Lian had questioned countless times what became of the Qi devoured by the divine seed. In the past two days, he had tried to sense and communicate with it on several occasions, but the seed seemed to lack any intelligence to answer.
However, after absorbing the shining spear of Qi, derived from a powerful divine art, something seemed to have changed. It was as if the seed had acquired some form of intellect. Lian remembered reading in the records of the Divine Plane about certain plants that, after millions of years of absorbing natural Qi from the forests, could develop some sentience.
Lian grew increasingly intrigued by the mysterious divine seed within his body, which now was able to convey its intentions with a little clarity. It was evident that the seed desired to devour the black energy emanating from Wunu. Lian took a deep breath and focused on the unfolding battle.
Driven by the corrupt power flowing within him, Wunu was able to exert a certain pressure on Lian. His power now equaled that of a cultivator in the early stage of the Meridian Transformation Realm. Lian recognized the threat this posed but also understood that it was an opportunity to test his own strength and skills.
With a deafening explosion, the ground beneath Wunu's feet disintegrated, revealing a new earth armor forming around him. Its color was as dark as pitch, emanating dense Qi that conveyed a sense of violence and destruction.
Meanwhile, Lian retrieved a sphere from the core of the Iron Blood Drinking Bear from his spatial ring. With a firm grip, all the Qi contained in the core was absorbed into his body. A bloody aura now shone in his eyes, leaving everyone present incredulous at this transformation.
A few discerning spectators in the audience clearly realized that Wunu's power could rival even the clan's patriarch. Now, to the astonishment of all, Lian produced a peculiar object, and his aura underwent an overwhelming transformation as well.
The clash resumed, and both combatants vanished like thunder before everyone's eyes. They charged at each other and collided with great force.
*Boom!*
The weaker individuals in the arena spat blood and quickly retreated, while the stronger ones felt their ears bleed from the unleashed Qi explosion in this intense battle. The unleashed energy could harm them, too, if they weren't careful.
Wunu's eyes were completely black, devoid of any trace of their original color. He wielded no weapon, relying solely on his fists to unleash wild attacks.
Lian wielded only a dagger in his right hand, but his dexterity and technique were impressive. The arena floor was completely destroyed, bearing witness to the ferocity and destruction caused by the clash.
The two combatants exchanged blows in a brutal and fast-paced manner, in a true frenzy of movements. Punches and kicks were delivered with astonishing ferocity, while agile dodges and precise counterattacks merged into a deadly dance.
Wunu's fists moved like lightning, propelled by overwhelming force. Each punch had the potential to split the air and leave traces of residual energy in its path. The arena trembled with the intensity of the exchanged blows, and the sound of their attacks colliding echoed like thunder. It was an awe-inspiring and terrifying spectacle.
The advisors watched the fight with looks of astonishment and concern. Wunu's father secretly hoped for his son to defeat Lian as quickly as possible, so that he could intervene and use all available resources to save Wunu from that dangerous situation.
However, Lemir, recognizing the impressive rise in Wunu's power, tried to act swiftly and attack the arena. Before he could approach, three agile advisors intercepted him and held him firmly. Using a special inscription, they created a barrier around him, imprisoning him and preventing him from interfering in the fight.
Tense minutes dragged on, and Riria felt anguish tightening her heart as her fists bled from nervous clenching. However, suddenly, a message was transmitted directly to her mind, surprising her.
Lian had found a way to communicate without the use of a communication crystal. The message brought a sense of calm, and Riria began to focus her Qi on her saber, preparing herself.
Lian was covered in wounds, his body marked with cuts and bruises, his attire tinged with red. Wunu continued to attack relentlessly, showing no signs of pain, fatigue, or Qi depletion. He resembled a demonic beast, fighting without regard for his own life.
Suddenly, Lian's dagger shattered, and in the arena, the spectators sensed that the end of the fight was near. Wunu seized the opportunity and launched a devastating punch toward Lian, who remained motionless, awaiting the impact.
The punch radiated with earth runes, carrying weight and power capable of destroying a mountain. Lian's eyes gleamed intensely as if it were his final breath. The blow struck his torso with a deafening crash. Several recently strengthened bones shattered, and the Qi from the core was fully consumed. However, Lian stood firm in the arena, not taking a single step back.
