Chapter 588: Battle between Bladesmen
Fang Yunfei was the top disciple of the Divine Saber Gate. His Saber Technique was extraordinary and the amount of Luck he obtained was quite significant. His golden dragon was more than fourteen meters long.
He could be considered a decent opponent for Xiao Chen. After seizing his Luck, Xiao Chen’s golden dragon would be able to grow significantly.
Fang Yunfei was tall and stout. He had a broad back and looked very sturdy.
However, the huge saber in Fang Yunfei’s hand looked even sturdier than him. It was almost as tall as him, and was about ten centimeters wide. Forged from an alloy of eighty-one precious ores, it was not only sharp but also very tough, and weighed a total of four-hundred-odd kilograms.
Just from this weapon, it was clear that Fang Yunfei’s Saber Technique was strong and violent. The attacks would be wide and carry a strong momentum, overwhelming the other party and winning by brute force.
“Xiao Chen, I have a request. Would you please fight with me without using saber intent? If you do not use saber intent, no matter the result, I will admit defeat.”
Fang Yunfei made a strange request that surprised everyone. There was fire in his eyes, a strong hope that Xiao Chen would agree.
“As long as you agree, I will immediately inform the referee. I only want a fair fight with you, to fight a battle between bladesmen. I promise that my Saber Techniques will not disappoint you.”
In a battle between bladesmen, if one side comprehended saber intent and the other had not, the side who had not would be at a great disadvantage. In a situation where both parties were of the same cultivation level, the victor was clear. This was why Fang Yunfei had requested this.
Seeing Xiao Chen remain silent, Fang Yunfei waited anxiously. Fang Yunfei’s personality was very straightforward. He was not very good with words and would say whatever was on his mind, not beating about the bush.
I have not met this sort of person in a very long time already, Xiao Chen sighed to himself. His opponent was not seeking victory. Instead, he sought the battle.
As a fellow bladesman, Fang Yunfei admired Xiao Chen’s strength. He wanted to have a fair match with Xiao Chen, using the intense battle to expose the insufficiencies of his own Saber Techniques.
Compared to his opponent, Xiao Chen seemed to have an urgent mental state. Since the start of the ranking matches, he had only been thinking of how to increase his Luck.
A ripple appeared in his previously calm mental state, something that he himself had not realized.
Xiao Chen came back to his senses. Then, he performed a cupped-fist salute and said, “I am honored that your distinguished self looks up to me like that. In that case, I will not use saber intent. Let’s have a fair match together. There is also no need for you to make any promises. If you defeat me, I, Xiao Chen, will also lose.”
After Xiao Chen said this, the crowd instantly felt it was strange. This was the ranking matches, the finals.
Any victory or defeat would affect the final ranking. The difference in ranking would impact the amount of Luck obtained, something that would affect a cultivator’s life forever.
One could not reach a draw like Chu Chaoyun and Xuanyuan Zhantian had in the elimination matches, which would effectively minimize the impact on the points acquired.
“Is this Xiao Chen crazy? Fang Yunfei has quite a lot of Luck. His golden dragon is more than thirteen meters long. If Xiao Chen wins, his golden dragon will able able to catch up to those of Wang Quan and the others immediately.”
“That is not the only problem. If Xiao Chen is defeated, his loss will be tremendous. If someone stronger loses to someone weaker, their golden dragon will be significantly drained.”
“Fang Yunfei is not weak. The Divine Saber Gate’s resources are not something the Heavenly Saber Pavilion can equal. The outcome of this match is hard to predict if Xiao Chen does not use saber intent.”
All the cultivators in the spectator stands could not understand what was going on. In a battle between bladesmen, if one party had saber intent, the result would be pretty much decided.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen was willing to forgo saber intent. At this crucial moment, he chose to give up his advantage. Could it be that he did not consider the consequences of losing?
