Three Moves to Shake the Central Plains

The next day.

Outside the Kunlun Reception City, at the Black Stone Arena.

This was the second day after the end of the fourth round of the arena battles. According to the agreement, the fifth round would be held today. The Central State faction had long been gearing up for a fight. All thirty-seven Holy Sons and Holy Maidens were present, creating an even more imposing momentum than yesterday. This was because everyone knew that the ten great geniuses of the Eastern Wasteland could no longer fight today. The only variable was the Eastern Wasteland's emperor himself.

Chen Tianlan stood in the center of the arena, announcing the rules as usual.

"In today's arena battle, the ten geniuses of the Eastern Wasteland are unable to fight due to their injuries. The Emperor of the Great Zhou, Wang Hao, will take the field personally."

His voice echoed throughout the venue, drawing an uproar.

"He actually dared to come?"

"One person fighting ten? Who does he think he is? A Martial God?"

"With Jiang Taixuan and Li Xinghe joining forces, plus Dugu Que and Su Wanqing, four experts at the second and third levels of the Skysoaring Realm teaming up is more than enough to beat him!"

"I added another half a million spirit stones last night betting on the Central State to win. I'm just waiting to count my money today!"

Amidst the clamor, Wang Hao stood up from the spectator stands.

He was not wearing his profound black dragon-patterned imperial robe. Instead, he had changed into a lightweight black martial robe, with the New Son of Heaven's Sword hanging at his waist. He walked toward the arena step by step, his pace unhurried, as if he were strolling in his own backyard.

The mocking laughter of the Central State cultivators grew louder.

But the moment Wang Hao stepped onto the arena, all sounds abruptly stopped.

It wasn't that they didn't want to laugh.

It was that they couldn't laugh anymore.

The instant Wang Hao stepped onto the arena, an invisible pressure descended from the sky. That was not the pressure of a peak Skysoaring Realm expert—there was more than one peak Skysoaring Realm expert present, as there were several among the Dao Protector elders of the major Holy Lands. This pressure was heavier and more ancient than that of the peak Skysoaring Realm. It felt more like some indescribable existence was watching this arena.

Above his head, a tower had appeared at some unknown time.

It was a seven-story black tower, its body covered in lightning patterns, with each story flashing with lightning of a different color. Within the windows of the seventh story, a phoenix entirely wreathed in white lightning could be faintly seen spreading its wings. Its eyes, formed from lightning, gazed coldly at the Central State geniuses below, as if looking at a group of ants.

The Thunder Abyss Demon Subduing Tower.

Ranked fifty-sixth on the Strange Artifacts Roll.

This was Wang Hao's first time bringing out this strange artifact in public. In the previous three arena battles, he had only lent each of the ten great geniuses a bolt of protective white lightning, never letting the tower itself appear. Now that the tower was fully unfurled, the ancient pressure emanating from the strange artifact caused the spiritual energy within a thousand-zhang radius to tremble.

The expressions of the Central State geniuses changed.

They finally realized a fact: this Emperor of the Eastern Wasteland had never relied on mere words to sit on the throne.

Jiang Taixuan's eyelids twitched. He tightened his grip on the Cangwu Sword at his waist. The blade was trembling slightly—not out of fear, but resonance. That was the instinctive reaction of a sword cultivator, a battle intent automatically triggered when facing a formidable enemy.

The starlight patterns on Li Xinghe's body lit up on their own, the stress response of the Starlight Body Forging Art upon encountering a threat. His muscles tensed, and his entire aura shifted from a volcano to a volcano on the verge of erupting.

Dugu Que's hand was already resting on the hilt of his sword.

The expression beneath Su Wanqing's veil was unclear, but the threads of karma surrounding her began to fall into disarray, an extremely rare phenomenon among cultivators who cultivated the Dao of Karma.

"He's showing his trump card," Jiang Taixuan said in a low voice. "And he's doing it on purpose."

Li Xinghe frowned: "What do you mean?"

"He looks down on us."

Right at this moment, Wang Hao suddenly spoke.

His voice was not loud, but it clearly entered the ears of everyone present.

"Thirty-seven Holy Sons and Holy Maidens—"

He raised his hand, stretched out five fingers, and then slowly curled them.

"I will only make three moves."

"Within three moves, if any of you are still standing on the arena, I will admit defeat."

The entire venue fell dead silent.

And then it exploded.

"Three moves?! Is he crazy!"

"Thirty-seven people! Three moves! Does he think he's a Martial God!"

"Arrogant! Too arrogant!"

Jiang Taixuan's expression darkened. He was the Holy Son of the Heavenly Pagoda, one of the top ten in the younger generation of the Central State. He had never been so slighted. He took a deep breath, drew his Cangwu Sword, and pointed the blade at Wang Hao.

"Your Majesty, are you sure?"

Wang Hao smiled and did not answer. Instead, he turned to look at the spectator stands on one side of the arena. Sitting there were the managers of the major gambling houses, each of them looking ashen.

"Everyone, what are the odds of betting on the Eastern Wasteland to win right now?"

A gambling house manager replied with a trembling voice, "Fif... fifteen to one."

