18: Chapter 18: The Unexpected Victory of the Intensive Battle Leads to the Defeated Victory of All the Proud Ones

Fragrant mist curled as a new half-stick of incense was lit in the specially crafted burner.

On the arena stage, Lei Xuan and Xu Ruyu faced off once again.

The air seemed to freeze. The deathly silence brought about by Xiao Nianyin's overbearing declaration had not yet fully dissipated, and now it was joined by a thicker killing intent and... a trace of indescribable, eerie anticipation.

Lei Xuan's eyes were bloodshot. His previous fear had been replaced by deeper humiliation and a desperate, all-or-nothing madness.

He knew this was no longer just a match; it was a life-and-death struggle concerning his personal dignity and even his Family's safety!

He glared fixedly at Xu Ruyu, this "trash" who had caused him so much humiliation. The remaining Qi in his body surged recklessly as he forced it to its peak, even at the cost of damaging his Meridians!

"Defeat!"

Lei Xuan roared. No longer testing the waters, his body transformed into a distorted purple afterimage, his speed nearly doubling from before!

Lightning coiled around both his fists. He no longer used the long-range Finger Lightning Technique, instead compressing the violent power of thunder into his knuckles. He intended to destroy Xu Ruyu in the shortest time possible with the most direct and brutal close-quarters combat!

"Shocking Thunder Break!"

Before the fist wind even arrived, the skin-stinging pressure of the lightning already made it difficult for Xu Ruyu to breathe.

His pupils constricted. Almost at the same moment Lei Xuan moved, his body instinctively leaned backward!

Sizzle!

The lightning-wrapped fist roared past the tip of his nose. The resulting electric arc singed his bangs, giving off a burnt smell.

Using a posture akin to an iron bridge, Xu Ruyu narrowly avoided the lethal strike. With his back nearly touching the ground, he exerted force through his waist and abdomen, rolling clumsily to the side.

Boom!

Lei Xuan's fist smashed into the Black Iron arena, leaving a shallow crater as lightning sparked in all directions.

"Hiding? Let's see how long you can hide!"

Lei Xuan was like a crazed tiger, giving Xu Ruyu no room to breathe. Fists, palms, elbows, and knees—his entire body became a weapon as he poured a torrential rain of crackling lightning strikes upon Xu Ruyu!

Every strike was heavy and delivered from a tricky angle; it was a completely suicidal fighting style!

The crowd below watched with racing hearts, while also feeling a secret excitement. Lei Xuan was going all out!

Against such an offensive, how much longer could Xu Ruyu's clumsy dodging last? Five breaths? Ten breaths?

However, the scene that followed made everyone's eyelids twitch wildly.

Xu Ruyu was indeed in a pathetic state, even more so than before.

He rolled, crawled, lunged, and stumbled across the arena. His posture was hideous to behold, his robes were torn further by the splashing lightning, and several charred abrasions appeared on his skin.

He looked like a small boat in a storm, liable to be torn apart at any moment.

But...

As Lei Xuan's frantic attacks continued, the half-stick of incense slowly burned away.

Ten breaths passed, and Xu Ruyu was still dodging.

Twenty breaths passed; though Xu Ruyu's breathing grew heavy, his movements remained continuous.

Thirty breaths passed. Due to excessive Qi consumption and the stinging pain in his Meridians, a nearly imperceptible lag appeared in Lei Xuan's offensive.

Forty breaths...

“Huff... huff...”

Lei Xuan's breathing sounded like a broken bellows. Veins bulged on his forehead as sweat mixed with blood slid down his cheeks.

The crazed killing intent in his eyes was gradually replaced by a hint of unbelievable shock, and even... fear.

Why?!

Why was this trash as slippery as a loach?!

Every time, his attacks seemed just a hair's breadth away from hitting a vital spot, yet every time, they were avoided in that ridiculous yet eerily effective way!

