Life and Death

Clang—!

With a sword cry, Ximen Qing gripped the Ice Soul Sword and, in the blink of an eye, arrived at Xiao Feng's side, stabbing down fiercely.

Clang—!

Xiao Feng did not panic. The sword aura in his hand collided with it, and with a crisp ring, the immense impact from the clash sent both their robes fluttering. After that instantaneous exchange, they pulled apart again. This time, Xiao Feng still retreated three steps, while Ximen Qing retreated a full five.

Xiao Feng's arms tingled faintly. Looking down, he discovered that a thin layer of frost had formed over his hands... His brows furrowed. He had not expected Ximen Qing to be far stronger than he had imagined.

"How much strength did Divine Doctor Xiao use this time?" Ximen Qing asked.

Xiao Feng did not answer. Instead, he said calmly, "The warm-up is over, right?"

Ximen Qing: "..."

He had not been warming up at all. With a chuckle, he said, "It seems Divine Doctor Xiao is even stronger than I expected. Then I'll get serious this time!"

The moment his words fell, Ximen Qing raised the Ice Soul Sword with its tip pointing upward. Icy blue radiance immediately surged around him, while the Ice Soul Sword in his hand frantically absorbed the frost light continuously emerging around it, seemingly gathering power...

"Break it now!" Qi Panjian suddenly roared at Xiao Feng. "That is the Mystic Skill recorded in the Ximen Family's Frost Art—Icy Demise! It is a single-target burst Mystic Skill that requires time to charge, but once the charge is complete, its explosive power is terrifying!"

Hearing this, Xiao Feng furrowed his brows and used Star God Shattered Image to flash forward. In an instant, he was behind Ximen Qing. Just as the sword aura in his hand swept down, it passed straight through...

An afterimage!

"Hahaha... Divine Doctor Xiao, you aren't the only one who knows a movement Mystic Skill." Ximen Qing's laughter came from behind him.

Yet to everyone's surprise, Xiao Feng suddenly swung the sword aura in his hand fiercely at the space before him!

Slash!

The sound of flesh being cut slid into everyone's ears. In an instant, a long streak of blood burst forth before Xiao Feng...

As blood sprayed through the air, a figure appeared before them. It was... Ximen Qing!

Everyone froze at the sight. Ximen Qing had clearly been behind Xiao Feng just moments ago, yet he had now appeared in front of him. He must have used a movement Mystic Skill similar to Xiao Feng's, but it was obvious that Ximen Qing's Mystic Skill had been completely... seen through by Xiao Feng.

Movement Mystic Skills were not so easily deciphered. Ximen Sheng had been the best example just now... So how had Xiao Feng done it?!

The question in everyone's minds was also the question in Ximen Qing's mind. His Icy Demise needed only one more breath to complete, so he had deliberately flashed to Xiao Feng's side, intending to deliver this "great gift" the instant the charge was finished and leave him no chance to react.

But he had never expected Xiao Feng to... notice him!

Still, Ximen Qing was no fool. After being discovered, he hurriedly pulled away and froze the sword wound on his chest with ice to stop the bleeding. He asked in confusion, "How did you know I was there?"

Xiao Feng chuckled. "You should ask yourself that..."

Seeing Ximen Qing's puzzled expression, he explained, "Because you have a particularly foul stench on you. It's hard not to smell it..."

"Pfft—" The moment those words came out, they struck a funny bone with many people. Qi Panjian laughed even louder. "Brother Xiao, now that you mention it, I was wondering why there always seemed to be some inexplicable stink in my house..."

"Hahaha..." His words made even those who had not wanted to laugh burst out laughing.

The cheerful laughter was unbearably grating to Ximen Qing's ears.

But Xiao Feng's words had merely been nonsense meant to provoke Ximen Qing.

The reason he could see through Ximen Qing's movement Mystic Skill was simply that it was also driven by ice profound energy, and the aura left behind by its afterimages was impure.

Perhaps ordinary people would not have noticed, but Ximen Qing's misfortune was that the Mystic Skill Xiao Feng cultivated was Moon Severing Shadow Sweep, inherited from the Ice Phoenix.

Both were driven by ice-type profound energy, but Xiao Feng's Mystic Skill came from the Ice Phoenix and was undoubtedly of a higher level. Moreover, he had long since mastered it completely. Before him, that "imitation" Mystic Skill revealed its true nature at once.

As Ximen Qing listened to the continuous laughter, the ease on his face vanished and was replaced by terrifying gloom.

He placed his left hand over his chest and gripped the jade pendant hanging from his neck, letting out a low laugh. "Hehehe... Xiao Feng, Xiao Feng, you have truly opened my eyes. Honestly, you keep overturning everything I thought I knew. I admit that you do have some skill, but... there will not be a next time!"

His eyes no longer held their usual calm. He had actually been wounded by a mere Level 10 God Tribulation Realm cultivator and humiliated like this. What a disgrace that was to him!

Especially since the person who had wounded him was that detestable Xiao Feng!

"I originally thought that using only fifty percent of my strength would be enough to defeat you, but I never expected you to be more troublesome than I imagined..."

