125: Chapter 125 A Series of Battles

He could feel that there was not a trace of hostility or Killing Intent on the man before him, only a Battle Intent that was pure to the extreme and soaring high!

It was a pure Martial Artist's heart, the kind that comes from meeting a worthy opponent or a talented peer.

"Brother Sword, you are too kind." Lin Fan also put away his three-pointed, double-edged blade and returned the salute with clasped hands.

Limitless Sword straightened up, his eyes as clear as water, looking quietly at Lin Fan as he spoke slowly.

"In the Ten Thousand Beast Garden, I received your help; this is the first favor."

"Later, seeing you slay a demon with a single blade strike, so domineering and unparalleled, allowed me to catch a glimpse of another world beyond the Sword Dao; this is the second favor."

"I, Limitless Sword, do not like to owe others favors."

His voice paused, and that pure Battle Intent climbed to its Peak at this moment!

"This battle has nothing to do with grudges or rankings; it is only to verify the Sword Dao in my heart!"

"Regardless of victory or defeat, I, Limitless Sword, will block the next round of challenges for you!"

"This is only to repay the favor of us joining forces in the Ten Thousand Beast Garden, and to be able to fight you fairly again when you are at your Peak!"

Boom!

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole arena was shocked!

No one expected that Limitless Sword had stepped onto the stage not to take advantage of someone in a weakened state, but to... repay a favor!

He wanted to use his own challenge to win that incredibly precious breathing room for Lin Fan!

What an upright and honorable act! What a display of gentlemanly conduct!

"Good! A truly great Limitless Sword! He is worthy of being a once-in-a-century genius of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion!" On the viewing platform, the old general clapped his hands in praise, his eyes full of admiration.

Lin Zhengde also nodded with satisfaction, and there was a hint of approval in his gaze as he looked at Limitless Sword.

Meanwhile, Ji Xuan's face turned darker than the bottom of a pot in an instant!

He never expected that this sword fanatic, who always kept to himself and never associated with anyone, would openly oppose him for the sake of Lin Fan!

"Limitless Sword! Have you thought this through?! Is it worth offending my Prince Ying's Mansion for a lowly peasant?!" He roared, his voice harsh but weak.

However, Limitless Sword could not even be bothered to spare him a glance.

He just looked quietly at Lin Fan, waiting for his answer.

Lin Fan smiled.

It was a hearty smile that came from the heart, a feeling of heroes cherishing one another.

He could feel the blood in his body becoming scorching hot once again at this moment, stirred by the other's pure Battle Intent!

"Good!"

He laughed loudly, and the heroic spirit in his chest was completely ignited at this moment!

"To be able to fight a genius of the world like Brother Sword is my honor, Lin Fan!"

"Please!"

"Please!"

Two words, without the slightest hesitation.

The next moment, two completely different yet equally suffocatingly powerful Auras collided with a boom on the arena!

On one side was Lin Fan's blood-red Evil Qi, like an ancient demon god, domineering and unparalleled, filled with the scent of slaughter and destruction!

On the other side was Limitless Sword's invisible Sword Intent, pure to the extreme, sharp and unmatched, as if it could sever everything in the world!

The clash of these two Auras caused the entire Zhenyue Platform to emit a groaning "hum" under the strain, and in the air, it seemed as if countless invisible blade lights and sword shadows were colliding fiercely, sparking strings of visible sparks!

The audience below felt a sense of suffocation, as if even their Souls were about to be torn apart by those two terrifying Auras!

"Clang—!"

A clear dragon's roar!

The ancient longsword in Limitless Sword's arms finally unsheathed!

It was an extremely narrow, extremely thin sword, the blade appearing in a strange, translucent state, as if it would vanish into the air at any moment under the sunlight.

"This sword is named 'Shadowless', forged from extraterrestrial meteorite iron, moving according to my will." Limitless Sword held the longsword, and his entire temperament merged completely with the sword in his hand at this moment.

He was no longer a person; he was a peerless divine sword that had just been unsheathed and was about to taste blood!

"Brother Lin, be careful."

The moment his voice fell, his figure moved.

There was no earth-shattering Aura, nor any flashy, dazzling Moves.

He simply took a step forward.

Then, he thrust his sword out.

Fast!

Fast to the extreme!

Fast beyond the visual limits of everyone present!

In the eyes of everyone below the stage, Limitless Sword's figure seemed to have never moved from its original spot.

But Lin Fan, on the arena, saw his pupils suddenly contract into the most dangerous needle points!

In his Eye of Delusion Breaking, he could clearly "see" an invisible Sword Qi, so minute it was almost undetectable, condensed from pure Sword Intent, having torn through the air, crossed a distance of three zhang, and appeared silently before his throat!

When the intent Moves, the sword arrives!

This was the terrifying aspect of the "shadowless sword"!

