Duan Shikong was openly disregarding the Holy Son of the Earth Sect!
However, no one reacted much to this. While the words were harsh, they were factual.
The main reason was that the Earth Sect Holy Son had left too deep an impression of being a good-for-nothing. Even reaching the finals of the Heavenly Pride Battle hadn't changed that.
Because he hadn't experienced any tough battles, people's impressions of him hadn't significantly improved.
Of course, there had been some change… but it was far from reaching a level comparable to the two on stage now.
Chen Xiao himself didn't care about this. After all, people looked down on the Earth Sect Holy Son, what did that have to do with him, Chen Xiao?
Meanwhile, the Earth Sect Saintess, hidden amongst the crowd, was indignant on behalf of her senior brother, the Holy Son!
"Hmph, you short-sighted fools, just wait to be thoroughly proven wrong by my Holy Son brother!"
Li Miaozhen thought proudly to herself.
On the high platform, the Ziwei Dao Master's expression was grim. She desperately wanted to know the extent of Hu Lifu of the Five Divine Sect's strength.
If he had truly communicated with three or more Dharma Aspects, then Chen Xiao would be in a difficult situation.
Of course, it would only be difficult. With Chen Xiao's strength, winning wouldn't be a problem, but it would require him to reveal his Seven Divine Dharma Aspect.
However, doing so would risk exposing his identity, potentially attracting unnecessary trouble.
Below the arena, everyone had their own thoughts.
On the stage, the two combatants had much simpler ideas.
Their only objective now was to eliminate the opponent!
After hearing Duan Shikong's words, Hu Lifu grinned, "What you said isn't entirely without reason. Moreover, my master also told me that one must eat one bite at a time. Thinking about the final opponent before defeating you was my mistake!"
"Hmph, I'm just asking you to give it your all. You're not capable of defeating me!"
Duan Shikong had absolute confidence in himself. He knew the opponent was hiding his strength, but wasn't he doing the same?
Having reached this point, who wouldn't have some trump cards… Of course, it was also possible that some people were eliminated before even revealing their trump cards.
For example, Duan Shikong's junior sister, Duan Yuyan.
"Then let's wait and see!"
Hu Lifu said with a cold smile.
As soon as he finished speaking, another Dharma Aspect appeared behind him.
This time, the Dharma Aspect was a giant rat!
Although they had anticipated this, gasps of surprise still rippled through the crowd.
Regardless of strength, the spectacle itself was enough to be awe-inspiring!
After all, not every cultivator in the Immortal Hidden Realm had witnessed a true Dao Integration realm expert!
As the rat Dharma Aspect appeared, Hu Lifu's cheeks suddenly caved in, becoming gaunt. Fine, light gray down also grew on his face.
The down was dense and thick, looking quite disgusting.
"Pah, scum from the gutters!"
Duan Shikong spat, "It's your honor to be my opponent, but also my misfortune, because you are truly disgusting!"
"Therefore, I plan to end this battle quickly!"
With that, Duan Shikong's body suddenly grew by a significant amount!
He was already nearly two meters tall, and after this growth spurt, he became at least over four meters tall!
Along with his height, his golden muscles also swelled, their contours as if chiseled by knives, sharp and defined, incredibly striking!
Then… in full view of everyone, Duan Shikong struck a pose and showed off his muscles!
"As expected, muscles are justice…"
Chen Xiao muttered to himself.
On the high platform, everyone was dumbfounded. Duan Yanzhu, however, laughed heartily, "As expected of my disciple, he certainly has his ways, hahahaha!"
"Hmph, idiot…"
Hu Lifu sneered. The next moment, he crouched down and suddenly disappeared.
Duan Shikong, after careful sensing, found himself unable to detect the opponent's aura, and was utterly bewildered. "Huh? Gone? Where did this little rat go?"
While he was wondering, he suddenly heard a rustling sound from below the arena, as if something was moving rapidly…
"Hmph, with your thieving skills, you dare to use them in front of me? What a joke!"
Duan Shikong's mouth twitched, revealing intense disdain. He then punched downwards.
*Bang—*
The sturdy arena floor, reinforced with spiritual energy, was directly pulverized by Duan Shikong's punch.
A figure was firmly grasped in Duan Shikong's hand and lifted up. It was none other than Hu Lifu.
"Hahahaha, you little rat, why don't you hurry up and die?"
Hu Lifu's entire body was firmly held by Duan Shikong's hands, one hand gripping his head, the other his limbs.
After growing taller, Duan Shikong's arms became longer and his shoulders wider. Hu Lifu, who was about 1.75 meters tall, looked like a large sausage in his hands.
"Die!"
Duan Shikong roared towards the sky, exerting force with both hands. With a *shriek*, Hu Lifu's body was directly torn in half, pulled apart.
Guts and internal organs spilled out, and blood splattered everywhere.
"Roar—"
Duan Shikong let out a long roar, venting the myriad heroic sentiments in his chest.
