Dominance
Dominance
On the hallowed grounds of the Sacred Battle Platform, Qin Wentian brandished his halberd, directing its gleaming tip toward Liu Lan. The chilling aftermath of Di Shi's fall still lingered in the air, casting an ominous shadow over Liu Lan's heart.
The difference between defeating an opponent and ending their life was stark. In this grand arena of warriors, each contender possessed their hidden cards, formidable tricks up their sleeves. The death of an adversary was no simple task unless a significant power gap existed. Yesterday, when Liu Lan had faced off against Qin Wentian, despite enjoying a tactical edge, he hadn't managed to secure a kill. Now, however, the tables had turned dramatically. Qin Wentian, who had once appeared vulnerable, had harnessed the elusive true intent, transforming himself into a formidable force capable of vanquishing Di Shi.
This development marked Qin Wentian as an imminent threat to Liu Lan's life, sending a chilling tremor through his spine.
Members of the Violet Thunder Sect, the architects behind Liu Lan's participation in this monumental clash, wore tense and grim expressions. Their intention had been to eliminate Qin Wentian before he could ascend further in power. Liu Lan, a peak Heavenly Dipper cultivator who had grasped the true intent of a Mandate, had seemed more than capable of dispatching his adversary. However, reality had proved cruel. Qin Wentian's astonishing perception had allowed him to grasp true intent amid the tumultuous battle, catapulting him from one of the weakest contestants to an overwhelming force surpassing Liu Lan.
With a pointed gesture, Qin Wentian challenged Liu Lan to step forward. Both Di Shi and Liu Lan had forged a deadly pact with Qin Wentian—one of them would emerge alive from this clash, a decree intended to prevent Qin Wentian from fleeing. However, the fate of this agreement had been irrevocably altered. There could be no compromise; one of them would leave the arena as victor, and the other as a fallen warrior.
"Face your fate," Qin Wentian declared, his voice resolute. Liu Lan wrestled to control the creeping dread that had taken hold since Di Shi's demise. For a martial figure of his stature, the prospect of death was a heavy burden to bear. But the sight of Di Shi—one of the eight era-suppressing geniuses—falling before him was an unassailable testament to the unforgiving nature of their battle. There could be no room for leniency, no quarter given. Either Liu Lan would be vanquished, or Qin Wentian would meet his end.
Liu Lan, cloaked in crackling lightning, finally stepped forward. Yet his presence had waned, his once-imposing aura diminished. The self-assurance he'd displayed in their previous encounter had evaporated, leaving behind a gnawing uncertainty.
As the two combatants squared off, the atmosphere crackled with electric tension, while a palpable sense of oppression hung in the air. Lightning energy surged menacingly toward Qin Wentian, bearing down relentlessly, while an overwhelming pressure oppressed Liu Lan. This suffocating force seemed to permeate the very air itself, leaving him profoundly uncomfortable.
Liu Lan, with no room for restraint, unleashed his astral souls, intensifying the potency of his lightning. A lightning sword materialized in his grip, its blade searing through the heavens, cleaving a jagged path toward Qin Wentian.
Qin Wentian moved in perfect synchrony with the slashing motion of Liu Lan's lightning sword. His heightened perception allowed him to keenly sense every nuance of force within the atmosphere, enabling him to predict Liu Lan's movements. With unfaltering precision, he thrust his ancient halberd forward, its ferocity inducing shivers among the spectators.
BOOM!
The halberd's tip pierced the lightning bolt, rending it asunder in an explosive display of power.
The onlookers were struck dumb with awe. Qin Wentian's perception and true intent proficiency had evidently surpassed that of Liu Lan. It was an astonishing feat considering Qin Wentian had only recently unlocked his true intent. This astounding rise in power could be attributed only to his unparalleled talent, leaving no room for alternative explanations.
A pair of resplendent golden wings unfurled behind Qin Wentian, enveloping his frame in radiant, golden armor. With a burst of radiant light, he transformed into a streak of lightning, leaving a trail of shimmering afterimages in his wake.
His ancient halberd, a menacing weapon held with unwavering determination, surged toward Liu Lan's head with unyielding force. The power behind the blow was palpable even before it struck, sending a disconcerting sensation coursing through Liu Lan. It felt as though the very essence of force had coalesced at the weapon's tip, ready to deliver inevitable death. Regardless of where the halberd struck, its relentless power would cleave through flesh and bone, claiming his life without mercy.