Lin Fan's body, almost instinctively, leaned back violently, his entire upper body forming a posture almost parallel to the ground at an incredible angle!

"Ssh!"

That invisible Sword Qi brushed past the tip of his nose, leaving a deep, invisible sword mark on the arena floor behind him!

That was close!

For the first time, a feeling called "palpitation" surged in Lin Fan's heart!

He knew he had encountered the most terrifying and powerful opponent in the same Realm since his Transmigration!

He dared not be the slightest bit careless; the tip of his foot tapped violently on the ground, and his body spun rapidly like a spinning top, the three-pointed, double-edged blade in his hand bringing up a curtain of pitch-black blade light, guarding himself firmly within it.

However, it was useless!

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!"

A series of metallic clashing sounds, as dense as a sudden rainstorm, rang out crazily from all directions of the blade curtain!

Limitless Sword's figure seemed to have turned into thousands of ghosts, appearing in every corner of the arena simultaneously!

His sword thrust madly at Lin Fan's defensive circle from all sorts of completely unpredictable angles that defied human mechanics!

Sometimes like an antelope hanging its horns, leaving no traces to be found!

Sometimes like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, sinister and ruthless!

Sometimes like a heavenly horse galloping through the skies, and sometimes like an antelope hanging its horns!

Although Lin Fan's Eye of Delusion Breaking could barely capture the trajectory of the opponent's attacks, the opponent's speed was simply too fast, so fast that his body was gradually unable to keep up with his eyes' reactions!

His blade curtain began to show tiny flaws!

"Ssh-la!"

An invisible Sword Qi finally seized the opportunity, tore through his blade curtain, and left a wound on his arm deep enough to see the bone!

Fresh blood instantly stained his sleeve red!

Lin Fan let out a muffled groan, his footsteps becoming somewhat disorganized.

He knew that if this continued, he would undoubtedly be defeated!

The opponent's sword was no longer just fast; it was a sword that had merged with the "Dao"!

Pure naked eyes and speed could no longer capture the opponent's sword path!

What to do?!

Could it be that he really had to detonate the medicinal power of the "boiling blood powder" again and fight him head-on?

No!

In Lin Fan's heart, he instantly rejected this idea.

To deal with a pure swordsman like Limitless Sword, fighting head-on was the stupidest choice!

Since his eyes couldn't keep up, and his speed couldn't keep up...

Then...

He would simply not use his eyes to look!

A crazy and bold thought exploded in his mind!

In the terrified gaze of everyone below the stage, Lin Fan actually, right in front of Limitless Sword, slowly closed his eyes!

He abandoned all vision!

He abandoned all defense!

He just stood there quietly, holding his blade, like an eternal statue.

"Is he crazy?!"

"Facing Limitless Sword, he actually dares to close his eyes?!"

"This is courting death!"

Exclamations arose everywhere!

Even Lin Zhengde on the viewing platform stood up with a "whoosh," his wise eyes filled with disbelief!

However, the moment Limitless Sword on the arena saw Lin Fan close his eyes, for the first time, his face, which had been frozen for ten thousand years, revealed an expression of extreme solemnity, or one could even say... extreme excitement!

He knew that the opponent had finally found the correct "key" to fight him!

"Excellent!"

He let out a low shout full of exhilaration and appreciation!

He no longer held anything back, driving his "invisible Sword Intent" to the limit!

"Shadowless, Sword Domain!"

Hum—!

An invisible yet sharp-to-the-extreme Domain spread out from him as the center with a boom, instantly enveloping the entire arena!

In this Domain, he was the sole Dominator!

He could appear anywhere he wanted to appear, and his sword could launch the most fatal attacks from any angle!

The next moment, thousands upon thousands of invisible Sword Qi, as fine as ox hair, like the most violent storm of sword blades, crazily twisted and killed from all directions toward the figure in the center of the arena who had his eyes closed!

This was a must-kill strike!

However, just at the moment the sword blade storm was about to reach his body!

That Lin Fan, who had his eyes closed, moved.

He did not open his eyes, nor did he look.

He simply sank all his focus into that endless Sea of Consciousness of his Soul!

He drove the mental perception ability of his Eye of Delusion Breaking to an unprecedented, beyond-the-limit extreme!

Hum—!

In his mental world, the entire arena instantly became different.

It was no longer a cold arena made of basalt.

It was a pure world of Sword Intent composed of countless crisscrossing, sharp "lines"!

And Limitless Sword was the core of this world, the source of all the "lines"!

Every Move he made, every trace of his Sword Intent flowing, and the frequency of every breath he took were infinitely magnified in Lin Fan's mental perception, becoming incomparably clear!

This was no longer a simple battle!

This was a direct collision of Mental Energy and Sword Intent! It was a Peak duel of Soul against Soul!

