Chapter 2198: Ao Hua

"What arrogance!"

"In the past, when we communicated with other heavens, invitations were always extended in advance. For a mere physician to speak like this, who emboldened him?"

"Calm down, everyone. The golden dragon horns on his head indicate he possesses the pure bloodline of Emperor Yun Chi, making him a core descendant of the Emperor. Things might not be as simple as they seem!"

"He's just relying on his bloodline. We are all powerful individuals from various factions; I don't believe he can be that strong..."

Seeing the arrogant tone of the young man in white, the crowd erupted in an uproar, filled with anger. Even if a physician visiting for an exchange ranked among the top thirty on the Cloud Chi Heaven God King Potential List, rushing in so directly and acting so dismissively was a major taboo. It was tantamount to challenging the authority of their faction. If they didn't react, the entire Soul Heaven would be mocked by the other heavens and never be able to hold its head high again.

"May I ask for your name, young sir, and what is your rank on Cloud Chi Heaven's potential list?" A young man in the crowd waved his hand, silencing the discussions, and narrowed his eyes as he looked over. He was Shen Tu Feng, the top-ranked super expert on the Soul Heaven God King Potential List. The strongest of the younger generation in the Shen Tu clan, he had once attempted to break through to God King and failed but survived. Both his soul and physique had reached the God King level, only his cultivation couldn't advance further. His true combat power, even if not quite that of a God King, was not far off. He was, without a doubt, the foremost individual below the God King realm in Soul Heaven. Because of this, everyone followed his lead.

"I am Ao Hua. I am fortunate enough to be ranked ninth on the Cloud Chi Heaven God King Potential List!" The young man in white, Ao Hua, had an arrogant expression.

"Ninth?" Everyone's expression turned serious. Emperor Yun Chi of Cloud Chi Heaven was a true dragon, the sovereign of all beasts. His bloodline was abnormally powerful. Anyone possessing his bloodline, once transformed into their true form, was virtually invincible among those of the same cultivation level. Before the spiritual energy diminished, the Nine Heavens held exchange competitions for those below the God King realm. Aside from Freedom Heaven and Sword God Heaven, Cloud Chi Heaven was considered the strongest, with the highest win rate. Especially when they transformed into their true dragon form, spanning hundreds of meters, coupled with unparalleled defense, human cultivators were utterly helpless against them. For this reason, Cloud Chi Heaven's God King Potential List held greater prestige and represented more formidable power. Otherwise, the other party wouldn't dare to challenge them so openly. To be ranked ninth on that list, Ao Hua's strength was undoubtedly terrifying.

"Since this friend boasts so much, I shall spar with you and see if the cultivation of Cloud Chi Heaven's experts is as mighty as your words!" With a low cry, a young man stepped forward from Soul Heaven's side.

Ao Hua looked over. It was a man who appeared to be in his thirties, clad in a black robe with fluid lines, fitting his body like armor.

"State your name. I don't fight nobodies!" Ao Hua said indifferently.

Seeing such disdain from the other party, the young man who stepped out gritted his teeth in anger but finally snorted coldly and said, "I am Chen Mu, ranked tenth on the Soul Heaven God King Potential List. This match's outcome represents only me, not Soul Heaven!"

Seeing him step up, Shen Tu Feng and the others nodded subtly, not stopping him. Ao Hua was ranked ninth in Cloud Chi Heaven, and their tenth-ranked individual was challenging him. If he won, it would uphold their prestige; if he lost, it wouldn't be shameful. This also provided an opportunity to test the opponent's exact cultivation and strength, allowing others who would compete later to prepare in advance.

"Why so much nonsense!" Ao Hua snorted coldly, took a step forward, and instantly appeared before Chen Mu as if teleporting. Without any other discernible movement, he charged straight into him.

"Seeking death!" Chen Mu's face flushed with anger, surprised that the opponent had abandoned defense and relied on his physical body to confront him. He spread his fingers, raised his hand, and brought it down. The air trembled, and his palm glowed crimson.

Blazing Flame Palm! This palm technique was forged using underground magma. Once unleashed, the palm's center became like a red-hot branding iron, incinerating everything, scorching anything it touched. It was precisely because of the miraculous nature of this palm technique that he had secured a top ten ranking on the potential list, defeating countless skilled practitioners. Although angry in this battle, he knew the opponent was far from simple, so he unleashed his most powerful move right from the start.

The young man in white did not dodge. The Blazing Flame Palm landed on him without reservation. Chen Mu's face lit up with joy, believing victory was within reach, only to see a mocking expression in the opponent's eyes.

"Oh no..." His pupils contracted, and his reaction was swift. Chen Mu stomped his foot on the ground, sending rocks flying, and retreated rapidly. To be among the top ten on a Heaven's God King Potential List, one's cultivation and combat awareness were naturally not simple. However, if his reaction was fast, the opponent's was faster. Ao Hua, who was charging forward, accelerated again, his body's movements unchanged, still crashing head-on.

*Crack!* Chen Mu's outstretched arm fractured upon impact. Immediately after, his chest was struck. Before he could speak, he grunted, flying backward. As he flew through the air, blood spurted from his mouth, and his shoulders and ribs were completely shattered.

