213: Severely injure Xiao Chen

On the arena stage, the moment Yao Delong pointed toward his brow,

a sense of fatal crisis originating from the depths of his Soul felt like ice water being poured over his head, making the hairs all over his body stand on end!

He didn't have time to think at all; it was driven entirely by survival instinct!

"Protect!"

Xiao Chen roared hoarsely, the remaining Yuan Qi in his body surging out recklessly and frantically!

At the same time, a jade pendant at his waist, a string of jade beads on his wrist,

and a Heart-Protecting Mirror on his chest simultaneously erupted with blinding spiritual light!

Several light screens of various colors and thicknesses instantly lit up in layers before him!

These were all life-saving defensive Magic Treasures he possessed as a Prince!

However, that imperceptible black sword shadow treated them as if they were nothing!

Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!

Those defensive light screens, which were sufficient to withstand a full-strength strike from the Early Nascent Soul Stage,

were as useless as decorations before the black sword shadow, which passed through them instantly!

The sword shadow's speed did not decrease as it plunged into Xiao Chen's brow without any obstruction!

"Ugh, ah—!"

Just as the sword shadow invaded his Sea of Consciousness and was about to slash toward Xiao Chen's Divine Soul!

Buzz!

In the depths of Xiao Chen's Sea of Consciousness, a majestic, vast golden radiance carrying a supreme imperial aura suddenly lit up!

This radiance formed an incredibly sturdy golden shield, firmly protecting his Divine Soul core!

This was the "Dragon Soul Protection," a secret inheritance of the Ba Xia Dynasty's imperial family, blessed by supreme national destiny and only able to be passively triggered once in a lifetime!

"Break for me!"

A fierce glint flashed in Yao Delong's eyes as the Sword Intent in his Sea of Consciousness was frantically activated!

That pitch-black Heart Sword phantom erupted with an unprecedented sharp will, stabbing fiercely into that golden shield like a drill!

Bang—!

A crisp sound that only Xiao Chen and Yao Delong could "hear" exploded in the Sea of Consciousness!

That incredibly sturdy golden shield shattered with a boom under the full-force impact of Yao Delong's Heart Sword!

Most of the Heart Sword's power was also neutralized by this protective force,

but the remaining Heart Sword power was like countless cold steel needles,

stabbing ruthlessly into Xiao Chen's Divine Soul!

"Ah—!!!"

A shrill, inhuman scream filled with extreme agony

suddenly erupted from Xiao Chen's mouth!

That sound was sharp and ear-piercing, instantly penetrating the protective light screen and echoing throughout the entire massive Tianyan Square!

Thud!

Under the gaze of countless horrified and bewildered eyes, Xiao Chen, who had been struggling to hold on just a second ago,

seemed to have all his bones removed; his eyes rolled back, he foamed at the mouth,

his body twitched violently a few times, and then like a tattered sack,

he fell straight forward onto the ground, completely losing consciousness!

The Green-Scaled Dragon-Patterned Blade in his hand fell to the ground with a "clank."

Silence!

Absolute silence!

In the entire Tianyan Square, one could hear a pin drop!

Everyone was stunned by this bizarre and terrifying scene that happened in a flash!

They only saw Yao Delong point at his brow,

and then Xiao Chen let out an inhuman scream and instantly collapsed unconscious!

What happened? No one saw clearly! No one understood!

Tens of thousands of gazes stared fixedly at the two starkly different figures on the arena—Yao Delong, standing proudly in his slightly dusty white robes,

and Xiao Chen, whose brocade robes were torn, blood leaking from his nose and mouth, lying prone on the ground like a dead dog, completely unconscious!

Everyone's heart trembled violently, just as Yao Delong had said before: 'I hope that later... you can still walk off this stage standing up.'

"Chen'er—!"

A shrill roar of extreme shock and fury suddenly tore through the silence!

Luo Baiya, the Peak Master of Spirit Plant Peak, had his hair and beard bristling, his eyes blood-red,

and the terrifying aura belonging to a Void Refining Realm powerhouse erupted like an out-of-control volcano!

His figure flickered, about to rush onto the arena regardless of everything!

"Junior Brother Luo, stay calm!"

A calm yet supremely majestic voice rang out.

On the main seat of the high platform, Sect Head White Cloud Master didn't even stand up; he just glanced over indifferently.

