Hu Lei tried to yank his whip back, but it wouldn’t budge. This was when the realization dawned that he was facing a formidable opponent.

However, he wasn’t intimidated. He’d always been the competitive sort. The stronger his opponent was, the fiercer he became. Moreover, all the contestants on the island were young cultivators. He’d always fancied himself the top genius among the youths.

Even Eternal’s Jiang Chen, who had achieved the impossible, didn’t shake that perception. He’d studied the fight that resulted in Jiang Chen’s fame.

Like others, he recognized that Jiang Chen was a remarkable genius who had some great achievements, but believed that due credit should go to the Vermilion Bird.

Without it, Jiang Chen couldn’t have done what he’d done.

In truth, many acknowledged Jiang Chen’s luck, wisdom, and cunning, but their impression of his strength was still based on his fight with Xiahou Zong.

Jiang Chen had indeed won the fight, but only by a small margin. Most of the top geniuses from the ten sacred lands, Hu Lei included, believed they were much better than Xiahou Zong. They also believed what little heritage Jiang Chen had gained couldn’t be that powerful since he’d only just joined the Eternal Sacred Land.

The top geniuses participating in the competition had all received the best inheritance from their sects. They were sure that they stood a chance to defeat Jiang Chen in a head-on fight.

Therefore, Hu Lei was eager to fight Jiang Chen. His crushing victory would make him a household name.

He wasn’t the only one who thought this way.

So although Hu Lei was surprised, he wasn’t panicked. Jiang Chen must’ve come to Gan Ning’s rescue. The young genius wouldn’t have been so excited otherwise.

With a scoff, Hu Lei cracked his whip at the Lotus. Sawtooth serrations emerged over the surface of the whip and began sawing off the vines.

The Bewitching Lotus of Fire and Ice was a powerful restraining force. It could regenerate even after being severed.

However, the Whip of Violet Thunder was no simple weapon either. Once the vines were cut, black fog emitted from the whip and rushed into the fresh cut, preventing the Lotus from regenerating.

More and more vines were sliced to pieces. The whip gradually broke out of the Lotus’ restraint.

Hu Lei suddenly flashed forward and reached out for the whip, but an enormous golden hand rammed at him, like a burning mountain with tremendous ferocity.

Hu Lei’s eyes widened. If the golden hand had hit him, even the most sturdy of constitutions wouldn’t have saved him from serious injury.

He moved away in a violet flash, but before he could soar into the sky, an aureate mountain came down from above.

Hu Lei was caught off guard. He hadn’t expected the attack to be so relentless. Muscles taut under the terrifying might of the golden mountain, with a roll, he dodged to the side.

Unfortunately, when he next looked up, his whip had become a pale shadow, restrained by a mysterious force and keening pitifully.

The whip was seized in the blink of an eye.

Hu Lei looked up in shock to see a young face sneering at him from afar. He recognized the young man immediately. It was Eternal’s Jiang Chen!

“I knew it was you!” Hu Lei’s eyes were bloodshot as he leveled Jiang Chen with a venomous stare like a bloodthirsty beast. His resentment of the Eternal genius was visible.

“You’re from the Polylore Sacred Land, aren’t you?” Jiang Chen’s smile was slight, but confident.

“He’s Hu Lei from Polylore, senior brother Jiang Chen,” Gan Ning piped up as he approached Jiang Chen. “He and another genius are considered the finest talent of their sacred land.”

Gan Ning had suffered serious injury from the Whip of Violet Thunder, but it wasn’t life-threatening. With some rest, he’d recover.

“Hu Lei?” Jiang Chen nodded. He’d heard about the geniuses from the other sacred lands, but he hadn’t cared enough to find out more about them.

The name Hu Lei was familiar, but that was all he knew.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for you, Jiang Chen.” Hu Lei grinned. “Do you know how often everyone in Myriad Abyss talk about you? I’m getting calluses in my ears from hearing your name. I’ve always wondered how powerful the genius everyone has been praising is. I hope you don’t disappoint me today.”

Hu Lei’s weapon had been captured, but he didn’t seem nervous.

Jiang Chen smiled and looked around. “Are you sure you want to fight me here?”

“Of course,” Hu Lei responded without hesitation.

Jiang Chen quirked his lips. “Even when there are several pairs of unwanted eyes around?”

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“Unwanted eyes?” Hu Lei frowned and expanded his consciousness. He laughed. “I’ll be disappointed if you’re boasting. There’s people watching us? Just drive them away.”

Hu Lei’s voice rang through the area like a crack of thunder. “I am Hu Lei from the Polylore Sacred Land. Get out of here no matter who you are! If you stay and watch us from the dark, you’ll be making an enemy out of me!”

Hu Lei’s name wasn’t as intimidating as he’d imagined. Only two participants left after his threat.

There were many more lurking in the dark. It might be they were more confident in their skills in stealth, or perhaps they simply weren’t afraid of Hu Lei.

Hu Lei cackled. “Alright, they’re all gone now.”

Jiang Chen shook his head. “Are you sure?”

Hu Lei paused. “Are there still foolish bastards who refuse to leave?”

Jiang Chen clucked his tongue. “If this is all you’ve got, I’m disappointed.”

Hu Lei’s face flushed red with mortification. He expanded his consciousness to search again. He raged, “Bastards, there’s still someone there!”

Hu Lei raised his hand. A shock of violet light shot toward a patch of shadow in the west.

Boom! An explosion hit the area.

“Hu Lei, you fool!” a voice cried out. “You just used up a trump card by using the Violet Thunderbolt now! I’m just a spectator. I didn’t plan to interfere!”