With the revival of spiritual energy, I cultivated the Great Emperor's Technique on Blue Star.

As soon as the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the entire underground martial arts club suddenly froze.

Everyone stepped back in unison, leaving the space to these two top talents of the younger generation. Even Wang Jianjun, who was about to say something, was pulled aside by Lin Qingshan.

How could his own son not understand? This move is clearly intended to deter others, a permanent solution to prevent anyone from provoking him again in the future.

"You don't know anything! I'm going to open the arena for them. If you stop me, you'll have to pay for everything that gets broken!"

Wang Jianjun roared, and Lin Qingshan smiled sheepishly. He had been so engrossed in watching the commotion that he had almost forgotten about this incident.

"You two come with me, the rest of you find your own spots to watch the game."

Clearly, this wasn't the first time there had been a duel between superhumans; everyone had found the location with practiced ease.

Before long, Lin Yan and Xiao Qingxuan were led to a spacious area where a huge light screen slowly rose up, covering the area with mysterious divine runes flowing on it.

"You two are free to do as you please; this light barrier is sufficient to block attacks from fourth-tier experts."

Wang Jianjun gave a reminder, then stood outside the light screen so that he could activate the formation to intervene in time if anything unexpected happened.

At this moment, Xiao Qingxuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and for the first time, a genuine sense of solemnity arose in his heart.

Only by facing Lin Yan directly can one more clearly grasp that vast momentum, as if a supreme emperor is whispering, telling a story of a supreme Dao and principle, completely transcending the current martial arts system.

"Is it a supreme lineage originating from the ancient era of true cultivation?"

Xiao Qingxuan made this guess in his heart, but his whole body erupted with an even more surging fighting spirit. He showed no fear or retreat, and his aura of the perfect third stage was revealed. Then he gradually suppressed it to the state of just entering the third stage.

Upon seeing this, Lin Yan was slightly taken aback, and then his impression of Xiao Qingxuan suddenly improved significantly.

Although he was also a newcomer to the Life Spring Realm, his true combat strength was definitely no less than that of a veteran third-tier expert. Even if the other party did not impose any restrictions and fought directly with perfect cultivation, Lin Yan would not say anything. At most, he would just be a little heavier when he attacked.

"Fellow Daoist's confidence is truly extraordinary. Xiao Qingxuan of Qingyun Sect, please enlighten me."

Xiao Qingxuan spoke in a deep voice, raised his hand and performed an ancient salute. His body turned slightly to the side, and his wide Taoist robe fluttered without wind. Wisps of spiritual energy surged from his limbs and bones, flowing throughout his body.

hum!

The clear and pure Daoist aura swept across the four directions, gentle yet profound. Although it was somewhat suppressed, it was still much stronger than that of an ordinary early-stage third-order transcendent being.

He fully activated the cultivation method passed down through generations of the Qingyun Sect, unleashing the full power of his twenty years of arduous practice. His spiritual energy was as refined as water, and every inch of his flesh and every meridian was polished to the extreme, without the slightest hint of superficiality.

This is his pride and foundation as a top young prodigy. He is steady and pragmatic, climbing step by step, and following the most standard and perfect cultivation path of martial arts on Blue Star today.

"war!"

The moment Xiao Qingxuan finished speaking, his figure suddenly rushed out.

Without any fancy opening moves, his figure was as graceful as flowing clouds stepping through the air, his steps contained the profound principles of heaven and earth, and there was a spiritual energy resonating with him. At the same time, his right hand formed a sword with his fingers together, and an extremely condensed blue and white sword energy broke through the air!

The sword energy was as slender as autumn water, yet it contained immense spiritual power. Its sharpness was fully revealed, cutting through the air with a piercing hiss. Its trajectory was extremely unpredictable, moving at any speed, making it difficult to avoid.

It is one of the most treasured martial arts techniques of the Qingyun Sect – the "Qingyun Dao-Slaying Sword Technique".

This sword strike, devoid of all ostentation, was pure and ultimate. It was the pinnacle of Xiao Qingxuan's countless days and nights of honing his skills. He had a premonition that if he did not attack with all his might, he would suffer a terrible defeat!

On the other side, the onlookers couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

"Such sharp sword energy! Is this the strength of the sect's number one genius?"

"As expected of a third-tier master, their control over spiritual energy is superb, with not a single drop wasted!"

"Lin Yan has only recently broken through to the third rank, so his foundation is definitely not as solid as his opponent's. How can he possibly withstand this Dao-Slaying Sword Technique?"

Bai Chen was tense, his fists clenched, staring intently at the arena, his heart filled with trepidation. He acknowledged Lin Yan's extraordinary combat prowess and formidable killing power, but there were no shortcuts to martial arts foundations. A perfect foundation honed over twenty years could not be compensated for by short-term breakthroughs.

Unless he can produce the mysterious array that killed the black-robed Venerable yesterday!

