Chapter 230: Unbelievable
The third match featured the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan facing off against the Elephant Armored Sect.
This match proved to be the most intense of the round.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is hailed as the greatest Beast Spirit in the world.
The Elephant Armored Sect’s Diamond Mammoth is renowned as the strongest defensive Spirit.
It was a clash of offense versus defense—a head-to-head confrontation.
Fortunately, however, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan ultimately emerged victorious, successfully advancing to the top three and preserving the honor of the Upper Three Sects.
The semifinals had concluded.
The top three contenders were now established: the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
The true showdown was about to begin.
...
The following day.
It was the day of the finals for the Rookie Tournament.
The results of the draw for the top-three matchups were officially announced.
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will face the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan receives a bye!"
The moment the results were revealed, the entire arena erupted in an uproar!
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Now this is going to be a show!"
"Shui Bing’er versus Tang San? The Ice Phoenix against the Clear Sky Hammer? Magnificent!"
"Who do you guys think will win?"
"Does that even need asking? Shui Bing’er is at Rank 69, while Tang San is only at Rank 57—the level gap is simply too massive."
"But then again, as the greatest Tool Spirit in the world, the Clear Sky Hammer is certainly no pushover!"
"Who knows? We’ll just have to wait and see!"
Waves of discussion and speculation rippled continuously throughout the crowd.
...
At the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s seating section...
Shui Bing’er gazed at the draw results and took a deep breath.
Tang San... The Clear Sky Hammer...
She silently repeated his name in her heart.
Back during the preliminaries of the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, she had led the Heavenly Water Team in a battle against the Blue Tyrant Academy Team, which was spearheaded by Tang San.
In that match, Tang San had wielded the Clear Sky Hammer, his body encircled by four thousand-year Spirit Rings—a sight that had left the entire arena awestruck.
That battle had left a profound and lasting impression on her. It weighed heavily on her, filling her with immense pressure.
Now, once again, she stood on the very same arena stage as him. And once again, she stood there as his opponent.
However...
Shui Bing’er clenched her fists, a flicker of determination flashing in her eyes.
The person I am now is no longer the person I was back then!
I, too, have found my own pillars of support—my own trump cards!
She turned her head to look at Jiang Bai.
The man remained seated there, his demeanor utterly relaxed.
It was as if this match were nothing more than a trivial, insignificant matter.
Shui Bing’er took a deep breath and rose to her feet.
"Sect Master, I’m off."
Jiang Bai nodded, his gaze gentle. "Go."
Shui Bing’er nodded vigorously.
She turned around and strode purposefully toward the arena.
...
At the seats reserved for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect...
Tang San rose to his feet.
His gaze settled upon Shui Bing’er as she made her way onto the stage.
Level 69...
He thought to himself.
But so what?
I have the Clear Sky Hammer! I have the Tang Sect’s hidden weapons! I have the Tang Sect’s ultimate techniques!
I will not lose!
Clenching his fists, he strode toward the arena.
...
Upon the arena stage...
The two stood facing one another.
Separated by a distance of ten meters.
Shui Bing’er was clad in a fitted, water-blue combat suit; her long hair was tied high, giving her a dashing, heroic air.
Tang San wore simple gray robes; his features were ordinary, yet his eyes burned with an intense, fiery passion.
The referee stood at the edge of the stage, raising the flag held in his hand. "The Rookie Tournament Finals: The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect versus the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
The entire venue fell instantly silent.
Tens of thousands of eyes converged upon the arena stage.
The referee swept his flag downward. "Begin!"
Tang San made a grasping motion with his right hand.
The Clear Sky Hammer materialized in his grasp!
The hammer itself was not large, yet it radiated an overbearing aura that made one’s heart pound with trepidation!
Beneath his feet, five Soul Rings slowly rose into view.
Purple, Purple, Purple, Purple, Black!
Tang San raised his head and looked at Shui Bing’er.
His voice was calm and confident. "Tang San—a Level 59 Assault-type Battle Soul King. I await your instruction!"
In truth, Tang San was not entirely satisfied with his current Soul Power level. Given his cultivation speed, he should have broken through to Level 60 long ago!
But there was nothing he could do about it.
Ever since he switched his focus to cultivating with the Clear Sky Hammer—especially after attaching several Soul Rings to it—his meridians had been plagued by a constant sensation of distension and pain.
Whenever he meditated to cultivate, the flow of his Soul Power through his meridians would cause him immense discomfort.
Although that distending pain had somewhat alleviated after he absorbed a Left Arm Bone, it still persisted.
This forced him to proceed with extreme caution during his cultivation, resulting in slow progress—which was precisely why his breakthrough to Level 60 had been so long in coming.
Now, facing the Level 69 Shui Bing’er, Tang San felt very little fear in his heart.
He possessed the Tang Sect’s hidden weapons, the Tang Sect’s ultimate techniques, and—above all—the Clear Sky Hammer!
Although Shui Bing’er’s freezing abilities were formidable, he had his own Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps!
As long as he could close the distance and get right up in her face, the sheer power of the Clear Sky Hammer would be more than enough to deliver a one-hit kill!
The corners of Tang San’s mouth curled upward slightly as he hoisted the Clear Sky Hammer and pointed it at Shui Bing’er. "Come on, Shui Bing’er. Unleash your Martial Soul and let me see just how strong you really are!"
