Chapter 155: Chapter 154: Defeating Tingyu Building
SHH! SHH! SHH!
On the arena stage, Mo Chen seemed slightly surprised that Fang Han could block his attack, but that surprise vanished in a flash. His eyes returned to their usual placid calm.
He thrust out both hands, unleashing a continuous flurry of attacks.
In an instant, the sound of something tearing through the air was incessant.
Flying Sabers, Flying Needles, and even tiny Tetrahedral Darts, all condensed from Inner Qi, descended upon Fang Han like a sudden storm, coming at him from all sorts of difficult angles.
These Hidden Weapons varied in shape and moved at astonishing speeds. More terrifyingly, their trajectories were unpredictable, and they subtly formed an encircling net, sealing off all of Fang Han’s room to dodge.
Facing this overwhelming offensive, Fang Han took a deep breath, a glint of coldness flashing through his eyes.
’A head-on clash is definitely not the best strategy.’
As the thought raced through his mind, he had already activated the Wind Shadow Step!
WHOOSH—!
His figure instantly blurred, as if transforming into a wisp of invisible wind. In the nick of time, he slipped through the gap between two Flying Sabers.
At the same time, his Cyan Blade Sword was not idle. With flashes of its blade, he tapped or deflected, precisely knocking away the smaller Hidden Weapons he couldn’t fully avoid.
He wasn’t aiming to destroy them, only to divert their paths and prevent them from landing on him.
CLINK! CLINK! CLANG...
The crisp sounds of collision intertwined with the sharp shrieks of the Hidden Weapons tearing through the air.
Fang Han combined his Mastery Level Wind Shadow Step and Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship to their absolute limits.
These two Martial Techniques were already considered top-level among Middle Grade Martial Techniques. When combined, the power they unleashed was beyond imagination.
His body moved like wind and lightning, flitting unpredictably within the limited space of the arena, always avoiding lethal attacks at the most perilous moments.
His Swordsmanship was agile and swift, occasionally deflecting unavoidable Hidden Weapons and showcasing the speed and precision of "Split Wind" to the fullest.
Mo Chen’s assault was ferocious, but Fang Han was like a lone skiff in a stormy sea.
He looked as if he might capsize at any moment, yet he always managed to stabilize himself at the critical juncture, rising and falling with the waves, his resilience astonishing.
"Hm?"
After several rounds of fierce attacks, a faint hint of surprise appeared for the first time on Mo Chen’s perpetually indifferent face.
He hadn’t expected his opponent’s Body Technique and Swordsmanship to be so exquisitely coordinated, allowing him to hold on for so long against his Great Success Realm Ghostly Shadow Thousand Illusions.
The discussions in the stands also began to change in tone.
"What a fast Body Technique! What exquisite Sword Techniques!"
"This Fang Han... he’s actually holding on? And he doesn’t even look that flustered?"
"He’s combined his Body Technique and Swordsmanship too well! He evades the substantial and strikes the void, always finding the weakest link in the assault!"
"It seems the outcome is still uncertain..."
Elder Chen Xuan’s tightly clenched fist relaxed slightly, and an imperceptible glint flashed in his eyes. His brows remained furrowed, however, clearly still worried.
Yun Qianyue’s eyes twinkled as she watched with rapt attention.
On the arena stage, Mo Chen’s gaze turned cold. He clearly had no intention of dragging this out any longer.
He formed a strange hand seal, and the Inner Qi fluctuations around his body suddenly intensified.
’Ghostly Shadow Phantom Kill!’
Inner Qi gathered frantically before him, condensing at once into nine spectral Hidden Weapons of various shapes, each with a piercing aura!
Sabers, needles, darts, spikes... the list went on. Each one was incredibly solid and emanated a chilling light that made one’s heart palpitate.
As he pushed the hand seal forward, the nine Hidden Weapons seemed to come to life, transforming into nine streams of ghostly light. They didn’t fly in straight lines; instead, they carved bizarre arcs through the air like living creatures.
From all directions—above, below, left, and right—they sealed off nearly all of Fang Han’s escape routes, shooting toward him with shrill, mournful whistles.
The power of this strike far surpassed any of his previous attacks, reaching the absolute limit of what he could currently unleash!
