Chapter 111

Ye Chen's sword strike carried the ethereal grace of mountains and rivers, yet also infinite ferocity and sharpness!

"This is impossible!" At this moment, Sikong Sheng's face was filled with shock.

This was the first time since the Dragon Pool Rankings began that he had encountered something beyond his control!

Whether it was the terrifying realm Ye Chen manifested, or the seven-tenths sword intent within it, both left him utterly stunned!

You should know that seventy percent sword intent has already stepped into the upper realm of sword intent; even among those swordsmen at the Astral Pole realm, very few can reach such a level!

Boom!

At this critical moment, Sikong Sheng's body trembled slightly, and an immensely terrifying true qi surged skyward, sweeping across all directions.

Even outside his body, visible specks of starlight shimmered, like diamonds—crystalline, translucent, and exquisitely condensed!

This was the half-step true origin he had long been refining!

With the enhancement of half-step true origin, Sikong Sheng's offensive and defensive capabilities were markedly strengthened; combined with the many high-grade cultivation methods he had trained, he could even fight against true Star Level cultivators.

"Get out of my way!"

After unleashing half-step true origin, Sikong Sheng's aura intensified further, then he unleashed a punch—Fist Over Jianghe—directly slamming its overwhelming power into Ye Chen's sword light.

A metallic clang rang out as the brilliant sword light and the terrifying fist force collided head-on, momentarily holding each other in balance.

The residual shockwaves from their clash spread outward in all directions, instantly piercing through the blue energy barrier surrounding the arena.

If not for several Star Level judges joining forces to defend it, many of the youngest geniuses closest to the arena would have been seriously injured!

"Seven-tenths sword intent?"

"Half-step true origin?"

Watching the two figures on the arena, nearly all spectators within Dragon Pool Ancient City froze in expression.

"What's going on? Their strength is insane—just the residual shockwaves pierced through the arena's barrier!"

"I never expected they were both holding back—one hid his sword intent at six-tenths, the other disguised his half-step true origin as true qi. This is beyond belief!"

"Too strong! Their power utterly dwarfs the entire younger generation!"

At this moment, everyone was stunned by the strength of Ye Chen and Sikong Sheng.

Among the spectators, a Star Level swordsman who had once competed with Ye Chen for the Sword-Shape Grass in the auction house flashed a look of surprise.

After all, when Ye Chen fought him for the Sword-Shape Grass, his sword intent was only at six-tenths—yet now, in such a short time, he had risen to seven-tenths, which was even more incomprehensible to him, who had already reached nine-tenths.

"This Ye Chen is undoubtedly a sword prodigy unseen in a hundred years!"

This Star Level swordsman couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "I wonder if he can defeat Sikong Sheng, who already possesses half-step true origin?"

"How is this possible?"

The master of Xuan Kong Mountain, and also Sikong Sheng's grandfather Sikong Ba, could not help but show a solemn expression.

He had long known Sikong Sheng possessed half-step true origin, and had never regarded Ye Chen or others as worthy opponents—even after they defeated Yan Chihuo.

But he never expected that Ye Chen had concealed such a powerful trump card!

Of course, if Ye Chen's only trump was seven-tenths sword intent, Sikong Sheng still had a good chance of victory—but Sikong Ba's greatest fear was that Brother Xiao Yan, Pang Bo, and others also held hidden trump cards.

Although he still had great confidence in Sikong Sheng, if Brother Xiao Yan and the others still had hidden strengths, they would surely devise countermeasures after witnessing Sikong Sheng's power, making it far more difficult for Sikong Sheng to defeat them all!

On the judging platform, Chief Judge Luo Jiacheng and the other Star Level judges all drew in sharp breaths.

One judge couldn't help but exclaim: "I originally thought Sikong Sheng had this locked up—but now it seems the outcome is far from certain!"

"Yes, we misjudged this match again!"

Another judge sighed: "We thought Ye Chen was the weakest among the remaining contenders, yet he concealed such a trump card!"

Another judge who had closely watched Ye Chen added: "It's not just that! Ye Chen is under eighteen—much younger than most of the younger generation! To reach seven-tenths sword intent at such an age—he is a sword prodigy unseen in our Nan Zhuo Region for over a hundred years!"

"His youth is both his advantage and his weakness! Right now, with only seven-tenths sword intent, he still cannot match Sikong Sheng! But we failed to save such an incredible battle for the final match—we definitely misjudged it!"

"Yes, after this fight, the remaining matches may lose all meaning!"

…

On the arena.

Ye Chen's seven-tenths sword intent burst forth, and the pressure from Sikong Sheng's half-step true origin felt like a gentle breeze brushing his face!

