Chapter 15

In truth, there was an element of gambling in this life-and-death challenge for Fu Yan. After all, she did not have much of a grasp on exactly how strong Zhou Zhenlie was. However, although it might not be that easy for her to win, it would not be that simple for the other party to defeat her either.

As Fu Yan’s words fell, the entire arena quieted down. She gripped the broken Linglong Sword tightly, and in the next moment, her figure moved swiftly.

After these ten days of painstaking cultivation, Fu Yan’s Wind Shadow Steps had now reached minor completion. Her current speed was dozens of times faster than the last time she had stood here. So in just one breath, her figure appeared beside Zhou Zhenlie.

The sharp sword blade swept past his ear, and Zhou Zhenlie dodged it very easily.

“Since Junior Sister Fu wants so badly to spar with me, then Senior Brother won’t be polite.” Zhou Zhenlie looked at Fu Yan and smiled faintly. Only this time, he no longer bothered hiding anything. His eyes were filled with coldness.

At first, he had only wanted to play around a little. But now it seemed the other party truly had killing intent toward him. Moreover, Fu Yan had caused him to lose this month’s spirit stones and vitality pills, so Zhou Zhenlie was naturally very angry right now.

Although the strength Fu Yan had shown in her match with Qin Xinrui last time had surprised him somewhat, in his eyes, that was nothing at all. He watched the figure brush past him.

What a pity about that face, he thought.

As soon as his words fell, Zhou Zhenlie finally drew his sword and charged forward swiftly. On the vast arena, true essence fluctuated, and two powerful currents of qi collided violently. In just a few breaths, the two people on the stage had already exchanged more than a dozen moves.

The audience below was left staring with wide eyes and slack jaws.

“Looks like this junior sister really isn’t simple. She can actually fight Zhou Zhenlie without falling into a disadvantage. Are newcomers this heaven-defying now? No matter what, Zhou Zhenlie has the strength of someone ranked in the one hundreds.”

“I thought this life-and-death challenge wouldn’t be worth watching, but now it finally has something interesting to see.”

“So what if she isn’t at a disadvantage? It’s not like she’s gained any benefit either.”

“Please, this junior sister is only ranked in the six hundreds, yet she can fight Zhou Zhenlie evenly. Isn’t that impressive enough?”

“…”

The people below stared at the two figures in the arena while not forgetting to chatter among themselves.

At this moment, Fu Yan’s nerves were also stretched tight. She did not dare be careless in the slightest. There was a one-stage difference between her cultivation and Zhou Zhenlie’s, and sure enough, this would not be that simple.

“It seems Senior Brother has underestimated Junior Sister Fu.” Zhou Zhenlie’s eyes became somewhat obscure. The strength Fu Yan displayed had indeed surprised him.

Dozens of moves had passed, yet despite having middle Illumination-stage cultivation, he had not managed to gain any advantage. Instead, he had been forced step by step.

If this continued, wouldn’t he just be waiting to become a laughingstock?

Thinking of this, Zhou Zhenlie’s expression clearly became somewhat unpleasant. It seemed that if he wanted to end this battle quickly, he could not keep holding back.

In the next second, the true essence inside Zhou Zhenlie’s body rapidly began to surge. He gripped his sword hilt tightly, his gaze coldly fixed on Fu Yan across from him. “Junior Sister Fu is still far too full of herself. Today, Senior Brother will give you a lesson.”

As he spoke, he suddenly leapt up. His hand, suspended in midair, suddenly released his sword. The currents of qi between heaven and earth were like floodgates being opened, fierce and turbulent.

“Myriad Swords Return to the Heart!”

At the sight of this move, the audience below instantly erupted.

“Senior Brother Zhou’s Wanzong Sword Art has actually already reached the second form, Myriad Swords Return to the Heart. I remember he has only been learning this sword art for half a year.”

“What? A middle-tier human-rank sword technique, and he learned the second form in less than half a year? Zhou Zhenlie’s talent really can’t be underestimated.”

“Junior Sister Fu is in trouble now. If she doesn’t have an equally powerful sword technique, then the outcome of this life-and-death challenge is probably already decided.”

At that moment, Fu Yan looked at Zhou Zhenlie’s sword technique, her brows tightly furrowed. This sword strike was indeed very powerful. It made Fu Yan feel as if she had returned to that moment in the Chihei Mountain Range when she fought the Zilan Sect disciple, with that terrifying aura of death rushing straight at her.

If it had been her from ten days ago, she probably really would have died under this sword strike.

But now, Fu Yan already had some strength to risk a gamble. She swiftly gripped the broken Linglong Sword tightly as well, and the true essence inside her body began to churn. She stood with her sword raised upright.

The first form of Illusionless Sword: Phantom Shadow!

That was right. After these ten days of painstaking cultivation, Fu Yan had finally comprehended the first form of Illusionless Sword. Phantom Shadow was both illusion and reality, true and false, ethereal and without trace. This was the mystery of Illusionless Sword.

In the next second, countless eyes saw Fu Yan on the arena sweep forward slightly with her sword. For a time, only her shifting, illusory figure could be seen on the stage, while Zhou Zhenlie at the center seemed to be tightly surrounded, without even the slightest opening.

“What sword technique is that? Why do I feel like its aura is just as terrifying as Zhou Zhenlie’s Myriad Swords Return to the Heart?”

Someone cried out in surprise, “This… is actually Illusionless Sword!”

“I know it. This Illusionless Sword can be considered the peak among middle-tier human-rank sword techniques. It’s extremely difficult to cultivate. I once heard that a senior brother studied Illusionless Sword for more than half a year, yet couldn’t even grasp the slightest clue.”

“Ah, I know too. I heard my master say that Illusionless Sword actually isn’t difficult to cultivate. It’s just that most people simply can’t comprehend the mystery behind the sword technique. It has extremely high requirements for the cultivator’s comprehension.”

“Although this Junior Sister Fu’s aptitude is average, I didn’t expect her comprehension to be this high.”

While everyone below was still full of astonishment, bailiantales.com the two people in the arena had already collided completely. Zhou Zhenlie only felt terrifying sword qi coming from all directions, surrounding him tightly.

However, he believed he would not lose.

So what if it was Illusionless Sword? Before absolute strength, nothing was worth mentioning. Fu Yan was only a tiny early Illumination cultivator. In his eyes, she did not count for anything!

In an instant, everyone saw Myriad Swords Return to the Heart clash with Illusionless Sword. A massive explosion erupted on the arena. If not for the array surrounding the stage, the entire audience stand would probably have suffered quite a shock.

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

“Pfft—”

A mouthful of blood sprayed from Fu Yan’s mouth. In this powerful collision, her own cultivation was somewhat unable to bear it. She could even feel the aura inside her body becoming chaotic.

However, at this moment, Fu Yan was already like an arrow on the string—she had no choice but to release. She sent out the last bit of true essence protecting her body as well. The broken Linglong Sword locked in the stalemate before her rapidly began to surge, directly shattering Zhou Zhenlie’s protective true essence and piercing through his abdomen with unstoppable momentum.

With a crack, the sound of a qi sea shattering rang out.

In the next moment, Zhou Zhenlie’s whole body fell from midair, and a great mouthful of blood instantly sprayed from his lips.

For a time, everyone held their breath. Who knew how long passed before someone cried out in disbelief, “She… she… she actually shattered Zhou Zhenlie’s qi sea!!”

The qi sea was the foundation of a cultivator. Once the qi sea shattered, one’s cultivation was destroyed. From then on, one would be a cripple even worse off than a mortal.

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