The difference in plane proved to be too great still.
Yu Sheng had made it this far relying on his incredible brute force, and that itself had been an exceptional feat. His opponent, Dou Kui, was one who had similarly explosive power, yet Dou Kui's plane was far higher than Yu Sheng's; it was only natural that Yu Sheng was no match for him.
Dou Kui's battle would have been incredibly intense, however, this was only if his opponent were Yuan Zhan instead.
"Yu Sheng." Ye Futian turned his eyes to his friend. Yu Sheng slowly stood up, and his immensely stout figure stood as upright as it had always been.
Many people had funny looks on their faces. That is sure one body of the devil. This one can really take a beating. That incredibly explosive punch of Dou Kui seemed to do little to harm him.
Demonic powers of dark gold colors encased his body, and the shadow of a devil was seen behind him. He unleashed a powerful Martial Will, which felt a terrifying formless demonic current out to overpower everything around it.
Boom. He stepped onto the ground and the battlefield shook. Yu Sheng stepped forward, and the rumbling noise reverberated in the ears of the audience, like a humanoid beast of war charging into battle.
Dou Kui's expression was cold. His arms unleashed dazzling golden lights with a slight tremble, and ancient mudra appeared on his arms. Rounds and rounds of golden screens radiated outwards like waves, speaking volumes of the domineering power packed within.
Boom. Yu Sheng's feet stomped hard on the ground and took to the air. A dark golden Devil Halberd materialized on his hands and he brought the weapon down hard on his opponent below. The scene shook the hearts of many in the audience, for it looked as if a devil itself had taken the Devil Halberd in its hand to crush everything beneath it, making a very loud statement of its dominance.
Dou Kui blasted forth with both his arms. The rounds of golden screens turned into countless fists tearing at the space before them, clashing directly with the Devil Halberd. The conjured halberd quickly shattered with loud cracks as it made contact with the fists. The domineering golden fists went straight for Yu Sheng's arms. Yu Sheng was thrown into the air with a loud boom before dropping onto the ground.
Boom… A loud noise was soon produced. Yu Sheng's feet were planted at the edge of the battlefield as his arms trembled and his aura rushed. Howls of his demonic might were heard, and blood was seen at the corner of his mouth; it was evident that he was injured. He stood up once again. The demonic might swirling about his body did not weaken. It became more violent instead.
"He is still standing after that?" Many were rendered speechless, and they were wondering if that fighter of an inferior level before their eyes truly had a body of flesh and blood. Dou Kui's domineering strength was such that even those merely witnessing the fight were able to feel the tremors inside them.
Boom. Yu Sheng made his way forward again, startling many in the audience. This guy is one hell of a lunatic.
"Do you have a death wish or something?" Golden, cold glimmer appeared in Dou Kui's eyes as he burst incredibly fearsome Martial Will about him. Golden ring-shaped storms seemed to have whipped up around him, spinning maniacally. His body was seen glittering with terrifying golden lights as if mudras burned on his body.
Boom. Dou Kui no longer simply stood on the ground this time and had finally taken his step forward. The shoes he wore soon turned to dust as soon as he walked. The golden lights exploded under him as if every inch of his body was bursting with sheer, immeasurable force.
It was apparent that Dou Kui had had enough of Yu Sheng's repeated provocations.
When the two bodies clashed again, many turned their eyes away. Yu Sheng did not stand any chance against such violent brute force, and he would end up looking very ugly.
A loud boom that shot up to the heavens was heard as the fists of those two men met. Ripples of golden lights tore right through Yu Sheng's arm. The horrifying mudras penetrated through their target and the place seemed to drown in golden radiance, blinding the audience. They saw the golden lights shoot out from Yu Sheng's back as if the golden lights went right through his entire being.
"Yu Sheng." Ye Futian was shocked to his core. What the hell is he doing? If Yu Sheng had found his opponent to be superior, he could have simply surrendered. If he did not wish to surrender, he could have used demonized powers to fight. Just what was he trying to prove by taking Dou Kui's explosive attacks head on?
"I'll grant you death if you so wish." Dou Kui's expression was as cold as ice. He retracted his arms before lashing them out again. The ripples of golden light from his fists tore right through Yu Sheng's body with a force out to wreck everything, bending his body and sending him flying before, dropping him to the ground in a limped state.
