Qin Tiexin dragged Edgeless, approaching Zhao Yan step by step.
There were scorch marks all over the arena, and blood oozing from the cracks in the bluestone - some from him, and some from Zhao Yan. Every step he took, the pain of bursting blisters on the soles of his feet was painful, but his expression remained unchanged, and all he could see was the struggling figure who fell to the ground three feet away.
Zhao Yan's sternum was broken, causing severe pain every time he took a breath. He tried to stand up, but his arms shook violently, and he fell back to the ground after trying twice. Seeing Qin Tiexin getting closer and closer, a trace of panic finally flashed in his eyes.
On the viewing platform, several Foundation Establishment senior brothers had quietly moved away. They were ordered to look after the arena to prevent the disciples from dying - especially Zhao Yan. This person is a descendant of Elder Zhao. If he really dies in the outer sect competition, there will be a lot of trouble in the future.
Three steps.
Qin Tiexin stopped, Edgeless Saber pointed towards Zhao Yan's throat.
The deacon elder was about to announce--
Zhao Yan suddenly raised his head.
There was no sign of resignation in those eyes, but a trace of fierceness and determination flashed in those eyes. On the ring on his right hand, the red crystal suddenly dimmed, and then a gray light that was almost invisible to the naked eye burst out.
The gray light is as thin as a hair, faster than lightning, and shines directly between Qin Tiexin's eyebrows!
"Psychic attack?!"
The knowledgeable people in the audience exclaimed in surprise.
Disciples in the Qi refining stage, Divine Sense, have not yet achieved success, and their sea of consciousness is fragile. Without specialized spiritual defense methods, they will be almost defenseless in the face of such attacks. Although this gray light only has the strength of Qi refining, the Sha Qi mixed in it is extremely vicious - it is a blood evil collected on the battlefield, which does not harm the physical body and is designed to corrode the soul.
Zhao Yan grinned, revealing a serious smile.
The surface of this ring is Law Technique Law Artifact, but this trump card is hidden inside. The elders of the clan specifically explained: Nangong Yao's line has been gaining momentum recently, and if Qin Tiexin can surpass him in both weapon refining and fighting, the Zhao family's voice in the outer sect will be affected in the future. Therefore, we must win.
Even if the means are dishonorable.
He knew that Nangong Yao was at the viewing platform and would never sit back and watch Qin Tiexin's soul be damaged. As long as she intervened, Qin Tiexin would be defeated according to the rules. If she didn't move... then Qin Tiexin would become a madman, which would also eliminate a hidden danger.
The gray light sinks into Qin Tiexin's eyebrows.
Qin Tiexin's body suddenly froze.
In the sea of consciousness, blood filled the air.
In front of us is no longer a ring, but a sea of blood and corpses. Broken limbs and remains are piled up like a mountain, and blood is flowing into streams. The air is filled with the stench of rust and carrion. Familiar faces emerge from the pool of blood - Li Zhenwei has three arrows stuck in his chest, Shi Meng's head rolls in the mud, Zhou Laowu hangs half of his body on a horse...
Screams, roars, horses whining.
The north wind carried snowflakes, which fell on the body that was not yet cold and quickly turned red.
"Is this a mental attack?"
Qin Tiexin stood in the middle of a pool of blood, looking down at his hands stained with mud and blood. The armor was in tatters, the blade of the knife was curled, and there was a bone-deep wound on his left arm that was bleeding.
The illusion is very real.
The cold was biting, the blood choked the nose, and the sweet smell of rotting corpses penetrated the nostrils. Every detail on the faces of those dead comrades was horribly clear - the scar on Shi Meng's right eyebrow, Zhou Laowu's half-missed front tooth, Wang Meng's right foot that always liked to hide personal money in its boots...
But, it is only true.
Qin Tiexin slowly squatted down and reached out to touch Shi Meng's wide-open eyes. The fingertips felt cold and rough, exactly the same as when Formation-Breaking Camp closed his eyes for him.
"Brothers," he whispered, "I dreamed of you again."
Tears welled up without warning.
It's not fear, it's not collapse. It's the surge of nostalgia and grief that comes when I see these faces again after a year and eight months. Those emotions that were deliberately suppressed during the trek, in front of the weapon refining table, and in the meditation room are now evoked by the illusion, like a flood that bursts a bank.
