Chapter 749: 749 - Gigantic Abyss
Qingyi and Fa Yun’s fists collided at the center of the arena with a thunderous explosion.
Golden fist Qi clashed against crackling lightning, splitting the arena in two with a blinding flash.
Shockwaves rippled outward in violent waves, distorting the air around them, while the stones beneath their feet trembled under the crushing pressure of the two opposing forces.
"Ugh... your power is even more terrifying than before!" Fa Yun roared through clenched teeth.
He could feel Qingyi’s monstrous cultivation pressing down on every fiber of his body, as if an entire mountain had been dropped onto his shoulders.
Even back when he had stood above Qingyi in cultivation, defeating the young dragon had already been a near-impossible task.
Now, with himself at the fourth stage of the Celestial Origin Realm while Qingyi stood at the very peak of that same realm, that abyss had grown crueler still.
His arm trembled violently as searing pain devoured his muscles, forcing Fa Yun to retreat in haste. His feet carved deep grooves into the arena’s stone floor with a grinding screech.
He consciously guided the impact of Qingyi’s punch so that it spread throughout his entire arm, dispersing the brute force before his bones could give way.
The sensation was that of a mortal who had just punched a wall of pure steel with all the strength of his frail body.
Were it not for the arduous physical strengthening training he had endured under his sect leader’s tutelage, his arm would most certainly have shattered right there.
"You’re not bad either, Brother Fa Yun." Qingyi smiled, a faint tingling sensation lingering across his own knuckles.
If Fa Yun were at the same cultivation realm as him, it would indeed have been an interesting fight, but in the end, the gap between them was simply too great to overcome.
The two stared at each other for a brief moment before charging forward once more.
Qingyi held back a little, as he didn’t want the battle to end too quickly.
His fist met Fa Yun’s again and again in rapid succession, each collision unleashing a thunderous detonation of Qi that reverberated throughout the entire coliseum.
It was only after exchanging about fifty punches that Qingyi finally put a little more power behind the blow.
His fist pierced Fa Yun’s guard and hurled the young monk against the arena wall with a devastating explosion, fragments of stone bursting outward in all directions.
"Ah..." Fa Yun groaned softly, his face twisting in pain as his back slammed into the Qi-reinforced stone wall.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood and plummeted to the ground, his legs trembling for a moment before he managed to steady himself again.
"Ah... damn. I really still have a long way to go, ah... hahahaha." Fa Yun laughed bitterly, fighting the urge to simply fall to his knees.
With effort, he raised his head, staring at Qingyi with genuine admiration burning in his eyes.
Many months ago, he had already realized that he could not compare to Qingyi in any way, something that had never shaken his Dao heart.
In his view, the difference between them was enormous, yes, but nothing that placed them on completely different levels of existence.
Now, standing before Qingyi in yet another duel, he realized that the chasm between them was far more than a simple difference in talent.
Soon, Qingyi would become a Stellar Sovereign, while he would still be considered a mere junior of the new generation.
With difficulty, Fa Yun straightened up and bowed to Qingyi, his fists clasped before his chest, before flying back to the seats of the Divine Fist Sect.
His sect leader welcomed him with open arms, showing not a shred of shame over his disciple’s defeat.
Of course, qualifying for the semifinals would have been better, but facing Qingyi in an honorable and respectful battle was already a more than worthy result.
After all, despite having been in the Celestial Realm for no more than a year, there wasn’t a single sect that didn’t already hold Qingyi in the highest regard.
Now, many were certain it would only be a matter of time before he reached the Star Sovereign realm and set off for the Central Region.
"Hm... it’s a shame that old Ma Zhenwu didn’t come to watch the tournament." The leader of the Cosmic Dawn Sect remarked, watching Qingyi, whose name was being cheered by the crowd in ever-growing waves.
"I wonder if I should officially arrange a marriage between his granddaughter and Qingyi. He’d probably be very happy." The sect leader’s lips curved into a thoughtful smile.
He had no idea that merely proposing such an idea to Ma Zhenwu would be enough to make the old man’s heart bleed with pure sorrow.
But in the end, there was little he could do about it.
He had made a vow to the heavens, and naturally, he would have to bear all the consequences.
Qingyi remained in the arena for a few more seconds, waiting for the official declaration of his victory, before returning to his beloved Rou’er’s side.
The girl was waiting for him with eyes shining like two stars, watching her big brother and future husband as if he were the most incredible thing in the whole world.
Now, it was time for him to fight in the semifinals against Aoxue.
With a slightly bored expression and the soft, warm weight of Rou’er’s small yet deliciously sensual body nestled in his lap, Qingyi simply watched Bai Hu Lie’s next fight.
It wasn’t a long fight.
The mighty tiger’s opponent had reached that level not because he was particularly strong, but because he had been lucky enough, time and again, to be matched against weak opponents.
He was more than happy just to have made it this far, and after a few exchanges of blows with the tiger, he ended up retreating hastily, accepting defeat with nothing more than a terrible gash on his arm.
The next battle, which would determine who would face Bai Hu Lie in the semifinals, was also unimpressive.
Both combatants were great geniuses, yes, but for most of the spectators present, only Qingyi, Bai Hu Lie, and Aoxue truly mattered in that tournament.
