Chapter 37: This Sword, Too Strong

In the arena.

After using Xue Zhong Man Xing to change positions, Chao Qingteng did not pause for even a breath. As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, he crossed his hands and formed dozens of hand seals in an instant.

Xu Xiaoshou was completely stunned.

This must be a big move. He had only been distracted for a split second, and Chao Qingteng had seized the opportunity.

Liu Zhen, I’m sorry! I fell into the trap of underestimating my opponent!

He instantly dashed forward, but the distance was too great to close in right away.

Xu Xiaoshou inhaled a spirit crystal, barely recovering a bit of his spiritual energy, and unleashed another casual sword strike.

Wang Jian Shi!

Facing the incoming sword net, Chao Qingteng pressed on regardless, slamming his bloody palm into the void.

"Da Han Wu Qi!"

Only then did he pick up the Bing He Jian to barely fend off the sword net.

Amidst the hissing sounds, Chao Qingteng's flesh was mangled and bloody.

Xu Xiaoshou could hardly imagine how terrifying this technique was that Chao Qingteng was willing to risk his life for. In just a breath's time, his "perception" sensed the snowflakes up to his ankles being summoned by the spiritual seal in the void, slowly rising into the air.

The audience members rubbed their eyes. By now, the snow had piled up thickly on the ground, and as it was stirred up, the barrier instantly filled with a hazy white mist, obscuring even the figures inside.

"Chi!"

Chao Qingteng let out a clear shout, and sword intent slashed through the void from all directions.

In that instant, every snowflake erupted with a fierce sword intent, like thousands of tiny swords soaring upward.

Xu Xiaoshou stood there dumbfounded. Chao Qingteng was truly ruthless!

It turned out that the initial snowfall wasn't just for Xue Zhong Man Xing—it was even more for this Da Han Wu Qi.

As Chao Qingteng issued his command, the snowflakes filled with sword intent crisscrossed through the air, carving endless sword light across the barrier.

Not only did it destroy Xu Xiaoshou's sword net in an instant, but it also pierced through his innate physical body.

Xiao Qixiu's face grew solemn. This terrifying innate spiritual technique, though called Da Han Wu Qi, turned every falling snowflake into a deadly sword weapon!

Could Xu Xiaoshou really hold on?

In the eyes of the audience, within the vast white barrier, a point suddenly burst forth with blood spraying in all directions.

That was Xu Xiaoshou's position!

Xu Xiaoshou gritted his teeth tightly; he even closed his eyes, because if he didn't, the sword intent snowflakes would likely pierce his eyeballs.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Each snowflake was like a small sword, razor-sharp and unstoppable. Even his innate physical body couldn't withstand it, and in the blink of an eye, his body was riddled with countless bloody holes.

Xiao Qixiu was poised to act at any moment. As soon as Xu Xiaoshou showed any sign of giving up, he would intervene immediately.

Chao Qingteng gasped for breath, having used up nearly all his spiritual essence with this move. Yet, Xu Xiaoshou was still holding on?

Was the innate physical body really this tough?

He gritted his teeth and charged forward, slapping a palm toward Xu Xiaoshou.

"He's gone mad?!"

The people in the audience seats were shocked. Even with the upper hand, how could Chao Qingteng choose close combat? Wasn't he afraid of being turned on once he got near?

"Wait, no!" Suddenly, someone slapped their thigh and stood up. "It's Xuan Bing Feng Bei Shou! This is a peak innate spiritual technique—Xu Xiaoshou is finished!"

"Xuan Bing Feng Bei Shou?"

Even Elder Qiao was stunned. He knew that this technique could rank among the top even in the inner academy.

He clutched his clothes tightly. Xu Xiaoshou was in grave danger!

Still unable to see clearly, Xu Xiaoshou was struggling against the sword intent snowflakes, with Sheng Sheng Bu Xi frantically circulating in his body.

Pierced, healed...

Healed, pierced...

The pain Xu Xiaoshou was enduring was even worse than when he refined the Jin Zhao Huo Zhong.

"Under attack, passive value +1."

"Under attack, passive value +1."

"..."

His mind was flooded with over a thousand messages in an instant, showing just how insanely dense the attacks from the sword intent snowflakes were!

Xu Xiaoshou was purely relying on his will to hold on. As he "perceived" Chao Qingteng's palm approaching, he finally couldn't endure it and threw in some skill points.

