7: Chapter 7 The Battle of the Quarterfinals

In the Outer Sect plaza of the Qingyun Sect, as the dawn light faintly appeared, it was already packed with a sea of people.

Today's battle for the top eight would determine the four most elite Outer Sect Disciples who would compete for the final top three rankings. Everyone who reached this stage was an outstanding talent among the Outer Sect Disciples, with top-tier strength, Heart-Nature, and Opportunity. Every duel would be a fierce struggle, enough for countless Inner and Outer Sect Disciples to observe and gain insights.

On the viewing platforms, there were more Inner Sect Elders and deacons than in the previous two days. Even some Golden Core Immortal Masters who usually remained in seclusion had quietly appeared, hiding within the clouds to observe this tournament that would determine the future landscape of the Outer Sect.

Lin Wan stood calmly in the contestant area, wearing a green robe, his figure as straight as a sword. After a night of regulating his breath and deduction, his Aura was now restrained, his eyes deep, as if everything was under his control. Having defeated Du Sha and Golden Bell yesterday, especially by frontally breaking through the defense of "Golden Bell Shield" Golden Bell, his reputation had reached its Peak. Now, no one dared to underestimate this former "trash," and many even regarded him as a strong contender for the champion of this tournament.

"Look, Lin Wan is here! Today he faces 'Ghost Shadow' Ghost Shadow. I wonder who will come out on top?"

"Ghost Shadow's movement technique is bizarre and elusive, making him the most troublesome. But Lin Wan's speed doesn't seem slow either, and his Sword Qi has a wide range and high attack power, which perfectly counters him."

"It's hard to say. Ghost Shadow's concealment and assassination techniques are impossible to guard against. If Lin Wan gets too close to him, the outcome will be unpredictable."

Amidst the discussions, Elder Xuan Zhenzi appeared on the main arena and announced the start of the top eight battles.

The huge jade stele shimmered with light, displaying the matchups: First match: Lin Wan vs. Ghost Shadow; Second match: Cold Moon vs. Shi Yong; Third match: Golden Bell vs. Illusion Butterfly; Fourth match: Yue Shan vs. Yun Feiyang.

"First match, Lin Wan and Ghost Shadow, take the stage!"

Lin Wan flickered, drifting onto the arena like a patch of green cloud. Almost simultaneously, on the other side, a faint black shadow rippled like water, and Ghost Shadow's figure emerged silently, as if he had been there all along.

Ghost Shadow had a lean build, wore inconspicuous gray tight-fitting clothes, and had an ordinary face, but his eyes were as deep as pools, carrying no emotion when looking at people. He stared at Lin Wan and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Junior Brother Lin, please."

"Senior Brother Ghost Shadow, please." Lin Wan cupped his hands, his Divine Sense already quietly expanding to cover the entire arena. However, to his slight alarm, his Divine Sense could not quite capture Ghost Shadow's exact Aura; the opponent seemed to have merged into the surrounding environment, appearing and disappearing.

"The match begins!" As soon as the referee Elder finished speaking, Ghost Shadow's figure suddenly blurred, like ink dropped into water, and vanished from the spot instantly!

It was not just extreme speed, but true concealment! Even his Aura and spiritual power fluctuations were completely restrained, as if he had never existed!

"What a brilliant concealment technique!" Lin Wan felt a jolt in his heart and dared not be negligent. He instantly unleashed the Floating Light Sweeping Shadow, his figure turning into trails of afterimages as he moved rapidly across the arena. At the same time, he flicked his hands repeatedly, and several pale blue Water-element Sword Qi, like agile fish, spread outward from him, forming a massive web of Sword Qi.

The Water-element Sword Qi had keen perception and could detect subtle fluctuations in spiritual power and changes in water vapor. As long as Ghost Shadow was still on the arena, as long as he was breathing and moving, he would inevitably cause changes in the air and water vapor.

Sure enough, three zhang away to the left, an extremely faint ripple in the air was captured by a strand of Water-element Sword Qi!

"Found you!" A flash of brilliance appeared in Lin Wan's eyes. His body shot toward that spot like lightning, and at the same time, he pointed with his right hand, sending a condensed Metal-element Sword Qi piercing through the air, aimed directly at the center of the ripple!

