Zhou Bao displayed the power of a practitioner who was a half step to Earthly Immortal in that blow.
When one was infinitely close to breaking through to the Earthly Immortal Realm, but still had an essential difference between him and a real Earthly Immortal, we called the stage he attained, "a half step to Earthly Immortal".
However, this half a step proved a journey filled with numerous difficulties and dangers. It impeded countless practitioners.
For example, Qing Feng and Ming Yue from the Fifth Manor were both a half step to Earthly Immortal. However, they had been stranded in this stage for many years. It was extremely difficult for them to bridge that gap and become real Earthly Immortals.