103 The Duel Begins

Second-tier treasures are exceedingly rare for ordinary Golden Core cultivators.

Let alone those at the Dao Foundation stage!

Only a grand sect like the Chongxuan Sect, renowned for its forging, would have the stature and boldness to present second-tier treasures as prizes, enticing disciples from various factions to compete for them.

This was a way to display the grandeur of their sect.

The Xingcang Wu family, one of the four great cultivation clans of the East Sea, boasted a long-standing heritage and profound roots.

Their clan’s treasured legacy was known as the “Jade Thunder Scripture.”

Previously, Pang Yue had heard from Luo Qingyuan that this Jade Thunder Scripture allowed one to cultivate twelve Taiyuan Immortal Capital Thunder Talismans, which could communicate with the twelve Thunder Gods of the Immortal Capitals in the mysterious realms—endowing limitless power.

It was one of the most supreme thunder techniques of the current age.

Wu Hongyu stood proudly in midair, radiant with lightning, the fluctuations of his late-stage Dao Foundation cultivation emanating without concealment.

From the Yingxian Mountain, a thread of pure white silk shot forth, circling in the air before stretching taut.

In the next instant,

the crowd saw a flash, and at the end of the white thread appeared a tall, slender figure.

"Peng Yuan of the Thousand Mechanisms Sect requests to learn from your high skill, fellow cultivator."

The tall figure was shrouded in countless spinning white silks, shifting unpredictably and eerily.

Wu Hongyu laughed aloud without wasting words, extending a finger toward Peng Yuan.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky!

Blue and white lightning intertwined like flowing water, crashing down with astounding force.

Unfazed, Peng Yuan calmly formed a hand seal, and a white thread above his head suddenly stretched straight, as if pulling something from the void.

A tortoise shell, about a zhang in length, materialized above him, blocking the lightning.

Boom!

The lightning struck the shell, erupting into dazzling light, electric serpents dancing wildly, filling the vision with blinding whiteness.

Peng Yuan’s white silks shifted again, drawing forth countless gleaming flying blades, all surging toward Wu Hongyu.

On the viewing platform,

Luo Qingyuan turned to Pang Yue and said, "The Thousand Mechanisms Sect specializes in puppet and mechanism arts, with myriad tricks. Their disciples’ combat is ever-changing, making it difficult to defend against."

Pang Yue nodded, smiling, "Every sect’s cultivation methods truly have their merits. This is indeed an eye-opening experience."

As they spoke, the two top-tier cultivators fiercely battled.

Wu Hongyu, surrounded by crackling lightning, resembled a descending Thunder God, striking lightning with every movement.

Peng Yuan, manipulating his white silks from afar, maneuvered his flying blades unpredictably—sometimes assaulting head-on, sometimes circling behind Wu Hongyu, or appearing beneath him…

Wu Hongyu wielded thunder to block each attack.

Suddenly, the flying blades converged, forming a vividly lifelike, frost-edged dragon-shaped blade, lunging at Wu Hongyu.

—

Wu Hongyu growled low, striking out a fist as a towering, majestic thunderlight phantom emerged behind him.

Instantly, his power surged severalfold, and a blinding bolt coalesced on his fist, striking heavily against the dragon blade.

Boom!

A deafening roar echoed as the thunderlight washed across the Jade Crystal Platform like flowing water.

Peng Yuan retreated swiftly, his clothes scorched black, the white silks vanished without a trace.

"Your skill is admirable, fellow cultivator. I’m impressed," Peng Yuan said, his form swaying as if pulled by an invisible rope, swiftly returning to Yingxian Mountain.

Everyone knew this was merely an initial test!

Wu Hongyu stood proudly on the Jade Crystal Platform, gazing toward Yingxian Mountain, "Is there another challenger?"

As his voice faded,

a wave of water light spread, and the roaring tide sound came from the void.

A man clad in water-blue robes, stepping on shimmering water light, emerged from Yingxian Mountain.

"Unexpectedly, Daoist Wu has already cultivated the twelve Immortal Capital Thunder Gods. I, Zhou, feel tempted to learn from you."

Such grand Golden Core gatherings were prime opportunities for disciples to showcase themselves and gain fame.

