Chapter 284: Chapter 284: I Admire Only Two People
"Flying Star Spear Method, third move, Stars Fighting in the Wilderness!"
Li Hanshan focused his spirit, his Yuan Qi surging even more violently around him. The long silver spear in his hands, like a raging Jiao Dragon from the sea, roared and thrashed, tearing the air apart as it transformed into a dazzling beam of starlight, piercing toward Luo Feng’s chest.
The fierce wind pressure forced Luo Feng to narrow his eyes. He hid the Tiger Soul Saber behind his back and also let out a deep roar.
"Breaking Sky Fist!"
HUM!
It seemed as if a thunderclap exploded in Luo Feng’s Dantian. The Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi within a radius of several zhang poured into his left fist, forming a saber-shaped Qi Force.
The saber-shaped Qi Force, seemingly corporeal and radiating a sharp aura, carried an overwhelmingly destructive punch as it collided with Li Hanshan’s silver spear.
RUMBLE!
Amidst the deafening blast, a whirlwind erupted around the two fighters, tearing countless cracks in the ground. Rings of shockwaves, like giant tsunamis, violently battered the surroundings, creating an eerily ferocious scene.
Some martial artists with relatively lower cultivation levels standing around the square couldn’t help but furrow their brows.
The disturbance in the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi caused by the clash of the two combatants made the Yuan Qi within their own bodies grow restless.
CRACKLE. CRACKLE.
Wherever the shockwaves passed, the air vibrated and the ground shattered, sending large cracks spreading out in all directions with tremendous momentum.
"Such terrifying Qi Force!"
The elders of Changxin Academy, who were guarding the square, were all moved. They acted in unison, thrusting out their palms to create a wall of Gang Qi, blocking the rampant shockwaves. Instantly, layers of ripples appeared on the transparent Gang Qi wall.
The moment Luo Feng and Li Hanshan collided, they both slid backward.
"Slaughter Qi as Sword!"
While still in mid-air, Luo Feng flipped his wrist, and the Tiger Soul Saber slashed out.
WHOOSH!
The blade gleamed with a black Gang Qi. A thick, black Saber Qi shot out explosively. The powerful Saber Intent was so devastating that wherever it passed, the air itself seemed to be split in two, as if it could shatter anything in its path.
Sensing the extraordinary nature of this slash, Li Hanshan furrowed his brows slightly. Deep within his eyes, a sharp, cold light glinted, and his body spiraled into the air.
"Flying Star Spear Method, Fifth Move, Star Crossing the Milky Way!"
With a cold shout, Li Hanshan channeled all his Yuan Qi into the silver spear. In an instant, man and spear seemed to merge, transforming into an astonishingly fierce spear glow that ruthlessly struck the massive Saber Qi.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The Qi Forces collided, exploding continuously. Both the Saber Qi and the spear glow shattered in an instant.
BOOM!
Li Hanshan’s Protective Gang Energy was struck by the colossal remnant force of the Saber Qi, and he was sent flying backward. The moment his feet touched the ground, his face flushed red, and a trickle of crimson blood escaped the corner of his mouth.
"Incredible! Li Hanshan actually got hurt! That move he just used was Star Crossing the Milky Way, the fifth style, and Luo Feng broke it so easily!"
"Grand Momentum is truly extraordinary! And this is just an entry-level Grand Momentum. If Luo Feng’s Grand Momentum were complete, Li Hanshan would probably have been defeated by that last strike."
"It looks like Li Hanshan has reached his limit. He probably won’t be able to block Luo Feng’s next move."
"Even Young Master Hanshan, ranked second among the Four Young Masters, is no match for Luo Feng. His strength is truly terrifying!"
"He’s even younger than Li Hanshan! To have such achievements at his age is truly exceptional!"
Witnessing Li Hanshan being injured by Luo Feng’s blade, everyone was utterly shocked.
"Grand Momentum is indeed extraordinary! However, I, Li Hanshan, will not admit defeat so easily!"
