"He's not at the half-step Profound Extreme Realm-he's a true Profound Extreme Realm cultivator! How is this possible? How can Ning Fan's cultivation speed be this fast?"

"A monster! He is an absolute monster!"

"..."

Indeed.

As Ning Fan fully unleashed the spiritual energy throughout his body, his cultivation at the first layer of the Profound Extreme Realm was laid bare before the world. While first-layer Profound Extreme Realm cultivators were as common as ox hairs within the Sect, it was an entirely different matter for a newly initiated disciple.

That was simply absurd!

"At the ninth layer of the Yellow Extreme Realm, he defeated Nan Li. At the half-step Profound Extreme Realm, he nearly fought Ji Wuxi to a standstill. And now, Ning Fan has actually broken through to the true Profound Extreme Realm."

"All of this happened within a mere two to three days!"

"Is this a cultivation speed achievable by a mere mortal?"

"..."

Exclamations of shock echoed one after another. Anyone aware of Ning Fan's meteoric rise could not help but feel astounded. His current realm had already caught up to the top-ranked disciple of the previous batch.

He was dominating two generations of disciples single-handedly!

"The Profound Extreme Realm?"

Luo Ming narrowed his eyes, scanning Ning Fan up and down as a heavy solemnity settled into his gaze. A Profound Extreme Realm Ning Fan was no longer an opponent he could casually suppress.

"Even so, you are merely at the first layer of the Profound Extreme Realm."

"As for me?"

"I am already at the mid-stage of the Profound Extreme Realm, having immersed myself in this realm for a full half year. Snuffing you out will be as easy as turning my palm!"

Luo Ming's eyes went wide as his spiritual energy surged violently, his aura rising to a level far more formidable than before.

In the next instant, Luo Ming closed the distance, engaging Ning Fan in fierce, close-quarters combat. He intended to rely on his higher realm to utterly crush his opponent under absolute pressure.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Within the span of a dozen breaths, the two clashed for over thirty exchanges, every strike a brutal, flesh-to-flesh collision.

The heavy thuds of their impacts made the onlookers' teeth ache. Imagining themselves in the midst of such a ruthless melee, Ji Wuxi and the others felt their souls tremble. They likely would not have lasted half as long.

Boom!

Ning Fan and Luo Ming traded a heavy punch. Borrowing the rebounding force of the impact, both figures leaped backward, widening the gap between them once more.

At this moment, Ning Fan cut a rather disheveled figure. His robes were torn in multiple places, his exposed skin was covered in purple and blue bruises, and a trail of fresh blood hung from the corner of his mouth.

Luo Ming, by contrast, fared much better. Aside from breathing heavily, his condition was virtually unchanged from before the battle.

Luo Ming held the absolute upper hand.

Yet, Luo Ming's expression remained exceedingly grim, layered with deep wariness. Despite possessing the advantage of a higher minor realm, his close-quarters assault had only granted him a slight lead. He had attempted to convert that edge into a decisive victory multiple times, only for Ning Fan to perfectly neutralize every single opening.

This meant Luo Ming could not easily defeat Ning Fan. At the very least, the battle had devolved into a temporary deadlock.

This Ning Fan was truly formidable.

"I admit your natural talent is high enough. However, I comprehended this next technique from the third floor of the Martial Skills Pavilion. Let us see if you can withstand it!"

Luo Ming's spiritual energy erupted. He raised his hand, and a blazing fire ignited across his palm, causing the surrounding temperature to spike drastically.

"Burning Flame Blade!"

With a violent sweep of his hand, the fire on Luo Ming's palm extended outward, shaping into a slender blade of flame. The very air around the blazing weapon warped from the terrifying heat.

"That is a Low Grade Profound Grade martial technique-the Burning Flame Blade!"

Ji Wuxi narrowed his eyes, his gaze tightening. This technique was a prized collection of the Martial Skills Pavilion's third floor.

By all rights, Ning Fan did not even possess the qualifications to set foot on the second floor yet. Luo Ming was not only suppressing him with a higher realm, but also with the sheer grade of his martial technique. It was an overwhelming disparity.

