239: Chapter 238 Winning Streak 2

Fifth match of the lower group: Number One versus Number Seven.

Jiang Hanzhou leaped onto the arena stage once more.

His opponent this time was a Disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak, at the Yuan Xiang middle stage, with a sharp and fierce sword technique.

The opponent had clearly studied his fighting style; he launched an aggressive assault from the start, attempting to suppress Jiang Hanzhou's performance with a fast-paced rhythm.

Sword light fell like rain, continuous and unending.

But Jiang Hanzhou simply stood his ground, his right hand resting on the tiger soul saber, without drawing it.

He merely used Wave-Treading Step to evade, each step perfectly timed to dodge the opponent's sword strikes one by one.

After thirty moves, the opponent's aura began to grow erratic.

Those continuous sword strikes were too taxing on his energy.

Meanwhile, Jiang Hanzhou hadn't even broken a sweat.

The opponent gritted his teeth and put all his strength into one final slash—

Jiang Hanzhou moved.

With a flip of his right hand, the tiger soul saber left its scabbard with a sharp clang!

The moment the blade was unsheathed, a golden saber beam shot out from the tip! That beam was incomparably sharp, carrying the keenness of Golden Sharpness True Intent as it slashed straight toward the opponent's longsword!

Clang—!

The moment the saber beam collided with the sword blade, a deafening metallic crash erupted!

The opponent felt an indescribable, massive force surge from the sword, numbing his hand and making his entire arm tremble!

He looked down at the longsword in his hand—

A fine crack had actually appeared on the blade.

His face instantly turned deathly pale.

"I... concede." His voice was hoarse.

Jiang Hanzhou sheathed his saber, cupped his fists in a polite gesture, and turned to walk off the stage.

Two battles, two victories.

He still hadn't used his full strength.

—

At the edge of the arena, the surprise in the eyes of the watching Disciples had turned into solemnity.

"Two matches now, and he hasn't even used a killing move..."

"Thirty percent Golden Sharpness True Intent? Doesn't he have four types of True Intent? Why has he only used two?"

"He's hiding his true capabilities. This kind of person is the most terrifying; they always keep a trump card in reserve."

The sounds of discussion reached his ears, but Jiang Hanzhou remained deaf to them.

He simply walked back to a corner and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

But just then—

A cold voice came from his side:

"Two matches, two victories. Junior Brother Jiang truly has impressive methods."

Jiang Hanzhou opened his eyes and turned to look.

Zhou Han was standing ten feet away with his arms crossed, his sinister eyes staring at him.

"Senior Brother Zhou flatters me," Jiang Hanzhou said indifferently.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Zhou Han's mouth:

"However, relying solely on Tide and Metal Sharpness won't get you very far. The final match of the lower group will be you against Senior Brother Ao Zhan. When the time comes—I hope you don't lose too embarrassingly."

Jiang Hanzhou looked at him without saying a word.

Zhou Han waited for a few breaths, and seeing that he wouldn't respond, he gave a cold snort and turned to leave.

Jiang Hanzhou withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes again.

Ao Zhan.

He took a deep breath, and the great water-fire cycle within his body slowly accelerated.

No rush.

It wasn't time yet.

—

Time slowly passed.

The matches for the lower group proceeded one after another.

Jiang Hanzhou fought two more matches; his opponents were a Disciple from Bibo Pool and another from Heavenly Sword Peak.

Two matches, both victories.

Again, he settled the battles within three moves, and again, he only used Tidal True Intent and Golden Sharpness True Intent.

Four matches, four wins.

In the lower group, there was one other person who was also undefeated.

Senior Brother Su Jingyuan.

Four matches, four wins.

Meanwhile, Zhou Han had lost one match against Su Jingyuan, currently standing at three wins and one loss.

As for Ao Zhan—

He had fought three matches and won all three.

In every match, it only took one sword strike.

With one strike, the opponent was defeated.

He hadn't even used a second strike.

At this moment, on the points leaderboard for the lower group, Jiang Hanzhou and Su Jingyuan were tied for first, with Ao Zhan following closely behind.

But everyone knew that the real highlight had not yet begun.

—

The referee glanced at the list in his hand and spoke in a booming voice:

"Seventh match of the lower group: Number Two versus Number Seven."

Number Two.

Jiang Hanzhou's brow twitched slightly.

Number Seven was him.

He leaped onto the arena and stood upon the white jade floor.

Opposite him, Su Jingyuan was slowly walking onto the stage.

His features were refined, and a faint smile hung at the corner of his mouth. That smile seemed gentle, but deep in his eyes, a trace of solemnity was hidden.

"Junior Brother Jiang," he cupped his fists, "Please."

