Chapter 1688: Earth Spirit Protection
A thunderous roar exploded from Ye Ting's throat. "Break!"
In an instant, boundless divine might surged outward. Furious winds intertwined with crackling lightning and swept across the arena, threatening to grind Yu Linglong into dust.
Yu Linglong clasped her hands before her chest and, to everyone's surprise, closed her eyes. Then she murmured softly, "I can't lose... I absolutely can't lose..."
The next moment, a massive earthen-yellow wall materialized above her head. It stood like an unshakable fortress, forcibly blocking Ye Ting's attack.
Boom!
The colossal wall of elemental energy instantly shattered by nearly a third. A gigantic palm print was left deeply embedded in its surface, a shocking sight to behold. Even so, Yu Linglong had successfully withstood Ye Ting's strike.
One had to understand that throughout the entire Dongling Region, there were very few cultivators under fifty years old capable of taking one of Ye Ting's attacks head-on.
In the elders' seating area, the Pavilion Master of Cloudsky Pavilion from Yunluo Sacred Land fixed his gaze upon Yu Linglong. "Hm?"
A look of surprise flashed across his face as he turned toward Saint Lady Bi Luo. "Could it be that this girl possesses..."
Saint Lady Bi Luo neither confirmed nor denied it.
She merely replied calmly, "Linglong's background is indeed somewhat unusual."
The Pavilion Master frowned and muttered inwardly, Unusual?
That description was far too understated. Someone possessing an Earth Spirit Core was far beyond merely unusual. Even an Innate Sacred Body could not compare to Earth Spirit Protection.
Meanwhile, Ye Ting's expression darkened when his attack failed. The fact that he could not defeat a young girl like Yu Linglong in a single strike left him deeply irritated.
Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, a crack opened beneath his feet. A gigantic earthen-yellow mouth filled with razor-sharp fangs burst from the ground.
The monstrous jaws opened wide, releasing a terrifying devouring force that seemed capable of swallowing heaven and earth itself. Then they snapped shut toward Ye Ting with enough power to crush everything in their path.
The attack came far too suddenly. Ye Ting's heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed dramatically.
He sprang away at once, but the enormous maw erupted fully from the ground with a deafening rumble and lunged after him. Its jaws closed with a sickening crunch.
Crunch!
"AAAH!"
A miserable scream rang through the arena.
The giant jaws clamped around both of Ye Ting's legs below the knees. The horrifying bite force descended with enough power to crush rivers of stars. Even someone as powerful as Ye Ting could not suppress a cry of agony.
"You damned thing! Die!" Ye Ting exploded with rage and swung his hand backward.
Black lightning gathered above Ye Ting and formed a massive claw over thirty meters long. It tore downward with savage force, shattering the earthen monster that had sunk its fangs into his legs. In an instant, the creature disintegrated into countless yellow particles.
Only then did everyone realize that there had been no monster at all. All that remained on the arena floor was a scattered mound of sand.
Across from him, Yu Linglong stood within layer after layer of thick earthen walls that revolved rapidly around her.
Her earlier timid, pitiful demeanor had vanished. Her young face was now filled with unwavering seriousness and determination, as though she had resolved to defeat Ye Ting no matter what it took.
...
Atop the Sacred Mountain, Divine General Cangwu narrowed his eyes and said emotionlessly, "I never expected a mortal without any Divine Race bloodline to possess a talent like Earth Spirit Protection. Unfortunately, if that girl had been born among the Divine Race and received proper guidance, she would already be able to control the Earth Spirit Core within her freely. Defeating Ye Ting would be effortless for her then. Even Shi Haoxuan might not be her match."
"That may be so, but the young girl's talent is indeed exceptional, and the Earth Spirit Core within her is growing remarkably quickly. Unfortunately, the Fengtian Clan never involves itself in the affairs of the outside world. Otherwise, even this old man might have been tempted to accept her as a disciple."
The speaker was the most powerful of the Ten Divine Generals. He was also the current Clan Chief of the Fengtian Clan, and his formidable cultivation had long surpassed the Half-Saint Realm and reached the Great Saint Realm.
Even the Clan Chief had considered accepting Yu Linglong as his disciple. This alone showed just how rare and precious someone blessed with Earth Spirit Protection truly was.