Chapter 156 - 153: One Move Short in Chess

Chapter 156: Chapter 153: One Move Short in ChessSwoosh! The moment the words ended, both men moved almost simultaneously. Clang! Leng Ruofeng’s figure flickered as he executed the Space Shifting Instant Flash Step, appearing next to Luo Cheng in an instant. His black greatsword swung down furiously as if cleaving through the void. Asura Slash! Clang! The greatsword, carrying terrifying force, was blocked by a fist clad in silver-white gauntlets. The collision emitted astonishing sparks. Naturally, the owner of the hand was Luo Cheng. His figure, bolstered by his imposing aura, was filled with a solid and mountain-like presence. Under the heavy aura, every movement he made was incredibly firm, his lower body solid as a rock, firmly blocking Leng Ruofeng’s greatsword. A wave of invisible Qi Force burst out from the center of the two, scattering a sky-high dust cloud. After the clash, both figures were repelled backward. Leng Ruofeng was a combat fanatic, and even as he was retreating, he did not forget to attack, swinging his greatsword repeatedly. The heavy Sword Qi bombarded Luo Cheng in rapid succession. The sword light was dense and seemed to form a net of swords, enveloping Luo Cheng. Facing this intense onslaught, Luo Cheng raised his right hand, transforming his palm into a blade and chopping down. The net of swords broke at the sound, and his back foot stomped on the ground, propelling him toward Leng Ruofeng. Leng Ruofeng reacted quickly, swinging his greatsword backward. Clang, clang, clang! Both men displayed their ultimate techniques, meeting each other’s match. The entire platform was filled with their dense figures and the sparks flying everywhere. "Ye Xuan, between Brother Leng and Luo Cheng, who do you think has a greater chance of winning?" Down below at a certain spot, the person asking was none other than Ruan Jingtian. Ye Xuan had just defeated Lin Yan, earning Ruan Jingtian’s considerable admiration, so he wanted to hear Ye Xuan’s unique insights. As for his previous loss to Ye Xuan, it did irritate him somewhat, but after all, they were fellow disciples, and since Ye Xuan had just acted to save the face of Heavenly Martial Hall, that bitterness quickly dissipated. "For now, it’s quite evenly matched. We’ll have to wait until they both start using their ultimate techniques to tell the outcome." Ye Xuan’s gaze became slightly grave. Leng Ruofeng indeed had a fierce aura, but Luo Cheng, with his vigorous dragon-and-tiger-like momentum, seemed unaffected by that fierceness. It was difficult to predict the winner at this moment. "Two Instruments Scripture, bind the heavens and earth!" At this point, after clashing for twenty moves, Leng Ruofeng finally utilized the Two Instruments Scripture. His greatsword suddenly unleashed a beam of light, stretching over ten yards long and slashing down like a curtain covering the sky. "Great Wilderness Scripture, True Martial Awakening!" A serious look flashed in Luo Cheng’s eyes as he stomped his foot and spun upward. Suddenly, his aura expanded like a mountain. As his True Qi surged to the limit, a dark turquoise radiance burst forth around him, creating the ancient imagery of dragons soaring and tigers leaping, and his aura surged instantly. Boom! The giant sword light slashed onto that ancient illusion, and the fierce aftermath swept out, causing even the platform to cave in and crack rapidly. Crack! Parts of the arena had already collapsed, unable to withstand the fluctuations of the battle. This sight shocked the disciples below. If the arena itself was bursting, it indicated the fierceness of this battle. This battle couldn’t necessarily be said to be more spectacular than the previous one, but the intensity was higher. Unlike Ling Qianxue and Han Li, who weren’t power-based fighters, Leng Ruofeng and Luo Cheng had a different style. Both were fierce combatants, making this battle extremely intense. "We have a problem. Luo Cheng is cultivating the Great Wilderness Scripture, which embodies the essence of the Earth Attribute, and is a Heavenly Grade ultimate technique suited to his style. It poses a natural counter to Brother Leng’s approach. Over time, it may lead to True Qi depletion." Ye Xuan lightly frowned. Against a power-based opponent, agility-based fighters should be deployed, and Leng Ruofeng clearly didn’t fit this category. Continuously attacking ferociously might lead to an unfavorable outcome. Of course, although it’s true that "players are lost and spectators are clear," Leng Ruofeng in the heat of battle surely knew this principle, but he had no choice but to rely on his fierce and intense attacks, hoping to create an opening and defeat his opponent in one fell swoop. "Sword Shatters the Heavens!" On the platform, seizing the opportunity, Leng Ruofeng unleashed a lethal strike. Suddenly, from his greatsword, a strong suction force was released, as if absorbing the Spiritual Energy from the air. This strike instantly formed a conical attack zone in front of the sword tip, encompassing Luo Cheng’s figure as if trapped in a quagmire, greatly reducing his speed. The power of the sword light then surged to its peak, swiftly slashing towards Luo Cheng. Bound and