Chapter 319: Successive Victories, Each Battle Won (Ten-Thousand Character Chapter)

In an instant, Meng Changqing thought of this, and for a moment, he only felt a stomachache. Looking again at Du En's calm and normal demeanor, he couldn't help but want to speak but hesitate.

This time he couldn't hold back and immediately said, "Although you said that and were so worried, looking at your current state and expression, you actually still seem quite confident. And that's despite having already read the intelligence I gave you on all the geniuses."

"No, my calmness is only because there is no reliance on luck. That is to say, from the very beginning, I never overly counted on any so-called retreat. There is only facing it solemnly and treating it with a cool head."

As Du En said this, it was visibly apparent that he did not intend to let the others know about the situation regarding the resolution made this time.

After all, a retreat?

In this Grand Competition, if one doesn't hold back their strength, it can be said to be equivalent to having none.

One must consider the worst-case scenario!

Therefore, if the others were to fully know about that finalized resolution, or even Meng Changqing's post-battle safeguards, it might actually cause them to become careless and negligent, leading to a miserable outcome.

"... Although I didn't intend to explicitly inform them either, precisely to prevent this, did you decide on the post-battle safeguard situation all on your own?"

"No."

Yeah, right!

Since divine abilities are not easy to use right now, then with this kind of practical retreat safeguard, it wouldn't matter even if one fought with all their might and left themselves severely injured; they could use precious pills and other means to recover.

Of course, if it were a precious pill, one could put it away after obtaining it and try recovering with the Inexhaustible Azure Spirit Body first. If that really didn't work, there was still the Full Recovery; in any case, it would be a layer of secret concealment.

In this way, it seems one could also take the opportunity to sponge off the sect's foundation...

"Hiss! Don't you go messing around!"

Meng Changqing observed his words and expressions. Although Du En remained calm, what kind of person was he? A dignified Quasi-True Monarch. Thus, he immediately sensed that subtle shift in mood, had a strange sense of déjà vu, and immediately proceeded to make a reasonable mental leap, speaking up at once to issue a warning.

"You've overthought the resolution."

"Do you think I'd believe that?"

"..."

"Tsk!"

To think he actually had that kind of idea!

Meng Changqing immediately cut off communication, choosing to be out of sight and out of mind.

But in fact, it could also be considered a tacit agreement.

Du En thought this to himself; if he were to encounter a similar opportunity later, he would do it without the slightest hesitation.

Then, in what followed.

The other members of the small group one after another welcomed their own duels.

True Monarch Huiqing did not abuse his power too much on his end; perhaps he felt it was unnecessary. In any case, what the other three encountered were all normal situations.

The first to take the stage was Xiong Fa.

This bear-like man practiced the Military Combat Canon. It was named Military Combat, yet it did not involve methods related to battlefields or armies, but rather one of the main branches within weapon cultivation: soldier cultivation, the cultivation of soldiers and weaponry!

In other words, his entire cultivation was gathered into his own natal magical treasure, the Stop-War Halberd. To cultivate as a soldier cultivator is to cultivate oneself, so in a certain sense, he could actually be considered a sword cultivator.

Or perhaps it should be said that sword cultivation was originally a branch of this path, only it kept forging ahead and eventually went further and further. By relying on the surging killing power that forcibly suppressed those of the same rank, it became unique and was thus able to form its own school.

However, this does not mean the original sect is not formidable!

One only saw Xiong Fa brandishing his natal magical treasure, the Stop-War Halberd. He was truly invincible, splitting mountains when encountering mountains and severing water when encountering water. He killed until his opponents were terrified; wanting to use spatial movement, they were pointed at by the halberd and found it hard to escape, forced to bite the bullet and clash treasure against treasure, weapon against weapon.

Clang!

A natal bronze bell of the same rank vibrated and shook incessantly, flying straight back. Taking a closer look, it actually had a large notch after a single touch, leaving its master spitting blood in horror.

"I surrender! I surrender! I surrender!"

Bang!

The Stop-War Halberd, its momentum undiminished, narrowly grazed past, smashing a large piece of the ground beneath and carving out a deep gully dozens of feet long, scaring the man into a cold sweat with a stiff face.

"I concede!"

"I concede, I concede..."

Although he had lost, having only such minor injuries was truly something to be thankful for.

Both sides finished the battle, and Xiong Fa successfully advanced.

A few days later, it was Su Wanhe's turn to take the stage.

