Chapter 22 Overlapping Waves Slaying the Mysterious Ice

[June 9th, Practical Combat Arena Tournament.]

[Longnan City Sports Center, packed to capacity.]

[A massive holographic projection enveloped the center of the venue; it was the "Full-Dive Holographic Simulation System" specially approved for use by the Provincial Department of Education.]

[This System can 100% replicate the body of a Qi and Blood Realm Martial Artist, including their Qi and Blood and abilities.]

[Furthermore, dying in the virtual space does not result in real injuries, which means the examinees can display their strongest and most ruthless methods without any reservations.]

["Practical combat assessment, begin now!"]

[With the chief examiner's command, thousands of examinees put on Neural Connection Helmets, and their consciousness instantly dove in.]

[Inside the virtual arena.]

[Liu Xiyue, dressed in snow-white clothes and holding her signature Ice-Cracked Pattern Soft Sword, walked straight toward the most prominent "Arena No. 1" in the center.]

[She stood there quietly, the cold air radiating from her even more terrifying than it had been half a year ago.]

[This is...]

[The Ninth Stage of Qi and Blood Crimson Gauze flowed around her body. Before the moisture in the air could even get close to her, it was frozen into fine ice crystals that fell rustling to the ground.]

[The audience below was silent.]

[Even examinees who were also at the Ninth Stage couldn't help but feel like retreating as they looked at the queen on the stage who seemed to control ice and snow.]

[Until you, carrying your saber on your back, slowly walked out from the crowd.]

["I'll do it."]

[These three simple words instantly ignited the atmosphere of the entire venue.]

["It's Li Ang! That Theory Emperor!"]

["I heard he's an Acquired Awakening Water-elemental Ability Martial Artist."]

["Water-elemental against Ice-elemental? This attribute is completely countered!"]

["Win or lose, just daring to go up there makes him a real man."]

[You walked onto the arena and stood ten meters opposite Liu Xiyue.]

["It's you again." Liu Xiyue looked at you, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, which then turned into a faint touch of pride. "You lost half a year ago, and this time, the result won't change."]

["How will we know if we don't try?" You slowly drew your saber, the tip pointing diagonally at the ground.]

["Arrogant."]

[Liu Xiyue snorted coldly and was the first to strike.]

[Liu Xiyue didn't waste any words; she didn't even move, simply lifting her left hand slightly.]

[Hum!]

[The temperature of the entire arena plummeted instantly! Centered around her, countless sharp icicles grew frantically on the ground, spreading toward you at high speed like a forest of white thorns.]

[Not only that, you felt your body starting to become stiff.]

[It was the omnipresent low temperature delaying your movements and freezing your Qi and Blood.]

[Attribute Suppression!]

[Just as the Water-elemental Ability in your body tried to circulate, it was suppressed by this domineering cold air.]

["I can only rely on Qi and Blood to tough it out!"]

[Boom!]

[The surging Qi and Blood within you rushed frantically through your Meridians, and the high temperature it generated barely resisted the cold air invading your body.]

["Slash!"]

[Facing the ice spikes spreading to your feet, you finally drew your saber.]

[Clang clang clang clang!]

[The blade collided with the hard Profound Ice, sparks flying everywhere. With every strike, a bone-chilling cold would travel from the tiger's mouth of your hand, spreading up through the Meridians of your arm. After only ten seconds of engagement, your eyebrows and hair were already covered in white frost.]

[You kept retreating.]

["The power of a Second Awakening ability is indeed not to be underestimated."]

[Facing Liu Xiyue's nearly endless long-range ice bombardment, you could only rely on the watertight defense of your Major Achievement saber technique, retreating step by step to find a chance to breathe.]

["Is this the gap?" The audience below whispered, "Even though Li Ang is also at the Ninth Stage, in front of this kind of top-tier ability, he's like a sitting duck."]

[On the stage, Liu Xiyue frowned.]

[Although on the surface she held the absolute upper hand, forcing you back repeatedly.]

[She knew in her heart that for a Qi and Blood Realm Martial Artist who hadn't yet opened their Human Body Secret Treasury and had no Origin Power support, the consumption of this high-intensity elemental bombardment was truly terrifying.]

[Even if she was a Second Awakening Ability Martial Artist, the energy reserves in her body were not infinite.]

["I can't drag this out any longer; if we keep consuming like this, I might be the one to run out of strength first."]

[Liu Xiyue looked at you, who were struggling and seemingly "tottering" in the ice rain, and made a judgment in her heart.]

[She believed that after this round of bombardment, your physical strength and Qi and Blood should have reached their limit, and you were just holding on now.]

["The consumption is almost complete. Since I've already pushed you into a corner, I'll end the battle completely with my sword technique."]

[Liu Xiyue stopped pointlessly squandering her ability to create ice spikes.]

[The soft sword in her hand suddenly emitted a clear sword hum, and she turned into a white stream of light, carrying the remaining cold air as she actively charged into the fray.]

["Thinking I'm out of stamina? Actively closing in? Just what I wanted!"]

[Your eyes, which had been cast down, suddenly snapped up, a sharp light flashing within them.]

[You, who had been showing weakness and taking hits passively, had been waiting for this very moment when she gave up her long-range suppression and actively approached!]

["Clang!"]

[Saber and sword collided, sparks flying.]

[The moment the weapons touched, a terrifying force of extreme cold erupted through her soft sword.]

