As Yun Lian stepped onto the battle platform, she immediately clasped her hands and bowed to the man opposite her.
“Hehuan Sect, Yun Lian. Please advise me.”
The moment she set foot on the platform, Yun Lian began to sense the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from her opponent.
She could only roughly determine that his cultivation was on par with her own—both around the middle stage of the Golden Core—but as for exactly which level within the middle stage, she couldn’t tell.
Shi Lei returned the bow, his voice rough and hoarse.
“Rogue cultivator, Shi Lei.”
The man’s gaze locked onto Yun Lian, equally appraising.
He had witnessed Chen Yuyang’s performance, and he knew that this girl from the same sect was by no means to be underestimated.
“Begin the match!”
Once the presiding cultivator saw both parties in position, he shouted loudly and quickly retreated beyond the platform edge to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
Shi Lei immediately let out a furious roar.
The muscles all over his body bunched up, nearly splitting his robe apart.
Earth-yellow spiritual energy surged forth and clung to his massive broadsword.
The blade was enveloped in a thick layer of earth-yellow spiritual light, making it appear even heavier and brimming with explosive power.
Shi Lei stamped his feet hard, shattering the ground.
His burly body charged forward like a war chariot, the greatsword tearing through the air with a low, roaring howl as it swung down toward Yun Lian’s head with terrifying momentum.
Yun Lian’s eyes sharpened.
Not daring to be careless in the slightest, she crossed her feet and swiftly retreated, narrowly dodging the powerful, heavy strike.
Boom!
The greatsword smashed onto the platform floor, unleashing a deafening crash.
The platform’s surface instantly spiderwebbed with cracks radiating toward Yun Lian’s position.
Within those cracks, stray earth-yellow spiritual energy leaked out.
There’s more to it!
Yun Lian’s pupils contracted.
In the next instant, several sharp stone spikes burst violently from the cracks, shooting toward Yun Lian with piercing whistles.
At this distance, there was no way to dodge.
But she had anticipated this.
Flicking her wrist, blue spiritual light gleamed along her blade.
Strand after strand of condensed sword energy erupted with her spiritual power.
Crescent-shaped blue sword energy swept outward, precisely knocking down every incoming stone spike.
The spikes shattered into rubble, while the remaining sword energy continued toward Shi Lei.
Yet Shi Lei had no intention of evading.
Earth-yellow spiritual energy emerged around his body as he maintained his high-speed charge, bringing with it a suffocating pressure while he swung his greatsword even more ferociously in a horizontal arc.
The sword stirred up a fierce gale.
Amplified by the earth-yellow spiritual energy, a huge sword projection formed around the blade, sweeping toward Yun Lian.
A large area around Yun Lian was covered by this projection.
It was not something ordinary sword energy could easily shatter.
Her heart tightened.
Instinctively she wanted to retreat, but behind her was the edge of the platform, and according to the rules, stepping off meant defeat.
I cannot retreat!
Yun Lian resolved herself, a flash of fierceness in her eyes.
Without hesitation, she unleashed her spiritual energy without reserve and poured it into her long sword.
In an instant, countless overlapping sword shadows appeared around her blade like a surging tide, rolling forward wave after unbroken wave.
At the same time, a vast sword intent erupted like a tangible force, carrying an incomparably sharp aura.
Canglan Sword Art — Raging Wave!
In that moment, Shi Lei felt an icy awareness seize him.
His mind jolted, and his movements faltered involuntarily, momentarily suppressed by that sword intent.
Boom!
Raging Wave collided violently with the huge sword projection condensed by Shi Lei, producing a thunderous crash.
The two spiritual energies clashed fiercely.
Shi Lei’s seemingly unstoppable sword projection tore like paper.
It shattered instantly under the impact of Raging Wave.
The momentum of Raging Wave did not diminish.
Like a tsunami, it engulfed Shi Lei, shattered his body-protecting spiritual energy, and forced him back five or six steps before he barely regained his footing, his face pale.
Shi Lei breathed heavily.
When he looked at Yun Lian again, his eyes were full of surprise.
He had not expected that this young girl, at such an age, had already comprehended and refined her sword intent so masterfully, and that her sword techniques were exceptionally powerful—far beyond his expectations.
