Among the aliens, a group of sun elves felt as though the sky had collapsed.
The peerless young prodigy of their race had actually been defeated—covered in blood and down on one knee!
Such a visually shocking sight brought them all surging to their feet, completely unable to remain seated.
On the immortal path's side, all the young disciples also stood up, their emotions surging wildly. A sun elf that powerful, who had already managed to tap into the might of a third-realm inner landscape, had suffered a crushing defeat.
Even Pei Shuyan, Cui Chonghe, and the others looked on with profound gazes, their eyes fixed on that figure in the arena, studying him again and again.
Li Qingyue, meanwhile, smiled radiantly, prompting Jiang Ran to cast an astonished glance at her.
Those capable of coming to the moon to spectate were naturally no ordinary mortals; they were either luminaries and nobles of the Dayu imperial capital or prominent figures from various paths, and all were marveling in wonder.
Guang Yu, a prodigy blessed by the heavens in the second realm, had been utterly and completely defeated.
Filled with indignation, his inner landscape shattered, he could no longer hold himself up and knelt on one knee upon the ground, appearing as if he were bowing in submission to his opponent.
Unwilling to submit, this strikingly handsome sun elf poured every last ounce of strength into casting forth the Duke of Thunder hammer and Duke of Thunder chisel from his hands, sending them shooting out.
Following the collapse of the pure land, both weapons had already become unstable, capable only of this single final strike.
Qin Ming stood there without budging. The incomplete yin-yang diagram around him revolved, grinding the Duke of Thunder hammer to dust and turning the Duke of Thunder chisel into fleeting streaks of light.
This scene left many young disciples on both sides in dazed disbelief.
The armor on Guang Yu's body roared and fell away piece by piece. Once detached, the golden Duke of Thunder armor also surged toward Qin Ming in an apparent suicidal attack.
Yet, as the incomplete black-and-white diagram spun, the hazy Duke of Thunder armor turned completely to powder, dispersing into nothingness.
"Do you submit?" Qin Ming asked calmly.
Showers of light drifted around him, the yin-yang diagram shielding his body, radiating an ethereal and transcendent aura.
Guang Yu struggled to raise his head, only to cough up mouthfuls of blood. This was the darkest moment of his life, an unprecedented defeat where even unleashing his foundation of godhood—the thunder inner landscape—had not been enough.
Just what kind of monster was the person standing before him? Even now, he could not accept it, and kneeling on one knee under the other's downward gaze made him feel humiliated to the core.
Some noble young ladies from the Dayu imperial capital suddenly felt that the dazzling sun elf wasn't quite so handsome anymore; his exotic foreign flair was no longer an advantage in their eyes.
Many naturally revered strength. Now that Qin Ming stood transcendent like an immortal after defeating Guang Yu with such crisp decisiveness, he naturally drew far more gazes, with many studying him closely.
"How did he suddenly manifest a yin-yang diagram?" one noble young lady asked in utter bewilderment, turning to those beside her.
In fact, many young disciples of the immortal path hadn't clearly understood what had happened either.
"The Vermilion Bird represents Great Yang, while the Azure Dragon represents Lesser Yang. Being close to each other, they blended together into the yang diagram,"
an elder explained with immense admiration. It was always easy to derive the four emblems from the two modes, but for this youth to reverse the process was frankly outrageous.
Another elder spoke up, "He lacks a yin-attribute sacred baleful aura, but he has yin baleful auras that are a grade or two lower. Supplementing those with various wondrous arts involving yin and yang attributes, he projected their artistic conception to form a yin diagram, thereby piecing together an incomplete yin-yang diagram."
The younger generation was thoroughly shocked. To reverse-engineer a yin-yang diagram truly demonstrated startling talent; how many among his peers could possibly achieve such a feat?
"Brother Ming, holding it together like that must be really exhausting and uncomfortable," Xiao Wu remarked with a sigh.
Xiang Yiwu nodded in agreement.
Both knew that Qin Ming possessed a complete yin-yang heavenly light diagram, yet he had gone out of his way to derive and temporarily patch one together himself. How could it not be exhausting?
Only the two of them and Meng Xinghai understood the true meaning behind these words and sighs.
The people nearby nodded along, taking the words only at face value, completely ignorant of the truth.
In the arena, Qin Ming dismissed the incomplete yin-yang diagram, stood before Guang Yu, and said, "To be honest, I have a favor to ask."
As he spoke, he reached out as if to help up the listless sun elf.
