Chapter 277: Chapter 276: Defeating Chu Feng
There was no more needless talk.
CLANG!
SHING!
At almost the exact same moment, both men drew their swords!
In Chu Feng’s hand was a long, narrow-bladed sword with faint blood-red patterns, named "Red Pattern." The moment it was unsheathed, it unleashed a scorching, violent aura.
Fang Han’s Flowing Wind Sword, on the other hand, let out a clear, ringing sound. Its dark, cyan blade shimmered with a restrained sharpness.
"Die!"
Chu Feng was the first to attack. With a furious roar, the Inner Qi of a cultivator at the Middle Stage of Fifth Grade, bordering on the Late Stage, erupted from his body.
The Red Patterned Sword transformed into a long, blood-red rainbow, letting out a piercing shriek as it tore through the air, aimed straight for Fang Han’s heart.
Before the sword even arrived, a searing, sharp pressure from the blade washed over Fang Han, a testament to Chu Feng’s seasoned experience and immense power.
Fang Han’s gaze sharpened. Chu Feng’s place on the Celestial Pride List was clearly well-deserved.
The speed, power, and angle of this strike were all perfect, and it was imbued with a searing Sword Momentum designed to bewilder the mind.
WHOOSH—
But he was completely unafraid. Executing the Entry Level of the top-level Body Technique, *Wind and Cloud Escape*, his figure flickered like a phantom, evading the sword’s edge in the nick of time.
At the same time, his Flowing Wind Sword struck out like a bolt of cyan lightning, its terrifying power tearing through the air as if it were cloth as it slashed toward Chu Feng’s sword arm.
CLINK—!
Chu Feng’s reaction was incredibly fast. With a flick of his wrist, he brought the Red Patterned Sword back to parry, precisely deflecting Fang Han’s blade.
The swords met with a sharp ring, sending sparks flying in all directions.
A visible shockwave radiated outward from the point of impact.
The two fighters separated and clashed again in an instant, becoming a blur of motion!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG... BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Flashes of sword light crisscrossed as surges of Qi Force collided in a frenzied, explosive cacophony.
Chu Feng’s Swordsmanship was vicious and sharp, backed by his deep experience. His every attack forced Fang Han onto the defensive, his Sword Momentum a scorching, aggressive tempest.
Fang Han’s Swordsmanship, however, was even more refined and deadly. When he unleashed the *Nine Swords of Sky Splitting*, his Sword Techniques were like thunder splitting the sky—impossibly fast and fierce.
Combined with the sublime Step Technique from the Entry Level of his top-level Body Technique, *Wind and Cloud Escape*, he was like a tiger that had grown wings.
He could often evade fatal attacks by a hair’s breadth and launch a sharp counterattack.
They met speed with speed, their figures flickering across the challenge platform—clashing, separating, and clashing again!
Sharp Sword Qi shot out in all directions, carving gashes of varying depths into the hard surface of the stage.
Terrifying shockwaves spread out like ripples, forcing some of the weaker disciples near the stage to turn pale.
They retreated again and again, terrified of being caught in the aftermath.
"So... so strong!"
"Is this a battle between those at the Celestial Pride Level?"
"It’s terrifying! The aftershocks alone are making it hard for me to breathe!"
Cries of shock and admiration rose and fell from the crowd below.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes glued to the two figures on stage who fought like demonic gods.
’How can this be?’
The longer Chu Feng fought, the more shocked he became.
He realized that although his combat experience far surpassed Fang Han’s, he couldn’t gain the slightest advantage against his opponent’s exquisite Swordsmanship and uncanny Body Technique. In fact, he was gradually being suppressed.
Fang Han’s understanding and application of Swordsmanship, as well as his mastery of his Body Technique, didn’t seem like that of a disciple who had only joined the Sect a little over a year ago. It was as if he had started his Cultivation in the womb.
’Crimson Flame Slash!’
Unable to break through after a prolonged assault, a hint of impatience and ruthlessness flashed in Chu Feng’s eyes.
Inner Qi surged wildly into his Red Patterned Sword. The blood-red patterns on the blade flared brightly, and the scorching Sword Qi swelled, forming a crimson blade of Qi over ten feet long.
