Many of the people watching the livestream did not understand why Ning Chuan had become faster.
But it was a good thing, regardless.
Their hearts, which had been lodged in their throats, slowly settled.
"Did he... reach the perfect realm?!"
As the creator of Gale Step, Gu Tianyu could naturally see Ning Chuan's level, and his eyes were filled with astonishment.
He had previously told Ning Chuan to come find him after advancing Gale Step to the perfect realm.
In truth, he had only said it in passing!
He had not held out much hope.
After all, the perfect realm was usually the domain of a martial art's creator.
The Federation's Martial Arts Alliance had conducted a survey: not even one in a hundred people at the peak of the expert realm necessarily reached the perfect realm.
"Still, even Gale Step at the perfect realm won't be enough. At most, he can hold out a little longer!"
Gu Tianyu looked at his phone and sighed.
On the screen,
Ning Chuan's breathing was visibly labored.
When he inhaled, the rushing air even carried rainwater into his lungs.
When he exhaled, his breath gushed out as white mist.
"When will the sky mecha the military sent get here?!"
"It just set out. It'll take at least fifteen minutes."
Hearing the answer, Gu Tianyu closed his eyes.
On the street.
"Hah-!"
The spring rain was cold as needles as Ning Chuan gasped for breath.
With Gale Step at the perfect realm, he could hold his own against Zhao Weiping.
But using Gale Step at the perfect realm consumed an enormous amount of stamina.
Though the Savage Bull Force he cultivated was known for endurance, it was still only a D-rank breathing technique.
His cultivation was only at Awakening Stage Six.
Even if I use Gale Step solely to dodge, I can only last five minutes at most!
Ning Chuan assessed the state of his body.
Five minutes was not a short time.
The police might arrive in time.
But if they don't...
Ning Chuan's eyes turned icy.
He did not want to put his life in someone else's hands.
Running won't work either. Gale Step at the perfect realm only makes me more agile. My straight-line speed is no match for Zhao Weiping's!
Ning Chuan analyzed the situation calmly as he fought.
If I want to live, there's only one choice!
Kill Zhao Weiping before my stamina runs out!
Ning Chuan thought back to Gale Step's earlier breakthrough.
At the brink of life and death, he had focused all his attention on using Gale Step, and Gale Step had entered a moment of enlightenment.
What about his other martial arts, then?
Ning Chuan glanced at the Silver Blood Saber in his hand, and a crazy idea flashed through his mind.
No more stalling.
He would take the offensive and fight with Flash Thunder Slash, forcing it into a moment of enlightenment!
Then he would slaughter Zhao Weiping!
"You really are agile. But how much longer can you dodge? Your stamina's nearly at rock bottom, isn't it?"
After yet another attack missed, Zhao Weiping bared his teeth in a cold sneer.
But there was no amusement in his eyes. Instead, they were full of gloom.
If this dragged on, even if he killed Ning Chuan, he would not be able to escape.
Zhao Weiping pointed at Lu Mengyue and said, "How about this? I can spare your life, as long as you let me kill that girl!"
Naturally, he had no intention of letting Ning Chuan go.
It was merely a ploy to attack Ning Chuan's resolve, making him give up resistance so Zhao Weiping could kill him faster.
Zhao Weiping's gaze was sincere as he said, "I'm not lying to you. The police will be here soon, and I want to get away as quickly as possible too."
"A very tempting suggestion."
Ning Chuan spoke calmly.
Not far away, a camera recorded their conversation clearly.
Millions of people watching the livestream felt their hearts lurch. They stared wide-eyed at their screens, anxious to hear Ning Chuan's answer.
"It's over. That girl won't survive!"
Many people were pessimistic, holding out little hope for Ning Chuan.
Between life and death lay great terror!
Even an elderly person on their deathbed could not accept it calmly, let alone a boy in the prime of his youth.
"Even if he chooses to flee for his life, there's no need to be too hard on him. He's fought this far, and that's enough!"
"Being afraid of death is being afraid of death. Why make excuses for him?"
"Listen to what he said. He's obviously going to run. He was only fighting to stay alive in the first place!"
Many viewers argued through scrolling comments.
Just then,
Ning Chuan's voice reached everyone's ears, indifferent and cold, with a trace of killing intent!
"But I only want to cut off your head!"
Ning Chuan rushed forward, his figure like an arrow as the long, narrow Silver Blood Saber sliced through the curtain of rain.
Flash Thunder Slash!
A streak of silver light flashed across the sky, illuminating the gloom beneath the dark clouds.
Countless viewers trembled in body and soul.
