The entire process left the Qing Alliance members watching in horrified awe. If Ji Qingshan were defeated without even unleashing his full strength, it would be utterly humiliating.
He was, after all, a genius who’d reached Martial King!
But now, Ji Qingshan was covered in burn marks, his clothes tattered, blood trickling from his mouth— a body clearly battered and broken.
“You dare ambush me, Lin Xiao? I’ll make you die!” Ji Qingshan’s eyes blazed with fury, his aura surging as he gripped his sword with both hands, unleashing a boundless wave of power.
“Green Rainbow Divine Sword Art— Sword Shatters the Heavens!”
With a thunderous shout, a green sword beam burst forth, its radiant divine light illuminating the world. The overwhelming force seemed to cleave the void, piercing like a rainbow, striking like thunderous retribution, its rolling waves shaking the heavens and earth.
This strike was utterly terrifying.
Lin Xiao’s expression grew solemn. Thunder primal energy roared within him as he gripped his sword with both hands, slashing outward. A faint rumble of thunder sounded as a massive thunder greatsword materialised, crackling with wild, violent lightning, slashing forward to meet the attack.
“Boom!”
The two forces collided, erupting in a deafening thunderous roar. Rolling shockwaves surged outward, the power of both swords shattering entirely, transforming into an immense wave that radiated in all directions.
“Sword Shatters the Sky!”
Ji Qingshan swung again, his blade transforming into a towering green sky-sword. Light and mist swirled as it thrust through the parting waves, carrying torrential force that seemed to collapse the void itself.
“Heavenly Thunder Slash!”
Lin Xiao exhaled softly, unleashing another massive thunder greatsword. Lightning coursed through it, bursting with radiance as it crashed against the green sword.
Another booming clash resounded, torrents of light exploding outward. Amid the surge, the towering green sword pressed forward through the waves.
Lin Xiao’s brow furrowed. Ji Qingshan’s strength was indeed formidable— even injured, he could unleash such a powerful attack, breaking through the second form of Lin Xiao’s Thunder Sword Technique.
Hastily channeling his energy, Lin Xiao summoned the Great Azure Dragon Slash. As the green sword closed in, he raised his sword with both hands and struck. A beam of light solidified into an azure dragon, bursting from his blade and charging towards the green sword, shattering its path.
Immense shockwaves parted like ocean waves, the azure dragon sword beam surging unstoppably towards Ji Qingshan.
“Let’s see what true power tastes like— Sword Extinguishes Life!”
With another thunderous roar, Ji Qingshan poured nearly all his remaining strength into his ultimate strike.
This sword carried a force of annihilation, as if all creation would crumble and perish beneath it. Its terrifying fluctuations sent shivers through the soul.
Boom!
The blinding sword beam shattered the radiant azure dragon, slicing through the air with a searing, destructive roar that seemed to tear the void apart.
This strike was truly horrifying, altering the very heavens and earth.
“The alliance leader’s strongest technique— Lin Xiao’s done for now!”
The Qing Alliance members, having retreated beyond the battle’s reach, marvelled inwardly. They’d witnessed the devastating might of Ji Qingshan’s strike— a single slash could rend mountains and obliterate foes beyond resistance.
Even Hu Yue, watching from a distance, grew tense. Ji Qingshan was already a Martial King, and this attack sent a tremor through her heart.
Lin Xiao’s own expression was grave— this sword exceeded his expectations, exerting a pressure he’d never felt before.
In his mind, a torrent of spiritual energy surged, rapidly coalescing as fused spiritual power erupted.
Ji Qingshan’s strike was too fearsome— he had to go all out.
“Hiss! Hiss!”
Ahead, a massive vortex emerged, swirling with black-cyan hues like a black hole devouring all things, as if it could swallow the entire world.
Simultaneously, a burning aura spread, the nearby temperature soaring as the air seemed to ignite.
The Devouring Heaven Art— born from the fusion of Devouring Heaven Spiritual Energy and Cyan Flame Spiritual Energy— roared into existence, intercepting the terrifying sword beam.
The Devouring Heaven Art wasn’t just for attack— it could defend too.
The sword beam, brimming with destructive power, pierced into it. No thunderous boom followed— only a searing hiss as the beam was consumed and incinerated, locked in mutual annihilation.
The surrounding air seemed to boil, the void shimmering as if it might burn and dissolve.
The relentless “hiss! hiss!” echoed on. Though no massive shockwave erupted, one could imagine the sheer power clashing within. Anyone nearing that collision would surely be obliterated.
After a long moment, the devouring vortex and destructive sword beam vanished together. The terrifying aura dissipated, the sky clearing once more.
The vortex had blocked the annihilating strike.
“How is that possible?” Ji Qingshan’s face paled drastically. Others might not know, but he did— unleashing that sword was no small feat. He’d drained every ounce of his strength for that blow.
Against anyone else, not even three or four strikes could stop it— only he understood its true might.
That sword carried a trace of annihilation power.
Yet, counting Lin Xiao’s earlier Great Azure Dragon Slash, he’d only used two moves. The second— a bizarre devouring energy vortex— had completely nullified Ji Qingshan’s strike.
It was unbelievable!
With this blow thwarted, he was defeated— he had no strength left for another.
The other Qing Alliance members were dumbfounded. They’d felt the terror of that sword clearly— yet Lin Xiao had blocked it?
“All of you, stop him!”
As a top-five outer court genius, Ji Qingshan didn’t lose his composure. Knowing he was outmatched, he shouted, tossing a primal-energy-replenishing pill into his mouth and staggering backwards.
Lin Xiao’s strength was too terrifying, beyond his predictions— now he was the one in danger.
He had to find a way to escape.
At Ji Qingshan’s command, the dozen-plus Qing Alliance disciples snapped to attention. They were Heavenly Martial experts, some even eighth-rank, and they rushed towards Ji Qingshan’s position.
“Heh heh, why the rush to leave? I’ve tasted your true power— now let me show you mine!”
Lin Xiao sneered. After unleashing the Devouring Heaven Art, he’d been preparing his next move. Spiritual energy surged in his mind, flowing along mysterious patterns to summon fused spiritual energy.
A colossal energy palm took shape in the air.
This strike— born from fusing two spiritual energies under the Ancient Heavenly Spirit Art— was Only Hand Covers the Sky, an utterly fearsome technique.
The palm blotted out the sun, coalescing in the void and darkening the entire area. Black-cyan mist swirled across it, imbued with eerie energy, like a demon poised to devour and incinerate its prey.
