"What do you mean?" Chu Feng asked with a smile.
"Our cultivation has been sealed and restrained. The power we can obtain is the energy within that pillar. And how much energy we can get will depend on our respective strength. I've already absorbed nearly all of the energy within the pillar behind me."
"If you still want to compete with me now, I won't show any mercy," Young Master Li Ming said to Chu Feng.
"I haven't even started yet. What makes you think the energy I've obtained from the pillar is necessarily less than yours?" Chu Feng countered.
"Because you were never my equal to begin with."
Young Master Li Ming declared this with his head held high and chest puffed out. At this moment, forget about his gaze—even every inch of his body, every strand of skin, every single pore radiated absolute arrogance.
"This guy's got no shame. He wins one sneak attack and now he thinks he's invincible under heaven?" Her Majesty was so furious she was trembling, wishing she could rush out and teach Young Master Li Ming a good lesson.
"Heh heh…"
Yet compared to Her Majesty, Chu Feng remained relatively calm. He didn't bother arguing with Young Master Li Ming. Instead, after letting out a faint laugh, he suddenly reached out his hand.
Snap—
Chu Feng's palm spread open and pressed onto the Origin Power Pillar. Immediately, the light within the pillar began to flow through his palm and into his body.
Chu Feng's speed of refinement was astonishing. As that massive surge of energy poured into his body, the Origin Power Pillar rapidly shrank.
"How can he be this fast?" At this moment, the old monk in plain robes let out a gasp.
"Chu Feng is being too hasty. This could backfire on him," said Golden Crane True Immortal.
However, Chu Feng's refinement speed remained unwavering, showing no sign of slowing down whatsoever. Before long, the Origin Power Pillar had gone from a meter in length to merely a foot, and it continued to shrink rapidly.
"This guy…"
At this moment, Young Master Li Ming's expression shifted slightly, a look of surprise surfacing in his eyes.
"Golden Crane, Chu Feng… it seems he hasn't been affected by his speed," the old monk in plain robes said to Golden Crane True Immortal.
"No, he will inevitably slow down. This will only hurt his final result. Chu Feng is… letting his emotions get the better of him. His temperament is not on par with Li Ming's—to be provoked into anger by just a few taunting words." Golden Crane True Immortal shook his head.
By now, the Origin Power Pillar had been refined by Chu Feng until only a few centimeters remained.
However, the speed of refinement had also begun to plummet. Although it was still being refined, compared to the earlier pace, it was practically night and day.
Though the speed had slowed considerably, the Origin Power Pillar continued to be refined bit by bit.
Four centimeters, three centimeters—the speed was growing slower and slower, but Young Master Li Ming's gaze was becoming increasingly unsettled.
If Chu Feng kept refining, it would only be a matter of time before he matched Li Ming and reduced the Origin Power Pillar down to a single centimeter. And if that happened, Chu Feng would have reached his level, rendering all of his earlier boastful words meaningless.
Hummm—
Finally, when the Origin Power Pillar was down to just two centimeters, Chu Feng's refinement came to a complete halt.
Haa—
At this moment, it was clearly visible that Young Master Li Ming let out a deep, relieved breath.
He had genuinely been panicked. Earlier, he was truly afraid—afraid that Chu Feng would continue refining.
But now, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although the margin was slim, Chu Feng had still fallen slightly short of him.
"He's stopped. It seems two centimeters of the Origin Power Pillar is Chu Feng's limit."
"It appears what you said was correct. Chu Feng is still no match for Li Ming after all," the old monk in plain robes said.