110: Chapter 110 Battle of Nemesis

After the first day of the competition, the Disciples from various Sects returned to their guest houses one after another.

Some were excited, some depressed, some silent, and some were gnashing their teeth in frustration.

Li Changsheng returned to his room, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate his breathing.

Although today's battle was easy, he wouldn't let his guard down because of it.

The truly powerful enemies were still to come.

Tomorrow, there would be more battles.

On the second day of the tournament, the winners' bracket and the losers' bracket were separated for individual draws; those who drew a bye were considered promoted.

However, there was one rule: losers from the winners' bracket would have one chance to compete again against a winner from the losers' bracket.

Whether it was yesterday or today, those who accumulated two losses were directly eliminated.

Among the major Sects, only about half of the personnel remained, consisting of those with no losses and those with only one loss.

From the Qinglan Sword Sect, only Mo Han, Lu Yu, Li Changsheng, and Li Changqing remained; the rest had all been eliminated.

On the Jinyang Sect's side, six people including Chen Yuanba, Liu Ruyan, Zhou Yuan, and Lin Jingyun had advanced.

Medicine King Valley's Yun Yifei and his three Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters at the Peak of Qi Refining Level 9, a total of seven people, had advanced.

Su Qianxue of the Qingxin Pavilion and her Junior Sisters, totaling six people, had advanced.

On the Blood Fiend Sect's side, only three people including Li Sha and Xu Sen had advanced.

The exchange meet quickly reached its third day of competition, and the atmosphere at the Martial Arts Field was exceptionally solemn.

The matches over the previous two days had eliminated half of the contestants; those remaining on the field now were the elites of each Sect.

Today, the top thirteen would be decided, and every battle was of vital importance.

The crowd was packed in front of the drawing stage.

Li Changsheng stood in the queue with a calm expression.

He had won his first two matches easily, but he didn't know who he would encounter today, nor did he think about it.

He would meet whatever came his way.

When it was his turn to draw, he reached into the cylinder and pulled out a jade slip.

A name was engraved upon it.

Li Changsheng's pupils constricted slightly.

Xu Sen.

It was a narrow road for enemies.

When the results of the draw were announced, the entire audience fell silent for a moment.

“Li Changsheng of the Qinglan Sword Sect vs. Xu Sen of the Blood Fiend Sect.”

These words were amplified by a deacon Disciple using spiritual power and floated above the Martial Arts Field, visible to everyone.

The crowd began to stir.

“Li Changsheng? The one who talked about planting trees during the Dao discussion yesterday?”

“Xu Sen? From the Blood Fiend Sect, I heard he's reached Qi Refining Level 9.”

“Is there a grudge between these two? Why does the atmosphere feel off?”

On the Qinglan Sword Sect's side, Li Changqing's expression changed.

She certainly remembered Xu Sen.

In the Secret Realm, he was the Blood Fiend Sect leader who had led twelve people to surround and kill them.

The man who had been wounded by Li Changsheng's sword and fled in a wretched state.

Now that he had achieved a Breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 9 and returned, this was clearly a battle of revenge.

“Changsheng...”

She looked toward Li Changsheng.

Li Changsheng didn't look back; he simply tightened his grip on his green steel sword.

On the Jinyang Sect's side, Lin Jingyun frowned.

He leaned into Zhou Yuan's ear and whispered a few words.

After listening, a hint of gravity appeared in Zhou Yuan's gaze as he looked at Li Changsheng.

Medicine King Valley's Yun Yifei put away his usual smile and watched the scene thoughtfully.

Su Qianxue of the Qingxin Pavilion also looked toward Li Changsheng, her eyes carrying a trace of inexplicable emotion.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the Blood Fiend Sect's side was entirely different.

Xu Sen stood up, his face terrifyingly grim.

Several Blood Fiend Sect Disciples around him were patting his shoulders, saying things like “avenge our brothers.”

Li Sha sat there, his face still deathly pale and his eyes blood-red.

He looked at Li Changsheng, a meaningful smile curling his lips, as if he were enjoying a great show about to unfold.

“Go.”

He spoke, his voice hoarse.

“Don't embarrass us.”

Xu Sen nodded and strode toward the arena.

Arena Number Three.

By the time Li Changsheng leaped onto the arena, Xu Sen was already standing there.

The two stood three zhang apart, locking eyes.

Xu Sen's face was as grim as iron, and the flames of hatred burned in his eyes.

His right shoulder had once been wrapped in bandages.

