Chapter 480: Pillar Supporting the Sky, Boundless Raging Sea

Liao Xin has integrated two types of implants, both of which have triggered core-level extraordinary abilities, so he is at the 3rd tier of the Dao Foundation realm.

Coupled with the top-tier inheritance of the Feathering Sect and his own talent, he possesses roughly 3.5-tier combat power.

Yet he was taken out in a single move!

This result surprised everyone present.

Compared to the composure with which Gan Jingcheng forced Wang Wang Fengqing to exhaust all her means, the power with which Ming Qi resolved the match in a single move was even more awe-inspiring!

"A bit tricky."

On the spectator stand, Gan Jingcheng rubbed his chin and muttered.

"Very good!"

Ning Tang Chuan, on the opposite stand, was full of fighting spirit and felt very excited.

Li Fei recalled the move Ming Qi had just performed and asked Qin Zhen beside him:

"Professor Qin, is he primarily cultivating the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method' from the 'Vajra Eight Parts'?"

Qin Zhen nodded.

The 'Red Sound Fire Vajra Method' and the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method' are two cultivation methods in the 'Vajra Eight Parts' dedicated to offense; one is water and one is fire, one yin and one yang.

Taming the Tiger nourishes fire, and Subduing the Dragon nourishes water; therefore, those who cultivate the 【Taming Tiger Vajra】 Dao Foundation are suited for the 'Red Sound Fire Vajra Method', while those who cultivate the 【Subduing Dragon Vajra】 Dao Foundation are suited for the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method'.

The Dao Foundation Li Fei cultivates is 【Primordial Heavenly Gold】, and the Vajra energy he produces has a primordial attribute that simultaneously fuses yin and yang without favoring either side, so he is suited to cultivate both the 'Red Sound Fire Vajra Method' and the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method'.

Moreover, Shi Caiming had specifically mentioned something when guiding him in the 'Red Sound Fire Vajra Method':

"If you have the opportunity to learn the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method' in the future, gathering both the water and fire methods will be more conducive to your realization of the dual nature of yin and yang, thereby completely mastering the primordial!"

It is just a pity that when the Mount Pudu Temple handed over the 'Vajra Eight Parts' to the imperial court back then, they deliberately held something back; among the four cultivation methods handed over, there was only the 'Red Sound Fire Vajra Method', not the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method'.

The Mount Pudu Temple intended to keep 'water and fire' separate.

If Li Fei wants to gather both 'water and fire', it is very difficult unless he becomes a monk and also becomes the contemporary Buddha-son.

Li Fei certainly does not want to be a monk, so seeing Ming Qi use the 'White Pure Water Vajra Method' made him pay extra attention.

Even if he cannot learn the specific cultivation method, watching more and carefully sensing the Dao energy the opponent strikes with is helpful to him.

Seeing Ming Qi walk out of the competition area and the last match of the morning conclude, Li Fei planned to stand up and return to his room to continue cultivating.

"Wait a moment."

Qin Zhen suddenly spoke up.

"Hmm?"

Li Fei looked at Qin Zhen in confusion.

This professor had never interfered with any of his actions before.

Qin Zhen stood up, leaped off the spectator stand in one step, and then walked into the competition arena.

At this moment, the tens of thousands of spectators at the scene were already preparing to stand up and leave, and not many people noticed Qin Zhen suddenly entering the arena.

"Qin Zhen, Professor of Wuan University, requests instruction from Professor Kou Fa of Tianqu University!"

Qin Zhen's voice resounded throughout the arena.

"Hmm?"

The spectators preparing to leave stopped one after another and turned to look into the arena.

"There's another match?"

As for the martial artists present, the vast majority showed excitement.

Qin Zhen is second on the Feng Province Wind and Cloud List and is on the candidate list for the overall Wind and Cloud List.

Kou Fa is the first on the Cang Province Wind and Cloud List and was previously ranked ninth on the overall Wind and Cloud List.

