Spirit Crown Holder—Bing Tianxiao!

More importantly, it had sealed Ji Xuan's only escape route.

"Thanks!"

Mu Chen let out a low growl and seized this fleeting opportunity.

His bloodstained fist slammed heavily into Ji Xuan's chest.

"Bang!"

Ji Xuan grunted, his entire body sent flying backward before crashing hard into the stone wall.

In the distance, Bing Tianxiao slowly lowered his bow and whistled toward Mu Chen:

"Don't mention it. Beat him to death—it's on me."

At the same time, the battle on this side erupted.

Wu Ling moved, the Long Spear in his hand twisting like a dragon. Borrowing the force of his leap, he shot straight toward the golden flag atop the stone platform.

However, a silver sword light suddenly stretched across his path.

"Your opponent is me."

Luo Li's cool voice rang out.

The girl held the Luoshen Sword, her silver hair fluttering in the wind. Her glass-like eyes were utterly calm, filled only with pure battle intent.

"Luo Li?"

Wu Ling's figure halted. Looking at the girl blocking his way, he raised his brows slightly.

He spun the Long Spear in his hand, a trace of helplessness in his voice:

"Fine, then let's fight!"

Luo Li wasted no words. With a tremor of her longsword, she transformed it into a sky full of sword shadows that swept toward Wu Ling like a violent storm.

For a time, sword energy crisscrossed and Spear Shadows filled the air as the two instantly clashed.

On the other side of the battlefield.

Seeing Wu Ling blocked by Luo Li and Ji Xuan tightly pinned down by Mu Chen, Wen Qingxuan finally moved after building up momentum for so long.

"Since you don't want it, then it belongs to me."

A proud, smug smile appeared on Wen Qingxuan's beautiful face.

Her figure was like a golden phoenix as she swept across the chaotic battlefield in an instant, charging straight toward the stone platform high in the sky.

"Swoosh—!"

Just as Wen Qingxuan was about to step onto the stone platform, a sharp sound of tearing wind suddenly rang out.

A black-feathered arrow ruthlessly slammed into the stone step before her feet.

"Clang!"

The arrow's tail trembled violently, emitting an ear-piercing buzz. It had sunk three inches into the stone, sending fragments flying.

If Wen Qingxuan had taken another half-step forward, the arrow would have pierced something far more fragile than stone.

Wen Qingxuan's figure jerked to a halt, forcibly stopping her forward momentum.

The smile of victory on her face instantly vanished. Her beautiful eyes flashed with murderous intent as she sharply turned toward a massive boulder to the side.

There, Bing Tianxiao was lazily leaning against the stone wall, toying with another arrow in his hand, a provoking smile hanging from his lips.

"Miss Wen, where are you rushing off to?"

"We haven't finished our fight from earlier. You're leaving just like that—isn't that a little disrespectful to me?"

Wen Qingxuan stared at the man blocking her path, fury blazing in her eyes.

That bastard had clearly been helping Mu Chen scheme against Ji Xuan just moments ago, yet in the blink of an eye, he had turned his spearhead toward her.

"Bing Tianxiao, do you really think you can beat me?"

The Golden Battle Spear in Wen Qingxuan's hand shook violently, and her aura surged.

"Since you want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish! I'll deal with you first, then go take the flag. There's still plenty of time!"

"That's more like it. If you're going to fight, you have to focus."

Bing Tianxiao laughed heartily, battle intent rising in his eyes.

He did not retreat in the slightest. Instead, he took the initiative to draw his bowstring until the bow curved like a full moon.

"Come on."

Before his voice had even faded, three arrows shot out in a triangular formation, sealing off every route Wen Qingxuan could take.

"Parlor tricks!"

Wen Qingxuan snorted coldly and advanced instead of retreating.

The Golden Battle Spear in her hand danced into a dazzling mass of Spear Shadows, while the sound of metal clashing rang out without end.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Sparks flew in all directions.

She precisely knocked away the three arrows, but the terrifying force attached to them left her palm slightly numb.

Before she could catch her breath, Bing Tianxiao's figure had already closed in like a ghost.

