The Battle (Part 5)

Within the Immortal River Holy Land

Down in the dueling arena, countless dark shadows surged forth, launching surprise attacks on everyone below, preventing them from rushing to Lei Chen's aid. They were the secret unit of the Wu Clan masters of void manipulation and assassination.

Meanwhile, Lei Chen cleaved through the neck of a shadowy figure that leapt at him, severing it cleanly before turning to face Wu Zhao, who floated above with demonic aura surging around him.

But there was not a hint of fear in Lei Chen's eyes. Only a golden light beginning to gleam brightly. He unleashed his full power, golden aura erupting skyward.

On the other side, Wu Zhao extended his hand into the air, pulling forth a crimson-black sword from the void.

"Remember my name well..." Wu Zhao spoke in a chilling tone.

"I'm the one who stole your fiancée, stole your master... and even your mother."

"And I'm the one who killed your father! Die, you lowly insect!!"

In the next instant, Wu Zhao slashed downward, unleashing a crimson-black wave of sword qi. It shot forward in a single, narrow line, tearing through the air with tremendous speed and force. But the attack's range was too narrow. Lei Chen simply shifted his body sideways, evading it with ease. Only the trailing wind grazed his shoulder slightly.

But then, Wu Zhao suddenly appeared directly before him. His crimson-black sword slashed down in a vertical arc, tearing through the air with a sharp screech.

Lei Chen brought his sword up horizontally just in time to block the attack.

Clang!!

The clash of blade against blade rang out like a thunderclap.

The dueling ground quaked violently, the force of impact cracking the stone beneath their feet. Wu Zhao's sword glowed with a demonic crimson-black light, like the fury of a berserk devil, while Lei Chen's blade radiated with pure gold and white light, like that of a divine being.

Fwoosh! Clang!!

The two clashed as if heaven itself was on the verge of collapse. Wu Zhao's blade was imbued with demonic energy condensed from his cultivation at the Saint King level. Lei Chen's sword held its ground, but even blocking a single strike from Wu Zhao caused his arm to fracture instantly. A sharp jolt of pain shot from his arm to the center of his spine.

Yet Lei Chen didn't utter a cry, nor did he show a single expression of pain. He gritted his teeth, enduring the searing ache, and in that brief opening, launched a counterattack with a swift upward kick aimed at Wu Zhao's waist.

Wu Zhao narrowly dodged, twisting his body just in time, giving Lei Chen the chance to quickly down a healing pill. The moment the medicine touched his lips, the two of them shot forward again.

Boom! Clang! Boom! Clang!

This time it wasn't just sword against sword. Speed, spiritual power, battle technique, strategy—everything was now in play.

The sharp clash of blade against blade rang out without end. Golden and crimson-black energy exploded across the dueling ground, their force so intense that no one could approach. All others were forced apart, drawn into their own battles.

The leader and patriarchs of the Immortal River Holy Land were locked in combat against the ancestors of the Wu Clan.

The Peak Masters and guardian elders were fighting against the Great Emperors from the allied forces.

Han Ming's disciples and core elders were fending off the Wu Clan's secret unit and the Fate Daughters under Wu Zhao's control.

And at the heart of the arena, the battle between Lei Chen and Wu Zhao continued with unrelenting fury.

Though it seemed close, it was clear to all observers Wu Zhao held the upper hand. His cultivation power surpassed Lei Chen's by far.

And yet, Wu Zhao's body was now covered in wounds small, precise strikes delivered every time Lei Chen countered. Lei Chen's attacks were sharper, more calculated. Every slash and thrust aimed for vital points: the throat, the heart, the dantian, the joints, the meridian flow.

Each time he parried Wu Zhao's blade, he retaliated with pinpoint jabs nicking meridian lines behind the soul, stabbing into knees, wrists, and thighs. He targeted joints, nerves, and balance points with cold precision.

He applied everything he had learned under Han Ming's training. Every weakness Han Ming once exploited in him, Lei Chen now used flawlessly against Wu Zhao.

However… in terms of sheer power, Wu Zhao still held the advantage. He wasn't a mere prodigy he was someone empowered by a system.

Boom!!

Lei Chen was knocked backward, slammed hard into the ground. Blood spilled from a gash in his abdomen. He quickly pulled a pill from his sleeve and swallowed it. His battered body began to recover at an astonishing speed, as if touched by a miracle.

At the same time, Wu Zhao dropped to one knee, panting heavily, his expression twisting into frustration. Blood streamed from countless cuts all over his body. He glared at Lei Chen with pure hatred and bellowed,

"You filthy worm! You poisoned me, didn't you?!"

