115: The power of Dou Zun, the selection begins

Outside the Crimson Flame Mountain Range, Xiao Chen's figure slowly emerged from the void. He didn't deliberately conceal his aura; the immense pressure of a One-Star Dou Zun naturally spread out like mercury, causing the surrounding space to subtly distort, as if he had merged with this world. Every move he made carried a sense of control over the rules.

"The Dou Zun realm is indeed profound." Xiao Chen felt the vast, ocean-like power within him and the effortless control he had over the surrounding space, his heart filled with pride. Compared to a Dou Zong, a Dou Zun wasn't just a surge in Dou Qi but a leap in life essence, a qualitative change in affinity and control over the world's energy. He felt that a casual strike from him now far surpassed the full power he could unleash at his previous Peak Nine-Star Dou Zong!

With a slight thought, his figure silently vanished from his spot, reappearing a moment later atop a mountain peak a thousand zhang away. This wasn't just speed, but genuine short-distance spatial traversal! Although the distance was limited and the consumption considerable, it was enough to play a decisive role in battle.

"With my current strength, combined with the Nine Axes of Heaven Opening and my Spirit Realm Soul, I can even contend with a Two-Star Dou Zun!" Xiao Chen assessed his combat power, full of confidence. If Soul Jade, the new young master of the Soul Hall, truly was a One-Star Dou Zun, he no longer feared him!

He didn't linger long. After discerning the direction, his figure once again merged with space, heading towards the Pill Tower's separate courtyard. The selection for the heavenly secret token was today, and he couldn't miss it.

Pill Tower's separate courtyard, martial arts arena.

Today, the martial arts arena was bustling with people, the atmosphere lively yet tinged with a hint of 肅殺. Around the massive square, Pill Tower disciples and elders sat, their gazes all focused on the colossal arena in the center of the square. Today, ten spots to the Heavenly Secret Ancient City would be decided here!

Han Xue, Qiu Ji, Ye Chong, and other core disciples had already arrived, standing with solemn expressions in the waiting area beside the arena. Their opponents included not only other talented disciples from within the Pill Tower but also several mysterious disciples who had come from distant branch towers, unknown but possessing profound auras. Clearly, everyone was putting in their all for these Heavenly Secret Ancient City spots.

"Why isn't Junior Brother Xiao here yet?" A trace of worry flashed in Han Xue's beautiful eyes as she occasionally glanced towards the entrance. The selection was about to begin; if Xiao Chen was late, he would be considered to have forfeited according to the rules.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister Han, Brother Xiao will certainly not miss it." Qiu Ji, however, was quite calm. He had blind faith in Xiao Chen.

Just then, a commotion erupted at the entrance. A figure shrouded in a black robe, exuding a chilling aura, slowly walked into the martial arts arena. His face was hidden in shadow, making his exact appearance unclear, but the soul fluctuations emanating from him caused many elders present to subtly turn their heads.

"It's Hun Li! They say he has an extraordinary soul talent, already at Spirit Realm Great Perfection, and his alchemy skills are close to that of a seventh-grade grandmaster! Wasn't he always traveling? Why is he back?" A disciple recognized the newcomer and gasped in a low voice.

Hun Li? Han Xue and Qiu Ji exchanged glances, a hint of solemnity flashing in their eyes. This person had a considerable reputation within the Pill Tower, but he was reclusive and not close to others. His sudden appearance at this moment made his intentions obvious.

Hun Li walked directly to the waiting area, found a corner, and stood quietly, not interacting with anyone. But the faint, chilling gaze that swept over Han Xue and the others made them extremely uncomfortable.

"It seems this selection won't be peaceful," Ye Chong whispered.

Just then, Elder Huo, the Pill Tower's Inner Academy elder (a hot-tempered Eight-Star Dou Zun) presiding over the selection, strode onto the arena and declared in a booming voice: "Silence! The heavenly secret token selection begins now! The rules are simple: a grand melee in the arena! The last ten people remaining on the arena will receive the heavenly secret token! Those who fall off the arena or voluntarily admit defeat are eliminated! During the process, intentionally causing severe injury or disability is forbidden, and offenders will be heavily punished! Now, all participants, get on stage!"