In a whirlwind of motion, Liu Lan hastily retreated, his protective lightning barrier contracting with frantic urgency. A colossal orb of crackling lightning energy formed around him, and he unleashed it with all his might, directing it toward Qin Wentian.
Qin Wentian's lithe silhouette danced through the air, his golden wings cutting graceful arcs as they effortlessly evaded the lightning assault. Simultaneously, an imposing wave of pressure pressed upon Liu Lan, hampering his movements.
"Perish!" Liu Lan bellowed, swinging his lightning-infused sword once more. Lightning-based attacks were renowned for their swiftness and overwhelming might. Qin Wentian responded with a Star-Seizing Palm, this time empowered by the divine energy of his Yuanfu. The force of his strike cleaved the very fabric of space.
A resounding BUZZ! echoed as a blur streaked across Liu Lan's vision. Liu Lan refused to relent, pressing forward with his assault. Yet, to his surprise, Qin Wentian showed no intention of evading. With mounting pressure bearing down on him, Qin Wentian pursued Liu Lan around the platform, his movements so swift that golden silhouettes blotted out the sky.
"Liu Lan is clearly at a disadvantage," the spectators murmured, watching the battle unfold. "Just look at his defensive posture. His attacks are consuming a significant amount of astral energy, while Qin Wentian relies solely on his true intent for offense. He's operating at a much lower energy expenditure."
"And Liu Lan's confidence is waning. If this continues, he's doomed," another observer noted. Once more, Liu Lan unleashed a potent attack toward Qin Wentian, expecting him to evade. Yet, in a sudden twist, multiple incarnations of Qin Wentian surrounded Liu Lan, their palm strikes shattering the void. Simultaneously, an enormous ancient halberd loomed large in Liu Lan's field of vision, charging him head-on.
Liu Lan's heart raced as he hurriedly clashed his palms together, desperately trying to halt Qin Wentian's assault. In a shocking twist, the imbued lightning electrified his palms, transforming them into blades sharper than any edged weapon. Electric arcs sliced through the halberd, severing it in twain.
"You're courting death," Qin Wentian snarled, relinquishing the halberd and launching a dual-palm strike. A surging wave of sword qi surged forth, sweeping the entire space in its devastating wake. Countless sword inscriptions, each pulsating with annihilating energy, converged on Liu Lan.
At such close quarters, evasion was nigh impossible. Liu Lan's only recourse was to rely on the destructive might of his Lightning true intent to confront Qin Wentian head-on.
Just as he prepared to retaliate, countless sword inscriptions unleashed earlier coalesced, their collective power growing exponentially. Each inscription harbored incomprehensible destructive energy, poised to obliterate everything in their path.
The onlookers watched in awe as beams of swordlight converged on Liu Lan, manifesting myriads of blades that pierced his heart. Liu Lan's suspended form trembled violently as he fixed a venomous glare on Qin Wentian.
He had once stood as a pinnacle figure at the supreme-tier of Heavenly Dipper, a realm where his foot had grazed the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. Today, on the hallowed Sacred Battle Platform, he breathed his last.
"Whence came this torrent of sword inscriptions?" Murmurs rippled through the crowd, their hearts reverberating with a mixture of awe and fear. The sudden outburst of sword inscriptions, unleashed in the nick of time, showcased the peril of engaging Qin Wentian in close quarters.
"Inconceivable!" Wang Yunfei, belonging to the Divine Weapon Academy, paled. Even the academy's elders were taken aback. Each of those sword inscriptions mirrored what Qin Wentian had manifested once before within their institution, birthing powerful fourth-rank inscriptions with each step. However, this time, they were all sword-type inscriptions, imbued with overwhelming killing intent.
This could only mean that during Qin Wentian's prior assault, thousands of fourth-ranked inscriptions had erupted at that very moment. The sheer magnitude of this revelation was staggering. At such close proximity, escaping death would be a mere fantasy for his opponent.
