Breakthrough

Frost spread along the long halberd toward Shen Yi's arm. Shen Yi gave it a powerful shake, and the frost fell to the ground in flurries. After one probing exchange, the two proved evenly matched.

They each retreated a step, then clashed again. For a time, one black and one white streak of light chased each other back and forth across the arena. Only the collision of weapons could be heard; their movements could not be seen clearly.

"So fast. Is this Shen Yi's true strength?"

The crowd below erupted in amazement. They had thought Shen Yi only excelled in physical strength, never expecting his speed to be no less than Wu Liujian's, even though Wu Liujian was in the Qi Condensation Realm.

After dozens of exchanges, neither had gained an advantage, and they separated.

"A Dharma artifact?"

"Mid-grade."

Shen Yi wore an expression of sudden understanding. As the heir to the Wu family's Sword Tomb, Wu Liujian's weapon naturally could not be some piece of junk.

"You are quite good, but unfortunately, you are not yet in the Qi Condensation Realm. You are no match for me!"

Wu Liujian had already grasped Shen Yi's strength. With his Fourth Level of Qi Condensation Realm cultivation, he was confident that three sword moves would be enough to defeat Shen Yi.

"Soaring Abyss Leaping Swan!"

Wu Liujian suddenly sprang forward. Flowing Frost Sword in hand, his body was as light as a drifting feather, and his speed instantly rose another level. In a single breath, he arrived before Shen Yi. Shen Yi exclaimed at his speed. With no time to adjust, he could only use his long halberd as a pivot and leap behind Wu Liujian, his hair brushing past the sword as he evaded it.

"The Qi Condensation Realm?"

Shen Yi smiled faintly and walked toward Wu Liujian step by step, long halberd in hand. Wu Liujian had intended to meet him head-on, but a powerful aura suddenly pinned him in place, leaving him unable to move.

With every step Shen Yi took forward, his aura grew stronger.

"This is... the aura of the Qi Condensation Realm!"

The crowd was in an uproar. What kind of monster was Shen Yi, to actually break through to the Qi Condensation Realm in the midst of battle?

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured endlessly into Shen Yi. Shen Yi clenched both fists. So this was the Qi Condensation Realm?

Wu Liujian was horrified. Pinned in place by Shen Yi's aura, he could clearly sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowing toward Shen Yi. He had displayed such imposing force just upon reaching the Qi Condensation Realm. Wu Liujian did not dare imagine what heights Shen Yi might reach in the future.

"Break for me!"

Feeling Shen Yi's still-growing pressure, Wu Liujian's fighting spirit suddenly surged. An unyielding resolve welled up in his chest. A swordsman could only die standing; never would he kneel to beg for life!

"Look! Wu Liujian has broken through too—the Fifth Level of Qi Condensation Realm!"

Shen Yi had already stabilized his realm. Another portion of the Essence of Flora within him had been refined, and his cultivation settled at the Second Level of Qi Condensation Realm. Seeing that Wu Liujian was still in the midst of his breakthrough, he waited where he stood.

"Thank you!"

Half an hour later, Wu Liujian finally awoke from his breakthrough. Seeing Shen Yi quietly waiting for him on the other side of the arena rather than taking advantage of the opportunity to attack, he felt sincere gratitude.

No matter the outcome of this battle, Shen Yi was someone Wu Liujian deemed worthy of befriending wholeheartedly.

"Now that you're awake, fight!"

Shen Yi's fighting spirit was at its peak. Empowered by spiritual power, the long halberd in his hand trembled faintly, like a dragon that had lain dormant for a century, starving and desperate for the thrill of a bloody hunt.

"Watch out!"

Wu Liujian seemed like a different person. He raised Flowing Frost Sword, and Sword Qi swept forth. The arena filled with bleak, murderous intent. Shen Yi held his long halberd crosswise before his chest. Before the sword even arrived, its icy Sword Qi had already pierced the spiritual power before him. Shen Yi thrust out his halberd, and a jet-black cold gleam shot straight for Wu Liujian's chest.

Wu Liujian changed his sword move, holding Flowing Frost Sword horizontally before his chest. The halberd's edge scraped across the blade, and the tremendous impact forcibly drove him back three steps. Shen Yi let out a long howl and soared into the sky. His long halberd transformed into a flying rainbow, crashing relentlessly toward Wu Liujian.