As his voice fell, nearly fifty disciples from the waiting area leaped onto the arena, each taking a position, their auras erupting as they eyed each other warily. Han Xue, Qiu Ji, Ye Chong, and others naturally gathered together, forming a battle formation. Hun Li, on the other hand, stood alone at the edge of the arena, his aura restrained, like a venomous snake lying in wait.

Elder Huo's gaze swept across the entire arena, lingering for a moment on Hun Li, then he coldly snorted: "Begin!"

"Boom!"

The battle instantly erupted! Dou Qi lights of various colors shot into the sky, roars, clashes, and explosions filling the air! Disciples used their various techniques, some fighting alone, some teaming up against opponents, the scene was extremely chaotic!

Han Xue's sword light was like the moon, exuding cold energy, forcing two Five-Star Dou Zongs to retreat repeatedly; lightning flickered around Qiu Ji as he controlled two massive battle puppets, combining offense and defense; Ye Chong, meanwhile, displayed exquisite fire control, his flames forming a giant net to trap his opponents. The three cooperated tacitly, quickly clearing out an area.

Hun Li, on the other hand, moved through the battlefield like a ghost. He didn't actively attack but instead relied on his strange movement techniques and Soul Impact to constantly interfere with other battles, causing others to fight among themselves while he reaped the benefits. His insidious methods drew many angry glares, but due to the strangeness of his soul power, no one dared to easily provoke him for a while.

The battle continued for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and the number of people on the arena rapidly decreased, with nearly half the disciples eliminated. The remaining ones were mostly elites above Five-Star Dou Zong. The fighting grew even more intense.

"Senior Sister Han, watch out for that guy Hun Li, he's been staring at us!" Qiu Ji transmitted through his soul.

Han Xue nodded. She also felt Hun Li's faint, locking aura. Just as she was distracted, a burly man on her side, a Peak Six-Star Dou Zong (Battle Ancestor) wielding a giant axe, suddenly lunged, aiming an axe blow at her back! This axe strike was powerful, heavy, and timed with cunning precision!

"Senior Sister!" Qiu Ji and Ye Chong exclaimed in alarm, but it was too late to help!

Just as Han Xue was about to be severely injured, a calm voice suddenly echoed from the edge of the arena:

"The selection seems lively. Xiao is late, please forgive him."

The voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears. At the same time, the burly man with the giant axe who had ambushed Han Xue seemed to have hit an invisible wall; his forward momentum abruptly stopped, the giant axe in his hand froze in mid-air, and he himself looked as if he had been subjected to a petrification spell, a look of terror on his face!

Space was frozen!

The entire arena fell silent instantly! All eyes simultaneously turned towards the source of the voice. They saw that at the arena entrance, at some unknown point, a figure in a green robe had appeared. The figure stood with his hands behind his back, his face calm, without the slightest energy fluctuation around him, as if he were an ordinary person. But it was precisely this state of returning to simplicity that made all the strong individuals present, including Elder Huo, feel an invisible pressure!

"Xiao Chen!"

"Junior Brother Xiao!"

"His... his aura..."

Han Xue, Qiu Ji, and others were both surprised and delighted, while even more people were aghast! Because they discovered that they couldn't perceive Xiao Chen's cultivation at all! It was as if he stood there, an unfathomable starry sky!

"Dou... Dou Zun?!" Elder Huo's pupils contracted sharply as he exclaimed in shock! As an Eight-Star Dou Zun, how keen was his perception! The faint spatial fluctuations and life-level pressure emanating from Xiao Chen were undoubtedly those of a Dou Zun!

"What?! Dou Zun?!"

"Xiao Chen broke through to Dou Zun?!"

"How is this possible?! How old is he?!"

The entire arena erupted in an uproar, like a boiling pot! A Dou Zun around twenty years old? This was simply unheard of! The record for the youngest Dou Zun in Pill Tower history was shattered by a wide margin!

Hun Li's face, hidden in the shadows, for the first time showed shock and disbelief, and a deep sense of dread and... killing intent flashed in his chilling eyes!

Xiao Chen ignored the shock of the crowd. He took a step, appearing in the center of the arena as if teleporting, his gaze calmly sweeping over the burly man with the giant axe, who was still frozen by the spatial lock: "Attacking from behind is not the act of a gentleman. Get down."

He lightly waved his sleeve.

