Chapter 140: Overwhelming Victory

Zheng Yusheng felt a sense of disbelief, his pupils burning with a scorching white light. This was a special ocular technique, one that utilized the noble, upright energy he had cultivated within himself to shatter all illusions. He simply could not believe that this was the true measure of Zhou Tian’s strength.

"Ah..."

Zheng Yusheng let out a shriek as two trails of blood streamed from his eyes. In his vision just a moment ago, Zhou Tian had transformed into a magnificent, blazing sun, so radiant it was impossible to look upon directly, causing his own power to backfire on him.

"This..."

Some were so horrified they could not speak, utterly unable to believe what they were seeing.

"It can't be an Emperor! It’s impossible for him to be an Emperor!"

Others murmured to themselves, looking as if they had lost their minds. An Emperor—that was not a Saint, nor a Saint King, but an Emperor! Even if Zhou Tian had started cultivating from the moment he was in his mother’s womb, it would be impossible to reach the realm of an Emperor. According to existing records, reaching the rank of Emperor within ten thousand years was already considered the work of a genius, to say nothing of how young Zhou Tian was.

The true prodigies in the crowd also struggled to remain calm, yet their firm Daoist hearts prevented them from making a scene. They pondered deeply, most of them recalling the "Nine Seals of the Dark Dragon" that Zhou Tian had shouted earlier. It seemed to be a form of sealing technique, and as their eyes flickered, their minds raced with thoughts.

Zhou Zui and his companions were equally bewildered. Having grown up with Zhou Tian, they were aware of his strange peculiarities, but even with the subtle differences they had noticed lately, reaching the realm of an Emperor seemed entirely out of the question.

Only Tian Ling showed no signs of shock. She stared intensely at the arena, her eyes shimmering with a peculiar light.

"Sister Tian Ling, do you know what’s going on with Zhou Tian?" Liu Yan asked tentatively.

"I don't know," Tian Ling blinked her large eyes, wondering why Liu Yan would ask such a thing.

"Then why aren't you surprised?"

"Because he is Zhou Tian."

"..."

Liu Yan was left speechless, sighing internally, "Women..."

Inside the arena, Zhou Tian watched Zheng Yusheng’s erratic movements. He had already sensed the man’s attempt to probe him with a technique of observation. Zhou Tian hadn't moved a muscle; his body’s autonomous reaction alone had been enough to cause the backlash. After all, he was now in the realm of an Emperor, where all laws were rendered powerless before him.

"You have eight seconds left. If you can touch the hem of my garment, you win. I keep my word." Zhou Tian kindly reminded him.

Zheng Yusheng’s expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. Even now, he refused to believe that Zhou Tian was truly an Emperor. He knew all too well the difficulty of reaching such a realm; it was not something that could be bridged by mere talent—it required the passage of time and profound accumulation.

"You are definitely not an Emperor!" Zheng Yusheng roared, as if trying to convince both Zhou Tian and himself. He had to bolster his own confidence, or he would be crushed by Zhou Tian’s sheer presence before the man even lifted a finger.

Zhou Tian arched an eyebrow but remained silent. Believe what you want; once I slap you down, you’ll have to believe it whether you like it or not.

Zheng Yusheng’s body began to glow, and he exhaled a cascading river of white light. Within it, starlight swirled in a dazzling display, looking like a Milky Way falling from the heavens. Phantoms of white-robed figures appeared around him, all chanting and reciting scriptures. The river of white light expanded until all the phantoms merged into it, erupting in a myriad of brilliance.

The white river rushed forward with an unstoppable momentum. Within the river, a vision of a prosperous, enlightened world emerged—images of ancient sages preaching, and children babbling as they learned to read. It was a manifestation of civilizing the masses.

"This is the Record of Preaching, a top-tier cultivation technique from the Confucian Academy of the Daluo Institute. It is said to have been passed down by a primordial sage of humanity," someone remarked, their eyes gleaming with hope. Almost everyone present now sided with Zheng Yusheng—not out of hostility toward Zhou Tian, but because they refused to believe he had reached the Emperor’s realm and hoped Zheng Yusheng would prove it was all a mere illusion.

"Acceptable. The special effects are decent, but the power is lacking. Since you wish to civilize the world, then I shall throw the world into chaos! One Breath Transforms Ten Thousand Spirits!"

Zhou Tian gently tapped his finger, and a wisp of clear energy emerged. It evolved, transcending the mundane and entering the realm of the sacred, unfathomable in its depth. It transformed into ten thousand spirits, filling the sky and blotting out the sun.

At that moment, not just Zheng Yusheng, but everyone else—including the true prodigies—stood petrified, stunned by the sheer spectacle.

Thousands of creatures blotted out the sky. There was a Golden Four-Winged Divine Tiger standing on the ground, roaring at the heavens; a white-gold lion the size of a mountain with a mane like a waterfall, its roar tearing through the void; and a Sky-Splitting Sparrow, vast as a storm cloud, casting a massive shadow upon the ground with eyes as large and crimson as blood moons.

He was using the most primitive, wild ferocity to challenge Zheng Yusheng’s "civilization"!

This was the simplest form of energy manifestation, requiring no technical skill—it was pure, overwhelming cultivation. These creatures were merely products of Zhou Tian’s imagination, and whether they even existed in this world was a matter of debate.

Zheng Yusheng trembled. No one could remain calm in the face of such a scene. Any one of these manifested creatures possessed power far beyond his own.

*Crack!*

A crimson dragon lashed its tail, its powerful, muscular form shattering Zheng Yusheng’s river of white light before lunging straight for him.

The old fool in the shadows prepared to intervene. The situation had far exceeded his expectations. He was no mere junior at the Dharma Image stage; he saw clearly that Zhou Tian was indeed in the realm of an Emperor. If he were a moment too late, Zheng Yusheng would likely be reduced to nothing but a pile of scraps.

However, the terrifying ten thousand spirits abruptly dissipated, turning into streams of light and vanishing. Zhou Tian had chosen to recall them.

The old fool sighed, looking at Zheng Yusheng with a hint of pity. Zhou Tian was clearly intent on tormenting him.

"You have six seconds left. I keep my word." Zhou Tian’s voice resonated like thunder in Zheng Yusheng’s ears.

Zheng Yusheng’s face turned ashen; his lips trembled, but he could not speak. Zhou Tian’s disdain was absolute, yet he was powerless to do anything about it. The gap in strength was too vast.

"Five." Zhou Tian counted softly.

"Four." Each number landed like the heavy foot of an ancient divine elephant stomping on Zheng Yusheng’s heart.

"Three." Zheng Yusheng’s face grew even paler. He could concede defeat, but he refused. No one had ever conceded in this arena, as it was a contest without life-threatening stakes. If he were to surrender now, his future path would never see another inch of progress.

More and more onlookers arrived, drawn by the rumors of a great upheaval and the impossible claim that a contemporary had become an Emperor. Though skeptical, they rushed to witness it for themselves. Guided by the friends who had been there from the start, they all turned toward Zhou Tian with expressions of horror.

"Two." Zhou Tian continued to count down.

"Ugh!" Zheng Yusheng retched, spitting out a mouthful of blood, the internal pressure and pent-up frustration proving too much to bear.

"One." Zhou Tian uttered the final number and gave a slight smile. "My turn."