Chapter 644 - 177: Bright Heart Realm? One Punch Each, Killed with Bare Hands

Lingkong Jade swept her cold gaze over them as the aura around her grew illusory and ethereal. "Don’t make me wait too long." The moment her voice faded, her body became like an ink wash painting scattered by the wind. With a gentle turn before their eyes, she transformed into a wisp of smoke and vanished without a trace. ... Within Qing Province City, the atmosphere grew increasingly feverish, like a wok of boiling oil that had been set alight. 「In three days, the Profound Origin Secret Realm tournament would officially begin.」 This was not just a grand tournament teeming with experts; it was a crucial battle for the great Noble Families and sects of Qing Province to contend for their destiny over the next several decades. The talented disciples of every major power were rubbing their hands in glee, eager to make their mark. They were all prepared to reveal their innate Divine Techniques to the world in this unprecedented tournament. It was an arena where fame and fortune were intertwined, but also an Asura Scene where life and death hung by a thread. Moreover, it was a brutal proving ground where the great Noble Families and sects would test the true strength of their talented disciples. To incentivize the prodigies to fight with all they had, the major sects and Noble Families spared no expense this time, jointly offering all sorts of rare and precious treasures as prizes for the victors. Healing Elixirs, sharp Treasure Weapons, and profound Cultivation Techniques—everything one could possibly desire was available, enough to make anyone green with envy. But the most coveted prize of all was undoubtedly the precious right to enter the Profound Origin Secret Realm, a privilege granted only to the final twenty strongest victors. But this tournament was not an exclusive stage reserved only for the supreme prodigies at the very pinnacle... Even Spirit Awakening Realm Martial Artists who had just recently undergone their Mortal Transformation could shine in their own right. This was because the tournament rules were relatively fair, with matches strictly divided according to one’s Martial Arts Cultivation Realm. Spirit Awakening Realm, Divine Power Realm, Acupoint Realm, Bright Heart Realm... Each of the four major Realms had its own designated arena. A sufficiently powerful Martial Artist from the Spirit Awakening Realm could, of course, fight their way into the Divine Power Realm’s bracket. But such a feat was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. If they stuck to competing for a spot within the Spirit Awakening Realm bracket, they could still win generous prizes that would make others envious. Of course, everyone knew deep down... ...that the twenty slots for the Profound Origin Secret Realm were destined to be claimed by the prodigies from the Bright Heart Realm. ... 「South City, Qing Province. Inside the Seven Stars Gang headquarters.」 Chu Fan was completely submerged in a massive Body Tempering Pool. The water in the pool was a murky, dark brown, constantly roiling with bubbles. With only his head above the surface, he leaned lazily against the edge of the pool, his gaze fixed on the fierce battle unfolding in the Martial Arts Arena before him. On the Martial Arts Arena, Powerful Qi surged in every direction, kicking up clouds of dust. Zhao Tianxing, wielding the Bengyue Bow, moved with nimble grace. He was locked in a fierce, evenly matched battle with the White Snake in her human form. "SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!" The string of Zhao Tianxing’s bow vibrated again and again as he fired a continuous volley of Moon Eclipse Arrows. The projectiles were vicious, whistling through the air. Under Chu Fan’s meticulous guidance, combined with his own months of frenzied training, Zhao Tianxing’s archery had improved by leaps and bounds. He had nearly reached the same level Chu Fan was at when he first achieved the Third Limit Break with his Moon Eclipse Arrow. It was the perfect combination of talent and diligence. Although he wasn’t a "cheater" like Chu Fan, his dedicated focus on archery, coupled with Chu Fan’s guidance, had made his skill increasingly formidable. The only difference was that when Chu Fan’s archery broke its limit, it produced powerful, special Traits like "Soul-splitting Godslayer" and "Breaking Gang." Zhao Tianxing, on the other hand, had delved deep into the art itself. Through millions upon millions of repetitions, he had honed the fundamental power of his archery to its absolute peak. At this moment, Zhao Tianxing was cleverly maintaining his distance from the White Snake. He used the scattered Profound Iron Giant Stones on the Martial Arts Arena for cover, leaping and weaving between them like a nimble ape. All the while, his arrows shot out from the most difficult angles, putting the White Snake on the defensive. For a moment, he actually had the White Snake, a Spirit Demon Peak expert, looking utterly wretched! "This is infuriating!" The White Snake felt utterly humiliated. She was a mighty Spirit Demon at her peak, yet she’d been chasing this human boy for ages and still couldn’t catch him. Worse, she had nearly been struck in a vital spot several times by those Moon Eclipse Arrows imbued with Armor-Piercing Qi! A flash of fury crossed her beautiful face. Her hands suddenly formed a series of rapid seals, and as her lips parted, she violently spewed out a cloud of dark green, poisonous mist. "WHOOSH—" The mist carried a repulsive, acrid stench as it billowed outward, instantly beginning to envelop the entire Martial Arts Arena. Wherever it passed, the stone tiles on the ground corroded with a SIZZLING sound, releasing wisps of black smoke. The expressions of Mo Yunzi and Li Qingxue, who had been standing at the edge of the Martial Arts Arena as referees, changed instantly. They hastily retreated to avoid the encroaching mist. Further away, Fatty, Jiang Yuanfan, and the others who were watching the spectacle turned pale with fright. They scrambled away from the Martial Arts Arena, terrified of even a single drop of the poisonous mist touching them. "Hehehe, let’s see you run now!" The White Snake chuckled, her body twisting with serpentine grace as she immediately dove into the dense, dark mist. Using the mist’s ability to obscure both sight and Divine Sense, she rapidly closed the distance between herself and Zhao Tianxing. Just as the oppressive, dark mist was about to engulf Zhao Tianxing, ...Zhao Tianxing remained perfectly composed. With a slight twitch of his left fingers, the Cultivation Technique circulating within him abruptly changed. "Wind, rise!" The Nine Heavens Wind Mastery Scripture began to circulate wildly. A violent gale erupted out of nowhere on the Martial Arts Arena, forming a veritable dragon of wind. In an instant, it blew away the poisonous mist the White Snake had spewed, scattering it completely!