Shao Yuan has a plan after all?"

"I'm sure he does. It's obvious that he doesn't understand the weapon well enough though. The summoning of the spirit inside will spell his doom."

...

The flames of Shen Fan's anger were being stoked ever higher. His endless failures to hit his opponent caused his temper to burn with an unsustainable heat.

"Come out, come out Shao Yuan! Do you think you can run away from my judgment forever? You're too young, too simple!" Shen Fan cackled. An incantation lengthened the whip once more. The weapon was sheathed in a golden light even as black runes multiplied on its surface. Bestial roaring filled the air, as if the monster trapped within would break free at any second.

"Come out, spirit of the Raging Serpent, all-powerful and all-consuming!" Shen Fan's eyes burned with furious fire.

The manic light interweaved with the Raging Serpent's Whip, making a golden shadow erupt from the weapon. Roughly serpentine in shape, it bellowed as it twisted to and fro in the air.

The Raging Serpent!

Its spirit had finally been summoned. There was mass silence in the stands. The first prime lowered her head, not willing to bear seeing what would come next.

She regretted not having given Shao Yuan some defensive treasures. Perhaps she'd been too miserly. A cultivator without powerful treasures was at a disadvantage in arena fights.

The ferocious serpent spirit became more and more substantial as it rose higher into the air. Similarly, the increasing volume of its thrum made the weather change and the sky color.

Shen Fan was strangely calm now and no longer brandished his Raging Serpent's Whip about. "All-powerful Raging Serpent, pursue that evil soul to world's end! Go, go, go!" he muttered.

As he did so, Jiang Chen alighted on the arena ground opposite to him. He sat cross-legged on its edge, his expression entirely relaxed.

"That was enough time for me to take several naps. Is that all you can do? I suppose some light exercise helps me sleep." Derision suffused his tone.

Shen Fan bristled with irritation. He knew his opponent was trying to get a rise out of him, but he couldn't help wanting to cough up blood at the insult nevertheless.

"Don't you know yet that you're going to die, kid?!"

His tone grew sinister. The serpent spirit had gathered enough energy to peak in form and strength. It was dozens of yards long as it spiraled the skies, exuding grandeur and lust for carnage. It was a perfect embodiment of its race's inherent bloodthirst.

Jiang Chen raised his head back up to the sky, still perfectly calm. "An insignificant spirit of a mere Raging Serpent. Is this your ultimate attack, Shen Fan?"

There was undisguised contempt in his voice.

"I've had enough of your empty words, kid!" Shen Fan retorted angrily. "The spirit of the Raging Spirit will eat you alive! Your body, blood, and spirit will be food for its evolution!"

"Really?" Jiang Chen sneered.

Suddenly, golden air currents whipped up around him. Overwhelming energy manifested itself as an aureate ocean, suppressing the encroaching waters that were pressing in.

The young man's lips moved, muttering something. Trails of runes, ancient and mysterious, surged around his entire body.

In the next moment, Jiang Chen roared into the sky, emitting a long and piercing croon. The weather changed once more; dust and debris kicked up everywhere, and the firmament swelled with clouds.

A, a dragon's roar!

The spirit of the Raging Spirit was antagonized by the sound. It roared to match, then surged down with its claw outstretched.

"Know your place, beast!" Jiang Chen cackled.

His draconic bloodline was pushed to its zenith. At the same time, a draconic image flickered into existence behind him, rippling upward like a waterfall reversing its flow.

Countless rays of golden light gathered into a draconic geyser. The dragon image rushed toward the serpent spirit with devastating might and savagery.

A strange phenomenon occurred. The seething Raging Serpent spirit was brought to a sudden halt, as if something was at its throat. Like it had seen the scariest thing in the world, the golden image trembled with fear, its predatory aura all but lost.

Every member of the audience was astounded by the sight. Even the most optimistic among them hadn't expected such a dramatic turnaround.

The first prime brightened once more. She was experienced enough to understand what had occurred. A true dragon's image and roar was sufficiently intimidating to every Raging Serpent that had ever existed.

The nobility and purity of its origin ancestor naturally subdued a serpent, who was powerless before a being of a higher order. It wasn't surprising that the Raging Serpent spirit would have such a drastic reaction in light of this.

But those far more ignorant than the first prime were left in the dark still. Exactly what was going on here?

Chapter 1769: The Destined Battle

The spirit of a Raging Serpent was Shen Fan's most powerful move. Its failure was the last straw that made his dao heart waver.