However, with just that one glance, a vast, abyss-like,

and terrifying pressure that seemed capable of suppressing heaven and earth instantly descended, accurately enveloping Luo Baiya!

Buzz!

Luo Baiya's forward-charging figure suddenly stalled, as if he had fallen into an invisible quagmire!

The violent aura around him was forced back into his body; his face instantly turned red,

the veins on his forehead bulged, and he was actually pinned to the spot by this pressure, unable to move!

He looked at White Cloud Master in shock and fury, his eyes filled with disbelief and a hint of forcibly suppressed fear!

The Sect Head Senior Brother's cultivation... has actually reached such an unfathomable level?!

At the same time, the Dan Chenzi's figure also instantly shifted a step,

faintly blocking the path between Luo Baiya and the arena, Pill Fire flickering around him,

his gaze as sharp as a blade, showing no intention of hiding his warning.

The meaning was clear: if you dare to move, I will dare to act!

At the edge of the arena, Grand Elder Venerable Ziyang, who was presiding over the competition, had the fastest reaction; his figure flashed and he appeared beside Xiao Chen.

He squatted down, and a strand of pure Yuan Qi quickly probed into his body, his expression instantly becoming extremely solemn.

"His Divine Soul is wounded! The injury is extremely severe!"

Venerable Ziyang shouted in a deep voice, his voice spreading throughout the field,

"Senior Brother Danxia Peak Master! Junior Sister Liu Yue! Come quickly!"

Liu Yue, the Peak Master of Spirit Water Peak, had already stood up.

Hearing this, her figure turned into a streak of water-blue light, instantly appearing beside Xiao Chen.

She waved her delicate hand, and gentle, pure water-blue spiritual power fell like sweet dew, quickly enveloping Xiao Chen's body.

As that exquisite water-element healing technique operated, Xiao Chen's external injuries,

his ruptured Meridians, and his surging blood and Qi were smoothed and repaired at a visible speed, mostly recovered.

However, when her spiritual power touched Xiao Chen's Sea of Consciousness,

that gentle water light was like encountering solid ice, unable to penetrate even an inch.

Liu Yue's beautiful brows furrowed tightly as she slowly withdrew her hand,

shaking her head slightly toward Venerable Ziyang and the high platform, her voice carrying a hint of gravity and helplessness:

"The external injuries and internal organs are no longer a major issue, but the wound to the Divine Soul... is beyond the reach of my water techniques.

It requires an eighth-grade top-quality Medicinal Pill, the 'Nine Yang Soul Returning Elixir',

or... the essence of the legendary heaven and earth spiritual item, the 'Soul Nourishing Wood,' before there is hope of repairing his Foundation."

"Soul Nourishing Wood?!"

Though Luo Baiya was suppressed, his heart trembled violently upon hearing this!

As the Peak Master of Spirit Plant Peak, he naturally knew of this legendary divine item!

This wood contained supreme power to nourish the Divine Soul, but it had long since gone extinct after the ancient times,

only existing in the records of ancient texts, a rarity in the world!

The nine revolutions soul returning elixir was even an eighth-grade top-quality item; the difficulty of refining it

and the rarity of its Materials meant that one might not even be able to find a single one in the entire Eastern Region!

"You little beast! How dare you use such a vicious hand!"

Luo Baiya's eyes were nearly splitting as he forcibly resisted the Sect Head's pressure, roaring sharply at Yao Delong,

"Sect Head Senior Brother! This boy's Heart-Nature is malicious, harming his fellow disciple with bizarre and ruthless methods!

He must be dealt with according to sect rules—cripple his cultivation and expel him from the sect to serve as a warning to others!"

"Stop your mother's bullsh*t!"

The Dan Chenzi directly exploded, pointing at Luo Baiya's nose and cursing,

"Old Ghost Luo! Do you have no shame at all?

Just now, when your precious disciple used the Moyang Sect's 'Azure Emperor Life-Severing Slash,'

that withered death intent was itching to sever Delong's Divine Soul and vitality!

Was that not a lethal move? If Delong's methods weren't tough enough, the one lying on the ground with a shattered Divine Soul would be him!

You still have the face to make false accusations? In an arena duel, blades and swords have no eyes, and each relies on their own ability!

A loss is a loss; it's a lack of skill, and no one else is to blame! Can your Spirit Plant Peak not afford to lose?!"