Chapter 58

Shen Xiang walked over to the old man who was hosting the martial arts competition and said, "I have won the final victory. Can I claim my reward now?"

The old man's face showed a hint of helplessness as he replied, "I am only the host and arbitrator. The reward is not provided by me. The True Essence Pill is provided by a certain sect. If you want to obtain it, you will have to pass their assessment."

A smile flashed across Shen Xiang's face. Although his smile was very charming, the old man felt an inexplicable fear, shivering involuntarily. Just then, it seemed as if a bone-chilling aura had penetrated his body, making him feel as if death was right before his eyes.

Shen Xiang had been angry, which was why he inadvertently released that terrifying aura. He knew that the martial arts competition had been manipulated from start to finish, and even the ultimate victor would find it difficult to obtain the True Essence Pill.

Shen Furong arrived. He was an elder of the Shen family, but because he had ingratiated himself with the Yao family in the martial arts sect, he had hindered the development of his own family and even attacked the clan leader.

From the moment Shen Tianhu was injured by him, the entire Shen family no longer recognized Shen Furong as one of their own.

Shen Furong followed a man with clear eyebrows and fair skin. The man was very handsome, exuding a very pure true qi, clearly a martial artist with a thick and pure true qi.

"Shen Xiang, I didn't expect you to actually open the Pill King Pavilion and injure my newly recruited disciple..."

Yao Cong's master turned out to be Shen Furong!

"Shut up, you traitor to the family. Our Shen family has no one like you. What I do is my own business. Why should I need your approval, you old dog, to do business in alchemy? Who do you think you are? You're just a dog who licks others' butts." Shen Xiang shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the square. The Shen family members hiding there felt greatly relieved.

"You... you little brat, you're asking for death." Shen Furong's face turned red with anger, and he was about to attack, but was stopped by the man in front of him.

"Let me test the strength of the strongest young man in the Southern Martial Kingdom. I want to see what skills he has to win the True Essence Pill." The man said coldly, with a look of arrogance, as if he were the strongest in the world.

Shen Xiang also replied coldly, "You people from the sects are interfering in secular matters, which violates the rules, especially that old dog."

"You..." Shen Furong glared at Shen Xiang, knowing the rules but not caring. He believed no one would investigate or report him.

"If I win, the True Essence Pill is mine. If I lose, I will die." The man said coldly.

"Why should I die if I lose?" Shen Xiang laughed coldly.

"Because no one who has fought me, Zhang Long, has ever survived." Zhang Long said proudly.

Shen Xiang suddenly burst into laughter, as if he had heard the funniest joke: "You're just at the Eighth Level of the Mortal Martial Realm, right? You're just dog shit in the eyes of the inner disciples. Don't think you're the king just because you're in the secular world. Don't act so high and mighty here; your skills are not impressive enough."

Zhang Long was furious, his body emitting a cold aura, his eyes full of killing intent: "You will surely die today."

Shen Xiang didn't know how Shen Furong had attracted such a self-important person, who seemed to view everyone in the secular world as ants.

At this moment, everyone retreated, as the battle between Eighth Level Mortal Martial Realm fighters was very powerful. However, they were all excited because the rumor was true; to get the reward, one had to defeat a disciple of a martial arts sect. It was a great opportunity to see such a battle, which would benefit many martial artists.

The ground was littered with broken wooden pieces, the result of Shen Xiang stomping and destroying the competition platform. Shen Furong stepped back, confident in Zhang Long. He knew Shen Xiang was doomed, and the Shen family would be swallowed by the Yao family. His relationship with the Yao family in the martial arts sect would improve.

"You look older than me. Do you think it's glorious to win against me? I'm only sixteen this year!" Shen Xiang said with a forced smile.

If he hadn't mentioned his age, everyone would have overlooked it. Thinking about it, everyone sighed inwardly, marveling at how much someone at sixteen could achieve, becoming a renowned young strongman.

"I'll let you have one move. I'll stand here without moving, and after your move, I'll counterattack."

Zhang Long had just arrived, and Shen Furong had told him that Shen Xiang's strength was around the Seventh Level of the Mortal Martial Realm. Zhang Long, at the Eighth Level, found this very contemptuous, especially since Shen Xiang was a pill refiner, likely not focused on martial arts, and thus weak.

The Eighth Level of the Mortal Martial Realm was the pinnacle of strength in the secular world, and even more so for disciples from martial arts sects, who absorbed rich spiritual energy, ate spiritual grains and pills, and practiced superior true qi techniques. Their martial arts were incomparable to those in the secular world.

"Let me have one move?" Shen Xiang's expression remained unchanged, but he was inwardly delighted. Even if an Eighth Level Mortal Martial Realm fighter let him have a punch, it wouldn't be easy to withstand, let alone a Ninth Level.

Zhang Long sneered, "You should use all your strength, because that will be your last attack. After you attack, it will be your end."

"I'm attacking!" Shen Xiang took a few steps back, inwardly delighted. He hadn't expected such a self-important fool.

Zhang Long smiled contemptuously, his body trembling as a pure white mist emanated from him, forming a powerful aura shield around his body. People in the square could feel the strength of the aura shield from a distance, as the broken wood on the ground instantly turned to powder when the shield formed.

"Good, you have some skills, but this level still disappoints me!" Shen Xiang thought to himself, simultaneously activating the Taiji Divine Technique and mobilizing the Five Elements True Qi within him.

Last time, he defeated Shen Yihan at the Fifth Level of the Mortal Martial Realm using the Five Elements True Qi. When the Five Elements merged, they transformed into the power of the universe, the primordial force that opened the chaos, capable of creating the entire world. The power of the universe was unimaginable, and Shen Xiang's version was still in its embryonic stage.

But it was already very terrifying. Last time, using it had nearly overwhelmed his body, but now, with his Eighth Level cultivation and his body tempered by the Immortal Demon Pond, gradually transforming into an Immortal Demon Body, he could now withstand the power of the universe.

This was his strongest ability, which he rarely used. Seeing the fool in front of him so eager to die, he decided to send him on his way, letting him know what it meant to have a world beyond his own.

The Five Elements True Qi quickly merged within Shen Xiang, transforming into the power of the universe and surging into his arm, but emitting no aura. At that moment, Shen Xiang had already rushed forward!