Chapter 26: Chapter 24: A Suit of Profound Level Equipment

The crowd’s murmurs and Mo Qi’s taunts made Wang Hao flush with embarrassment.

This suit of Mystic-Level Armor was a gift from Wang Xinglong for self-defense. He had subconsciously summoned it earlier when he sensed danger.

It was indeed excessive, but what was done was done.

Wang Hao took a deep breath, retracted his Armor, and said, "Mo Qi, don’t get cocky. I was just careless a moment ago. I don’t need Armor to deal with you."

BOOOO~

Another wave of boos erupted from the crowd below.

He had already used it, and now he was calling it carelessness? Did he have no shame?

Mo Qi chuckled. "When it comes to being thick-skinned, you’ve got me beat. But I’d advise you not to be so absolute. You should probably put that Armor back on. You know, to keep from being ’careless’ again."

Wang Hao heard the mockery and contempt in Mo Qi’s tone and said angrily, "Did you think you were the only one who improved this past month? I’ll show you the difference between trash and a genius! The gap between Realms isn’t something you can overcome with brute force alone!"

As his voice fell, an aura far surpassing the Qi Refining Ninth Heaven erupted from Wang Hao’s body. It was a pressure that stemmed from the soul itself, and the churning Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy instantly froze.

The formless storm of pressure made the chests of the spectating disciples tighten.

"That’s Spiritual Power! Wang Hao isn’t at the Qi Refining Ninth Heaven—he’s already in the Refining God Realm!" someone exclaimed, their expression changing drastically.

Mo Qi’s smile vanished, his expression turning grave.

The Refining God Realm was completely different from the Qi Refining Realm. Those in Qi Refining could only use the True Essence Power within their bodies, but the Refining God Realm was another matter entirely.

In the Refining God Realm, one’s Sea of Consciousness is opened, allowing their Spiritual Power to reach the heavens. They can call upon the Power of Heaven and Earth, converting the ambient Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy for their own use.

Compared to Qi Refining, the Refining God Realm was on a completely different plane of existence. The two weren’t even on the same level.

Just as Wang Hao had said, sometimes, the gap between Realms could not be bridged by brute force.

"I’m going to crush you to a pulp, just like an ant!"

Wang Hao raised his arm again. This time, under the influence of his Spiritual Power, the solidified Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy began to rotate at high speed, coalescing into a colossal hand that blotted out the sky. Mountainous and crystal clear, it descended from above.

In both might and size, it was tens of times more powerful than the previous hand formed of True Essence.

Mo Qi widened his stance and looked up, his eyes glinting as he fixed his gaze on the descending Spiritual Energy Hand.

"Hah!" He gave a low shout, his hair standing on end as he raised both hands in a heaven-supporting posture.

BOOM!

The Spiritual Energy Hand descended, but Mo Qi caught it, holding it aloft in midair. The immense force shredded the clothes on his upper body, revealing a powerful, chiseled physique.

Each solid muscle was sharply defined, clinging to his body like armor and gleamed under the afterglow of the setting sun.

This scene made many of the female disciples blush. They covered their faces with their hands but couldn’t stop themselves from peeking through their fingers at the Gambling Arena.

"You can actually block it? I’d like to see how long you can last!" Wang Hao increased the output of his Spiritual Power, and the downward pressure of the Spiritual Energy Hand instantly increased several times over.

CRACK, BOOM!

The ground beneath Mo Qi’s feet cracked like a spiderweb.

Under the immense oppressive force, Mo Qi’s legs gradually sank into the ground, but his back remained straight and his face resolute.

"Is that all you’ve got?" Mo Qi squeezed out the words through clenched teeth.

Taking it as an insult, Wang Hao split off a wisp of his Spiritual Power and sent it stabbing into Mo Qi’s mind.

"Kneel!"

However, the Spiritual Power vanished like a stone sinking into the ocean; Mo Qi didn’t even flinch.

Forget kneeling—his eyes were clear, without even a ripple of disturbance.

"How is this possible?!" Wang Hao was shocked. A Cultivator who hadn’t opened their Sea of Consciousness should have no resistance whatsoever to a Spiritual Power attack.

