Chapter 1510 - There’s Always a Taller Mountain

A crowd had gathered around the Welcoming Grounds. Everyone was watching Yu Chen and the spearwoman.

“No need for a handicap. All I seek is defeat.” Yu Chen’s gaze was clear, and his voice was calm. His aura was as smooth as jade and as tranquil as the breeze.

But as his voice rang out, blue Dao Light rose around him and soared into the firmament, shattering the clouds on all sides.

Boom!

Heaven and earth shook, and the sun and moon lost their light.

Yu Chen’s imposing aura was suddenly terrifying beyond measure. Even heaven and earth trembled before him.

A series of gasps rang out throughout the surrounding area.

Immortal Spirit Qi...

Qin Suxin sighed to herself as she admitted that when it came to their pursuit of the Grand Dao, she really was inferior to Yu Chen.

I wonder how that woman will handle this...

Ren Changqing thought to himself.

“It’s up to me whether or not I give you a handicap. That is, unless you can force my hand,” the woman said casually.

“....” The crowd didn’t know how to respond to that.

But Yu Chen wasted no time on talk. He just attacked directly.

Boom!

He stepped into the air, his hands forming a seal. Countless resplendent blue lotuses fell from the heavens, each erupting with dazzling sword qi.

It was like a misty rain enveloping heaven and earth. Beautiful to the extreme, yet deadly as could be!

But the spearwoman just stood there, unmoving. Her aura surged around her, effortlessly neutralizing any sword qi that drew near.

The onlookers were astonished. Every last one of them stared in wide-eyed shock.

“This sword skill of yours is impressive, but it’s all flourish and no substance. Show me what you’ve really got. Don’t make me look down on you,” the spearwoman said calmly.

“Very well!” Yu Chen took a deep breath, his will to fight erupting. He was like an unrivaled divine sword leaving its scabbard, the light of his edge piercing the heavens!

The onlookers felt a stinging pain in their eyes, and their hearts palpated with fright.

Meanwhile, Yu Chen leaped forward and attacked.

Boom!

His sleeves billowed around him as he pressed his fingers into a sword and slashed, creating a nine-foot streak of sword qi. It seemed as if the endless river of stars were flowing within it, and it emanated an astonishing power.

It was far too terrifying. Even just gazing upon it from afar, it seemed as if a deity had transformed the galaxy into a sword, then swung it at the Human Realm.

Its force and momentum were immeasurable!

But the spearwoman still didn’t move. Her eyelids didn’t so much as twitch.

When the sword qi drew near, she stretched out her hand and grabbed.

It was as if she’d seized a snake exactly seven inches behind its head, just the right spot to immobilize it. She held it firmly in place, preventing it from advancing any further!

“This...”

The crowd fell deathly silent. Their minds practically went blank.

“That sword was actually a bit interesting. Alas, it’s still far from enough to shake me.” The spearwoman sighed as if she found this an awful pity.

As her voice rang out, that nine-foot streak of sword qi shattered in her palm, inch by inch, until finally disappearing completely.

Off in the distance, Yu Chen’s gaze was unprecedentedly solemn.

Still, he said nothing. He just took a step forward.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With every step he took, his imposing presence expanded, and heaven and earth trembled violently. Terrifying sword intent brewed overhead, filling the sky!

Is Yu Chen really going to risk it all on a single strike?

Qin Suxin’s eyes flashed.

But then, in his shoes, I’d surely do the same. That mysterious woman is just too terrifying...

If this strike can’t shake that woman, Yu Chen is sure to lose!

Ren Changqing looked solemn.

Meanwhile, Yu Chen took nine steps forward. He was now just nine feet away from the spearwoman.

The imposing aura gathering around Yu Chen rose to unbelievable heights. Heaven and earth shook violently.

Dazzling, blue sword intent shot surged around him like a river!

The leading expert of the Northern Abyss Star Domain’s display of power left the distant onlookers in silent awe.

Even Ren Changqing and Qin Suxin couldn’t help but sigh over their own inferiority!

“Cut!” Yu Chen’s hands clenched as if gripping a sword, and he furiously slashed the air.

Boom!!

A streak of sword qi rose into the air, then descended. This strike was full of an indescribable profound truth of the Grand Dao. This was the strongest attack Yu Chen had ever used, and the attack he took the most pride in.

As he slashed the air, his essence, qi, and spirit resonated, and his heart filled with unprecedented confidence.

Not even an immortal could have blocked this strike!

When the spearwoman saw it, her eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

A moment later, she clenched her fist and punched as if thrusting her spear.

Bang!!!

A heaven-shaking impact rang out.

The air around the Welcoming Grounds collapsed, and an explosive, destructive power swept outward from the point of impact.

Many of the onlookers’ fields of vision went white. They couldn’t see anything at all.

Only a small handful of top elites like Ren Changqing, Qin Suxin, and Wen Xiuzhu could tell that the spearwoman’s fist had shattered Yu Chen’s strike.

But the spearwoman merely swayed slightly on her feet, her robes rustling around her.

She swayed, but she wasn’t forced back! She was like an indestructible divine mountain. Nothing could move her!

This left Ren Changqing and the others dazed and rooted to the spot, their hearts quivering.

She actually neutralized that astonishing slash so easily?

Yu Chen looked dazed, as if he couldn’t believe it either.

