Jiang Fan's Trump Card

Whoosh!

Lu Yi's body abruptly vanished from where he stood. A blade light swept across the ground, carving a deep gash. Jiang Fan did not even glance at the mark; with a shift of his feet, he too disappeared from his spot.

Boom!!

The next moment, Lu Yi and Jiang Fan appeared simultaneously at one corner of the arena. A thunderous roar erupted as Spiritual Qi circulated around their bodies, nearly forming faint barriers of light, with halos flowing across them. Powerful aftershocks spilled out from the point of their collision, transforming into translucent waves of air that radiated outward.

The collision lasted but an instant before both vanished from where they stood once more.

The next moment, their figures flickered without pause. Blade lights over ten meters long and Sword Clouds filled the entire arena, while the booms of their intermittent clashes were deafening.

After only a brief exchange, the arena, already covered in scars, had become a complete wreck.

The fierce battle drew repeated cries of alarm from the disciples watching nearby.

The combat strength the two displayed was considered top-tier even among those at the Qi Refining Tenth Layer. Few could compare to them.

After fighting for a while, the two appeared on opposite sides of the arena, gripping blade and sword as they watched each other.

Lu Yi sighed inwardly. He had to admit that Senior Brother Jiang Fan was somewhat stronger than Senior Brother Bai Yulong. His White Cloud Swordplay and White Cloud Footwork had both been pushed to the limit of the Returning to Purity Realm. He had even poured a great deal of White Cloud Qi Guiding Art Spiritual Qi into them, raising its quality again and again—yet he still could not suppress this senior brother.

At that moment, Jiang Fan drew a deep breath and slowly said, "Junior Brother Lu Yi, was that your full strength?"

Lu Yi froze, then thought of the lv7 and lv8 White Cloud Swordplay and White Cloud Technique he had yet to use, the nearly mist-like Spiritual Qi, and the Sword Intent he had just grasped. He gave a dry cough and said, "That was already close to my full strength."

Jiang Fan's expression shifted. "So it wasn't your full strength?"

Jiang Fan felt that he had already come to understand Lu Yi somewhat. Not a single word of his claim that he was close to his full strength could be trusted. He had definitely held back quite a bit!

At that thought, Jiang Fan hesitated briefly, then took a deep breath and said, "In that case, Senior Brother will use his strongest move. We'll decide the victor with one strike."

Lu Yi was taken aback, and curiosity rose in his heart. Based on the strength Senior Brother Jiang Fan had shown so far, he should pose no threat to him. The slight sense of danger he had felt earlier must have come from this strongest move?

Lu Yi smiled. "Senior Brother Jiang Fan, please."

Jiang Fan's expression turned solemn as he slowly said, "I haven't fully mastered this move either, and I can't wield it freely. Junior Brother Lu Yi, you must be careful."

As he spoke, the Spiritual Qi around Jiang Fan began to surge slowly, and his aura rapidly rose.

The spectators nearby had all heard the conversation between Jiang Fan and Lu Yi, and they were filled with confusion.

"Senior Brother Jiang Fan has shown such formidable strength, yet he was still holding back?"

"What technique has Senior Brother Jiang Fan been holding in reserve? I don't think I've ever seen him use it."

Below the arena, Bai Yulong watched Jiang Fan, his curiosity deepening. What exactly has this guy been hiding?

At that moment, a sound like crashing waves rose around Jiang Fan. His Spiritual Qi erupted, and his overwhelmingly powerful aura formed waves of air that spread in all directions, tossing his black hair wildly about.

Lu Yi's pupils contracted slightly as he stared intently at Jiang Fan.

Good heavens, that aura is a little terrifying, isn't it?

In the sky, Elder Du Gu Fang and the others all showed slight changes in expression, somewhat surprised.

"This is... the Surging Wave Palm?"

"This little fellow's talent is quite remarkable as well. At merely the Qi Refining Tenth Layer, he has actually comprehended a Foundation Establishment Realm technique?"

"Now this is interesting. I originally thought Lu Yi had victory in the bag, but it seems there may still be variables?"

The expressions of the many elders as they looked at Jiang Fan had changed somewhat. To comprehend a Foundation Establishment Technique while still in the Qi Refining Realm—and one with fairly demanding requirements for its user—required, on one hand, a solid foundation, and on the other, sufficient comprehension.

Jiang Fan's display had clearly taken them all by surprise.

The elders looked at the imposing Jiang Fan, then at Lu Yi, all of them rather curious.

Qi Feiyu smiled. "I wonder whether this little fellow Lu Yi can withstand a Foundation Establishment Technique?"

"I doubt it. This little fellow has already pushed his White Cloud Swordplay and White Cloud Footwork to their limits. Even if the quality of the Spiritual Qi cultivated through his White Cloud Qi Guiding Art rises a little further, there is still a limit. Resisting a Foundation Establishment Technique would be far too difficult."

An elder shook his head as he spoke.

The other elders nodded slightly in agreement.

Even Dugu Fang nodded faintly. "If Lu Yi has no further methods, I fear he will lose."

An elder smiled. "I thought Lu Yi would take first place this time, but I never expected this little fellow Jiang Fan to have hidden himself so deeply."

In the distance, Lu Gaoyang and Wang Siqi's expressions also changed as they watched the imposing Jiang Fan.

Lu Gaoyang frowned slightly. "The Surging Wave Palm? That bastard Jiang Fan actually mastered a Foundation Establishment Technique?"

Wang Siqi said worriedly, "The Surging Wave Palm is extraordinarily powerful. Yi'er won't be hurt, will he?"

Honestly, Lu Yi becoming second place in the competition had already far exceeded Lu Gaoyang and Wang Siqi's expectations. What they worried about now was whether the Surging Wave Palm's immense power would injure Lu Yi.

Li Mang, standing nearby, smiled. "Sister-in-law, don't worry about that. So many elders are watching. With Nephew Lu Yi's talent plainly before them, how could those elders possibly stand by and watch a genius like him get hurt?"

The others also offered their reassurance.

After giving it some thought, Lu Gaoyang and Wang Siqi both relaxed somewhat.

Below the arena, Bai Yulong, Lin Wan'er, and the others were likewise watching the imposing Jiang Fan.

Bai Yulong's pupils narrowed as he slowly said, "I never expected that bastard Jiang Fan to have hidden himself so deeply. He actually had this move in reserve!"

Li Yun folded his arms across his chest, no longer caring about shutting himself away, and said, "Junior Brother Lu Yi is in danger."

Tie Man nodded faintly. "A Foundation Establishment Realm technique... Junior Brother Lu Yi probably can't block it, right?"

"Hmph! I believe Junior Brother Lu Yi can definitely block it!" Lin Wan'er snorted and shot Bai Yulong and the other two a glance.

The three were speechless. This woman was just convinced because Lu Yi was handsome, wasn't she? Being handsome could not count as strength.

The three did not want to speak.

At that moment, Jiang Fan stepped forward and shouted, "Junior Brother Lu Yi, be careful!"

His right hand formed a palm, and he struck toward Lu Yi. Azure ripples surged forth as a massive palm imprint, a full two meters across, shot toward Lu Yi at tremendous speed.

Wherever the palm imprint passed, the arena floor cracked inch by inch. The surrounding air seemed to be filled with water Spiritual Qi, sealing off the space and giving Lu Yi no chance to evade.

Facing the mighty palm imprint, Lu Yi's expression remained calm, while a glint of sword light flashed through his eyes.

The next moment, an incomparably sharp Sword Intent shot into the heavens, and Sword Clouds rose one after another from Lu Yi's longsword.