The three-day deadline had arrived.
The magnificent Martial Saint Hall, standing in the heart of the Central Plains and symbolising the martial world's highest justice and glory, was now enveloped in unprecedented bustle. The plaza was teeming with people — a dense, dark mass — and the hilltops in the distance were also crowded with onlookers from the martial world.
Representatives from various sects, top-ranked experts, intelligence brokers and even some reclusive old masters had all arrived. Everyone wanted to witness this ultimate duel, representing the pinnacle of the righteous path (Su Mubai) versus the rising star of the inner court (Xiao Wuchen), firsthand.
Dressed in white, Su Mubai stood quietly at the south entrance of the Martial Saint Hall, his aura as cold and aloof as snow. He was like an undrawn sword, restrained and composed, unmoved even by the gazes of the masses.
At noon, a purple sedan chair, escorted by dozens of Inner Court experts, slowly came to a stop at the North Entrance. The sedan curtain was lifted and Xiao Wuchen (Eunuch Xiao) emerged.
He wore a narrow-sleeved robe embroidered with dark purple cloud patterns. Although his figure was slightly slender, he exuded a powerful yet restrained aura, befitting someone who had successfully established their meridians. While he lacked Su Mubai's magnanimous sword intent, his eyes held a sharp yet sinister control.
The two figures, one in white and one in purple, stood facing each other from north and south, instantly creating an extremely tense atmosphere.
An elderly man wearing a black robe adorned with golden patterns emerged from the Martial Saint Hall. He was the hall's enforcement elder and would be the impartial judge for this duel.
His deep voice resonated throughout the plaza: 'The Earth Ranking Agreement: A fair duel. Both parties must sign a life-or-death contract. Once on the stage, life and death are irrelevant!"
Xiao Wuchen and Su Mubai stepped forward and signed the contract. Then, they leapt onto the specially prepared duelling platform paved with crystals.
This platform could withstand a blow from a Heaven Ranking expert without breaking, and would now become the battlefield for these two masters.
The elderly man stepped back, raised his bronze gong and struck it sharply.
'Clang!'
The gong echoed and the duel began.
Su Mubai didn't waste words. He drew his Frostbite Sword and, the instant it was drawn, a pure and powerful sword intent swept out like a tsunami. He began with the top-tier Vast Sword Sect sword technique, 'Ten Thousand Rivers Return to the Sea'.
'Lord Xiao, please accept this sword!'
His sword strikes were wide and sweeping, the energy seemingly transforming into a tangible torrent with unparalleled ferocity as it aimed directly at Xiao Wuchen's vital points. Su Mubai's intention was clear: to utterly destroy Xiao Wuchen's subtle and unpredictable martial arts system with overwhelming force, leaving him no opportunity to manoeuvre or draw on his strength.
Faced with the overwhelming torrent of sword energy, the onlookers gasped in astonishment, believing that Xiao Wuchen would have to take the blow head-on and expend a great deal of true energy.
However, Xiao Wuchen merely raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a meaningful smile.
He did not take the blow head-on, nor did he activate his Purple Qi Sweeping Willow.
Just as the sword energy was about to make contact, he suddenly burst forth at extreme speed. It was not ordinary speed, but rather like a spatial distortion: his figure froze in place for a moment, then mysteriously flashed three feet to the left like a flower blooming for a fleeting moment!
[Flower Blooming to Reveal the Buddha] — the ultimate speed after establishing meridians!
The torrent of sword energy grazed the hem of Xiao Wuchen's clothes, carving deep grooves into the hard crystal ground. However, Xiao Wuchen moved like a ghost, rapidly circling around Su Mubai, each movement accompanied by the unique rhythm of [Lotus Blossoming].
Su Mubai's fierce attacks repeatedly missed Xiao Wuchen due to his unpredictable speed!
Su Mubai was slightly startled. He knew Xiao Wuchen was fast, but he hadn't expected the [Flower Blooming to Reveal the Buddha] technique to be so fast after his meridians were established, almost exceeding the range of his sword intent.
'Speed alone cannot defeat me,' Su Mubai snorted coldly, shifting his sword stance as he prepared for an even more powerful attack.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wuchen moved like a ghost, weaving between sword energies and waiting for the perfect opportunity.
A torrent of sword energy grazed Xiao Wuchen's clothes, carving deep furrows into the hard crystal ground. However, Xiao Wuchen moved like a ghost, rapidly circling Su Mubai; each of his movements was accompanied by the rhythmic sound of a lotus blooming.
Su Mubai's fierce attacks repeatedly missed their mark in the face of Xiao Wuchen's unpredictable speed!
In the VIP section of the plaza, an elderly leader of a well-known sect exclaimed, "What kind of movement technique is this? After successfully establishing his meridians, 'Flower Blooms to Reveal the Buddha' isn't just about speed; it's about predicting the trajectory of space! Su Mubai couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes!"
Another bookmaker from an underground gambling den said, his face ashen, "Damn it! He fended off Su Mubai's aggressive attack with just one technique. Those old dogs from the inner court who bet on him are probably going to make a fortune!'
Su Mubai was slightly startled. He knew Xiao Wuchen was fast, but he hadn't expected the 'Flower Blooms to Reveal the Buddha' after establishing his meridians to be so quick, almost exceeding the range of his sword intent.
After all, Su Mubai was a top-ranked swordsman on the Earth Ranking, and his composure was terrifying. He immediately realised that continuing the point-to-point battle would be futile.
'A movement technique that only knows how to evade will ultimately lead to being trapped!' Su Mubai snorted coldly, no longer projecting his true energy outwards but instead concentrating and refining it inwards. The Frost Sword reversed, its tip lightly touching the ground.
'Condense!'
An invisible, pure and righteous sword intent spread out from him like ripples, instantly enveloping the entire duelling arena. This was the prototype of Su Mubai's unique skill, the Righteous Sword Domain.
Within this sword domain, the air seemed to solidify and every inch of space was locked down. Although Xiao Wuchen's [Flower Blooms to Reveal Buddha] speed remained, he clearly felt restricted by an eerie sense of "spatial displacement".
Xiao Wuchen could no longer move freely; he felt as if the surrounding space had turned into a viscous swamp, with each burst consuming several times more true energy than before.
"What a magnificent sword domain!" Xiao Wuchen exclaimed inwardly, feeling his fighting spirit surge.
[Xiao Wuchen's Inner Battle]
'The spiritual energy from the Meridian Establishment is more abundant than I anticipated. But Su Mubai is, after all, a seasoned expert with a solid foundation. He has forcibly stripped me of my 'speed' advantage with his sword domain, forcing me to confront him head-on.'
'Now it's time to show you how softness can overcome hardness. The survival space created by Flower Blooms to Reveal Buddha has been exhausted. Next, it's time for Purple Qi Sweeps Willows to make its appearance!'
Xiao Wuchen stopped dodging. His arms suddenly trembled, the muscles beneath his robes bulging slightly. A dense purple true energy spread along his arms like a poisonous vine, carrying a sinister and mysterious aura as it forcefully collided with Su Mubai's.