Tai Xu Swordplay

On the arena stage

Yue Feng let out a savage laugh. He had long wanted to destroy this genius youth. With a shake of his red-tasseled spear, cold light flickered from its tip, accompanied by a soft hum.

The aura of the Middle Heaven Yuan Realm erupted completely. Blood-colored Primal Energy coiled around the spear like flames, radiating a thick stench of blood and killing intent.

"Luo Heng, today I'll let you witness the power of the Shadowing Spear, the spear technique that upholds my Blood Wolf Gang!"

Before his words had faded, Yue Feng suddenly charged forward!

The bluestone slabs beneath his feet shattered as his body turned into a blood-red afterimage. His spear shot out like a venomous dragon leaving its lair, its tip piercing the air with a shrill whistle!

Even more astonishingly, the instant the spear thrust out, it formed three nearly identical blood-red spear shadows!

Each spear shadow was solid and lifelike, aimed respectively at Luo Heng's throat, heart, and dantian—three vital points!

Reality and illusion were impossible to distinguish, and the attack was incredibly fast!

This was the killing move of the Shadowing Spear—Triple Blood Shadows!

"What a fast spear!"

"One spear becoming three shadows—truly worthy of a Fourth-Grade Martial Skill!"

"Yue Feng has cultivated the Shadowing Spear to mastery. An ordinary Middle Heaven Yuan Realm cultivator simply couldn't block it!"

Cries of alarm erupted from below the stage. Many young disciples turned pale, thinking that if they faced this strike themselves, they would likely be defeated in an instant.

Zi Yue's brows furrowed slightly, a trace of worry flashing through her eyes. Though she knew Luo Heng was remarkably strong, Yue Feng's spear technique was indeed fierce.

The Blood Wolf Gang members, meanwhile, wore smug expressions, as though they could already see Luo Heng being heavily wounded by a single spear strike.

Yet Luo Heng remained standing where he was before the swift and ferocious triple spear shadows, his expression calm.

He did not move until the spear tip was less than three feet from him.

Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose Steps—Flowing Cloud Style!

His body drifted like flowing clouds as he slid sideways by the narrowest margin.

The first spear shadow brushed past the front of his robes, the forceful wind making his clothes snap loudly.

Immediately afterward, Luo Heng's footwork changed again. The Soaring Dragon Steps followed seamlessly, and he twisted in an unbelievable spin like a swimming dragon in water, slipping through the gap between the other two spear shadows!

The entire sequence flowed as naturally as clouds and water, as if he had long predicted the trajectory of every one of Yue Feng's spear shadows.

"What?!"

Yue Feng's pupils contracted. His Triple Blood Shadows relied on catching opponents off guard, and few at the same realm could evade it so effortlessly.

What shocked him even more was Luo Heng's movement technique. Its grace and agility far surpassed every movement martial skill he had ever seen!

"Stop playing tricks! Let's see how many times you can dodge!"

The hostility in Yue Feng's eyes intensified as his spear technique changed, blood-colored Primal Energy surging wildly!

"Shadowing Spear—Hundred Shadows Kill!"

This time, it was no longer just three spear shadows. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of blood-red spear shadows poured down like a torrential rain, completely enveloping the area within three feet of Luo Heng!

Every spear shadow carried a sharp howl through the air and chilling killing intent!

This was the Shadowing Spear's most powerful and widest-ranging move. Once unleashed, the spear shadows formed a net, leaving no escape!

"Yue Feng is getting serious!"

"Even a Late Heaven Yuan Realm cultivator would have to avoid this attack!"

"How will Luo Heng respond?"

The crowd below held its breath.

Cruel smiles appeared on the faces of the Blood Wolf Gang members, as though they could already see Luo Heng being pierced through by countless spears.

Yet Luo Heng, standing at the heart of the storm of spear shadows, had a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

"Shadowing Spear... unworthy of its name."

He murmured softly, but his voice still reached Yue Feng clearly.

Yue Feng flew into a rage, and his spear assault grew even fiercer!

But at that moment, Luo Heng moved.

He no longer dodged. Instead, he held two fingers together like a sword and lightly pointed forward.

At his fingertips, an extremely faint, thin, nearly invisible ripple silently spread outward.

Tai Xu Swordplay—Void Blade!

Silent and formless, invisible and traceless. Though it did not yet possess anything grand or imposing, that ripple still pierced through the layers of spear shadows in an instant and precisely "tapped" the middle of Yue Feng's spear shaft!

"Clink!"

A faint sound rang out.

Yue Feng felt the spear in his hands suddenly tremble as a strange force traveled along the shaft!

That force was not violent, yet it carried a peculiar sense of "shattering" and "void." It instantly dissolved a third of the Primal Energy he had infused into the spear shaft!

The momentum of Hundred Shadows Kill immediately showed an almost imperceptible stagnation.

That brief stagnation was already enough for Luo Heng.

Of course, even without it, he could have found an opening.

His body moved again.

This time, it was no longer simple evasion.

The Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose Steps and the Soaring Dragon Steps combined perfectly. His body darted through the gaps between the spear shadows like a phantom while his right hand repeatedly pointed forward.

"Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink! Clink!"

Five light sounds rang out almost simultaneously!