They were moved by the overbearing force of his words and admired Ning Chuan's courage.
"Where's the one who called him a coward afraid of death? Get out here and take your beating!"
"The internet isn't a lawless place!"
"Sorry, everyone. I ran my mouth. Please forgive me. I'm kowtowing and admitting I was wrong!"
Online, many viewers found Ning Chuan's choice immensely satisfying.
But the scene at the shopping plaza was heart-wrenching.
Taking the initiative to fight while at a disadvantage was no easy feat.
Especially when Ning Chuan's stamina was limited. He could not take a steady, methodical approach and had to risk attacking.
In the blink of an eye, several bloody gashes appeared on his body.
Yet Ning Chuan did not even frown.
His black eyes were full of indifference.
He used Flash Thunder Slash again and again. The Silver Blood Saber seemed ready to turn into lightning, striking at Zhao Weiping one slash after another.
"Whoosh!"
Zhao Weiping threw a punch, Force surging as the wind of his fist howled with terrifying momentum.
Rainwater splashed in every direction in its wake.
Ning Chuan's black hair was whipped into a frenzy, but he had no intention of dodging. A thunderclap burst from his body as he slashed the Silver Blood Saber horizontally at Zhao Weiping's neck with tremendous speed.
"Die!"
A smug, mocking smile appeared at the corner of Zhao Weiping's mouth.
He had seen through Ning Chuan's plan: to force him to defend by trading life for life.
But his fist was faster!
He could knock Ning Chuan away first, throwing the saber off course so it would not hit him.
But the next moment,
Zhao Weiping's smile froze on his face.
The swinging Silver Blood Saber had actually grown a little faster!
Though it was still slower than his fist, if he did not block it, the tip of the saber would slit his throat as Ning Chuan was knocked away.
"Damn it!"
Zhao Weiping gritted his teeth, stopped his punch and slammed it into the Silver Blood Saber.
Boom!
The violent collision sent sparks flying despite the rain.
The Silver Blood Saber was knocked rapidly backward, but Ning Chuan paid it no mind. He had already heard the long-awaited mechanical voice in his head.
"At the brink of life and death, Flash Thunder Slash's heart trembled, and it entered a moment of enlightenment!"
"Progress increased by 20%!"
"Progress increased by 20%!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Ning Chuan charged at Zhao Weiping, slashing again and again as dazzling silver light flared in the pouring rain.
One slash after another.
Each slash faster than the last!
Accompanied by the rumble of thunder, they were like lightning bolts striking from dark clouds, forcing Zhao Weiping to struggle to cope for the moment.
"Another breakthrough?!"
Zhao Weiping's face was so dark it looked ready to drip water.
This made it even harder for him to kill Ning Chuan.
But at the same time, he wanted to kill Ning Chuan all the more.
Two breakthroughs in battle, one after another.
Just how great was the boy's talent?!
"Flash Thunder Slash has accumulated enough and reached the expert realm!"
The cold notification sounded.
A wave of insight welled up in Ning Chuan's mind.
His understanding of Flash Thunder Slash instantly reached a new level.
A B-rank martial art at the expert realm!
Boom!
Without pausing, Ning Chuan unleashed a thunderclap from his body, deep and deafening.
Every falling raindrop around him shattered, becoming like fine grains of sand.
Amid the thunder, the Silver Blood Saber slashed diagonally, moving too fast to see. The silver light trailing behind it was nearly a zhang long.
Zhao Weiping's expression changed slightly, and he retreated swiftly, trying to dodge.
But compared to the Silver Blood Saber, he was still far too slow!
Squelch!
The silver light struck Zhao Weiping.
With the muffled sound of steel entering flesh, a stream of blood spurted out and struck the ground, mingling with the rain.
Zhao Weiping stumbled back more than ten steps before he could stop.
His shirt had split open, revealing a saber wound nearly half a meter long that stretched from his left shoulder to the right side of his waist, deep enough to expose bone.
After all their fighting, Ning Chuan had wounded Zhao Weiping for the first time.
Zhao Weiping looked down at the wound, a wave of fear washing over him.
If he had been even a little slower to dodge...
Alongside his lingering fear, Zhao Weiping felt a surge of confusion.
A breakthrough in battle was merely an opportunity to break through the bottleneck of a realm.
Why was the boy facing him growing stronger continuously?!
It was not just Zhao Weiping. Countless viewers were baffled as well.
Only a few martial arts experts could discern what was happening.
"Including the earlier ones, that's his third moment of enlightenment, isn't it? And all in the middle of battle. His comprehension is simply monstrous!"
Gu Tianyu was shaken.