Nangong Xuandu took a deep look at Cao Yan. If not for that demonic qi that could never be suppressed or purged...
"Great Xia Sword Sect versus the Ancient Clan's Lu clan! First match: victory to the Ancient Clan!"
*Buzz!*
The barrier dispersed, and Li Guanqi rushed onto the stage immediately, gathering Cao Yan into his arms.
By now, Cao Yan's gauntlets had fallen away, and the bones of his fingers on both hands were completely shattered. Yet his right hand still slowly rose, curled into a fist.
Li Guanqi grabbed his hand, his eyes welling with tears as he whispered softly, "Enough."
At this moment, no one blamed Cao Yan for losing this fight.
As he carried Cao Yan down from the stage, Li Guanqi turned his head toward Lu Wuhen. His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly to everyone's ears.
"I will kill you. Without fail."
Nangong Xuandu said softly, "Rest for the span of an incense stick. Once it burns down, the second battle begins."
Like a man possessed, Li Guanqi carried Cao Yan straight into the Purple Spirit Grotto-Heaven. Pengluo brought along the purple-skinned ginseng, sat down beside them, snatched up a small knife, and began shaving off slices.
Pengluo muttered under its breath, "Son, you see that? That's my master. Don't you dare mess with him, understand?"
"Hey! Why are you cutting them so thick?! Thinner! Make them thinner!"
Terrifying lightning coursed through Cao Yan's body, yet that demonic qi had already sunk deep into his marrow and defiled his soul.
Had Cao Yan not possessed an extraordinarily steadfast will, he would likely have been completely demonized by now.
Li Guanqi gritted his teeth. With a raise of his hand, roaring lightning erupted across his palm, and flames instantly transformed into a colossal dragon that darted straight into Cao Yan's dantian!
"Old Three, swallow the Purple Dragon Thunder Flame!"
As if sensing his intention, Cao Yan offered no coy refusal. He began refining the Purple Dragon Thunder Flame with everything he had.
Yet no matter what, the violent Purple Dragon Thunder Flame was a bona fide heavenly flame. In just a few breaths, it nearly vaporized Cao Yan's flesh and blood!
Were it not for Pengluo and Li Guanqi being right beside him, he would have long since been burned to cinders.
Pengluo chimed in from the side, "Master, Ninth Brother has been looking a bit anemic lately. How about I call my son over to nourish him a bit?"
The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth twitched, and he ignored it.
Over by the Six Ancient Sacred Sect, Zhou Shiyu also received word. When he learned that Cao Yan of the Great Xia Sword Sect had actually lost the first match, his brow furrowed deeply.
Only when he heard that Cao Yan had lost in the end due to an eruption of demonic qi within him did he finally let out a breath of relief.
Truth be told, his own strength was at most on par with Cao Yan's. If Cao Yan had lost on merit alone, he wouldn't have fared any better.
Yet he did not listen to the rest of the report. Slowly opening his eyes, he gently pushed the disciple away.
Standing up, Zhou Shiyu wore a conflicted expression. Unable to bear the guilt gnawing at his conscience any longer, he turned and walked toward the teleportation passage.
Beside the arena, a tear rolled down from the corner of Xiao Chen's eye as he sat meditating with closed eyes.
He had witnessed everything that had just occurred. Now, a scorching heat burned within his chest, and fury threatened to tear it apart!
Cao Yan's near-monstrous willpower had shaken him to his core.
Yet... the Lu clan's vile, dirty tricks brought Xiao Chen's fury to its absolute peak!
Before long, Li Guanqi returned. The moment Xiao Chen saw him, he asked, "Is Third Brother all right?"
Li Guanqi shook his head and let out a long breath. "He's fine, though his foundation took some damage."
Suddenly, Xiao Chen pressed his lips together and looked at the slightly pale Li Guanqi, lowering his head to whisper, "Boss... you..."
Li Guanqi waved his hand and patted him on the shoulder. "It's merely a single heavenly flame. It doesn't hold a candle to my brother's life.
"Were it you, I would give it just the same."
