Chapter 358: Three Intents Suppressing the Prodigies

Chapter 358: Chapter 166: Three Intents Suppressing the Prodigies

Shen Du nodded and said no more.

He was already heavily injured. Disciples from the Fifth Peak followed their orders, stepping onto the Heaven-Ascending Stairs to help him down, one step at a time.

And with every step he took, blood dripped to the ground.

When he was helped to the bottom of the stairs, he suddenly turned back to look at Li Jianfeng.

“This time, for the grand competition of the Three Sects and Six Gates, you are more qualified than I. You must go.”

Li Jianfeng nodded.

“Alright.”

Shen Du said nothing more and departed, crestfallen.

Li Jianfeng stood rooted to the spot, watching the departing figure. Suddenly, his body swayed, and he fell to one knee.

“Second Senior Brother!”

Li Jianfeng looked up at him, then glanced at Gu Tianya lying in a pool of blood in the distance, and suddenly broke into a grin.

“Little Junior Brother, you won too?”

Liang Cheng nodded.

Li Jianfeng’s smile grew wider.

“Excellent…”

“First Peak… both of us won…”

Before he could finish, he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

At that moment, the entire venue fell silent. Everyone stared at the scene, their eyes filled with shock.

Above Tier Six, the hundred-zhang-long spatial rift was slowly healing. The aftershocks of the three-colored pillar of light still reverberated between heaven and earth.

No one had expected such an outcome.

Shen Du was defeated and left heavily injured.

Li Jianfeng had won, but he was also grievously wounded and in a weakened state. It was unlikely he could continue.

It was a battle where both sides ended up grievously wounded.

But what truly surprised everyone was Gu Tianya, lying in a pool of his own blood, his life hanging by a thread.

Meanwhile, Liang Cheng just stood there, the lingering might of three True Intents still swirling around him.

Blade Intent, Fist Intent, and Sword Intent.

Three Martial Dao True Intents, all gathered in one person.

Above his head, three phantom images flickered in and out of existence, drawing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to slowly circulate around them.

At this moment, he was the most dazzling existence on the Heaven-Ascending Stairs.

The entire crowd erupted!

“Three True Intents?!”

“Blade Intent! Fist Intent! And Sword Intent! He condensed three Martial Dao True Intents all by himself?!”

“How is that possible?!”

“A monster! He’s an absolute monster!”

On the high platform, the various Peak Masters couldn’t help but look at each other, their eyes filled with utter shock.

The Peak Master of the Third Peak looked at Lie Mountain, his brow deeply furrowed.

“Lie Mountain, this disciple of yours…”

Lie Mountain remained expressionless.

“What about him?”

The Third Peak’s Peak Master opened his mouth, but no words came out.

The Peak Master of the Fifth Peak watched Liang Cheng, fell silent for a moment, and then suddenly smiled.

“Interesting.”

“Cultivating three Intents at once… This kid is an anomaly.”

The Peak Master of the Seventh Peak’s face was ashen as he remained silent.

Behind him, a few disciples exchanged glances, none daring to speak.

Liang Cheng sheathed his blade.

The three phantom images remained hovering above his head, their power not the least bit restrained.

He was waiting.

Just as he expected.

A moment later, a gaze fell upon Tier Three.

There, Li Jianfeng was on one knee, the sword wound on his chest so deep the bone was visible. Fresh blood stained his white robes red.

His aura was weakened to the extreme.

The owner of that gaze slowly rose to his feet.

From the Sixth Peak, Bai Wuchang.

He had placed ninth in the last Inquiry Conference; this time, his goal was the top five.

He stared at Li Jianfeng, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

“Senior Brother Li is so grievously injured. I’m afraid he’s in no condition to fight again, is he?”

As his voice fell, he took a step forward.

He was about to land on Tier Three.

But just then—

“Stop.”

The voice wasn’t loud.

But it boomed like a clap of thunder.

Bai Wuchang froze mid-step.

He turned his head to look.

Liang Cheng was watching him.

Above his head, the three phantom images trembled in unison.

The Sword Aura pulsed!

The fist’s phantom was like a mountain!

The sword light was razor-sharp!

Three streams of True Intent locked onto Bai Wuchang at the same time.

Bai Wuchang’s expression changed.

The oppressive feeling made it hard for him to even breathe.

But he was, after all, the number two figure of the Sixth Peak. He quickly steadied his mind.

“Liang Cheng, what do you think you’re doing?”

“According to the rules of the Heaven-Ascending Stairs, challenging a Tier is perfectly justified.”

Liang Cheng looked at him, his gaze as calm as still water.

“Of course it is.”

He paused.

“But if you do, I will also abandon Tier Six and challenge you.”

Hearing this, Bai Wuchang’s face changed again.

“You—”

Liang Cheng cut him off.

“You challenge Senior Brother Li, and I’ll challenge you.”

“You fight your battle, I’ll fight mine.”