"Good." Wang Hao took out a spatial ring from his sleeve and casually tossed it to Wei Zhongxian. "Old Wei, help me bet one hundred million spirit stones on my victory."

One hundred million spirit stones.

This number exploded like a thunderclap in everyone's ears.

Betting one hundred million spirit stones on himself to win, with odds of fifteen to one. If he won, the payout would be 1.5 billion spirit stones.

No gambling house could afford to pay out this number.

The gambling house managers turned deathly pale, and some directly slumped to the ground. They finally understood—from beginning to end, they had been playing into Wang Hao's trap.

In today's arena battle, no matter the outcome, Wang Hao would win big.

If the Central State won, the tens of millions of spirit stones he had previously bet on the Central State would earn him a fortune. If he won, this hundred million spirit stone bet would cause over a dozen major gambling houses in the Central State to go bankrupt collectively.

"Stop him!" someone screamed. "Don't let him place the bet!"

But it was already too late. Wei Zhongxian moved faster than anyone else. Before anyone could react, he had already completed the betting procedures.

"Your Majesty, it's done."

Wang Hao nodded in satisfaction, then turned back to face the thirty-seven Central State geniuses with varying expressions on the arena.

"Alright, the bets are placed. Next—"

He raised his right hand, palm facing upward, and slowly spread his five fingers.

"It's time to fight."

In that instant, the spiritual energy on the arena suddenly vanished.

It wasn't drawn away, nor was it suppressed; it simply vanished. It was as if an invisible giant hand grabbed all the spiritual energy within a thousand-zhang radius and crushed it.

Then, an even more terrifying aura descended from the heavens.

A golden palm print emerged on the palm of Wang Hao's right hand. The palm print was not large, only about a foot square, but that pressure made all the cultivators present above the Skysoaring Realm feel a sudden suffocation. Several Dao Protector elders of the Holy Lands abruptly stood up from their seats, their eyes filled with shock.

"Is this... a God-tier martial skill?"

"How could he know a God-tier martial skill? How could a place like the Eastern Wasteland possibly have a God-tier martial skill!"

"No, this isn't an ordinary God-tier martial skill—the aura of this palm print is at least high-grade God-tier or even higher!"

Jiang Taixuan's pupils shrank to pinpricks. The pressure he felt was greater than anyone else's, because he had the highest cultivation base on the arena. The aura exuded by that golden palm print reminded him of the full-force strike of the Heavenly Pagoda Holy Land's guardian Martial God.

And this was merely the starting stance of the first palm strike.

"We can't let him strike!" Jiang Taixuan shouted sharply. The Cangwu Sword left its sheath, its sword light like a white rainbow piercing the sun, thrusting straight at Wang Hao's throat.

Li Xinghe followed closely behind, his fists wrapped in starlight. His fist aura transformed into two meteorites, sealing off all of Wang Hao's escape routes from the left and right.

Dugu Que drew his sword, thrusting out nine sword shadows simultaneously. Every strike aimed directly at the fatal acupoints around Wang Hao's body.

Su Wanqing formed hand seals, her threads of karma transforming into an invisible net that enveloped Wang Hao from above.

The four joined forces.

Four Holy Sons and Holy Maidens, all at the second or third level of the Void Traversing Realm, struck at the same time.

This was the combined strike of the Central State's top combatants among the younger generation. Its might was so immense that the protective array formations of the Blackstone Arena shattered inch by inch. The cultivators in the spectator stands retreated in droves; those with weaker cultivation levels were directly struck by the shockwaves, bleeding from their noses and mouths.

Yet Wang Hao didn't even try to dodge.

He simply smiled faintly, raised his right palm, and pressed downward.

The Heaven Imprisoning Earth Overturning Palm, first strike.

In that instant, the sky went dark.

It wasn't dark clouds obscuring the sun, nor was it the fall of night. It was the light within a thousand-zhang radius being twisted, devoured, and crushed by some unseen force. Everyone felt as if they had been stuffed into an airtight cage, where heaven and earth were turned upside down and the universe was inverted.

Jiang Taixuan's sword light shattered three feet away from Wang Hao.

Li Xinghe's fists felt as if they had smashed into an invisible fortress wall; his fist aura dissipated, and he was sent flying backward.

Dugu Que's nine sword shadows collapsed simultaneously. The Heaven-tier divine weapon in his hand let out a mournful wail, its blade bending at an exaggerated angle, nearly snapping in two.

Su Wanqing's karmic net was torn to shreds. She looked as if she had suffered a heavy blow; her veil fluttered to the ground, revealing a pale and horrified face.

Just one palm.

The combined assault of four Holy Sons and Holy Maidens was crushed by a single palm strike.

But it wasn't over yet.

Wang Hao flipped his right palm, and the second strike followed immediately.

This time, the palm imprint was ten times larger than before, pressing down from the firmament like an invisible giant slamming its hand onto the arena. Before the palm imprint even landed, the blackstone of the arena began to crack. Those blackstones, inscribed with reinforcing array formations, were now as fragile as tofu dregs.

Thirty-seven Holy Sons and Holy Maidens struck out to defend at the same time.

