Even the youngest of the Saint Institute elders was over two hundred years old. They had naturally seen and heard much in their time, but they had never encountered a disciple as monstrously talented as Lin Hao.

The martial arts Liu Tian had just used came from the Saint Institute’s Upper Academy Library. The techniques stored there absolutely could not be replicated without their corresponding Cultivation Techniques to activate them.

And even knowing the corresponding Cultivation Technique, it had still taken Liu Tian two years to reach his current level of mastery.

It wasn’t just Liu Tian, either. Even the other disciples on the Holy Stele would have needed over a year to master the techniques Liu Tian had just displayed.

Furthermore, these martial arts existed only in the Upper Academy Library and could be found nowhere else. In a sense, they were one of a kind!

Yet now, Lin Hao was perfectly reproducing those very same techniques.

Not just one of them, but *all* the martial arts Liu Tian had just used!

To call such a learning ability ’terrifying’ wouldn’t even begin to describe it!

Just when he seemed completely unable to fight back, Lin Hao had suddenly unleashed a martial art—one identical to Liu Tian’s. Caught by surprise, Liu Tian was half a beat too slow to react.

That half-beat was all Lin Hao needed to recover, and for a moment, he fought Liu Tian on equal footing.

On the Saint Institute battlefield, two figures tangled together, becoming a blur of motion. The sound of thunderous impacts was incessant as fierce winds whipped across the stage.

"A moment ago... did Lin Hao just use the same martial art as Liu Tian? Am I seeing things?" The Saint Institute disciples naturally lacked the keen perception of the senior staff. Their realization dawned slowly, and they uncertainly asked those around them.

"I think I saw it too."

"I saw it too."

"Heavens! Lin Hao can actually copy martial arts! That’s incredible!"

"What’s so incredible about it? He already demonstrated this ability on his first night in Imperial City."

"I know, but this is different. The techniques from the Upper Academy Library are far more profound. They’re not on the same level as what the four great families have."

"Hmph!"

A buzz of discussion swept through the Saint Institute disciples.

And just outside the battlefield, there were several other, more notable disciples.

Their names were inscribed on the Holy Stele; they were the true prodigies of the Saint Institute.

At first, even when Liu Tian had used the Misty Palm, their expressions had remained indifferent.

When Lin Hao had blocked the Misty Palm, they had likewise remained silent.

But now, seeing Lin Hao’s display, one of them couldn’t help but speak up.

"To perfectly replicate a martial art in such a short time... that level of talent is exceptionally rare. We have a powerful rival." The first to speak was the disciple ranked ninth on the Holy Stele.

"So what? The techniques in the Upper Academy Library aren’t exactly top-tier. Even if he masters a hundred of them, it’s useless. In the face of absolute power, all else is fleeting," another disciple said with arrogance.

"That’s right. Just because Lin Hao can copy those techniques doesn’t mean he can copy everything. He had no answer for that palm strike Liu Tian used a moment ago. He’s not worth mentioning."

"Lin Hao is nothing but cheap tricks."

"Heh."

Of the nine disciples with their names on the Holy Stele, five were present. One after another, they shared their opinions. Aside from the one ranked ninth, none of the others took Lin Hao seriously.

They stared at the battlefield, their gazes cold and their contempt for Lin Hao unconcealed.

On the battlefield, Lin Hao was completely absorbed in the exhilarating fight, oblivious to everything happening outside.

Lin Hao’s focus was absolute; his eyes saw nothing but the opponent before him, Liu Tian.

Suddenly, Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed. The Liu Tian before him had vanished, replaced by a single, thick vine.

BOOM!

The vine was incredibly mysterious, and a terrifying aura pulsed from it.

Lin Hao was slightly surprised.

’This is Liu Tian’s Divine Soul.’ He had seen Liu Tian use it once before, right after he had first entered the Saint Institute.

A Divine Soul, newly formed at the Soul Gathering Realm First Layer, normally couldn’t be wielded. The fact that Liu Tian could use his back then was a testament to his exceptional talent.

Now that Liu Tian’s cultivation had reached the Second Layer of Soul Gathering Realm, the power of his Divine Soul had multiplied.

Liu Tian’s entire being seemed to envelop the battlefield as his body and Divine Soul merged. He formed his soul into a sword that suddenly slashed toward Lin Hao.

The slash was unbelievably fast.

Lin Hao had seen Liu Tian use his Divine Soul over twenty days ago, but its speed and power now were countless times greater than before.

If Lin Hao only had the cultivation he possessed back then, there would have been only one outcome for him—death!

Fortunately, the Lin Hao of today was a world apart from who he was back then.

With a flicker of his body, Lin Hao dodged the strike by a hair’s breadth.

RUMBLE!

The attack struck the battlefield, and something terrifying happened.

The stage of the Saint Institute battlefield actually began to crack!

The battlefield was protected by the domain of a powerful Martial Artist; it was not something an ordinary attack should have been able to damage.

"The battlefield automatically adjusts its defensive level based on the combatants’ power. For a battle between Second Layer Soul Gathering Realm Martial Artists, the defenses are set to withstand the Fourth Layer of Soul Gathering Realm. For that attack to actually crack the stage... what terrifying power!" Even some of the elders among the Saint Institute’s senior staff were shocked.

But on the battlefield, Lin Hao’s reaction was even more shocking.

Not only did Lin Hao dodge the Divine Soul attack, but he actually charged straight toward Liu Tian.

Liu Tian’s Divine Soul shifted, and with a slight flicker, it swatted a palm down at Lin Hao.

The gazes of the senior staff froze. This was the very same palm strike Liu Tian had unleashed earlier using his Quasi-Saint Level Skill.

Channeled through the Divine Soul, the palm’s might was even greater, and its trajectory was completely unpredictable.

At the same time, the palm’s speed was pushed to the absolute limit.

Even the senior staff were stunned for a moment, realizing that even they wouldn’t be able to predict the point of impact in time.

And now, the palm was mere inches from Lin Hao.

"Lin Hao is finished," one of the senior staff sighed.

Yin Duwen breathed a sigh of relief, a smile returning to his face.

However, Lin Hao’s next move was astonishing.

With an unbelievable twist of his body, Lin Hao caused Liu Tian’s palm strike to hit nothing but air.

The very palm strike whose impact point even they couldn’t predict had failed to take Lin Hao down. It was unbelievable.

Yin Duwen’s expression immediately darkened.

’Useless!’ In his mind, Yin Duwen spat out the single, hateful word.

But at least Lin Hao was still injured.

Just as Lin Hao dodged the palm, Liu Tian’s Divine Soul slashed at him again.

Although Lin Hao dodged the brunt of it, his left shoulder was torn open, a chunk of flesh carved away by the attack.

Liu Tian, as if driven to a frenzy, pushed his speed to the limit. As his Divine Soul attacked, the Misty Palm appeared once more.

Lin Hao predicted its trajectory, but he had no way to dodge. He could only meet it with his fist.

RUMBLE!

A thunderous roar erupted across the battlefield.

PTHOO!

Caught in the blast, Lin Hao violently spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward.

"Whew... This battle is finally coming to an end."

"So this is the true power of a Holy Stele disciple. It’s terrifying."

"Liu Tian is at the Second Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm and even used his Divine Soul, yet it still took him this long. Even if Lin Hao loses, his defeat is an honorable one."

"That’s true. As long as Lin Hao reaches the Second Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm, Liu Tian will definitely be no match for him. He’s the one who’s truly invincible within his realm."

"Look!"

A voice suddenly cried out. Everyone’s eyes shot back to the battlefield, and they were all dumbfounded.