The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

Otherwise, you will regret it.

Tan Long felt a chill run down his spine under Jiang Xuan's calm gaze, and swallowed back the words of surrender that were on the tip of his tongue.

The audience around the ring, seeing Tan Long's fearful and tearful appearance before the fight, burst into laughter and disdainful boos.

"Hahaha! Look at that kid, he's about to wet his pants!"

"You think you have the guts to participate in the provincial examination?"

"Jiang Xuan's fearsome reputation is well-deserved; just his presence alone is enough to terrify his opponents!"

These sounds reached Tan Long's ears, causing his face to turn pale and then flushed.

The important figures on the platform merely shook their heads slightly, clearly dissatisfied with Tan Long's performance.

"when--!"

Just then, the bell that marked the start of the duel rang out crisply!

The moment the bell tolled, Jiang Xuan moved.

He drew the exaggeratedly shaped, wide-bladed giant sword he was carrying on his back with a backhand!

The blade was dark, yet it exuded a heavy, menacing aura, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present!
What's even more unexpected is that Tan Long, who was as timid as a quail just a second ago, is on the other side.

As the bell rang, his eyes suddenly turned sharp and fierce!
He let out a low roar and flipped his hands, revealing two heavy brass hammers in his grasp!

At the same time, his blood and qi surged, and a powerful crimson light burst forth from his body, burning fiercely.

Its aura surged several times in an instant, reaching the level of the mid-stage of the Earthly Fiend Realm!
"Jiang Xuan! Prepare to die! Crimson Sky-Shaking Hammer!"

Tan Long roared, showing no trace of his previous timidity.

His figure shot out, swinging his twin hammers, creating a terrifying gale, and the crimson light condensed into two huge hammer shadows.

They slammed down on Jiang Xuan from both the left and right!

The ferocity and speed of their attack were completely different from before!

"what?"

"This guy is faking it!"

"What a cunning brat! He's trying to lull Jiang Xuan into a false sense of security before launching a sudden attack!"

A gasp of surprise erupted from the audience, and even the important figures on the white jade platform raised their eyebrows slightly, showing their astonishment.

This Tan Long is quite interesting.

Faced with this sudden and fierce attack, Jiang Xuan remained standing still, completely motionless, as if he had been frozen in fear.

Just as the two crimson hammer shadows, imbued with terrifying power, were about to strike him, and the wind was already whipping his clothes wildly—

Jiang Xuan suddenly twisted his wrist, and the broad-mouthed giant sword was casually raised and smashed from bottom to top!
There were no dazzling sword flashes, no complicated moves, only a pure and profound burst of power!
"Bang!!!"

A deep, thunderous explosion rang out!

Under the watchful eyes of 100,000 people.

Tan Long, who was displaying his fierce skills and unleashing his ultimate technique, was sent flying backwards by Jiang Xuan's seemingly casual slash!

The crimson glow surrounding him instantly dissipated, and his twin hammers flew from his hands.

His entire body traced a pathetic arc in the air, and the blood spurting from his mouth was particularly glaring in the sunlight.

Finally, with a loud "boom," it crashed heavily onto the edge of the arena dozens of feet away, twitched twice, and then completely lost consciousness.

The entire venue, which could hold 100,000 people, fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the young man in blue robes standing on stage number 36, holding a knife.

A knife!

Just one knife!

The entire venue, which could hold 100,000 people, fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone was stunned by the battle that ended in the blink of an eye.

They anticipated that Jiang Xuan would win.

But I never expected to win so easily, so... domineeringly!
Tan Long's final burst of mid-stage Earthly Martial Realm strength was no exaggeration, and even drew gasps from many. Yet, even so, Jiang Xuan casually swatted him away like a fly with a single slash!

The difference is enormous!
After a brief silence came an uproar as loud as a landslide and a tsunami!
"One...one cut? Just one cut?!"

"My God! Tan Long's final aura was definitely at the mid-stage of the Earthly Realm! He couldn't even withstand a single move?"

"What kind of monster is Jiang Xuan?!"

"That was fast! I didn't even see how he drew his sword!"

"The other arenas are still testing the waters, but his is already over?"

Exclamations, whispers, and gasps of surprise merged into a massive wave of sound that swept across the entire venue.

The audience, who were originally paying attention to the other arenas, all turned their attention to arena number 36.

This caused the duels on the other ninety-nine arenas to instantly lose all their luster.

On the white jade platform, Dean Wei Lingzhen and General Du Dongtu exchanged a glance, both showing helpless bitter smiles.

Wei Lingzhen shook her head and sighed.

"This kid... really doesn't beat around the bush at all."

