From absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to achieving divine mastery in martial arts

As the competition progressed, the real monsters began to bare their fangs.

The highly anticipated Shang Jue and Yan Shuang also made their moves, leaping onto the arena.

The appearance of these two instantly brought the atmosphere on the field to a climax.

After their strength was revealed, everyone had to admit that they were true "prodigies," with a clear lead over the previous contestants.

Shang Jue stood on the arena and unleashed the long-lost external martial art, "Hun Yuan Jin Shen".

He neither dodged nor yielded, letting his opponent's punches and kicks strike his body, which produced a crisp, metallic clang.

He not only cultivated an invulnerable martial art, but also mastered the extremely profound martial art "Great Monument-Smashing Hand".

Faced with his opponent's frenzied attacks, he simply made a casual move that seemed ordinary, but in fact contained terrifying power. Basically, within three moves, his opponent would drop his weapon, experience a surge of blood and qi, and be blasted off the stage.

In the end, he didn't even have to lift a finger; his opponents surrendered the moment they saw his inhuman defensive power.

"The Primordial Golden Body?"

Hearing the exclamations from the crowd and witnessing Shang Jue's indestructible body that withstood the heavy blows unscathed, Cang Lian's pupils contracted slightly, and a trace of fervor and desire involuntarily flashed deep in his eyes.

Only at this moment did he truly understand the greedy feeling Shang Jue had when facing "Tiger and Leopard Thunder Sound"—who wouldn't be tempted by the good things in the world?

In the path of martial arts, the main focus is on cultivating "qi" and "blood," while the forging of physical strength is often just a secondary tempering.

However, in a real life-or-death struggle, things can change in an instant. Once your energy is exhausted and your spirit is depleted, even if you are a terrestrial immortal, you will not escape becoming a lamb to the slaughter.

However, if at this time you also possess a set of martial arts skills that make you invulnerable to swords and spears, it means that you have a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation.

Often, it is this extra trump card that is enough to turn the tide in a life-or-death situation and turn defeat into victory!

"This is really good stuff, I wish I could get my hands on some..."

Cang Lian stared at Shang Jue's figure, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, his eyes gleaming!

On the other hand, Yan Shuang's fighting style was even more bizarre, and even made people feel a chill down their spine.

She stood on the ring, her figure slender, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.

However, whenever her opponent roared and charged at her, her punch would inexplicably stop or deviate at the last moment, and her eyes would momentarily become unfocused.

With just a gentle push, Yan Shuang sent her opponent crashing to the ground.

"A psychopath... or a master of hypnosis."

Cang Lian's pupils contracted slightly in the audience.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that those below the Transformation Realm were virtually helpless against mental attacks like hypnosis.

Unless you possess an equally strong will, you simply cannot resist it.

Only when one breaks through to the Transformation Realm, and the spirit, blood, and body of the whole body are perfectly integrated, becoming one, like the blazing sun scorching the sky, making it impossible for gloom to invade.

The effectiveness of purely hypnotic psychological attacks would be greatly reduced.

Soon, it was Cang Lian's turn to appear again.

This time, his opponent was named Su Lang, a direct descendant of the Su family in the capital.

"Clang!"

As soon as Su Lang stepped onto the stage, he drew the long sword from his back.

The sword was as sharp as autumn water, exuding a chilling aura; it was a divine weapon that could cut through iron like mud!

"Cang Lian, your good luck has run out." Su Lang flicked his wrist, and sword flowers rained down like raindrops.

This battle was extremely difficult for Cang Lian.

Su Lang was at the peak of his internal strength, not only was his realm a level higher than Su Lang's, but his divine weapon was also incomparably sharp, forcing Cang Lian to be unable to get close at all.

Even with the "Dragon's Shocking Transformation" movement technique, Cang Lian's clothes were torn in several places, putting him in grave danger.

In the Tian Shu Pavilion, an elderly man dressed in Tang suit stroked his beard and smiled. He was none other than Su Wangnan, a senior member of the Guowu Hall.

