Chapter 646 - 646: The Grand Competition Continues

"A mid-battle breakthrough?"

"You're asking to die!"

Chu Qingyun snorted coldly, once again raising the hundred-meter Elemental Power Giant Sword and smashing it down on Zhou Yongyang.

Zhou Yongyang shot Chu Qingyun a hateful glare, gritted his teeth, and unleashed another blast of Primordial Power to block and repel the Elemental Power Giant Sword.

Advancing from a Level Nine Martial Spirit to the Martial King Realm was undoubtedly a massive qualitative transformation.

Once the breakthrough began, his Primordial Power would start converting to that of the Martial King Realm. Coupled with the unique might of the forming Primordial Pill, his strength would spike instantaneously.

But Zhou Yongyang didn't have the Devouring Power, nor any means of devouring and rapidly Refining Primordial Power.

For him, a mid-battle breakthrough was akin to drinking poison to quench his thirst.

Although his strength would increase temporarily, his inadequate preparations and prior consumption of Primordial Power meant that even a successful breakthrough would affect the quality of his Martial King Essence Pill.

This was a setback he would likely have to pay an enormous price to overcome in the future.

Zhou Yongyang gritted his teeth and forcefully circulated the Primordial Liquid in his Qi Sea to condense a Primordial Pill and break through to the next Realm.

Meanwhile, Chu Qingyun unleashed the Celestial Sword Technique again and again, continuously bombarding Zhou Yongyang to interfere with his breakthrough.

Every sword strike forced Zhou Yongyang to expend Primordial Power to clash head-on with the Celestial Sword Technique, wearing down both of them.

With every expenditure, Zhou Yongyang felt his heart bleed. Every bit of Primordial Power he used now would directly impact his nascent Primordial Pill, a deficit that might cost him a hundred or even a thousand times the price to restore later.

At this moment, many on the Observation Platform had also noticed what was happening.

"A mid-battle breakthrough? Is Zhou Yongyang insane? Isn't he afraid Chu Qingyun will bombard him into Qi deviation?"

"Heh heh, that Chu Qingyun is decisive, isn't he? Not a moment's hesitation, just keeps using the Celestial Sword Technique to disrupt him."

"Of course! Only an idiot wouldn't interfere. If he actually succeeds in breaking through, it'll be a Martial King Realm expert against someone in the Martial Spirit Realm. How could anyone stand a chance then?"

A buzz of discussion swept through the crowd, but no one thought Chu Qingyun was in the wrong. After all, this was the battle stage. Since Zhou Yongyang had decided to force a breakthrough, he had to bear the consequences and risks himself.

"Zhou Jianxiong, you people from the Qianshui Dynasty are really pushing it, aren't you? Forcing a breakthrough like this... aren't you afraid he'll cripple himself?"

A Core Disciple next to Zhou Jianxiong remarked teasingly.

Zhou Jianxiong, however, was unconcerned. "There's something you don't know," he said. "Zhou Yongyang could have broken through to the Martial King Realm long ago. He attempted it once before but gave up at the final moment. So, even with this interference, he will definitely succeed."

"As for the damage to his Martial King Essence Pill, the rewards for becoming a Core Disciple, plus the additional rewards from my Qianshui Dynasty for our Core Disciples, should be enough to make up for it."

"As for that Chu Qingyun... Hmph, he's a dead man!"

Zhou Jianxiong couldn't help but sneer after he finished speaking.

'Being pushed this far, Zhou Yongyang must be absolutely furious. Once he breaks through to the Martial King Realm and attacks Chu Qingyun, he'll definitely teach him a harsh lesson. He might even kill him right here on the battle stage!'

「On the battle stage.」

After enduring thirteen consecutive bombardments from Chu Qingyun's Celestial Sword Technique, a look of joy finally appeared on Zhou Yongyang's face.

A terrifying aura surged from his body, instantly blanketing the entire Array Platform. Even the nearby Heaven and Earth Primordial Power trembled slightly.

Zhou Yongyang had successfully broken through. Right there on the battle stage, he had become a King Realm Expert—a Level One Martial King!

"Chu Qingyun, I want you dead!"

Zhou Yongyang roared, his eyes spitting fire as he ground his teeth.

