I Pick up a Lost Godhood

The Holy Hall Disciples were also deeply frustrated. ’How could our luck be this bad?’ Five of their members had made it to the quarter-finals. If any of them had been matched up, it would have guaranteed at least one spot in the next round. But now, it was as if the Holy Hall had to take on the entire world.

To be honest, this bracket was a devastating blow.

A devastating blow it may be, but there was nothing to be done. The battles were about to begin.

The first match: Lin Jinghao versus Tian Long. A clash of titans!

Now that they were in the quarter-finals, all the top contenders would likely have to reveal their true strength, including powerhouses like Lin Jinghao and Tian Long.

Who was stronger? The Human Cultivators, or the still-unbeaten Dragon Race?

As Lin Jinghao and Tian Long stepped onto the Dueling Platform, Sky City fell silent. The quiet quickly spread throughout the Great Yuan Realm and all the various Small Thousand Realms.

Just what level of combat prowess would these two display?

Tian Long’s arrogance didn’t diminish one bit in front of Lin Jinghao; the Dragon Race’s dominance was clearly impartial to its opponents. The moment the Magical Combat began, Tian Long’s Dragon Power surged forth without restraint. Lin Jinghao’s own aura flared up in response, and the two forces collided violently.

After all, Lin Jinghao possessed the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body, a standard Dragon Race Sacred Body. Given his level of Cultivation, his Sacred Body transformation was likely complete. After Wang Meng’s Fake Dragon Emperor Body had been exposed, Lin Jinghao was the only one left with a true Dragon Race Sacred Body.

A Dragon Race Sacred Body wasn’t just some cheap imitation. The Holy Statue itself was a reflection of one’s most fundamental Soul Power—the very source of one’s strength. A Dragon Race Holy Statue represented the source of the Dragon Race’s power, and its level depended on the strength of the dragon it reflected.

The Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon was a top-tier dragon, perhaps only a step below the Dragon Emperor, and at the very least, not inferior to Tian Long’s own lineage.

The intense clash of auras became tangible. A cyan light emanated from Lin Jinghao, while a silver light shone from Tian Long. Their auras surged, rising higher and higher. Tian Long’s fighting spirit soared. ’Only an opponent like this is truly satisfying!’ Even his fight with Ling Fei hadn’t been this exhilarating.

"Haaah!"

With a resounding BOOM, Tian Long struck. A single, domineering punch shot forth, as if to shatter the very heavens.

In his previous fights, Lin Jinghao’s style had been fluid and casual. To remain so unhurried in the face of the Dragon Race’s tyrannical assault would be incredibly dangerous. In reality, however, though his demeanor was relaxed, his movements were anything but slow.

The folding fan in his hand snapped open, blocking Tian Long’s fist.

BOOM... WHOOSH...

Elemental Power cascaded outward, but the two combatants weren’t blown apart. Tian Long froze for a second. Lin Jinghao smiled.

"How bold!" Tian Long never imagined that a mere Human Cultivator would dare to match strength with a member of the Dragon Race!

A direct contest of Elemental Power was the most straightforward and dangerous type of clash between Cultivators. If one’s Elemental Power was overwhelmed, no other technique could be executed.

A Human Cultivator’s advantage over the Dragon Race lay in their Skill Techniques. Yet now, Lin Jinghao was proactively pitting his supposed weakness against his opponent’s strength.

Of course, for the Dragon Race, it didn’t matter how they fought. They were omnipotent!

Hearing this, Lin Jinghao smiled faintly. "The Dragon Race... is nothing special, really."

Those words instantly set Tian Long off. Berserk Dragon Power surged from his fist, pressing violently toward Lin Jinghao. Lin Jinghao wasn’t attacking directly but using his fan as a conduit, and his defensive stance made his position much more difficult. Yet, even facing Tian Long’s immense pressure, he still wore that same roguish, unrestrained smile.

In the Sect Leader’s Area, Demon Ba was exasperated. ’At a time this critical, that kid decides to start playing around. Ever since I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him take anything seriously. I just didn’t expect him to be like this even now.’

’Is it his Demon Attribute?’