A complicated expression appeared in Fang Yunfei’s eyes. He said, “I am Fang Yunfei from the Great Jin Nation’s Divine Saber Gate. I hope to be able to experience your exquisite techniques.”
“Xiu!”
After Fang Yunfei finished speaking, he grabbed his huge saber with one hand and his stout body burst forth with an explosive force. It was like a flame that had been storing power for a long time suddenly flaring, causing even the air to surge.
“Fire Cloud Saber Technique!”
Fang Yunfei roared out ferociously and fiery-red Essence gathered on his huge saber. Then, clumps of fiery-red clouds materialized behind him, giving off a grand atmosphere and a vast aura.
Winds blew, clouds drifted. Clouds moved as the winds blew, Gathering Cloud and Wind!
Xiao Chen immediately executed the preparatory move of the Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique. Instantly, strong winds blew and clouds gathered as he drew out the Lunar Shadow Saber.
“Bang!”
The sabers clashed. Two entirely different but incredibly strong forces collided and sparks flew everywhere. As the wind blew, it filled the air with a blaze of color.
Without the support of saber intent, Xiao Chen did not have any way to force his opponent back with one attack. After all, his opponent was taking the path of brute force, which was very suitable for clashing head-on. Xiao Chen could only proceed slowly, building up a strong momentum over time.
“Dang! Dang! Dang!”
Neither of them was pushed back. As the saber lights danced around, the two quickly attacked each other. All sorts of forces exploded in the air, shaking everyone. Flames followed after the violent wind, both growing stronger.
The two sped up. Soon, they had exchanged more than two hundred moves. The cultivators in the spectator stands could only see two blurry figures and the continuous movements of saber lights as flames and lightning clashed noisily.
“Boundless Sea of Flames!”
Fang Yunfei quickly finished gathering aura. After taking ten steps back, he materialized a blazing sea of fire. The strong heat waves infused into his saber and his state of cloud turned formless and ethereal.
Fire trailed everywhere the saber light passed. It seemed both actual and illusory, real and fake.
As a genius bladesman himself, Bai Qi paid special attention to this match. When he saw Fang Yunfei’s move, he nodded slightly. He said, “Not bad. He knows that he is unable to truly achieve a boundless sea of flames so he made use of the cloud’s ethereal and formless nature. This created an imitation of a boundless sea of flames. However, he managed to reproduce its aura. Let’s see how Xiao Chen deals with this.”
Xiao Chen’s eyes were bright as he scanned the area with his Spiritual Sense. Soon, he discovered Fang Yunfei’s true location in the air filled with fire.
“Thunder Light Chop!”
The massed clouds above exploded with an intense light. Then, the light gathered on the saber, forming a dazzling and resplendent saber light that descended from the sky and crashed into Fang Yunfei’s extraordinary Boundless Sea of Flames.
In the instant the light exploded, the sea of flames began flickering incessantly. The illusionary fire and smoke scattered, revealing Fang Yunfei’s position in the sea of fire.
“Earthly Lightning Tribulation!”
Xiao Chen had broken his opponent’s Saber Technique with one move. Then, using the Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique’s winds and clouds, he raised his momentum to its peak. A whirlpool of electricity formed and began raining down a lightning tribulation.
The lightning-attributed energy in the earth quickly poured into the saber, resonating with the thunderclouds, becoming the raging lightning.
This might of this attack was electrifying, far surpassing Fang Yunfei’s expectations. After he faced it head-on, his right hand, which held his huge saber, trembled as if his entire arm had gone numb.
“Heavenly Lightning Tribulation!”
Xiao Chen somersaulted in midair. His white robes fluttered amidst the wind and lightning. He looked like a thunder god raging.
The rage of heaven hurling down a lightning tribulation, destroying everything—that overbearing, emotionless, and heartless quality was perfectly infused into the Saber Technique.
Fang Yunfei, who was on the ground, felt fear. It was like he had truly angered the heavens and the heavens were determined to destroy him with lightning tribulation.