Shui Bing’er met his gaze, a faint smile playing upon her lips.
She recalled the time this guy had first made his debut in the Soul Master Tournament, displaying those four gleaming thousand-year Soul Rings.
Back then, she, too, had been utterly shocked.
But now...
"Very well."
She gave a casual wave of her hand.
A massive, ethereal silhouette of an Ice Phoenix materialized behind her!
The Ice Phoenix glowed with an icy-blue radiance; its wings appeared as if woven from frost, radiating a bone-chilling cold!
Beneath her feet, six Soul Rings slowly rose into the air.
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Red!
Bathed in the interplay of these four colors—yellow, purple, black, and red—Shui Bing’er looked like a divine maiden who had descended straight from the heavens.
When that crimson Soul Ring lit up, the entire arena fell into a deathly silence!
Tang San’s pupils contracted abruptly!
He was nearly blinded by the sheer brilliance of the spectacle!
When his eyes landed on that red Soul Ring—the sixth in Shui Bing’er’s sequence—the look of utter astonishment on his face was truly a sight to behold!
All the surrounding sect disciples, elders, and sect masters who had gathered to watch the battle were, in that very instant, struck completely silent! And then...
"Boom—!!!"
The entire arena erupted!
"A 100,000-year Spirit Ring?! Her sixth Spirit Ring is a 100,000-year Spirit Ring?!"
"How is this possible?! How could a Spirit Emperor possibly withstand the energy and soul impact of a 100,000-year Spirit Beast?!"
"Surely a 100,000-year Spirit Beast didn’t voluntarily sacrifice itself, did it?"
"But how could that be possible?!"
"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect... just how many secrets are they still hiding?!"
Gasps of shock, cries of amazement, and shouts of skepticism intertwined into a chaotic din!
Shui Bing’er stood upon the stage, gazing at the look of utter astonishment on Tang San’s face.
She smiled faintly, her voice clear and crisp: "Level 69, Power Attack-type Battle Spirit Emperor. Please, begin."
Tang San’s eyes turned bloodshot as he roared, "That’s impossible!"
A 100,000-year Spirit Ring!
How could her sixth Spirit Ring possibly be a 100,000-year Spirit Ring?!
His mind went completely blank!
Shui Bing’er watched him, a flicker of triumph flashing in her eyes.
Tang San, you truly are powerful.
But in this world, there is never a shortage of geniuses.
Especially when one happens to encounter a Sect Master like Jiang Bai.
She extended her hand once more: "Please."
Tang San bit down on his lip.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent waves of shock raging within his heart.
To hell with it!
Fight!
"Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step!"
His figure transformed into a streak of purple light, instantly shooting toward Shui Bing’er!
His speed was astonishing!
The Clear Sky Hammer was clutched in his hand, poised and ready to strike!
Shui Bing’er did not move.
She simply stood her ground, watching as that approaching figure drew closer and closer.
Then, she raised her hand.
The first Spirit Ring around her body lit up.
A flash of ice-blue light erupted.
Tang San felt a sudden, piercing chill run through his entire body.
His forward momentum instantly ground to a halt.
His entire being became encased within a solid block of ice.
"What?!"
He struggled desperately, but discovered that the layer of ice was as hard as iron—utterly impossible to break free from! Shui Bing’er spoke coolly, "Tang San, surely you haven’t forgotten that my First Soul Skill is also ’Ice Seal,’ have you?"
"And... it’s an instant-cast!"
Tang San’s expression turned grim, yet he continued to furiously channel his Soul Power.
"First Soul Skill: Sky-Splitting Earth-Rending Wave!"
A surge of black light erupted outward!
He smashed his hammer down onto the ground!
Leveraging the recoil from the impact...
"BOOM—!!!"
The icy radiance shattered!
That domineering force completely pulverized Shui Bing’er’s Ice Seal!
Tang San’s figure burst forth from the shards of ice!
"Fifth Soul Skill: Aerial Strike!"
He let out a furious roar and leaped high into the air!
With the Clear Sky Hammer in his grasp, a dazzling black radiance burst forth!
Shui Bing’er raised her head, gazing up at the figure descending from the heavens.
In her eyes, there was no fear.
Only serenity.
Behind her, the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul unfurled its wings!
Her fifth Spirit Ring flared with brilliant light!
"Ice Phoenix Soaring!"
Her form transformed into a colossal Ice Phoenix, charging straight toward Tang San!
The Ice Phoenix and the Clear Sky Hammer collided mid-air!
"BOOM—!!!"
An earth-shattering roar!
The entire arena stage shuddered violently!
Shards of ice scattered everywhere, and lightning flashed!
Tang San’s figure was sent flying backward amidst the shattering ice!
Tracing a parabolic arc through the air, he crashed violently outside the arena stage!
"CRASH—!"
The ground shook!
Tang San lay motionless beyond the ring, coughing up blood—defeated and unable to rise!
Shui Bing’er stood upon the stage.
Beneath her feet lay a platform of ice, crystallized from countless sharp icicles.
From her commanding vantage point, she looked down at Tang San lying below.
The referee stood stunned for a moment before finally raising his flag: "The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—victorious!"
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