Chapter 162 - 159 The Tough Battle

Chapter 162: Chapter 159 The Tough BattleAtop the platform, the fourth duel was still underway, leaving many in the audience dizzy with enchantment, for none of them had anticipated the battle to far exceed their expectations. Clang! Another fierce collision sparked showers of fire, as the Spiritual Edge Sword slashed viciously from the top of the folding fan, directly threatening Fang Ziyue’s throat. With sword light flickering with thunder in his eyes, Fang Ziyue quickly dodged, then threw a punch with his left hand, aiming it at Ye Xuan’s abdomen. Before the punch could fully take shape, Ye Xuan leaped up, kicking Fang Ziyue’s fist and dispersing the force of the punch. Changing position, Ye Xuan’s Spiritual Edge Sword shot straight towards Fang Ziyue again, scorching a trail of charred air in its wake. Witnessing Ye Xuan’s relentless series of strikes, Fang Ziyue’s eyes also flashed with ferocity. This time, however, he didn’t dodge or avoid, but instead protected his chest with his folding fan, and kicked out fiercely. He knew well that at this moment, if he took a step back, he would likely be completely suppressed by Ye Xuan, and turning the tide would become difficult. Bang bang! Both their attacks landed on each other, and immediately, two muffled groans sounded as both staggered backward. "You’re not yet qualified to compete with me in a battle of bodies." Fang Ziyue’s eyes flared with rage, and then a layer of crimson light burst forth from his body, seeming to form a keratinous layer on his skin’s surface, resembling a kind of Body Refining Martial Arts. "Is that so?" Ye Xuan was unfazed, his robe suddenly billowing without a breeze, and the silvery-white lightning aura, once barely visible on the surface of his skin, now seemed to merge into his flesh and blood. A layer of silvery-white luminescence quickly formed over his body, and he appeared like a being clad in mithril armor, exuding an exceptionally sinister air. This was the complete form of the "Body of Lightning Wrath." After seventeen strikes of Heavenly Thunder had tempered his body and having absorbed the entire power of the Yang Yuan Pond, Ye Xuan didn’t believe that Fang Ziyue’s body could be stronger than his! Bang! With a slight flicker in his gaze, Ye Xuan stomped fiercely on the ground, and his figure rushed forward explosively. Brilliant silver thunder light poured crazily into the Spiritual Edge Sword, a layer of silvery glow rapidly radiating from the blade, cleaving towards Fang Ziyue. "Get lost!" Seeing Ye Xuan attack once again, Fang Ziyue’s eyes revealed even greater ferocity. He viciously thrust out his folding fan. Clang! The folding fan and the Spiritual Edge Sword collided harshly, sending out an invisible ripple, and the already pockmarked platform beneath their feet cracked open once more. Crack! However, in the aftermath of the collision, a hairline fracture suddenly appeared on Fang Ziyue’s folding fan, which had obviously sustained damage from the heavy blow. Seeing the crack on his precious fan, Fang Ziyue felt a pang of distress. His fan, while powerful, was only just on par with Heavenly Grade weapons. On the other hand, Ye Xuan’s Spiritual Edge Sword, having once been the personal weapon of a prominent figure, was far superior in might. With both their True Qi showing signs of exhaustion, a direct clash between the two weapons obviously put Fang Ziyue at a disadvantage. "Dare to damage my treasure?!" With a loud shout, Fang Ziyue leaped forward like a wild beast, throwing a cunning punch straight at Ye Xuan’s chest. Bang! The brutal punch hit Ye Xuan squarely, causing his blood to surge violently. Even with the Secret Silver Armor mitigating some of the force, a gush of fresh blood still spat from his mouth. However, right after the punch hit Ye Xuan, in the next moment, Ye Xuan’s sword-wielding right hand suddenly unleashed a terrifying force, sending both the Spiritual Edge Sword and the folding fan flying, while his right fist, carrying a vast surge of thunderous energy, violently smashed into Fang Ziyue’s body. Splat! Spraying out a mouthful of blood, Fang Ziyue’s body wobbled backward several steps, clearly having taken a heavy hit. "Damn it!" After taking the heavy punch, Fang Ziyue’s eyes reddened further as he charged forward with large strides. Though his speed had significantly slowed, he still managed to land a palm on Ye Xuan’s shoulder, causing the ground beneath Ye Xuan’s feet to cave in, embedding his feet into the earth. This palm strike was originally aimed at Ye Xuan’s neck, but he slightly dodged, thus avoiding a fatal blow. Bang! Without saying another word, Ye Xuan landed another punch, hitting Fang Ziyue in the abdomen, causing the latter to vomit blood again, while Ye Xuan himself was also covered in blood, seriously injured. The onlookers from the Heavenly Martial Hall were watching Ye Xuan intently, who was, without doubt, fighting Fang Ziyue with his