Wang Han wouldnât have been this surprised if Jiang Chen had utilized a strong defensive talisman to devour and dispel his sword aura of silver needles. After all, all fourth rank sects had some kind of reserve of heaven defying talismans. Wang Han would never believe that Mu Gaoqi didnât have any of those in hand, since heâd dared to stand in a ring against the former. But Mu Gaoqi had used the defensive golden light from his own body to destroy Wang Hanâs silver needles? Wang Han found this rather difficult to accept.
His sword qi had been devious and wily, and would have penetrated even the smallest deficiency in the strongest defensive talisman. Once it seeped in like an insidious breath of air, it would drill into his opponentâs body like a flesh eating bug, devouring through his opponentâs flesh, blood, tendons, meridians, organs, and even consciousness! Although this move didnât count as Wang Hanâs great trump card, there was scarcely anyone in the younger generation of the entire Myriad Domain that could take this blow and still remain standing.
But now, an ant at seventh level origin realm had broken through his sword qi of silver needles with his own abilities? The match between Mu Gaoqi and Wang Jing suddenly flashed through Wang Hanâs mind. Wang Jingâs surging sword qi and frothing whale king qi currents had also been easily negated by the otherâs defenses. Wang Hang had an odd feeling in that moment. He started to truly suspect that Mu Gaoqi had some sort of treasure that defended against sharply honed attacks, resulting in his complete lack of fear when facing them.
However, Wang Han had many techniques up his sleeves. One techniqueâs failure was far from enough to make him shrink back. On the contrary, his rage had only grown and his battle intent stoked to a higher intensity!
âMu Gaoqi, I admit that Iâve underestimated you. However, youâve also successfully enraged me. Iâll let you understand today what a true sage realm genius is!â Wang Han advanced on his opponent. His approach embodied the very essence of a gaunt and ice gripped mountain . He seemed the source of all the wintry air in the world, causing the temperature around the arena to take a steep plunge. The snowstorm raged even more fiercely as it transformed into a true blizzard. Crystalline snow fell in biting sheets as the ring vanished from view. The cruel and endless world of snow and ice expanded to become a glacial kingdom in an instant.
The ring had already been covered by this snowy world, and as Wang Han continued to release his frost energy, his control over this icy land suddenly exploded. He seemed capable of freezing the very air in oneâs lungs, trapping all living beings in coffins of their own frozen flesh.
Whoosh!
A stark silver light burst into the skies behind him, streaking through the sky...
Then another...
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The silver lights crossed in mid air, coalescing to become enormously thick white chains that enclosed the arena.
âThis move again?â Jiang Chen scoffed inwardly, but noticed upon closer inspection that the movement of these silver air currents was still different from the space slicing method that Wang Jing had deployed. At the very least, the nature of the air current was different, and it seemed that Wang Hanâs ice currents were several levels stronger. However, Jiang Chenâs ascension to the sage realm had exponentially increased his strength. Even air currents twice or threefold stronger than these wouldnât be enough to hold him. Wang Hanâs frosted air currents were far from sufficient.
âMu Gaoqi, letâs see how you struggle out of my locks of mystical ice!â These interlocking air currents of mystical ice was the strongest sage realm technique that Wang Han could call upon. Not only were they frighteningly cold, they were also terrifyingly flexible. The power of extreme cold would decrease an opponentâs speed and freeze their bodyâs operations, even their very consciousness! This was one of Wang Hanâs trump cards.
Wang Hanâs gaze was cold as he inspected the layers of intersecting mystical ice. When he concluded that he hadnât left any dead corners at all, his confidence immediately exploded, certain in the knowledge that his opponent was a fish in a barrel. His opponent was now prey that he could tear into as much as he pleased. He gave a long whistle and grasped the air. A longsword materialized between his hands. Overflowing with the power of frost, it seemed like a blade of mystical ice that pulled out of a mountain of ice. It glowed with a mysterious white light, as solemnly dignified as the embodiment of the frozen wind that blows from the depths of a glacial hell.
He lifted the blade into the air and an awe-inspiring figure of an ancient demon-god coalesced above it. Its arms were raised high as it became one with the sword of mystical ice, hovering atop Jiang Chenâs head.
âTell me, kid, do you want to be sliced... or diced?â Wang Hanâa laugh and tone betrayed his mindset, certain in his superiority and about to toy with his food.
Yet, Jiang Chen smiled as a hint of pity flashed through his eyes. He suddenly felt that Wang Han was rather pathetic. Even though heâd cultivated to second level sage realm, his only way of displaying his abilities was to trample the geniuses around him. Yet, such a genius was nothing more than a frog at the bottom of the well known as the Myriad Domain. No matter how he hopped, he would never be able to hop out of the well. As his thoughts reached that point, Jiang Chen spoke up, his tone cool and indifferent. âWang Han, if all the so-called top geniuses of the Myriad Domain only know how to preen themselves like you, then you all will become the tragedy of the Myriad Domain. Since your arrogance seems to know no bounds, let me show that delusional confidence of yours what reality looks like!â
Jiang Chenâs eyes widened, as his eyes burst forth with golden light. Godâs Eye was like a bright sun behind his eyes, lighting up the entire ring. Two fountains formed within his eyes as he activated the Evil Golden Eye as well, adding metallic power to it. The golden light obliterated the silver restraints in the air, exuding a terrifying killing intent. Like the unstoppable tide of a cavalry charge, the golden light tore through everything in its path.
