Chapter 21

The Great Elder squinted his eyes, looking at Zichen as if trying to see through him.

In his view, this young man was not so reckless. There must be a reason for him to speak so boldly.

"Could he have a chance of winning?" the Great Elder thought to himself.

However, with his True Essence Mirror, he could clearly see that Zichen only had the strength of the fifth level of True Qi, and the cultivation techniques he practiced were all third-rate combat skills.

The most ordinary and the lowest.

Fierce Tiger Fist, Flowing Cloud Step.

Relying on these two, he wanted to defeat Wang Meng, who had the sixth level of True Qi and possessed a second-rate combat skill?

The Great Elder couldn't figure it out and didn't need to think about it.

As all the elders' gazes turned to him, the Great Elder said indifferently, "If both parties agree, they can switch."

Zichen, of course, was willing, but Lin Xue was not. However, after Zichen gave her a slight glare, he forcibly took the number two lot from Lin Xue's hand.

His behavior was very rude.

But Lin Xue smiled, as if at this moment, Zichen had a sense of manliness because he knew how to protect others.

In the distance, Su Mengyao couldn't help but nod. Regardless of his strength, she admired Zichen's sense of responsibility.

"Hmph, putting on a show," Chen Feng sneered.

Su Mengyao didn't speak; she didn't talk much to Chen Feng anyway.

"This is courting death. Now, you don't even need to act," Wang Xiong gritted his teeth.

"What a pity, this kid is about to die in an accident," said an inner disciple next to Wang Xiong.

In the crowd, opinions varied, some good, some bad, some encouraging, some mocking.

Especially some male peers, seeing Zichen showing off in front of Lin Xue, felt uncomfortable and began to mock him.

Holding the number two lot, Zichen walked onto the battle platform amidst the ridicule of the male peers and the admiration of the female peers.

Wang Meng had been waiting here, his eyes already cold.

"Didn't expect you to be so eager to die," Wang Meng said coldly.

Zichen responded coldly, "Who will die is yet to be determined. The favor of splashing feces will be returned tenfold today."

"On what basis?" Wang Meng sneered. "Just because of your useless third-rate combat skills? You think you're great because you think you've grasped the true meaning? Let me tell you, third-rate combat skills are garbage. Even if you grasp the true meaning, they're still garbage."

"I don't know if third-rate combat skills are garbage, but I know you're not even garbage because you're destined to lose today," Zichen replied.

"Haha," Wang Meng laughed, laughing out of anger.

"Enough, the battle can begin," an elder judge beside the platform stopped their bickering.

"Fight, let me see who's the garbage," Wang Meng sneered, his sixth-level True Qi surging, his eyes flashing with killing intent.

His feet moved, and the Flowing Cloud Step appeared. At the same time, the Mountain Splitting Palm, with its fierce aura, struck down.

"The Flowing Cloud Step isn't used like that," Zichen's lips curled slightly. His feet moved, and he dodged Wang Meng's attack as smoothly as flowing water.

"Swish."

With a missed strike, Wang Meng changed his technique, and the second form of the Mountain Splitting Palm slashed down, the wind howling. Zichen's white robe began to flutter, and his black hair danced in the wind.

Zichen's feet moved again, dodging twice by a hair's breadth. At the same time, when Wang Meng's strength weakened, he threw a punch.

"Roar."

A fierce tiger's roar, the first and second forms of the third-rate Fierce Tiger Fist were smoothly executed.

"Boom."

In the dull sound, Zichen's figure swayed back two steps, while Wang Xiong retreated four steps.

This result caused a stir in the crowd.

Throughout his journey, Zichen had always been unpopular, and the most boos had been for him. Today, in just two battles, he had made a name for himself, but no one expected that in his battle with Wang Meng, he would take the lead instantly.

"Go to hell."

Amidst the various comments, Wang Meng felt his face was losing. With a second-rate combat skill and one level higher True Qi, if he couldn't suppress Zichen, it would be too embarrassing. With a roar, the Mountain Splitting Palm appeared again, howling to a stop.

Zichen's feet moved, the Flowing Cloud Step flashing continuously, like flowing water, grasping its true essence. At this moment, he was fully exerting it, and it was even more mysterious than Miaokong's steps, always dodging Wang Meng's attacks by a hair's breadth.

"This is the true essence of the Flowing Cloud Step. Good boy, no wonder you were holding back before. You're really cautious," the elders on the high platform finally stopped being surprised, their eyes suddenly brightening as if they had discovered a new continent.

Among combat skills, footwork is the hardest to cultivate, and grasping the true essence is even harder. At this moment, Zichen was displaying the true essence of the true meaning, reaching the limit of footwork.

"Boom."

The dull collision sounds echoed continuously on the platform, Zichen and Wang Meng fighting fiercely.

At this moment, everyone had to reassess Zichen's strength.

Wang Xiong's face was already extremely dark. Today seemed to be a day of bad luck, with Wu Sheng appearing, and now Zichen.

Su Mengyao's beautiful face still had a faint smile. The core first person of the Lingwu Sect's face was not too good, knowing that he himself had not grasped the true essence of footwork in the past.

"This kid is really extraordinary," Miaokong said with a smile.