"Swish!" The Sword Qi missed, leaving only a deep hole in the bluestone ground. That ripple in the air was actually just a decoy!

Almost at the same time, a chill rose behind Lin Wan! A black dagger's light, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, silently stabbed toward his heart! Before the dagger arrived, a cold, bone-chilling killing intent made goosebumps rise on Lin Wan's skin.

Ghost Shadow had somehow snuck behind him! Moreover, this strike's timing, angle, and speed were perfect, occurring exactly at the moment when Lin Wan's old power was exhausted, his new power had not yet arisen, and his attention was distracted by the decoy!

There was no way to dodge!

Exclamations erupted from the audience. Ghost Shadow's assassination technique was truly well-deserved and impossible to guard against!

However, there was no panic on Lin Wan's face. It was as if he had eyes on his back. At the moment the dagger reached his body, his body twisted at an incredible angle, like a willow catkin in the wind, narrowly avoiding the dagger's edge. Simultaneously, he struck backward with his left elbow, aiming at Ghost Shadow's wrist!

"Hmm?" A trace of surprise flashed in Ghost Shadow's eyes. He hadn't expected Lin Wan's reaction to be so fast and his movement technique so bizarre. He flipped his wrist, the dagger slashing toward Lin Wan's elbow, while his figure blurred again, preparing to escape.

But would Lin Wan let him retreat so easily? His left elbow's momentum remained unchanged, but its surface was suddenly covered with a layer of pale golden luster—a localized protective coating of Metal-element Sword Qi!

"Clang!" The dagger scraped against the Metal-element Sword Qi, producing a harsh friction sound, but it failed to break the defense. Meanwhile, Lin Wan's elbow strike landed solidly on Ghost Shadow's wrist.

Ghost Shadow let out a muffled groan, feeling intense pain in his wrist, and the dagger nearly slipped from his hand. He used the force to fly back, merging into the air once again and vanishing.

The first exchange was lightning-fast and extremely dangerous. Although Lin Wan was not injured, the robe on his back was slashed open, showing just how fierce that strike had been. Ghost Shadow, on the other hand, had his wrist injured, causing a slight, almost imperceptible sluggishness in his concealment technique.

"Amazing! Both of them are so fast!" "Ghost Shadow's assassination is too terrifying; if not for Lin Wan's excellent movement technique, he would have been in danger just now." "What movement technique is that? To be able to make such an evasive maneuver in that situation?" "It seems to be some advanced movement technique containing Yin and Yang changes, not just speed..." The audience was discussing fervently, watching with heart-pounding excitement.

On the arena, Lin Wan's expression was grave. Ghost Shadow's concealment and assassination technique was more troublesome than imagined. If he hadn't cultivated the Yin-Yang Harmony Guidance Technique, which made his spiritual perception far superior to those of the same rank, and if Floating Light Sweeping Shadow didn't contain Yin and Yang changes, he would likely have suffered a loss just now.

"I cannot let him lead me by the nose." Lin Wan's mind raced, and he made a decision.

He no longer defended passively. Instead, he formed hand seals and shouted in a low voice, "Water and Wood Pure Radiance!"

Water-element Sword Qi and Wood-element Sword Qi erupted simultaneously, weaving into a curtain of pale blue and emerald green light that spread rapidly from him as the center! Within the light curtain, water vapor swirled and phantom images of grass and trees swayed. This not only significantly enhanced his perception but also had a powerful interference and suppression effect on concealment and stealth-type Spells.

At the same time, he stepped with mysterious footwork, his figure moving rapidly within the light curtain, while Metal and Fire Sword Qi remained hidden at his fingertips, ready to strike. He had transformed into a mobile fortress, integrating offense and defense, giving Ghost Shadow no chance to launch a sneak attack.

"You want to suppress my concealment with range?" At the edge of the light curtain, the air twisted slightly, and Ghost Shadow's hoarse voice came through, "Then let's see if your range is greater, or my speed is faster!"

