Chapter 30: Shocking the Entire Audience

Below Duel Platform Number One, everyone was whispering excitedly.

All eyes were focused on the figure standing on the stage.

"Hahaha, Platform One starts with a freebie round: Senior Brother Zhang Mang versus Chen Chuan."

"Senior Brother Zhang Mang is a solid First Level of the Furnace Realm; one punch from him can crack monuments and split stones."

"Chen Chuan? I remember hearing just a few days ago that he only just broke through to the Ming Quan Realm?"

"With that small Burning Lamp Realm frame, could he even withstand a pinch from Senior Brother Zhang Mang’s finger?"

"Tsk tsk, he must have gone stupid from Alchemy, daring to come to the competition to seek attention."

"I’ll bet one Spirit Gathering Pill that Chen Chuan won’t last a single move!"

"One? I’ll bet three! I bet he can’t even withstand the wind from Senior Brother Zhang Mang’s punch and will go flying through the air."

In the crowd, Chen Ping’s fists were tightly clenched.

Listening to the ruthless mockery around him, his face turned red with anger, yet he was powerless to refute them.

He knew his big brother was amazing at Alchemy, but his cultivation level was just too far behind.

His big brother was too unlucky, running into such a tough opponent in the very first round.

He only hoped Zhang Mang would go easy on him so his big brother wouldn’t lose too embarrassingly.

Not far away, Feng Tianxiang and Feng Tianming didn’t even bother to hide the schadenfreude on their faces.

"Tsk tsk, Brother Tianxiang, look, that trash actually dares to go up on stage?" Feng Tianming laughed sarcastically.

Feng Tianxiang crossed his arms with a look of contempt. "A Burning Lamp Realm going up there to seek abuse; Zhang Mang will teach him how to behave."

Feng Zhixian, dressed in red, fixed her gaze on Chen Chuan with undisguised disgust.

She had originally thought she could personally teach this lecher a lesson on stage, but she hadn’t expected Zhang Mang to beat her to it in the first round.

She snorted inwardly:

"Bastard, count yourself lucky you didn’t run into me. You got off easy."

"Zhang Mang, beat him up ruthlessly for me. It’s best if you knock his teeth out."

Amidst the various discussions, the voice of the presiding Elder rang out: "Platform One, let the match begin!"

On the Duel Platform, Zhang Mang did not strike immediately.

With his arms crossed, he scanned Chen Chuan from head to toe as if looking at a rare animal, a playful smile on his face:

"Tell me, as a Burning Lamp Realm, wouldn’t it be better for you to stay in the Pill Hall and tend the fires? Why run here to seek abuse?"

Hearing this, Chen Chuan showed no sign of anger. Instead, he casually brushed off non-existent dust from his sleeves.

His tone was as flat as if he were discussing the weather: "Senior Brother Zhang, don’t speak too soon. It’s not certain yet who will be the one getting abused."

Pfft!

Hahaha!

The crowd below instantly erupted into a burst of laughter and jeers.

"Arrogant! A Burning Lamp Realm telling a Furnace Realm it’s not certain who will get abused? Chen Chuan is being way too conceited."

"He’s refined so many pills that he’s refined hallucinations into his brain, hasn’t he?"

"Waiting for the face-slapping. I can’t wait to see Chen Chuan’s face beaten into a pig’s head."

In the crowd, Ye Linger was blinking her large, spirited eyes, curiously observing Chen Chuan on the stage.

She tilted her head and murmured softly, "That big guy Zhang Mang looks like trouble at a glance. Isn’t he just asking for a beating?"

She could already see the scene of Chen Chuan being beaten until he fled in panic.

Zhang Mang was so angered by Chen Chuan’s words that he laughed; he felt he had been greatly insulted.

A weakling actually dared to talk big in front of him?

He laughed out of extreme anger and pointed a finger arrogantly at Chen Chuan:

"Good, very good. Chen Chuan, since you refuse the face I’m giving you, don’t blame me for not showing fellow Disciple sentiment."

"One move. Just one move. If I can’t blast you off this platform, I’ll write my name, Zhang Mang, backwards."

Chen Chuan remained as calm as ever, even beckoning Zhang Mang with his finger. "Too much nonsense. Just move. I’ll give you a free move."

"Give me a move?" Zhang Mang completely blew his top.

A powerful aura belonging to a Furnace Realm Cultivator suddenly erupted, and the Qi around him surged like a raging furnace being lit.

"You’re looking for death!"

He let out a roar and charged like a rampaging bull. Accompanied by a gale, his fist—the size of a clay pot—wrapped in scorching Qi, smashed straight toward Chen Chuan’s face.

He threw this punch in fury, holding nothing back, vowing to send this ignorant brat flying with a single blow.

The crowd below held their breath, as if they could already see the image of Chen Chuan spitting blood and being knocked back in a pathetic defeat.

A cold curve even formed at the corner of Feng Zhixian’s mouth.

However, in the next second, the expressions on everyone’s faces instantly froze.

Facing that incomparably fierce punch, Chen Chuan did not dodge. He simply raised his right hand as if casually, opened his fingers, and gave a light, nonchalant press forward.

Bang!

A dull, heavy sound echoed!

The expected scene of Chen Chuan being sent flying did not occur.