This woman stood straight with a heroic spirit. She practiced the Crimson Beauty Canon. After entering the arena, she beckoned with her hand, and a crimson beauty guandao was held in her grip. As she planted it in the air, crimson flames immediately ignited—not fire, but a brilliant red, with a magnificent aura, like a fierce general leading a great army, imposing and majestic.

What a heroine who does not yield to men!

Her opponent had just entered the arena, and upon seeing this, was immediately overjoyed!

You actually dare to look down on me?

Su Wanhe immediately raised her willow eyebrows, feeling insulted. She was just about to launch an attack as swift as fire to make people afraid to underestimate her like this again.

Then.

"Ah!"

The opponent suddenly let out a miserable shriek, spat blood into the air, and unexpectedly fell directly to the ground.

Huh?

Su Wanhe was a bit dumbfounded. Subconsciously, she only felt that there might be a trick in this, and immediately became cautious and tense.

"Your Excellency is truly a heroine; to have such means, I am truly willing to bow down!"

The opponent spat blood, barely managed to cup his hands, appearing very impressed, and after speaking, couldn't help but spit a large mouthful of blood again.

Huh???

Su Wanhe was completely bewildered by this.

The spectators were even more silent because of this.

Then Su Wanhe finally reacted.

Good heavens, so it turns out you didn't have some sinister plot, but rather your own initiative was too strong, and you were looking for a "decent surrender"!

"Haha, I am truly ashamed; it is my side that has lost!"

This person continued to speak, emphasizing it immensely, then suddenly changed the subject: "And that thing, Du Yingcai, I have always admired Meng Jueyi immensely in my heart, but I never had the chance to pay my respects. Once you return to Pivot City, I hope you can introduce me then. I dare not harbor any greater expectations; to serve as a mere vanguard pawn would be enough to satisfy my heart and fulfill my long-cherished wish!"

So it turns out they are from the Southern Pivot City side!

The crowd, especially the geniuses, had heard some rumors before, and upon hearing this, they were suddenly even more enlightened.

For those who had already received favors, it felt natural to go and pledge allegiance. Moreover, the Southern lands were destined to fall under the jurisdiction of Meng Changqing sooner or later. Now that the relationship between the upper echelons of Pivot City and him had eased, one had to seize the opportunity to go and pay respects in advance!

In short, no sooner had his words finished than he disappeared, having been thrown back to his original place.

And just like that, Su Wanhe won.

Although she felt more and more awkward the more she thought about it, as if she had gathered strength for a heavy punch only to land it on a ball of soft cotton—it was truly unsatisfying and frustrating!

This made the surrounding crowd want to curse and swear.

We wish we could encounter such a good thing, but we can't even find it!

After that came the first round for Ying Dongqing.

Although she did not encounter a situation of winning without a fight, she maintained suppression throughout the entire match, which was exceptionally easy. She didn't even use her natal dharma treasure, revealing at most twenty or thirty percent of her true strength; it could be called effortless, drawing many sidelong glances.

Thus, the five people on Du En's side had all completed their respective first rounds.

Time took small, quick steps, and on the two hundred and fiftieth day since the Grand Competition began, his accumulation of cultivation technique proficiency was finally sufficient, and he officially broke through to the Great Accomplishment stage!

In an instant, amidst that visualization and enlightenment, the green tree standing proudly above the earth was truly like a giant umbrella, the shadow it cast almost covering the entire yellow earth, turning the originally clear blue sky into a mere backdrop.

The bark was reddish-brown with faint divine light, the roots were clear and thorough, it stood proud and upright, and the canopy was lush and green, full of endless vitality. It was born from the soil and stood upon the earth; at this moment, it was the absolute master!

Consequently, the Inexhaustible Green Spirit Body advanced further, only one step away from perfection. The "endless vitality" already had the scale of a physical form and could be practically manifested. With the two combined, under normal circumstances, it was truly inexhaustible and ceaseless; its endurance could be called the best among the same rank!

Moreover, this spirit body also encompassed the tyrannical advantages of the Firm Spirit Body. In this regard, it even far exceeded the theoretical strength of the original version at the same rank. Right now, a single punch could shatter a pile of humanoid spirit stones; they could not be mentioned in the same breath!

As for other things, cultivation efficiency increased by fifteen percent, divine sense expanded by eight miles, and the lifespan limit increased by another fifty years—all of which were expected from a technique breakthrough.

Du En continued his diligent practice.

Another thirty days passed.

The Phoenix Red True Flame broke through to the "Small Achievement" stage, and its power could be said to have advanced further.

Then, time quickly arrived at the five hundred and eighty-sixth day from the start of the competition.