Supported by a surge of Lin Jinghao’s Elemental Power, the fan just barely held back Tian Long’s vast, world-dominating Dragon Power.

Their respective powers had already enveloped the entire Dueling Platform, clashing violently in a raw, brutal struggle.

Between the folding fan and Tian Long’s fist, a core of power was beginning to coalesce. When pure forces like Elemental Power, Dragon Power, or Demon Power collide and condense to an extreme, they form a terrifyingly lethal mass.

Clearly, both Lin Jinghao’s Elemental Power and Tian Long’s Dragon Power were of the purest, most tyrannical kind. The power core grew steadily, wreathed in cyan and silver arcs of Lightning. This thing was millions of times more powerful than ordinary lightning; a physical body could never withstand it.

Tian Long obviously feared no challenge, especially not one that played to the Dragon Race’s greatest strength and confidence. An endless stream of Dragon Power pressed down. But even after three consecutive surges, he failed to push the power core forward. Though Lin Jinghao was on the defensive, he showed no sign of breaking.

For the Dragon Race, this was an absolute disgrace. When it came to contests of raw power, the Dragon Race had always been unrivaled. Lin Jinghao was challenging the very foundation of their honor.

With a low roar, silver light burst from Tian Long’s body as he pressed his assault again. The berserk energy propelled the power core toward Lin Jinghao. Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.

Staring at that small core of energy was like gazing upon a summons from Death itself. This was no game. It was a concentration of both their berserk powers; if one of them lost control, they would be instantly blasted to smithereens.

The stronger the force, the more condensed and tangible the power core became. When a shining crystal began to form within it, the watching Sect Leaders were left speechless.

Who would have thought the very first match would become so vicious? This kind of clash usually only occurred between evenly matched experts at the Great Perfection stage, when Magic failed to decide a victor. A contest of Elemental Power would certainly produce a result, even if it meant mutual destruction.

But for the younger generation to resort to such a thing... and on such a terrifying scale...

A faint dragon’s cry emanated from Tian Long. His eyes flew wide open, and the energy core surged unstoppably toward Lin Jinghao.

Everyone was stunned. ’What is Lin Jinghao doing???’

It seemed Lin Jinghao had underestimated the power of the Dragon Race, watching helplessly as the surging energy rushed toward him.

Letting a member of the Dragon Race gain the upper hand was like being a fish in a cat’s mouth—there was no escape.

Tian Long was now unstoppable. His Dragon Power let out a deafening roar as he put all his strength into one final push, unleashing everything at Lin Jinghao.

Lin Jinghao had miscalculated!

BOOM...

Annihilation Burst!

The terrifying core of power, containing the strength of both combatants, slammed into Lin Jinghao. His Good Person Fan instantly disintegrated.

This signaled the complete collapse of Lin Jinghao’s defense.

In an instant, a chill ran down the spines of the dozens of disciples and Elders from the No Illusion Demon Sect.

Even his own sect members were often at a loss for words when it came to Lin Jinghao’s personality. He was wild and unrestrained, flippant when he should have been serious, and oddly serious when he shouldn’t have been. But no matter what, Lin Jinghao was the Young Master of the No Illusion Demon Sect. To have made such a fatal error at this crucial moment...

Tian Long stood proudly. ’To think there was someone in this world arrogant enough to challenge a member of the Dragon Race in a contest of pure power!’

Just then, the scene on the Dueling Platform changed. A vortex suddenly appeared in the center of the shattered, explosive Elemental Power. It began to spin ferociously, pulling in not only all the dissipating explosive force but also a great deal of the surrounding Spatial Elemental Qi.

VMMMM...

A dragon’s cry pierced the heavens.

A massive Cyan Dragon soared into the air. From head to tail, nine golden Talismans shimmered along its body. It was said these Curse Talismans contained the mysteries of the Laws of Heaven and Earth.

The Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Holy Statue!

The explosive power core had been... digested!

Lin Jinghao casually straightened his clothes. "Not a bad flavor."

Tian Long’s pupils contracted violently. He could feel that his Dragon Power had been devoured by his opponent.

