When Yang Cheng saw the system notifications appear before his eyes, joy flickered deep in his heart.
Qin Mingcheng's face, however, grew even grimmer.
At this point, he had no choice left—he had to use his final trump card.
He truly hadn't expected to be pushed this far.
Then, from within his void ring, Qin Mingcheng took out an ancient-looking compass.
The instant it appeared, the entire Jinbian Lake began to shake violently.
The water surged madly in every direction. Qin Mingcheng lifted the compass high into the air, murmuring a long and complicated incantation. The intricate runes carved across its surface trembled and pulsed, resonating deeply with the lake itself.
And then—a scene that stunned every onlooker unfolded before their eyes.
The entire body of the lake rose up as if alive, and the water parted to reveal the lakebed below.
The ground all around trembled violently, shaking as if a massive earthquake had erupted beneath them.
"What… what kind of formation is this?"
"With such a display, even calling it heaven-shaking and earth-shattering would be an understatement!"
The crowd cried out in alarm, voices filled with awe and terror.
It was clear that Qin Mingcheng's technique had far surpassed what cultivators of the Wasteland Realm could comprehend.
From the distant sky, the Sect Master of the Bian'an Divine Sect watched with a heavy expression. "Under this kind of formation," he said coldly, "even ordinary gods would be crushed like ants."
Standing nearby, Qin Mingcheng's attendant Lin Chang paled in shock.
He knew exactly what this meant—his master had used his ultimate technique.
That alone proved just how troublesome Yang Cheng truly was.
In the sky above, the water of Jinbian Lake condensed and rose, forming five colossal fingers like heavenly pillars, which then came crashing down toward Yang Cheng.
Boom!
The sword qi that Yang Cheng had released shattered one after another. Even the mighty river of blood he had summoned collapsed under the strike.
Then, with a deafening crash, Yang Cheng's body was blasted into the muddy depths of the lakebed.
"Yang Cheng was truly defying the heavens," someone murmured.
"But in the end, he still wasn't a match for Qin Mingcheng."
"That's only natural. The final might of Qin Mingcheng's formation definitely reached the peak of the Yin God level."
A chill ran through the spectators' hearts.
"The Sect Master has finally won," Lin Chang exhaled in relief.
The martial experts of the Great Zhao Empire and the Bian'an Divine Sect broke into smiles as well.
To them, Yang Cheng's death was an undeniable blessing.
He was far too monstrous.
If he were to survive, the Great Zhou Dynasty under his leadership would leave no room for any other nation to exist.
Ning Yao's heart trembled violently.
Logically speaking, Yang Cheng's death was good for her and the Ning Clan—she should have felt happy.
Yet, for some strange reason, she couldn't summon even a hint of joy.
Instead, an inexplicable sense of emptiness welled up inside her chest.
In contrast, Nangong Wan's eyes glinted with satisfaction.
She hadn't forgotten how Nangong Yi had been slain by Yang Cheng.
No matter how extraordinary Yang Cheng might have been, no charm or brilliance could sway her hatred.
She wanted nothing more than to see him die.
Only Qin Mingcheng himself didn't share their joy. His face was dark, his expression tense to the extreme.
Then, suddenly, the thick layer of mud at the bottom of the lake began to shift and split apart.
Razor-sharp sword qi spun violently within it, slicing through the muck until a vast crater opened up below.
Inside that pit, glowing runes shimmered and linked together—it was a grand earth-attribute sword formation, formed entirely from the spiritual energy of the land itself.
Qin Mingcheng had used the lake as his battlefield.
But Yang Cheng—he had turned the earth beneath the lake into his own array.
Now that his Array Domain had reached the Two-Star level, his mastery was not much weaker than Qin Mingcheng's.
And unlike Qin Mingcheng, Yang Cheng had one overwhelming advantage—his personal strength.
When Yang Cheng's own cultivation power merged with the might of his formation, the destructive force it unleashed was beyond imagination.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Endless sword qi shot upward from the ground, colliding head-on with the five massive pillars of water that had descended from above.
A blinding explosion followed.
The five water pillars shattered in an instant, bursting apart with a roar that seemed to tear the heavens themselves.
It was as if the very sky had split open.
The raging lake water crashed back down, engulfing both Yang Cheng and Qin Mingcheng in an instant.
Those watching from the shore could only stare in stunned silence at what came next.
Within the churning lake, the system voice sounded once more.
