Showdown of the Strong

Showdown of the Strong . . .

In a dazzling display of power and grace, Qin Wentian and Qing'er ascended into the azure sky. Their silhouettes were like celestial beings, capturing the attention of all below. As if scripted by destiny, the stage was set, and the audience gathered. Hua Taixu, Zi Qingxuan, and Jun Mengchen materialized one after the other, their eyes fixed on the approaching figures. Jun Mengchen, never one to mince words, broke the silence with a sardonic quip, "What's the matter here? Are the old-timers from the Xiao Branch really so feeble that the Twin Stars Alliance has to muster their entire sect's strength to face the magnificent five of us?"

A frosty veneer enveloped Xiao Lengyue's countenance as she retorted, "Qin Wentian, your audacity knows no bounds." She couldn't help but recall her past futile attempts to win over Qin Wentian by leveraging her beauty. Now, standing beside him, Qing'er made it abundantly clear that she had never been more than a mere jest to him. From the outset, Qin Wentian and the Evergreen Immortal Emperor's daughter had been destined lovers.

Qin Wentian's gaze remained as icy as Xiao Lengyue's as he responded, "So, it's perfectly fine for you to harm my junior siblings, but I'm not allowed to retaliate against the Xiao Branch? Moreover, the confrontation was entirely fair. Five of us faced dozens of Xiao Branch geniuses. If they couldn't match up to us in skill, what more is there to say? Xiao Lengyue, perhaps I've overestimated you. You dared to send your people after my junior siblings. It seems that the illustrious beauty ranked #6 in the Immortal Ascension Rankings is nothing more than a façade."

Xiao Lengyue couldn't contain her fury, and her frigid intent surged. "Back then, you pitifully sought refuge in my Xiao Sect, and we shielded you from danger. Who would've thought you'd have such a fickle heart, deserting my sect the moment you obtained the God's Hand? I, Xiao Lengyue, must have been utterly blind."

Zi Qingxuan, exasperated by the exchange, interjected, "Enough of this pointless bickering. It serves no purpose." Xiao Lengyue seemed unable to swallow the bitter medicine Qing'er had prescribed, desperately seeking solace.

Qin Wentian stepped forward, attempting to restore some semblance of order. "Xiao Lengyue, our grudge hasn't escalated to the point of life and death. If you truly have the courage, let's settle it once and for all with a one-on-one duel."

Xuan Yang's voice, dripping with venom, interrupted, "Do you think a one-on-one duel is even necessary? Qin Wentian, I'll never let you off the hook for Xuan Xing's death. Whenever the opportunity arises, I will kill you without hesitation."

Qin Wentian's laughter was a frosty echo. "You want your entire Twin Stars Alliance to take us on? How absurd. I won't indulge you under such terms. Thanks to Qing'er's spatial treasure, we could depart this instant, and who could stop us? We've lingered here solely awaiting your arrival. Xuan Yang, both you and Xiao Lengyue rank at the pinnacle of the Immortal Ascension Rankings. If you possess the gall, how about a two-on-two duel with Qing'er and me?"

A hushed tension gripped the hearts of the onlookers, their collective breaths held captive by the weight of Qin Wentian's words. As his challenge hung in the air, their very souls quivered in anticipation. The mere thought of Qing'er's mastery over the enigmatic power of space was enough to earn their silent nods of agreement. For Qin Wentian and his loyal companions, their unwavering presence in this moment seemed almost effortless, as if they gambled nothing by biding their time.

Imaginations ran wild as spectators pondered the formidable might of the Twin Stars Alliance—a formidable collective, brimming with hundreds of geniuses adorned with lofty ranks within the Immortal Ascension Rankings. It was a congregation of the finest, and in the face of such overwhelming numbers, the odds against Qin Wentian and his steadfast allies appeared insurmountable.

Yet, beneath this veneer of futility, there simmered a deeper purpose to Qin Wentian's vigil. His intent was crystal clear—he yearned for a fair confrontation with none other than Xuan Yang and Xiao Lengyue. In his heart, justice demanded a two-on-two duel, a clash of equals.

