"Boom!!"
The clash of two divine powers erupted with a deafening silence, as a blinding light engulfed everything.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The surface of Sun and Moon Lake continued to explode, sending towering waves into the sky. The clouds in the heavens were shattered, breaking into fragments.
Even the space itself began to crack, resembling a shattered mirror, with the chaotic energy seeping out, spreading across the void.
"I seek nirvana, to rebuild my true self!"
Qin Zi roared as his long hair flew wildly. His black hair began to glow, turning crystalline, shining with radiant light.
At the same time, the two massive birds in the sky twisted together, merging into one gigantic creature.
It carried the nobility of the phoenix, the rebelliousness of the Kunpeng, and the blazing heat of the Golden Crow. It appeared as a divine being, standing tall over the heavens.
"Kill!"
Qin Zi thrust his right hand forward, and the massive creature spread its wings wide, gathering endless light as it struck out.
"Whoosh—"
A wave of destructive power surged forth, like the unstoppable tide of history, drowning everything in its path.
"Not bad, not bad at all..."
Chu Zhongtian smiled with satisfaction. He opened his arms wide, making no attempt to resist, allowing the wave of destruction to wash over him.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The torrent of energy roared past, clearing everything before it, leaving the sky crystal clear, a pristine blue.
When the light finally dissipated, Chu Zhongtian had disappeared, leaving only his calm voice echoing through the heavens and earth.
"I acknowledge you as the Heaven Master of Xuanhuang... Of course, I speak only for myself. Whether others recognize you or not, I cannot say."
His voice echoed.
Everyone stood in stunned silence, gazing at the scene, overwhelmed by disbelief and awe.
Who was this mysterious figure?
They had their suspicions—this was clearly a giant from Xuanhuang Heaven!
And for Heaven Master Qin Zi to defeat such a figure under equal circumstances, what an extraordinary feat!
This meant that his talent and potential were on par with that of the giants, making his future ascension to such heights almost a certainty!
"It seems the title of Heaven Master wasn't handed out carelessly. Perhaps… he truly has something special."
"Maybe he can really gain the approval of all the giants in Xuanhuang Heaven. At that point, wouldn't he be the undisputed Heaven Master?"
"No, we cannot afford to offend this person!"
"We must abandon our plans!"
Many of the geniuses who had harbored ill intentions toward Qin Zi were now rethinking their strategies.
They had been betting on the possibility that Qin Zi wouldn't earn the approval of Xuanhuang Heaven's giants. If he lost face, the giants themselves would likely cleanse him from their ranks.
But now...
One of Xuanhuang Heaven's giants had already recognized Qin Zi. If they continued to provoke him, it would be akin to challenging the giants themselves!
"The Heaven Master's talent is unparalleled, his brilliance unmatched. I am truly in awe," someone spoke up, now offering flattery and praise.
Soon, others followed suit.
"As expected of the Heaven Master of Xuanhuang Heaven! Today's battle was truly eye-opening."
"Indeed, Heaven Master, with just a simple move, you've already surpassed my abilities. I can only dream of reaching your heights."
Qin Zi looked at the sudden shift in attitude around him, feeling a bit uncomfortable, yet understanding it was to be expected.
The people here were all geniuses, able to assess situations clearly and wouldn't engage in foolish acts.
"The Sun and Moon Phenomenon isn't over yet. Let's all continue our insights," Qin Zi calmly said, scanning the crowd.
With that, he resumed his meditative stance, continuing his comprehension. His Nirvana technique had not yet reached its peak, and he needed to further perfect it.
Seeing this, the others stopped their idle chatter as well. Flattery had its limits—what mattered most was improving one's own strength.
Meanwhile...
In the crowd, a handsome young man's eyes flashed with a cold glint, his gaze shadowed. His eyes were a striking gold and red, like burning flames, and a delicate mark resembling a phoenix feather glowed on his forehead.
"Hmph! He's just a mongrel with impure bloodlines, what's there to be proud of? If that mysterious giant hadn't intervened, even if you'd mastered some forbidden divine power, I could've easily crushed you with one hand!"
He sneered internally, his heart filled with discontent.
He had planned to use this event to make a name for himself, but now, it was clear he could no longer act.
Watching Qin Zi bask in the attention made him feel even worse, for in his eyes, this glory should have been his!
"Forget it. I won't pick a fight on purpose, but fair competition is always allowed, right? When the World Tree's space opens, I'll crush you during the contest for the World Source Seed. Let's see who can stop me then!"
Smirking coldly to himself, he quietly left.
Time passed.
Three days later...
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The calm surface of the lake suddenly surged with violent waves. In the center, the sun and moon began to sink slowly.
At the same time, the laws of the universe and the profound mysteries of the world gradually faded away, disappearing into the void.
"Alas, the Sun and Moon Phenomenon has ended."
"It feels like... it never really started. I barely felt anything, and now it's over?"
"We'll have to try again next time."
Many sighed, looking dejected.
At that moment, a powerful aura erupted into the sky, spreading across the area like a vast ocean.
Whoosh!
The crowd turned to see that it was Qin Zi, his entire body radiating rings of light, an extraordinary and saintly presence.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Above his head, the sky seemed to become transparent, revealing an enormous world slowly descending upon him.
"It's a projection of the heavens—he's about to break through!"
"It must be the eighth level of the heavens!"
"What terrifying pressure, what an astounding aura. When I broke through to the eighth heaven, it wasn't nearly this intense."
Exclamations filled the air.
At that moment, the massive world was already descending toward Qin Zi, carrying an overwhelming and incomprehensible heavenly might.
"Buzz!"
A soft white light emanated from Qin Zi's body, sacred and pure, like the most indestructible defense in the world.
"Boom, boom, boom—"
The projection of the heavens descended fully. Around him, many buildings collapsed in an instant, sending clouds of dust into the air as the terrifying shockwaves spread out.
In the sky, the previously hidden chains of law reappeared, like the tails of phoenixes sweeping through the heavens, dazzling yet awe-inspiring.
After what seemed like an eternity.
The heavenly projection finally faded away, leaving a massive crater tens of thousands of meters wide where Qin Zi had stood, its surface scorched black.
At the bottom of the crater, a ball of white light floated just three feet above the ground. Qin Zi sat cross-legged within the light, unmoving.
From his body emanated a dense, ancient aura, like an immovable primordial mountain.
"Is he really only at the eighth heaven? Why do I feel an oppressive force even though I'm at the ninth heaven?"
"He's terrifying."
"The Heaven Master of Xuanhuang... truly terrifying!"
Many people looked on in awe and reverence.
Even the Yin-Yang Sect's Holy Son, Meng Xuanji, looked grave—Qin Zi's strength was rapidly approaching his own.
"The Heaven Master is invited to Yin-Yang Peak for a discussion," an old, dignified voice suddenly rang out.
"That's the voice of the sect master!"
Meng Xuanji frowned, silently wondering, "Why does the sect master want to meet Qin Zi now? Is he looking to make peace and draw him into the fold?"
But just then...
He heard Qin Zi's voice—calm, but with an almost arrogant undertone: "I'm busy today, so I won't be going. If you truly have something important to say, you can come out and say it here."
Qin Zi smirked inwardly.
Playing hard to get with him?
He wasn't having it!!
Asking him to go to Yin-Yang Peak—what difference was there between that and summoning him like a subordinate? Whatever the real intention, the approach reeked of condescension.
The Yin-Yang Sect had been targeting him behind the scenes, and now they still expected him to play along? He wasn't that easy to manipulate.
At this moment, the old voice fell silent for a while, before turning cold.
"In that case, I shall not see you off."