Ding!
[The host has broken through Qin Mingcheng's final technique, injuring him severely.]
[How curious… Qin Mingcheng, a formation master of the Nirvana God level, only managed to exert power equal to that of a Yin God?]
[Regardless, the host has fought Qin Mingcheng to an even standstill.]
[Congratulations, host. You have acquired the Three-Star Array Domain. This mission is now complete.]
"Receive."
Yang Cheng's response was swift and decisive.
Without this Three-Star Array Domain, he probably wouldn't be able to kill Qin Mingcheng.
But now—Qin Mingcheng's death was certain.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yang Cheng furiously activated his sword qi grand formation.
From within his Ten-Star Golden Dantian, an ocean-like surge of true qi poured out madly, amplifying the formation's power to a terrifying degree.
Countless formation seals gathered around Qin Mingcheng's body.
He had unleashed his most powerful defense.
However, those glowing seals couldn't stop the cutting force of Yang Cheng's sword qi formation.
"Your mastery of formations…"
Qin Mingcheng's expression was filled with disbelief and fear.
He could never have imagined that Yang Cheng—whose martial strength already approached the Yin God level—would also possess formation mastery that completely surpassed his own.
Three-Star Array Domain!
That meant Yang Cheng's understanding of formations had reached the Yang God realm.
And that was exactly the realm Qin Mingcheng had been chasing for so many years—yet never reached.
Boom!
In the next instant, every single one of Qin Mingcheng's formation seals shattered into fragments.
His body was instantly engulfed by endless sword qi, torn apart into countless pieces of flesh and blood.
The bottom of the lake erupted violently, blasting open a crater so deep that no one could see its end.
Massive waves of water crashed back into the pit, forming a colossal whirlpool at the lake's center.
A while later, the people on the shore saw a lone figure slowly emerging from that vortex.
It was a young man.
The crowd fell completely silent—so silent one could hear a pin drop.
"Yang Cheng!"
Gasps filled the air.
Everyone stared at the youth in disbelief.
That figure walking out of the swirling water was unmistakably Yang Cheng.
But the fact itself was earth-shattering.
Yang Cheng had fought a life-and-death duel against Qin Mingcheng—and survived?
Even more shocking was the realization that Qin Mingcheng still hadn't appeared.
"Master!"
Lin Chang's expression changed dramatically as he shouted, his voice trembling.
There was no reply.
Panic filled his eyes as he glared at Yang Cheng. "Yang Cheng! Where is my Sect Master?!"
Yang Cheng's cold gaze fell on him.
In that instant, an overwhelming force crashed down like a tidal wave.
Lin Chang's sea of consciousness felt as though struck by thunder. He staggered backward, blood pouring from his nose and mouth.
The onlookers' pupils shrank in terror.
From Yang Cheng's bearing and aura, it was obvious—he hadn't been injured at all. Otherwise, how could he still release such a suffocating presence?
Yang Cheng didn't bother responding. He simply turned away and began walking toward the edge of the lake, each step echoing with calm authority.
In a panic, Lin Chang dove into the lake.
Moments later, he resurfaced—holding a shattered head in his hands.
The crowd erupted in horrified cries.
That severed head—was unmistakably Qin Mingcheng's.
Although many had suspected the outcome, seeing the truth with their own eyes struck them like lightning.
He was dead.
Qin Mingcheng was truly dead.
The realization sent shockwaves through everyone present.
It was beyond belief—beyond comprehension.
Suddenly, Lin Chang dropped to his knees by the lakeshore, clutching Qin Mingcheng's broken head as tears streamed down his face. He wept uncontrollably.
To him, Qin Mingcheng was not just his master—but his faith.
Now that faith was gone, it felt as if his entire world had collapsed.
At the same time, as everyone turned their gaze back to Yang Cheng, they realized something terrifying.
Though he wasn't using his spiritual power or divine sense, his mere presence alone radiated a crushing, divine pressure that made their souls tremble.
Those who had mocked him earlier quickly lowered their heads, wishing they could disappear into the earth, terrified that Yang Cheng might remember their faces.
Soon, Yang Cheng stopped in front of the Sect Master of the Bian'an Divine Sect.
His footsteps paused.
"Lord Yang Cheng," the sect master said hurriedly, bowing deeply, "this humble one was blind and failed to recognize a true master earlier…"
He spoke quickly, desperate to offer an apology before Yang Cheng decided otherwise.