In a secluded corner, Elder Gu was silently watching the battle.
This showdown in the disciple competition was of great significance not only to Chen An but also to Elder Gu. After all, Chen An's life or death directly affected whether Elder Gu could keep his greatest secret safe.
From the bottom of his heart, Elder Gu naturally hoped Chen An would fall to Yun Xiao's sword, thus saving him from having to intervene personally.
However, the crux of the matter was that Elder Gu knew Chen An was far from an ordinary opponent. Since coming to the Spirit Talisman Sect, Chen An had killed an Elder, murdered inner sect disciples, and, after uncovering Elder Gu's secret, decisively entered the disciple competition to buy himself time.
Every choice Chen An made was the best one he could make given the circumstances. A person like this would never take risks without confidence.
This meant that, since Chen An dared to stand in the arena, Yun Xiao was certainly not invincible. This battle, therefore, had an element of uncertainty.
That was why Elder Gu had come to watch the battle in person; he wanted to see just what hidden cards Chen An had up his sleeve.
As the person who knew Chen An best in the entire Spirit Talisman Sect, Elder Gu never believed that Chen An had been relying on luck or taking advantage of his opponents in his previous victories.
On the contrary, Elder Gu always thought Chen An had been hiding his trump cards. And the reason he had been doing so was to prepare for his battle with Yun Xiao.
Given this, it was clear that this final battle was far from simple.
Elder Gu hoped Yun Xiao wouldn't be careless. Facing someone like Chen An, underestimating him could be tantamount to seeking one's doom.
Unfortunately, Yun Xiao lacked Elder Gu's experience. Faced with a low-tier cultivator like Chen An, his youthful arrogance made it difficult for him to avoid underestimating his opponent.
As Elder Gu continued watching, his brow furrowed. His hands, hidden beneath his large robes, unconsciously clenched into fists.
In the arena, as Yun Xiao and Chen An continued to fight, a crack in Yun Xiao's defense finally appeared. His desire to end the battle quickly made him reckless, and he left his back wide open without realizing it.
This huge mistake was naturally spotted by Chen An immediately.
The opportunity he had been waiting for had arrived!
Chen An's eyes flashed with sharpness. He swiftly circled behind Yun Xiao, gathering all his spiritual energy, and unleashed the powerful *Hán Shān Jìn* (Mountain-Shattering Strike), a technique he had mastered to a small degree. He struck with terrifying force!
"Bang!"
The sudden attack caused Yun Xiao to grunt in pain. Below the stage, Yun Henqiu's heart leaped into his throat as he cursed Yun Xiao for making such a foolish mistake.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Yun Xiao stumbled backward uncontrollably, his body retreating toward the edge of the arena.
*Hán Shān Jìn* was a powerful martial technique from the body cultivation path. Its force was immense, and since Chen An had taken advantage of Yun Xiao's distraction, the strike's effect was even more noticeable.
At this point, if Yun Xiao fell off the arena, Chen An would win. It seemed that victory was within his grasp, and many onlookers shared this belief.
However, Chen An himself did not think so.
Even though *Hán Shān Jìn* had produced such an unprecedented result, Chen An did not relent. He quickly drew out more talismans from his storage bag, releasing them in rapid succession without hesitation.
Flames blazed from the *Ling Huo Fu* (Spirit Fire Talisman), massive boulders rained down from the *Luo Shi Fu* (Falling Stone Talisman), and *Huan Feng Fu* (Wind Summoning Talisman) stirred the flames, making them burn even fiercer.
In an instant, a dazzling array of colors lit up the arena. Booms echoed loudly in the air, creating an almost deafening noise.
Everyone watching gasped in awe, looking at Chen An as if he were some kind of monster.
His impeccable timing, his mastery of talisman use, and his profound understanding of battle were extraordinary. These words, if attributed to a senior cultivator who had spent years in the cultivation world, would be met with no objection or disbelief.
Yet all of this was coming from Chen An, someone with a low-tier spiritual root and a cultivation level only in the early stage of the Qi Gathering realm. It was almost impossible to accept.
If a person with such a weak foundation could perform so powerfully, what would happen if Chen An had the same talent as Yun Xiao? Wouldn't the outcome of this battle already be decided?
Unlike Chen An, who was at the center of the storm, Yun Xiao, whose pride was deeply wounded, could not accept the situation. His hair and eyebrows were singed, and his once immaculate white robe, his symbol of nobility, was now in tatters, leaving him looking worse than even Chen An, who wore plain clothes.
How could someone as proud as Yun Xiao tolerate this? His eyes, filled with killing intent, became more intense, and through gritted teeth, he spat out, his voice dripping with venom:
"Chen An, you will die today!"
With a roar, Yun Xiao swung his sword, cutting through the giant boulders falling above him. At the same time, his flying swords, which had been circling him, gathered together, forming an invincible force that destroyed the fire surrounding him with a single slash.
"Whoosh..."
As the wind and fire subsided, Yun Xiao emerged from the thick smoke, still proud and powerful!
"Was that move just now... the Sky-Breaking Sword Formation created by Elder Yun?"
"The legendary *Breaking the Sky Sword Formation* is incredibly powerful. If executed correctly, it can even defeat opponents of a higher cultivation level. It's incredibly difficult to master, but Yun Xiao is so young and has already perfected it. His talent is truly enviable."
"Unfortunately, Chen An's potential, while impressive, isn't enough to compete with Yun Xiao, especially with the *Breaking the Sky Sword Formation* in play. Even if two Chen Ans fought together, they would still be doomed."
From below the arena, the disciples whispered among themselves.
Naturally, their words reached Yun Henqiu's ears, just a short distance away.
To be honest, Yun Henqiu wasn't happy at all. In his eyes, Yun Xiao had already embarrassed himself by resorting to the *Breaking the Sky Sword Formation*—a move he should have only used in desperate circumstances—against someone with inferior talents. This was already disgraceful enough.
Now, despite all the praise, Yun Henqiu found it hard to feel any joy. His only wish was for this battle to end quickly so that he could reprimand Yun Xiao and warn him never to make such a mistake again.
On the other side, Yun Xiao felt the same way. He too wanted to finish the battle as soon as possible.
His condition was dire—his hair and eyebrows scorched, his pristine white clothes ruined. He no longer resembled the noble young master he had once been, instead looking worse than Chen An, whose attire was nothing more than rough cloth.
Could he, the proud Yun Xiao, accept such a humiliation? His eyes were filled with even greater killing intent, and through gritted teeth, he spat:
"It's time to end this. Today, you die!"