Due to his Incomplete Yuan Power, forcing the breakthrough, and the constant interference from Chu Qingyun causing a Divine Split, Zhou Yongyang's Martial King Essence Pill was pitifully small compared to the Primordial Pills of other Martial King Realm experts with Tier Four Martial Souls.

Cultivating with such a Primordial Pill, his potential would drop directly to the level of those in the Martial King Realm who had only Tier Three Martial Souls.

"Wait, Elder! Only those in the Martial Spirit Realm can participate in the Inner Sect qualification tournament. Now that Zhou Yongyang has broken through to the Martial King Realm, shouldn't he be made an Inner Sect Disciple directly?"

Just as Zhou Yongyang was about to make a move, Chu Qingyun suddenly called out to the referee.

"This..."

The Inner Sect Elder serving as referee hesitated.

Nothing like this had ever happened before.

"Elder, I broke through during the tournament! The three rules of the tournament don't say you can't break through to a new Realm in the middle of a match!" Zhou Yongyang said hurriedly.

He had paid such a heavy price to force his breakthrough to the Martial King Realm.

If the referee declared him disqualified and simply made him an Ordinary Inner Sect Disciple, Zhou Yongyang would feel like dying!

Hearing Zhou Yongyang's words, the referee became even more hesitant.

But after a moment's thought, he still announced, "The three rules of the tournament do not forbid mid-battle breakthroughs. The match continues!"

After speaking, the referee glanced apologetically at Chu Qingyun.

'His reasoning was that Zhou Yongyang had already come this far; if he couldn't become an Inner Sect Disciple after all this, his future would be ruined.'

'Chu Qingyun, on the other hand, was still very young. He had only joined the sect a month ago. Spending another year in the Outer Sect and becoming a Core Disciple next year wouldn't make much of a difference.'

Hearing the referee's decision, Zhou Yongyang was overjoyed and prepared to strike immediately.

However, Chu Qingyun was faster. The Elemental Power Giant Sword swung up once more and chopped down.

Even though Zhou Yongyang had broken through to the Martial King Realm, Chu Qingyun had no intention of giving up. 'Besides, he wanted to see just how strong a newly advanced Martial King Realm expert really was.'

Facing the whistling Elemental Power Giant Sword again, a contemptuous smile appeared on Zhou Yongyang's face.

"The Celestial Sword Technique... is nothing special."

Zhou Yongyang raised his hand, Primordial Power surging to form a giant palm the size of a millstone. The palm opened and, with a BANG, caught the descending Elemental Power Giant Sword with steady ease.

The Celestial Sword Technique, which Zhou Yongyang had been unable to handle even with all his might before, was now caught so casually!

"Break!"

Zhou Yongyang shouted coldly, his fist cloaked in Primordial Power, and punched the Elemental Power Giant Sword.

The Elemental Power Giant Sword couldn't withstand the blow. It cracked from the point of impact, the fissures spreading across the entire blade in the blink of an eye. With a loud crash, the giant sword shattered, dissipating into wisps of Primordial Power that vanished into the air.

The Elemental Power Giant Sword had been destroyed in a single move. Chu Qingyun was inwardly shocked.

'The Celestial Sword Technique, powerful enough to sweep through the Martial Spirit Realm, was so fragile before a Martial King!'

On the Observation Platform, many in the crowd were once again stunned.

The previously one-sided battle had undergone another dramatic reversal with Zhou Yongyang's breakthrough.

After shattering the Celestial Sword Technique in one blow, Zhou Yongyang's heart swelled with immense confidence and pride. He was about to charge forward and completely crush Chu Qingyun with his overwhelmingly superior power.

However, as he watched the rapidly dissipating Elemental Power Giant Sword, another thought suddenly surfaced in Zhou Yongyang's mind.

'If I charge up now, with my current strength, I can easily defeat Chu Qingyun. I can teach him a brutal lesson and vent all my frustrations.'

'But if I do that, the most I can do is severely injure him and throw him off the battle stage.'

'Because that Inner Sect Elder, the referee, is watching right there. He definitely wouldn't just stand by and watch me land a killing blow on Chu Qingyun.'

'There's only one way to kill Chu Qingyun.'

'A single, fatal strike!'

'I'll use just one move, giving the referee no excuse and no chance to intervene!'