Witnessing this scene, the audience in the Immortal Hidden Realm showed expressions of shock.
In the Immortal Hidden Realm, cultivators practiced "Taishang Wangqing" (supreme detachment), and rarely engaged in fights, let alone killing.
Scenes as bloody, brutal, and violent as this were a first for most of them.
However, as Duan Shikong roared, a doubt began to surface in his mind.
Was that it? Was it that easy?
Based on the strength the opponent had displayed, he shouldn't have won so easily!
And the moment this thought entered Duan Shikong's mind, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck.
After all, with his physical cultivation reaching such a level, it was already difficult to feel pain.
This pain, however, was from the inside out, a tearing sensation.
In fact, he was indeed being torn apart…
A sharp claw broke through Duan Shikong's nape, which was covered in thick golden paint, and pierced deeply into it!
This claw, like that of a rat, belonged to Hu Lifu, whose face was covered in dense down!
At the same time, the corpse that Duan Shikong had torn apart had turned into a wooden stick.
*Hiss—*
In front of the colossal Duan Shikong, Hu Lifu was like a little monkey.
His nails dug into the back of Duan Shikong's neck and scraped downwards…
*Screech—*
A long, conspicuous gash appeared on Duan Shikong's back.
The flesh and blood on his back had been ripped away by Hu Lifu's claws, revealing white bone, as if a hollow ravine had appeared!
"Ah—"
Duan Shikong let out a tragic scream.
This time, everyone clearly heard it; he was in pain!
On the high platform, Duan Yanzhu's eyes showed a trace of shock and heartache. He murmured, "What a masterful substitution technique. Could it be that the brat from the Five Divine Sect has also communicated with a weasel?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a massive weasel Dharma Aspect appeared behind Hu Lifu!
Thus, Hu Lifu had now communicated with four Dharma Aspects.
Everyone was dumbfounded, their faces showing expressions of disbelief.
Four Dharma Aspects! It was known that the Five Divine Sect only had the Martial Venerable Dharma Aspect in total, and he alone had communicated with four. What a genius!
Furthermore, the most crucial point was that Duan Shikong seemed to have no chance of winning!
*Hum—*
*Boom—*
Just then, a stream of pure golden gas suddenly erupted from behind Duan Shikong!
The pure golden gas, immensely powerful, directly pushed Hu Lifu, who was clinging to Duan Shikong's back, away.
At the same time, the flesh and blood on Duan Shikong's back rapidly regenerated. In just two or three seconds, his injuries had completely healed.
"Heh heh, well done. My disciple is not so easily defeated!"
Duan Yanzhu's muscles were taut, clearly very excited.
Meanwhile, a wave of fervent cheers erupted from the crowd.
This had clearly become Duan Shikong's home turf. No one would support a piece of trash from the Five Divine Sect.
"Heh heh, four Dharma Aspects, is this your true strength?"
The fighting spirit in Duan Shikong's eyes grew fiercer, like a blazing bonfire. "Very good, you scoundrel, you've angered me. It seems I must get serious with you!"
With that, Duan Shikong's entire body trembled. Behind him, a ball of golden light slowly condensed, gradually solidifying.
The golden light surged upwards, piercing the heavens, soon reaching thousands of meters above the ground!
As the golden light dispersed slightly, a golden figure emerged from within it.
He was clad in golden armor, wielding twin golden maces, majestic and solemn!
It was a war god descending from the heavens!
"This is… a War God Dharma Aspect! No wonder Senior Brother Duan seemed so confident. So, the Holy Son of the Human Sect has already achieved Dao Integration!"
On the high platform, a representative from a super sect exclaimed in surprise.
The so-called Holy Son and Saintess referred to cultivators under the age of eighty. Beyond eighty, they were no longer eligible to be Holy Sons or Saintesses.
Eighty years old, for people in the Immortal Hidden Realm with an average lifespan of three to four hundred years, was merely adolescence!
And to reach the Dao Integration realm before the age of eighty was absolutely the genius of geniuses, someone with boundless prospects!
Of course, every cultivator who could enter the Dao Integration realm could be called a genius.
However, the vast majority only entered the Dao Integration realm after reaching a slightly more mature age of one hundred and thirty to forty years.
Some late bloomers would enter around the age of two hundred.
The even older ones were extremely rare.
This was because entering the Dao Integration realm relied on intent, on a surge of spirit.
This intent could be understood as the intent of being spirited and ambitious.
Therefore, as one grew older, this intent would weaken!
To speak of it again, someone like Duan Shikong, who entered the Dao Integration realm during his Holy Son period, was a rare prodigy of a thousand years.
While this was directly related to the cultivation provided by the super sect, the Human Sect, the primary factor was Duan Shikong himself.
Therefore, Duan Shikong at this moment truly had the right to arrogantly declare: "Heh heh, I've said it before, in this Heavenly Pride Battle, I am the only heavenly pride. Only I can become the final winner!"