Chapter Forty-Three: Triumph Over the Jade Crane (Part One)

While Yang Xiao and Qing Yuhe faced off, Ling Yunmei and Hao Gang were locked in their own confrontation on the other side of the stage.

This was clearly not the situation Hao Gang had anticipated. He had expected to duel with Yang Xiao, never imagining he would encounter Ling Yunmei in this round. Consequently, he felt hesitant, for Ling Yunmei was the one he admired. To stand against the person he cherished—anyone in his place would find it difficult to strike.

Yet Hao Gang remembered that he was aiming for the position of Young Sect Leader. No matter who his opponent was, he could not afford to give up easily. Even if it was Ling Yunmei, he could not simply let her win. After all, without power, how could he hope that she would follow him in the future? Only by becoming Young Sect Leader, or even Sect Leader, would he have the qualifications to be with her.

With this resolve, Hao Gang decided that even if Ling Yunmei was his opponent, he would not hold back—though he would refrain from harming her.

“Sister Ling, I never expected we would end up facing each other. But this time, I truly want to win the championship, so I’ll do my best. Please be careful,” Hao Gang said courteously, clasping his hands toward Ling Yunmei.

“I know how strong you are, but I’m also interested in the championship. So don’t hesitate; I won’t hold back either,” Ling Yunmei replied.

“Sister Ling is also aiming for the championship?” Only now did Hao Gang realize that Ling Yunmei was vying for the title as well. In that case, if he lost and let her win, it wouldn’t be such a shame. Still, if he could claim victory himself, that would be best. “Since that’s so, let’s have a proper contest. Either way, it doesn’t matter which of us wins in the end.”

Ling Yunmei smiled, “You’re right, Brother Hao. Let me experience your skills.”

With that, she drew a treasured sword from her storage pouch—a mid-grade spiritual weapon, resplendent and brimming with spiritual energy, its appearance extraordinary.

Seeing Ling Yunmei’s spiritual sword, Hao Gang likewise slapped his storage pouch and produced a long halberd, also a mid-grade spiritual weapon. Mysterious patterns adorned its surface, and faint bolts of lightning flickered along its shaft—it was a weapon imbued with the element of thunder. No wonder Hao Gang had made it into the top four and was vying for the championship; he was well-prepared, and his weapon was formidable.

Ling Yunmei and Hao Gang quickly engaged in battle.

Meanwhile, Yang Xiao and Qing Yuhe, too, were poised for combat.

Unable to sway Yang Xiao, Qing Yuhe was furious. He stretched out his hand, and several thunderballs rolled toward Yang Xiao. Each was the size of a bowl, their power terrifying.

From the casual way Qing Yuhe unleashed these thunderballs, and their impressive size, it was clear his cultivation was indeed among the finest of the disciples. Attacks from some lower-level Qi Condensation experts would hardly compare in grandeur. Of course, Qing Yuhe’s attack couldn’t truly match that of a Qi Condensation cultivator in range and power; after all, his cultivation hadn’t reached that stage. But to form thunderballs of such size was already remarkable—ordinary Spiritual Awareness disciples couldn’t achieve it.

Condensing the thunder element in the air into thunderballs was no simple feat. Most Spiritual Awareness disciples could only gather a few lightning arcs; only those on the verge of Qi Condensation, like Qing Yuhe, could manage such a display.

Faced with Qing Yuhe’s attack, Yang Xiao was understandably shocked. Yet, he had trained in the Thundercrack Fist and was quite adept, if not as powerful as Qing Yuhe. With the aid of his lightning imprint, he could resist Qing Yuhe’s assault without much difficulty.

Thunder roared from Yang Xiao’s hand as he stretched it outward, releasing several smaller thunderballs to meet Qing Yuhe’s attack. The opposing thunderballs collided with a deafening explosion, vanishing into nothingness.

Seeing Yang Xiao barely withstand his attack, Qing Yuhe was not surprised. In fact, he showed a trace of disdain, as if Yang Xiao was hardly worth his attention. Clearly, his previous strike had only been a test, and from Yang Xiao’s response, it was evident that Yang Xiao’s thunderballs were much smaller. Under these circumstances, winning should be easy.

It was like a duel between an adult and a child—the outcome was practically decided from the start.

But Qing Yuhe did not wish to waste time. He stretched out his hand again, pointing to the sky. Thunder rolled from his palm, lightning flashed overhead, dark clouds gathered and then split open as a massive bolt shot down, striking toward Yang Xiao’s head like a living creature.

Clearly, Qing Yuhe was unleashing a killing move, intending to defeat Yang Xiao in one blow. The storm and lightning above were manifestations of his Thundercrack Fist, channeling the elements of heaven and earth—a strike that transcended mere technique, as if divine retribution had suddenly descended.

“To use a technique to channel the power of heaven and earth—this must be the perfected form of Thundercrack Fist,” Yang Xiao suddenly realized. The ultimate move of Thundercrack Fist was to draw upon the forces of heaven and earth, summoning thunder to vanquish one’s opponent. “I never expected Qing Yuhe to master it. By rights, only Qi Condensation cultivators should be able to accomplish this, but although Qing Yuhe hasn’t reached that realm, he has already succeeded. While the power is less than that of a true Qi Condensation cultivator, it is still enough to annihilate any Spiritual Awareness disciple.”

“Such a move is nearly impossible for any Spiritual Awareness disciple to withstand, as it doesn’t belong to their level. Qing Yuhe truly is extraordinary to wield such a technique.” Yang Xiao’s mind raced with countless thoughts, utterly astounded by Qing Yuhe’s attack. No wonder he was the foremost disciple at the Spiritual Awareness stage—his reputation was well deserved.

Qing Yuhe’s earth-shattering move astonished not only Yang Xiao but all the disciples below the stage, who cried out in surprise. Even the two masters, Realman Lingfeng and Realman Kurong, seated at the front of the stage, showed shocked expressions. They were convinced that Yang Xiao was bound to lose this time.