Blade-Hiding Staff, Turning Defeat into Victory

Body Refining Cultivators were typically tall and burly, with well-developed muscles.

Chen Heng's build, however, was no different from that of an ordinary person. If one had to point out a characteristic, it would be his remarkable agility and nimbleness, like a mountain monkey.

And this was perfectly normal.

Therefore, not only Luo Yuyan on the field, but also cultivators like the Chen Family members off the field, failed to react immediately.

It was only when the Great Elder, Chen Xingzhou, patted his bald head that he suddenly recalled, "It should be the Fiery Eyes Water Ape Transformation."

Although this cultivation method increased strength, its primary purpose was to enhance a cultivator's flexibility.

Unfortunately, this cultivation method was incomplete.

Thinking this, the usually stern Chen Xingzhou rarely offered praise, "I didn't expect Youngster Heng to be able to cultivate it to such a level."

"I underestimated you, Daoist Brother!"

Luo Yuyan ignored the surrounding chatter. She glanced at Chen Heng and revealed a smile full of confidence.

Then she continued, "Fine, I won't play with you any longer, Daoist Brother. Let me use my [Leaf in the Wind] to send you on your way."

Before her words even fell, she took a step forward, her posture sinking. She held her sword in one hand, the tip pointed at Chen Heng.

Her other slender hand gently caressed the sword's body, and she lightly flicked her finger against the clear, water-like sword spine.

The sword tip immediately trembled, drawing the surrounding airflow. The sword body swayed like a willow branch in the wind.

Her movements appeared relaxed and casual, yet they condensed the Wind Spirit Power onto the blade.

She transformed Sword Qi into a clear breeze, gathering the momentum of the wind into a sword aura, hiding a deadly intent within its graceful and fluid movements.

After a short while, the sword Qi that filled the air compressed into a pale green wind aura, shaped like a slender willow.

Luo Yuyan lowered her gaze and whispered, "Extreme of Wind, Willow-Flicking Shadow Pierce!"

She suddenly thrust her sword forward. The pale green sword aura, like a fleeting shadow piercing the wind, shot towards Chen Heng.

Where the sword aura passed, it was like willow threads slipping through gaps, its trajectory difficult to grasp.

Seeing this, within the Luo Family's resting area, the Palace-Gowned Beauty Luo Rushuang's beautiful eyes flickered as she looked towards the Luo Family's Great Elder, Luo Ruhai.

She smiled faintly, "Niece Yuyan's talent is truly outstanding. I didn't expect her to have mastered the most elusive killing move from the Wind Origin Sword Canon."

"Even if the Chen Family's brat perishes under Yuyan's spell, he can consider himself to have died a worthy death."

Luo Ruhai, who stood with his hands behind his back, replied indifferently, "If it weren't for the bizarre cultivation method Chen Xingyuan of the Chen Family practices, the Luo Family would have won this competition without Yan'er needing to make a move."

"Elder Brother is right!"

All the Luo Family cultivators felt that once Luo Yuyan's technique was successfully unleashed, victory was assured.

They now had the leisure to offer commentary.

Chen Heng, of course, would not surrender. He leaped up, raising the Water-Fire Cudgel with both hands.

As he swung the cudgel, water and fire followed.

The surrounding water and fire spirit energy converged like a vortex.

Chen Heng let out a low roar, "Water-Fire Soaring Heavens!"

He then struck towards Luo Yuyan's position with the cudgel, a heaven-soaring cudgel momentum instantly shooting forth.

At the same time, he drew upon the water and fire energies, causing them to briefly clash.

In the blink of an eye, the heaven-soaring cudgel momentum first permeated the air with mist, and then the fire energy within erupted with a boom.

Under the agitation of water and fire, the heaven-soaring cudgel momentum instantly unleashed a violent impact force.

Judging by its momentum alone, it was no less than many First-Order Top-Grade Spells.

This was the Water Fire Heaven-Reaching Staff Technique cultivated to the Great Accomplishment stage, showing signs of the might of heaven and earth.

In a flash.

The sword aura unleashed by Luo Yuyan, resembling a slender willow and as swift as the wind, silently bypassed Chen Heng's heaven-soaring cudgel momentum.

It directly struck Chen Heng, who had his arms crossed over his chest.

His entire body, like a kite with a broken string, was sent flying backward instantly.

On the other side.

Luo Yuyan was also not unscathed. Although she had used her agile and graceful posture, like a leaf in the wind, to evade the full force of the heaven-soaring cudgel strike, she was injured by the violent shockwave stirred up by the water and fire energies it carried.

A crack several feet long and wide was also left on the ground.

However, she did not stop her attack. Instead, she used the momentum to stomp her foot.

Her figure flashed, and she charged towards the flying Chen Heng with her sword.

Luo Yuyan intended to take this opportunity to completely kill Chen Heng!