With a devastating momentum that seemed capable of incinerating the world, he swung it brutally at Fang Han.
This was one of his ultimate moves!
Facing this furious strike, Fang Han’s eyes were as calm as ice. He pushed the intent of his *Nine Swords of Sky Splitting* to its limit, and his Flowing Wind Sword let out a sharp shriek like the sound of tearing silk.
His highly condensed Sword Qi tore through the air and collided with the crimson Sword Qi.
HISSS—BOOM!!
The two terrifying forces slammed into each other, creating a deafening explosion.
The crimson Sword Qi was pierced through the center by Fang Han’s impossibly condensed Sword Qi and instantly shattered!
The dissipating Powerful Qi blasted a shallow crater into the stage floor!
Chu Feng grunted, stumbling backward. The hand holding his sword trembled slightly, and the skin between his thumb and forefinger split open, seeping blood.
Fang Han, however, merely swayed for a moment before steadying himself.
The difference in their strength was instantly clear!
PFFT!
The sword flashed again. Pressing his advantage, Fang Han’s Flowing Wind Sword was like a maggot gnawing on bone as it slashed across Chu Feng’s ribs.
Although Chu Feng was protected by Soft Armor, the force of the blow still penetrated it, leaving a bruised wound on his side.
"Argh!"
Shocked and enraged, Chu Feng counterattacked like a Mad Tiger, his Swordsmanship growing even more frenzied.
Under this frenzied assault, the power of his Swordsmanship surpassed its usual limits, surging by a significant amount.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—
Fang Han remained steady. He grew more and more proficient with the *Nine Swords of Sky Splitting*, his sword light flowing like quicksilver, finding and sealing every opening as he blocked Chu Feng’s frantic onslaught.
The effects of his 128x Swordsmanship Talent Amplification weren’t just apparent when he was practicing his Swordsmanship, but also when he was using it in battle.
Stimulated by the intense fight, his Swordsmanship improved rapidly, its power surging even more than Chu Feng’s.
More and more bruises appeared on Chu Feng’s body. Though not fatal thanks to his Soft Armor, the blows were rapidly draining his stamina and Inner Qi. The signs of his defeat were clear.
"It’s over."
Seeing Chu Feng’s slash miss, leaving his entire center wide open, a cold light erupted in Fang Han’s eyes.
The Flowing Wind Sword became a cyan streak of light, condensing all of his Essence, Qi, and Spirit into a single point. It moved faster than the eye could follow, stabbing straight at Chu Feng’s chest.
This strike contained the ultimate blow of the *Nine Swords of Sky Splitting* at the Minor Achievement level.
Its power was so immense it seemed capable of piercing space itself!
And its speed was extreme!
Visible ripples appeared in the air—a disturbance caused by the sword breaking the sound barrier.
Chu Feng’s pupils shrank, his face pale with horror. In his haste, he only had time to raise his Red Patterned Sword horizontally across his chest while frantically channeling his remaining Inner Qi to the same spot.
DANG—CRACK!!!
The tip of the Flowing Wind Sword, wrapped in terrifying power, struck the spine of the Red Patterned Sword.
An indescribable force surged through it. The Red Patterned Sword was bent into a shocking arc before it was torn from his grasp and sent flying.
The sword’s tip, its momentum unabated, stabbed viciously into Chu Feng’s chest!
BANG!
A dull thud echoed.
The defensive layer of Inner Qi on Chu Feng’s body shattered. The robes on his chest exploded, revealing a suit of Silver Soft Armor shimmering with a faint light beneath.
The Soft Armor blocked the tip from piercing through, but the terrifying Power contained within the blow passed straight through it and into his body.
"WAAAGH—!"
Chu Feng felt as if he’d been struck by a sledgehammer. His eyes bulged, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs. His entire body was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string.
He crashed heavily onto the edge of the stage. He struggled a few times but couldn’t get back up, only managing to cough up several more mouthfuls of blood as his aura weakened to an extreme low.
If not for that Protective Soft Armor, the sword would have run him straight through!
The entire arena fell deathly silent.