Five Void Blades struck different parts of the spear shaft with perfect accuracy!

Every blow dissolved a portion of Yue Feng's Primal Energy at exactly the right moment, disrupting the rhythm of his spear technique.

The longer Yue Feng fought, the more alarmed and frustrated he became!

His Shadowing Spear was clearly powerful, its shadows layered upon one another, yet at crucial moments, Luo Heng always disrupted it through bizarre methods.

It felt like throwing a full-force punch into cotton, or like having vital points repeatedly pricked by fine needles. Though not fatal, it was so unbearable that he nearly coughed up blood.

Even more terrifyingly, he could not see Luo Heng's attack trajectory at all!

Those Void Blades were invisible and traceless. He could only detect them at the moment his Primal Energy was dissolved, making them impossible to guard against!

What kind of martial skill is this?! Yue Feng was horrified.

Below the stage, many sharp-eyed observers had already noticed something unusual.

"That Luo Heng... seems to be using some extremely profound finger technique? No... Sword Qi?!"

"No, there are no fluctuations of Sword Qi. It's more like... Sword Intent?!"

"Sword Intent?! He's only in the Early Heaven Yuan Realm. How could he possibly have touched Sword Intent?!"

"But if it isn't Sword Intent, how could he break Yue Feng's spear momentum so precisely?"

Master Yan sat in the seat of honor, his eyes gleaming as he muttered, "This kid... has actually touched upon Rudimentary Sword Intent? No wonder he can deal with the Shadowing Spear so easily."

A strange light flickered repeatedly in Zi Yue's beautiful eyes. Though she did not practice the sword, she knew how rare and powerful Sword Intent was.

Xia Zhilan's eyes widened even further. The intelligence network of the Myriad Gold Merchant Guild spanned Flame City, so she naturally understood what Sword Intent meant.

"Sixteen years old, Heaven Yuan Realm, Rudimentary Sword Intent... this guy is simply a monster!" Xia Zhilan was deeply shaken.

She felt somewhat...

On the arena stage, the battle continued.

Unable to gain the upper hand for so long, Yue Feng grew anxious, and flaws began appearing in his spear technique.

Luo Heng, however, remained calm and unhurried. His body drifted unpredictably, his fingers striking again and again as he continuously dismantled Yue Feng's offense.

"Damn it! Die!"

A flash of madness crossed Yue Feng's eyes as he suddenly retreated three steps, opening the distance.

He gripped the spear with both hands, and the Primal Energy within him surged madly into it. Blood-colored Primal Energy rose like flames, condensing into a fist-sized blood-red ball of light at the spear tip!

From within the ball of light came the faint sound of a mournful wolf howl!

"Shadowing Spear—Blood Wolf Devours Heaven!"

Yue Feng roared and hurled the spear with all his strength!

The blood-red ball of light detached from the spear tip and rapidly expanded in the wind, transforming into the phantom of a savage blood-red giant wolf. It opened its bloody maw and pounced at Luo Heng with a destructive aura!

This attack had already surpassed the limits of the Middle Heaven Yuan Realm and faintly touched the power of the Late Heaven Yuan Realm!

Where the blood-red giant wolf passed, even the air was dyed crimson, and a bloody wind rushed head-on!

"Yue Feng actually mastered the ultimate meaning of the Shadowing Spear!"

"Even a Late Heaven Yuan Realm cultivator would not dare take that attack head-on!"

"Luo Heng is in danger now!"

Cries of alarm rose from below the stage once more.

The Blood Wolf Gang members were so excited that their faces flushed red, as though victory was already within reach.

Yet as Luo Heng watched the blood-red giant wolf pounce toward him, a chill flashed through his eyes.

"So you're finally willing to bring out your trump card..."

He no longer held back. His right hand closed in the air, and the Qingxuan Sword on his back came out of its sheath with a clang, landing in his hand.

The sword trembled lightly, giving off a clear dragonlike cry.

"Very well. I'll use you... to test the Void Blade's true power now."

Luo Heng stood with his sword in hand, neither dodging nor retreating before the charging blood-red giant wolf.

Within his Niwan Palace, the Myriad Law Seal glowed faintly as his Spiritual Power locked onto every flow of Primal Energy within the blood-red giant wolf.

At his dantian, the dark gold phantom of the Yuan Core spun, and pure Primal Energy poured into the Qingxuan Sword.

He had silently condensed the Tai Xu Sword Intent.

When the blood-red giant wolf was less than ten feet from Luo Heng, he moved.

There was no earth-shaking momentum, no dazzling sword light.

He simply thrust his sword forward.

At the tip of the Qingxuan Sword, an extremely fine, nearly transparent spatial fissure silently extended, instantly sinking into the center of the blood-red giant wolf's brow!

"Shk!"

The blood-red giant wolf phantom suddenly froze, its pouncing motion suspended in midair.

Immediately afterward, that fine spatial fissure erupted within the giant wolf phantom!

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

Countless fine cracks spread from the giant wolf's brow, instantly covering its entire body!

"Roar!"

The blood-red giant wolf let out a mournful howl. Its massive body began to collapse, finally turning into countless blood-red motes that scattered into the air.

One sword broke the martial skill!