Forbidden Technique

Ximen Qing soared into the air and lightly swept the Ice Soul Sword. In an instant, the surrounding icy aura condensed into sharp ice spikes. Within just a few breaths, thousands of ice spikes had formed, their soul-piercing points shooting at Xiao Feng like bullets.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

The sword aura in Xiao Feng's hand surged for miles. With a sweep of his right hand, the overwhelming sword aura shattered every ice spike before him. Using Star God Shattered Image, he arrived beside Ximen Qing in an instant, his sword aura slashing down fiercely.

Ximen Qing looked at Xiao Feng, who was within arm's reach, and viciously swung the Ice Soul Sword upward.

"Clang!"

The two swords collided, and a terrifying shockwave spread from between them. The already battered martial platform was on the verge of collapse.

"Clang—clang—clang—clang..."

The moment they pulled apart, Xiao Feng used Star God Shattered Image to catch up instantly. His sword aura hacked down at Ximen Qing again and again, while Ximen Qing, unable to recover his strength in time, could only raise the Ice Soul Sword in a panic and block one strike after another...

It was already obvious who held the upper hand.

"Th-this... Divine Doctor Xiao is actually suppressing Ximen Qing. It seems he hadn't used his full strength before."

"Hiss—Divine Doctor Xiao is terrifying! Do you think Ximen Qing is going to lose?"

"Now that you mention it, that really is possible..."

"After Ximen Qing revealed all the cultivation he had been hiding, no one in the audience believed Xiao Feng could win. But as the battle continued to change, the majority now believed Xiao Feng could defeat Ximen Qing."

"..."

"Boom!"

Another vicious collision sent Ximen Qing flying when his follow-up strength failed him.

He was blasted straight out of the sky and only steadied his staggering body after retreating dozens of steps across the ground. He turned to look at his trembling arm, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

As for Xiao Feng, although he had been forced back several miles and was breathing heavily, his aura remained fairly stable.

Only his right hand was covered in a thick layer of frost... He stood above Ximen Qing, looking down at him calmly, as though their exchange had caused him no pressure at all.

"You... how is this possible..." Ximen Qing demanded.

He had lost the elegance he possessed when he first revealed his cultivation. In his mind, after displaying all his strength, he should have been the one looking down on Xiao Feng from above—not having their positions reversed like this!

Xiao Feng gave a disdainful sneer. "I already told you I was only using twenty percent of my strength. What, you didn't believe me?"

"You..." Ximen Qing's face twitched at those words. He had thought Xiao Feng was merely bragging, but he really had only used twenty percent of his strength!

In truth, however, Xiao Feng was not as relaxed as he appeared. Otherwise, he would not have wasted words with Ximen Qing. He held the advantage only because Star God Shattered Image allowed him to seize the initiative every time, making it appear as though he had the upper hand in every clash.

But the difference in their realms was like an uncrossable chasm. Xiao Feng had spent a full twelve years in the God Tribulation Realm, and that realm was one where only mystic power grew. That was why his mystic power was so abnormally high compared to an ordinary God Tribulation Realm cultivator.

The frost constantly accumulating on his right hand was the best proof. Every collision allowed the cold energy attached to Ximen Qing's sword to invade his arm...

I have to end this quickly. I absolutely cannot drag this out!

Their exchange lasted only three breaths. In the next instant, Xiao Feng silently slipped behind Ximen Qing with Moon Severing Shadow Sweep, and his sword aura came crashing down!

Yet Ximen Qing seemed to have anticipated it. He moved the Ice Soul Sword behind him at incredible speed to block the attack.

"Clang!"

Ximen Qing was knocked back several miles by Xiao Feng, but a disdainful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "I knew you'd try a sneak attack."

Xiao Feng: "..."

Without saying a word, he mobilized the mystic power throughout his body. Purple sword aura shot into the heavens, and a violet Wolf Shadow emerged. It seemed to be howling at the moon, its head raised high as its fierce eyes locked onto Ximen Qing.

"Hehehe... Without using your movement Mystic Skill to keep circling around me, do you think you can beat me?" Ximen Qing chuckled. He raised the Ice Soul Sword, and cold energy instantly condensed around it. The solid Ice Soul Sword gradually turned transparent, becoming as illusory as an ice bloom.

The sixth form of the Ice Soul Art—Extreme Ice Bloom!

"This... the sixth form!" Cries of shock rang out from the Ximen Family's seats...

The people in the audience might not have understood, but how could the Ximen Family not know?

The Ice Soul Art had seven levels in total. Every level completed granted one Mystic Skill that could be cultivated, and even Ximen Ding, the head of the Ximen Family, had failed to master the sixth form of the Ice Soul Art.

Ximen Ding had long since reached the God Monarch Realm, while Ximen Qing was only in the God Spirit Realm!

