Grand Return System

Chapter 301: The Twelve Divine Needles

The Twelve Divine Needles

Everyone slowly raised their heads and discovered that the current Leon seemed to have become a completely different person. His gaze was like a sharp blade that pierced through one’s mind.

The battlefield fell into complete silence.

Just moments ago, Leon had appeared calm and composed, relying only on his palm techniques to contend with Vartak. Now, however, the aura surrounding him had transformed entirely.

His midnight robes embroidered with delicate amethyst patterns fluttered gently in the violent winds.

His shoulder-length black hair danced behind him.

His purple eyes were no longer gentle.

They were sharp.

Cold.

Boundlessly profound.

The endless sword intent surrounding him made it seem as though countless invisible blades had filled the heavens.

Even breathing became difficult.

Several nearby cultivators instinctively lowered their heads, unable to withstand the pressure radiating from Leon’s gaze alone.

"It..."

"What kind of sword intent is this?"

An elderly sword cultivator unconsciously took a step backward.

His hands trembled slightly.

"I’ve cultivated the sword for over five hundred years..."

"...yet compared to this young man..."

"...my sword intent feels like nothing."

The surrounding experts were equally stunned.

"So..."

"His strongest art wasn’t even his palm technique?"

"I thought that palm technique alone was already enough to dominate his generation."

"Who would have imagined..."

"...he has been hiding his true strength all along."

Anna stared blankly at Leon.

A smile quietly appeared on her beautiful face.

"So this is the real you..."

She wasn’t surprised.

Instead...

She felt proud.

The man she admired continued to exceed everyone’s imagination.

Across the battlefield, Vartak’s expression changed dramatically.

His heart skipped a beat.

Without thinking, he tried to withdraw the Heaven Cleaver Dagger.

To his horror...

It wouldn’t move.

His eyes widened.

The legendary Heaven Cleaver Dagger was firmly clamped between Leon’s two fingers.

The golden runes covering Leon’s fingers shone brilliantly.

Ancient symbols flickered one after another before an immense force suddenly erupted.

Boom!

A terrifying shockwave exploded outward.

Vartak’s pupils shrank.

Unable to react in time, he was blasted backward like a broken kite.

His body tore across the sky before he finally stabilized himself hundreds of meters away.

"What?"

The spectators gasped.

"He actually forced the Cannon King back!"

"Incredible!"

"He caught the Heaven Cleaver Dagger with only two fingers!"

"How powerful is his body?"

Even several veteran experts rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

Had they not witnessed it personally...

None of them would have believed such an absurd scene.

Leon quietly remained where he stood.

Darkness seemed to gather behind him.

Yet countless rays of radiant sword light shone through that darkness.

He looked like a Sword Monarch descending from the heavens.

The immense pressure spread throughout the battlefield.

Countless people found themselves unable to meet his eyes.

A cold breeze swept across the sky.

The clouds parted.

Sword energy danced around Leon like countless silver dragons.

Then...

He smiled.

It wasn’t a mocking smile.

Nor was it arrogant.

It was simply calm.

The kind of smile belonging to someone who had already grasped complete control of the battlefield.

"This..."

One spectator swallowed nervously.

"This kid... did he become stronger with every breath... or was he this strong from the very beginning?"

The crowd instantly erupted.

"So he was still holding back?"

"No wonder he looked so relaxed."

"That old Vartak fought with everything he had..."

"...while this kid hadn’t even revealed his greatest strength."

"What a terrifying monster."

Even those who had initially doubted Leon now wore expressions of pure admiration.

Meanwhile, Vartak slowly steadied himself.

His expression had become unusually solemn.

For the first time since the battle began...

He no longer looked at Leon as though he were an insignificant junior.

Instead...

He regarded him as a genuine threat.

"Good kid..."

Vartak’s voice was low.

"You hid yourself well."

He stared at Leon with murderous eyes.

"However..."

"Do you think revealing your sword intent means you no longer have to die?"

Leon merely smiled.

"Old Cannon King..."

"You’ve talked quite a lot today."

He slowly raised one hand.

"But you’ve disappointed me every single time."

The spectators exchanged glances.

Someone quietly muttered,

"He called him Cannon King again..."

Another elder coughed.

"I don’t think he’s using it as a title anymore."

"No."

A younger cultivator grinned.

"He’s definitely mocking him now."

Several people almost laughed.

Vartak’s face turned as dark as coal.

"You little bastard!"

"I’ll kill you!"

His murderous intent exploded.

Without another word, he threw the Heaven Cleaver Dagger forward once again.

The divine weapon transformed into a streak of black light, locking onto Leon like a venomous serpent.

At the same time...

Vartak rapidly formed hand seals.

His fingers moved so quickly they left countless afterimages.

A strange needle slowly appeared before his chest.

Unlike the Phantom Soul Needle from before...

This one was darker.

Sharper.

Far more sinister.

It radiated a poisonous aura capable of making even the surrounding Mana recoil.

The moment it appeared...

The temperature throughout the battlefield dropped sharply.

The spectators’ breathing unconsciously slowed.

An elder’s face turned pale.

"That needle..."

"He actually intends to use it."

Another expert nodded grimly.

"He’s truly being forced into desperation."

"No one expected Leon to push him this far."

"If that needle lands..."

"The consequences will be unimaginable."

Anna’s fingers tightened around the hilt of her sword.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Even she could sense the terrifying danger hidden within that tiny needle.

Everyone stared at Leon.

How...

Would he respond?

Would he dodge?

Would he counterattack?

Or would he meet it head-on once again?

Just then...

Leon slowly opened his eyes.

The sword intent surrounding him became even sharper.

He looked toward Vartak with complete indifference.

His voice carried unmistakable disdain.

"Old man..."

"Do you like using needles?"

The entire battlefield became strangely quiet.

Everyone blinked.

"What does he mean?"

"He isn’t planning to..."

Before anyone could understand his intentions...

Leon calmly formed hand seals.

Mana flowed through his meridians with astonishing precision.

Once again...

He used the Ultimate Hand Strike.

The surrounding space rippled.

Golden light condensed before him.

One...

Two...

Three...

In the blink of an eye...

Twelve jade-like needles floated silently before Leon.

Each needle shimmered with ancient brilliance.

Each one radiated an incomparably pure aura.

The moment they appeared...

An overwhelming supreme treasure aura swept across the battlefield.

Everyone’s eyes widened.

"This..."