Heavenly Sword Saint
Jian Ming stood across from Jian Chen.
His aura had completely transformed.
Early Ninth Stage!
The moment his breakthrough was complete, the entire arena fell into a stunned silence.
Then
"Jian Ming has broken through!"
"He's reached the Ninth Stage!"
"Unbelievable! He actually broke through during the battle!"
The disciples erupted in excitement.
Some looked at Jian Ming with admiration.
Others stared at him with envy.
A few clenched their fists unwillingly.
They had struggled for years just to advance one stage.
Yet Jian Ming had crossed the barrier during a battle.
The supervising elder's eyes were filled with surprise.
Even the several elders seated above the arena exchanged glances.
None of them had expected this.
The First Elder was the first to speak.
"Congratulations, Third Elder."
His gaze fell on the Third Elder.
"Your son is a dragon amount men i believed he will go higher."
The Third Elder's face was filled with barely concealed joy.
"Haha!"
He laughed heartily.
"Thank you, First Elder."
Another elder smiled.
"Jian Ming has always had an excellent foundation. I didn't expect this battle to become the opportunity he needed."
"The Ninth Stage at his age..."
An elder shook his head in amazement.
"His future is promising."
The Third Elder's smile grew wider.
He had always been proud of Jian Ming.
But now...
His son had finally crossed into the Ninth Stage.
Among the younger generation participating in this tournament, Jian Yuan was no longer the only Ninth Stage cultivator.
Jian Ming had caught up.
The Third Elder glanced toward the arena.
His eyes eventually landed on Jian Chen.
The smile on his face slowly faded.
Jian Ming had broken through because of this battle.
And now...
He was standing at the Ninth Stage.
Jian Chen was still only displaying the Sixth Stage.
The Third Elder's eyes narrowed.
This battle was no longer the same.
But among everyone present...
No one was happier than Jian Hu.
Jian Hu had been watching the battle with increasing anxiety.
When Jian Ming had been at the Peak Eighth Stage, he had feared that Jian Chen might somehow defeat him.
After Jian Ming's breakthrough...
That fear disappeared.
Instead, a new hope ignited within his heart.
Jian Hu stared at Jian Chen.
His hands slowly tightened.
"He's finished..."
A smile gradually appeared on his face.
Jian Ming had reached the Ninth Stage.
Jian Chen was still only at the Sixth Stage.
The difference between them was enormous.
For Jian Hu, this was the opportunity he had been waiting for.
His eyes burned with anticipation.
As long as Jian Ming defeated Jian Chen...
Jian Chen would finally be destroyed.
The humiliation and resentment Jian Hu carried toward Jian Chen could finally be released.
"Jian Chen..."
Jian Hu whispered.
"This time, you won't escape."
Unlike Jian Hu's excitement, the other disciples had mixed emotions.
Some were excited to see a Ninth-Stage battle.
Others felt sympathy for Jian Chen.
"Jian Chen defeated Jian Xuan before..."
"Now Jian Ming has reached the Ninth Stage."
"Can Jian Chen really continue?"
"His cultivation is only at the Sixth Stage."
"Even his technique won't be enough against that kind of gap."
A few disciples shook their heads.
They had already witnessed Jian Chen's extraordinary combat ability.
But cultivation was still cultivation.
The gap between Sixth Stage and Ninth Stage was simply too large.
Others were unwilling to give up on Jian Chen.
"Don't forget that Jian Chen defeated Jian Xuan."
"Jian Xuan was at the Eighth Stage."
"But Jian Ming is now at the Ninth Stage."
"That's completely different."
The discussion quickly spread throughout the arena.
The elders were equally divided in their reactions.
Some were excited by Jian Ming's breakthrough.
Some were concerned about the outcome of the battle.
Others watched Jian Chen closely, especially the supervising elder.
He had noticed something strange about Jian Chen from the beginning.
That calm expression...
That precise control...
That ability to fight opponents above his cultivation...
Everything about Jian Chen seemed unusual.
The supervising elder narrowed his eyes.
Could Jian Chen still have something hidden?
On the platform, however, Jian Ming had no idea what the elders were thinking.
He looked at Jian Chen.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Jian Chen."
Jian Chen raised his eyes.
Jian Ming tightened his grip on his sword.
"To thank you..."
"I will end this battle quickly."
Boom!
His Ninth-Stage aura erupted.
The pressure swept across the platform.
Jian Chen remained calm.
He had no intention of revealing his true cultivation yet.
Instead...
He wanted to know exactly how far his Sixth-Stage cultivation could go against an Early Ninth-Stage opponent.
Jian Ming suddenly disappeared.
Phantom Step!
Whoosh!
His figure flashed across the platform.
Clang!
Jian Chen raised his sword and blocked.
The tremendous force shook his arm.
Before he could counterattack...
Jian Ming's second strike arrived.
Clang!
Jian Chen was forced backward.
His feet slid across the platform.
Jian Ming followed immediately.
Phantom Flow!
Boom!
The sword descended with overwhelming power.
Jian Chen used Drifting Cloud to redirect the attack.
But the force was too great.
His body was pushed sideways.
Jian Ming appeared beside him.
Swish!
Jian Chen narrowly avoided the blade.
He counterattacked with Flowing Cloud.
Clang!
Jian Ming blocked it effortlessly.
His sword immediately swept forward.
Boom!
Jian Chen was forced backward again.
His expression remained calm.
So this was the power of the Ninth Stage.
The difference was far greater than he had expected.
Jian Chen continued fighting without releasing his suppressed cultivation.
He wanted to see the absolute limit of his Sixth Stage.
But the result quickly became obvious.
He couldn't keep up.
Jian Ming's speed was faster.
His strength was greater.
His spiritual energy was far denser.
Every exchange pushed Jian Chen farther backward.
Clang!
Another collision.
Jian Chen's arm went numb.
Clang!
Another strike.
He barely blocked it.
Jian Ming didn't give him a chance to recover.
Phantom Step!
His figure flashed forward.
Jian Chen raised his sword.
Boom!
The impact forced him several steps backward.
Another attack followed.
Then another.
Jian Chen continued defending.
But the difference between their cultivation was becoming increasingly obvious.
His Sixth Stage was simply not enough.
Finally...
Jian Ming's sword broke through his defense.
Boom!
The blade struck Jian Chen's chest.
Jian Chen's body flew backward and crashed onto the platform.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The arena fell silent.
Jian Hu's smile became even wider.
His eyes were filled with excitement.
He could already see Jian Chen's defeat.
Jian Chen slowly pushed himself to his feet.
He wiped the blood from his mouth.
His eyes remained unusually calm.
He had already obtained his answer.
His Sixth Stage...
Wasn't enough.
Jian Chen looked at Jian Ming.
"I thought I could fight you with my Sixth Stage."
He wiped the remaining blood from his mouth.
"But it seems..."
His gaze sharpened.
"I'll have to use my real cultivation level."