Meanwhile, the spearwoman’s voice echoed through the smoke and misty light.

“That slash was truly not bad. It might well have been enough to handle some early-stage Universe Realm Immortals.”

As the sound of her voice spread, this evaluation triggered uproar amidst the crowd. They could finally see that Yu Chen’s slash still wasn’t enough to shake that mysterious woman!

“It wasn’t enough to defeat you.” Yu Chen shook his head. “Ultimately, it isn’t even worth mentioning.”

His expression showed no sign of dejection. On the contrary, he looked downright eager, and his eyes blazed with the will to fight.

“Please attack. Convince me of my defeat!” he said solemnly.

The spearwoman laughed. “You’ve tempered your heart well. You’re sure to make something of yourself.”

With that, she disappeared into thin air.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

A moment later, a snowy fist appeared above Yu Chen’s head and slammed into him.

Boom!!

A startling impact rang out, and Yu Chen was flung directly backwards, landing outside the Welcoming Grounds.

“????” The crowd was baffled.

Did she just take Yu Chen down in a single punch?

Yu Chen’s hair was disheveled, and his shoulder now had a bleeding, fist-shaped imprint.

He stood up, his expression full of undisguisable bewilderment.

One punch was enough to defeat me?

Even though he’d tempered his heart to incomparable firmness, he couldn’t help but feel shaken.

The spearwoman casually clapped his hands. “Should you ever get the opportunity to learn who I am, you’ll naturally understand what an honor it was to lose to me today.”

With that, she turned and left.

Everyone looked at the spearwoman as if they were gazing upon a goddess!

This clash was no true clash of the Grand Dao, as from beginning to end, the spearwoman never once used her full strength. It wasn’t necessary to take down Yu Chen!

But this was precisely what the onlookers found so unbelievable.

After all, Yu Chen was the leading figure of the Northern Abyss Star Domain, and he’d only just triggered a strange phenomenon of heaven and earth and left seclusion. As soon as the opportunity arose, he could break into the Immortal Dao!

Yet when he faced the spearwoman, Yu Chen... was completely overwhelmed!

“Earlier, you said that Senior Apprentice Brother Yu Chen would be no match for Su Yi. Have you perhaps defeated Su Yi?” Wen Xiuzhu suddenly asked.

Everyone instantly pricked up their ears.

The spearwoman froze, a hint of vexation and shame in her expression. She’d been fine earlier, but discussing her ability to beat Su Yi was like rubbing salt in her wounds!

But someone just had to choose that moment to let out a peal of crisp laughter. “Her? She’s just another of Fellow Daoist Su’s 'defeated generals!'”

A’Cai stood amongst the crowd, a smile blooming across her face and her eyes narrowed into crescent moons.

“....” The spearwoman instantly felt as if she had no face left. She leaped over to A’Cai and silently dragged her away.

“....”

A deathly silence descended upon the crowd. Even the air seemed to quiet down.

A’Cai’s words were a massive shock. They completely overturned the crowd’s perception and imagination, and they left the crowd more shaken than ever before.

Some time passed before they gradually came back to their senses. The silence broke, replaced by a clamor of voices, like a pot blowing off its lid.

“That terrifying existence, actually... lost to Su Yi!?”

Everyone was visibly flabbergasted. All of them understood the implications.

Yu Chen had lost to a single one of that mysterious one’s punches.

And that mysterious woman had been defeated by Su Yi. It would have been obvious to anyone that if Yu Chen had fought Su Yi today, he would have lost without a doubt!

Not just that. He likely wouldn’t have managed to block even a single strike!

Everyone vividly recalled that when Yu Chen first challenged Su Yi, Su Yi said that he’d only be qualified to duel him if he could block one of his strikes.

At the time, everyone thought Su Yi was a wanton braggart. No one took his words seriously.

But now...

They couldn’t

not

take them seriously!

“How is this possible...”

Wen Xiuzhu’s eyes were full of bewilderment. It was as if she’d lost her soul. The reality of the situation came as an enormous shock.

So, not even that mysterious spearwoman is a match for Su Yi...

Ren Changqing was stunned. Suddenly, his failure to block Su Yi’s sword didn’t seem so embarrassing after all.

Then just how strong is Su Yi?

Qin Suxin subconsciously glanced at the palace atop Eastern Profound Peak.

Although Su Yi wasn’t in attendance today, everything that had happened here unquestionably raised his prestige to unprecedented heights!

Yu Chen fell silent. How could he fail to realize the implications of the spearwoman’s defeat at Su Yi’s hands?

No wonder he’s refused to duel me right from the start. It’s not disdain, but that I... am truly beneath his notice. He’s not deliberately ignoring me; I am just not qualified to be his opponent.

As he realized this, Yu Chen couldn’t help but grimace. Only now did he understand how ludicrous his request for a duel had been.

“But I lost, and I’m fully convinced of my defeat!” Yu Chen took a deep breath, his gaze bright and clear.

It was only in defeat that one learned their own shortcomings, as well as the gap between them and their opponents. And these realizations were exactly what Yu Chen wanted to see. That was the point of a clash of the Grand Dao.

The road ahead is long. I can win another day!

he thought to himself.

As he pondered, he returned to Northern Abyss Peak. Today’s battle had affected him deeply, and he needed time in seclusion to process it all.

As for the damage to his reputation? He didn’t care in the least. They were all just empty titles anyway!