Grand Return System

Chapter 299: The True Strength of the Cannon King

The True Strength of the Cannon King

The sky itself seemed to tremble beneath the impact.

Leon and Vartak were both forced backward.

With big boom sound.

The deafening explosion echoed across the heavens like rolling thunder, shaking the surrounding mountains. Violent shockwaves spread in every direction, tearing through layers of clouds and sending fierce winds roaring across the battlefield. Below, ancient trees bent under the pressure, while countless spectators instinctively retreated, their robes whipping wildly in the turbulent air.

The clash had been nothing more than a test.

Yet even such a probing exchange had shaken the heavens.

However, judging from the outcome of the battle, Leon was at a disadvantage and suffered because of the gap in cultivation. Even so, everyone present understood that this had only been a probing move. It was far too early to determine the outcome of the battle.

Leon steadied himself in midair.

His midnight robes embroidered with thin amethyst patterns fluttered softly as the remaining force rippled through his body. A faint ache spread across his arm, but his expression remained as calm as ever.

Across from him, Vartak slowly lowered his palm.

Hidden beneath his sleeve, his fingers trembled almost imperceptibly.

"Good lad, you’re quite tough."

His eyes narrowed.

The moment their palms had collided, he had clearly felt an astonishing force travel through Leon’s technique. His entire arm still felt numb, while a dull pain lingered in his meridians.

For someone with a lower cultivation to possess such terrifying power...

It was unbelievable.

Leon rolled his shoulder once before looking back at the old man with an indifferent smile.

"Same to you..."

Although he wasn’t in much better condition, there wasn’t the slightest hint of panic on his face.

Instead, he quietly analyzed the previous exchange.

As expected...

The gap in cultivation was real.

Vartak possessed greater raw Mana and deeper foundations. A direct contest of power favored the older expert.

But cultivation wasn’t everything.

In terms of techniques...

In terms of combat experience gained through countless life-and-death struggles...

And especially in terms of Sacred Arts and treasures...

The self-proclaimed Cannon King was far behind him.

That confidence was precisely why Leon had chosen to stay instead of retreating.

Otherwise...

He would have left long ago.

Vartak’s face darkened.

Seeing Leon remain so composed only made his anger burn hotter.

"Hmph!"

"Let’s see how long you can stay stubborn."

The words exploded from his mouth like a clap of thunder.

His Mana erupted completely.

The pressure around him rose dramatically as his aura swept through the battlefield like a raging hurricane.

The late-stage Pinnacle Realm expert no longer held anything back.

His robes billowed violently.

The surrounding space distorted under the immense pressure.

Many spectators found it difficult even to breathe.

"What terrifying Mana..."

"So this is the true strength of the Cannon King?"

"No wonder he became famous decades ago."

Several elders exchanged uneasy glances.

Even from such a distance, the overwhelming pressure made their hearts pound.

Vartak suddenly moved.

Boom!

His figure vanished.

A massive palm descended from the heavens, carrying enough force to shatter mountains.

Leon reacted instantly.

Without hesitation, he raised both hands.

The profound principles of the Ultimate Hand Strike flowed naturally through his body.

His movements appeared gentle.

Soft.

Almost graceful.

Yet hidden beneath that softness was a terrifying destructive force capable of crushing everything before it.

Boom!

Palm met palm once again.

The collision split the clouds overhead.

The surrounding void rippled violently as wave after wave of destructive energy surged across the battlefield.

Neither side retreated.

Instead...

They attacked again.

And again.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Each collision sounded like heavenly thunder.

The chaotic void descended into complete disorder.

Brilliant streams of Mana illuminated the darkened sky as the two figures continuously exchanged palms.

One moment they stood hundreds of meters apart.

The next, they had already appeared before each other.

Every exchange caused space itself to tremble.

The heavens seemed to lose their color beneath the relentless battle.

Far below, Anna watched every movement without blinking.

Her beautiful pink hair danced wildly in the violent wind as she gripped the hilt of her Amethyst Mist Sword.

