"Friend, you're quite strong," Zhuo Min-jun said, his voice low but heavy with admiration. "Even when I was at your realm, I wasn't this powerful. But alas… I still have to kill you."
Li Hao's expression remained semi-cold as he replied, "Oh? You still have the will to talk? Then let's get this over with. I haven't used my sword techniques in a long time—let's see how sharp they are against you, senior."
"Hahaha!" Zhuo Min-jun laughed. "Kid, I haven't even used the true sword arts of the Zhuo family. Come! Let me see your real skills!"
Li Hao chuckled. "Then here I come—Rising Sun Sword Art, First Form: Sun Thrust!"
He stepped forward, his stance sharp and precise. With a powerful motion, he pulled the sword back, then thrust it forward like a ray of solar brilliance.
A blazing beam of sword intent shot forth—followed by six more behind it, forming a spear formation of radiant destruction.
Zhuo Min-jun's eyes narrowed.
"Good! Very good! Then taste this—Violent Spirit Wind Sword Art, Spirit Wind Thrust!"
He lunged forward, spiritual power surging as a condensed thrust of wind-infused sword energy exploded out from his blade.
The first three sword beams from Li Hao were obliterated in the clash—but Zhuo Min-jun used the narrow gap to dodge the rest, flickering through the air. He appeared above Li Hao and swung downward in a vicious vertical slash.
Boom!
Li Hao raised his sword just in time to block the attack. The collision cracked the earth, forming a deep crater beneath them.
Li Hao pushed Zhuo Min-jun back, his body flashing forward to follow. Both landed at high speed, skidding across the earth before leaping back into the air.
Their swords clashed again mid-air—Chang! Chang! Chang!
Then, with a deep breath, Li Hao called out:
"Rising Sun Sword Art, Fourth Form: Sun Wheel!"
His blade spun as a tornado of golden sword intent erupted around him.
Zhuo Min-jun responded in kind—
"Violent Spirit Wind Sword Art, Wind Vortex!"
A violent wind-tornado of sword intent formed, rotating in the opposite direction.
Boom!
The two tornados collided, canceling each other out in a storm of broken energy. Sword intent vanished, but the spiritual power of heaven and earth rippled as if shaken by gods.
Li Hao's eyes narrowed. If this continues, others might sense the battle. I need to end it now.
I can't use wide-range techniques… Lu Lang might get caught in the backlash.
With that thought, Li Hao's expression hardened.
"Rising Sun Sword Art, Fifth Form: Sun Dance."
A blazing light radiated from him. His aura flared as his spiritual power dipped by three percent—a sacrifice for overwhelming speed.
Twelve sword strikes shot out in a blink, each faster than the last—each precise and burning with radiant might. They tore into Zhuo Min-jun's body like meteors.
Sword marks seared into the earth. And upon Zhuo Min-jun's body, the glowing trails of sword intent made healing impossible—unless he could dispel them.
Li Hao stood tall, eyes unwavering, as flames flickered along Zhuo Min-jun's form.
"I, Zhuo Min-jun… will remember this name. Even in death… I will not die a peaceful death!" the wounded Void cultivator roared.
Then, with blood spilling from his lips, he ignited his inner core.
His body swelled with chaotic spiritual energy. Within moments, he was like an overinflated vessel, trembling with destruction.
BOOM!
He exploded in a violent burst of spiritual energy.
Li Hao calmly extended his hand, forming a barrier of spiritual power around Lu Lang and himself.
The impact wave crashed into his shield, but it held firm—strong enough to resist even a full-force Void Perfection explosion.
From her position, Lu Lang watched in awe as a golden shield shimmered before her, keeping her safe from annihilation.
As the dust settled and the pressure faded, Li Hao stared at the blast site. Then, without hesitation, he turned and appeared beside Lu Lang in a flash of light.
"Little girl, let's go," he said in a calm, almost casual voice. "Many martial experts will have heard that explosion. We need to disappear—now."
"Okay, Master," Lu Lang nodded quickly.
After a moment of silence, she asked, "Master… when will you teach me those sword techniques?"
Li Hao gave her a side glance and said, "When you reach the Life and Death Realm, I'll teach you. For now, focus on mastering the Heavenly Blossom Sword Art."
"Understood, Master," she said obediently.
The two vanished into the distance, traveling at high speed, leaving the battlefield behind.
Moments later, an old man descended from the sky. He hovered above the ruined land, surveying the destruction with a solemn gaze.
Below him, a massive crater spanned the earth—300 meters wide, with a blast radius of over 700 meters. At its center, a smoldering mound of earth and bones marked the site of the explosion.
The old man frowned.
"To cause such devastation… This must've been the battlefield of Void Perfection Realm experts."
