The crowd was in an uproar.
Chen Jiuyang's full-powered combat strength made their blood boil.
Was this the peak of the younger generation of martial artists in Asia?
Only twenty-three years old!
Chen Jiuyang sat in the waiting area, his calm demeanor hiding his inner struggle.
After slaying Mi Tuo, the life essence devoured by the Yan Sheng Saber exceeded Chen Jiuyang's imagination.
Chen Jiuyang's internal life essence was so abundant that it could no longer push his cultivation forward even by an inch.
So much life essence filled him that Chen Jiuyang felt a slight, dull ache.
Only now did his combat strength reach his absolute limit.
One more step forward, and he would break the Universal Heavenly Lock and step into the Heavenly Realm!
With Yuan Dao Chi Jie Jian Jin, Sui Yu Dao Yi, and Han Hai, his combat strength was enough to rival that of the Heavenly Realm.
If he were to unleash Fa Xian, could he contend with the Heavenly Realm now?
Upon returning to Dragon Country, he would have to find a way to shatter the Universal Heavenly Lock.
On the arena.
Staff were quickly clearing the aftermath and setting up a new stage.
Half an hour later.
Sakurai Sambu and Yamato Hanato stepped onto the stage.
Sakurai Sambu wore a samurai outfit, with two slender katana at his waist. His appearance was stern, and he was in his early thirties. He looked at Yamato Hanato and said, "Surrender to me."
"Yes." Yamato Hanato respectfully cupped his fists, then slowly retreated from the stage.
"..."
The referee announced, "Sakurai Sambu wins."
Sakurai Sambu and Yamato Hanato were both warriors from Higashi, and from any angle, their fight was unlikely to happen.
Thus.
The contenders for the championship and runner-up were decided.
Dragon Country's Chen Jiuyang against Higashi's Sakurai Sambu.
The Martial Rankings Committee announced, "The Asian Martial Rankings finals will be held tomorrow."
The Asian Martial Rankings World Championship, held for consecutive days, was finally drawing to a close.
Only the final battle awaited tomorrow.
The three countries that would represent Asia in the World Martial Rankings were also almost confirmed.
Dragon Country, Higashi, and Yin Shen Country.
Almost all continental martial rankings across the globe were concluding.
...
Back in the lounge.
Chen Jiuyang and the other four sat together at a table.
Ye Tiannan had returned to normal.
Yan Hongming said, "That Sakurai Sambu is extremely fast, and his saber intent is perfected. In terms of combat strength, perhaps only you, Jiuyang, can directly clash with Sakurai Sambu."
"His saber is not only fast, but its power is also incredibly formidable."
"King Qian and Sakurai Sambu should be evenly matched, and the rest is hard to tell."
After Chen Jiuyang's full-powered display against Mi Tuo, the fact that everyone considered Chen Jiuyang and Sakurai Sambu to be evenly matched showed that Sakurai Sambu's strength was indeed not weak.
"King Qian, you must give your all in this battle!" The Sword Bearer of Longjing said, "King Yan of that year narrowly lost at this step, preventing him from advancing to the True King Heavenly Realm."
"If you defeat Sakurai Sambu and win the championship, our Dragon Country's destiny will surely become even stronger, and you will also fulfill King Yan's regret from that year."
Upon hearing this, Yan Hongming's expression tensed.
The reputation of Dragon Country's King Yan was renowned worldwide. His only regret in life was failing to win the championship in the Asian Martial Rankings sixty years ago, thereby failing to seize more national destiny and advance to the Heavenly Realm in the True King mode. Otherwise, history and the subsequent landscape would have changed drastically.
When a person stands at the forefront of an era, every action they take has a profound impact.
It took thousands of years for Dragon Country's martial destiny to produce someone like King Yan, what immense praise!
Chen Jiuyang couldn't help but ask, "King Yan walked a different path, but I don't know which path he took."