Beside him, Lin Xue's beautiful eyes sparkled, nodding like a chick pecking at rice.

"Mountain Splitting Palm, Fifth Form."

A surging aura, Wang Meng was already fighting with all his might, but Zichen was like a flexible fish, never confronting him head-on.

"Mountain Splitping Palm, Sixth Form."

"Mountain Splitting Palm, Seventh Form."

Fierce techniques, surging True Qi, swept towards Zichen crazily, but were all defused.

The Mountain Splitting Palm has nine forms, the ninth being the strongest.

"Zichen, I don't believe you can withstand my strongest attack," Wang Meng's eyes were bloodshot, as if he had gone mad, his voice becoming hysterical.

He was still competing for first place, but now even entering the top three was difficult.

In his anger, Wang Meng used the last form of the Mountain Splitting Palm, the Mountain Splitting Palm, using his palm as a knife. Wang Meng's aura suddenly became extremely fierce, like a large blade flashing with a cold light, carrying a fierce aura, and suddenly striking down.

A second-rate skill, the strongest attack, but Wang Meng had not fully grasped the true meaning, this was just a simple strongest attack.

"Let me show you what a third-rate skill is."

Facing the strongest attack of a second-rate skill, Zichen sneered, his aura surging again. When he clenched his fists, his aura changed, as if he had turned into a fierce tiger.

At this moment, Zichen disappeared, replaced by a fierce tiger.

The tiger descended from the mountain, carrying the pressure of a forest king. A roar shook the forest. The king, discovering prey in his territory, stared at it with cold eyes.

Zichen's aura changed, from a roaring king to a king about to attack. His eyes became sharp, and his energy aura became more concentrated.

"This is the true essence of the Fierce Tiger Fist?"

Whether it was the elders or the audience, their faces changed when they felt Zichen's aura at this moment.

If Zichen's grasp of the true essence of the Flowing Cloud Step was already remarkable, showing his outstanding talent, then now, grasping the true essence of the Fierce Tiger Fist, he could only be called a genius, a genius among geniuses.

The true essence of the true meaning is not something anyone can grasp. Chen Feng, for example, had only grasped the true meaning of one skill, not the true essence.

"This Zichen's talent seems no less than Chen Feng's."

An elder thought to himself, glancing at the Great Elder, who had a curious look in his eyes, while the Second Elder's face was ashen.

"Boom."

Amidst various emotions, the Fierce Tiger Fist and the Mountain Splitting Palm collided, the dull sound carrying a surge of energy towards the surroundings. The entire platform trembled, swayed, and then the two figures separated.

One retreated forcefully, the other flew back from the air, and at the same time, the sound of bones breaking echoed in the air.

The one who retreated was naturally Zichen, who retreated over ten meters, barely reaching the edge of the platform, stabilizing his figure. His internal energy was surging, but he was not injured.

Wang Meng had already flown off the platform, his arms hanging down, seemingly broken, landing in the crowd with a "boom."

One defeat, the winner and loser were clear, the scene was silent.

A third-rate skill at the fifth level of True Qi had defeated a second-rate skill at the sixth level of True Qi, which was almost unbelievable, but this unbelievable thing had just happened.

In the stands, everyone's gaze changed, even Wu Sheng, who had been indifferent, had a serious look on his face.

They looked at Zichen, their eyes filled with respect. Some even compared Zichen to Chen Feng.

"This talent is good."

On the high platform, the Great Elder squinted his eyes again, saying indifferently.

The Second Elder's face was dark, saying nothing, while the other elders nodded continuously.

Amidst the respectful gazes, Zichen walked off the platform, heading towards Lin Xue and Miaokong.

"Thanks, brother."

Miaokong looked at Zichen, grateful. Zichen had crippled Wang Meng, so the fourth and fifth battles were clearly won by Miaokong, who was now fourth.

As for the top three, it was a competition between Lin Xue, Wu Sheng, and Zichen.

"Great job, Zichen. Defeating a sixth-level True Qi with a fifth-level True Qi, you have a good chance of entering the core," Lin Xue said with a playful smile.

Zichen smiled.

"This kid." Su Mengyao's admiration grew, while the cold light in Chen Feng's eyes increased. Being able to defeat a sixth-level True Qi with a fifth-level True Qi and a second-rate skill that had grasped the true meaning, Zichen's talent was already on par with Chen Feng's.

This was a threat to Chen Feng.

Moreover, given the current situation, it seemed certain that Zichen would enter the core. If Wu Sheng's strength was the same as Wang Meng's, Zichen would win.

"I will kill him." Looking at his seriously injured brother, Wang Xiong gritted his teeth, saying fiercely.

"Wang Xiong, be careful. Killing a core disciple, do you have the guts?" The inner disciple who had previously boasted about destroying Zichen now said solemnly.

"He's not a core disciple yet, there are still two battles," Wang Xiong said.

"If there's no accident, he will be a core disciple. Don't even think about killing him. Be careful yourself, don't let him retaliate. Zichen's talent is on par with Senior Brother Chen Feng," others advised.

"The third battle begins. Wu Sheng vs. Lin Xue."

Regardless of what was happening or being discussed below, the elders on the platform didn't care. One battle ended, and the second quickly began.

Wu Sheng vs. Lin Xue.