"So... that's how it is."

A knowing smile curled at the corners of Lin Fan's mouth.

The three-pointed, double-edged blade in his hand moved.

There was no violent Aura, nor any domineering blade radiance.

It simply, in a seemingly slow but actually extremely fast and mysterious trajectory, gently drew a circle in front of him.

A perfect, flawless circle.

"Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding-ding—!!!"

A terrifying roar, so dense it made one's scalp tingle, as if thousands of hailstones were striking an iron plate simultaneously, exploded with a boom!

Those thousands upon thousands of invisible Sword Qi, capable of instantly mincing a Peak Fourth Realm expert into meat paste, were blocked entirely by Lin Fan's seemingly casual slash, perfectly and precisely!

Not a single strand of Sword Qi could break through the absolute defensive circle formed by the blade in front of him!

"What?!"

Below the stage, everyone was dumbfounded!

They only saw Lin Fan, with his eyes closed, casually wave the weapon in his hand, and then, Limitless Sword's earth-shattering, lethal blow was just like that... blocked?!

This... how is this possible?!

However, what made them feel even more incredulous was yet to come!

The moment he blocked all the Sword Qi, Lin Fan's figure suddenly vanished from where he stood!

He did not open his eyes, yet he seemed to know Limitless Sword's position like the back of his hand!

He struck after, yet arrived first, using a strange footwork that completely defied physical logic, instantly appearing behind Limitless Sword!

Fast!

So fast that even Limitless Sword himself only had time to catch a trace of an afterimage!

"Oh no!"

A warning alarm blared wildly in Limitless Sword's heart! He didn't even think, immediately turning to block!

But it was already too late!

The three-pointed, double-edged blade in Lin Fan's hand seemed to possess a life of its own, silently and gently flicking upwards at a strange angle from below that completely defied common sense.

Time, at this moment, seemed to fall into an eternal stillness.

The cold, blood-scented tip of the blade was placed with utmost precision and gentleness against Limitless Sword's fair, slender, and slightly bobbing Adam's apple.

The victor has been decided!

The whole arena was dead silent!

Everyone stared blankly at this incredible scene on the stage, their brains blank from the extreme shock.

Won?

That Lin Fan, with his eyes closed, actually... won?!

Not only did he win, but he won this Peak duel in a way that no one could understand, a way that was almost a "miracle"!

Limitless Sword stood frozen in place, clearly feeling the cold, sharp energy against his throat that was enough to pierce his windpipe in an instant.

He lost.

He lost, completely convinced.

He lost... thoroughly and satisfyingly!

After a long while, he slowly lowered the "shadowless sword" in his hand.

On that face frozen for ten thousand years, there was not a hint of frustration or unwillingness; instead, a heartfelt, refreshing smile appeared.

"I lost."

He said calmly, his voice filled with respect for the strong and joy for finding a new direction.

"Your Realm is above mine. You have shown me the vast world beyond 'Sword Heart Clarity'."

He bowed to Lin Fan again, solemnly performing a swordsman's salute.

"Today, I owe you a debt of gratitude for 'asking the Dao'. Another day, I will surely repay it."

After speaking, he actually fulfilled his promise, turning around, holding his sword, and standing quietly by Lin Fan's side, his clear eyes coldly sweeping over the challengers below the stage who were eager to try.

The meaning was self-evident.

The next one, whoever dares to come up, must first pass me!

Lin Fan also withdrew his blade and smiled at him with cupped fists.

Heroes cherish each other.

Although he won this battle, he was also greatly exhausted. Especially the final burst of Mental Energy that exceeded his limits, causing his brain to throb with needle-like pain.

Limitless Sword's action was undoubtedly a timely help, winning him that incredibly precious breathing space.

Meanwhile, below the stage, it was already dead silent.

If Lin Fan's single stroke killing Mo Wuxin brought them visual shock and fear.

Then his defeating Limitless Sword with his eyes closed brought them a deep, Soul-level awe of unknown power!

Ji Xuan's expression could no longer be described as ugly.

It was a twisted expression, mixed with shock, fear, jealousy, and resentment.

He stared fixedly at the two figures standing side by side on the stage, his teeth almost shattered!

He could not understand how many trump cards this Lin Fan still had that he didn't know about!

In this strange silence, the Gold-Armored Commander finally reacted after a brief moment of distraction.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and announced loudly with a hint of complex emotion in his voice:

"Second match, Lin Fan, wins!"

As the Gold-Armored Commander's complex voice fell, the atmosphere of the entire Chengtian Square was instantly pushed to an unprecedented boiling point!

Limitless Sword's gentlemanly act added a moving touch of chivalry to this tournament that should have been bloody and cruel. But everyone knew that this brief calm was just the silence before the storm.

The subsequent duels became calm under the protection of Limitless Sword's uncrossable Sword Intent.

