Who Stands At The Peak?
Who Stands At The Peak?
Inside and outside the Immortal Martial Realm, a sense of anticipation gripped countless onlookers as they eagerly awaited the outcome of the final battle.
Within the stone monument arena, the battle had escalated to a fever pitch. Qin Wentian was bathed in a dazzling astral radiance, his form transformed into that of a towering fiend god with a colossal physique. His body radiated a golden hue, hinting at an invincibility, while a pair of brilliant wings unfurled from his back. His indomitable strength seemed capable of overcoming any obstacle, and his defense was nigh unassailable.
But who was Gu Liufeng? He was a character of extraordinary caliber, a calm lake slicing the moon and an eagle shooting through the heavens. Among the eight era-defying geniuses, he stood apart by not affiliating himself with any faction, capturing the hearts of the majority of spectators. Countless chosen females admired him, and if not for the fact that Gu Liufeng wasn't the lascivious type (his name was more about wind than desire), who knows how many maidens would willingly offer their hearts to him.
Hua Taixu, shrouded in mystery, had earned his place beside Gu Liufeng at the final row of the monuments, a testament to his formidable prowess. In Grand Xia, he had once reigned supreme on the Heavenly Fate Rankings, overshadowing even Chen Wang, who held the second spot. The gulf between them was vast, as if they existed on entirely different planes. While Grand Xia might be labeled as a desolate land, it didn't lack for monstrous geniuses, but most of them had yet to explore the wider world beyond its borders. Two exceptions to this were Qin Wentian and Hua Taixu, who not only ventured beyond Grand Xia but also shone brilliantly wherever they went.
Now, both Gu Liufeng and Hua Taixu keenly felt the pressure exerted by Qin Wentian, prompting them to unleash their formidable attacks upon him.
Hua Taixu, like a specter, weaved in and out of the void, ensconced in a sprawling illusion-scape of his own creation. Within this ethereal realm, reality and illusion intertwined, each of Hua Taixu's avatars bathed in radiant light. This corona of light continually birthed astral beams, morphing into various styles of palm strikes, all hurtling toward Qin Wentian with astonishing speed, threatening to collapse the entire space.
When Hua Taixu unleashed his full power, it was enough to shake the very foundation of the world.
Gu Liufeng's arrows transformed into shooting stars, showering upon Qin Wentian incessantly. Simultaneously, he stepped forward, his saber's radiance intensifying, unleashing countless beams with the potential to cleave through constellations. Even though Qin Wentian assumed the form of a fiend god, overflowing with raw might, he still shuddered under the impact of these merciless attacks.
While Qin Wentian began honing his comprehension from the very first monument, Hua Taixu and Gu Liufeng's understanding was equally remarkable. They too had devoted time to solidify their foundations and deepen their comprehension at the later monuments, resulting in the immense power of their assaults.
The radiance surrounding Qin Wentian's fiend god form grew ever brighter. With a resounding roar, he advanced, multiple incarnations materializing, their palms shimmering with enough force to pluck constellations from the sky. All eyes in the vicinity were now fixated on Hua Taixu and Gu Liufeng. The three combatants trembled violently under the sheer force of their collision. Gu Liufeng radiated a saber intent that seemed to pierce the heavens, while Qin Wentian exuded a torrential sword aura.
DIE! DIE! The mysterious and ominous word rang out, an enigmatic and unsettling presence that seemed to hang in the air.
Two thunderous roars of rage echoed, shaking the very fabric of the space. A multitude of Hua Taixu's incarnations materialized around Qin Wentian's colossal frame, attempting to encircle him completely. Each of these incarnations unleashed distinct palm strikes, casting runic patterns of utter destruction that blanketed the sky.
Gu Liufeng's saber-intent had reached its zenith, relentlessly hacking at Qin Wentian's form, seeking to cleave him into pieces. Had his adversary been anyone but Qin Wentian – say, Di Shi or another contender – a single swing of that saber would have been sufficient to turn them from the living to the deceased.
Qin Wentian grimaced in agony. In that moment, he felt the invasive saber-light pierce through his defenses, and a colossal saber manifestation descended, threatening to sunder his fiendgod body.
"ARRGH!" Qin Wentian bellowed, his golden wings shimmering brilliantly as they enveloped his fiendgod form in a protective barrier. He surged upwards, unleashing a deluge of star-seizing palm imprints aimed at Hua Taixu. Explosive reverberations filled the air as Qin Wentian forcefully tore his golden wings asunder, slashing through the very fabric of space.
BOOM!
With every step, his sword qi obliterated all in its path. The stone monuments' space trembled violently, as if on the brink of shattering at any moment.
Outside the Immortal Martial Realm, spectators witnessed a blinding light emanating from the three monuments, and countless images converged to form a breathtaking spectacle of an epic battle capable of shaking the heavens. The light from the monuments intensified, engulfing the entire Immortal Martial Realm, its magnitude even affecting the space beyond.
A low hum resonated from the stone monuments, and the earth quaked beneath their power. The beams of light from the three monuments merged and shot towards a specific direction. There, an enormous bronze gate, radiating with astral brilliance, materialized. A stairway, composed of astral light, extended before it. The light pouring from the gate was dazzling beyond measure, causing the hearts of countless onlookers to quiver.