"Good!"

Sikong Sheng finally lowered his pride and regarded Ye Chen as an equal: "I thought this would be a one-sided fight, but you've concealed such a trump card!"

"You now have the right to make me serious—though only serious, nothing more!" As he spoke, Sikong Sheng's aura abruptly retracted, fully internalizing itself.

If he had been a volcano erupting moments before, he was now a Majestic and profound mountain range.

Yet facing all this, Ye Chen's expression remained utterly calm: "I'll say it again—if you don't use your full strength, you won't survive my three swords!"

Hearing this, Sikong Sheng no longer sneered as before; instead, he wondered whether Ye Chen still had unexposed trump cards.

Yet he felt no deep fear—after all, with half-step true origin, his current power was truly terrifying: "Ye Chen, meet my first punch—Fist That Secures the Land!"

Boom—!

Sikong Sheng punched forward, and the entire arena shuddered violently; cracks instantly spread across its surface.

Simultaneously, the space around Ye Chen collapsed, forming a prison-like cage meant to trap him.

Clang!

At that moment, Ye Chen's Star-Trace Sword unsheathed again, and the seven-tenths sword intent lingering in the surrounding void, now with a vessel, revealed its invincible, ruthless sharpness once more!

"Immortal Heaven Shatters the Clouds!"

Ye Chen slashed, and a brilliant half-meter-long sword light shot forth, instantly cleaving through Sikong Sheng's terrifying fist force, then continued hurtling toward him.

Puff!

Seeing the sword light approach, Sikong Sheng's expression froze again—though he dodged in time, a sliver of sword qi grazed his left arm, drawing a thread of blood.

Sikong Sheng had initially ignored this minor wound, but Ye Chen's sword qi was strangely persistent; though only a sliver, it could not be destroyed—he could only counter it with his own powerful true origin!

Ye Chen looked at the wounded Sikong Sheng and couldn't help but feel speechless.

He had already reminded the other party multiple times, yet the other party still acted so arrogantly; was this not asking for it?

Of course, his speaking out to remind the other party was entirely to feel some pressure from Sikong Sheng, to see if he could raise his own strength by a fraction.

After all, after Sikong Sheng, he still had to deal with the even more difficult Brother Xiao Yan and others!

"Sikong Sheng, you are careless again!"

Ye Chen immediately spoke in a cold voice: "I wonder if you will still have the chance to block my third sword!"

"Hmph! After this, you will not have another chance!"

Sikong Sheng, whose eyes were cold after being thoroughly enraged by Ye Chen's attack, said: "Ye Chen, I did not expect your strength to be so strong, and even your sword intent is so bizarre! Next, I will use my ultimate trump card, but I cannot control this move perfectly right now; if you cannot block it, do not blame me!"

"Finally about to reveal the trump card? At last, there will be some pressure!"

A thought flashed through Ye Chen's mind, and he immediately said: "Then we shall see if you have the ability!"

"Since you want to die, then I will grant you your wish!"

Sikong Sheng immediately let out a roar: "Fist Shatters the Sky!"

This fist was the killing move of the Heaven-Subduing Fist; after being unleashed by Sikong Sheng, who had mastered half-step True Yuan, it roared toward Ye Chen's direction with a posture of crushing the withered.

On the other side, Ye Chen had long prepared for his third sword!

One saw him grip the Star-Scar Sword with both hands, his mind completely immersed in his own sword intent, secretly accumulating a terrifying power!

When Sikong Sheng's fist energy exploded, Ye Chen immediately swung his killing sword: "Heart-Punishing!"

Boom!

The terrifying sword qi instantly collided with the fist energy; the defensive light shield around the competition platform instantly shattered, and a violent afterwave swept out, causing many geniuses near the platform to change color.

Fortunately, they had retreated a distance beforehand, and with Star-Realm referees blocking the way, they were not greatly affected.

And opposite Ye Chen, the terrifying fist energy unleashed by Sikong Sheng was directly pierced through by the sword light Ye Chen unleashed; subsequently, the sword light's remaining momentum did not fade, directly smashing hard against the half-step body-protecting True Yuan outside Sikong Sheng's body, who had no time to dodge.

Crash!

The half-step body-protecting True Yuan was instantly torn apart; Sikong Sheng directly spat a mouthful of fresh blood from his mouth, then his entire body flew backward, obviously already severely injured!

Crack!

In the spectator stands, the Sect Master of Hanging Mountain, Sikong Ba, instantly crushed the armrest of his chair.

He originally thought that Sikong Sheng, relying on his powerful half-step True Yuan, taking the first place on the Hidden Dragon List would be a matter of hand-to-hand ease, but he did not expect a Ye Chen to suddenly appear!

