15: Chapter 15: Xu Ruyu is finding it difficult to cope, and Xiao Nianyin intervenes?

On the high platform, several Elders also shook their heads slightly.

“This boy... indeed knows nothing of combat techniques,” a grey-robed Elder whispered. “Looking at his dodging, it’s entirely based on instinct, with no trace of spiritual energy circulation.”

“Possessing a strange Physique and luck but lacking the ability to protect his Dao, it is ultimately just a moon reflected in a mirror,” another person chimed in.

“The Sect Master seems to have misjudged this time.”

Some people stole glances at Xiao Nianyin, only to see her expression remain calm, as if the person dodging pathetically on the stage was not her Personal Disciple.

On the stage, Lei Xuan’s fighting grew more and more fluid.

Watching Xu Ruyu roll around the stage like a stray dog, the pent-up frustration he had felt for days was finally being vented.

“Senior Brother Xu, is dodging all you can do?” Lei Xuan deliberately slowed his offensive, teasingly saying, “Where’s the prestige from your first two trials? Where’s your ability to break through the Great Fox Illusion? Use it and let this Junior Brother broaden his horizons!”

Xu Ruyu panted as he scrambled up from the ground, covered in dust, his robes torn, and his face smeared with ash, looking quite miserable.

He gritted his teeth and did not answer.

The power inside his body remained deathly still; he had no idea how to mobilize it.

“Since Senior Brother is being so modest, then this Junior Brother won't be polite!”

A fierce glint flashed in Lei Xuan’s eyes as he decided to end this boring game.

He formed hand seals in front of his chest, and the purple lightning surrounding him suddenly became intense!

“Thunder Flash!”

With a low shout, Lei Xuan transformed into a blinding streak of purple lightning, charging straight at Xu Ruyu at a speed far exceeding before!

This time, it was no longer a ranged attack, but close-quarters combat!

Wherever the lightning passed, the air crackled and popped!

This was one of the few close-range lightning Spells that Qi Refinement Stage Disciples of the Lei Family could master. It attached the power of lightning to the body, drastically increasing speed and attack power for a one-hit kill!

Xu Ruyu only felt a surge of purple light before him as a terrifying, sharp Aura locked onto him completely, making it impossible to evade!

The shadow of death instantly loomed over his heart!

He subconsciously crossed his arms in front of him, closing his eyes to wait for death.

“BOOM—!!!”

The lightning slammed violently into Xu Ruyu’s crossed arms!

The expected scene of broken bones and spitting blood while being sent flying did not occur.

Xu Ruyu only felt a wave of intense numbness and stinging pain in his arms. His entire body was pushed backward by the massive force, his soles screeching against the stage until he hit the defensive light barrier at the edge.

But... he remained standing.

The sleeves on both his arms were shredded, revealing charred skin on his forearms that trembled slightly, yet they weren't broken—he could even still move them.

The entire arena fell silent instantly.

Everyone was stunned, including Lei Xuan on the stage.

Lei Xuan stood where Xu Ruyu had originally been, his face full of bewilderment.

His “Thunder Flash” just now, while not at full strength, was enough to heavily injure an ordinary Middle Stage Qi Refining Cultivator!

But Xu Ruyu... had actually tanked it? With only some superficial flesh wounds on his arms?

“This... this is impossible!”

Lei Xuan blurted out.

He looked closely at Xu Ruyu’s arms. Beneath the charred skin, a very faint, translucent white light was faintly circulating, slowly repairing the injuries.

Was it that strange Physique? Or the hidden power within his body?

Lei Xuan’s face darkened.

He realized he might have underestimated this “trash.”

But the more he realized this, the more intense the jealousy and hatred in his heart became.

On what basis? On what basis did a trash with no Spiritual Root possess these things?

“It seems Senior Brother has some tricks up his sleeve,” Lei Xuan said coldly. “In that case, this Junior Brother is going to get serious!”

He no longer held back, fully circulating his level six Qi Refining spiritual energy. The lightning around him surged, crackling loudly.

He held his hands as if grasping something, and two spheres of jumping purple lightning condensed in his palms!

“Twin Star Thunderstorm!”

One of the Lei Family's top-tier Qi Refinement Stage Spells!

It condensed lightning power to the absolute limit into spheres. Once they hit or came close, they would explode, creating a wide-range lightning storm attack with incredible power!

“Go!”

Lei Xuan pushed his arms forward, and the two head-sized purple lightning spheres shot toward Xu Ruyu from the left and right, carrying a destructive Aura!