On the high platform, the elders of the Xuan Clan nodded one after another, their eyes showing approval.
“This girl’s cultivation is remarkable.
Her sword intent far surpasses her peers—clearly she has received guidance from an expert.”
“Shi Lei excels in strength and defense, and with his earth-attribute spirit root, he should have the advantage.
Yet she still repelled him head-on with that single move.
Impressive, truly impressive.”
Shi Lei’s chest heaved violently, his expression turning utterly grave.
Yun Lian, feeling the outcome of that clash, now had a firmer grasp of their relative strengths.
The nervousness in her heart largely dissipated, replaced by calm confidence.
“Hah!”
Shi Lei suddenly let out a low roar, unleashing his spiritual energy once more.
Earth-yellow light surged and swirled over his body.
His already burly muscles bulged again, shredding the upper part of his robe.
The condensed earth-yellow spiritual energy formed into the shape of armor covering his body.
Shi Lei stamped the ground.
With a booming crack, the floor shattered.
Borrowing the force of his stomp, his massive body shot forward like a cannonball.
His greatsword whirled with a shrill, air-tearing screech as a flurry of heavy chops and sweeps rained down upon Yun Lian.
The sword strokes came thick and fast, carrying the wild force to split mountains and crack the earth.
Yun Lian shifted her feet.
Her slender figure twisted and darted through the dense barrage of sword shadows.
Each time the greatsword smashed down, another explosion roared, further fracturing the platform.
Stone chips flew.
Dust billowed.
The view within the platform grew hazy.
Gradually, Yun Lian adapted to Shi Lei’s relentless assault and grasped the rhythm of his attacks.
Following that rhythm, she suddenly struck.
At the brief gap when Shi Lei’s previous force had faded and his next had not yet arisen, a sharp light flashed in Yun Lian’s eyes.
In the next instant, she turned gracefully like a nimble serpent, her long sword thrusting forward with the flow.
Azure spiritual energy, like ribbons of silk, gathered along the blade’s direction and condensed into its edge.
Then an exceptionally sharp, highly condensed sword energy erupted forth.
Canglan Sword Art — Return to the Sea!
Spiritual energy exploded.
The sword’s tip traced an arc of deep blue light and gently tapped Shi Lei’s chest.
With a muffled grunt, Shi Lei staggered back several steps.
His spiritual-energy armor shattered instantly.
At the same time, more than a dozen cuts of varying depths appeared across his body, drenching him in blood.
Shi Lei fell heavily to one knee on the cracked floor.
Using his greatsword to support himself so he would not collapse entirely, veins bulged on the arm gripping the sword.
His teeth clenched his lower lip so tightly that blood seeped between them.
He jerked his head up to look at the girl.
There was a hint of unwillingness in his eyes.
If this were a life-or-death struggle, I still have hidden trump cards.
But this is only a contest.
There is no need to risk my life.
Besides, I do not know what other cards she might hold.
Thinking this, Shi Lei took a deep breath and slowly released his grip on the greatsword.
His voice hoarse, he said, “I… concede.”
Hearing this, the presiding cultivator stepped forward and announced loudly, “This match—Yun Lian wins!”
As the words fell, murmurs and enthusiastic applause rose from the audience.
Yun Lian sheathed her sword.
She gave a slight nod and a clasped-fist salute to the kneeling Shi Lei.
Then she turned without another word and walked off the platform.
She held her breath until she descended and returned to Chen Yuyang’s side.
Only then did she fully relax.
Her pretty face broke into a smile touched with pride.
“Senior Brother, see? I won!”
Chen Yuyang looked at her and nodded slightly.
His expression showed little change.
“Not bad.”
“What do you mean, ‘not bad’?”
Yun Lian immediately puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
“I timed that last move perfectly, you know!
He’s really not weak at all!”
Seeing her like this, Chen Yuyang gave a helpless smile.
“Fine, fine, you’re right.”
“Hmph, so perfunctory!”
Yun Lian pouted, clearly unhappy with his answer.
Suddenly, her eyes twinkled.
She affectionately linked her arm through Chen Yuyang’s, leaning slightly toward him.
Looking up at him with a playful, slightly teasing smile, she said, “Then, Senior Brother, since I won this match… is there any reward?”