Wang Jianjun stood quietly, his expression calm, but his eyes held a hidden expectation. He wanted to witness firsthand just what kind of extraordinary power this young man, on whom the entire Great Xia Dynasty placed its hopes, truly possessed.

Faced with the sharp sword energy that came hurtling through the air, Lin Yan stood still, motionless.

His black hair fluttered lightly, his clothes billowed in the wind, and his eyes remained calm and undisturbed, as if the deadly sword strike that could crush martial artists of the same level was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

Just as the sword energy was about to reach him an inch away, Lin Yan finally raised his hand.

There was no overwhelming spiritual energy released, no earth-shattering power, just a simple, ordinary palm strike.

But the moment that palm struck, the world changed drastically!

hum!

A terrifying Daoist aura, vast and boundless, crushing all ages, suddenly exploded out, surpassing all martial arts rules of the world. In his palm, a golden "Dao" character appeared.

The surrounding violent sword energy instantly stopped, dissipated, and annihilated. Xiao Qingxuan's proud attack was like a firefly meeting the bright moon in front of this "Dao" character, insignificant and not worth mentioning.

This is not even a true forbidden imperial technique in the world of Shrouding the Heavens. Rather, it is the first imperial character that Lin Yan comprehended from the Daoist scriptures, containing the most fundamental Dao and principles.

If he hadn't successfully broken through to the Life Spring Realm, enabling him to easily unleash some profound techniques, coupled with a tiny bit of extraordinary talent and wit, Lin Yan wouldn't have been able to display a true aura of supreme imperial might.

Bang!

A crisp, cracking sound rang out.

That incomparably sharp Azure Cloud Sword Qi didn't even manage to touch Lin Yan's palm before it shattered inch by inch under the crushing force of the terrifying Daoist aura, turning into countless tiny specks of spiritual energy that vanished without a trace in an instant.

Its remaining power was overwhelming, sweeping across the entire field.

Xiao Qingxuan's pupils shrank suddenly, his expression changed drastically, his graceful figure froze, and then he uncontrollably took three steps back, leaving two deep marks on the soles of his feet. His spiritual energy surged chaotically within his body, and a faint metallic taste rose in his throat.

one move!

With just a casual palm strike, he shattered his ultimate technique and caused his qi and blood to stagnate!

The entire room fell silent, then erupted in uproar!

"Is this really the power that someone who has just entered the third tier can unleash?!"

"What's with that 'Dao' character? How can it so easily crush the Azure Cloud Dao-Slaying Sword Technique!"

Everyone stared in disbelief at the tall, composed young man, their minds blank, their understanding of martial arts completely overturned.

They had imagined countless scenarios of the duel, and they had considered that Lin Yan might be stronger or have more unpredictable methods, but they never imagined that the gap between the two would be such an insurmountable chasm!

This isn't a battle between equals; it's a crushing defeat!

Xiao Qingxuan steadied his churning blood and looked up at Lin Yan, his composure completely gone, replaced by utter shock and disbelief.

He had spent twenty years cultivating diligently, perfecting his Dao foundation, and fighting enemies. He considered himself to be among the top few in his generation, just one step away from the fourth rank. But in front of Lin Yan, everything he was so proud of seemed so laughable.

"Just as you said, your path... transcends this world."

Xiao Qingxuan spoke slowly, his voice carrying an undisguised dryness. He finally understood the deeper meaning of Lin Yan's words.

The other party's Dao and Dharma may not belong to this era of scarce spiritual energy and incomplete Dao. Their realms were never on the same level from the beginning.

"I lost."

Xiao Qingxuan readily admitted defeat, his eyes open and honest, before slowly making his request.

"I'd like to try again, at my peak, and I look forward to your guidance!"

Lin Yan nodded, the "Dao" character hovering in the air, not launching an attack, but signaling to Xiao Qingxuan to continue the attack.

Xiao Qingxuan was resilient and did not lose heart after his defeat. He took a deep breath and unleashed all his spiritual power. Layers of azure auspicious cloud patterns appeared around him, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered wildly, transforming into a three-foot-long sword that hovered in mid-air and rang out.

"Azure Cloud Severing Path!"

The longsword pierced the air, carrying a surging momentum and a deafening roar as it went straight for Lin Yan's brow. Its sword intent was clear, domineering, and unparalleled!

A slight glint appeared in Lin Yan's eyes, but he remained calm and unhurried.

The sea of ​​suffering within him hummed softly, and the essence of life flowed from his body to the Daoist characters, suddenly bursting forth with a blazing and dazzling golden light. There was no violent release of power, only a profound, vast, and all-suppressing ancient aura permeating the air.

One word, enough to subdue all laws of the world!

Lin Yan raised his hand and gently pressed down. The seemingly slow movement landed precisely on the blade of the flying Qingyun Sword.

Click!

The three-foot-long spiritual sword, suspended in mid-air, trembled violently, its entire body covered with fine cracks, and the layers of azure cloud Dao patterns collapsed inch by inch, its majestic sword intent instantly vanishing into thin air.

