82: At the top of the charts, the undercurrent finally emerges

Defeating Yao Sheng, Xiao Chen's prestige in the Inner Academy reached an unprecedented height. His ranking of twenty-ninth on the strong ranking list meant that he had truly entered the ranks of the Inner Academy's most elite students, and no one dared to look down on him due to his past 'lack of Dou Qi' anymore. Grand Elder Su Qian personally inquired about his injuries, bestowed precious antidote pills, and subtly reminded him that the shadow of the Soul Hall had not receded and he needed to be more cautious.

Xiao Chen kept a low profile, on one hand using the power of the pills to thoroughly clear the mixed poison left by Yao Sheng, and on the other hand consolidating his Peak Four-Star Dou Zong (Fighting Sect) Rank cultivation. He also immersed most of his mind in comprehending the 'Heaven Opening Axe Intent'. The battle with Yao Sheng made him truly experience the terrifying power of 'Intent', a realm that transcends the grade of Dou Technique and points directly to the origin of power. He vaguely felt that if he could fully grasp this trace of axe intent and perfectly integrate it with his own soul, Dou Qi, and even the initially understood Power of Space, his strength would undergo a qualitative leap.

However, the tree desires tranquility, but the wind will not cease. On the seventh day of Xiao Chen's seclusion, a fierce and unrivaled challenge, imbued with an overbearing spear intent, like a piercing arrow, directly nailed itself to the door of his courtyard! The challenge was entirely dark gold, with flowing calligraphy that read:

"Three days from now, at the peak of the arena, strong ranking list Fifth, Liu Qing, invites you to a battle, to decide victory and settle grievances!"

At the signature of the challenge, the spear intent, almost bursting through the paper, made the air shriek!

strong ranking list Fifth, Liu Qing! He finally made his move personally!

The news swept through the entire Inner Academy like a storm, causing an unprecedented sensation! Liu Qing, he was one of the Inner Academy's veteran overlords, 'Overbearing Spear' Liu Qing! His strength had long reached Peak Six-Star Dou Zong, and his spear techniques were incomparably overbearing. It was said that he had once fought an elder of Peak Dou Zong and remained undefeated! His personal challenge to Xiao Chen, ranked twenty-ninth, was no longer a simple struggle for ranking, but a direct clash between new and old forces, different paths! Everyone understood that Liu Qing's action was not only to stand up for his follower Yao Sheng but also to thoroughly suppress Xiao Chen, this rapidly rising 'anomaly', and solidify his authority in the Inner Academy!

Inside the small courtyard, Xiao Chen looked at the challenge imbued with fierce spear intent, his expression calm, but his eyes burned with raging battle fire. He had long anticipated this day; Liu Qing's hostility was never concealed. This battle was unavoidable! Moreover, a full-strength battle with a powerhouse like Liu Qing was the best whetstone to test his cultivation results and temper his axe intent!

"I accept this challenge." Xiao Chen lightly flicked his fingertip, and a sharp aura containing 'Heaven Opening Axe Intent' shot out, dispelling the spear intent on the challenge, serving as his response.

Three days passed in a flash.

At the peak of the arena, on this day, it was packed with people, and the atmosphere was so heavy it almost dripped. Not only did all the strong ranking list experts attend, but even many Inner Academy elders who had been in seclusion for years, and even Vice President Hu Qian, quietly appeared on the high platform, showing how much attention this battle received!

On the arena stage, Liu Qing stood with his hands behind his back. His figure was as tall and straight as a spear, his face stern, and his eyes as sharp as an eagle's. Just by standing there, a heavy and overbearing aura, like a mountain, permeated the surroundings, causing the space to slightly warp. He did not carry any weapons, but his entire being was a peerless fierce spear, poised to pierce the sky! The majestic Dou Qi of Peak Six-Star Dou Zong resonated with the energy of heaven and earth, its might terrifying.

Xiao Chen slowly ascended the arena stage, facing Liu Qing from a distance. His aura was contained, seemingly peaceful, but his Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul power was like an undercurrent beneath a calm sea, surging powerfully. Facing Liu Qing's overwhelming aura, he was not suppressed. The faint golden clan mark on his brow flickered, and an unyielding battle intent, originating from deep within his bloodline, quietly rose, subtly merging with the 'Heaven Opening Axe Intent', forming an invisible domain around him, isolating the opponent's spear intent.

