Gale-force winds howled, and spiritual energy roamed freely.
Qin Hen took a step, instantly elevating his aura to a higher level.
His fingers formed claws, with spiritual energy swirling around his palm, exceptionally sharp and fierce.
"What powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy, this Qin Hen has just entered the Star Realm, yet his qi is so formidable," the crowd around him revealed surprised expressions upon seeing this scene.
At this moment, the turbulence in Qin Hen's hand was strong and fierce, not at all like someone who had just entered the Star Realm.
Such formidable spiritual energy was stronger, not weaker, than those who had long been in the Star Realm.
The crowd had already doubted Xu Nian's chances, and now with Qin Hen's momentum, they were even more convinced that Xu Nian stood no chance.
Xu Nian, however, wasn't surprised at all. The Qin Family's top-notch cultivation technique "Welkin Power" focused on solid foundations and strengthening the core. It was precisely this technique that Qin Hen practiced, so even if he had just made a breakthrough, his internal spiritual energy would be extraordinarily robust.
But now, it would be even harder for him to defeat Qin Hen without revealing his Body Cultivation.
"Die!" A cold smile curled at the corner of Qin Hen's mouth, his eyes suddenly turning icy as his figure burst forth like a swift cheetah, covering three meters in an instant.
That sharp and fierce leopard's paw aimed straight for Xu Nian's chest, a tiger's heart-plucking strike, merciless and ruthless.
Gasps sounded from the crowd. Qin Hen's attack seemed too vicious, as if he was intent on sending Xu Nian to his death.
From a distance, Murong Xue's heart also jumped to her throat, anxious for Xu Nian.
Yet, at this critical moment, Xu Nian showed no sign of panic. Relying on his Basic Nine Stars cultivation, he had won against ten First-star of Star Realm opponents before. Now, having broken through to the First-star of Star Realm with his Divine Demon Refining Body technique, how could he possibly fear Qin Hen's offense?
If he were to go all out, Qin Hen would not last a single move against him.
However, with so many onlookers present, he could not afford to reveal his Body Cultivation.
Once exposed, it would bring considerable trouble, so he had to rely only on his six-star warrior's Spiritual Cultivation.
A six-star warrior defeating a one-star warrior seemed like an impossible tale, but Xu Nian wasn't one to adhere to conventional wisdom.
"Buzz!"
Xu Nian's legs enveloped in spiritual energy, he stepped on the ground, forcefully shifting his body several inches backward—narrowly avoiding Qin Hen's vicious attack.
This move exposed his level of Spiritual Cultivation.
Once spiritual energy was utilized, others could judge one's cultivation level based on the energy's intensity.
A six-star warrior!
A collective sigh rose from the surrounding crowd. Those who had held onto a sliver of hope for Xu Nian were now utterly disappointed.
A six-star warrior, how could he be a match for a one-star warrior? The battle seemed to have no suspense left.
Murong Xue shook her head slightly in disappointment. In her eyes, Xu Nian should never have agreed to this fight; it was simply rash.
"Ha ha, good brother, with your six-star warrior's cultivation, you're too confident in yourself, don't you think? Do you really believe you can defeat me with the cultivation of a six-star warrior?" Qin Hen burst into laughter when he saw Xu Nian's cultivation level, his eyes filling with mockery.
Yet, deep in his eyes, a killing intent swirled.
He remembered all too well that Xu Nian, when his Dantian had been destroyed, only had the cultivation of a four-star warrior. It had been barely a dozen days since then, and yet here he was, two levels higher—a stark demonstration of his great potential.
"Hmph, this time I will turn you into a cripple for good, and I won't give you another chance to grow. What's the use of Emperor-level talent if you lack the strength?" Qin Hen sneered inwardly, his killing intent filling the air.
Xu Nian stood in the distance, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Others might not have caught the murderous look in Qin Hen's eyes, but he saw it clear as day—the same scornful and ruthless gaze from that day in the Qin Family Mansion.
"Who said I'm a six-star warrior? Take another good look, if you can," Xu Nian chuckled lightly, and then he started to operate the "Ling Feng Dominating Battle Technique."
Once the "Ling Feng Dominating Battle Technique" was in motion, the surrounding spiritual energy surged like a dragon drinking water, rushing towards him frenziedly.
"What's he trying to do? Is he planning to break through during the battle?"
"He's gone mad, completely mad. A breakthrough during combat, isn't he afraid of demonic deviation?"
"Moreover, even if he were to break through, he would only be a seven-star warrior, still no match for Qin Hen!"
The surrounding crowd exclaimed in shock at Xu Nian's actions, their faces showing utter surprise.
Murong Xue's pretty face was also filled with astonishment, not understanding why Xu Nian was doing this.
With a knowing smile, Xu Nian ignored the shocked gazes of the crowd. He had already been at the peak of six stars, just a step away from a breakthrough, and now was the perfect opportunity to succeed in one fell swoop.
