As the decisive battle began, whether it was the top ten universities, the thirty-six colonels, the seventy-two lieutenants, or countless junior colleges and high schools, everyone was paying attention to the start of this war through various means: watching live broadcasts, waiting for news, or checking messages.

On the floating continent, overwhelming advertisements filled every inch of space. From the vast blue sky to every blade of grass, every bamboo, and every stone on the battlefield, everything was covered with dense advertisements.

When Zhang Yu and Kuang Tianqing arrived at the battlefield, the live broadcast’s popularity reached a fever pitch. Countless spiritual world messages gathered above the battlefield, forming visible divine power fluctuations that repeatedly swept across the entire arena.

Kuang Tianqing said, “Zhang Yu, let’s fight. This world has waited too long for this battle.”

Zhang Yu replied, “It has been too long. Let’s end it quickly then.”

Zhang Yu and Kuang Tianqing’s gazes met briefly, and in the next moment, without further preamble, superfluous dialogue, or any probing, both sides unleashed their full power from the very start of the battle, aiming to utterly destroy their opponent with the fastest speed and strongest force. This was because they shared the same confidence, believing themselves to be stronger than their opponent.

When Zhang Yu held the spiral longsword, formed from Bai Zhenzhen’s corpse, he felt as if he and the sword had become one. The Yu Linggen within the sword and the Zhen Linggen in Zhang Yu’s body echoed each other, connecting their spiritual energy and magical power with each pulse, continuously stimulating, adapting, and strengthening each other.

At the same time, Bai Zhenzhen’s phantom seemed to appear behind him, gently embracing him and saying, “Yu Zi, let’s defeat him together.”

Pure white Jiqing Jianqi emanated from his body, spreading from the sword to Zhang Yu’s body, bringing with it a breathtaking pressure. However, relying on his dual spiritual roots, his thoroughly tempered physical body, and the blessing of his Tumu Shengti, Zhang Yu endured the backlash of the Jiqing Jianqi, maintaining a balance between his body’s self-healing and self-destruction. This meant that Zhang Yu, while wielding the sword, could unleash the power of this Jiqing Jiandao for a longer duration than Bai Zhenzhen, pushing this destructive force to fight even more frantically.

“Kuang! Tian! Qing!”

With a furious roar, a golden core shattering light rose within Zhang Yu’s body, and he charged at Kuang Tianqing with a heaven-shaking sword energy.

Amidst a mournful cry and the light of a shattering golden core, a continuously throbbing mass of flesh was spat out by Kuang Tianqing. Simultaneously, various spiritual artifacts within Kuang Tianqing’s body began to operate autonomously, his entire magical skeleton working at 120% capacity, making him seem like a phantom, as if he had transcended this world.

“Four Elite Schools, come out!”

The power of the academic elites from the Four Demonic Schools surged from within Kuang Tianqing, propelled by the shattered core’s energy and poured into the Demonic Fetus. The Demonic Fetus continuously disintegrated and regenerated, the forces of life and death intertwining, forming a cycle of life and death, which then exploded towards Zhang Yu in nine consecutive cycles and nine consecutive blasts.

“Zhang! Yu! You will lose!”

From the very beginning of the battle, both sides unleashed their ultimate moves. Their speed and power were unrivaled in their realm. Similarly earth-shattering techniques were displayed, and similarly overwhelming destructive power was unleashed, yet neither could destroy the opponent. This was because at this moment, both opponents were equally strong, equally terrifying, equally flawless, and equally invincible at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Thus, both sides could only continue to push their limits, to squeeze their bodies, to force out every bit of their potential.

Dan Yun Dafa initiated! Tianmo Huan Shen! Tianmo Xukong! Youming Jieti! Xuanming Gui Xu Jue! Wan Gu Ku Sui Zhou! Tiandi Yinyang Dale Fu! Zhou Tian Wan Mo Zuo! Ba Shen Jue Xue! Four School Academic Elites!

