Sharp Point

Sharp Point...

Shi Potian unleashed a torrent of overwhelming strength as he confronted Qin Zheng. Despite Shi Potian's relentless onslaught, Qin Zheng's techniques were versatile and packed a considerable punch.

The moment they clashed directly, Astral Light burst forth, encircling Qin Zheng in astral shackles so binding they could restrain even a true dragon's movements. Qin Zheng's body transformed into a sharp light, coalescing into a formidable Origin Void Sword.

With a cold snort, Qin Zheng directed the blade toward Shi Potian, his strikes so powerful that even the fabric of space yielded before them. Would Shi Potian, encased in his golden dragon battle armor, withstand such a blow?

A razor-sharp glint shone in Shi Potian's eyes. Rather than dodging, he stood his ground, allowing the strike to land.

In an instant, as Qin Zheng's blade descended, Shi Potian vanished from view. Qin Zheng's expression shifted dramatically, and he hastily retreated using the Mandate of Wind as an afterimage of Shi Potian blurred the space between them.

A tremendous force crashed into Qin Zheng, sending him hurtling through the air. Even while airborne, he coughed up blood from the impact.

Once he regained his footing on the ground, Qin Zheng fixed his gaze on the platform. His qi surged chaotically through his body, and fresh blood continued to trickle from his lips. Strangely, there was no hint of anger in his eyes; despite his defeat, he remained remarkably composed.

"Was that one of the nine ultimate arts you acquired?" Qin Zheng inquired, his voice steady.

Shi Potian, still on the platform, returned Qin Zheng's gaze. "To fight me to such an extent, you should be proud of your abilities. You might still have a chance to secure a spot in the top six. As for your question, yes, that was indeed a movement technique from one of Grand Xia's nine ultimate arts—the Stellar Transposition."

The crowd was astonished. In addition to the Golden Dragon Battle Art, Shi Potian had also mastered a movement technique as extraordinary as the Stellar Transposition. His combat prowess was truly formidable.

Stellar Transposition had only a single stance, but it was incredibly potent. It allowed the user to instantly teleport a short distance, at the cost of a significant amount of Astral Energy. While Shi Potian's attacks appeared ferocious, he had been cautious throughout his battle with Qin Zheng, only revealing this trump card at the last moment.

In a life-or-death struggle, such a precious movement technique could be a lifesaver or even a game-changer, enabling the user to swiftly defeat their opponent.

While Shi Potian possessed more raw power than Qin Zheng, the latter had a versatile arsenal of techniques at his disposal. In fact, without using Stellar Transposition, their battle might have ended in a draw.

Given the circumstances, Shi Potian secured a spot in the top six, while Qin Zheng's ranking temporarily slipped. Nonetheless, Qin Zheng's strength left room for him to contend for a top-six position.

The next match featured Si Qiong versus Mu Feng. As soon as they set foot on the stage, the spectators brimmed with excitement. Si Qiong was a formidable dark horse among the contenders, while Mu Feng was known for his deadly venom arts. Anticipation ran high for their battle.

"Do you believe you can avoid paying the price for your earlier stubbornness?" Si Qiong's voice carried an icy edge, and his imposing aura bore down on Mu Feng.

Si Qiong referred to the group's previous rejection of an exchange offer: their ancient luck for one of the nine ultimate arts of Ancient Grand Xia. The nine ultimate arts held no value to them; they coveted the ancient luck required for the secret art. However, the Vermilion Bird Formation had prevented them from obtaining it, and they hesitated to destroy the formation, fearing the loss of the ancient luck. Nevertheless, they were patient. A few thousand years meant little to them, and they now sensed a shift in Grand Xia's destiny. The power that brought them here would not tolerate failure. They needed to succeed this time.

The changes within the formation world served as proof, and with all the ancient luck now concentrated in corporeal forms, the formation would inevitably crumble after the ranking battle. Therefore, they needed to seize the secret art while they still could. Did these misguided individuals truly believe they could keep the ancient luck to themselves? Such a notion was laughable, and Si Qiong held Mu Feng in disdain.

Mu Feng's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he observed Si Qiong. His Mandate of Blood surged, causing Si Qiong's own blood to spiral out of control. Si Qiong, however, stepped forward with a sinister grin, radiating a searing heat—Great Solar Energy.

"That's the Great Solar Universe Art!" gasped the crowd. Si Qiong was also privy to the ultimate arts of Grand Xia?

A brilliant light flashed as an ancient sword materialized in Si Qiong's grip. Stepping forward, he unleashed a sword strike that descended from the heavens, setting the sky ablaze with sunfire.

"Heavenly Swordplay, Great Solar Universe Art!" Si Qiong's voice resonated with authority.

Witnessing this, Old Man Tianji and the others couldn't help but feel their hearts race. Even though they knew the group of challengers possessed the complete collection of the nine ultimate arts of Ancient Grand Xia, seeing Si Qiong execute them one by one left them in awe.

Mu Feng's figure flickered, and he manifested an inky black blood imprint with his palm.

Sizzling sounds reverberated as Si Qiong's Great Solar Energy obliterated the blood imprint. He moved with incredible speed, relentlessly pursuing Mu Feng and delivering another sword strike from the heavens. Mu Feng could only retreat continuously; if it weren't for his comprehension of the Mandate of Wind, evading the strikes from Heavenly Swordplay would have been impossible.

