The First Defeat, and Also the Last
How did Chu Wujiu get here?
Boundary Defining Existence?
No... did they walk over?
Without my noticing?
Having thought this through, Qin Wangchuan already understood everything.
He was misled.
Zhou Yunyi's speed was a grand and spectacular performance from beginning to end.
There was no killer move, no backup plan, and not even an intention to launch a sneak attack.
It really just crashed headfirst into me.
Every conversation and every glance between him and Yun Zexuan was deliberate.
This was all to make Qin Wangchuan believe that "they have a plan."
There is a conspiracy, so we need to be wary.
Being on guard will only distract you.
But the real killing move was Chu Wujiu from the very beginning.
There was no time to think.
My body moved on its own.
The Void Divine Feather suddenly unfurled behind him.
Its wings, sharp as knives, slashed straight down backward!
Behind him, Chu Wujiu took a step forward.
"Bloodburst!"
His entire body was bright red, with bulging veins, and it looked as if magma was flowing beneath his skin.
His speed and power surged to their peak in that instant, even tearing the air apart with his aura.
The Heaven-Opening War Halberd swung in a wide arc, carrying a world-destroying force, and cleaved down!
The Void Divine Feather, their wings can shatter the Milky Way.
But the Heaven-Opening War Halberd--
Its blade could cleave the world.
Boom--!
Two terrifying forces collided.
The shockwave exploded, tearing a gaping hole in the center of the arena, sending debris flying like rain.
The Void Divine Feather shattered instantly.
Qin Wangchuan was blasted away by the halberd, his body crashing into the edge of the arena like a cannonball.
The pale gold barrier shattered the moment it was touched, scattering fragments everywhere.
His momentum did not diminish, and he crashed straight into the stone wall below the stands.
Another loud bang.
The stone wall was sunken several feet deep, and cracks spread in all directions like a spider web.
Gravel broke off from the wall, fell to the ground, and kicked up a cloud of dust.
Zhou Yunyi was thrown into the air by the blast wave and tumbled several times before regaining his balance.
He touched his neck, which had been pinched, grimaced, and got up, walking over to Chu Wujiu's side.
His gaze fell on the large hole below the stage, and he walked along, sighing with relief at surviving the ordeal.
"You should use this trick first next time."
"Call--"
Chu Wujiu did not answer, but simply let out a long breath.
The breath carried a strong, metallic smell of blood.
This move can only be used once.
He looked down at his cracked skin, blood seeping from the fissures. "And... there's a price to pay."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Chu Wujiu's skin looked like a burst balloon, with streaks of blood gushing from his pores and trickling down his arms, neck, and cheeks.
His entire body was instantly soaked in blood, like someone who had just been pulled from a pool of blood.
But this is just the beginning; the real costs have yet to be seen.
So without hesitation, he lifted his foot and walked in the direction where Qin Wangchuan had fallen.
Let's go.
Chu Wujiu's voice was hoarse, and he swayed unsteadily.
"The battle is not over yet."
The night before the Trial of Blades began.
Chu Wujiu practiced his Bloodburst technique alone in the back mountain.
This thing can greatly enhance oneself, but the cost is too high.
If this continues for no more than ten breaths, the reverse flow of blood will directly burst through the skin and spurt out of the body.
After practicing all night, there wasn't a single patch of intact skin on my entire body.
"It's useless."
He shook his head, plopped down on the ground, and looked worried.
"Useless?"
A voice came from behind.
I don't think so.
Yun Zexuan emerged from the darkness, twirling the broken compass in his hand, a smile on his face.
Chu Wujiu turn his head. "Maybe nothing."
"He somehow gained control of the Heaven-Opening, and he also possesses the Dragon Scale."
"Even with Bloodburst, the chances of defeating him head-on are very slim."
Yun Zexuan had heard this several times before.
Chu Wujiu would say that every time.
But he didn't come tonight to hear these things.
"What if... it's not facing forward?"
Chu Wujiu was taken aback and turned to look at him.
"What's the meaning?"
"If I could make Qin Wangchuan reveal his back—" Yun Zexuan paused, looking into his eyes, "Could you decide the outcome with a single blow?"
Upon hearing Chu Wujiu abruptly stood up.
The wounds all over his body were aggravated, and blood seeped out again.
But he was completely oblivious, staring intently into Yun Zexuan's eyes.
"Foolish question!"
Chu Wujiu's voice boomed in the night wind, carrying a fighting spirit that had been suppressed for too long.
"The duration of the Bloodburst is short."
"But if it were that state, wielding the Heaven-Opening War Halberd, and unleashing a full-force attack..."
"No one can stop us!"
"He's no exception!"
Yun Zexuan looked at Chu Wujiu and smiled.
"Good."
He stood up and dusted himself off.
I'll give you the code word later.
"Let me think..."
Just say:
"It's up to you."
Yun Zexuan turned around, the moonlight shining on his face.
That smile seemed particularly irritating to Chu Wujiu.
"Hearing these four words means it's time for you to make your move."
The impact of the immense force caused Qin Wangchuan to faint for a moment.
When he opened his eyes again, he had already slid off the wall and was slumped on the ground with his back against the broken stone wall.
He turned around with difficulty.
A sharp pain shot through my back, as if someone had slashed me from my shoulder blade down to my waist with a red-hot iron bar.
Even without looking, you can tell there must be a huge crack there.
Although the Dragon Scale blocked most of the power, the Heaven-Opening Intent still surged within its body.
Like a snake, it slithers and bites inside the body.
Half of the Void Divine Feather was destroyed, and only a remnant of the Light Feather remained.
The whereabouts of the Supernatural Power Sword are also unknown.
But we haven't lost yet.
We can still fight!
Qin Wangchuan braced himself against the ground, just about to get up—
The tip of the Heaven-Opening War Halberd was already pressed against his forehead.
Chu Wujiu stood before me, covered in blood.
The blood seeped from every crevice of the skin, flowing down the cheeks, neck, and arms, dripping onto the ground and pooling into a small puddle.
His hand was trembling, but the tip of the halberd remained perfectly still.
He looked down at Qin Wangchuan, his expression serious, and spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Don't get up."
Let's win this once.
Behind him, Ji Wuchen, Zhou Yunyi, and Zhao Lingyun stood in order.
No one is completely intact.
Ji Wuchen's left arm hung limply at his side, its joints dislocated.
Zhao Lingyun's Heavenly Talisman Codex was empty, and his fingertips were still trembling.
Five finger marks were clearly visible on Zhou Yunyi's neck, a mixture of blue and purple.
But they stood there.
Qin Wangchuan sat amidst the rubble.
Chu Wujiu was neither threatening nor begging.
He was simply making a declaration.
The outcome is decided.
So, don't get up.
Qin Wangchuan looked at him.
A moment later, he suddenly laughed.
He fell backward and landed in the pile of rubble.
The gravel rattled beneath him for a while, then gradually quieted down.
"I lost."
Chu Wujiu was taken aback.
Then, a crack suddenly appeared on that serious face, and a smile spilled out from the crack, growing deeper and brighter.
With a breath exhaled.
He swayed and collapsed onto the ground.
Blood was still seeping from his body, but he didn't even have the strength to lift his hand to wipe it away.
Chu Wujiu stared at Qin Wangchuan with sparkling eyes, like a child eager to show off a precious treasure.
How are you feeling?
"Feel?"
Qin Wangchuan asked himself this question, then shook his head.
"I feel terrible."