The final battle: Ninth Prince Zhang Ruochen versus the number one prodigy of the Situ family, Situ Linjiang.
Before the end-of-year assessment, Zhang Ruochen was dismissed as a recently awakened waste. Now, no one dared to underestimate him, including Situ Linjiang, who stood across from him.
"Fight!"
Situ Linjiang roared as he channeled his True Qi into his spear.
The black spear ignited with flames, transforming into a fiery serpent that lunged at Zhang Ruochen.
Situ Linjiang knew well that Zhang Ruochen's cultivation and strength were inferior to his own. However, Zhang Ruochen's precise control over his True Qi and power made him wary.
To win, he had to launch an aggressive onslaught, giving Zhang Ruochen no chance to retaliate. As long as Zhang Ruochen had no opportunity to strike, the battle was his.
Situ Linjiang was indeed far stronger than Xue Kai, and his mastery of the spear was impeccable. Despite this, Zhang Ruochen remained calm, showing neither fear nor panic.
"Fiery Serpent Strike!"
The spear's head morphed into a flaming serpent, pursuing Zhang Ruochen's back as it aimed for his heart.
Zhang Ruochen crouched low to evade the spear and countered with his Blue Water Sword, thrusting directly at Situ Linjiang's spear-wielding hand.
Situ Linjiang sidestepped to avoid the strike and retaliated swiftly, swinging the spear like a staff down at Zhang Ruochen's head.
Before the spear even reached him, sparks rained down, burning tiny black holes into Zhang Ruochen's robe.
"Such quick reflexes!" Zhang Ruochen thought, realizing there was no time to dodge.
"Heaven's Heart Sword Bell!"
The eleven meridians within Zhang Ruochen's body lit up as he channeled True Qi into the Blue Water Sword, activating the two ice runes.
He twisted his body and positioned his sword horizontally as a shield.
"Whoosh!"
A translucent blue bell, over three meters tall, enveloped Zhang Ruochen, spinning rapidly and emanating a chilling aura.
When Situ Linjiang's spear struck the bell, it was blocked by an immense force, unable to shatter it.
Blocked!
"Boom!"
The rebounding force left Situ Linjiang's arm numb.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Ruochen charged out from within the bell and slashed his sword, unleashing an eight-meter-long blade of energy.
"Heaven's Heart Guides the Way!"
Another low-level spiritual sword technique!
Situ Linjiang's face changed slightly. He quickly retreated to evade the energy wave, then lunged forward again with a spear thrust.
"Crack!"
The rapid thrusts caused fierce friction between the flame-coated spear and the air, turning its tip red-hot and showering sparks.
Zhang Ruochen leapt into the air, evading the attack.
"Foolish! Once in the air, you can't change direction. You've made yourself an easy target. Let's see you dodge my next strike!" Situ Linjiang's response was swift as he propelled himself off the ground, aiming his spear at Zhang Ruochen's chest.
"Who said I can't change direction? I'll use your force against you!"
Zhang Ruochen deflected the incoming spear with his sword, changing his position slightly with each clash.
"Clang! Clang!"
He struck the spear nine times in quick succession, each impact altering his trajectory. In an instant, he positioned himself beneath Situ Linjiang, turning the tables so that Situ Linjiang, now mid-air, became the easy target.
The nine strikes happened so swiftly that, to an untrained eye, it appeared as a blur of sword shadows.
"Damn it!"
Situ Linjiang panicked, realizing Zhang Ruochen's mastery over force manipulation.
The advantage shifted instantly.
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen thrust his sword, the Blue Water Sword encased in frost. The blade's surface shimmered with ice crystals, and a cold mist emanated from its edge.
With Situ Linjiang still airborne and unable to change direction, he had no way to evade.
"Serpent's Eyes!"
Gritting his teeth, Situ Linjiang thrust his spear, unleashing a burst of crimson flames from its tip.
"Boom!"
The sword and spear collided, ice and flame clashing with a metallic clang.
