Yan Kun’s Persistence

Since Su Muyu had already spoken, Yan Yun and Jiang Yao refrained from continuing their discussion.

Besides Su Muyu’s match, another familiar face was slated to fight that day: Yan Kun.

Yan Kun was, by then, virtually the sole secular cultivator to have advanced to the finals.

The moment the referee called his name, he promptly rose to his feet.

“Oh, it’s my turn already!”

he exclaimed. “Watch closely, everyone, and witness the prowess of your elder brother!”

With those words, his body transformed into a streak of lightning, appearing instantly on the arena stage.

Having ascended the stage, Yan Kun’s gaze immediately sought out Yan Yun, striking a flamboyant, self-important pose in her direction.

“Ugh! Must you be so utterly mortifying?” Yan Yun groaned, rubbing her temples in exasperation.

Xie Yuyan, observing Yan Kun’s antics, burst into laughter.

“Third Sister,” Xie Yuyan teased, “if your brother were on Earth, I’d definitely be kindred spirits with a show-off like him.”

However, Yan Yun’s immediate retort left her utterly speechless.

“What, suddenly developed a taste for men again?” Yan Yun quipped. “If you’re truly interested in him, I, ever mindful of keeping the good fortune within our family, would be delighted to introduce my second brother to you. That way, we’d truly become one family.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Yuyan’s eyes instantly widened, her expression clearly conveying a silent threat: ‘Say one more word, and I’ll beat you senseless.’

Turning to Yan Kun’s opponent, it became clear that his luck had taken a turn for the worse; reaching this stage had, in fact, already required considerable external assistance.

The moment a Great Perfection Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator from Ji Country stepped onto the stage, Yan Kun’s confident demeanor instantly crumbled.

To his dismay, his opponent was not only a Great Perfection Spirit Transformation cultivator but also possessed an earth attribute.

This young man was truly massive; though Yan Kun was already quite tall, he still seemed at least half a head shorter when standing before him.

Often, a person’s elemental affinity subtly influenced their physical characteristics.

For instance, the earth attribute was predominantly found in male cultivators, seldom manifesting in females, and those who possessed it typically boasted a formidable physique.

The metal attribute, conversely, often produced handsome men and beautiful women.

Wood attribute cultivators could be either male or female, and this particular affinity was well-suited for alchemists.

Fire attribute wielders, too, could be of either gender, though cultivators of this element were often characterized by their fiery tempers and flamboyant personalities—Xie Yuyan serving as a prime example.

The water attribute, in contrast to earth, was predominantly found in females and rarely manifested in men; when it did, the male in question often possessed a more gentle or even effeminate disposition.

Mutated attributes, however, were distinct, usually arising from a unique combination of multiple elemental affinities.

“Surely I’m not that unlucky?” Yan Kun muttered, his smile vanishing the moment he took in the sheer size of his opponent.

Despite his imposing stature, the large cultivator showed no signs of underestimating Yan Kun.

“Are you ready?” the referee inquired. “If so, we may begin.”

Yan Kun gazed at his opponent, whose aura was as unyielding as a mountain, and a shiver of apprehension ran through him.

Without hesitation, he produced a pair of gauntlets, his gaze fixed warily on the formidable figure before him.

“Brother Yan Kun might be reaching his limit here,” Yan Yun observed, a look of helplessness clouding her features.

Jiang Yao, too, couldn’t help but nod, despite her fervent wish for Yan Kun to emerge victorious; this opponent was simply too overwhelmingly powerful.

The opponent stood rooted to the spot, his fists clasped in a gesture of respect, as a vast, ethereal mountain range coalesced behind him.

This spectral mountain was, in fact, a manifestation of a spiritual river.

This implied that the massive cultivator had refined his Qi Sea into a spiritual river, and at the Great Perfection stage no less—a clear indication of his immense power.

“Let the battle begin!”

As the referee’s voice faded, Yan Kun immediately sprang into action, transforming into a streak of lightning that materialized before the colossal cultivator, his fist hurtling towards the giant’s face.

