Chapter 219 - 125: Celestial Pride Trial Completed, Change in Identity, Inner Sect Celestial Pride Zhang Su

Everyone was dumbfounded, rendered speechless for a long time.

They sat in the northern stands, all uniformly dressed in black martial outfits, their faces stern.

But now, those stern faces were filled with utter shock.

This was especially true for the Martial Artists who had participated in the struggle for the Hengshan County ore vein; their hearts were in utter turmoil.

Some of them still bore scars on their faces from that battle, while others had wounds on their arms that had yet to fully heal.

They had lost that battle in Hengshan County miserably, and the memory was still fresh.

Because of this, a faint sense of foreboding crept into their hearts.

Back then in Hengshan County, the Five Elements Sect had originally held the absolute advantage.

They had Jiang Taizhen, an Inner Force Martial Artist.

They had Dugu Jian, a Huajin Martial Artist.

On paper, they completely outclassed the Guiyuan Sect.

Jiang Taizhen’s Three Meridians Unite technique gave him an incredibly profound Cultivation, and Dugu Jian’s Five Elements Reincarnation Sword Technique made him practically invincible at the Huajin realm.

At the time, the disciples of the Five Elements Sect all felt that victory was assured, that the iron ore vein in Hengshan County was as good as theirs.

But just because of Zhang Su’s sudden appearance—slaying Jiang Taizhen and killing Dugu Jian—he single-handedly crushed the Five Elements Sect, causing them to lose the fight for the Hengshan County ore vein.

In that battle, Zhang Su was only at the Outer Force realm when he slew Jiang Taizhen.

When he killed Dugu Jian, he was merely at the Inner Force realm.

But now, unbelievably, Zhang Su had already reached the Embracing Pill realm.

It seemed the scene from Hengshan County was about to repeat itself.

"Senior Brother, this Zhang Su... how could someone in the Embracing Pill realm possibly defeat a Gang Force expert? That Chu Hanjiang and his Spring Rain Sword Technique are by no means weak. Even if his Gang Force can’t compare to the experts of our Five Elements Sect, he shouldn’t have collapsed on contact, defeated by an Embracing Pill martial artist like Zhang Su..."

The disciple beside Zhou Dingshan spoke with a trace of worry already in his tone.

He sat beside Zhou Dingshan, dressed in a black martial outfit, but his eyes betrayed his anxiety.

Previously, Zhou Dingshan had only one rival: Ye Ling from Medicine Valley.

Ye Ling was indeed powerful, unrivaled among the Gang Force disciples of Medicine Valley.

But Zhou Dingshan felt that he was no weaker than Ye Ling, and was even quite confident of victory.

Although the Guiyuan Sect had a few Gang Force experts, none of them posed a real threat.

While Han Zhiyuan, Zhao Qingyun, and the others were decent, they were still a cut below Zhou Dingshan and Ye Ling.

But now, unexpectedly, Zhang Su had emerged.

He was truly an unexpected variable.

But at times like this, Zhou Dingshan’s resolve only hardened.

He remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Zhang Su... may be an unexpected contender, but to reach the top, I must defeat every opponent. Be it Ye Ling or Zhang Su, I will defeat them all!"

His tone was firm and resolute.

There was no retreat, no fear.

This was the true character of a disciple from the Five Elements Sect’s Thick Earth Peak.

Rock Force, Rock Heart.

Let the wind howl and the rain beat down, I shall remain as steadfast as a mountain.

On the tournament stage, Chu Hanjiang stepped down.

His figure, seen from behind, looked desolate, and his steps were heavy.

His gray robes fluttered slightly in the wind, the longsword at his waist swaying gently with his steps.

He did not look back.

Only when he reached the edge of the stands did he stop, standing there, motionless.

No one knew what he was thinking.

Zhang Su also left the stage.

He executed his Body Technique, and with a light leap, returned to the stands.

His expression was blank, as calm as still water.

At this moment, as Zhou Peng, Xie Guanchao, and Mo Tingzhu looked at Zhang Su, their gazes held more than just shock—they were filled with reverence!

The Peak of Gang Force!

A martial artist of that caliber was just one step away from cultivating Inner Strength and entering the Postnatal Realm.

Within the Three Sects, anyone who reached the Postnatal Realm became an Elder.

Even the most idle of them, like Elders of Zhao Qianfeng’s ilk who were essentially retired at the Instructor Pavilion, were still Elders—beings that disciples had to look up to in reverence.

But now, a Peak Gang Force Martial Artist had been defeated by Zhang Su in just two strikes.

And it was a complete defeat, with no chance to even fight back.

"Congratulations, Brother Zhang, for achieving the impossible and defeating a Gang Force expert! After today, across the entire Jianghu, your name will likely surpass all other martial artists, including the Celestial Prides of the Three Sects!"

Mo Tingzhu spoke slowly, his voice thick with emotion.

He stood beside Zhang Su, an indescribably complex feeling in his heart.

’This is what it means to truly become famous throughout the Jianghu.’

Though he was known as "Hero Mo" in the Jianghu, Mo Tingzhu knew his own limits. He hadn’t even reached the Embracing Pill realm. In the eyes of ordinary people, he was already a major figure in the Jianghu.

But he knew very well that in the eyes of true powerhouses, he was nothing.

But Zhang Su was different.

His feat of defeating a Gang Force expert with Pill Force today was simply too stunning.

Even Postnatal Realm Martial Artists would never underestimate Zhang Su now.

And what’s more, how old was Zhang Su?

A mere seventeen years old.

None of the past Celestial Prides from the Three Sects had ever been this dazzling.

When Yu Hualong was seventeen, although he had already been in the Embracing Pill realm for a year, he hadn’t accomplished the feat of defeating a Gang Force expert.

When Shi Buyi was seventeen, he was still cultivating diligently within the Five Elements Sect, his name not yet widely known.

Yet here was Zhang Su, at the Three Sects Gathering of Heroes, defeating a Peak Gang Force Martial Artist who had achieved the Unity of Inner and Outer in just two strikes, right in front of thousands of people.

"Junior Brother Zhang, back in Hengshan County, I knew you were no mere fish in a pond and would one day soar to the heavens. But I never imagined that day would come so soon..."

Zhou Peng had always been a composed man.

He had been an Inner Sect disciple in the Guiyuan Sect for many years before becoming an Inner Sect Steward; he had seen his fair share of storms.

No matter what happened, he could always remain calm and handle things with composure.

But now, he could no longer remain composed.