With the help of a Medicinal Pill, Zhou Qingruo elevated her Cultivation to a Realm infinitely close to that of a Foundation Establishment Stage Early Phase Cultivator.
Then, she used this Realm to activate an Intermediate Mid-grade Spiritual Talisman.
As the Spiritual Talisman glowed, an ice and snow spear quickly materialized in front of Zhou Qingruo.
It was an offensive Spiritual Talisman, the 'Snow Spear Talisman'.
The Disciples gasped in unison.
This was an Intermediate Mid-grade offensive Spiritual Talisman.
If the user deliberately controlled it, it could be used multiple times, or its powerful contained energy could be released all at once.
The power of a single, full release was comparable to a powerful strike from a Foundation Establishment Stage Middle Phase Cultivator.
Yang Che's eyes narrowed slightly, showing no intention of interrupting Zhou Qingruo.
Instead, it seemed as if he was deliberately waiting for Zhou Qingruo to somewhat reluctantly unleash the full power of the Talisman.
Yang Che naturally had his own plans.
After the Snow Spear Talisman grew larger and its aura climbed to its Peak, Zhou Qingruo let out a delicate shout, and the Snow Spear, like a rolling Snow Dragon, instantly shot straight towards Yang Che.
Yang Che remained motionless.
Many Disciples who secretly supported Yang Che couldn't help but worry for him.
The Snow Dragon drew closer and closer.
A bone-chilling aura assailed him.
Yang Che finally moved, raising his hand and lightly drawing a line in front of him.
A massive cloud instantly appeared.
The moment the cloud emerged, the Snow Dragon crashed into it.
'Boom boom boom!'
Continuous tremors and dazzling light shot up into the sky.
From the massive cloud, rumbling thunder could be heard, and flashes of lightning flickered, steadily blocking the furious Snow Dragon's attack.
"It's the Thundercloud Art!"
The official Disciples from the Nine Peaks all rose in astonishment.
The few Old Ancestors seated in the main seats also had their eyes flash with brilliance, confirming that Yang Che possessed a Mutated Lightning Immortal Root without a doubt.
At this moment, Yang Che was inwardly delighted, quite satisfied with the defensive power of the 'Thundercloud Art'.
The full power unleashed by the Intermediate Mid-grade 'Snow Spear Talisman' in one go was comparable to a full-strength strike from a Foundation Establishment Stage Middle Phase Cultivator.
That the Thundercloud Art could withstand this strike naturally made Yang Che overjoyed.
Zhou Qingruo, however, wore a look of disbelief.
She was unwilling to accept it!
How could she possibly lose?
She had used a 'Secret Pill' to boost her strength to infinitely close to the Foundation Establishment Stage Early Phase, and she should have crushed Yang Che.
Zhou Qingruo gritted her teeth and let out an unwilling low growl, frantically pouring out the magical power within her body, attempting to break through Yang Che's 'Thundercloud' defense.
Inevitably, her wish fell through.
Yang Che was a genuine Foundation Establishment Stage Early Phase Cultivator; Zhou Qingruo's struggles and unwillingness were ultimately futile.
Zhou Qingruo's magical power rapidly depleted, and her aura naturally began to recede.
Once the effects of the Secret Pill wore off, Zhou Qingruo was bound to suffer severe Origin Qi damage.
Yang Che's eyes were cold; these people kept saying he used external forces, but who among them hadn't used external forces themselves?
With a cold snort, Yang Che charged forward, shifting his body and sinking his shoulder, he violently threw Zhou Qingruo out.
Zhou Qingruo fell to the ground in a disheveled state, dizzy and disoriented, her mind still in a daze.
Immediately after, Yang Che clenched his single hand, and magical power surged out, rapidly condensing a 'Thunder Spear' flashing with crackling electric arcs.
"He even learned 'Lightning Chain Thunder Spear'?"
The few Old Ancestors seated in the main seats were once again incredibly surprised.
After all, for a Disciple who was only at the Peak of the twelfth level of Qi Refinement and had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, to be able to Cultivate such a powerful 'Lightning Chain Thunder Spear' was extremely rare.
"Senior Apprentice Brother Zhang, when did your Four Peaks even get the 'Sky Thunder Scripture'? Junior Brother I truly admire you greatly."
Peak Lord Zhang's face remained impassive, only showing a slight smile.
But in his heart, he couldn't help but curse, "This little brat actually has the 'Sky Thunder Scripture' Cultivation Technique? I'll have to interrogate him properly when I get back."
"Let that girl admit defeat quickly. After all, she also possesses a rare Ice and Snow Mutated Immortal Root, and will certainly be one of the pillars of my Qing Jian Sect in the future. If her foundation and potential are damaged, it would be a loss that outweighs the gain."
One of the elderly Old Ancestors quickly looked at the silver-haired old woman and said.
The old woman gave a bitter smile and immediately transmitted a message to the location of the Seven Peaks.
