Chapter 764: The Might of the Heaven-Shaking Arm
As Mo Yu and the others focused on Ran Ben, the latter seemed to sense their gaze, turning his eyes toward them as a faint voice drifted over.
"Years ago, when my Scarlet Python Clan's younger generation clashed with your Celestial Swallowing Python Clan, I happened to be in seclusion, so you lot managed to gain the upper hand.
But it doesn't matter. If the chance arises this time, I'll personally test whether your clan truly lives up to its reputation."
Without waiting for Cai Lin's group to respond, Ran Ben closed his eyes once more, clearly disinclined to acknowledge them further. His arrogance was unmistakable.
Behind him, Ran Qing looked proudly at Mo Yu's side, clearly convinced that disaster would soon descend upon the Celestial Swallowing Python Clan.
Mang Lie and the others wore grim expressions, but Mo Yu only let out a short, cold laugh before closing his eyes to rest, quietly waiting.
Ran Ben might be exceptional among the spirit beast prodigies… but Mo Yu felt no fear.
Time slipped by in silence. Half a day passed in the span of a breath.
At one point, a ray of sunlight broke through the sky. It burned like flame as it howled downward, landing squarely on the tip of the ancient stone tower.
At that exact moment, powerful spiritual energy surged from countless cultivators across the area, erupting like pillars of light into the heavens.
Mo Yu's closed eyes snapped open, savage sharpness flashing within his dark pupils.
The Ancient Body Refining Tower had finally awakened.
As the sunlight poured down upon the tower's summit, the entire structure seemed to ignite. Layer upon layer of luminescent halos rippled across its surface. A terrifyingly ancient aura surged forth from within, like a primordial beast sleeping beneath the earth slowly opening its eyes.
The suffocating pressure lasted only a few breaths before dispersing, replaced by waves of excitement and greed. This phenomenon was the long-awaited sign—the Refining Tower was about to open.
Rumble…
Amid countless fervent gazes, a deep roar echoed from within the tower. The ground surrounding it then began to crack apart.
Moments later, twenty ancient stone platforms slowly rose from below, forming a ring around the tower.
Ancient sigils covered each platform, glowing faintly as invisible strands of energy extended upward, linking each platform to the Refining Tower.
The sight of them drew a chorus of shocked cries from the gathered prodigies. Mang Lie's face turned especially serious.
"Only twenty receiving platforms this time," he said. "Last time there were twenty-five."
Mo Yu's expression tightened. Each platform represented a single qualification to enter the Refining Tower. One platform per person—no exceptions.
That meant only twenty people would be allowed inside.
And that meant the battle for them would be merciless.
The twenty platforms stood silently like ancient sentries encircling the tower. Quiet tension replaced the earlier restlessness as murderous intent began to silently gather.
A few minutes ticked by without anyone moving. Then a figure finally stepped forward.
It was Han Yue from the Rhinoceros Demon Clan.
With his eyes cold and feral, he swept his gaze across the crowd and barked in a sharp, resonant tone, "If no one wants to make the first move, then my Rhinoceros Demon Clan will!"
His body blurred as he leapt forward, landing powerfully upon one of the platforms. His presence flared like a savage beast unleashed from its cage.
"This platform is mine. Anyone who disagrees—step up and fight."
He stood with his hands behind his back, domineering and unyielding, and more than a few prodigies' eyes flickered with caution.
But each person present was a proud genius representing a major clan. No one would back down over a few threatening words.
Sure enough, the moment Han Yue's declaration fell, a cold voice snapped through the air.
"Hmph. I've long heard of your arrogance, Han Yue. Today, my Demon Elephant Clan will test your strength!"
Boom!
A massive figure plummeted from the sky and landed heavily upon the same platform, making the earth tremble.
The newcomer was enormous, his body pitch black and covered in strange glowing markings. His aura alone made the air tremble. In his hand, he held a colossal black cudgel. The moment its tip touched the ground, cracks formed in the solid stone beneath.
"It's Xu Lie, the Demon Elephant Clan's prodigy," someone exclaimed. "He's also a Seventh-Grade Sovereign—said to be able to tear mountains apart with his bare hands. If those two fight in earnest, the sky might well collapse."
With Xu Lie's appearance, the atmosphere surged to a new peak.
Han Yue narrowed his eyes slightly, yet offered no pleasantries. His foot smashed into the platform. The earth split beneath him as killing intent erupted, his body transforming into a charging ancient rhinoceros as he lunged forward.
Xu Lie snorted coldly, swinging his heavy black cudgel in a wide arc. Space shattered under its passing as it crashed down toward Han Yue.
Boom!
The brutal clash sent shockwaves across the tower's perimeter.
With that, the stalemate shattered completely.
All around them, powerful cultivators burst into motion, spiritual energy soaring into the sky.
Mo Yu and his companions exchanged a brief glance—and then moved.
In the blink of an eye, the four split apart, each racing toward the nearest unclaimed platform.
Mo Yu landed lightly upon one platform. Under countless stunned gazes, he stood utterly still, even closing his eyes once more—like an immovable statue anchoring the stone beneath him.
"That guy's only a Sixth-Grade Sovereign, and he dares to take a platform? Does he have a death wish?"
"And he's human. How did a human even get into the Divine Beast Origin?"