Before the words faded, three figures of Ghost Shadow appeared simultaneously within the light curtain! Each one had a solid Aura, holding a black dagger, and lunged at Lin Wan from different directions! The speed was as fast as a ghost, and the offensive of the three figures formed a simple combined attack, sealing off all angles of evasion!

Illusion Clones? Or afterimages left by excessive speed? Lin Wan's Divine Sense swept over them, but he couldn't distinguish the real from the fake instantly. These three figures all seemed to be real!

"Since I can't tell them apart, I'll hit them all!" A fierce look flashed in Lin Wan's eyes, and he held nothing back. He held his hands in a void-grasping gesture, and gold, blue, green, and red lights instantly condensed and fused in front of his chest, transforming into a rapidly rotating four-colored Sword Wheel—the very Four Symbols Sword Wheel that had shattered Golden Bell's Golden Bell Shield yesterday! Only this time, the Sword Wheel did not leave his body to attack but rotated around him, forming an impenetrable barrier of Sword Qi!

"Four Symbols Rotation, all techniques repelled!"

"Swish swish swish swish—!" The attacks from the three Ghost Shadow figures landed on the four-colored Sword Wheel almost simultaneously! The harsh sounds of cutting and collision merged into one, sparks flying everywhere! The spinning Sword Wheel shredded and deflected the attacks of all three figures!

Two of the figures shattered instantly—they were illusions! Only the one in front was real. At the moment the dagger collided with the Sword Wheel, Ghost Shadow's face turned pale; he had clearly suffered a hidden loss.

"Now!" Lin Wan seized this fleeting Opportunity. He guided with his right sword finger, and the four-colored Sword Wheel surrounding him suddenly contracted, transforming into an extremely condensed four-colored Sword Radiance attached to his fingertip, striking like lightning toward Ghost Shadow's throat! This strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless, incorporating all his understanding of the four-element Sword Qi and augmented by the embryonic form of Sword Intent—its power was heaven-shaking!

Ghost Shadow's pupils constricted, sensing a fatal threat. He roared, his figure suddenly blurring, transforming into dozens of indistinguishable afterimages that scattered in all directions—he had actually unleashed a life-saving secret technique similar to "Blood Escape," attempting to scatter and flee!

"Want to leave? Too late!" Lin Wan's eyes were cold. His sword finger's momentum remained unchanged, but the four-colored Sword Radiance at his fingertip suddenly exploded, transforming into countless fine four-colored Sword Qi, like a rain of pear blossoms, covering all directions where Ghost Shadow's afterimages might escape!

Area-of-effect attack, indiscriminate coverage!

"Puff, puff, puff, puff..." The sound of Sword Qi entering flesh rang out densely, accompanied by a muffled groan from Ghost Shadow. The sky full of afterimages dissipated, and Ghost Shadow's true body fell from mid-air, crashing heavily onto the arena. He had at least a dozen wounds all over his body, dripping with blood, especially a wound on his right chest that was deep enough to see bone; he had clearly been severely injured.

"I... concede." Ghost Shadow spoke with a struggle, his face as pale as paper. In that instant just now, he had truly felt the Aura of death. If Lin Wan hadn't seemed to hold back some force at the end, he would likely be a corpse by now.

"Lin Wan wins!" The referee Elder announced immediately.

The audience was silent at first, then erupted into earth-shaking cheers and exclamations.

"He won! Another crushing victory!" "That four-colored Sword Wheel is too strong! Offense and defense in one, Ghost Shadow's assassination has no place to be used!" "Lin Wan's grasp of timing is terrifying. Just at the moment when Ghost Shadow's old power was gone and new power hadn't arisen, he decided the victory with one strike!" "This child already has the bearing of a Grandmaster—calm in the face of favor or humiliation, and decisive in action."

On the viewing platform, Peak Master Yue Lingyun of Tianjian Peak clapped and laughed: "Good! What a Four Symbols Sword Wheel! Offense like thunder, defense like an abyss; even more rare is this control over the battle situation! This child, I am determined to take him in!"

The other Elders also nodded one after another. Being able to defeat Ghost Shadow, who was known for being bizarre and difficult to deal with, so cleanly and neatly, Lin Wan's strength and potential were already beyond doubt.

