Chapter 151: Chapter 150: Defeating Vajra Temple, Bottleneck
On the arena platform, Wu Fan knew a purely defensive strategy was doomed to fail. He had to find a way to restrict Fang Han’s Body Technique.
Suddenly, he took Fang Han’s sword thrust to his ribs head-on. His body trembled slightly, but he seized the opportunity to slam both palms onto the ground.
"BOOM!"
A fierce wave of Qi Force erupted from him, spreading in all directions. The arena floor cracked and splintered.
Caught in the shockwave of Qi Force, Fang Han’s movements faltered for an instant.
In that split second, a sharp glint flashed in Wu Fan’s eyes, and he unleashed the Vajra Palm he had been gathering power for with all his might.
The Palm Wind covered a radius of several dozen feet, seeming as if it would crush Fang Han and the very space around him!
"Danger!"
From the Qingxuan Sect’s side, Huang Ling’er couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.
Unflustered in the face of danger, Fang Han pushed his Wind Shadow Step to its absolute limit, sliding diagonally backward in the nick of time.
At the same time, his Cyan Blade Sword jabbed out swiftly. The tip vibrated, transforming into several points of cold starlight that stabbed toward Wu Fan’s palm!
"TING! TING! TING!—"
Wu Fan’s palm went numb, and the momentum of his attack faltered.
Fang Han used the force of the impact to float backward, creating distance. His chest heaved slightly.
Wu Fan raised his palm and looked at the few red marks on it. His simple, honest smile finally vanished, replaced by a flicker of solemnity in his eyes.
"Donor Fang, your Body Technique is incredible, and your sword is truly sharp."
Wu Fan brought his palms together, his tone solemn.
"Master Wu Fan’s Vajra Divine Power is equally admirable."
Fang Han steadied his breathing and raised his Cyan Blade Sword once more.
The two exchanged a look and, without another word, attacked at the same time!
Wu Fan changed his strategy. No longer defending passively, he went on the offensive, alternating between fists and palms, trying to use a powerful assault to suppress Fang Han’s Body Technique.
Fang Han, meanwhile, continued to rely on his Body Technique to fight evasively. His sword flashes were like threads of silk as he searched for any possible flaw in Wu Fan’s Body Hardening Skills.
The battle grew more intense. Figures flew across the arena platform as waves of Qi Force crisscrossed the air.
Fang Han integrated the insights from yesterday’s Cultivation into the battle. His Swordsmanship became increasingly cunning and ruthless, and his application of Wind Momentum grew more masterful.
Wu Fan, in turn, pushed his Vajra Exorcism Divine Power to its peak. A faint golden light flowed over his entire body, making him resemble a Golden Body Arhat. A subtle Buddhist radiance flickered between his fists and palms, exuding an astonishing might.
In the blink of an eye, another hundred moves had passed.
’This is it!’
At that thought, Fang Han’s figure suddenly accelerated, splitting into several afterimages to confuse Wu Fan.
His true self, however, appeared behind Wu Fan’s side like a phantom. The Cyan Blade Sword struck like a viper from its den, aiming straight for his throat!
This strike condensed his entire understanding of Wind Momentum, moving so fast it was beyond the limits of visual perception!
A premonition of danger struck Wu Fan. It was too late to defend, so he could only desperately twist his body and tense the muscles in his neck.
"SHINK!"
The blade’s edge bit into his neck.
This was his weak point, where his defenses were thinnest, and the sword seemed poised to run him through.
At the critical moment, Xuanyuan Jing appeared. He caught the blade between two fingers, halting its advance.
He then announced in a clear voice.
"Fourth match of the Sect tournament, Qingxuan Sect wins!"
The entire arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a deafening uproar!
They won again!
Qingxuan Sect had once again defeated the powerful Vajra Temple, and their number-one ranked disciple, Yun Qianyue, hadn’t even had to fight!
What’s more, the one who had defeated Vajra Temple’s number-one disciple was actually Qingxuan Sect’s third-ranked disciple, Fang Han.
In the viewing stands, the members of the various factions exchanged glances, their eyes filled with a mixture of awe and apprehension.
The Patriarch of the Zhang Family clapped his hands and sighed in admiration. "This generation of Qingxuan Sect disciples is full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons!"
An Elder from the Thousand Skills Pavilion also had a grave expression. "They’ve defeated two powerful foes in a row, Netherworld Pavilion and Vajra Temple. Qingxuan Sect’s comprehensive strength... it might already be the greatest among the Seven Sects..."
In the seating areas for the four sects that had yet to face Qingxuan Sect—Lingyun Sword Sect, Overlord Blade Sect, Tingyu Building, and Baihua Valley—the atmosphere had clearly grown tense.
Lin Zihua stood with his sword held in his arms, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
Guo Lie, shouldering his giant blade, let out a cold snort.
Mo Chen remained hidden among the disciples, his aura growing even more obscure.
...
The strength Qingxuan Sect had displayed was now exerting a very real pressure on them.