To rise in renown here meant elders and clans would value one more, tilting cultivation resources in one’s favor upon return.

Wu Hongyu smiled in reply, "I’ve long heard of the Tianhai Sect’s mighty power, invincible among peers. Today, I look forward to seeing your true strength."

Both struck almost simultaneously!

Wu Hongyu’s lightning wove into a heavy fist, tearing through the air.

The Tianhai Sect’s Zhou cultivator waved his hand, unleashing a vast shimmering water curtain, the tide roaring as it met the attack.

Tianhai Sect cultivators did not fear wasting power in combat, their momentum always overwhelming.

Back in the Tianjue Ice Domain, Yan Qichang had once withstood Hong Fen’s first-tier treasure, the Sanmei Divine Wind Fan, by sheer power alone.

Now, their exchange revealed Wu Hongyu’s true might.

Behind him appeared two majestic Thunder Gods, lightning radiant as tangible matter, his power rising again.

The overwhelming spiritual pressure caused some ordinary Dao Foundation cultivators on Yingxian Mountain to tremble in awe.

The Xingcang Wu family was resolute in securing the Purple Emperor Sword Scroll, and their defending disciple was indeed extraordinary.

On the Jade Crystal Platform, water-element true light and lightning clashed fiercely, thunder roaring, tides crashing.

Even the bright, clear daylight seemed to dim in their presence.

At the Luo family’s side, Luo Qingyuan glanced at the Luo disciples and said, "You won’t need to go up later… Whoever wins, neither is a match for you."

Pang Yue nodded, "According to the Dao Foundation’s Four Realms of Heaven, Earth, Mystery, and Yellow, both on the platform are essentially in the upper Earth realm, no less than our True Transmission disciples of the Demon Talisman Sect."

Luo Qingyuan asked, "Will you go up soon?"

Pang Yue replied, "No rush. Let’s see if any other experts appear."

—

Luo Qingyuan smiled softly, "A single second-tier treasure will surely attract many Heaven Realm experts to compete."

"Let fate decide. My Demon Talisman clone’s skills are no match for my true self. Let’s see how things unfold," Pang Yue chuckled.

He toyed with an octagonal mirror in hand, watching the battle while quietly pondering the newly learned incantation for imbuing objects with power.

This secret technique contained twenty-four inverted verses, capable of transforming ordinary spiritual materials into magical tools.

The higher the cultivator’s power, the higher the grade of the transformed artifact.

Yet this method was not the original Buddhist divine art, and at best could only produce mid-grade artifacts.

Having comprehended this song through the Innate Wuji Stele, Pang Yue gently tapped the Dingxuan Mirror three times.

The mirror trembled thrice, releasing a faint, profound aura.

To his surprise, three seals appeared spontaneously within the mirror in an instant!

It instantly became a mid-grade artifact!

Who could have imagined that these three gentle taps saved him a whole year of painstaking effort, perhaps even longer!

Unable to resist, Pang Yue tapped and poked the Dingxuan Mirror again, but it remained silent.

"Truly a bittersweet treasure!" he sighed.

Such a transcendent technique, yet it could only manifest a subtle effect—what a pity.

He could not help but yearn for the original Buddhist divine art.

Still, with the Dingxuan Mirror elevated to mid-grade artifact status, it could now exert some measure of power.

He pocketed the mirror and glanced at the Jade Crystal Platform, where the two combatants had already determined a victor.

Behind Wu Hongyu, a third Immortal Capital Thunder God appeared, its torrential thunder power rivaling the Tianhai cultivator’s, shattering the water curtain true light and winning the contest.

Pang Yue observed that such public duels were mostly restrained, with neither side truly intending to harm the other.

After the Tianhai cultivator stepped down, a Buddhist practitioner ascended.

It was a monk from Vajra Temple, one of the nine sects of the East Sea.

The monk wore coarse cloth robes and straw sandals, stepping onto the Jade Crystal Platform.

A mighty, indestructible aura, heavy as a mountain, slowly emanated from him.

All knew at once that this monk was a true heir of Vajra Temple!

Only one who had cultivated the Vajra Mingwang Art could possess such a formidable energy.