Lin Wan stepped off the stage calmly, turning a deaf ear to the cheers around him, and returned to the resting area to sit cross-legged and regulate his breath. Although he won the battle just now, the consumption was not small, especially the final explosion of the four-colored Sword Radiance, which required extremely high control over Divine Sense and spiritual power.

Next was the second match, Cold Moon vs. Shi Yong.

On the arena, Cold Moon, dressed in white and as cold and clear as the moon, stood opposite the tower-like, robust Shi Yong, forming a sharp contrast.

"The match begins!" Cold Moon struck first. With a light wave of her slender hand, the temperature of the arena plummeted. Countless ice crystals condensed out of thin air, forming a huge ice storm that swept toward Shi Yong! The cold wind was biting, and the ice blades were like knives, covering the entire arena, leaving nowhere to hide!

Shi Yong let out a low roar, his body glowing with intense golden light. A faint metallic luster appeared on the surface of his skin. He did not dodge or avoid it, but instead, bracing against the ice storm, he strode forward toward Cold Moon! The ice blades struck his body, making clanging sounds and leaving white marks, but they could not break his defense.

"Ice Seal!" Cold Moon's expression remained unchanged. She brought her hands together, and the ice storm suddenly contracted, transforming into a thick, ice-blue beam of light that completely enveloped Shi Yong! Inside the beam of light, the temperature was terrifyingly low, as if even the air was about to be frozen.

Shi Yong's forward momentum suddenly stalled, and the golden light on his body dimmed at a speed visible to the naked eye. A thick layer of frost quickly covered his entire body, intending to freeze him into an ice sculpture.

"Break!" Shi Yong's eyes widened in anger, his muscles bulging all over his body, and the golden light erupted once more, causing the frost on his body to shatter inch by inch. He clenched his fists and slammed them violently onto the ground!

"Boom!" The arena shook violently. A circular wave of golden Qi exploded from him as the center, sweeping away the remaining cold energy. At the same time, he pushed off with his feet, shooting toward Cold Moon like a cannonball, throwing a punch that whistled with wind, causing the air to explode!

"Ice Wall!" Three thick ice walls instantly erected in front of Cold Moon.

"Bang, bang, bang!" Shi Yong broke through three layers of ice walls with one punch. His momentum slowed slightly, but he was still peerlessly fierce.

Cold Moon drifted backward, while her hands quickly formed seals, condensing dozens of sharp ice spears in the air, which shot toward Shi Yong like raindrops.

Shi Yong did not dodge or evade; he swung his fists, shattering the ice spears one by one, pressing forward step by step.

His tactic was simple yet effective—relying on his formidable defense and strength to tank attacks and engage in close-quarters combat.

The two engaged in a fierce exchange on the arena, one attacking and the other defending, ice against metal.

Frost intertwined with golden light, and cold air collided with the force of his fists, creating a spectacular scene.

In the end, Shi Yong, relying on his superior defense and stamina, withstood dozens of Cold Moon's ice-type Spells, closed the distance, and shattered her protective spiritual light with a single punch, forcing her to the edge of the arena and winning narrowly.

"Shi Yong, winner!"

The third match was Golden Bell versus Illusion Butterfly.

Golden Bell's Golden Bell Shield perfectly countered Illusion Butterfly's illusions.

No matter what illusions Illusion Butterfly cast, Golden Bell kept his mind guarded, meeting changes with constancy, step by step compressing her space for maneuver.

Eventually, Illusion Butterfly exhausted her spiritual power and had no choice but to concede.

The fourth match was Yue Shan versus Yun Feiyang.

Yue Shan wielded a heavy mountain-splitting axe, powerful and weighty, with every swing carrying the force to split mountains and break boulders.

Yun Feiyang's movement technique was elegant, and his swordsmanship was light and agile, like drifting clouds.

The two fought for over a hundred rounds, until finally, Yue Shan used a move called 'Force Splitting Mount Hua' to break through Yun Feiyang's defense and knock him off the arena.

With this, the final four were determined: Lin Wan, Shi Yong, Golden Bell, and Yue Shan.

Next would be the semifinals.

