56: Chapter 56 Lin Tianjian's Admiration

The Arena lights swept across the stage one by one, blindingly white.

"Is that really Lin Tianjian?"

"Isn't he resting backstage?"

"This is getting interesting… That student is about to run into a tough opponent today."

Lin Tianjian stood at the edge of the Arena, his gaze falling upon Lu Cheng.

His expression was gentle, his features clean-cut, standing in stark contrast to the noisy environment around him. Yet, the spark of light in his eyes was unmistakable.

He was genuinely interested.

People in the backstage lounge had been talking earlier about a very formidable student who had been winning consecutive matches in the Body Refining Realm and could even fight across ranks against those in the Source Gathering Realm.

After hearing that, Lin Tianjian's hands had started to itch.

He had only come today to accompany someone and practice his swordsmanship, but upon hearing this news, his sword heart had stirred.

However, he did not recognize Lu Cheng, or rather, he couldn't be bothered to care about any of Lin Tianwang's messy affairs.

The referee looked between the two, hesitated for a moment, and then asked:

"Mr. Lin, are you looking to challenge?"

"Yes."

Lin Tianjian nodded. His voice was not loud, yet it carried clearly to everyone around.

"However, I will suppress my cultivation level to fight him."

As soon as these words were spoken, the surroundings went quiet for a moment before erupting into an uproar.

"Suppress his cultivation?"

"Lin Tianjian is going to use the Body Refining Realm to fight him?"

"Holy crap, he's actually that honorable?"

Lin Tianjian raised his hand, resting it gently on the hilt of his sword, his tone calm:

"He is in the Body Refining Realm. If I were to enter the stage directly in the Source Gathering Realm, I would have an unfair advantage. Let's fight at the level of the Body Refining Realm—a fair match."

After finishing, he glanced at Lu Cheng. "What do you think?"

Lu Cheng was taken aback. He hadn't expected this guy to be so honorable… He was more of a human being than Lin Tianwang; at least he spoke straightforwardly.

Lu Cheng grinned. "Sure, let's fight."

Staff members quickly came up to confirm, and Lin Tianjian suppressed his Source Power fluctuations, his aura rapidly receding and stabilizing at the level of the Body Refining Realm.

Yet even so, standing there, he still gave off a sharp, cutting feeling.

Even though he hadn't moved, Lu Cheng felt as if he had already been locked onto by a sword.

"Both sides, prepare!" The referee stepped back. "Begin!"

As soon as the words fell, Lin Tianjian moved his feet, and his entire body glided along the edge of the stage. He was extremely fast.

A white figure flickered, the scabbard carrying a wisp of cold wind as it struck toward Lu Cheng's ribs from the side. The movement was clean and precise; there was not a single wasted motion in that strike.

Lu Cheng's eyes narrowed. He instantly deployed his Wandering Step, pivoting his feet and shifting his body back by half a step, his fist smashing directly toward Lin Tianjian's sword-wielding wrist.

Lin Tianjian flipped his wrist, and the path of his sword changed abruptly. Returning Wind Splitting Blade Style!

The straight thrust bent midway, and the scabbard slashed upward from below at a tricky angle, aiming straight for Lu Cheng's elbow joint.

Bang! Lu Cheng forcefully met the strike with his forearm. A dull collision sound erupted, leaving his skin and flesh tingling with numbness.

Lin Tianjian's eyes flickered slightly. So hard.

The audience below inhaled sharply. "He actually dared to block Lin Tianjian's sword path like that?" "What the hell is this student's body made of?"

Lu Cheng had no time to pay attention to these voices as Lin Tianjian's offensive pressed in layer by layer.

The Seven-Turn Gale Steps created continuous changes in direction across the stage, the white robes flashing under the lights as the scabbard continuously struck, jabbed, pierced, and slashed from different angles!

This was the strongest swordsmanship Lu Cheng had encountered in all this time.

Shadow-Chasing Heart-Piercing Sword! Breaking Tide Triple Slash! One move after another, the oppressive feeling grew stronger and stronger.

Lu Cheng took several hits to his chest, shoulder, and calf.

Although he had the protection of Hardening Pulse and Lone Hero and suffered no substantial damage, the continuous impact still made all his muscles tense up.

Strong. Even suppressed to the Body Refining Realm, this guy was absolutely monster-level.

Lu Cheng stomped his foot, his fist exploding outward as he launched a Crushing Fist toward Lin Tianjian's chest.