Ye Futian was not the only one feeling concerned. Zhuge Mingyue, Ye Wuchen, and the others were all shocked to their core. Does he have no care for his own life anymore?
Boom. Yu Sheng's body dropped to the ground yet again. The domineering aura about Dou Kui was dispersed and he walked towards Yu Sheng. Would this guy rather fight to the death instead of admitting defeat? We are not fighting a life-and-death battle here. Is all this really necessary? It'd be a pity if such a formidable warrior were to just perish right here.
Yu Sheng was still clad in demonic might. There was blood on the corner of his mouth, yet the pain he endured still proved tolerable. His father once said that Demonic Powers were not something meant to exist in this world. The practice of demonic arts was something that went against the heaven's decree. The demonic methods that Yu Sheng practiced were incredibly domineering, and the pain he had to endure was no less than what he had just suffered.
The Noble Plane was an incredibly critical stage to his cultivation of the demonic methods. He had been unable to break through the barriers of his body, to forge the path linking his demonic powers to the heavens and the earth. With that, the only way there was to achieve such a breakthrough—a Wall-breaking—was through the use of external force.
He closed his eyes and let his demonic art powers course through him. A terrifying force of demonic power ran amok in his body. Crisp booming noises were heard. The body which had been continuously blasted by the golden lights seemed to have broken apart. More parts of his body produced more crisp noises, as if they were being penetrated—the signs of Wall-breaking told in the annals regarding demonic arts.
Dark golden demonic rays burst from his body shortly after. Many saw Spiritual Qi gather maniacally around him. Regardless if it was the pure elemental Spiritual Qi used by sorcerers or the mixed, raw ones used by martial artists, it all gushed into his body like a torrent; like long bodies of dark dragons being devoured by Yu Sheng's very body.
The surprising change attracted the attention of countless in the audience. Even Dou Kui stopped to observe the changes to Yu Sheng's body. What is happening?
Great figures in the Holy Zhi Palace looked concerned. Is that demonic arts devouring Spiritual Qi of the world?
Such demonstration of demonic methods was the result of none other than incredibly high level and ferocious demonic arts. The most powerful of practitioners of demonic arts were centered at the Devil World, but there were still many such practitioners scattered throughout the world itself, just like the race of demons themselves. While it was no surprise that Yu Sheng happened to be a practitioner of demonic arts, he was an incredibly rare one for having reached such a levels, and was thought to be one in a million.
"Wretched devil," Elder Ning uttered coldly at the scene. He now came to believe that Ning Huang was indeed killed by Yu Sheng. The demonic methods Yu Sheng was practicing were simply too domineering.
"Practitioners of demonic arts are known to be cruel and bloodthirsty, and the young man before us went on a killing spree on the Holy Road before. If he is left to grow further, millions will die. I suggest that we uproot the cause of such misfortune right here as it seems that we, the Holy Zhi Palace, have been given an opportunity to do so?" Elder Ning said to the great figures of the Holy Zhi Palace telepathically. Many turned their eyes at Elder Ning. Someone said, "The rules were set by none other than we at the Holy Zhi Palace. We will be left with nothing to say for ourselves if we were to kill a cultivator who walked the Holy Roads."
"Even if we were to leave him be, we shall not accept him into the Holy Zhi Palace for further training, in order to prevent him from becoming a bringer of calamity in the future," Elder Ning added.
"We will see," someone said. Their interactions were not known by anyone else, and as such, the eyes of the audience remained on Yu Sheng.
Yu Sheng, who was devouring Worldly Spiritual Qi maniacally, stood up slowly. Terrifying powers washed over his body. The key to the practice of the demonic methods lied within breaking through one's physical limitations continuously; breaking all that was shackling them and going against the very laws of nature.
Boom. Incredibly violent demonic aura was unleashed, and demonic might engulfed the entire battlefield. Everyone was able to tell that Yu Sheng's aura had changed. His aura had become that of a noble's. He had been using the opportunity to break through into higher planes and become a noble.
"This guy is a tough one."
"He had been using Dou Kui's power as a crucible of sorts, then?" some in the audience speculated. However, Yu Sheng, who had achieved his breakthrough, remained a grade nine noble. Will he be able to withstand Dou Kui, a grade seven noble?
