Faced with this Mountain-Splitting Stone-Cracking strike, Fang Han remained calm and composed, only his right hand suddenly rose and pressed against the hilt of the sword at his left waist.
"Clang--!"
A clear, melodious sword cry, like the roar of a dragon, suddenly rang out, drowning out all other noises in the arena.
The Cloudsplitter Sword was drawn from its sheath. Its Dark Cyan blade, bathed in the flickering firelight, shimmered with a deep, restrained luster, not dazzling, yet chilling to the bone.
An invisible yet clear "intention" rose from Fang Han's body—agile, ethereal, and all-pervasive.
Wind Sword Intent!
He had now mastered the < Void-Sundering Sword Manual > to the point of the Proficiency Realm.
There was no dazzling burst of light, only a dark Qing Jianguang that was condensed to the extreme and moved faster than ordinary people could perceive.
Like an invisible rift in the night wind, it silently yet resolutely met the incomparably powerful dark Saber Aura.
The next moment--
"Boom!!!"
It was not a simple clash of metal, but a deafening explosion of two violent energies colliding head-on.
A blinding light exploded at the point where the swords clashed, followed by visible Gray-White shockwaves that suddenly spread out in a ring.
The ground seemed to have been brutally scraped by an invisible giant plow, with paving stones being lifted up and shattered in large pieces.
Dust and gravel further away were whipped up several meters into the air by the violent gusts of air, as if a small sandstorm had been unleashed.
At the eye of the storm, the fierce look on Qi Zhen's face suddenly froze, then turned into incredulous astonishment.
He felt a sharp, concentrated, and immense force crashing down on the blade.
The force wasn't heavy, but it possessed a terrifying quality of tearing and penetrating; his entire right arm, which held the knife, instantly felt numb and throbbing with intense pain.
His burly body staggered backward uncontrollably, each step leaving deep footprints on the ground.
After retreating seven steps, he barely managed to steady himself by using his sword to stand still, his chest heaving with turmoil.
In Fang Han, Fang Han remained motionless after striking the ground, as if rooted to the earth.
With the Cloudsplitter Sword in his hand pointing diagonally at the ground, the blade hummed slightly, and his green robe fluttered in the gradually calming wind as he calmly looked at Qi Zhen, who was dozens of feet away.
Dust drifted down slowly, swirling around him, yet unable to touch his blue robe in the slightest.
"Who are you...?"
Lan Daoxing stared blankly at the figure in green robes blocking his way, his pale face filled with disbelief.
He recognized the man: Fang Han the Azure Profound Sect, the number one on the Prodigy Ranking, the young prodigy who had a close relationship with his daughter, Lan Yuexin.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but only coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Sect Master Lan, leave this to me, please step back."
Fang Han did not turn around; his voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable authority.
Lan Daoxing did not try to be brave; he forced himself to back down despite his injuries.
" Fang Han?!"
Qi Zhen steadied himself and his gaze fell on Fang Han.
In the firelight, that young face was clearly visible.
It was Fang Han the Azure Profound Sect, who was Prodigy Ranking and whom he had met not long ago.
His brows furrowed slowly, his voice low and tinged with suppressed anger:
" Fang Han, this is a feud between my Iron River Gang and the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. It has nothing to do with you. Why are you interfering?"
Fang Han stood with his sword in hand, meeting Qi Zhen's gaze. His voice was soft, but every word was clear:
"Chief Qi, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion has chosen to ally with my Azure Profound Sect and is now a subordinate force of my Azure Profound Sect."
"As far as I know, although the Hundred Treasures Pavilion has expressed its intention to attach itself to your sect, it has not yet made any arrangements with your sect."
Qi Zhen said in a deep voice.
The reason why the Iron River Gang chose to take action against the Hundred Treasures Pavilion at this time was because although Hundred Treasures Pavilion had the intention of becoming affiliated with them, the two sides had not yet reached an agreement on the terms of service. Strictly speaking, Hundred Treasures Pavilion was still an independent force.
Fang Han's lips curled into a cold smile:
"Chief Qi knows that Hundred Treasures Pavilion has already chosen to ally with my Azure Profound Sect, yet he still wants to attack Hundred Treasures Pavilion. This is a blatant disregard for my Azure Profound Sect."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a stern air.
"If Chief Qi stops now and retreats with his men, there is still room for maneuver in this matter."
Hearing the threat in Fang Han's words, Qi Zhen's eyes flashed with a cold light, and his gaze swept across the entire room like lightning.
On the battlefield illuminated by firelight, most of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion warriors had been killed or wounded. The remaining twenty or so formed a circle back to back, struggling to hold on against the siege of the Iron River Gang. Their defensive line was on the verge of collapse.
In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn—no, perhaps half an incense stick's time—this property will completely change hands.
His gaze passed over Fang Han's shoulder and fell into the deep night behind him.
The streets were deserted, the rooftops were silent, and apart from the sound of the wind, there was no one else in sight.
There was only this young man in the green robe.
" Fang Han, don't try to intimidate us with the name of the Azure Profound Sect. Tonight, the Hundred Treasures Pavilion will be destroyed, and no one can stop us!"
Qi Zhen's lips slowly curled into an extremely cold smile, a smile that revealed undisguised mockery and murderous intent.
The words "I can't stay" still echoed in the night wind when his tall figure began to move.
With a sharp "whoosh," his dark gold Brocade Robe ripped through the air, and he transformed into a blurry golden streak, his speed increasing dramatically to nearly twice as fast as before.
