The cheers had not yet fully died down when the Outer Sect Deacon's booming voice rang out again:
Second match: Zhang Heng versus Yuwen Jie!
Dressed in black, Yuwen Jie strode onto the stage, each step as precise as if he had measured it beforehand.
He glanced coolly at the young man across from him, who held a sword. "Give up. You're no match for me."
Zhang Heng tightened his grip on the Frost Sword, its blade glowing with a faint blue light. "How can a martial artist lose heart before the fight even begins?"
Before the words had left his mouth, Yuwen Jie was already upon him like a ghost.
The first form of the Mad Demon Fist, Mad Demon Break, thundered out. The air warped wherever the fist wind passed!
Frost Condensation!
Zhang Heng's sword flashed around, raising three walls of ice before him. But—
Crack!
The first punch split the ice wall;
The second sent shards of ice flying;
The third sent Zhang Heng and his sword tumbling through the air, crashing heavily onto the edge of the ring.
He struggled to get up, only to spit out a mouthful of blood.
Yuwen Jie wins!
This crushing victory did not come as much of a surprise.
The disciples in the stands were already used to Yuwen Jie's strength. Some even joked, "Zhang Heng did pretty well to last three punches."
In the matches that followed, Su Yu also defeated Zhang Heng with ease.
When the Azure Edge Sword stopped three inches from Zhang Heng's throat, the stubborn swordsman finally gave a bitter smile and conceded.
The most heartrending match, though, was Lu Zi'ang versus Yuwen Jie.
The once spirited second-ranked Outer Sect disciple now had no trace of his old edge in his eyes.
Against Yuwen Jie's storm of attacks, he barely lasted seven moves before going down.
"Your heart's not in it."
Yuwen Jie lowered his fist and stood upright, his voice cold. "A martial artist must never let agitation cloud his mind."
The final match, a fight for third place, was especially fierce.
Zhang Heng's Frost Sword and Lu Zi'ang's Meteor Sword wove dazzling streaks of light across the ring.
Both had already lost two matches. This fight was about their last shred of pride.
Star Burst!
After more than thirty exchanges, Lu Zi'ang finally seized an opening.
His sword plunged like a falling star, piercing Zhang Heng's defenses with one last defiant thrust.
The Frost Sword flew from Zhang Heng's hand and buried itself deep in a stone pillar at the edge of the ring.
Lu Zi'ang wins!
Amid the cheers, Zhang Heng struggled to his feet and saluted his opponent with clasped fists.
But Lu Zi'ang stared at his trembling hands.
He had won this fight, but he knew that the proud version of himself had died beneath Su Yu's sword.
As the Outer Sect Deacon's booming voice rang out across the arena, the entire venue erupted.
Yuwen Jie versus Su Yu!
The announcement was like a spark falling on kindling, instantly setting the crowd alight.
Deafening cheers erupted from the stands. Everyone could hardly wait to witness this clash of the titans.
As the two walked onto the fighting platform, Yuwen Jie's sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed on Su Yu.
His voice was low and oppressive. "That move of yours earlier did make me feel threatened. Too bad..."
A cold smile tugged at his lips. "If this were yesterday, you might have had a chance to fight me. But today, you're destined to lose at my hands."
Su Yu furrowed his brow, a look of understanding flashing through his eyes.
He keenly sensed the change taking shape within Yuwen Jie. The steadily rising aura made him immediately understand what his opponent intended.
In the stands, Grand Elder Mo Yuan's gaze sharpened. "Yuwen Jie is about to break through to the Spirit Condensation Realm right here on the field."
Elder Li Xun shook his head with a sigh. "Su Yu had a chance to fight him before. Now he's in danger."
Beside them, Elder Lu Yue seemed lost in thought.
The scene of Su Yu's fight against Lin Tian came to mind.
Even after Lin Tian used the Blood Burning Technique to forcibly raise his cultivation, he had still lost to Su Yu's sword.
Perhaps this boy really could work another miracle?
Below the fighting platform, the crowd buzzed with discussion.
Someone shook his head regretfully. "What a shame. If Yuwen Jie weren't breaking through in the middle of the fight, Su Yu might really have made history."
Another sighed. "The chasm between the Spirit Condensation Realm and the Qi Refining Realm can't be bridged by talent alone."
Su Yan and Su Mei stood at the edge of the arena, gazing steadfastly at the figure on the platform.
No matter how unfavorable the situation, they still believed Su Yu could work a miracle.
Ye Xuan clasped her hands and silently prayed for Su Yu.
Though they had not known each other for long, Su Yu gave her the same feeling as her exceptionally gifted elder brother. She couldn't help but feel close to him.
Yunxi pressed her lips together, her lovely eyes full of worry.
On the fighting platform, Yuwen Jie's aura had climbed to its peak.
Spiritual energy surged around him, his robes fluttering despite the still air. A pressure far beyond the Qi Refining Realm swept across the arena. He had reached the Spirit Condensation Realm!
On the fighting platform, Su Yu stood straight as a pine, his gaze as still as an ancient well.
Even facing Yuwen Jie, who had already broken through to the Spirit Condensation Realm, he remained composed, as if this lopsided duel were no more than an ordinary scene along the path of cultivation.
A flicker of surprise crossed Yuwen Jie's eyes, then he gave a cold laugh.
He did not move, yet his right fist shot through the air. The air twisted wherever the fist wind passed.
The pressure packed into that punch made everyone below hold their breath.
Mountain Suppression!
Su Yu's sword momentum surged, unleashing a weighty sword intent like a mountain collapsing.
Yuwen Jie only gave a quiet snort. His fist grew even stronger, ripping the towering mountain apart.
"Pointless." Yuwen Jie's voice was cold as ice.
Before the words had faded, he suddenly accelerated and drove a Mad Demon Break straight at Su Yu's heart.
Before the fist wind even arrived, Su Yu already felt as if a sledgehammer had slammed into his chest.
At the critical moment, he turned his sword. The move flashed like thunder, and sword light collided with fist shadows in a thunderous crash.
Waves of air surged as Su Yu was forced backward, his sword almost slipping from his grasp.
Just as he was about to fall off the platform, he lightly tapped the ground with his toes and unleashed Fleeting Light Shadow.
His figure spun like a willow leaf caught in the wind, finally steadying at the edge of the ring.
Without stopping to catch his breath, Su Yu changed his sword stance again.
The move began, and he shot upward like a solitary peak rising from the earth, sword pointed straight at the sky. Then he plunged down with the force of ten thousand weights.
A flash of light gleamed in Yuwen Jie's eyes. He did not dodge.
He raised his left hand, a dark glow rising in his palm, and caught the earth-shaking sword strike with his bare hand.
At the same time, his right fist shot out again, its force like raging waves crashing against the shore, slamming into the sword.
A clear, ringing sword cry resounded across the arena.
The sword flew from Su Yu's hand, tracing a mournful, beautiful arc through the air.
The crushing force also sent him crashing to the ground, where he scraped several yards across the bluestone floor.
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
Yunxi unconsciously clenched her sleeve. Ye Xuan's prayer fell silent, and Su Yan and Su Mei went deathly pale.
Everyone knew that a sword cultivator without a weapon was no different from an eagle with broken wings.
Yet when the dust settled, they saw Su Yu slowly rise to his feet.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes brighter than before.
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