Chapter 152: Independent Arm Like a God

**The Peak!**

At this moment, Chao Zhilin was completely different from before.

Shi Chun, who was watching intently, didn't know what spell the opponent was casting, but he could feel a subtle, moving anomaly in Zhou State, though his cultivation wasn't enough to clearly perceive it.

His right eye's special ability was activated at this moment. He had intended to activate it from the start, wanting to study the capabilities of the Su Yuan Sect with all his might.

The scene in his right eye instantly inverted, and the illusory world reappeared in his vision.

Chao Zhilin, a hazy white humanoid mist, emitted wispy white strands that rapidly permeated the ethereal teal background. In his dantian area, a shimmering, indistinct silver mass floated and rotated.

The permeated wisps in the illusory scene resembled meridians flowing through the ethereal teal substance.

Some of these rapidly mixed with a patch of ethereal teal substance directly above Shi Chun, causing the teal substance to quickly transform. The altered area rapidly became silvery and then swiftly twisted into a humanoid shape, forming the silhouette of a sword-wielding figure.

This humanoid silhouette vaguely resembled Chao Zhilin himself.

Another sword-wielding humanoid figure quietly formed to Shi Chun's right in the unseen, its blade almost touching Shi Chun's body, only a foot away. Directly in front, a silver-glowing sword-wielder lay ambushed beneath the ground, clearly an assassin.

Elder Lan Erhe of the Su Yuan Sect looked exceptionally grave. He clearly hadn't expected Shi Chun's cultivation to be able to predict the sneak attack from underground.

"After retreating from Xiji, he broke through from the Lower Martial stage all the way to the Human Immortal realm?" The sudden appearance of such a non-human entity startled many. Many in the arena saw a spray of blood fly from Shi Chun's body. Feng Chi, cloaked, had a different view. She saw Xiang Bishe present and knew that Xiang Bishe understood the Su Yuan Sect could break immobilization talismans. Therefore, she anticipated Ji Qing would not use an immobilization talisman in the duel.

Apart from this, they couldn't think of any other way Ji Qing could win. Moreover, Shi Chunmei's cultivation method countered immobilization talismans, so the seven naturally concluded that Ji Qing was courting death. Ji Qing waited patiently, observing no further significant changes. He asked himself if this was Chao Zhilin's strongest killer move. Chao Zhilin's levitating stance made Wu Jinliang, who was watching, tense up. It was then that he truly grasped the terrifying power of the Su Yuan Sect, as Shi Chun had described.

Yin Huixin thought about it; it seemed to be true. If Shi Chun were truly killed by someone from the Su Yuan Sect in full view, the trouble they had caused would indeed be over. Yet, she still sighed softly.

He also didn't know this situation would arise. How could he, in good conscience, tell this to two disciples whose origins were questionable?

The moment the Shi Chun swordsman materialized was also the moment it disintegrated. Under the Demon-Slaying Blade, a loud bang erupted, and it exploded into a vast silver mist on the spot, only to instantly vanish into thin air, as if it had never appeared.

The implication was, should they go together? Elder Ke, with a taut face, said, "They don't know the immensity of heaven and earth. It's better if they die." After the first strike, Ji Qing twisted and delivered another blow, wildly hacking towards the ground with both hands.

The reason he announced killing Guan Baoxie Yan Ji was not to provoke the opponent and make them fear him, but to force out their ultimate moves for observation, in preparation for the potential final battle at the Heavenly Meteor Shower Grand Assembly!

Perhaps sensing Shi Chun, he subtly glanced around and at his feet, realizing there were no other Shi Chun sword-wielders elsewhere. There was one directly in front, one ambushed underground behind, and one quietly to his left – a total of three.

"So that's why he injured them first!" Miao Yilan instinctively turned her head and closed her eyes, unable to bear seeing her old friend bleed on the spot. Ji Qing paid no mind. In others' eyes, Chao Zhilin was simply levitating, but in his eyes, Chao Zhilin resembled a large spider suspended in a web. The web stretched out in all directions, its core sinking, and the silk strands seemed taut to the extreme, as if ready to launch Chao Zhilin at any moment. The speed at which he launched himself was so fast that his figure was almost imperceptible.

As a sect specializing in crafting talismans, the higher-ups of Youkang Mountain were naturally well aware of the weaknesses of talismans and knew that immobilization talismans were ineffective against Shi Chunmei's disciples.

Or rather, a large area around them had become Chao Zhilin's domain, densely covered with spiderwebs.

Hearing the chorus of praises, Elder Lan Erhe and the disciples on both sides of the Su Yuan Sect proudly looked around. However, Shi Chun and the expressions of those staring at the light screen grew increasingly solemn.

The entire process, though slow to describe, was completed very quickly.

The rustle of the drawn blade made Chao Zhilin, who had been floating with downcast eyes like a deity, suddenly look up. His gaze, imbued with lightning-like power, fixed intently on Ji Qing. His spell responded to his will.

In the eyes of the two elders, it was clear they also believed Ji Qing intended to win using an immobilization talisman.

The attack speed at the Lower Martial stage could actually be this fast, so fast that people couldn't see it clearly; it had already exceeded his imagination.

Drawing his blade, Shi Chun twisted sideways, avoiding the sword thrust aimed at his waist, and in the same motion, swung his blade towards the swordsman's side.