In her eyes, Chen Heng posed a far greater threat than Chen Mingyun, that Foundation Establishment Seed!

At this moment.

Chen Heng couldn't even hold onto the spiritual artifact in his hand, the unremarkable Water-Fire Cudgel, which had already flown out of his grasp and landed on the ground first.

It seemed his defeat was a foregone conclusion.

Many cultivators outside the arena began to cheer.

Most of them had bet on the Luo Family to win, though a small portion also felt Luo Yuyan's performance was brilliant.

It was definitely not because they coveted her beauty.

At the Chen Family's encampment, Chen Xingzhou and Chen Xingshen had initially seen Chen Heng advance both the [Fiery Eyes Water Ape Transformation] and the [Water Fire Heaven-Reaching Staff Technique] to quite profound realms.

When he had the strength to contend with Luo Yuyan, that heavenly prodigy.

The situation, however, took a sharp turn for the worse. Chen Heng was instantly routed.

Their expressions shifted from joy to worry in an instant.

Even Chen Xingyuan, whose face was usually as calm as a still pool, looked quite grim.

His emotional stability didn't mean he was indifferent to everything.

The old servant Chen Fu, who had been tending to the crippled Chen Mingyun, looked up and saw the flying Chen Heng being rapidly pursued by Luo Yuyan, who was rushing forward with her sword.

Just as she was about to decapitate him with a single strike.

On the stage, a sudden change occurred!

Chen Heng, who was flying backward, suddenly flashed with golden light, his body inexplicably paused, and with a flick of his finger.

The Water-Fire Cudgel, which had flown out of his hand, was ignored, and had already fallen to the ground.

Suddenly, it trembled.

A Mysterious Iron Dagger, three feet long, thin as a cicada's wing, with a hidden gleam of cold light, shot out from the head of the cudgel.

"Blade-Hiding Staff!?" Luo Ruhai exclaimed.

The Mysterious Iron Dagger met Luo Yuyan head-on, who had left herself wide open, defenseless, and was about to swing her sword to kill Chen Heng.

"Not good!"

Seeing the situation turn dire, Luo Ruhai, stunned, moved and transformed into a golden light, attempting to enter the arena to rescue Luo Yuyan.

But he was too late.

The Mysterious Iron Dagger, controlled by Chen Heng with a simple Object Manipulation Technique, flashed like lightning and plunged directly into Luo Yuyan's heart.

Luo Ruhai's heart turned cold, and then he was consumed by rage!

The Luo Family's heavenly prodigy had died like this at the hands of an unknown, unremarkable junior.

Under the disbelieving gazes of thousands of observing cultivators, Luo Yuyan spat out a mouthful of blood and fell straight down.

Her long sword, which had been mere inches from Chen Heng's neck, also fell to the ground.

All the observing cultivators in the arena only heard two bang sounds in their ears!

And all of this happened in just a few breaths.

The previous moment, Chen Heng was clearly losing, his defeat was set, and his demise was imminent.

The next moment, Luo Yuyan, who had the upper hand, was instantly defeated and died on the spot!

This absurd turn of events, this reversal of defeat into victory, was completely beyond everyone's expectations.

Chen Heng, who had elegantly flipped himself upright, was no longer as disheveled as before. It was clear that his earlier state of being struck and out of control was a ruse.

With a wave of his hand, the Water-Fire Cudgel that had fallen to the ground and the Mysterious Iron Dagger stuck in Luo Yuyan's heart both returned to him.

He calmly said, "Hoo... This contest, I have luckily won."

His unhurried words spread in all directions, finally bringing everyone back to their senses.

"Niece Yuyan!"

The Palace-Gowned Beauty, Luo Rushuang, rushed into the arena, picked up Luo Yuyan, whose face still held disbelief and terror, and glared at Chen Heng with her phoenix eyes, exuding killing intent.

Chen Heng ignored her, gave her a slight smile, and then looked towards Steward Li of the Azure Profound Sect, who was seated in the high pavilion.

It was supposed to be him who announced the winner of this contest.

"Eh!?"

However, Steward Li let out a strange sound of surprise.

Chen Heng followed his gaze and looked at Luo Yuyan, dressed in a white dress now stained red, in Luo Rushuang's arms.

At this moment, another unexpected event occurred!

Luo Yuyan, who should have been dead, coughed violently and miraculously came back to life!

Chen Heng was stunned, his eyes widening, showing an expression of disbelief.

He immediately reacted, exclaiming in shock, "Death Substitution Charm Doll, how can you use such a rare treasure? This is cheating!"

As soon as he spoke, the observing crowd instantly understood.

Luo Yuyan had actually used an unknown secret treasure, the [Death Substitution Charm Doll], which had lost its inheritance, to escape death!

Could the situation still be reversed!?