‘Even if I must lose, I refuse to do so disgracefully,’ Yan Kun thought fiercely. ‘I won’t give her a reason to mock me.’

Yan Kun affirmed this resolve deep within his heart.

His punch landed squarely on the colossal cultivator’s face, yet to Yan Kun’s horror, his opponent’s body remained entirely unmoving, his expression utterly unchanged.

It was as if the giant felt no pain whatsoever.

“Did you not eat?” the large cultivator boomed, his voice a low rumble. “Is this all the power you possess, or are you merely toying with me?”

He challenged Yan Kun, his tone laced with disappointment.

Yan Kun’s strength had fallen far short of his expectations.

After witnessing the astonishing displays of Xie Yuyan and Su Muyu earlier, he had anticipated an equally impressive showing from this Great Perfection Cavern Heaven Realm cultivator.

This challenge seemed to ignite something within Yan Kun.

He began to shift his form relentlessly, unleashing a furious barrage of strikes upon his opponent, his lightning-attribute power cascading down like a torrential storm.

Yet, the massive cultivator before him remained utterly unmoving, not a single scratch marring his imposing form.

‘Impossible! Is the disparity truly this vast?’ Yan Kun thought, aghast. ‘I had anticipated defeat, but never imagined such an overwhelming difference in strength.’

Standing before his opponent, he felt no more significant than a mere child.

‘So unremarkable?’ many in the audience wondered. ‘How did this fellow even manage to reach the finals?’

Realizing the futility of his attacks, Yan Kun swiftly retreated from his opponent, then began to gather energy in both fists.

“Tiger Roar Lightning Fist!”

Yan Kun unleashed a powerful punch, sending a tiger’s head, coalesced from pure lightning, crashing into the colossal cultivator before erupting in a violent explosion.

“How was that?” Yan Kun asked, his eyes alight with anticipation.

Yet, as the smoke cleared, the massive cultivator remained utterly unmoving, still without a single injury marring his form.

‘Still not enough?’ Yan Kun clenched his fists, a surge of profound unwillingness rising within him. ‘He was, after all, a member of the Yan family.’

Though he possessed exceptional talent within his family, such abilities proved utterly commonplace in the grand Immortal Dao Assembly.

“I refuse to accept this!” Yan Kun declared, charging forward once more.

This time, however, the colossal cultivator had entirely lost interest in Yan Kun.

“This is pointless. Let’s finish it,” the large cultivator stated.

As Yan Kun approached, he casually swiped a hand, and a massive palm, forged from earthy yellow energy, instantly slammed into Yan Kun.

Though Yan Kun managed to defend himself in time, the blow still landed, instantly shattering the bones in both his hands.

He was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, tumbling several times across the ground before finally coming to a halt.

The three Yan family sisters gasped in alarm at the sight.

Yan Yun, too, rose to her feet, her expression etched with anxiety.

“Idiot! Surrender!”

From Yan Yun’s perspective, Yan Kun should have conceded the moment his attacks proved futile; they were simply not in the same league.

“Too weak,” the colossal cultivator scoffed, a note of disappointment in his voice, before gesturing to the referee. “Senior, please announce the results.”

The referee, of course, recognized Yan Kun’s inevitable defeat.

However, since Yan Kun had not yet been directly teleported off the stage, it indicated he hadn’t sustained any fatal injuries.

The large cultivator’s fighting spirit was not particularly intense.

Earth-attribute cultivators, after all, typically favored defense over offense and tended to hold back their full power.

Earth was often associated with steadfastness, while water embodied gentleness.

“Young man, do you wish to concede?” the referee asked, casting a glance at Yan Kun, who lay sprawled on the ground.

Upon hearing these words, Yan Kun’s previously still body trembled.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, he struggled to his feet.

“It’s not over yet,” Yan Kun declared, his hands hanging uselessly before his chest, blood steadily dripping from them.

His gaze remained resolute; even against an adversary so vastly superior, he harbored no intention of surrendering.