Eager eyes turned to Xuan Yang, the fulcrum of this crucial decision. Should he spurn the challenge and persist with sheer numerical might, Qin Wentian would vanish into the horizon, leaving their standoff utterly hollow. Xuan Yang, however, would bear a damning brand—the mark of cowardice. Ranked at an impressive #4, with Xiao Lengyue as #6 and Qing'er at #5, there appeared to be no logical basis for evasion. As for Qin Wentian, he was a seemingly modest #100.

Even with a two-on-two proposition, Xuan Yang and Xiao Lengyue held the upper hand, or so it seemed. This match would have little meaning if they didn't engage. A one-on-one skirmish between Xuan Yang and Qin Wentian, sans the use of their celestial weapons, would be an equitable display of their mettle. To introduce those artifacts into the fray would merely replay the tragic cycle—they'd end battered and bruised while Qing'er orchestrated Qin Wentian's escape once more.

Faced with this delicate balance, Xuan Yang weighed his options, casting an inquisitive glance at Xiao Lengyue. Memories of her prior clash with Qing'er still lingered, a bitter taste in her mouth. If a battle ensued, it was her destiny to face off against Qing'er, while Xuan Yang grappled with Qin Wentian. Despite Qin Wentian's recent cultivation breakthrough to the eighth-level, the scales tilted in favor of the Twin Stars Alliance duo. Qin Wentian's sole ace up his sleeve was the fabled secret art of Ancient Emperor Yi—the God's Hand.

A reassuring nod passed between Xiao Lengyue and Xuan Yang, and together, they strode purposefully toward their awaiting adversaries. Qin Wentian and Qing'er mirrored their advance, and the stage was set—a quartet of heaven's chosen, poised to engage in a celestial dance, their aura reaching heights unattainable to mere mortals.

"I shall deal with Qing'er. Your task is to vanquish Qin Wentian without mercy," Xuan Yang's voice resonated within Xiao Lengyue's mind. His rank was a notch above Qing'er's, and Xiao Lengyue had previously succumbed to her prowess. It was only right for him to challenge Qing'er, while she confronted Qin Wentian, confident of her victory.

"Agreed," Xiao Lengyue responded, her gaze unwavering. The spectators, keen observers of the tactical exchange, discerned the unspoken strategy at play. The stronger contender would engage the seemingly weaker opponent—a tactic as old as time itself. Xuan Yang's towering celestial mirror constellation hung suspended in the heavens, a harbinger of his invulnerable Heavenly Mystic Mirror Art, capable of deflecting any assault.

The audience, Nanfeng Yunxi included, found themselves drawn into this thrilling spectacle. The top three ranks beneath her were now pitted against each other, a rare spectacle unfolding within the City of Ancient Emperors. The anticipation hung palpable in the air, the promise of an epic clash of titans electrifying the very essence of the city.

Amidst the palpable tension that hung in the air, the spectators marveled at the might of Princess Qing'er's celestial constellation—a wondrous tapestry of space, woven with the intricate threads of boundless spatial energy. Within this cosmic weave, she found a sanctuary, cloaking herself with an invincibility that sent shivers down their spines.

"It's the God's Hand!" The exclamation resounded through the crowd, their collective gaze fixed upon Qin Wentian as he summoned the divine. His outstretched palm shimmered, bathed in the resplendent radiance of ancient runes, shaping into a colossal hand worthy of gods.

Suddenly, ethereal wings, reminiscent of a wind roc, sprouted from his back, their feathers aflutter with a fiendish luminescence. His veins pulsed with the surging torrent of his formidable bloodline power.

-BOOM!- A burst of action from Xiao Lengyue rocked the scene. With a single palm thrust, she conjured an unforgiving wave of absolute freeze energy, plunging vast expanses of space into an icy abyss. The biting chill threatened to ensnare Qin Wentian and Qing'er in its frigid embrace.

