Su Hongzhen's expression was exceptionally serious.
He had to admit that during this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, Li Haoran was an opponent he needed to take seriously.
Of course, the main reason was undoubtedly that his combat experience still wasn't rich enough.
Although the opponents he had crossed swords with back then were top-tier contemporary prodigies like Zhou Jinyun of Mirage Palace and an ancient monster of unfathomable depth like Chen Yan, his combat samples were still far too limited. If he hadn't been so arrogantly confident that simply dodging the golden sword blade hurtling toward him would neutralize his opponent's attack, he wouldn't have fallen into this kind of passive situation now.
The Yiming Sword Formation possessed the characteristic of Void Absorption Guidance. Within the formation's field range, both Su Hongzhen's speed and his true qi circulation were restricted by Li Haoran.
At this very moment, he couldn't fully leverage his footwork advantage.
But that didn't mean Li Haoran had gained the upper hand.
Even if he was on the defensive, the actual control of the situation still rested in the hands of this blue-robed swordsman.
Because of the Xun-Li Sword.
Crimson Flame, and Xun Wind.
He knew that Crimson Flame represented the blazing red fire capable of burning away all evil in the world.
And the Xun Wind Step—
Clang!
Su Hongzhen used his sword to block a thrust from the golden sword blade suspended in midair, aimed at him.
Clang! Clang!
Immediately after, two more golden sword blades, conjured by Li Haoran's true qi and formation, struck at Little Su from different directions.
Though somewhat battered and his movements heavy, relying on his mastery of spatial awareness, he still managed to block the two additional slashes from the golden sword blades with his Xun-Li Sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang!
Like a storm of rage, attacks rained down on Su Hongzhen.
But at the same time, the speed at which he wielded his Xun-Li Sword began to accelerate, and his movements, once heavy, grew fluid.
Standing on the other side of the arena platform, Li Haoran, whose hands continuously formed shifting Yibai Sword Technique seals, his eyes flickering with solemnity as he launched attacks through the three golden sword blades.
Wait, why?
Why did it seem like Su Hongzhen was gradually breaking free from the formation's field control? Was his Yiming Sword Formation failing?
No, that wasn't right.
Realizing something, Li Haoran's heart chilled:
Su Hongzhen was getting faster!
The current speed limit imposed by the Yiming Sword Formation on Su Hongzhen could slow him down nearly tenfold.
If the formation's field hadn't actually lost its effect on Su Hongzhen, that meant his current speed had already far surpassed the peak speed he had displayed before!
Not only that—Su Hongzhen was still accelerating!
This blue-robed swordsman began shifting from defense to offense. The speed at which he swung his white Swift Sword now surpassed the attack speed of the Yiming Sword Formation that Li Haoran was driving.
Li Haoran continued altering the Yibai Sword Technique seals in his hands, and with a sharp shout, the golden radiance of the Yiming Sword Formation enveloping Su Hongzhen flared brighter, attempting to further suppress his footwork speed and true qi circulation.
But it was useless.
Su Hongzhen's speed continued to rise.
A sharp sound of a blade slicing through air rang out. A golden sword blade suspended in the air, conjured from Li Haoran's true qi, was directly shattered by Su Hongzhen's sword energy. The Yiming Sword Formation instantly dimmed, and Su Hongzhen had completely broken free from the formation's field restrictions.
Watching the cyan figure rapidly closing in on him, Li Haoran gritted his teeth.
At the very least, he had to force Su Hongzhen to unleash his Innate Sword Intent!
Li Haoran stopped maintaining the broken Yiming Sword Formation. He drew his hands together before his chest, and his entire aura shifted dramatically. Vast and ethereal true qi surged, ready to erupt—
Swish!
Li Haoran stared blankly at the white Swift Sword now pressed against his throat.
The sword tip was steady, without a single tremor.
Then, Li Haoran let out a bitter smile:
"I lose."
On the Daoyan Arena, silence fell.
...
The Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry had ended. The Rogue Cultivator Su Hongzhen had claimed this session's Heavenly Summit Mountain Champion position. As for the last time a rogue cultivator won the Heavenly Summit Mountain Champion...
There was no last time. A rogue cultivator winning the Heavenly Summit Mountain Champion was unprecedented.
But in truth, the world didn't truly regard Su Hongzhen as a rogue cultivator. Almost all cultivators believed that Su Hongzhen was deeply tied to Mirage Palace.
Though he wasn't yet a Mirage Palace disciple, he certainly would be after the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry concluded.
The Dao Inquiry Assembly of Chenping Continent continued as normal.
Although the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry segment was the most eye-catching part of the decade-long Dao Inquiry Assembly of Chenping Continent, the event as a whole was still the undisputed greatest cultivation gathering in Chenping Continent.
The Imperial Envoy Elders of the Five Great Sects would all lecture on dao within the Profound Scripture Hall to disciples from various cultivation sects across Chenping Continent. For disciples from second-rate and third-rate sects, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Su Hongzhen, as the Heavenly Summit Mountain Champion, entered the Heavenly Summit Palace.
In this palace that once symbolized Heavenly Summit Mountain's dominance over Chenping Continent, he found nothing.
Because the Heavenly Summit Palace was just an empty hall.
After spending three full days inside the Heavenly Summit Palace, as he walked out of the palace gates, this carefree blue-robed swordsman saw a figure sitting on the steps outside the Heavenly Summit Palace, back facing him.
It was a figure in a plain white daoist robe.
"Big brother?"
Su Hongzhen called out in surprise.
"Congratulations, Heavenly Summit Mountain Champion."
Chen Yan slowly turned his head and spoke softly.
For some reason, Su Hongzhen felt that Chen Yan's entire aura had changed compared to when they had first stepped onto Heavenly Summit Mountain not long ago.
Back then, big brother seemed calmer and steadier. But now... he appeared as though he were still immersed in an aura of brutal violence.
As if he had just endured an extremely brutal battle or suffering.
"Did something happen?"
Su Hongzhen asked.
In Little Su's perception, less than ten days had passed since he and Chen Yan had parted ways until now.
But for Chen Yan, even setting aside the time he had spent in the chaotic flow of time and spatial rifts, he had already spent a full three hundred years on Tianji Continent.
"No. I just rested a little during these past few days."
Chen Yan shook his head and stood up:
"Come with me."
"Where to?"
Su Hongzhen asked instinctively.
"Water Mirror Pavilion."
Chen Yan replied.