Divine Sword Thunder Control

A stalemate!

In the center of the arena, cyan and blue lights collided frantically, erupting in deafening roars.

Sword Qi scattered in all directions, carving the already battered arena into a thousand holes.

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi had both pushed their spiritual energy to the absolute limit.

Li Xiaoyu's face was somewhat pale, beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

Channeling the Geng Metal Sword Qi consumed a massive amount of his mental energy, and having to clash head-on against the might of the divine sword Tianya caused the spiritual energy within him to drain away like water from an opened sluice.

Yet, he gritted his teeth and held on, the fighting spirit in his eyes burning like fire.

On the other side, Lu Xueqi's situation was equally grim.

Controlling a sword with one's spirit was already incredibly taxing, and with the divine sword Tianya being held firmly in check by her opponent, the sharp edge emanating from his blade constantly battered the connection between her and Tianya, causing her mind to ache with sharp stabs of pain.

She, too, was struggling to hold on.

This was no longer a simple contest of Daoist techniques, but a trial of willpower and foundation.

Whoever failed to hold on first would be the one to lose.

The audience below the stage had long since been rendered breathless by this heart-stopping spectacle.

They didn't even dare to breathe loudly, fearing they might disturb the two on the stage.

Time seemed to stretch out.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

Finally, Lu Xueqi's body swayed slightly, and blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

She was reaching her limit!

If this continued, not only would she lose, but both her mind and the divine sword Tianya itself could be damaged.

I cannot lose!

A surge of unyielding obsession rose from the depths of her heart.

She was the once-in-a-century genius of Small Bamboo Peak, the greatest hope of her master, Master Shuiyue, and the goal that all her junior sisters looked up to.

How could she lose here!

She could accept defeat, but she would never accept losing in this manner!

A look of resolve flashed in Lu Xueqi's eyes.

She bit the tip of her tongue, and a stream of vital blood surged up her throat; she forced herself to swallow it, converting it into pure energy that flooded her limbs and bones.

She was going to use that forbidden technique!

The sword technique that could turn the tide, but would also exact a heavy price!

"Nine Heavens Profound Lightning, transformed into Divine Thunder!"

A cold, resolute voice spoke each word clearly from Lu Xueqi's lips.

As the incantation was uttered, the heavens and earth changed color!

The previously clear sky was instantly blanketed in dark clouds, which gathered from all directions to shroud the sky above Heaven-Reaching Peak.

Within the clouds, lightning snakes danced wildly, and thunder roared.

A majestic, heavenly might descended with a crash from the nine heavens!

Across the entire Green Cloud Mountain Range, every bird and beast prostrated itself on the ground, trembling in fear.

"Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique!"

On the viewing platform, Daoist Daoxuan stood up abruptly from his seat, his face full of shock.

"Has she gone mad? With her cultivation at the Jade Purity Realm Seventh Layer, how can she possibly harness such supreme heavenly power!"

Shang Zhengliang's face also turned deathly pale. "Stop her! She will be consumed by the backlash!"

Master Shuiyue's body began to tremble violently.

She muttered to herself, "Silly child..."

On the arena, Li Xiaoyu felt the pressure that seemed capable of destroying everything, and his heart was filled with terror.

He knew that Lu Xueqi had gambled everything.

"Majestic heavenly might, guided by the sword!"

Lu Xueqi recited the final line of the incantation.

She poured all her spiritual energy and all her mental focus into the divine sword Tianya.

"Hum!"

The divine sword Tianya erupted with an unprecedented, brilliant blue light, breaking free from the stalemate with the Autumn Water Sword and shooting into the sky.

It transformed into a conduit, connecting heaven and earth to summon divine retribution!

"Boom!"

A deafening roar erupted, as if it would shatter everyone's eardrums.

A bolt of purple lightning, as thick as a water barrel, tore through the heavy clouds and struck the blade of the Tianya divine sword with the force of world-ending destruction!

In an instant, the entire world seemed to lose its color.

In the eyes of everyone present, nothing remained but that blinding streak of purple lightning.

Within the lightning, the blade of the Tianya divine sword seemed to transform into a sword of divine punishment forged from electricity.

Countless tiny electric snakes danced wildly across the blade, emitting a crackling sound.

Lu Xueqi's beautiful face was now pale as paper, drained of all color.

Her body trembled violently; clearly, wielding this power had pushed her body and soul beyond their limits.

Yet, her gaze remained resolute.

Exerting her final ounce of strength, Lu Xueqi pointed her fingers like a sword, aiming from afar at Li Xiaoyu below.

"Go!"

The Tianya divine sword, carrying the might of the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder, transformed into a streak of purple light and crashed down toward Li Xiaoyu!

This strike locked onto every trace of Li Xiaoyu's presence.

There was nowhere to dodge!

There was nowhere to retreat!

Facing this strike, which felt like the judgment of a god, Li Xiaoyu's pupils constricted sharply.

Chu Yuhong, down on the platform, was already paralyzed with fear.

Shang Zhengliang's heart sank to the bottom.

He clenched his fists, ready to intervene and save him at any moment.

However, just as everyone believed Li Xiaoyu was doomed to defeat, a flash of madness and determination crossed his face.

He looked at the approaching purple lightning, then at the swaying figure in white in the sky, who seemed on the verge of being consumed by the backlash of the thunder.

Li Xiaoyu suddenly laughed.

He laughed brilliantly and recklessly.

He let out a roar and performed an action that no one could have anticipated.

He did not choose to defend, nor did he attempt to flee.

Li Xiaoyu actually charged head-on toward the world-destroying lightning!

Had he gone mad?!

This was the only thought in the minds of everyone present.

Had Li Xiaoyu gone mad?

No, he had not.

He was more clear-headed than ever.

His mind raced at lightning speed.

Resist head-on? Impossible.

Flee? The heavenly might had locked onto him; there was no escape.

The only chance for survival lay in the core of the lightning, in the out-of-control girl, and in the Immortal-Slaying Gourd at his chest!

"Swallow it for me!"

In the moment he charged toward the lightning, Li Xiaoyu roared in his heart.

He ripped the Immortal-Slaying Gourd from his waist and held its mouth toward the thunder dragon descending from the heavens!

Hum!

The dusty-looking wine gourd seemed to sense the temptation of the ultimate, righteous power of the thunder.

The ancient patterns on the surface of the gourd suddenly lit up, erupting with golden light!

A powerful force of devouring burst forth from the mouth of the gourd, forming a golden vortex!

The moment the world-destroying thunder dragon touched this golden vortex, it suddenly stalled!

It was as if a giant dragon had been seized by the throat, letting out a roar of defiance.

Visible to the naked eye, streaks of purple electric snakes were forcibly torn from the body of the thunder dragon by the golden vortex and surged into the Immortal-Slaying Gourd!

The Immortal-Slaying Gourd was actually devouring the heavenly thunder!

However, the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder summoned by the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique was terrifying beyond measure!

Though the Immortal-Slaying Gourd was miraculous, it was a delusion to think it could completely swallow such power.

It could only devour a portion of it.

The remaining bulk of the thunder continued to surge toward Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi in the air with destructive momentum!

That was right; the thunder had spiraled out of control and was no longer under Lu Xueqi's command.

Lu Xueqi, suspended in the air, was completely spent after forcibly driving the Divine Sword Thunder Control Technique.

She could no longer control the Tianya divine sword, nor could she resist the violent thunder.

Tendrils of wild, uncontrolled electricity coiled around her body, forcing a muffled groan of pain from her lips as her white-clad form fell helplessly from the sky.

Despair flashed in her eyes.