’But why isn’t Mo Qi reacting at all?’

How could he know that Mo Qi, through years of practicing his Sword Skill, had long ago forged an incomparably tough personality.

On top of that, he was at the Fifth Transformation Nourishing Divine Being of the Nine Transformations into Spirit. He had also been nourished by a vast amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the Wailing Abyss. So even though he hadn’t opened his Sea of Consciousness, his soul was so strong that ten of Wang Hao’s wouldn’t be a match for it.

"If this is all you’ve got, then... break!"

Mo Qi shifted his grip, wrapping his arms around the Spiritual Energy Hand’s index finger.

To everyone’s utter shock, he heaved the entire Spiritual Energy Hand into the air and swung it brutally down on Wang Hao.

Never in his wildest dreams would Wang Hao have imagined he would be smashed by the Spiritual Energy Hand he himself had created.

RUMBLE!

The Spiritual Energy Hand collapsed, triggering a violent explosion that blew the entire Gambling Arena to pieces.

Wang Hao was engulfed by the blast’s Energy.

The crowd stared in a stunned daze. Was it over just like that?

"Look, Wang Hao’s still alive!" someone with sharp eyes spotted a figure amidst the tide of explosive Energy.

Clad in Mystic-Level Armor and holding a long spear, Wang Hao walked out of the dust and smoke.

"Heh, I told you. You should have kept the Armor on. Otherwise, you wouldn’t stand a chance," Mo Qi said, brushing dust and debris off himself.

Wang Hao twirled his spear in a flourish and pointed it directly at Mo Qi.

"Oh, another Mystic-Level Weapon. You’re quite rich, aren’t you," Mo Qi sneered.

The crowd below was in an uproar. The Mystic-Level Armor was already excessive, but they never expected Wang Hao to also take out a Mystic-Level Long Spear.

This was blatant bullying, wasn’t it?

"Where is the impartial judge from the Punishment Hall? Why aren’t they stopping this?"

An elder in the attire of the Punishment Hall flew over from a distance and said flatly, "There is no such thing as fairness in a life-and-death battle. Armor and weapons are also part of one’s strength. Wang Hao is not cheating or breaking any rules. The deathmatch continues!"

The crowd was speechless. Although they disagreed, they didn’t dare to question the Punishment Hall. They could only curse inwardly and mourn for Mo Qi in silence.

Mo Qi glanced at the elder from the Punishment Hall but didn’t argue.

He had realized it long ago, back when the entrance trial ended and all the bigwigs had gathered: Wang Xinglong and the Punishment Hall were in cahoots.

"So this is the source of your confidence?" Mo Qi asked Wang Hao with a mocking laugh.

Wang Hao now had only one thought in his mind: kill Mo Qi, no matter the cost.

He no longer saw Mo Qi as trash. On the contrary, he found Mo Qi to be utterly terrifying.

Mo Qi had pushed him this far with physical strength alone, without even condensing True Essence. What would happen if he ever succeeded in condensing it?

The enmity between them was now a matter of life and death. If he didn’t take this chance to kill Mo Qi before he could fully develop, he would be the one to suffer in the future.

More importantly, Wang Hao was certain that Mo Qi must possess a Precious Treasure or a heaven-shattering secret. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to be so powerful.

Therefore, whether it was to obtain the secret to becoming stronger or to eliminate this enemy in his nascent stage, he had to kill Mo Qi, even if it meant being shameless and using his special trump cards.

"You don’t need to provoke me. Today, you will die!" Wang Hao became serious, with no trace of his earlier contempt.

Mo Qi raised an eyebrow. With a thought, he retrieved the Obsidian-forged Fire Stick from the Chaos Scripture.

Ever since the Chaos Scripture had taken the initiative to forge a four-piece kitchen set for him, it had gained a storage function. It didn’t require Spiritual Power; Mo Qi could store or retrieve items with just a thought, making it extremely convenient.

A staff suddenly appeared in Mo Qi’s hand, shocking Wang Hao.

"You haven’t condensed True Essence, so how can you use a Storage Space?"

