On the day of the quarterfinals, the atmosphere in the martial arts square reached an unprecedented pitch. Tens of thousands of eyes were fixed on the main arena at its center, everyone awaiting the showdown between Xiao Yan and the mysterious black-clad youth.
This was not only a crucial battle to advance from the final eight to the semifinals, but also the most anticipated clash of the competition so far. One was a dark horse who had burst onto the scene and made his name with Heavenly Flames; the other was an inscrutable, cold-faced killer who had never tasted defeat. Their clash was bound to send sparks flying.
On the raised platform, Zhou Xiaotian, Li Kuangshi, Wang Zhan, and the other leading figures watched the arena with grave expressions, clearly placing great importance on this match. Li Xuantong and Master Liu clenched their fists in tension, silently sweating on Xiao Yan's behalf.
At the referee's command, Xiao Yan and the mysterious black-clad youth leaped onto the main arena at the same time.
The youth was still shrouded from head to toe in a black robe. His face could not be seen, and even his gender was difficult to discern. Only a pair of icy eyes showed beneath his hood, as unfathomably deep as a frozen pool and radiating a killing intent that made hearts tremble. Not the slightest fluctuation of Origin Qi came from him, yet he gave off a pressure like that of a mountain.
Xiao Yan remained calm, his Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames circulating quietly within him as he prepared for battle. He could sense that the opponent before him was more dangerous than anyone he had faced before. That hidden killing intent was even stronger than a Blood Shadow Cult protector's.
"You're strong," the black-clad youth said, his voice hoarse and low, impossible to identify as male or female. "But today, you'll lose."
Xiao Yan said calmly, "We'll have to fight to find out whether I lose."
"Courting death." Before the black-clad youth finished speaking, he moved like a ghost.
No one saw how he moved. Their vision merely blurred, and the black-clad youth was already in front of Xiao Yan, a hand shrouded in his robe striking silently toward Xiao Yan's chest, bearing a strange black energy.
The palm strike seemed slow, yet it blocked every path Xiao Yan could take to evade it. The wind from the strike was chilling to the bone, as if it could freeze a person's soul.
The spectators below cried out in alarm. That speed was simply too fast!
Xiao Yan's pupils contracted, and he dared not be careless. He could sense that the black energy in the strike was extremely strange. Not only was it chilling to the bone, but it was also highly corrosive. If it hit him, the consequences would be unimaginable.
At the critical moment, Xiao Yan shot backward as the Green Lotus Core Flame erupted in front of him, forming a scorching barrier of fire.
"Boom!"
The black-clad youth's palm collided with the flame barrier with a muffled bang. The strange black energy and the scorching Green Lotus Core Flame annihilated each other with a sizzling sound, and white mist spread outward.
The flame barrier shook violently, nearly collapsing. Xiao Yan was driven three steps back, his arm tingling slightly as shock welled up inside him. The black-clad youth's power was actually this formidable!
Having failed to land his strike, the black-clad youth did not pause. His figure flickered again, darting across the arena like a ghost as he attacked Xiao Yan relentlessly. He was impossibly fast, and every strike came from a tricky angle, filled with intense killing intent and strange black energy. Xiao Yan was forced to keep dodging and defending.
For a time, all that could be seen in the arena were two blurred figures moving and clashing at speed. Ribbons of black energy intertwined with red flames, erupting in waves of terrifying energy that made the entire arena tremble slightly.
The spectators below watched open-mouthed. Such speed and power were already far beyond the bounds of an ordinary Origin King expert. Even an early-stage Origin Emperor expert was no better than this!
"So fast! This man in black is far too fast!"
"Xiao Yan's being overwhelmed! Can he hold him off?"
"Just where did this man in black come from? His strength is terrifying!"
A wave of discussion rose and fell as everyone sweated on Xiao Yan's behalf.
On the raised platform, a cold smile curled Wang Zhan's lips. "It looks like Xiao Yan's journey ends here."
Li Kuangshi also gave a cold snort, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. Although Xiao Yan had injured Li Hao, the sight of Xiao Yan possibly losing still brought him some comfort.
Zhou Xiaotian frowned slightly, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yan in the arena as a trace of concern flashed in his eyes.
In the arena, Xiao Yan was indeed in a somewhat sorry state, suppressed by the black-clad youth's speed and strange energy. His opponent's attacks followed no discernible pattern, yet every move was deadly. Moreover, the black energy seemed specially suited to counter Origin Qi, making the circulation of his Origin Qi somewhat sluggish.