’Wind and Shadow Following, Split Wind Sunder Gold!’
Facing this unavoidable killing blow, Fang Han’s pupils contracted abruptly, and every muscle in his body tensed in an instant.
He pushed both his Wind Shadow Step and Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship to their absolute limits!
His figure seemed to truly become a shadow in the wind. His speed suddenly increased by another thirty percent, leaving a faint afterimage in his place as his real body slid sideways as if teleporting.
Simultaneously, the Cyan Blade Sword let out a clear, piercing hum. A cyan light erupted from the blade, condensing all his comprehension of Wind Momentum.
It transformed into a streak of cyan light that tore through the sky, brazenly meeting the three most threatening Inner Qi Hidden Weapons head-on!
BOOM! BOOM! SCHRRIIIP—!
A series of violent energy collisions rang out.
Fang Han’s figure flickered rapidly around the arena, each reappearance accompanied by an explosion of sword light and the annihilation of a Hidden Weapon.
He perfectly fused his Body Technique and Swordsmanship, evading most attacks with his exquisite Body Technique and destroying any threats he could not avoid with his sharp Swordsmanship.
It was a series of close calls!
Several times, the Hidden Weapons grazed the hem of his clothes. The sharp Qi Force tore his robes, leaving several bloody gashes.
But he always managed to turn disaster into safety at the last possible moment, relying on his extraordinary reflexes and exquisite coordination.
In the end, all nine Hidden Weapons were either dodged or destroyed, dissipating into nothingness.
Fang Han stood with his sword in hand, panting slightly. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breath was a little ragged, and the arm holding the sword trembled faintly. It was clear the effort had cost him dearly.
But, he had ultimately weathered this killing blow!
"I underestimated you!"
An unnatural pallor crossed Mo Chen’s face, and his breathing also grew slightly ragged.
Condensing nine Inner Qi Hidden Weapons at once had also taken a significant toll on him.
He stared intently at Fang Han, a truly grave expression appearing in his eyes for the first time.
"Unlike you, I never dared to underestimate you!"
Fang Han said, his tone just as grave.
In the next moment, an Inner Qi Flying Saber shot toward him again, and he quickly swung his sword to block it.
He immediately executed the Wind Shadow Step to leave his spot and dodge the subsequent wave of Hidden Weapons.
On the arena stage, figures flew and flashed, the glint of sabers and swords dazzling the eye.
Mo Chen’s Flying Sabers seemed endless, while Fang Han was like a lone skiff in a stormy sea—seemingly in constant peril, yet always managing to steady his vessel at the critical moment.
One hundred moves, two hundred moves, three hundred moves...
The fierce battle continued, and time passed quietly.
Fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on Mo Chen’s forehead. For the first time, an emotion called "anxiety" surfaced in his hollow eyes.
Fang Han was like a piece of sticky toffee, incredibly tenacious. No matter how ferociously Mo Chen attacked, he couldn’t completely defeat him.
On the contrary, his own Inner Qi was running low after such high-intensity output. The speed and power of his Flying Sabers began to show a subtle, almost imperceptible decline.
This decline might have been difficult for an ordinary person to notice, but to Fang Han, with his sharp Spiritual Sense and constant state of high concentration, it was as clear as a firefly in the night.
’Now is the time!’
After more than four hundred moves had been exchanged, Mo Chen once again flung out several Flying Sabers. In the instant that one of them was a fraction slower than before—
A sharp light exploded in Fang Han’s eyes!
He pushed his Wind Shadow Step to an unprecedented limit, the Wind Momentum beneath his feet roaring to life.
His figure seemed to blur in an instant. A solid afterimage remained in his place while his true body, as if teleporting, cut brazenly through the now-sparse net of Flying Sabers, closing to within twenty paces of Mo Chen.
For Mo Chen, who specialized in long-range attacks, this distance was extremely dangerous!
Mo Chen’s pupils shrank, and for the first time, a look of alarm appeared on his face.
He swung his hands frantically, trying to launch Flying Sabers to stop Fang Han from getting any closer.
But he couldn’t channel his Inner Qi fast enough. The speed at which the Flying Sabers condensed was a beat too slow, and their power was greatly diminished.
