In midair, the four combatants were evenly matched, none able to gain the upper hand. Although Yan Zheng and Ning Mo possessed formidable strength, under these circumstances, they could offer little help.
This was a clash between the peak forces of two factions. If one side emerged victorious, the other would undoubtedly suffer a humiliating defeat.
No one noticed Guo Chen, stationed at the periphery, who was quietly undergoing a tremendous transformation. A crimson aura completely enveloped him, and the inner energy within his body had fully transformed into true inner force.
With the power of the blood蛊, Guo Chen successfully refined Xue Hanzhi. When a twisted, horrifying scream echoed within his mind, Guo Chen felt an unprecedented thrill.
Back then, when Xiao Yufan had lost both of his arms, it was Xue Hanzhi who had saved him. Yet at that time, the blood蛊 had also been implanted inside him, tormenting him until he became something inhuman, neither man nor ghost. How could he not feel hatred?
What Xue Hanzhi had given Guo Chen was not kindness, but resentment!
In Xue Hanzhi’s eyes, Guo Chen was nothing more than a dog he had raised. Yet even an expert as formidable as Xue Hanzhi had made one critical mistake—he failed to absorb and merge with Guo Chen’s blood蛊 energy. Instead, he was now being devoured in return.
Xue Hanzhi was a genuine Heaven Spirit Realm expert. Even after losing his physical body, the residual energy he left behind remained terrifyingly immense. At the very moment Xue Hanzhi’s consciousness completely dissipated, all his energy had already been inherited by Guo Chen.
Though he had fused with that power, Guo Chen’s strength had not yet propelled him into the Heaven Spirit Realm. At present, he was barely considered a mid-level Spirit Communication Realm expert. Yet, compared to Ning Qian and Yu Ya, he was likely a step ahead.
“Hahahaha! How could the battle for kingship in this mysterious land possibly exclude me, Guo Chen!”
The moment Guo Chen’s crimson eyes snapped open, a wave of bloodthirsty energy surged outward, accompanied by his bold and chilling voice…
Even the four figures suspended in midair paused for a moment. None had anticipated someone else would step forward at this moment, especially not someone whose aura unmistakably belonged to a Spirit Communication Realm expert.
“How did this guy suddenly become so powerful!”
Although Ye Kong and others had never fought against Guo Chen directly, they knew his previous strength had barely reached the threshold of the Spirit Communication Realm. How could his power have skyrocketed so abruptly?
“His aura feels different somehow…” Cheng Ying murmured in surprise, her brows furrowing slightly.
If anyone was the most furious at this moment, it would undoubtedly be Ning Qian and Yu Ya, who had been locked in fierce combat moments ago. As top-tier experts among the younger generation, they had every right to be proud, and their pride could not be insulted.
Guo Chen was clearly challenging them both directly—was he really so arrogant as to take on both at once? They were not just any pushovers.
“Seeing the two of you display such incredible strength has left me eager for a challenge. Would I be so fortunate as to test my skills against you?”
Guo Chen hovered midair without any external aid. Though he had only recently entered the Spirit Communication Realm, his control over inner force was masterful. Don’t forget—he had devoured Xue Hanzhi, a monster who had lived for centuries.
Guo Chen’s tone betrayed no emotion, yet everyone could sense the overwhelming pressure and absolute confidence radiating from him.
“Never thought the Hidden Martial Cultivation World’s younger generation truly harbored hidden tigers and crouching dragons. This brother’s strength must rival ours. But what does he mean by stepping forward now? Could it be he wishes to challenge both of us?”
A cold smirk curled on Yu Ya’s lips. He couldn’t fathom why Guo Chen’s power had suddenly surged, but the dignity of a superior could never be challenged.
His meaning was clear: no matter how confident Guo Chen felt, he should wait until they had settled their own match.
“If I wait for you both to finish your fight, the victor will surely be weakened. To defeat a weakened opponent would be an unworthy victory. So why not face two of the younger generation’s supreme experts right now?”
Guo Chen’s words sent shockwaves through the crowd. He might not have had any real grudge with the Blood Spirit or Thousand Spirit clans, but Guo Chen sought nothing less than fame and glory. This was the perfect opportunity…
Moreover, having just absorbed the remnants of Xue Hanzhi’s power, he was eager to test his new strength. Below the Heaven Spirit Realm, there was practically no one who could threaten him now.
“Bold words, but I have no interest.”
Yu Ya snorted coldly. If Guo Chen’s power had been even slightly inferior, he would have slapped him aside already. But now, he was utterly helpless against him.
“Then it’s not up to you.”
If he wanted to establish his dominance, Guo Chen had to act differently. If Yu Ya refused to fight, how could he allow him such luxury? If neither of them would strike first, then he would be the one to plunge into the battlefield.
He struck without hesitation. A fierce gust of wind forced Yu Ya and Ning Qian to retreat a step. In their eyes, Guo Chen had become a madman. They had no desire to fight someone like him. Whether they fought or not, they would only end up elevating Guo Chen’s reputation.
Compared to the martial arts competition back then, Guo Chen had undergone a complete transformation. Even without summoning the Blood Demon True Form, the two of them could no longer easily overwhelm him. After all, Xue Hanzhi had survived countless hunts by various temples—how weak could his strength possibly be?
Now that power had been transferred to Guo Chen, his strength was growing exponentially!
Initially unwilling to fight, the two were now forced into action. Who could have predicted such a twist in the battle for kingship among the younger generation? And many were still unaware of Guo Chen’s identity.
Of course, Ye Kong and his group were quite familiar with the man. The one who had once been beaten to a pulp by Xiao Yufan—how had he bounced back so quickly?
The situation quickly shifted. Ning Qian and Yu Ya were now forced into reluctant cooperation. If they lost to Guo Chen, it wouldn’t just be their personal humiliation—it would disgrace the entire Blood Spirit and Thousand Spirit clans.
Guo Chen had achieved his goal. Almost all the younger generation’s top experts from the Hidden Martial Cultivation World were gathered here. If he could emerge victorious, his name would spread far and wide—exactly what he had hoped for.
Just as everyone’s attention refocused on the three figures in midair, a violent surge of energy slowly began emanating from within the Dragon-Taming Sect’s stone chamber. The stone door began to crack, inch by inch…
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