He was kneeling in a pool of blood, his shoulders shaking.
From an outsider's perspective - on the ring, Qin Tiexin suddenly stopped and stood there blankly, his eyes blank, tears rolled down from the corners of his eyes, streaked across his charred cheeks, and washed away the blood.
"Hit!"
"Zhao Yan's ring contains a divine soul attack!"
"It's over, Qin Tiexin has only reached the fourth level of Qi refining, and the sea of consciousness has not been solidified. I'm afraid this time..."
The audience was in an uproar.
On the viewing platform, Nangong Yao's expression suddenly changed.
"Shameless!" She stood up suddenly, a cold light loomed in her sleeves, and she was about to fly off.
But a figure is faster.
The gray-robed elder moved three steps sideways, stood in front of her, and said warmly, "Senior nephew Nangong, please be patient."
"Get out of the way!" Nangong Yao's eyes were filled with coldness, "Zhao Yan used his soul attack on a Qi Refining disciple. If Qin Tiexin's soul is damaged, can you afford it?"
The gray-robed elder was not in a hurry, he raised his hand and pointed to the ring. "Look."
Nangong Yao followed his finger and looked at it.
On the ring, Qin Tiexin still stood with his head bowed, his tears not stopping. But the knuckles of the hand holding the knife - the hand with a cracked jaw and dripping blood - were slowly tightening.
Edgeless Saber The handle makes a slight "crunching" sound.
In the sea of knowledge.
Qin Tiexin wiped away tears and stood up.
The bloody illusion continued. More corpses emerged, and more tragic scenes were revealed. Sha Qi was like a poisonous snake trying to penetrate into the depths of his consciousness, arousing fear, madness, and despair.
But his eyes gradually became clearer.
"Compared to Xinyang Pass back then," he looked around and spoke slowly, "It's still far behind."
In that battle, the armies of Formation-Breaking Camp and Northern Di fought knife to knife, flesh to flesh. On the gentle slope in front of the pass, the soil was soaked three feet deep with blood, and it felt soft when stepped on, like stepping on rotten meat.
Li Zhenwei, Shi Meng, Zhou Laowu, Wang Meng, Zhang Shan, Chen San, Zhou Cang's thigh, Tu Dazhu's severed hand...
Also, Lin Feng!
Yes, why do you come here, why do you cultivate immortality, and why do you work hard to improve your cultivation? The original purpose is to go to Tiannan Territory and find Lin Feng.
Qin Tiexin closed his eyes.
When he opened it again, the illusion began to fade. The pool of blood became lighter, the body became blurry, the fishy smell faded, and the last trace of blood in his eyes completely dissipated.
The sea of consciousness returns to clarity.
On the arena.
Qin Tiexin Eyelashes trembled slightly and she slowly raised her eyes.
There was no confusion in his eyes anymore, only a quiet darkness. The tears had dried, and two white marks broke out on the charred cheeks. He looked at Zhao Yan who was collapsed on the ground three steps away, and his voice was hoarse:
"That's all?"
Zhao Yan's pupils shrank suddenly.
"Impossible... how could you..." he hissed, struggling to move back, but his sternum was broken, and the pain caused his eyesight to turn black at the slightest movement, "That is a blood evil fantasy, no one can do it during the Qi refining period..."
"The illusion is very good," Qin Tiexin interrupted him, holding Edgeless tightly, "But it is far worse than what I have seen."
He raised his knife.
The cold light from the tip of the knife reflected in Zhao Yan's horrified eyes.
"I surrender!!!"
Zhao Yan roared, his voice so sharp that it changed its tone.
The elder deacon immediately waved the flag. "Qin Tiexin wins - advances to the finals!"
Qin Tiexin The sword paused.
He looked at Zhao Yan for a moment and then slowly put away the knife. Edgeless dropped to the ground, the blade of the knife rubbing against the bluestone and making a dull dragging sound. He turned around, no longer looking at his opponent who was limp on the ground, and walked down the ring step by step.
Every step he takes leaves a bloody footprint beneath his feet.
It wasn't until he stepped down the last step that he swayed slightly and leaned on the ground with his knife to steady himself.
