The Art of Chaotic Divinity

"Amazing!"

"Too strong!"

"Senior Brother Xiao was right. Sword dao is in no way inferior to body refinement!"

"Does anyone else feel like they're learning from each other? The way Senior Brother Xiao is using his sword now feels a bit like the way Luo Hanzhou throws his punches!"

"You're right! Even Luo Hanzhou's footwork is starting to resemble Senior Brother Xiao's!"

"All paths ultimately lead to the same destination. It's a pity we're nowhere near their realm, so we can't truly comprehend it."

The crowd sighed in admiration.

Only experts like Xiao Juanyun and Luo Hanzhou, opponents perfectly matched in strength, could draw out each other's strengths and learn from one another in battle.

What they did not know was that there was one other person present who had already "borrowed" every bit of insight from both of them.

To be precise, it wasn't stealing at all.

After all, he was watching openly.

"Still, just observing this battle has already given me some inspiration. Once I return to my sect and enter seclusion for a while, I feel my swordsmanship will reach another level."

"Mm. Same here."

Many experts of the Xijian Region could not improve as directly as Xiao Juanyun, but simply watching the battle had already benefited them greatly.

"I wonder who'll win."

"I hope it's Senior Brother Xiao. If even he loses, all of us swordsmen from the Xijian Region will lose face."

The crowd continued discussing the battle in hushed voices.

At that moment, after throwing a punch, Luo Hanzhou swiftly widened the distance between himself and Xiao Juanyun.

A trace of excitement appeared on his face.

It was the exhilaration of encountering a worthy rival.

His blood boiled.

Every nerve in his body seemed to sharpen to the extreme.

His speed, strength, and reactions all reached their peak.

Xiao Juanyun was much the same.

His sword never paused.

Taking a swift step forward, he moved so quickly that numerous afterimages trailed behind him.

His sword struck like thunder, carrying the force to shatter stars as it descended upon Luo Hanzhou with overwhelming dominance.

"Moon Slayer!"

Even without activating sword essence, the power of this move could not be underestimated.

A fierce gale erupted.

The pressure generated by the blade formed a terrifying sword pressure that blasted toward Luo Hanzhou.

His long hair was driven backward as though it might be ripped out by the roots, fully revealing his face.

A dazzling light burst from his eyes.

"Excellent!"

Luo Hanzhou laughed loudly.

His right fist clenched and shot directly toward Xiao Juanyun's blade.

In an instant, countless fist shadows exploded into existence.

It was as if heaven and earth themselves were shattering.

Brilliant radiance erupted everywhere and instantly crushed Xiao Juanyun's formidable sword pressure.

Fist and sword finally collided amid a deafening explosion.

Everyone felt the entire loft tremble violently.

It should be remembered that neither side was using elemental force.

They were relying solely on technique.

Yet they still produced such destructive power.

Had they fought with their full strength, everything within several thousand zhang would likely have become ruins.

"An inch longer, an inch stronger. Brother Luo, you've lost."

Xiao Juanyun pointed his sword diagonally at Luo Hanzhou's throat.

The two stood facing one another in the center of the arena.

Both appeared somewhat disheveled.

The swordsmen of the Xijian Region were instantly overjoyed.

Xiao Juanyun had won after all.

Yet a faint smile appeared on Luo Hanzhou's lips.

"Oh? Is that so?"

The moment those words left his mouth, a crisp crack echoed through the hall.

The sword in Xiao Juanyun's hand shattered into seven or eight pieces.

Fragments scattered across the floor.

The next moment, Luo Hanzhou slowly raised a hand and opened his palm.

Resting there was a torn piece of cloth.

Xiao Juanyun lowered his head and looked.

A section of his robe over his heart had been ripped away.

A chill instantly ran down his spine.

Had this been a life-and-death battle, what would have been torn away was not his robe.

It would have been his heart.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Juanyun looked deeply at Luo Hanzhou before gritting his teeth.

"I lost."

He turned and slowly returned to his seat.