The draw results: Lin Wan versus Yue Shan, and Shi Yong versus Golden Bell.

"Mountain Breaker" Yue Shan, at the Peak of the ninth level of the Qi Refinement Stage, possessed infinite strength and a domineering axe technique, making him the representative of power-type fighters in this tournament.

To fight him, one needed to avoid a direct contest of strength and instead use finesse to overcome force.

Lin Wan had a plan in mind and began to adjust his state.

The first semifinal match: Lin Wan versus Yue Shan.

Yue Shan stood nine feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, resembling a small mountain.

He carried a mountain-splitting axe as wide as a door panel as he walked onto the arena, his gaze filled with Battle Intent as he looked at Lin Wan: "Junior Brother Lin, your sword is sharp, but I wonder if it can cut through my Mountain Axe?"

"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Yue." Lin Wan cupped his hands.

"The match begins!"

Yue Shan roared, took a step, and the arena shook. The mountain-splitting axe descended with a shrill whistling sound, striking straight down! There were no frills, just pure strength and speed, as if he intended to split the entire arena in two!

Before the axe even arrived, the violent wind pressure made it hard to breathe.

Lin Wan dared not take it head-on; he activated Floating Light Sweeping Shadow, his figure turning into a wisp of blue smoke as he slid to the side.

"Boom!"

The mountain-splitting axe slammed into the arena, shattering the bluestone and sending stone fragments flying, leaving a crater several feet deep.

The power of a single axe strike was truly terrifying.

"Where are you going!" Yue Shan turned, his great axe sweeping horizontally like a black whirlwind, engulfing Lin Wan.

Lin Wan dodged again, simultaneously pointing his fingers repeatedly, firing several Metal-element Sword Qi beams that pierced toward Yue Shan's vital points like golden needles.

However, when the Sword Qi struck Yue Shan's body, it produced a clanging sound, leaving only shallow white marks on his bronze-colored skin; it couldn't even break his defense!

"Haha! Junior Brother Lin, your Sword Qi is sharp, but it's still far from enough to break my 'Mountain Body'!" Yue Shan laughed, his offensive becoming even fiercer, his axe dancing so tightly that not even water could seep through, forcing Lin Wan to dodge constantly.

"Such strong defense! Truly worthy of being 'Mountain Breaker' Yue Shan; this Physical Body is probably no less than those who specialize in Body Refining."

"Lin Wan's Sword Qi can't even break his defense? How is he supposed to fight?"

"It seems Lin Wan has met his nemesis. Both his strength and defense are suppressed. Although his movement technique is fast, the arena space is limited; he will be forced into a corner sooner or later."

The crowd below discussed, all sweating for Lin Wan.

Lin Wan's expression remained calm. He truly hadn't expected Yue Shan's physical defense to be this strong, rendering his Metal-element Sword Qi unable to cause effective damage. But he was not panicked.

"Since Metal doesn't work, let's try Fire." Lin Wan's mind stirred, and the Sword Qi at his fingertips turned crimson. A faint wisp of Fire-element Sword Qi shot out, striking Yue Shan's arm.

"Hiss!"

This time, it wasn't the sound of metal clashing, but a soft sizzle, like a red-hot iron pressed against skin. A charred spot immediately appeared on Yue Shan's arm, accompanied by a burning pain.

"Fire?" Yue Shan frowned. The Mountain Technique he cultivated belonged to the Earth element, which had strong resistance to Metal and Wood, but relatively weaker resistance to Fire and Water. Although Lin Wan's Fire-element Sword Qi was weak, it happened to counter his Cultivation Technique.

"Interesting, but still not enough!" Yue Shan growled. A layer of earthy yellow halo emerged on the surface of his body, increasing his defense further, while his offensive became even more violent, his axe falling like a raging storm, intending to completely engulf Lin Wan.

Lin Wan's movement was like lightning, weaving through the axe shadows while continuously firing Fire-element Sword Qi. Although the damage from each beam was limited, after accumulating, Yue Shan now had over a dozen charred wounds, and his movements were slightly affected.

