Chapter 253 - 132: Top of the Hero Ranking

Li Zhan let out a furious roar, all traces of his earlier condescension gone. His fists transformed into a sky full of afterimages, raining down like a torrential storm!

Each punch was heavy and powerful, infused with scorching Fire Element True Essence. Their might was boundless!

THUD THUD THUD THUD THUD—!

The impacts were as dense as a drumroll, exploding with sound. Amidst the flurry of fists, Liang Cheng was like a lone boat in a raging sea. His faint golden Gang Shield flickered, bearing the full brunt of Li Zhan’s ferocious assault.

He stood rooted to the spot, unmovable as a mountain.

"Let’s see how long you can last!"

Unable to break through, Li Zhan roared in frustration. Liang Cheng’s purely defensive stance made it clear he had no respect for the man at the top of the Hero Ranking.

The next moment, Li Zhan’s attack pattern shifted. His fists glowed crimson like branding irons, his True Essence surging violently.

[Burning Mountain Fist·Bursting Flame Technique]

The might of this punch far surpassed anything before it. Its Fire Element True Essence, compressed to the absolute limit, looked ready to detonate at any moment!

A glint flashed in Liang Cheng’s eyes as he finally broke from his purely defensive stance.

Just as the explosive punch was about to connect, he activated Wandering Dragon Step. His body moved like a phantom, sliding half a step back and to the side, evading the epicenter of the blow by a hair’s breadth.

Simultaneously, he swung the Zhenxian Saber in his hand in a diagonal upward arc!

[Wind and Thunder Slash·Wave Splitting]

The arc of the saber wasn’t wide, but it was incomparably condensed, precisely striking the weak point in the transition of Li Zhan’s attack!

Li Zhan’s momentum was broken, and his power faltered for an instant.

But Liang Cheng had already used the momentum to pivot. Though he had struck second, his blow would land first as he brought his saber down!

[Wind and Thunder Slash·Shocking Thunder]

A flash of light from the saber, as fast as a clap of thunder!

The speed of this strike escalated dramatically, thrusting straight toward Li Zhan’s torso!

Li Zhan’s reaction was lightning-fast. He opened his fist into a palm and slapped his crimson hand violently against the flat of the blade, intending to deflect the strike.

However, with a flick of his wrist, Liang Cheng’s blade carved a bizarre arc. The thrust became a slice aimed at Li Zhan’s wrist, his True Essence flaring even more violently!

Forced to react, Li Zhan retracted his palm. Seizing the advantage, Liang Cheng pressed his attack. His Saber Momentum was relentless as he executed the Wind and Thunder Slash, his strikes as swift as lightning. The assault flowed like quicksilver, forcing even a berserker-style Martial Artist like Li Zhan into a continuous retreat.

Having lost the initiative, Li Zhan could only block and parry with his fists and palms, struggling to keep up with the flurry of attacks.

The crowd below watched, dumbfounded.

"Is Senior Brother Li being suppressed by Liang Cheng?"

"His saber is so fast! He’s completely controlling the pace of the fight!"

"And Liang Cheng’s defense is just insane! He took so many of Senior Brother Li’s punches and is completely fine!"

On the stage, the longer Li Zhan fought, the more alarmed he became. ’His defense is absurdly strong, his Saber Technique is cunning, and his power and speed are both top-notch.’

A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. He knew he couldn’t let this drag on.

"Break!"

With a savage roar, the crimson True Essence around Li Zhan’s body erupted, forcibly blasting away Liang Cheng’s relentless saber assault and creating a distance of several yards between them.

His chest rose and fell slightly. He brought his hands together before his chest, not quite touching, as a terrifyingly violent energy began to gather. The very air around him grew scorching and distorted.

"It’s the ultimate move of Burning Mountain Fist, Molten Lava Eruption!"

A knowledgeable Disciple cried out in alarm.

Liang Cheng’s gaze sharpened as he felt the terrifying power about to be unleashed.

Instead of pressing the attack, he took a deep breath. The Broken Wave Technique circulated wildly within him as azure True Essence surged forth like a Sea Tide. It infused not only his Zhenxian Saber but also reinforced the Mixed Element Gang Body protecting him, adding layer upon layer of defense.

"Battle!"

Li Zhan thrust his fists forward!

His Iron Fist True Essence erupted, forming a crimson sphere of light like a miniature sun. It hurtled toward Liang Cheng, carrying an aura of utter destruction!

At that moment, Liang Cheng moved as well.

He gripped his saber with both hands and raised it high above his head. The aura around him skyrocketed, as if he and the blade had become one.

This time, he would finally unleash the Mountain-Breaking Saber.

The saber descended in an arc of light, utterly silent.

But in the next instant, a thin line of Saber Aura, condensed to its absolute limit, slammed into the crimson True Essence of Li Zhan’s attack!

The next moment, there was no earth-shattering explosion. Instead, the violent crimson True Essence was "sliced" clean in two by that thin line of Saber Aura!

The ferocious Fire Element True Essence was infiltrated and dismantled layer by layer by the azure Water Element True Essence. The Saber Aura continued on, unstoppable. After slicing through the sphere of light, its momentum undiminished, it flew straight toward the horrified Li Zhan!

Li Zhan roared, gathering all his remaining True Essence into his forearms. He crossed them in front of his body to block as he retreated with all his might!

SLICE—!

His Protective True Essence was torn apart. The Saber Aura left two wounds on Li Zhan’s crossed forearms, so deep that bone was visible. Blood sprayed into the air!

The tremendous impact sent Li Zhan flying, knocking him clear off the edge of the stage. He staggered back seven or eight steps before managing to stay upright, his arms dripping with blood and his aura depleted.

He raised his head and looked back at the stage.

Liang Cheng stood with his saber lowered, his aura stable and his gaze as serene as ever.

The faint golden Protective Gang Shield on his skin slowly receded.

For a moment, the entire arena fell silent.

On the stage, a sharp glint flashed in Chen Xuanfeng’s eyes.

’Mountain-Breaking Saber, at the Minor Success stage!’

’This kid... his comprehension is truly astonishing. A heaven-blessed prodigy.’

At this moment, Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t help but cheer.

"Little Junior Brother, that was amazing!"

Although Chen Xuanfeng of the Instructor Hall had three outstanding Direct Disciples who had all broken through to the True Gang Realm, none of them had ever claimed the top spot on the Hero Ranking!

But now Liang Cheng, his youngest disciple, had finally accomplished this feat.

The Steward standing nearby was stunned for a moment before loudly announcing the result.

"Challenge successful! Liang Cheng is victorious! He is now number one on the Hero Ranking!"

WHOOSH—!

After a moment of stunned silence, a massive uproar erupted, soaring into the sky!

He won!

Liang Cheng actually won!

And he did it in a near-total domination, crushing Li Zhan, a man renowned for his ferocious offensive style!

Xiao Qingxue’s cool gaze was fixed on the figure on the stage, and she remained silent for a long time.

Qin Wentian took a deep breath, his expression a complex mix of resentment and an unyielding resolve to be the next to challenge him.