On this day, excluding the various geniuses, the pre-selection round that should normally belong to the elites officially came to an end.

During this period, under his unrelaxed, diligent practice, Du En was also able to rise with the tide.

A few days ago, he broke through to the middle stage of Nascent Soul!

With intent and spirit combined, he stepped forward slowly and firmly to merge. When the breakthrough occurred, everything fell into place, and the unification was completely finished. The misalignment of his multi-perspective vision was suddenly reduced by quite a lot.

This brought about a significant enhancement in his soul, causing his divine sense to expand by another ten miles, reaching a level that covered forty-two miles, and his performance in all aspects was significantly enhanced.

At the same time, he also had an epiphany regarding the Green-Yellow Canon, which focused on visualization cultivation, directly increasing his normal daily practice sessions to one hundred and twenty times.

Other things, such as an increase in mana, the simultaneous upgrade of his natal dharma treasure, and another fifty-year increase in his lifespan limit, did not need to be elaborated upon; in any case, it was a significant overall improvement.

Du En glanced at the panel.

【Age: 44/1233】

【Spirit Root: Low Grade】

【Cultivation: Nascent Soul Middle Stage (0/100)】

【Technique: Green-Yellow Canon (Great Accomplishment 3360/50000)】

【Spells: Meteor Rock Art (Small Achievement 61280/100000), Sandstorm Art (Initial Glimpse 500/20000), Ice Breath Art (Perfected Extreme), Profound Armor Colossus (Initial Glimpse 500/20000), Ten Thousand Defense Art (Initial Glimpse 0/20000), Phoenix Red True Flame (Small Achievement 31/100), Vegetation Forest (Initial Glimpse 500/20000), Spirit-Devouring Grafting (Initial Glimpse 500/20000)】

【Divine Ability: Burying Death, Flourishing Life (Mastery 0/300)】

【Hundred Arts: Appraisal (Great Accomplishment 0/500), Culinary Cooking (Great Accomplishment 48/500), Spirit Seeking (Mastery 0/300), Artifact Refining (Mastery 0/300)】

In terms of spells, there were not many changes, mainly due to his focus on the Meteor Rock Art.

Therefore, the biggest point of change was the Phoenix Red True Flame; it gained one point of proficiency every ten days, and since the proficiency bar was not long, it was able to break through.

"However, although the pills for recovery have long been eaten, because the 'endless vitality' of the Inexhaustible Green Spirit Body has reached a certain scale, maintaining eight hundred practice sessions a day is not a problem."

"Conversely, the spiritual items for culinary cooking are being consumed rapidly to stack and increase proficiency, and they will be finished soon. I must think of a way, or perhaps I should first see the changes in this space after winning the next match."

Du En was neither arrogant nor impetuous, advancing steadily. He simply pinched a seal and activated the Ice Breath Art, using his Great Accomplishment level to hide his cultivation, technique, and other fundamental conditions, maintaining his previous initial state.

It had been a long time since he played the pig to eat the tiger; perhaps this time it could have a miraculous effect?

"As long as the True Monarchs aren't talking nonsense."

This was also the reason he didn't use the Perfected Ice Breath Art. In any case, he couldn't hide it from those upper echelons, but the Great Accomplishment level was enough to deceive others of the same rank. Even if there were a few exceptions, it didn't matter. In short, he would keep it as a trump card for tactical deception.

He formulated a plan quickly based on the situation.

Then, Du En returned to his daily grind, not slacking off because of the breakthrough.

Thus, the second day arrived.

The second round of the Grand Competition unfolded.

Du En, who also shouldn't have entered the arena at this time, was scheduled for the very first match.

Xiong Fa and the others immediately paid close attention, and every genius figure cast their gaze over as well, especially when they saw his opponent, they couldn't help but reveal somewhat subtle expressions.

Should one say "as expected"?

Generally, this was the thought, because there had been slight clues before, and now it was basically manifest, so everyone couldn't help but speculate.

Tang Mingshuang!

There were upper echelons targeting him!

Truly, one who commits evil will eventually perish!

After the first round of fighting, those who could adapt struggled to adapt, and those who couldn't were already bloodshot, their states of mind beginning to teeter on the edge of a cliff. Because they could not and dared not resent the upper echelons, the only path left was to vent their anger on others and release their malicious pressure.

And since Du En and his group had preferential treatment, and he had spoken publicly before, attracting enough attention, naturally, just as True Monarch Huiqing had envisioned, they became the prime targets for their vented anger!

