Chapter 43: Xu Xiaoshou Blossoms

In the void.

Xiao Qixiu was completely stunned. He had thought that "Fanxiang Yujian Shu" was Xu Xiaoshou's greatest insight, but it turned out that was just the beginning.

Who taught him "Wanwu Ji Jian"?

In Tian Sang Ling Gong, was there anyone whose Jian Dao cultivation surpassed his own?

And...

"Wanwu Ji Jian" could be understood, but how on earth had Mu Zixi also awakened Jian Yi? Was she even human?

From Xu Xiaoshou's perspective, anyone could be a carrier for "Wanwu Ji Jian," of course, but he had only mastered half of this technique.

He used Ling Li to flick away the secretly transplanted tree seed, and Mu Zixi's face immediately showed a look of guilt, as if her scheme had been exposed.

The surroundings still roared with energy, but Xu Xiaoshou remained calm amidst the chaos, now completely surrounded by ancient trees.

As the crowd waited impatiently, Xu Xiaoshou slowly sheathed his "Zang Ku" sword.

The Jian Yi around them subsided and vanished completely.

He seemed to give up struggling, allowing the ancient trees to form a dense forest.

The audience: ???

"What the heck, is that it?"

"I thought he was building up for a big move, but in the end, he didn't release anything?"

"He's giving up? Well, maybe Mu Shimei will hold back..."

Would Mu Zixi hold back?

What a joke!

The young girl saw Xu Xiaoshou sheathe his sword and sensed something was off, but she couldn't pinpoint the problem, so she decided to strike first.

"I'm coming!"

She clapped her hands again, and the hundreds of ancient trees covering the arena surged toward Xu Xiaoshou as the center point.

Some in the audience had already covered their eyes, unable to watch Xu Xiaoshou being blasted to pieces.

Faced with the rushing ancient trees, Xu Xiaoshou remained unhurried.

He took a light step, his aura sinking slightly, drawing his sword just an inch before swiftly sheathing it again.

"What is he doing?"

"Drawing his sword?"

"No, he didn't?"

Even though he was surrounded by ancient trees, a few people caught glimpses of his movements through the gaps and were filled with curiosity.

The next second, all the ancient trees halted abruptly. A booming sound echoed, and Mu Zixi was flung into the air by the ancient tree erupting from beneath her feet.

Everyone was baffled. What had just happened?

Had Mu Zixi lost control?

Had she targeted the wrong thing?

In the front row of the audience, Su Qianqian stretched her neck, her eyes full of astonishment.

While others couldn't see it, her innate Jian Yi perceived it clearly.

In the instant Xu Xiaoshou drew his sword an inch, several fallen leaves were instantly sliced in half.

What a terrifying sword technique!

First, "Wanwu Ji Jian," then concealing the intent in form, gathering the Jian Yi into the sheath.

Then, in that split second of drawing, it erupted into a horrific circular cutting force.

Sure enough, the hundreds of suddenly stopped ancient trees, after a brief pause, were all severed at the root but continued their momentum, crashing above Xu Xiaoshou!

"Boom!"

Another massive mushroom cloud rose.

But even though there were over a hundred ancient trees this time, the cloud was smaller than before.

"Hiss!"

The crowd finally realized that Xu Xiaoshou's inch-long draw had ring-cut all those hundreds of ancient trees!

"My heavens, this..."

"Xu Xiaoshou's progress is insane! That Ba Jian Shi is just too cool!"

"Waaah, just from that sword draw, I'm already in love with Xu Xiaoshou!"

Fallen leaves scattered everywhere, and debris filled the air.

Xu Xiaoshou sheathed his sword and stood amid the pitted arena. In that moment, his presence left everyone mesmerized.

Although he had broken through with one sword, Xu Xiaoshou frowned.

He had executed that sword perfectly, even satisfying himself, so Mu Zixi shouldn't have detected his hidden Jian Yi.

But she had preemptively used the ancient tree to launch herself into the air, dodging the strike...

Why?

High in the sky, Mu Zixi felt a lingering fear, her little heart pounding wildly.

If not for that secretly planted tree seed in Xu Xiaoshou's body, wouldn't she have been decapitated?

"Damn Xu Xiaoshou, actually pulling such a vicious move..."

"Fine, I'll unleash my big move too!"

She tossed a tree seed upward, and in an instant, an ancient tree rooted in the void and slammed downward, propelling Mu Zixi toward Xu Xiaoshou.

Watching from the sidelines, Chao Qing Teng couldn't help but twitch his mouth. This little girl was incredibly bold. Hadn't that sword through his chest earlier taught her a lesson?

Everyone else was confused. Another one daring to get close to Xu Xiaoshou?

This was basically suicide!

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up instantly. Close combat? That was perfect!

The arena under his feet shattered as he leaped up with a fierce punch.

But her response left him dizzy.

Mu Zixi clenched her small fist, blew on it, and swung back with a punch.

Had this little girl gone mad?

Or lost her mind?

In a match, there was no room for mercy.

Even if this punch might cripple one of Mu Zixi's arms, Xu Xiaoshou struck with full force, showing no pity.

Thud, thud, thud!

The expected sound of bones cracking didn't come. In the moment their fists met, Mu Zixi's fist transformed into winding vines, instantly coiling around Xu Xiaoshou's body.

His forearm, shoulder, entire body...

All turned into vines, wrapping around him.

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he was punching into cotton, with no point of impact. His whole body lunged forward.

"Hee hee, over here."

A childish voice came from behind, and Xu Xiaoshou turned in horror to see the vines entwining him reform into a figure.

Mu Zixi!

Was she a snake?

She had coiled all the way around to his back!

"Get off!"

Xu Xiaoshou shook with all his might to throw her off, but failed.

"Uh!"

A sudden pain hit his kidneys, and he looked down to see Mu Zixi's feet turning into sharp spikes, piercing into his waist.

"Damn it, don't mess around... Urgh!"

As he tried to pry them away with his hands, roots stabbed into his shoulder joints, instantly leaving his arms limp and dangling.

"You parasite, get the hell off me!"

Xu Xiaoshou panicked. What kind of disgusting fighting style was this?

His entire body was immobilized, with only his head able to move. He turned to headbutt, but missed.

"How dare you call me a parasite?"

Mu Zixi was furious, her little mouth pouting: "Bloom for me!"

Pop!

A red flower burst from the top of Xu Xiaoshou's head, swaying elegantly.

"Ha ha ha!"

"Xu Xiaoshou's got a flower on his head!"

"Oh my god, how is this so funny? Is this even a fight? Can we take this seriously!"

The audience erupted in laughter, and even Su Qianqian, who had been worried sick earlier, couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

Everyone was in stitches, but Xu Xiaoshou was terrified, his whole body numb.

He was completely stunned!

When had that tree seed entered his body? Even his "perception" hadn't noticed a thing?

This was way too stealthy!

And now that it had bloomed, the thing was rooted in his mind, constantly releasing numbing agents, leaving him unable to move at all.

This was like being tied up on a chopping block, at her mercy!

He hadn't underestimated her—in fact, he'd even used the "Ba Jian Shi" he'd painstakingly comprehended last night—and still ended up captured.

This little girl was terrifying!