Zhou Yan let out a sigh of relief. At this moment, he also noticed that all the cultivators around Wenhua Palace were watching him, their expressions varied—surprise, bewilderment, and more, all sorts of looks were present.

But many of the expressions were consistent, as if they had seen a ghost, with faces showing exquisite surprise, eyes nearly popping out like those of dead fish—a look that had yet to recover from extreme shock.

Zhou Yan smiled wryly, nodding slightly to everyone, saying, "I'm sorry, the commotion was a bit too much."

"A bit too much? More than a bit, it was way too much, it affected my comprehension of the Cutting Path Secret Technique. Zhou Yan, take my Path-cutting Sword!"

Suddenly, a cold voice scolded.

The speaker was none other than Ji Wu.

At this time, however, his gaze was icy, fierce, carrying an unbearably obvious naked killing intent.

Not far from Ji Wu, Hou Ling'er's gaze was slightly cold, visibly angry as she stared at Ji Wu.

"Zhou Yan just understood the Void Thunder Tribulation, and you dare challenge him? Arrogant!"

As Hou Ling'er spoke, the light saber in her hand flashed, slashing towards Ji Wu's head immediately.

"Ji Wu?"

Zhou Yan's gaze narrowed, sensing the immense hostility from Ji Wu, momentarily stunned.

But Hou Ling'er's sword was suddenly caught in Zhou Yan's hand.

Zhou Yan's hand, as mighty as an ultimate artifact, caught the Immortal Weapon barehanded, sustaining no injury!

This scene made everyone present step back a few paces, gasping in awe.

"Ling'er, there's no hurry, I'll handle this. Currently, among the disciples in Wenhua Palace, if I am the second, no one is qualified to claim the first."

"Since I come for the first position, I fear no challenge."

Zhou Yan said calmly.

Though his voice seemed calm to others, in Hou Ling'er's ears it was incomparably gentle.

Hou Ling'er's delicate figure trembled slightly. Zhou Yan, however, gave her a gentle smile, his gaze carrying deep affection.

Hou Ling'er's heart instantly flared up, and combined with sensing the condition of Zhou Yan's Divine Body earlier, a blush swept over her delicate face.

This circumstance made Hou Ling'er become exceptionally enchanting in an instant, filled with divine yet incredibly alluring charm.

But this expression from Hou Ling'er was only apparent in Zhou Yan's eyes. To others, even if they saw it, they could only sense a distant coldness.

"Zhou Yan…"

Hou Ling'er bit her lip slightly, worried.

She knew how strong Ji Wu was; her Immortal Phoenix Blood could sense that unknown, terrifying pressure.

However, Zhou Yan confidently nodded, saying, "Ling'er, don't worry, today I'll barehandedly fight him, to prove my own ability, talent, and status."

"From now on, the first person in Wenhua Palace will be me, Zhou Yan, Evil Venerate Zhou Yan!"

"I self-titled because I don't like any other title."

"If I don't like it, I won't accept it."

"Alright, Ji Wu, make your move!"

As Zhou Yan spoke, his hand suddenly released, sending Hou Ling'er's giant glowing sword rebounding back.

At this moment, Ji Wu was unceremonious, attacking suddenly.

Ji Wu seldom acted in front of others, but to make a move in such a venue was somewhat against the rules.

But true geniuses don't need to adhere to too many rules.

Ji Wu's strike was a terrifying Path-cutting technique, as if in an instant, it could extinguish all the Dao Zhou Yan had understood.

This Cutting Path technique was a variant of the Soul Cutting Skill, eerie and peculiar, yet absurdly powerful!

He seemed deeply inheriting Lee Ran's Supreme Dao, incredibly strong!

In an instant, Zhou Yan felt as if he didn't know anything anymore, completely suppressed in one moment.

This terrifying feeling was impossible to dispel.

But Zhou Yan knew that a true expert could crush all Dao with absolute fury.

Therefore, Zhou Yan was not worried at all. The Path-cutting Sword reached Zhou Yan, filled with killing intent and hatred, bringing along a terrifying aura of destruction.

Yet Zhou Yan's hand suddenly extended, and two fingers directly pinched that sword.

Then, time seemed to freeze. Ji Wu's sword could not produce any follow-up moves.

Subsequently, one of Zhou Yan's fingers suddenly broke, transforming into a sword identical to the Path-cutting Sword, striking toward Ji Wu.

But Ji Wu, unphased, suddenly opened his mouth and swallowed the Path-cutting Sword.

Afterward, a terrifying power of devouring and destruction suddenly appeared.

"Poof—"

Zhou Yan's broken finger was suddenly refined, leaving nothing behind!

"Demon Heart? Soul Devouring?!"

Zhou Yan's face changed drastically, his gaze tightening as he stared intently at Ji Wu.

But Ji Wu remained calm.

"I came to Wenhua Palace just to kill you!"

Ji Wu said.

His tone was indifferent, killing intent rampant.

The powerful killing intent pierced deep into Zhou Yan's heart, causing him some alarm.

This must be an extremely powerful killing intent to harbor such hatred.

Yet, had Zhou Yan not known Ji Wu's situation, he would have surely struck with lethal force.

But Zhou Yan knew, so he could not.

Because Ji Wu was the son of his brother Lee Ran, which meant he was Zhou Yan's nephew!

And on the Sword Burial Ancestor Star, Ji Wu took on all of Zhou Yan's calculated killing traps, otherwise, Zhou Yan would not have survived!

Therefore, this person, cannot be killed, and must not be killed!

Killing Ji Wu is no different than killing your own child!

As parents, if they kill their children just because they are disobedient, are they still parents?

