"Come at me, all together," he had declared, his tone dripping with disdain for their collective might.
A tense silence blanketed the courtyard as the gathered cultivators processed Chen Mo's brazen challenge. His words seemed to hang in the air, heavy with provocation and laced with an unmistakable air of arrogance.
Murmurs of disbelief rippled through the crowd, quickly giving way to outraged cries of indignation. "He's too arrogant!" one voice shouted, the sentiment echoing through the throngs of disgruntled cultivators.
"Just because you've gained a little power, don't think you can look down on others!" a commanding baritone cut through the din, and all eyes turned towards the figure of a blond man clad in resplendent golden armor.
With a powerful burst of energy, he propelled himself into the air, ascending until he hovered at Chen Mo's level, his sword leveled in a defiant challenge.
A chorus of cheers and exclamations erupted from the crowd, their excitement palpable as they recognized the illustrious figure before them. "That's Ji Lengchan!" one voice cried out. "He's in the top one hundred of the Dragon List. He could be said to be one of the best sword cultivators on the continent!"
The Dragon List, a revered compendium that cataloged the most talented and promising geniuses among the younger generation of cultivators, was renowned throughout the land.
To be included in its hallowed ranks was a feat reserved for only the most exceptional individuals, those whose prowess and potential marked them as the future pillars of the cultivation world.
Ji Lengchan flashed a cocksure grin, his eyes alight with the thrill of impending battle. Channeling his spiritual energy into his blade, the sword blazed with an incandescent glow, humming with barely restrained power. "I hope you don't say I'm bullying you," he taunted, his voice dripping with condescension. "You can have the first..."
Before the words could fully leave his lips, a blur of motion erupted from the ground below, and Chen Mo materialized before him with startling swiftness. In a single, fluid motion, his fist lashed out, slamming into Ji Lengchan's midsection with devastating force. The impact reverberated through the air like a thunderclap, shattering the golden armor as if it were mere glass, and sending the stunned cultivator hurtling towards the distant mountains, his form disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.
A collective gasp of disbelief rippled through the crowd, their eyes wide with shock and awe at the display of overwhelming power. Chen Mo turned his gaze towards the assembled cultivators, his expression one of mocking disdain.
"Didn't I say come at me together?" he challenged, his voice dripping with derision.
In that moment, the dam of restraint burst, and a tidal wave of fury swept through the gathered challengers. Battle cries rent the air as they surged forward in a chaotic mass, talismans igniting and blades gleaming in the brilliant sunlight. It was a veritable tempest of cultivated might, all focused on the solitary figure of Chen Mo, who stood unflinching in the face of their onslaught.
As the first attacks rained down upon him, Chen Mo's lips curved into a feral grin, his eyes alight with the thrill of battle. For in that moment, he embodied the pinnacle of cultivation, a living testament to the boundless potential that could not be achieved by just unwavering dedication or an insatiable hunger for power.
That's right, this was the power to fight against many in the same realm, this was the power of the protagonist.
And as the battle raged on, the mountains themselves seemed to tremble in the wake of the cataclysmic clash of forces, heralding the dawn of a new era – one in which Chen Mo would reign supreme, his legend etched into the annals of history forevermore.
…
Swords were unsheathed, talismans ignited, and the very earth trembled beneath the onslaught of cultivated energies unleashed in a chaotic frenzy.
Yet, through it all, Chen Mo remained unmoved, a pillar of unshakable calm amidst the raging tempest. His eyes glinted with the promise of an exhilarating challenge, and a feral grin spread across his features.
And as the first blows rained down upon him, Chen Mo felt a surge of exhilaration course through his veins, for he knew that this was merely the beginning – a prelude to the greater challenges and triumphs that awaited him on the path to be the peak of all creation. [ERROR]
…
A few moments later.
The aftermath of the battle was a scene of utter devastation, a grim testament to the overwhelming might that Chen Mo had unleashed upon his challengers. Hundreds of cultivators lay strewn across the courtyard, their bodies battered and broken, their once-vibrant robes reduced to tattered rags stained with the crimson hues of their own blood.
Pained groans and whimpers filled the air, a haunting chorus of agony that seemed to echo through the very stones beneath their prone forms. Some clutched at grievous wounds, their faces contorted in anguish, while others lay motionless, their shallow breaths the only indication that life still clung to their ravaged frames.
Chen Mo looked at his bloodied hands and wondered if maybe he was too rough on them. He thought about it for a moment as he hovered above the beaten cultivators, his gaze sweeping over them with an air of detached indifference.
A satisfied smirk tugged at the corners of Chen Mo's lips as he contemplated the implications of his resounding triumph. Now that he had demonstrated his overwhelming superiority in such a spectacular fashion, those who harbored ill intentions or sought to challenge him and his sect would surely think twice before incurring his wrath.
Of course, he mused, if there were those foolish enough to court their own demise, he would not hesitate to oblige them.
He then turned and began his descent, his footfalls leaving no imprint upon the bloodied earth as he made his way back towards the sect buildings. As he walked, a shimmer of energy rippled through the air, and the protective array formation flickered to life once more, its intricate runes weaving an impenetrable barrier around the sect's grounds.
He had fought against these guys to prevent future troubles, but beyond that, Chen Mo had gained something far more valuable – as he fought against the cultivators, he had used his skills to analyze all their elements, martial arts, as well as spiritual roots. Unlocking the water, fire, light, dark, wind, lightning, and earth elements.
He smiled to himself as he thought about the increase in his combat power after he had transformed them into laws later.
He also had one unexpected gain, that Ji Lengchan guy from the dragon list had a sacred-grade spiritual root.
"It seems the Dragon List isn't as simple as I thought," he murmured, a sly smile tugging at his lips "I'll have to investigate further."
Chen Mo thought that since Ji Lengchan had a sacred-grade spiritual root and was still not in the top fifty of the dragon list, then in had to be said that the top fifty had divine or even heavenly grade.