This time, he had blocked off Xu Ruyu's space to dodge to either side.

And with the light barrier of the stage's edge behind him, there was no room to retreat!

Xu Ruyu’s pupils constricted; the sense of mortal peril was stronger than ever before.

Within his body, that dormant Saint Realm Power seemed to be stirred by this intense crisis, twitching slightly, but it still didn't actively surge out to protect its master.

What should I do?!

Tank it? I definitely can't! Dodge? Dodge where?

In a split second, an absurd thought flashed through Xu Ruyu’s mind.

He suddenly crouched down, his hands not reaching out to block or attack, but slamming hard against the profound iron floor of the stage!

“What is he doing?”

“Is he scared witless?”

The crowd below was confused.

However, in the next moment, a jaw-dropping scene occurred.

Xu Ruyu slammed his palms on the ground, using the counterforce to suddenly spring upward like a frog, instead of dodging backward or to the side!

The jump lacked any aesthetic grace and even looked a bit comical.

But the height was unexpectedly high, instantly rising more than two zhang!

The two purple lightning spheres whistled right under his feet, slamming into the light barrier behind him!

“BOOM! BOOM!”

Two loud explosions rang out as the lightning scattered. The entire stage's light barrier rippled violently, its glow flickering uncertainly.

Xu Ruyu reached the peak of his jump and began to fall.

And Lei Xuan was directly beneath him, currently in that brief interval where his old strength was spent and new strength had yet to arise because he had just unleashed his Spell.

An opportunity!

A sudden realization struck Xu Ruyu. While in the air, he didn't care about his posture; he curled his body and then suddenly extended it, using the momentum of his descent to kick hard toward the top of Lei Xuan’s head!

This was the most primitive and barbaric way of attacking—stomping!

Lei Xuan hadn't expected Xu Ruyu to use such a move either. In his haste, he could only raise his arms to block.

“BANG!”

The sole of Xu Ruyu’s foot slammed heavily onto Lei Xuan’s crossed arms.

Lei Xuan gave a muffled groan, feeling a brute force pressing down from above. The profound iron floor beneath his feet actually dented slightly!

His arms went numb, his blood surged, and he retreated three steps before he could dissipate the force.

Meanwhile, Xu Ruyu used the counterforce to roll backward, stumbling as he landed and barely managing to stand steady, less than three feet from the edge of the stage.

The entire arena fell silent once more.

A moment later, an even louder burst of laughter and discussion erupted!

“My God! Was that... a toad jump just now?”

“Stomping? He used his foot to stomp? Is this a brawl between street thugs?!”

“Hahaha! I’m dying! This is the Sect Master’s Personal Disciple?!”

“Lei Xuan was actually forced back by this move? That’s just too embarrassing!”

Lei Xuan stabilized himself. Hearing the laughter from below, his face instantly turned blood-red and then shifted to a ghastly green.

What a supreme humiliation!

He, a grand Genius of the Lei Family with a High Grade Lightning Spiritual Root, had actually been forced back by a piece of trash using such a crude method!

This was more painful than being killed!

“You... are looking for death!”

Lei Xuan was completely enraged, Killing Intent showing in his eyes. He no longer cared about any rules. His spiritual energy surged frantically, and purple lightning interlaced, actually forming a faint, blurry phantom of a lightning beast behind him!

His violent Aura climbed level by level!

“It’s the Lei Family’s ‘Lightning Beast Spirit Possession’! He’s going all out!”

“Forcing this move at the Qi Refinement Stage will damage his Foundation!”

“Lei Xuan has gone mad!”

Those in the crowd who knew what they were seeing cried out in shock.

Elder Li’s expression also changed, and he was about to speak out to stop it.

On the high platform, Xiao Nianyin’s expression remained calm, though her eyes darkened slightly.

She looked at Xu Ruyu on the stage, who was panting miserably but had a stubborn look in his eyes, and then at the enraged Lei Xuan. Her lips moved almost imperceptibly.

As for Xu Ruyu, looking at the surging Aura of Lei Xuan, who seemed like a thunder god descended to earth, his heart went cold.

That bit of luck from before had already exhausted his quick-wittedness. Now, facing a Lei Xuan who was clearly going to use a forbidden move, what did he have to block with?

The power within his body remained silent.

Could it be... that this was really the end?

At this critical juncture—

“Enough.”

A cold and calm voice, not loud, yet clearly overriding all the noise in the arena, reached everyone's ears.

Xiao Nianyin slowly stood up.

Everyone’s gaze instantly focused on her.