"You finally dared to stand before me." Liu Qing spoke, his voice cold, carrying undeniable authority, "Xiao Chen, I admit you have some talent. But the Inner Academy has its rules. The overly rigid easily breaks. Today, I will make you understand what the true path of a powerhouse is!"

Xiao Chen smiled indifferently: "Senior Brother Liu Qing, there is not only one path for a powerhouse. Who is stronger or weaker, we'll only know after a battle."

"Stubborn!" Liu Qing's eyes turned cold, and he said no more, his aura exploding! "Since that's the case, let's see the truth with our hands!"

He took a step, and the entire arena stage trembled violently! His right fist clenched, he threw a punch without any fancy moves! Great Fissure Rock Spear Fist! The punch's force was not linear, but like a spiraling spear force, tearing through the air, emitting a piercing sonic boom. Wherever it passed, space rippled, as if about to be pierced by this punch! Although it was a fist technique, it contained the essence of his Overbearing Spear Intent, its power far exceeding ordinary Earth-tier Dou Techniques!

Facing this earth-shattering punch, Xiao Chen's pupils constricted, not daring to be careless in the slightest. His Spirit Realm Soul instantly calculated the trajectory and power nodes of the punch. His Illusory Spirit Steps and the Power of Space activated simultaneously, his figure sliding sideways like a ghost, attempting to avoid the sharp edge. At the same time, he pointed his fingers like a blade, a 'Soul Breaking Finger' containing Soul Impact, striking at the weak point on the side of the punch, attempting to break strength with skill!

"Hiss!"

The finger wind collided with the edge of the fist force, emitting a piercing sound. Xiao Chen only felt an irresistible immense force transmit from his fingertip. His entire arm was in excruciating pain and numb, his blood and Qi churning. His body was shaken back repeatedly, each step leaving deep imprints on the hard arena floor!

What terrifying power! The profoundness of Dou Qi at Peak Six-Star Dou Zong (Battle Ancestor) is far beyond what Five-Star can compare to!

"Dodge? Let's see how long you can dodge!" Liu Qing, gaining the upper hand, pressed on. His figure was like lightning, chasing closely. His fists unleashed a barrage, fist shadows filling the sky, like a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses charging with spears, completely sealing off all of Xiao Chen's evasion routes! Hundred Fierce Thousand Illusions Spear Fist!

Xiao Chen pushed his movement technique and soul perception to their limits, weaving and dodging through the dense, rain-like fist shadows. When he truly couldn't avoid them, he met them head-on with the 'Soul Emperor Bell'. The bell's shadow vibrated violently, emitting continuous roars, clearly struggling immensely. The disparity in cultivation realm was fully evident in a direct confrontation.

"Xiao Chen is completely suppressed!"

"Senior Brother Liu Qing's Overbearing Spear Fist Intent is too strong; it's impossible to take it head-on!"

"The realm gap is still too great!"

Exclamations rose from below the stage, everyone holding their breath for Xiao Chen.

On the high platform, Grand Elder Su Qian frowned slightly, while Vice President Hu Qian's gaze was deep, his thoughts unknown.

Prolonged defense is bound to lead to loss! Xiao Chen knew he couldn't continue like this. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. While enduring a heavy punch and using the force to retreat, his Spirit Realm Soul power erupted with full force!

"Illusory Prison, Myriad Manifestations!"

This time, the illusion was no longer interference, but an attack! He integrated his comprehension of 'splitting chaos' from the 'Heaven Opening Axe Intent' into the illusion. What manifested was no longer simple scenery, but countless ancient divine demon phantoms holding battle axes, carrying the will to cleave through everything, Pounce Liu Qing's mind from all directions! This was no longer merely an illusion, but a spiritual-level axe intent attack!

Liu Qing felt his vision blur, his mind violently shaking, as if he had instantly fallen into an ancient battlefield. Countless axe shadows descended from the sky, threatening to tear him apart! His overbearing spear intent actually showed a trace of disorder, and his offensive couldn't help but pause!

"Now!" Xiao Chen seized this fleeting opportunity. The Dou Qi and soul power within his body condensed frantically in an unprecedented way, communicating with the trace of Origin Qi seed deep within his bloodline, all of it pouring into the nascent 'Heaven Opening Axe Intent'! His hands clasped together as if holding an invisible giant axe that could split the heavens. His entire aura suddenly became incomparably sharp and overbearing!