Elder Chen Xuan stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze filled with even deeper satisfaction as he watched Fang Han return from the platform.
Fang Han returned to his sect’s area, respectfully greeted Elder Chen Xuan, and then moved to the side to regulate his breathing.
Although he had only fought one match, his opponent had been the number-one disciple of Vajra Temple, so he had still expended a great deal of energy.
"The fifth match: Netherworld Pavilion versus Lingyun Sword Sect!"
The referee Xuanyuan Jing’s voice once again boomed across the Martial Arts Arena, pulling everyone’s attention away from the duel between Qingxuan Sect and Vajra Temple.
The moment his voice faded, the atmosphere in the arena grew sharp and tense.
Netherworld Pavilion had just suffered a crushing defeat the day before and desperately needed a victory to save face. Meanwhile, Lingyun Sword Sect had lost to Overlord Blade Sect in their long-standing rivalry, and they too were seething with pent-up frustration.
As the disciples from the two sects locked eyes, it was as if sparks flew through the air.
The battle began immediately.
Both sects sent out their disciples in ascending order of rank, from last to first.
The techniques of the Netherworld Pavilion disciples were ruthless, carrying the ferocity of desperate outlaws.
The Lingyun Sword Sect disciples, on the other hand, had a disciplined style of Swordsmanship, weaving attacks into their defense.
On the arena platform, sword light flashed and Palm Wind howled, while the clang of metal on metal rang out ceaselessly.
The series of battles raged on, with victories and losses on both sides.
In the end, the two left standing on the platform were Lingyun Sword Sect’s number-one disciple, Lin Zihua, and Netherworld Pavilion’s number-one, Xin Wuming.
All eyes in the arena were focused on them.
Lin Zihua’s white robes were purer than snow. His features were cold and stern, his eyes calm as a placid lake. Simply by standing there, he naturally exuded the transcendent air of a Sword Dao genius.
Xin Wuming, by contrast, was dressed in black, his aura sinister and cold. Though the long saber at his waist was still sheathed, a grim Sword Momentum already radiated from it.
Without a word, upon Xuanyuan Jing’s signal to begin, the two figures collided in an instant!
"CLANG!"
The ring of saber and sword leaving their sheaths was a single, unified sound.
Lin Zihua’s sword was as fast as lightning. As his sword light unfurled, it was like a river of stars pouring down. Each glint of cold light stabbed with precision toward Xin Wuming’s vital points, taking the concepts of "speed" and "accuracy" to their absolute limit.
Xin Wuming’s Saber Technique, however, was treacherous and venomous. His blade followed unorthodox paths, often striking from unbelievable angles, carrying a cold, sinister saber intent that seemed to corrode the will.
Both combatants were at the Mid-Stage Eighth Grade Cultivation level, and their Martial Techniques had all reached the Mastery realm, approaching the Great Success Realm. This exchange could be called the most top-level duel of the tournament thus far.
Flashes of sword light and shadows of the saber crossed rapidly in the center of the stage. The sound of exploding Qi Force was as dense as falling rain. The sharp Sword Qi and saber winds carved countless fine lines into the sturdy arena floor.
Lin Zihua’s Sword Momentum grew increasingly sharp. The transitions between his Sword Techniques were as smooth as flowing clouds and water, utterly without pause.
His gaze was sharp, always able to perceive the subtlest flaws in Xin Wuming’s Saber Technique. The tip of his sword invariably pointed toward the moments where his opponent’s old force was spent and new force had yet to be generated.
Though ferocious, Xin Wuming was gradually forced onto the back foot by this exquisitely refined Swordsmanship, and fine beads of sweat began to form on his temples.
"SWOOSH—"
After more than three hundred moves, Lin Zihua found an opening in Xin Wuming’s defense. His Sword Momentum changed abruptly as he executed an incredibly ruthless slice toward Xin Wuming’s wrist.
Xin Wuming’s expression changed in horror. It was too late to bring his saber back to defend, and his wrist was about to be severed.
"Fifth match, Lingyun Sword Sect wins!"
Xuanyuan Jing intervened in time to save Xin Wuming and announced the result.
A suppressed cheer immediately erupted from the Lingyun Sword Sect’s direction, and the disciples’ faces showed expressions of immense relief.
Their supervising Elder, Qing Xu, gave a slight nod. The tense look on his face relaxed somewhat; they had finally won a match back.
In contrast, the Netherworld Pavilion had suffered another defeat. Led by Elder Ming Gu, the expressions on everyone’s faces grew even more sullen. The atmosphere was so oppressive you could practically wring water from it.
After a short pause, Xuanyuan Jing’s voice rang out again, cutting through the noise of the crowd.
"Sixth match: Overlord Blade Sect versus Tingyu Building!"
The disciples of the Overlord Blade Sect were all rubbing their hands in eagerness. Yesterday’s victory over their old rival, Lingyun Sword Sect, had left their morale soaring.
Tingyu Building, however, remained as mysterious and low-key as ever. Not much emotion could be seen on the faces of its five disciples—though it was also possible they simply didn’t consider Overlord Blade Sect to be worth their notice.