That punch, which was powerful enough to shatter boulders, was actually caught firmly in Chen Chuan’s palm.

At the point where the fist and palm met, waves of air rolled out, making the clothes of both men flutter loudly.

The cruel grin on Zhang Mang’s face froze, replaced by utter astonishment.

He felt as if his punch had hit a massive mountain; he was unable to budge it in the slightest.

Before he could react, Chen Chuan’s wrist gave a slight shake, and a surge of majestic, immense power suddenly poured out.

Stomp, stomp, stomp!

Zhang Mang felt an irresistible force travel up his arm.

His entire body uncontrollably retreated seven or eight steps before he barely managed to stabilize himself, his internal blood and Qi churning.

He snapped his head up, looking at Chen Chuan as if he had seen a ghost, his voice turning shrill from extreme shock:

"First Level of the Furnace Realm? How is this possible?"

What?

Furnace Realm?

Chen Chuan is in the Furnace Realm?

Zhang Mang’s exclamation was like a sudden thunderclap, instantly exploding across the martial arts arena.

The square that had just been filled with mockery and jeers was now dead silent; one could hear a pin drop.

Everyone’s jaws seemed to have collectively dislocated, hanging open wide enough to fit an egg.

"Is... is there something wrong with my ears? Zhang Mang said Chen Chuan is in the Furnace Realm?"

"First Level of the Furnace Realm? That can’t be right."

"He was still in the Burning Lamp Realm just a few days ago."

"Freak, he’s an absolute monster! Refining pills is as easy as eating and drinking for him... this is too fake."

"Damn it, my face hurts. Who was it that just bet three Spirit Gathering Pills?"

Chen Ping stared dumbfoundedly at the calm figure on the stage, his mind a complete blank.

Furnace Realm!

His big brother is actually in the Furnace Realm?

This is just like a dream!

The massive wave of pleasant surprise hit Chen Ping, leaving him momentarily speechless.

The schadenfreude on the faces of the brothers Feng Tianxiang and Feng Tianming had long since vanished, replaced by deep shock and disbelief.

The two stood frozen in place like clay statues.

Feng Zhixian’s pupils constricted even more, her rosy little mouth slightly agape, showing the stormy waves in her heart.

That guy she had always viewed as trash had actually hidden himself so deeply?

Ye Linger also let out a surprised "ah," lowering her hands from her eyes, her beautiful eyes wide and round:

"Wow! This Junior Brother is actually this powerful?"

"He hid it quite well! He made me worry for nothing—no, I mean, he made me look forward to a good show for nothing."

She pouted her lips, but the curiosity and excitement in her eyes grew even stronger.

On the stage, Zhang Mang recovered from his initial shock, his expression becoming extremely grave.

He cast aside all his contempt and said in a heavy voice: "Junior Brother Chen, good skills! It seems I misjudged you. Next, I will give it my all."

"Come and fight!" Chen Chuan replied.

Zhang Mang let out a great shout, his Qi boiling as he unleashed his strongest Cultivation Technique, the Scorching Sun Palm!

The palm wind was searing, like a red-hot branding iron, as he attacked Chen Chuan once again.

Chen Chuan’s eyes shifted slightly, and the Primordial Sacred Dragon Scripture quietly circulated within him, an ancient and overbearing aura diffusing from his body.

Although he was just casually throwing punches and kicks without using any fancy Martial Skills,

every strike contained terrifying power.

Furthermore, the powerful Physical Body and Qi quality brought by the Chaos Divine Body far surpassed those of the same rank.

Boom!

Bang!

After a few rapid collisions, Zhang Mang’s Scorching Sun Palm energy was forcefully crushed by Chen Chuan’s even more overbearing power.

He was sent flying back like a kite with a broken string, crashing directly below the Duel Platform in a pathetic state.

The winner was decided!

Chen Chuan wins!

After a brief silence, the entire square erupted into even more heated discussion.

The way everyone looked at Chen Chuan had completely changed.

From previous contempt, it turned into shock and disbelief.

Ignoring the various complex gazes from below, Chen Chuan gave a slight nod to the Referee Elder and then light-footedly stepped off the stage.

He walked to the rest area to close his eyes and rest, waiting for the next round of drawing lots.

Although Chen Chuan’s forceful defeat of Zhang Mang with a First Level of the Furnace Realm cultivation had caused a huge sensation,

everyone’s attention was soon drawn away by the fierce battles on other Duel Platforms.

"Chen Chuan is impressive, but he’s only at the First Level of the Furnace Realm. Senior Brother Xiao Tianci has already practically stepped into the Mountain Sea Realm."

"And there’s Senior Brother Lin Feng, at the Peak of the Ninth Level of the Furnace Realm, whose Breeze Sword Technique is superb."

"Senior Sister Wang Xuan isn’t weak either..."

"True, if Chen Chuan can make it into the top hundred, it would be an extraordinary performance. He can forget about the top ten."

"When he encounters those true Prodigies, his newly entered Furnace Realm cultivation still won’t be enough."

The crowd discussed animatedly. Although they no longer looked down on Chen Chuan,

it was generally believed that the main protagonists of this Outer Sect Competition would ultimately be those top Disciples who had long been famous at the Eighth or Ninth Level of the Furnace Realm.

How far Chen Chuan, this dark horse, could run was still an unknown.