Meng Jingzhou bowed under Lu Yang’s tyrannical might, forced to agree to the earlier terms—he would hype Lu Yang up this time, and Lu Yang would hype him up next time.
The clash between two great prodigies of the current age, though staged, showed not the slightest sign of holding back.
Below the stage stood veteran cultivators seasoned by countless battles. If they pulled their punches, flaws would easily be exposed, so both fought with everything they had.
The two fought like the wind. Their power, speed, reflexes... not only left the contemporary prodigies competing on the same stage dumbfounded—in front of these two, winning a provincial tournament and representing a whole province amounted to nothing at all; a vast chasm still separated prodigy from prodigy.
Even those cultivators who had dispersed their cultivation to start anew were secretly alarmed.
Despite exhausting every effort to disperse their cultivation and cultivate anew, they still could not match a true prodigy.
The struggle of the Golden Age was terrifying indeed!
Lu Yang demonstrated exquisite sword arts that even Mingtai felt ashamed before, while Meng Jingzhou's fist techniques carried the true teachings of the Third Elder, bringing out the advantages of a body cultivator to the absolute limit. Every part of his body was forged without a single flaw, such that even the Tribulation Transcendence Old Ancestors watching could pick out no fault.
"The Meng Family's bloodline is truly terrifying..."
An Old Ancestor murmured in admiration. That the Meng Family could stir up trouble and cause endless chaos in the imperial capital yet remain firmly seated upon the throne of the greatest clan owed entirely to indisputable, absolute power.
The Meng Family's might made even these Tribulation Transcendence Old Ancestors feel a chill in their hearts.
And the strength the Meng Family displayed was still not the entirety of what lay beneath.
Grand fist imprints radiated masculine yang energy, suppressing fiends and ghosts, shaking heaven and earth, invincible and unbreakable—even ferocious beasts would cower beneath those radiant fist imprints.
Boundless sword qi surged like a river bursting its dyke, severing the fist marks.
The battle between the two reached a fever pitch, fiercely deadlocked. The spectating prodigies clenched sweaty fists, their eyes glued to every move on the stage.
Only by concentrating with all their might could they keep up with their actions.
These were true peers of their generation; the lessons learned from them would be immensely beneficial to their future battles.
*Cough!*
Through a single lapse in vigilance, sword qi grazed Meng Jingzhou's shoulder. His vitality leaked, putting him at a disadvantage. Lu Yang pressed his advantage, giving him no room to breathe.
"Meng Jingzhou, don't give up!"
Someone shouted what was in everyone's hearts. Meng Jingzhou represented the prodigies of the current age; he was their hope. They did not want anyone from the Heavenly Court Cult to win.
"Defeat this Young Cult Master Lu!"
"Show them that this is Great Xia now, not the Ancient Era where they could throw their weight around!"
Cries reached Meng Jingzhou's ears, but unfortunately, in the face of consummate acting, no amount of cheering was of any use.
"Heaven-Shaking Six Forms!" Seemingly spurred on by the crowd, blue veins bulged across Meng Jingzhou's skin, his eyes bloodshot, as if ready to risk his life.
Lu Yang drew two fingers across his blade, offering blood to the sword to unleash his ultimate technique.
"Void-Breaking Sword Art!"
*Boom!*
Both drained every drop of spiritual power in a final clash, kicking up a sky full of dust and smoke.
*Whoosh—*
A figure flew backward, coughing up blood continuously, gravely wounded.
"It's the Heavenly Court Cult guy flying back!"
Someone rejoiced. This so-called Young Cult Master Lu had been heavily injured—something that had never happened before!
Lu Yang fell to one knee, his sword stabbed into the arena floor. Rattled by the immense shockwave, his expression was dazed.
Yet before the crowd could celebrate, the dust cleared to reveal Meng Jingzhou lying flat on the ground, blood pooling beneath him, his aura faint—injured even more severely than Lu Yang!