’How is this possible?’

The members of the No Illusion Demon Sect finally breathed a huge sigh of relief. ’That kid is terrifying.’ But the Sect Leaders from the other Sects could only look at each other in stunned silence.

The power core formed in a clash between experts was extremely dangerous and terrifying. It was difficult enough to block, let alone devour. That was like eating a bomb for dinner. Yet, from Lin Jinghao’s expression, he seemed quite satisfied.

’Is this the secret of the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Body?’

Tian Long had no choice but to be cautious now. A simple Cyan Dragon Holy Statue was one thing, but a Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon was something else entirely. ’Has Lin Jinghao grasped the secrets of the Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon?’

Tian Long attacked!

An instant-kill strike!

But Lin Jinghao’s figure vanished. In the blink of an eye—BOOM...

Tian Long was slammed flat!

No one even saw what happened. One moment, Tian Long was attacking; the next, he was pinned to the ground by Lin Jinghao’s foot.

At this moment, Lin Jinghao was like a different person. He still wore that same roguish smile, but one eyebrow was cocked, and his eyes glinted with an endless Demon Attribute.

BOOM...

When had Tian Long ever suffered such a humiliation? He flipped over with a furious roar of Dragon Power. Lin Jinghao’s body swayed like a willow in the wind, and he suddenly blocked with a kick. The movement seemed to start in slow motion, but it struck in a flash.

BOOM...

Tian Long was sent flying.

After being thrown back dozens of meters, Tian Long finally managed to stabilize himself, dumbfounded. But before he could even recover, someone appeared beside him.

Lin Jinghao had appeared noiselessly by Tian Long’s ear. "Such surging Vitality... I’m feeling a little thirsty."

BOOM...

Tian Long’s fist slammed heavily into Lin Jinghao’s body. This time, it was a direct hit.

But Tian Long’s expression changed abruptly. He could feel his Dragon Power being continuously absorbed. While his own Dragon Power gushed out of him, Lin Jinghao’s Cyan Dragon avatar became ever more immense and ferocious.

Tian Long struggled desperately to break free, but Lin Jinghao’s body was like a massive gravitational well, making it impossible to stop his Dragon Power from draining away.

Demon Ba was one of the few who understood the situation. By destroying that fan, Tian Long had also destroyed the psychological restraint Lin Jinghao had placed upon himself.

’As a rare Demon Star, what would he be like once his seals were broken?’

At this moment, the once-arrogant Tian Long was like a slippery eel struggling against fate. No matter how explosive his attacks, Lin Jinghao effortlessly neutralized them, while his Dragon Power drained away like a great river.

Many of the Sect Leaders frowned as they watched. Devouring-type Demon Techniques were not unheard of, but absorbing a different type of power could be harmful to oneself. Moreover, one’s Sea of Fate was finite; devouring too much external energy could easily cause one to self-destruct. Yet, Lin Jinghao appeared completely unaffected.

That was what made it so terrifying.

Tian Long’s struggles grew weaker and weaker, while Lin Jinghao’s expression grew increasingly sinister. He wasn’t moving much, but a chill crept over every Cultivator watching.

They couldn’t help but wonder if they had ever casually mocked this Young Master of the No Illusion Demon Sect behind his back.

The mighty Tian Long grew ever more fragile, while Lin Jinghao’s Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon grew ever more powerful. The nine Curse Talismans on its body, which revealed the mystic secrets of the universe, shone with increasing brightness.

THUD...

Tian Long, almost completely drained, was tossed onto the floor. The rage in his heart was indescribable, but he no longer even had the strength to stand.

He had lost decades of Cultivation in a single exchange.

At that moment, another folding fan appeared in Lin Jinghao’s hand. SNAP...

As the fan opened, the ferocious Nine Luminaries Cyan Dragon Divine Statue slowly faded away, and the Demon Attribute on Lin Jinghao’s face receded with it.

On this fan was a single character—"Goodness."

At this moment, however, that single word carried an immense, intimidating power.

The first match of the quarter-finals: Lin Jinghao of the No Illusion Demon Sect is victorious!