Chapter 115: The Unstoppable Might of Extreme Divine Fist, Cao Youqian Takes the Crown
The following afternoon, Mirror Lake was packed with people.
Aside from the ten heads of institutes from Wendao Academy, the rest of the academy's senior officials also appeared in the spectator stands.
Everyone was looking forward to the upcoming final match, and the disciples were enthusiastically discussing the two contestants.
"This year's tournament really put the Miscellaneous Dao Institute in the spotlight!"
"Yeah, Junior Brother Wang's performance in the outer sect competition was already surprising enough. I didn't expect Senior Brother Cao and Senior Sister Qin to both make it to the final of the inner sect competition. That kind of achievement used to only happen in the Heavenly Spirit Institute."
"Hmph, if those Heavenly Spirit geniuses hadn't broken through to the Heaven Origin Realm, how could it be the turn of those two to shine?"
"Oh? Someone sounds bitter. I remember that before the tournament, the Heavenly Spirit Institute boasted that they'd sweep the top three spots in both the inner sect and core disciple competitions."
"You—!"
In the stands, the headmaster smiled and said to Chu Feng, "Xiao Feng, your Miscellaneous Dao Institute has really made a name for itself this time. Starting next month, your institute can once again recruit new disciples."
Chu Feng's eyes lit up at those words. This was exactly what he had been waiting for. Only with more disciples could his cultivation rise rapidly.
"Thank you, Headmaster."
"Sigh…"
The headmaster waved it off casually. "The eight great institutes have always had the right to recruit disciples. No need to be so formal with me."
While the two were chatting, the referee appeared above the lake and announced, "I hereby declare the final match of the inner sect tournament officially begins. Will Cao Youqian and Qin Qin of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute please take the stage."
In the stands, Cao Youqian and Qin Qin exchanged a glance, then flew into the air together toward the lake.
"Second Senior Brother, please guide me."
Qin Qin bowed first.
Cao Youqian cupped his hands in return. "Third Junior Sister, don't hold back. Show me your ultimate move."
"All right!"
With that, Qin Qin slung her guqin onto her back, confusing many of the spectators.
"Isn't Senior Sister Qin a master of the zither? Why did she put her guqin away?"
"Yeah, after all these matches, no one has ever awakened from her music. Doing this is no different than crippling herself."
"…"
Just as the crowd was murmuring, Qin Qin slowly removed her blindfold, revealing her pair of double pupils.
A sword-wielding disciple from the Heavenly Spirit Institute saw her eyes and muttered, "So I lost to her because of her double pupils. No wonder I was struck by some terrifying force even after deciphering her melody."
Those nearby, upon hearing this, looked at Qin Qin with even greater awe.
Sitting cross-legged, Qin Qin spoke, "Senior Brother, you should go all out too. Let me witness the true power of the Extreme Divine Fist. Don't just treat this like a spar."
Cao Youqian placed his hands behind his back and smiled. "Very well. Then let's settle this in one move. Let's see if my Ultimate Fist Intent can break your Light of the Apocalypse!"
The moment the words "Ultimate Fist Intent" were spoken, many body cultivators grew visibly excited.
In the previous matches, Cao Youqian had used this fist technique, but everyone could tell he hadn't gone all out.
Upon hearing this, the referee immediately declared, "Begin!"
As the words fell, Cao Youqian took a front stance, raising his hands from behind his back. The moment he lifted his arms, a surge of overwhelming momentum burst forth from his entire being.
Just standing there, he was like a humanoid beast. The terrifying pressure he exuded was completely beyond what a True Fate Realm cultivator should possess.
Hiss—
The disciples around Mirror Lake, sensing this dreadful pressure, instinctively took a few steps back.
Those who had lost to Cao Youqian before the top hundred were especially bitter. They couldn't understand how the heads and elders could let such a monster fight in the preliminaries.
Facing Cao Youqian's overwhelming pressure, Qin Qin didn't strike first. Instead, she slowly closed her eyes, and a divine sense barrier emerged around her, enveloping her completely.
In the stands, Xuanhuo pill king observed their reactions and asked with a smile: "... "
"Of course, it's Da Qian."
Chu Feng's words weren't just flattery. Although Qin Qin was born with dual pupils, she had started cultivating much later than Da Qian. To be able to catch up to him now already proved her exceptional talent.
Upon hearing this, Xuanhuo Pill King chuckled and stroked his beard. "I didn't expect my Qian'er to win the inner sect competition!"
"Hmph!"
A cold snort came from nearby, expressing open disdain toward Xuanhuo Pill King.
He ignored them. To him, these people were simply jealous.
On the lake, Qin Qin suddenly opened her eyes. Her dual pupils radiated alternating black and white halos that surged toward Cao Youqian.
The halos grew larger and larger, as if they intended to swallow Cao Youqian whole.
But Cao Youqian didn't close his eyes. After charging his power, he threw out a sudden punch.
"Extreme Divine Fist!!!"
Boom!
The punch exploded with a sonic boom.
It was an unstoppable strike.
Within that one punch, everyone could see the echoes of countless fist techniques.
The massive force of the punch crushed through the halos in its path like a tsunami and kept roaring forward.
Bang!!!
With just one strike, the barrier around Qin Qin shattered like glass.
In the next instant, her entire body was blasted backward, tracing a parabola through the air toward Mirror Lake.
Just as she was about to hit the surface, only a few feet above the water, she flipped midair and unfolded her body. Her toes touched the lake's surface like a dragonfly skimming water, and she stabilized herself.
Huff… huff…
Qin Qin gasped for breath, the lingering fear in her expression like someone who had stared into a nightmare.
After a while, she lowered her hand from her chest and bowed slightly to Cao Youqian. "Thank you, Second Senior Brother, for showing mercy. This junior admits defeat."
Cao Youqian now had his hands behind his back, the terrifying aura from earlier completely gone without a trace. He smiled faintly. "Junior Sister, you were impressive too—able to withstand ninety percent of my strength."
The crowd watching didn't even know how to react. They wanted to complain, but didn't know where to begin.
The referee was also frozen in place, unsure whether he should announce the result. He was especially frustrated—two hundred breaths to charge up, and only five breaths to fight. What kind of match was this?
"Excellent, excellent. Cao Youqian's control over his fist technique is flawless. He truly deserves the inner sect championship."
A dignified voice suddenly echoed out, drawing everyone's attention.
When the crowd realized it was the Headmaster speaking, all their complaints were instantly swallowed back.
The referee snapped back to reality and loudly declared, "The winner of this match—Cao Youqian!"
As his voice fell, a thunderous cheer erupted around Mirror Lake. Besides the disciples of the Miscellaneous Dao Institute, the disciples of the Alchemy Institute and Body Cultivation Institute were also cheering loudly.
Chu Feng watched as the two disciples slowly flew back. He turned to Xiao Chen and said, "Xiao Chen, it's your turn to shine next."
Xiao Chen smiled slightly. "It's been a while since this disciple got to stretch his muscles. I hope the senior brothers from the Heavenly Spirit Institute won't disappoint me."
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