"Ah!"
The young man in the blue robe let out a long howl, spitting out large mouthfuls of blood, his aura weak and feeble.
But then, flames surged all over his body, burning fiercely.
"Escape quickly!"
The other three, their faces drained of color in terror, turned and fled. Though they were confident in their ability to self-detonate, none possessed the decisiveness of the young man in the blue robe.
Rumble...
A patch of dark clouds abruptly appeared in the sky, accompanied by lightning, thunder, wind, and rain.
"Hahaha, you will all die!"
The young man in the blue robe roared at the heavens. His true qi surged, and he somehow condensed the immense spiritual energy gathered from heaven and earth into a colossal sphere of crimson material several yards high. Then, with a thunderous explosion, it erupted into a torrent of flames that swept in all directions, instantly engulfing the entire mountain forest.
This was the most formidable technique of a martial artist—self-detonation!
Self-detonation was a terrifying attack, where a martial artist, on the brink of death, used all their vital blood and primal spirit to condense it into a powerful force. Its might was astonishing, capable of earth-shattering destruction.
"No..."
"Spare me!"
"I am unwilling!"
...
Countless wails echoed through the sky, but they were abruptly cut short.
Amidst the sea of flames, crackling sounds could be heard, as if something was shattering, or perhaps, as if something was being rebuilt.
Rumble...
In the sky, dark clouds churned, thunder boomed, and the rain poured down.
"This..."
Staring at the fire sea in the sky, which was shrinking and gradually dissipating, Zhou Yan stood frozen in place.
"I... I won?"
"These guys are all dead?"
He was stunned, unable to fully process what had happened.
He had been prepared to fight to the death, but he never expected the young man in the blue robe to choose such a foolish path.
"Hoo~"
After a long while, he finally took a deep breath, exhaled the stale air, and a flicker of excitement and exhilaration flashed in his eyes.
This trial had enlightened him to the true meaning of cultivation and brought about immense improvement.
From this day forward, he no longer needed to be timid or fear being ambushed by others.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan frowned and looked into the distance, where two figures were rapidly approaching.
They were two young women, around seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in green robes, with delicate and beautiful appearances, their skin smooth and their features exquisite.
Their strength was not weak, both having reached the ninth level of Body Tempering.
"It's you?"
Zhou Yan's brow furrowed as he recognized them. They were Liu Yan'er, whom he had seen in the trial grounds, and another person—a man in green.
This man in green was powerful, his strength already surpassing the ninth level of Body Tempering.
"What? You dare kill a fellow disciple, an elder sister?"
Liu Yan'er sneered, her eyes chilling.
At this moment, the two of them had finally caught up to the battle.
"Hmph, enough talk, take your life!"
Hearing this, Zhou Yan's eyes narrowed, and he chuckled coldly before charging forward.
Swish swish swish...
In an instant, his palms flew, and his finger-qi erupted like a sword.
Immediately, several streaks of finger-qi pierced the air, heading towards Liu Yan'er's delicate body, sharp and domineering.
"How dare you!"
The green-robed man beside her roared, stomping forward with a sudden surge and unleashing a punch.
Bang!
The void trembled, and the air was compressed, emitting a fierce hum.
With a muffled thud, Zhou Yan's finger-qi was shattered by the punch, scattering into streams of light that drifted away.
"So strong!"
Zhou Yan's expression shifted slightly, a sense of surprise in his heart.
This green-robed man's strength was far superior to those who had come before.
He could feel that the opponent possessed a special bloodline, granting him formidable physical strength, even greater than his own.
"Kneel!"
The green-robed man shouted coldly, stomping his right foot and shooting out like a cannonball, stomping heavily onto Zhou Yan's chest.
Crack!
Zhou Yan was sent flying backward, his chest caving in, ribs broken, and blood spewing from his mouth.
"Heh, with your meager strength, you dare come to this desolate wilderness? You truly are tired of living."
The green-robed man glanced at Zhou Yan with a sneer.
At this moment, his strength was sufficient to rival a martial apprentice at the peak of Body Tempering. Zhou Yan, merely at the ninth level of Body Tempering, was insignificant in his eyes.
"Who exactly are you?"
Zhou Yan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gritting his teeth.
"You are not worthy of knowing!"
The green-robed man shook his head, adopting an arrogant stance.
"Hmph!"
Hearing this, Zhou Yan was instantly enraged.
He was a proud disciple of the Martial Venerable, how could he possibly endure such humiliation?
The next moment, a dazzling purple-gold light erupted from his body.
"You court death!"
The green-robed man's expression shifted slightly. He snorted and kicked towards Zhou Yan's head.
Boom!
Instead of retreating, Zhou Yan lunged forward, meeting the kick with a punch.
This punch contained all his pent-up hatred and resentment.
Bang!
Fist met foot with a dull thud.
Stomp, stomp, stomp...
The green-robed man's body trembled violently, and he staggered back three steps. With each step, the ground beneath his feet cracked, revealing the immense power his feet were bearing.
"Hiss..."
The green-robed man gasped, a look of horror in his eyes: "Your strength..."
"Heh, you thought I was a pushover?"
Zhou Yan sneered, his gaze chilling.
Earlier, he had deliberately hidden his strength, appearing to be only at the ninth level of Body Tempering, but he had actually used the "Star Devouring Demonic Technique."
"Hmph, no matter how strong your power is, you will still not be my opponent."
The green-robed man's face turned ashen, and a murderous intent burned in his eyes. Zhou Yan's revealed potential made him wary; if allowed to grow, he would surely become a serious threat in the future.
"Slash!"
He grunted and drew his sword, cleaving through the air.
Swish!
The sword's energy blazed, carrying a chilling aura, cutting through the void and aimed at Zhou Yan's neck.
Clang!
The next moment, Zhou Yan raised his hand to block, deflecting the sword's energy. His body remained motionless.
"Hm?"
The green-robed man raised an eyebrow, his pupils contracting.
This sharp blade could easily cut through iron and was incredibly keen. Even ordinary weapons would be easily severed by it.
Yet, it could not harm Zhou Yan in the slightest?
"This saber..."
Zhou Yan touched his nose, a hint of confusion on his face.
He had blocked the sword's energy with his left arm just now, feeling only a slight sting, but no injury whatsoever.
"Could it be because my 'Star Devouring Demonic Technique' has reached its perfect stage?"
He was somewhat surprised.
According to ancient texts, this technique only possessed such an effect in its first level. With continuous cultivation, the physical body would become increasingly robust, as if forged from profound iron.
However, this technique was long lost, with only a few fragmented records remaining. He was not entirely sure of its specifics.
"Damn it, to possess such a treasure for protection?"
Seeing Zhou Yan standing unharmed, Liu Yan'er's pretty face changed, a flicker of jealousy in her heart.
"Heh heh, since you've come to my doorstep, don't blame me for being rough with the flowers."
Zhou Yan grinned, his eyes extremely sinister. A violent and ferocious aura surged from him, like a peerless demon king.
Whoosh!