“The rules of the Heaven-Ascending Stairs don’t forbid anyone from issuing a challenge.”

He took a step forward.

The three phantom images above his head swelled in size simultaneously.

The Sword Aura surged to the heavens!

The fist’s phantom was like a mountain!

The sword light tore through the air!

The three streams of True Intent, now almost corporeal, bore down on Bai Wuchang.

“Senior Brother Bai, you’re welcome to try.”

“Try and see if I can defeat you. Try and see if you have any strength left to continue challenging others after taking a full-power blow from me.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire venue.

“Any of you. I’d like to see who dares take advantage of someone’s misfortune.”

The venue fell silent once more.

Bai Wuchang’s face was ashen.

He stared daggers at Liang Cheng, rage swirling in his eyes.

But he didn’t move.

Because he knew Liang Cheng was telling the truth.

If he attacked with all three True Intents at once, it was questionable whether he could even receive the blow.

Even if he did, he would undoubtedly be gravely injured.

Just like Gu Tianya, who clearly had the strength to be in the top ten, but was now forced to withdraw in defeat.

He wasn’t stupid.

But he was unwilling to accept it.

“Liang Cheng, who do you think you are?”

“You think you can suppress everyone with just three True Intents?”

As his voice fell, several more gazes landed on Liang Cheng.

The Fourth Peak, the Eighth Peak, the Ninth Peak…

Several figures were stirring, eager to make a move.

Liang Cheng looked at them and spoke slowly:

“You are all paragons of your respective Peaks. You all have the chance to take a Tier honorably and enter the top ten. But if you want to take advantage of his weakness to seize my Second Senior Brother’s Tier—”

He paused.

“I, Liang Cheng, will challenge that person without fail.”

“I will strike with my full power.”

“And I will make sure he has absolutely no ability to continue challenging anyone else.”

“He’ll be forced to withdraw with heavy injuries.”

“As for whether I have the strength to do it—”

He raised his hands.

His left hand clenched into a fist, the Fist Intent like a mountain!

His right hand rested on his blade, the Blade Intent pulsing!

Sword light emanated from between his brows, the Sword Intent razor-sharp!

Three streams of True Intent erupted at once!

RUMBLE—!!!

The heavens and the earth changed color.

Three phantom images shot into the sky.

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi for hundreds of li around gathered in a frenzy.

The sky above the entire Heaven-Ascending Stairs was shrouded by these three phantom images.

“You can all weigh your options.”

Liang Cheng’s voice echoed throughout Wenda Hall.

“Whether you can take the full force of my three Intents.”

“And whether it’s worth it.”

Those figures who had been eager to move were now frozen in place.

They stared at the three sky-blotting phantom images above, their eyes filled with apprehension.

Bai Wuchang’s face was ashen, but he couldn’t utter a single word.

Because he knew Liang Cheng was telling the truth.

A monster who had gathered three True Intents in one body… if he truly attacked with all his might, Bai Wuchang absolutely could not take it. Even if he could, he would be gravely injured, just like Li Jianfeng was now, with no strength left to fight.

At that point, forget the top ten; whether he could even survive would be a question.

Was it worth it for a single Tier?

It wasn’t worth it.

He gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.

“Liang Cheng, you’re ruthless.”

He flicked his sleeve, turned, and went to challenge a different Tier. Seeing this, the others exchanged glances.

A moment later, the Direct Disciples from the Fourth, Eighth, and Ninth Peaks also silently went to challenge opponents on other Tiers.

No one dared to covet Li Jianfeng’s Tier anymore.

Because Liang Cheng was standing there.

The three phantom images above his head suppressed the entire venue.

「Three hours later.」

The sun began to set.

On the Heaven-Ascending Stairs, ten figures stood on their respective Tiers.

Tier One…

Tier Two…

Tier Three, Li Jianfeng.

Tier Four, Liu Qingli.

Tier Five, Zhou Yuanqing.

Tier Six, Liang Cheng.

Tier Seven…

Tier Eight…

Tier Nine…

Tier Ten, Yu Xiuqi.

The ten were decided. The dust had settled.

First Peak alone had taken three spots, their prestige unmatched for the moment!

Yun Zhonghe’s gaze swept over the ten people as he slowly began to speak:

“The Heaven-Ascending Stairs event is over. The ten have been decided.”

“Tomorrow at 7:00 AM, the Inquiry Cliff will open.”

“The ten of you may enter the cliff for three months of Enlightenment.”

“After three months, the top three will be decided in Wenda Hall. They will represent the Penglai Sect in the grand competition of the Three Sects and Six Gates.”

As his voice fell, the ten figures rose simultaneously and returned to their respective Peaks.

Liang Cheng stood up, walked to Tier Three, and helped Li Jianfeng to his feet. Li Jianfeng grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.

Liang Cheng nodded. Behind him, the three phantom images slowly receded, vanishing back into his body.

Three True Intents, suppressing all paragons.