The audience marveled at what they saw.

"Are you seeing this? What is that?"

"I think that's the projection of a true dragon."

"Is Shao Yuan a descendent of a true dragon? He wouldn't be able to use its bloodline otherwise."

"The dragon bloodline is one of the most powerful bloodlines there is! There hasn't been anyone of a pure dragon bloodline in Myriad Abyss, has there?"

"No, there hasn't been any… There've been a few instances, but their bloodlines were diluted or impure."

"Who would've thought that Shao Yuan is from a line of true dragons? This is crazy!"

"The sacred land is the sacred land after all. Their ability to excavate geniuses is admirable."

"There are reasons why it's been able to rule over Eternal Divine Nation for so many years."

"Even the Raging Serpent failed. Shen Fan is done."

Xiahou Zong had ended his match some time ago. He was calmly watching Jiang Chen fight with an impassive expression.

"Brother, it seems that Shao Yuan has been holding back," Xiahou Ying muttered in a conflicted tone.

"Hmph, I hope he's hiding more from us, or I'll be disappointed." Xiahou Zong still spoke like he reigned over all.

"My brother is the best of all geniuses. Shao Yuan has a few tricks up his sleeve, but that's it. You need to teach him a harsh lesson and cripple him to the point where he'll have to be carried off stage, brother!"

"Just you wait for a good show," Xiahou Zong responded calmly.

The emperor wore a slight frown. He hadn't expected things to pan out this way.

"Your Majesty, Shao Yuan comes from a true dragon bloodline? The Raging Serpent's power is greatly diminished in face of that."

The emperor sighed. "Looks like we've underestimated him."

"Let's match him with Xiahou Zong next," the imperial supervisor said in a low voice.

The emperor smiled slightly. The imperial family had been targeting the sacred land without masking their intentions. According to their original plans, the sacred land should be eliminated completely during this round. However, Shao Yuan had turned out to be an unexpected cockroach.

All strength drained out of Shen Fan's body after the serpent spirit was defeated. He backed away before Jiang Chen could even use any techniques. It was clear that he had lost.

As everyone expected, Jiang Chen won easily and kicked his opponent off the stage. It was an utterly humiliating way to lose.

Jiang Chen didn't strut about like a cocky winner. Instead, he looked as if it was only natural for him to win.

Cheers erupted from the audience. The Eternal Sacred Land was especially enthusiastic in showing its support.

Their fight had been the most exciting one during this round. The twists and turns had been absolutely exhilarating.

The sacred land could maintain a shred of their dignity thanks to Jiang Chen's victory. He was their only remaining candidate.

Even the densest fool could tell there was something wrong with matchmaking. Factions that supported the sacred land were especially sensitive to what was happening and couldn't be more shocked.

The sacred land was the true ruler behind the scenes. The imperial family was brazenly challenging and displaying open defiance. Would the sacred land stand for this? Or would it strike back after the competition?

Those more observant realized that a serious conflict was on the horizon for the nation, and the current order would be disrupted. No matter what, the sacred land's image had been greatly damaged in the competition, and their authority fundamentally challenged.

There had been a shortage of talent within the sacred land in recent years, but the Five Great Gentlemen were among the best compared to geniuses from the other big factions. And it was undeniable that the top geniuses from the sacred land outnumbered those of the other factions.

However, the sacred land barely had a single spot in the final sixteen! This was the utmost of humiliation in all of its history, and completely unacceptable.

Besides, Shao Yuan's victory meant very little. Given what had happened, he was going to encounter a powerful opponent, or even Xiahou Zong in the next round.

Jiang Chen exited the stage and returned to the resting area. Those from the sacred land came up to offer words of encouragement. This fight had finally earned him the respect and approval of his peers.

Jiang Chen had thought the first prime would urge caution, but instead, she only told him to do his best and not think too much. It was puzzling. Even he, a new recruit to the sacred land, could tell that they were being targeted. The first prime must know as well.

What is she thinking? Has she not realized that the imperial family is doing this on purpose? No way. The only explanation is that she's refraining from doing anything out of consideration for the greater good. Perhaps she has a bigger plan as well.

Jiang Chen didn't want to be involved in politics between senior executives, but he couldn't just ignore it. Power might change hands because of the struggle. Things were going to get bloody no matter who won.

If the sacred land lost their control over the nation as the forefather predicted, they'd be destroyed. On the other hand, heads would also roll if the sacred land was to eliminate the threats.

It was a zero sum game.

