Chapter 355: Heaven-Ascending Stairs 3

Chapter 355: Chapter 165: Heaven-Ascending Stairs 3

“Your Fist Intent can actually condense upon your Blade Intent…”

He paused, then suddenly laughed again.

“Good! Good! Good!”

“Liang Cheng, you’re making me more and more excited!”

He took a deep breath, and the aura around him surged once more. This time, it wasn’t just his Fist Intent that was rising, but his Cultivation!

The Pill Qi of a Core Formation Late Stage cultivator churned wildly!

The phantom mountain above his head, which had been pierced through, actually began to heal its cracks!

It grew even more solid!

More immense!

Xiang Tian stared at Liang Cheng and said, word by word:

“Liang Cheng, this next move is the strongest one I, Xiang Tian, have condensed through thirty years of bitter cultivation!”

“If you can take it, I will be utterly convinced of my loss!”

“And the Second Peak will have truly been defeated by you, Liang Cheng!”

As his voice fell, he clenched both fists, and the phantom mountain abruptly shrank!

From a hundred zhang, it shrank to eighty!

From eighty zhang, it shrank to forty!

From forty zhang, it shrank to ten!

Finally, it transformed into a phantom mountain that condensed upon his right fist!

That fist seemed to carry the weight of a real mountain!

Xiang Tian looked at Liang Cheng, his gaze like a torch.

“Take this punch.”

“Zhenyue!”

He threw his fist!

The instant he threw the punch, the world seemed to freeze. Everyone was so stunned by its power that they forgot to breathe!

Before the Fist Force even arrived, the intent of “suppression” had already enveloped Liang Cheng!

Beneath Liang Cheng’s feet, the Lapis Lazuli steps within a ten-zhang radius exploded!

He felt as if he were being crushed by a real mountain!

His bones began to CRACK!

His Qi Blood roiled!

But he did not retreat.

His True Pill was forged from a Perfect Dao Foundation. Compared to an ordinary Core Formation Late Stage cultivator, his Cultivation was only marginally weaker, but his Martial Dao True Intent was more than enough to bridge the gap.

He, too, took a step forward.

Within his body, his Fist Intent erupted with full force, all his previous insights now pouring into this one punch!

The sharp edge of the Blade Intent on his hand also contracted to its limit.

Upon his right fist, the Sword Aura in his hand carried all the “contention” from his journey!

To fight for a breath of dignity!

To fight for a path to survival!

To fight for a sliver of opportunity!

To contend with the heavens!

To contend with the earth!

To contend with man!

Liang Cheng threw his punch!

Slashing down like a blade!

“Contend!”

BOOM—!!!

The two fists collided, and a blade slashed!

In that instant, the world lost its color!

A blinding light exploded between them, followed by a visible shockwave that spread wildly from their epicenter!

Wherever it passed, space trembled and Spiritual Qi ran rampant!

On Tier Six of the Heaven-Ascending Stairs, all the Lapis Lazuli steps shattered at once!

Shards of stone flew, and dust filled the air!

Below the stage, some in the crowd were thrown to the ground, some bled from their seven orifices, and others fainted on the spot. On the high platform, the Peak Masters of each peak acted simultaneously, erecting barriers to protect their respective Disciples!

RUMBLE—!!!

The tremendous roar lasted for a full ten breaths!

The dust gradually settled.

Everyone held their breath and looked toward the center of the stage.

Xiang Tian stood where he was.

But his right arm hung limp, blood dripping from his fingertips to form a small puddle among the rubble.

He looked down at his fist.

The bones were shattered, a mess of mangled flesh.

Then he looked at Liang Cheng.

Liang Cheng was also standing.

His right fist was also bloodied, its bones also shattered.

But he was still standing.

His back was straight.

His gaze was calm.

Xiang Tian was silent for a long moment.

Suddenly, he smiled.

“I have lost.”

He looked up at Liang Cheng, his eyes holding no resentment, no unwillingness, only a complex mix of emotions.

He gave Liang Cheng a deep look, then turned and walked away, descending step by step from Tier Six of the Heaven-Ascending Stairs. With each step he took, a drop of blood fell.

But his back was straight, showing no sign of dejection.

His wound looked severe, but Liang Cheng hadn’t dealt a fatal blow. He just needed to take an Elixir and recover, then he could continue to challenge other tiers.

Before sunset, during the final phase, he, Xiang Tian, would naturally have another chance.

He found a spot to sit cross-legged, ignoring the gazes of those around him, and calmly began a Circulation to heal his injuries.

Liang Cheng stood his ground. A moment later, he cupped his fist in a salute.

“I was merely fortunate.”

…

The entire arena fell silent for a time.

Everyone stared at the scene, speechless for a long while.

Battles on the other tiers were still ongoing, but most people couldn’t help but have their attention drawn to the outcome of Liang Cheng’s fight.

Xiang Tian had lost.

Xiang Tian, the senior disciple of the Second Peak, a Core Formation Late Stage cultivator famous for his Fist Intent and known as “unbeatable by those of the same tier,” had actually lost.

And to a newcomer who had been in the sect for less than a year.

“Just how strong is Liang Cheng’s Martial Dao True Intent?”

No one could answer. There was only silence.

Everyone looked at the figure standing amidst the rubble. His right fist was stained with blood, his clothes were torn, and his aura was in disarray.

But he stood ramrod straight.

His gaze was calm.

As if the battle just now had been nothing but a casual affair.

On the high platform, the various Peak Masters watched Liang Cheng with differing expressions.

The Peak Master of the Second Peak nodded slightly. ‘His disciple had lost with integrity and was not discouraged by defeat. With such an attitude, he was bound to achieve great things.’

A trace of appreciation flashed in the eyes of the Fifth Peak’s Peak Master.

The Peak Master of the Seventh Peak was expressionless, but his gaze was profound.

In the direction of the First Peak, Lie Mountain remained expressionless, but the corners of his mouth were turned up in a slight smile.

Liang Cheng ignored their gazes.

He looked down at his own right fist.

The bones were shattered and dripping with blood.

But inside his body, his Pill Qi was circulating, and the injury was rapidly healing.

‘More importantly,’ he thought as he closed his eyes, sensing the changes in the Fist Intent within him. ‘I’ve gained a great deal from this battle with Xiang Tian.’

‘Xiang Tian’s Fist Intent is “suppression”—an immensity condensed from thirty years of bitter cultivation. My Fist Intent is “contention”—a sharp edge forged by fighting my way here.’

‘The collision of the two Fist Intents has deepened my understanding of “contention.” Contention isn’t brute force. It’s the sliver of sharpness that can still pierce the mountain even while being suppressed.’

Liang Cheng opened his eyes.

A keen light flashed within them and was gone.

He turned, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The gazes of the entire crowd remained fixed on him.

The sound of whispers rose and fell.

But Liang Cheng turned a deaf ear to it all.

He focused on recovering, quietly waiting for the next match.

From the direction of the Seventh Peak, a particular gaze had been fixed on him the entire time.

The owner of that gaze—

Gu Tianya.