Powerful Strength Shocks Feng Qing'er

"Clang!"

Gold and iron clashed, sending sparks flying in every direction.

A massive impact surged from the blade, forcing Lu Jiuyuan to retreat three steps, his feet cracking the stone slabs beneath him.

Feng Qing'er, however, remained motionless, looking down at him from her superior position.

"Is that it?"

A mocking curve tugged at the corner of her lips. "It seems your strength is nothing more than this; winning against Bibi Dong must have been pure luck."

Lu Jiuyuan shook his wrist, remaining silent.

But his gaze had changed.

That last strike gave him a more intuitive understanding of Feng Qing'er's strength.

She was indeed very strong.

Her speed, power, and the refinement of her Dou Qi were all beyond his expectations.

However, he could handle it.

The next step was to beat Feng Qing'er into submission and make her obedient!

"That was just a warm-up; things get serious now."

Lu Jiuyuan tilted his head, took a deep breath, and felt the spiritual energy within his body surge wildly.

A brilliant green light erupted from his sword.

Feng Qing'er raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Going to get serious?"

She did not let her guard down, condensing her golden Dou Qi into a protective barrier around her body while a faint phantom of golden wings emerged behind her back.

Heavenly Demon Phoenix Wings.

The next moment, Lu Jiuyuan moved.

He thrust his sword forward, a seemingly plain and ordinary strike.

A flash of confusion crossed Feng Qing'er's eyes, but driven by combat instinct, she swung her sword to parry.

The moment the two blades were about to collide, the heavens changed color.

The previously star-filled void was suddenly covered in dark clouds, and thunder rumbled.

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking directly onto the sword of Lu Jiuyuan!

"Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique!"

Lu Jiuyuan roared, bypassing the casting time as his blade, wrapped in the power of ten thousand tons of thunder, collided violently with the Phoenix Feather Sword of Feng Qing'er!

"BOOM!!!"

Amidst the deafening roar, violent energy scattered, shattering the stone slabs on the platform inch by inch.

Feng Qing'er's expression changed drastically.

She felt as if she were not fighting against a sword, but against the entire world!

That thunderous power was as vast as the sea and incomparably domineering, even faintly suppressing the bloodline of her Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan!

"What... what kind of technique is this, to be so overbearing!"

She gritted her teeth, holding on as her golden Dou Qi poured out frantically to contend with the power of the thunder.

"Break for me!"

Lu Jiuyuan was not surprised by Feng Qing'er's resistance; he let out a roar, pouring out his spiritual energy without reservation.

The power of the thunder surged, transforming into a silver thunder dragon that opened its massive maw to swallow Feng Qing'er!

Feng Qing'er's pupils constricted violently.

She knew she could no longer block it.

In a split second, she made a decision, spreading her golden wings wide and soaring into the sky, barely dodging the thunder dragon's maw.

But the price was that her Phoenix Feather Sword was knocked from her hand, spinning through the air before embedding itself at the edge of the platform.

Lu Jiuyuan sheathed his sword and stood still, looking at her with a calm expression.

Feng Qing'er landed on the other side of the platform, her face livid as she glared at him.

[Round one, Lu Jiuyuan wins!]

The system's voice rang out.

Feng Qing'er stood in place, her ample chest heaving violently as she stared fixedly at Lu Jiuyuan, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

There was anger, unwillingness, and a trace of something she hadn't even realized herself... apprehension.

"What... what kind of sorcery did you use?"

Lu Jiuyuan chuckled, his deep eyes gazing at her as he said indifferently, "This move is called the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique. It is no sorcery, but a genuine, orthodox Daoist art."

Feng Qing'er bit her delicate, pink lips.

Of course she knew that was no demonic art.

That power of thunder was upright, peaceful, vast, and majestic; it was clearly the most orthodox Daoist technique.

It was precisely because of this that it could suppress the Demon Phoenix bloodline within her body.

The Dao follows nature, restraining all that is evil.

This was an immutable truth since ancient times.

"Second round." Feng Qing'er took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions in her heart, and reached out to summon the Phoenix Feather Sword back into her hand. "I won't be careless again."

Lu Jiuyuan looked at her and suddenly smiled.

"Are you sure you want to keep fighting?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Lu Jiuyuan cracked his neck, "do you really think I used my full strength just now?"

Feng Qing'er stared at him with cold eyes.

She refused to believe his words; having just unleashed such a terrifying Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique, his spiritual energy consumption must have been immense.

Under such circumstances, how could he possibly have any strength left?

He was merely bluffing now!

"Enough talk!" Feng Qing'er said coldly. "I will win this second round!"

As her voice fell, she charged at him once more.

This time, her speed reached its limit, leaving a trail of afterimages in her wake.

Lu Jiuyuan's lips curled slightly as his footwork shifted repeatedly, allowing him to dodge her attacks with ease.

"How is this possible? You still have energy left?"

Feng Qing'er stared at the man before her, her eyes widening as he effortlessly evaded her offensive.

"Alright! I'm done playing with you!" Lu Jiuyuan said in a deep voice. "It's time for this to end!"

He stood upright and gripped his longsword tightly.

In an instant, his entire aura changed.

If he had been like a sword hidden in its scabbard a moment ago, now, the sword had been drawn.

His edge was fully exposed.

Feng Qing'er's pupils constricted sharply.

She felt a sharp, peerless sword intent rising from Lu Jiuyuan's body.

It wasn't a technique, nor was it spiritual energy—it was pure sword!

Feng Qing'er had almost no time to react and could only rely on instinct to swing her sword in defense.

"Clang!"

The two swords collided.

"Again."

Lu Jiuyuan said softly.

The next instant, he vanished from where he stood.

The immense impact made the webbing between Feng Qing'er's thumb and forefinger go numb, and she realized with horror that Lu Jiuyuan's strength was more than twice what it had been before!

Before she could even react, the second strike arrived.

"Clang!"

The third strike.

"Clang!"

The fourth strike, the fifth, the sixth...

Each strike was faster than the last, each heavier than the one before.

Feng Qing'er was forced back repeatedly, reduced to passive defense with no room to counterattack.

She widened her eyes, looking at the man before her in disbelief.

What... what kind of swordsmanship is this?!

There were no flashy techniques, no dazzling lights, only the simplest, most direct—slash!

Every strike was unadorned, every strike was heavy and powerful.

It was just like a blacksmith hammering away at a piece of red-hot iron.

And she, Feng Qing'er, was that piece of iron!

"Clang!!!"

"Boom!!!"

As the seventh sword descended, Feng Qing'er finally could not hold on any longer, her entire body sent flying backward to slam heavily against the barrier at the edge of the platform.

The Phoenix Feather Sword slipped from her grasp and flew away once more.

She struggled to climb to her feet, only to find her whole body aching and devoid of any strength.

Looking up, she saw Lu Jiuyuan walking toward her at a measured pace, his sword tip dragging against the ground and creating a harsh, grating sound.

Stopping before her, he halted his steps and looked down at her.

"The second round, do you still wish to fight?"

Feng Qing'er's lips moved, but in the end, she could not utter a single word.

She had lost.

Lost completely and utterly.

[System Notification: Second round, Lu Jiuyuan wins. Best of three, challenge concluded. Winner: Lu Jiuyuan.]