Chapter 91

"Is this... the power of the Air-Cleaving Palm?"

The ability to injure from a distance is a unique skill that only those who have reached the Golden Core Realm, with their true essence vast and boundless, can possess, allowing their force to travel ten miles without dissipating.

However, the Air-Cleaving Palm is not a secret technique. In the various states of Tianyi, any sect with a bit of history has it in their collection and widely teaches it.

Yet, among the world's cultivators, those who master this skill before reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm are said to number less than a thousand, making them one in ten thousand.

For a moment, countless people in the main courtyard of the academy were stunned and anxious, watching the scene on the stage.

The green sword qi continued to slash down. However, Zhuang Wudao was undaunted. After the first palm strike, the Bull Demon Dance continued with the second, third, fourth, and all the way to the eighty-first palm!

For a time, the night sky was entirely covered by the illusory palm shadows. Each Great Boulder Toppling palm contained the power of nearly ten elephants!

After being hit by the first palm, Gu Yueming hurriedly swung the 'Clear Wind and Bright Moon' sword qi to block the surging palm shadows.

However, it was in vain. By the thirty-seventh palm, he could no longer resist. His body trembled as he was struck by the successive palm shadows. Blood spurted from his mouth, and his chest and abdomen caved in slightly. He could no longer maintain his form in the air and plummeted from a height of fifty zhang.

Below the stage, Gu Yueqing's eyes were wide open, his gaze bloodshot and fierce: "Stop! The match is over, stop now!"

At this point, if Gu Yueming were to be hit by seven more palms, he would surely die without a doubt. If Zhuang Wudao were to complete all eighty-one palms, Gu Yueming's entire body would likely be crushed into a pulp. Even without the long-distance palm strikes, the fall from fifty zhang would still be fatal.

Zhuang Wudao seemed not to hear, continuing as if nothing had happened. In reality, he was suffering inwardly, knowing that he could not stop. Although he was extremely angry with Gu Yueming, he also knew that he did not yet have the qualifications to confront the Gu Yue family head-on. This was not the time to kill Gu Yueming, as it would only anger the Gu Yue family, potentially involving his brothers and friends.

However, his recent cultivation had greatly increased, and the mystic art 'Bull Demon Dance' had also become much more powerful, exceeding his control.

From the moment he struck the first palm, it was already determined that he would have to complete all eighty-one palms before stopping.

Gu Yue Tian stood beside Beiting Cangjue, his face dark and unable to move. Previously, he had saved someone for the latter, but now he was trapped by his own actions. Beiting Cangjue, however, smiled, his hands behind his back, looking more relaxed than ever.

Only Li Chongzhen leaped up, flying forty zhang in an instant, catching Gu Yueming before he hit the ground.

With another wave of his sleeve, a powerful force was unleashed, blocking Zhuang Wudao's pursuing Great Boulder Toppling palm.

Then came a loud explosion, followed by a series of 'pop' sounds in the air.

The powerful impact shattered Li Chongzhen's right sleeve, and he was forced back forty zhang before slowly descending with Gu Yueming in his arms. He let out a surprised exclamation, looking at the stage with astonishment.

It turned out that this was not the true Air-Cleaving Palm.

This was a clever technique, similar to how Zhuang Wudao used magnetic essence to create the Dragon Seizing Force. Now, he was using the magnetic essence of the Bull Demon Body to enhance the Great Boulder Toppling palm. Instead of attracting, he repelled, and the palm force was applied using the technique of striking a cow from behind a mountain, allowing it to injure from a distance of a hundred zhang.

Although it had its limits, the Great Boulder Toppling palm, when combined with magnetic essence, could reach up to seventy percent of its full power. However, it was no less powerful than the true Air-Cleaving Palm.

This also showed that, in close combat, Zhuang Wudao's palm force would be incredibly strong. A single Great Boulder Toppling palm might be equivalent to the power of sixteen elephants, only slightly less than the twenty-six elephant force of his previous Rock Splitting palm!

Gently placing Gu Yueming down, Li Chongzhen's face turned extremely pale. His eyes flickered, his mind racing, and he forcibly swallowed a mouthful of blood.

Even with his formidable cultivation, receiving the remaining fifty-four Great Boulder Toppling palms in the air had shaken his internal organs.

Third Rank Extraordinary?

If Gu Yueming's 'Clear Wind and Bright Moon' combined with the pseudo-mystic art 'Midnight Moon' was roughly equivalent to the middle stage of Third Rank Extraordinary,

then Zhuang Wudao's this innate mystic art had undoubtedly reached the peak of Third Rank Extraordinary, surpassing it and approaching the Second Rank 'Holy Spirit'!

It was both offensive and defensive, suitable for both close and long-range combat, and could counter long-range spells, just like the Dragon Seizing and Tiger Shaking techniques.

Perhaps one day, when Zhuang Wudao advances to the Spirit Core Realm, he could truly elevate this mystic art to the 'Holy Spirit' realm.

