Chapter 493 - 277: The True Peak State
This was a sequential ability of the Dawn Celestial Punishment Holy Profession. Su Chen knew exactly what it was and his figure flashed in retreat.
But the solidified spears of light turned in mid-air, homing in on him.
They moved so fast that the naked eye could only perceive streaks of light. Moreover, the hundred-some spears were subtly converging toward the center.
The moment they converged, the streams of light fused as if being forged. The mass rapidly shrank, its silhouette solidifying from an illusory form as golden veins appeared on its surface. The sound of it rending the air shifted from a sharp whistle to a dull roar.
The hundreds of light spears compressed into a twelve-foot-long lance. Its tip condensed into a single point of cold starlight, shimmering with a platinum sheen and revealing a deadly edge.
Su Chen felt a piercing pain between his eyebrows. Despite his incredible speed, the distance between him and the lance was rapidly closing.
’He’s not agile himself, but his offensive techniques are flexible. An unconventional approach.’ Su Chen’s figure flickered erratically—left, right, up, and down—his eyes serene. A crimson mist continued to steam from his body, and a faint, sharp pain pricked at his lungs.
Then, he abruptly stopped. His pupils reflected the lance’s trajectory as it tore through the air. In a split second, he twisted sideways, his right hand wreathed in fiery thunder, and shot it out to seize the platinum lance, which felt utterly solid.
The lance’s shaft suddenly trembled like a living python, erupting in milky-white flames that sizzled faintly.
Su Chen’s eyes were frigid. He had already raised his left hand, the edge of his palm like a blade, and brought it down like a bolt of lightning!
KRAK!
The lance shattered on impact, dissolving into streaks of light and vanishing.
Su Chen took a deep breath. This was his true peak state. His Blood Burner and Tyrant abilities, enhanced by Holy Hand, were in no way inferior to a Tier Six ability.
They had achieved a balance within his body, providing an unparalleled boost!
BOOM!
His figure tore through the air. He lunged, leaving two streaks of light in his wake as his fists shot straight for Qin Tianlin’s face.
The Vajra crossed its arms to block, but a thunderous clang like a massive bell being struck rang out. Its colossal body staggered back, retreating continuously.
Fierce arcs of lightning and flashes of fire erupted across the field. No one could tell how many punches Su Chen had thrown; there was only a continuous roar of impacts. The golden patterns on the Vajra’s body shattered inch by inch, its rocky armor peeling away like dead skin.
BOOM!
In what seemed to be the final blow, Red Thunder exploded from Su Chen’s right fist as it viciously pierced the Vajra’s ribs. The massive body, already covered in cracks, violently crumbled apart.
...
At the Copper Heart, in front of the Nether Hall, Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi’an were escorted out by a crowd of people.
Once they stopped, Wei Zhenghong spoke to a middle-aged man with a long beard. "Hall Master Shen, I’ll have to trouble you with the matter of the Spiritual Fire."
"This matter is my responsibility," the Vice Hall Master of the Nether Hall, Shen Zhou, said with a smile. "Rest assured, Star Seed Wei. I will dispatch more people to investigate the Nether Realm and find a new Spiritual Fire as soon as possible."
"Your words put my mind at ease." Wei Zhenghong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He exchanged a few more pleasantries with the crowd before leaving with Shen Yi’an.
Once they had walked some distance away, Shen Yi’an finally spoke. "Why did you have to drag me into something that could be settled in a few words?"
"He is your uncle, after all," Wei Zhenghong explained. "With you there, he was bound to take it more seriously."
Shen Yi’an shook his head. "You’re Venerable Chu Lingyuan’s student, and you’re a Star Seed. He wouldn’t have slacked off even if I weren’t there."
"Just an extra layer of insurance," Wei Zhenghong sighed.
Shen Yi’an’s indifferent gaze swept over him. "You seem to be in a hurry."
"Isn’t it obvious?" Wei Zhenghong said bluntly. "The Peak Star Conference is being hosted by our Sect. It might seem like it’s two years away, but based on past experience and the special circumstances this time, the other Sects and factions are guaranteed to arrive early."
"Thanks to the Creation Copper Heart, our Sect’s preliminary screening is completely different from the others. There are almost no live battles."
"When the time comes, is my training projection just going to be a punching bag for everyone else? Those Divine Dawn Level guys love nothing more than to challenge Star Seeds."
"It will be forged sooner or later. Don’t be anxious," Shen Yi’an said, his voice flat.
Hearing this only made Wei Zhenghong more dejected. "Easy for you to say."
The two walked along the main path. As Star Seeds of noble and high status, many people naturally stopped to greet them, and Wei Zhenghong and Shen Yi’an returned each greeting.