Seeing that he refused to concede, the referee found himself with nothing more to say.

“The battle will continue.”

The colossal cultivator, observing Yan Kun’s refusal to yield and his renewed fighting spirit, was momentarily filled with bewilderment.

“Young man, the chasm between us is immense; do you not comprehend this?” the giant questioned. “Such persistence is utterly meaningless.

Surrender now, or I shall have no choice but to throw you from the stage.”

Yan Kun let out a hearty laugh.

“Then let me be carried out!” he declared. “The word ‘surrender’ does not exist in my lexicon.”

With that, Yan Kun charged forward once more.

He launched a flying kick, aiming directly for the massive cultivator.

“Utterly intractable,” the colossal cultivator muttered.

He swiftly seized one of Yan Kun’s legs, hoisted him into the air, and then powerfully swung him down towards the ground.

The sheer force of this impending impact caused several female cultivators outside the arena to avert their gazes, unable to watch.

They knew that if Yan Kun had no other recourse and simply crashed onto the stage, he would undoubtedly be gravely injured, perhaps even killed on impact.

Yan Kun watched the ground hurtle closer.

He understood that the moment he made contact with the arena floor, his elimination would be assured.

‘No, I cannot lose like this!’ he roared inwardly. ‘I cannot, absolutely not!’

As Yan Kun recalled the plight of the Yan family and his own past misfortune, an unyielding conviction ignited within him.

This fervent belief, coupled with the immense pressure of the present crisis, culminated in an astonishing phenomenon the very next instant.

Suddenly, a bolt of heart lightning descended from the heavens, striking Yan Kun directly and simultaneously forcing the colossal cultivator to release his grip.

“What?” The large cultivator recoiled several steps, his gaze fixed warily on Yan Kun.

A torrent of spiritual energy from all directions surged towards Yan Kun, rapidly congregating within his body.

This influx not only amplified his power but also miraculously healed the severe burns on his hands.

Yan Kun’s aura surged, becoming several times more potent than before.

Simultaneously, the six Cavern Heavens manifested behind him expanded, gaining an additional one, bringing his total to seven.

“A breakthrough? Interesting! This young man actually broke through to the Great Perfection Cavern Heaven Realm in the middle of a battle!” An observer among the powerful cultivators outside the arena instantly recognized Yan Kun’s transformation.

Yan Kun had long since reached the Great Accomplishment Cavern Heaven Realm and could have broken through to the Spirit Transformation Realm much earlier.

However, he had suppressed his cultivation, aiming to condense more Cavern Heavens and grow even stronger.

His breakthrough to the Great Perfection Cavern Heaven Realm was somewhat anticipated, yet he never imagined it would occur amidst combat.

“Young man, you possess courage,” the colossal cultivator conceded. “However, this is still not enough.”

He remained unfazed by Yan Kun’s increase in cultivation.

This was because Yan Kun’s cultivation technique was ordinary, he lacked any special physique, and his spiritual root was merely a mid-grade lightning spiritual root.

“Whether it’s enough is not for you to decide! Come again!” Yan Kun declared, testing his newfound power.

He clenched his fists and launched another assault.

This time, his speed was greater, and his power more formidable, as he unleashed a fierce onslaught upon the massive cultivator.

Yet, the colossal cultivator was not as composed as before.

After enduring for a while, he actively counterattacked.

“Yield!” The large cultivator shuddered, and a terrifying wave of dense, heavy force burst forth, sending Yan Kun flying.

Yan Kun immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

The injuries that had healed due to his breakthrough now reopened, and new wounds appeared all over his body.

He tumbled another dozen meters before finally regaining his footing, only to immediately scramble back to his feet and charge forward once more.

His relentless persistence, repeated again and again, inadvertently earned him the respect of many.

For most, they would have conceded long ago.

However, the Yan family members were deeply worried.

Even direct disciples of sects rarely dared to casually step into the Great Perfection Cavern Heaven Realm, yet Yan Kun had done so under immense pressure.

What would become of him now?