At the Qi Condensation stage, mastering four mystic arts, two of which were at the Extraordinary level, and refining the Stone Brightness Flame. With such strength, even with an average Immortal Root of Fifth Rank, he would be treated with special favor by the Lichen Sect.

Moreover, Zhuang Wudao, at the Fifth Level of Qi Condensation, was only seventeen!

On the other high platform, Beiting Wan'er pouted, her eyes shining as she looked at Zhuang Wudao.

It turned out to be the Air-Cleaving Palm, which made her worry unnecessary. But when did Zhuang Wudao learn it?

She remembered that not long ago, Zhuang Wudao had indeed practiced the Air-Cleaving Palm for a while, but it was a disaster. Most of the Air-Cleaving Palm strikes were off-target, and only a small fraction could reach fifty zhang.

How did today's Zhuang Wudao manage to do it? It seemed slightly different from the true Air-Cleaving Palm.

Her eyes were not sharp enough to discern the true nature, but one thing was certain: Gu Yueming was severely injured and defeated, and Zhuang Wudao had won the match!

Xia Miao then used his strength to close the coffin and walked into the crowd without looking back.

This fine red coffin was now useless for both Zhuang Wudao and Gu Yueming.

But today, they had truly witnessed a spectacular show. The powerful family that had dominated Yuecheng for nearly two hundred years had finally reached its end, the sunset fading. Despite his extraordinary talent, unique in the Gu Yue family's history, Gu Yueming still lost to Zhuang Wudao.

His face still showed a mocking smile, but deep in Xia Miao's eyes, there was a deep sense of caution.

According to the rules of the competition, after today's top eight matches, there would be a three-day break for the participants to rest and recover. After three days, the semi-finals would begin, with one match per day, allowing the participants to give their all.

But how could he compete against such an opponent? Even at his peak after three days of recovery, he would not be a match for Zhuang Wudao.

The other two, Lin Hui from the Kong family and Xiahou Hu from the Eunuch Mansion, were also one in ten thousand talents, with strength not inferior to his. But after seeing today's Zhuang Wudao, they would likely lose their fighting spirit.

Neither the Starfire Divine Disk nor the mystic art combining the Bull Demon Body with the Great Boulder Toppling palm could be countered.

Fortunately, although the position of Chief Disciple was out of reach, he could still compete for the top three.

In the Lichen Sect, those who reach the Sixth Level of Qi Condensation before the age of thirty can become inner disciples.

However, there was an unwritten rule, acknowledged by all in the Lichen Sect. Only those who enter through the competition before the age of twenty or pass the Daoist Path Test are considered true inner disciples, held in higher regard.

Just like in the imperial court, where only those who pass the imperial examination can enter the Hanlin Academy, and only those in the Hanlin Academy can enter the cabinet, in the Lichen Sect, only the Chief Disciple selected through the competition has the automatic qualification to become a True Transmission Disciple after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The next tier, the Second and Third Positions, and those recommended by the academy, if chosen by a Golden Core cultivator, can also become True Transmission Disciples after ten years in the Lichen Sect.

But Gu Yueming had now stopped at the semi-finals.

Zhuang Wudao stopped his palm strikes on the stage, immediately feeling dizzy and a deep fatigue spreading through his limbs. His true essence was nearly depleted, with a loss of about ninety percent.

Using four mystic arts in less than half an hour was no easy feat, consuming a significant amount of his divine sense and physical strength.

Especially the 'Bull Demon Dance,' which he had initially focused on both offense and defense, and on delivering more Great Boulder Toppling palms, without considering whether his cultivation could support it.

Although his innate spirit orifice and pseudo-spirit orifice stored a large amount of true essence and blood essence independent of his meridians, it was still insufficient today.

However, this fatigue was far outweighed by the joy in Zhuang Wudao's heart.

He had succeeded, winning this all-or-nothing battle. Defeating Gu Yueming, his future was now bright.

The position of Chief Disciple in the academy competition was now within easy reach.

Whether it was Xia Miao or Kong Hui, they were rare talents, but they still fell short compared to Gu Yueming and Beiting Wan'er.

With the help of the Beiting family after entering, and being accepted by a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could become a True Transmission Disciple of the Lichen Sect. He would have the opportunity to practice the strongest techniques of the Lichen Sect, live in the best cave abode, and receive three Bone Strengthening Pills and one Qi Condensation Pill daily.

However, at this moment, Zhuang Wudao did not dare to show his joy on his face.

Opposite him, Gu Yueqing had already taken the unconscious Gu Yueming, his eyes filled with grief and hatred, staring at him like a wild beast.

Below the stage, Gu Yue Tian, though expressionless, also had a cold and murderous look in his eyes.

Zhuang Wudao suspected that if not for the support of Beiting Cangjue and Gu Yu, and Li Chongzhen's responsibility as the academy head and Lichen Sect inspector to protect the academy disciples,

these two would have attacked immediately, tearing him to pieces.