Chapter 222 - Earth-shaking Clash

Duan Jingtian and Zhong Ya’s gazes clashed fiercely in the sky.

Their auras grew increasingly stronger, crashing like waves and bursting the thick layers of clouds.

Chen Fan stood at the foot of Tianmen Mountain, ten thousand meters away from the clash. Still, he had difficulty breathing due to the qi eruption from the clash of their auras. He felt like an invisible hand had grabbed his throat and pinned him under an ancient divine mountain.

“How terrifying...” A glint appeared in his eyes.

Duan Jingtian’s aura had forced him to kneel on Dragon Mountain Peak. He had felt like the heavens themselves were forcing him down. However, Duan Jingtian had only used ten percent his aura at the most.

Wei Buyu had then protected him from Duan Jingtian’s aura, so Chen Fan was sensing his terrifying aura in all its glory for the first time.

As Duan Jingtian and Zhong Ya released their auras without reservations above Tianmen Mountain, Chen Fan finally grasped the true extent of their strength.

And this aura was just what made it down after the clash. The pressure would have likely crushed him if he were at the collision's center.

“Zhong Ya, a hundred moves is enough for me to defeat you!” said Duan Jingtian, looking at Zhong Ya indifferently.

However, the onlookers below were left speechless by the proclamation.

Duan Jingtian’s claim that he could defeat Zhong Ya so quickly spoke volumes of his arrogance.

Such a proclamation seemed implausible. Battles among powerhouses at their level often remained undecided even after hundreds of exchanges unless there was a significant disparity in their cultivations.

The idea lingered—did Duan Jingtian's cultivation vastly surpass Zhong Ya's?

“How arrogant!”

Zhong Ya’s expression sank.

He was an exceptional genius of the Great Chu Empire, so how could a top-tier talent like him stomach such humiliation?

Zhong Ya laughed coldly and shouted, “Duan Jingtian, you really know no shame. Defeating me within a hundred moves? To think you can say that out loud!

“In the entire Great Chu Empire, only the top three on the Geniuses of Heaven Leaderboard might have a chance against me within a hundred moves. You, however, have no such strength!

“Today, I'll prove you're not as formidable as you believe. I'll take your position on the leaderboard!”

“Talk is meaningless. Let’s fight!” said Duan Jingtian calmly, refraining from further conversation. With a flash of light, a heavenly halberd materialized in his hand.

Purgatory Divine Halberd, painted in red and outlined in gold, bore a crescent moon-shaped curved blade haunted by countless spirit silhouettes—a weapon seemingly originating from the underworld.

“Purgatory Divine Halberd!”

“It’s actually the Purgatory Divine Halberd. It's a demonic weapon that has been passed down for hundreds of years; it has incredible power."

“Although Duan Jingtian disrespected Zhong Ya with his words earlier, he wasn’t being careless with his actions at all, directly bringing out the Purgatory Divine Halberd.”

“......”

The crowd immediately recognized the heavenly halberd in Duan Jingtian's hands, their pupils shrinking at the sight

Duan Jingtian held it at an angle, slightly tilted upward, resembling a demonic god wielding a lethal weapon. His whole person was enveloped in a murderous qi, his aura was simply unrivaled.

Swish!

In response, Zhong Ya swiftly flipped his palm, revealing a dark golden spear.

The spear had a menacing appearance, with a tip resembling a closed golden lotus that emitted a sharp, golden light capable of tearing through the void.

“That is... the Heavenly Lotus Battle God Spear!”

“Tsk, tsk. The Purgatory Divine Halberd and the Heavenly Lotus Battle God Spear. I wonder which is more formidable!”

Light flickered in the crowd’s eyes when they saw the spear in Zhong Ya’s hand.

The Heavenly Lotus Battle God Spear was a treasure on par with the Purgatory Divine Halberd.

“Die!”

Without hesitation, Duan Jingtian swung the halberd, unleashing boundless sharp light that scattered in all directions.

The dense, sharp light filled the area, casting an eerie darkness over everything. A furious, gloomy wind roared, and a bone-chilling cold pierced through the air.

The single swing of the halberd created a terrifying slash, tearing through heaven and earth and darting toward Zhong Ya with a might capable of annihilating gods.

“Break!”

Reacting swiftly, Zhong Ya moved his arm, and a resplendent golden light erupted from the Heavenly Lotus Battle God Spear.

That golden light was an incredibly sharp golden qi, and it was so dense that it was almost tangible.

As the spear thrust forward, the surrounding space seemed unable to withstand its power. The golden light pierced through the heavens and the earth, causing the air to explode with a force akin to mountains collapsing and the earth cracking.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosive booms resonated, creating earth-shaking noises that filled the air with a devastating dust storm, sweeping across the entire Tianmen Mountain.

Despite standing ten thousand meters away, many onlookers couldn't withstand the force and spat blood, their complexions turning pale.

“Too powerful!”

“Too frightening!”

“Is this the extent of their strengths?”

Everyone in the crowd was stunned.

Even the Core Formation realm powerhouses on the mountain peak narrowed their eyes, an unusual light flickering them.

Duan Jingtian and Zhong Ya, having tested each other with a probing attack, now exchanged blows at full strength.

Afterimages filled the sky, accompanied by blinding explosions that flashed incessantly. Sounds of their collisions and explosions echoed, shaking heaven and earth. The ripples of their clashes swept out like gigantic waves.

The battle between the two was something ordinary martial artists could never imagine.

Watching the battle unfolding ten thousand meters in the sky, Chen Fan had a thought.

They are so fast. I can only see blurs.

Despite being a Yuanfu realm expert, he failed to make out their figures clearly. He could only hear the swift wind and the continuous explosions, catching glimpses of the halberd light tearing through the air and the golden spear light piercing the sky.

The constant explosions in the sky created devastating gales that swept out everywhere. Tianmen Mountain trembled non-stop due to the aftermath of their attacks.

Chen Fan fully grasped the vast gap between Duan Jingtian and himself.

It was too wide!

It was simply insurmountable!

Even experts at the second or third level of the Core Formation realm couldn’t withstand a single blow from Duan Jingtian, let alone him.

“I will surely reach this height in two years!” Chen Fan murmured, then turned to leave without hesitation.

His visit was solely to gauge Duan Jingtian's strength, and now he had a clear understanding.

He wasn’t concerned with the result of the battle. However, he did hope for Zhong Ya’s victory.

It could deflate Duan Jingtian's arrogance, leading to a mental setback and a possible roadblock in his cultivation. However, he knew that the likelihood of that happening was slim.

Chen Fan's departure went unnoticed by the crowd absorbed in the spectacle; their blood boiled with excitement.

The vast majority here couldn’t get a clear look at Duan Jingtian and Zhong Ya exchanging blows. However, the constant explosions fueled the crowd’s imagination, creating vivid images of the intense exchanges between Duan Jingtian and Zhong Ya.

“Little bastard!”

Yet, some closely observed Chen Fan's departure from a short distance away. The owner of that icy gaze was none other than Song Yang.