For several long seconds, neither Li Hao nor Zhao Kun moved, yet the invisible clash between their auras intensified steadily, creating a pressure that filled the arena and made it difficult for even distant spectators to breathe comfortably, as if the very air had grown heavy with the weight of the confrontation.
Zhao Kun's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Li Hao, his confidence unchanged but his focus sharpened, because despite his earlier disdain, he could sense that Li Hao was not as simple as he had initially believed.
Li Hao, on the other hand, remained completely still, his breathing steady, his presence controlled, as if he had already separated himself from everything around him, focusing entirely on the battle ahead.
Then—
Without warning—
Zhao Kun moved.
His figure blurred forward with explosive speed, his aura erupting outward as he launched the first attack, his power immediately evident in the force behind his strike, which tore through the air with a deep, resonating sound that echoed across the arena.
At the same moment, Li Hao moved as well.
Not backward.
But forward.
The collision—
Was inevitable.
And as their powers met for the first time, a shockwave spread outward, marking the true beginning of a battle that would shake the entire sect.