Faced with this question, Li Haoran was slightly stunned, because he had never imagined that Su Hongzhen would speak such a sharp and somewhat offensive question.
"...Of course, the victor is ultimately stronger than the vanquished. That is also the essence of the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry."
Nevertheless, Li Haoran maintained his composure and answered frankly.
"But, if I am stronger than you, or if you are stronger than me, what does that truly represent?"
Su Hongzhen continued to ask. The bonfire's flames illuminated the face of this swordsman, whose brows and eyes always exuded an untethered carefreeness. The interplay of night's shadows and the firelight made his facial contours even more distinct.
But at this very moment, his expression was so deadly serious.
"It means that the stronger one will walk further on the path of immortality... but not necessarily, after all, the immortal path is long, and no one can truly predict the future."
As Li Haoran spoke, the expression of this chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain gradually grew more serious as well, because he had never pondered these things before.
From the moment he set foot on the path of immortality, Li Haoran was a well-known prodigy. Among his peers in the current generation of the Chenping Continent, there was only one cultivator who could rival him, and that was Zhou Jinyun of the Mirage Palace.
These two words felt very distant to Li Haoran.
Although everyone believed that stepping into the Immortal Ascension Realm was merely a matter of time for Li Haoran.
Li Haoran's own attitude, however, was completely different. As he had just said to Su Hongzhen, the immortal path was long; who could say for sure what the future held?
"..."
Faced with Li Haoran's answer, Su Hongzhen remained silent, the firelight reflected in his eyes.
He seemed dissatisfied with Li Haoran's answer.
But Su Hongzhen did not continue this topic any further, because the path of this world was one that a person had to walk for themselves to discover the answer.
"And what does Fellow Daoist Su think?"
Li Haoran steered the topic back:
"Regarding tomorrow's Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, with me as your opponent."
Su Hongzhen gently shook his head.
"I see."
Understanding what Su Hongzhen meant, Li Haoran just shook his head with a smile.
...
The next day.
The final battle of the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry.
The ten arenas originally located within the Daoyan Arena had been assembled into one massive arena, situated in the very center of the field.
The Daoyan Arena was abuzz with noise. Both the viewing stands and the grounds were packed with cultivators from various cultivation sects across the regions of the Chenping Continent.
Just yesterday, word had spread on Heavenly Summit Mountain that the final battle of this Dao Inquiry would be the most shocking and unforgettable confrontation in a thousand, even ten thousand years, one that would ultimately be etched into history.
Because the two opposing parties were, on one side, Li Haoran, hailed as the greatest genius of the Kongshan Sect since True Person Kongmiao, Yan Yunhe. On the other side was Su Hongzhen, the blue-robed swordsman with peerless swordsmanship and footwork, bearing the sharp edge of Innate Sword Intent, personally appointed by Zhou Jinyun, the Daomen Xingzou of the Mirage Palace.
No one doubted that if these two were allowed to grow smoothly, they possessed the ability to change the future of the Chenping Continent.
To witness this unprecedented duel on Heavenly Summit Mountain today was nothing less than witnessing history.
Upon the arena, a figure in pure white and a figure in azure blue stood on opposite sides.
The Imperial Envoy Elders of the Five Great Sects of the Chenping Continent sat at the highest point of the viewing stand on the eastern side of the Daoyan Arena. The intangible pressure emanating from these five great powers of the Myriad Transformations Realm was enough to make any cultivator present in the arena feel their true qi circulation become sluggish.
Imperial Envoy Elder Lin Mo of the Mirage Palace sat together with Imperial Envoy Elder Dongfang Bo of the Star Heaven Sect.
Ever since the day Dongfang Bo visited the Water Mirror Pavilion, the atmosphere between these two great powers of the Myriad Transformations Realm had been quite delicate.
A gentle breeze swept across this towering peak, which soared over eight thousand zhang in height. At the very moment the wind stopped, the entire Heavenly Summit Mountain seemed to hold its breath.
The hems of the daoist robes of both Li Haoran and Su Hongzhen ceased to flutter.
"Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, Final Battle!"
The voice of a manager disciple from the Star Heaven Sect came from beneath the arena, and at this moment, it seemed as if his was the only voice in the entire Daoyan Arena:
"From the Kongshan Sect, Li Haoran, chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain, versus Rogue Cultivator Su Hongzhen!"
Although, during the announcement, Li Haoran's prefix heavily outweighed the word "Rogue Cultivator," the three characters "Su Hongzhen" were enough to make up for everything.
Because of the Innate Sword Intent alone!
The two figures standing on the arena released no aura whatsoever. If one only looked at them, they seemed to be just two ordinary Martial Spring Realm cultivators.
But the moment their forms began to move, everything changed.
One white, one azure—two figures suddenly blurred, flowing across the arena.
Within the Daoyan Arena, cultivators below the Qi Sea Realm found it difficult to even clearly see the movements of the two on the platform.
In just a few breaths, judging by the sounds and fluctuations of true qi coming from the arena, Li Haoran and Su Hongzhen seemed to have already exchanged dozens of moves.
"Too fast..."
Someone on the viewing stand couldn't help but sigh in admiration:
"I always knew Su Hongzhen's footwork was in a league of its own among his generation of cultivators, but I didn't expect Chief Disciple Li could keep up with his speed. It seems this match might still hold some surprises."
"What's the use of keeping up with his footwork? Su Hongzhen's greatest asset isn't his footwork. His real trump card is his sword, his Innate Sword Intent!"
Immediately, another person refuted.
"Why are you so worked up? I just think Chief Disciple Li also has a chance to win, that's all?"
"Does he really?"
Similar scenes and dialogues were everywhere on the viewing stands and below the arena.
In the eyes of those cultivators below the Qi Sea Realm, Li Haoran indeed seemed able to match Su Hongzhen's footwork movements.
But in the eyes of cultivators of a higher cultivation level, this was not the case.
Or rather, only Li Haoran, who was currently trading blows with Su Hongzhen on the arena, knew just how difficult it was for him to keep up with Su Hongzhen's speed at this moment.
But he had to keep up.
Because Li Haoran did not want to be put in a passive position.
He naturally had his own methods.
The greatest difference between Li Haoran and other prodigies of his generation was his ability to perfectly execute every decision, seize every opportunity, and control every technique during a duel.
It was just like now. Only by continuously unleashing techniques and taking the initiative to attack could he barely manage to drag down Su Hongzhen's speed.