And on the faces of the elders of Hanging Mountain nearby, expressions of disbelief all appeared.

And just at this moment, the Core Grand Elder of Hanging Mountain, Shentu Jue, suddenly transmitted a voice saying: "Sect Master, actually Sheng'er still has hope!"

"That Ye Chen is after all only a disciple of a Ninth-Rank Sect; as long as we secretly threaten and entice him to deliberately lose one match, when Sheng'er defeats the other few people later, there will still be a chance to fight him, and at that time, we will just snatch back the Dragon Vein Qi!"

Hearing these words, Sikong Ba's heart stirred, but this was after all within the Holy and Unrivaled Hidden Dragon Ancient City; even he dared not act recklessly, so his heart still hesitated.

And on the competition platform, after Ye Chen defeated Sikong Sheng, the dragon-shaped shadow outside his body seemed to sense something, and very quickly automatically lunged toward Sikong Sheng.

After swallowing part of Sikong Sheng's Dragon Vein Qi, the dragon-shaped shadow on Ye Chen's body surface instantly exceeded nine zhang, reaching nine zhang and one!

And this was the first among all geniuses to make the dragon-shaped shadow reach nine zhang, instantly ranking first!

And Sikong Sheng's dragon-shaped shadow, after being swallowed, very quickly retreated back to eight zhang and nine!

Seeing this scene, the people watching the battle around them were completely stunned.

Who could have thought that Sikong Sheng, who had already refined half-step True Yuan, would lose to Ye Chen!

And Sikong Sheng's original expression was very disappointed, but suddenly his grandfather Sikong Ba's transmitted voice rang in his ear.

"Sheng'er, temporary success or failure counts for nothing; with your strength, you only need to defeat others next, and I can secure a chance for you to challenge that Ye Chen again!"

"He is after all only a disciple of a Ninth-Rank Sect; naturally, he dares not offend the face of our Hanging Mountain; at that time, whether it is the first place on the Hidden Dragon List or the Dragon Vein Qi ranked first, it will all return to you, return to our Hanging Mountain!"

After hearing Sikong Ba's transmitted voice, Sikong Sheng's heart felt much better.

One saw him take a long breath, very quickly calming the anxiety and unwillingness in his heart, and his gaze once again became firm.

"Ye Chen, your strength is indeed very strong!"

Sikong Sheng looked at Ye Chen again and said seriously: "When I fight you next time, I will definitely not give you any chance!"

Hearing these words, Ye Chen did not pay any attention to the other party at all, but directly leaped down from the competition platform.

And the Star-Realm referees, seeing this, continued to arrange the upcoming matches.

Although they all believed the ranking of this competition was already decided, their own duties still had to be fulfilled.

And during the matches of others, Ye Chen also received a transmitted voice from the Grand Elder of Hanging Mountain, Shentu Jue.

In the transmitted voice, Shentu Jue either threatened or enticed, and even promised Ye Chen a chance to join Hanging Mountain.

Unfortunately, with Lu Qingshan, this group leader, as a backing, Ye Chen felt no fear in his heart at all, and directly and decisively rejected the other party.

And Sikong Sheng, who knew nothing of this, was still having a beautiful dream of defeating Brother Xiao Yan and others and then challenging Ye Chen again, but what he did not know was that the next part was the beginning of his nightmare!

In the sixty-eighth round of matches, Sikong Sheng met Pang Bo.

Sikong Sheng, who had previously lost to Ye Chen but had fully recovered with the help of a large amount of Hanging Mountain's spiritual medicines, had obviously changed somewhat; he no longer carelessly faced the enemy with hands behind his back, but had early on prepared low-grade fist gloves, and the half-step True Yuan on his body was no longer diluted.

"Pang Bo, are you ready to welcome my fury?"

Sikong Sheng looked at this companion of Ye Chen before him, and the momentum on his body began to climb step by step, as if endless.

At this time, the disappointment of being defeated by Ye Chen had not yet dissipated; seeing Ye Chen's friend, he naturally would not be polite.

Pfft!

And after hearing Sikong Sheng's words, Pang Bo opposite him could not help but laugh out: "Sikong Sheng, you kid have already forgotten the matter of Ye Chen slapping your face just now! Before the fight even starts, you think you have me in the bag?"

As soon as the words fell, endless blood qi power instantly fully exploded within Pang Bo's body, and even the void around him seemed about to burn.

"What?"

"This terrifying blood qi power, I am afraid it has already surpassed those!"

At this moment, Sikong Sheng was completely dumbfounded, his face wearing an expression as though he had just eaten shit!