Jiang Chen's keen intuition shrieked that the sacred land was in danger. Many top Eternal factions seemed to have reached an understanding and were acting together. He couldn't be sure if all factions had turned on the sacred land, but a good number had.

Tempestuous times were about to descend on Eternal Divine Nation.

He tried his best to regain calm. He was already on the sacred land's side. There was no changing that. They were bound together through thick and thin, or elopement with Huang'er was his only other choice.

The latter was obviously not viable. Even if Huang'er was willing to run away ignobly with him, he couldn't be a deserter and flee like a coward.

No matter if there was a grand conspiracy against the sacred land, or how perfectly it was designed, what he had to do was to disrupt it.

Perhaps even Xiahou Zong was part of it.

If he's involved, I'll start by eliminating him.

Xiahou Zong's defeat was bound to hinder their plan no matter how many steps were involved. His defeat would be the loss of a strategic pawn for the ambitious House Xiahou. What would happen if one of their key players was killed in this competition?

Jiang Chen was thrilled by the prospect. Ever since he'd learned of Xiahou Zong, he could tell that the man would be his rival, an obstacle he had to overcome.

And now, the time had come.

No matter how well-known and respected you are, Xiahou Zong, it will all be in the past after this fight! This I swear!

If Jiang Chen's speculations were right, there was a ninety percent chance that he'd encounter Xiahou Zong tomorrow. He didn't know how the hosts had been manipulating matchmaking, but they were certainly doing something.

Hopefully they'll keep doing what they've been doing. I want to fight Xiahou Zong next. The wait is getting tedious.

Jiang Chen wasn't interested in being champion. His only goal was to kill Xiahou Zong. The rest of the matches didn't matter much.

And his guess was proven right. The hosts weren't even trying to hide their trickery now. They shamelessly paired Jiang Chen with Xiahou Zong in the fourth round.

Xiahou Zong seemed to have seen it coming. He had a knowing smile on his face when he saw who his opponent was.

A good number of people had foreseen the result as well. There were no shortage of sharp folks here. They'd connected the dots and pieced together what the imperial family was doing.

Chapter 1770: Perpetuation of Grudges and Resentment

The first prime seemed to have sunk a meditative state that allowed her to ignore the host's provocative dishonesty.

Many were curious as to what was happening.

Wasn't the Eternal Sacred Land supposed to be the prevailing authority? Why was the autocratic first prime suddenly silent when obviously targeted and suppressed? This didn't seem typical sacred ground style at all.

The other matches were no longer interesting. The audience focused on the fight between Xiahou Zong and Jiang Chen.

Meanwhile, everyone on the sacred land's side was furious. The cheating was far too obvious! Was the imperial family trumpeting their own clout to the sacred land?

Yan Qingsang had mixed feelings at the moment. On one hand, he wanted Jiang Chen to pull off a miracle and smother Xiahou Zong's arrogance. On the other, he was far too wary of Xiahou Zong to think that Jiang Chen could do that with any ease.

"Brother, Xiahou Zong is different from all the others. Don't bring an unrealistic attitude into the ring. He's no Shen Fan, no Gan Ning – or anyone else, for that matter. Let's put it this way: all of the opponents you've had up to now combined wouldn't win against him. You have to keep your guard up and think of yourself as an underdog. Constant vigilance and a bit of luck may just help you turn it all around…" He tried to give Jiang Chen some advice.

Jiang Chen was completely relaxed. "Brother Yan." He patted Yan Qingsang's shoulder. "I'm totally calm right now. Unfortunately, I can't take your advice. For this one, I'm following only my heart and true self. If you trust me, then be at ease and admire how the fight plays out. If you're angry at Xiahou Zong, watching what's about to happen will definitely be an outlet for that."

"You…" Yan Qingsang was stunned.

Jiang Chen looked away, to the other geniuses from the sacred land. Most of them were of one mind by now. Though none said anything specifically, their eyes communicated all.

Gentleman Sui Chen was the only one to don a caring smile that seemed slightly hollow. "Brother Shao Yuan, we don't know each other that well, but do take care. It's not a big deal to surrender. There's nothing shameful about abstaining from fighting a monster."

The other geniuses were somewhat taken aback at this declaration.

Wu You, who'd lost to Jiang Chen earlier, frowned. "What do you mean by that, Sui Chen? Are we supposed to give up out of fear before we even engage in a fight?"

