Chapter 43: Promotion

Faced with the colossal fire dragon before him, Xu Lang’s pupils contracted sharply. Yet he showed no fear; instead, he twisted his waist, gripped his sword with both hands, and spun midair. Wild, violent sword energy flew forth in rapid bursts, swiftly severing the Xuan Yang Fire Dragon.

Blades of sword energy rained down with abandon. Fang Wang swung the Celestial Palace Halberd to parry, but the stage surface was battered by the sword energy, and even the formation barrier at the edge of the dueling platform rippled with every impact.

“What immense spiritual power!”

“Senior Brother Xu Lang is so strong—his sword energy is bold and unrestrained, its edge laid bare!”

“Fang Wang is just as formidable, not the least bit inferior.”

“He’s reached such heights after only three years since joining? Fang Wang is already this strong?”

“Even if Fang Wang loses this match, he’s already proven himself to have potential not inferior to Lu Yuanjun!”

The disciples of the various branches across the city discussed fervently, all giving Fang Wang and Xu Lang high praise. The members of the Fang family held their breath, even more anxious than Fang Wang himself.

Fang Hanyu stood by the window, gazing up at the golden mirror in the sky, watching Fang Wang suppressed by sword energy within the reflection. His expression was calm as he murmured to himself, “How much longer do you plan to probe?”

In his heart, Fang Wang was invincible.

As if he had heard Fang Hanyu’s words, Fang Wang suddenly leapt backward, dodging the range of Xu Lang’s sword energy assault.

Before landing, he raised the Celestial Palace Halberd high, his left hand swiftly casting a spell. Spiritual power surged through his right arm into the halberd, and above the dueling platform, thunderclouds billowed into existence, swiftly shrouding the entire arena.

In that instant, all the elders around the dueling platform were visibly moved. The dozing Master on the platform’s edge opened his eyes wide and muttered, “Impossible… How can this be…”

The various branch leaders sat up straight; all elders and disciples turned their gazes to the thunderclouds gathering above the dueling stage.

Xu Lang, still airborne, landed swiftly. He gripped his sword with both hands, looked up, sword-like brows furrowed, and softly uttered five words: “Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell!”

The thunder’s rumble was audible to every disciple in the city. The oppressive aura was unmatched—even compared to previous grand spells cast on the dueling stage, nothing rivaled the might and spectacle of the Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning.

Guang Qiu Xian, Yang Yuanzi, Lu Yuanjun, and Zhou Xue remained unmoved, but even Zhou Xingshi, Gu Li, and Fang Hanyu—who knew the true identity of the White-Robed Soaring Swan—could not help but be stirred.

In their memories, Fang Wang was a master swordsman; this was their first time witnessing him unleash the Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell.

Three years since joining, he had mastered the Thirty-Six Swords of the Soaring Swan Divine Sword, and now he had also mastered such a powerful lightning technique?

They had heard rumors of the White-Robed Soaring Swan casting this spell, but only in facing its might could they grasp its true terror.

Fang Wang, halberd held aloft, stood beneath the surging thunderclouds, lightning weaving and converging, an overwhelming aura gathering at his command. In that moment, he seemed like a deity wielding the power of heaven and earth, his long hair streaming in the wind.

Xu Lang sensed danger and charged straight at Fang Wang.

He hurled his bamboo sword first—the blade turned into a streak of cold light, shooting straight for Fang Wang’s head.

How swift!

The dozing Master on stage nearly intervened, but restrained himself.

Fang Wang executed Phantom Step to evade, but Xu Lang was upon him in the next instant. With a reverse grip on his life-bound sword in his left hand, he brought an invisible blade toward Fang Wang’s throat.

In that instant, Fang Wang swung the Celestial Palace Halberd down.

Clang—

The two life-bound treasures collided. Xu Lang heard a dragon’s roar explode by his ear, leaving him dazed for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, Fang Wang had already soared into the air.

Thunder boomed overhead. Fang Wang looked down coldly at Xu Lang and swung his halberd.

The Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell erupted!

Dozens of thunderbolts crashed down, large and small, blanketing the entire dueling platform.

Confronted with such apocalyptic might, Xu Lang released his sword and began casting spells with both hands. The bamboo sword and invisible sword circled him, spinning rapidly, sword energy emanating from his body.

A bolt of lightning struck him, but was dispersed by the intersecting sword energies, leaving him unscathed.

The two streams of sword energy whirled around Xu Lang, growing rapidly, forming a formation. A sword energy storm erupted, its force equally daunting, but soon he was engulfed by countless bolts of lightning.

Boom! Boom! Boom…

The dueling platform quaked violently, the edges of the formation barrier shuddering as well. The entire city fell silent, every disciple’s gaze fixed on the image in the golden mirror.

The dozing Master gripped a golden mirror, using it to shield against the spell’s aftershocks, his eyes locked onto Xu Lang’s previous position, unblinking despite the dazzling flashes.

When Xu Lang’s figure failed to reappear after three heartbeats, the dozing Master could restrain himself no longer and hurled the golden mirror.

