Volume One, Chapter 15: Smashed into a Pulp!

“You’re being insolent!” Su Xiaowan said coldly, “Chu Tianxing not only defeated the Tower Spirit’s incarnation but also devoured it, thereby obtaining the Demon-Sealing Tower. With such an achievement, he should be directly promoted to the Core Academy. How can someone like you, an ordinary talent reduced to an elder, have the qualification to assess him?”

These words immediately darkened the elder’s face, and the other inner sect elders were equally ashamed and furious.

“Senior Sister Su, it seems you didn’t fully understand the rules for promotion to the Core Academy when you were directly elevated,” the elder said slowly, restraining his anger. “You, Senior Brother Murong, Senior Sister Mu, and Senior Brother Xing—all of you were directly made probationary disciples by the Four Sacred Lines after gaining the Tower Spirit’s recognition back then. That’s why you were promoted straight to the Core Academy. However, although Chu Tianxing devoured the Tower Spirit and claimed the Demon-Sealing Tower, surpassing even your achievements, the Four Sacred Lines have not yet decreed his admission.”

The elder’s tone turned disdainful as he continued, “Moreover, although Chu Tianxing’s accomplishment seems superior, he only succeeded through a sneak attack, just as he unexpectedly harmed Senior Sister Mu earlier. It was all luck, not true skill!”

“That’s why no one from the Four Sacred Lines has come forward to designate him a probationary disciple. If he wants to enter the Core Academy, he must pass the promotion assessment.”

Nearby, Murong Ao gave a helpless smile. “What he says is true. Only geniuses may become Core Academy disciples.”

“Only geniuses can, despite an eight-level difference, endure three moves from an inner sect elder. If one can’t achieve that, they’re just an ordinary martial artist or perhaps a mediocre talent. The Core Academy doesn’t accept ordinary or mediocre talents; genius is the threshold.”

Su Xiaowan’s face turned ashen upon hearing this, yet she truly didn’t know the specific rules. After all, she had been promoted directly and had never bothered to understand the details.

“If Senior Sister Su and Senior Brother Murong have nothing more to say, then please refrain from interfering while I, as the elder, fulfill the sacred regulations,” the inner sect elder said before striding toward Chu Tianxing. His tone was indifferent as he said, “If you find ten moves too many or too difficult, you can choose not to use the Demon-Sealing Tower. In that case, you only need to withstand three moves from me to pass the promotion assessment and become a Core disciple. The choice is yours.”

Xing Bufan and Mu Yuyao exchanged satisfied smiles, both approving of the elder’s approach.

No matter which path Chu Tianxing chose, or whether he passed the assessment, he would be humiliated.

If he used the Demon-Sealing Tower, it would prove his lack of confidence—relying solely on the tower to pass, and even then, he might not survive ten moves.

If he didn’t use the tower, it would also prove his lack of confidence in surviving ten moves; even enduring three moves with an eight-level disparity would be extremely difficult.

“I choose both,” Chu Tianxing said with a stern expression. “I will fight you bare-handed first, then use the Demon-Sealing Tower afterward…”

Before Chu Tianxing finished, the inner sect elder burst into loud laughter. “You’re far too presumptuous! You want to claim all the advantages?”

“Fight me first without the Demon-Sealing Tower, and if you fail to survive three moves, then use the tower for a final effort?”

“That would mean you get two chances at the assessment! Dream on! The promotion assessment only allows one chance—you must choose one or the other!”

Chu Tianxing’s gaze grew colder, his tone disdainful. “You misunderstand. I mean that today’s battle will decide both superiority and life or death!”

“I choose both to tell you that whether I use the Demon-Sealing Tower or not, I will utterly disgrace you!”

To decide superiority and life or death!

In an instant, everyone present widened their eyes in disbelief at Chu Tianxing.

“Hmm?” Xing Bufan squinted, his expression a mix of surprise and doubt.

Mu Yuyao’s brows furrowed slightly, looking at Chu Tianxing in astonishment and confusion.

Su Xiaowan and Murong Ao exchanged glances, both eager to know where Chu Tianxing’s confidence came from.

To claim superiority and life or death with an eight-level gap?

“Good! Very good! Excellent!” The inner sect elder took a deep breath, laughing bitterly in fury. “It seems not only am I despised by Senior Sister Su, but also scorned by a worthless disciple like you!”

“Come! Come! Let me see how you intend to decide superiority and life or death with me!”

At that moment, a mighty spiritual pressure surged around the elder’s body—clearly the ninth level of the Spiritual Profound Realm!

By contrast, Chu Tianxing’s aura was only at the first level of the Spiritual Profound Realm, a full eight levels below!

With such a disparity, only someone with genius-level talent could possibly survive three moves from an inner sect elder.

Keep in mind, although the elder’s talent is ordinary, not genius, the eight-level difference is still immense.

“If what Chu Tianxing said on the ninth floor of the Demon-Sealing Tower is true, then this elder will be…” The woman surnamed Li and the fifteen top inner sect disciples all recalled Chu Tianxing’s words.

He had claimed that within the same great realm, no one could be his match.

“Hopefully it’s true—no, it must be true!” They all silently prayed, wishing for Chu Tianxing to win.

They didn’t want to witness Mu Ping’s smug face or tolerate his cold-heartedness.

At that moment, Chu Tianxing stepped forward, clenched his fist, and thundered, “I only need one punch!”

The elder’s face darkened with rage. He hadn’t expected such contempt from a worthless disciple.

Not only did Chu Tianxing attack head-on, he even claimed to defeat him with a single punch?

Such arrogance was utterly intolerable!

“Get lost!” The elder roared, raising his palm and slamming it fiercely toward Chu Tianxing.

Crack! Crack!

Two sharp sounds of bones breaking rang out in quick succession.

The elder was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut!

It was clear the elder’s palm was shattered first, then a relentless punch shattered his sternum!

“Pfft… Aaargh!!” The elder crashed to the ground, vomiting blood in terror.

At this scene, the inner sect forbidden grounds fell deathly silent, as if no one dared even breathe.

No one had expected the elder to be utterly defeated by a single blow!

An eight-level gap in the small realm, yet he couldn’t even withstand one move—especially in a direct confrontation!

“I didn’t use my full strength just now; otherwise, you’d be dead already.”

Chu Tianxing suddenly invoked the Tower-Controlling Technique, enlarging the Demon-Sealing Tower and hurling it at the elder.

“I had no intention of killing you, but as an inner sect elder, you dared to abuse your position!”

“Since you intend to serve as their dog and seek my death, then you no longer deserve to live!”

As he finished speaking, the towering Demon-Sealing Tower crashed down upon the elder.

The shadow cast by the descending tower darkened the ground, and the elder’s face was pale with fear.

“No! No! Don’t kill me! Please don’t kill me!!!”

Boom!

Despite his desperate screams and pleas, the Demon-Sealing Tower pressed down relentlessly, crushing him beneath it.

When Chu Tianxing shrank the tower back to his palm, the inner sect disciples gazed at the crushed flesh on the ground, gasping deeply.

The elder had not only been defeated but also killed, crushed into a puddle of flesh beneath the Demon-Sealing Tower.