unable to dodge the killing strike, Luo Cheng split his legs and raised his hands skyward. Robust True Qi gathered above his head to form the shape of mountains and rivers. Although it was just an illusion formed by True Qi, the resulting fluctuations were extraordinarily vast and majestic, as if truly like the mountains and rivers of the world. "Great Wilderness Scripture, Mountains and Rivers Suppress!" Gathering Qi in the Dantian, Luo Cheng’s eyes emitted a tangible divine light. Raising his hands to the sky, he suddenly pushed them forward. Instantly, the earthy yellow glow of the mountains and rivers burst forth, colliding with Leng Ruofeng’s sword light. Boom! As the offensive forces met, a crack appeared almost simultaneously. Spurt! Leng Ruofeng was the first to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood, and Luo Cheng’s mouth also bled, clearly both were injured in this fierce collision. Shout! At this moment, it was a contest of will and momentum. After a stiff ten seconds, Luo Cheng suddenly shouted, and the illusion of the mountains and rivers flickered with light. In that instant, a crack suddenly appeared on Leng Ruofeng’s sword light. "Oh no!" Leng Ruofeng’s expression changed dramatically, as his killing stroke seemed ready to crumble. "Shatter for me!" Before he could adjust, Luo Cheng let out another roar like a fierce tiger, and with a "boom", Leng Ruofeng’s sword light exploded. He was blasted away, spitting blood again from the forceful impact. As Leng Ruofeng was in mid-air attempting to stabilize and fight back, Luo Cheng didn’t plan to give him more chances. Ignoring the massive consumption of True Qi, he rushed forward to Leng Ruofeng, unleashing a series of punches that knocked Leng Ruofeng out of the arena. "Good!" From the direction of the Wildfire Sect disciples, cheers erupted the moment Leng Ruofeng was defeated. After all, another loss would be too shameful. With this second match won, it was indeed worth a good celebration. "Second match, Luo Cheng wins!" The referee glanced at Leng Ruofeng who had been forced out of the arena and then at Luo Cheng, who was still on the platform. He sighed inwardly; the difference between the two had been slight. The duel naturally ended in equal strength, but Luo Cheng’s Martial Arts style had restrained Leng Ruofeng, rendering the latter’s advantages unexploitable, leading to his eventual defeat. "Brother Leng actually lost." At the Heavenly Martial Hall, everyone’s expressions looked rather grim. With Leng Ruofeng’s capabilities, losing to Luo Cheng was unexpected; it appeared that this batch of True Disciples from the Wildfire Sect was quite formidable. Now the score was tied at one to one. With Ling Qianxue also having sustained injuries earlier, the situation for Heavenly Martial Hall seemed somewhat grim. "Sorry." Back at his seat, Leng Ruofeng wore a dejected expression. Although he wasn’t typically concerned about winning or losing, this match was critical for the honor of Heavenly Martial Hall, unlike simple personal pride. "It’s okay, there are two more matches. Take some time to rest." Ling Qianxue casually comforted Leng Ruofeng, then her gaze fell on Yang Ting, her face becoming serious, "Brother Yang, this third match is very important for us." Their initial underestimation of their challenge to the Wildfire Sect had led to a disadvantageous start, and now, losing another match would spell trouble, especially given her awareness of her own injury. "I understand, don’t worry, I’ll secure this match." Yang Ting nodded, understanding that the score was just a draw now. Winning the third match would relieve some pressure off Ling Qianxue, or at least maintain the draw, thus relying on Ye Xuan’s earlier victory, today’s match would still be won by the Heavenly Martial Hall. "Hoping for a win then, or else Qianxue that girl will suffer..." Ye Xuan watched the battle with a calm demeanor. He wasn’t as nervous as the other disciples of Heavenly Martial Hall, mainly because he had joined only recently and didn’t share their deep sense of attachment. Even if they lost today, he could accept it. Of course, Ye Xuan wouldn’t hope for Heavenly Martial Hall to lose. Winning would be preferable, and seeing Ling Qianxue’s determination, it was clear she didn’t take giving up lightly, deeming the honor of the Heavenly Martial Hall extremely important. Five minutes later, as noise from the disciples gradually subsided, the third match began. On the high platform, two figures stood thirty meters apart, facing each other. Opposite Yang Ting from the Wildfire Hall, a True Disciple named Wei Chen. Judging by the aura emanating from him, this battle was still not optimistic. After both ascended the platform, neither rushed to make a move. They stood motionless, quietly waiting, seemingly waiting for the other to initiate. Ye Xuan could understand this mindset; in a clash between experts, the first move was significant, as one misstep could lead to continual errors. This third match was crucial, and neither could afford to be careless. However, this situation couldn’t last too long. Out of the two, someone would eventually make the first move; they were both just waiting for a good opportunity to take advantage.