At that very instant, an abrupt change occurred. Guang Yu lowered his head, and a blinding golden ray shot out from his back—a "weapon" discharged straight from his spine.
The Thunder God awl!
It was not a physical object, but an intangible weapon visualized through Guang Yu's pursuit of the Duke of Thunder path, nurtured within his spine day in and day out.
Gasps erupted across the arena. The sudden turn of events was so rapid it caught everyone off guard; everyone had thought the battle was over, never expecting such a development.
"This sun elf is a sore loser!"
"How could he do this?"
Both the youths of the immortal path and the young nobles of the Dayu imperial capital grew incensed, leaping to their feet in shock.
In front of Qin Ming, layer upon layer of heavenly light appeared like rings of divine halos. Guided by the scriptures of the silk book to command all arts, they materialized at thought, automatically shielding his body.
The incoming golden divine awl was directly severed and torn apart by his fused heavenly light force, then ground into shattered mist of light.
Though unharmed, Qin Ming's expression turned cold. He pressed a hand onto Guang Yu's head.
"Don't!" many shouted from the alien side, terrified that he would shatter Guang Yu's skull with a single slap.
"Don't your ass! Didn't you see what he just did?" Xiang Yiwu and Xiao Wu shouted back at them.
"Exactly, that really crossed the line," many chimed in, with several noble young ladies firmly siding with Qin Ming, who carried the poise of a transcendent immortal.
In the arena, Qin Ming did not deliver a fatal blow. Instead, he accepted the sun elf's kneeling posture and rested a hand upon his head.
"'An immortal strokes your crown, tying your hair to bestow long life...'" Xiang Yiwu roared with laughter.
Instantly, many eyes widened.
With a gentle flick from Qin Ming, Guang Yu's entire head of golden locks... sheared off at the roots, rustling down to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the incomparably handsome talent of the sun elven race was turned into a bald head.
Outside the South Heavenly Gate, gasps and cries of "Ah!" rang out everywhere.
No one had anticipated Qin Ming pulling off such a move, refusing to let Wu Yaozu and the female sun elf keep all the bald glory to themselves.
On the alien side, a crowd stared in disbelief. What kind of nonsense was this? The sun elven race had become the butt of an enormous joke today, with two members having their heads shaved one after another!
Yet they could not lash out; Guang Yu had brought this upon himself.
"Haha..." On the immortal path's side, the brief gasps of astonishment gave way to a wave of hearty laughter.
Even some noble maidens covered their mouths, doubled over with laughter, saying, "I'm dying of laughter! What kind of fine tradition is this? Why does everyone stepping up on the immortal path's side today shave their opponent's head at the drop of a hat?"
Someone chimed in to remind them that those who had stepped up today were almost certainly from the Newborn path.
"You..." Guang Yu nearly fainted from fury.
In fact, he had been planning to feign unconsciousness, but Qin Ming clamped down on his skull until it creaked and cracked as if about to shatter, forcing him back to full alertness.
"I have yet to experience your solar fire," Qin Ming remarked mildly.
The next moment, with a resounding boom, brilliant golden flames erupted. Without the reminder, Guang Yu had nearly forgotten his race's innate advantage.
Alas, this wondrous fire, which could counter the immortal path's first two realms, proved completely ineffective against the youth before him.
Qin Ming circulated the Departing Fire Classic, driving this wondrous art to absorb the solar fire.
Departing Fire heavenly light densely enveloped his body like flowing crimson clouds, its force technique astonishing. Even the slightest touch from an outside force would stir up flames and power, uniting offense and defense as one.
Having cultivated the Departing Fire Classic to this stage, Qin Ming had already grasped its trump card—the Li Fire Shuttle.
Today, he had first absorbed the rich solar fire from the nine arrow shafts, and now he was comprehensively drawing in Guang Yu's even more violent fire-path foundation, causing the Li Fire Shuttle he manifested to gradually melt down.
Immediately afterward, amidst the blazing flames, a furnace gradually coalesced.
"Is that... the Li Fire Furnace? To cultivate this wondrous art to such a level truly marks him as an anomaly!" Some prominent figures of the Newborn path were also present, and the sight left them thoroughly shaken.
The manifestation of the Li Fire Furnace had only ever existed in legends.
No matter how high one's realm, mastering it was by no means guaranteed; throughout history, only a handful had ever "triggered" and ultimately formed it.
Once one cultivated this classic to manifest the legendary method—the Li Fire Furnace—the flames contained within might have a chance to transform into Nanming Departing Fire upon reaching the third realm. Even birthing a mere wisp would multiply its power tremendously.
