The Battle Reached Its Peak

The Sixth Level of the Nine Universes Heavenly Bridge.

The gale grew increasingly fierce, shrieking so sharply it made one's teeth ache.

Ling Xuan strode steadily across the bridge's mirror-smooth surface. The Fire God Absolute Domain Blade warmed in his palm, its blade shimmering with flowing crimson-gold patterns.

He closed his eyes and focused. Flames surged around him like tides as he brought himself to peak condition. The gale whipped his hair wildly, yet did nothing to disturb his composure, as steady as a deep pool or a towering mountain.

"Choose your opponent, warrior: martial artist, Controller, or illusionist. Defeat one to enter the seventh level." The familiar voice of the Heavenly Bridge's intelligence came from within the tornado.

"Martial artist!"

A piercing whoosh split the air as a shadow plummeted from the tornado like a meteor.

The newcomer wore dark iron armor. Blue flames sparked beneath his boots with every step, and dark purple runes flowed across the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear in his hand. Beneath his dark red mask, his eyes were as cold as blades tempered in ice.

"To reach this point on your first attempt at the Heavenly Bridge means you have some talent and strength. That's exceedingly rare in human history." The Gatekeeper's voice was metallic and hard. His aura erupted, churning the surrounding mist into a raging vortex. Black flames coiled around his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear, crackling as they instantly surged three feet higher.

"But this is about as far as you'll get. Young man, you'd better go back and train some more."

"I've noticed you Gatekeepers really like showing off. Is it because you're lonely?" Ling Xuan said evenly, his aura beginning to rise.

Ling Xuan's words nearly choked the Gatekeeper, and his aura faltered. He could only strike first. His body became a black blur as his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear swept out nine crimson crescents. The blade energy tore through the air with a shrill whistle.

The Gatekeeper on the sixth level was still using the fifth form of the Fire God Absolute Domain Blade, Space Rending Moon Slash.

It was simply more powerful and refined than the version used on the fifth level.

Ling Xuan didn't back down. He charged into the Gatekeeper's blade energy, twisting his waist sharply as he swept his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear around. Nine crimson blade arcs collided with the crimson crescents.

The violent explosion of energy sent them both flying backward. They turned three somersaults in midair before regaining their balance.

The instant they landed, both leaped forward again.

The Gatekeeper's Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear became a bolt of crimson lightning, stabbing toward Ling Xuan's throat. Ling Xuan twisted aside and swept his blade upward.

"Clang!" The pointed blades of their Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spears crashed together. Sparks burst like a rainstorm, and the tremendous impact scattered the surrounding gale, creating a vacuum.

The Gatekeeper used the momentum to press down, his blade cleaving toward the crown of Ling Xuan's head. Ling Xuan raised his weapon to block. Their weapons crashed together with a deafening boom, and the bridge beneath their feet buckled under the force.

"Die!" the Gatekeeper roared. His wrist turned, and his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear suddenly became a blur, its three points stabbing toward Ling Xuan's chest and abdomen at once.

Ling Xuan's pupils contracted. Gripping the shaft with both hands, he swung his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear furiously, meeting the attack head-on.

Clang, clang, clang!

The metallic clanging continued without pause. Their weapons clashed hundreds of times in the blink of an eye. Each impact sent crimson waves surging out and made both sets of armor vibrate.

"Good!" Their auras grew stronger with every exchange, and their attacks faster and faster. Fiery red energy rippled in every direction.

Then Ling Xuan suddenly changed his attack, lowering his blade and sweeping at the Gatekeeper's legs.

The Gatekeeper quickly raised his weapon to block, but Ling Xuan used the recoil from their weapons' collision to leap into the air. His Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear plunged downward in a spiral toward the Gatekeeper's face.

The Gatekeeper raised his weapon to defend. "Clang, clang!" Sparks burst as Ling Xuan changed his attack again. His blade scraped along the edge of the Gatekeeper's weapon and went straight for the artery in his neck.

The Gatekeeper leaned back to evade, kicking toward Ling Xuan's abdomen at the same time. Ling Xuan drew in his stomach and retreated, then swung out a crimson blade arc with his other hand, forcing the Gatekeeper to turn his weapon back to defend.

In the midst of the fierce battle, the Gatekeeper suddenly vanished. Three afterimages attacked from different directions.