"But for a battle between two Void Perfection Realm cultivators to end so decisively… how strange. Such duels usually end in a draw," the old man muttered, gazing solemnly at the scorched battlefield.
Just then, a middle-aged man arrived, his eyes sharp. "Old man, you came rather quickly. Mind telling me what happened here?"
"It's nothing of note. Just a clash between two Void Perfection cultivators," the old man replied casually.
"Oh? Just a fight between Void Perfection cultivators?" a cold voice interrupted. A man from the Zhuo family stepped forward, his face grim. "The one fighting just now was none other than the Vice Sect Master of our Zhuo family."
[Name: Zhuo Ji-hun | Age: 882 | Realm: Willful Entry, Early Stage | Zhuo Family, 56th Ancestor]
"So what do you want to do?" the middle-aged man asked. "Everyone can see this was a fight at the Void Perfection Realm."
[Name: Song Ye-jun | Age: 1258 | Realm: Willful Entry, Early Stage | Song Family, 46th Ancestor]
"Are you looking for a fight?" a voice chuckled, full of aged amusement. "If so, hurry up. This old man is in a bad mood and wouldn't mind some entertainment."
The skies trembled slightly as all eyes turned upward. An imposing figure floated above, his long beard trailing down to his collarbones, his aura completely unrestrained.
[Name: Di Si-woo | Age: 2560 | Realm: Willful Entry, Mid Stage | Martial Emperor Sect, 27th Ancestor]
"Elder, we were merely joking," Song Ye-jun said with a forced smile and lazy gaze. "Nothing serious."
"Oh? Then that's fine," Di Si-woo said with a faint smirk. He turned to the old man. "Old friend, what exactly happened here?"
"It was just a clash between two Void Perfection experts," another figure stepped out of the shadows. His identity unknown, yet his presence was unquestionable. "Judging by the remnants, they were sword cultivators."
He paused, squinting at the battlefield. "Interesting… the sword intent here is fused with Yang Intent. This person was close to stepping into the Willful Realm."
"Oh?" Di Si-woo's interest piqued. "So a new expert is about to emerge—and he cultivates the Yang Law? Very interesting. I'll make sure to greet this fellow when we meet."
With that, Di Si-woo vanished like a breeze, leaving only silence behind.
The mysterious man also disappeared without a word. The Song and Zhuo family ancestors departed shortly after, leaving the old man alone once again.
He muttered to himself, "To have fused Yang Intent with such purity… not inferior to the Law of Nature. This young man… is dangerous."
With that final thought, the old man faded into the shadows.
...
Elsewhere…
"Master, what's your cultivation level?" Lu Lang asked curiously.
Li Hao smiled faintly. "I'm at the Eighth Level of the Third Turn."
"Eh? Then how did you defeat someone in the Void Perfection Realm?" she asked, confused.
Li Hao laughed lightly. "I'm a genius. What explanation does a genius need? We bend the heavens and earth—we turn impossibility into inevitability."
"But Master… what about the ones you fight? Aren't they geniuses too?"
"They're mediocre at best," Li Hao replied dismissively. "Even if they've reached their realm, they lack the potential to go beyond it. If you want to stand at the peak, reach the Void or Willful Realm. With my guidance, you'll be invincible within your realm."
"Understood! Let's go. The competition continues tomorrow," Lu Lang said, full of renewed resolve.
...
The Next Day – Tournament Grounds
The arena roared with energy. Two powerful contenders clashed violently—one in a green martial robe, the other in red. Sparks of sword intent burst with every strike as they fought for the right to advance.
From a high platform, Li Hao observed silently. Lu Lang stood beside him.
"Master, those two are rumored to reach the top three. They're at the peak of the Unrestrained Realm," she said.
Li Hao gave the battle a glance. "Just because someone's at peak Unrestrained doesn't mean they're strong."
"If I were in their realm, I'd easily fight a minor realm above them," he added calmly.
"That's because you've mastered your techniques to a realm no one else can reach so quickly. Even if everyone in this arena stood before you, what could they do?"
"They're all older than us by decades—between 20 and 85 years old," she continued.
Li Hao smiled. "Haha, youth dominates now. What about you? Think you can match these so-called heavenly geniuses of this little city?"
"Just give me a few more years," Lu Lang said confidently. "I'll reach Unrestrained Peak in no time!"
Li Hao's expression turned serious. "One and a half years. If you can't reach Peak by then… I'll decide your punishment."
Lu Lang blinked, stunned. It was the first time Li Hao had given her a deadline. One and a half years… is so short.
But then, her eyes lit up with fire. "If I'm truly a genius, I have to prove it. One and a half years—nothing will stop me!"
She looked at the arena with blazing eyes.
"Unrestrained Peak… here I come."