"Heaven Opening... River Severing!"

Xiao Chen roared in his heart, his hands fiercely chopping forward! There was no dazzling light, only an invisible axe intent capable of severing rivers and splitting mountains, like a dormant volcano suddenly erupting, tearing through space, heading straight for Liu Qing! Wherever the axe intent passed, Liu Qing's overbearing spear intent, which had permeated the entire arena, was easily torn apart like cloth! A bottomless gully appeared on the arena floor, rapidly spreading!

Liu Qing had just broken free from the illusory axe shadows when he felt a fatal crisis! That invisible axe intent made his soul tremble, as if he had encountered a natural enemy! He roared, no longer daring to hold back. The Dou Qi within him erupted like a volcano, and a dark-golden energy long spear, condensed into a tangible form, instantly appeared in his hand! Great Annihilation Spear! This was his trump card, a quasi-Heaven tier Dou Technique!

"Annihilation... Spirit Slaughter!"

The dark-golden long spear, carrying the desolate aura of destroying all life, stabbed towards the invisible axe intent like a meteor!

"Boom----!!!!"

An unprecedentedly terrifying collision erupted! The axe intent and the spear tip violently struck each other! There was no loud bang, only a strange hum, as if space was shattering and laws were collapsing! Dazzling light instantly engulfed the entire arena stage. A violent energy storm shot into the sky, causing the protective shield at the top of the arena to shake violently, with cracks spreading!

Everyone was stunned by this terrifying sight, retreating one after another, circulating their cultivation to resist the scattered energy impact.

The light slowly dissipated after several breaths. On the arena stage, it was a mess, with a huge deep pit in the center. On either side of the deep pit, Xiao Chen knelt on one knee, his face ashen, blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth, his aura extremely weak. That last strike had almost drained all his power. And Liu Qing stood on the other side of the deep pit, his energy long spear shattered, his tiger's mouth split open and bleeding, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. A trace of blood also hung from the corner of his mouth!

Both sides were injured!

A draw?! No, strictly speaking, Xiao Chen, with the strength of Peak Four-Star Dou Zong (Fighting Sect) Rank, had met Liu Qing's strongest attack, a Peak Six-Star Dou Zong (Battle Ancestor), and actually fought to a standstill! He even had a slight advantage, because Liu Qing had suffered minor injuries first!

The entire arena was deathly silent! Everyone was so shocked by this result that they couldn't speak!

Liu Qing stared intently at Xiao Chen, his gaze incredibly complex, containing anger, unwillingness, and even deep apprehension. Finally, he took a deep breath, suppressed his churning blood and Qi, and said in a deep voice: "Xiao Chen, you won. From today onwards, the grievances between you and me, Liu Qing, are cleared. strong ranking list Fifth is yours." After speaking, he gave Xiao Chen a deep look, turned, jumped off the arena stage, and disappeared into the crowd. He knew that the artistic conception level of that last strike had already surpassed his. If not for his much higher Dou Qi cultivation, he would have been the one to lose. This child was no longer someone he could suppress.

Xiao Chen slowly stood up, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. Although weak, his eyes were as bright as stars. This battle had thoroughly established his peak position in the Inner Academy! strong ranking list Fifth!

However, just as the entire arena was buzzing with the result of this earth-shattering battle, no one noticed that in a dark corner of the arena, a phantom-like black shadow quietly dissipated, leaving behind only a faint, almost imperceptible, cold soul fluctuation.

Thousands of miles away, in a hidden hall somewhere in the Black-Corner Region, a figure shrouded in dense black mist slowly opened his eyes. His hoarse voice was like the cry of a night owl:

"Spirit Realm Great Perfection, suspected of touching the 'Intent' realm, bearing the Xiao Clan's battle axe clan mark... This child's growth speed is too fast, already beyond control. Issue the order, the 'Soul Capture Plan' is to be launched ahead of schedule! At all costs, before he leaves Jia Nan Academy, capture his soul... and bring it back to the Soul Hall!"

The real storm was finally coming. And Xiao Chen, who had just ascended to the peak of the strong ranking list, had not yet had time to enjoy the glory of victory before he was already at the center of a larger vortex. His Jia Nan Academy career was about to reach its finale.