The mirror burst into golden light, dispelling thunder along its path, flying swiftly to the center of the dueling platform, where its radiance resisted the raging lightning.

Seeing this, Fang Wang cut off his spiritual power, ceasing to maintain the Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell.

The thunder faded, though the overcast clouds lingered, slow to dissipate. All eyes turned to the space beneath the golden mirror.

As the lightning faded, Xu Lang’s figure was revealed—half-kneeling, gasping for breath, his robes torn and hair disheveled, wounds covering his body and blood spattered everywhere. The two swords circling him slowed and then fell to the ground with a clatter.

Xu Lang struggled to lift his head, but before he could find Fang Wang, he collapsed, losing consciousness.

Witnessing this, Fang Wang quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Lang was indeed formidable; Xuan Yang True Fire alone would not have been enough to defeat him, hence the need for the Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell—one of the Supreme Arts of the Grand Abyss Sect. It was not as difficult to master as the Soaring Swan Divine Sword, nor would it reveal the White-Robed Soaring Swan’s identity.

To defeat Xu Lang decisively, Fang Wang had not held back in casting the spell.

“Pity, I won’t be able to face Lu Yuanjun at my peak.”

He feigned composure, though inwardly he lamented the considerable spiritual power expended to overcome Xu Lang.

The dozing Master immediately announced, “Third Branch—Fang Wang is victorious!”

An elder hurried to the stage to check Xu Lang’s wounds.

Every disciple gazed at Fang Wang in awe, and silence enveloped the city.

“Was that really the Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell?” a male disciple from the First Branch asked, his voice trembling.

The Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell was the Grand Abyss Sect’s most powerful lightning technique. Though lightning spells were not the sect’s main focus, this spell’s reputation was immense—even throughout the cultivation world of Great Qi.

Thanks to Zhou Xue and Lu Yuanjun’s introductions, the disciples in the First Branch’s pavilion all knew Fang Wang’s background.

To have mastered the Grand Heaven Thunder Summoning Spell in just three years, on top of such rapid cultivation advancement…

Such a genius…

Could Lu Yuanjun of old truly compare?

After a brief silence, the city erupted in thunderous cheers and exclamations.

Fang Wang turned to look toward the First Branch, just as he was about to seek out Lu Yuanjun, Yang Yuanzi’s voice rang out: “Next contestant!”

At these words, the disciple from the First Branch who was about to take the stage breathed a sigh of relief.

Even Xu Lang, second only to Lu Yuanjun, had been so miserably defeated—no one else dared step forward.

Among the nine branches, Fang Wang had fought the fiercest matches, leaving every opponent heavily wounded.

Amid the city’s wild acclamation, Fang Wang flew back to the Third Branch’s pavilion, where he was immediately surrounded by fellow disciples.

“Junior Brother Fang, you’ve already surpassed me!” Li Yu exclaimed excitedly, showing not the slightest concern at being replaced as the senior disciple.

The others praised Fang Wang’s strength, with Zhou Bo the most extravagant, nearly falling to his knees in reverence and awe.

From afar, Lu Yuanjun stood in his pavilion, watching Fang Wang and smiling softly. “It seems I still underestimated Junior Brother Fang’s strength.”

Disciples from every branch marveled at Fang Wang’s prowess. To possess such strength after only three years—Lu Yuanjun himself had never been so dazzling.

With Zhou Xue, Ye Xiang, and Gu Li also emerging as talents, all disciples sensed that the Grand Abyss Sect was on the verge of ascension.

Whereas Earth-Grade Spirit Treasures had been rare for a century, now four had appeared in succession—a clear sign of heaven’s favor upon the sect.

Both Fang Wang and Zhou Xue, thanks to their immense strength, were widely regarded as possessors of Earth-Grade Spirit Treasures.

“Fang Wang, rest well now. You need not fight again. With your victories, you’re guaranteed a place among the Final Nine,” came Yang Yuanzi’s voice. Though his tone was calm, as if unfazed by Fang Wang’s performance, a closer look revealed his hands gripping the chair’s armrests tightly.

Within the main pavilion, sitting beside Guang Qiu Xian was Vice Sect Master Chen Anshi, who appeared just over fifty, his frame somewhat lean, but exuding far more authority than the genial Guang Qiu Xian—an oppressive air marked his brow.

“Senior Brother, could this youth, so formidable, be the one who hid in the Hall of Origin that day?” Chen Anshi glanced sharply at Guang Qiu Xian, speaking slowly.

Guang Qiu Xian only smiled, remaining silent. Outwardly composed, inwardly he was filled with emotion.

This is the Heaven-Grade Spirit Treasure?

Such strength in just three years…

Unaware of what the Sect Master, Vice Sect Master, and elders were thinking, Fang Wang, upon learning he had secured a place among the Final Nine, began to imagine his second life-bound spirit treasure.

Once he entered the Grand Saint Grotto-Heaven and gathered enough rare materials, he would surely break through to the Spirit Pill Stage, at which point he could forge a second life-bound treasure.

His first was a halberd—what should the second be?

He would have to give it careful thought. Perhaps the Celestial Palace would not interfere with his second forging.