Sui Chen sighed softly. "I only mean the best for Brother Shao Yuan. He is a pill dao genius of the sacred land. What's the point of risking his life in a tournament like this? Plus, who else among us can match Xiahou Zong in a deathmatch, anyways? Self-preservation seems better to me."

"I think it's because you chose to surrender earlier yourself, Sui Chen," Wu You declared coolly. "You want everyone to react just like you, is that it?"

"What do you mean by that, Wu You?" Sir Sui Chen responded with displeasure. "Are you mocking me? Do you have the courage to fight Xiahou Zong yourself?"

Wu You's tone took on an edge of hostility as well. "Even if I were a coward myself, I wouldn't recommend others to be the same. Everyone is free to make their own choice."

Jiang Chen smiled serenely. "That's enough of this bickering. We are all peers of the same faction, so there's no need for us to argue. Xiahou Zong has enjoyed his undeserved fame for many years. Someone has to rip off his mask in the end."

Without further ado, he strode towards the arena.

This fight was perhaps one of the most key events to take place since Jiang Chen had come to Eternal Divine Nation–or Myriad Abyss, for that matter. He didn't know what would happen if he won. But the worst would happen if he lost. Of course, he didn't think he was going to lose.

He walked slowly and simply into the arena, each step studied and deliberate, as if he was counting the number of steps.

At first glance, he seemed to be walking to his own execution ground.

Even those who'd hoped Jiang Chen would win shook their heads. The weakness in the way he was entering the ring was prediction enough for what was to come. Was he trying to delay the fight because of dread?

Jiang Chen, however, had fully entered a meditative state in which he had no sense of self. He was entering and melding into a whole new world.

Finally, he was done with all the steps.

Both hands behind his back, Xiahou Zong towered above all upon the stage with his handsome figure. For the onlookers, he gave off an impression of being too lofty to reach. There was a contemptuous curve flitting on his lips. All other life was as ants to him.

"Maybe you think just walking into the arena is a kind of victory, Shao Yuan." His voice was very soft, but resonated upon the eardrums of every audience member. The resonance was almost overwhelming. "Looks like you've realized it as well, from the way you walked here. This will be the day of your death. This arena will be your tomb."

The hint of contempt crept all over his face. To him, Jiang Chen was just a cockroach or flea in its last throes. A bug he would momentarily crush beneath a single finger.

A slight smile broke through Jiang Chen's somber expression. His glacial demeanor was suddenly filled with sunlight.

The genius who everyone thought had consigned himself to death was radiant all of a sudden. Like a small blade of hardy grass weathering a storm, he may be humble, but he was resilient. Had Shao Yuan actually been brainstorming a strategy?

"You still have a chance." Xiahou Zong's ear-piercing voice echoed at Jiang Chen's ear once more. "I grant you an opportunity to kneel to me and become my servant. I can forgive your past indiscretions. For though I mete out decisive judgment, I am also occasionally merciful."

Jiang Chen laughed.

"I've had enough of you blowing hot air, Xiahou Zong. It's time for me to put in a few words of my own." His grin widened as he spoke. "I counted eighty-one steps into the ring, each corresponding to a way for you to die. Which do you prefer, if I may ask?"

The grin transformed the young man into utter light-hearted and relaxed composure. To him, Xiahou Zong was the ant.

What?

Jiang Chen hadn't exactly kept his voice down, which allowed everyone else to hear what he'd said as well. The crowd collectively doubted their ears.

How could Shao Yuan say something like this to Xiahou Zong? Did he no longer want to live? Or was he cutting off any hope of retreating?

Was this the resolution he'd adopted in the face of certain death?

Some were shocked, others amused, still others scornful or sympathetic. Above all, there was a general mood of confusion.

Xiahou Zong raised an eyebrow. Rather than being incited to anger, he smiled. "Maybe you're trying to provoke me with your foolish words, kid, or push yourself to new heights by cutting off your way out. What a shame that it's all pointless. Do you know why I'm even talking to you right now? I only need a single breath to kill you. You don't have much longer to live, so I'm taking this time to admire your ugliness as much as I can. You're going to spend a very, very long time dying!"

"You're great at spinning stories." Jiang Chen suddenly started clapping. "I appreciate the marvelous fiction, Xiahou Zong. But the audience will admire someone's ugliness today: yours!"

Without waiting for a response, he smiled faintly. "You're not the first of House Xiahou to die at my hands. Aside from Xiahou Xi, there was Xiahou Jing as well. You, Xiahou Zong, will be the third."

