**Chapter Title: The Single Spear’s Edge**

A single thought arises, swift and true. Once fixated upon the objective, all else is swept aside, leaving only the target in sight.

Thus was Ji Zhaonan.

The peerless Shaohua Spear!

Who could stand against its edge?

Sheng Xuehuai’s strength, though not fully unleashed, undeniably reached the level of a God临境 combatant, and indeed, his performance was quite remarkable. While his initial choice in the duel proved ill-advised, costing him the first move against Ji Zhaonan, it must be noted that from beginning to end, Ji Zhaonan delivered but this single strike!

Even the Sheng Kingdom’s Vice Minister, Meng Wuya, observing from the viewing platform, was left speechless. The Qi Kingdom’s Ji Zhaonan possessed an almost terrifying grasp of the moment of engagement, and more terrifying still was his unwavering confidence.

Facing Sheng Xuehuai’s suicidal technique, any other opponent would likely have hesitated, weighed the costs. But Ji Zhaonan, in that very instant, discerned the inevitable outcome of this desperate gamble. He knew he would survive, though perhaps wounded, while the other would perish. Thus, without hesitation, without evasion, his spear surged forward as a solitary point of light.

What sort of confidence is this?

A single move, and victory secured!

Most observers likely saw only the magnificent transformations of Dao techniques, the dazzling interplay of light and shadow, and the breathtaking sharpness of the spear’s edge. And indeed, even that alone was wondrous enough.

However, as a contemporary True Person, Meng Wuya perceived more, a deeper truth. The most remarkable aspect of this clash, the very essence that eluded most onlookers, was the confrontation at the level of spiritual awareness.

Cultivators who have opened the Sea of Consciousness (Yuan Shen Sea), whose divine souls have returned to origin and transformed into gods, whose Yuan Shen presides within the Nurturing God Palace, controlling the human body’s vital points and the four seas, thus achieving the God临 realm. The manifestation of their divine soul power in the mortal world, condensed into a tangible form, is known as spiritual awareness.

Thus the saying, “I am like God临.” Within the range of their spiritual awareness, God临 cultivators truly are akin to deities!

And in the clash that just transpired…

As Ji Zhaonan’s single spear pierced through the Danxin Azurebird, Sheng Xuehuai’s spiritual awareness erupted, a vast, angry sea of consciousness that had been brewing for a long time, a Daoist divine soul killing technique poised to seize victory.

But Ji Zhaonan’s spear, infused with spiritual awareness and Dao Yuan, concentrated force, technique, and momentum into one devastating thrust that shattered all before it. Driven by the divine ability of Breaking Array, it first pierced the Danxin Azurebird, then shattered Sheng Xuehuai’s divine soul killing technique, and finally, drilled through his heart.

Outwardly, it appeared as a simple spear thrust that impaled Sheng Xuehuai, driving him into the ground.

This final movement, on the surface, seemed so straightforward. Yet, this Martial Peak, a world-renowned platform where the Heaven’s Chosen of every Yellow River Association clash, possessed astonishing defenses. This very Martial Peak was almost broken by the Shaohua Spear, already having passed through Sheng Xuehuai!

Truly, this spear was peerless.

Meng Wuya did not call a halt to the duel for Sheng Xuehuai’s sake, for Xian Nan Kui had already ascended the stage.

“The victor of this battle, the Qi Kingdom’s Ji Zhaonan!” he announced loudly, simultaneously protecting Sheng Xuehuai’s broken body.

Ji Zhaonan’s expression remained serene, devoid of any post-victory elation or the joy of defeating an opponent. This was simply the expected outcome.

Only after Xian Nan Kui’s declaration did he withdraw the Shaohua Spear. Its tip and shaft remained as pure and white as frost-laden snow, unstained by a single drop of blood.

Holding the long spear, he descended the Martial Peak without a word, just as he had arrived, walking directly towards the Six Harmonies Pillars beyond.

*I came only to contend for supremacy, to unleash this single strike, to let the world witness!*

*Do you still remember this spear?*

On the viewing platform, many individuals rose and departed. After Ji Zhaonan’s spear defeated Sheng Xuehuai, the remaining sixteen Heaven’s Chosen would engage in combat, vying for the two main match quotas within the unrestricted category for those under thirty years of age.