That was where he had been wounded by Li Changsheng last time; it had healed now, but the scar remained.

That scar served as a constant reminder of the humiliation of that sword strike.

“Li Changsheng.”

He spoke each word deliberately, his voice suppressed with endless malice.

“Do you know how long I've waited for this day?”

Li Changsheng didn't speak, just looked at him calmly.

“Half a year.”

Xu Sen continued.

“For half a year, I've Cultivated desperately every day just for today. Just to kill you with my own hands.”

He slowly drew the black saber from his waist.

The blade was as black as ink, engraved with eerie blood-red runes, emitting a cold aura.

It was a High Grade Magical Artifact, many times stronger than the one he had used in the Secret Realm.

“Today, I will avenge my fallen brothers.”

Xu Sen gripped the hilt tightly.

“Senior Brother Xu, Xie Qian, Wan Rong, and those six other brothers... you will pay for their lives today.”

Li Changsheng still said nothing.

He simply tightened his grip on his green steel sword and took a starting stance.

The referee looked at the two, confirmed both sides were ready, stepped back a few paces, and raised his hand.

“Gong!”

The gong resounded!

Xu Sen erupted instantly!

His speed was startling, more than twice as fast as it had been half a year ago!

The black saber, accompanied by the whistling of the wind, slashed toward Li Changsheng's head!

This strike wasn't a probe; it was a killing move from the start!

Li Changsheng's footwork shifted, and his body flashed like a nimble ape, narrowly avoiding the strike!

The blade's edge grazed past his cheek, the sharp Saber Qi leaving a thin bloodstain on his face!

As the first strike missed, Xu Sen's second strike followed immediately!

The third strike, the fourth, the fifth...

His saber technique was frenzied and sharp, each blow carrying the cold Evil Qi unique to the Blood Fiend Sect!

That Evil Qi felt almost physical, enveloping the entire arena and sending a chill through the spectators below!

Li Changsheng fought while retreating, weaving through the flashes of the saber.

He wasn't in a hurry to counterattack, but instead carefully observed Xu Sen's saber technique.

Soon, he noticed the changes.

Xu Sen's saber technique was completely different from half a year ago.

Back then, although he was ferocious, he was full of openings. Now, his technique was sharper, more ruthless, and more... mature.

He had indeed put in hard work over these six months.

After thirty moves, Li Changsheng had gained three more wounds.

Though none were deep, they were enough to show that the opponent's saber technique could now threaten him.

Below the stage, Li Changqing's heart was in her throat.

She clenched her fists so tightly her nails almost dug into her flesh.

“Changsheng...”

She murmured.

Lin Jingyun's frown deepened.

Beside him, Zhou Yuan spoke flatly.

“This Xu Sen is stronger than expected.”

Lin Jingyun nodded.

“But Li Changsheng is stronger.”

Zhou Yuan looked at him.

“You have that much confidence in him?”

Lin Jingyun smiled and didn't answer.

On the arena, the battle continued.

At the fiftieth move, Li Changsheng began to counterattack.

His sword technique suddenly became sharp.

He alternated between the Gale Style, Flowing Cloud Style, and Falling Thunder Style of the Qinglan Sword Art, combined with the powerful force of the Green Wood Fist and over a hundred years of cultivation experience, forcing Xu Sen to divide his attention for defense.

Xu Sen's expression changed.

He had thought that after his desperate cultivation for half a year, reaching Qi Refining Level 9 and achieving Major Achievement in his saber technique, he would surely crush Li Changsheng.

But now he realized that the opponent's progress was even greater than his own!

At the eightieth move, Li Changsheng's sword struck Xu Sen's left arm!

Blood splattered!

Xu Sen let out a muffled groan, gritted his teeth, and continued his fierce assault without letting his saber technique falter!

At the hundredth move, Li Changsheng's sword struck his right leg!

Xu Sen stumbled, nearly falling, but he braced himself and didn't go down!

Below the stage, the expressions of the Blood Fiend Sect members changed.

They hadn't expected that even with Xu Sen giving his all, he would still be at a disadvantage.

Li Sha's face remained deathly pale, but the light in his eyes grew more dangerous.

By the hundred and thirtieth move, both were at the end of their ropes.

Under Xu Sen's suicidal fighting style, Li Changsheng also had seven or eight wounds on his body, blood staining his gray robes red.

Xu Sen was in even worse shape, with at least a dozen sword wounds, covered in blood and teetering on the edge of collapse.

But neither of them stopped.