Mo Qi glanced at him and said, "Beg me. If you beg me, I’ll tell you."

Wang Hao said no more and lunged with his spear.

The spear tip became a blur of afterimages, like a shower of raindrops, making it impossible to tell which was real.

The friction between the spear’s shaft and the air actually produced a thunderous roar.

"It’s the Thunder Shock Spear!" someone recognized Wang Hao’s Spear Technique.

"A Middle Grade Mystic-Level Spear Technique, famous for its speed. A single strike roars like thunder and lightning. Often, before an enemy can even react, they’re riddled with a hundred holes. It’s terrifying."

"Doesn’t that mean Mo Qi is finished? I remember he chose a copy of the Basic Staff Technique from the Martial Hall. Forget about having a grade, it doesn’t even count as a Low-Level Martial Technique."

"If you ask me, Wang Hao is just being a bully. The Mystic-Level Armor and long spear were one thing, but now he’s using a Mystic-Level Martial Technique too. He’s trying to crush Mo Qi to death with his resources."

"Look at the staff in Mo Qi’s hand. It’s all black and dingy. It couldn’t be the Fire Stick he used for cooking, could it?"

"Sigh, what a pity."

In the distance, Liu Ruyan, acting completely unladylike, took out a huge pile of gleaming armor and weapons from her Storage Ring. Their grades were far higher than Mystic-Level.

She intended to give all of it to Mo Qi.

’So, Wang Hao, you think you’re rich? Let’s have a contest and see who’s really rich!’

Just as she was about to reveal herself, Liu Hong stopped her again.

"My dear granddaughter, be patient. Look at Mo the kid. Does he look the least bit worried? He must have a way to deal with this. Don’t go making things more chaotic."

As Liu Hong spoke, he opened a food box, and a wave of hot steam accompanied by a rich Essence of Life washed over them.

Although this Bear and Tiger Fight had been cooked a month ago, it was no different from one fresh out of the pot.

Neither its temperature nor its aroma had leaked out at all before the box was opened.

The aroma of the Bear and Tiger Fight instantly captivated Liu Hong.

GULP!

He swallowed hard, his appetite instantly whetted.

"Goodness gracious, this Mo the kid’s cooking skills have improved by leaps and bounds!"

Liu Hong took a pair of ivory chopsticks from his robes, picked up a piece of bear meat, and put it in his mouth.

The tender meat, paired with the dense Essence of Life, melted in his mouth. It went down in a single smooth motion, and the delicious flavor made Liu Hong want to swallow his own tongue along with it.

"Delicious!"

Liu Hong’s face was alight with pleasure, but the next second, his expression froze.

"Blood Spirit Flower, with not a trace of dead energy... such a high retention of medicinal efficacy, such perfect utilization... how is this possible!" Liu Hong exclaimed. "Even those old masters who have been immersed in Alchemy for a thousand years couldn’t achieve this!"

Liu Ruyan was startled by Liu Hong’s reaction, standing frozen and at a loss for what to do.

「At the same time, in a grand hall deep within the Void Sect.」

Yu Liang, who had been in seclusion for a month practicing Alchemy, emerged. A serving of Bear and Tiger Fight was also placed before him.

"Ah, Mo the kid’s cooking is always something to look forward to."

After one bite of the Bear and Tiger Fight, a strange, feverish madness shone in Yu Liang’s eyes.

"Quick, tell me, where is Mo Qi?" Yu Liang’s aura exploded outwards as he practically roared the question, causing the entire grand hall to tremble violently.

The young man below who had brought back the Bear and Tiger Fight felt a surge of anxiety. ’Is there something wrong with the dish?’ he wondered.

"Reporting to Master Yu, today is the day of Mo Qi and Wang Hao’s life-and-death battle. The match should be over by now."

"What?!" Yu Liang’s face went pale with shock, his features twisting. "Who won? Is Mo Qi alright?"

"Er..." The young man was frightened by Yu Liang’s appearance and replied in a small voice, "The result isn’t clear yet."

Yu Liang was so furious he felt like slapping the young man to death.

"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and investigate! Wait, I’ll go myself."