Flames surged around Ling Xuan, and his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear whirled into a fiery wheel.

"Space Rending Moon Slash!" A crimson blade arc swept outward. But all three afterimages swung their weapons at once, unleashing twenty-seven waves of blade energy—two false, one real—that crashed into Ling Xuan's attack.

The tremendous explosion sent them flying thousands of meters apart. They almost simultaneously stepped through the air and charged back at each other, launching into an even more furious assault midair.

Their Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spears coiled around each other like two crimson dragons, their clanging impacts as dense as a downpour.

The Gatekeeper's attacks were fierce and powerful. Every swing brought a crimson blade aura, twisting the air wherever it passed. Ling Xuan answered force with force. Every swing of his blade carried the power to split mountains and shatter stone. Crimson blade arcs and auras collided again and again, each impact booming deafeningly.

In just ten seconds, their weapons had clashed thousands of times. Sparks streamed from their blades, and their breathing grew heavier.

The Gatekeeper suddenly shouted. His Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear spun at high speed, forming a crimson tornado of blades. The air shrieked wherever it passed.

Ling Xuan neither dodged nor retreated. He poured all his strength into his weapon, and his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear became a crimson pillar of light.

The tornado of blades crashed into the pillar of light. A massive storm of energy swept outward, and the powerful currents hurled them both away.

But as soon as they regained their balance, they turned and charged back into the fight, continuing their frenzied exchange of blows.

Both panted heavily, flames churning around them as their auras continued to climb.

Ling Xuan used Youlong Footwork, his entire body becoming a mass of burning crimson flame as his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear swept and spun wildly.

First, he brought his weapon down in a mighty chop, its blade carrying the force of a thousand tons. The Gatekeeper raised his weapon to block. Ling Xuan immediately turned his wrist, and the spearpoint shot toward the Gatekeeper's throat like a venomous snake striking. The Gatekeeper dodged sideways. Ling Xuan spun with the momentum and swept horizontally, his weapon forming a blazing wheel aimed at the Gatekeeper's legs. The Gatekeeper was forced to jump back.

The Gatekeeper refused to yield. His blade turned and stabbed toward Ling Xuan's heart with blinding speed. Ling Xuan knocked it aside with his weapon and used the impact to leap into the air. He flipped in midair and brought his blade down in a diagonal slash.

They continued their fierce exchanges, both auras steadily climbing. Neither was willing to give an inch.

At this point, they were fighting like madmen. If either one's aura faltered even slightly, he would be crushed instantly beneath the other's ever-rising pressure, like a mountain bearing down from above.

Ling Xuan only grew bolder as the fight continued. A surge of battle intent stirred in his chest, and the ancient, combative blood running through his veins grew hotter. His eyes flashed brilliantly. The more intense and grueling the battle, the more exhilarated he became.

"Ha ha ha! Come on, come on, come on! Let's fight to our hearts' content!"

The Fire God Absolute Domain Blade in his hand grew ever more ferocious. With each "come on," Ling Xuan's strength surged further, until he completely overwhelmed the Gatekeeper.

He poured all his strength and Law Comprehension into his weapon, unleashing an even more powerful Space Rending Moon Slash.

His crimson blade arc was like a blazing sun, slashing toward the Gatekeeper with unstoppable force.

The Gatekeeper fought desperately to block. He swung his Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear, forming a crimson barrier before him in an attempt to stop Ling Xuan's attack.

But against Ling Xuan, whose aura now resembled that of a god descended from the heavens, the Gatekeeper had fallen completely onto the defensive.

Ling Xuan's blade arc cut through everything in its path. The instant it struck the crimson barrier, the barrier began to crumble piece by piece.

The terrifying force of the slash continued unabated, instantly locking onto the Gatekeeper and cleaving him in two.

"Phew..."

Ling Xuan exhaled a breath of stale air. His face, flushed from his surging blood and energy, gradually returned to normal as he regulated his breathing.

As the heat of battle faded, Ling Xuan also noticed his condition. His body was slick with blood and sweat, the aftereffects of just pushing his physical limits beyond what he could endure.

But an injury like this was nothing to a Universe Level martial artist. He would recover soon.

Besides, he was in the Virtual Universe, so there was no need to worry about this kind of injury.

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