Later, when the Green-Faced Ghost suddenly climbed onto the overall Wind and Cloud List at ninth place, it pushed Kou Fa down to tenth.

Qin Zhen and Kou Fa are both true peak Dao Foundation realm experts; such a duel is even more significant than a duel between the younger generation!

"No wonder they had Professor Qin lead the team this time."

On the spectator stand, Li Fei was thoughtful.

The other universities all had vice-principals or martial arts masters leading their teams; only Wuan University had Qin Zhen, a Dao Foundation realm expert, lead the team.

At first, Li Fei thought it was because Vice-Principal Fang Professor Guan was busy and couldn't get away, but now it seems Shi Caiming arranged it this way on purpose.

Qin Zhen leading the team to Tianqu University was precisely to challenge Kou Fa!

Li Fei looked at the main spectator stand and saw that the high-level officials of Tianqu University did not look surprised.

It seems this was communicated between the two universities beforehand.

Sure enough, a figure soon leaped down from the main spectator stand and walked into the competition arena.

This person looked to be in his forties, holding a long spear, with an obvious battlefield aura, like an old general who had fought on the battlefield for many years and had retired to his farm.

This Professor Kou Fa of Tianqu University had indeed been on the battlefield when he was young; in the war when the Seven-Nation Alliance invaded over a decade ago, Kou Fa had personally led troops to fight against the foreigners.

He broke through to the Dao Foundation realm at thirty-seven, is sixty-one this year, and has stayed in the Dao Foundation realm for over twenty years, cultivating step by step to the peak of the Dao Foundation realm.

Compared to those peerless geniuses who competed today, Kou Fa's cultivation speed can only be considered 'a turtle crawling'.

But the opponent was able to maintain this speed and keep moving upward, eventually becoming the strongest Dao Foundation realm expert in the entire Cang Province and making it onto the overall Wind and Cloud List!

"Senior Kou, please."

Qin Zhen bowed to Kou Fa.

He is thirty-one this year, several generations younger than Kou Fa.

Although he cannot be counted as a peerless genius, in the stage between thirty and forty years old, he is definitely one of the most outstanding geniuses!

"Good!"

Kou Fa did not waste words; he picked up his spear and went for it.

Just like when he led troops back then, he would fight as soon as he said he would!

The long spear was covered in azure energy, carrying an incomparable momentum, pressing forward without hesitation.

Whoosh—

The sound of ocean waves rang out.

Previously, when Wang Wang Fengqing performed the Dao energy 【Raging Sea Tidal Wave】, it made the spectators in the front rows near the arena hear the sound of waves, as if they were by the sea.

And at this moment, all tens of thousands of people in the arena were affected simultaneously!

Kou Fa thrust his spear, as if carrying the raging waves of the sea, sweeping over.

Dao energy—【Raging Sea】!

The azure energy covered the entire arena in an instant, turning into surging waves.

The wind howled and the waves surged.

Just like Hao Yi's 'Heaven and Earth Single Blade' from before, this move of Kou Fa's also created a nearly real illusion!

Qin Zhen was submerged by the sea.

The next second, a huge stone pillar broke out of the sea!

The stone pillar rose continuously, and in the blink of an eye, it reached the clouds, level with the sky!

Of course, it is impossible for such a stone pillar to actually appear; this is also an illusion caused by the power of the heart and mind.

This is the Dao energy performed by Qin Zhen—【Pillar Supporting the Sky】!

On the spectator stand, Li Fei carefully sensed the clash between the two.

Compared to Gu Yuefeng before he broke through his realm, the Dao energy of these two is even more powerful and soul-stirring!

Boom—

With an explosive sound, the sea and the Pillar Supporting the Sky dissipated almost simultaneously.

In the center of the arena, Qin Zhen held his blade with both hands, slashing at Kou Fa's long spear.

With the two as the center, the soil within a range of dozens of meters all collapsed downward!

