Holding the Sword to Carry Away Senior Sister (Transmigration) - Chapter 15

Truthfully, there was a gambling element to Fu Yan’s acceptance of this life-and-death challenge. She didn’t have a solid grasp of Zhou Zhenlie’s true depth. While it might not be easy for her to win, it certainly wouldn’t be simple for him to defeat her either.

As Fu Yan’s voice fell, the entire arena lapsed into a heavy silence. She gripped her Ling Long broken sword tightly. In the next instant, her figure moved with sudden, explosive speed.

After ten days of bitter cultivation, her Wind-Shadow Steps had reached the “Small Success” stage. Her current speed was dozens of times faster than the last time she stood here; in a single breath, she appeared right at Zhou Zhenlie’s side.

The sharp blade whistled past his ear, but Zhou Zhenlie evaded it with relative ease.

“Since Junior Sister Fu is so eager to spar, then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Zhou Zhenlie gave a faint smile, but this time he no longer bothered to hide the chilling coldness in his eyes.

Initially, he had only planned to play around. But now, it was clear his opponent had true killing intent toward him. Furthermore, Fu Yan had caused him to lose this month’s spirit stones and True Qi Pills—Zhou Zhenlie was naturally furious.

Although Fu Yan’s strength against Qin Xinrui had surprised him, in his eyes, it meant nothing. He watched her figure brush past him.

A pity about that face, he thought.

With those words, Zhou Zhenlie finally drew his sword in a swift motion. In the massive arena, True Essence fluctuated wildly as two powerful air currents collided violently. Within a few breaths, the two had already exchanged over a dozen moves.

The audience below watched, slack-jawed.

“It seems this Junior Sister is truly not simple. She can actually hold her own against Zhou Zhenlie without falling behind. Are newcomers this heaven-defying nowadays? Zhou Zhenlie is ranked in the top hundred, after all.”

“I thought this life-and-death challenge would be boring, but it’s actually turned into quite a spectacle.”

“So what if she hasn’t fallen behind? It’s not like she’s gained any advantage.”

“Please! This Junior Sister is only ranked in the 600s, yet she’s fighting an even match with Zhou Zhenlie. Isn’t that impressive enough?”

“…”

The crowd below stared at the two figures while chattering away incessantly.

Meanwhile, Fu Yan’s nerves were pulled taut. She didn’t dare be careless for a second. There was a full sub-realm gap between her and Zhou Zhenlie; it was as difficult as she had expected.

“It seems I underestimated you, Junior Sister Fu.” Zhou Zhenlie’s gaze turned dark and unreadable. The strength she displayed was indeed a surprise.

After dozens of moves, he—at the Middle Opening Light stage—hadn’t gained the slightest upper hand. Instead, he felt himself being pressed step by step. If this continued, wouldn’t he become a laughingstock?

At this thought, Zhou Zhenlie’s expression soured. To end this quickly, he could no longer hold back.

In the next second, the True Essence within his body began to surge. He gripped his hilt and stared coldly at Fu Yan. “Junior Sister Fu, you are far too conceited. Today, allow me to teach you a lesson.”

He leaped into the air. Releasing his grip, his sword hovered as the air currents between heaven and earth seemed to burst forth like a floodgate opening: “Ten Thousand Swords Return to Heart!”

At the sight of this move, the crowd erupted.

“Senior Brother Zhou has actually mastered the second form of the Wan Zong Sword Technique, ‘Ten Thousand Swords Return to Heart’! I remember he only started learning this set six months ago.”

“What? A Human-Grade Middle-Tier technique mastered to the second form in less than half a year? Zhou Zhenlie’s talent is truly not to be underestimated.”

“Junior Sister Fu is in trouble now. If she doesn’t have an equally powerful sword technique, this life-and-death challenge is as good as decided.”

Fu Yan’s brows knit tightly as she stared at the technique. This strike was indeed formidable. It brought back that terrifying sensation of death she had felt when facing the Zilan Sect disciples in the Chihei Mountains.

If it were her ten days ago, she would likely have died under this blade.

However, the current Fu Yan had the strength to take a gamble. She gripped the Ling Long broken sword as the True Essence in her body began to churn. She held her sword vertically.

Illusionless Sword First Form: Phantom Shadow!

Yes, after these ten-plus days of hard work, Fu Yan had finally comprehended the first form of the Illusionless Sword. Phantom Shadow was the interplay of void and reality—truth and falsehood, misty and traceless. This was the secret of the Illusionless Sword.

In the next second, countless eyes watched as Fu Yan drifted forward with her blade. For a moment, only her blurred afterimages could be seen in the arena. Zhou Zhenlie, in the center, appeared to be surrounded on all sides with no way out.

“What sword technique is that? I feel an aura just as terrifying as ‘Ten Thousand Swords Return to Heart’!”

Someone gasped: “This… this is the Illusionless Sword!”

“I know that one! It’s the peak of Human-Grade Middle-Tier sword techniques. It’s notoriously difficult to practice. I heard a senior spent over half a year on it without even touching the threshold.”

“Ah, I remember! My master said the Illusionless Sword isn’t hard to ‘practice’ physically, but most people can’t comprehend its secrets. It has extremely high requirements for the practitioner’s innate comprehension.”

“Junior Sister Fu’s aptitude seemed average, but her comprehension is actually this high?”

While the audience was still in shock, the two in the center finally collided. Zhou Zhenlie felt terrifying sword qi coming at him from every direction, boxing him in.

However, he believed he wouldn’t lose.

So what if it was the Illusionless Sword? In the face of absolute strength, nothing else mattered! Fu Yan was only at the Early Opening Light stage; in his eyes, she was nothing!

In an instant, “Ten Thousand Swords Return to Heart” met “Phantom Shadow.” A massive explosion rocked the arena. Had it not been for the defensive arrays surrounding the stage, the shockwave would have heavily impacted the audience stands.

“Break for me!” Zhou Zhenlie roared with all his might.

Pfft—

A mouthful of blood sprayed from Fu Yan’s lips. Under such a powerful collision, her cultivation was barely holding on; she could feel the True Essence in her body becoming chaotic.

But at this point, Fu Yan was a bolt already fired from the bow. She unleashed every last bit of her protective True Essence. The Ling Long broken sword in front of her suddenly surged with power, shattering Zhou Zhenlie’s protective barrier and piercing through his abdomen with unstoppable momentum.

Crr-ack!

It was the sound of a Qi Sea shattering.

In the next moment, Zhou Zhenlie collapsed from mid-air, a massive amount of blood spraying from his mouth.

Every person in the arena held their breath. It took a long time before someone cried out in disbelief:

“She… she… she actually shattered Zhou Zhenlie’s Qi Sea!!”

The Qi Sea is the root of a cultivator. Once shattered, their cultivation is destroyed. From that moment on, they are less than an ordinary person—a total cripple.

And for any cultivator, they would rather die than become a cripple.