Qin Zi stared blankly at the young man in the golden robe.
He never imagined that one day he would be verbally berated by someone his own age. After all, he was Qin the Reckless!
He took a deep breath and sneered, "Heh, a tiger down on his luck gets bullied by a dog. This is probably the only time you'll dare to act so high and mighty in front of me. How are you any different from a dog barking behind its master's back?"
"Hmm?!"
Jin Zhan's eyes flashed with sharp light, and he said coldly, "It seems you haven't realized the extent of your ignorance and arrogance."
"If that's the case, I don't mind showing you true strength. Let's see how you'll feel groveling on the ground afterward."
"Heh."
Qin Zi replied with a smirk, reminiscent of a mocking expression from Wei Xiang.
Jin Zhan, seeing Qin Zi's "fearless ignorance" and disdainful attitude, felt a surge of unexplainable anger.
He cupped his hands toward the Palace Lord of the Sun-Devouring Emperor Palace and said, "Palace Lord, please release him. Let me subdue him completely, so he'll be thoroughly convinced. It will also serve as an explanation to everyone present."
Whoosh!
Immediately, the crowd grew excited.
A battle between two Divine Physiques!
This was a rare spectacle, something seen once in a thousand years.
However, the Palace Lord hesitated. He was well aware of Qin Zi's strength. Even though Jin Zhan was also a Divine Physique, what if he lost?
If even Jin Zhan were defeated, the last shred of dignity for the Sun-Devouring Emperor Palace would vanish. Word would spread that the entire younger generation of the Sun-Devouring Emperor Palace had been defeated by one man.
Even the Divine Son would be nothing but a loser!
The consequences would be severe.
In contrast, crushing this troublemaker immediately and turning him to dust would minimize the risk. However, doing so would seem like they were afraid to fight, and with so many powerful figures watching, it would leave room for criticism.
"Palace Lord, why hesitate?"
The Grand Elder, noticing the Palace Lord's hesitation, secretly transmitted a message.
"This kid is strange, and he's also a Divine Physique—very powerful. I'm afraid your disciple won't be able to defeat him."
The Palace Lord responded.
"Another Divine Physique?!"
The Grand Elder was shocked. It was extremely rare for Divine Physiques to meet, as it was believed to be tied to luck, almost like a repelling force between them. But when they did encounter each other, it was always a fierce clash.
The Grand Elder thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and said resolutely, "Palace Lord, let Jin Zhan fight. I trust him!"
"I know Jin Zhan's strength. I believe that even among Divine Physiques, he is the strongest!"
"To be born in the same era as him is the misfortune of these other young ones. They are destined to be nothing more than his stepping stones!"
The Grand Elder grew more confident as he spoke, convincing even himself that his disciple Jin Zhan had the potential to reach the pinnacle.
The Palace Lord observed Jin Zhan closely. Indeed, the young man exuded an extraordinary presence, with the appearance of a dragon coiled and a tiger crouched. Above his head, he faintly saw the gathering of heaven's favor, purple energy rising—an omen of greatness.
A person of such standing, barring unforeseen accidents, was likely to become a dominant figure in the future, standing atop the Nine Heavens Realm!
"Alright!!"
In the end, the Palace Lord chose to trust the Grand Elder's judgment, knowing him to be a cautious and reliable man.
Whoosh!
With a wave of his hand, the suppressive force on Qin Zi vanished, and immediately, Qin Zi felt immense relief.
It was as though a mountain had been lifted from his body, and a deep sense of comfort and happiness washed over him.
He lay on the ground in a relaxed sprawl, seemingly falling asleep, as sweat began to pool beneath him.
It was sweat!
Under the pressure of a Martial Emperor's might, every muscle in his body had been operating at full capacity, bearing the weight. Now, with the pressure gone, his body was exhausted, and sweat poured from him uncontrollably.
"Get up."
Jin Zhan frowned and said.
Qin Zi didn't respond.
He even scratched his backside before settling down again, like a dog too tired to care.
Seeing that he was being ignored, Jin Zhan's face darkened. His voice rose as he shouted, "Get up!!"
Still, Qin Zi didn't move.
Jin Zhan's eyes grew cold. He waved his hand, and a sharp golden beam shot toward Qin Zi's crotch, precisely at the lower point of the "太" shape he made lying on the ground.
"Shing!!"