Ximen Qing used Flash Step and stabbed fiercely toward Xiao Feng. The illusory ice bloom, overflowing with cold energy, swept toward Xiao Feng with a bone-chilling presence.

"Heavenly Wolf Slash!"

Xiao Feng did not dodge. His purple sword aura carried the proud and unyielding Heavenly Wolf as it charged fearlessly toward the hell-like ice bloom!

"Clang—!!! Boom!!!"

After several breaths of stalemate, the vortex of gathered power exploded. Along with the terrifying storm formed from the remaining force, two figures shot outward like cannonballs.

"Boom!"

One of them was smashed ruthlessly into the arena by the enormous impact, creating another small crater in the platform.

The other slid for several miles across the platform before stopping the tremendous force, leaving a shallow trench several miles long behind him...

"Hiss—the battle seems to be over."

"Yes, it looks like Divine Doctor Xiao was ultimately more skilled!"

"The one smashed into the arena is Ximen Qing!"

But Xiao Feng was not in good condition either. The sword aura around his right hand had dispersed, leaving it a frozen blood-purple color, with thin layers of frost covering its surface...

Xiao Feng rose into the air above the crater and saw Ximen Qing at first glance.

Ximen Qing no longer looked like the elegant young master he had once been. His hair was disheveled, his eyes unfocused, and his body stained with blood, soiling his expensive Ice Bloom Garment.

He raised his head to look at Xiao Feng above him, an unprecedented madness appearing on his face. "You... you... don't think you've already won! How could I possibly lose to you!"

"Hehehe... Look at you now. You're much less nauseating than you were before!" Xiao Feng mocked disdainfully.

"Everything is over..." Xiao Feng raised his left hand. Purple sword aura appeared, and his boundless sword energy swept viciously toward Ximen Qing!

"How could I... possibly lose!" Ximen Qing roared madly.

He thrust his right hand violently into his chest!

When Ximen Ding saw Ximen Qing's action, his eyes widened instantly. He had no time to stop him and could only roar, "No, stop!"

But Ximen Qing turned a deaf ear to him.

In front of so many people, losing to Xiao Feng...

And being defeated by Xiao Feng despite having a higher realm...

Only the weak could be defeated by someone of a lower realm... Yet Xiao Feng had defeated him despite being ten levels below him!

If he lost to Xiao Feng, wouldn't that make him inferior even to the weak?

He had cultivated desperately... becoming the most dazzling prodigy in Flowing Wind City. What he hated most was weakness!

This outcome... how could he possibly accept it!

Ximen Qing growled sharply, "How could a mere level-ten God Tribulation Realm cultivator be worthy of defeating me! You are the one who will lose!"

His right hand sank deep into his flesh. "Let me show you my true strength..."

"Sacrificing my essence blood—Hundred-Breath Ice Domain!"

"Don't—" Ximen Ding roared hoarsely.

This was the Ximen Family's secret technique. It could consume one's essence blood to forcibly raise the Ice Soul Art by one level, while also opening an ice domain fueled by essence blood!

Within the ice domain, not only would cold energy run rampant, but the Ice Soul Art would circulate several times faster!

It was generally used only in life-or-death situations, because each use consumed not just essence blood, but could also severely damage one's talent for the mystic path!

Ximen Qing was an unparalleled genius unlike any the Ximen Family had ever produced. How could Ximen Ding accept him using this technique merely for a match?

But Ximen Qing clearly could no longer listen to anyone...

"Aaaahhh!"

As Ximen Qing let out a heart-rending roar, everything around him seemed to freeze...

His eyes turned the color of ice, his skin became as pure as fresh snow, and the bloodstains on his body froze into shattered ice beneath the ice bloom, falling to the ground one piece after another.

Ximen Qing looked up at the approaching sword radiance. A scornful smile appeared on his lips as he slowly extended his right hand...

"Has he gone mad? He's using his bare hand to touch the sword energy directly! His hand will be cut off!"

"He is..."

The audience had nearly been scared out of their souls by the horrifying sight.

But suddenly... it was as though they had seen something even more terrifying. Their words caught in their throats, and the shock on their faces vanished...

It was replaced by expressions as if they had seen a ghost, their hearts nearly leaping from their chests...

The surging sword might struck Ximen Qing's hand... yet he actually caught it with his bare hand, and then... it froze!

Then...

Crack!

The ferocious sword might was effortlessly crushed into fragments in his hand! He had frozen the sword radiance with his bare hand!

Xiao Feng stared blankly at the shattered ice falling from Ximen Qing's hand and forced out the words, "This... how is that possible..."

Xiao Feng's words were also the question in everyone's heart...

How... was this possible!

Seeing the "fear" finally appear on Xiao Feng's face, Ximen Qing smiled faintly once more. "Nothing is impossible, Xiao Feng—this time... it really is over!"

"..."