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**
"Then come!"
Yun Shan stood with his hands behind his back, declaring with domineering confidence.
At this moment, the audience below held their collective breath. Not a single person dared to blink, for fear of missing the most exciting scene that was about to unfold!
"I wonder just how much of that old fellow Yun Shan's strength Hai Bodong can actually force out?"
Watching Hai Bodong in mid-air preparing for his final strike, Jia Xingtian could not help but mutter to himself.
Even though he and Yun Shan were both experts at the Peak Nine-Star Dou Huang level. To be honest, Jia Xingtian did not have the slightest certainty of defeating Yun Shan.
Firstly, the other party had reached the Peak Nine-Star Dou Huang realm earlier than he had. Secondly, the foundation of the Yun Lan Sect was, after all, stronger than that of the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Family.
Even if the Yun Lan Sect had lost the inheritance of its Earth Grade and above Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques, it still was not something the Jia Ma Imperial Family could compare to. Jia Xingtian was well aware of this point.
Otherwise, why had the Imperial Family's attitude toward the Yun Lan Sect over the years been one of both reliance and wariness?
"Looking at the current situation, Yun Shan should still be far from taking that final step, right? I don't know if this counts as good news or bad news for our Jia Ma Empire."
Fa Ma, who had been standing beside Jia Xingtian, also spoke up at this time.
Through the battle between Yun Shan and Hai Bodong, he could naturally see that Yun Shan had likely not yet grasped the opportunity to break through to the Dou Zong realm. However, there was a lot of hidden meaning in his words.
Jia Xingtian could certainly understand the implications of Fa Ma's remarks.
His thoughts were identical to Fa Ma's.
On one hand, he hoped Yun Shan would break through to the Dou Zong realm to strengthen the overall power of the Jia Ma Empire. On the other hand, he feared that once the other party's strength broke through, the existence of the Yun Lan Sect would threaten the rule of the Imperial Family.
This was a very contradictory mindset!
For these imperial rulers, they did not care whether you had the intention to rebel; they cared whether you had the strength to rebel!
Back then, even though the Yinter Clan had committed treason, the Jia Ma Imperial Family hadn't truly taken them seriously.
A mere Dou Wang clan committing treason was not enough to threaten the Imperial Family's rule.
But the Yun Lan Sect was different!
Once Yun Shan broke through to the Dou Zong realm, if he also desired to rule the Jia Ma Empire, the Imperial Family would have no power to resist!
At that time, even if the Alchemist Association was added to the mix, the result would be the same.
This was exactly what Jia Xingtian, as the guardian of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, worried about.
"Sigh, we can only take it one step at a time."
In the end, Jia Xingtian could only choose to let things be.
Meanwhile, in mid-air, Hai Bodong had completed his final preparations.
During this process, Yun Shan had no intention of interrupting him. After all, if he didn't let Hai Bodong unleash his strongest strike, what would be the point of today's match?
"Sect Master Yun Shan, be careful! Mysterious Ice Dragon Soar!"
Ice-attribute Dou Qi swirled around Hai Bodong.
Within the vicinity of his body, the temperature had already dropped below zero. At the same time, countless shards of ice floated around him. Eventually, four giant ice-crystal dragons appeared surrounding Hai Bodong.
"Roar!"
"Crack, crack—"
The four lifelike ice-crystal dragons let out a roar, and immediately, even the air was condensed into frost. Following this, the four ice dragons lunged forward, weaving and intersecting as they crashed toward Yun Shan.
At this moment, the audience below all broke into a cold sweat for Yun Shan. Among them, the disciples of the Yun Lan Sect were the most nervous.
"Teacher..."
Little Yun Yun was so worried that her hands couldn't help but tightly grip the hem of her skirt.
Of course, as the one directly facing this strike, Yun Shan's expression finally turned solemn.
If he did not take this strike from Hai Bodong seriously, it truly possessed the power to threaten him. Thus, seeing the four ice dragons flying toward him, Yun Shan mobilized the majority of the Dou Qi within his body without hesitation.
