Ning Cheng showed no reaction.
Beside him, Zheng Chuan's eye twitched slightly. He looked at the Cloud Piercer Shuttle in Li Xun's hand, opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words.
That shuttle had originally been his, but now it rested in Li Xun's hands.
And now, Li Xun had taken it out again and was using it as a wager. It was as if he were sprinkling salt on Zheng Chuan's wound.
This wasn't just a provocation—it was psychological warfare!
"Hmph!" Ning Cheng snorted coldly but did not respond.
Although he had great confidence in his junior from the Beast Taming Sect, he knew Ye Han hadn't reached his current level merely by luck.
If the two really fought, even Ning Cheng couldn't predict the outcome.
At this moment, Li Xun's bet was undoubtedly ill-intentioned.
If he won, Li Xun would lose nothing, as the Cloud Piercer Shuttle wasn't originally his. But if Ning Cheng lost, the price would be steep.
Having already lost two high-grade magical treasures, Ning Cheng wasn't willing to risk losing more.
"Boring," Li Xun shook his head and put the Cloud Piercer Shuttle away. He looked toward the competition platform with a somewhat disinterested expression.
At this moment, on the competition platform, the atmosphere was extremely tense.
The disciple from the Beast Taming Sect had a tall and burly figure. He stood with his hands behind his back, his robe billowing in the wind, exuding an aura of primal wilderness.
"You little brat! To think you've made it this far. I have to admit, everyone underestimated you," the Beast Taming Sect disciple said. His eyes were cold and domineering, his demeanor like that of a demon god. "But today, your luck ends with me."
"I'll cripple your cultivation, reducing you to a mere waste. Remember this in your next life: some people are not to be provoked!"
During the course of today's competition, there had been real animosity between the Profound Sun Sect and the Beast Taming Sect.
Several Profound Sun Sect disciples had fallen at the hands of Beast Taming Sect disciples, though the Beast Taming Sect hadn't escaped unscathed either.
Among the Profound Sun Sect disciples, Ye Han was undoubtedly the most outstanding. He had personally killed a Beast Taming Sect disciple's contracted beast during one battle.
Without their contracted beasts, the Beast Taming Sect disciples were like commanders without an army, losing over half their strength.
It was then that Ye Han had easily defeated his opponent.
"You talk too much!" Ye Han retorted.
He stretched out a hand, and a blood-red glow emerged from his palm. The light expanded against the wind, transforming into a massive blood-red banner that stabbed into the ground with a loud thud.
The banner towered dozens of meters high, like an ancient tree piercing the sky, casting its shadow over the entire platform.
Whoosh!
The blood-red banner fluttered, blotting out the sky and shrouding everything in a chaotic, primordial haze. Bloodlight filled the air, emanating a concentrated killing intent that sent chills down spines.
"A formation?" someone muttered in surprise.
No one had expected Ye Han to have such a trump card. As soon as he made his move, he summoned a high-grade magical treasure, complete with an engraved killing formation.
To the core disciples observing, this formation might not seem like much. But to the Beast Taming Sect disciple on the platform, it posed a significant threat.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The banner whipped in the air, releasing streaks of sword light with each flutter. The beams were sharp and unstoppable, carving deep ravines across the platform.
"Now this is interesting," Li Xun smirked faintly. "As expected of the protagonist. He's only at the Qi Condensation realm, yet he already possesses a high-grade magical treasure. Such fortune isn't something ordinary people can achieve."
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a deafening roar resounded from the platform.
A massive beast appeared, its form resembling a lizard, but its body was covered in golden scales that shimmered brilliantly.
The creature was enormous, stretching dozens of meters in length. Standing tall, it let out a piercing cry, using its massive body to withstand the countless streaks of sword light emitted by the banner.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of impacts rang out like rain hitting metal. Sparks erupted across the surface of the beast's body, but it remained completely unscathed.
Struck by countless sword beams, the beast seemed enraged. Its golden eyes turned cold and menacing, exuding an overwhelming killing intent as it stared at Ye Han in the distance.
"Kill him!"
Standing atop the beast's head, the Beast Taming Sect disciple coldly gave the command.
Hearing those two words, the beast let out another deafening roar. A dreadful aura swept across the platform, and for a brief moment, a vision of mountains of corpses and seas of blood appeared—eerie and terrifying.
Before the roar ended, the beast transformed into a golden lightning bolt, charging at Ye Han with incredible speed.
Its massive body resembled a small mountain, rumbling forward with oppressive momentum. Those with weaker wills might have crumbled under the sheer pressure before the battle even began.
Ye Han, however, stood his ground without flinching. His aura surged upward, climbing rapidly. From the late Qi Condensation Realm, his cultivation broke through into the Spirit Meridian Realm—and didn't stop until it reached the late Spirit Meridian Realm!
"Hiss!"
Bathed in golden light, Ye Han looked like a divine warrior clad in golden armor. With a single swing of his arm, he unleashed a terrifying force, directly clashing with the beast.
Boom!
Ye Han's palm collided with the beast's claw, unleashing an explosion of radiant light that swept across the battlefield.
The entire platform trembled violently. Rocks flew in all directions, and golden shockwaves engulfed the area, creating a scene of utter devastation.
When the dust settled, the beast remained unmoved, while Ye Han had taken a slight step back.
The sight left many spectators stunned.
Beasts were renowned for their tough hides and physical strength, yet Ye Han had managed to clash head-on with one and only slightly lost the exchange. It was almost unbelievable.
Boom!
After a moment of calm, the man and the beast erupted into a fierce and awe-inspiring battle.
The entire platform seemed on the verge of collapsing from the intensity of their clash.
"Ye Han must be using some sort of secret technique," someone observed in a low voice, noticing his unusual state.
"Forcing his potential to its limits and temporarily raising his cultivation to the late Spirit Meridian Realm—there's no way it will last," Ning Cheng commented, casting a glance at Li Xun. "At most, it'll hold for an hour. At the least, it'll only last a quarter of an hour. Ye Han is bound to lose."
"That will depend on whether Ye Han can defeat the Beast Taming Sect disciple within the time limit," Yao Feng of Spirit Sword Valley remarked with a smile. "Now I finally understand why Brother Li is so protective of Ye Han."
Though Ye Han was using a secret technique to hold his own against the Beast Taming Sect disciple, it was undeniable proof of his potential. After all, not just anyone could leapfrog realms to engage in such a battle, even with the help of a secret technique.
It was worth noting that Ye Han had made it to the finals without resorting to any secret techniques before this point.
If someone like Ye Han were in Spirit Sword Valley, Yao Feng thought, no matter what, he would ensure Ye Han was protected—even if it meant playing second fiddle to him.
After all, a genius like Ye Han was destined to rise as long as he didn't fall prematurely.
"Brother Li, in your opinion, who is more likely to win this match?" Yao Feng turned to Li Xun and asked.
"Of course, it will be Ye Han," Li Xun replied without hesitation.
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