It was just that, because it was only the second round, the malicious venting still needed to be strengthened, so it wasn't too obvious at the moment; at least no one had yet been unable to help themselves from cursing out loud.

Amidst this gradually worsening, subtle attention, Du En stepped once more into that small arena world.

One was calm, the other indifferent.

In ordinary times, there might have been some confusion, but once they truly stood face-to-face, one could immediately distinguish the differences that existed between them.

Therefore, Tang Mingshuang's current feeling was not like looking into a mirror, but rather more like seeing an idealized version of herself; she could not help but subconsciously purse her lips, standing proudly in the air as if it were lonely at the top, trembling slightly in a way that was almost imperceptible.

With a formidable enemy before her, the only goal was to win!

Therefore, she did not mind feigning a bit of pitiableness.

"Please, offer your guidance."

Du En spoke only this, ignoring her pretense, unconcerned by the ground that had already quietly frozen over, and simply unleashed his move with composure!

Meteor Rock Art!

He controlled the power to the level of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, with the technique mastered to the point of complete integration.

Yet, even so.

When the shadow suddenly covered them, pressing down with a deep, rumbling sound, a full thirty zhang in diameter, the thick black and faint red breaking through the air brought with it the sound of muffled thunder, threatening the divine sense and suppressing the space; the falling meteor rock truly left the crowd of outstanding talents wide-eyed, and those geniuses who had still been somewhat lax also instantly straightened up.

They had originally thought he was just a peer who had recently broken through to the early-stage Nascent Soul and not worth much concern, but looking at it now, to be able to serve as the current leader of Counselor Meng's faction, he certainly possessed some real strength!

Facing the falling meteor rock, Tang Mingshuang merely stopped her trembling, no longer hiding anything, and her magic power erupted directly; her body became like a source of cold, emitting a cold white light that twisted and froze the air.

Spell, instant cast.

Extreme Cold Ice Prison!

A circle of white ripples surrounded Du En's side.

Earth-Covering Ice Chill!

What had just been hidden in the soil was directly exposed.

And there was more.

Ice Seal a Hundred Li!

Another new top-grade ice-element spell.

This move was mainly used to target the meteor rock overhead; used last, yet cast first, it could be called arriving first by starting later!

The spiritual energy in the air was directly frozen and solidified, forming an invisible dome of ice; the area covered was not the hundred li as the name suggested, but was extremely compressed and concentrated into half a li, ultimately creating an air-frozen layer tens of zhang thick!

This spell was exceptionally strong, causing the surrounding spectators to hold their breath and subconsciously put themselves in her shoes, imagining how they would respond if they encountered it.

The geniuses each had their own thoughts.

The outstanding talents struggled to find ideas; some, while thinking, became so entangled and fixated that their excitement aggravated old wounds, and they vomited large mouthfuls of blood on the spot.

Regarding this situation, Du En merely took a step back.

Spatial movement.

Too late...

Tang Mingshuang's eyes now also radiated an icy blue cold light; invisibly, they seemed to be in a polar region, everywhere was a cold frost that penetrated to the bone, making even the soul tremble—it was a cold that seeped into the soul!

Ice Frost Codex, mastered to the point of complete integration!

By using her innate top-grade ice spiritual root to cultivate this highly compatible superior codex, she had invisibly managed to keep pace with the progress of ordinary geniuses, reaching the point of complete integration by the late-stage Nascent Soul!

But, after all, she was not a true genius, just a weakling standing on the threshold.

Therefore, Du En was completely unaffected and appeared directly ten li away.

What strong divine sense!

The distance of the movement represented the coverage of the divine sense; moving ten li in one go meant he could cover at least ten li in a straight line on one side.

Many top-tier outstanding talents, even if they cultivated to the Nascent Soul perfection, could not break through this ten-li boundary, yet this Du Yingcai had crossed it easily while at the early-stage Nascent Soul, and even while under the interference of his opponent's spellcasting and power-boosting.

The crowd of geniuses paid even more attention, and the group of outstanding talents looked at one another in dismay.

And Tang Mingshuang, seeing the white ripples form a pillar that failed to trap Du En, and the ground freezing, realized it was also a futile effort.

Fortunately, Ice Seal a Hundred Li could block his meteor rock...

Just as she thought this, a booming sound rang out; the meteor rock finally smashed into the ice dome, and immediately fragments splashed everywhere, the ice dome let out a mournful cry, and hideous cracks appeared.

She dared not be negligent and hurriedly urged her magic power to compensate and support it.

It was also at this moment that the second and third meteor rocks appeared in the direct view of the onlookers, and in her divine sense, which was unobstructed through her own ice dome.