"My apologies!" The young man in white, Ao Hua, stopped, his hands still clasped behind his back, his expression indifferent. It was as if he hadn't been the one to defeat his opponent, remaining calm and composed, without the slightest sign of injury. Everyone narrowed their eyes. From beginning to end, the opponent had used only one move: a direct body ram. Yet, Chen Mu, despite his formidable strength, could not resist this single move in the slightest.

"I am Qi Yue. Please forgive my intrusion. I am ranked sixth on the potential list!" Qi Yue stepped forward. Motivated by shame, after a few days, his aura had become even more stable and profound than before. Powerful true energy circulated within him, making him appear like a grandmaster.

"Let's begin!" With another slight lift of his eyelids, Ao Hua charged forward again. In the blink of an eye, they were locked in combat.

"Is this the place in Soul Heaven responsible for compiling the God King Potential List? Why is there no one here?" Following Qi Ling'er, Zhang Xuan arrived at the Soul Hall and soon entered a magnificent room. He glanced around, his brows furrowing in confusion. Although the hall before him was vast, there wasn't a single soul in sight, as if it were completely empty.

"I don't know either..." Qi Ling'er was also somewhat bewildered. The compilation of the God King Potential List involved recording the battles of every ranked expert. Thus, many people came daily to observe the recordings and gain insights. Why was there not a single person today?

As she wondered, Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed, and he looked in one direction: "Someone's over there..." Without waiting for Qi Ling'er's reply, he lifted his foot and walked over. The two rounded a doorway, and another massive combat arena appeared before them. There, they witnessed a sight they could hardly believe. More than a dozen people lay on the ground, each pale-faced. A young man in white stood proudly among them, his brow furrowed with deep arrogance.

***

*Flashback to half a minute earlier.*

After a series of matches, only Shen Tu Feng remained.

"Is this your Soul Heaven's Potential List? I don't see any need for it to exist anymore..." There was no disdain or contempt in his words; Ao Hua merely stated it matter-of-factly. Not one of the top ten on a major Heaven's Potential List had been his match. Whether the list existed or not truly no longer mattered.

"Defeat me first, then speak!" Shen Tu Feng gritted his teeth. In just a few minutes, the opponent had not only defeated Qi Yue but had also struck down all seven of the remaining top ten individuals. There were no techniques, no martial arts, just raw physical impact! No matter how strong the opponent, one move was enough to end the fight; a second move was never needed. Ao Hua's physical body had reached a terrifying level of strength.

"Then let's begin..." Disdaining further talk, Ao Hua charged again.

Shen Tu Feng flicked his wrist, and a long sword appeared in his palm, thrusting out swiftly. *Whoosh! Whoosh!* The sword gleamed with a cold, sharp light, appearing as if to cleave space itself. As the foremost expert below the God King realm in a Heaven, his strength was unquestionable, and his physique was also extremely powerful. As he fully unleashed his swordsmanship, even the blade of an Upper Heaven God-tier sword seemed unable to withstand the force.

"Interesting!" Seeing the terrifying sword gleam, Ao Hua's previous disdain vanished. His charging body abruptly halted, his five fingers extended, and with a sudden shake, transformed into massive dragon claws. In an instant, a powerful aura surged forth, creating a visceral sense of oppression in the blood. True Dragon Bloodline!

*Clang! Clang! Clang!* The long sword struck the dragon claws, producing the sound of metal colliding. Shen Tu Feng felt all his strength suddenly sealed within his body, unable to be exerted.

"A God King realm physique?" Shen Tu Feng felt a chill run through him. Only through personal combat did he truly understand how formidable the opponent was. No wonder he dared to ram his body without restraint; this fellow's physique was already comparable to a God King-tier weapon. "No, it's not his entire body that reached that level, but... his claws! His dragon claws are comparable to God King-tier weapons. Even if the rest of his body isn't as strong, it has reached the level of a high-grade Celestial God weapon!" Moments later, he realized. The opponent hadn't reached the God King realm, and his physical body couldn't be entirely comparable to a God King weapon, but his claws were indeed somewhat similar! Truly worthy of a true dragon... Relying on bloodline was indeed an insurmountable advantage; it left people utterly helpless.

After several consecutive moves, the long sword in his hand was severed by the opponent's dragon claws. Immediately afterward, he was struck in the chest. His face paled, and like the others before him, Shen Tu Feng flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground, gasping for breath, unable to speak. The top-ranked super expert on Soul Heaven's God King Potential List was also no match!

"It seems Soul Heaven's God King Potential List is nothing more than this..." With his hands clasped behind his back once more, Ao Hua shook his head, about to finish his sentence, when he saw two figures walk in.

It was Zhang Xuan and Qi Ling'er.

"Perfect timing! It looks like they're assessing the God King Potential List..." Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up. He had been thinking that the timing might be off, and he'd have to wait an unknown amount of time to arrange a match. Unexpectedly, upon arrival, he saw people fighting, suggesting the assessment had just concluded. In that case, regardless of what rank this person had achieved, defeating him would effectively grant Zhang Xuan the same rank, saving him a lot of trouble. It was truly like a pillow arriving when one was sleepy... His luck was indeed invincible!