Lin Tianjian's eyes darkened, and he instantly activated the Profound Blade Body Protection Technique, bracing his arms horizontally.

Bang! He was sent sliding back more than two meters by the punch, his soles screeching against the stage floor, the hem of his white martial arts uniform lifted by the force of the punch.

But the next second, he charged back in.

The two instantly became entangled. Fists, scabbard, footwork, close-quarters, separating, then closing in again.

The air on the stage was churned into a stifling state, and the shouts from the audience rose in waves, one after another. Many people had already stood up, pounding the railings with loud thuds.

"Lin Tianjian, crush him!" "Student, fight back!"

The Hardening Pulse within Lu Cheng was stacking up layer by layer; his skin, Tendon & Bone Stage, and flesh were all heating up and accumulating power. Come again! Higher!

The moment Lin Tianjian's scabbard pointed toward his throat, Lu Cheng advanced instead of retreating, slamming his shoulder forward and allowing the strike to smash heavily against his collarbone area. His arm muscles tensed simultaneously, and the energy accumulated to its limit within his body was suddenly unleashed at this moment!

Hardening Pulse, release!

Hum! A nearly invisible shockwave suddenly spread from the surface of Lu Cheng's body.

In that instant, Lin Tianjian's pupils constricted.

At close range, what he felt was no longer just a simple vibration; it was as if a ferocious beast that had been dormant for a long time had suddenly opened its maw before him!

His body instinctively felt a bone-chilling cold, and every hair on his body stood up at almost the same time. Danger! If he kept his cultivation suppressed, he might really be severely injured by this blow, or even… die!

Boom! The next moment, the Source Power that had been forcibly constrained within his body suddenly broke free! The aura of the Source Gathering Realm erupted outward!

His white martial arts uniform billowed without wind, the hem flapping loudly, and the long sword in his hand let out a clear, resonant ring.

And as this aura was completely unleashed, the shockwave from the Hardening Pulse still slammed directly into him, causing his chest to feel stifled. He stumbled back seven or eight steps before barely managing to steady himself.

The whole Arena went quiet for a moment, then erupted into an uproar!

"Lin Tianjian released his Source Power!" "He broke the restriction!" "Damn, a Body Refining Realm student fighting until Lin Tianjian had to unseal his power? This student is too ridiculous!"

Lin Tianjian took a deep breath, sheathed his sword cleanly, and cupped his fists toward Lu Cheng. "I lost!"

There was a commotion at the edge of the stage; many people had not yet recovered from what had just happened.

Lu Cheng shook his hand, his chest heaving. He had slightly suppressed his pulse just now; otherwise, Lin Tianjian probably wouldn't be able to stand right now.

However… even suppressed to the Body Refining Realm, this guy was stronger than the previous two. If it weren't for the protection of Hardening Pulse, Lu Cheng really wouldn't have been able to beat him.

A surge of fighting spirit, from who knows where, boiled in Lu Cheng's heart!

"Don't stop." He tilted his chin at Lin Tianjian, his eyes shining. "Let's keep fighting at this level."

Lin Tianjian looked at him, slightly stunned.

Lu Cheng couldn't even explain what that feeling was. Since entering the Arena, the blood in his body seemed to be getting hotter and hotter, his heart beating heavier and heavier. The noise around his ears had been dampened, leaving only the battle itself. He wanted to fight! He wanted to fight one more match!

Lin Tianjian also noticed the change in Lu Cheng. That fighting spirit was very direct, very hot; he could feel it even standing opposite him.

He was silent for a moment, and a glimmer of sharpness slowly lit up in his eyes. The sword heart within him also began to stir.

That feeling was rare. It was as if he had finally met someone worth drawing his sword in earnest for.

Lin Tianjian's lips curled slightly, and he raised his sword again. "Good. Then I won't hold back."

The referee was stunned for a moment, but after confirming the wishes of both sides, he quickly retreated. "Continue!"

This time, as soon as Lin Tianjian moved, the sense of threat from him changed completely.

Source Power of the Source Gathering Realm surged within his body, his footwork was faster, his judgment more accurate, and his sword speed was almost dizzyingly fast.

The long sword was drawn half an inch, a cold light flashing fiercely under the lights. The Shadow-Chasing Heart-Piercing Sword erupted instantly, and he shot forward like a white line, aiming straight for the gap in Lu Cheng's chest!