The older female Disciple from the Seven Peaks who had previously personally checked Yang Che for cheating immediately stepped out, quickly arrived outside the barrier, and with a hint of unwillingness, said, "Zhou Qingruo, the Old Ancestor has spoken, asking you to concede."
Zhou Qingruo bit her lip; though extremely unwilling, with the Seven Peaks Old Ancestor's command, she dared not disobey.
"I concede."
Zhou Qingruo said it with great reluctance.
At this moment, the Spiritual Talisman's power was also exhausted, and the Snow Dragon disappeared.
Yang Che withdrew his Thundercloud and looked at Zhou Qingruo with an indifferent expression.
The older female Disciple from the Seven Peaks quickly led Zhou Qingruo back to the Seven Peaks's location.
At the Sixth Peak, Xu Haijing was already starting to panic.
He nervously looked towards Great Master Ji Mingfei.
The burly man, whose stature was almost a head taller than everyone else present, was extremely uneasy.
Xu Haijing was very clear about the terrifying methods of this Great Master.
If this bet were lost, he would absolutely not escape the punishment of this ruthless Great Master.
Xu Haijing looked at Yang Che in the arena, his face almost completely darkened.
Fortunately, Hua Yi of Shuowang Peak, who had already successfully reached Foundation Establishment, was about to make his grand entrance.
A true Foundation Establishment Cultivator would absolutely crush a Qi Refinement Stage Cultivator.
Even if that Qi Refining Cultivator was at the Peak of the twelfth layer.
Seemingly only a step away from Foundation Establishment, the difference in Cultivation was actually like a huge chasm.
All the Disciples were almost waiting for this final, climactic showdown.
At this moment, Zheng Yang asked, "Yang Che, do you need to take a Medicinal Pill and meditate to recover?"
Yang Che shook his head and said solemnly, "No need, let's continue."
Zheng Yang was quite surprised, but he didn't ask further, then loudly announced, "Last one, Hua Yi of Shuowang Peak, Foundation Establishment Stage Early Phase."
As his voice fell, Hua Yi, a cold and slender young man dressed in black, slowly walked into the spiritual energy barrier.
Seeing Yang Che still wearing a calm and composed expression, Hua Yi was surprised for a moment, then said in a deep voice:
"I should call you Junior Brother Yang. Junior Brother Yang, I don't want to hurt you. If you voluntarily concede, after I become the Great Disciple of Sword Four Peak, you won't have to leave Sword Four Peak, and can be my Sword Four Peak's second-ranked Disciple. What do you think?"
Yang Che's face showed no particular expression, only calmly saying, "Senior Brother Hua, if you voluntarily concede, I can likewise invite you to become my Sword Four Peak's second-ranked Disciple. What do you think?"
Hua Yi's face immediately darkened: "Junior Brother Yang, there's no need for verbal sparring. You might not have realized the chasm-like difference between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment. Since that's the case, you'd best experience it for yourself."
"Junior Brother Yang, be careful."
Hua Yi casually cast a spiritual energy shield on himself, then a pair of top-grade Magical Artifact bludgeons appeared in his hands.
Magical power surged in, and it seemed Hua Yi intended to finish the fight quickly.
Just then, Yang Che, who had been passively defending until now, for the first time initiated an attack.
And it was the 'Lightning Chain Thunder Spear' right from the start.
This time, the speed at which he condensed the Thunder Spear was truly as swift as lightning; in almost two breaths, the Thunder Spear had already fiercely pierced towards Hua Yi.
Hua Yi's pupils sharply constricted.
Having already entered Foundation Establishment, his Divine Sense strength naturally far surpassed that of the Qi Refinement Stage.
Thus, he immediately perceived an extremely dangerous aura from within that Thunder Spear.
Just as he was surprised and shocked, Yang Che's Lightning Chain Thunder Spear had already struck Hua Yi.
With a 'boom,' like a thunderous roar.
Under the slightly stunned gazes of all the Disciples, Hua Yi's body was thrown high backward, directly breaking through the spiritual energy barrier and crashing heavily onto the Azure Stone Plaza.
After a deathly silence.
The entire Sword Four Peak Azure Stone Plaza instantly erupted with incredible gasps of astonishment.
A hint of surprise also appeared in the eyes of the old fellows seated in the main seats, and then, they even looked at each other, with two of the Old Ancestors' eyes clearly showing a hint of excitement.
Meanwhile, Xu Haijing of the Sixth Peak was ashen-faced, standing frozen on the spot.
Jian Li, behind the crowd of the Eighth Peak, had an uncontrollable look of joy and frenzy in her eyes.
She vaguely realized that the death of Senior Brother Jiang Wu was very likely related to this Yang Che.
So she quietly left Sword Four Peak, and swiftly departed the Qing Jian Sect, stepping onto a flying Magical Artifact, and rapidly flew towards a certain large city to the south.
Sword Four Peak Plaza.
From afar, Hua Yi struggled to his feet, muttering in a low growl, "Impossible, absolutely impossible."