The golden light, as sharp as a sword, pierced halfway into the solid ground, then gradually dissipated from top to bottom.
Qin Zi, however, had vanished, leaving behind a faint outline on the ground, as if chalk had traced the scene of a crime.
"Attacking me while I'm resting? You really are afraid of losing."
Qin Zi reappeared not far away, speaking casually.
"Also, your choice of target is quite telling. I think you're just jealous."
"You insolent fool!!"
Jin Zhan, hearing the veiled insult, turned pale with rage and struck out.
"Boom!"
He clenched his fist, the sound of thunder erupting as his fingers and palm collided. Golden chains of energy shot out and quickly coalesced back, forming a dense concentration of power around his fist.
"Ten Directions Annihilation!"
Jin Zhan roared, his voice shaking the mountains as he gathered immense power into this punch, aiming it at Qin Zi.
"Such strength!"
Qin Zi was startled. He felt an overwhelming pressure from this punch, even sensing a deadly threat.
"He's at a higher cultivation level than me. He's at the Third Tribulation Emperor Realm!"
Instantly understanding the key issue, Qin Zi knew he couldn't be careless. He activated his own divine technique.
"Rising Sun Dragon Dance!"
With a sweep of his arms, Qin Zi unleashed an enormous surge of power, conjuring a vast, azure sea filled with towering waves.
From the ocean depths, a massive red sun began to rise, occupying half the sky, radiating scorching heat.
At the same time, nine golden dragonfish leaped out of the sea, transforming into true dragons that swirled around the sun.
"Boom, boom, boom!!"
The nine dragons pulled the colossal sun toward Jin Zhan, a scene as grand as nine dragons pulling a coffin—overwhelming and majestic!
"Boom——"
Jin Zhan's punch collided with the dragons, shattering them like exploding statues.
But at the same time, the force behind his punch dissipated.
The enormous red sun, driven by inertia, continued to rumble forward, bearing down on Jin Zhan.
"Kill!!"
Jin Zhan spread his arms wide as a massive golden roc materialized behind him, soaring from his back like a martial spirit. It dove toward the red sun, meeting it in another powerful collision.
"Boom, boom, boom!!!"
Blinding light engulfed everything, forcing the onlookers to shield their eyes. Shockwaves spread like tidal waves, sending the crowd reeling.
And before the explosion subsided…
Qin Zi and Jin Zhan charged at each other, colliding violently at the center of the blast, engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Explosions and metallic crashes echoed as they clashed again and again. They fought like titans within the blazing sun, creating a spectacle both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
"Are these really just two young men at the early Emperor Realm? Their strength… it's terrifying!"
"This is the power of Divine Physiques!"
"Even from this distance, I can feel the raw, overwhelming force. I… I…"
The crowd was stunned by the power of these two Divine Physiques, while some women found themselves unexpectedly standing in puddles of water.
Amid the blinding light…
The battle had reached a fever pitch. Qin Zi was experiencing the most difficult fight of his life, with blood marks appearing all over his body.
It was as if cracks had formed in porcelain, and it seemed his entire body might shatter into pieces at any moment.
Of course, Jin Zhan wasn't doing much better. In fact, he had even more cracks across his body, looking as though he might fall apart.
"This is impossible! How could someone of my generation stand on par with me? I am a Divine Physique, destined to suppress all rivals!"
Jin Zhan roared furiously.
In the next moment, his body radiated a golden light as if molten gold had coated his skin, sealing his cracks. His figure gleamed, a golden statue reforged!
"Clang!!"
Both their fists struck each other's chests simultaneously. Qin Zi was sent flying several meters, while Jin Zhan stood firm like a mountain.
"Reinforcement techniques? I have those too!"
Qin Zi glanced at the imprint left on his chest, snorted coldly, and decisively activated the Wuzun Body Refinement Scripture!
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!"
At once, his body began to glow, the cracks vanishing rapidly. His stature grew, and intricate runic patterns appeared on his skin, shining with an unbreakable metallic sheen.
"Wuzun Body Refinement Scripture?!"
Suddenly, in the audience, an elder from the Wu God Temple leaped from his palanquin, his eyes flashing with sharp intent.
Good!
This kid not only caused trouble in the Sun-Devouring Emperor Palace but also stole their Wu God Temple's secret technique!
Such audacity, truly impressive!!