Therefore, even though Zhou Yan knows that Ji Wu from the Dark God Domain harbors a strong intent to kill him, Zhou Yan still cannot be ruthless.

This point puts Zhou Yan at a disadvantage in some aspects.

"Then, go ahead and kill, as long as you can kill me! However, any killing intent should be directed at me!"

Zhou Yan spoke coldly.

"Hmph, I, Ji Wu, disdain venting my hatred on those useless people around you! Today next year will be your memorial anniversary!"

Ji Wu said, suddenly revealing a terrifying fist intent!

Ji Wu abandoned the sword.

Ji Wu also forsook his Soul Cutting Skill.

He derived fist intent.

But it is an annihilation fist intent, a reincarnation fist intent, a fist intent seeing all living beings as ants, and a fist intent of Only I Am Supreme!

This fist intent carries the imperfect Path of Great Success, carries the dynamic aura of transforming intent, and carries the invincible killing intent of the Six Paths of Reincarnation.

This is a frightening punch!

Even if Divine Fist Li were here, he would probably only deliver such a punch.

When this punch is thrown, heaven and earth become silent.

Zhou Yan's gaze narrowed, suddenly deriving fist intent as well.

But Zhou Yan unleashes the Immortal Dragon Fist.

It's the Xingyi Dragon Fist.

It's the gathering of the thirteen Dragon Souls of the Dragon Flower Totem, an Emperor Dragon Soul punch.

The two punches collided in an instant, suddenly causing a collapse of the void.

Within the powerful Dark God Domain, the Void Thunder Tribulation appears, then vanishes instantly.

The Void Thunder Tribulation devours the chaos of their instant punches, preventing the void from being destroyed.

Within this punch, Zhou Yan retreated seven steps, without any loss.

However, Ji Wu only retreated five steps, yet spewed two mouthfuls of blood mist consecutively.

Who is superior, who is inferior, is immediately clear.

Now, even the cultivators who doubted Ji Wu's inability to take first place instantly shut their mouths.

Because this punch is a punch of annihilation reincarnation, a punch of Six Paths of Reincarnation, a punch that slaughters all beings.

This punch reveals Ji Wu's combat power, comparable to the Supreme Heavenly Venerate and even the Yuanshi Tianzun!

Moreover, this combat power is definitely not the strongest!

This is the battle between peerless geniuses, simple yet direct, a simple punch is enough to reveal clues.

"You two don't need to compete anymore. Currently, Ji Wu is indeed temporarily inferior to Zhou Yan, but Ji Wu has some injuries not yet recovered, his Divine Soul is unstable, otherwise his combat power would be even more formidable."

"As for Zhou Yan, temporarily in first place, but Zhou Yan... his foundation is unstable, he progresses too quickly, he needs to calm down and comprehend the Creation Path, and eliminate the restless Heart Demon."

"Zhou Yan, do not be anxious, do not be blinded by desire, otherwise control by the Heart Demon will awaken the Demon Heart of the Heavenly Demon, leading to irreparable disaster."

At this time, Wenhua Palace Hall Master Qian Yao suddenly walked out, separating Zhou Yan and Ji Wu, simultaneously commenting on their battle.

"Hall Master."

At this time, the cultivators spontaneously performed salutations.

"Hmm."

Qian Yao nodded slightly, waving his hand to indicate the many cultivators need not perform salutations, then said, "Zhou Yan, you and Ji Wu are both pillar talents of Wenhua Palace. Any accident to either of you would be a huge loss for Wenhua Palace, so from now on, I hope you do not engage in life-and-death battles, consider it giving me, Yao, some face.

If you really want to compete, then fight in the Soul Refining Demon Cave, in the Outer Realm Battlefield or even on the future Outer Realm Thirty-Three Heavenly Road. Those are the true glory of the Human Clan, while life-and-death battles here would only invite ridicule."

"What do the two of you think?"

Yao pondered slightly and said.

"Since the Hall Master says so, how can Zhou Yan not comply?"

Zhou Yan smiled slightly, feeling much more relieved.

"I don't oppose this method, but if one day I am stronger than him, able to destroy him with a hand, then retaining such a waste would be useless."

Ji Wu said coldly and arrogantly.

This personality, how similar it is to the once prideful Ji Wu from Sword Burial Ancestor Star?

If it were in the past, Zhou Yan might have been very angry, but now, Zhou Yan is not angry at all.

In fact, Zhou Yan still finds Ji Wu as childish, or just as youthful and impatient as before.

However, Zhou Yan will not consider things so simply now.

From brother Lee Ran's words, Zhou Yan has a certain understanding of his own situation. Based on Lee Ran's words, Zhou Yan will not delve too deeply into certain matters, but Ji Wu—Zhou Yan always feels that perhaps the truth is not so simple.

Otherwise, why would his brother say, 'perhaps your enemy is the closest person to you, and your friend is actually your greatest enemy'?

Although this statement has no basis for judgment, Zhou Yan is by no means foolish.

In Wenhua Palace, Zhou Yan does not want to target or slaughter anyone.

Wenhua Palace is a true gathering place for elites, and a genuine place for talents to grow, crucial to the Dark God Domain.

Here, every cultivator is exceptionally rare, and losing one is a huge loss.

Zhou Yan can slaughter all in the Sword Emperor Sect, can wantonly destroy the Blue Clan, simply because those cannot shake the foundation of the cultivators.

But Wenhua Palace is completely different.

(Today's five updates totaling 16,000 words are complete. Tomorrow will be very busy, updates will be unstable, but there will be at least two updates, and the remaining two updates will be made up the day after tomorrow~ Please vote support~)

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