Several candidates who knew their strength was insufficient, after exchanging a few Moves with Limitless Sword and confirming the unbridgeable gap, wisely chose to admit defeat.

They did not want to waste their precious stamina before the final battle against this insurmountable mountain.

Lin Fan, seizing this precious interval, sat cross-legged, grasping every minute and second to circulate his Internal Energy, regulating his Sea of Consciousness, which was throbbing with pain due to excessive Mental Energy consumption, and his body, which was already on the verge of its limit.

The magical medicinal power of the Spirit Spring stock solution flowed slowly through his body, repairing damaged Meridians and replenishing dried-up Qi and blood. His pale complexion gradually regained a hint of ruddiness at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Time passed slowly in the uneventful duels.

Soon, only the last challenger remained under the stage, who had not moved a step from beginning to end.

The dragon blood heir, Ji Xuan!

When everyone's eyes were focused on him.

This favored son of heaven, who had always been hailed as the number one of the imperial family's younger generation, finally slowly raised his head, which had been bowed all along.

On that handsome, almost bewitching face, there was no longer the arrogance and contempt from before, nor the shock and fear after being slapped in the face by Lin Fan in public.

What remained was only a chilling, almost frantic calmness.

His eyes were empty and crazy, like a peerless Vicious Beast forced into a desperate situation, about to burn everything to perish with its enemy!

He did not step onto the stage.

He just quietly took out from his Storage Ring a terrifying long spear, cast entirely from unknown profound iron, twelve feet long, with a lifelike and ferocious black Dragon coiled around the shaft, and the spear tip flashing with a chilling, hair-raising cold light!

"Pseudo-Spirit Weapon! Prison-Suppressing Dragon Spear!"

On the viewing platform, a knowledgeable old official exclaimed in surprise!

This spear was the weapon that Prince Ying Ji Lie carried with him when he fought on the battlefield in his youth; it had drunk the blood of countless experts and was long since spiritual, its grade infinitely close to a true Spirit Weapon!

However, this was just the beginning!

In the shocked eyes of everyone, Ji Xuan took out a small jade bottle carved from purple gold from his bosom.

He uncorked the bottle and, without any hesitation, swallowed the crimson Medicinal Pill that looked like burning dragon blood and radiated violent energy fluctuations!

"That is... the royal forbidden drug! Dragon Blood Boiling Pill!"

Crown Prince Ji Cheng's expression changed instantly!

This Medicinal Pill was a secret of the royal family, refined with the blood of a true Dragon as a guide, supplemented by dozens of extremely domineering and fierce medicinal ingredients! The user could forcibly overdraw all life potential in a short time, burning Qi and blood, and instantly increasing their combat power several times over!

But its sequelae were equally terrifying! At best, one's cultivation would regress and their Foundation would be damaged; at worst, one's Qi and blood would wither, and they would die on the spot!

This was a true forbidden drug for mutual destruction!

Ji Xuan, he was crazy!

In order to defeat Lin Fan and wash away his humiliation, he was willing to bet his future, and even his life!

"Roar——!!!"

The moment the Medicinal Pill entered his stomach, a Dragon roar that sounded nothing like a human, filled with endless pain and rage, erupted from Ji Xuan's mouth!

Boom!!!

A burst of extremely violent red-gold Qi and blood smoke, like a volcanic eruption, exploded from his body, shooting straight into the sky!

His skin instantly turned blood-red, and grotesque veins twisted and bulged on his skin like coiling dragons! His body was forced to grow several inches taller amidst the "crackling" of his bones!

His original Peak Fourth Realm Aura climbed steadily at this moment, instantly breaking through the invisible barrier and infinitely approaching the true Fifth Realm Great Grandmaster Realm!

"Lin... Fan!!!"

He roared Lin Fan's name word by word with a voice that had become hoarse and twisted.

Then, he moved.

He did not walk, nor did he run.

He was like a golden meteor, trailing a long tail of flames, crashing down onto the huge Zhenyue Stage with a bang!

"Boom——!"

The hard basalt stage shattered under his feet!

Holding the Prison-Suppressing Dragon Spear, his golden pupils, completely occupied by madness and tyranny, locked onto Lin Fan, and the supreme pressure originating from the ancient heavenly Dragon Bloodline, like a tangible tide, instantly enveloped the entire square!

"Today, either you die, or I perish!"

He did not give Lin Fan any time to react, nor did he pay attention to Limitless Sword, who was standing by with his sword, his face grave.

He poured all his strength, all his anger, and all his humiliation into the long spear in his hand!

He forcibly activated the supreme Profound Truth of the "Heavenly Dragon Prison-Suppressing Technique," which should only be barely performable by a Fifth Realm Grandmaster!

"Heavenly——Dragon——Descending——To——The——World!!!"