Jiang Hanzhou returned the gesture: "Senior Brother Su, please."

The referee looked at the two of them and waved his hand:

"Begin!"

As the voice fell, Su Jingyuan moved.

He didn't rush to attack like the previous opponents; instead, his hands formed seals as a layer of water-blue light slowly flowed around him.

His gaze met Jiang Hanzhou's directly:

"Junior Brother Jiang, I saw that move you used against Su Waner earlier. Your Tidal True Intent is indeed pure. Your control over water-element power is even above mine."

He paused, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening:

"But Water True Intent is more than just 'Tide'."

As he spoke, he slammed his hands together!

The layer of water-blue light around him suddenly surged!

The light condensed in the air, transforming into a massive vortex! The vortex spun, emitting a low roar like a deep-sea undercurrent, carrying a power that could devour everything as it crushed toward Jiang Hanzhou!

Jade Wave True Scripture—Undercurrent Strangulation!

Jiang Hanzhou's pupils constricted slightly.

He could sense that the power contained within that vortex was far beyond what his previous opponents could compare to.

Su Jingyuan's Water True Intent was indeed pure. Moreover, this move wasn't a simple crushing of 'momentum', but rather the condensation of Water True Intent into ultimate 'force'—rotation, strangulation, and devouring.

If he tried to resist it head-on with Tidal True Intent, he might not necessarily win.

But—

He didn't intend to resist it head-on.

He took a deep breath and suddenly drew the tiger soul saber with his right hand!

The moment the blade left the scabbard, a blazing aura erupted from within his body!

Deep within his Dantian, that three-colored flame suddenly expanded!

Dark gold, dark red, and invisible—the three colors intertwined, flowing frantically along his Meridians and surging into the tiger soul saber!

A layer of crimson-gold flames instantly ignited on the blade!

As the flames billowed, a faint blue light shimmered at the edges—the traces of Tidal True Intent!

As the flames flowed, a brilliant golden saber beam condensed at the edge of the blade—the enhancement of Golden Sharpness True Intent!

Three types of True Intent manifested simultaneously!

He gripped the saber with both hands and slashed out!

This slash struck toward the massive vortex that was crushing down!

The moment the saber beam collided with the vortex—

Boom—!!!

A massive sound like a thunderclap exploded above the entire square!

The moment the vortex was struck by the saber beam, it shuddered violently!

Then—

Starting from the center, the vortex was split in two by the saber beam!

The crimson-gold flames and the deep blue Tide power intertwined, devouring, evaporating, and dismantling the split vortex layer by layer!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—

Countless plumes of white steam surged from the point of collision—mist formed from the water power being evaporated by the flames! The mist spread in all directions, enveloping the entire arena in a white haze!

Su Jingyuan's expression changed drastically!

He wanted to change his move, but it was already too late.

After breaking the vortex, the saber beam's momentum remained undiminished as it slashed straight toward him!

As the saber beam rushed toward him, he sensed the three types of True Intent contained within that power—the continuity of Tide, the heat of Pure Yang, and the sharpness of Metal Sharpness.

Three completely different Concepts were perfectly intertwined in this single slash, forming a force sufficient to crush everything.

He gritted his teeth and pushed his internal Water True Intent to its limit, condensing a water-blue barrier in front of him—

Boom!!

The saber beam struck the barrier, and the barrier shook violently!

Three breaths later—

The barrier shattered!

Su Jingyuan was sent flying thirty feet by the shock, slamming hard against the protective Formation at the edge of the arena!

Pfft—

A mouthful of blood sprayed out, and his face instantly turned pale.

He looked up at the youth standing in the center of the arena.

Jiang Hanzhou stood his ground, a faint dark-golden light lingering around him. The flames on the tiger soul saber had dissipated, leaving only a few flickering embers at the edge of the blade.

His breathing was slightly hurried, but those eyes remained as calm as water.

"Senior Brother Su, thank you for the match."

Su Jingyuan was silent for a long time, then he slowly stood up and cupped his fists:

"Junior Brother Jiang... impressive methods."

He turned and staggered off the arena.

The edge of the arena was deathly silent.

The expressions on the faces of the watching Inner Sect Disciples had turned from surprise into shock.

Three moves.

This time, it was three moves.

But this time, the opponent was Su Jingyuan—the number two of the Bibo Pool inner sect, at the Late Yuanxiang Stage.

Defeated in three moves.

And the three types of True Intent contained in that slash—

Tide, Pure Yang, and Metal Sharpness.

Three True Intents merged into one slash.

Those who had previously felt that Jiang Hanzhou merely had "decent talent" finally realized at this moment—

This person didn't just have decent talent.

He was truly terrifying.