The burly man, a Peak Six-Star Dou Zong (Battle Ancestor), was sent flying backward as if struck by an invisible immense force, utterly powerless to resist, and landed directly outside the arena!

With a casual flick of his hand, he defeated a Peak Six-Star Dou Zong (Battle Ancestor)! This was the strength of a Dou Zun!

Xiao Chen's gaze turned to Han Xue and the others, and he smiled slightly: "Senior Brother and Senior Sister, are you alright?"

"N-no... nothing." Han Xue recovered, her beautiful eyes shining with brilliance, her heart filled with unparalleled shock. She knew Xiao Chen's talent was monstrous, but she never imagined that after only a few days apart, he would have broken through to Dou Zun! This cultivation speed was simply that of a monster!

Xiao Chen nodded, then his gaze turned to Hun Li in the corner, his eyes instantly turning cold: "Senior Brother Hun Li, I've long heard of you. I hear your soul power is extraordinary; Xiao would like to learn a thing or two."

He directly challenged him by name! Clearly, Hun Li's covert surveillance of Han Xue and the others had not escaped his perception.

Hun Li's body stiffened slightly, and the expression under his black robe turned extremely ugly. Although his soul power was strong, facing a true Dou Zun, especially one with combat power as heaven-defying as Xiao Chen, he had no chance of winning!

"Junior Brother Xiao is joking; how could I be your opponent?" Hun Li spoke hoarsely, trying to ease the tension.

"Since we're on the arena, we are opponents." Xiao Chen's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority. "Take one move from me. If you can withstand it, I'll give you a heavenly secret token."

Before his words finished, Xiao Chen pointed two fingers like a sword, aiming them at Hun Li from afar! There was no earth-shattering commotion, only a faint, dark-golden sword qi piercing through the air! Within the sword qi, the destructive will of the "Heaven Opening Axe Intent" and the Power of Space of a Dou Zun were contained, moving at extreme speed, ignoring distance, and instantly appearing before Hun Li's glabella!

Hun Li's face turned pale with horror, and he frantically activated his soul power, setting up layers of soul barriers in front of him! At the same time, his body rapidly retreated!

"Chila!"

The dark-golden sword qi tore through all the soul barriers like a hot knife through butter, precisely striking Hun Li's glabella! It didn't pierce through, but instead transformed into an invisible Soul Impact that violently slammed into his sea of consciousness!

"Pfft!"

Hun Li was struck as if by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, his body staggering backward, his face ashen, his eyes unfocused, his soul severely wounded! He barely managed to stabilize himself, his gaze at Xiao Chen filled with terror. He dared not linger any longer, clumsily jumping off the arena, and fled the martial arts arena without looking back.

With one finger! He severely wounded Hun Li, who was at Spirit Realm Great Perfection!

The entire arena was silent! Everyone was awestruck by Xiao Chen's thunderous display! This was the might of a Dou Zun! Unrivaled!

Xiao Chen surveyed the arena; wherever his gaze fell, the other participating disciples lowered their heads, no one daring to meet his eyes.

"Now, who else wants to challenge?" Xiao Chen said calmly.

A dead silence.

Elder Huo took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart, and announced loudly: "Since no one else wishes to fight, then the ownership of the heavenly secret token is decided! Han Xue, Qiu Ji, Ye Chong... Xiao Chen, and the other ten individuals, have obtained the heavenly secret token!"

The result was without suspense. In front of a Dou Zun, any struggle lost its meaning.

Xiao Chen received the ancient token (heavenly secret token) handed to him by Elder Huo. It felt cool to the touch, with profound runes carved on it, subtly resonating with the distant Heavenly Secret Ancient City.

"In three days, the Heavenly Secret Ancient City will open. All of you, prepare yourselves well!" Elder Huo instructed, giving Xiao Chen a deep look, then turned and left.

The crowd in the martial arts arena gradually dispersed, but the news of Xiao Chen's breakthrough to Dou Zun spread like a whirlwind throughout the entire Pill Tower's separate courtyard, and at an even faster speed, it began to spread across the entire Central Plains!

Xiao Chen's name once again shook the Central Plains! And this time, it was as the youngest Dou Zun in history!

A storm was about to arrive! And Xiao Chen was already prepared to face all challenges! His gaze turned towards the Heavenly Secret Ancient City, his battle intent soaring!