CHAPTER 135 – ONE SECOND! ONE SLASH!

The arrogant Cao Yang hadn’t once taken Li Guanqi seriously. In his eyes, Li Guanqi was nothing more than a nobody putting on a show.

Cao Yang held a blue, high-tiered magical sword in his hand. As the war drums thundered, Ge Qing raised his hand from atop the platform to preside over the duel, then slashed downward.

“Begin!”

Boom!

Blue light surged around Cao Yang. He possessed a rare Wind Spirit Root. A powerful, suffocating aura erupted from his body as he charged at Li Guanqi like a violent gust, his blade glowing with blue light and brimming with vital force. He was using a sprint technique.

Boom!

With a wave of his arm, sword-light burst forth, streaking toward Li Guanqi and circling around him within a radius of three zhang.

“Boundless Heavenly Sword!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Judging by the technique’s complexity, it was at least upper-grade Black-tier.

“Such speed! He really does have a Wind Spirit Root!”

“I think that Daxia Sword Sect disciple isn’t going to last long.”

As murmurs of concern spread, a thunder-like boom cracked through the air. A blur flashed, and the stone tiles beneath Li Guanqi cracked.

But Li Guanqi was gone.

Then came a second thunderclap.

Boom!

When the smoke cleared, Cao Yang of the Profound Gate Pavilion stood frozen in place. His sword was poised just inches from Li Guanqi’s white robes, yet he couldn’t move. He stood stiffly, as though time itself had stopped for him.

Li Guanqi had crouched, dodging Cao Yang’s blade and pressing his sword against Cao Yang’s throat.

A bead of fresh blood slid down the blade.

Pale and trembling, Cao Yang clenched his jaw and muttered, “I... I admit defeat...”

Clang!

Li Guanqi stood up, sheathed his sword, and then calmly said, “Next.”

One slash in one second.

Li Guanqi’s powerful display left the crowd in awe. In mere moments, he had spotted the flaw in Cao Yang’s barrage of attacks and found an opening.

The seasoned cultivators watched clearly. Li Guanqi anticipated Cao Yang’s next move when he entered his attack stance, sealing Cao Yang’s fate.

Li Guanqi’s strength shocked countless people, including Ji Linglan and the other prodigies. Ji Linglan stared in disbelief.

Disciples who reached the late Foundation Building Realm at the Profound Gate Pavilion were considered the elite among all sects. With access to the best resources and combat techniques, they typically stood unchallenged. Yet now, one of these celebrated talents had fallen in a single move, defeated by a disciple of some obscure, nameless sect.

One move!

Ji Linglan stared at Li Guanqi. He’s strong!

“Li Guanqi... what kind of person are you?” Ji Linglan muttered.

The Daxia Sword Sect disciples roared their approval, arms raised as they joyfully cheered.

The audience around Heavenly Tiger Mountain roared as if they had claimed the victory themselves. Everyone had expected Li Guanqi to be crushed, but that didn’t happen.

Cao Yang leaped offstage with a pale face.

Slap!

Guan Qingyun struck him across the face without hesitation.

Li Nanting clenched his fists tightly beneath his wide sleeves, watching Li Guanqi with worry and excitement. Vital force surged through the crippled Gao Qiwen’s body.

Qin Xian’s eyes glinted wistfully. He took out his jade slip and spoke into it. “Sect Master, Li Guanqi of the Heavenly Lightning Peak has begun the Hell Challenge. Perhaps... this batch of disciples will bring glory to the Daxia Sword Sect.”

The elder of the Profound Gate Pavilion looked at Li Guanqi with surprise. Their contempt had disappeared. With their experience, they could easily see how extraordinary Li Guanqi was. He hadn’t simply won—he had dominated an opponent of equal cultivation.

Even Guan Qingyun, a prodigy of the Profound Gate Pavilion, couldn’t say with certainty that he could have defeated Cao Yang in a single move.

Before any elder could speak, Guan Qingyun snarled, “Trash. The lot of you!”

He turned and shouted, “I’ll go next!”

Whoosh!

Everyone had assumed he would wait to go last. Instead, Guan Qingyun flew onto the stage and glared at Li Guanqi.

Li Guanqi paused. Like the rest, he’d expected Guan Qingyun to wait until the end.

Guan Qingyun hadn’t taken Li Guanqi seriously at first. He hadn’t even considered him an opponent worth worrying about. He’d assumed Li Guanqi would be eliminated before his turn.

But now, reality had slapped him in the face. Li Guanqi had proved far stronger than other people in his cultivation realm.

The Profound Gate Pavilion could not lose. Their reputation was on the line.

They were one of the Six Pavilions of the Northern Territory. How could they lose to one measly blind kid?

If Li Guanqi lost, it would be a quick and unremarkable defeat. But if he kept winning, it would humiliate the Profound Gate Pavilion in front of the entire Northern Territory. What had begun as a simple match had now transformed into a matter of honor for the Profound Gate Pavilion.

Guan Qingyun warmed up his body as he looked at Li Guanqi, joints crackling. “Brat, you asked for this. Don’t blame me if you die. You don’t know your own limits.”

Li Guanqi frowned. “Do all of you talk this much?”

Guan Qingyun froze, then gave a fake smile. “Let’s see if your sword is as sharp as your tongue.”

Ge Qing’s gaze flickered. At his level, he could tell how powerful both of them were.

Though Li Guanqi had barely made a move earlier, that one strike had already proven he was at least on par with Guan Qingyun.

Once again, Ge Qing raised his hand and brought it down.

The match began.

Guan Qingyun glared at Li Guanqi coldly. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you a chance to beg on your knees!”

Li Guanqi’s lip curled. “Still talking?”

Boom!

Li Guanqi didn’t underestimate Guan Qingyun. He opened with full force.

His aura erupted, heavy and oppressive. The tiles within one zhang of him shattered beneath the pressure.

Li Guanqi activated his sprint technique, Swimming in the Clouds. At once, he turned into a blur of white light as he charged at Guan Qingyun.