The next second, this divine sense was interrupted and interfered with, appearing as large, mottled shadows.

It was sand, it was wind, it was a sandstorm sweeping in, covering a radius of fifty zhang!

Then I will freeze it!

Tang Mingshuang stood proudly, an ice tree growing out of thin air to become her foothold; her magic power was still pouring out, with no signs of exhaustion, showing how remarkably deep it was.

Following her spellcasting, Earth-Covering Ice Chill rose up.

The sandstorm turned directly into lumps of ice.

Boom! Boom!

Creak—

"Hmph!"

While she was freezing the sandstorm, two meteor rocks had already crashed down, immediately causing the ice dome to emit a sharp, mournful cry; Tang Mingshuang could not help but let out a muffled groan, her aura weakened slightly, and her face turned pale, appearing cold and pitiable.

To this, the not-so-cold meteor rocks appeared once more.

Du En stood in the distance, and at the same time, grass and trees grew into a forest to serve as his barrier; he hid directly within it, seemingly determined to rely on the advantage of his almost inexhaustible magic power to use these meteor rocks to wear down Tang Mingshuang, who was fighting a defensive, static battle.

She immediately felt that she had unspeakable bitterness.

Facing a true genius, even if his cultivation was not as high as her own, she still subconsciously chose a conservative course of action.

However, it might be because she had bullied small fry too much in the past and was accustomed to her own crushing style of execution, which was why she had just subconsciously stood her ground to counterattack.

Now, it was a mess; those three meteor rocks had not disappeared, and as they crashed down to crush the ice dome in the air, they were invisibly like three nails, pinning her to the spot.

It was not just the meteor rocks continuously increasing in number; Du En, showing no tenderness toward the fair maiden at this moment, decisively relied on his exaggerated mana sustainability to continue his assault!

One after another, Profound Armor Giant Statues rose from the ground, breaking through the ice covering the land; majestic and towering, they raised their giant fists and struck toward Tang Mingshuang on the ice tree.

On one side was a scene of desolate misery, beauty like plum blossoms; on the other, a hulking, crude brute with fists as large as houses, capable of smashing a person into meat paste—the contrast was truly intense!

In the eyes of the surrounding spectators, they could not help but feel a sense of pity.

"High-sounding, how high-sounding!"

Someone could not help but let these words slip out, leading others to nod in secret agreement.

"Doesn't your sect pride itself on acting with benevolence and righteousness? Why are you being so brutal and shameless in bullying someone now? Isn't this just hypocritical posturing?"

"Well said, keep going!"

Starting from the second round, the influx of outside voices was permitted to further suppress and boost the overall atmosphere, stimulating the generation of negative emotions; thus, Tang Mingshuang, who could hear the outside voices at this moment, could not help but think to herself.

As long as it could create a burden for Du En, even if it was only a little from each person, naturally the more the better—as much and as well as possible!

Even if he himself did not care about these things and was a person of iron-hearted nature, as a fierce general and even a leader of his faction, he could not truly ignore such criticism!

After all, you publicly stated before that you wanted to recruit heroes!

Facing such schemes, Du En did not care or have any reservations at all; the heavy fists of the Profound Armor Giant Statues landed even more ruthlessly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The giant fists were like houses, sweeping away everything in their path, yet they found it difficult to do anything to that ice tree.

Its swaying posture and moving branches could block the giant fists, and the number of branches was even greater than the fists, allowing it to conversely smash the giant statues until they cracked and collapsed.

Yet Tang Mingshuang on the tree maintained an appearance of catkins drifting in the wind, frail and pitiful, shivering as the ice tree swayed, while forcing a cold expression onto her face.

With such a contrast, she was truly a sight to stir pity, capable of inciting a protective desire in those who considered themselves valiant.

Of course, the contestants who had passed one round were all outstanding individuals; although many were now beginning to lose their mental balance and were reaching a dead end, they would not easily fall for the trap and speak out.

What's more, in the hundreds of duels during the first round, there were many more pitiful than Tang Mingshuang, and even more who were seductive and teasing; after all, within the Falling Feather Immortal Sect, there were no restrictions on sect styles, and it was purely pragmatic—they cultivated whatever was suitable for themselves.

Any demonic arts or seductive arts were naturally all available.

However, facts were facts, and appearances were appearances; although they did not speak, it did not mean they were not using their gazes to stare at Du En's side, exerting influence and pressure.

In any case, they were already inclined to vent their anger on him; wasn't this just taking advantage of the situation?

