Everyone was startled. A disciple of Guangcheng Mountain replied, “That’s right, it is indeed Eric DawsonSenior Brother Dawson.”

Samuel Grant’s eyes grew even more dazzling as he took a step forward.

The many low-grade treasured weapons scattered on the ground all trembled in unison.

Although treasured weapons possess a certain spirituality, they are still objects without true consciousness. Having lost their masters’ control, they now shuddered under Samuel Grant’s presence.

Samuel Grant stomped on the ground, and Ethan Clark and the others immediately felt the painstaking connection they had cultivated with their treasured weapons over these days abruptly severed!

A stabbing pain shot through everyone’s minds, as if needles were piercing their brains. Clearly, Samuel Grant’s stomp had broken their spiritual link with their weapons, causing a backlash.

“Low-grade treasured weapons are indeed precious for body-refining martial artists, but for me, even if you can unleash their full power, it’s nothing worth mentioning.”

Samuel Grant said indifferently, “Do you have many treasured weapons in Guangcheng Mountain? Showing them off before my Great Sun Saint Sect—just leave them all here.”

“I may not care for these things, but if I hand them to my junior brothers and sisters, they’ll still be quite useful for a few years. Since you used these weapons against my fellow disciples, consider them compensation.”

He waved to the group of Great Sun Saint Sect disciples behind him. “Come up and each pick one.”

The disciples of the Great Sun Saint Sect all laughed. “Thank you, Senior Brother Grant!”

Ethan Clark and the others were furious, but Samuel Grant swept them with a cold glance, his gaze landing on Alice Warren. “I know you have a mid-grade treasured weapon. If you’d like to offer it to me as well, why not bring it out?”

Alice Warren frowned, meeting Samuel Grant’s gaze without backing down.

Ethan Clark’s face was stern as he gently rubbed his dark red ring.

Samuel Grant clasped his hands behind his back, and a faint, illusory golden light began to flicker around him, as if countless golden needle-like rays were radiating from his body.

“I won’t make things difficult for you juniors. Go back and tell Eric Dawson to come see me. I’ll be waiting for him right here.”

A hint of a smile appeared on Samuel Grant’s cold, stern face. “If he dares to come.”

Golden light, like needle rays, shot out from every pore of Samuel Grant’s body, making him appear as if he were coated in a layer of golden brilliance.

All the disciples of the Great Sun Saint Sect looked at Samuel Grant with both respect and fear.

This senior brother had, for years, endured the pain of every inch of his skin feeling as if pricked by needles and scorched by fire, forcing himself to master the nearly self-destructive Sun Golden Needle Qi Technique to an extremely profound level.

If he could be so ruthless to himself, one could only imagine how harsh his methods would be toward others.

Even his fellow disciples of the Great Sun Saint Sect feared Samuel Grant: “Senior Brother Grant really has cultivated the Sun Golden Needle Qi Technique to the ninth level!”

“Projecting qi externally is a skill only external qi masters possess. Senior Brother Grant can already do it in the late internal qi stage. Though not quite a true external qi master, it’s still terrifying—no wonder he can easily defeat opponents of the same level!”

As they thought this, they saw Samuel Grant’s aura continue to rise, his whole being seeming to transform into a small sun, making it impossible to look directly at him.

The black mist in the surrounding space seemed to thin considerably for a moment.

Without even making a move, just the shockwaves of his qi caused the canyon rocks near Samuel Grant to shatter in large patches, revealing dense cracks.

“It’s not the ninth level—it’s the tenth!” Even Samuel Grant’s own fellow disciples were shocked: “Senior Brother Grant has completely mastered the Sun Golden Needle Qi Technique!”

The disciples of the Great Sun Saint Sect looked at each other in astonishment.

Although not many people practiced the Sun Golden Needle Qi Technique, over the ages, there had still been a fair number.

For someone of Samuel Grant’s age to reach the ninth level was already extremely rare—throughout history, there were fewer than five such individuals.

But to have fully mastered all ten levels—could this be... the first?

The disciples of Guangcheng Mountain might recognize the Sun Golden Needle Qi Technique, but not necessarily know its details, nor understand the significance of Samuel Grant’s current actions.

But the terrifying aura now radiating from Samuel Grant made it clear to them just how formidable an opponent stood before them.

Previously, when they saw Eric Dawson take action, he had never displayed such might. For a moment, unease crept into their hearts.

Could Senior Brother Dawson defeat this man before them?

“Since we last parted, Eric Dawson must have improved, right? I suppose he can at least withstand the ninth level of my Sun Golden Needle Qi Technique. But can he withstand the full power of the tenth and final level?”

From within the golden light like a small sun came Samuel Grant’s indifferent voice: “I believe Eric Dawson will have improved as well, but if it’s not enough, I’ll be very disappointed.”

“But since our last three fights ended without a winner, let’s settle it today.”

Upon hearing this, the disciples of the Great Sun Saint Sect all broke into smiles.

“If he doesn’t come, it’s a disgrace. But if he forces himself to come and pretends to be strong, it’ll be more than just embarrassing.”

The disciples of Guangcheng Mountain present couldn’t help but look even more grim.