Instead of diminishing, Li Hanshan’s aura surged even higher despite his injury. The fighting spirit in his eyes blazed like a raging fire, growing ever more intense.
Suddenly, the space around Li Hanshan trembled violently. The Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi within the entire square swirled into an inverted funnel, madly pouring into his body.
At this moment, Li Hanshan’s clothes billowed as if in a strong wind, and his aura skyrocketed, quickly surpassing his previous peak. Standing there, gripping his spear, his presence was overwhelming.
Under the immense pressure, Li Hanshan had actually surpassed his own limits! His cultivation advanced further, reaching the peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm!
"Li Hanshan broke through!"
"It seems Luo Feng’s appearance put a lot of pressure on him. The peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm! Tsk tsk, Red Maple Lead has another peak Eightfold Hell Realm expert among its Four Young Masters."
"Luo Feng’s luck is terrible. He was on the verge of victory, and Li Hanshan breaks through at the critical moment. Now he has no chance of winning."
"Indeed. Based on their previous exchange, their strengths weren’t too far apart. Now that Li Hanshan has advanced his cultivation, it will be difficult for Luo Feng to defeat him."
Everyone present was astonished by this scene.
Some shook their heads slightly, feeling a touch of pity for Luo Feng.
"For Li Hanshan to break through at a time like this, it’s practically cheating!" Zi Yuan pouted, her pretty face showing her displeasure as she looked at Li Hanshan’s soaring aura.
He Qin shook her head slightly and said, "It can’t be helped. Luck is also a part of strength."
Bing Ruolan nodded. "I once read about an encounter between two Spiritual Rotation Realm masters. One was distracted for a mere instant by a sudden clap of thunder and was immediately killed."
In a nearby pavilion, Qin Honglie stared fixedly at Luo Feng, a cold sneer on his face. "Peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm! Luo Feng, you’re doomed this time!"
Although Qin Honglie also disliked Li Hanshan, he relished the thought of seeing Luo Feng brutally defeated and vomiting blood even more.
"Luo Feng, it seems your luck is truly rotten. I’ve won this spar!"
As his cultivation surged through the breakthrough, Li Hanshan’s aura became terrifyingly immense. He was surrounded by a golden glow, akin to a galaxy hanging deep and vast in the highest heavens, exuding a frightening pressure.
WHOOSH!
Li Hanshan suddenly raised his spear and charged towards Luo Feng. With each step he took, a clear footprint was imprinted on the ground, and the golden light surrounding him intensified.
By the time he reached Luo Feng, the dazzling golden radiance around him had transformed into a violent, golden hurricane.
"Annihilation Star Storm!"
Gazing at Luo Feng, Li Hanshan gripped his silver spear with both hands and thrust it forward.
WHIRR...
The golden hurricane shrouding Li Hanshan shot out with the silver spear, transforming into a conical tempest.
Wherever the tempest passed, the ground instantly turned to dust, as if countless sharp blades had minced it into fine powder.
In the face of this unprecedentedly powerful attack, Luo Feng’s Dantian thundered. The chaotic air around him shimmered; it seemed as if electric bolts danced beside him, his momentum escalating layer by layer.
Li Hanshan’s unexpected breakthrough spurred Luo Feng to unleash his full strength as well.
In an instant, an intense wave of Yuan Qi erupted from his body, even stronger than Li Hanshan’s.
Everyone stared wide-eyed, watching this scene in stunned silence.
"Peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm! Luo Feng is also at the peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm cultivation!" Zi Yuan gasped, covering her rosy lips with her small hand, her face a mask of astonishment.
Just moments ago, witnessing Li Hanshan’s breakthrough to the peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm, Zi Yuan had worried Luo Feng would be defeated. She had never imagined that Luo Feng had also reached the peak of the Eightfold Hell Realm! Judging by those surging Yuan Qi waves, Luo Feng’s cultivation seemed even more stable than Li Hanshan’s; he must have broken through long ago.
