Deathly silence enveloped the entire arena.
Everyone believed the victor had already been decided.
Hong Longxiang stood tall in the center of the devastated arena, breathing heavily. The dark golden sacred body patterns flickered faintly, evidence that he too had endured considerable impact. He looked at Chen Xingcai, curled up on the ground in the distance, unconscious, yet his eyes held no joy of victory. Instead, they were filled with immense disappointment and a trace of desolation.
He had won.
Won against this Holy Maiden of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land who refused to use her Supreme Blood.
But this was not the victory he craved. What he wanted to shatter was that "Supreme" halo that had loomed over his childhood, symbolizing unfairness and the chasm of natural talent, not an opponent who would... limit herself like this.
Just as he prepared to turn away and accept this victory that wasn't what his heart desired—
His eyelids suddenly twitched! An indescribable sense of palpitation struck without warning, as if he were being watched by something extremely terrifying!
He whipped around, his gaze locking onto the source of his dread—the place where Chen Xingcai had fallen!
There, the young woman who had been curled up was now using her arms to push against the ground, slowly but extraordinarily firmly standing up!
Her movements still seemed somewhat unsteady, but with each inch she rose, her aura surged dramatically!
What was even more astounding was that brilliant, dazzling golden light—warm and majestic—was continuously emanating from within her body. Like burning golden flames, it enveloped her entire being!
That radiance wasn't simple spiritual energy projection. It contained an ancient, noble, supreme aura, as if originating from the very source of life's great power!
"Supreme Blood?!" someone cried out involuntarily, but immediately contradicted themselves. "No! Ancient texts record that when the Hong family's Supreme Blood manifests, it appears crimson as blood with an overwhelmingly domineering aura! This... this is golden!"
"Such a sacred aura! It feels... it feels like the legendary Divine Blood!"
"She's standing up! Her injuries... her injuries are healing?!"
Under countless shocked gazes, that golden light flowed like the most docile subjects, happily coursing through Chen Xingcai's entire body. The horrific fist imprint on her abdomen, the injuries on her shoulder, and the trauma to her internal organs were all healing at a speed visible to the naked eye! Her pale complexion rapidly returned to a healthy flush, her chaotic breath instantly stabilized, and even became more vast and majestic than before!
In the blink of an eye, Chen Xingcai was fully recovered, and even stronger than before! Surrounded by warm and majestic golden radiance, she was like a golden goddess stepping out of mythology!
"Rebirth from a drop of blood... this is indeed similar to the abilities of Supreme Blood in legends... but why is it golden?" Many knowledgeable old cultivators muttered to themselves, filled with confusion.
Hong Longxiang's pupils contracted, his face filled with disbelief. He could clearly sense that the Chen Xingcai before him now was completely different from before! That golden blood had granted her a transformation of immense proportions!
Chen Xingcai slowly raised her head. In her eyes, it seemed as if two clusters of golden flames were burning. She looked at Hong Longxiang, her expression complex, yet filled with unprecedented calm and determination.
"You've waited long." Her voice was composed but carried an inexplicable majesty. "Now, this is my true full strength."
Hong Longxiang snapped out of his shock, his eyes instantly filled with fervent battle intent! Though he didn't understand what had happened, this was exactly the battle he had been longing for!
"Come fight!" he roared, pushing his Heaven-Connecting Sacred Body to its absolute limit. The dark golden patterns blazed brilliantly as he launched another offensive!
The two clashed once more!
However, this time, the situation completely reversed!
Chen Xingcai, having activated this unknown golden bloodline state, saw terrifying improvements in speed, strength, spiritual energy, reaction time... every attribute! She no longer needed to deliberately employ the Fluttering Startle Technique. Her inherent speed was already fast enough to leave trail after trail of afterimages! Her punches and kicks contained tremendous force, enough to clash head-on with Hong Longxiang in his Heaven-Connecting Sacred Body state without being at a disadvantage!
What was even more despairing was her terrifying recovery ability!
Hong Longxiang exerted all his strength, landing a punch on her shoulder. The sound of bones cracking was clearly audible! But a flash of golden light, and the injury instantly healed completely!
A sharp finger wind sliced open her arm, cutting deep to the bone! Golden light circulated, and the wound instantly closed without leaving even a scar!
She seemed to have become an inexhaustible, invincible fighting machine! Unless one could completely annihilate her with a single strike, any wound would be instantly repaired by that golden power!
Hong Longxiang grew more alarmed the longer he fought. He felt as though he wasn't battling a person, but facing an infinite, constantly self-regenerating golden ocean! His sacred body's power was being consumed madly, while his opponent seemed inexhaustible!
"ROAR!" Pushed to his absolute limit, Hong Longxiang's eyes flashed with determination! He held nothing back, gathering all the sacred body's power, all his qi and blood, all his battle intent, into this next strike!
Dark golden light frantically gathered and compressed on his right fist, seemingly transforming into a miniature black hole, emitting destructive suction and waves! This was the strongest strike he could currently unleash—Heaven-Shattering Break!
Chen Xingcai also sensed the terror of this attack. The golden light around her body suddenly converged inward, all concentrating into her right palm! That palm became translucent and crystal-clear, as if cast from pure golden glass. Within it was contained unimaginable explosive power! She too held absolutely nothing back!
"Heaven-Shattering Break—!" Hong Longxiang roared, throwing this earth-shattering punch!
"Command!" Chen Xingcai cried out sharply, her crystalline golden palm meeting the attack head-on!
"BOOM!!!!!!!"
An unprecedentedly terrifying explosion erupted in the center of the arena! This time, that incredibly sturdy A-grade arena barrier could no longer withstand it. It let out a mournful cry before shattering with a crash! The violent shockwave of energy spread madly outward like a tsunami!
On the elevated platform, Xiao Chen, Han Yu, and others instantly acted, joining forces to erect a barrier. Only then did they barely block this fearsome aftermath, protecting the nearby spectator stands!
Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats!
Amidst the swirling dust, two figures were vaguely seen flying backward like cannonballs, each spraying blood wildly, crashing heavily at the edge of the arena, motionless!
"Both defeated?!"
"Good heavens! What a terrifying collision!"
However, just as the crowd was crying out in shock—
In the direction where Chen Xingcai had fallen, brilliant golden light once again flared up, like the rising sun dispelling the dust!
Chen Xingcai was seen slowly rising from the ground. Golden light circulated around her body. Those seemingly horrific injuries were rapidly healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Her aura fluctuated slightly but was clearly recovering quickly!
On the other side, Hong Longxiang struggled to stand, but suddenly sprayed out another mouthful of blood and collapsed weakly again. The glow of his Heaven-Connecting Sacred Body had completely dimmed, the dark golden patterns vanished, and his face was pale as paper. He had clearly reached his limit. Looking at the figure across from him, who had almost instantly recovered and was wreathed in golden light, a bitter yet somehow relieved smile appeared on his face.
How could anyone fight this?
In the next moment, a tidal wave of cheers, exclamations, and screams of disbelief completely drowned out the entire arena!
"Holy Maiden!!"
"She won! The Holy Maiden won!!"
"My heavens! What kind of power is that?! An undying body?!"
"So powerful! This is the true strength of the Immortal Spirit Sacred Land's Holy Maiden!"
The sound waves shook heaven and earth.
In the VIP viewing area, Chen Chang'an stood with his hands behind his back, looking at his daughter on the arena, the golden light gradually fading but her magnificence still transcendent. A smile of relief and complexity appeared on his face.
She had finally, truly accepted that power.
That little girl of their family had finally grown up.
...
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