This kind of silent pressure, along with some that dispersed onto Xiong Fa and his group, made them—who had originally wanted to wave flags and shout to scold this woman for being too calculating—feel as if they were shackled, unable to adjust for a moment.

Then, the situation on the field changed abruptly!

The meteor rocks were still falling, the ice sheet was still wailing, and the Profound Armor Giant Statues were struggling to achieve success in beating the ice tree; one of them launched an attack again, but was smashed... Hmm? Smashed?!

Tang Mingshuang's heart skipped a beat, only to see an armored figure unexpectedly break out from the shattered giant statue and force its way before her eyes.

The vegetation forming a forest was just a diversion!

Subconsciously, she wanted to perform a spatial shift to avoid this sudden raid.

She appeared to be pinned down here, but as someone deep in schemes, how could she not leave herself a way out?

Thus, she actually still had a bit of spare strength, which could be put to use at this moment... but she couldn't move!

Because a powerful restrictive force suddenly controlled her spiritual Qi, directly fixing and dragging her in place; she felt horrified, thinking that as a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, although her talent was a cut below, her cultivation and mastery of techniques were clearly not weaker than the opponent's—how could she be outmatched in such a basic ability?

Unless he was cheating!

He was not an early-stage Nascent Soul, or his techniques were also stronger than her own!

In fact, it was both!

Of course, to outsiders, it looked like Du En's raid was sudden, and because Tang Mingshuang had long been pinned in place, she only had time to instinctively urge the ice tree branches to block and intercept.

These branches, which could easily tear apart the Profound Armor Giant Statues, were no harder than ordinary ice shards when facing Du En at this moment; he could smash them with a casual strike, making people's scalps tingle.

Tang Mingshuang gritted her teeth, intending to make another move, when suddenly, *crack-la-la*~

The ice sheet was smashed at this moment, cracking and collapsing.

How did it crack so quickly?

Very simple, just pile on the quantity.

While Tang Mingshuang was still puzzled and unable to do anything but watch, and in the eyes of the outsiders who subconsciously widened, the meteor rocks had just shifted their offensive, turning into smaller sizes—several yards in dimension—and then, like rain, nearly a hundred of them fell, forcefully smashing the ice sheet.

No, looking closer, some of those large ones from before were actually striking the pivot points of the ice sheet and had been deeply embedded there all along.

It looked like a normal situation under blanket bombardment, not intentionally aimed, so that when combined with other large meteor rocks, it could also pin down the caster.

But in reality, it was a long-planned scheme, so just now, by applying pressure all at once, the pivot points were shattered, instantly leaving the ice sheet as nothing more than a facade!

Therefore, under this wave of small, numerous, and fast bombardments, it was immediately broken through and smashed to pieces!

To be able to keenly capture the nodes of the spell's structure—what strong eyesight!

Some geniuses who noticed the key point could not help but sigh inwardly, and their evaluation of Du En in their hearts rose by another notch.

And this, naturally, was to be credited to Du En's keen senses and perception, his technique of spirit-seeking, and the gradual, precise strengthening of his divine sense.

Under the combined effect of these three, his observational ability became multi-faceted and three-dimensional.

Terrible...

In the blink of an eye, the entire situation collapsed; Tang Mingshuang, in imminent danger, could not help but cry out to herself.

Because although she could not oversee the whole field and was constrained by the raid, her schemes were not dull; she immediately realized that while this fellow Du En looked like he was fighting a war of attrition with her, he had actually been secretly preparing the layout all along.

The current wave of meteor rain falling, covering several miles around and invisibly encircling this area, was to prevent her from using spatial shifting.

It was as if history were repeating itself.

The previous Extreme Cold Ice Prison that froze Hao Liao Xue had prevented him from escaping the boundaries of the spell White Ripple; now she was the same, unable to escape the range encircled by the meteor rocks!

Moreover, the person in front of her was a completely iron-hearted...

Tang Mingshuang's thoughts were unfinished; facing Du En, who had already arrived before her, she could hardly react, only her own mana was triggered by the reaction, spontaneously pouring out—it was the mana protection that added icing on the cake in same-tier duels!

Boom!

A sound exploded abruptly.

It turned out that Du En was suddenly pushed by a sandstorm from behind, causing him to accelerate abruptly; at the same time, although he still deliberately maintained his cultivation at the early stage, his technique had improved slightly, touching the edge of a master, without the slightest anomaly appearing.

Thus, it was quite natural for him to sweep directly through the outpouring of protective mana.