Meng Jingzhou's fingers twitched, and he struggled to open his eyes. Several times he tried to push himself up, but his limbs refused to obey, unable to support him no matter how hard he tried.
He had no choice but to give up in bitter defeat.
Lu Yang, on the other hand, though kneeling from heavy injuries, still had the strength left to smile, the strength to speak.
The victor was decided.
The referee gritted his teeth. Letting an ancient person claim the championship was a humiliation for Great Xia, but as the referee, he could show no favoritism.
"I announce... Meng Jingzhou is... defeated."
Those last two words remained stuck in his mouth, trembling, taking agonizing effort to finally force out.
The referee stepped forward to examine Meng Jingzhou's injuries and breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, though severe, they were not fatal and would not damage his foundation.
The Five Heavenly Kings leaped onto the stage to support the young cult master.
"Young Cult Master, are you all right?"
"Cough, cough... Won't die. What a thrilling battle that was." Lu Yang was still smiling, blood at the corners of his mouth.
Golden Flame Heavenly King hurriedly produced a small vial, popped the stopper, and a refreshing pill fragrance wafted across the entire arena. He poured out two golden pills and fed them to Lu Yang, who immediately sat cross-legged to meditate, his injuries and spiritual power rapidly recovering.
...
Meng Jingzhou had lost.
The prodigy representing the mid Golden Core stage of the current age had lost.
Many found this truth impossible to accept.
Just a little more—he was clearly so close to winning!
The Seventh Elder's pills were remarkably effective. Lu Yang soon recovered to full health. Flanked by the Five Heavenly Kings, he rose with a smile and looked up toward the solemn sect masters of the Five Great Immortal Sects and First Prince Jiang Qun.
"It seems the prodigies of the current age do have some skill. A good fight, but a pity it is only some skill, and nothing more."
At these words, fury erupted below the stage. The remark was far too arrogant! What did he mean, "nothing more"? Everyone had seen that the gap between them was paper-thin; the slightest detail could have tipped the scales. If they fought again, who knew who would win!
"Young Cult Master Lu speaks as though he holds the prodigies of our age in utter contempt. You ought to know there is always someone greater, always a higher sky. This world does not belong to your Heavenly Court Cult." Sect Master Lu looked meaningfully at Young Cult Master Lu, his tone carrying an unmistakable threat.
Young Cult Master Lu gave a cold laugh, as if amused by Sect Master Lu's ignorance. "Someone greater, a higher sky? Those are merely excuses mediocrities make for themselves when they lose. When it comes to talent, who could ever surpass me?"
Nether Heavenly King looked down disdainfully at the crowd below. "Had the ancient immortals not suppressed our young cult master, he would have attained immortality back in ancient times. Why would he have needed to wait until today?"
Young Cult Master Lu glanced sideways at the solemn Nether Heavenly King and waved an impatient hand. "Protector Nether, that's enough. I am in rare high spirits today, so let's not bring up such unpleasant matters."
"Yes."
Nether Heavenly King said no more, stepping back as rigid as a clay sculpture.
The audience gasped, their shock beyond words. Had this Young Cult Master Lu's talent reached a level that drew the jealousy of immortals?
Just what kind of earth-shattering talent was that?
The only clearly recorded immortals were the Four Ancient Celestials, and the full extent of the Four Celestials' talent had never been recorded.
In other words, Young Cult Master Lu possessed a talent unmatched throughout history, unrecorded in any book.
"Merely boasting and bragging. Since Young Cult Master Lu is so confident, why not test your skills against me?"
To everyone's surprise, Sect Master Lu leaped down from the spectator platform and landed firmly upon the stage.
"Speaking of which, Sect Master Lu is also at the mid Golden Core stage, so you do count as an opponent. It's just your tone—I don't like it," Young Cult Master Lu said languidly, playing with his fingers.
Their eyes met as if sparks were flying. The Five Heavenly Kings tactfully withdrew from the stage so as not to spoil their young cult master's mood.
"Shall we, then?"
"Let's!"
Chapter 499