There is silence all around.
Thousands of eyes fell on him - the charred naked upper body, the burned scalp, the blisters and burns everywhere, the bloody feet. And those eyes, which were terrifyingly calm.
I don't know who started applauding first.
One sound, two sounds, and then they became one. It was sparse at first, but soon it swept the entire martial arts arena like a tide. Many disciples stood up and looked at Qin Tiexin with something else in their eyes.
Not just awe of power.
There is also a recognition of a certain tenacity.
Sitting area under the stage.
Qin Tiexin sat down cross-legged and took out the healing elixir from Storage Bag. Huiqi Dan, Shengji Powder, and Qingxin Pills were swallowed in one go. The elixir melted, and the cooling power traveled through the limbs and bones, and the burning pain was slightly relieved.
"Junior Brother Qin."
Li Yun's voice sounded beside her.
Qin Tiexin looked up. Li Yun stood three steps away, her cheeks slightly red, her eyes evasive, not daring to look directly at his body. She held a set of cyan robes and a small white jade box in her hands.
"Clothes," she handed the robe forward, staring at the ground, "And... ice cream, to treat burns."
He lowered his head and looked at himself - his crotch was still intact, barely covering his shame, but most of the two trouser legs were burned, leaving his calves exposed, and his skin was charred and blistered. His shirt was completely burned, and there were large areas of burns on his chest, abdomen and back, and the blisters burst and reappeared, oozing yellow water.
No wonder the people around me look weird.
Qin Tiexin Only then did he realize that he was almost naked. He took the robe, which was soft and cool. It was made of some kind of ice silk, breathable and thin. He quickly put it on - the robe was just the right size and was obviously prepared according to his body shape.
After covering her body, Li Yun dared to raise her eyes. Her face was still a little red, but she was much calmer. She put the white jade box into his hand and said, "Apply to the wound, three times a day, and there will be no scars."
Qin Tiexin Open the lid of the box. The paste is white and crystal clear, exudes a faint cold fragrance, and is cold to the touch. He dipped some of it with his fingers and applied it to the burned area on the back of his hand. The coolness penetrated instantly, the stinging was greatly reduced, and the originally red and swollen skin calmed down a little at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Thank you, senior sister." He whispered.
Li Yun shook her head, sat down aside, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Just now... Zhao Yan's mental attack, are you okay?"
"It's okay."
"But you cried."
Qin Tiexin paused for a moment while applying the ointment. He was silent for a few breaths and then said, "I thought of some old friends."
Li Yun didn't ask any more questions. She looked at Qin Tie's charred bald head, suddenly pursed her lips and smiled, then quickly held it back and said seriously, "I'm afraid your hair... is going to take a while."
Qin Tiexin touched his scalp and found it rough to the touch. The burnt stubble was mixed with blood scabs, and it was indeed a mess. But he didn't care much. "It will grow back."
While the two were talking, Qin Tiexin had quickly applied Ice Muscle Ointment all over the burned areas of his upper body. The ointment was cooling, and in conjunction with the operation of "Hunyuan Jue", he could feel that the lower layer of the skin was being repaired rapidly - the sixth layer of body tempering brought not only defense, but also recovery power far beyond ordinary people.
After he applied the medicine and put on his clothes, although his head was still bald and blackened, he no longer looked as scary as before.
Li Yun looked at him for a few times and said softly, "This robe... fits quite well."
Qin Tiexin lowered his head and looked at it. The cyan ice silk robe was wide but not bulky, and the cuffs and hem were embroidered with silver thread moiré patterns. It was simple yet elegant. It really fit him, but with his bald head and dark complexion at the moment, it was a bit strange.
"Tomorrow's final," Li Yun changed the subject, "You will face Zhou Chongshan or Chu Qing. No matter who wins, it will not be easier than Zhao Yan."
"Hmm."
"Zhou Chongshan has practiced both Dharma and Body, and has almost no shortcomings. Chu Qing Wood Element Law Technique is long and the best at consumption." She paused, "You have consumed too much today, and you need to adjust your breath well at night."
Qin Tiexin nodded and turned his eyes to the central arena.
There, Zhou Chongshan and Chu Qing were already on stage.
The second game of the semi-finals is about to begin.