And the result of this match was, one might say, not unexpected.
The victor was Tingyu Building, who had shown the same dominance as Qingxuan Sect the day before.
Moreover, Tingyu Building’s number-one disciple, Mo Chen, still hadn’t fought. Their number-two, You Quan, had been enough to defeat Overlord Blade Sect’s number-one, Guo Lie, and conclude the match.
"The sixth match is over. Tingyu Building wins!"
Xuanyuan Jing’s voice echoed throughout the arena.
For a moment, the entire arena was silent.
Tingyu Building, once again, had crushed a powerful opponent without their number-one disciple even taking the stage!
And this time, the opponent they had defeated was the Overlord Blade Sect, the very same sect that had just triumphed over Lingyun Sword Sect!
The various factions who had initially been optimistic about Qingxuan Sect’s chances now found their perspectives quietly shifting.
"Tingyu Building... their hidden depths are simply too profound."
"If You Quan is already this formidable, then just what level of power has Mo Chen, who has yet to fight, reached?"
"Qingxuan Sect is strong, but for them to challenge Tingyu Building’s top position... I’m afraid... it’s going to be difficult."
The Zhang Family Patriarch, the Tiejiang Gang Leader, and others exchanged glances, each seeing the gravity and uncertainty reflected in the other’s eyes.
As the day’s matches concluded, the members of the Seven Sects and the various factions in the audience departed one after another, all with complex feelings.
The members of the Qingxuan Sect returned to their courtyard residence.
Elder Chen Xuan offered a few words of encouragement to the disciples, paying special praise to Fang Han’s performance that day, before telling everyone to go back and rest.
Fang Han returned to his room, closed the door, and shut out the clamor of the outside world.
He sat cross-legged on his bed and quickly entered a state of Cultivation.
He began circulating the Xunfeng Technique, and his Inner Qi surged through his meridians.
The all-out battle against Wu Fan earlier that day seemed to have once again ignited some latent potential within his body.
Just like yesterday, the speed at which his Inner Qi grew was significantly faster than during his usual quiet Cultivation.
Over two hours later, he slowly ceased his practice and muttered to himself.
’The pressure of a life-and-death struggle really does stimulate one’s potential.’
He then stood up, took his Cyan Blade Sword, and went out into the courtyard.
With a flash of his sword, he began to practice. He incorporated every little insight from his fight with Wu Fan into his Sword Techniques, carefully pondering them. As he moved through his Swordsmanship, it became increasingly fluid and natural. Certain areas that had previously felt awkward were now suddenly clear to him.
For the next four days, the Seven Sects tournament proceeded in an orderly fashion.
The five sects of Netherworld Pavilion, Lingyun Sword Sect, Vajra Temple, Baihua Valley, and Overlord Blade Sect all had mixed records of wins and losses against each other.
Only Qingxuan Sect and Tingyu Building maintained their undefeated records, advancing triumphantly and becoming the two most dazzling sects of the tournament.
During these five days of competition, in order to make the most of this "safe arena" to stimulate his potential and accelerate his Cultivation, Fang Han consciously increased the intensity of his fights.
He strove to engage in the most intense and realistic combat possible within the bounds of the rules.
The effects of this strategy were significant. His Inner Qi grew more potent with each passing day, his Swordsmanship became more refined, and his control over Wind Momentum steadily improved.
But it came at a price.
His abdomen was wrapped in clean white bandages, a wound he had received in today’s battle.
Although an expert like Xuanyuan Jing was overseeing the matches, he would only intervene once a victor was decided or when there was a risk of irreversible, serious injury.
He would not interfere with minor injuries that didn’t affect the outcome of the battle.
His current injury was the result of Xuanyuan Jing judging that it wouldn’t affect the outcome, and thus not stopping it.
’I’ve reached the bottleneck!’
Inside his room, Fang Han, who was in the middle of his Inner Qi Cultivation, felt the corners of his mouth curve upward in a subtle, irrepressible smile.
He could clearly feel that the Inner Qi within his Zhongfu Acupoint had been filled to capacity, reaching a critical point.
Spontaneously, the Inner Qi surged toward the next acupoint—the Weijing Acupoint.
An invisible yet incredibly tough barrier, like a natural chasm, lay before it, firmly blocking the surging Inner Qi.
And this was precisely the bottleneck between the Early Stage of Eighth Grade and the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade.
’To think I’ve actually reached this stage...’
A fervent glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes.
Spurred on by life-and-death battles, just a few short days of Cultivation had actually allowed him to touch the threshold of the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade.
This was far earlier than he had originally anticipated.
This injury was well worth it!
He continued his Cultivation, wanting to see if he could break through to the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade today.
Although Qingxuan Sect’s performance these past few days had been strong, Tingyu Building’s performance had been equally dominant.
The match against Tingyu Building was tomorrow. If he could break through to the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade, it would undoubtedly increase their chances of victory immensely.