"Ha ha, my good brother, do you think breaking through to a seven-star warrior would let you defeat me? And to make a breakthrough right in front of me? How naïve," Qin Hen laughed heartily. His eyes became fierce in an instant, and his figure burst forth again, rushing towards Xu Nian.
Xu Nian's actions were exactly to his liking. By seriously injuring Xu Nian, he would inevitably drive him into a state of cultivation madness.
At that point, even if the Academy blamed him, he could shift all the responsibility onto Xu Nian himself.
"Whoosh!"
Qin Hen moved swiftly, his palm surrounded by spiritual energy that flickered like lightning, fierce and overbearing.
"Yellow-level Middle Level Combat Skill, Thunderclap Palm!"
An exclamation arose from the crowd, recognizing the combat skill used by Qin Hen.
They were all shocked by Qin Hen's ruthlessness; he clearly intended to completely ruin Xu Nian.
Let alone a Seven-star Warrior, even a Nine-star Warrior would be severely injured by this palm strike.
Right now, Xu Nian was at a critical moment in his breakthrough; if he suffered a heavy blow, his whole body's meridians would certainly be severed, and no matter how talented he was, he would ultimately become a cripple.
Murong Xue was also frowning tightly, her heart anxious.
Logically, Xu Nian's life and death had nothing to do with her, but for some reason, she felt an uneasy concern, as if the Xu Nian about to meet disaster was someone very important to her.
"Die!"
With a loud shout from Qin Hen, he appeared in front of Xu Nian like a gust of wind, his hand glowing with lightning, and fiercely slapped at Xu Nian's chest.
However, not only did Xu Nian not dodge, he unexpectedly stepped forward, proactively meeting Qin Hen's attack.
"Courting death!" Qin Hen was overjoyed at the sight, and the might of his palm strike surged even more.
The gathered onlookers sighed inwardly, a prodigious Emperor Level talent was about to fall.
However, at the moment when everyone thought Xu Nian would be sent flying with one palm, something shocking happened.
Xu Nian's figure sidestepped like a nimble Spirit Monkey, avoiding Qin Hen's Thunderclap Palm, and with spiritual energy that had been gathering for a long time now fully concentrated in his palm, he struck Qin Hen's abdomen with the force of a thunderstorm.
"Puh!"
Blood spurted violently from Qin Hen, his eyes bloodshot, his face full of pain and shock.
The surrounding crowd gaped in amazement, now realizing that Xu Nian had not been cultivating to breakthrough but to deliver this fatal strike.
Madman!
An absolute madman!
Such a wild method of fighting was even crazier than breaking through during combat. The slightest miscalculation could lead to all the meridians in his body rupturing.
Murong Xue was also stunned, shocked by Xu Nian's frenzied actions.
But what surprised her even more was that Xu Nian, as a Six-star Warrior, had defeated Qin Hen, a One-star Warrior.
Xu Nian paid no attention to the surprise around him, his eyes coldly fixed on Qin Hen as he was thrown backward.
Only he knew that the strike which had severely injured Qin Hen was possible not only due to a mad risk but also due to the agile figure his Body Cultivation had given him, otherwise he could not have evaded Qin Hen's mightily fierce Thunderclap Palm.
However, everyone's focus was on his insane action of energy accumulation, thus overlooking the reflex speed that a Six-star Warrior should not possess.
"No... It's impossible, absolutely impossible!" Qin Hen struggled to get up from the ground, but the intense pain in his abdomen made him fall back, in agony.
His abdomen was struck by Xu Nian's palm; his inner energy was in disarray, and he couldn't mobilize his spiritual energy for a short time, even moving was excruciating.
Clearly, Xu Nian's palm had been aimed deliberately at his Dantian, and had the attack been a little stronger, his Dantian would have been ruined.
"Nothing is impossible, even as a Six-star Warrior, I can defeat you!" Xu Nian approached Qin Hen with a murderous look in his eyes.
Now he needed only one palm strike to kill Qin Hen on the spot, but by doing so, there would no longer be a place for him in Qinglin Academy.
Qinglin Academy did not prohibit fights between students but forbade fratricide, and Xu Nian did not want to be expelled from the Academy because of this.
Death could be avoided, but punishment was inescapable.
Xu Nian looked fiercely at Qin Hen, his eyes red like a hungry wolf.
Qin Hen was startled and hurriedly said, "You… what do you want to do, I… I am your elder brother."
"Now you remember you're my elder brother? Why didn't you remember that when you were about to cripple me?" Xu Nian sneered coldly, then suddenly stomped on Qin Hen's thigh.
"Ah..."
Qin Hen's scream, like that of a slaughtered pig, resounded through the entire square.
The surrounding crowd was horrified, but no one interfered, because as Xu Nian said, it was Qin Hen who had been brutally aggressive first.