Du Dongtu stroked his chin, his eyes sharp.

"Overwhelming strength, clean and efficient, he's a good prospect, but his personality... is too eye-catching."

Prefect Liu Wujun, seated in the main seat, narrowed his deep eyes slightly as he stared at the young figure standing on the arena, holding a knife.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest unconsciously, lost in thought.

Those cultivators who had not yet taken the stage were experiencing even more complex emotions.

I witnessed Jiang Xuan's earth-shattering strike with my own eyes.

They finally understood that ordinary so-called first-rate geniuses were probably no match for Jiang Xuan at all!

To contend with him, one would need to be at least a top expert in the Earthly Realm, or even... possibly require the intervention of a Heavenly Realm expert!

An invisible pressure hangs over the hearts of many.

On the arena, Jiang Xuan slowly sheathed the giant sword behind his back.

His gaze calmly swept over the countless shocked, awe-inspiring, and complex looks from the audience.

Instead of stepping down immediately, he took a step forward.

The clear voice, transmitted through the spirit patterns embedded in the arena, resonated throughout the entire arena.

"The victory in this battle was entirely due to the sharpness of the blade in my hand."

His words stunned everyone, leaving them bewildered.

You won, so why are you praising the knife?

Just as everyone was wondering, Jiang Xuan changed the subject and continued.

"This blade was personally forged by Master Jin Yutang, a master of spirit patterns. It is incomparably sharp and will help me defeat my enemies! I hereby declare that from now on, when purchasing spirit weapons, I will only recognize Jin Yutang!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into an even more violent uproar than before!
"What? Jin Yutang?"

"Is it that old-established Jin Yu Tang in the city? Do they have such a powerful spirit pattern master?"

"So that's how it is! No wonder Jiang Xuan is so powerful; he has divine weapons to aid him!"

"What divine weapon? Are you blind? It's clearly his own terrifying strength!"
This is clearly... advertising for Jin Yutang! "Advertising on the provincial examination stage, in front of 100,000 people?!"

"This...this is outrageous! Where is the dignity of cultivators?!"

"Damn it! How could my Young Master Jiang Xuan do such a thing?!"

Some young girls in the throes of first love were heartbroken.

Wen Mingxiu, Qi Yunxiao, and the others were dumbfounded, hardly believing their ears.

Xue Shaolin, Li Hao, and other top geniuses also looked surprised, and then their expressions became very strange. It was the first time they had ever seen someone do business in such a setting.

On the white jade platform, Prefect Liu Wujun's brows furrowed instantly, his face showing displeasure.

It is indeed inappropriate to openly promote a business in such a solemn assessment setting.

But then, he seemed to realize something about the vaguely known "Master Xuan" background behind Jiang Xuan, which made him suppress the urge to reprimand him. He simply snorted and decided to observe from the sidelines.

Wei Lingzhen and Du Dongtu exchanged glances, their eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

He developed a strong interest in the owner of Jinyutang, the company that Jiang Xuan was so "enthusiastic" in promoting.

Jiang Xuan ignored the uproar and discussion below the stage. After saying these words, he walked straight off the stage.

Wherever he went, the crowd automatically parted to make way, and the gazes he cast were filled with all sorts of indescribable meanings.

There was admiration, shock, disdain, and also deep-seated fear.

He passed the first round of assessments smoothly.

But clearly, the sensation he caused went far beyond that.

I didn't linger in the bustling college grounds.

Before most people could fully react, Jiang Xuan quietly left Yanxia Academy.

Outside the academy, news of his one-hit victory and that earth-shattering "advertisement" had already spread like wildfire.

The crowd gathered outside the academy was also buzzing with discussion, and the names "Jiang Xuan" and "Jin Yutang" could be heard everywhere.

Jiang Xuan lowered his hat, avoided the crowd, and walked straight towards Jin Yutang.

Before he even got close, he saw that the area in front of Jin Yutang was already completely surrounded!
Some peered out curiously, while others engaged in heated debates.

There were even a few people who seemed to have been sent by other chambers of commerce, who were loudly accusing Jin Yutang of "showing off" and "corrupting the atmosphere" at the door.

Gu Liang was standing at the door, covered in sweat.

He smiled and bowed to those around him while trying to maintain order, his voice becoming hoarse.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet! Our shop is... closed today! We can discuss anything another day! Another day!"

Jiang Xuan watched this scene from afar, understanding the situation perfectly.

It seems that his "publicity" had an immediate effect.

Jin Yutang's reputation was now firmly established, albeit through some controversial means.

But the fact remains that his popularity has skyrocketed.