Emotions swirled within Xiao Chen's heart. Li Guanqi had once possessed two heavenly flames all to himself—who within his Domain could have contended with him then?
Yet just so Ye Feng could suppress his Abyss Demon ghost hand, Li Guanqi had given away the Yinming Profound Flame.
Now, after all the trouble of retrieving the Purple Dragon Thunder Flame from his avatar, he had given it away once more to prevent Cao Yan's soul from being demonized.
And this time... Xiao Chen knew that the heavenly flame would fuse completely into Cao Yan, and Li Guanqi would never again be able to borrow it through the Flame Devouring Art.
Li Guanqi squeezed his shoulder firmly and smiled. "Don't burden yourself. Just go shatter them!"
Xiao Chen took a deep breath, raising his head to fix a sharp gaze across the arena toward the Ancient Clan.
Seeing them laughing and chatting so casually only stoked the fires in his heart.
Yet his aura remained extraordinarily serene as he murmured, "I will give it my all!"
Nangong Xuandu's voice drifted slowly over: "Second match: candidates from both sides, take the stage!"
*Swish!*
Clad in white robes, Xiao Chen teleported onto the Dao platform. By now, the platform had already been restored to its original state, as though the previous battle had never happened.
Xiao Chen stood tall and straight upon the stage. His red earrings fluttered in the breeze, and his handsome features drew a flurry of whispers and chatter from numerous female cultivators.
On the Lu clan's side, a young man was nonchalantly preparing to stand up when Lu Wuhen glanced his way.
The young man froze in his tracks. Lu Wuhen shifted his gaze, looking over at Lu Tao, who was resting with closed eyes to gather his spirit.
"For this match, Ah Tao goes up."
Lu Tao snapped his eyes open, frowning slightly, yet he still rose to his feet.
By rights... he shouldn't have been taking the field for this second match.
His intended target was Ye Feng.
Yet now that Lu Wuhen had spoken, he had no way to refuse.
As the cold-faced Lu Tao walked past Lu Wuhen, Lu Wuhen's voice suddenly rang in his ear:
"Remember: this round, I want another victory!
"I want all the clans and sects across the Six Domains to see that our Ancient Clan's power should crush them just like this!
"Even if it's the Great Xia Sword Sect with all its profound heritage, so what?
"I want every single one of them to taste despair!"
Lu Tao smiled. No wonder Lu Wuhen wanted him to fight in the second match.
Having grasped that, Lu Tao flickered and materialized on the Dao platform, less than ten zhang from Xiao Chen.
When Li Guanqi saw Lu Tao, his brow furrowed slightly. He looked up, catching the faint, elusive smirk playing on Lu Wuhen's lips.
Li Guanqi's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
Yet he understood that this match...
Things were likely going to be difficult for Xiao Chen.
Still, he remained silent, because he believed Xiao Chen would go all out!
Meanwhile, Lu Tao wore an enigmatic smile as he reached a hand into the void, slowly drawing forth a longsword of restrained brilliance.
Sword light flickered three inches from the blade. The hilt had lengthened noticeably, and the void flanking both sides of the edge was scored with hairline rifts.
Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes. He had not expected the other man to unleash his second-stage Apocalypse right from the very start.
Furthermore, the aura radiating from him...
"Second match: Great Xia Sword Sect's Xiao Chen versus the Lu clan's Lu Tao—begin!"
*Boom! Boom!*
In an instant, both of their auras climbed to the absolute limit, the suppressive might of the late Void Refining Realm flooding the void without restraint.
At the same moment, Xiao Chen gripped the She Shen Spear, unveiling its savage true form for the very first time!
A blood-red hue suffused the jet-black shaft, and the spearhead grew broad and long, fully the length of a forearm.
The shaft of moderate thickness lengthened considerably. The instant the bloody patterns spread, a chilling, murderous aura washed outward.
Holding the She Shen Spear with hands staggered front and back, Xiao Chen stood poised with his weapon.
The entire man looked like an invincible general standing upon the battlefield.
A ferocious clash hung on the brink of erupting!
Chapter 792