Not only did the ambushed swordsman on the ground charge forward, disregarding earthly obstacles, but the one in the air also rushed in, ignoring the laws of gravity.

Clearly, this had not been communicated.

Given Chao Zhilin's current momentum, the fact that Ji Qing showed no fear at all already said something.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Youkang Mountain is a sect that crafts immobilization talismans; they rely on immobilization talismans.""Hmm."

"It must be due to the spell. As expected of Sheng Shenzhou's greatest sect, just the impending aura of their attack is extraordinary."

As she turned her head, she vaguely saw blood spatter from Ji Qing's body.

Fortunately, as soon as Ji Qing saw the launching formation, he had already figured out ninety percent of its method. The moment he saw the scoundrel's sword-wielding motion, and the core thrust adjusted by the spider web, his dodging body hadn't fully landed. His toes barely touched the ground, and he used his toes again to push off and flip his body.

Yin Huixin subconsciously turned her head and softly asked Elder Ke beside her, "Have you told Ji Qing about the difference between immobilization talismans and the Su Yuan Sect? They just came out of the Land of Exile; they might not know these things."

"At most, the Lower Martial stage can achieve fleeting levitation. This sustained levitation must require at least the Human Immortal realm."

"Nonsense! No matter how fast, it can't be so absurd as to break through two levels continuously." "Good heavens, without any support, he's just levitating."

Boom! A deep pit exploded in the ground. The power of that strike somewhat shocked many Lower Martial stage cultivators watching through the royal capital's mirror projection.

His own leaping speed, combined with the web's launching speed, meant that the moment his sword was unsheathed, he was already in front of Shi Chun.

Another mass of silver light seemed about to form to Shi Chun's left, but Chao Zhilin's two-finger gesture wavered slightly, as if over-exerting his power. This was clearly related to his severe injuries. Ultimately, the Shi Chun figure that was about to form on the left dispersed, feeding back into the wispy white threads spreading through the void.

"Chun Tian!" Wu Jinliang's exclamation rang out simultaneously. Miao Yilan, in the stands, was usually composed. She knew the Su Yuan Sect was powerful, and the tense standoff, coupled with the atmosphere, made her quite anxious. She couldn't help but turn back and ask, "Father, can Ji Qing win?"

Meanwhile, Chao Zhilin himself, directly in front, had levitated into the air, floating forward eight feet off the ground. With his two-finger gesture and downcast eyes, hovering in the air, he looked like a one-armed true deity, truly presenting a significant visual impact.

Dang Ding, unsure of the outcome, replied with a rhetorical question, "Do you see him afraid?"

From the exploding earth and stone, a vast silver mist again erupted, appearing only to vanish instantly. Although the Shi Chun swordsman wasn't seen, the inner audience understood what had happened.

At the very least, with Ji Qing's cultivation, he wouldn't have had time to react. "What was that?" Wu Jinliang, also startled, blurted out. Within the quiet royal capital arena, a series of gasps and exclamations began to rise.

"A disciple of Youkang Mountain at the Initial Martial stage is dueling a disciple of Su Yuan Sect at the Lower Martial Perfection stage. How can this be?"

In everyone's line of sight, whether present at the scene or viewing through the Sky-Gazing Mirror's projection, a figure of a Shi Chun swordsman was seen.

Wei Mo, the Domain Lord of Shengzhou, seemed to lean loosely against his chair back, but his fingers ceaselessly stroked his beard, which had become clumped together. His gaze remained fixed on the light screen.

Only his left eye could see these things; in his right eye's vision, everything was normal, nothing unusual.

In front of the arena's mirror projection, almost everyone held their breath at that moment. Many instantly widened their eyes. Fast, too fast! So fast that even those at the Lower Martial Perfection stage would likely find it difficult to evade that sword.

*Hiss!* A cold gleam flashed past, the sword's edge barely grazing Ji Qing's rotating body.

Amidst the exploding earth and stone, Ji Qing also flipped to dodge, narrowly avoiding a sword that rushed in from the air. Outsiders, however, saw nothing.

Incongruous voices also erupted around him, "Then who injured him? If Ji Qing dares to duel him openly, he might not be afraid."

Indeed, the detached masters observing from the best vantage points were all watching Ji Qing's reactions. Until the very end, no one would frivolously assume Chao Zhilin had a guaranteed win.

The moment the blade struck, obscuring the impact, both illusory and real scenes appeared simultaneously.

It was then that Chao Zhilin moved. The hand that had held two fingers upright before his chest suddenly flashed to his waist, drawing his sword.

The Shi Chun swordsman, silent to Ji Qing's left, suddenly jabbed his blade, only a foot away, towards Ji Qing's waist.

However, as someone who had witnessed the intertwined truth of illusion and reality generated by immobilization talismans, he understood that these illusory objects were not truly harmless; while they couldn't physically coexist with reality or inflict direct damage in the real world, they still warranted extreme caution.

"The 'soldier' of the Soldier Disintegration Art..." Xiang Shi Chun subconsciously muttered a reply, his face grave as he watched intently. These swordsmen seemed to effortlessly traverse any obstacle, moving freely between sky and earth. Because of this, he shouted, "Chun Tian, can you do it?"

Most people's understanding of the blade's power was the same as Wu Jinliang's when he first witnessed the might of the Demon-Slaying Blade.