He drew the short dagger from his waist and engaged Wen Qingxuan in close-quarters combat.

The Golden Battle Spear in Wen Qingxuan's hands was heavy and powerful, every strike carrying the might to split mountains and shatter rocks.

Bing Tianxiao, however, refused to meet her attacks head-on, focusing solely on evading and counterattacking.

For a time, neither could do anything to the other.

On the other side, Luo Li and Wu Ling fought in an entirely different style.

Silver sword energy and crimson Spear Light collided repeatedly, stirring up layers of waves that reduced the surrounding rubble to dust.

Both were prodigies in their respective fields, their strength evenly matched. This battle was destined to become a prolonged war of attrition.

Therefore, the key to deciding victory still lay with Mu Chen and Ji Xuan.

"Ji Xuan! Today is the day you die!"

Mu Chen was drenched in blood, mad flames burning in his black eyes.

He had completely abandoned defense, allowing Ji Xuan's attacks to land on him in exchange for one opportunity after another to heavily injure his opponent.

This reckless fighting style made even the usually calm and composed Ji Xuan feel a trace of dread.

"Madman! You madman!"

Ji Xuan roared as the longsword in his hand unleashed sharp sword energy, attempting to force Mu Chen back.

But Mu Chen was like a beast that could feel no pain, clinging tightly to him and refusing to let go.

"Bang!"

Another brutal collision.

Ji Xuan struck Mu Chen's shoulder with his palm, the sound of breaking bone clearly audible.

Mu Chen acted as though he had felt nothing. He grabbed Ji Xuan's wrist with his other hand, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes.

His right fist slammed heavily into the center of Ji Xuan's chest!

"Crack!"

The horrifying sound of bones shattering rang out with unusual clarity amid the noisy battlefield.

Ji Xuan's already pale face instantly turned the color of pig's liver.

The next moment, he violently spewed a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his organs, splattering Mu Chen's face.

That punch had solidly shattered his sternum.

He felt the strength within his body rapidly drain away with that mouthful of blood, the power he had gathered collapsing instantly.

"Cough... cough, cough..."

Ji Xuan staggered, the light in his eyes rapidly fading.

But before he could catch his breath, he discovered in horror that the blood-covered youth before him had raised his fist again.

Mu Chen's gaze was empty and cold, as though he could not feel the agonizing pain of his shattered shoulder.

It was a gaze driven purely by slaughter.

He still wants to fight?!

An uncontrollable chill finally surged through Ji Xuan's heart.

He was a heaven's favored son. He was destined to stand at the peak of the Great Thousand World.

His life was incomparably precious. How could he perish in this wretched place alongside a madman who did not fear death?

He was afraid.

At the brink of life and death, Ji Xuan, who had always been all-seeing and above everyone else, was finally afraid.

"Get away!"

Ji Xuan roared, exhausting the last trace of his strength as he kicked Mu Chen in the abdomen.

Borrowing the recoil, he forcibly broke free from Mu Chen's iron-clamp-like grip and retreated rapidly in a sorry state.

"Mu Chen, I'll give you that!"

Ji Xuan clutched his caved-in chest, blood continuously spilling from the corners of his mouth. He glared venomously at Mu Chen and ground out through clenched teeth, "I'll remember today's grudge, Mu Chen! One day, I'll repay it a hundredfold!"

After saying that, he did not dare linger for even a moment longer. He turned and fled madly in the direction opposite the stone platform.

His injuries were too severe. If he did not leave now, he might truly be doomed here.

Watching Ji Xuan's miserable fleeing back, Mu Chen's taut body finally swayed.

But he did not fall. Instead, he slowly turned around and looked toward Bing Tianxiao and the others.

They had helped him, so naturally he had to repay them.

Although they had each simply pursued their own interests, help was still help!

Mu Chen instantly locked onto Wu Ling, who was entangled in battle with Luo Li.

He stomped hard on the ground and charged straight toward Wu Ling.

Wu Ling was in the midst of an intense battle with Luo Li when he suddenly sensed a suffocating killing aura approaching from behind and to the side.