Fang Han’s Cyan Blade Sword let out a long, clear cry as he unleashed his Mastery Level "Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship" with full force.
The sword light was no longer scattered for blocking but was now highly concentrated, transforming into a bolt of cyan lightning that tore through the sky. Using a single point to break the surface, it instantly pierced through several hastily formed Flying Sabers.
The Sword Momentum didn’t stop, aiming straight for Mo Chen’s chest!
Mo Chen’s expression changed drastically. He retreated hastily, but it was too late.
PFFT!
The tip of the sword, still carrying residual power, pierced his body, creating a bloody hole.
At the critical moment, Xuanyuan Jing appeared. He extended two fingers and pinched the sword’s tip, stopping it from piercing any deeper into Mo Chen’s body.
However, the very fact that he had intervened naturally declared Mo Chen’s defeat.
"I lost?"
Mo Chen stared at Fang Han, his eyes filled with disbelief and a trace of bewilderment.
’I... actually lost?’
’Lost to an opponent whose Martial Technique Realm was clearly inferior to my own?’
And the entire Martial Arts Arena fell into a strange, deathly silence.
Everyone’s eyes were wide as they stared at Fang Han, who stood on the stage holding his sword, its tip dotted with blood, as if they were witnessing something incredible.
"The 21st match is over. Qingxuan Sect is victorious!"
Xuanyuan Jing announced.
BOOM—!
Like a clap of thunder on a clear day, the silence was instantly shattered. A deafening uproar of shock and exclamation swept through the Martial Arts Arena like a tsunami!
Mo Chen fought Fang Han, and the winner was actually Fang Han?!
Despite being at a clear disadvantage in Martial Technique Realm, Fang Han had actually relied on the exquisite combination of his Body Technique and Sword Skill, along with his astonishing resilience, to completely drain Mo Chen’s Inner Qi and pull off a reversal?!
"The final winner was actually Fang Han?!"
"This... How is this possible?!"
"Mo Chen, who is at the Great Success in his Martial Technique... actually lost?"
Cries of shock, admiration, and disbelief intertwined, the wave of noise almost powerful enough to overturn the heavens.
In the Qingxuan Sect’s area, Huang Ling’er jumped up in excitement, Shi Meng pumped his fist fiercely, and even a faint smile appeared on Li Feng’s cold face.
Elder Chen Xuan’s hand, which was stroking his beard, trembled slightly. His eyes were filled with irrepressible excitement and relief as he murmured, "Good! Good lad!"
Yun Qianyue stood quietly in place. Beneath her purple veil, the corners of her lips curved into a beautiful arc. A new trace of... curiosity... had appeared in her gaze as she looked at Fang Han.
In contrast, in the Tingyu Building’s camp, the smile had long vanished from Elder Mo Hai’s face. His expression was ashen. He looked at the pale-faced Mo Chen on the stage, a flash of disappointment and anger in his eyes that ultimately dissolved into a helpless sigh.
The disciples from the Netherworld Pavilion, Lingyun Sword Sect, Overlord Blade Sect, Vajra Temple, Baihua Valley, and other sects all looked at Fang Han on the stage with incredibly complex expressions.
This Qingxuan Sect disciple had actually staged such an unbelievable reversal in the final battle, forcibly knocking Tingyu Building from its pedestal and seizing first place for the Qingxuan Sect in this year’s Seven Sects competition!
After today, Fang Han’s name would surely resound throughout the younger generation of all of Qingyang County!
Xuanyuan Jing waited for the commotion in the arena to subside slightly. His gaze swept over the teams of the Seven Sects, and his magnificent voice carried throughout the entire venue:
"This year’s competition for new disciples of the Seven Sects has now concluded!"
"The final rankings are as follows: First, Qingxuan Sect!"
"Second, Tingyu Building!"
"Third, Overlord Blade Sect."
"Fourth, Lingyun Sword Sect."
"Fifth, Vajra Temple."
"Sixth, Netherworld Pavilion."
"Seventh, Baihua Valley."
He announced the rankings of each sect in order.
From the spectator stands, the gazes of the various powers directed at the Qingxuan Sect were filled with amazement, envy, and a hint of deep apprehension.
They were amazed that the Qingxuan Sect had produced so many young geniuses, and also apprehensive for the very same reason.
