It made no sense to them to be this generous—people who had disciples for decades would still hesitate in giving them Spiritual Tools.

A Heaven-Grade? Not even the imperial family’s children had them!

This matter especially made Xin Xiayou and Qin Tangshou red-faced. The duo could feel the gazes of their standing disciples on their backs.

‘’Is it truly fair to use such a tool in this competition?’’ Qin Tangshou coughed.

‘’Yes, yes, is it fair? After all, what is Heaven-grade? Is there any challenge when one uses them?’’

Fan Yueyin and Sun Zhongyan snorted, but had no mind to reply.

No one really cared about their comments, grandmasters they might be, except their aides and allied families. After a quick discussion, seeing no retorts, their conversation died.

In the front, Sun Jian watched Li Ao’s figure with shining eyes. However, the constant shine from his master’s ring made him troubled.

‘Did she take this many pictures when I was on stage?’

Even he felt embarrassed at the thought.

In the arena, the duo, with the excuse of assessing their opponent, regained their bearings.

Breathing out, Li Ao flicked his wrist. The spear turned into a mote of flaming-red light, then blinked out.

His action puzzled many in the audience, and when he took out the Phoenix Sword even Fan Yueyin frowned.

Zhen Zedong, however, felt his spine tingle. There was a silent pressure lingering around Li Ao’s entire being.

Zhen Zedong was a heaven’s child. Being as such, he also had a sharper sixth sense than most cultivators of the same realm. Perhaps, it could even match great cultivators of the Core Formation Realm.

That intuition was what enabled people like him to survive most calamities, and also attract opportunities.

Now, feeling his intuition scream at him to run, the boy grit his teeth and put both hands forward.

The three swords flying overhead gathered in front of him, revolving around each other in four-colored light. With a hand seal, the green halo around him was drained out of its color.

Now, the blades contained five colors, almost prismatic, and radiated such power that the immediate arena in front of him sank a step down!

Yet, the impending sense of doom didn’t leave him. Forehead covered in sweat, Zhen Zedong looked at Li Ao’s burning figure.

At some point, extraordinary flames gathered around Li Ao’s body like wings of a phoenix. They flapped and roared, covering twenty meters around him in a hot gale.

A moment later, Li Ao brandished his Phoenix Sword and took a step forward.

The flames converged like a vortex and flooded beneath his foot. In a second, they expanded towards the horizon and touched Zhen Zedong’s feet.

The connection established, a boom echoed.

‘’Scarlet Path!’’

With Li Ao’s shout, the flames condensed again. An illusory path appeared before everyone’s eyes, thin enough to just hold a single person on the path. It was aflame with terrifying flames, and at the end of it was a grand gate almost ten meters in length. From its closed doors, one could hear a thumping heart.

In the high seats, all of the Grandmasters’, Elder Wu’s, Fan Yueyin’s, and even Imperial Ancestor’s eyes widened.

‘’A divine skill!’’

‘’How could it be—’’

‘’Fan Yueyin, what is this technique!?’’ Elder Wu couldn’t contain his passion. ‘’Why does it resemble my sect’s Heaven Steps!?’’

Elder Wu had no such reaction before. After all, there were many people who had fire-affinity in the wide lands around. Also, Li Ao had only used his Fire-Qi to condense weapons, which paired well with his forging techniques, so he didn’t pay much attention.

However, now seeing a technique greatly resembling his sect’s top magical arts, he couldn’t stay calm.

‘’It is his good fortune—’’ Fan Yueyin spoke with a cold tone. ‘’Are you people so intent on bothering my disciple about his opportunities!?’’

Being questioned twice about Li Ao’s cultivation, Fan Yueyin couldn’t hold in her anger. Her aura had a crushing effect on everyone around him, but it lasted a few seconds before Imperial Ancestor’s own suppressed her.

‘’Opportunities must not be touched—’’ the old man said. ‘’Still, I understand Elder Wu’s worries. Just look closer, and you will understand the difference.’’

Hearing him, many gazed at the Scarlet Path, then heard the thumping inside the gate.

There was an immediate consensus on what it was.

‘’A dragon’s heart!’’

Nodding, the old man’s eyes narrowed with anticipation.

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‘’This isn’t a path towards the heavens, nor a divine skill.’’

The Imperial Ancestor’s words shook them. As a Nascent Soul cultivator, his observation was much more impressive.

‘’It is a Divine Slaying Skill!’’

Observing the changes in Zhen Zhedong’s complexion, he continued.

‘’Look at the young Zhen. His Qi is being burned from inside while his flesh is being stripped away from outside. This technique isn’t made for warfare, as ours tend to be, but for single combat!’’

‘’It doesn’t care about the heavens—it's only aim is to kill those who rule the heavens!’’

‘’It is made to slay a dragon!’’

When he identified the core purpose, Li Ao moved.

He took a single step on the Scarlet Path. One fourth of his Qi vanished, and flames exploded in front of him.

All around, images of wingless flood dragons came to being, then shot forth towards the groaning Zhen Zedong. The pain of having his Qi burnt wasn’t something anyone could endure!