"What did you say? Xiahou Jing?" Xiahou Zong suddenly paused.

"Xiahou Jing." Jiang Chen nodded smoothly.

Though Xiahou Zong was mildly bewildered, he quickly shrugged it off with a smile. "They were trash anyway. So they're dead? What of it? But even the trash you killed belongs to House Xiahou. You have no right to kill them. This is just another strike on your list of crimes."

"I don't see you as any different from them, Xiahou Zong," Jiang Chen sneered. "All of your pride and accolades are a joke to me. Alright, enough small talk; if you're the cause of House Xiahou's unrealistic ambitions, then let me annihilate them – starting with you!"

He grew stern as he finished, then made a single motion. Innumerable pillars of golden light flared up, enshrouding his entire body within.

It was Jiang Chen's tempered body from the Nine Transformations of Demons and Gods, a method worthy of being ranked in the heavenly planes. He hadn't managed to perfect it prior to empyrean realm, but fourth level empyrean meant a world of difference. All sorts of abilities and methods he had trouble with before were perfected without much effort.

The magnificently splendid golden light stunned the crowd into awed silence. Some who'd lost their faith in Jiang Chen regained a little of it.

Xiahou Zong smirked with disdainful arrogance. "Maybe you have a few skills, kid, or a bloodline you inherited. But do you think that you can even shake the great Xiahou Zong? Open your eyes! We're in Eternal Divine Nation! I am like a great tree that touches the sky, and you, a slightly bigger ant. The idea that you have any chance at all is absolutely ludicrous!"

Chapter 1771: Battle of the Eye Arts, Again

Having been the foremost genius for a long time in this nation, Xiahou Zong's pride and confidence was at an indescribable peak. But, the general public had to admit that he had a good reason for his stance.

The ant and tree analogy, well…

Before now, no one had thought much of Jiang Chen – the sacred land's first prime included. The only exception was Jiang Chen himself.

"A great tree can be felled by only an axe, Xiahou Zong. Perhaps you're a great tree among the geniuses of this nation, but I will be the edge that cuts you down! Your absurd ego and vanity must be destroyed. Only then can the rest of the geniuses enjoy a clear sky, free from your cloying canopy."

As he concluded, Jiang Chen shot a potent ray out of his Evil Golden Eye. The radiant strike burst forth thickly with commanding sharpness. He had chosen to use his eye arts from the outset.

"I hear that you use an ocular skill as well. The 'Scorching Sun Eye', was it? Shall we have a little contest of the eyes, then?"

Jiang Chen's impassive voice was scattered all about Xiahou Zong with no sense of directionality. The fabric of the world shook as he projected his speech in a manner no less impressive than Xiahou Zong's.

This strange sight astounded the crowd once more. The most they had hoped out of Jiang Chen was to be able to fend off several of Xiahou Zong's assaults. Even the most imaginative hadn't expected Shao Yuan to match his opponent in terms of presence.

The momentum, poise, and accompanying tone of ease showed very well that the fight wasn't necessarily going to be a one-sided slaughter. Shao Yuan had been grossly underestimated!

How many years had it been since there was a youth capable of remotely holding his own against Xiahou Zong? In fact, who had ever witnessed anyone brave enough to challenge Xiahou Zong before?

Today, that record had been broken.

This young man before them had not only confronted Xiahou Zong head on, but hadn't lost even in the pre-battle details. Even the pressure-based tactics the latter was most adept at didn't bring about an advantage. Xiahou Zong hadn't managed to gain an upper hand at all in the beginning.

Xiahou Zong was surprised himself. He had said so much to work up a momentum of his own. His consciousness and aura had begun to expand quite a while ago.

But to his chagrin, his enemy was both resourceful and daring enough to match his pace. Moreover, Shao Yuan was aggressive indeed – he seemed to want to fight toe-to-toe.

Arts of the eye?

Xiahou Zong snickered. "Kid," he snorted, "it's rare for me to see another cultivator who can deploy any eye art. You're far too inferior to duel me, though!"

His consciousness flared up with scorching heat, burning like the midday sun. Solar energy gathered in his eyes, blinding like two miniature orbs of the noblest fire.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Terrifyingly fiery beams blasted forth from his eyes like gouts of potent flame.

"An inconsequential trick." Sneering in turn, Jiang Chen parried with two impossibly sharp rays that cut into the scorching ones from his opponent.

Boom!

Two equally domineering ocular skills collided in midair, much like two mortal enemies at berserk odds with each other. Each pair worked hard to cut through or melt the other. For a time, there was a terrifying standstill.

