readytorunbook Chapter 173 The Peak Showdown
Chapter 173 The Peak Showdown
Chapter 173: Peak Showdown
Thick flames converged into a glass-like crimson cloud, resembling solidified magma, enveloping the entire space of the arena, with three layers inside and three layers outside, impenetrable.
The temperature in the core area of the crimson cloud had reached a level comparable to the molten furnace thousands of feet underground. In such an extreme environment, even True Immortals with unshakable cultivation would find it difficult to endure for too long without suitable protective measures.
This was the innate Divine Ability of the ancient Li Phoenix lineage, the ability to manipulate and control flames, unmatched by many. In the past, Nie Qingyue had defeated countless formidable opponents with this method. Now, facing the elite seed of the Human Clan's Dao Court, she naturally wouldn't hold back and went all out from the moment she appeared.
In the distance, the expression of the Dragon Clan's elite, Ao Rui, eased, and the many talented individuals of different races around him also smiled. In their memories, Nie Qingyue rarely failed with this technique, so winning against her opponent was only a matter of time.
"... Qin Junior Brother, do you think your Third Senior Sister will win?" Princess Longyi asked with a smile.
"Of course, I never doubt that," Qin Muling replied.
"But it's really difficult! With Nie Qingyue's cultivation, over time, this flame can even melt a Middle Grade Law Treasure. If your Third Senior Sister doesn't have any special means to break the situation, defeat is inevitable," Princess Longyi said.
"Let's wait and see."
Qin Muling remained calm, no longer worried like before.
According to the rules of the Sword Duel Tournament, when all cultivators stepped onto the arena, the weapons and armor they used could not exceed the level of Middle Grade Law Treasures, and the quantity was strictly limited. This was intended to ensure the fairness of the tournament and prevent the elite seeds from powerful forces from oppressing the grassroots geniuses.
Of course, there were still ways to take advantage, such as investing a huge amount of rare materials, using an Acquired Spiritual Treasure-level pill furnace, and having several Elders proficient in the art of refining weapons join forces. In this cost-ignoring manner, they could create a set of "Middle Grade" Law Treasures with power far exceeding the normal range.
When Qin Muling traveled outside in the past, he had a set of twelve such special Law Treasures on him. Although they were only at the level of initial-grade Law Treasures, their power was not inferior to Middle Grade Law Treasures, and they consumed very little mana when activated.
As the prideful daughter of the ancient Li Phoenix clan, Nie Qingyue naturally had no shortage of good things on her. However, Qi Yalan was not far behind in this aspect either. Before they set off, at Qin Muling's request, the higher-ups of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace almost emptied the entire sect's treasury to provide the five senior sisters with luxurious Law Treasure sets.
In the sect, five extraordinary and talented disciples who could rank among the top of the leaderboard suddenly appeared. For any Supreme lineage, this was an extremely rare occasion, and they would do everything they could to support them and not hold them back in any way.
On the spatial arena, the rolling crimson clouds underwent another change, compressing and collapsing inward, causing the temperature in the core area to continue rising.
At this moment, an extremely bright and dazzling sword aura suddenly emerged from the center of the crimson clouds. With an unstoppable momentum, it tore through the blockade of the clouds, vowing to contend against the heavens.
Qi Yalan, with a pale complexion and slightly disheveled appearance, appeared disregarding the flames burning around her like festering sores. She unleashed a stunning and refined icy sword aura, breaking through the defense of Nie Qingyue on the opposite side. She tore a large hole in her dress and left a deep wound on her left shoulder, from which blood, tinged with a faint golden glow, gushed out.
Nie Qingyue groaned, sealing the wound with her abundant mana, and quickly retreated. However, Qi Yalan did not give her a chance to catch her breath. She desperately consumed her mana source and unleashed another terrifying sword aura, tearing through space and slashing towards Nie Qingyue in mid-air.
Is this Qi Yalan not afraid of death?
Nie Qingyue cursed inwardly. It was not an ordinary means to break through her defense with a single sword strike. This human female sword cultivator on the opposite side was willing to use such a self-damaging method to turn the tables. She didn't know what to say about her.
However, Qi Yalan didn't care about all that. She endured the intense pain of mana depletion, almost burning her internal organs, and exerted all her strength to unleash the fourth sword strike.
The spiritual resonance of the Innate Primordial Spirit Root permeated her body, gently repairing the damage to her organs and meridians like a spring breeze and rain. New mana continuously bred from the depths of her dantian.