Her expression grew increasingly solemn.

If Leon showed even the slightest sign of danger...

She would intervene immediately.

No matter the consequences.

As the battle continued, however...

The concern in her eyes slowly transformed into astonishment.

"Fellow Brother’s strength is actually this powerful?"

She couldn’t hide the disbelief in her voice.

She had always known Leon’s swordsmanship was extraordinary.

His First Mist Immortal Sword was already enough to leave countless geniuses in despair.

Yet today...

He hadn’t even drawn his sword.

Instead, he was using only his palm technique to confront a veteran Pinnacle Realm expert head-on.

Each movement looked gentle.

Each palm seemed light.

But every strike concealed countless layers of force.

The moment one layer landed, another followed.

Then another.

The attacks overlapped endlessly like surging tides crashing against an unbreakable cliff.

They were impossible to defend against perfectly.

"It looks soft and powerless..."

Anna whispered unconsciously.

"...but it’s incomparably fierce and domineering."

Her crimson eyes widened with admiration.

"When it falls..."

"...it’s as though thousands of attacks descend together."

Watching Leon fight was like watching flowing water become an unstoppable flood.

There wasn’t a single wasted movement.

No unnecessary flourish.

Only perfect control.

"Under this flawless technique..."

Anna murmured softly.

"...ordinary people wouldn’t be able to resist at all."

She imagined herself standing in Vartak’s place.

Even with her own strength...

She doubted she could endure such endless waves of palm strikes.

"At most..."

"...they could withstand three hundred strikes."

"They would eventually have no choice but to surrender beneath this palm technique."

Her heart couldn’t help but fill with admiration.

Originally, she had believed the Celestis Restoration Art was the strongest inheritance possessed by Celestis Academy.

But after witnessing Leon’s Ultimate Hand Strike...

That belief completely crumbled.

No matter how profound the Celestis Restoration Art was, it still possessed limits before reaching perfection.

Leon...

Already possessed a Sacred Art that stood proudly among the finest.

"Phew..."

Anna slowly exhaled.

Only now did she realize her palms were damp with sweat.

Although she wasn’t the one fighting...

Watching the battle felt just as exhausting.

"If only..."

"I could learn such a palm technique..."

Her eyes sparkled with longing.

"My strength would surely improve by leaps and bounds."

"Then there would be nothing to fear from this old Cannon King."

Unfortunately...

Celestis Academy possessed no inheritance like this.

That only deepened her curiosity.

How had Leon obtained such a heaven-defying Sacred Art?

She simply couldn’t understand.

The more she watched...

The more envious she became.

If someone offered her the chance to cultivate such a technique...

She felt she would willingly pay almost any price.

Then there was Leon’s sword technique...

Just thinking about it made her sigh.

"Ah..."

"I really want to learn..."

Anna had never been good at hiding her emotions.

Everything she thought naturally appeared across her beautiful face.

Perhaps it was because she had entered the immortal academy at such a young age.

Raised as the academy’s proud goddess, she had devoted nearly her entire life to cultivation.

She rarely interacted with others.

She had almost no close friends.

Schemes...

Politics...

The complicated emotions of the outside world...

She knew very little about them.

Her thoughts remained remarkably straightforward.

What she admired...

She admired openly.

What she disliked...

She never bothered hiding.

Boom!

Another earth-shaking collision erupted across the heavens.

A palm strike carrying overwhelming force burst into dazzling light, shaking the surrounding void until countless cracks spread through the air itself.

Leon and Vartak were forced apart once again.

As the battle continued to intensify...

The expression on Vartak’s face became increasingly ugly.

His breathing had grown noticeably heavier.

His heart was filled with disbelief.

"Damn it..."

His eyes locked onto Leon.

"Why is this kid’s method so special?"

No matter how he attacked...

No matter how much of his superior cultivation he unleashed...

He simply couldn’t suppress Leon completely.

He couldn’t figure out why he couldn’t take down Leon with his realm.