86: If I have the chance tomorrow, I want to fight you with all my might!

After the Presiding Elder's voice fell, two people quickly stepped onto the arena.

Tang Jia Third Young Master was dressed in black, his face so gloomy it looked like it could drip water. As his gaze swept across the spectator seats, it paused on Liu Yunshu and then glared at Lu Yu before withdrawing.

His opponent was a young man who looked twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, dressed in green robes, carrying a long sword on his back, with a refined face and a gentle temperament.

This person's name was Lin Zhiyuan, from the Lin Family of the Heavenly Sword Domain, a family of Sword Cultivators. It wasn't a major power, but their ancestral sword techniques had unique aspects. He relied on true ability to reach the arena battles.

"Fellow Daoist Tang, please."

Lin Zhiyuan cupped his fists, his tone gentle.

Tang Jia Third Young Master twitched the corner of his mouth, didn't return the gesture, and drew his sword directly.

His sword was strange, pitch-black throughout, with a slender blade, but the edge glowed with an ominous dark red, like dried blood.

As soon as the sword was unsheathed, the surrounding light seemed to dim, and a cold, sinister aura spread out.

In the spectator seats, many people frowned.

"This sword... is very wicked."

"It's normal for a Sword Cultivator family to use some unconventional sword weapons, as long as the sword technique is righteous."

That said, seeing the dark red luster flowing on Tang Jia Third Young Master's sword, most people still felt a bit uneasy.

Lu Yu sat in the spectator seats and narrowed his eyes.

On the arena, Lin Zhiyuan also noticed the sword's strangeness, but being from a Sword Cultivator family, his Heart-Nature was steady. He didn't show fear and also unsheathed his sword.

His sword was a standard Righteous Path longsword, the blade bright and the Sword Qi vast.

"Please."

After Lin Zhiyuan finished speaking, he took the initiative.

A flash of sword light turned into three afterimages, aiming for Tang Jia Third Young Master's upper, middle, and lower sections.

This Move, "Three-Part Sword Shadow," was a killing Move in the Lin Family's basic sword techniques, emphasizing the interplay of reality and illusion. Only one of the three shadows was real, while the other two were illusions formed by Sword Qi to confuse the opponent.

Lin Zhiyuan had clearly practiced this Move to perfection; the three sword shadows struck almost simultaneously, fast as lightning.

Tang Jia Third Young Master didn't even lift an eyelid.

With a flick of his wrist, the black longsword traced a strange arc, its tip accurately hitting the exact center of the three sword shadows.

Cling!

A crisp sound.

The three sword shadows shattered simultaneously. Lin Zhiyuan's expression changed as he felt a cold force travel up the sword, numbing half of his arm.

"Is that all?"

Tang Jia Third Young Master sneered and slashed at Lin Zhiyuan's neck with a backhand strike.

This strike was fast and Xiao Wuqing, with a tricky angle. The dark red luster on the blade flared up, as if countless wronged souls were howling.

Lin Zhiyuan retreated hastily, parrying with his sword at the same time.

Clang clang clang clang—!!!

The two exchanged over a dozen Moves in an instant, sword shadows crisscrossing and Sword Qi splattering.

But any keen observer could see that Lin Zhiyuan was being completely suppressed.

Tang Jia Third Young Master's sword technique was very strange. The Moves weren't particularly sophisticated, even a bit crude, but every strike was filled with a sinister nature, with bizarre angles and venomous force, specifically targeting vital points.

Moreover, the dark red Sword Qi on his sword seemed to have the effect of eroding spiritual power. Every time Lin Zhiyuan's sword light collided with it, it dimmed slightly.

"Lin Zhiyuan is going to lose."

Li Miaoer whispered.

Lu Yu nodded.

This Tang Jia Third Young Master clearly hadn't used his full strength.

The sword technique he was using now, though wicked, was still within the realm of the Dao of the sword and didn't involve Demonic Techniques.

But even so, Lin Zhiyuan couldn't hold on anymore.

Sure enough, after another dozen or so Moves, Tang Jia Third Young Master suddenly thrust his sword. The dark red Sword Qi on the blade surged, transforming into a phantom like a venomous snake, lunging straight for Lin Zhiyuan's face.

Lin Zhiyuan was startled and blocked horizontally with his sword.

Clang—!!!

This time, he was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena. The longsword in his hand flew out and stabbed into the ground outside the arena, buzzing.

Lin Zhiyuan struggled to get up, but his face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

That blood... was actually black.

"The Sword Qi is poisonous?!"

Exclamations rose from the spectator seats.

The Presiding Elder's face darkened. He flashed onto the stage to check Lin Zhiyuan's injuries, then looked up at Tang Jia Third Young Master after a moment.

"Tang Jia Third Young Master, did you coat your sword with poison?"

"Elder, please be the judge."

Tang Jia Third Young Master sheathed his sword, his expression calm.

"This sword of mine is named 'Bone Erosion.' The blade itself carries Bone-Erosion Poison; it's not coated. A Sword Cultivator uses a sword, and the sword's characteristics are part of one's strength. This... shouldn't be against the rules, right?"

The Presiding Elder's brow furrowed.

Indeed, the rules only stated that one must use the Dao of the sword for battle; they didn't say one couldn't use a sword with special effects.