"That's the second one," murmured spectators, still stunned by the unfolding spectacle. Di Shi, one of the eight era-suppressing geniuses, had been the first to fall. Now, Liu Lan, a warrior who had mastered a true intent, joined him in the afterlife. The Violet Thunder Sect members, their faces flushed with shame, were under the scrutiny of the audience's judgment.
The sect had orchestrated Liu Lan's life-and-death duel with Qin Wentian, but it had spectacularly backfired. Not only had they lost a prodigious talent in Liu Lan, but they had also incurred a monumental loss of face. Why had Liu Lan challenged Qin Wentian? The Violet Thunder Sect had orchestrated it behind the scenes. Now, their own machinations had boomeranged, causing many to mock their ineptitude. With the demise of Ye Kongfan and other Celestial Phenomenon Ascendants from their sect, the Violet Thunder Sect's reputation had plunged to rock bottom among the nine great sects.
Qin Wentian, having dispatched Liu Lan, returned to his stone platform, resuming his seat with an air of calm assurance. Out of the original nine participants, two of the eight era-suppressing geniuses had already bowed out—Di Shi had fallen, and Dongyue Hanjiang had lost an arm. With Liu Lan's elimination, the count stood at three.
Observers had begun to realize that era-suppressing geniuses Li Tian and Chi Lian, having failed to grasp a true intent, were ill-equipped to challenge powerhouses like Qin Wentian or Wu Teng. Even Radiant Gold's crown prince wielded greater might. Fan Miaoyu's prowess remained an enigma, her true strength concealed.
However, a subsequent battle unfolded, revealing Fan Miaoyu's astonishing mastery. When Chi Lian challenged her, she overcame him with ease, laying bare her true intent—the Mandate of Sound. Chi Lian stood no chance; Fan Miaoyu's higher cultivation and mastery of a true intent rendered the outcome inevitable.
This revelation cemented Fan Miaoyu's status as the most formidable among the eight era-suppressing geniuses. Li Tian, observing the contest, felt a heavy weight press upon his spirit. He conceded, "Refusing to yield would be futile. I shall return once I've grasped my true intent. I acknowledge my defeat today."
The light screen reopened, granting Chi Lian and Li Tian passage to leave. Although defeated, no one doubted their potential. As era-suppressing geniuses, their power would skyrocket once they unlocked their true intents.
In the blink of an eye, only four contestants remained on the Sacred Battle Platform—Qin Wentian, Wu Teng, Fan Miaoyu, and Radiant Gold's crown prince.
Amidst the charged atmosphere on the Sacred Battle Platform, conversations swirled among the spectators. Whispers of anticipation and speculation wafted through the crowd as they assessed the four remaining contenders.
"Among these four, the strongest should be Fan Miaoyu, and the weakest... perhaps the Radiant Gold crown prince? As for Qin Wentian and Wu Teng, it's a real toss-up between them," voiced the prevailing sentiment among the onlookers. Fan Miaoyu and Wu Teng shared the same cultivation level and both had comprehended a true intent. However, as an era-suppressing genius, Fan Miaoyu garnered the general consensus as the powerhouse among the quartet.
Wu Teng's gaze locked onto Qin Wentian, a glint of admiration in his eyes. He couldn't help but be impressed by Qin Wentian's meteoric rise. In the beginning, within the Immortal Martial Realm, Qin Wentian was an enigmatic figure. Yet, within a few short months, his name had resonated throughout the Royal Sacred Region, soaring to astonishing heights. Wu Teng felt a deep respect for such an exceptional individual, sparking a desire to test his own mettle against Qin Wentian. His intentions were pure; there was no malice in his proposal.
"Why not engage in a friendly spar?" Wu Teng suggested, extending a cordial invitation.
Qin Wentian responded with a warm smile, appreciating the genuine respect emanating from Wu Teng's demeanor. "Certainly, I'd be glad to. However, I'll need some time to fully recover to my peak condition before we engage," he replied, considering the offer.
Wu Teng nodded in agreement. "Indeed, your cultivation base is slightly lower than mine at the moment. Let's wait until you've regained your strength for a fair match." Wu Teng chuckled, showing his sporting spirit. He had no interest in an unequal contest; like Qin Wentian, he believed in fairness and honor. Qin Wentian closed his eyes, focusing on the task of restoring his condition, a smile playing on his lips as camaraderie and mutual respect filled the air.