"Fine! Let's see how long you can keep this up!"

With a roar, Wu Zhao channeled demonic energy into his body. The wounds across him slowly closed, the infernal energy surging wildly again as if he were immortal.

"I'll take your head and hang it above the gates of the Wu Clan with my own hands!!"

"Yaaaaaaahhh!!"

Wu Zhao's roar echoed across the battlefield. His body vanished into the air, darting toward Lei Chen at blinding speed. His sword raised high, then slashed downward from the heavens. The force shattered the very fabric of space. Lei Chen met the attack, but the blow cracked his spine—blood gushed from his mouth.

Boom!!

The explosion of impact thundered through the arena. Lei Chen's body was hurled through the air, crashing into the ground and sending ripples of destruction across the stage. He staggered up, stepping back.

Once again, Wu Zhao had cornered him. Without hesitation, he poured all his demonic power into his blade, his aura twisting and roaring like a storm, then charged at Lei Chen like a streak of black fire.

His speed now was beyond what even the eye could follow. Even Lei Chen couldn't react in time.

Clang!!

But Lei Chen's body battered and bloodied from countless blows had learned. His muscles had memorized the rhythm, the weight, the angle of each strike. And now, they responded on instinct.

Boom!!

Wu Zhao's sword slammed down, splitting the earth and tearing the void asunder. The sheer force pulverized Lei Chen's arm, shattering the bone into fragments.

Blood poured from every inch of Lei Chen's body. He could barely stand. And yet, his eyes remained clear, unshaken. Cold, focused.

This... was the moment he had been waiting for.

Lei Chen slowly angled his sword downward. The full force of Wu Zhao's blade slid off along the edge of his own, redirected harmlessly to the side. The power of the devastating strike was rendered completely ineffective, like water flowing over a mirror.

Wu Zhao's eyes widened the moment he saw his blade slipping off Lei Chen's. His stance faltered for just an instant and that was all Lei Chen needed.

Without hesitation, Lei Chen flicked his sword upward and thrust it straight into Wu Zhao's heart, twisting the blade slightly before pulling it back.

Tchhk!

A stream of bright crimson blood gushed into the air.

"Aaaaarghhh!!"

Wu Zhao, who seemed on the brink of death, let out a furious roar. He slashed wildly in retaliation, cutting through Lei Chen's left arm in one brutal motion. Blood sprayed through the sky as his severed limb spun away, and Wu Zhao raised his sword again, intent on cutting Lei Chen in two.

Lei Chen, though overwhelmed by pain to the point his vision blurred, maintained control over his breath. His eyes remained clear and cold.

With his remaining arm, he swept his sword in a swift arc aimed directly at Wu Zhao's throat.

But in that final second...

Suddenly, Zhang Fu the woman everyone believed to be dead hurled herself in from the side, throwing her body in the path of the strike. It was her last desperate attempt, hoping that Lei Chen might spare her one final time. She was now nothing more than an ordinary mortal after having died multiple times this was her final life.

As her body moved to block the sword, a flood of memories surged through Lei Chen's mind like a dam bursting. Sweet, distant moments from their past came rushing back, replaying in vivid clarity inside his heart.

"Master, will you marry me when I grow up?"

"A little pup like you wants to marry me!? Keep dreaming!!"

"Master, how's my swordsmanship today?"

"Pathetic!!"

"Master... this is a flower I picked for you. A flower that symbolizes eternal companionship."

"....."

"Master…"

"....."

Clink!!

Suddenly, those memories shattered like glass struck by a hammer. Lei Chen's eyes turned cold once more. Not a trace of weakness, not a flicker of emotion remained. Every memory…

His sword slashed through Zhang Fu's throat, cutting down the woman who had once been his master, his love, and ultimately, his betrayer.

At the same time, it cleaved through Wu Zhao's neck the man who had stolen everything from him.

Shing!!

For a moment, time itself seemed to freeze.

Two heads hit the ground with a dull thud, blood spraying across the dueling platform in vivid crimson. Silence fell over the battlefield.

All eyes were drawn to one man.

Lei Chen stood alone in the center of the arena, surrounded by the headless corpses of a man and woman. Though he had lost an arm and his body was covered in blood and wounds, nothing could diminish the dignity that radiated from him as the victor.

The entire battlefield whether sky or ground was utterly silent. Even the will of the heavens seemed hesitant to make a sound.

But then, without warning, a massive golden bolt of lightning crashed down toward Lei Chen.

BOOOOOM!!