[Your saber was instantly covered in a thick layer of ice, its weight increasing sharply!]

["As expected, it has a slowing effect!"]

[Your heart tightened; this was exactly the same as the intelligence Wu Changhe had given you.]

[After her Second Awakening, every one of Liu Xiyue's sword strikes carried an extremely domineering freezing attribute, able to coagulate an opponent's blood and deform their movements through vibrations.]

[But you were well-prepared.]

[The "Hardworking and Enduring" talent operated frantically at this moment, forcibly blocking out the neural pain caused by the cold air entering your body.]

[At the same time, the Qi and Blood in your body turned into a warm thin film, protecting the Meridians in your arm and firmly blocking that cold air at the surface of your muscles.]

["You can still move?"]

[A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Xiyue's eyes. She thought this strike would directly freeze your movements, but she didn't expect your counterattack to come so quickly.]

["Again!"]

[You roared, ignoring the frost forming on your arm, and advanced instead of retreating.]

[Facing Liu Xiyue's ice sword with its slowing effect, you didn't panic at all.]

[The Major Achievement level Basic Saber Technique showed a terrifying dominance at this moment.]

[You were no longer simply parrying, but intercepting!]

[With every slash, you accurately struck the weakest point of her sword technique's power.]

[With every slash, you used high-frequency vibrations to directly shatter the frost condensed on your blade!]

["Clang clang clang clang!"]

[First layer... third layer... fifth layer!]

[Liu Xiyue became more and more alarmed as the fight went on. She discovered that her proud Ability Martial Sword Technique was actually being dismantled by your pure saber technique!]

[Your saber was like a precise net, not only blocking her attack routes but also using her force to accumulate your own momentum with every collision.]

["In terms of technique, you are inferior to me!"]

[A sharp light exploded in your eyes, the saber in your hand becoming heavier and heavier, the Blade Intent becoming more and more fierce.]

[The frost that had originally covered the blade was forcefully shattered into powder by your continuously stacking violent force!]

[Liu Xiyue was suppressed.]

[Even with her attribute advantage, she was actually forced back repeatedly in a head-on confrontation!]

["Bastard! Get away from me!"]

[Proud as she was, she could not accept this kind of humiliation in technique.]

[She no longer held back, and an image of a massive ice-blue lotus appeared in the air behind her.]

[Using the Overlapping Waves technique, you stored the counter-shock force of every collision within your body through special muscle tremors.]

[Your face grew redder and redder, the veins on your forehead bulging—a sign that your Meridians were under immense pressure.]

[As she thrust her sword out, the sky full of lotus phantoms turned into countless spinning ice blades, blocking all your paths of retreat and forming a lethal Ice and Snow Cage.]

[There was no way to avoid it.]

[Facing this certain-death strike, your eyes didn't flicker at all, containing only cold calculation.]

[You pushed your Major Achievement saber technique to the limit. Amidst the sky full of ice blades, you instantly locked onto the few attack trajectories that were fatal.]

[Swish swish swish!]

[Your saber danced, accurately knocking away the ice blades aimed at your throat and heart. As for the rest?]

[You controlled your muscles to tighten, avoiding vital spots and allowing those non-fatal ice blades to cut your skin, all just to protect your right arm holding the saber and your forward momentum!]

[Puff puff puff!]

[Blood stained your clothes, but your speed didn't slow down at all; instead, it surged again, stimulated by the pain!]

[But you broke through! You rushed in front of Liu Xiyue!]

[At this time, the Overlapping Waves force in your body had accumulated to the eighth layer.]

[This was already the limit your body could withstand; one more layer, and your arm might explode first.]

["Not enough... still not enough!"]

["Ninth layer... open for me!!!"]

[Under the pressure of life and death, you mobilized that dormant Water-elemental Origin force in your Dantian.]

[At this moment, it turned into the gentlest protective film, wrapping around your Meridians that were about to burst.]

[Crack!]

[The bones in your right arm emitted an overwhelmed crisp sound, the skin split open, and a mist of blood erupted.]

[But what this price bought was a world-shaking power!]

["Slash!!!"]

[This strike had no technique, only the purest venting of power! The saber carried a shrill sonic boom as it hacked fiercely toward Liu Xiyue.]

[Liu Xiyue's face paled with fright; she felt the threat of death.]

[She desperately channeled her Crimson Gauze and Ice Lotus Vision, trying to block this strike.]

[Boom!!!]

[The blade collided with the ice lotus.]

[The indestructible ice, in the face of this "Nine-fold Overlapping Waves" that surpassed the limit of the Qi and Blood Realm, lasted only half a second before it shattered with a bang!]

[Next was the Crimson Gauze.]

["Pop."]

[That layer of pale white gauze burst like a bubble.]

[Liu Xiyue only had time to raise her soft sword to parry.]

[Clang!]

[The expensive soft sword snapped directly.]

[Although your saber also chipped a huge gap, its momentum was unabated, and carrying the remaining force, it hacked heavily onto her shoulder.]

[Bang!]

[Liu Xiyue was sent flying over a dozen meters, slamming heavily into the protective shield at the edge of the arena before sliding down, her figure slowly dissipating.]

[And you, maintaining your slashing posture, were covered in blood and tottering.]

[The entire venue was dead silent.]

[A full three seconds passed.]

["The winner... Li Ang!"]