The Five Element Fist

Though there are late bloomers in this world, the vast majority do not fit that mold. Geniuses—they cut a striking figure even in their youth, revealing extraordinary traits that set them apart. In the path of cultivation, this is especially true. Most of those who possess great divine powers were already unmatched among their peers when young. Thus, in the cultivation world, people pay close attention to the foremost figures of the younger generation, for in perhaps two or three decades, they may become earth-shaking powers.

Cultivators in their early twenties, outstanding ones, draw even more attention. In the Southern Wastes, names like Yuwen Feng, Zhao Chongyang, and Dugu Jianmo are beyond doubt; among their peers, they have no equal. Though Lu Muda of the Eighth Heaven was a young expert, his age was considered somewhat advanced. What people valued was potential.

If a youth around twenty could contend with a thirty-year-old expert, that was the real focus.

Wu Xingfeng's fame was immense. He was a legendary young expert from the north, truly unmatched among his generation. Of course, the "north" here did not mean the north of the Eternal Continent, but rather the northern lands relative to the Southern Wastes's Heavenly Emperor City—the Tianluo Kingdom, a realm spanning ten thousand li. Although its territory was not necessarily larger than the Southern Wastes, it was not a land of primeval forests like the south, but a powerful nation with a dense population and clustered cities.

In such a true kingdom, a strong person had to step over countless glories to claim the crown, given the sheer population base. Wu Xingfeng among the younger generation—no one truly knew his real strength. Among his peers, he had never tasted defeat. In battle, he almost always killed instantly, settling the outcome within a few moves.

Such a figure, though insignificant in the eyes of the older generation, was nearly deified among the young in the surrounding regions. In the northern lands, only one or two young experts could contend with him. No one had expected Sun Miao to bring such a man to the Southern Wastes.

Wu Xingfeng stood tall and straight, his long brows slanting into his temples, his eyes like stars. Though calm, when he stepped forward, he brought an extraordinarily powerful pressure. He did not deliberately force out powerful energy; it was a naturally formed aura. Judging by his bearing, it seemed he held no reverence for the Prince of Rites at all, treating him as an equal.

The gathered elites of the Southern Wastes understood something. Wu Xingfeng came from an ancient family with extremely vast influence. Young paragons like him generally did not choose positions such as a prince's guard commander. Seeing him appear, many speculations arose. Perhaps the Prince of Rites had not come solely for the "beast fights," but more likely carried some royal mission. Wu Xingfeng appeared to have been specifically brought to deal with the young experts of the Southern Wastes. Perhaps the Tianluo Empire wanted to use the younger generation to suppress the younger generation, thereby displaying absolute national power. This could be a signal of their intention to reabsorb the Southern Wastes into their territory.

Duels among the young were generally something the older generation did not interfere in—this was an unwritten rule of the Eternal Continent. Otherwise, many promising young experts would be nipped in the bud. This unwritten rule was very necessary.

"Xiao Chen, I have heard of you," Wu Xingfeng said, his expression calm, his gaze clear and bright, as he walked up to Xiao Chen and stood there quietly.

"I haven't heard of you," Xiao Chen replied casually. Their auras were remarkably similar—both stood tall and straight, with black hair like ink, long brows sweeping into their temples, and eyes as sharp as blades.

The expressions of all present shifted. Wu Xingfeng had already heard of Xiao Chen, yet Sun Miao did not know. This showed that in Wu Xingfeng's eyes, Sun Miao seemed irrelevant—he was not a very good "guard commander." From this, it could also be seen that Xiao Chen might have been underestimated by the Southern Wastes, because he had caught Wu Xingfeng's eye.

At the same time, the crowd was surprised by Xiao Chen's words. This Xiao Chen was truly... arrogant! To take such an attitude with Wu Xingfeng, directly stating he had never heard of him—wasn't this too presumptuous?

Wu Xingfeng smiled, his teeth white, his handsome face glowing with brilliance. His oppressive aura surged outward like a raging wave, forcing everyone to involuntarily step back. The rubble on the ground creaked, and the broken tiles and beams beneath Wu Xingfeng's feet began to float and then shatter. Only he and Xiao Chen remained in the arena.

"Alright, today you've met me. From now on, you will remember me."

When he said this, everyone present understood what it meant. Legend had it that when he valued an opponent, he would not kill him, but would leave him alive to fight another day. This was entirely from the perspective of a victor—he never considered failure.

Watching this imposing, composed, even sunny and handsome man carry himself with such an attitude, several of the Southern Wastes beauties looked on with shifting expressions, strange lights flickering in their beautiful eyes.

"I can hardly avoid knowing you. Come on, this battle is unavoidable." Xiao Chen was not arrogant. He felt an unprecedented pressure. This powerful opponent was truly terrifying. Today might be very dangerous.