"’Slash!’"
Luo Feng unleashed his full power. As he stepped forward, the saber glint in his eyes was so intense it seemed tangible, stinging the eyes of all who looked.
The square echoed with roars like that of a tiger, and his imposing aura swept in all directions. Gripping his saber in one hand, Luo Feng slashed through the air!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A wave of Strong Qi swept through the square, followed by the sound of many blades being drawn from their sheaths as numerous martial artists involuntarily drew their own weapons.
Although Luo Feng was clearly attacking Li Hanshan, the martial artists around the square felt as if that very blade was aimed at them!
Zhu Huo, the headmaster of Ivy School, snorted coldly. With a wave of his hand, an invisible pressure swept out, instantly dissipating the oppressive feeling in everyone’s hearts. The martial artists exchanged sheepish glances and sat down again, ashamed.
BOOM!
Although Luo Feng’s strike was not extravagant, its momentum was incredibly domineering. The pitch-black blade aura stretched over a dozen meters. When it slashed down, the air was compressed into visible ripples, as if it had become liquid.
HUM!
The blade aura and spear image collided. In the next instant, the massive golden spear image was torn apart from the middle, and the blade aura landed heavily on the silver spear in Li Hanshan’s hands.
BOOM!
Li Hanshan felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He was sent flying backward, his feet gouging two deep trenches in the ground, extending all the way to the edge of the square before he finally stopped.
PFFT!
The moment he steadied himself, Li Hanshan spat out a mouthful of blood. Unable to remain standing, he supported himself with his spear, half-kneeling on the ground.
His hands were drenched in blood. The silver spear was embedded in the ground three paces from him, its shaft buried deep, leaving only about six inches of the spear’s tail quivering slightly.
Without needing to be told, an elder from Changxin Academy immediately flew over, took out a medicinal pill, and had Li Hanshan consume it.
After swallowing the pill, some color returned to Li Hanshan’s face.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Li Hanshan looked up at Luo Feng and said, "You are very strong! Among all the geniuses of my generation I’ve met, only two have earned my admiration. You are one of them. I, Li Hanshan, am utterly convinced of my defeat!"
"It was just a fluke," Luo Feng said with a smile, sheathing his Tiger Soul Saber.
He actually felt some admiration for Li Hanshan. The man knew how to accept defeat gracefully, a stark contrast to Qin Honglie, who couldn’t even admit his losses. In this, Li Hanshan was far superior.
Li Hanshan shook his head, his gaze burning as he looked at Luo Feng. "You don’t need to be modest. If you hadn’t withdrawn your Yuan Qi at the last moment, I wouldn’t be able to stand right now. Besides, I can tell you weren’t fighting with all your strength."
As he spoke, Li Hanshan coughed up another mouthful of blood.
Although Luo Feng had retracted his power in time, the residual force of that strike was still considerable, and Li Hanshan had already suffered injuries to his meridians.
Luo Feng rubbed his nose. He had indeed held back, at least not fully unleashing his Grand Momentum.
Remembering Li Hanshan’s earlier words, Luo Feng suddenly asked, "You said there are two people you admire. I wonder, who is the other one?"
A sharp glint flashed in Li Hanshan’s eyes, and a look of reverence appeared on his face. He took a deep breath and said, "The First Young Master, Young Master Haitang!"
Luo Feng’s mind stirred. Young Master Haitang! He then asked, "You’ve fought against her? How strong is she?"
"Very strong!"
Li Hanshan uttered these two words, then gave a bitter smile and said slowly, "It’s rather shameful to admit, but when I fought her, I only lasted four moves before being soundly defeated. So, I don’t actually know her true strength. You’ll understand when you meet her..."
Luo Feng nodded. Some geniuses truly stand out; their exceptional aura is discernible at a glance.
To be able to defeat Li Hanshan in just four moves... this Young Master Haitang was indeed remarkable!