Snide laughter and harsh commentary echoed across the ruins.
Mo Yu ignored every word, calm as stone.
Not far away, members of the Scarlet Python Clan—and Ran Qing herself—stared down in momentary surprise before sneering.
"That brat's just a mere Sixth-Grade Sovereign and dares to occupy a receiving platform? He's an idiot," she scoffed.
Beside her, Ran Ben gave Mo Yu a cold glance. "I'll handle Mang Lie. As for that human, I'll leave him to you. If you take him down, our Scarlet Pythons can claim two spots."
"A Sixth-Grade? Not worth worrying over," a red-robed man said with an ominous grin. Power surged from his body, his aura clearly that of a Seventh-Grade Sovereign.
Ran Ben gave a curt nod and stepped forward, landing upon Mang Lie's platform.
The red-robed man shot downward toward Mo Yu's, his gaze glinting with cruel amusement, like a cat toying with its prey.
Arms folded across his chest, he smiled faintly at Mo Yu, who still stood motionless.
"If you jump down yourself, I'll spare your life and just break one arm," he said lazily.
Mo Yu slowly opened his eyes and rose to his feet, meeting the man's gaze with cool indifference. A thin smile curled at the corner of his lips.
The red-robed cultivator chuckled. "So you really don't know what's good for you."
Boom!
His expression darkened abruptly as he stomped the platform, his figure vanishing like a streak of red light.
A blazing crimson spear materialized in his hands, wreathed in searing flames. Like a scarlet python lunging from the void, its point tore through the air, thrusting at Mo Yu's brow with devastating speed.
"Scarlet Python Art: Flame Python Sky-Splitting Spear!"
From the very first move, he unleashed a killing strike—no mercy, no testing blows, just pure intent to annihilate.
At the edge of the field, Ran Qing's eyes lit up. This was a spear technique powerful enough to force even other Seventh-Grade Sovereigns onto the defensive. To her, Mo Yu was already a corpse.
"Hmph."
Mo Yu only snorted coldly. Under countless stunned eyes, he shot forward with a single step, his double fists smashing toward the crimson spear.
Clang!
A deafening impact exploded through the air. Black light surged across Mo Yu's arms as terrifying power erupted from his fists, smashing into the spear's shaft.
The spear—whose momentum had seemed unstoppable just moments ago—screeched to a halt. Its terrifying thrust stopped dead by raw brute force alone.
The red-robed warrior faltered, surprised. But his shock hardened quickly into fury.
"Impressive strength," he muttered. "But you're just looking to die."
With a low growl, he summoned the full might of his cultivation.
Boom!
Power erupted like a volcanic blast. The sky trembled as searing scarlet flames howled outward, shrouding the entire platform.
Behind him, an enormous flame python coiled into existence, its eyes glinting viciously as it hissed toward the heavens. The flames around it surged, turning the sky into a rolling sea of fire.
"Roar!"
The python gave a piercing roar as it dove forward, merging completely with the spear in his hands.
The weapon blazed with countless tongues of flame, heat so intense that the space around it warped and rippled.
"Scarlet Python Slaughter!"
With a thunderous shout, the red-robed man thrust with all his might, the blazing spear screaming toward Mo Yu once more.
Mo Yu's gaze sharpened, his voice low and unwavering. "Heaven-Shaking Arm—Shatter."
Boom!
At his command, the Force Ape phantom within his Supreme Sea roared to life. A torrent of savage power surged forth, flooding into his arms.
His muscles bulged, veins writhing beneath his skin like living dragons. Black spiritual energy coiled around his forearms, seeping in and out of his flesh as if tempering metal in living flame.
His arms darkened to obsidian, radiating deadly weight and might—as though they truly were the arms of a Heaven-Shaking Ape, ready to tear the very sky apart.
He drove his fist forward.
The air in front of his knuckles twisted violently. Compressed wind formed a massive concave arc that expanded outward, becoming an enormous wave of pressured air several hundred meters long.
With a thunderous crack, that invisible cannon roared forward like a meteor, accompanied by the echoing roar of a great ape.
It collided head-on with the blazing scarlet spear.
Crack!
Under the Heaven-Shaking Arm's sheer power, the flames along the spear collapsed. The shaft itself warped grotesquely, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface as it began to twist.
Sweat streamed down the red-robed man's face. His expression contorted with strain before his hands finally slipped free of the collapsing weapon.
Boom!
The spear shattered into fragments, exploding in midair.
The red-robed cultivator's body shot backward under the shockwave—and before he could recover his breath, a dark silhouette flashed in front of him.
Mo Yu appeared at point-blank range. His now monstrous arm drew back like a great spear of pure flesh and bone.
"Heaven-Shaking Arm—Ape King Lance!"
His arm shot forward in a blur, the air shrieking as it split apart. The very atmosphere around his limb detonated in a series of sharp sonic booms.
The blow struck the red-robed man directly in the chest.
Boom!
The impact launched him from the platform like a broken arrow, his body carving a jagged trench hundreds of meters long across the ground below.
Blood sprayed from his lips as he finally skidded to a halt, his body limp upon the earth—his life and death unknown.
Outside the platform's boundary.
Defeated in a single, brutal sequence.
(END CHAPTER)
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