With a casual punch, Wu Xingfeng's movements were extremely slow. That fist pushed forward gradually, but the powerful pressure was like a sharp blade, making even the distant spectators feel their cheeks ache. Before his right fist, a fierce wind surged. Golden light churned like a monstrous wave, crashing violently toward Xiao Chen; the momentum was imposing and unstoppable.

This was a true expert, at least among the younger generation, truly unmatched. It gave Xiao Chen an unprecedented pressure. Although the opponent's golden fist advanced slowly, it had sealed all of Xiao Chen's escape routes. If he dared to dodge, that fist containing unimaginable power would instantly accelerate to its peak, delivering a fatal blow. There was truly no flaw to exploit. A single punch of immense pressure—a punch that could not be evaded.

Slay God!

Without hesitation, Xiao Chen unleashed this technique. He felt the tremendous pressure and had to exert all his strength to meet it head-on. Wu Xingfeng had forced him to do so. From this, it could be seen that Wu Xingfeng was a domineering figure; even in battle, he sought to dominate, compelling his opponent to test their raw strength first.

Tens of thousands of golden rays flickered. Three-inch daggers and swords, entirely condensed from golden light, appeared ancient and dignified, like newly unearthed divine weapons from an age long past. Thousands upon thousands converged, forming a sea of golden blades and swords, surging forward with overwhelming momentum.

Everyone's face changed. The elite of the Southern Wastes had long heard that Xiao Chen had once used a supreme technique to break the legendary art of Yin-Yang Annihilation Hand of the Southern Wastes. The present spectacle—a thousand blades and ten thousand swords—was truly horrifying.

"Kacha..."

The rubble and tiles on the ruins floated up, then continuously exploded. The thousand blades and ten thousand swords annihilated all resistance!

Brilliant divine light shot from Wu Xingfeng's eyes. His slowly advancing right fist suddenly thrust forward, swift as lightning. The golden monstrous wave became even fiercer, with the force to blot out the sky and cover the earth. Completely transformed into tangible golden billows, it sealed the entire space ahead, clashing endlessly with the thousand blades and ten thousand swords.

A great collision!

The golden blades and swords clashed against the golden monstrous wave. The earth quaked violently. All the onlookers swiftly retreated. Cracks split open on the ground, spreading far into the distance. The sky had already turned into a golden storm, as if a golden sun had exploded.

"The Metal Element Fist of the Five Element Fist—true Five Element divine ability!"

Outside the arena, the crowd was anything but ordinary; no one could remain calm. Many practiced the Five Element divine ability, but the one who mastered its highest essence was a single ancient family—Wu Xingfeng's family. The Five Element divine ability was said to be capable of shattering heaven and earth.

As if a great earthquake had struck, the wild golden waves raged in all directions, pulverizing all tangible forms. After the initial exchange of blows, Xiao Chen and Wu Xingfeng moved like lightning within the blinding golden radiance, engaging in fierce combat that left a trail of afterimages until finally there was only light, no shadow. The two were like beams of annihilation, destroying and crushing everything in their path with relentless force—palaces turned to dust, flowing water evaporated, fine trees and flowers vanished without a trace.

When the golden storm subsided, the two stood still in the center of the field, staring unblinkingly into each other's eyes. Wu Xingfeng's expression remained unchanged, just as before. Xiao Chen, however, burned with fierce fighting spirit. He had faced great danger just now. This opponent before him was truly too formidable—he had nearly been unable to withstand the wild and violent attacks. If not for the overwhelming power of the Slay God technique, which managed to seal those golden waves, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

An opponent like this did not frighten him; on the contrary, his blood ignited. The enemy had stirred his will to fight. He felt a surge of hot blood—the stronger the foe, the stronger he became!

Wu Xingfeng's expression did not change. He slowly pushed out another punch. A gray, dust-like energy wave surged like a mountain and sea, swallowing toward Xiao Chen.

"Earth Element Fist!"

"True Earth Element divine ability!"

Someone outside shouted in shock. Xiao Chen countered with the Indestructible Seal, using minimal force to guide the earth-natured energy, trying to block the heavy and powerful Earth Element Fist. But the Earth Element Fist was too strong. The gray energy seemed to envelop the entire world, about to swallow Xiao Chen. No matter how he guided or blocked, he could not dissolve it.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

A fierce collision began. Dust filled the sky, but that was no ordinary sand; it was the light of the Earth Element Fist transformed. Xiao Chen retreated, and Wu Xingfeng instantly followed up. When he threw his next punch, green light blazed—the Wood Element Fist struck!

Tracing a mysterious and unfathomable trajectory, the Wood Element Fist seemed to awaken the vitality of the earth, borrowing the life force of heaven and earth to surge toward Xiao Chen. It was vast and unstoppable, green radiance dazzling and brilliant. Wu Xingfeng was magnified, appearing towering. Xiao Chen retreated again, seemingly unable to withstand it.

Everyone outside could feel Wu Xingfeng's overwhelming dominance. Several of the Southern Wastes beauties had strange lights flashing in their eyes. Sun Miao revealed a smile.