"I can't keep dragging this out." Lin Wan's thoughts raced. Yue Shan's strength and defense were too strong; a war of attrition was disadvantageous for him. Moreover, his Fire-element Sword Qi was, after all, only in its embryonic stage, consuming much spiritual power while having limited power.

He had to decide the victory in one strike!

His figure suddenly stopped; he ceased dodging and faced the great axe swinging toward him. His hands formed a hollow embrace in front of his chest, and four-colored light—Metal, Water, Wood, and Fire—gathered and compressed frantically, transforming into a fist-sized, dazzling four-colored sphere of light! Inside the sphere, the four types of Sword Qi rotated, collided, and fused at high speed, emitting a destructive fluctuation.

The ultimate move of the Little Five Elements Sword Technique—Four Symbols Explosion!

Using Fire as the trigger, Metal as the bone, Water as the softness, and Wood as the toughness, the four elements generated and countered each other, detonating instantly to produce a terrifying destructive power far exceeding that of a single-element Sword Qi! However, this move required extremely high control, consumed a massive amount of power, and once unleashed, the user would also suffer from the backlash.

"Hmm?!" Yue Shan sensed the terrifying power contained within that sphere of light, his expression changing drastically. He tried to retract his axe and retreat, but it was already too late.

"Explode!"

Lin Wan whispered, pushing the four-colored sphere of light toward the blade of the great axe swinging toward him!

"Boom—!!!"

An earth-shattering explosion! The dazzling four-colored light instantly swallowed the entire arena! Violent Sword Qi, scorching heatwaves, and sharp fragments swept outward like a tsunami! The arena's protective Formation flickered frantically, nearly collapsing!

Everyone below was struck with horror, retreating repeatedly.

The light lasted for several breaths before slowly dissipating.

The arena was in shambles. The bluestone ground had been blasted into a deep crater several feet wide, the edges charred and emitting wisps of smoke.

In the center of the crater, Lin Wan knelt on one knee, his face pale, a wisp of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. The sleeve of his right arm was shredded, and his arm was covered in fine, bleeding wounds. Clearly, he had suffered significant backlash from that "Four Symbols Explosion" move.

Three zhang away in front of him, Yue Shan was in an even more miserable state. His heavy mountain-splitting axe had been twisted and deformed by the blast, flying dozens of zhang away. He lay on his back at the edge of the crater, charred all over, his clothes in rags, his chest a bloody mess, his Aura weak—he was heavily injured and unconscious.

"Lin Wan... wins!" The referee Elder's voice trembled slightly, and Disciple attendants immediately rushed onto the stage to treat Yue Shan.

Silence. A deathly silence.

Everyone, including the Elders in the stands, was too shocked by this earth-shattering blow to speak.

After a long while, a tsunami-like roar of astonishment erupted.

"What kind of move was that?! Too terrifying!"

"Yue Shan... was nearly blown to death!"

"Lin Wan is also heavily injured; this is a mutual defeat!"

"But in the end, Lin Wan won! He's into the finals!"

"The first place of this tournament is likely his!"

In the stands, Peak Master Yue Lingyun of Tianjian Peak stood up abruptly, his eyes bursting with unprecedented brilliance: "Four elements generating each other, instantly detonated! This is an ultimate move that utilizes the Five Elements mutual generation and restriction to the extreme! This child's understanding of the Dao of the Sword has far surpassed his peers! Senior Brother Xuan Zhenzi, this child must join my Tianjian Peak! I am willing to take him as my Personal Disciple!"

A Personal Disciple! A Personal Disciple of a Golden Core Immortal Master! This treatment was enough to make countless Inner Sect Disciples green with envy.

Xuan Zhenzi took a deep breath, calming the shock in his heart, and nodded slowly: "This child indeed possesses unparalleled talent. However, we still need to see his performance in the finals, and... his own thoughts."

With the help of the Disciple attendants, Lin Wan walked off the arena, immediately took a healing Medicinal Pill, and sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing. The "Four Symbols Explosion" move just now, while powerful, had placed a significant burden on his Meridians and Dantian, and his right arm was severely injured. Fortunately, the Yin-Yang Harmony Guidance Technique was profound, and the circulation of Yin and Yang Qi was rapidly repairing the damage.

