Chapter 284: Shattered False Golden Core

"Xu Kunlun wins!"

The city lord's soldiers raised their hands and made the ruling.

The audience below erupted in a thunderous roar.

"Holy shit..."

"So strong!"

"I didn't even see how he moved!"

"Aren't you supposed to be an alchemist? How the hell are you this strong?"

"How did he throw that punch?"

"His speed is insane!"

"He reacted last but struck first!"

"Is this disciple of the Free Immortal Sect really that weak? One punch and he's knocked out?"

"Did he die from it?"

"Surely not?"

The onlookers buzzed with discussion.

He Pingsheng stepped down from the arena and reclaimed his Sky-Soaring Boat and the 【Immortal Fruit Token】 that originally belonged to Zhang Qi.

Winning was that simple.

"What the hell just happened?"

"Can someone explain?"

Wu Qiong's face darkened to its deepest shade as he turned to his fellow sect members.

"Huh..." one of them said: "Senior brother... Brother Zhang... he lost!"

"Do you think I'm blind? I know he lost!" Wu Qiong's face turned black: "I didn't see it—describe the whole thing. How did he lose?"

"Alright!" The disciple took a deep breath, paused, then said: "After both men jumped onto the arena, Xu Kunlun seemed about to bow in greeting—but Brother Zhang didn't say a word. He launched first, pointing his finger and using our Jade Tree Peak's ultimate technique: 【Immortal's Finger Point】."

Immortal's Finger Point is a spell.

Extremely powerful.

With a single finger thrust, a fierce sword qi erupts between the index and middle fingers—any cultivator of the same realm struck by it will suffer grave injury.

Not just Zhang Qi, but many of our sect members know this technique.

"Then what?" Wu Qiong asked urgently.

The disciple replied: "Then Xu Kunlun seemed startled."

"But his reaction was lightning-fast—he dodged Brother Zhang's attack instantly, then closed the distance in a flash and punched him straight into the air!"

"And then!"

"That's it!"

Wu Qiong's mind now had a clear image.

After both men stepped onto the arena, his younger brother Zhang Qi struck first with Immortal's Finger Point.

The opponent dodged it, then closed in with a single punch.

And that was the end.

"Kē... " Wu Qiong stared in disbelief.

That's too simple.

One punch?

How could one punch possibly have that much force?

Knock out a Foundation Establishment eleventh-layer cultivator instantly?

Impossible.

Of course it's impossible!

In truth, when He Pingsheng threw that punch, he also unleashed a spiritual sense attack.

He didn't activate the 【Formless North Star Nail】 spiritual technique—merely suppressed Zhang Qi with raw, overwhelming spiritual sense.

That's all it was.

If he'd used the Formless North Star Nail, Zhang Qi would be dead right now.

"Younger brother..."

"Senior brother, senior brother..."

"Wake up!"

As his fellow disciples shook him, Zhang Qi slowly opened his eyes.

He shot upright and asked: "What happened?"

"Did I... lose?"

Wu Qiong's face was grim: "Younger brother Zhang, tell us—what exactly happened?"

"How could one punch knock you out instantly?"

"Was there another reason?"

Wu Qiong stared at Zhang Qi.

Zhang Qi frowned, rubbing his head: "There was... I felt it—the moment he hit me, I was struck by a spiritual sense attack!"

"Spiritual sense attack?"

Wu Qiong said: "Damn it... Younger brother Zhang, think carefully—was it truly a spiritual sense attack?"

"Yes!" Zhang Qi said: "Absolutely a spiritual sense attack!"

"Good, good..." Wu Qiong gritted his teeth: "This bastard has a small bell capable of spiritual sense attacks—he used it secretly, didn't he?"

"This is unfair! Unfair!"

Zhang Qi stood up and shouted: "Xu Kunlun cheated!"

Shhh...

Countless eyes turned to Zhang Qi.

The city lord's tournament official asked: "How did Xu Kunlun cheat?"

Zhang Qi said: "He used a spiritual sense attack treasure while I wasn't looking—he disrupted my mind!"

Hearing this, He Pingsheng smiled.

Disrupted my mind?

True.

But I didn't use a treasure.

"Cough, cough..." He Pingsheng cleared his throat, adjusted his tone, then said calmly: "Everyone is watching—how could I possibly use a treasure?"

"Besides, to activate a treasure, I'd have to trigger it first!"

"Did anyone see me trigger a treasure?"

As he spoke, he pulled out the 【Soul-Annihilating Bell】.

"No one saw it?"

"Exactly... impossible!"

"If there was a spiritual sense attack, we'd have seen it!"

The onlookers weren't fools.

"I don't care!" Zhang Qi said: "We're both eleventh-layer! Even if his punch was strong, how could he knock me out cold?"

"He must've used underhanded tricks!"

Zhang Qi looked aggrieved.

Wu Qiong stood up, pulled Zhang Qi behind him, and said: "Fine—let's make this fair. One more match!"

"This time, I'll fight!"

"Though I'm Foundation Establishment twelfth-layer, I'm only one level higher!"

"There's no absolute fairness in this world!"

"If you can match me evenly—or even fall behind—you still win!"

"What do you say?"

"Of course, the condition is—you can't bring that spiritual sense bell!"

He Pingsheng sneered: Since you're determined to humiliate yourself, don't blame me.

He said nothing—just handed the Soul-Annihilating Bell to Qiao Huizhu: "Senior sister, hold this for me."

Then He Pingsheng stepped onto the arena.

Clean. Efficient.

Seeing He Pingsheng agree so readily, without hesitation, Wu Qiong suddenly felt a bad omen.

But the arrow was already on the string—he had no choice.

He gritted his teeth and stepped onto the arena.

Must be serious.

This kid is no fool—must respond with full attention.

Wu Qiong kept reminding himself, yet still bowed to He Pingsheng: "I'm one level higher—let you strike first."

He spoke grandly, but it was a classic strategy: wait for the opponent to move first, so he could respond accurately, avoid falling behind, and once he adapted to the attack, he could counter with overwhelming force.

But He Pingsheng showed no courtesy.

With a thunderous punch, he slammed straight at Wuqiong Dao Ren.

At the same time, his powerful spiritual sense erupted, striking the opponent's mind sea in sync.

Poor Wuqiong Dao Ren's spiritual sense was suppressed; he could not summon any divine technique or spell, and could only watch helplessly as He Pingsheng's attack struck him.

With a crash, he was blasted flying.

His body slammed into the hemispherical array's light barrier, then bounced back violently to the ground.

His landing posture was nearly identical to Zhang Qi's face-first fall.

"Puh…"

Wuqiong Dao Ren did not pass out—he merely opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of blood.

But his face turned pale as he cried out: "No! My… my fake Golden Core… it's shattered!"

"Damn it, damn it!"