Chapter 999: One-Sided Crush! Only Ten Seconds!

“No, I can’t let him get close, or I won’t be able to win.”

Alan’s gaze hardened, and he sprinted frantically in the opposite direction.

At the same time, flames surged as he pointed a finger toward Xu Jingming.

Whoosh—

The original energy-form flames coalesced into a vast ocean of magma-like fire!

Magma Flame!

An S-class elemental fire restriction technique that drastically reduces an enemy’s movement speed.

Indeed, as soon as the technique activated, Xu Jingming far away slowed as if trapped in quicksand!

“It’s working!” Alan’s face lit up with delight; he kept fleeing while pouring his mental energy into preparing an even stronger technique.

“No wonder he’s another Aurora-level—definitely has some real skill. Guess I’ll have to go all out.”

Feeling the flames continuously dragging at his speed, Xu Jingming raised an eyebrow.

Thunder Domain—OPEN!!

Crackling—!!

The already furious Chaos Divine Thunder erupted with astonishing power, slicing through the golden flames entwining him like a cleaver through chaos!

“Lightning Dash Technique!”

Ziiii—

Xu Jingming vanished from his spot like a bolt of black lightning.

By the time Alan reacted, Xu Jingming was already right in front of his face!

“How is he this fast?!” Alan’s face turned pale.

His prepared technique hadn’t even reached half its full activation.

“Die!”

A black spear wreathed in thunder slashed through the air, leaving a brilliant trail as it stabbed toward Alan with furious force!

“Hah! Xu Jingming, you really think I’m afraid?”

A bold laugh rang out; Alan’s fear vanished, replaced by a mocking smirk.

In an instant, his entire body transformed into a sea of golden flame!

The furious spear pierced through—but only scattered the flames, inflicting zero damage on Alan.

Endless golden flames coalesced into a colossal figure over twenty meters tall.

The elemental giant, now Alan, looked down at Xu Jingming, his voice rumbling:

“With my elemental form, your close-range attacks are useless!”

Elemental form isn’t invincible, but it’s similar to a Martial Saint’s indestructible substance.

As long as his elemental energy isn’t fully depleted, he won’t die.

With Xu Jingming’s strength, achieving that would take considerable time.

“Prepare to face your end!”

Boom—!!

A massive crimson lotus bloomed behind Alan.

Though still a bud, it radiated staggering energy, as if ready to ignite the entire sky!

“Doom Lotus! A SSR-level technique created by the Flame Divine Lord—I never expected Elder Alan learned it!”

“Who can stand against the Lotus? Xu Jingming is finished!”

Gasps and exclamations erupted from the crowd.

As a SSR-level technique, Doom Lotus’s power was unmatched.

But correspondingly, its casting time was extremely long—nearly ten seconds!

And since Xu Jingming and Alan were the same rank, under Alan’s elemental form, there was no way Xu Jingming could interrupt it within ten seconds!

“A SSR-level technique requiring ten seconds to cast?”

Xu Jingming’s lips curled into a blade-like smile, black lightning flickering deep in his pupils: “More than enough time to obliterate you three thousand six hundred times.”

Ziiii—!!

Chaos lightning tore through the searing veil, and under the crowd’s breathless stares,

Xu Jingming’s body vanished into lightning, replaced by a towering, sky-piercing Thunder God Phantasm!

Behind this phantasm, the Brilliant Thunder Ring had expanded to over ten meters in diameter, spinning wildly like a divine halo.

“Heavenly Thunder Punishment Sword!”

The Thunder Giant clenched his hand in midair.

Endless black thunder gathered from the Thunder Ring, surging into his grasp and coalescing into a massive sword over ten meters long!

Heavenly Thunder Punishment Sword!

This long-range SSS-level technique was directly wielded by Xu Jingming as a weapon!

“Perish!”

The thunderous great sword crashed down—just one strike, and the still-budding Doom Lotus was obliterated!

Then another slash struck Alan directly!

Boom—!!

Thunder and flame devoured each other; Alan felt his Solar True Fire draining rapidly!

A closer check revealed he’d already lost forty percent!

“How is this possible?!” Alan panicked completely.

Both were SSS-level abilities—why was Xu Jingming’s Chaos Divine Thunder so much stronger?

And why couldn’t his Solar True Fire even scratch the opponent?

“Thunder Dragon Technique!”

Boom—!!

Three more black thunder dragons surged from the Thunder Sea, lunging to tear into Alan.

Alan’s already diminished Solar True Fire plummeted even faster!

And at this moment, Xu Jingming’s second strike was about to land!!

“No! I can’t die!”

Alan’s Solar True Fire had dropped below forty percent—if he took one more hit, he wouldn’t survive!

“I yield! I yield!”

A desperate cry rang out; in utter terror, Alan immediately surrendered!

“Alan surrenders. This trial battle lasted eight seconds. Victory goes to Xu Jingming!”

Black Feather immediately announced the result from midair.

Shhh—

The sky’s flames retracted, reforming into Alan’s figure.

He gasped heavily, face pale with shock.

Opposite him, Xu Jingming also exited his elemental form, revealing his body as he looked at Alan: “I told you—I only need ten seconds to defeat you.”

As soon as he spoke, the entire plaza erupted!

“Holy shit! He won! Xu Jingming won!”

“Not just won—he crushed him!”

“One slash obliterated the Doom Lotus! No wonder he’s Aurora-level—so brutal!”

“Who could’ve guessed? That was a SSR-level technique!”

“...”

All eyes fixed on Xu Jingming.

Admiration, envy—but mostly awe.

Since Xu Jingming entered the Ember World two months ago and achieved Aurora-level certification,

many had debated whether he or Alan was stronger.

But since their ranks weren’t identical and they’d never fought, no conclusion was reached.

From today onward, no doubt remains.

Xu Jingming is unquestionably the strongest.

“Lost... lost?”

On Leo’s side, Qiao Lin and the others were stunned.

They’d assumed Elder Alan’s breakthrough to the ninth rank would sweep all rivals, leading him to invincibility.

Yet before even leaving the Void Break Tower, he’d already been defeated...

“Xu Jingming...”

Watching Xu Jingming standing midair, basking in the crowd’s cheers, Leo’s eyes held rare gravity.

Both possessed SSS-level abilities, yet their performances were worlds apart!

Was it the ability itself? No, certainly not.

Both rated SSS-level—their power couldn’t differ greatly.

If not the ability, and both were equally ninth-rank lower-tier...

There’s only one factor left: Xu Jingming’s base attributes are far higher than Alan’s!

“A typical eighth-rank peak Grand Master breaking into the ninth rank might achieve 300,000 Hz of spiritual force at best.

Yet Alan, under the Divine Sovereign’s cultivation, used countless heavenly treasures and refined his Spirit Nurturing Art to an extremely high level.

After his breakthrough, he gained 600,000 Hz of spiritual force—so if Xu Jingming is stronger than him, how immense must his spiritual force be?”

Leo silently marveled within.

Whether he liked it or not, after returning, he would have to renegotiate his future stance toward Xu Jingming with the Divine Sovereign...