Yu Zhen Shuang Linggen! Tian Kunlun Yi Shan Shenli! Tiandi Huaijie Wuxing Xinbing! Tian Ri Huang Shen! Taihao Sheng Lü Jian Zhen! Bishui Jin Jing Jia! Yao Sheng Wan Bian Shen Jing! Qi Jue Fa Hai! Tian Yun Sui Dan Jing! Xiandao Taiyang! Jiqing Jiandao!

In the blink of an eye, a hundred fierce moves had passed. The entire battlefield was torn apart, the land for tens of kilometers around ravaged as if by continuous natural disasters, now reduced to scorched earth. And this was merely the effect of the residual shockwaves from their battle. What then of Zhang Yu and Kuang Tianqing, the primary targets of these attacks?

Still undefeated! Still invincible! Even with consecutive powerful moves, even with scorching hot waves that burned everything piercing their bodies, even with heaven-destroying sword energy tearing at their flesh and blood, it was still not enough. Both standing at the pinnacle of their realm, both having compensated for all their weaknesses, they simply could not defeat their opponent, could not utterly suppress the foe blocking their ambition and their path to immortality.

Wen Wuya, witnessing this scene, was awestruck: “Power, speed, defense, destruction, physique, techniques, potential… every single aspect is unprecedented, every single aspect pushed to an unbelievably luxurious degree. Is this truly the level that Foundation Establishment can reach?”

In Jiu Tianliu’s eyes, lines of data continuously appeared: “How much spiritual currency would it take to reach their level in the Foundation Establishment stage?” The answer was incalculable, simply because both individuals possessed mysteries unknown to Jiu Tianliu, representing an absolute information asymmetry that even he, the strongest finance student among the top ten schools, could not overcome.

Ye Xingli no longer had the mind to look at the comments or her fans’ reactions. Her eyes were fixed on the live broadcast screen, her heart churning like turbulent seas: “Throughout history, it may be difficult to find such formidable university students again.”

Facing an opponent as invincible and unconquerable as oneself, how could one win?

“Zhang Yu…”

Kuang Tianqing laughed loudly, his body transforming into a phantom and passing through Zhang Yu’s body, shouting, “You truly surprise me. Who would have thought that a minor character, who could only be repeatedly humiliated by me in public without being able to resist, could now stand before me and fight to a draw!”

Bai Zhenzhen whispered, “It’s a psychological attack, be careful, Yu Zi. She wants to interfere with your mental state and reduce your performance.” Bai Zhenzhen understood very clearly that any change in mental state, any fluctuation in fighting spirit or determination, would lead to subtle changes in the manifestation of power. And at the level of combat power Zhang Yu and Kuang Tianqing possessed, any slight change would translate into a huge difference in the material world, affecting the battle and the outcome.

“I understand, but we are not afraid of her verbal attacks.”

Zhang Yu’s spiral sword struck out again, its pure white sword energy tearing through the sky and earth, splitting Kuang Tianqing’s figure in two, only to see the opponent’s figure coalesce back into one.

“Kuang Tianqing,” Zhang Yu sneered, “Have you forgotten? You were the one who ran when facing me, you fled twice. This time, are you finally not running?”

Kuang Tianqing calmly replied, “Fleeing was to preserve immortal potential, to win the championship. My anger at your slander was also to minimize the loss of immortal potential, and also to win the championship. But today, in the decisive battle, these things are meaningless. No matter what you say… you won’t make my mind waver in the slightest.”

Boom! The two collided violently, like a comet striking the earth. A scorching shockwave accompanied the continuous sinking of the ground, leaving another crater on the battlefield.

At the same time, Kuang Tianqing continued, “This battle today is for the survival of all living beings, to extend their lifespans, to allow everyone to live a few more years, study a few more years, work a few more years. You can feel it, can’t you, Zhang Yu? In today’s battle, the grand momentum is with me. Everyone just wants you to lose!”

