Hu Xiaolin’s kick toward Long Chen was not actually a killing blow. His goal was to recover the face Long Chen’s kick had lost him.

Hu Xiaolin’s foot smashed forward, but Long Chen’s body suddenly vanished, causing his attack to miss.

Pow!

A hand came from an inconceivable angle. Hu Xiaolin didn’t sense any danger or warning before he was slapped across the face and sent flying.

Thunder could vaguely be heard as Long Chen’s figure reappeared. This was a magical art he had come up with after going through the lightning tribulation.

During this time, he had been trying to create his own, personal magical arts or Battle Skills. Only things that he created himself were really his.

However, such a thing was far too difficult. Currently, he couldn’t create his own techniques, but he was capable of merging or adding new possibilities to other techniques.

This strange movement art he had just used was the result of him merging the lightning art he had learned in the Spirit World’s Ancient Battlefield with the Lightning Body Blink. The lightning tribulation he had undergone in the Xuantian Dao Sect’s Infernal Devil Abyss had given him inspiration for this move, as the concept was similar to how that lightning incarnation had moved.

At that time, the lightning incarnation had been able to freely move within a sea of lightning, coming and going like a ghost. If it hadn’t been for Li Tianxuan’s warning, he might have died to it.

Having gone through the baptism of divine lightning, Lei Long had grown stronger, and Long Chen’s own control over thunderforce had increased. He had come up with this movement art.

The name that he gave it was Lightning Flash Step. He could practically teleport anywhere within a three thousand meter space enveloped by his thunderforce. Although the range was short, the movement was almost instantaneous. To Long Chen, this was a master breakthrough.

The only thing that dissatisfied Long Chen was that he had to rely on Lei Long’s power for this. If Lei Long was out of power, his Lightning Flash Step would lose its effect.

However, while there were drawbacks, there were also advantages. That was that his Lightning Flash Step would increase in power as Lei Long’s power increased.

Being able to move so quickly within a small area had greatly increased his combat potential. If it was before, he would have only been able to receive Hu Xiaolin’s kick head-on. At best, he would have blocked it with his own kick. What happened now would have been an impossibility.

When Long Chen sent Hu Xiaolin flying with a slap in the face, it was like all the experts watching were slapped. Their jaws were dropped as far as possible, and none of them could speak. Some people weren’t even able to tell what had just happened.

“Long Chen, you’re dead!” Hu Xiaolin roared, and Heavenly Dao energy surged out of him. Like a wild beast, he pounced on Long Chen.

“You’re the one who’s dead,” sneered Long Chen. In the face of Hu Xiaolin who had unleashed all his power, he had no intention of dodging. Instead, he charged right at him.

Seeing Long Chen charging at him, Hu Xiaolin let out a roar. His manifestation shook, and a rune appeared on his forehead. It instantly spread throughout his body.

When their bodies clashed again, the sky shook. Astral winds raged as they began a crazy fight.

Their fists danced and runes exploded with each collision. As a result, sand and stone were sent flying with such power that they pierced through mountains. The astral winds were like blades, and a cracking sound could be heard coming from space.

Even from a distance, everyone could feel that terrifying power. They were all horrified. This level of power had surpassed the scope of their understanding.

There were no magical arts, no Battle Skills, and no divine items. It was purely a primal fight of physical strength. However, the destructive power made their hair stand on end.

Hu Xiaolin was from the Xuan Beasts, the number one race in power. After all, they had the bodies of Xuan Beasts, so people could accept that Hu Xiaolin had this much power.

However, Long Chen was a human, but he was relying on just the power of his physical body to fight against one of the Xuan Beasts’ Empyreans. This was incomprehensible.

While everyone was shocked, the other experts from the Xuan Beasts were even more so. They knew that even amongst the Xuan Beasts, Hu Xiaolin was a very famous existence. Yet, he was now unable to even defeat a human in power. That was absolutely embarrassing.

The Xuan Beasts were proud and arrogant, while their power was their proudest talent. They were unable to accept that a human’s power could surpass theirs.

BOOM!

It was unknown what happened, but suddenly the two of them tumbled back, smashing into the ground like meteorites.

Following that, the ground began to explode, bulging in various locations. The two of them were fighting underground, while everyone aboveground felt each of their exchanges causing the land beneath them to shake.

“This is practically an apocalyptic battle.” People couldn’t help lamenting. This battle was absolutely terrifying. Their eyes had been opened to the larger world.