But Xiao Yan did not panic. As he dodged, he silently studied the black-clad youth's attack patterns and the properties of his energy.
This black energy... it's a little like the Blood Shadow Cult's sinister energy, but purer and stranger, Xiao Yan thought. Could he be connected to the Blood Shadow Cult?
Just then, the black-clad youth caught an opening as Xiao Yan dodged. He appeared behind him as if teleporting and struck at the center of his back, black energy condensing into a claw that tore through the air.
The palm strike was so fast that there was no avoiding it!
"Now!"
A fierce light flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. Instead of retreating, he charged forward, forcibly twisting his body as his right hand shot out like lightning. Rather than attack the black-clad youth, he reached for the edge of his hood.
The black-clad youth clearly had not expected Xiao Yan to do that and froze for an instant.
Seizing that momentary opening, Xiao Yan gathered a dense concentration of Origin Qi in his left hand and infused it with Fallen Heart Flame, then drove a punch at the youth's chest!
"Boom!"
Fist met palm. Xiao Yan felt a cold, tyrannical force surge through him, instantly numbing his left hand, while the black-clad youth was driven two steps back by the punch infused with Fallen Heart Flame.
More importantly, Xiao Yan's right hand, still gripping the hood, yanked it back!
"Whoosh!"
The black-clad youth's hood was thrown back, revealing his true face.
It was a deathly pale face without a trace of color, its features as delicate as a woman's, yet tinged with an effeminate, sinister air. Most striking of all were his eyes: his pupils were a strange dark red, flashing with bloodthirsty light.
"He's a young man!"
"His eyes are so strange!"
An uproar broke out below the arena. No one had expected the mysterious black-clad youth to have such a sinister face.
The black-clad youth clearly had not expected his face to be exposed. Rage flashed in his eyes, and the killing intent in his dark red pupils soared. "You're courting death!"
Holding nothing back, he unleashed all the black energy within him. A cold, bloodthirsty presence filled the entire arena, and dark red light gathered in his hand, forming a slender black curved saber. Countless vengeful souls seemed to be screaming along its blade.
"The Blood Shadow Cult's Blood Soul Saber!" Li Xuantong's expression changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm. "He really is from the Blood Shadow Cult!"
On the raised platform, Zhou Xiaotian's face also turned extremely grim. "A Blood Shadow Cult remnant, daring to infiltrate the competition!"
Hearing Li Xuantong's words, the black-clad youth showed a sinister smile. "Since I've been recognized, there's no need to hide anymore. Xiao Yan, to die beneath my blade-Blood Butcher's blade-is a fitting end for you!"
His name was Blood Butcher, and he was a core disciple of the Blood Shadow Cult!
Blood Soul Saber in hand, Blood Butcher moved again, even faster than before. Saber light flashed as he attacked Xiao Yan like a raging storm, trailing a thick stench of blood and killing intent.
"A Blood Shadow Cult remnant-it really was you!" Coldness flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. "In that case, today I'll carry out heaven's justice and rid the world of a scourge like you!"
He held nothing back, circulating the Green Lotus Core Flame and Fallen Heart Flame to their limits at the same time. The two Heavenly Flames intertwined and fused in his hands, forming a gigantic flaming sword. Red and blue flames surged along its blade, radiating a terrifying might that could burn mountains and boil seas.
"Heavenly Flames · Burning Heaven!"
With a low shout, Xiao Yan swung the flaming sword fiercely at Blood Butcher's Blood Soul Saber!
"Clang!"
The flaming sword collided with the Blood Soul Saber with a piercing metallic ring. Red flames and black saber light intertwined and annihilated each other in a frenzy. A terrifying shock wave spread in every direction, shaking cracks across the entire arena!
The two exchanged dozens of blows in an instant. Light from the clashes between flame and sinister energy illuminated the entire square, and every collision made hearts pound.
Blood Butcher's Blood Soul Saber was exceptionally strange. Wherever its light passed, even space seemed to corrode. The screams of the vengeful souls within the saber could also affect a person's mind, making it extremely troublesome to deal with.
But Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames were even more domineering. In particular, after the two flames fused, their power multiplied, and they gained a force that could purify all things-precisely the counter to Blood Butcher's sinister energy.
"Sizzle!"
The black energy on the Blood Soul Saber was continuously burned and purified by the flames, giving off agonized shrieks. Blood Butcher's expression grew uglier and uglier. He had never expected Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames to counter his Blood Soul Saber!