body. What started as a contest had turned into a struggle as fierce as a life-and-death battle. An ordinary person would have probably given up long ago. "Still not admitting defeat?" Ye Xuan uttered coldly. Although he was seriously injured, Fang Ziyue’s injuries were even more severe. By then, the latter’s fighting power should have been nearly depleted. "In your dreams!" The look on Fang Ziyue’s face turned crazed. Who was he? The strongest True Disciple of the Wildfire Sect, having gone through countless life-and-death ordeals to reach this point. Admitting defeat to an Inner Hall Disciple of the Heavenly Martial Hall would be a tremendous humiliation. He must persevere, insisting that Ye Xuan fall before him, no matter what. "So stubborn." With a colder look in his eyes, Ye Xuan moved forward again, his silhouette seeming to wobble. Unhesitatingly, Fang Ziyue charged towards Ye Xuan. Like two fierce beasts, they collided viciously. Both suffering a heavy punch, their exchange of moves had practically vanished, resembling more the brutal brawl between wild animals using their bodies as weapons, engaging in a final clash. Under the numerous solemn gazes, minutes later, two figures finally knelt on the stage, gasping for breath, evidently each trying to stand but failing. Ye Xuan’s blue shirt was soaked in red blood, fortunate to have the double protection of his Thunder Body and the Secret Silver Armor. Otherwise, the injuries from such a desperate fight would have been even more severe. "Ha ha, Ye Xuan, what’s the good of the Nine Heavens Thunder Scripture if you still can’t beat me? In the second round, we have two wins and one draw. The ultimate winner is still my Wildfire Sect." Struggling a few times, Fang Ziyue also gave up the idea of standing again. However, when he saw that Ye Xuan was also kneeling on the ground, exhausted, he laughed. Even if the outcome was both sides suffering losses, the winner would still be the Wildfire Sect. Though for him, the strongest True Disciple of the Wildfire Sect, to end up in a draw with a mere Inner Hall Disciple like Ye Xuan, was quite a loss of face. But by then, winning was no longer possible. A draw was a draw, which was still better than losing. "A draw? You won’t have that chance..." However, just as his words fell, the figure in the distance shook as it stood up, blood dripping hot from beneath the clothing, dyeing a large patch of the ground red, a shockingly vivid sight. Ye Xuan wiped the blood off his face. The severe pain from his body made his vision blurry, but he forced himself not to fall. Then, turning around under those trembling gazes, he picked up the dimly lit Spiritual Edge Sword and staggered towards Fang Ziyue again. "Brother Ye Xuan..." The gazes of countless Heavenly Martial Hall Disciples became solemn, and their hearts raced with each shaky step Ye Xuan took. That tottering figure seemed like it could fall at any moment. They knew that under such exhaustion, the only thing pushing him forward was a powerful will, an unwavering martial spirit. Even Ling Qianxue, who always wore a frosty expression, couldn’t help but feel her eyes turn red at the sight of that bloodied, trembling figure. So the guy who seemed to care about nothing actually had such a tenacious temperament... This guy was not arrogant at all. They all knew about Fang Ziyue’s ruthlessness—it was forged through ten years of killing and life-and-death combat. But how could Ye Xuan, a guy not much older than herself, manage to suppress Fang Ziyue? It was as if the one who emerged from a bloodbath all these years wasn’t Fang Ziyue, but Ye Xuan. What experiences did he have... This bloody battle should not have happened; the reason he stood there, struggling to this extent, was to fight in her place... Ling Qianxue’s heart began to stir, as if a trace of melting appeared in her heart, long frozen. "How is it possible, how can you still stand up?" As Ye Xuan drew nearer, dragging the Spiritual Edge Sword step by step, Fang Ziyue bellowed in disbelief, desperately trying to stand to stop Ye Xuan. But before he could succeed, a sharp sword tip was already at his throat. A trickle of blood seeped from the neck, as if any movement could be fatal. "Nothing is impossible; you’ve lost." Ye Xuan’s blood-stained robes fluttered in the wind, with the scent of blood being slightly blown away. But the chill in his eyes didn’t fade in the slightest. That kind of gaze would have overwhelmed an ordinary person at just one glance, leading to the collapse of their fighting spirit. "I concede defeat..." With the sword tip against his throat, Fang Ziyue stopped struggling, his facial expression quickly turning to defeat. In uttering these words, it was as if he lost all his strength and aged ten years in an instant. "We’ve won." Relief washed over the faces of Leng Ruofeng, Yang Ting, and other Heavenly Martial Hall Disciples, replacing the tension with a sense of joy that spread rapidly across the square.