"This time, I won't give you any more chances!"

As Ximen Qing finished speaking, he viciously tore the necklace from around his neck...

Pop—

With a soft sound, profound pressure instantly scattered around him, and his cultivation began to surge sharply...

Level 7 God Spirit Realm, Level 8 God Spirit Realm, all the way to... Level 10 God Spirit Realm!

Seeing Ximen Qing suddenly reach the peak of the God Spirit Realm, everyone's laughter was instantly overwhelmed by extreme shock.

Ximen Qing was actually... at the peak of the God Spirit Realm!

"At the peak of the God Spirit Realm... If Ximen Qing breaks through this year, doesn't that mean Flowing Wind City will have another eighteen-year-old God King?" someone muttered distractedly upon seeing his cultivation.

Another person cried out, "It's over. Divine Doctor Xiao is definitely going to lose!"

The difference between each level of the God Spirit Realm was like heaven and earth. Now Ximen Qing had risen four levels in a row. With such a huge disparity, how could Xiao Feng, a mere Level 10 God Tribulation Realm cultivator, possibly be a match for someone in the God Spirit Realm?

Below the arena, Qi Panjian looked at Ximen Qing, who had broken through to Level 10 God Spirit Realm. A trace of envy appeared on his face, but it was quickly swallowed by concern. He said to Qi Qingyun beside him:

"Should I go up and persuade Brother Xiao to surrender? How is he supposed to fight this?"

"No, even if I go persuade Brother Xiao, he won't listen to me. Why don't you go..."

Qi Qingyun: "..."

Seeing that Qi Qingyun remained silent, he thought she knew Xiao Feng still had some trump card. Just as he was about to ask, he saw that even Qi Qingyun's usually calm expression had gained a trace of worry...

At once, he cried out, "Qing Yun, are you really not going to make him admit defeat? That's Level 10 God Spirit Realm!"

Qi Qingyun looked worriedly at Xiao Feng with her beautiful eyes, but she did not urge him to concede. Instead, she whispered, "I... believe in him."

"Ah..." Qi Panjian sighed. "Then we can only hope Brother Xiao is smart enough to surrender quickly. Don't let it get to the point where he can't even call out his surrender..."

The continuously rising cultivation seemed to increase Ximen Qing's confidence as well, and his expression returned to its usual elegance.

"Divine Doctor Xiao, I know you must have hidden your strength too. Come, reveal your true cultivation and let us have a proper contest!" Ximen Qing said leisurely.

Xiao Feng: "..."

What cultivation had he hidden? If he had, he would have revealed it long ago and crushed Ximen Qing.

"Oh..." Seeing Xiao Feng remain silent, a smile appeared on Ximen Qing's face. "Don't tell me this is all the strength Divine Doctor Xiao possesses?"

Xiao Feng: "..."

"How about Divine Doctor Xiao simply surrender? Otherwise, wouldn't this make me look like I'm bullying the weak?"

Xiao Feng said softly, "A higher cultivation level is your ability, but that does not mean I have no power to fight. The disgusting kindness you're showing now truly makes me sick. Are you trying to disgust me to death?"

"Click, click, click..." Ximen Qing clenched his teeth. He had thought he would see fear on Xiao Feng's face, but what greeted him was mockery instead.

"Very good, Xiao Feng... It has been a long time since I met someone as interesting as you. But I am now Level 10 God Spirit Realm, while you are merely Level 10 God Tribulation Realm. Perhaps if I'm not careful, I might lose control of my strength and crush you to death. Your sister won't come looking for trouble with me then, will she?"

Before Xiao Feng could speak, Qi Panjian cried out in alarm, "Ximen Qing is provoking you into agreeing to a fight to the death! Don't fall for his trick!"

Xiao Feng looked at Qi Panjian and gave him a reassuring glance before slowly saying, "Of course. Blades and swords have no eyes. If any accident happens, that would be perfectly normal. I should remind Young Master Ximen of the same thing..."

"Hahaha..." As though he had heard the greatest joke in the world, Ximen Qing burst into laughter. He then looked toward the Ximen Family and said calmly, "Father, blades and swords have no eyes. If I am 'accidentally' killed by Divine Doctor Xiao in this battle, please do not come looking for trouble with Divine Doctor Xiao..."

After saying that, without even asking Ximen Ding's opinion, he looked at Xiao Feng and asked, "Divine Doctor Xiao, what do you think?"

"Nothing could be better." Xiao Feng looked toward the spectator stands and declared, "I ask everyone, as well as the Qi Family Head, to bear witness. Thank you."

"You... th-this..." Qi Panjian was completely thrown into disarray by Xiao Feng's words.

"Don't worry." Qi Qingyun spoke at last. Gazing at Xiao Feng's smiling face atop the arena, she said softly, "He never does anything without confidence..."

"This... the main thing is... ah, forget it. Do as you like. If he dies, you'll be the widow. What does it have to do with me..."

Qi Qingyun: "..."

Both Ximen Qing and Xiao Feng wore smiles on their faces. Ximen Qing believed his scheme had succeeded, but how could he have known that Xiao Feng was thinking the exact same thing...?