Chapter 66: White-Hot

However, joyful moments are always fleeting. How could their tacit understanding and cooperation possibly deceive Old Yangtou, who had been sitting in silence upon the giant boulder for so long?

The only reason Old Yangtou had not spoken up to stop them was that he wanted to see how long they intended to keep up their act. The theme of their duel had been set by him after all—how could he possibly allow them to continue straying so far from it?

"Humph!"

A cold snort imbued with supreme divine might echoed across the entire sky above the Immortals' Grave. Even a nearby dense forest was affected; thick tree trunks trembled, leaves were covered in fractures, and the branches teetered precariously on the verge of snapping.

"..."

Su Ling exchanged a calm and collected glance with Li Er, who was locked in combat before him. They brushed past each other and decisively abandoned their performance-like battle.

Seeing this, Li Er could not help but sigh inwardly. As he moved his limbs, a burning, aching soreness radiated from the spots where Su Ling had grazed him.

To think that a mere accidental brush could result in such jaw-dropping injuries.

One had to bear in mind that he was a peerless expert at the ninth realm of martial arts, the foremost master at the pinnacle of the mountain. His physical body was exceedingly formidable, yet it still could not withstand an offhand blow from Su Ling...

Since his physical attributes fell short, he would have to rely on his profound comprehension of martial arts and his battle-hardened, richly experienced combat skills to teach this novice Su Ling a lesson he would never forget.

He just hoped the one learning the unforgettable lesson wouldn't be himself...

Li Er reined in his fatigue. His previously casual posture vanished, and his expression turned solemn. He cut the figure of a master standing atop the martial arts peak, naturally radiating an overwhelming momentum that could not be ignored.

Just as Li Er finished making his preparations, Su Ling's slightly out-of-character, dramatic roar rang out.

"Very well! You have successfully caught my attention. Warrior, this is the medal you deserve!"

Su Ling lowered his gaze to look at his chest armor, which was now webbed with cracks like a pane of glass on the verge of shattering. He let out a cold laugh, raised his arm, and shed the armor encasing his limbs.

With a loud crash, a shockwave rippled beneath his feet, and dust billowed into the air. Through the haze, the fragmented pieces of armor could be vaguely seen embedding themselves into the soil.

He touched the cool-textured armor on his shoulder, which was now riddled with fractures after the relentless bombardment by Li Er, the supreme master of the mountain peak.

The fact that Su Ling's armor had held together for this long already exceeded his expectations. Now, the armor was battered and exhausted, having reached the end of its service life. It was finally time to shed this crack-filled turtle shell.

"Splendid, warrior! You have shattered my protective armor. Now, face the full might of my prime!"

Su Ling declared with dramatic cadence. As the words reached the ears of Li Er, who stood not far away, the martial artist lowered his head and descended into a state of mental turmoil.

Are you serious? Why are you still acting? Have you no shame at all?

Despite his heavy suspicions that Su Ling's brain might have short-circuited, Li Er remained dutiful and tried his utmost to swallow his laughter, biting back a chuckle.

This left Li Er with a somewhat distorted expression—a comical mix of wanting to laugh yet not daring to do so. Even Old Yangtou, who had been watching the spectacle for a long time, was rendered somewhat speechless. He shook his head, sighed, and remained silent.

"You two rascals..."

Old Yangtou muttered under his breath, unable to hold back a soft curse at Li Er's side of the fight.

Yet, judging by the subtle, inscrutable smile playing on his lips, it seemed Old Yangtou was rather enjoying the show after all.

...

Su Ling casually stripped off the tattered armor from his body and tossed it aside. The heavy plates hit the ground with loud thuds, kicking up billows of dust.

As the childish armor was cast off, Su Ling's aura solidified accordingly.

It was as if he had shed his indolence, becoming far more majestic and earnest. He radiated a uniquely terrifying aura belonging to a true powerhouse—the kind of intimidating presence that would leave ordinary people terrified and plagued by nightmares for nights on end.

Witnessing this scene, Li Er knew in his heart that they could no longer afford to hold back. Unless he brought out his true abilities, he could forget about escaping this duel with all his limbs intact.

The moment both men grew serious, an invisible shockwave of pressure clashed between them like fire and water.

Su Ling's imposing aura felt like raw steel being hammered a thousand times over in a blacksmith's fiery furnace—exceptionally scorching, explosive like a flame, and radiating the sweltering heat of high noon in midsummer.

On the other side, Li Er's aura was somewhat different. Though mighty and forceful, it carried a distinct coolness, reminiscent of the last lingering chill of late autumn.

Gentle as jade, it washed over everything like a clear stream, refreshing and thorough. Much like the man himself, his depth was obscured, yet he could not be underestimated.

Two grand and terrifying auras collided violently across the ground in a semi-circle—one crimson, one azure, utterly incompatible.

The formidable pressure even whipped the surrounding thick tree trunks back and forth, making them sway as terrifyingly as if caught in a marine tempest.

At that moment, an atmosphere of murderous intent suddenly enveloped the ruins of the Immortals' Grave, lingering without dissipation.

Seeing the stalemate, Su Ling did not dawdle. He lightly tapped his foot against the ground and flashed forward, crossing a hundred meters to appear instantly before Li Er.

"?"

Caught off guard, Li Er had no time for astonishment. He hurriedly threw a punch forward. With a loud bang, deep blue true qi erupted around his fist, yet his knuckles met only empty air. His punch had completely missed.

"Too slow."

Su Ling's figure suddenly materialized behind Li Er, even finding the leisure to chat casually, which caused Li Er to mentally curse him as a freak.

Just as Li Er spun around to face the threat, a muffled boom erupted right beside him. Su Ling vanished once more, leaving a shallow crater blasted into the earth beneath his feet.

Having cast aside the immensely heavy black armor, Su Ling no longer concealed his lightning-fast speed. Though his strength was overwhelmingly formidable, that did not mean his agility was lacking.

His powerful physique endowed him with superhuman reflex speeds and exceptionally sharp dynamic vision. Combined with his profound mastery of martial arts, he possessed an extraordinary capacity for physical control.

Though he had previously displayed an unbridled, overbearing aura with power that seemed constantly on the verge of overflowing, it did not mean he lacked the ability to rein it in.

The only reason he hadn't showcased transcendent power control earlier was simply that he disdained to do so. After all, no powerhouse in this world existed who could force him to fight while meticulously regulating his strength.

Naturally, going all out was the exception, and the martial arts spar currently underway fell into that same category.

One had to understand that his power was vast like an abyss and boundless as the sea, terrifyingly endless. If he were to meticulously control every fraction of that strength using mere human effort, it would consume a vast amount of his mental energy.

Using such a high-precision artillery piece to swat a mosquito was something he would never do unless the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful, as it simply drained his energy too much.

As for how he possessed such minute and exquisite control over his strength, the credit belonged to the daily physical training and strength-building regimens he had stubbornly maintained over the past three years.