Chapter 128: The Ultimate, Inconceivable Battle (Two-in-One)

Divine Footwork.
Shrinking the earth into inches, crossing the horizon in a single step.
Speed pushed to the absolute limit.
His movement was fast, but the sword in Jiang Ming’s hand was faster. In a flicker, it pierced the void, shattering Fang Qinghan’s swirling vortex of devouring before reaching the point between his eyebrows.
Fang’s reaction was incredibly swift, yet he still could not outpace the blade in Jiang Ming’s grasp.
*Puff...*
With a flash of light, his powerful physique, already refined to the sixth cycle, was run through.
The sword tip entered at the brow and emerged from the back of his skull.
"Not only did you shatter my devouring vortex, but you also broke through my protective aura and even my fleshly body could not withstand it. Brother Jiang, you truly live up to your reputation. I admire you, I truly do!" Fang Qinghan’s body stiffened, and after these words, the light faded from his eyes.
Jiang Ming, however, stood motionless.
Wisdom flickered in his eyes like a flowing flame; even after being teleported to the viewing platform, he remained still.
"Has he had another epiphany?" Ye Bai grimaced.
"Freak!" Jun Qiye spat out the word.
"Do you know how he killed Brother Fang with that strike?" Wang Qiutong knitted her brows. "We all know Brother Fang’s strength. Once his devouring vortex appears, no one can get close without being killed. On top of that, he had the cultivation of the sixth level and a sixth-cycle physique; few among us could match such formidable defense, yet Brother Jiang broke through it with a single light strike and finished him off."
"That sword strike..." Chen Bei narrowed his eyes. "It contained the power of space!"
"And the power of penetration!" Fang Qinghan spoke up, still touching his brow.
Even now, he felt a lingering fear from that strike.
"The fusion of space and penetration made that strike terrifying to the extreme. A flash of light, piercing the void, nothing can stop it. If he had used a spear, it would have been even more fearsome. Even a peak expert of the seventh martial stage would be slain if caught off guard," Fang Qinghan observed clearly.
"Penetration intent..." Ye Bai gasped. "That is the natural counter to physical bodies. I thought only Qiang Jiu, being from a spear-wielding family, had the unique heritage to grasp it. I never expected Brother Jiang to have mastered it too. Space path combined with penetration—he is invincible."
"Wait, what is he comprehending now?"
"Could it be the 'Ultimate Point'?"
"The penetration intent possesses the ultimate piercing force. In terms of destruction, it is more terrifying than most of the top ten intents. If he reaches the Ultimate Point..."
Ye Bai could not continue, his face filled with shock.
"Space plus penetration, comprehending the Ultimate Point?"
Whether it was Fang Qinghan, Chen Bei, or Jun Qiye, all wore expressions of complexity.
If it were anyone else, they would not believe it.
But this was Jiang Ming.
A pure freak.
Just then, a chill ran through their hearts, and their very souls felt as if they were being pierced.
Turning to look at Jiang Ming, they were shocked once more.
"The Ultimate Point!"
Wang Qiutong struggled to utter the words.
"Monster!"
Fang Qinghan felt the urge to curse out loud.
After a long time, Jiang Ming’s aura receded, and he smiled.
"The Ultimate Point?" Ye Bai probed.
Even though he was certain, he still wanted confirmation.
Chen Bei and the others listened in silence.
"The Ultimate Point—I was fortunate enough to grasp it," Jiang Ming laughed. "That strike against Brother Fang was meant to be a sword technique with extreme attacking power. I fused space and penetration; it was originally just a theory, but I didn't expect it to actually succeed. At the moment of the strike, I had an intuition, and thus, I comprehended the Ultimate Point."
Beyond what he said, there was also the inspiration drawn from the "Heaven-Opening Intent."
The Ultimate Point is the pinnacle of piercing, endless destruction. A single point of sharpness that breaks through everything in the world.
Its destructive power is peerless, surpassing all other intents.
None can compare.
This answer left Ye Bai speechless.
Fang Qinghan was also left stunned.
An intuition led to comprehension?
Fusion of space and penetration?
Even if they knew the method, they couldn't achieve it!