Si Qiong touched down on the ground, his lips trembling as an eerie melody flowed from them.

The melody transformed into ethereal musical notes and then into formless energy, drifting into Mu Feng's ears. Mu Feng's brow furrowed as he experienced a sharp pain in his head, and even his very soul quivered.

With another step forward, Si Qiong intensified the strange melody. Mu Feng shook his head, attempting to dispel the agony, but Si Qiong seized this opportunity to unleash another sword strike.

Blood sprayed forth, and Mu Feng found himself cornered. The unrelenting melody continued, and Si Qiong moved closer step by step.

"Soul attacks...?" Fear pulsed through the crowd. Si Qiong was exceptionally menacing.

They began to realize that Chen Wang might not be the most formidable contender in this group. Si Qiong was not only proficient in the nine ultimate arts of Grand Xia but could also execute soul attacks.

The soul was an enigmatic and elusive entity. Yuanfu Realm cultivators couldn't even sense its faintest presence. Si Qiong's ability to unleash such a terrifying soul attack showcased his prodigious talent in this obscure realm.

In an instant, Si Qiong's silhouette vanished as an intense burst of Astral Light erupted.

"Stellar Transposition!"

Si Qiong reappeared before Mu Feng as if he had teleported, his palms locking onto Mu Feng's head while his lips trembled, uttering a strange melody that drifted into Mu Feng's ears. Spectators were left flabbergasted by this sight.

Si Qiong's dominance was unparalleled.

"What is this...?"

"Soul-searching. Legends speak of those with immense soul power who can perform this technique."

"Si Qiong wants to conduct a soul-search on Mu Feng?"

"But won't the target of such an intrusion be reduced to a babbling fool?"

Qin Wentian's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he observed the situation. He began to grasp Si Qiong's intentions. Mu Feng, himself, Mo Qingcheng, Yun Mengyi, and Qin Zheng were the individuals who had rejected the exchange offer. Did Si Qiong intend to reduce them all to incoherent beings?

Si Qiong's true strength was beyond their expectations.

Qin Wentian fixed his gaze on Mu Feng, his thoughts swirling in the wake of Mu Feng's grim tale. Could it be that, even if he managed to unmask the true killer, Mu Feng would meet his end on this very arena platform? Si Qiong was undoubtedly ruthless, and he wouldn't spare Mu Feng.

A sizzling sound suddenly echoed from the arena, catching everyone's attention. Si Qiong's palms were rapidly corroding, the dark aura spreading through his body. Dark qi surged on his face as his countenance contorted. Moments later, a jet-black blood burst from Mu Feng.

"BOOM!"

A torrent of Astral Light erupted as Si Qiong executed Stellar Transposition, retreating explosively. His arm bore the brunt of the corrosive force, and his face turned unsightly as he stared at it.

Mu Feng, despite the excruciating pain in his head, remained eerily composed as he opened his eyes. He shot a cold glance at Si Qiong before stepping down from the platform. His grievous injuries did little to ruffle his demeanor, and his calmness sent shivers down everyone's spine.

No one dared to approach Mu Feng, not even Si Qiong. The latter promptly left the platform, settling cross-legged as Astral Light enveloped his body. He had to purify the poison swiftly; his life hung in the balance.

Si Qiong emerged as the victor, securing a place in the top six. His formidable performance etched a lasting memory in the spectators' minds. As for Mu Feng, though defeated, he had made an indelible mark.

The third round commenced with Zhan Chen facing off against Yun Mengyi. Zhan Chen exuded unwavering confidence as his eyes gleamed with a golden radiance. His gaze bore into Yun Mengyi as he calmly inquired, "What's your connection to Qin Wentian?"

He vividly recalled how Yun Mengyi and a black-robed figure had thwarted his pursuit of Qin Wentian.

"It's none of your concern," Yun Mengyi replied serenely, manifesting an astral sharp sword in her hands. An aura of icy coldness enveloped her, revealing her readiness for combat.

"Don't worry; I won't kill you," Zhan Chen assured her before stepping forward. "Heavenly Swordplay? I'm familiar with it."

With his words, a golden sharp sword, crafted from the Mandate of Gold, materialized in his grasp. He waved it, causing golden light to envelop the entire platform.

Streams of golden radiance swirled around Zhan Chen, forming an impervious shield. He advanced toward Yun Mengyi, his eyes flashing with golden light. He directed the radiance into Yun Mengyi's eyes.

Yun Mengyi felt an intense, searing pain and could only make out a blurry figure in her consciousness—an executioner with a raised sword, ready to strike.

Undaunted, she didn't retreat but advanced, executing the Heavenly Swordplay with precision. The nine shadow shadows intertwined, forming an intricate, spinning circle.

Although Zhan Chen continued to employ his eye technique, the pressure made Yun Mengyi perspire. However, she held her sword steady, unshaken.

"Puchi!"

Her sword struck Zhan Chen's golden body, but it inflicted no damage. In response, Zhan Chen's sword followed the same principle—nine shadows as one, spinning in a perfect circle, and slashed down mercilessly.

Blood sprayed out, staining Yun Mengyi's robes crimson. She was flung from the arena, but Qin Wentian waved his hand, gently guiding her descent to minimize the impact.

Raising his head, Qin Wentian locked eyes with Zhan Chen, who stood on the platform. Zhan Chen pointed his sword at Qin Wentian, a sinister smile curving his lips, exuding unwavering confidence.