His heart was filled with shock and disappointment.

If he had won, those passionate words he spoke earlier would have sounded inspiring and powerful.

But now he had lost.

The victor writes history, and the defeated have no voice.

Those bold declarations before the battle now sounded painfully ironic.

For a moment, the swordsmen of the Xijian Region all lowered their heads in dejection.

They had lost.

Even Xiao Juanyun had been defeated!

"It seems our Beihan Region is still superior. Senior Brother Luo, beautifully done!"

The martial practitioners from the Beihan Region became visibly smug.

Although their numbers were small, they had nearly swept through every genius of the Xijian Region.

This was what true strength looked like.

This was what a real genius looked like.

Luo Hanzhou, however, remained silent.

Instead, disappointment surfaced in his eyes.

Xiao Juanyun was strong, but he had not pushed Luo Hanzhou to his limits.

"So this is all there is?"

Luo Hanzhou slowly shook his head.

"It seems I can leave now. I thought I might encounter a few truly formidable experts from the other regions."

"Let's go."

"Haha! The Xijian Region is nothing special."

"Body refinement is the true path. Sword dao is nothing more than a minor dao."

The martial practitioners from the Beihan Region sneered openly.

The contempt in their eyes was completely undisguised.

The swordsmen of the Xijian Region felt their faces burn with humiliation.

Yet none of them dared challenge Luo Hanzhou.

The strength he had displayed was simply too overwhelming.

Perhaps if both sides were allowed to use elemental force and fight at full power, Xiao Juanyun might not necessarily lose.

But before the contest began, it was Xiao Juanyun himself who had set the rules.

Techniques only.

No elemental force.

A loss was a loss.

There was no excuse to be made.

Xiao Juanyun drew a deep breath.

Originally, this gathering had been partly intended to establish his authority.

Who could have expected Luo Hanzhou to appear midway and ruin everything?

"Hold on. You're looking for experts from other regions, right?"

At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out from a corner.

Everyone turned simultaneously.

A young man in white robes slowly rose to his feet.

It was none other than Ling Feng of the Dongling Region.

Xiao Juanyun's eyelid twitched.

The tea gathering had originally been arranged mainly to gauge Ling Feng's strength.

Because of Luo Hanzhou's overwhelming performance, he had nearly forgotten about him.

In Xiao Juanyun's eyes, Ling Feng had never been qualified to stand on equal footing with him.

Much less challenge someone who had defeated him.

To challenge Luo Hanzhou was nothing short of overestimating himself.

Yet Ling Feng appeared completely unaware of that.

Step by step, he walked toward Luo Hanzhou.

His expression remained calm and relaxed.

"You've already faced the martial practitioners of the Xijian Region."

He stopped before Luo Hanzhou and spoke casually.

"As for experts from the Dongling Region, there's still one standing right here."

"Damn, that's shameless!"

"Look at him calling himself an expert!"

"Has he even weighed his own abilities? Experts from the Dongling Region? Since when does the Dongling Region produce experts?"

"He doesn't know his place. What gives him the right to challenge Luo Hanzhou? The only reason he's even here is because Senior Brother Xiao allowed it!"

The swordsmen of the Xijian Region immediately erupted into angry ridicule.

Even their own genius, Xiao Juanyun, had lost.

This kid from the Dongling Region was making a complete fool of himself.

Ling Feng ignored every mocking remark.

His gaze remained fixed on Luo Hanzhou.

Calmly, he asked,

"Well? Do you dare fight me?"

Luo Hanzhou stared at Ling Feng.

Suddenly, his eyelids twitched.

For a brief instant, he sensed a terrifying aura emanating from Ling Feng.

The moment his instincts flared in warning, the feeling vanished completely.

It was as though it had never existed.

Like an illusion.

Luo Hanzhou's expression immediately grew serious.

Looking directly at Ling Feng, he replied calmly,

"Why wouldn't I dare?"

"Then please."

Ling Feng smiled faintly.

The Eradicator of Realms slowly slid from its sheath.