***

In reality, evening, at the dining table.
"Are you confident about tomorrow's battle?" Qin Zhiyan asked.
"Facing Stone Lei and his Supreme Bone, no one can be certain," Jiang Ming replied. "I’ve watched many of his matches. Even Fang Qinghan lost by a narrow margin, Chen Bei was killed, Jun Qiye was defeated, and Luo Feng was weaker."
"So what if he’s strong? Brother Jiang, kill him tomorrow!" Long Aotian waved his fist.
"Right, kill him!" Qiang Jiu added. Compared to previous days, he was less cold.
"Trying your best is what matters," Lan Xin said. "He is powerful, and his precious techniques are peerless. I wouldn't be able to withstand a single blow from him."
"Stone Lei is at the sixth martial stage and has comprehended the path of the firmament, making his celestial pressure even more terrifying," Old Tang remarked. "His physique has reached the limit of the sixth cycle; it is no less than a Saint Body, perhaps even superior. He is truly a formidable enemy."
"The key is the precious technique born from his Supreme Bone."
"So far, he has displayed two forms: the Finger of the Heavens, which killed Chen Bei; and the Fist of the Heavens, which crippled and then killed Fang Qinghan."
"His techniques don't stop there!"
"This kid is improving so fast."
"Before the finals, he had at most mastered one form..."
"But now, he likely masters three."
"A precious technique birthed from a Supreme Bone—it is an ability far beyond his current realm. Just watching the broadcast gives me palpitations."
"Facing him, you must be careful, careful, and more careful!" Old Tang instructed sternly.
"The number and strength of geniuses in this batch far exceed any past years. None can compare," Instructor Yu sighed with a bitter smile. "In the past, one could win the championship at the fourth martial stage, but here, you wouldn't even make the top twenty."
He couldn't help but shake his head.
"Who would say otherwise?" Long Aotian felt it most deeply. "I was aiming for the championship, but the result..."
"Me too!" Qiang Jiu was full of helplessness.
"Regardless, Brother Jiang, good luck," Lan Xin cheered.
"Good luck. At this point, you're at least second!" Long Aotian poured Jiang Ming a glass of wine. "I wish you success!"
"Strive to take the top spot!" Qiang Jiu had a strong competitive spirit.
"We’ll prepare a victory banquet for you!"
Qin Zhiyan had always believed in Jiang Ming.
Jiang Ming smiled.
Stone Lei?
He really wanted to see if he could defeat him.
A Supreme Bone!
To be honest, it made his scalp tingle.

***

Martial Arena, on the battle stage.
Jiang Ming and Stone Lei stood a hundred meters apart.
"I have no defeats, and neither do you. This battle will decide who the champion is," Stone Lei smiled. "Are you confident?"
"Facing the legendary Supreme Bone, no one can be confident!" Jiang Ming shook his head. "This battle will be arduous."
"Facing you, I am not confident either," Stone Lei sighed. "You have too many tricks, endless and boundless. Even against Brother Fang, it seemed you didn't unleash your full potential. Brother Jiang, let’s begin. Shall we fight for the title of this year’s top scholar?"
"Warm up first, or go straight to clashing?"
"Let’s warm up! It’s more interesting and intense that way. Who knows, it might even lead me to an epiphany."
"Very well, come!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
Jiang Ming plunged his chosen weapons into the ground: a spear, a sword, and a Sky-Escaping Shuttle.
Clearly, facing Stone Lei, he would go all out.
But now was not yet the time.
As the words fell, both surged toward each other.
This was a collision of extreme power.
*Bang, bang, bang...*
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged seventy-nine punches. The power vibrated like thunderous explosions, and the dense blood energy seemed to erupt like divine radiance, filling the battlefield with a rich red glow.

***

Viewing platform.
"Who will win? Who will lose?" Ye Bai whispered.
"Jiang Ming, I think," Luo Feng hesitated. "He has too many methods, coupled with so many terrifying intents. Unless he is killed in a split second, it’s hard for him to lose."
"He is too monstrous," Chen Bei nodded. "But Stone Lei’s techniques are also terrifying, far beyond the scope of what the current realm can resist. It’s like cheating!"
"Perhaps Stone Lei will win," Fang Qinghan said. "Jiang Ming killed me with one strike, but that was unexpected. Who would have thought he had such a fearsome killer move? If I had been prepared, finishing me off in a second would have been difficult. But Stone Lei... I feel he still has a third precious technique. You should know the horror of his techniques; each one is powerful enough to make one despair."

