Volume 7, Chapter 407 – Just How Many Trump Cards Does She Have?

“Since both sides are ready, Number One versus Number Two. Begin!”

The Immortal Alliance disciple announced the start of the match.

As soon as the words fell, Cheng Hongling’s feet surged with icy energy, spreading outward in all directions. Wherever it passed, frost rapidly encased the ground.

“This move again? Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. It didn’t work three years ago, and you think it’ll work now? Do you really have no other tricks?”

A lean, muscular youth from the opposing team sneered. He was Zhang Yang, the second-ranked Immortal Seed from back then, a cultivator of fire-attribute True Qi.

‘Not necessarily.’

Qi Huang curled her lips in schadenfreude. Three years ago, the main body had used ordinary water-based True Qi, but now it was Profound Ice True Qi, and her cultivation had advanced by a full major realm. The difference in power was incomparable.

Zhang Yang wasted no time. He swiftly pulled out a talisman from his sleeve and flung it forward. With a sharp “pa!”, the talisman shattered, unleashing a raging wave of scorching heat. The fire Qi within was undoubtedly at the Incarnation Realm’s second or third layer.

To the spectators below, the arena had split into two opposing worlds. One of biting frost, the other of blistering flames.

“This Flame-Gathering Talisman was specially prepared for you. Let’s see if your True Qi can outlast my talismans!”

Zhang Yang crowed in triumph, but the next moment, his expression froze.

The two realms of ice and fire collided violently. The heatwave from his talisman crumbled like a dam before a flood, collapsing instantly!

Cheng Hongling’s Profound Ice True Qi surged forward like an unstoppable avalanche, freezing the ground three feet deep wherever it passed.

“How is this possible?!”

Zhang Yang’s face twisted in shock.

“Senior Brother Zhang, don’t let her freeze the ground! If she uses that bizarre movement technique, we won’t be able to handle her!”

A tall, burly disciple beside him warned. He was Tu Xing, one of those who had ganged up on Cheng Hongling three years ago, a practitioner of earth-attribute True Qi.

“I refuse to believe this!”

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Zhang Yang gritted his teeth and hurled one Flame-Gathering Talisman after another, his voice thick with humiliation.

Pa! Pa! Pa!

The talismans shattered upon impact, sending out visible rings of heat like stones tossed into a lake. But the moment they touched the Profound Ice True Qi, they dissipated uselessly.

“Let me handle this!”

Tu Xing roared. Earth Qi erupted from his body, rapidly forming a stony exoskeleton that made his already towering frame resemble a moving mountain.

With a thunderous step, he launched himself forward, leaping high before crashing down like a meteor. His right fist, amplified by the force of his descent, smashed toward the frozen ground with a terrifying howl.

Crack!

A crisp sound echoed.

The cultivators watching gasped. The ice-covered ground remained completely unharmed, while Tu Xing’s wrist bent at a grotesque angle, the stone armor around it shattered into fragments.

“Ahhh—!”

Tu Xing screamed in agony. He tried to clutch his wrist, but the ice beneath him was treacherously slick. He staggered and collapsed onto the frozen surface.

“A mere mid-stage Unity Realm cultivator, who gave you the courage to try breaking my Profound Ice?”

Cheng Hongling’s voice was icy. She took a light step forward, activating her Dancing Butterfly Movement Technique, and vanished like a ghost.

“Senior Brother Ma, stop her!” Zhang Yang shouted.

“Relax. No matter how fast she is, she can’t escape Divine Sense.”

Ma Yi remained calm. His Divine Sense expanded outward, locking onto Cheng Hongling’s figure. Then, with a surge of Incarnation Realm third-layer pressure, he attempted to crush her movements.

His plan was simple, overwhelm her with superior Divine Sense to neutralize her speed.

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But he was wrong.

Though Cheng Hongling’s cultivation was only at the Incarnation Realm’s second layer, her Divine Sense had reached the fifth layer due to years of using the Tongming Comb and her innate talent. This was her true edge in cross-realm battles.

Not wanting to reveal everything at once, she matched Ma Yi’s third-layer Divine Sense head-on. The two forces canceled each other out, but her speed never faltered.