This technique was aimed at dragons, simply because of how much it made the other side suffer. Dragons had a low-pain threshold because of their nature. Few things could hurt them in the same stage, or even above a few minor stages.

But when such pain struck, they had no choice but to submit.

The combined pain of burnt Qi and stripped flesh instantly paralyzed Zhen Zedong!

However, he was still a Heaven’s Child.

Screaming, pushing his entire being further, he also took a step forward!

The five colored sword exploded forth, trailed by the two blades. Their figure cut through the air and clashed with the blazing flood dragons.

Two sides met with a bang, then exploded. Both the flames and wind roared, dying heavens and earth in crimson lights.

Audience couldn’t peer through the veil of fire. Yet, the fierce fighting continued still.

Halted for a mere moment, the five-colored sword struck forth again.

Li Ao took another step, and another one fourth of his Qi vanished. His blood pumped, and his heart thrummed like a drum.

Another pair of dragons appeared, then with a roar shot forward. The flames beneath the path intensified with their charge.

Zhen Zedong, eyes mad with pain, bit his lips and screamed. An overbearing aura shot out of his belly, where his dantian rested. Behind him, the image of a tall tower appeared.

This tower was illusory, shaped like a ten-floor pagoda, and only its first floor was a solid violet.

This was a Violet Foundation, the highest-grade foundation a Foundation Establishment Cultivator could establish! Its mere Spiritual pressure caused the Scarlet Path to shake and fracture.

A violet light poured out of the foundation towards the flying swords—now it became six-colors! One short of the perfect seven!

The sword trembled, screamed with wind, and shot forth at a greater speed. The flood dragons were no match for it. In a single burst, they exploded into a shower of flames.

Li Ao watched them dissipate, then found himself no longer caring for the consequence. The boundless Bronze Aura expanded in front of him, and he took two steps forward!

Four pairs of Flood dragons appeared, and the bronze mist seeped into them. In a moment, the flaming dragons appeared to be armored in bronze plates, and their pressure matched with the Violet Foundation of Zhen Zedong.

Li Ao took one last step, overdrew his meridians, and slashed the Phoenix Sword towards the illusory pagoda!

‘’GO!’’

‘’GO!’’

With their pained shouts, both the blade and dragons roared.

The low-clouds above parted from the Spiritual Qi’s wild movements. Whirlwinds and flaming gales shot all around the arena, and the two forces met ten steps away from Li Ao and Zhen Zedong.

There was silence.

Then a single whistle.

After it, the thumping of a heart echoed.

As if enticed by something, Zhen Zedong, ears deafened, unable to hear, cast a single look behind him.

Through his fluttering hair, he noticed that the gates were slightly revealed, and within its darkness opened a gigantic golden pupil.

Not the eyeball, a pupil.

The gate couldn’t even show the entirety of this weird creature’s eyes.

A moment later, a terrifying pressure forced him down, and the scarlet path glinted with a tint of blue.

Appearance of the eye caused those on the high-seats to tremble as well.

Right after that moment, a beam of light shot out of the arena. A deep crimson enveloped six colors, then swallowed them. No sound could be heard except the rush of one’s own blood.

Even the high-clouds couldn’t resist the blowing aftermath. Rings of colorful light spread as if Heavens themselves were cheering, and the sunny blue sky revealed its whole glory.

After a while, the roaring stopped, and the beam of light dispersed.

All eyes turned towards the arena, where nothing but a remnant storm of Qi could be seen. Few people regained their hearing, yet many people’s ears kept ringing.

A single slash of wind shot forth through the storm and calmed the air and Qi. The ringing stopped.

The Judge’s old head appeared first, then Zhen Zedong’s bloodied figure. Across two of them, Li Ao stood on his knees, coughing mouthfuls of blood. His body had cracks running through it.

But it was clear who won.

With a sigh, the Judge took Zhen Zedong towards the treatment area, then flashed back to Li Ao’s side.

‘’...impressive tenacity.’’

Li Ao’s cheeks twitched to form a smile.

‘’First Round winner, Xu Liao!’’

Hearing the thunderous cheer, Li Ao breathed out.

‘A no equipment win? Bubbles isn’t equipment, right?’

Thinking of the fight for a moment, Li Ao took deep breaths to compose himself, then stood up.

‘Why didn’t he use Ethereal again?’

Did Zhen Zedong’s pride overcame him? Or was he not willing to go down together?

‘What caused the door to open?’

To his knowledge, only the Third-Level could open the door.

A few questions arose, but for now, Li Ao chose to rest them in his mind.

He only had one figure in his eyes, and when he cast a look at her, he saw the ring on her finger flashing with continuous light.

Dumbstruck, Li Ao’s jaw dropped. Even then the light kept going.

Fan Yueyin, however, didn’t have any expression on her face as if nothing mattered in this world. She seemed to regard him with criticism, yet kept capturing images of his sorry state.

Staring into her cold eyes, Li Ao was horrified.

‘Heavens! How many pictures did she take!?’