Killed by One Hit! . . .
Even Bu Jingtian found himself taken aback in this moment. He could unmistakably sense the hand hovering above his head, engaged in swift and intricate martial movements. The impending strike bore the potential for formidable power. Nonetheless, Feng Monarch remained at a relatively low cultivation level. Despite his efforts to push his martial arts to their limits, even with the potential application of a special technique that could amplify his attack, Bu Jingtian remained unwavering in his belief that his life was not in jeopardy.
Moreover, he could discern the inherent power within that hand.
This power, he was convinced, would not pose a threat.
Not even the most robust attack could breach his formidable defensive energy shield.
Bu Jingtian stood in poised readiness, anticipating the moment with great assurance. He had already composed the words he intended to deliver following this strike, prepared to impart a lesson to Feng Monarch and revel in some well-deserved taunting.
"Bu Jingtian's head is not one to be struck by just anyone!" he contemplated.
"Today, I endured this for the sake of the dan beads, but Feng Monarch of Ling-Bao Hall shall pay a steep price for his actions. It shall cost him dearly."
"Lives take divergent paths. Some lives are even worse than death."
As the assembled onlookers watched in rapt attention, that golden hand, radiant like the sun, descended with resolute force.
Members of Ling-Bao Hall watched nervously, while those from the two great sects regarded the scene with disdain.
Then, the inexplicable and horrific occurred—a development that should have been inconceivable and impossible.
Bu Jingtian, the No.1 Cultivator, saw his head disintegrate like a snowball exposed to an inferno.
In a deafening burst, it exploded.
Simultaneously, Feng Monarch's hand did not halt its downward trajectory. The shimmering golden hand connected with Bu Jingtian's head, descended to his chest, and proceeded to bisect his entire upper body.
Blood spattered on the floor, some droplets propelled many meters away. Feng Monarch's once-black attire was now saturated in crimson.
He had spared no power for self-preservation, instead channeling the entirety of his strength into that singular palm strike. His full might was concentrated within that hand.
With a swift and resounding impact, Feng Monarch descended to the floor, clutching the crimson hand, which had become enshrouded in flesh and blood.
Unsurprisingly, he now stood before the lifeless remnants of Bu Jingtian's body.
Although labeling it a "body" was not entirely accurate. Bu Jingtian's head had been reduced to fragmented pieces, leaving only a fraction of his upper body intact. His legs remained, though everything above the chest had been obliterated. What had been a towering figure now resembled a diminutive child standing in front of an adult.
In essence, he had been reduced by two full head lengths.
Despite the macabre scene, Bu Jingtian's body teetered but remained upright. Cha Eun Xiao remained unperturbed. Extending his hand, he gestured toward the fallen form, then delivered a nonchalant command, "Aren't you tired of standing? Just sit down."
With that directive, Bu Jingtian's body collapsed.
A muffled "puff" punctuated the scene.
The mangled remains of the world's No. 1 Cultivator crashed heavily to the floor, accompanied by a gruesome shower of flesh, blood, and internal organs.
Bu Jingtian, the legendary No. 1 Cultivator of the Land of Han-Yang, lay sprawled on the ground, a shattered figure exposed to the gaze of all present. In the two great sects, disbelief washed over the onlookers simultaneously. Their collective thoughts echoed: "So, even the world's No. 1 Cultivator... when he dies, his body is no different from anyone else's... only, it's even more pitiful... to die with a shattered body... How wretched! How could Bu Jingtian die? Is it even possible? How could such a thing occur? How could he be killed by just one palm strike? How could such an event transpire? They all felt as if they'd gone mad! Perhaps they were, or they might have believed it was a dream. They felt as though they were ensnared in a ludicrous nightmare. How could it be possible for the all-powerful legendary cultivator, the world's No. 1, to be killed by a single palm strike? How could he meet his end in this manner? How could he perish at the hands of a mere Level 3 Sky Origin Stage cultivator? How could this be real? There existed a monumental chasm in strength between the two adversaries. They were convinced that even a hundred Feng Monarchs, working in concert, could not inflict the slightest harm upon Bu Jingtian. They could not fathom the demise of such a formidable figure occurring with such ease. The silence was palpable. One could have heard a pin drop. Whether they hailed from Ling-Bao Hall, the great sects, or even the five clans, every individual stood in a state of profound shock, minds utterly blank. They were at a loss, uncertain about what to think or how to react. Unbeknownst to them, a fleeting ripple of energy coursed through the air. It dissipated swiftly, yet whether acknowledged or overlooked, the place, replete with lifeless bodies, inexplicably brightened, if only slightly.
Cha Eun Xiao furrowed his brow. His gaze then casually shifted toward Bu Jingtian's lifeless form. He uttered a sigh, "You truly should not have accepted the challenge... Allow me to impart one last piece of wisdom. This strike from me, even if you were ten times, a hundred times, or even a thousand times stronger than you were, you would never have withstood it. You were merely a Level 9 Sky Origin Stage cultivator... You overestimated yourself and didn't even contemplate defense... In any case, every story, no matter how grand, meets its conclusion someday. Your tale concludes today."
"If you knew you were on the brink of death, that's why you came. You knew you were about to meet your demise, which is why you embraced the challenge. I had to mete out the fate you deserved. You didn't even comprehend what you would do if you managed to survive... I merely brought your long-overdue demise."
Had he made this proclamation earlier, before Bu Jingtian's demise, it would have been met with laughter, dismissed as the idle boasts of a fool. However, when spoken now, it silenced all objections. The truth was plain to see, and no one dared question it any longer. Many among the onlookers trembled and withdrew, taking a step back.
"Elder Bu..." Members of the Sunlight Sect finally cried out in fear, rushing to Bu Jingtian's lifeless form. Both the Sunlight Sect and the Starlight Sect harbored the same belief: Bu Jingtian could not have died so easily. There must be a sinister trick behind this attack. They were convinced that an inspection of the lifeless body would yield some hidden deception.