Everyone looked at Fang Han, standing on the stage with his sword in hand, his cyan robes fluttering and his expression calm. Then they looked at the pathetic figure of Chu Feng, collapsed on the ground and unable to rise.
The victor was decided!
Fang Han was the winner!
The dead silence lasted for only a moment.
Then, a massive wave of noise erupted like a bursting dam, sweeping across the entire challenge platform plaza!
"Senior Brother Fang Han won!"
"See, I told you! I knew Senior Brother Fang Han would win!"
"His rankings on both the general list and the Celestial Pride List are lower than Senior Brother Fang Han’s. Senior Brother Chu Feng’s challenge was so unwise."
Cries of shock, admiration, gloating, and general clamor mingled together into a deafening roar.
Countless gazes, filled with awe and even fanaticism, were fixed on the cyan-robed figure standing on the stage with his sword.
’Congratulations on finally tasting sweetness after so much bitterness...’
Behind her purple veil, a ripple of relief passed through Yun Qianyue’s bright eyes. Her cool gaze fell upon Fang Han, filled with an indescribably complex mix of emotions.
There was admiration and relief, but also a touch of sentimentality from having witnessed the rise of someone who, like her, had come from a Sub-Branch.
’Can I really surpass him again?’
Seeing Fang Han defeat Chu Feng, Li Feng couldn’t help but ask himself if he could truly surpass Fang Han again.
But soon, his fighting spirit was reignited. ’If I don’t even believe in myself, then there’s truly no hope of ever catching up to him.’
’Fang Han might be the most incredible person I’ll ever know in my entire life!’
Xiao Chen stood in the crowd, watching the magnificent Fang Han on stage. His eyes grew hot, and his heart swelled with an immense sense of shared honor.
He remembered when Fang Han had first entered the Sub-Branch, and the days they spent in Cultivation together, pushing each other to improve.
Seeing Fang Han now, standing tall on the stage and receiving the adoration of the masses, it felt like a lifetime ago. His heart was filled with excitement.
"Not bad. Not bad at all."
Elder Chen Xuan stood stroking his beard. On his normally placid face, the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint, almost imperceptible arc, and a trace of gratification flashed in his eyes.
He had gone against popular opinion to look after Fang Han, even to the point of opposing Chu Feng. Now, it seemed his investment had yielded returns far beyond his expectations.
"This boy, Fang Han, has a limitless future!"
"He joined the Sect a little over a year ago, ascended to the Celestial Pride List, and has now defeated a veteran prodigy like Chu Feng in a head-on clash... This boy’s Talent is arguably the best the Sect has seen in decades."
"Indeed. To have such strength at his age... his future accomplishments will likely be no less than Luo Yuntian’s."
"At this age, even Luo Yuntian wasn’t so dazzling... I fear our Qingxuan Sect is about to produce a truly extraordinary figure."
The few elders who had come to watch the battle exchanged glances, each seeing the shock and gravity in the other’s eyes.
Their discussion was quiet, but it carried clearly to the ears of some nearby disciples and Stewards, sending another wave of shock through their hearts.
Luo Yuntian, the head disciple of the Qingxuan Sect, ranked seventh on the Celestial Pride List, was the benchmark and pride of the Qingxuan Sect’s younger generation.
For the elders to now compare Fang Han to Luo Yuntian, and even suggest his potential might be greater—what high praise that was!
"Satisfying! Truly satisfying! With this victory, Senior Brother Fang Han has vented the anger of so many disciples who have been oppressed by Chu Feng!"
"Exactly! Chu Feng used to be so arrogant. Now he’s been surpassed on the general list and the Celestial Pride List, and defeated head-on on the challenge platform. Let’s see how arrogant he can be now!"
"This is what you call karma! What goes around, comes around!"
Among the crowd, there were quite a few disciples who had been oppressed by Chu Feng or his followers in the past.
Right now, all of them wore expressions of delight as they talked loudly amongst themselves.
As for the disciples who had previously allied themselves with Chu Feng or were on good terms with him, their expressions were now shifting and their eyes darting about as they began to re-evaluate their allegiances.
Fang Han’s rise was now unstoppable!
And Chu Feng, that great tree they had once sheltered under, seemed about to fall.
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