The Sword Bearer of Longjing said mysteriously, "I cannot reveal that."
"In these years, the northern border of Dragon Country has been the most peaceful, but King Yan's presence there allowed him to focus wholeheartedly on martial arts. Judging by his repelling that old monster from the Lotus Sect in Yin Shen Country, it should not be far off."
Chen Jiuyang's heart trembled, and he couldn't help but ask, "What level of martial cultivation does that old monster from the Lotus Sect possess?"
"Forget it..." The Sword Bearer of Longjing hesitated for a long time before saying, "That old monster from the Lotus Sect is a Half-Step Emperor Realm..."
"Hiss!"
Chen Jiuyang's scalp tingled, and he couldn't help but gasp.
That old monster from the Lotus Sect was actually a Half-Step Emperor Realm, this news was too astonishing.
From this, one could imagine... wouldn't King Yan's strength be close to the Emperor Realm?
Chen Jiuyang's heart trembled.
It was known that those who were sealed as Heavenly Kings were destined to be confined to the Heavenly Realm for life.
But King Yan was able to reach this point, truly forging a different path to avoid this rule's constraints?
King Yan truly deserved to be the one person born from Dragon Country's thousands of years of martial destiny. Such talent, even Chen Jiuyang, had never imagined.
Seeing Chen Jiuyang's shocked expression, the Sword Bearer of Longjing said, "King Qian, you don't need to be like this. With your talent, you are comparable to the second King Yan."
"King Yan and you walk different paths."
"King Yan also wanted to walk the path you are taking, but after all calculations, he was ultimately a little short."
"Whether you can continue King Yan's path rests on you, King Qian."
"Tomorrow's battle is very important."
Chen Jiuyang took a deep breath, and after a moment, calmly said, "I understand. I will do my best to win tomorrow's battle."
The Sword Bearer of Longjing nodded slowly.
Then Chen Jiuyang found Han Peiling and said, "Old Ancestor, that old monster from the Lotus Sect is a Half-Step Emperor Realm expert."
Martial cultivation divisions.
Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, Venerable, Emperor, Divine, Immortal, Dao.
Han Peiling slowly shook his head and said, "However, her combat strength is only at the Venerable Realm level."
"The Earth Realm is divided into six stages, the Heaven Realm into nine, and the Venerable Realm into twelve. That old monster from the Lotus Sect stands at the thirteenth level of the Venerable Realm."
"Earth Intent, Heavenly Might, Venerable Law, Emperor Dao."
"She stole the Dao fruit rules of an Emperor, allowing herself eternal life, but her combat strength is not that strong."
"Don't worry, I can hold off that old hag."
"You just need to focus on the competition. You don't need to worry about the rest."
Han Peiling's words put Chen Jiuyang at ease.
The next morning.
The highly anticipated Asian Martial Rankings championship and runner-up battle, the finals, arrived!
To emerge from one country and then participate in a continental martial rankings competition, any slip-up or minor loss would mean missing this opportunity.
Dragon Country's Chen Jiuyang and Higashi's Sakurai Sambu were both top young experts who had fought their way here step by step.
The arena had been expanded several times.
Chen Jiuyang and Sakurai Sambu slowly stepped onto the stage, each holding their saber.
On the arena, Sakurai Sambu looked at Chen Jiuyang and said sternly, "You are very strong."
"Even King Yan sixty years ago was not as strong as you are now."
"If you were five years older, I might not be your opponent."
"But it's a pity, there are no 'ifs'."
After witnessing Chen Jiuyang's full-powered burst yesterday, Sakurai Sambu still dared to say such words to Chen Jiuyang, indicating his own strength was also formidable.
Chen Jiuyang's expression was calm. "You think you can defeat me and win the championship."
"Indeed." Sakurai Sambu nodded.
Chen Jiuyang smiled slightly, slowly raised his head, and said calmly and casually:
"Then let us fight."
"If I do not win this battle, I would rather die!"