Jing Ziyan's Self- introduction was already quite simple, but Ji Juechen's introduction was even simpler, consisting only of his name.
Ji Juechen looked to be only about twenty years old. He was dressed in simple white clothes and had a slender figure, but he did not appear weak. Instead, he had a kind of restrained strength.
His hair was as black as ink, simply tied back with a loose headband, a few stray strands falling down, adding to his aloofness.
His entire body was pale, almost sickly, as if he had never seen the sun for years, or as if some invisible force had drained his life force away.
Even so, his handsomeness was still astonishing, with well-defined features, a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a jawline so sharp it looked as if it had been carved by a sword.
Yet, this perfect face was marred by a pair of lifeless eyes.
Those eyes were dull and lifeless, as if shrouded in a layer of gray mist; they held no anger, no joy, and not even a trace of human warmth.
His gaze fell on Toji, but it seemed to pass right through him, looking into the distance, or perhaps... he wasn't looking at anything at all.
Ji Juechen moved very slowly, his footsteps so light they were almost silent, like a ghost drifting by.
Strangely, this slowness did not appear clumsy; instead, it possessed an eerie sense of harmony, as if he had completely blended into his surroundings, even his breathing rhythm matching some kind of natural cadence.
Toji, of course, knew what state he was in.
It is the Unity of Heaven and Man.
He hadn't expected that Ji Juechen had already reached the state of oneness with Unity of Heaven and Man so early in the main storyline.
Even though Toji's cultivation level is not as high as Ji Juechen's, at the same level, Toji can be said to be the best in the world.
Ji Juechen could give him a sense of danger, which shows that his potential was enormous.
At least Toji dared not imagine that if he had Innate Full Soul Power, a higher-level Martial Soul, and good bloodline, then even Huo Yuhao, the chosen one of destiny, would be inferior to him.
This is the standard treatment for a sword-wielding protagonist.
After sighing inwardly, Toji's expression gradually turned serious.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his muscles tensing involuntarily, his gaze fixed on the sword in Ji Juechen's hand.
The sword was four feet long, completely black, with no decorations or even a sharp edge; at first glance, it looked like a fire poker.
It has no sharp edge, yet it sends chills down your spine more than any blade.
Ji Juechen slowly raised his eyes, his dark pupils meeting Toji's gaze.
The air suddenly froze.
The two of them remained silent, their eyes meeting without uttering a single word.
Silence reigned on the field, and even the students in the audience remained silent.
They were all eagerly anticipating who would win between the academy's strongest student, the Sword Fanatic Ji Juechen, and this coach who didn't use his Martial Soul.
Toji, facing Ji Juechen directly, suddenly sharpened his gaze, his figure blurred, his breathing began to perfectly synchronize with the sound of the surrounding wind, and his feet became one with the pulse of the earth.
That seamless harmony created an illusion for the spectators.
It was as if the person standing on the stage was not a person, but a primordial Ferocious Beast lurking within the laws of nature.
"He's actually reached the state of oneness with Unity of Heaven and Man!" Jing Ziyan was watching the battle, murmured softly, a hint of shock flashing in her eyes. "And judging from his performance, his realm seems to be even above Ji Juechen's?"
Feeling immense Ji Juechen, Ji Juechen's dull eyes finally lit up, like a long-dormant sword spirit suddenly awakening.
The next moment, an even more violent aura erupted from Toji, and a sense of oppression, as if it were tangible, swept across the entire arena.
The ground began to crack, and rubble floated up against gravity, forming a terrifying force field around him.
Ji Juechen's white robes fluttered in the wind, but he did not retreat an inch.
The pressure was simply too immense, and six Soul Ring rose uncontrollably from beneath his feet.
Two yellow, two purple, two black – the standard top-of-the-line configuration.
At the same time, an extremely pure sword intent soared into the sky, colliding fiercely with Toji's violent aura!
"Click--"
At the point where the two forces clashed, the space itself visibly distorted.
The arena floor shattered inch by inch, and the protective shield groaned under the strain.
The students in the stands had to raise their hands to shield their eyes, as the gravel whipped up by the strong wind stung their faces.
Jing Hongchen was also watching the battle. Ji Juechen was someone he had specially approved to be admitted to the academy, so he valued him highly.
The two people standing on the field were not as powerful as him, but their battle was so intense that even Jing Hongchen, a Level 9 Soul Engineer, didn't know what they were doing.
"Perhaps, this is the difference between our Sun Moon Empire and the original three kingdoms of the Douluo Continent?"
Jing Hongchen sighed.
Level 9 Soul Engineer is stronger than an ordinary Titled Douluo, but ultimately, he is no Soul Master for Level 99 Limit Douluo.
Perhaps he can recognize their shortcomings in this battle.
"You deserve my full strength." Toji's voice was clearly audible through the storm. "Faced with an opponent like you, if I were to hold back..."
Ji Juechen's sword aura suddenly receded, all its sharpness returning to the blade.
The black sword now appeared plain and unadorned, yet it exuded an extremely dangerous aura.
Like the calm before the storm.
That would be the greatest disrespect to you and me!
Toji let out a low shout, his eyes filled with fighting spirit like a volcanic eruption, his muscles tensed, and his golden Qi and Blood surged like a raging tide. He slowly pulled his right fist back, and the air seemed to be compressed to the extreme, emitting a hum that could not bear the burden.
In an instant, the world lost its color, and the violent fist, like a king personally leading an army, carried an overbearing power that could crush everything, and slammed straight at Ji Juechen!
Wherever the fist passed, space distorted, and the ground cracked inch by inch, as if even the air itself had been completely pierced by this punch.
At the same time, Ji Juechen, not to be outdone, was clearly aware of the deadly danger this punch brought him.
His intuition told him so.
If we don't go all out.
That punch could really kill him!
In the critical moment of life and death, Ji Juechen unleashed his full potential. The longsword in his hand hummed and trembled, and a clear and melodious sword cry resounded through the sky.
Ji Juechen seemed to transform into a drawn sword, its blade shrouded in extreme sharpness. He lowered his body slightly, pointed the sword diagonally, and poured all his Soul Power into the tip of the sword without wasting a single bit, before unleashing a fierce slash!
The sword light poured down like a silver river, dazzling and brilliant. The sword energy crisscrossed, carving a bottomless trench in the ground, and collided with Toji's punch with a thunderous roar.
The instant the two collided, a deafening explosion rang out, and a violent shockwave swept out, causing the ground to collapse instantly, sending debris flying, and even the protective shield shattered into countless points of light under this force!
Fist and sword, ultimate power and ultimate sharpness, clash wildly in this moment!
"Snap!"
With a crisp sound, cracks appeared on Ji Juechen's sword, and then it shattered inch by inch under the crushing force of Toji's punch!
Toji's fist was also wounded by the sword, and blood dripped down his knuckles, splashing onto the ground and creating crimson blood flowers.
The two figures intersected, each standing still.
Ji Juechen looked down at the broken hilt of the sword in his hand and fell silent.
His expression showed a hint of contemplation.
Toji looked at the wound on his fist and fell into deep thought.
Since leaving the Soul Fighting Arena, his physical body has become increasingly powerful, and very few external objects can harm it anymore.
Ji Juechen was the first to successfully break through his physical defenses with a sword.
"What a pity, if you had a better sword, I wouldn't have won so easily."
As soon as he finished speaking, blood gushed out from Ji Juechen's body, his skin shattered inch by inch, and he became a blood-soaked figure.
Yet he remained remarkably calm, with only a flicker of excitement deep within his eyes:
"I lost."