"Ah, Star Seed Shen, Star Seed Wei! How rare to see you two together!" Zhou Yunyang approached from the side, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face.
Wei Zhenghong was no stranger to this well-known sycophant. "Steward Zhou."
Shen Yi’an also gave him a nod.
"I won’t keep you," Zhou Yunyang said after a couple of pleasantries, and then he hurried away.
"He actually didn’t try to latch onto us. How strange," Wei Zhenghong said, surprised. "Looks like something’s going on."
Shen Yi’an had already noticed that among the people passing by, there were not only ordinary Sect members but also numerous Stewards and even a Vice Hall Master. They would all offer a quick greeting before hurrying off in the same direction.
"That seems to be the direction of the Challenge Center."
Wei Zhenghong’s interest was piqued. "Let’s go have a look."
Shen Yi’an had no objections.
As the two approached, they saw a large crowd gathered in front of the Challenge Center before they even arrived. People were clustered in small groups, discussing something among themselves.
"What’s going on at the Challenge Center today?"
Wang Ye was chatting with a friend when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around instinctively, and his pupils quaked. He swallowed hard. "Star Seed Wei, Star Seed Shen."
He hastily bowed.
"I asked what’s going on," Wei Zhenghong said impatiently.
"Oh! It looks like Senior Brother Qin Tianlin is preparing to take the top rank," Wang Ye blurted out, finally registering the question.
"Qin Tianlin is going for the top rank?" Wei Zhenghong’s expression darkened. He glanced at the large crowd gathered nearby and the people still rushing over from a distance, then let out a cold snort.
"It’s not like Venerable Qin Yun’s residence lacks a challenge room. Why come to the Challenge Center and make such a big scene?"
His friend had already slipped away. Wang Ye’s expression flickered, and he also began to quietly retreat. He wanted no part in the conflicts between these higher-ups.
However, Wei Zhenghong’s gaze landed on Wang Ye. "Qin Tianlin is the one going for the top rank. What are you all doing here, crowding around..."
Wang Ye’s face stiffened. "We’re just curious, aren’t we?" he said helplessly.
Aside from the Tier Seven old-timers in the top ten of the Holy List, the top-ranked Tier Six was already among the most elite in the entire Holy Hall.
Besides, Qin Tianlin possessed a Divine Dawn Level Talent—the highest in the Bronze Sect. He was naturally a center of attention, and many people were curious to see if he would succeed.
"Curious?" Wei Zhenghong’s face was cold. He knew people from Venerable Qin Yun’s faction must be pulling the strings, and he already wanted to leave.
Qin Tianlin was almost certain to succeed, and Wei Zhenghong had no desire to serve as a backdrop for his triumph.
"Star Seed Shen? Star Seed Wei?" A voice, tinged with surprise and delight, came from behind them.
Wei Zhenghong looked up to see the crowd in front of the Challenge Center parting. Qin Guang walked out, a cloying smile on his face.
"I never imagined the news of my son vying for the top rank would be enough to draw two esteemed Star Seeds here to watch."
A wave of disgust washed over Wei Zhenghong as he saw Qin Guang. When Venerable Qin Yun had nearly driven him to his death, this was the man who had been bustling about, making his presence obnoxiously known.
So, his reply was just as blunt: "Don’t get the wrong idea. We’re just passing by."
Qin Guang’s face stiffened slightly. Just as he was about to speak—
"Fuck... How did I get knocked out of the top hundred?"
The sudden outcry cut through the relative silence of the crowd, drawing considerable attention. Many people glanced over, their expressions shifting. Some recognized the speaker as Chen Xiaosheng, who had only recently broken into the hundredth rank of the Holy List.
It seemed he had been pushed out again. A few people who didn’t seem to get along with him couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Seeing how much attention he’d drawn, Chen Xiaosheng gave an embarrassed laugh and quickly retreated into the crowd.
He hurriedly activated his Wristband. The rewards and privileges for being in the top hundred on the Holy List were nothing to scoff at.
He had only just broken in and hadn’t even used his opportunity with the Creation Copper Heart before someone knocked him back out. How could he possibly be calm?
He opened the leaderboard and, sure enough, he had fallen to 101st place. Ye Wei was still ranked behind him.
Meanwhile, Meng Jingyuan had moved up to the 100th spot.
’It wasn’t Ye Wei, so whoever it was must have jumped several ranks...’ Chen Xiaosheng was surprised. He scanned further up the list, and his expression froze. His pupils constricted and trembled violently, his face a mask of pure horror.
The main group in the field hadn’t paid much attention to his outburst. Changes in the Holy List rankings happened constantly.
Besides, this guy was just barely hanging on. It was perfectly normal for someone to get knocked off the bottom.