BANG!!
An unprecedented oppression burst out. The entire city seemed to tremble.
The moment the Martial Pavilion Master released her cultivation, a terrifying pressure swept across the entire courtyard.
BANG!
An invisible wave of Qi exploded outward like a storm, crushing down on everyone present.
"9th… 9th Layer Martial Grandmaster?!"
Shocked cries erupted from the crowd. Even the Lin family elders felt their legs tremble under the oppressive aura.
High above the courtyard, Zhao Chen's expression instantly stiffened. His body involuntarily retreated several steps in the air as the overwhelming pressure bore down on him.
"You…!"
Cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
A Ninth Layer Martial Grandmaster was an existence far above him.
For a moment, Zhao Chen's confidence wavered.
But then—
His eyes suddenly narrowed.
Within that vast and powerful aura, he sensed something familiar.
A gentle, vibrant flow of energy circulated around the Pavilion Master like living vines swaying in the wind.
Her Qi carried the unmistakable aura of wood.
Zhao Chen froze for a moment before a strange expression appeared on his face.
Then slowly… the fear in his eyes faded.
"Wood attribute…"
His lips curled into a faint sneer.
"Hahaha!"
He suddenly burst into laughter.
"So that's it!"
His eyes flashed with contempt as he pointed at her.
"Your attribute is wood! Everyone knows wood attribute cultivators specialize in healing and alchemy, not battle!"
His voice echoed arrogantly through the courtyard.
"You may have higher cultivation than me, but in real combat a wood cultivator is nothing more than a moving medicine cabinet!"
Hearing this, many spectators nodded subconsciously.
Wood attribute techniques were indeed famous for healing, vitality, and pill refinement.
They were rarely known for overwhelming combat power.
Even Lin Feng frowned slightly from below.
"Wood attribute…"
Although he didn't dare underestimate her, Zhao Chen's words did make some sense.
But the Pavilion Master simply tilted her head slightly.
Her beautiful eyes curved faintly as if she were smiling behind the veil.
"Is that so?"
Her voice carried a hint of amusement.
The next moment—
She moved.
Her slender finger lightly pointed forward.
"Bloom."
Instantly the air trembled.
WHOOSH!
Massive emerald vines burst out of thin air like dragons awakening from slumber. They twisted violently through the sky, each one as thick as a man's waist.
The vines whipped toward Zhao Chen with terrifying speed.
Zhao Chen's pupils shrank.
"So fast?!"
He immediately roared.
"Blazing Flame Palm!"
Scarlet flames erupted from his body as he thrust his palm forward. A massive fire palm condensed in the air and slammed toward the incoming vines.
BOOOOM!
Fire and wood collided violently.
Flames devoured several vines, burning them into ashes.
But before Zhao Chen could feel satisfied—
More vines erupted.
Not dozens.
Hundreds.
They flooded the sky like an endless forest suddenly coming alive.
"What?!"
Zhao Chen's expression changed drastically.
The vines wrapped around his flaming palm technique, crushing it apart like brittle glass.
Then they continued forward.
"Damn it!"
Zhao Chen slashed forward with both hands, releasing waves of blazing fire.
"Flame Dragon Art!"
A roaring fire dragon burst from his palms, spiraling through the sky with scorching heat.
But the Pavilion Master simply raised her hand gently.
"Verdant Prison."
The vines suddenly intertwined together, forming a massive cage of emerald wood.
The fire dragon crashed into it.
BOOOOM!
Flames exploded everywhere.
Yet when the smoke cleared—
The wooden cage remained completely intact.
Not even a single crack appeared.
"How… how is this possible?!"
Zhao Chen's voice trembled in disbelief.
Below them, the spectators were equally stunned.
"Isn't her attribute wood?!"
"How can wood techniques be this powerful?!"
Even Lin Feng's eyes widened in shock.
Those vines were not merely wood.
They were infused with overwhelming Qi and terrifying control.
The Pavilion Master stepped forward in the air as if walking on invisible stairs.
"Elder Zhao."
Her calm voice drifted through the sky.
"Who told you wood cannot fight?"
With a light wave of her hand—
The emerald vines suddenly exploded outward.
CRACK!
They slammed into Zhao Chen from all directions.
"ARGH!"
His protective Qi shattered instantly as the vines struck his body like iron whips.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent flying through the air.
The difference in strength was absolute.
Zhao Chen struggled to stabilize himself, his clothes torn and blood dripping from the corner of his lips.
His eyes were filled with shock.
"How… how can wood attribute techniques be this terrifying?!"
The Pavilion Master slowly raised her hand again.
Countless vines gathered above Zhao Chen like a gigantic spear of emerald lightning.
This attack—
would severely cripple him.
The vine was rapidly enlarging in his vision. It was about to pierce him when a shield made entirely of flaming Qi blocked the vine in front of him, though only for a brief moment as cracks began to appear all over it.
"Fight!"
"Protect the Second Elder!"
The shouts and roars of the hundred-plus Zhao army were deafening, giving the impression of a large-scale battlefield.
The Zhao family army got into formation and poured all their Qi into forming and maintaining the flame shield. But unfortunately, their cultivation was too low to compete with a Grandmaster.
BANG!
The shield could no longer be maintained and exploded, causing their aura to backlash and making them spit out mouthfuls of blood and fall to the ground.
The vine continued on its course, though thinner and less powerful than it was previously. Evidently, although the shield wasn't strong enough to stop it completely, it did take out some of the power.
Suddenly, two flaming fists appeared and struck the vine.
"Second brother!"
Two voices called out, and everyone once again felt the aura of two other Grandmasters, although much weaker than the auras they had felt today, at the First Layer of Grandmaster.
"Are you alright, brother?" The Fourth and the Fifth Elders of the Zhao family flew down to either side of Zhao Chen.
"Fourth brother, fifth child, what are you both doing here?"
"Second brother, don't talk nonsense. How can we not be here?" the fourth brother replied.
"Yes, we felt your aura battling against the aura of a Ninth Level Grandmaster, so we rushed here."
They looked at him as they answered.
"Second, did that bitch do this to you?"
The usually hotheaded fourth brother pointed at the Pavilion Master and scolded her.
The naturally quiet fifth brother said nothing, but his expression was cold, radiating killing intent.
"Yes. Although she's a wood attribute cultivator, she's still three levels ahead of me. It is natural I am not her opponent. Plus, I underestimated her at the beginning," he said, and they both nodded, knowing that in every small layer within Grandmaster there is a gap in strength, except if you are a super genius.
"But with three of us plus the army, we should be able to kill her."
He said this and then looked up at her floating figure.
A ferocious grin appeared on his face.
"Pavilion Master… are you ready?"