Chapter 468: The Battle Begins

Lin Xiao raised his eyes. His gaze shone with a brilliant light, staring straight at Zhang Li. His expression was calm, his eyes composed.

Yet beneath that tranquil surface, there was an enormous, invisible, cold, and profound force stirring.

It was killing intent.

Forged through countless slaughters and battles, like steel tempered by fire.

Though Lin Xiao had not fully released the killing intent within him, even the faintest trace exuded an indescribable pressure.

Zhang Li’s expression darkened. His entire body tensed. He no longer held the slightest contempt toward Lin Xiao. That steady gaze of Lin Xiao’s made him feel as if he had been completely seen through.

‘This guy… his strength is no less than mine,’

A sudden realization rose in Zhang Li’s heart.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, he had to accept that Lin Xiao at this moment required his full strength to deal with.

If he continued to underestimate him, he might very well stumble and fall. Zhang Li was arrogant and proud, but he was not foolish.

If he were foolish, he wouldn’t have reached the late stage of Dark Force at just twenty-something years old.

On the arena stage, Lin Xiao and Zhang Li faced off in silence. Neither made the first move.

Lin Xiao wanted to see Zhang Li’s trump card before defeating him, to use it as fuel for his own growth, just like when he defeated the Golden Claw Sect’s master and An Baichen.

Zhang Li, on the other hand, was still building up strength, waiting for the right moment to strike with thunderous force.

Because of Lin Xiao and Zhang Li’s confrontation, all the fighting on the other stages had unknowingly stopped. In the vast arena, thousands of martial artists turned their eyes to the two of them.

A battle between two late-stage Dark Force experts was rare. Many ordinary martial artists might not even witness such a thing once in their lifetime.

***

“This Lin Xiao guy… sure hid himself well.”

From the viewing stands, Lei Wen’s eyes were locked on Lin Xiao. His previously indifferent expression had vanished without a trace.

He had always been known for his formidable physical prowess, reigning as the top among the younger generation in the Southern Martial World—but facing Lin Xiao now, he could no longer be certain of victory.

***

“Such terrifying qi and blood… what a powerful body.”

On the other side, Jiang Long was equally shaken. Even separated by more than ten meters, she could still hear Lin Xiao’s steady, powerful heartbeat, like the pounding of war drums—thump thump thump.

Chunyu Yan pressed both hands against the arms of his grand chair, his body leaning slightly forward, ready to intervene at any moment to save Zhang Li.

Unless it was necessary, he didn’t want to step in. After all, that would be too much of a loss of face.

Seated beside Chunyu Yan, Tian Junliang, on the other hand, had calmed down completely. His eyes were half-open, half-closed, as if in meditation, exuding a detached aura. No one knew what he was thinking.

Zhang Li and Lin Xiao had been facing off for more than ten seconds, but Zhang Li still couldn’t find an opening.

His patience began to wear thin because the longer the standoff dragged on, the more disadvantageous it became for him. Suddenly, he took a deep breath. A flash of killing intent burst in his eyes. He attacked.

Zhang Li stomped, slid, and then lunged forward. A blurred afterimage trailed behind him as he shot toward Lin Xiao in the blink of an eye.

He was fast.

Indescribably fast!

The three-meter gap was crossed in an instant.

Lin Xiao appeared startled by Zhang Li’s speed, standing motionless as if frozen. His hands hung at his sides, not making any effort to dodge as Zhang Li rushed right in front of him.

Zhang Li’s sword-like brows furrowed, eyes wide open. A chilling ferocity radiated from between his brows as his muscular arms lifted, like two massive battle axes, bringing down a vicious strike accompanied by a sharp whistling wind.

Scarlet Flame Palm—a Scarlet City Sect secret technique.

The Scarlet Flame Palm was the Scarlet City Sect’s signature skill. It included pushing, striking, chopping, grappling, and pressure point techniques. Pushing had twenty-four deadly palm methods, striking had 108 hand styles, grappling had eighteen major techniques, chopping had the Three-Chop Six-Break method, and pressure points had thirty-six variations.

Its complexity allowed it to be both real and feigned, hard or soft, offensive or defensive.

It was extremely difficult to learn and even harder to master. But once mastered, it became a terrifyingly powerful technique in the hands of a true expert.

Without a doubt, Zhang Li was one such expert.

He had begun martial arts training at age twelve, started studying the Scarlet Flame Palm at fifteen, and now had over ten years of experience with it.

Supported by his Dark Force, Zhang Li’s arms were harder than steel. Especially those reddish palms—sharp as blades—slicing through the air with terrifying speed, as if they could split Lin Xiao’s skull in half.

Chen Lingxin, standing below the stage, clasped her hands over her chest. Her heart leapt into her throat, and she was so tense she forgot to breathe.

Zhang Li’s attack was too fierce.

Even from below, that chilling and violent killing intent could be felt.

Although Chen Lingxin had full confidence in Lin Xiao, she still couldn’t help but worry.

“Li’er’s Scarlet Flame Palm… still a bit lacking in heat, but already entering mastery. Far beyond what I was at his age.” Chunyu Yan nodded slightly, clearly pleased. “He wasn’t raised in vain. Even if I’ve earned a few bad names for it, it’s worth it.”

Thinking this, he shifted his gaze to Lin Xiao, his eyes icy.

“Now then… how do you plan to block this strike?”

Not only Chunyu Yan, but all others were watching to see how Lin Xiao would respond.

And yet, Lin Xiao seemed completely stunned. He stood frozen until Zhang Li’s arms were just about to strike his head. Only then did he raise his arms abruptly to block above his head.

“With that? You think you can block my finishing move?” Zhang Li sneered. “Watch me break your arms.”

He let out a low roar as Dark Force surged into his arms, bringing down his strike with even more terrifying force!

Bang!

A deafening crash rang out, like metal clashing with metal. Zhang Li’s palm strike slammed into Lin Xiao’s forearms, not like a clash of flesh, but like a hammer striking an anvil, making everyone’s eardrums buzz.

Two opposing forces clashed, canceling each other out. The impact spread in all directions, forming visible white shockwaves.

The marble beneath Lin Xiao’s feet couldn’t withstand the force of their collision and shattered with a crack, leaving two deep footprints where he stood.

And yet, Lin Xiao’s body remained upright like a spear, completely unmoved, not even a twitch of his eyebrows.

“This is…”

Zhang Li hadn’t expected his full-powered strike to be taken head-on. Shock flashed in his eyes.

But he had rich combat experience. Instantly, he turned his palms into claws, grabbed Lin Xiao’s arm, and yanked him to the side while raising his left leg to kick at Lin Xiao’s calf.

He roared, “Die!”

Zhang Li truly lived up to being a monstrous-level genius. In the blink of an eye, he identified an opening and launched a targeted attack. Whether in strength or instinct, he was far above the average martial artist.

Unfortunately, he was facing Lin Xiao, a genius even more monstrous than he was.