"Hehe, it seems the outcome of this match is already decided. My Su Lang's 'Frost Sword' was forged by a master craftsman. Combined with the Su family's swordsmanship, this brat named Cang Lian will surely be defeated within a hundred moves."

On the arena, a hint of impatience flashed in Su Lang's eyes: "Let's end this!"

His blood and qi erupted, and his longsword transformed into a streak of light, piercing straight for Cang Lian's throat. This sword blocked all of Cang Lian's escape routes!

"die!"

Just as the sword tip was less than three inches from Cang Lian's throat, and everyone thought Cang Lian was doomed to defeat.

Cang Lian suddenly looked up, a glint of light flashing in her eyes!

A mental shock!

Even though Su Lang was from a prominent family and had taken a secret medicine to enhance his spiritual power, he was still no match for Cang Lian's immense spiritual power, which had been strengthened by the Heaven and Earth Pearl.

Su Lang felt as if his consciousness had been momentarily obscured by a blank sheet of paper, and his originally sharp sword strikes froze.

Although he immediately regained consciousness.

But when masters clash, that one moment of pause can be the difference between life and death!

"break!"

Instead of retreating, Cang Lian advanced, dodging the sword's edge, and crashed into Su Lang's arms like a cannonball.

Head-on!

"Bang!"

A muffled thud, accompanied by the sound of a sternum cracking.

Su Lang was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily off the stage, his divine weapon falling to the ground with a clang.

The entire room fell silent.

"What happened? How did we suddenly lose?"

This scene not only caused Elder Su Wangnan to stand up in astonishment, almost knocking over his teacup, but also surprised the other elders and the high-ranking officials in the stands, who looked at each other in bewilderment.

That scene happened so fast that no one had time to see it clearly before the battle was over.

"This is... Cang Lian just seized that opening?" Zhuang Heng, Xu Wenzhou and the others also frowned, not understanding the key point, because it was too fast, and they all looked at Chu Zhaoxue in confusion.

Chu Zhaoxue did not speak, but simply looked at the arena calmly.

Only Yan Zhan, upon seeing this scene, lingered his gaze on Cang Lian for a moment, a thoughtful glint in his eyes, as if he had seen through something.

In a corner of the audience, Shang Jue watched this scene, his brow furrowing: "Su Lang has lost? Was it because of that strange movement technique? Or... was he hiding some strength?"

On the other side, Yan Shuang looked at Cang Lian walking down, and a serious look finally appeared in her originally calm eyes.

At this moment, Cang Lian finally caught her eye and was temporarily designated as another true opponent besides Shang Jue.

Then, Shang Jue and Yan Shuang made their move again, and their battle was once again a foregone conclusion, with Shang Jue crushing Yan Shuang to victory like a bulldozer.

Ultimately, after three rounds of intense elimination matches, only four people remained in the Dark Strength group.

They are Shang Jue, Yan Shuang, the biggest "dark horse" Cang Lian, and Luo Xing, a scion of a prominent family with an extraordinary background.

"The first match of the semifinals: Cang Lian versus Yan Shuang!"

As the steward finished speaking, two figures appeared almost simultaneously in the center of the arena.

"please!"

Yan Shuang offered a greeting with one hand, and before she finished speaking, a strange ripple suddenly appeared in her beautiful eyes.

Psychological shock, hypnosis!

However, the scene that I had imagined—a woman with dazed eyes, completely at someone's mercy—did not happen.

His clear, bright eyes stared at her coldly. The hypnotic power that pierced her soul vanished without a trace when it touched the vast and pure spiritual power within his mind.

The next instant, Yan Shuang lunged forward, her fair, jade-like hand transforming into a grappling technique, viciously gripping Cang Lian's throat.

Snapped!

Cang Lian reacted swiftly, raising her hand to intercept the incoming palm strike, steadily deflecting it.

With arms crossed, a powerful energy emanates from them.

Using the momentum, Yan Shuang floated back several meters, a look of surprise appearing on her face for the first time: "As expected, I guessed right, you're also a psychic!"

