Chapter 201 Sword Maniac Ji Juechen:
Day 5 of the Infinite Arena Defense!
"Dear viewers, today is the final round of the Infinite Arena Defense in the Sun and Moon Grand Soul Arena. After four days of selection, the three contestants standing on this stage are all exceptional geniuses."
Looking at the familiar man beside him, Wu Xuan couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth. Wasn't that the person he and Ma Xiaotao had first crippled in the last All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament?
"They are, respectively, Ma Rulong, a near-seventh-level Soul Master with the title of Destruction Dragon!"
"Ji Juechen, a sixth-level Soul Master with the title of Sword Maniac."
Hearing the familiar name, Wu Xuan couldn't help but take a few more glances at the person next to Ma Rulong.
Ji Juechen looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with long black hair simply tied back with a headband. His face looked somewhat unhealthy and pale, but he was handsome enough to make any man sigh. However, his eyes looked dull and lifeless, and even his movements seemed somewhat slow.
He held a sword in his hand, a longsword about four feet long, entirely black. The sword's design was ancient and unremarkable, almost resembling a fire poker.
"And this year's biggest dark horse, a level six Soul Master, possessing the title of Thunder Prison Spear, Yang Xuan!"
As the host finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in unparalleled cheers once again.
"But! There can only be one final champion, and only one final prize. Who will win the final reward? Let's shout out their names!"
"Dragon of Destruction! Sword Maniac! Thunder Prison Spear, Dragon of Destruction!" The audience below began to chant the three men's titles wildly.
Not only was Wu Xuan's performance amazing, but Ma Rulong and Ji Juechen's performances were equally impressive. The three of them could be said to have crushed their way to the final battle.
The referee continued to announce loudly: "The draw begins! The two who draw the red ball will begin the first final battle. The winner and the bye will compete for the final title."
As soon as he finished speaking, a beautiful woman in a dress pushed a small cart onto the stage.
Upon seeing this, the three of them reached into a specially made metal box one after another.
Ma Rulong was the first to take out his hand, and a small white ball came into everyone's view.
As expected, Wu Xuan and Ji Juechen took out two red balls one after the other.
"Infinite Defense! Semi-final, Yang Xuan of Thunder Prison Spear, versus Ji Juechen of Sword Maniac. Defense begins."
The final semi-final of Infinite Defense had a considerable number of bettors, but it was not exaggeratedly one-sided, and it was basically maintained at a 40/60 split. Compared to the long-established Sword Maniac Ji Juechen, Wu Xuan seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Moreover, those who frequently visit the Grand Soul Arena are familiar with Ji Juechen's record; he is invincible among those of the same rank and has almost never lost.
"That spear you threw earlier—I saw what I've been searching for. Please let me feel it, thank you," he said. He then bowed slowly to Wu Xuan, holding his longsword in both hands. His previously dull eyes suddenly shone with a fervent, unwavering light, and at that moment, it seemed that only the sword in his hands existed in his gaze.
Two yellow, two purple, and two black spirit rings rose gracefully from beneath his feet.
In an instant, Ji Juechen seemed to merge with the unassuming, dark longsword. Infused with spirit power and sword intent, the sword tip trembled slightly, a soft hum spreading outwards, and Ji Juechen's aura surged upwards at an astonishing speed.
That sharp aura was his incomparably fierce sword intent.
Wu Xuan didn't make as many movements; he simply stood there quietly, and one could see distorted light refracting from his body. The next moment, the Thunder Prison Spring Spear in his hand erupted with incomparably dazzling lightning. The six spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—flashed in succession, their colors changing.
Wu Xuan took a slight half-step to the left with his left foot, and the instant his foot touched the ground, a muffled "thud" resounded. Immediately afterward, a terrifying, sky-piercing intent erupted from his body, an intent of immense power. The sword forcefully reversed Ji Juechen's incomparably fierce sword intent.
A phantom light and shadow also appeared and disappeared behind Wu Xuan. When everyone came to their senses, they recognized the original appearance of this light and shadow, which was the Thunder Prison Dragon integrated into the Thunder Prison Spring Spear.
"This is an eighth-level soul tool? He, a six-ring Soul Emperor, can actually activate an eighth-level soul tool?" Zheng Zhan, the Unbreakable Douluo in the private box, suddenly stood up and looked at Wu Xuan on the competition stage in disbelief.
"Compared to this, I am more curious about how this fierce weapon transformed into an eighth-level soul tool." Jing Hongchen stared unblinkingly at the Thunder Prison Spring Spear in Wu Xuan's hand.
"Hiss~! Now that you mention it, I can also see the origin of this spear. When did this spear complete the final step of becoming an eighth-level soul tool?" The Unbreakable Douluo suddenly realized.
"I don't know! We'll ask that kid during the match. If he really solved it, then this kid named Yang Xuan is truly an extraordinary genius," Jing Hongchen commented truthfully.
Inside the arena!
Ji Juechen's body trembled, but his gaze became even more resolute. The six spirit rings on his body shimmered and sparkled like ripples on water. He gripped his sword with both hands, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground. His upper body slowly turned halfway to the side, his feet remaining stationary, now facing Wu Xuan sideways.
His sword intent instantly changed, transforming from its previous unparalleled sharpness to a predatory ferocity. The powerful aura compressed again, colliding head-on with the aura emanating from Wu Xuan, causing ripples to spread through the air.
Halfway to the side, Ji Juechen faced Wu Xuan sideways, the shock he felt indescribable. Only he, as the person directly involved, could truly feel how terrifying Wu Xuan's domineering and arrogant attitude was.
His sword intent, already pushed to its limit, struck Wu Xuan like a raging torrent crashing against an unyielding, solid rock, scattering in all directions. It couldn't shake his opponent in the slightest.
Ji Juechen knew he couldn't wait any longer; his attempt to overwhelm his opponent with mere momentum was utterly impossible. If he waited any longer, his own confidence would likely crumble first.
Using the ground as leverage, Ji Juechen transformed into a gliding beam of light, his speed so fast it could only be described as lightning-fast—the speed limit achievable by a six-ring Soul Emperor without any soul tool assistance.
Without warning, Ji Juechen suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing like lightning as he stared at Wu Xuan in the distance. The next instant, his entire body, like a strange ray of light, hurtled towards Wu Xuan, skimming close to the ground.
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(End of Chapter)