Jian Wuhen, standing nearby, raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Emotion surged through his heart like a sudden wave."
This sentence… I must remember it well, he thought. Next time I meet that person, I'll say it word for word.
At that moment, victory or defeat didn't matter—what mattered were those lines.
So cool!
⸻
"Hmm?" Wang Teng's expression darkened.
Again with this nonsense?
Damn it, why is his mouth so vicious?!
"Zhang Fan! You're courting death! Don't blame me for what happens next!" Wang Teng roared.
He formed a series of hand seals while chanting under his breath. In an instant, a flame appeared in his palm.
It began small but quickly swelled, burning hotter and larger with every heartbeat.
"Junior Brother Zhang Fan, watch carefully!" Wang Teng called out proudly.
"This move is called Sky-Burning Flame!"
"The moment I release it, it will absorb the surrounding Earth Fire attribute spiritual qi, making it grow even stronger!"
"Even with just a first-layer Qi Refining cultivation base, once this move is unleashed, it has the power of the third or even fourth layer!"
A faint, self-satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
⸻
Among the onlookers, Murong Xue's face paled with worry for Zhang Fan.
Even Murong Bing, who usually had little regard for him, frowned slightly.
The rest of the Blazing Heaven Sect disciples were speechless.
Even Jian Wuhen of the Myriad Sword Sect nodded in acknowledgment.
This was indeed a formidable technique—burning only a small amount of one's own spirit power to release flames, while also drawing in the surrounding fire attribute qi.
It was clearly an Earth-grade martial art—upper-mid grade at that.
⸻
"Brother Zhang!" Wang Teng shouted.
"If you can take this move, you win!"
Then, without hesitation, he roared, "Go!"
The flame shot forth, greedily pulling in fire qi from the world around it. It roared toward Zhang Fan like it could burn the heavens.
"Zhang Fan! Get out of the way!"
A clear, beautiful voice rang out. Zhang Fan glanced toward the Murong sisters, unsure which one had spoken.
But in that brief moment of distraction—
Boom!
The flame struck him directly, engulfing him in fire.
⸻
"Hahaha!" Wang Teng's proud laughter echoed—But it stopped abruptly.
A spray of water burst from Zhang Fan, snuffing out the raging flames instantly.
When the smoke cleared, Zhang Fan stood unharmed.
Shirtless now, with abs bronzed by the sun, he stood as if carved for admiration.
Murong Xue, who had been pale moments before, blushed deeply.
Even Murong Bing's cold expression wavered slightly.
⸻
"You…" Wang Teng
exclaimed in disbelief. "How could you take my strike unharmed?!"
By his reasoning, it should have been impossible. Zhang Fan was only a first-layer Qi Refining cultivator with water spiritual roots—an ordinary novice.
There was no way he could have withstood flames on par with the fourth layer of Qi Refining.
"According to your own words, I took your move. Senior Brother Wang, you've lost," Zhang Fan said calmly.
Wang Teng's expression twisted. "No, I haven't lost! I'm still standing on the ring!"
"Didn't you just say—"
"I never said that!" Wang Teng cut him off, gritting his teeth. "I was just testing your strength! Now, I'll show you my true power!"
His cultivation base surged back to the tenth layer of Qi Refining—the peak—and in his hand appeared a low-grade spiritual weapon.
⸻
The disciples below the stage erupted into cheers.
"That's it, Brother Wang Teng! Crush him!"
"Teach him his place!"
"Let him understand—there's always someone stronger!"
Murong Xue clenched her teeth.
"Shameless!"
Even Murong Bing frowned slightly.
"Tenth-layer Qi Refining against first-layer, and with a low-grade spiritual weapon? How is that fair?"
Jian Wuhen chuckled at their words.
"Fair? In this vast immortal world, what's fair? The weak are prey to the strong. Only strength defines justice."
"As long as your sword is sharp enough, your words are the truth. And if you can crush your opponent, then your fight is fair—whether they like it or not."
He glanced at the sisters.
"Imagine this—if you two were tenth-layer cultivators with spiritual weapons, and you fought an unarmed first-layer cultivator, would you call it unfair? No—you'd call it necessary."
Murong Bing fell silent in thought, while Murong Xue opened her mouth to protest—but stopped.
⸻
On the stage, Wang Teng held his flaming sword high.
"This is the Blazing Heaven Sword—a low-grade fire-attribute spiritual weapon! With my cultivation base, I can match the peak of Qi Refining, and with my royal clan's sword techniques, I can even challenge a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
"Zhang Fan, admit defeat while you still can!"
"That's a fine sword," Zhang Fan said lightly, placing one hand behind his back.
"I'll give you one hand to make it fair."
"You…!" Wang Teng's fury boiled over.
⸻
The sword's flame burned brighter, heat waves rolling across the ring. Wang Teng stepped forward, his gaze locked on Zhang Fan.
Each step brought him closer, the killing intent in his eyes growing stronger.
Zhang Fan thought to himself— The tenth-layer Qi Refining peak… if he took this blow head-on without injury, it would be too shocking. People might suspect his true strength and physique, and once that happened, Foundation Establishment cultivators would start viewing him as a peer.
That wasn't something he wanted—
Not yet.