Kicking the gravity ring off the stage, Lin Junyi made a gesture of invitation to Jian Wuming.
Jian Wuming drew his long sword and swung it. The air seemed to erupt with a sword's hum, and the fierce wind generated by the sword formed a giant, transparent blade. Before the real sword arrived, the colossal wind-sword had already descended, aiming to cleave Lin Junyi's head.
"Hiss~"
Jian Wuming's move was grand and imposing, the fierce wind howling and stirring the clouds. The crowd rose from their seats, watching this scene with gaping mouths.
The sword energy was palpable; this was the realm of returning to simplicity!
No wonder they hadn't seen anything special in Jian Wuming before.
Lin Junyi's pupils constricted, and he rapidly retreated.
The colossal wind-sword slashed fiercely towards the stage. With a thunderous "boom," the stage seemed to roar like rolling thunder. After the sound, another "boom" followed, sending dust and smoke soaring into the sky. The residual shockwave spread outwards from the stage.
Mu Xiaoxiao raised her hand to shield her face, feeling a stinging sensation on her exposed wrist.
As the shockwave dissipated and the dust settled, Lin Junyi had already fallen off the stage. The match, which everyone had assumed would be a foregone conclusion, concluded in such a shocking manner.
In just one move, Lin Junyi was defeated.
"Pfft~"
Lin Junyi spat out a mouthful of blood.
"I concede!"
Jian Wuming stood on the stage, cupped his fists towards Lin Junyi.
No wonder he had reminded Lin Junyi to remove the gravity ring earlier. If Lin Junyi hadn't, this move might have cost him his life.
"Thank you for your mercy, senior!"
Lin Junyi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and cupped his fists towards Jian Wuming.
Jian Wuming nodded slightly and stood on the stage, which he had cracked with his sword, scanning the crowd below who had yet to ascend.
Xuan Xiao clicked his teeth. Where had all these monsters come from? It was utterly absurd.
When had such a grand sword master, who had returned to simplicity, appeared in the martial world!!
Gu Sanmen's internal energy was shaken by the sword energy, and he lost control, sending Wei Ruyun flying. Fortunately, he reined in his internal energy at the critical moment; otherwise, Wei Ruyun would have been more than just sent flying.
Wei Ruyun flew away and then walked back by himself. He walked to the edge of the stage, bowed to Gu Sanmen, and said, "Thank you, senior."
Gu Sanmen waved his hand at him.
Ten people had now been eliminated.
The current defenders were: Jian Wuming, Gu Sanmen, and Gui Yidao!
Two people had yet to make a move.
Feng Ying and Xuan Xiao.
"Pick one?"
Xuan Xiao gestured, indicating for Feng Ying to choose first.
Feng Ying took a step and walked towards Gu Sanmen.
Feng Ying's strength should not be underestimated, but pitting her against Gu Sanmen was like comparing a dirt mound to a mountain peak. Her best choice would be to challenge Gui Yidao.
"That's too impulsive, and not wise."
"She really wants to prove herself. This fellow is quite arrogant. If she were to bully a scholar with an injury, it might tarnish her noble face."
The crowd below was abuzz with discussion. No one believed she could win.
Seeing her walk towards Gu Sanmen, Xuan Xiao brushed some dust off his clothes and, without any psychological burden, walked towards Gui Yidao.
"Sister Ying, go for it!"
Lü Yiyi cheered from below, waving her arms, her banner rustling noisily.
Mu Xiaoxiao glanced at the banner in her hand and almost spat out the tea in her mouth.
"Above all, in heaven and on earth, my sister reigns supreme!"
This girl was truly remarkable, a great talent!
Gu Sanmen did not underestimate her simply because she was a woman. Instead, a solemn expression appeared on his face. He cupped his fist and announced in a voice like a resounding bell, "Gu Sanmen of Huorenmu!"
"Feng Ying of Anyingge!"
"Huorenmu?"
"Anyingge?"
Upon hearing their self-introductions, everyone below was startled. These two came from those formidable factions. Leaving Anyingge aside for now, Huorenmu actually had a successor in this era?
"Please!"
"Please!"
Gu Sanmen treated Nan Shiying as an expert of equal standing, showing full courtesy. As they spoke, they each stood at the edges of the stage, their intentions sharp and their gazes locked. Though their bodies were still, their auras had already locked onto each other. This was a clash of "momentum," where, despite standing still, outsiders could feel the air gradually becoming stagnant.
Suddenly, Gu Sanmen moved.
His internal energy surged through his body, activating the Ren and Du meridians. A dragon's roar erupted, and a golden dragon condensed from his internal energy shot straight into the sky from his spine. Following his fist, it lunged downwards.
"This is..."
The crowd jumped up from their seats in astonishment.
This was the Dragon Subduing Fist?
The long-lost Dragon Subduing Fist?
The gazes of everyone present were burning with intensity. As if having found a great treasure, their faces flushed with excitement, their blood boiling.
In their lifetime, they could actually witness the prowess of the Dragon Subduing Fist. Even if they were to die here today, their lives would be without regret.
"Sister Ying!"
Lü Yiyi held her breath for Nan Shiying.
Dragon Subduing Fist!
Huorenmu!
"Sister, haven't you ever lived in a tomb?"
"Sister, look, this is the secret manual I learned. Do you want to learn it, Sister?"
"Sister, kill me, kill me, kill me!"
Distant memories resurfaced. In fact, when Gu Sanmen fought He Cangling, Nan Shiying had already seen through his true capabilities.
The martial arts of the Huorenmu school, though seemingly soft, were in reality hard.
Take the Dragon Subduing Fist, for example. It was a hard qigong.
She hadn't practiced martial arts in her past life, but she knew exactly what the weakness of the Dragon Subduing Fist was.
Even dragons have their reverse scales.
Nan Shiying flicked her finger, and a stream of internal energy shot out from her fingertip. This energy was like a sword, and with its emergence, it was earth-shattering and irresistible.
Gu Sanmen's techniques were extraordinary, and Nan Shiying's were no less so.
One unleashed the Dragon Subduing Fist, and the other wielded the Shaoyang Finger Sword.
The internal energy from her fingertip collided with the colossal dragon. With a "boom," it was as if thunder rolled in everyone's ears, causing them to suffer from ringing in their ears, and some even bled from their orifices from the shock.
Mu Xiaoxiao let out a "pfft," spitting out a mouthful of blood as if an iron hammer had struck her abdomen, shifting her internal organs, causing a searing pain that burned her heart and lungs.
Her hands gripped the corner of the table with such force that the knuckles of her fingers turned faintly white. She was like a fish out of water, struggling for survival on the chopping board.
The pain, it was truly agonizing.
Her vision blurred. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Just as she was about to faint, a delicate, white hand appeared before her eyes.
She was helped up, and someone was speaking in her ear.
"Open your mouth~"
She couldn't hear clearly.
The next moment, Mu Xiaoxiao's mouth was forced open, and she felt something being thrown in. Before she could react, it had already dissolved into water.
"How is she?"
Seeing that she had fainted, Lü Yiyi asked.
Dai Zhiqiu placed her hand on Mu Xiaoxiao's wrist, felt her pulse, and then said, "Her internal organs were injured by internal energy. Her life is not in danger."
Hearing that she was fine, Lü Yiyi quickly looked towards the stage.
The stage was shrouded in rising dust and smoke. Everyone craned their necks, their eyes wide, trying to glimpse the figures within the dust.
Had this blow determined the victor?