"Clap"
In the next second, Yun Shan formed a seal and pressed his palms together. Finally, a cyan energy hand several zhang high emerged from his palms. At the same time, Yun Shan's hands made a tearing motion.
"Great Sorrow Tearing Wind Hand!"
Accompanying Yun Shan's low shout, that giant cyan energy hand—under the shocked gazes of the audience below—actually tore the four ice-crystal dragons apart!
Yes, it simply tore them apart!
"Ping"
Ice crystals filled the sky and scattered down.
Flecks of frost fell upon the bodies of the spectators below. Not only the audience, but even Hai Bodong himself was stunned into place at that moment. It was unknown how much time passed before a sudden clamor erupted below.
"Ah, the Sect Master won!"
"Yeah, the Sect Master won!"
"As expected, I knew the Sect Master is the strongest!"
"Hai Bodong is decent, but he's still not as strong as our Sect Master!"
"That goes without saying!"
"Has Hai Bodong lost just like that?"
"Mhm, strictly speaking as a match, Hai Bodong has already lost."
"Yun Shan's strength is truly unfathomable!"
...
After Yun Shan used the Great Sorrow Tearing Wind Hand to shred the four ice-crystal dragons, the result of this match was clear to everyone. Consequently, whether they were disciples of the Yun Lan Sect or guests from various factions, everyone began to whisper and discuss.
However, there were still sharp-eyed individuals who noticed that after taking this strike, Yun Shan had sustained a slight injury.
"Drip~"
Droplets of fresh blood dripped from his right fingertips.
Yun Shan looked at his right hand and found that it was not only suffering from frostbite, but his tiger's mouth (web of the thumb) and the crevices of his nails were bleeding due to the backlash caused by forcibly tearing the four ice-crystal dragons just now.
"Even after using a High-Level Xuan Grade Dou Technique, I still couldn't completely block it?" Yun Shan muttered softly.
Shaking his head, Yun Shan merely lamented for a moment. Immediately, he refocused his gaze on Hai Bodong, who had recovered from his shock.
"I lost."
Hai Bodong admitted it very straightforwardly.
There wasn't a trace of unwillingness. After all, he had already anticipated such an outcome. Rather, being able to injure a Peak Nine-Star Dou Huang with his strength as a Four-Star Dou Huang was enough for him to be proud.
"Hai Bodong, you are very good. In a battle of the same realm, I might not necessarily win against you!"
This was recognition from Yun Shan toward Hai Bodong.
These were Yun Shan's sincere words!
"A loss is a loss. Sect Master Yun Shan, you truly deserve to be the strongest expert of our Jia Ma Empire!"
Hai Bodong was not a sore loser.
Although he acknowledged Yun Shan's statement, for now, he had lost fair and square, so he naturally recognized Yun Shan's power.
"The strongest expert of the Jia Ma Empire? No, no, no, Hai Bodong, you are wrong. The strongest expert of the Jia Ma Empire is not me!"
Hearing Hai Bodong bring up this topic again, Yun Shan shook his head and did not accept the claim.
Before today, he might have felt that way.
But after today, he would never think so again!
Between him and that truly strongest expert of the Jia Ma Empire, there existed a gap as wide as a chasm!
Thinking of this, Yun Shan couldn't help but glance again at Xiao Lin among the crowd watching below.
"Hmm? Sect Master Yun Shan, are you referring to Jia Xingtian? Although he is also a Nine-Star Dou Huang, I have fought him once before. The feeling he gives me is that you are still slightly superior!"
At this moment, Hai Bodong, who was unaware of the inside story, thought the "strongest expert of the Jia Ma Empire" Yun Shan spoke of was Jia Xingtian!
After all, the two strongest people on the surface of the Jia Ma Empire today were Yun Shan and Jia Xingtian. Both were Nine-Star Dou Huang experts!
Meanwhile, Fa Ma and Hai Bodong were currently still mid-level Dou Huangs.
**
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