Undaunted, Qing'er unleashed a torrent of golden void fists, rending the very fabric of reality and obliterating the encroaching freeze energy. Meanwhile, Qin Wentian materialized a fearsome long spear from the intricate runic patterns of the God's Hand. As the spear thrust forth, an intangible tempest of overwhelming power swept through, laying waste to everything in its path.

Simultaneously, Xuan Yang sprang into action. His lightning-fast thrust with a long spear was like a bolt of cosmic fury, bolstered by the astral light emanating from his celestial constellation, its relentless pressure bearing down upon Qing'er.

Even as Qin Wentian engaged, Xiao Lengyue initiated her own attack. With the precision of a master, she executed the Frozen Extermination Finger Technique, directing its malevolent force toward Qin Wentian. A bone-chilling freeze coursed through him, promising to freeze him from the inside out.

Qing'er, unfazed by Xuan Yang's assault, countered with her own finger strikes, manifesting golden swords that hurled toward Xuan Yang like celestial meteors. Meanwhile, Qin Wentian's long spear, forged by the artistry of the God's Hand, pressed onward, quelling the encroaching freeze energy. Xiao Lengyue felt the tide of a supreme and irresistible force surging toward her.

"God's Hand." Nanfeng Yunxi's eyes remained fixed on Qin Wentian's astounding attack. The sheer magnitude of power unleashed was nothing short of astounding. In conjunction with his remarkable spear skills, it approached the level of a ninth-level Celestial Phenomenon cultivator. Should his cultivation ascend to that ninth pinnacle, his might would be nothing short of overwhelming in his God's Hand manifestation.

However, tendrils of frost extended, intensifying the encroaching cold around Xiao Lengyue. The ice gradually encapsulated Qin Wentian's spear, even aiming to freeze the very runes composing the God's Hand. A chilling potency, beyond comparison, flowed into Qin Wentian's body, instantaneously encasing half of him in an icy prison.

"Xiao Lengyue has grasped the law energy of freezing," whispered Nanfeng Yunxi, her thoughts drifting in the midst of the intense battle. "Though still in its infancy, this law of immortality is a formidable force. With but a trace of comprehension, she easily dispatches Celestial Phenomenon cultivators devoid of such mastery." Though Qin Wentian's normal attacks had surged to the point of matching Xiao Lengyue's, he remained helpless against her freezing law energy's corrosive effect.

In the depths of her cold, unyielding gaze, Xiao Lengyue pierced through Qin Wentian. Yet, just as astonishment painted her beautiful features, a remarkable transformation took hold. Qin Wentian's entire being seemed to resonate, a torrent of boundless energy surging forth. The ice that ensnared him shattered, his God's Hand crackling with an irrevocable killing intent, poised to obliterate Xiao Lengyue with a single, resolute strike.

"How is this possible? Has he comprehended it?" Xiao Lengyue's eyes flickered with disbelief, for she understood the herculean challenge of mastering such energy.

In the midst of the fierce confrontation, an undeniable, formidable aura emanated from Qin Wentian, casting a spell of awe and wonder over the onlookers. An air of mystery shrouded this newfound power—a curious enigma that stirred their collective curiosity. What could this be, if not the very essence of power itself?

Qin Wentian's cultivation had but ascended to the eighth level of Celestial Phenomenon, a realm seemingly too modest to have traversed the realms of such arcane energy. The crowd was left to puzzle over this perplexing riddle—did this elusive energy truly belong to him?

Xiao Lengyue, her gaze piercing through the ether with a frigid determination, decided to seize this moment of uncertainty. As Qin Wentian's formidable long spear thrust forth once more, she summoned a breathtaking sculpture of ice, ensnaring a faint trace of celestial law energy within its ethereal contours.

With a resounding 'chi,' the spear surged forth, driving deep into the heart of the icy statue, rendering its pristine facade into an intricate tapestry of cracks. Xiao Lengyue's countenance contorted, her earlier suspicions confirmed beyond doubt. Qin Wentian had indeed unlocked the elusive secrets of immortal law energy—a revelation that sent shockwaves through the battlefield.