It's a Draw

Huo Yuhao's elbow strike was exceptionally precise, slamming viciously into Xu Sanshi's diaphragm.

The diaphragm was a muscle-fiber structure located between the chest and abdominal cavities, the body's most vital breathing muscle. Though Xu Sanshi had reacted to Huo Yuhao's movement, he had no idea how important his diaphragm was. He had only used fragments of the Mystic Tortoise Shield to protect his heart and lungs.

"Ah!"

Struck hard by Huo Yuhao's iron-hard elbow, Xu Sanshi let out a short, strange cry. He couldn't catch his breath!

How terrifyingly hard was an elbow?

Among all the bones in the human body, the Skull Bone was the hardest, with the elbow second. Otherwise, there would not be sayings like "elbows slash like blades, knees strike like hammers." What was more, Huo Yuhao's elbow had not hit Xu Sanshi's ribs, but his diaphragm, which was even more vulnerable than his ribs.

Even with the physique of a level-twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster, Xu Sanshi could not help but twitch in pain after taking Huo Yuhao's fierce, metal-like elbow. For a short while, he could only take quick, shallow breaths.

But Huo Yuhao would not give Xu Sanshi a chance to recover. Against an opponent whose cultivation level far surpassed his own, once they found a chance to catch their breath, they would immediately unleash an offensive that would be extremely difficult for him to withstand. Huo Yuhao could not afford to hold back.

Moreover, that vicious elbow strike had used the Kowtow Combo Fists of Senpou Temple Fist, a martial arts technique centered around attacks with the elbows and the heels of the palms.

Xu Sanshi staggered backward from Huo Yuhao's elbow. Huo Yuhao stepped forward again, then drove out the heel of his left palm. His entire body seemed to stick to Xu Sanshi once more as the strike landed precisely on Xu Sanshi's throat!

Already struggling to breathe, Xu Sanshi immediately felt even more unable to draw breath after taking that thunderous palm strike from Huo Yuhao. The heavy blow to his throat caused the struck area to rapidly congest and swell, making it even harder for him to breathe.

The fragments of the Mystic Tortoise Shield that Xu Sanshi had separated rapidly reassembled under his control. Gripping it in his Right Hand, he swung it fiercely, like a trapped beast making its last stand, trying to force Huo Yuhao back. Yet Huo Yuhao merely tilted his grip on the Katana slightly and met the Mystic Tortoise Shield with its edge.

Clang!

The Mystic Tortoise Shield collided fiercely with Huo Yuhao's blade, ringing out like clashing metal. Xu Sanshi immediately felt as if his Mystic Tortoise Shield had been knocked aside.

Refusing to accept it, Xu Sanshi drew in his last breath and swung the Mystic Tortoise Shield again. Yet every strike was deflected by Huo Yuhao with an exceptionally bizarre technique for shedding force. Although Xu Sanshi was clearly the attacker, after several exchanges, both his arms had gone numb, and he nearly lost his grip on the Mystic Tortoise Shield.

The agony of impaired breathing plagued Xu Sanshi, allowing him to exert at most seventy percent of his strength, and that strength continued to decline with every passing moment. Huo Yuhao, whose stamina had clearly been somewhat depleted, had instead recovered a little strength after receiving those heavy blows.

How was that possible?!

Xu Sanshi's eyes widened. Though both his Soul Skills leaned toward defense, even wildly smashing around with the Mystic Tortoise Shield could unleash destructive power no weaker than the full-force attack of an ordinary One Ring Soul Master. Why was his opponent growing more relaxed the longer they fought?

Xu Sanshi did not know that this technique, which perfectly deflected an enemy's attacks, restored one's own body, and turned the enemy's force into power to strike back, was the core secret art of the Ashina Style: Ascending Carp and Descending Carp.

The Ashina Style had an inseparable connection with the flow of Source Water. It beautifully deflected blades and counterattacked in succession, concentrating the strength of the entire body into a single point and building it into a force like a thunderous Tail sweep. Not only could it use the enemy's strength to restore one's own losses, it could also precisely return that strength to the enemy, like a carp plunging down a waterfall and then leaping back up it.

"Feel this strike carefully. Here I come."

Huo Yuhao spoke in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over Xu Sanshi, whose eyes still held disbelief.

The moment his words fell, Huo Yuhao had already transformed into an Afterimage. Blade light flashed brilliantly as the edge burning with Sacred Golden Flame swept forth in a dazzling golden glow, slashing out in a Horizontal cut.

Xu Sanshi's expression turned extremely grave. He had underestimated this child before him far too much. Even in Shrek, which was famed for its monsters, this tiny nine-year-old was a monster among monsters!

Xu Sanshi fixed his eyes on the blade light Huo Yuhao had unleashed. Gathering all his Soul Power and concentration, he finally saw that terrifyingly swift gleam clearly. Before it reached him, he broke apart the Mystic Tortoise Shield and layered its fragments onto his Right Hand, raising his arm before the blade.

Clang!

A bizarre trembling force traveled through the blade. The overwhelming force left his arm numb and aching. Xu Sanshi's expression changed slightly, and he nearly felt as though Huo Yuhao's terrifying strike would sever his arm!

Left with no choice, Xu Sanshi staggered several steps backward, opening up the distance. Half his body had gone numb!

What terrifying pressure! Xu Sanshi even felt that the pressure Huo Yuhao gave him surpassed that of many teachers in the academy!

Before his body could adapt and before he could adjust his stance, Huo Yuhao had already closed in. The Katana in his hand was pointed at Xu Sanshi's throat!

After breathing lightly a few times, Xu Sanshi raised his head to look at Huo Yuhao's serious expression. There was neither joy nor sorrow in the other boy's eyes. He simply stood there and slowly sheathed his blade.

"What was that strange power?"

Xu Sanshi felt his throat go a little dry. He hesitated before finally asking.

"It was flowing water."

Huo Yuhao had no intention of keeping it secret and answered frankly, "Flowing Water Swordplay is swordplay that uses softness to overcome hardness. When receiving an enemy's attack, one should follow the flow like a carp being swept down by a waterfall. When the enemy's attack weakens, one should swing the Tail like a carp climbing a waterfall, leap upward, and return all the force received before. When the two are combined, that is Flowing Water Swordplay."

The resentment on Xu Sanshi's face faded, replaced by wholehearted admiration. Losing to a monster among monsters like this was nothing shameful.

"Flowing Water Swordplay... good. I'm completely convinced. You won—"

"It's a draw."

Huo Yuhao interrupted Xu Sanshi. He drew the Katana he had already sheathed and gave it a slight shake. The blade immediately shattered like glass, clattering onto the ground.

"The Mystic Tortoise Shield's defense is terrifyingly strong. Although I left two marks on it, this Katana reached its Limit because of those two strikes and because it had deflected your earlier attacks. So, it's a draw."

Though Huo Yuhao had clearly won, his decision to call the match a draw left Xu Sanshi confused. But when he followed Huo Yuhao's gaze and saw that graceful figure in the stands, Xu Sanshi seemed to understand something. A trace of gratitude appeared in his eyes.

"Right, right, it's a draw. Hehe, brother, I'll treat you to a meal later. My temper was awful before. I apologize."

For some reason, Xu Sanshi broke into a foolish grin.