Sparring with the Four Kings!

Over the following days, Ye Feng did not even have spare time to keep Li Qingchan company. An unspoken, inexplicable pressure weighed heavily on everyone. Though none of them gave voice to it, every single one threw themselves into frantic cultivation within the Nirvana Pagoda. Now, each of them was a powerhouse capable of holding their own ground. Yet compared to Li Guanqi, who could sway the outcome of an entire battle by himself, they still fell far short. Li Guanqi was in the same state, battered half to death time and again within the pagoda. He could hold out for an even shorter span than before... Because his cultivation realm had progressed too swiftly of late, leaving him little opportunity to pause and temper himself. Compounded by the might of the Demon King Physique and Shiwu, only when standing face-to-face with "himself" did he truly grasp just how suffocating that oppressive weight was. It was hard to imagine just what heights of strength he would attain if he could one day defeat his duplicate in the Nirvana Pagoda. During this time, Gu Li headed out every day, sparring with Gu Lie the moment he found him. Without a single complaint, he returned each time covered in injuries from self-inflicted torment, yet his physical body made immense strides. Cao Yan, on the other hand, sought out Chan Kongzi and Xiang Huaizhi at every turn, returning each day covered in bruises. Of course, Cao Yan was now taking on both of them at once; Chan Kongzi alone was no longer enough to test him. On this day, Li Guanqi walked out of the White Jade Tower and looked up at the sky. Taking a deep breath, he vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already inside the Fifth Domain's Heavenly King Palace! Hum! "What did you come here for?" Wen Guyan asked softly from his throne, looking down at Li Guanqi. A faint pink scar marked Wen Guyan's face. Li Guanqi's heart gave a slight jolt. He had not expected the battles in the Fifth Domain to be so fierce that even Wen Guyan would be wounded. It seemed the perils of fighting in the Fifth Domain were far more brutal than he had imagined! Fortunately, the Four Kings possessed sufficient strength to suppress the chaos and keep the domain stable. Li Guanqi took a deep breath, clasped his fists, and bowed. "Junior has come to ask for guidance and spar with seniors." Wen Guyan chuckled. Crossing one leg over the other, he leaned back slightly and spoke in an amused tone, "Has your head gotten a bit swollen, kid? You think you're ready to challenge us with your current strength?" Li Guanqi shook his head with a bitter smile. "It isn't a challenge. I still know my own limits. But... cultivating on my own is too slow. My purpose here is... to take a beating!" Wen Guyan paused, only then understanding Li Guanqi's intention. "Heh, using us as whetstones, are you?" After a moment's contemplation, Wen Guyan said softly, "King Xuan, do you have time lately?" Hum! Space rippled slightly, and the burly figure of Xuan Yue stepped out from a fissure. Bruises covered the man's body, and his imposing frame was several sizes larger than Li Guanqi's. Glancing at Li Guanqi, he murmured, "I have had some insights recently. I need to enter closed-door cultivation." This was an outright refusal of Wen Guyan's request. Li Guanqi thought this quite normal as well. One could hardly expect someone to train him simply because he asked. Yet Wen Guyan's expression chilled as he looked at Xuan Yue. "Xuan Yue, do my words no longer carry weight?" His voice was calm, devoid of joy or sorrow. Yet that calm sentence caused Xuan Yue's expression to shift slightly. The man on the throne simply kept his tranquil gaze fixed on him. Two breaths passed. Xuan Yue looked away and said quietly, "Three days." Wen Guyan smiled. "Good. After three days, send Bai Su over." Xuan Yue gave a slight nod, turned, and walked toward the palace doors. As he passed Li Guanqi, he did not utter a single word. Li Guanqi bowed deeply to Wen Guyan and flashed a grin. Once the two departed, Wen Guyan's expression instantly turned cold. Tapping his finger lightly against the armrest, he murmured, "Quite the temper on everyone these days... Heh. When I find the time, I'll knock them down a peg one by one." A faint smirk touched his lips. Rising, he waved his sleeve and vanished into thin air. Meanwhile, Li Guanqi followed closely behind Xuan Yue as they soared deep into the Fifth Domain. After an unknown amount of time, a pitch-black martial arena appeared before Li Guanqi's eyes. Light shimmered across it, clearly indicating the presence of a barrier around the platform. Xuan Yue stood atop the arena in utter silence, merely crooking a finger toward Li Guanqi nearby. In a thick, muffled voice, he said, "I hope you... can take a beating." Li Guanqi's gaze turned solemn. He could not sense the slightest oppressive aura from the man. The man simply stood there, his entire body appearing completely riddled with openings. Yet the more it looked that way, the more Li Guanqi's heart raced with dread! In an instant, hundreds of attack angles flashed through his mind. Without exception, every single one ended with him being obliterated in a single strike! A phantom of the Black Tortoise gradually condensed in Li Guanqi's vision. Cold sweat ran down his forehead, and his legs felt as heavy as lead, entirely rooted to the spot. The knuckles of his sword hand turned white, yet he could not find an opening to draw his blade... Li Guanqi's eyes trembled as sweat dripped from his brow into his eye. His chest sank, his breathing turning ragged and heavy. *Is this... the Four Kings? Terrifying.* Xuan Yue never moved, gazing down at Li Guanqi with haughty composure. He did not urge Li Guanqi on, merely regarding him with interest. Truth be told, the speed of Li Guanqi's breakthrough struck terror even into him. It was simply too monstrous. How long had it been since he defeated Long Hou, and he had already reached the late Tribulation Transcendence realm? He almost felt envy... Just then, however, Xuan Yue noticed sparks of lightning leaking from Li Guanqi's lips. The next instant... Rumble! Xuan Yue coated his fists in primal energy, the earthen-yellow radiance encasing them like thick armor. Thud! A deafening roar detonated. Li Guanqi's body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing violently against the edge of the barrier! Bang! "Cough... urgh..." Li Guanqi spewed a mouthful of blood as his body rebounded off the barrier. His sword smashed back against his chest, making him feel as though he had taken a head-on, full-speed charge from Jiuxiao. Every bone in his body creaked under unbearable strain, on the verge of splintering. The bones in both arms and the ribs across his chest were all riddled with fractures. The speed he took such pride in was slow as a doddering old man in the eyes of his opponent. An unexpected sword slash had been met with a preemptive counterstrike, a fist crashing directly toward his heart. As the immense force flung him back from the barrier, a hulking silhouette materialized directly before him! A high kick came smashing down like an axe! Unable to pull his sword back in time to defend, Li Guanqi shifted his open hand into a fist and swung it upward with savage force! His bloodline roared, a ruthless gleam surfacing in his eyes. "Firmament Shatterer!" Boom! Crash! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Li Guanqi's body slammed heavily onto the arena platform. The black floor tiles fractured from the impact, though they did not collapse. His entire right arm hung completely limp at his side, his gaze turning more solemn than ever before. Wave after wave of agony washed over him, but he had no time to think. Because Xuan Yue's figure had already vanished from sight!