Chen Mo's calm words echoed like thunder across the massive square.
In the next moment, the crowd erupted in chaos.
Everyone turned to look at Chen Mo, and those female disciples who resented him for defeating Mo Li sneered and mocked him.
In their eyes, his victory over Senior Brother Mo Li was just luck, and now he was overestimating himself by challenging Senior Sister Nalan.
Even Yun Yun was shocked, silently questioning, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Yun Hai, who had been filled with fighting spirit and eager to challenge Chen Mo himself, was stunned. "Are you serious?"
"I think he's won a few matches and let it go to his head. He doesn't even have a shred of self-awareness, daring to challenge Senior Sister Nalan," Mo Li sneered, his tone full of jealousy.
Nalan Yanran's gaze was fixed on Chen Mo, her eyes lingering on his handsome face.
This sixteen-year-old, a two-star Dou Fighter, had a talent far surpassing his peers, even more so than she had at that age.
The feeling of being inferior to him stirred something in her usually calm heart.
"I accept your challenge," Nalan Yanran said, calming herself. "But I won't hold back."
Chen Mo nodded, his fighting spirit burning. "Let's fight!"
With a flash of light from the ring on Nalan Yanran's hand, a pale blue longsword appeared in her grasp.
As the referee's voice rang out, she raised her hand, pointing the sword directly at Chen Mo.
Her graceful figure shot forward, initiating the attack.
It seemed she intended to end this fight as quickly as she had done with Yun Hai.
The remaining contestants on the field quickly stepped aside.
In the center of the square, Chen Mo slowly closed his eyes. With a sudden burst, purple flames enveloped his entire body, the intense heat scorching the very air around him.
Then, Chen Mo opened his eyes, extending his right hand slightly. In an instant, the Spear of the Underworld materialized.
As he swung it rapidly, the black tornado formed once again.
"That turtle shell again! Senior Sister Nalan, break it!" a disciple shouted from the sidelines.
Nalan Yanran, who was now close to Chen Mo, remained calm, as if she had already figured out how to counter the black tornado.
With a swift push off the ground, she soared into the air. Her sword trembled violently as she moved, leaving behind solid-looking afterimages of the blade wherever it passed.
"Wind Spirit Sword!" she called out, and five sword-shaped afterimages appeared, crashing down onto the black tornado.
With unstoppable force, they obliterated the black tornado.
The residual force then continued toward Chen Mo.
Boom!
The sound of a muffled explosion echoed through the square, and in the next moment, a figure was sent flying like a cannonball.
Just as they were about to be thrown out of the square, a black spear was suddenly thrust out, embedding itself into a large stone at the edge of the square.
Chen Mo grabbed the spear, using it to propel himself back to the center of the square.
Pfft.
As soon as he landed, Chen Mo spat out a mouthful of blood, dropping to one knee.
With just one move, Nalan Yanran had shattered the black tornado and struck Chen Mo hard enough to make him cough up blood.
Nalan Yanran's strength was even greater than Chen Mo had anticipated.
From her high seat, Yun Yun abruptly stood up upon witnessing the scene.
She almost wanted to tell Chen Mo to concede but, sensing the strange looks from those around her, decided to hold back.
"Let's wait and see."
"The turtle shell that even Senior Brother Mo Li couldn't break was destroyed by Senior Sister Nalan with one strike," a disciple exclaimed. The next moment, cheers erupted around the square like stones thrown into a calm lake.
"Senior Sister Nalan is amazing!"
"Senior Sister Nalan is unstoppable!"
"You're just a mere two-star Dou Fighter! How dare you challenge Senior Sister Nalan? Hurry up and surrender!"
"Chen Mo's courage to challenge Yanran is admirable, but although he has the strength to fight beyond his level, the gap between him and Yanran is still too large. The power he has shown so far isn't enough to bridge that gap," Yun Ling commented from the high stone seat, observing the scene below.
The dozen or so white-robed elders beneath him nodded in agreement.
"Junior Brother, are you okay?" Nalan Yanran asked, slightly worried.
She had misjudged the black tornado's ultimate defensive strength and had hit harder than she intended.
"I'm not dead yet," Chen Mo replied as he slowly stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth. Then, with a backward gesture, he summoned the Spear of the Underworld back to his hand.
The spear, which had been embedded in the edge of the square, dissolved and reformed in Chen Mo's palm.
"As expected of Senior Sister Nalan, your strength is indeed extraordinary," Chen Mo remarked with a smile, looking at her. "But this level of attack isn't enough to make me surrender."
"So, let's continue."
As soon as he finished speaking, the purple flames around Chen Mo instantly doubled in size. Inside his body, two awakening particles ignited in succession.
The power of two giant elephants surged within him, filling his body with a massive flow of energy. With the addition of this power, Chen Mo's strength multiplied.
To the onlookers, it appeared that Chen Mo's cultivation had suddenly skyrocketed from a two-star Dou Fighter to a four-star Dou Fighter.
Gasp.
The entire audience was stunned.
Fama furrowed his brow. As the president of the Alchemist Association of the Jia Ma Empire, even with his strong soul perception, he hadn't noticed that Chen Mo had been hiding his true strength.
"This kid... just how many cards does he have? He's truly astonishing."
Gu He wore a similar expression, sharing Fama's astonishment. Chen Mo had provided one surprise after another.
Glancing at Yun Yun out of the corner of his eye, it was as if to say, "Where did you find such a talent?"
"So this is the confidence you had to challenge Senior Sister Nalan?" Yun Hai murmured to himself as he watched the scene unfold.
"No... this can't be..." Mo Li's teeth ground together, his expression constantly shifting as he struggled to accept the reality before him.
Despite losing to Chen Mo earlier, Mo Li hadn't been convinced. He thought Chen Mo's only strengths were his defense and Dou Qi reserves.
But now, Mo Li felt a deep sense of defeat.
"So this is your true strength?" Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes held a hint of seriousness. Chen Mo had the talent to fight beyond his level, defeating Mo Li, a five-star Dou Fighter, with the strength of a two-star Dou Fighter.
And now, his power had surged to that of a four-star Dou Fighter.
Perhaps...
"Maybe I should get serious too."
As she felt Nalan Yanran's aura suddenly surge, and the powerful energy rising within her, Chen Mo looked up and said, "So you're about to reveal your true power as well?"
Nalan Yanran tightened her grip on her sword, her body now enveloped in a pale green Dou Qi aura. She gazed at Chen Mo, her red lips parting slightly, "Try this move."
"Wind Extreme—Gale Spiral Dance."
The space in front of Nalan Yanran trembled as she swung her sword, and several massive green wind blades appeared out of thin air, tearing toward Chen Mo.