34: Chapter 34 The Night Before the Decisive Battle, the Power of the Sword Immortal

The night at the Beijing Martial Arts Arena was brightly lit.

In the corridor of the contestants' rest area, footsteps occasionally hurried past, but no one dared to make a loud noise. Everyone knew that tomorrow was the final of the National Martial Arts Tournament, and the two sides were the biggest dark horse of this session, Lin Zhou, and Sword Immortal Li Qingyun from Donghai Martial Arts University, who had won the championship three times in a row.

This duel was hailed by countless people as the "collision of the old and new eras," enough to be recorded in the annals of Huaxia's martial arts history.

In Lin Zhou's room, the candlelight flickered.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, stroking the crimson patterns of the blazing sun sniper bow. The warm touch from the bow's body gradually calmed his restless heart. The fierce battle with Zhao Shanhe during the day had consumed a lot of his Spiritual Qi. At this moment, as he operated his Mind-Cultivation Technique to regulate his breathing, the Spiritual Qi in his Dantian was slowly being replenished.

Qin Yue walked in carrying a bowl of Spirit-Concentrating Soup and said softly, "Drink it while it's hot; it can help you stabilize your Realm and repair internal injuries."

Lin Zhou opened his eyes, took the soup bowl, and drank it all in one gulp. The warm liquid slid down his throat, and a warm current instantly swept through his body, making his entire being feel comfortable.

"Thank you." Lin Zhou smiled and handed the bowl back.

Qin Yue took the bowl, her gaze falling on the scar on his shoulder, her brow slightly furrowed. "In the fight with Zhao Shanhe, you overextended too much Spiritual Qi and even used your Critical Hit Boost talent. Do you have confidence for the match against Sword Immortal Li Qingyun tomorrow?"

At the mention of Sword Immortal Li Qingyun, Lin Zhou's expression became solemn.

He naturally knew what that name represented.

The favored son of Donghai Martial Arts University, he began practicing the sword at five, entered the martial path at ten, achieved a Breakthrough to the legendary rank at fifteen, and now, at only twenty years old, he was already at the very Peak of the legendary rank, just one step away from the Pseudo-King Rank. Even more terrifying was that he Cultivated the ancient sword Legacy, the Azure Cloud Sword Technique. His Sword Intent was ethereal, like flowing clouds and water; he had once decapitated a Pseudo-King Rank exotic beast with a single strike, making him a true "Sword Immortal."

For the past three years, Sword Immortal Li Qingyun had never met an equal on the stage of the National Martial Arts Tournament. Every one of his matches was like an artistic performance; in the flash of sword light, his opponent would be defeated, and no one had ever been able to force him to use his full strength.

"Sword Immortal Li Qingyun is very strong, the strongest opponent I've met since my debut," Lin Zhou said candidly. "His Sword Dao Concept has already reached the Realm of 'Unity of Man and Sword,' which is more than one level higher than Wang Chen's."

"Then you..." Qin Yue hesitated.

Lin Zhou suddenly smiled, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. "But I'm not without a chance of winning. Zhao Shanhe's defense was stronger than Sword Immortal Li Qingyun's. If I could beat him, I can naturally fight Sword Immortal Li Qingyun as well."

He paused and continued, "Moreover, after today's battle, my understanding of the Archery Concept has deepened by another layer. Perhaps I can achieve a new Breakthrough tomorrow."

Just then, Su Ye pushed the door open, holding a thick stack of documents, his face full of solemnity. "Lin Zhou, look at this! This is the footage and data on Sword Immortal Li Qingyun that I managed to get from the Alliance with great difficulty! This guy is too monstrous!"

Lin Zhou took the documents and began to flip through them carefully.

The documents detailed every one of Sword Immortal Li Qingyun's matches over the past three years. In the images, Sword Immortal Li Qingyun was dressed in clothes as white as snow, holding a White Jade Longsword, his figure as ethereal as a banished immortal. His swordsmanship seemed gentle, yet it contained the power of a thunderbolt; every strike aimed directly at vital points, and blood was bound to be drawn whenever the sword was unsheathed.

Especially in the final three years ago, when Sword Immortal Li Qingyun faced a legendary rank Peak Shield Warrior who had summoned the defensive treasure "Vajra Shield," he pierced right through it with one strike, leaving the opponent with no power to fight back.

"This guy's sword is too fast and too accurate," Su Ye swallowed hard. "Furthermore, his Sword Intent can even affect one's mind. Many opponents are suppressed by his Sword Intent before they can even make a move, unable to budge."

The more Lin Zhou read, the tighter his brow furrowed.

Sword Immortal Li Qingyun's strength was even greater than he had imagined.

The title of Sword Immortal was indeed well-deserved.

The three of them were silent for a moment before Qin Yue suddenly spoke, "For tomorrow's battle, you don't need to force a victory. Your talent and potential have already been recognized by everyone. Even if you lose, no one will mock you."

"Yeah, yeah," Su Ye quickly chimed in. "That guy Sword Immortal Li Qingyun has occupied the championship for three years; losing to him isn't shameful!"

Lin Zhou shook his head, looking out the window with a firm gaze. "I won't lose."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable determination.

"I've come from being an obscure ordinary student to this step today, relying not on luck, but on struggling on the edge of life and death time and again, and fighting bloodily in roguelike dungeons over and over."

"Zhang Hao's harassment, the Blood Shadow Old Monster's pursuit, Zhao Shanhe's suppression... none of these could strike me down. Sword Immortal Li Qingyun will be no exception."

"Tomorrow, I will use my arrows to tell everyone that the Arrow Dao is not inferior to the Sword Dao!"

Seeing the light in Lin Zhou's eyes, Qin Yue and Su Ye looked at each other and smiled, saying no more.

They knew that once Lin Zhou made a decision, he would never give up easily.

The night deepened.

Lin Zhou stood alone by the window, gazing at the bright moon outside.

He slowly raised the blazing sun sniper bow toward the moon and gradually pulled the bowstring to its full extent.

There were no arrows, only the low hum emitted by the bow's body.

The Archery Concept flowed slowly around him, resonating with the Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth. In his mind, he constantly replayed Sword Immortal Li Qingyun's swordsmanship, continuously deducing the strategy for tomorrow's battle.

The moonlight spilled over him, casting a long, slender shadow.

At this moment, he was like an archer poised for action, waiting for that world-shaking duel at daybreak.

Meanwhile, in another room of the martial arts arena.

Sword Immortal Li Qingyun sat cross-legged on his bed, the White Jade Longsword in his hand emitting a faint, clear glow. His gaze fell outside the window, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Lin Zhou, is it?"

"Finally, an opponent who can make me a little serious."

"Tomorrow, let me see if your arrows can withstand my sword."

The night wind brushed past, fluttering the gauze curtains on the window frame.

On the night before the final battle, undercurrents were surging.

A Peak confrontation between the arrow and the sword was about to raise its curtain under tomorrow's morning sun!