Hearing this, Zhang Yu had to admit that his opponent was not wrong. Just last week, after he defeated Tiansheng Gong and entered the finals against Kuang Tianqing, Zhang Yu had received countless messages, private messages, and comments related to the decisive battle almost every day. The majority of them expressed the same sentiment: they hoped he would lose.

“Kuang Tianqing wants to extend everyone’s lifespan. If he wins, you’ll also live a few more years, so don’t contend with him.”

“We just want to live a few more years, is there a problem with that?”

“Hurry up and surrender, don’t block everyone’s path to life!”

Zhang Yu could feel that Kuang Tianqing was currently embodying the expectations of all living beings, the hopes of countless schools and countless teachers and students. After all, who wouldn’t want to live a few more years? And he, Zhang Yu, was the unexpected party in this battle.

Just then, Kuang Tianqing’s gaze flashed, and the power of his shattered core continuously erupted, forcing Zhang Yu back step by step: “Do you feel it, Zhang Yu? The expectation of the entire world for me. Are you truly prepared? Can you bear the pressure after winning the championship? And do you even know what you are fighting for?”

Amidst the golden core’s brilliance, Kuang Tianqing’s arm continuously disintegrated, furiously striking towards Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu unleashed a sword strike, cutting down his opponent’s attack.

“What am I fighting for…”

Zhang Yu, of course, knew what he was fighting for. In high school, he fought to get into the top ten universities. After college, he was naturally fighting to enter a sect. And entering a sect was to survive. To survive, this was his original motivation for embarking on the path of immortality, passing one examination after another, obtaining one certificate after another, and defeating one opponent after another. He just wanted to survive. Was this reason not enough?

Originally, Zhang Yu thought this reason was sufficient. “But why… why do I feel at this moment that this reason is simply not enough, not enough, completely not enough…”

“Is it because I don’t know what immortal sect cultivation method to choose after winning the championship?”

“Is it because I don’t know where this world should go?”

Amidst the soaring blood light, Kuang Tianqing, driven by the power of his shattered core to unleash Youming Jieti, attacking with a resolve, will, and Dao heart that risked everything, was continuously pushing Zhang Yu back, pressing him down.

In Zhang Yu’s eyes, Kuang Tianqing’s figure seemed to constantly shift, revealing one familiar or unfamiliar figure after another.

Wang Yin: “If you want to be a superior person like me, you must learn to devour people.”

Jiu Tianliu: “Are you a fool who wants to work hard on a construction site for a lifetime, or work overtime in a refining department laboratory for a lifetime? Or do you want to learn to use your brain, be a smart person, use money to make money, and earn spiritual currency that you could never earn in a lifetime in the refining or civil engineering departments?”

Ciji Zhenjun: “People strive for higher ground, water flows to lower ground. Although the civil engineering department hasn’t treated you badly, our refining department offers a much wider world…”

Director Gao: “Zhang Yu, the finance department has started to move. Your master is useless, I can’t protect you…”

Dao Qiankun: “I want to change this world. The idea of changing the world is not only for immortals, or those at the Soul Transformation stage; even those at Foundation Establishment, or Qi Refining, or even mortals, can have this idea. This world currently shames the weak. But all people start as weaklings before they grow…”

Amidst the booming explosions, Kuang Tianqing’s blood surged like lava, his surging magical power erupting like a volcano, pushing the power of his shattered golden core, repeatedly striking Zhang Yu back! Back! And back again!

“Zhang Yu!” Kuang Tianqing roared, “Heaven’s will is with me! The whole world expects me to win! What do you have to fight me with?!”

The two fought while moving, and in a flash, they had battled several kilometers away, from a plain to a lake, and then instantly blasted the lake into a giant crater, raising a torrential downpour. And in Zhang Yu’s eyes, an increasingly intense emotion appeared.

“I… don’t just want to survive.”