Chapter 401: Supreme Prodigy

Before the floating Dantai Qi, countless icy winds and snowflakes filled the void.

He knew the power of these snowflakes—he could never withstand them.

Even if he summoned a defensive shield, it could not block or absorb the hundred and twenty-eight snowflakes slicing through in an instant.

So there was only one choice: evade.

First dodge these snowflakes, then figure out how to respond.

But the snowflakes came from every direction, every angle.

The key was, at this moment, Dantai Qi realized his body could not move.

Not completely immobile, but movement had become extremely difficult.

Because He Pingsheng's technique contained spatial laws, which, though unable to truly lock a patch of void, could still interfere with space.

Truly locking this realm was beyond his reach.

Because the spatial laws he controlled were merely superficial.

Yet even this interference drastically reduced Dantai Qi's movement speed.

"I surrender… I surrender…" At this moment, Dantai Qi made the wisest decision.

Otherwise, under these hundred and twenty-eight snowflakes, survival was impossible.

Swoosh…

Swoosh swoosh swoosh…

Under He Pingsheng's powerful spiritual sense, the hundred and twenty-eight snowflakes skimmed past the edges of Dantai Qi's body, one by one, then slammed almost simultaneously against the inverted defensive light sphere outside.

Boom…

In the span of a single breath, the defensive array surrounding the Tenth Dragon Platform shattered completely.

A vast force of ice and snow erupted from the arena, sweeping outward in visible ripples.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered around the arena all immediately summoned magic treasures to defend themselves.

Some were too slow to react and were blasted dozens of zhang away by the torrent of ice and snow.

Dust cleared, snow melted.

Everyone turned again, stunned, toward the Tenth Dragon Platform.

On the platform, He Pingsheng stood unharmed.

In the void stood Dantai Qi, pale with lingering fear.

Dantai Qi's face was ashen—he had just felt the threat of death.

And Dantai Qi was certain: even if he had summoned his best defensive magic treasure and used every defense he possessed, he still could not have survived.

Strong…

Too strong!

This guy is absurdly powerful—he shattered the defensive array!

He Pingsheng said nothing, merely picked up the Ice Plain Divine Dew and swallowed a single drop.

That single strike had drained all five of his dantians.

And that strike's power—let alone Dantai Qi—even if Founder Kai had been reborn, he would have died on the spot.

That strike could slay a Nascent Soul.

It was that powerful—otherwise it wouldn't have shattered the outer defensive array outright.

Of course, this was still not He Pingsheng's strongest state.

If he had not used ice spiritual energy just now, but instead channeled it into a unified Five Elements force… the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Silence fell over the arena and the crowd.

After a long while, Dantai Qi, hovering above, flipped down from the platform, bowed to He Pingsheng, and said: "Thank you for holding back!"

He Pingsheng nodded, then looked around: "Ladies and gentlemen… if anyone wishes to challenge me, remember to call me tomorrow!"

"If not, I won't come back tomorrow!"

Only now did the crowd snap out of their stunned state.

"My god… what kind of attack was that?"

"That technique is too powerful!"

"My god, he shattered the defensive array—I've never seen anyone break a third-rank defensive formation!"

Third-rank defensive formations also varied in strength.

Ordinary third-rank formations could withstand a full-power strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator—even a peak cultivator.

But peak Foundation Establishment cultivators could indeed shatter such arrays with ease.

Yet the ten defensive arrays on the Dragon Platform square were no ordinary matter—they were not ordinary third-rank formations.

In fact, they should be called third-rank mountain-protection arrays.

Even at the same rank, a mountain-protection array's defense was incomparably superior to an ordinary defensive formation.

No wonder everyone was stunned.

"One more thing!" He Pingsheng stepped down from the half-collapsed Dragon Platform and walked to Princess Qinghe's side. "I'm close friends with Princess Qinghe, so please, when challenging her, hold back. If anyone dares to harm Princess Qinghe, I won't be merciful!"

Everyone understood immediately.

And they were all clever—they quickly grasped the key point.

I took Princess Qinghe's position as Guardian of the Stele, then you come up and beat me up?

And you two are friends?

True friends?

Forget it… challenge someone else.

Many held this mindset.

"Thank you!" Princess Qinghe took a deep breath, leapt onto the Ninth Dragon Platform, and bowed to the crowd: "Ladies and gentlemen… the winner of yesterday's Ninth Arena may now ascend to challenge. I am the Guardian of the Ninth Dragon Platform—Liang Huaqiu!"

Before anyone could step forward, two streaks of light flew from afar and landed with a thud on the square.

The two streaks landed precisely in front of Dantai Qi.

They were two Great Nascent Soul cultivators.

One of them He Pingsheng recognized—the 【Futu Elder】 who had presided over the Five Dragon Gorge.

Futu Elder's face was grim. "Dantai Qi, the technique you just used—【Heavenly Sword Ice Pool】—belongs to our imperial family. We must ask you some questions…"

"Come with us."

Without waiting for Dantai Qi's consent, he reached out and took him away.

This scene stunned the crowd once more.

The 【Heavenly Sword Ice Pool】 technique was an imperial technique?

He Pingsheng was also puzzled.

But it didn't matter—it had nothing to do with him!

Soon after, Princess Qinghe Liang Huaqiu easily defeated her opponent and left the arena to join He Pingsheng's side.

"You're incredible!" Princess Qinghe climbed into He Pingsheng's carriage and asked: "Did you learn this blizzard technique during your eight-month seclusion?"

This question left He Pingsheng speechless.

"Your technique is powerful!" Liang Huaqiu did not press further, but changed the subject: "There are very few techniques in the world that can defeat 【Heavenly Sword Ice Pool】!"

"Do you know its origin?"

He Pingsheng shook his head.

Liang Huaqiu said: "It was created by a prodigious genius of our Liang imperial family!"

"His name was Liang Tianjian…"

"He lived in the same era as our ancestral patriarch. When he reached the Golden Core realm, he endured the Eight-Nine Heavenly Tribulation—just like your wife!"

He Pingsheng's interest sparked. "What happened after?"

If such a person existed, why wasn't he our imperial ancestor?

"Vanished!" Liang Huaqiu shook her head sadly. "He was a genius who defeated all heroes under heaven. But shortly after breaking through to Nascent Soul, he left on a journey—and never returned."

"So today, seeing the 【Heavenly Sword Ice Pool】 technique, our imperial family must investigate thoroughly!"