The long spear in Kou Fa's hand shook, deflecting Qin Zhen's blade, and then he simply thrust a middle-level spear strike over.

When he practiced the spear in his youth, he pursued complex changes in energy; the seemingly simple spear strike actually had incredibly complex internal energy circulation, capable of completing dozens of changes in an instant, striving for precision in every bit of energy.

But now, his moves have completely abandoned precise control and complex techniques; it is just simple and direct, returning to the basics.

Yet this simple middle-level spear strike contained the power of the sea, like a tsunami disaster, wanting to wash away everything!

Qin Zhen did not avoid its edge; he swung his blade in a horizontal slash, hitting the front half of the spear and knocking the thrusting spear off course.

At the same time, a powerful force of energy was born out of thin air under Kou Fa's feet, fiercely colliding with his protective energy and knocking him into the air!

Kou Fa took the opportunity to turn in the air and swung his spear in a horizontal sweep; the azure energy was like a great tide on the vast sea, pushing across.

Qin Zhen followed his blade, and a rolling blade technique carrying deep black blade aura crushed the 'tidal wave'!

Immediately after, before Kou Fa could land, mountain peaks protruded from the ground, one after another, with ancient trees reaching the sky; the majestic energy like a gale echoed continuously between the peaks, washing over Kou Fa again and again.

Dao energy—【Echoing Peaks】!

Kou Fa was in the air, being buffeted back and forth by Qin Zhen's energy, unable to land.

He brandished his long spear, and every strike set off a whistling sound like ocean tides; the waves of the sea reappeared, colliding among the mountains.

Consequently, leaves were shattered, ancient trees were snapped, and the mountain peaks shook.

It was still the Dao energy 【Raging Sea】!

Kou Fa only practiced this one style of Dao energy, but this style of Dao energy contained infinite changes, enough for him to deal with all moves and enemies.

The mountain peaks broke through the tidal waves repeatedly, but they would soon be covered by layers of waves and worn away.

Just like that, blade and spear collided continuously, and mountain and sea contended with each other!

Of these two, the Dao Foundation Qin Zhen practices is named 【Heavenly Pillar Mountain】, which is an earth-attribute Dao Foundation.

The Dao Foundation Kou Fa practices is named 【Raging Sea Tide】, which is a water-attribute Dao Foundation.

According to the principle of the mutual generation and restriction of the Five Elements, Earth overcomes Water, so Qin Zhen should have had the advantage.

But at their realm, they have already gathered implants for all five elemental attributes, and their own internal force simultaneously contains the primordial Qi of all five attributes, so the restrictive relationship of the Five Elements is no longer so obvious to them.

The Vast Sea Raging Waves swallows all things, and also accommodates all things.

The Vast Sea Raging Waves force that Kou Fa practices also incorporates the Earth-attribute primordial Qi, so he does not have a clear disadvantage when facing Earth-attribute force.

If Qin Zhen wants to suppress his force, he can only rely on more powerful strength!

The two peak Foundation Establishment realm experts are fighting with great momentum on the field, frequently using Dao force to bombard each other.

Dao force is a high-level fusion of "essence, Qi, and spirit," which should originally be a trump card and an "ultimate move" for Foundation Establishment martial artists.

But at this moment, Qin Zhen and Kou Fa use Dao force with ease, not feeling the slightest strain.

This is already very close to the realm of a Martial Arts Master!

Besides possessing martial arts supernatural powers, the most obvious trait of a Martial Arts Master is that they can use Dao force at will; every strike is a perfect unity of "essence, Qi, and spirit," and every strike is Dao force!

"The combat power of Qin Zhen and Kou Fa should both be above Gu Yuefeng."

In the stands, Li Fei made his own judgment.

When Gu Yuefeng first came out of seclusion, he was rated above Tier 7 by the Moon-Watching Pavilion and listed among the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.

Later, facts proved that he had indeed reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, only a thin line away from breaking through the realm.

But even at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, everyone's peak is different.