He glanced from the corner of his eye, and his scalp immediately went numb.

The madman who had just beaten Ji Xuan until he vomited blood and fled was charging toward him, covered in blood.

That reckless posture was even more terrifying than that of the most savage spirit beast.

"Damn it!"

Wu Ling cursed inwardly. The Long Spear in his hand had no choice but to devote part of its strength to defending against Mu Chen's ambush.

However, when experts exchanged blows, victory and defeat were often decided in an instant.

At the moment he was distracted, Luo Li keenly caught the opening.

"Break!"

The girl's cool, delicate shout rang out.

The Luoshen Sword instantly pierced through Wu Ling's previously impenetrable web of Spear Shadows.

"Swish!"

The sword edge tore through the air and stopped precisely half an inch before Wu Ling's throat.

The icy sword energy made the skin on Wu Ling's neck sting, raising a layer of fine goosebumps.

At the same time, Mu Chen's bloodstained fist had already reached his side.

The corner of Wu Ling's mouth twitched. In the end, he sighed helplessly.

"Fine, fine, fine. You two win."

Wu Ling planted the Long Spear into the ground and raised both hands in surrender, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

"Two against one, and one of them is a madman who doesn't fear death. I surrender. Can't I surrender?"

He was fond of fighting, but he was not stupid.

Ji Xuan had already fled. What meaning was there in stubbornly fighting to the death here alone?

Moreover, Mu Chen's current state was truly frightening. Even if Wu Ling managed to win in a real fight, it would only be a miserable victory—not worth it.

With Wu Ling's surrender, the battle on this side came to an end.

On the other side.

Wen Qingxuan, who was locked in a fierce battle with Bing Tianxiao, naturally noticed the commotion here.

When she saw Ji Xuan flee and Wu Ling surrender, her originally proud face instantly turned livid.

"A bunch of useless trash!"

Wen Qingxuan gritted her silver teeth in fury and smashed the Golden Battle Spear in her hand hard into the ground, producing a thunderous boom.

She knew the situation had already been decided.

With Luo Li and Bing Tianxiao joining forces, no matter how strong she was, it was impossible for her to seize the flag while being besieged by two and a half opponents.

"I quit!"

Wen Qingxuan abruptly withdrew the Golden Battle Spear and drifted several yards backward, opening up the distance between herself and Bing Tianxiao.

Her beautiful eyes flashed with murderous intent as she glared fiercely at Bing Tianxiao, her gaze seemingly capable of drilling several holes into him.

"Bing Tianxiao, you win! I'll remember today's grudge!"

Seeing this, Bing Tianxiao also put away his dagger and slung the bow back over his shoulder.

He then turned his head and directed his gaze toward Mu Chen in the distance.

At this moment, Mu Chen was covered in blood, his aura weak. Clearly, he was already at the end of his strength.

Yet his black eyes remained bright as stars, and his spine was still ramrod straight.

Feeling Bing Tianxiao's questioning gaze, a carefree smile appeared on Mu Chen's pale face.

"Go ahead. You deserve it."

Without Bing Tianxiao's earlier arrangements, Mu Chen alone would have found it difficult to turn the tables under the encirclement of Ji Xuan and the others.

Upon hearing this, Bing Tianxiao did not stand on ceremony.

He cupped his fists toward Mu Chen, his gratitude conveyed without words.

"Thanks."

After those two simple words fell, he no longer hesitated. He turned and strode toward the stone platform.

Under the gazes of countless onlookers.

Bing Tianxiao reached out, seized the loudly snapping flag, and ripped it from the platform!

"Boom!"

The moment the flag left the ground, a strange and vast wave of energy suddenly erupted, instantly sweeping across the entire world.

Immediately afterward, a grand and indifferent voice, filled with supreme majesty, seemed to pierce through layer upon layer of space.

It resounded like thunder in the minds of everyone throughout the Spirit Road, as well as all the trial-takers:

"Spirit Road Trial, concluded!"

"Spirit Crown Holder—Bing Tianxiao!"

The voice was like the peal of a massive bell, shaking their very souls.

As the voice faded, the entire world seemed to freeze in that instant.