Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Boom boom boom!

A fan-shaped arc of sword light burst from Zhao Beichen’s blade, tearing through the dense storm of icicles and reducing them to ice powder scattered across the air.

Ji Linglan seized the moment, closing in with her sword surging with powerful ice power. A mere graze would be enough to inflict frostbite.

Boom!

Zhao Beichen nonchalantly took one step forward, then moved so quickly he left an afterimage where he’d stood. His sword shone with blinding golden light as he brought it down on Ji Linglan.

“Primordial Overlord Blade!”

An ancient aura radiated from his sword as he slashed at her waist.

Boom! Clang!

Ji Linglan parried with a horizontal sweep of her ice-blue sword, but the impact sent her hurtling back a dozen zhang. Mid-air, a spray of blood burst from her lips.

Li Guanqi sat up fully alert. He’d noticed a chip the size of a fingernail on her sword—her soul artifact.Soul artifacts were no ordinary weapons. They were intimately nurtured spiritual weapons, manifestations of the self. Soul artifacts were inherently tough and painstakingly forged by their wielders.

Gasps rippled through the spectators.

“Since when did soul artifacts become so fragile?”

Someone laughed. “I don’t think it’s that simple. Did you see how Zhao Beichen’s aura changed?”

The audience wasn’t alone in their confusion. The cultivators from various sects had fallen into solemn silence.

Qin Xian muttered, “That brat’s spirit void ability is formidable. Could it be… Blade Breaker?”

Onstage, Ji Linglan glared at Zhao Beichen and shouted, “Your spirit void ability is Blade Breaker?!”

She was right. Zhao Beichen’s spirit void ability was indeed Blade Breaker—an ability that allowed him to shatter anyone’s soul artifact, so long as their cultivation was on par with his.

Losing the manifestation of a soul artifact meant it could no longer be used.

Zhao Beichen walked forward step by step, his expression teasing. “Oh? You’re smart enough to recognize it. But I’m afraid the Soaring Heavens Sect’s journey ends here.”

As he spoke, his aura became more and more terrifying. In the blink of an eye, he had ascended to the peak of the Foundation Building Realm. He was now as strong as someone who had taken a half-step into the Golden Core Realm. The only thing he lacked was a condensed core in his dantian.

Li Guanqi could clearly feel the soul-shaking power of Zhao Beichen’s aura. His gaze narrowed as he tried to calculate his odds against him. He concluded it’d be a fifty-fifty.

Boom!

Zhao Beichen darted forward, leaving three afterimages behind as he slashed mercilessly at Ji Linglan.

The Primordial Overlord Sword was the Purple Sun Pavilion’s best sword technique. It was a profound technique that was notoriously hard to understand. Zhao Beichen was the only Foundation Building Realm disciple who’d reached and mastered its fourth level.

On his first strike, cracks began to spread across Ji Linglan’s ice-blue blade. Frost swirled around her as she gritted her teeth.

The second strike came. The Frost Flower at between her brows wavered, flickered, then reappeared behind her as a hologram.

Wherever they went, the ground beneath them would crumble into countless pieces.

Blood gushed from her right hand. The skin between her thumb and forefinger had torn open, and her face was ghostly pale.

She darted frantically, using her broken sword to block as best she could. Mist and frost swirled violently around them.

On his third strike, a sharp sword light shone in all directions, and the stage shook.

Amidst the chaotic sword lights, they all saw the Frost Flower start to crack.

Ji Linglan had taken eighteen sword wounds, and her long robes were drenched in blood. She collapsed in a daze, her eyes unfocused and empty.

Zhao Beichen sheathed his sword calmly and straightened his posture. “You’re not strong enough to defeat the Purple Sun Pavilion.”

His violent aura dissipated, and his usual cold indifference returned.

Heavenly Tiger Mountain fell silent. Not a soul spoke.

No one had expected his display of strength. Based on that one fight, Zhao Beichen could rival at least an early Golden Core Realm cultivator. Even some mid Golden Core Realm cultivators shook their heads solemnly, acknowledging that they might not prevail against him either.

He was no ordinary genius; he was a monster, a top-tier prodigy of the Northern Territories.

High in the sky, Ge Qing took a deep breath. Though both combatants were merely Foundation Building Realm cultivators, their battle had left him impressed. He couldn’t believe that Foundation Building Realm disciples could be so strong.

“Purple Sun Pavilion versus Soaring Heavens Sect—Purple Sun Pavilion wins!”

Then, he looked at the stone stele. As the Purple Sun Pavilion’s points shot up, they rose to first place.

With a proud expression, Zhao Beichen suddenly turned to look toward the spectator platforms. Everyone followed his gaze and saw the youth with a sword box on his back, Li Guanqi. The one who had led the Daxia Sword Sect into the top rankings. The ultimate dark horse.

No one had expected the Daxia Sword Sect to enter the finals because of a single disciple. It was in sixth place. The Daxia Sword Sect had never reached such heights.

Now, all eyes were on the looming battle between Zhao Beichen and Li Guanqi.

A sinister grin spread across Zhao Beichen’s handsome face. He pointed his sword straight at Li Guanqi and said, “To be honest, I’m looking forward to fighting you. You’re strong.”

Li Guanqi gave a casual shrug. Holding the trembling Yu Sui’an in his arms, he replied, “Then wait for me.”

With that, he turned and flew away.

The crowd burst into excited chatter. Everyone knew the Daxia Sword Sect needed just one more victory to make it to the finals.

However, judging by Li Guanqi’s condition… he might already be at his limit.