Struggling to withstand until the sixth sword strike, Nie Qingyue, who was running on fumes, finally couldn't hold on any longer. She retreated once again and then uncontrollably collapsed to the edge of the arena, reluctantly admitting defeat before the seventh sword strike could reach her.
"You're truly insane!"
Quickly taking two pills to stabilize her injuries, Nie Qingyue looked at Qi Yalan with hatred and said, "Are you willing to forever remain an Origin Immortal and not strive for further progress just to compete for a ranking?"
"You don't need to worry about that."
Qi Yalan weakly smiled. After the Emperor announced the results, she was transported out of the spatial arena and immediately received a heroic welcome from her senior and junior martial siblings.
"Are you okay?"
Xue Bingxuan approached and supported her. A strong and pure mana was immediately transmitted over. At this moment, Qi Yalan was also on the verge of collapse, but thanks to Qin Muling's ingenious Dao rhyme, it was not difficult for her to recover.
"The upcoming battles are destined to become more and more difficult."
Luo Wanqing frowned. At this point, every opponent they encountered had Transcendent-level strength that challenged them beyond their level. It was impossible for them to be as relaxed as before.
"It doesn't matter, as long as we do our best!"
Cheng Yulan was quite optimistic. Even if the five senior martial sisters stopped here, their rankings were already unshakable. Compared to the disappointing results in previous Immortal Conferences, this time was already a pleasant surprise.
"It seems like I can win a big sum this time!"
Beside them, Qin Muling calmly said to Princess Longyi. Before the start of the competition, there were not many people who believed in the power of the senior martial sisters from Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, but there were many who underestimated them. Just thinking about the astonishing odds, Qin Muling knew that after the Immortal Conference, his wealth would skyrocket to an exaggerated level.
Even if he had to repay the enormous debt to Princess Longyi afterwards, Qin Muling would still have a considerable amount left. With his extremely extravagant spending habits, he could squander it for a long time.
"Alright, I'm starting to believe in you now."
Princess Longyi frowned. Since Ni Qingyue had lost, it was uncertain whether the Dragon Clan genius Ao Rui, who was at a similar level to her, or the Kirin Clan genius Chiye Ling, would have a guaranteed victory against Xue Bingxuan and the others.
Moreover, their fighting styles were fierce and decisive, willing to sacrifice their own foundations to defeat their opponents, without worrying about recovering from injuries afterwards. As their opponents, how could they fight against them?
The competition continued. As the winners, they had a certain amount of rest time between each match, so Qi Yalan could fully recover to her peak state before her next appearance.
The healing effect of the Innate Primordial Spirit Root's ingenious Dao rhyme was truly extraordinary.
Several hours quickly passed. In the half moon in the sky, the number of names that could still be seen became fewer and fewer, now less than fifty. The eliminated cultivators' rankings were basically fixed.
In other words, the top fifty rankings were what the remaining geniuses would compete for.
Therefore, the Emperors made timely adjustments, only conducting one match at a time, allowing these remaining geniuses sufficient time to adjust their state.
At this moment, even Princess Longyi's expression became serious and solemn. Although Qin Muling was also somewhat concerned, he did not stop taking advantage of the situation. He grabbed the delicacies and immortal brews on the table and enjoyed them to the fullest, even disregarding his manners and taking from Princess Longyi's plate.
If he didn't eat quickly now, there would be nothing left after the Immortal Conference ended.
On the other hand, Aunt Su's smile became more and more radiant. She smiled and instructed the maidservants to continue serving wine and dishes.
These fine wines and delicacies were rare treasures, containing an unimaginable amount of spiritual essence. Even Princess Longyi couldn't endlessly eat without leaving time to refine and absorb them.
Looking at the beautiful young man radiating with brilliance and flowing with Dao rhyme, absorbing the vast and abundant spiritual energy like an abyss, it was as if his body was the incarnation of the Primordial Chaos, with no limits in sight.
"The Emperor's vision is truly unparalleled. With such talent and beauty, he is indeed a perfect match for the princess!" Aunt Su secretly pondered.
After a while, with another match ending, there were less than twenty cultivators left in the arena. Xue Bingxuan and the other five senior martial sisters all made it to the next round.
Luo Wanqing appeared on the stage again, facing off against the Dragon Clan genius Ao Rui.
The physical body of the ancient true dragon clan was extraordinarily powerful, not inferior to the ancient witch god lineage. Therefore, this match was particularly difficult for the fourth senior martial sister. When Ao Rui finally admitted defeat, her injuries were even more severe than Qi Yalan's.
(End of this chapter)