A Narrow Victory

With a thunderous boom, violent Sword Qi slammed viciously into a blind spot beyond Xiao Wuji's prediction for his Profound Qi shield.

The milky-white Profound Qi shield was instantly covered in fine, spiderweb-like cracks and shook violently.

"Pfft!"

Rebuffed by the Sword Qi's shockwaves, Xiao Wuji felt his blood and Qi churn in his chest and could not stop himself from spurting blood. His massive body was sent staggering backward again and again by the tremendous impact.

The entire arena fell deathly silent in an instant.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, blankly watching the arena. No one had expected Shen Yuan to evolve the Eighth Form of Azure Cloud Thirteen Swords into an entirely new variation, directly piercing through Xiao Wuji's Profound Qi shield!

"How is that possible?!" A raging tempest surged through Xiao Wuji's heart.

Over the past month, he had replayed the Minor Tournament finals' battle countless times, specifically preparing a full set of defensive measures against the original Eighth Form, Cloud Roar Shocks the Firmament. He had never imagined that Shen Yuan would alter the sword move's direction on the spot, causing every one of his predictions to miss the mark.

Seizing the moment when his injured opponent staggered back and a huge gap appeared in his defenses, Shen Yuan suddenly shot forward.

All the true Qi of his Late Meridian Opening Realm poured into his longsword as the Peerless Fist-and-Sword fighting style activated at full force!

Before the lingering force of his sword move had faded, his body had already closed in before Xiao Wuji. As his longsword traced out a flower of steel, both fists, wrapped in the fierce and tyrannical force of the True Subduing Tiger Fist, struck forth in a relentless barrage!

His fist and sword attacks layered over one another, blending hardness and softness