There are a total of twenty peak Foundation Establishment martial artists on the Wind and Cloud General Ranking and the candidate list, and there are differences in the combat power of these twenty martial artists.

Gu Yuefeng, whose combat power is inferior to Qin Zhen and Kou Fa, was able to break through the realm during battle; if he hadn't been interfered with by Li Fei back then, he would already be a new Martial Arts Master today.

Qin Zhen and Kou Fa naturally also possess the qualifications to break through the realm.

The reason they have not broken through is simply that they are constantly polishing themselves, striving to make their own "peak" higher, and even higher!

One only has one chance in a lifetime to construct the foundation of the Martial Dao.

Therefore, for the sake of their future Great Dao, Qin Zhen and the others would rather spend several or even more than ten years, just to ensure their realm is more perfect when constructing their Martial Dao foundation.

Gu Yuefeng sought to break through as soon as he reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm; it was not that he lacked ambition, but that he believed he had reached his own limit in this realm, and there was no need to continue polishing.

"Could it be that these two..."

A guess suddenly arose in Li Fei's heart.

Gradually, the momentum of the two people fighting on the field began to rise continuously!

Seeing this scene, many martial artists present also realized it belatedly, understanding somewhat:

"Are they going to break through the realm?!"

The opportunity for a martial artist to break through the realm is usually obtained during battle, and specifically when fighting against strong opponents.

When Gu Yuefeng went to Datong Prefecture to challenge Qin Zhen back then, it was to find such an opportunity.

Now that Qin Zhen is challenging Kou Fa, it is the same.

It is just that this time, it is not just one person breaking through, but both of them are breaking through!

On the main viewing platform, Xuan Chen of the Supreme Purity Sect narrowed his eyes, and the eyes of True Person Qingxia of the Great Luo Sect shifted.

Qi Zhou, the principal of Tianqu University, glanced at the team leaders of the three Daoist sects and smiled.

In this Martial Arts Exchange Tournament, the three Daoist sects and Mount Pudu Temple have truly stolen the spotlight, with results clearly stronger than those of the universities.

This result was predictable beforehand; after all, it is somewhat unrealistic for universities established less than twenty years ago to catch up with these top-tier sects of the Jianghu.

Therefore, after Qi Zhou consulted with Shi Caiming, this arrangement was made.

Qin Zhen's polishing at the Foundation Establishment realm had already reached its limit, and the same was true for Kou Fa.

Since that is the case, it is better to arrange for the two to spar and sharpen each other.

If things go smoothly, both of them can break through the realm!

Originally, Qi Zhou intended to arrange for them to fight on the day of the finals.

This could suppress the "heat" of the finals and let everyone shift their attention.

But now that Li Fei unexpectedly made it into the top four, Qin Zhen proposed the challenge in advance.

Qin Zhen does not intend to steal the spotlight from his own student.

On the field, the momentum of the two had climbed to the limit, and the powerful pressure made martial artists below the level of Martial Arts Master feel somewhat suffocated!

Conversely, ordinary people felt nothing.

Whoosh!

The vast sea reappeared, covering the entire field.

Immediately after, stone pillars broke out of the sea, shooting straight into the clouds.

Then the sea began to gather and converge toward the center.

The stone pillars continued to rise, and rise again.

It was as if they were going to pierce the sky!

At a certain moment, all momentum and strength were completely retracted.

The illusions on the field vanished simultaneously.

Qin Zhen and Kou Fa stood opposite each other, looked at each other, and smiles appeared on their faces.

"Many thanks, congratulations."

Qin Zhen cupped his hands to Kou Fa.

Thanking the other for sharpening his Martial Dao, and congratulating the other for successfully breaking through the realm!

"Many thanks, congratulations."

Kou Fa also cupped his hands to Qin Zhen and said.

With this, there are two more Martial Arts Masters in the world.

It's the Mid-Autumn Festival family dinner, so let's have another day with a single update~

Wishing everyone a happy family reunion.

(End of this chapter)