Some experienced cultivators in the audience noticed something peculiar.
Wunu was no longer moving. Small cracks formed in his earth armor, as a result of the intense exchanged blows. As they focused on these cracks, they noticed a chilling Qi emanating from within him.
Lian, spitting out pieces of his organs along with his blood, reached out his hand. Dozens of bones emerged once again, gleaming brightly. The shadow of a black and bloodthirsty bear enveloped the bones, visible to all. The Qi emanating from the bones was several times more powerful than before. Suddenly, the bear rose on its hind legs and let out a terrifying roar. Even the clan advisors felt their souls tremble in the face of that manifestation.
The ghostly bear charged forward with fury. A deafening crash made dozens of people in the audience vomit blood. As for Wunu, he was thrown several meters away as blood gushed from his body.
The strongest individuals near the battle in the arena felt their meridians and organs intensely contort. The power emanating from that bear completely shook their notions and understanding. It was an overwhelming display of strength that challenged their very conception of what was possible.
Right after, the bear disappeared, and its bones turned to dust. The dust dissipated a moment later, revealing Wunu lying in the center of the arena, surrounded by a pool of black blood. His earth armor was completely destroyed, his gaze fixed, and his face contorted. He seemed to feel no pain and tried to stand up and continue the fight, but his bones and muscles were completely broken. Not even a demonic beast would be so irrational in the face of such severe injuries.
Lian quickly approached him and touched his head. In a matter of seconds, the light in Wunu's eyes dimmed. Everyone could see the black Qi vanishing from his body, along with his life and energy. Even the blood around him disappeared in front of everyone.
Lian carefully observed the divine seed in his body. The black Qi was devoured and completely vanished. However, the seed also devoured the earth runes inherited from Wunu's lineage. In a few seconds, a significant change could be felt in the space where the seed resided. Lian wanted to observe calmly, but an explosion was heard from the stands. Wunu's father attacked, flying toward the center of the arena.
With a single thought, Lian sent a message with his soul before the blood-eyed father arrived. Roots emerged from the ground, soaring into the sky like swords and encircling him.
The roots had a scarlet color, were hard as iron, and had steel thorns. The enraged man drew a spear and attacked with devastating power. The roots quickly exploded, but in an instant, they split and surrounded him again, doubling their numbers. He roared with all his might, and Qi from a cultivator in the late stages of the Bone Forging Realm erupted.
Within two seconds, all the roots vanished, but he was stopped. When he looked up, a crimson saber, akin to a bloodthirsty blade, was already in front of him. All he could do was raise his spear to block.
*Clang!*
A metallic crash reverberated through the air, accompanied by cries of astonishment. The spear began to crack, leaving Wunu's father perplexed at what he was witnessing. Riria, with her cultivation in the Muscle Transformation Realm, managed to stop it. In a direct confrontation, the man's weapon was destroyed.
A wave of disbelief swept over the clan cultivators present. It was considered impossible to win this confrontation with that level of cultivation. The saber, which was not made of divine steel, was so hard and sharp that not even an advisor and their weapon could block it.
Lian smiled contentedly. Riria used the first stage of the divine arts from the Forest of No Return to face Wunu's father. With this divine technique from the realm of gods and her saber, she could fight on par with a mediocre advisor, even being a realm below.
Wunu's father stepped back, his furious gaze fixed on Riria and Lian. His son was dead, and he couldn't save him in time. Now, driven by the desire to eliminate Lian, he was determined to kill him at any cost. After all, there was no longer a rival on Lian's path to becoming the patriarch.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through everyone present. "Cultivators of the great Albedo clan, listen to me! Lian Albedo has betrayed our clan and cruelly murdered the future patriarch before all of you," announced the other self-proclaimed Battle Judge advisor. His tone was serious and solemn.
"Everyone witnessed when he wielded that shield made of bones emanating an evil aura. Now we have seen Wunu Albedo being corrupted by that aura and ruthlessly killed," he continued, firmly accusing Lian. "Lian Albedo has betrayed us all, and, to win this battle, he has allied with the demons. The proof is right before our eyes. Let us purify this traitor from the clan and humanity together!" he proclaimed, inciting the purging of Lian.