In that same instant, both cultivators moved to launch additional missiles in unspoken consensus. Deadly light sprayed indiscriminately into the air. There was an impromptu battle with the arts of the eye occurring in the airspace above the arena.

A single scratch would be enough to reduce a man to dust and ashes, and the ring was filled with the fatal attacks.

Barely anywhere safe was left to stand. Every inch of room was hellishly dangerous. However, the dueling opponents seemed to have come to an agreement about the mode of their contest. They both pushed their ocular skills to their utmost lethality.

Up until now, Jiang Chen had never met his match in ocular skills before. The two young man were at an unprecedented standoff.

Those watching below from the sacred land grew more hopeful. Yan Qingsang especially clenched his fists even more tightly, his eyes becoming ever more intense.

"I knew he could do it," his lips trembled.

"What're you muttering about, Brother Qingsang?" Wu You asked curiously.

"Ah, nothing much," the young man waved a hand. "I didn't say anything."

Wu You smiled, then looked around. "Oh, yes, did your cousin Yan Qinghuang not come to the tournament?"

Yan Qingsang shook his head. "She didn't want to put too much pressure on Brother Shao Yuan."

Wu You sighed softly, then glanced at the first prime. "First Prime, do you think Brother Shao Yuan has a shot at winning?" he asked in a low voice.

The first prime was still recovering from the throes of amazement. She had never thought Shao Yuan would really rise to meet the challenge. The two youths were just as evenly matched as they had been earlier. She couldn't predict where the fight would go from now on, but this was a good start.

"Shao Yuan's ocular skill is rather astonishing. I think his is actually more piercing than Xiahou Zong's, objectively speaking," Ziju Min remarked in commentary.

"Indeed, Shao Yuan's technique is superior," the first prime nodded. "Xiahou Zong's art is fueled more by his own cultivation. He seems considerably stronger than before his closed door cultivation."

Ziju Min drew a sharp breath. "Did you notice that it's the same way with Shao Yuan?"

"It looks like their cultivation levels aren't far apart. What's with Shao Yuan? Does he have some secret art to temporarily increase his cultivation?" The first prime found the short-term change frankly impossible. After all, everyone knew that Shao Yuan hadn't broken through to empyrean realm yet when he joined the sacred land.

It had been less than two years since his ascension. There was no way he could've broken through multiple times in a single year to reach mid empyrean realm, was there?

That completely defied common sense.

However, the ease with which Shao Yuan was fighting implied that he was probably mid empyrean.

The first prime was utterly confused. The fact that the two young cultivators were still trading ocular blows meant that it was difficult to judge their cultivation levels, which further compounded the problem.

It made sense for Xiahou Zong to have reached mid empyrean realm. He had the talent and the resources to do so. Though Shao Yuan did have the talent, he lacked the reasonable timeframe required to advance so quickly in so short a period of time.

"Come here, Qingsang." The first prime glanced at the named youth.

Yan Qingsang complied with the command. "What are your orders, First Prime?"

"You're close to Shao Yuan. Has he said anything to you recently?"

"Sure. He's said a lot to me about this tournament."

"Anything about Xiahou Zong?" The first prime furrowed her brow.

"Yes, I believe so. I don't think he was particular anxious about this fight – in fact, he seemed quite matter-of-fact about it. I sometimes had the impression that he really was capable of taking down Xiahou Zong." Yan Qingsang was totally truthful.

"Did he really say that?"

"Yes indeed. He treated Xiahou Zong with an inherent cool disdain, rather than the fear and wariness common to others in our generation," Yan Qingsang vowed.

The first prime was comforted a great deal upon hearing this.

"Good, good, good! A true genius, hmm? I finally believe it myself. Shao Yuan is destined to be an even brighter star than Xiahou Zong. That's why he doesn't care about him, I suppose."

"Ah, that's right! He also said that Xiahou Zong was just a minor obstacle, someone he could easily kick aside," recalled Yan Qingsang.

A wide smile crept across the first prime's face. "Alright, then. Let's pay attention to the fight. Shao Yuan might not be able to win today, but he definitely won't lose badly."

She had the reassurance she wanted.

As long as Shao Yuan could remain graceful in defeat, that was a win. After all, how long had Shao Yuan come to the sacred land for?

It was very encouraging for a genius who had barely been in the sacred land for two years to nearly tie with Xiahou Zong. With some time and growth, Shao Yuan would have another opportunity to challenge Xiahou Zong in the international tournament of geniuses.

