In that moment, the graceful youth in snow-white robes outshone the many officials, rendering them dim by comparison.
This was the essence of true presence.
No matter how overwhelming your might, I remain unshaken by honor or disgrace.
His immortal-like demeanor stood in stark contrast to the Prince of Yan’s Heir’s arrogance, like the difference between heaven and earth.
At this moment, the Prince, after years of restraint, had just defeated Ji Hanqing in a single, dazzling strike, his brilliance radiating.
Yet, when Su Chen took the stage, the Prince’s radiance instantly dulled, his entire presence overshadowed before Su Chen.
It was as if a celestial immortal stood beside a mere mortal ant.
The Prince didn’t feel insignificant, but facing Su Chen, his pride gave way to a growing sense of inferiority.
It was as though a mortal like him was unworthy of sharing the stage with such an immortal figure.
Su Chen’s commanding aura and transcendent presence pressed down on the Prince, nearly suffocating him.
“Impossible!”
The Prince roared inwardly, forcing himself to break free from this state.
He was of noble royal blood, meant to be revered and admired, not groveling like a worthless worm.
…
While the Prince wrestled with his inner turmoil, Wangqing Ge, master of the Pavilion of Forgetting Emotions, lingered in the void above the stage.
Nearly seventy percent of Great Qin’s powerhouses were gathered here, yet none detected her presence.
Her silver hair danced in the breeze, her beautiful eyes shimmering like autumn waters.
Gazing at Su Chen so close below, Wangqing Ge longed to descend and meet him.
“I really want to see you…”
She raised her hand slightly, as if to grasp something, yet she could hold onto nothing.
Her heart was torn.
Twenty years of cultivating the Path of Forgetting Emotions crumbled before her former lover, so close yet so fragile.
She couldn’t forget him after all!
She had intended only a fleeting glance to quell her longing, but seeing him again, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the youth below.
Twenty years had passed like sand through her fingers, yet he… remained ever the youth.
On the stage below, Su Chen was oblivious to Wangqing Ge’s presence, just as the Prince was unaware of the mighty observer above.
Now, though the Prince had broken free from Su Chen’s transcendent aura, his gaze toward Su Chen held a trace of wariness.
He wasn’t wary of Su Chen’s current strength but of his potential.
Someone with such extraordinary presence was destined to become a remarkable figure.
If Su Chen grew further, the Prince might truly be reduced to an ant in comparison.
But for now, he held the absolute advantage.
Boom!
As the Prince took a step forward, the terrifying power of the Sixth Layer of Foundation Building erupted fully.
“So strong!”
“As expected of a Sixth Layer Foundation Building cultivator!”
“Even among Sixth Layer cultivators, the Prince is exceptional. Ji Hanqing’s defeat was no fluke!”
As the Prince unleashed his full strength, the surrounding officials began to speak, their eyes gleaming with approval.
Even if Su Chen had won the literary duel, if he died in this round, their goal would still be achieved.
“Hm?”
Yet, as Su Chen and the Prince clashed, the situation defied all expectations.
Su Chen’s cultivation was indeed lower than the Prince’s, but his strength wasn’t as far behind as imagined.
As they fought, the Prince unleashed the Yan King Mansion’s secret technique, Mysterious Jade Palm.
His hands gleamed like jade, unyieldingly tough, capable of cutting gold and shattering stone with terrifying power.
With his cultivation advantage, he landed several direct hits on Su Chen.
Logically, with such a vast gap in cultivation, a single strike should have crippled or killed Su Chen.
But now, after multiple strikes, it was as if a gentle breeze had brushed Su Chen—completely ineffective.
“What’s going on?!”
The Prince’s heart burned with frustration, his gaze toward Su Chen filled with confusion.
Such attacks would have overwhelmed even Ji Hanqing.
Yet Su Chen stood unfazed, continuing to fight as if nothing had happened.
“Absolutely impossible!”
Below the stage, a powerhouse from the Yan King Mansion shot to his feet.
The Mysterious Jade Palm was their signature technique, its terror well-known to him above all others present.
How could a mere Body Tempering cultivator like Su Chen withstand it?
This was utterly absurd!
Yet this bizarre scene unfolded vividly before everyone’s eyes, not just once but repeatedly.
At this moment, Su Chen shook his head slightly.
He’d thought the Yan King Mansion’s famed Mysterious Jade Palm was some extraordinary technique, but now it seemed mediocre.
The Prince’s attacks, which seemed as heavy as mountains, felt like a passing breeze—not even that.
Seeing Su Chen shake his head, the Prince’s face darkened with rage.
In that moment, he unleashed the Mysterious Jade Palm with full force, intent on killing Su Chen on the spot.
But Su Chen’s Imperial Extreme Body was like an unbreakable diamond, impregnable as a fortress.
No matter how hard the Prince struck, he couldn’t budge Su Chen’s physique.
How do you even fight this?!
What kind of freakish body is this?
As time passed, what the Prince couldn’t accept was that Su Chen was gradually overpowering him.
When the Prince launched a fierce palm strike, Su Chen moved with precision, dodging just enough—not too much, not too little.
Then, with a strike as natural as plucking a leaf, yet heavy with overwhelming force, Su Chen landed a palm on the Prince’s chest.
Peak Body Tempering overpowering Sixth Layer Foundation Building—a gap spanning an entire major realm!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Caught off guard by Su Chen’s unexpected strike, the Prince stumbled back three steps, looking utterly disheveled.
“Brilliant! Defeating the strong as the weak!”
Among the officials, those of upright and loyal character cheered at the sight.
“Spectacular!”
“As expected of Her Majesty’s chosen Imperial Consort—truly extraordinary!”
“Body Tempering suppressing Foundation Building—unheard of, unseen! Her Majesty’s chosen one is indeed full of hidden depths.”
After the first official spoke, others quickly joined in, showering Su Chen with praise.
Hearing this, the Left Chancellor’s nose nearly twisted in anger, but he was powerless. He could only curse the Prince of Yan’s Heir as useless.
A Sixth Layer Foundation Building cultivator couldn’t handle a Body Tempering nobody?
He might as well abandon cultivation and go raise pigs!
“Hmph! You brought this on yourself!”
The Prince, now furious, had already revealed some of his cards, but his strongest trump card remained unused.
Atjetas
At this point, he decided to hold nothing back.
(Things are mostly sorted out; barring surprises, we’ll start with two updates this week and ramp up from there. Please support!!)