Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble—
In the blink of an eye, that Venerable Forbidden technique had already slammed down right in front of Chu Feng.
But when the ripples dispersed, everyone stared in astonishment — Chu Feng was completely unscathed.
Countless golden spears of martial power hovered right before Chu Feng.
They hadn't hit nothing. What they had struck was martial power itself.
A layer of martial power had coalesced into a massive sphere, like a barrier, shielding Chu Feng within.
Although every one of those golden spears had pierced through the martial power layer, they hadn't pierced all the way through — they were trapped inside it.
"A martial power barrier."
"Just a martial power barrier, and it blocked a Venerable Forbidden technique?"
Exclamations erupted one after another, and the way people looked at Chu Feng began to shift.
A martial power barrier was not a particularly sophisticated technique. But precisely because it wasn't sophisticated, the fact that it could block this attack left everyone in disbelief.
"What is that of yours?" Xia Ran asked.
"Everyone else recognized it as a martial power barrier — are you telling me you can't?" Chu Feng looked at Xia Ran with mockery.
"Bullshit! A martial power barrier — how could it possibly block my First-stage Venerable Forbidden?"
Xia Ran's face was filled with disbelief.
"Under normal circumstances, it couldn't."
"But if the gap in overall combat power is large enough, then it can."
"Think of it this way — if a mouse bites down hard on another mouse, it's definitely going to hurt."
"But if a mouse bites down hard on an elephant, do you think the elephant would feel any pain?" Chu Feng asked.
"You're calling me a mouse?"
"Damn it! I'll show you who the real mouse is!"
With those words, Xia Ran unleashed another barrage of attacks at Chu Feng.
Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble—
The sky rumbled and ripples of shockwaves erupted in every direction.
His techniques grew more powerful by the second — Second-stage Venerable Forbidden, Third-stage Venerable Forbidden, Fourth-stage Venerable Forbidden, all unleashed one after another.
Although eventually, Chu Feng's martial power barrier could no longer withstand Xia Ran's offensive,
Chu Feng ultimately blocked Xia Ran's Fourth-stage Venerable Forbidden using only a First-stage Venerable Forbidden.
Two techniques that were clearly on entirely different levels of power, yet managed to neutralize each other.
While others watched in awe, Xia Ran felt utterly humiliated.
Because this… was undeniably a difference in combat power.
And a massive one at that.
"You dare underestimate me, Xia Ran?! I'll show you the gap between us!"
Refusing to back down, Xia Ran popped a golden pill into his mouth.
"Haaah—"
A mighty roar tore from Xia Ran's throat, and golden clouds materialized high in the void above.
Golden light surged from Xia Ran's body as well.
His cultivation rose from Sixth-grade Sovereign to Seventh-grade Sovereign.
"Bestowed divine power?"
"You need a pill just to release it? You really are…"
"Not worth any more of my time."
"Let's end this," Chu Feng said.
"What did that guy just say?"
"Is he going to concede?"
Chu Feng's words echoed through the crowd, and for a moment, no one could quite make sense of what he'd said.
Because no matter how they looked at it, Chu Feng didn't seem like someone about to admit defeat.
And if he wasn't conceding, that meant Chu Feng could also raise his cultivation by one grade.
If he truly could elevate his power by one grade, that was simply too shocking to believe.
After all… he was a brand-new disciple who had only just joined the Wohlong Martial Sect.
In all the years since the Wohlong Martial Sect was founded, there had never been a newcomer this powerful.
Sizzle—
But just as the crowd was speculating, a bolt of lightning split through the space between Chu Feng and Xia Ran.
When the lightning vanished, everyone couldn't help but gasp.
Chu Feng had closed the distance and now stood directly before Xia Ran. One hand had already clamped firmly around Xia Ran's throat.
Xia Ran, who moments ago had still been strutting with arrogance, was now lifted off the ground like a limp chick.
Chu Feng's cultivation had also risen from Sixth-grade Sovereign to Seventh-grade Sovereign.
Most importantly, the markings on Chu Feng's forehead were no ordinary lightning runes — they were Divine-character lightning runes.
"The Divine Punishment Mystic Art — he's actually cultivated the legendary Divine Punishment Mystic Art!"
"What exactly is this guy's background?"
"Surely he isn't some nobody even within the Holy Light Galaxy?"