The contest of ocular skill wasn't over yet. Energy and light ricocheted everywhere.

It seems that Xiahou Zong is adept with the eye arts as well. Unless I can crush him utterly through cultivation alone, I will have a hard time winning with my Evil Golden Eye.

Jiang Chen hadn't expected to win with just this alone, anyways.

The two young men came to an unspoken consensus once more, taking several steps back in near-unison to draw back their ocular skills.

Resentment burned in Xiahou Zong's heart, but his head became ever calmer. His opponent was much more difficult and fearsome than he had anticipated. How many years had it been since he had used the fullness of his strength in a match?

No opponent had been strong enough to allow him to do so here in Eternal Divine Nation before!

Chapter 1772: To Give Tit for Tat

Truth be told, most hadn't anticipated the parity of the two competitors' eye arts.

Xiahou Ying's pout was pronounced enough to hang a coat on. She'd wanted to admire her brother making mincemeat out of Shao Yuan, but the familiar sight of his victory hadn't come.

The Scorching Sun Eye was one of Xiahou Zong's most proficient arts. Who would've expected Xiahou Zong not to gain an inch in a contest involving it?

Eye arts were one of the most technical and involved of all martial skills. They required not only the arts themselves, but strength of cultivation and consciousness as well. They needed all three components to deploy at peak power. When perfected, an ocular skill used the cultivator's consciousness to strike down their enemy.

What was up with Shao Yuan? Tying with Xiahou Zong was no easy feat.

Xiahou Ying almost wanted to head into the ring to help her brother.

Nearby, Duke Xiaoyao and Xiahou Zhen traded surprised looks. The two giants of House Xiahou were as astonished as the rest.

Xiahou Zong had never encountered such a tough opponent before in his life. Perhaps they had been too used to him stomping the competition, which made them somewhat discomfited by the current situation.

"Kid, your true dragon bloodline and your ocular skill would've made you a good candidate for being the strongest genius of this generation. Unfortunately for you, that'll never happen because you met me." Xiahou Zong smiled coolly.

He was no longer interested in underestimating his opponent after the battle of the eye arts. He despised Jiang Chen's guts, but he also knew that he needed to put some of his other skills into action.

"I don't remember that being your tune when I first entered the ring, Xiahou Zong." Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you say you'd kill me within a single breath? Ah, I see. Your breath is simply far longer than everyone else's."

Though jeering was hardly likely to be effective, Jiang Chen didn't believe that Xiahou Zong's dao heart was free of weaknesses.

He going in at every opportunity he saw, hoping to use any window to demolish his opponent with a single, decisive blow. Jiang Chen had been able to tell from the exchange of eye arts that Xiahou Zong had a higher cultivation level – at least fifth level empyrean, or perhaps sixth.

Jiang Chen himself was only new to the fourth level, and had matched Xiahou Zong thanks to different reasons.

Xiahou Zong was certainly the most exacting of opponents among Jiang Chen's generation that he'd met so far. Up until now, Jiang Chen had always obviously held every advantage after commanding his full strength. He could typically crush his peers trivially.

Therefore, this bout was special to both Xiahou Zong and Jiang Chen. For the first time in their lives, the two young men had found a worthy adversary.

"What are you so proud of? You merely managed to match my ocular skill." Xiahou Zong sneered. "It's just one out of many of my abilities. How can an ant like you know even a fraction of what I'm capable of?"

The source of his pride was his status as a reincarnated divine cultivator. Though he hadn't yet fully awakened, he considered himself practically a god already. He'd always felt an inherent superiority when it came to anyone else in his generation.

"Oh, is that so? Blowing yourself and your ego up, are you? I hope you live after it pops," jeered Jiang Chen.

"Perhaps one day I will meet a deserving rival," Xiahou Zong retorted with nonchalance. "But that person is not you, and that day is not today."

Jiang Chen chuckled. "You haven't ever come down from your high horse in your life, have you? But today, your judgment is inevitable."

"Then… die!" Xiahou Zong's eyes suddenly burned with radiance. In the next moment, he raised both hands to produce a huge disk of light atop his head. It shone like a real fiery sun.

Countless vines surged forth from around him, each bearing a sunflower upon its tip. They turned towards the burning sun above Xiahou Zong, charging up with vitality.

The spirit herbs were obviously much fiercer and more resilient than the typical sunflower. The maws at the center of the sunflowers' heads made their aggressiveness evident. Their bloody cavities made them appear as ghouls from hell, intent on consuming the world around them.