***

Other viewing platform.
"Brother Jiang must win!" Qiang Jiu was nervous.
"If he wins, he will break the history of our Tianzhong Province. Champion, Martial Top Scholar, in what is called the 'Strongest Generation' of the college entrance exam—he will be remembered by history, and we will all be recorded alongside him," Lan Xin was nervous, her eyes suddenly brightening. "Are we destined to be famous for all eternity?"
"Definitely!" Long Aotian was excited. "Classmates of Jiang Ming, from the same provincial exam batch, having fought him and made it to the top hundred of the grand exam—we will certainly be recorded in history. Roar, I’m going to be famous for eternity! When I go back and act smug in front of the old man,哼哼, I’ll drive him crazy."
"Brother Jiang will definitely win!" Qin Zhiyan was convinced. "In the future, the stronger he becomes, the further the history of this batch will spread." Even she couldn't help but feel excited.
Recorded by history?
This was 'fame.'
To reach the pinnacle in one step!

***

Outside.
Not just the entire Federation, but the blessed lands, the stars, and even the outer battlefields were watching.
The number of viewers was well into the tens of billions...
The most excited were the people of Tianzhong Province.
Everyone was extremely agitated, waiting for the moment of final victory.

***

Pingyang City School.
Fatty Wang and the others were all watching, holding their breath, eyes glued to the screen.
"Say, can you guys see clearly?" a weak voice asked.
"Cough, I only see blood energy like mist, and two balls of light constantly colliding," another student said. "Should I slow down the playback speed by ten times?"
"Once you slow it down, it’s hard to stay synchronized. We need to know the result in real-time!" Fatty Wang said. "We can watch the replay later. For now, keep staring. Watch Jiang Ming become the Martial Top Scholar. As his classmates, we will surely be recorded. This is a supreme honor!"
The students became even more excited.

***

In the courtyard!
"I’m nervous!" Old Tang watched the screen, his hand holding the teacup motionless for a long time.
"Who wouldn't be? My palms are sweating," Instructor Yu added. "First and second place—a difference of one rank, but a world of difference. Still, facing the Supreme Bone... I don't have much confidence in Jiang Ming. But even if he takes second place, it’s enough, truly enough."
"Just watch!" Old Tang took a light sip of tea.