He checked Lin Zhiyuan's injuries and found the poison wasn't deep, only temporarily eroding the Meridians. After taking a detoxification pill and resting for a few days, he would recover. He then nodded.

"In this battle, Tang Jia Third Young Master wins."

Lin Zhiyuan was carried down by the Lin Family. As he left, he stared fixedly at Tang Jia Third Young Master, his eyes full of resentment.

Tang Jia Third Young Master didn't even look at him and walked straight off the stage. As he passed the spectator seats where Lu Yu was, he paused, swept a cold gaze over Lu Yu and Liu Yunshu, and a mocking smile curled on his lips.

Lu Yu smiled and nodded at Tang Jia Third Young Master, as if saying: Nice acting.

Tang Jia Third Young Master's face darkened, he snorted coldly, and turned to leave.

"This guy is too arrogant. I really want to go down and beat him up,"

Li Miaoer said indignantly.

"He has the capital to be arrogant."

Lu Yu smiled.

The next few battles weren't much to look at.

On the arena, another battle ended.

The Presiding Elder announced the next match: "Soul Transformation group, Mu Lingxi of the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect versus Qin Hao of the Star Holy Land!"

Mu Lingxi stood up.

" careful."

Lu Yu said.

" Um."

Mu Lingxi nodded, took a light breath, and walked toward the arena.

Her opponent, Qin Hao, was a tall young man at the Soul Transformation Middle Stage. He used a heavy sword and seemed to follow a fierce and powerful path.

The two went up, exchanged greetings, and started fighting.

Mu Lingxi's sword technique was very soft, like water, continuous and unending.

Her Sword Intent was the "Soft Water Sword Intent," emphasizing overcoming hardness with softness and using the opponent's force against them.

Qin Hao initially had the upper hand. His heavy sword moved with great sweeps, every strike heavy and powerful, forcing Mu Lingxi to retreat repeatedly.

But after a dozen Moves, he realized something was wrong. His force seemed to vanish like a stone dropped into the ocean, completely neutralized by Mu Lingxi's Sword Intent. Moreover, every time the blades collided, a soft force would bounce back, numbing his wrist.

"Soft Water Sword Intent... truly troublesome."

Qin Hao gritted his teeth and suddenly shouted, a dazzling golden light erupting from his heavy sword.

"Mountain-Breaking Sword, Heaven Splitting!"

He slashed down, the Sword Qi transforming into a golden pillar of light, as if it really intended to split the heavens.

Mu Lingxi's eyes narrowed. She didn't dare take it head-on, her figure drifting back while her longsword traced a circle.

"Soft Water Sword Technique, Vortex."

The sword light flowed, forming a water-blue Vortex to meet the golden pillar of light.

Boom—!!!

The two forces collided. The golden pillar was swallowed and worn down by the Vortex, eventually dissipating into nothingness.

Qin Hao's face turned pale. This strike had consumed most of his spiritual power, yet he hadn't even touched the corner of Mu Lingxi's clothes.

"I admit defeat."

He was quite straightforward and sheathed his sword. This was a case of being countered. His broad and open sword Dao had no way against Mu Lingxi's path of overcoming hardness with softness, unless he used brute cultivation to suppress her forcibly.

But he had only reached the Soul Transformation Middle Stage, not much higher than Mu Lingxi's Soul Transformation Early Stage.

Mu Lingxi breathed a sigh of relief and sheathed her sword in return.

" Concession."

Mu Lingxi of the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect, wins!

Mu Lingxi returned to the spectator seats, and Li Miaoer immediately approached her.

"Lingxi, you're good! You've practiced the Soft Water Sword Intent to this level!"

Mu Lingxi smiled and looked at Lu Yu.

Lu Yu gave her a thumbs up.

"Not bad."

Mu Lingxi blushed and sat down with her head lowered.

Yun Guying, who was nearby, suddenly spoke.

"While the Soft Water Sword Intent is good, it's too gentle and lacks a killing edge. If you want to go further on the Dao of the sword, you need to hide sharpness within the softness."

Mu Lingxi nodded respectfully.

"Thank you for the guidance, Fourth Martial Uncle."

Yun Guying hummed in response and said no more. In terms of guiding Lu Yu and the others, Yun Guying was indeed quite capable.

The day's arena battles soon ended.

In the first round of the Nascent Soul group, Lu Yu, Tang Jia Third Young Master, Xiao Wuqing, and others all advanced easily.

The second round would wait until tomorrow.

As people were dispersing, Lu Yu was about to leave when he suddenly heard someone call him from behind.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, please wait."

Lu Yu turned back and saw Xiao Wuqing walking toward him.

"Brother Xiao, is something the matter?" Lu Yu asked.

Xiao Wuqing still had that ice-cold look, but there was a bit more seriousness in his eyes.

"Your Sword Intent is very special. If there's a chance tomorrow, I want to truly fight you with all my strength."

Lu Yu smiled: "Brother Xiao is too kind. I'm looking forward to it as well."

Lu Yu nodded in agreement. His Senior Sister had required him to agree to Xiao Wuqing!

The two looked at each other, both seeing Battle Intent in the other's eyes.

However, Lu Yu now felt that Xiao Wuqing was no longer his match. There was no helping it; his current sword skills and Sword Intent were too strong!