Chapter 501: Chapter 374: Nine-Star Celestial Vault Sword, Battle for the Top, and a Huge Gamble

"Brother Lin, I never imagined your strength would be so unfathomable. Looks like when we fought, you were holding back!"

Hou Shaojie watched Lin Chang’sheng face off against the prodigy of the Immortal Martial Hall, astonished that he managed to crush his opponent with just two moves.

With cultivation like that, he feared he wouldn’t be able to withstand even a single strike.

Back when he sparred with Lin Chang’sheng, it was back and forth, but now it’s clear Lin Chang’sheng was suppressing his true strength, never showing his full power.

"Brother Hou, you flatter me! Among friends, our duels aren’t about determining a winner—today was just a last resort."

Lin Chang’sheng replied humbly.

If he hadn’t heavily injured his opponent, he’d likely have been the one ending up wounded.

Given the circumstances, Lin Chang’sheng had no choice but to let the other take the hit.

"Brother Chang’sheng, you’ve advanced to the top eight already? Wait, now it’s the final four!"

Zhao Shuang’Er was all smiles as she saw Lin Chang’sheng win yet another match.

She herself had just broken through to the Middle Stage of Divinity Transformation with the aid of the Infinite Holy Pill, feeling fantastic.

All her injuries had been completely healed.

"Top four isn’t my real goal!"

Lin Chang’sheng smirked, making it clear that first place was why he’d come.

As Lin Chang’sheng leaped off the combat platform, a disciple immediately soared up.

This was none other than Li Hu of the Heaven-Suppressing Sect.

Li Hu, broad-shouldered and burly as a bear, possessed a truly formidable presence—and his strength wasn’t to be underestimated.

Once Li Hu landed on the combat platform, his gaze locked onto Wang Huisheng of the Immortal Palace.

Now he faced two choices: challenge Yang Huaizhen of the Immortal Martial Hall, or challenge Wang Huisheng of the Immortal Palace.

By comparison, the odds of defeating Wang Huisheng were higher.

After all, both he and Wang Huisheng were prodigies at the Middle Stage of Void Refining, while Yang Huaizhen was already at the Late Stage.

If Li Hu faced Yang Huaizhen, his odds of victory were less than ten percent.

"Junior Brother Wang, would you step up for a match?"

Li Hu called out to Wang Huisheng.

Naturally, Wang Huisheng didn’t back down, leaping straight onto the combat platform.

"I’ve long heard how awe-inspiring the Heaven-Suppressing Sect’s hammer technique is. Today, I’d love to experience it firsthand!"

Wang Huisheng, dressed in white with star-bright eyes and sword-like brows, stood proud and fearless—even in the face of a Heaven-Suppressing Sect genius.

"That’s mere reputation. Your Immortal Palace’s Celestial Immortal Star Fist and Nine-Star Celestial Vault Sword are the truly terrifying arts!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Li Hu laughed, kicking off a round of mutual compliments.

"Brother Li, you honor me. Please!"

Wang Huisheng summoned his Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure, already entering a battle stance.

Li Hu too readied his double hammers, slamming them down hard onto the ground.

With that, both men fell silent, tension rising.

"Hyaaah—!"

In the end, Li Hu was the first to burst into action. With a roar, his legs gathered power and he leaped dozens of feet, swinging his double hammers at Wang Huisheng midair with startling force.

The hammers transformed in the air, manifesting as two massive mountain ranges descending with overwhelming force.

Most would be terrified at this level of intimidation, but Wang Huisheng didn’t retreat an inch.

Swish, swish—

He instantly slashed his sword, sending out Sword Aura and summoning a giant sword to clash head-on with the mountain-like hammers falling from above.

BOOM—

The hammers and giant sword smashed together in midair, battling to a stalemate right then and there.

Neither yielded an inch; their attacks locked in a dead heat overhead.

As they say, when rivals meet on a narrow road, only courage prevails. The slightest mistake or show of weakness would lead to a fierce onslaught from the other, and defeat would be certain.

So now, neither man was willing to relinquish his grip.

Both pumped their primordial power to escalate the force of their attacks.

VMMM—

Their clash grew fiercer and louder, the pressure sending the air into a deafening hum.

"Are they actually competing in primordial power strength?"

"Sure seems that way! Neither wants to back down, worried that the moment they let up, the other will strike hard. That’d only be more dangerous!"

"But they can’t keep this up forever! Li Hu had the initiative and better position. If Wang Huisheng doesn’t switch tactics, once his primordial power runs out, that’s when he’ll lose!"

"Things aren’t looking good for Wang Huisheng. Can he turn it around?"

...

Beneath the stage, the sect elders from all the major sects kept murmuring, agreeing that matching a Heaven-Suppressing Sect disciple in strength and primordial power wasn’t the smartest idea.

After all, the Heaven-Suppressing Sect is renowned for brute force.

Wang Huisheng seemed to realize this as well—he instantly freed up one hand and threw out a punch at Li Hu.

His Fist Aura formed seven bright spheres, spinning in midair.

This was the Celestial Immortal Star Fist, each blow bursting with power and infused with star power.

If Li Hu got hit by that, he’d be severely wounded for sure.

Li Hu saw the punch coming and knew better than to underestimate it, quickly swinging one of his hammers up to block.

BANG BANG BANG—

The fist auras slammed relentlessly into Li Hu’s hammers, actually knocking them backward through the air.

No one expected such terrifying might from a single punch.

Seeing Li Hu forced back, Wang Huisheng pressed his advantage, sword aura flashing as he unleashed his strongest immortal technique: the Nine-Star Celestial Vault Sword.

Star power from the vault of heaven seemed to gather upon his blade, and then the sword aura broke into countless beams of light raining down on Li Hu.

Just like meteors streaking across the sky.

"Nine-Star Celestial Vault Sword?"

Li Hu clearly knew the Immortal Palace’s techniques well, and seeing Wang Huisheng launch that attack, felt a sense of danger.

This move was far stronger than the Celestial Immortal Star Fist just used.

"Celestial Thunder Hurricane Hammer!"

Li Hu roared, erupting with the Heaven-Suppressing Sect’s ultimate immortal technique. As he swung his hammers, swirling thunderstorms formed around him, massive bolts of lightning spinning in hurricanes, and with each strike, the lightning storm crashed upward to meet the sword beams falling from the sky.