The next instant, the entire spirit sword shattered completely, turning into countless fragments of spiritual energy that scattered and fell in all directions.

The terrifying momentum did not diminish, sweeping back along the sword and impacting Xiao Qingxuan and the surrounding light barrier.

Pfft!

Xiao Qingxuan was struck as if by a heavy blow. The protective spiritual energy he had just activated shattered before it could even last for a moment. He was sent flying backward and landed heavily on the ground several meters away. He staggered to his feet, a trace of scarlet blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his breathing completely disordered.

He was utterly defeated.

It was clean and thorough, leaving no room for a comeback, and they couldn't even force Lin Yan to make a second move.

Lin Yan withdrew his palm, his posture still upright as before, his clothes neat, his breathing steady. He had not moved an inch from beginning to end, as if the two earth-shattering duels just now were nothing more than casual actions.

After a long while, Xiao Qingxuan slowly stood up, bowed respectfully, and displayed an open and honest demeanor befitting a prodigy: "Fellow Daoist, your path to enlightenment is a hundred times greater than mine. This contest was a result of my narrow-mindedness and failure to recognize the true prodigy of heaven."

"The core spot in the ancient ruins belongs to you. There is absolutely no objection from anyone in the Qingyun Sect. They are completely convinced."

He lost with composure and acceptance, without stubbornness or resentment. He understood that it wasn't a matter of unfair fate, but rather his own lack of strength and his inferiority to his opponent's.

In the past, it was always Xiao Qingxuan who defied the higher realms, but today he has become the one being defied.

At this moment, everyone in the martial arts club seemed to wake from a dream, and the entire audience was shocked.

"Complete crushing defeat! Utterly overwhelming!"

"Xiao Qingxuan, a master of the third stage, was defeated in two moves by Lin Yan, who had just entered the third stage!"

"Just what kind of terrifying combat power is this? Among his peers, who else can rival him?"

"No wonder the Great Xia leadership regards him as the future pillar of humanity; such talent and combat prowess are simply not of this era!"

The group of young extraordinary individuals stood there dumbfounded, their minds reeling. Only now did they truly understand what it meant for a genius to merely be on the threshold of meeting Lin Yan, and what it meant to be unparalleled in the world!

Wang Jianjun let out a long breath, his eyes filled with extreme shock and relief, and spoke in a deep voice:

"Once the winner and loser are determined, the rules shall be established."

He stepped forward, his voice resounding throughout the hall, officially announcing the outcome: "This core cultivation spot in the ancient ruins is exclusively for Lin Yan! No further disputes are permitted among any sects or martial artists!"

No one refuted it, and no one dared to speak out.

Even Xiao Qingxuan, a prodigy hailed as the number one young talent among the sects of Jiangnan, was defeated. What are they compared to him?

Spiritual practice knows no time.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. There was no sudden burst of spiritual energy, nor a massive amount of life essence that he had devoured. Lin Yan's cultivation speed immediately dropped several levels.

"I'm really not used to such slow progress. Fortunately, the Jiangcheng Ruins are about to open, and then I'll be able to gain a lot of good fortune."

That day, Lin Yan received a notification early in the morning and went with the main group to the outskirts of Jiangcheng East District.

Rumble!

With the unlocking of the martial arts department's special equipment, an ancient ruin that had been sealed for countless years gradually shed its heavy rock layer seal.

The earth trembled slightly, and thick layers of gravel and rock crumbled away, revealing ancient restrictions and slowly opening up the dark and deep underground space.

In an instant, a desolate and ancient aura, originating from the primordial era, swept over us, carrying with it a rich and pure spiritual energy that was ten or even a hundred times stronger than that of the outside world, permeating all directions.

The entire site is extremely well preserved, without any trace of human damage. Stone halls stand in rows, with mottled Daoist marks. Ancient array patterns that have long been lost are carved on the ground. Even after thousands of years, faint Daoist charm still remains, with a faint glow flowing through them.

As previously agreed, the Martial Arts Department should clear the entire ruins area in advance to eliminate any alien creatures that might be lurking there, ensuring the safety of Lin Yan, or others who would subsequently enter the ruins for cultivation.

Of course, the Great Xia government would not easily risk human lives to fill this unknown sinkhole. Instead, they would make reasonable use of modern high-tech martial arts equipment to achieve a comprehensive exploration of this sacred and mysterious land.

For a moment, everyone waited outside the ruins, awaiting feedback.

"This ruin is very clean, with no living beings present. The concentration of spiritual energy is several times that of ordinary ruins, and it is also home to a vast amount of rare and precious materials. The stone hall seems to contain an ancient inheritance."

The researchers operating the equipment reported back one by one, but did not recommend going deeper immediately. Instead, they suggested continuing to send robots (modern high-tech puppets) to begin a second round of exploration and to enter the stone palace.