“This isn’t anything. The two of them have yet to unleash their true power.” There was a powerful Empyrean standing in the neutral camp who shook his head. Although he looked very young, his gaze was sharp. No one dared to approach him. However, as soon as he spoke, people found that he wasn’t as cold and aloof as they had expected.

“But… that’s impossible! Even with such power, they’re still holding back?” cried one person. Others also had disbelieving expressions. A fight on just this level already surpassed their imagination. If this still wasn’t their full power, then just what was a real fight?

That Empyrean said, “Neither Long Chen nor Hu Xiaolin are existences we can imagine. Although I am also an Empyrean, I’m nothing in front of them, and I’m also unable to see through their true power. However, since they are not using magical arts or divine items, it’s clear that they’re undergoing a pure battle of physical strength. The Xuan Beasts are claimed to be number one in power, surpassing all other races. This is their greatest pride. If Hu Xiaolin is unable to suppress Long Chen in terms of power, it will damage the reputation of the Xuan Beasts. That’s something the prideful Xuan Beasts would be unable to accept. That’s why Hu Xiaolin isn’t using any techniques. Otherwise, even if he did kill Long Chen with magical arts, he wouldn’t be able to wash away that stain on his reputation, and the Xuan Beasts’ reputation would also be forever tarnished. As for Long Chen, it seems he is deliberately trying to slap Hu Xiaolin in the face by beating him with brute power. If this slap lands, it’ll completely humiliate all the Xuan Beasts.”

That Empyrean’s analysis shocked everyone. They hadn’t expected that such a terrifyingly intense fight was not even a true life and death match.

If this came from someone else’s mouth, even if that person was a rank nine Celestial, they would snort and say that it was nonsense.

However, these words were coming from a powerful Empyrean’s mouth. They had no choice but to believe. Just what would happen once these two started to fight with their lives on the line? Would the very heavens collapse?

“Now that you say it, it seems true. Don’t the stories say that when Long Chen is fighting all out, he has a giant divine ring behind him? That’s his trademark, and he has yet to bring it out,” commented another person.

“That’s right, I’ve seen Long Chen fighting for real. In his most powerful state, his body becomes covered in green scales. He really isn’t going all-out yet,” added another.

The more the neutral camp’s experts discussed it, the more shocked they became. Just how powerful was Long Chen?

Having stepped into the Soul Transformation realm, instead of using magical arts, he was fighting an Empyrean from the Xuan Beasts with just the power of his physical body. How domineering, how wildly arrogant was that?

Some of them looked enviously at the warriors of the Dragonblood Legion. “If I could join the Dragonblood Legion, I could die without regrets.”

They were very envious of the Dragonblood warriors to be able to follow such a domineering but also loyal heavenly genius. For just a steed, despite knowing it was a death trap filled with powerful enemies, Long Chen and the Dragonblood Legion had still come. That grandness was something they all aspired to.

When they compared Long Chen’s loyalty to Sha Guangyan’s side’s sinister and malicious schemes, they found that they were starkly contrasted. Although they were both heavenly geniuses, the difference in their charisma was too great.

Although the public opinion was being controlled by someone, not everyone was so foolish. Many people had investigated Long Chen’s past.

He had come from a run-down noble family in the secular world and forced his way to his current level. He had encountered countless setbacks without lowering his head, and he had never fled in fear from mortal danger. What was even more amazing was the fact that he had led a group of life and death brothers from the Eastern Wasteland to the Central Plains. How was it even possible for such a person to be the treacherous villain who destroyed his own sect and master?

The only reason why these lies could spread so easily was because many people who knew the truth chose to act like they believed the lies for profit. Acting like they couldn’t see the truth, they chose to stand by Sha Guangyan’s side, as more accurately, that was standing on the side of Pill Valley and the ancient races.

The ground continued to explode and deform. After a particularly powerful collision, two figures flew out of the ground. Long Chen and Hu Xiaolin once more appeared in the air.

The dust slowly settled, allowing people to see them clearly. Startled cries rang out, as they saw that Hu Xiaolin’s chest was bloody and there was also some blood coming from the corner of his mouth. Hu Xiaolin was actually injured.

“In terms of physical strength, the Xuan Beasts aren’t as powerful as I thought.” Long Chen swung his slightly numb hand indifferently.

Hearing that, everyone’s heart shook. Was that supposed to mean that Hu Xiaolin had lost in terms of pure power? The Xuan Beasts could lose to a human? Was that even possible?