Where did this gate lead?
Within the Immortal Martial Realm, even the envoys were stunned, shaken to their cores. The Realm Monument Gate had actually opened? Their gazes shifted to the three figures on the seventh row. An unseen force lifted them into the air, along with the three stone monuments. Thunderous rumbles echoed from within the monuments as they emitted a scintillating light, projecting a clear image in the air, allowing everyone to witness the events unfolding inside the space where the three combatants clashed.
Who could have foreseen that the top three contenders of this batch would possess such formidable might that their attacks forcibly unlocked the Realm Monument Gate? This had never occurred before, signaling an unparalleled battle of epic proportions taking place within.
Of course, this wasn't a duel between just two of them; it was an all-out brawl involving all three.
Gu Liufeng and Hua Taixu spared no effort, joining forces to defeat Qin Wentian. Although the outcome was clear – Qin Wentian would emerge as the top contender – the respect they held for their adversary drove them to push their limits.
Inside the space, a dazzling radiance blanketed the entire realm. Qin Wentian advanced, each step exuding sword qi with the power to rend hearts, obliterating everything in his path. Streams of palm imprints, capable of plucking constellations from the heavens, erupted in an unending torrent, tearing through the void.
As for Hua Taixu, his true form moved nimbly among the images he projected, blurring the boundaries between reality and illusion.
Gu Liufeng wasn't just a master of the bow and saber; his attacks carried the corrosive touch of destruction. When Qin Wentian endured a saber strike, it nearly severed his arm. Even though the arrows couldn't breach his defense, their corrosive effect threatened to reach his heart.
Faced with the onslaught of these two formidable adversaries, Qin Wentian made a strategic decision. He chose to forgo attacking Hua Taixu, recognizing that taking on both opponents simultaneously would be an insurmountable challenge. His only path to victory lay in defeating one of them first.
As Qin Wentian disregarded Hua Taixu's assaults and closed in on Gu Liufeng, an overwhelming sense of urgency gripped Gu Liufeng. The fiendgod's saucer-like eyes seemed to beckon him into slumber. Not only did he have to fend off Qin Wentian's relentless strikes, but he also had to resist the intrusion of dreamforce.
Time flowed on, and Gu Liufeng witnessed firsthand Hua Taixu's devastating blow that tore off Qin Wentian's right arm. Seizing the opportunity, Gu Liufeng launched a counterattack. Like a meteor, he rained down arrows from the heavens, slamming into Qin Wentian, while simultaneously transforming into a streak of saber-light aimed at Qin Wentian's remaining arm, intent on severing it. Blood sprayed through the air, and it appeared as though Qin Wentian's true form, standing before the stone monument, could no longer bear the assault and spat out a mouthful of crimson.
However, in the same breath, Gu Liufeng's complexion paled as Qin Wentian's 'severed' right arm, capable of seizing constellations, hurtled toward him, engulfing his entire being.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
Gu Liufeng had no means to resist. He coughed up blood profusely, teetering on the brink of death. He gazed at Qin Wentian with a bewildered expression. "Was that a dream you crafted? When did you find the opportunity?"
"My right arm was nearly torn off, the blood is real, as is your saber slashing into my left arm. If the dream were too fake, I couldn't have lured you into it, right?" Qin Wentian retorted. Hua Taixu also halted his attacks at this moment. His numerous manifestations merged into one, and he stood proudly in the air, his robes billowing in the wind, his expression composed. Yet, nobody knew of the shock he harbored.
"We still have to contend with the illusions spawned by your dreamforce when facing you. Fighting against you is a nightmare," Gu Liufeng said, lost for words. Such an opponent was truly terrifying; Qin Wentian's offense and defense were both formidable, and the insidious invasion of dreamforce made him a living nightmare to anyone who crossed swords with him.
"The flowing wind is not driven by lust; the tranquil lake severs the moon; and the eagle shooting down from the heavens. Gu Liufeng, you live up to your reputation. With a single bow, you can traverse the world, and with that saber, you fear nothing. With so many extraordinary abilities combined in one person, who would willingly make an enemy of you?" Qin Wentian sighed, feeling a kinship with his adversary.
"This battle is over," Gu Liufeng murmured.
"Indeed," Hua Taixu agreed. Both of them had no intention of prolonging the fight. It had become meaningless since Qin Wentian was clearly the top contender. There was no point in vying for second or third place any longer.
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
The ancient stone monument vibrated intensely, settling back onto the ground as Qin Wentian and the other two landed as well. The radiant glow emitted by the stone monuments slowly faded.
Gu Liufeng, Hua Taixu, and Qin Wentian all simultaneously opened their eyes, a bright gleam shining within them.
At this moment, the hearts of the spectators in the Immortal Martial Realm trembled. They clenched their fists tightly, gazing ahead with bated breath.
Had the deciding battle finally concluded?
And most importantly, what was the result of this ultimate ranking battle in the Immortal Martial Realm? Who stood at the pinnacle?