Seeing this, Tang Mingshuang could only mutter that he was deep and calculating, specifically going to such lengths to make a scene here...

Boom!

That punch had already landed right on her face, sending her flying and tumbling on the spot, blood spraying as she spun, trailing a line of red that made the onlookers outside the arena twitch their eyes.

Truly ruthless!

Although if it were them, it would basically be the same, perhaps even more ruthless!

Du En still held back; otherwise, he would not have deliberately kept up the disguise. This punch looked extremely fierce and vicious, but in reality, it lacked the force that a mid-stage cultivation technique should have, being only the limit of early-stage cultivation and a well-integrated technique.

However, should one say "as expected"?

He watched the poor figure spinning and spraying blood, and as it spun, it scattered into a pile of bloody ice flowers on the ground.

Substitute Ice Puppet.

It was not a spell, but a type of ice-element exotic treasure capable of perfectly mimicking her own body; it had to be at least a fourth-tier top-grade item, perhaps even transcending the fourth-tier category.

Given by Great Cultivator Yun Yi?

Why didn't that fellow Lu Quan have one?

Oh, he was too weak; perhaps he lost before he even had time to use it.

Du En thought, exerting force under his feet to step on the tree branches.

The falling coverage of Falling Rock was being invisibly manipulated, as if giant hands were digging open the place where the ice tree stood.

The ice tree shattered because of this, but the ice itself did not.

An Eternal Frozen Ice Coffin buried beneath the main root appeared before Du En, and also in the eyes of the others.

"Hiss! The secret technique Eternal Frozen Ice Coffin?"

"This woman actually still had such a trick up her sleeve?"

"No! It's a life-bound Dharma treasure! She put enough materials into her Dharma treasure, and there must have been a Great Cultivator who helped refine it, only then could the secret technique be turned into a restriction and carved into it, allowing her to use such a secret technique across tiers!"

The crowd of knowledgeable geniuses could not help but lean toward the railing in front of them, their various gazes focused intently, and in a few words, they analyzed the situation quite thoroughly.

This was the point that made the elites most desperate!

Because as soon as they revealed their trump cards, their origins would be seen through in the blink of an eye; even if they fought to the death and won, when they finally faced the geniuses, they would collapse at a single touch, their weaknesses exposed, and they would lose quickly!

"Eternal Frozen Ice Coffin, eternally frozen and everlasting, ancient and unchanging, isolating inside and out—tsk tsk tsk, let's see how our talented Du will respond!"

"Heh, this woman is actually quite calculating; it's not like she didn't have any small tricks. She secretly placed herself in an invincible position while still keeping another method for victory. If he can't break it..."

"Could he actually lose? He is, after all, a talented figure just like us, and the first one to enter the arena. If he loses just like that, it will be very ugly and will tarnish our reputation!"

In the eyes of the geniuses who had become more talkative, clearly paying real attention and acknowledging this duel, and in the eyes of other onlookers who were either delighted, gloomy and malicious, or silent and nervous, Du En was currently looking up at the sky.

After all movement gradually subsided, a layer of dark clouds quietly permeated the sky, and specks of snow and ice crystals were falling.

Ice Flower Burial.

That secret technique was not the one she had previously displayed with ease, but one she had mastered, capable of quietly residing within her other spells; it began to gather after being shattered by Du En's attack, and now it had taken shape, becoming unstoppable.

It is said that when one thousand ice flowers bloom on the ground, the living beings located upon them will be completely buried!

The information provided by Meng Changqing specifically pointed out that this secret technique was very unique; if external factors intervened, it could be elevated to a power comparable to a Dao technique.

It was very clear that this Quasi-True Monarch had long seen through the details here and was hinting at it in a roundabout way.

But how should one put it?

Almost everyone had similar annotations in that information, so it appeared particularly unremarkable and was easily ignored as basic information.

However, Du En did not.

He landed on the ground in front of the ice coffin and looked at Tang Mingshuang, who was sealed inside like a sleeping beauty.

She was actually pretending to be a sleeping beauty; in fact, she was very clear-headed and felt very expectant, hoping to be able to win against him.

Because as long as Du En refused to accept defeat and wanted to try to break the ice coffin, he would enter the trap she had set—that secret technique, Ice Flower Burial, would suddenly jump from three hundred to one thousand in an orderly yet slow manner, catching him off guard!

But to be honest, this was actually a helpless move, placing all her hopes on the opponent's carelessness.

Then, she peeked secretly and discovered that Du En did not dodge or avoid it, but stood right in front of the ice coffin, with a kind of straightforward and clear-eyed scrutiny.