Lu Cheng's scalp tightened, his Wandering Step pushed to the limit, and he dodged to the side. Rip! His clothes were sliced open, and a cut was opened on Lu Cheng's body as well!

Lin Tianjian's eyes shifted, but the sword momentum in his hand did not stop at all. The Returning Wind Splitting Blade Style followed with a change in moves, slashing diagonally from the right. The Breaking Tide Triple Slash came wave after wave; when the third sword pressed down, the stage floor was scraped into debris by the sword wind.

Lu Cheng crossed his arms to take the hit, being forced back. His feet thudded as he retreated several steps, his chest churning with blood and qi. This sense of threat… it was no lower than that guy Zhou Shuolin…

The audience below had gone completely crazy. "Look! Lin Tianjian is serious!" "Now this is what it's supposed to be like!" "That student still hasn't fallen?!"

Lu Cheng panted, but his mouth slowly curled into a grin. Exhilarating. So exhilarating.

The heat within him grew heavier and heavier, and the sound of his blood rushing seemed to roar in his ears. The world before his eyes seemed clearer, and Lin Tianjian's sword path, footwork, and breathing rhythm were all magnified little by little in his vision.

Just then, the system panel suddenly popped up. [Obtained Status: Berserk Blood] [Berserk Blood: Temporarily increases burst power, reaction speed, and dulls pain perception.]

What is this? Lu Cheng wasn't sure… but at this moment, his whole body was boiling!

The next second, he charged out! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Lin Tianjian's sword was fast, but Lu Cheng's fists were fiercer. The two collided in the Arena, with dull thuds constantly exploding in the air.

Lin Tianjian struck Lu Cheng's shoulder with his sword, but Lu Cheng didn't even frown, backhanding a punch onto Lin Tianjian's protective energy, vibrating the latter's wrist until it went numb.

Another punch! Collapsing Fist - Three Styles: Origin! Boom!

This punch landed on the thinnest point of Lin Tianjian's chest defense, and the triple punch force exploded instantly. The Profound Blade Body Protection Technique was forcefully smashed through. Lin Tianjian gave a muffled groan, lost his balance, and slid backward, his back slamming heavily against the railing. The metal railing let out a sharp screech.

The whole Arena went quiet for a moment.

Lin Tianjian's sword-wielding hand trembled slightly, his chest felt stifled, and his blood and qi surged. He looked up at Lu Cheng, with no anger in his eyes, only surprise and an increasingly intense excitement. But he also knew that he had lost.

The referee rushed up and quickly raised his hand. "Match over! Lu Cheng wins!"

The next second, the entire Arena exploded.

"Holy crap!!!" "Lin Tianjian lost?!" "The student won!" "Lu Cheng! Lu Cheng! Lu Cheng!"

The deafening shouts came from all directions, and the railings were shaking.

Lu Cheng stood in place, his chest heaving, his whole body still carrying that burning sensation. The system panel flashed, and the status that had just appeared disappeared. [Berserk Blood status ended]

The burning bloodlust slowly receded, and only then did Lu Cheng let out a long breath, his forehead covered in hot sweat.

Lin Tianjian sheathed his sword, took a few seconds to recover, and walked forward with a smile on his face. "You are very strong."

He looked at Lu Cheng and asked earnestly, "May I ask your name?"

Lu Cheng raised his hand and wiped away his sweat. "Lu Cheng."

Lin Tianjian's eyes brightened slightly, and he immediately cupped his fists. "So it is Brother Lu!"

For the past two years, people in Rong City have been calling me a genius, but I've been a bit like a frog in a well! Only people like Brother Lu, who can defeat me in the Source Gathering Realm while in the Body Refining Realm, deserve to be called geniuses!

And me! I should also cast off those false titles; only the sword in my hand is the most real thing!

For some reason, Lin Tianjian's sword heart suddenly became clear. The three sword techniques he had been stuck at the proficient level in all broke through to the mastery level in an instant!

He looked at Lu Cheng, his heart feeling somewhat complicated! A bit of guidance is worth ten thousand gold! This was no longer an ordinary sparring match; he, Lin Tianjian, owed Lu Cheng one!

That address was quite formal, leaving Lu Cheng stunned.

Immediately after, Lin Tianjian naturally took out his phone. "Brother Lu, could we add each other on Chao Xin? If there's an opportunity in the future, let's get in touch and spar again."