In the blink of an eye, she reappeared beside Tu Xing and kicked him cleanly off the stage before darting toward the next target.

“Impossible! You’re only at the second layer!” Ma Yi’s face paled.

By then, Cheng Hongling was already in front of him. The tip of her Blue Scale Sword tore through the air, gleaming like a shooting star as it thrust toward his face.

Ma Yi reacted swiftly, using his Divine Sense to propel himself into the air.

Cheng Hongling didn’t pursue. Instead, she flitted across the stage like a phantom butterfly, flickering in and out of sight. Every time she reappeared, another disciple from the Haizhi Sect was sent flying.

With the terrain disadvantage and the gap in cultivation, none could retaliate. A stark contrast to three years ago.

The defeated disciples seethed with frustration. They still had trump cards, but she gave them no chance to use them.

“Incarnation Realm third-layer Divine Sense?”

In the crowd, Lin Ran of the Longchang Sect narrowed his eyes.

“Third layer? But her cultivation is only at the second!” Sect Leader Xiang exclaimed.

“Sect Leader Xiang, when do cultivators ever reveal their true strength? Didn’t you also claim to be at the Incarnation Realm’s second layer?”

Xiang Yang’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“That brat hid her power!”

Elder Zhou of the Huxiao Sect frowned deeply.

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“Don’t worry, Elder Zhou. Even if she’s at the third layer, she’s no match for us.”

One of their external Immortal Seeds smirked confidently.

“Let’s hope it’s only the third layer…”

Zhou Ming murmured, an inexplicable unease gnawing at him.

Ma Yi wasn’t about to let Cheng Hongling pick off his teammates. Gripping his sword, he dove down like a lightning bolt, aided by gravity and Divine Sense.

Cheng Hongling remained still until he was upon her. Then, killing intent erupted from her like a volley of arrows, engulfing the entire plaza.

The spectators below felt as if blades were pressed against their throats. Some trembled uncontrollably; the weak-willed collapsed outright.

Ma Yi’s Divine Sense shattered instantly. His body lurched mid-air, now as unsteady as a kite with its string cut.

A mocking glint flashed in Cheng Hongling’s eyes. With a graceful spin, her skirt flaring like a blossom, she kicked him off the stage.

“I told you. Where I fall, I rise again.”

She sheathed her sword and gazed down at her defeated opponents.

“How boring. Over already?”

Qi Huang sighed. She had expected this outcome. Against anyone below the late-stage Incarnation Realm, the main body was practically invincible.

But the crowd was stunned. Even the arrogant geniuses among them shot to their feet, disbelief written across their faces.

“Killing intent? How?!”

The same thought echoed in their minds.

“Killing intent? She’s a cultivator, how can she wield that?”

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“What’s strange? Didn’t the Sixth Princess use killing intent last round?”

“Fool! The Sixth Princess’s killing intent came from her weapon. Cheng Hongling’s radiates from her very being. That’s completely different!”

“Exactly. Killing intent and Divine Sense are incompatible. Cultivators can’t cultivate both. Just what kind of monster is she?!”

Even the knowledgeable elders were shaken.

“Master, how can Cheng Hongling wield such potent killing intent? You always said it conflicts with Divine Sense!”

Disciple Cai turned to his master in confusion.

“That girl… becomes more incomprehensible by the day.”

Elder Zuo didn’t answer directly. Clearly, even he was at a loss.

“Hah! As expected of the woman I’ve taken a liking to. Keep going, let’s see if you’re worthy of being the Lü family’s young madam!”

Lü Er, the sole exception, grinned with delight, as if watching an entertaining toy. Clearly, Cheng Hongling’s current display wasn’t enough to threaten him.

“Thank the heavens for Lü Er. Otherwise, we’d be discussing how to change the rules right now.”

Elder Zuo exhaled deeply.

“You’re worried the Huxiao Sect and Donglai Sect can’t stop her? Impossible, right?”

Steward Cai blurted out.

“In the past, I wouldn’t have been. But now… who knows how many more cards she’s hiding?”

A flicker of doubt crossed Elder Zuo’s face.