"Sword Mastery (Acquired Lv.7)."

"Sword Mastery (Acquired Lv.8)."

A flood of knowledge surged into his mind, and Xu Xiaoshou seemed to find a way to break through.

He endured the pain in his body, suddenly raising Zang Ku, gathering surging sword intent into the sword blade, and going all in!

Whoosh!

Zang Ku shot through the air at high speed, its blade even igniting with flames. But Chao Qingteng was prepared, tilting his head just in time, and the spirit sword only pierced his shoulder!

Its momentum unchecked, it tore through the barrier in front of the shocked crowd and flew off into the sky.

No one had time to worry about the spirit sword, because even with the pain of a pierced shoulder, Chao Qingteng still slammed his palm down viciously.

As for Xu Xiaoshou...

It was hopeless!

"Xuan Bing Feng Bei Shou!"

Boom!

With that, the rapidly piercing sword intent snowflakes came to a sudden halt.

Taking the half of the arena where Chao Qingteng stood as the boundary, all the space around Xu Xiaoshou and behind him turned into a massive block of ice under that terrifying palm.

Half the arena froze solid!

The entire venue fell silent. This ice block, larger than a house, was utterly astonishing.

The scene froze in place.

Then, to the audience's horror, it wasn't over yet!

Chao Qingteng finally let out a breath, covered in blood, and clasped his hands together: "Feng!"

Crack!

With a faint sound, under the incredulous gazes of the crowd, the ice block—half the size of the arena—shrunk in an instant, tightly encasing Xu Xiaoshou.

It left only his final pose, hands raised high.

"Damn!"

Everyone's eyes bulged!

Such a massive ice block shrinking to something so small in an instant— the density compressed within must be enough to turn a person into an ice statue on the spot!

Was there any chance of survival? This was too ruthless!

Was Xu Xiaoshou dead?

Xiao Qixiu took a deep breath; he sensed that something big had happened.

As always, referees dreaded moves like this that sealed the deal in one blow.

If you intervened, it meant forcing Xu Xiaoshou to concede, and he probably wouldn't appreciate it; if you stood by, you'd be watching a competitor die right before your eyes. What were you supposed to do?

He slowly raised his hand: "The match is over..."

Whoosh!

At that moment, a sound tearing through the void interrupted Xiao Qixiu's words.

Everyone looked puzzled toward the sky, only to see Zang Ku—the one that had pierced Chao Qingteng's shoulder and vanished into the distance—shooting back with lightning speed.

Chao Qingteng turned back in terror, watching the black dot enlarge instantly as the sword pierced his chest and slammed hard into the ice statue trapping Xu Xiaoshou.

Pfft!

Chao Qingteng doubled over, spitting out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his liver.

Xiao Qixiu's attempt to stop the sword came too late. This heaven-defying returning strike was something even he hadn't anticipated.

Zang Ku embedded itself in the ice statue, buzzing excitedly with a life of its own.

Xiao Qixiu was stunned. This was...

Sword spirit awakening?

Had Xu Xiaoshou grasped the threshold of innate sword intent?

In the outer area, Zhou Tianshen jumped up in excitement. Staring at the trembling Zang Ku, he felt his own fighting spirit ignite.

This sword was too powerful!

Incredibly powerful!

It was more than ten times stronger than Xu Xiaoshou from just a day ago!

Elder Qiao was astonished. He never imagined that after just a few days in secluded cultivation, Xu Xiaoshou's progress could be this immense!

It was simply unbelievable!

In a certain waiting area, the staff helped the fallen Mu Zixi back into her chair. This girl in green had her mouth wide open in an "O" shape, and her long twin tails were nearly pulled out.

Crack, crack!

As the sword trembled, the ice statue began to crack.

Xu Xiaoshou's wounds had all frozen over; he felt even his soul shivering.

The only reason he could maintain a thread of clarity was due to the power of Sheng Sheng Bu Xi!

Stepping out of the ice statue, his lips quivered, and his body went limp as he collapsed to the ground.

"What kind of sword technique is that!" Chao Qingteng said, full of reluctance.

Xu Xiaoshou shuddered a couple of times and slowly exhaled a breath of cold air.

"White Cloud Sword Technique."

"Under suspicion, passive value +1."