How could he possibly have imagined that, after Ye Chen, another person capable of matching him would suddenly appear—Pang Bo!

Although with his strength he could easily instant-kill a sixth-tier demonic beast overlord, those demonic beast overlords couldn't perform any martial techniques at all, let alone the bizarre fist arts Pang Bo had displayed in battle earlier.

Then, Pang Bo and Sikong Sheng quickly clashed.

Although Sikong Sheng had learned from his previous lesson and unleashed his full strength from the start, even bringing out killing move after killing move, in the end he still lost to Pang Bo, who had performed the 'Nine Slashes of the Demon Emperor'!

And upon seeing this scene, whether it was the group from Floating Sky Mountain, the other watching martial artists, or those young-generation geniuses on the rankings, at this moment they all looked as though they had witnessed something inconceivable.

They simply could not imagine that Sikong Sheng, who possessed half-step True Yuan, would consecutively lose at the hands of Ye Chen and Pang Bo!

And what none of them expected was that all of this was merely just the beginning!

……

In the sixty-ninth round of the competition, Sikong Sheng ran into Han Li, who focused on defense.

Originally Sikong Sheng thought that once he, who possessed half-step True Yuan, brought out his killing move, he could easily crush Han Li's defense—but he never expected Han Li to actually withstand his strongest killing move.

Later he thought that relying on the sheer depth of his half-step True Yuan, he could hold out until the moment Han Li was exhausted—but he never expected that the one to exhaust first was actually himself!

Just like that, Sikong Sheng once again lost at Han Li's hands, and at the same time the dragon-shaped phantom behind him shrank once more to eight zhang and seven chi.

……

In the seventieth round of the competition, Sikong Sheng ran into Brother Xiao Yan, whom he had originally feared the most.

When this battle began, Sikong Sheng was actually still quite confident, because he thought that the dual-colored fire lotus Brother Xiao Yan had displayed earlier was already his ultimate move.

But to everyone's surprise, the technique Brother Xiao Yan used this time was still the dual-colored fire lotus—only its might was over ten times more terrifying than before.

Beneath that terrifying might, Sikong Sheng simply had no hope of victory at all.

So in the end he once again lost at Brother Xiao Yan's hands, and the dragon-shaped phantom outside his body was left with only eight zhang and six chi!

……

In the final round of the competition, Sikong Sheng ran into Meng Huan, who had always been relatively low-key.

Although Meng Huan had defeated Yan Chihuo and others, whenever he faced Brother Xiao Yan's group he had ultimately conceded, so Sikong Sheng finally felt he could win one match.

But what he didn't expect was that the seemingly most low-key Meng Huan appeared to be the most terrifying one among Brother Xiao Yan's group!

Clearly that Meng Huan hadn't used any killing move at all, yet in the opponent's hands he had absolutely no ability to resist at all, just like a child encountering a two-meter-tall, martial-arts-trained burly man.

In the end, after being manhandled by Meng Huan for a while, he once again lost at the opponent's hands, and the dragon-shaped phantom behind him had already shrunk to eight zhang and five chi!

After experiencing this final battle, Sikong Sheng had even begun to doubt his life!

After all, five people had appeared one after another, all of them able to defeat him smoothly!

One or two might just be coincidence, but five in a row?

"Could it be that I've always been nothing but a waste?"

After losing to Meng Huan, Sikong Sheng was completely dumbfounded, his whole person beginning to look dazed and absent-minded, as if he had only just today come to know this real world.

"Were all the opponents I met before just the weakest among the weak?"

"Have I actually always been living in One's own world, and my strength has actually been quite ordinary?"

At this moment, Sikong Sheng was thoroughly lost, even beginning to deny himself!

Actually, in a certain sense, Sikong Sheng and the Flying Demon Sect's senior disciple Mo Yan belonged to the same type of person.

Simply put, they couldn't afford to lose!

The difference between the two was nothing more than Sikong Sheng's talent being stronger and his strength more terrifying!

In the previous battles, Sikong Sheng could crush his opponents one after another, so his flaws naturally wouldn't be exposed.

But even in the original work, where he was only defeated by Ye Chen alone, he would, after breaking through to the Star Extreme Realm, go find Flowing Cloud Sect to challenge Ye Chen—because he knew Ye Chen absolutely couldn't have broken through to the Star Extreme Realm in such a short time!

And now that Sikong Sheng had been defeated again and again by the members of the chat group, his own flaws had naturally been completely exposed.

If he could come to his senses in time, he would naturally be able to achieve something in the future.

But if he couldn't come to his senses, his achievements might not even compare to Li Daoxuan, Bing Ling, and others in this session of the Genius Battle!

(End of this chapter)