Ghost Face, Nine Consecutive Victories

Chapter 9.

At this moment, Qin Jue's opponent had been replaced by a skilled fighter at the peak of Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer, a sinister old man wielding dual hooks.

The old man was experienced and his every move was deadly. His dual hooks were like the fangs of a venomous snake, specifically targeting the lower body, and his movement technique was incredibly slippery, putting Qin Jue's own proud footwork under pressure for the first time.

Qin Jue frowned for the first time.

His previous opponents had numerous flaws exposed under his [Mind Mirror]'s insight. But this old man's aura was restrained, his movements almost devoid of any excess, clearly demonstrating combat instincts honed through countless life-and-death struggles.

"This is interesting."

Instead of feeling nervous, Qin Jue felt a surge of excitement. He took a deep breath, pushing the first stance of Startling Swan Flash, Floating Light, to its limit. His figure became elusive as he engaged the old man.

"Clang clang clang!"

Sparks flew on the stage, the crisp sound of metal clashing echoing endlessly.

The old man's dual hooks were strangely tricky and sharp, narrowly missing Qin Jue's clothes several times. Qin Jue's swordsmanship, however, was as steady as a mountain. His [Tidal Stance] defended flawlessly, neutralizing all the sinister attacks.

The audience below held their breath; the intensity of this battle far surpassed any previous one!

"That old guy is Ghost Hand Liu Qi! His Soul Chasing Hooks have crippled how many people? This kid can actually go toe-to-toe with him?"

"More than that! Look, the kid's been evading, he's looking for an opening! He's waiting for Liu Qi to make a mistake!"

After nearly a hundred exchanges, the old man's continuous attacks yielded no results, his breathing growing ragged. A slight pause finally appeared between his moves.

Now!

Qin Jue's eyes changed as he seized the fleeting opportunity.

Cicada Wing · Thousand Layers--[Thousand Threads]!

The sword body let out a sharp hum, and layers of sword energy, imperceptible to the naked eye, appeared on the blade.

The old man's expression changed drastically. The moment his dual hooks met the sword blade, countless fine cracks instantly covered his hooks – the marks left by thousands of sword energies cutting simultaneously!

That strange cutting force traveled along the hooks, numbing his arms. The old man was startled and retreated several steps, creating distance between himself and Qin Jue.

He lowered his head to look at the dual hooks in his hands, his pupils contracting sharply.

The hooks were covered in dense, interlocking fine cracks. These dual hooks, which had accompanied him for over twenty years, were now in this state after a single exchange!

"What... what sword technique is this?" the old man muttered. He lightly touched the hook's body, and with a crisp "crack," a small piece of iron fell off.

He looked up at Qin Jue, who stood calmly opposite him, and shook his head with a wry smile. "I concede. If I take another sword strike from you, I fear these hooks will shatter into iron filings on the spot."

With that, he put away his dual hooks, clasped his fists in a bow, and walked off the stage.

"My thanks." Qin Jue sheathed his sword, his breathing slightly uneven.

This battle was the longest and most mentally taxing he had fought since stepping onto the stage.

Although he had tried to resolve each of these nine matches with the least possible cost, the combined use of Myriad Forms Style and Startling Swan Flash had consumed more Qi and Blood and mental energy than expected, even causing a faint stinging sensation between his eyebrows.

However, his eyes grew brighter.

This continuous combat kept his body in an excited state, and even his Qi and Blood had become more refined.

Indeed, actual combat was the best form of cultivation.

"Ghost Face! Ghost Face! Ghost Face!"

The atmosphere in the stands had shifted from shock to fervor.

In this world where strength reigned supreme, nothing was more exhilarating than witnessing the rise of a dark horse. Those who had initially mocked Qin Jue were now shouting louder than anyone.

"A newcomer! A newcomer at Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer! He's achieved nine consecutive victories right off the bat!"

"Too strong... this swordsmanship is too strong! Every strike hits the vital point, no wasted movements."

"I bet everything on Ghost Face! I'm putting in my coffin money!"

In a corner of the crowd, Tang Xiaoman watched Qin Jue on stage, his grin stretching almost to his ears.

"Tsk tsk, Brother Qin's swordsmanship is even more formidable than when he was at Silver Moon Bay," Tang Xiaoman thought gleefully. "Especially that move where he vibrated the sword body, it was so vicious... oh no, extremely exquisite!"

The audience was completely ecstatic, with some even shouting for the tenth match.

"Steward! Where's the steward? Quickly investigate this Ghost Face's background!"

backstage, several stewards managing the Hundred Battles Martial Training Ground's gambling were gathered around a thick ledger, their faces grave. On the ledger, Ghost Face's odds had dropped from an initial 1:5 to 1:0.1, and they were still falling.

"We can't let him win again!" a goatee steward said gravely. "If he wins any more, we'll go bankrupt today! We must find someone who can control the situation and break his winning streak!"

Another steward pointed to another name on the ledger, his eyes fierce. "Let him go up! I don't believe a kid at Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer can turn the world upside down!"

On the stage, the referee took a deep breath and shouted loudly:

"Nine consecutive victories! Ghost Face has achieved a record of nine consecutive wins!"

"Next will be the challenge for his tenth victory, which will determine if he can create a miracle!"

The frenzied atmosphere of the entire venue reached its peak at this moment.

The referee's gaze swept across the crowd, finally landing on a figure slowly emerging from the throng, and he roared out the name:

"Ghost Face's opponent is--the undefeated fighter at the Hundred Battles Martial Training Ground with a fifteen-match winning streak--Mad Wolf, Wei Jun!"

As soon as those four words were spoken, the originally noisy martial arts training ground fell silent for a moment, then erupted with an even more intense wave of sound.

"Holy crap! Mad Wolf?! The bookie's chickening out!"

"Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer against Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer? That's a two-realm difference! How is that supposed to be a fight?"

"It's over, it's over. Ghost Face is gonna lose this time. Wei Jun is notoriously difficult to deal with."

"The bookie wants to establish dominance! What a shame for such a sword dao genius."

The crowd buzzed with discussion. Many who had been ready to bet on Qin Jue to win quietly put away their Gold Notes. Although Qin Jue had shown great strength, no one thought he stood a chance against such an overwhelming realm suppression.

Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer was a realm where muscles and bones unified, a qualitative leap in both strength and speed, incomparable to the lesser talents before.

Tang Xiaoman stood at the edge of the crowd, watching Qin Jue on the stage, his heart filled with both worry and anticipation.

He knew Qin Jue was strong, but Wei Jun was no pushover either.

He had personally experienced the power of that punch.

Upon hearing the name, Qin Jue's eyebrows twitched slightly. He turned his head, looking towards the other side of the stage.

Wei Jun was slowly walking up. He didn't look at the audience or the referee; his emotionless eyes were fixed directly on Qin Jue, like a lone wolf that had spotted its prey.

"We meet again."

Wei Jun stopped about ten feet in front of Qin Jue, his voice calm. "Was that kid who used his legs just now your friend? His leg techniques were good, but unfortunately too green. As for you..."

Wei Jun sized Qin Jue up, his gaze landing on the Cold Iron Sword in Qin Jue's hand.

"Your swordplay is good, but you've already fought nine matches. Don't you need a break?"

Qin Jue shook his head and said lightly, "No need."

Wei Jun nodded, a hint of admiration appearing on his face.

"Alright, then I'll be imposing."

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