Pfft pfft pfft pfft!
The skies, full of currents of extreme cold, shrieked as each and every air current was ripped to shreds by the golden light. It shone forth like a conquering army, shredding the blizzard that had raged in the arena. The ring once again appeared from beneath the snow. All this, from just his eyes!
What?
Wang Han was struck dumb, as was everyone watching from beneath the ring. The ring had been obscured by the descent of a icy world, and everyone had imagined various grisly scenarios as flashes of silver light danced inside. They couldnât help but feel nervous for Mu Gaoqi as their imaginations conjured up increasingly morbid scenes under Wang Hanâs savage blows.
But theyâd never imaginedâ
They hadnât even the time to finish taking in a breath when the golden light had exploded out from the ring, and annihilate the ice-sealed world of snow. âMu Gaoqiâ stood as he had from the beginning, his arms crossed in front of him, not having changed an iota from beginning to end. The audience hadnât even seen how heâd made his move. All theyâd seen was the golden light suppressing the white light, destroying the world of snow in an instant.
âEveryone look! His eyes...â
âRight, right, there seems to be golden flecks in his eyes!â
Jiang Chen hadnât completely retracted his eye technique yet, a detail that made the audience abruptly understand what had happened.
âItâs an eye art!â
âWhat a frightening art! To think Mu Gaoqi hid himself so deeply!â
It wasnât rare to train in eye arts in the world of martial dao, and it wasnât enough to suspect Mu Gaoqiâs true identity. After all, Jiang Chen hadnât fought with many people in the Myriad Domain with his eye arts, so there werenât that many people who knew of his skill in them. Apart from Palace Head Dan Chi knowing of the Evil Golden Eye, no one else had been able to glean any hints from it.
Wang Hanâs power of mystical ice could numb his opponentâs nerves, slow them, freeze their circulation and eventually even their consciousness. Jiang Chenâs Evil Golden Eye could do the same thing, except Wang Han froze his opponents, and Jiang Chen turned his into metal. It was a good thing that Wang Han had swift reflexes. When the Evil Golden Eye swept through him, his consciousness suddenly trembled and he hastily closed his eyes. He leaped back, evading the quick intrusion from Jiang Chenâs Evil Golden Eye.
âThis kid moves fast.â Jiang Chen laughed softly inside.
Having two of his major moves thwarted, Wang Han was now quite dejected. He raised his longsword again and began to coalesce the figure once more. Without a word, he slashed down angrily with the momentum of splitting apart Mt. Hua [1].
The very air trembled as he brought his sword down, as both sides of the blade froze the air around it. Two walls of mystical ice six meters wide also came hurtling towards Jiang Chen. They sealed off his escape routes to either side as the light from the longsword hurtled down from above. It was well thought out, trapping him in place. Even underground was no longer safe as the sword would hew open the earth to get to him.
Everyone sucked in a breath when they saw this stunning strike. This blow encompassed the strongest profound mysteries of the blade that Wang Han possessed. It was a guaranteed, fatal blow that didnât allow Jiang Chen a millimeter of distance to dodge.
It was at this moment that Jiang Chen made his move. He lifted his arm slightly as he focused his energy to a small ball of light on his right index finger, one that sparkled with the deep hue of the galaxy.
âSlash!â Jiang Chen suddenly cut the air with his index finger, his speed so fast it was as if he was a ghost. The fourth technique of the Supernova PointâGalaxy Slash!
Even Cao Jin had been wary of the strength behind this multitude of slashes, much less a mere Wang Han!
Suddenlyâ
Crackcrackcrackcrack. Cracks spiderwebbed across the walls of ice as the walls groaned in protest.
An explosive bang rang out in the next instant as they collapsed into fragments of ice. However, the entire process had taken too long; Wang Hanâs fatal blow had already arrived directly above Jiang Chenâs head
âDie, kid!â Wang Han leered. Heâd given up on his mindset of toying with Jiang Chen. Multiple trump cards of his had been destroyed almost effortlessly. His only mission now was to kill Jiang Chen, by any means he could.
The blade cleaved through the air, the earth, through space itself. The audience gasped beneath the stage. They all knew that Mu Gaoqi had the golden light to protect himself with, but the blade was mere moments away from bisecting him. There was no time for the light to activate!
It was at this time that Mu Gaoqi up on the stage did something that no one wouldâve imagined in a thousand years. One hand lifted into the air, fingers splayed out wide; it was almost like... heâd raised it to catch the sword!
âWhat?! Heâs going to use his hand to block the sword?â
âOh no, Mu Gaoqi was overconfident in the end!â
âIâm afraid this blow will cut him into two!â
Many sighed; theyâd felt that Mu Gaoqi had already demonstrated the raw ability to contend with Wang Han after successfully breaking through two of his moves in a row. But who wouldâve thought that he would be so brash this time as to wish to catch Wang Hanâs blade with his bare hand? Wasnât this just asking for death?
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The westernmost mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China and has a long history of religious significance.