"The finals..." Lin Wan looked toward the other semifinal arena, where the battle between Shi Yong and Golden Bell had reached a fever pitch.

An hour later, Lin Wan's injuries had recovered by seven or eight parts, and the wound on his right arm had scabbed over under the effect of the Medicinal Pill and his Cultivation Technique. He opened his eyes and looked toward the central arena.

There, the battle between Shi Yong and Golden Bell had just ended.

Shi Yong was ultimately superior. Relying on stronger defense and power, after withstanding dozens of Golden Bell's attacks, he seized the moment when Golden Bell's spiritual power was insufficient and shattered the Golden Bell Shield with a single punch, defeating him.

"Shi Yong, winner! Advances to the finals!"

"The finals, Lin Wan versus Shi Yong, will be held in one hour!"

The crowd below erupted again.

The finals would be the sharpest spear (Lin Wan's Four-element Sword Qi) against the strongest shield (Shi Yong's Mountain Body)! Moreover, both had fought bitter battles in the semifinals, and neither was at their Peak state. This was destined to be an even more intense and brutal duel!

Lin Wan looked at Shi Yong in the rest area on the other side. Shi Yong happened to look over as well; their gazes met in the air, and both saw the soaring Battle Intent in each other's eyes.

"Junior Brother Lin, your Four Symbols Sword Qi is impressive, but my fists aren't just for show!" Shi Yong grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Senior Brother Shi Yong's defense is admirable. In the finals, I will definitely give it my all." Lin Wan replied calmly.

The one-hour rest period was crucial for both.

Lin Wan entered deep meditation again, while reviewing his battle with Yue Shan and thinking about strategies to deal with Shi Yong.

"Shi Yong's defense is more comprehensive than Golden Bell's; it relies not just on Cultivation Techniques but also on a formidable Physical Body. Although Four Symbols Explosion can break his defense, the consumption is too great, and I will also be injured. There is only one match in the finals; I must retain enough strength to deal with accidents."

"Moreover, Shi Yong's strength and close-combat abilities are extremely strong. Once he gets close, it will be troublesome. I must keep my distance, use Sword Qi to kite, and search for flaws."

"Metal-element Sword Qi's defense-breaking effect is mediocre. Fire-element Sword Qi counters him, but mine is too weak. Water and Wood-element Sword Qi are more focused on control and support..."

"Perhaps... I can try Five Elements mutual generation, using Wood to generate Fire, and strengthen the Fire-element Sword Qi?"

Thoughts flashed through his mind, and Lin Wan began to try. He mobilized the faint wisp of Wood-element Sword Qi in his Dantian, following the "Wood Generates Fire" technique from the Little Five Elements Sword Technique, attempting to convert it into Fire-element Sword Qi.

This process was more difficult than simply condensing Fire-element Sword Qi, but if he could succeed, it would not only enhance the power of the Fire-element Sword Qi but also deepen his understanding of the Five Elements mutual generation and restriction.

Time passed bit by bit.

Inside Lin Wan's Dantian, the Wood-element Sword Qi slowly circulated, and a faint wisp of vitality was stripped away and merged into the wisp of flame. The flame trembled slightly, seemingly growing a bit stronger, but it remained weak.

"Not enough... My understanding of the Five Elements mutual generation and restriction is still too shallow." Lin Wan frowned. The Dao of the Five Elements is vast and profound; it is by no means something that can be achieved in a single day. That he could touch the threshold during the Qi Refinement Stage was already a stroke of great luck.

"It seems I can only rely on improvisation." Lin Wan no longer forced it and turned to fully recover his injuries and spiritual power.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

"The finals, Lin Wan versus Shi Yong, take the stage!"

With Elder Xuan Zhenzi's resonant voice, the entire audience's gaze focused on the central main arena.

Lin Wan and Shi Yong took the stage simultaneously.

One was in green robes, wielding a sword (though he had no sword, he had a sword in his heart), and the other was bare-chested, like a mountain. One had an Aura as sharp as a drawn divine weapon, and the other had an Aura as steady and heavy as an ancient mountain.

The Peak duel was on the verge of breaking out.

"The match begins!"