Chapter 356: Invincible Core: Never Fought Such an Affluent Battle

"Six Foundation Establishment cultivators, two Golden Core cultivators... what a daunting lineup." The Foundation Establishment cultivators who had fortunately scraped their way into the top eight wore troubled expressions.

According to the conventions of previous years, the final eight would duel on the arena stage, and the top three would be decided based on the order of elimination.

To this end, they had devised plans with the assistance of their sect elders, calculating how to eliminate their rivals and ensure their own survival for as long as possible.

The strategies included, but were not limited to, feigning cooperation, backstabbing, double-crossing, and mid-battle betrayal.

Faced with the current state of affairs, however, no plan would work; the only way to win was for the six Foundation Establishment cultivators to join forces against Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

Just as the seeded cultivators were pondering how to respond, a calm, steady voice rang out: "If you follow my command, there is still a chance of victory."

The seeded cultivators looked over to see that the speaker was the only Middle-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator present.

"Ah, it is Young Master Yan."

The Yan family was a great clan of Qingzhou, with a continuous lineage spanning six thousand years, boasting three Body Integration Stage ancestors; even the provincial governor treated the Yan family with utmost courtesy.

"If Young Master Yan is commanding, it is not out of the question."

With someone taking the lead, the seeded cultivators nodded one after another. Young Master Yan possessed the highest cultivation level present, and backed by the Yan family, he held the highest prestige among them; they were entirely willing to defer to his command.

"Zhou Fangge, what about you?" Young Master Yan fixed his gaze upon the youth in the black robe.

"Naturally, I have no objections," Zhou Fangge smiled. "However, I have only one condition: the five of you deal with that Meng Jingzhou, while Lu Yang is left to me alone."

The crowd erupted in fury, feeling that Zhou Fangge was utterly oblivious to the heights of heaven and earth: "What a joke! Your performance earlier was mediocre at best, yet you dare dream of facing Lu Yang alone?!"

At this moment, only by uniting as one could the six of them hope to defeat Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou; now, with one person shouting to throw his life away, how could they not be enraged?

Suddenly, Zhou Fangge released his true cultivation, causing everyone’s expressions to change drastically—this was an aura even more powerful than Young Master Yan's.

"Late-Stage Foundation Establishment!?"

To think this man was at the Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment, having hidden his strength so deeply.

Were it not for Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, this man would have been the greatest threat.

Consider it: in the chaotic free-for-all of eight players on the stage, if Zhou Fangge unleashed his true cultivation at the final moment, who could possibly withstand him?

Zhou Fangge had long anticipated their reaction and said unhurriedly, "Now, am I qualified to face Lu Yang alone?"

"In truth, I could have already formed my Core, and a top-three grade Golden Core would have been a certainty. It was only to forge a first-grade Golden Core that I halted my steps."

Young Master Yan frowned and advised, "Forgive my bluntness, but even if you are at the Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment, your chances of victory against Lu Yang are still not very high."

Zhou Fangge revealed a playful smile: "Facts speak louder than words. Since Young Master Yan does not believe me, then let us wait and see."

"Very well, the finals are about to begin. Let us take the stage."

Zhou Fangge laughed aloud and walked up to the arena.

Seeing Zhou Fangge so confident, Young Master Yan felt reassured; for the other party to dare speak such words, he must possess some reliance. Whatever that reliance was, it would be fine as long as he could defeat Lu Yang.

"As everyone knows, my Yan family is most famous for the 'Hundred Solutions of Weapons', unparalleled in offense. I have been taught by my great-grandfather since childhood and understand the 'Hundred Solutions of Weapons' best; I shall lead the assault."

"Gu Qisheng, your Profound Yin Body imparts a chill to your attacks. Even I might not gain the upper hand against you; the two of us will attack Meng Jingzhou simultaneously."

"Shi Xuan, you are familiar with formations; use them to disrupt Meng Jingzhou."

"Yang Xianyi, you have received the true inheritance of talismans; use them to provide us support depending on the situation."

"Sima He, your Jishi Manor is famous for its Sweet Dew spell. In the previous battles, your opponents could not attack you faster than you could recover; stand at the very back and heal the wounds of Gu Qisheng and myself!"

Young Master Yan made arrangements one by one, and a temporary squad with clearly defined roles was quickly assembled.

"Senior Brother Meng, please grant us your instruction!" Young Master Yan clasped his hands forcefully, his expression resolute.

"Senior Brother Meng, please grant us your instruction!" the four behind him shouted in unison.

Meng Jingzhou was startled. Before the match, he and Lu Yang had agreed to fight three opponents each; how were there five people on his side?

Young Master Yan gave Meng Jingzhou no extra time to think. Holding an axe in his left hand and a halberd in his right, he wielded his weapons in rapid succession. Like a swimming dragon piercing the clouds or an eagle striking the sky, his movements were sharp and ferocious, causing the onlookers' spirits to jolt.

Gu Qisheng tensed every muscle in his body, the tip of his spear vibrating slightly before thrusting toward Meng Jingzhou with a whoosh. His true qi surged violently, and a wild wind whipped up, making the scene exceptionally grand.

The other three were not idle either. A blinding formation rose beneath Meng Jingzhou’s feet, making his legs feel as though they were mired in a swamp, rendering him unable to move.

Paper swallows folded from talismans flew out from Yang Xianyi's sleeves one after another, sealing off any possibility of escape for Meng Jingzhou.

Sima He chanted a mantra silently into the ears of Young Master Yan and Gu Qisheng. The minds of the two cleared instantly, their divine sense temporarily skyrocketing; throwing away all external distractions, they threw themselves whole-heartedly into the battle, the power of the weapons in their hands intensifying by another fraction!

The flawless cooperation of the five drew gasps from the audience below the stage. Even Golden Core cultivators changed expression slightly upon seeing this, finding such a scenario rather troublesome and doubting they could withdraw unscathed.

For a Golden Core cultivator to be harmed by Foundation Establishment cultivators was, in itself, a thoroughly humiliating matter.

Lu Yang withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhou Fangge, somewhat puzzled: "Are you alone? You seem to be only at the Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment."

Zhou Fangge was shocked inward. Since his debut, this was the first time he had met someone who could see through his realm, but he remained fearless, smiling coldly: "I alone am enough."

He had once defeated an Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator, and that was without using his trump cards, winning purely on a solid foundation and technique. Facing an elite cultivator like Lu Yang, he naturally could not win so easily.

Therefore, he decided to use his hidden card.

He understood the thoughts of high-cultivation cultivators; the higher their cultivation, the higher their vision. They only fought peers of the same realm and generally looked down on those of lower realms. When an opponent's realm was lower than their own, they would involuntarily slacken, and that would be his chance!

He wanted Lu Yang to know that realm did not represent everything! Combat power was the true foundation!

Seeing Zhou Fangge so confident, he must surely possess some quite extraordinary means. Lu Yang did not lower his guard, drawing the Green Peak Sword from his identity jade plaque, preparing to meet him with full strength, before using the Invincible Pill to seek a countermeasure.

The Invincible Pill extracted a wisp of Lu Yang's spiritual energy and spun rapidly, quickly providing an analysis.

"The opponent possesses a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, with a touch of gray in his dark pupils, a characteristic of the Boundless Dao Body. The Boundless Dao Body is vast and limitless; the spiritual energy reserves in his body are ten times that of his peers. He excels in prolonged combat; the longer the battle drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes. It is hard to find an equal within the same realm, and challenging those above his level is a regular occurrence."

Lu Yang continued to ask, "Then how should I fight him?"

"Fight however you like."

The second update will be around eleven o'clock.

(End of chapter)