However, this was a world where strength dictated status, and a true life-and-death struggle left no room for fair play. None could say how Ning Fan, burdened by an inferior realm, would contend with a Profound Grade technique.

Ning Fan stared at the flame blade in Luo Ming's hand, a look of gravity crossing his eyes. This strike was undoubtedly far more potent than any method Ji Wuxi had deployed. It was the most dangerous attack he had faced to date, demanding absolute caution.

"Dragon Snake Evolution Hand!"

Spiritual energy surged through Ning Fan's meridians. In the next breath, a dark-grey snake shadow manifested, coiling tightly around his arm. Following the recent advancement of the Dragon Snake Evolution Hand, his mastery over the technique had grown immensely. With a mere thought, the snake shadow materialized effortlessly.

"Die!"

Luo Ming leaped high into the air, descending with the terrifying momentum of a collapsing mountain as he slashed down at Ning Fan.

"Come!"

An intense light flashed in Ning Fan's eyes. He punched directly toward the descending blade. Instantly, the dark-grey snake shadow on his arm shot forward, opening its maw to clash directly against the edge of the flame blade.

"No, it is not enough," Ji Wuxi muttered under his breath.

Having fought Ning Fan himself, he knew the dark-grey snake shadow was only at the level of a Yellow Grade technique. It lacked the power to contest Luo Ming's Profound Grade strike.

Yet, the moment the snake shadow shot out, the dark-grey energy suddenly solidified, shifting into a pitch-black hue. The original silhouette rapidly sprouted dual horns and whiskers, and a pair of claws erupted from its underbelly. It had evolved into the formidable visage of a flood dragon!

Compared to its previous form, the black flood dragon exuded a vastly superior aura, successfully touching the threshold of a Profound Grade martial technique.

In fact, its sheer pressure threatened to eclipse Luo Ming's Burning Flame Blade!

"The same technique, yet a completely different form? Is the martial technique itself extraordinary, or was Ning Fan hiding his strength before?"

Ji Wuxi's emotions turned chaotic. The realization that Ning Fan might have held back during their own duel left a bitter taste in his mouth.

In the next heartbeat, the black flood dragon coiled around the Burning Flame Blade. The weapon's searing heat seemed completely ineffective against the beast, which wrapped itself ring by ring around the blade before violently flexing its form.

Crack!

A crisp fracturing sound echoed. The Profound Grade technique Luo Ming had proudly unleashed, the Burning Flame Blade, shattered into fragments in an instant.

"What-"

Witnessing his ultimate strike disintegrate, Luo Ming's eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking to the size of needle points. He felt as though an invisible hand had clamped around his throat, leaving him gasping for air.

Ning Fan gave him no time to recover from his shock.

Boom!

The black flood dragon slammed squarely into Luo Ming's chest, sending his body hurtling backward like a discarded rag.

"Husband!"

Luo Ming's dao companion cried out, attempting to rush forward. However, the moment she stirred, Yun Qingyao stepped in, blocking her path entirely.

Thud!

Luo Ming crashed heavily to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His face turned as pale as gold paper, his breathing shallow and ragged as he hovered on the brink of collapse.

He had lost. Luo Ming had been utterly defeated by Ning Fan!

This outcome defied everyone's calculations. Ji Wuxi and his companions had originally intended to ambush and eliminate Ning Fan the moment he emerged from the spirit vein. None could have foreseen that Ning Fan would instead turn the tables and strike down Luo Ming, the very man holding them captive.

It was a thoroughly ironic turn of events.

Just as Ning Fan stepped forward to claim Luo Ming's storage ring, the entire spirit vein suddenly shook violently. Immediately following the tremor, tens of thousands of radiant, multicolored beams of light cascaded down from the horizon.

"Who is there?"

Ning Fan snapped his gaze toward the source of the radiance. There, shrouded in the light, a figure stood tall.

Could there be another hidden expert lurking here?