Hogg did not hold back.
The four-element mana patterns on his staff flared to their absolute limit. Crimson, ice-blue, violet-purple, and silver-white—the four colors no longer cycled in turn, but converged at the tip of the staff into an energy sphere the size of a fist.
The surrounding air was churned violently by this power. Rubble on the ground broke free from the floor, hovering and trembling several inches in the air.
“【Four-Element Burst】.”
The energy sphere whistled through the air, plowing a charred trench into the stone floor as it passed. Immediately after, he spread the fingers of his left hand, and dozens of ice needles condensed in his palm. At the same time, he pointed his staff forward with his right hand, and a bolt of lightning, compressed to the extreme, shot forth.
Wind magic exploded beneath his feet, causing him to shift horizontally in an instant. Three wind blades were thrown from the other side, sealing off all possible angles of evasion.
He did not start with a probe.
The man standing before him had shattered the Incarnation of the Blood Moon God with a single strike. Facing an opponent of this level, any hesitation or holding back was a sign of disrespect.
Thus, his first move was his full strength—his Heroic Spirit rank mana was enough to push the power of every spell to its upper limit, and his four-element magic poured out like a torrential downpour.
The fire pillar of Flame Dragon's Roar erupted from the staff’s tip, Glacial Domain froze the center of the arena stage into an ice field, the silver arcs of Lightning Spear wove an airtight net in mid-air, and Vacuum Blades silently sliced through the air, cutting in from the most difficult angles.
Ice and fire intertwined; lightning and wind mingled. The various colors of mana light illuminated the entire martial arts arena as if it were broad daylight, the sounds of explosions and impacts merging into a continuous roar.
When the final round of magic subsided, Hogg stood in place, gripping his staff, his breathing slightly heavier than usual. The stone floor at the center of the arena stage had been stripped of a layer, rubble and dust mixing together. The air was thick with the scent of burning and the residual chill of ice magic.
The dust slowly cleared.
Li Yuan stood in the same spot, looking exactly as he had before. His cyan robe was perfectly intact, not even a half-inch of the hem missing. A faint golden halo shimmered around him—the sign of his protective spiritual energy manifesting automatically upon sensing external force. It currently kept the remaining ice shards and sparks half a foot away from his body.
Hogg’s throat moved as he swallowed hard.
He could see the existence of that halo, yet he could sense no mana fluctuations from it. It was not a magic shield, nor an elemental barrier, nor even any form of defense he recognized.
That layer of light simply floated there quietly, without even a ripple, as if all the attacks he had just poured out were nothing more than a passing breeze against his face.
Li Yuan raised his hand and lightly flicked a small speck of dust from his collar. He looked at Hogg with a peaceful gaze.
“Is that the extent of your strongest attacks?”
Hogg was silent for a few breaths before slowly lowering his staff. It wasn't that he had no more magic to use, but he had already understood—continuing to attack in the same manner was meaningless. His opponent didn't even need to lift a finger; that unknown layer of protection on his body alone was enough to nullify a full-strength assault.
“Sir, my attacks just now didn't harm you in the slightest, did they?”
“Correct.” Li Yuan nodded, not mincing words. “The power of your magic is not yet enough to penetrate my protective spiritual energy.”
It was blunt.
A bitter smile flashed across Hogg’s face, followed by a deep breath as he looked up again. “Then, could you also make a move? I want to see with my own eyes exactly how large the gap between us is.”
Li Yuan watched him for a few seconds. In the depths of the old dean's eyes, there was no retreat, nor was there any false bravado—it was a pure, unadulterated thirst for knowledge.
Li Yuan appreciated that look. Back in the Kyushu Continent, the young cultivators who wanted to challenge him had the same expression.
So, he agreed.
Hogg resumed his stance, mana circulating through his meridians at high speed as four-element shields unfolded layer by layer before him. He pointed his staff forward, the tip once again glowing with brilliant light.
Then, he saw Li Yuan move.
It wasn't high-speed movement, nor was wind magic condensed beneath his feet—it was true, instantaneous disappearance. Hogg’s pupils constricted violently. He didn't even have time to catch the trajectory of the movement before he felt a slight ripple in the air to his right. A cyan figure had silently appeared less than two feet from his side.
Li Yuan raised his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together as he pointed toward him. The movement was neither hurried nor slow, and there was no light or mana fluctuation at his fingertips.
But in that instant, the hair on the back of Hogg’s neck stood on end.
Instinctively, he poured all his mana into his shields. Four layers of barriers spread out in a stack before him—Quadruple Mana Shield. It could simultaneously absorb impact, harden its surface, deflect attacks, and paralyze anyone who touched it. It was the ultimate defense he took the most pride in.
The fingertips touched the outermost layer of the shield.
Crack.
All four layers of barriers shattered at the exact same moment. Hogg couldn't even see how that finger broke through the first layer before an indescribable, massive force surged from the point of contact, penetrating all his defenses and acting directly on his body.
Hogg was sent flying.
His back slammed heavily against the pale gold barrier at the edge of the arena, letting out a dull, booming thud. The barrier remained motionless as he slid down from the air, dropping to one knee, his staff dragging a long scratch across the floor.
His chest felt as though it had been hit head-on by a battering ram, and his internal organs were in turmoil. He let out a violent cough, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
The mana within his body was completely thrown into disarray, like a sudden storm appearing on the ocean, with mana churning and waves rising. Hogg propped himself up with one hand, trying to stand, but his knees wouldn't stop trembling.
Every attempt to condense mana ended in failure—that impact had not only shattered his shields but had also thrown the flow of mana within him into total chaos.
A Heroic Spirit rank mage, one of the five strongest people on the Ogu Continent—yet he couldn't even withstand a casual finger from his opponent.
He knelt on the ground and coughed for a long time before he finally managed to support himself with his shaking legs and stand up. His face was pale, but his steps were steadier than before. He walked back to the center of the arena and bowed slightly to Li Yuan.
“Sir, could you show me another form of your attacks?” His voice was hoarse, but the sincerity in his tone remained unchanged. “I could feel you held back with that finger just now... I want to experience—your true strength.”
Li Yuan’s brow furrowed imperceptibly.
“It is not that I am unwilling, but...” he began, his tone slightly slower than usual. “If I do too much, it may leave an inner demon in your heart.”
“An inner demon?”
“A type of internal obstacle. Once formed, it will severely hinder your progress in cultivation. The more talented a person is, the easier it is for them to be trapped by such things. Your attainment in magic is already at the peak of this world. If today's events cause you to waver in your own path, it would not be worth it.”
He spoke with genuine concern.
Hogg was silent for a moment, then he let out a small laugh. The smile was sincere and relaxed, carrying an unspeakable openness.
“Rest assured, sir. I have spent over two hundred years to reach where I am today. If I do not even have the courage to face the gap between us, then those two hundred years were lived in vain.” He straightened his back, tucked his staff back into the holster at his waist, and let his hands hang at his sides. “Regardless of the outcome, this is my own choice.”
The two of them locked eyes for a moment. In those grey-blue eyes, Li Yuan saw nothing but honesty and resolve, without even the slightest hint of wavering.
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