The distance of several dozen feet seemed to disappear; in an instant, he had dodged Fang Han like a ghost and closed to within three steps of Lan Daoxing.
The long sword in his hand, carrying a long-planned deadly intent, Void Sundering—
This strike was devoid of any frills; it was a resolute act that concentrated all power, speed, and killing intent into a single, decisive line.
The dark gold light compressed to its limit on the blade was blindingly bright, aimed straight for Lan Daoxing's heart.
He wanted to kill Lan Daoxing before Fang Han could react, leaving the Hundred Treasures Pavilion leaderless.
However, he was fast, but someone was faster.
Just as the blade was about to touch Lan Daoxing's blood-stained clothes, a green shadow, seemingly unmoved yet always present, precisely positioned itself in front of the blade.
Fang Han had arrived at some point, his face calm and expressionless, only his right hand holding the sword moved slightly.
"Call out--!"
The Cloudsplitter Sword emitted a trembling sound, clear and resonant, carrying with it a resolute determination to sever everything.
On the sword, the restrained dark blue light flowed like water, and the Wind Sword Intent silently permeated the air. In an instant, within a few feet of Fang Han, the movement of the air seemed to become clear and sharp.
He didn't parry; instead, he met the thunderous blow with a simple, straight thrust.
Sword tip against blade!
"Clang--!!!!"
The slamming sound of the collision was so sharp it ripped my eardrums.
This time, there was no exaggerated shockwave; all the power was compressed into the single point where the swords clashed.
A single, blinding spark exploded, instantly transforming into a fist-sized, blindingly white sphere of light that completely engulfed the point where the two weapons clashed.
Qi Zhen's sinister smile froze instantly.
He felt that the blade was not the immense force he had imagined, but rather an extreme sharpness.
It was as if he had struck not a sword, but a solidified, indestructible "wind drill".
A cold, sharp, and all-pervasive thought, following the tremors of clashing weapons, brutally pierced into his mind.
"Buzz--!"
Qi Zhen felt as if his head was being violently churned by a red-hot iron rod, his consciousness went blank for a moment, and he even saw a snowflake flash before his eyes.
That's a psychological shock, far more difficult to defend against than a physical blow.
Originally, with the mental strength of First Grade martial artist, he shouldn't have been so easily impacted.
But this is a master Sword Technique at the level of the Proficiency Realm; its mental impact is far greater than that of Beginner stage.
It's that fleeting moment of confusion!
Fang Han flicked his wrist slightly, and the Sword Intent he unleashed flowed smoothly from a straight thrust to an upward sweep.
The Cloudsplitter Sword slid along Qi Zhen's blade, sending up a series of teeth-grinding sparks.
The dark Qing Jianguang, like a venomous snake raising its head, silently and ruthlessly slashed towards Qi Zhen's unsuspecting waist and abdomen.
At the critical moment of life and death, Qi Zhen's instincts, honed through years of bloody battles, saved his life.
Just before the sword was about to strike him, he suddenly broke free from the mental shock.
It let out a strange roar that didn't sound human, and its entire body twisted to the side in a way that defied common sense.
"Sizzle--!"
The sound of tearing fabric was piercing.
The luxurious Dark Gold Brocade Robe ripped open with a long tear, revealing the Dark Gold inner armor clinging to the skin and gleaming with a metallic sheen.
The blade grazed the surface of the inner armor, making a chilling scraping sound.
It seems like you've dodged it, but you haven't!
The sharp, concentrated internal Hidden Force contained in the Cloudsplitter Sword had already partially penetrated the armor.
"Well!"
Qi Zhen groaned, feeling a chill in his waist, followed by a searing pain.
He stomped his foot and retreated several feet, staggering as he landed, with a few drops of crimson seeping from his robes at the waist.
He looked down and saw a clear white sword mark on his inner armor.
Beneath the inner armor, the skin had been cut by an invisible Sword Qi, leaving a shallow wound. So it could only be considered a superficial injury, but it was still an injury.
He suddenly looked up and stared intently at Fang Han, who stood several feet away holding a sword.
The fierce look that had been on his dark, rugged face was now completely replaced by an incredulous shock and solemnity.
He touched the wound on his waist; the wetness and pain through his fingertips felt so real.
"How could the mental impact of your Sword Intent be so strong... that even I, the leader of this sect, couldn't withstand it?"
Qi Zhen's voice was dry and hoarse, each word sounding as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.
Fang Han did not answer, his Cloudsplitter Sword pointing diagonally at the ground.
The night wind rustled the hem of his blue robe, and the firelight flickered on his serene profile.
It was as if he was not the one who had just repelled the powerful enemy and injured him in the blink of an eye.
This silence, more so than any words, made Qi Zhen feel an inexplicable pressure and... humiliation.
"Great! Excellent!"
Qi Zhen, but his laughter was filled with violence and madness.
He remained silent, took a deep breath, and his bones crackled and popped.
The immense Internal Qi of First Grade Late Stage martial artist erupted without any reservation.
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"
Substantial Dark Gold Internal Qi surged from his pores, swirling and rising like flames, making him appear like a golden-armored deity.
The rubble and dust beneath their feet were pushed aside by the sudden burst of Gang Qi, forming a clear circular aura.
He gripped the knife with both hands, slowly raising it above his head, where his Internal Qi surged and compressed wildly.
The light grew brighter and brighter, and a terrifying aura, heavy as a mountain and domineering as thunder, rapidly rose, firmly locking onto Fang Han in front of him.
The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and the battle cries from the two sides in the distance seemed to fade away.
This strike was his ultimate, all-out attack!