In an instant, the balance of offense and defense on the arena reversed.

"Cloud Shatter!"

Shen Yi's howl did not cease. He flipped backward in midair, and his long halberd became countless shadows of light that rained down upon Wu Liujian's head. The might of this move was enough to scatter one's very spirit. Wu Liujian dodged left and right, terror rising in his heart. Shen Yi's move gradually engulfed him. Just as Wu Liujian saw no way to evade it, a clear clang rang out, and sparks scattered in all directions.

Flowing Frost Sword met the halberd's edge perfectly head-on. In an instant, the rain of flying rainbows vanished.

"Was it broken?"

Shen Yi stood on the arena, his long halberd still held level before his chest. Flowing Frost Sword remained in Wu Liujian's hand, but its blade had been smashed in two by the halberd. He quietly looked at Shen Yi, and Shen Yi quietly looked back at him. Neither showed the slightest expression. Yet both already understood: the sword in Wu Liujian's hand could no longer strike.

"Once the competition is over, I'll treat you to a drink!"

Wu Liujian sheathed Flowing Frost Sword, then turned and descended from the arena with carefree grace. He was fully satisfied with this battle.

"He won! Shen Yi won!"

The crowd erupted once more. Whether it was Shen Yi's breakthrough or his performance, he had thoroughly won everyone over.

"Could it be that Sister has truly taken a liking to Shen Yi, which is why she acted that way?"

Yuwen Yue came to Jiang Miaoyi's side and asked softly.

"Wasn't Little Sister even more straightforward than I was? Who has set her heart on him—she knows that best herself."

Jiang Miaoyi did not answer directly, instead returning the question with needle against needle.

"With Shen Yi's potential, he must belong to our clan!"

Yuwen Yue raised her delicate fist and provocatively faced Jiang Miaoyi.

On the arena, Wang Teng had already taken his position and silently watched Shen Yi.

"Are you sure you don't need any pills? I don't want people saying I took advantage of your weakness and won dishonorably!"

"Confidence is a good thing, but blind confidence is not."

Shen Yi replied calmly. With the Essence of Flora replenishing him from within, he had long since recovered to his peak condition. Naturally, there was no need for him to take a Spirit Recovery Pill.

Seeing Shen Yi speak so firmly, Wang Teng did not persist. With a wave of his hand, an Ink Saber gleaming with dark light appeared in his grip.

"Another mid-grade Dharma artifact!"

Shen Yi was somewhat surprised inwardly. Wang Teng had remained obscure in the Immortal Academy for the past year, yet he actually possessed a mid-grade Dharma artifact. Now, he could be considered to have made a name for himself in one fell swoop.

With a single slash, an immense and majestic force surged forth, like ten thousand beasts stampeding, charging in with boundless momentum. Shen Yi swept his long halberd out horizontally, unleashing an equally overwhelming force that scattered the saber light.

Wang Teng no longer held back. His body flashed as he raised Ink Saber and charged forward. Shen Yi was not to be outdone, lifting his long halberd to meet him.

The two became locked in battle. Saber light and halberd shadows dazzled the eye; as their weapons collided, faint roars of dragons and tigers rang out, like raging waves battering the shore.

Though both fought with broad, forceful movements, Wang Teng's footwork was strange and unpredictable. One moment he was raising his saber to chop, the next his Ink Saber was sweeping out from behind Shen Yi. After several dozen exchanges, Shen Yi gradually fell into a disadvantage and began to struggle to fend him off.

"Today's victory is mine for the taking. Fall beneath my saber!"

Wang Teng shouted, and spiritual power instantly erupted from him. Ink Saber actually formed a massive phantom in the air, hovering before Wang Teng.

"Sky-Rending Three Slashes!"

One slash fell, carrying the power to split gold and shatter stone as it descended toward Shen Yi's head. Shen Yi raised his long halberd above him, intending to block the strike.

Before the first slash landed, a second was born. Wang Teng's second slash followed hard upon the first. Shen Yi's gaze sharpened. He drew back his long halberd and channeled spiritual power into it. Black light glowed from the weapon as Shen Yi spun it before himself.

A third slash arose, even more powerful than the first two, as though it could destroy heaven and earth. The three saber phantoms suddenly merged into one. Even the spiritual energy above the arena was scorched by the mighty saber edge, tearing open a thin crack.