Star Martial Era: From Mortal to Emperor

Chapter 22: Domineering Aura Revealed, Another Defeat of the Prodigy

At the entrance of the cave, Chu Tiankuo stood with his hands behind his back, his brocade robes billowing, his expression arrogant yet indifferent, but his eyes could not hide the undisguised greed and shock.

Chu Tiankuo, a peerless genius, swept through the high-level area on the west side of the secret realm and killed countless second-tier ferocious beasts. He thought that all the opportunities in this secret realm should belong to him, but he never expected that such a top-level core of the starry sky would be found by a third-ranked boy who had won all his battles!

Moreover, he could clearly feel that Lin Chen's aura was several times stronger than before he entered the secret realm, and the silver starry river aura above his head made him feel unprecedented pressure—his own proud blue genius aura was actually showing signs of being suppressed in front of Lin Chen's silver starry river aura.

The contestant standing next to Chu Tiankuo stepped forward, his tone forceful and authoritative, yet trembling slightly. He had tripped over a stone while walking, knocking out a front tooth and causing a lisp:

"Lin Chen, if you know what's good for you, hand over the Starry Sky Origin Core that you just obtained in the cave!"

My brother Chu is the top favorite in this competition, born with the aura of a blue prodigy. This treasure should belong to a prodigy with innate fortune and destiny. You are just a bottom-tier high school student who ranked sixth in all competitions. Holding such a treasure will only bring disaster. You are not worthy of enjoying it at all.

Hand over the core of the Starry Sky Origin, and we can forgive and forget, and even guarantee your safety throughout the secret realm. Otherwise, you will not be able to leave this place safely today.

Lin Chen stood up, dusted himself off, his expression unchanged, and said in an icy tone:

"Opportunities are for those who are virtuous, and for those who are destined to receive them."

I first sensed, found, and killed the ferocious beast guarding the treasure inside the cave. It is only right that the treasure is now in my hands.

If you want the core of the starry sky's origin in my possession, take it with your own ability. If you can't, leave behind your life and the fortune you've accumulated.

Chu Tiankuo raised his hand to stop the contestant next to him from continuing to berate Lin Chen. He looked Lin Chen up and down for a moment, then slowly spoke, his voice not loud but carrying an imposing aura:

"Very well! It's been a long time since anyone dared to speak to me like that. Since you don't know what's good for you, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands and show you that the innate luck of a prodigy is something a nobody like you can't compare to!"

Today, I will not only seize your Starry Sky Origin, but I will also show you what true power difference is!

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Tiankuo activated the full power of his superior-grade "Blazing Sun Technique" at its peak. Deep red flames ignited around him, distorting the air. The blue aura above his head surged and transformed into a small, blazing sun, and a scorching wave of energy swept towards Lin Chen.

"Blazing Sun Fist - Burning Heaven!"

Chu Tiankuo roared, slowly raising his right fist. Flames condensed at the tip of his fist, forming a huge fireball that blasted towards Lin Chen with a world-destroying momentum.

Wherever it passed, the grass and trees instantly burst into flames, and the ground was scorched black.

Lin Chen's expression was solemn, but he showed no fear whatsoever.

The first level of the Star Martial Body Forging Technique - Blood and Qi Chapter was activated in the dantian. The power of the stars in the dantian surged, and a dense silver starlight surrounded the body. The starry river luck above the head also surged, forming a silver light screen that blocked the scorching air waves.

"Myriad Star Fist!"

The power of countless stars condensed at the tip of his fist, forming a silver fist shadow even larger than a fireball, which blasted towards the fireball.

"boom!"

The two forces collided, creating a massive explosion that shook the entire cave, sending rocks tumbling down.

Flames and starlight intertwined, forming a dazzling curtain of light. The two continued to circulate their techniques, unleashing their power in a series of clashes.

As the smoke dissipated, Chu Tiankuo staggered back three steps, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. The flames on his body dimmed considerably, and nearly a third of the blue aura above his head dissipated.

Lin Chen remained standing in the same spot, his breathing steady and unharmed.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" Chu Tiankuo roared in disbelief. "I'm a genius from Qingyang No. 1 High School! I possess the innate blue-level prodigy luck, and I cultivate a top-grade technique! How could I possibly lose to a piece of trash like you from a third-rate high school?!"

He appeared frenzied, circulating the Blazing Sun Technique in his dantian once more, concentrating all his power into his fists, and simultaneously gathering all the remaining blue energy above his head onto his knuckles.

"Double kill under the blazing sun!"

Two enormous fiery fist shadows simultaneously slammed towards Lin Chen, one from the left and one from the right, sealing off all escape routes and carrying an aura of mutual destruction.

Lin Chen's eyes turned cold, and he used the Star Chasing Step, his figure appearing above Chu Tiankuo's head like a ghost.

The Myriad Fist - The Milky Way Upside Down!

Countless silver star power poured down like a waterfall, and the galaxy above also transformed into a real galaxy, crashing down on Chu Tiankuo.

Chu Tiankuo's expression changed drastically. He quickly raised his head to defend himself, crossed his fists above his head, and gathered all the remaining blazing sun energy into his arms.

"Bang!"

The power of the galaxy slammed heavily onto his arms. Chu Tiankuo felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him. His legs went weak, and he knelt on one knee, leaving two deep cracks in the ground.

The blue aura above his head collapsed and almost disappeared completely, leaving only a faint blue light, indicating that his extraordinary destiny had been completely shattered.

"ah--!"

Chu Tiankuo let out a roar of unwilling anger, forced himself to stand up, and wanted to attack again.

But as soon as he took a step, he stepped on a piece of gravel, fell hard, and hit the ground face down, his face covered in blood.

Lin Chen slowly walked up to Chu Tiankuo, reached out and took off the storage bag from his body. It was filled with spiritual materials, inner cores and fragments of the Starry Sky Origin that he had collected before.

"Your things, and your blue luck, are now all mine."

As Lin Chen finished speaking, the last wisp of blue light above Chu Tiankuo's head turned into specks of light and was absorbed by Lin Chen's silver starry river luck.

The starry sky above Lin Chen's head shone even brighter, with a faint sense of breaking out of the cave and soaring into the sky.

The contestants who had come with Chu Tiankuo turned pale with fright upon seeing this and turned to run away.

"Stop!" Lin Chen shouted coldly.

The contestant trembled with fear and immediately turned to kneel before Lin Chen, begging for mercy: "Spare me! Lin Chen, spare me! I'll never do it again!"

Lin Chen glanced at him and said calmly, "Get lost. Tell the people outside that anyone who dares to try and steal from me again, anyone who dares to harbor ill intentions towards me, will suffer the same fate as Chu Tiankuo, Zhao Xuan, and Li Qiang."

The contestant, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, scrambled out of the cave. Just as he emerged, he tripped over a horizontal tree branch and fell flat on his face.

Lin Chen ignored Chu Tiankuo and turned to walk out of the cave.