"An Infernal Sunflower?" Data about the plant leapt into Jiang Chen's mind.

It was a heavenly rank spirit herb for sure. Though it hadn't evolved to the crux of its potential, it appeared quite mature already.

The Infernal Sunflower had the suppleness and regeneration of a plant, the bloodthirst of an animal, and specialized in eating others. Most formidable was the Sunflower's noxious scent, able to invade a cultivator's consciousness undetected.

Most cultivators were defenseless before the olfactory ambush, even if they knew about how deadly the Sunflower's smell really was.

In an intense fight, it was difficult to defend against the Infernal Sunflower's multiple vectors of attack. Its poisonous miasma, constricting vines, and consuming maw formed three angles with which it approached any given fight.

The petals of the Sunflower possessed incredibly strong suction, enough to change the tide of the battle. Even if it couldn't draw in more capable cultivators, it would serve sufficient interference. All of the above often made the Sunflower's summoning often fatal.

"To force me to call upon the Infernal Sunflower… you can congratulate yourself on a worthy death, Shao Yuan."

Jiang Chen's focused expression was slowly replaced by a smile. "An Infernal Sunflower is an aberrant plant, Xiahou Zong. Still, I'm game if you want to play with your toys."

His interest had only grown upon spotting the Infernal Sunflower. Showing off manipulation of plants? Well then, bring it!

Flexing both arms, he produced a mass of vines from himself as well. It was naturally the Bewitching Lotus of Ice and Fire.

The lotus had evolved alongside his cultivation, and now that he was fourth level empyrean, it neared great perfection. Furthermore, it was valuable and powerful enough in the heavenly planes to be ranked among the top ten. It claimed superiority to the Infernal Sunflower in its genealogy.

In any case, his plant was also better grown than Xiahou Zong's. There was nothing to be concerned about.

The Infernal Sunflower did have the advantage of a poison that affected the consciousness, but the Bewitching Lotus was uniquely dual attribute and adept at illusion in its own right.

There was another wave of surprised gasps from the crowd. There was intense interest in Jiang Chen's spectacular performance. Current events were almost too incredible to behold.

Everyone had thought Shao Yuan would suffer at the tendrils of Xiahou Zong's new treasure. Its properties were widely known by many, and a cultivator with insufficient strength would be easily crushed.

Even those who were higher level than Xiahou Zong didn't enjoy going up against the Sunflower. The plant was simply too dangerous to deal with. It was hard to handle both on the attack and defense. Unless one was significantly higher level, avoiding the plant was far superior.

But if Shao Yuan were to retreat from the plant in the arena, that would be tantamount to surrender.

Public opinion had previously been uniform about Shao Yuan's eventual loss in the near future – though there was some disagreement about exactly how. And yet, he'd defied common expectations in a very good way once again. What would he do next?

"How cool. I know Xiahou Zong's plant is the Infernal Sunflower, but what is Shao Yuan's? Are both young men spirit creature controllers? That's real genius for you!"

"Indeed. We've all known about Xiahou Zong's genius for a long time, but there's plenty to discover about Shao Yuan."

"Everyone has underestimated Shao Yuan. Looks like he held back in the fights against Wu You and Shen Fan. If he hadn't, those two wouldn't have lasted a second against him."

"Amazing, amazing. This fight will go down in history as a classic!"

"How many years has it been since a fight like this between youngsters of Eternal Divine Nation? Is Xiahou Zong's arrogant era over?"

"Impossible! Xiahou Zong has been established for too long. Shao Yuan has the genius to match, but not the time and experience. He won't be able to win in the end without those other necessary factors." Most favored Xiahou Zong still.

In fact, very few actually favored Jiang Chen to win despite his defiance of expectations time and time again. Still, most were hopeful he could hold Xiahou Zong up for awhile longer and cause him some more trouble. Learning about the best genius of the generation's special attacks was useful in itself.

Only some from Eternal Divine Nation had the beautiful dream of Jiang Chen's triumph.

Xiahou Zong glanced at the Bewitching Lotus disdainfully. "I wouldn't be able to tell from just looking at you that you had something like this. But do you think you'll be able to stop my sunflower's attacks using those pathetic vines?"

"The Infernal Sunflower is just a second rate spirit herb. Only a third rate cultivator like you would treat it like his treasure. What would your little sunflower do if I simply… stood here?" Jiang Chen matched with equal scorn.