Sword qi, fist aura, eerie arts, soul intent, karmic threads... a myriad of colorful radiances soared into the sky, colliding with that golden palm imprint.

Boom!

The city walls of the Kunlun Reception City trembled.

The golden palm imprint was held off for a brief moment by the combined strength of the thirty-seven people, and then—it shattered.

But the shattered palm imprint transformed into a boundless rain of golden light. Every drop of light was like an invisible heavy hammer, smashing against the protective aura of every Holy Son and Holy Maiden. Those with weaker cultivation spat blood on the spot, and over a dozen people below the Void Traversing Realm collapsed directly to the ground.

The only ones left standing were Jiang Taixuan, Li Xinghe, Dugu Que, Su Wanqing, and three other Holy Sons and Holy Maidens whose cultivation was also at or above the second level of the Void Traversing Realm.

Seven people.

Thirty-seven Holy Sons and Holy Maidens had been reduced to just seven still standing after a mere two palm strikes.

"What kind of bizarre cultivation method does he practice?"

Dugu Que's sword-holding hand was trembling.

Right then, they saw that figure—Wang Hao, clad in black, standing at the edge of the arena. His robes fluttered in the wind, an Emperor-tier artifact floating above his head, and a faint smile still playing on his lips.

He raised his right hand, the opening stance for the third palm strike already formed.

Before the strike was even unleashed, the sky was already thick with thunderclouds. The Lightning Phoenix on the seventh floor of the Thunder Abyss Demon Suppression Pagoda suddenly let out a high-pitched cry, transforming into a bolt of white lightning that surged into Wang Hao's palm. The golden palm imprint merged with the white lightning, turning into a massive lightning-fire palm imprint that blotted out the sky and the sun.

Jiang Taixuan suddenly sheathed his sword.

Everyone was stunned.

"I concede," Jiang Taixuan said.

Li Xinghe's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?"

Jiang Taixuan shook his head. "If this palm falls, at least half of us seven will die. This isn't a sparring match; it's suicide. I, Jiang Taixuan, am not afraid of losing, but I cannot let my junior brothers and sisters throw their lives away for an arena match."

He looked at Wang Hao, his expression calm. "Your Majesty, you win."

Wang Hao glanced at him and suddenly smiled.

He withdrew his hand, and the lightning-fire palm imprint dissipated into nothingness. The thunderclouds in the sky dispersed along with it, allowing the sunlight to spill back onto the arena.

"You're not bad," Wang Hao said. "You have good judgment and a sense of responsibility. The Heavenly Palace Holy Land has taken in a good Holy Son."

Jiang Taixuan cupped his fists. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing our lives."

Wang Hao waved his hand and turned to walk off the arena. After taking three steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the Central State geniuses sprawled all over the stage.

"Oh, right, about today's wagers—"

He paused, his smile as gentle as if he were chatting with an old friend.

"Thank you all for the spirit stones."

The entire venue fell dead silent.

Then, a miserable shriek rang out from the direction of the gambling houses.

"It's over! It's all over! One point five billion spirit stones—"

The white-haired chief manager of the gambling house spat a mouthful of blood into the air and collapsed straight backward.

Xuan Xiao of the Kunlun Law Enforcement Hall stood on the city wall, his face ashen.

He finally understood.

Wang Hao's goal from start to finish was never about winning the arena match. The arena was merely a means; making money was the true objective. He used the defeat of the top ten geniuses to build up the emotional stakes, used his own dominant comeback to harvest the wagers, and used a thoroughly satisfying victory to shut up all his doubters.

And the major gambling houses of the Central State became the biggest suckers in this grand feast.

"Hall Master," Chen Tianlan asked in a low voice. "Should we expose him for manipulating the gambling rings?"

Xuan Xiao was silent for a long time before finally shaking his head.

"Expose him how? Say that Wang Hao bet on himself to win before the match? He's a participant; betting on himself is perfectly justified. Say that Wang Hao intentionally let the top ten geniuses lose? Do you have proof? Ye Guyun's sword heart is real, and Wanyan Gu's injuries are also real. What can you use to prove they were acting? Furthermore, even if we prove it, so what? Wang Hao is now an honored guest of the Kunlun Assembly, and his eight hundred thousand iron cavalry are stationed on the Canglan Plains. Do you think Kunlun is willing to completely tear up its relationship with the Eastern Wasteland over a few gambling houses?"

Chen Tianlan fell silent.

"Moreover—" Xuan Xiao gave a bitter smile. "One point five billion spirit stones... even if they emptied every gambling house in the Central State, they wouldn't be able to pay it out. But do you think Wang Hao really wants this money? He doesn't. He will let the gambling houses owe him and pay him back slowly. From now on, the dozen or so major gambling houses in the Central State will become his intelligence network, his purse, his hidden assets in the Central State. This is far more profitable than taking one point five billion spirit stones all at once."

Chen Tianlan gasped.

"So he was playing a massive game of chess from the very beginning?"

Xuan Xiao looked toward the distant Great Zhou military camp, his gaze complex.

"The Eastern Wasteland has produced an extraordinary Emperor. But being so despicable and shameless... this Kunlun Assembly will never be the same as before."