While they too were top-tier Heaven’s Chosen who had yet to reach God临 by the age of thirty, a significant portion of the audience had remained simply to witness Ji Zhaonan’s initial battle.

“Is this the Breaking Array divine ability?” Jiang Wang sighed repeatedly. “General Ji’s final thrust was truly awe-inspiring.”

Although he had witnessed Ji Zhaonan’s spear on the Point General Platform previously, under the immense pressure exerted by Chongxuan Chuliang, Ji Zhaonan had been unable to fully unleash even a single strike. All his attacks were disintegrated before they could even land. Like Chongxuan Zun, Jiang Wang had simply been swept aside in the exchange.

Only by combining that experience with this battle could Jiang Wang truly appreciate the incredible power contained within each of the spear strikes Ji Zhaonan had been unable to deliver on the Point General Platform! And through this, his understanding of the formidable Butcher, Chongxuan Chuliang, deepened further.

“This divine ability is known as ‘shatter armor, crack soldiers, must break enemy arrays,’ and it truly lives up to its name,” Chongxuan Zun remarked. He cast a glance at Jiang Wang, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “I didn’t expect you could also perceive the spiritual awareness confrontation in that final thrust.”

Jiang Wang smiled. “You haven’t yet reached God临, nor opened your Yuan Shen Sea, have you?”

Naturally, the circumstances were different. During the process of establishing the Star Tower in the Outer Building realm, one only needed to temper the power of the divine soul. While within the Inner Mansion realm, cultivators with powerful divine souls were a rare few. However, the youth beside him, after all, had defeated Wang Yiwu, a Heaven’s Chosen of the same realm; some distinctions were to be expected.

Chongxuan Zun’s lips curved upward, and he thus skipped over the topic. “Shall we head back?”

The clashes between God临 cultivators held little practical reference for Jiang Wang at his current stage. Had it not been for the possibility of Ji Zhaonan’s battle today, he likely would have remained in his room, diligently cultivating.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wang immediately rose. “Let’s go then.”

Cao Ji, who had been seated behind them earlier, guarding Ji Zhaonan, had already departed.

The two figures, one in white, the other in green, descended the viewing platform one after the other, attracting a considerable number of gazes. Among them were Xiang Bei, Qin Zhizhen, and a certain Heaven’s Chosen from the Mu Kingdom wearing a bronze mask.

Ji Zhaonan’s exceptional performance inevitably led other kingdoms’ Heaven’s Chosen to pay more attention to those from the Qi Kingdom. Chongxuan Zun and Jiang Wang each carried themselves with composure.

Of course, Huang Sheri was an exception.

Huang Sheri’s gaze remained fixated on Ye Lan’er. While watching, she continued to comment, “Tsk tsk tsk, how does this girl grow like that? This face, this chest, this legs!”

She herself didn’t seem to have enough energy to fully appreciate it, yet she still instigated those beside her to join in. She nudged the upright Murong Longji seated next to her with her elbow. “Stop pretending, isn’t she beautiful?”

Murong Longji, whose gaze was fixed on the Martial Peak, replied faintly, “Precisely because she is too beautiful, I will not look.”

Huang Sheri responded righteously, “What nonsense is this? Beauty is like a beautiful landscape, one only needs to properly appreciate it! The world lacks discerning eyes, yet allows beauty to be covered in dust, what a regrettable matter!”

Murong Longji, his eyes resembling those of a dead person, observing the Heaven’s Chosen on the Martial Peak, casually responded to Huang Sheri, his voice devoid of fluctuation. “I only fear if I look for too long, I will not bear to kill her at that time.”

Huang Sheri drew a sharp breath of cold air, moved seven or eight positions away, and indignantly condemned, “Cold-blooded! Cruel! Ruthless!”

While condemning, she ‘pulled allies,’ glancing towards Zhongshan Wei-sun behind her. “Don’t you agree?”

Zhongshan Wei-sun silently rolled his eyes. This Murong Longji was not someone anyone could simply scold. Your father may indulge you, but my grandfather might not.