Truly a good Dharma treasure; it's mine now.

Du En thought this, letting the ice and snow fall, as beautiful and dangerous ice flowers began to bloom on the ground.

Because he was concentrating with all his might, examining and peering at this Dharma treasure placed before him.

Mingbing Mirror.

From beneath its form, he could read much of its information.

It was somewhat similar to his own life-bound Dharma treasure; in fact, it could also be called a treasure of transformation, which is why it could be contained within spells without any fixed form.

So it was a pity that without breaking the ice coffin and forcing it into its original form, he could currently only glimpse the changing form of this Eternal Frozen Ice Coffin.

But it was enough; it was much stronger than ordinary Dharma treasures.

Thus, Du En raised his hand and reached out; under the eyes of everyone and the gaze of a very few geniuses' spiritual eye techniques, a faint light seemed to shimmer in his hand.

The light spread, the artifact restrictions began to condense, and fire and dreams quickly attached themselves to it.

A small knife, one foot long, appeared in his hand.

The onlookers were stunned.

This is... that Lu Quan's Impermanence Blade?

Terrible!

Tang Mingshuang was greatly alarmed and could not help but open her eyes, a trace of bitterness showing through.

It was actually a treasure of transformation?

The people inside and outside the arena also reacted one after another, and for a moment, they all felt it was quite subtle.

Aren't these two people a bit too similar?

"It's different; I am multifaceted on the inside but singular on the outside, while for him, it is the exact opposite, isn't it?"

Tang Mingshuang's gaze toward Du En had not changed from beginning to end, like an ancient well of still water, yet that water was not cold, just natural and effortless.

Du En raised his head, looked at her, and said, "Rest assured, since I have already accepted your master's benefits, I naturally won't quibble over so much."

"Also, that master of yours is truly not bad; there is no favoritism. After you all break through to the Nascent Soul stage, he helps you re-refine your dharma treasures to better suit the high-grade cultivation arts you choose to switch to. It's just that your strength is still quite good, while that other one is not very capable."

Speaking in such a soft and casual tone, he hooked his finger through the ring at the end of the small knife handle and began to swing it gently, thus stirring up a breeze.

This wind is obscure and formless, known as the Impermanent, and therefore is not bound by worldly logic.

He stopped swinging the small knife, and the transformation dissipated.

A thin mark appeared on Tang Mingshuang's neck.

The wind of impermanence blew into the Eternal Frozen Ice Coffin.

It is quite normal to have this kind of targeted restraint, because all of the disciples of the Great Cultivator Yun Yi want to surpass their predecessors, so it is only natural that Lu Quan would focus his efforts on the flaws of the senior sister ahead of him.

Of course, this is not absolute; one can only say that if Lu Quan were to use it, this wind of impermanence would at most blow a comfortable, cool breeze for Du En's divine soul or something similar.

He turned around, not looking at the ice coffin melting, and as he stepped, only fifty ice flowers bloomed.

He rose and flew, the dark clouds dispersed, and he departed the small world.

The second battle was a victory.

He won just like that?

He really did win!

It wasn't exactly unexpected, but it still felt a bit too fast!

The onlookers were speechless, their gazes containing all sorts of emotions.

They shook off their shock and their eyes became even more piercing and bright.

Although the treasures of transformation seem to have many varieties, they ultimately cannot escape certain limitations!

The more you expose now, the easier it will be for us to fight you later!

Hehe! When we officially meet, let's see how you struggle!

The geniuses were now taking him seriously, recalling what they had just seen, and would naturally focus all their attention in the future to analyze Du En's background, origins, techniques, and dharma treasures, so as to devise appropriate countermeasures.

Therefore, although he had won again, it would only become more dangerous, increasingly dangerous, from here on out!

On his way flying back to the now-merged and upgraded White Iron Floating Pillar, Du En glanced at some of them.

Those Nascent Soul perfection stage geniuses who sat firmly on the sidelines, yet had been watching the battle solemnly, scrutinizing and weighing things up, now appearing completely composed!

It must be said that in terms of cultivation base and techniques, he had no advantage, and if he were to encounter them next...

Seeming to notice Du En's gaze, they also looked over one after another, as if superiors looking at a rising star, carrying a sense of affirmation.

Du En's expression did not ripple, and after a fleeting glance, he naturally withdrew his gaze.

Half a month has passed, and the increase in average subscriptions has stalled again, so I have helplessly compiled them into one chapter for release; I hope you will forgive me.

(End of this chapter)