His movement technique had no pattern, and his Qi fluctuations were so weak they were almost non-existent, yet he simply couldn't be hit!

"Time is up!"

Elder Li's dry voice rang out.

Lei Xuan froze in place, maintaining his forward-lunging punching posture.

Before him, Xu Ruyu had just fallen to the ground in a posture that looked almost like a trip, perfectly dodging his final horizontal sweep.

Xu Ruyu climbed up from the ground, panting heavily. Covered in dust and looking miserable, his eyes were exceptionally clear, even carrying a hint of... a strange focus he hadn't noticed himself?

"Lei Xuan of Group A, Number Nine, failed to defeat Xu Ruyu within half a stick of incense.

According to the Sect Master's new rules, your eligibility for entry is revoked."

Elder Li announced, his voice exceptionally clear in the silent square.

Lei Xuan felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow. He stumbled back two steps, his face as pale as paper and his lips trembling, yet he couldn't say a single word.

It wasn't that he didn't want to speak, but the massive shock and sense of exhaustion left him nearly collapsed.

He lost? After giving his all and even risking damage to his Foundation, he still couldn't do a single thing to this trash?

Below the stage, there was dead silence.

The expected cheers and mockery did not appear.

The excitement and contempt on the faces of all the candidates receded like a tide, replaced by a bewildered shock and a rising chill.

"Next, Group A, Number Three, Zhou Meng!"

Elder Li's voice broke the silence.

A dark-skinned youth with a burly build, skilled in body techniques and Earth Spells, walked onto the arena with a solemn expression.

Having witnessed Lei Xuan's madness and helplessness, he had long since put away his disdain.

But looking at the panting Xu Ruyu, who looked like he could collapse at any moment, he still felt his chances of winning were very high.

The opponent was just lucky and good at dodging!

He was strong and steady. By using Earth Spells to restrict the opponent's movement, he would surely succeed in one strike!

"Forgive me!"

Zhou Meng gave a low shout. He didn't rush to attack; instead, he planted both feet on the ground as a yellow glow emanated from his body.

"Earth Binding Spell!"

On the arena floor, the Black Iron beneath Xu Ruyu's feet suddenly became as soft as quicksand. A powerful suction force pulled at him, intending to imprison his feet!

At the same time, Zhou Meng charged forward like a bull. His fist, as large as an alms bowl and wrapped in earthy yellow Qi, smashed ruthlessly toward Xu Ruyu's chest!

This punch was heavy and powerful. Coupled with the restriction of the Earth Binding Spell, he believed it was unavoidable!

Xu Ruyu indeed felt the suction from beneath his feet, and his body sank.

A flash of panic appeared in his eyes, but his body moved faster than his thoughts! Just as Zhou Meng's fist was about to connect, he didn't try to break free from the shackles. Instead, borrowing the downward momentum, he threw himself toward the back-side, curling his body and shielding his head with his arms!

Bang!

Zhou Meng's fist grazed his shoulder and the outside of his arm. The shock of the Earth Qi made half his body go numb with bone-deep pain, but it wasn't a lethal wound.

As Xu Ruyu hit the ground, his "bound" feet actually "slid" out of the soft Qi restriction due to the drastic change in body angle and that strange downward curling force!

He rolled on the spot, once again opening up some distance.

Zhou Meng was stunned. His long-prepared combo attack had been broken just like that? The opponent's aesthetic-less fall and curl had a timing and angle that were frustratingly precise.

The following half-stick of incense became a performance of frustration for Zhou Meng.

His earth wall interceptions were always "brushed" aside by Xu Ruyu's near-tripping falls; his heavy strikes were repeatedly avoided at the last moment by a hair's breadth through a twist of the body.

He even tried the area-of-effect "Earth Spike Spell," but Xu Ruyu seemed able to predict them. He always moved to a safe position the instant before the sharp stone spikes emerged, even if his posture remained ugly and pathetic.

Time was up.