"Thank you." Yu Sheng turned his eyes at Dou Kui, filled with utterly domineering demonic might.
"No need for thanks. The battle will probably be more interesting because of what you just did. I hope your new breakthrough will not be a disappointing one." Dou Kui grinned and turned. Golden rays encased his body, and Dou symbol mudras turned into rings of light screens as they spread out.
"You will have the fight you want." Yu Sheng's voice was cold as dark golden demonic might swirled about his body, draping a layer of glimmer over his surroundings. He turned in something like an embodiment of the demonic arts, clenched his fist, and charged towards Dou Kui.
Dou Kui moved as well. Many saw the two rush at each other. A pure golden screen of light clashed with the dark golden glimmer of the demonic arts, resulting in blinding lights in the place. Their fists met each other. There was no more trickery; just pure clashing of physical bodies.
Boom. Ripples of glimmer spread throughout the place as Dou Kui's body was thrown behind. His feet scraped on the ground, making piercing grinding noises. Both his legs were encased in golden light.
Yu Sheng stood tall at where he was, making many shudder.
Yu Sheng, who had just achieved a breakthrough, was able to throw Dou Kui with sheer power alone.
Many turned their eyes at Dou Kui. The man lifted his head, and a grin was seen on his face. "Now this is interesting." He unleashed even higher levels of golden lights as soon as he finished musing to himself. Golden mudras spun around his body, tearing everything in its way. His shirt was torn to shreds right there and then, showing off pure golden skin beneath. His Life Spirit was unleashed behind—a large golden ancient symbol, Dou.
The light of the Dou symbol seeped into his body, enabling the symbol to appear in every part of his body. The intensity of the golden lights about him made him look like a god of war himself.
Boom. Terrifying golden lights scattered about, spreading to cover the entire battlefield. It was the Martial Will of the Dou, out to flood everything in its wake, even Yu Sheng.
Yet, at the same time, Yu Sheng's surroundings were encased in dark golden demonic light. Immeasurably terrifying demonic will burst, the glimmer of the demonic arts spread out maniacally as if the world itself resonated with the powers Yu Sheng had unleashed. Yu Sheng's demonic will blended with Dou Kui's battle will of the Dou. The scene seemed like Dou Kui, the god of war, was facing off with a devil. The shadow of the devil seemed to bear down on Dou Kui's will with incredible pressure, imploring him to submit to the supreme Martial Will.
"Domineering indeed," Dou Kui said to himself as he walked. Infinite golden light encased his body, making his body looking like a rainbow out to pierce everything as he charged at Yu Sheng.
Yu Sheng stomped on the ground and everyone outside the battlefield felt the ground shake. It was like a devil standing tall. Yu Sheng responded with overpowering fist attacks when Dou Kui came bringing his might to bear. Infinite demonic might congealed around Yu Sheng's fist. The Dou symbol appeared on Dou Kui's fist as the fists of both men clashed.
Yu Sheng's fist was filled with nothing but sheer brute force. The practice of demonic arts implored its practitioners to never back down. Dark golden demonic fist pounded the enormous Dou symbol. The clash seemed to have brought forth thousands of fist will on Yu Sheng's fist, cracking the enormous Dou symbol. A blinding light shone and the Dou symbol shattered. Dou Kui's body was sent flying right outside the battlefield, throwing him hard on the ground.
Formless storms whipped about the battlefield. The eyes of countless people stared at the scene, startled. This is all just too powerful.
While there were not many flashy moments with the fight, it was nonetheless one that was considered a clash between titans. The impacts were impressive, and every clash brought about a shock that sent hearts racing as if the spectators' blood was being set on fire.
The powerful Dou Kui was defeated.
Yu Sheng, who had just achieved a breakthrough, became the last candidate to make it into top 20.
The glimmer on the battlefield was soon gone. Dou Kui coughed up blood as he slowly stood up. He turned his eyes at Yu Sheng. His eyes were not those of a dejected loser. He looked calm instead.
"Being able to fight a battle like that, I consider this trip on the Holy Road worthwhile," Dou Kui said and then walked towards the crowd.
"So you will not be entering the Holy Zhi Palace?" an elder at the sky stairwell asked.
"I'm here only to experience what the best of the Barren State had to offer. Sorry to have been a bother to you all." Dou Kui bowed and left. He remained dashing, even in defeat!