A powerful force coursed through the blade, causing Zhang Ruochen to stagger back seven steps.
Situ Linjiang fared worse, flying backward and almost falling. At the last moment, he stabbed his spear into the ground to stabilize himself, landing on his feet.
Only after regaining his stance did he realize his right sleeve had frozen solid. As he circulated his True Qi, he shook his arm, shattering the sleeve into pieces of ice that fell to the ground.
Without pausing, the two warriors clashed again.
An elderly eunuch in a green robe standing behind Yunwu Commandery Prince marveled, "This is truly the clash of geniuses. It's remarkable! The Ninth Prince, even at the small extremity of the Yellow Realm, can match Situ Linjiang blow for blow. It's incredible!"
"Indeed! The Ninth Prince's late bloom reveals astonishing talent. His future potential is beyond our imagination. Congratulations, Your Majesty! Another prodigious talent has emerged from the royal family." A general clad in armor praised.
Hearing the admiration from others, Yunwu Commandery Prince felt a surge of pride. It was undeniable: the Ninth Prince possessed extraordinary talent. If he were at the same cultivation level as Situ Linjiang, the latter would have already lost!
What father wouldn't be pleased to see his child possess such immense potential?
Yunwu Commandery Prince smiled, "It's no coincidence that Jiu'er has such remarkable combat power. Have you noticed? Although he's only at the small extremity of the Yellow Realm, he's already opened eleven meridians."
"What? Eleven meridians at the small extremity?"
The concubines, eunuchs, princes, princesses, generals, and ministers standing nearby all turned their gaze toward Zhang Ruochen in the arena.
Normally, the number of meridians one possesses remains hidden unless True Qi is circulating. But in his battle with Situ Linjiang, Zhang Ruochen had unleashed his full power, revealing his meridian count.
However, only those with advanced cultivation could discern the number of meridians within his body.
"Eleven meridians! Really? Is Ninth Brother that powerful? I remember Seventh Brother only had ten meridians at the small extremity." Ninth Princess's eyes widened in disbelief.
If these words hadn't come from Yunwu Commandery Prince himself, she would never have believed that anyone could surpass Seventh Brother's talent!
The more meridians a warrior opens, the stronger their body and the greater their potential.
Take the Fifth Prince, for example. Even at the large extremity of the Yellow Realm, he had only opened twelve meridians. So, even if he reached the large completion of the Yellow Realm, he could only open up to fifteen meridians. In the future, even if he advanced to the Black or Earth Realm, he'd remain capped at fifteen meridians, putting him at a disadvantage compared to those who had opened sixteen or seventeen.
At the Yellow Realm, opening even one more meridian significantly boosts potential.
Of course, having fifteen meridians is already quite remarkable.
"Eleven meridians! At the small extremity! How is this possible? Does he truly have more potential than the Seventh Prince?" Lin Fengxian was stunned. He hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen's genius to be so astonishing. It wasn't mere talent—it was something extraordinary, even monstrous.
Lin Ningshan asked, "Father! Has he really opened eleven meridians?"
Lin Fengxian nodded, feeling a pang of regret. If he had known the Ninth Prince's potential, he wouldn't have treated Consort Lin so harshly when she sought his help.
Perhaps even agreeing to the marriage alliance with the Seventh Prince had been a mistake. After all, even if Lin Ningshan married the Seventh Prince, she could only become a concubine, not his main wife.
But if she married the Ninth Prince, given his past affection for her and their familial bond, she would undoubtedly be the primary wife. If they could help him become the heir to the throne, the Lin family's influence would far exceed its current standing.
Of course, it was too late now!
"Who says the Ninth Prince isn't a match for Situ Linjiang? Look, the outcome is still uncertain! Haha!" Qin Ya laughed.
Mo Hanlin nodded, "With the Ninth Prince's incredible talent, his future accomplishments may not fall short of the Seventh Prince's. After this year's end-of-year assessment, the balance of power in Yunwu Commandery will shift significantly!"