"Likewise." Cang Lian flicked his wrist, his gaze falling on Yan Shuang.

Yan Shuang snorted coldly and stopped holding back.

She suddenly shifted her body and launched a fierce attack.

Her moves are extremely dangerous close-quarters grappling techniques, with each strike targeting vital joints.

Cang Lian's several heavy punches landed on her, but it felt as if he had hit a ball of tough cotton, and most of his force was dissipated.

"A soft armor that can withstand the penetration of internal force?" Cang Lian's gaze sharpened. This woman was actually wearing a precious armor that could resist the penetration of internal force!

"Not only that!" A cold glint flashed in Yan Shuang's eyes, and as her mental power exploded, three silver beams suddenly shot out from her waist!

Those were three willow-leaf throwing knives, as thin as cicada wings!

At this moment, Yan Shuang revealed her true terrifying nature—the dual cultivation of martial arts and mental power.

She used her grappling skills to entangle and control Cang Lian, while simultaneously manipulating three throwing knives to draw strange arcs in the air, sealing off all of Cang Lian's escape routes.

laugh!laugh!

The throwing knife is a specially made divine weapon, incredibly sharp, emitting a piercing whistle even when it merely grazes the air.

Cang Lian's body twisted wildly like a swimming dragon, but the three flying knives were like a leech, grazing his neck and eyeballs several times, putting him in grave danger.

"Her mental strength is far superior to Su Lang's," Cang Lian thought with a chill.

We can't delay any longer!

Facing such a formidable enemy who is fully armed and uses unpredictable tactics, hiding one's strengths is tantamount to courting death.

Cang Lian took a deep breath, and a vast amount of spiritual power surged into her sleeve like a bursting river.

"go!"

Without any warning, five barely perceptible cold glints instantly tore through the air!

Those are five specially made steel needles!

Compared to the imposing force of Yan Shuang's flying daggers, Cang Lian's steel needles are faster, more ruthless, and more concealed!

With the support of Cang Lian's terrifying mental power, the five steel needles moved at an alarming speed, emitting an extremely subtle yet chilling popping sound.

too fast!

Yan Shuang only felt a blur before her eyes, and didn't even have time to mobilize her throwing knife to defend herself.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The four soft sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

"Hmm!"

Yan Shuang groaned, feeling a sharp pain in her wrists and knees as the four steel needles pierced her, instantly severing her ability to move.

Her body went limp, and she collapsed to her knees. The three throwing knives in the air also lost control and crashed to the ground.

At that moment, the final glint of cold light arrived!

"don't want--!!!"

On the stands, Yan Zhan, who had always been as calm as a mountain, suddenly stood up, his body erupting with qi, even shattering the chair behind him.

Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared intently at the stage.

There was a deathly silence on the arena.

The fifth steel needle did not pierce Yan Shuang's skull, but hovered quietly between her eyebrows, just a hair's breadth away from her skin.

The sharp needle tip stung Yan Shuang, causing a bead of cold sweat to seep from between her brows.

If the needle had gone just one more inch, this proud young woman would have perished.

Cang Lian slowly lowered her fingers, and the suspended steel needle returned to her hand.

"You flatter me." Cang Lian bowed slightly, his voice calm.

He was very careful in his actions, and the four needles inserted into Yan Shuang's wrist and leg avoided her major tendons and blood vessels, only temporarily restricting her mobility without causing permanent damage.

Yan Shuang's face was pale. She looked at the steel needle on her wrist, then at Cang Lian, whose expression was calm. The shock in her eyes lingered for a long time.

Whether it was speed, penetrating power, or the micro-management of mental energy, her opponent completely overwhelmed her.

"Your mental strength... is actually a notch stronger than mine."

Yan Shuang bit her lip. Although she felt extremely unwilling, the facts were right in front of her.

"There are always people more skilled than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Thank you for going easy on me, but in this round... I've lost!"

Although she was proud, she could accept defeat gracefully and readily admitted it without any hesitation.

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