It is foreseeable that Gu Liang will face not only a surge of customers in the future.

There is likely to be even fiercer suppression and exclusion from peers.

However, Jiang Xuan believed that Gu Liang was capable enough to handle these business troubles.

His presence here would only cause more trouble.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Xuan turned and walked in another direction—the Spirit Pattern Master Commune.

He needed to ensure that Jin Yutang wouldn't be taken advantage of during the most chaotic early stages.

Upon arriving at the Spirit Pattern Master Commune, he went directly to Chu Feng.

Chu Feng had obviously heard about what happened at the assessment site, and when he saw Jiang Xuan, he had a look of bewilderment on his face.

"Brother Jiang Xuan, you've made quite a commotion again!"

Jiang Xuan smiled helplessly and stated his purpose directly.

"Brother Chu Feng, the situation at Jin Yutang is a bit complicated right now. I'm worried that some people might take advantage of the chaos to cause trouble. I'd like to ask you to send some capable people over there to help maintain order and ensure safety."

Upon hearing this, Chu Feng immediately became serious and said.

"No problem! Keep it on me."

He immediately summoned a trusted captain of the guards and whispered a few instructions to him.

The captain accepted the order and immediately gathered a team of elite guards, hurrying towards Jin Yutang's direction.

With the arrangements in place, Jiang Xuan felt somewhat relieved.

After thanking Chu Feng, he left the Spirit Pattern Master Commune.

As soon as he turned a street corner, he saw a slender figure leaning against the lantern at the alley entrance not far ahead, seemingly waiting there for a long time.

The woman was wearing a well-tailored black dress that accentuated her breathtakingly beautiful curves.

The hem of the skirt was embroidered with intricate dark gold patterns, which were faintly visible under the dim light.

Her face was charming and beautiful, and her phoenix eyes held a hint of languor and shrewdness.

It is none other than Mu Wansu, the current manager of Shidingzhai in Yanxia City.

When Mu Wansu saw Jiang Xuan, a meaningful smile appeared on her red lips as she gracefully walked forward, her voice sweet and seductive.

"Young Master Jiang Xuan, what a coincidence, we meet again."

Jiang Xuan stopped and looked at the clever woman, then calmly nodded.

"Manager Mu."

Mu Wansu walked to Jiang Xuan's side and walked alongside him naturally, as if it were just a chance encounter and casual conversation.

She turned her head, her beautiful eyes scrutinizing Jiang Xuan, her tone filled with curiosity and inquiry.

"Young Master certainly stole the show during today's provincial examination. The power of that single strike was truly astonishing. However... what intrigues Wan Su even more is why Young Master would go out of his way to promote Jin Yutang's fame on such a special occasion?"

She asked directly, but her eyes were fixed on Jiang Xuan's expression.

Jiang Xuan was not surprised by this. He knew that with Mu Wansu's good information network and shrewdness, she would definitely have noticed this matter.

He continued walking, explaining in a calm tone.

“I will never forget the life-saving grace. Boss Gu Liang of Jin Yu Tang saved my life and we are bosom friends. It is only right and proper for me to help him this time.”

He didn't elaborate on what the life-saving grace was.

But the certainty and seriousness in his tone made Mu Wansu realize that this was no exaggeration.

Mu Wansu's eyes showed understanding, then she sighed softly, her tone tinged with regret.

“I see. Young Master is a man of great loyalty and righteousness, which I admire. Speaking of which, when I first met you at the Hundred Beasts Pavilion, I felt that you were no ordinary person. I even had the idea of ​​inviting you to join my Stone Cauldron Pavilion as a specially appointed spirit pattern master. Unfortunately... it seems that your ambitions lie elsewhere.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuan simply smiled faintly and did not respond.

He really had no interest in joining any particular chamber of commerce.

Seeing this, Mu Wansu stopped pursuing the matter and changed the subject, her tone becoming more serious, with a kind reminder.

"Young master, since you have a close relationship with Boss Gu, then I, Su, will add a word to this evening. Although Jin Yu Tang is an old brand, its foundation in Yanxia City is still shallow. Most of the goods it sells are the same as those of other merchants, and it has no unique advantages. Now, by borrowing your name, young master, it may be able to gain fame and attract attention for a while."

However, to truly establish a foothold and achieve long-term success in the powerful business world of Yanxia City, mere reputation is insufficient. One must possess… unique, irreplaceable signature products to avoid cutthroat competition with established, deeply rooted businesses and carve out a path to success.

Her words pinpointed Jin Yutang's greatest weakness and the key to his future, hitting the nail on the head. (End of Chapter)