***

Battlefield.
*Bang, bang, bang...*
The two collided exactly three thousand times, yet they remained evenly matched, neither gaining the upper hand.
Fists, palms, fingers, feet, and more.
Both displayed countless ingenious methods, leaving the viewers thrilled and shocked by the strength and mastery of combat both possessed.
"One last punch!" Stone Lei roared.
"One last punch!" Jiang Ming responded.
At this moment, they retreated several hundred meters, and as the words fell, their figures surged toward each other like electricity.
"I was born with a Supreme Bone, and my physique is a Supreme Body. After developing it during the grand exam, I can reach the level of 300 base Vajra power," Stone Lei transmitted.
This concerned his secret.
It didn't matter if he told Jiang Ming, but he didn't want it leaking to the outside world.
"The Supreme Bone can amplify blood energy five times!"
"I have also comprehended some methods of physical amplification, reaching a six-fold burst!"
"With this final punch, I can output 9,000 Vajra power!"
"Brother Jiang, be careful!"
Stone Lei’s body vibrated, divine light bloomed from his chest, and his aura soared to an unimaginable height.
Even the void seemed unable to withstand it, twisting under the pressure.
"Then come!" Jiang Ming flashed a look of shock, and then he, too, unleashed his full power.
*Boom...*
The two fists collided, and for the first time, he was sent flying back.
He didn't stop until he had retreated three hundred meters.
"Amazing!" Jiang Ming exclaimed. "With that punch, I unleashed 80 base Vajra power, twenty layers of Inch Punch, a 21-fold burst, plus the 5-fold blessing of the Boundless Intent, resulting in 8,400 Vajra power—yet I was still suppressed by you!"
"You are at the peak of the sixth cycle; shouldn't you only be able to output 60 Vajra power?" Stone Lei was surprised, and even more shocked. "Twenty layers of Inch Punch? You monster!"
"The mysteries of the human body are infinite. The limit of the sixth cycle is only relative," Jiang Ming transmitted. "This realm is very peculiar; one can constantly dig into potential and break existing limits. Just recently, I gained something, allowing me to step further beyond that limit, causing my power to surge."
He was telling the truth.
The sixth cycle of body refinement is special.
It holds the potential to break the mortal body and condense various battle bodies, such as the Rock Battle Body, Vajra Battle Body, Imperishable Body, Heavenly Frost Overlord Body, Weak Water Treasure Body, and so on.
Regardless of the reason, as long as one has the cultivation method, it is possible.
However, methods for Treasure Bodies and Battle Bodies are rare, each worth a fortune.
Even if one has them, success is not guaranteed.
After all, it requires breaking limits and shattering human shackles, which is not easy. It is akin to tempering silver bones or golden bones during the Tendon-Bone refinement stage.
The difficulty is even greater.
Jiang Ming, however, was not on that path, but the path of genetics.
After all, he possessed the supreme talent of "Infinite Genes."
The human body has great secrets; reflected in genetics, it is the constant perfection of the genetic path. Reaching the sixth stage, breaking the limit, and going a step further means developing the ability of recessive genes.
This is not genetic evolution, but the development of one's own genes.
Recessive genes are abilities hidden in the deepest parts of the human body. Everyone has them, but developing them is harder than ascending to heaven.
As for innate talents? Those are special abilities bestowed by fate at birth.
"You are amazing!" Stone Lei smacked his lips.
"Want to learn?" Jiang Ming smiled. "You can cultivate it, but it should be very, very difficult!"
"You can teach me?" Stone Lei was vigilant. "Why do I feel you have bad intentions?"
"Hehe!" Jiang Ming laughed, transmitting, "I only want a drop of your blood."
"You want my blood, are you trying to..." Stone Lei’s face twisted for a moment. "You aren't trying to peek into the secrets of my Supreme Body and Supreme Bone, are you? This is innate, you can't cultivate it, but you kid..."
"Not even you can defy the heavens!"
"Fine, I’ll give it to you!"
Stone Lei did not refuse. "Brother Jiang, come, let’s continue the battle!"
"Good!" Jiang Ming’s expression turned solemn.
He reached out, and his spear, sword, and Sky-Escaping Shuttle all flew toward him.
*Hum...*
The next moment, his soul-path domain appeared, rapidly expanding outward, intending to envelop Stone Lei.
"I wouldn't dare get caught in that, otherwise I’d definitely lose!" Stone Lei sensed it immediately.
A soul domain, combined with World Intent and more, would bring Jiang Ming’s domain to a terrifying degree; he wasn't sure he could break it.
As he spoke, divine light erupted from his body, forcibly blocking the domain's power.
"You actually blocked it!" Jiang Ming was very surprised.
A sixth-stage soul path, domain power, fused with World Intent—how powerful it was. It had been torn apart by Fang Qinghan earlier, and now it was blocked by Stone Lei.
"If I couldn't even block this, my Supreme Bone would be too trashy," Stone Lei laughed. "My physical strength and soul path have been countered, Brother Jiang; now it depends on your sword skills."
"I’ll still slay you!" Jiang Ming swung his sword across the void, descending toward his opponent.
The spear hovered behind him.
He did not withdraw the soul domain; he integrated it with World Intent and even Yin-Yang Sword Qi, forming a terrifying domain of both reality and illusion as a defense.
At the same time, the Sky-Escaping Shuttle flew toward Stone Lei, splitting into fifteen flying blades in a turn, attacking from all directions.
This was the extent of his comprehension of the power of thought.
*Bang...*
Stone Lei lifted a palm, shattering the sword light, while divine light surged from his body, blocking all the flying blades.
"Finger of the Heavens!"
He stepped on the ground, rose into the air, lifted his palm again, and his index finger suddenly pointed at Jiang Ming.
In an instant, endless Dao rhymes flowed out, energy gathered, and the finger transformed into a towering giant pillar, pressing down.
The air solidified like a steel plate, and the void itself began to collapse.