Several old-timers of the immortal path also saw what was happening, their gazes dark and inscrutable as they stared in silence.
Unaware of any of this, Guang Yu felt utterly humiliated kneeling before Qin Ming with his head held down, so he channeled his internal solar fire with all his might to resist—which, without a doubt, was helping Qin Ming to the utmost.
Qin Ming wore a radiant smile. The trump card evolved from his Departing Fire Classic was undergoing a transformation, finally taking shape within the flames as a crimson furnace.
Though the furnace was not large, it carried a pristine, natural simplicity, inscribed with enigmatic patterns and adorned with nine divine birds.
It was not a physical object, but an anomalous phenomenon that manifested upon circulating the wondrous art—a potent technique for defeating foes that could also nurture Nanming Departing Fire.
With his solar fire drained to the dregs, Guang Yu felt on the verge of complete depletion. He was deeply shaken, and a thorough sense of awe took hold of him toward the youth before him.
Filled with joy, Qin Ming had pushed the Departing Fire Classic into its legendary domain, especially having found the catalyst for a breakthrough right from his opponent—a bountiful harvest indeed.
"Hmm?" He was surprised. Why was something stirring within him again? Could this be... He couldn't help casting an ardent look toward the sun elven race.
At this moment, the aliens felt thoroughly aggrieved. A crushing defeat was bad enough, but to be so... pathetic on top of it.
Their race possessed exceptional beauty and immense inner pride, yet Guang Yu had knelt there on one knee, reduced to a cue ball.
Several people stepped forward and helped him away.
"What a shiny head!" Xiang Yiwu remarked.
Xiao Wu also laughed, saying, "Haha, a bald sun elf is hilarious."
Instantly, everyone turned their heads, giving him strange looks.
The atmosphere turned awkward at once as Wu Yaozu realized what was wrong.
"I'm ashamed to be lumped together with a bald sun elf!" He tore off a piece of his wide sleeve and hurriedly wrapped it around his bald head.
"It's only a spar. Isn't this about enough?" an elder of the immortal path suggested.
He felt the three youths from the Newborn path were simply too ferocious—either rupturing chests or shaving people bald. They had reclaimed all the face previously lost, and he estimated the sun elves were on the verge of losing control, so it seemed best to bring the second-realm matches to a close.
However, the aliens opposite could not swallow their anger. They were high-ranking sun elves; seeing those two bald heads was simply intolerable, and their composure had thoroughly cracked.
"However, Guang Yu was already a peerless young expert of the second realm. As for the two stronger than him..."
One of the youths had gone mad; sending him into battle could cause trouble.
And there was an elven maiden whose fame resounded deep within the night mist world, a future contender for the throne of Elven Queen. Sending her out seemed somewhat inappropriate.
While they deliberated over their options, Qin Ming walked back.
"Brother Ming, over here!" Xiao Wu called out without any concealment.
"Brother Ming!" several noble young ladies also chimed in.
"Xiao Qin, come have a cup of tea and take a good rest," Meng Xinghai said, his face glowing with high spirits.
For some reason, Qin Ming felt as though Meng Xinghai had taken a potent tonic; he was exceptionally energized, with an irrepressible smile playing at the corners of his eyes and brows.
"If you could win another match or two, that would be even better!" Meng Xinghai said, beaming with delight.
Qin Ming suspected Uncle Meng might have pulled off another massive deal.
Near the South Heavenly Gate, nobles of the Dayu imperial capital, young seed-rank disciples of the immortal path, and senior luminaries alike were all covertly observing him.
Qin Ming settled his mind, sitting there and sipping tea.
"Brother Ming, look quick! The newly entered elven woman is breathtakingly gorgeous. Who knew this race had such a stunner!" Wu Yaozu called to him.
Among the sun elven race, a crowd of young seed-level experts grew impassioned, unanimously demanding to fight. Even the elder elves felt they could not suppress the youngsters' petition, and ultimately the race sent someone into the arena once more.
Qin Ming looked up, gazing across the arena.
A woman of the sun elven race, clad in golden robes and exceptionally graceful, stepped onto the arena with light, airy footfalls. Her entire form was enveloped in divine halos, and her long golden hair in particular shone like a radiant sun, blazing with dazzling light.
She noticed that the youth opposite was looking at her with a peculiar expression—more specifically, scrutinizing her locks of hair. Her heart immediately leaped into her throat. Could that ferocious human youth be planning to target her hair as well?
Chapter 282