"Impossible! How could my Blood Soul Saber be countered by your flames?!" Blood Butcher looked near-mad, disbelief flashing in his dark red pupils.
"Evil cannot triumph over righteousness. Your sinister energy is destined to be purified!" Xiao Yan snorted coldly. The light on his flaming sword grew even more brilliant, and his attacks became fiercer.
"Argh! I'll kill you!" Blood Butcher was thoroughly enraged. Black energy surged wildly within him, and dark red light flared on the Blood Soul Saber. Countless vengeful souls faintly took shape, letting out shrill screams.
"Blood Soul Grand Art · Ten Thousand Souls Devour!"
With a mighty shout, Blood Butcher drove the Blood Soul Saber into the ground.
"Hum!"
Countless black vengeful souls poured from the blade and swept toward Xiao Yan like a tide. Each soul carried intense resentment and corrosive power, as if it meant to devour Xiao Yan's body and soul together.
The entire arena was shrouded in vengeful souls, and the sinister, terrifying presence made the spectators below feel a pang of dread.
"This is bad! It's a forbidden art of the Blood Shadow Cult!" Zhou Xiaotian's expression changed drastically, and he started to rise and intervene.
Just then, resolve flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. The two Heavenly Flames within him burned fiercely, even tinting his hair with the colors of flame.
"Heavenly Flames Eternal Ruler! Extreme · Green Lotus!"
Xiao Yan poured all his Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames into it, forming a flaming ruler several times larger than before. A lifelike green lotus pattern adorned the ruler, radiating a pure yet domineering light.
"Go!"
Xiao Yan hurled the flaming ruler forward.
The ruler transformed into a streak of red-and-blue light and charged toward the tide of vengeful souls with the might to burn all things to ash.
"Boom!"
The flaming ruler collided with the vengeful souls in an earth-shaking explosion. Pure flame instantly set the black souls alight with a sizzling sound. Countless souls shrieked in agony and vanished within the fire.
The flaming ruler swept through them like a blade splitting bamboo, piercing the tide of souls and continuing toward Blood Butcher!
Blood Butcher's face turned deathly pale, his eyes filled with terror. He wanted to dodge, but the scorching presence radiating from the flaming ruler had locked onto him, leaving him unable to move at all.
"No!"
Blood Butcher let out a desperate scream.
"Pfft!"
The flaming ruler pierced straight through his chest, pinning him to the floor of the arena.
Red and blue flames instantly engulfed Blood Butcher's body. The black energy around him rapidly dissipated in the fire, and the light in his dark red pupils gradually went out.
"I... won't... spare you..." Blood Butcher spat one final, venomous curse before his body turned to ash in the flames. Only the Blood Soul Saber remained, its luster gone as it fell to the ground.
A deathly silence fell over the crowd.
Everyone stared open-mouthed at Xiao Yan in the arena, their faces filled with shock and awe.
One move! With just one move, Xiao Yan had shattered the forbidden art of Blood Butcher, a core disciple of the Blood Shadow Cult, and burned him to death!
The might of these Heavenly Flames was simply terrifying!
On the raised platform, Zhou Xiaotian let out a long breath, lingering fear and relief flashing in his eyes. "Fortunately, Xiao Yan killed him. Otherwise, there would have been endless trouble later."
Li Xuantong and Master Liu were so excited that they stood up, ecstatic smiles on their faces.
Wang Zhan and Li Kuangshi's faces turned ashen, their eyes full of disbelief. They had never imagined that Xiao Yan could defeat such a terrifying man in black, who was moreover a core disciple of the Blood Shadow Cult!
Xiao Yan stood in the arena, breathing hard, his face somewhat pale. That last strike had nearly exhausted the Origin Qi and Heavenly Flames within him, taking a tremendous toll. Yet his gaze remained sharp as he swept his eyes over the crowd, an invisible might about him.
Only then did the referee come to his senses. His voice trembling slightly, he announced, "Main arena: Xiao Yan wins!"
After a brief silence, thunderous cheers and applause rang throughout the square, louder than at any point before. Everyone was won over by Xiao Yan's strength and courage. His name, like the brightest star, resounded throughout Tianbei City!
Xiao Yan did not linger. Under countless gazes of admiration and awe, he leaped down from the arena, returned to the contestants' area, and began restoring his Origin Qi with all his might.
By defeating Blood Butcher, he had successfully advanced to the semifinals.
And his next opponent would be the talented young woman from Wind Snow City-Su Muxue.
A clash of ice and fire was about to unfold.