***

The terrifying pressure formed a direct lockdown, like a divine mountain descending, making Jiang Ming feel as if he were truly imprisoned.
"So terrifying!"
Jiang Ming was shocked.
He knew the horror of this finger, but he never expected it to reach this level, making him feel as if he were waiting for the executioner's blade.
He let go, his sword fell, and the spear behind him flashed into his hand.
"Break for me!"
Light and true energy flowed over the spear; space and penetration power were condensed on the tip, and at the same time, the soul domain was layered over it.
*Puff...*
A single shot in mid-air, a peak strike.
Even his physical strength was added to it.
The tip of the spear quickly touched the fingertip. The void trembled violently, sending ripples spreading layer by layer.
If they were outside, these ripples alone would have shattered mountain peaks.
The finger exploded with a *bang*.
The spear also nearly shattered.
"Fist of the Heavens!"
Stone Lei remained in mid-air, not landing. Divine light bloomed from his chest, as if a god had descended. Heavenly might arrived, as if he were directly commanding the power of heaven and earth. As the fist descended, the ground sank.
Jiang Ming, below, felt he had nowhere to hide.
The energy of heaven and earth locked the surroundings.
The descending fist transformed the area into a forbidden zone.
He had to block it.
If he couldn't, he would die.
The tyranny of this punch was beyond imagination.
"Sky-Escaping Shuttle!"
The flying blades returned and merged, spinning as they attacked the fist, only to be blasted apart.
The fist continued to descend.
"Yin-Yang Imprisonment!"
Jiang Ming’s gaze sharpened. His Yin spirit did not appear, but in mid-air, the Taiyin and the Sun manifested, rotating to form a massive Taiji diagram.
Within the Taiyin and the Sun, the laurel tree and the Fusang tree vibrated.
The Jade Rabbit leaped, and the Golden Crow cried out.
This was Dao law.
But it also contained the power of Soul Intent, Yin-Yang Intent, and World Intent.
He pushed his divine power to the absolute limit, causing the descending fist to pause. The Taiji diagram in the void shook violently, yet the fist continued to descend.
"So strong!"
Jiang Ming was stunned, but he could clearly feel that the power of this punch had weakened significantly.
"Shatter!"
He leaped into the air, unleashing twenty layers of Inch Punch, blasting it apart.
Jiang Ming was also knocked back, smashing a deep crater into the battle stage.
"Brother Jiang, you truly live up to your name!" Stone Lei remained floating, but clearly, his aura had faded significantly.
The previous combat, plus these two precious techniques, had consumed a great deal of energy.
"I have one last form. If you block it, the Martial Top Scholar is yours. If you can't, it’s mine!" Stone Lei said, raising his hand. Divine light flickered above his head, gathering into a ray of glow.
It then transformed into a giant hand of the firmament.
The crisscrossing lines formed a chessboard of heaven and earth, resembling rules themselves.
As the palm descended, the universe roared.
One could see ten thousand Dao rhymes gathering under the palm, forming a world.
With one palm, heaven and earth overturned, like a world pressing down.
"Hand of the Heavens!"
That was the name of this precious technique.
*Hum...*
The intent froze, suppressing all Daos.
Under this palm, even the void could not bear it.
Jiang Ming’s body bent, his face showing shock.
Looking up, he felt as if the entire heaven and earth were pressing down on him, leaving him almost unable to move. It was too terrifying.
The true energy outside his body dispersed.
The soul domain he had maintained automatically retreated into his mind.
How unbelievable.
Facing this giant hand was like facing the entire world.
Especially the crisscrossing palm lines; in his eyes, they were clearly the construction of intent—no, far beyond what intent power could compare to.
It was like...
Rules chains.
In that moment, Jiang Ming felt the approach of death.
"Death?"
He narrowed his eyes, the pride in his bones causing his battle intent to surge.
"Sword of the Immortal Slayer!"
Jiang Ming roared, slashing across the sky with his sword.
This strike fused soul power, endless blood energy, and all the true energy he could mobilize.
It also integrated slaughter, death, destruction, Yin-Yang, soul, and Boundless Intent, steered by the sword intent of the Heaven Sword, allowing this strike to truly reach the current pinnacle of his sword path.
The sword light was brilliant, illuminating the entire martial arena.
This strike, one wondered how many people it had stunned.
Ji Yunning was shocked.
Luo Feng was surprised.
And so on.
Stone Lei’s Hand of the Heavens was powerful, but that was because of the Supreme Bone. Jiang Ming’s strike? It was a display of heaven-defying talent.
*Bang...*
The firmament cracked, like a broken harp string.
The descending palm paused slightly, nine palm lines were slashed away, and a crack opened in the center of the palm.
But the hand covering the sky did not collapse; it vibrated slightly, shattering the sword light, and continued to cover him.
The lines and cracks in the palm also healed rapidly.
The terrifying pressure made Jiang Ming feel like he couldn't breathe.
"How can I block it?"
Jiang Ming felt some despair.
His eyes flickered, various thoughts flashing in his heart.
The Sword of the Immortal Slayer could not break this palm.
A strike fusing space and penetration intent would also definitely not work.
"The palm is like a world..."
Jiang Ming’s breath hitched, and in a flash of lightning, his eyes suddenly brightened.

***

The grand exam has come to an end.
A new chapter is about to begin, preparing for the journey to the Myriad Worlds Battlefield.
I am also perfecting the outline for the next volume.
The grand exam was written a bit too long, which was a small failure.
In the next volume, I will strive for non-stop, blood-pumping action, no more dragging.
Asking for monthly votes.
Thank you!