There were many arenas in the City Lord's Mansion for sparring and martial contests. One of them was reserved exclusively for Luo Hongyan, belonging to her alone, which showed just how much the City Lord doted on this daughter of his.
Since they were going to spar, naturally they would use her own arena.
Luo Hongyan unhurriedly walked onto the arena and took her position on the south side. With her arrival, the entire arena seemed to change. Centered around her, it became a beautiful scene, as though all things existed merely to complement her.
Fan Lang leaped into the air and landed directly on the north side, facing Luo Hongyan from some fifty meters away.
"How shall we fight?" Fan Lang asked.
"The rules will be the same as the Wind Cloud Genius Battle. Whether cards or weapons, you may use no more than three items in total. The other rules are the same as well. As I said before, we stop at the right point," Luo Hongyan said coolly.
"Fine. We'll do it that way."
"Please make your move. Hongyan is here to accept it."
"Then I won't hold back."
Fan Lang's frivolous expression vanished, replaced by a stern look. His eyes transformed into the Eye of the Dragon, their vertical pupils radiating a fierce and savage pressure.
Luo Hongyan had not expected Fan Lang to possess such a move. The instant their gazes met, she was immediately affected, a unique intimidation from the Dragon Race striking straight at her heart. Her already flawless jade visage lost a little color, becoming even paler.
An ocular technique? Father said he only entered the Mystic Spirit Realm not long ago. How had he learned an ocular technique so quickly?
Luo Hongyan's heart tightened.
Though Luo Hongyan was a woman, after being struck by the Eye of the Dragon's fear effect, she did not retreat. At the very least, she was far stronger than Xiang Chong had been.
Fan Lang's Eye of the Dragon was merely a show of strength. He had never expected to win through his gaze alone. With a flick of his right hand, the Li Kan Sword appeared in his grip, its blade gleaming brilliantly beneath the sunlight. Then he charged forward with sword in hand, closing in on Luo Hongyan as the distance between them rapidly shrank.
Luo Hongyan moved after him yet arrived first. She flicked both hands, her long sleeves dancing as two flashes of cold light shot from her cuffs. Looking closer, they were two fine needles threaded with transparent silk.
These needles and threads were her weapons!
Compared with common weapons like sabers and swords, such uncommon weapons often attacked in far more strange and unpredictable ways, making them difficult to guard against.
The needles and threads flew like arrows loosed from a bow, arriving before Fan Lang in an instant. One shot for his ear, the other for his thigh, carrying enough force to pierce flesh and penetrate bone.
Fan Lang understood Luo Hongyan's abilities, so he was not surprised in the slightest. He calmly dodged aside and did not use his sword to slash at the needles and threads, because it would have been useless.
The needle-and-thread weapon Luo Hongyan used was a set weapon called the Mother-Child Interlocking Needles. It consisted of seven needles in total, threaded with Ice Silkworm Silk. The silk was exceptionally tough and could not be cut even by a sword; instead, it could entangle the blade.
Fan Lang dodged the needles and threads and continued charging, nearly reaching Luo Hongyan.
Those needles and threads were suited for long-range combat. Once he got close, their effectiveness would be greatly reduced.
After missing her first strike, Luo Hongyan pressed her attack. This time, the needles and threads did not fly from her sleeves, but from beneath her skirt, three in total.
Fan Lang dodged two needles and threads and blocked the third with the flat of his sword. Needle met sword with a clear, crisp chime. It looked like a light exchange, yet it erupted with the force of a charging bull, numbing Fan Lang's wrist.
This little lady was not so easy to handle.
Fan Lang spun his blade, knocking away the troublesome needles and threads. With another flash, he finally rushed in front of Luo Hongyan.
When experts fought, the closer they were, the more dangerous it became.
Luo Hongyan excelled at fighting from afar with needles and threads, but that did not mean she was weak in close combat. On the contrary, her close-quarters killing ability was even greater than her long-range combat ability!
In a flash, Luo Hongyan tore off her outer, flowing dress and threw it at Fan Lang. The garment instantly ignited, transforming into a blazing bird that forcibly drove Fan Lang back.
Fan Lang unleashed the Water Cloud Palm, striking out with a palm-shaped force formed from condensed water and shattering the incoming firebird. Before the flames had even dispersed, a small foot in an embroidered black boot lashed toward his face, forcing him to respond.
She kicked three times in succession, while Fan Lang answered with three sword strikes. They countered each other's moves, until Fan Lang chose to leap backward while drawing his sword across the ground. Flaming sword energy formed a crescent shape, stopping her pursuit.
Looking at Luo Hongyan again, after losing her outer garment, her efficient attire underneath was revealed. She was still dressed entirely in red from head to toe, but the cumbersome wide sleeves and skirt were gone, replaced with neat clothes and trousers.
This outfit clearly outlined her tall, slender figure, especially her alluring waist and long legs.
"We still haven't decided the winner. Let's continue."
Luo Hongyan's tone was sharp. Her figure flashed, becoming a red shadow that rushed before Fan Lang. She tightly gripped her needles and threads while her feet moved like the wind, attacking in linked sequences from above and below, giving Fan Lang no chance to catch his breath.
Fan Lang blocked two of Luo Hongyan's kicks with his hands and dodged several needle-and-thread attacks. But in a moment of carelessness, he exposed an opening. Luo Hongyan seized it in time, using the needles and threads to pierce his clothing. The threads wrapped around him in several loops, restraining his movements.
Luo Hongyan's beautiful eyes lit up as she saw a chance to win. Her delicate fist gripped three needles, and she punched toward Fan Lang's face.
Unfortunately, that opportunity was nothing more than an illusory bubble.
From the start, Fan Lang had not used his full strength. He had held back by no small amount and had merely been playing around with Luo Hongyan.
Now that Luo Hongyan was getting serious, this game could no longer continue.
Combat Technique: Shockwave!
Fan Lang's body suddenly shuddered as he unleashed the full power of five Mystic Spirits. The ferocious force was like an exploding bomb, visible ripples spreading outward in every direction.
The power of this strike was simply too great, exceeding what the arena could bear. With a crisp crack, the ground split and shattered. The ripples swept through the surroundings, fading from dense to thin before finally disappearing at the edge of the arena.
Luo Hongyan bore the brunt of the shockwave and was sent flying in an instant. The needles and threads slipped from her hands, while her clothes tore with a ripping sound. The shockwave passed from outside her body into her body, striking her five viscera and six bowels. The Mystic Power that had flowed methodically through her meridians was completely scattered. Like a kite with its string cut, she flew off the arena and sailed dozens of meters through the air before crashing through a wall and finally coming to a stop.
If Luo Jiuxiao saw this, wouldn't he be heartbroken to death?
This was simply ruthless destruction of a flower!
"Pfft!"
Luo Hongyan spat out blood and finally fell toward the ground. At the instant she landed, an arm caught her and pulled her into an embrace.
The person who caught her was, of course, Fan Lang.
Luo Hongyan's pain had not yet faded. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, blood hung from the corner of her lips, and she looked utterly pitiful. She gazed resentfully at Fan Lang so close before her and questioned, "Didn't we agree to stop at the right point?"
"Believe me, this already was stopping at the right point. Otherwise, you'd have lost your life," Fan Lang said truthfully.
Before you continue