No, I cannot be affected by his aura. Otherwise, I will surely die.
Fang Yunfei shook his head violently and forcefully cast off the fear in his heart. Then, he soared into the boundless flames. The image of a flaming giant stood behind him.
That giant was like a holy being, fighting with heaven, not fearing the heavenly might. Fang Yunfei’s momentum gathered once again. The giant and the flames merged and sent out a long saber Qi of fire. A strong heatwave surged, seeming to burn even the air.
“Break!” Xiao Chen shouted, carrying the rage of heaven. Fierce arcs of electricity appeared on his saber, like golden snakes dancing and thrashing about. The electricity shot out, instantly shattering the long saber Qi of fire. After that, its might undiminished, it shattered the giant behind Fang Yunfei into countless sparks.
Xiao Chen’s saber clashed against Fang Yunfei’s saber, and swung it aside. The huge saber weighing more than four hundred kilograms flew out gently, giving a false impression of a piece of wood drifting down.
“Dang!” However, when the saber landed, it gave off a loud sound, correcting the crowd’s misconception.
As a bladesman, it was very embarrassing that he could not even hold on to his saber. However, Fang Yunfei knew that if Xiao Chen had not held back, the one flying would be himself; that would have been worse.
Fang Yunfei revealed a bitter smile on his face. He said, “The gap is too great. Even without using saber intent, your Saber Techniques far surpass mine. There should be another move after the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation, right?”
Xiao Chen nodded and said, “That’s right. After that, there is the Divine Lightning Tribulation.”
Fang Yunfei sighed softly. “The rage of heaven is already so terrifying. I wonder what the rage of a deity is like?
“Many thanks for the lesson. I have lost!”
Fang Yunfei immediately admitted defeat and did not continue fighting. Xiao Chen’s golden dragon immediately launched itself over and swallowed up a part of Fang Yunfei’s golden dragon.
With a flash of light, Xiao Chen’s golden dragon quickly grew to nineteen meters, pushing him into the ranks of the leading participants.
“He won again. Unexpectedly, he did not need saber intent to defeat Fang Yunfei. Doesn’t that mean that with saber intent, he would only have needed one move to defeat Fang Yunfei?”
Many people in the spectator stands started discussing in whispers. Now, they felt that Xiao Chen’s strength was even more unfathomable, like it had endless depth.
Bai Qi silently evaluated the match in his heart. The might of the Earthly Lightning Tribulation is not that great. I can easily break it with the Summer Saber. There is no need to fear the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation, either. Using the might of the autumn wind, I can sweep away its momentum and break it.
If it is just these two moves, I might not even have to use the Four Season Saber Technique. However, the Divine Lightning Tribulation that has not appeared yet is something to be concerned about.
Since the start of the competition, whether Bai Qi liked it or not, Xiao Chen had already been one of his competitors for the top three, a opponent that he could not avoid.
Xiao Chen walked off the Wind Cloud Platform with the nineteen-meter-long golden dragon flying above him. When the golden dragon roared, his spirit was replenished. His exhausted Essence quickly recovered.
---
The competition continued. By the third day, they already reached the sixtieth round. Using the golden dragons as a guide, the crowd could already distinguish the stronger and weaker participants.
In the sixtieth round, the crowd had figured out the eight giants of this Five Nation Youth Competition: Sima Lingxuan, Bai Qi, Li Tianhua, Wang Quan, Yue Chenxi, Xuanyuan Zhantian, Xiao Chen, and Chu Chaoyun.
The first four were scions of the eight Noble Clans. The latter four were from different backgrounds. The eight Noble Clans’ monopoly of the top eight ranks had been broken.
This was because the other four Noble Clan scions had suffered one or two defeats in the sixty rounds. However, these eight people had not lost yet; they all maintained a perfect streak of victories. All their golden dragons were at least twenty-three meters long.