Zombie Bodyguard

Yuwen Xingjian swung his arm and forcefully twisted the Sky Halberd, changing from a thrust to a sweep, perfectly meeting the incoming strike of the Yanyue Blade.

Clang...

The sharp sound of contact stung the eardrums, making everyone very uncomfortable. At the moment the blade and halberd clashed, Yuwen Xingjian pulled back on the shaft, causing sparks to fly as the crescent-shaped blade slid across the Yanyue Blade’s edge.

Those with keen eyes could see that a small notch was made on the Yanyue Blade’s edge. Liu Xiaoxiao knew that the Yanyue Blade was no match for the Sky Halberd, and dared not resist head-on, quickly retracting the blade.

Her retreat signaled the failure of the Sword Dragging Technique. Who is Yuwen Xingjian? Having gained the upper hand, how could he not seize the opportunity to chase victory?

His hand glided along the pole, grasping the end of the shaft, his arm extending like a windmill. The Sky Halberd was long enough as it was, and with his arm and the pivot at his waist, the lethal radius expanded rapidly, encompassing Liu Xiaoxiao’s retreat path.

The blade of the Sky Halberd swung like a guillotine, slashing at Liu Xiaoxiao’s waist. Such power that even the Yanyue Blade couldn’t resist, otherwise it would be cut cleanly in two, blade and wielder alike.

Liu Xiaoxiao chose not to block with the Yanyue Blade, instead extending the blade behind her, embedding it into the ground. Simultaneously, she grasped the hilt, arching back to form a human bridge.

The Sky Halberd skimmed over her body, severing strands of her hair that failed to fall in time. As the severed hair flew upwards, it was caught in the chaotic swirl of True Energy, ground into fragments.

Liu Xiaoxiao avoided the strike without seeming as desperate as the crowd imagined. Instead, she rebounded sharply like a bent bamboo, grabbing the Yanyue Blade with both hands and swinging it in a counterattack.

Despite being at a disadvantage, she counterattacked, surprising everyone.

"Good!" Even Yuwen Xingjian couldn’t help but exclaim.

However, praise aside, the battle continued. He extended his other hand, finally grasping the halberd with both hands, circulating True Qi and accelerating the swings, turning back for a counter-sweep.

Clang...

The halberd shaft clashed with the blade shaft, both weapons shaking violently. Both had to channel True Qi to avoid losing their grip on their weapons.

Liu Xiaoxiao, though practiced in Eagle Claw Skill, had strong gripping power but her inner strength was a notch below Yuwen Xingjian’s. In suppressing the weapon’s vibration, Yuwen Xingjian took less time.

In a duel of experts, even a second or two can make all the difference. Yuwen Xingjian was the first to withdraw his weapon, letting out a fierce roar as the Sky Halberd danced like a chaotic storm, pouring down on Liu Xiaoxiao.

One strike after another, each more ferocious, like a Demon God rampaging. In his hands, the Sky Halberd transformed into a Demon Soldier. Though not squarely facing his unparalleled dance, some Ancient Martial Artists below still shuddered with fear.

Liu Xiaoxiao, caught in the vortex’s center, struggled to wield the Yanyue Blade, opposing the Sky Halberd. Both wielded heavy, long weapons, filling nearly half the arena with the gleaming clash of blade and halberd, as if transforming into a Shura Battlefield.

This confrontation seemed to last an hour, yet felt like mere seconds. Everyone held their breath, fearful not only of either fighter making a fatal mistake but also of collateral damage.

Lin Tian moved his nose, detecting the burning iron scent in the air, a result of the frantic weapon collisions.

"The end is nearly here..." Lin Tian said softly.

"How do you know?" Xiao Manxuan and Yun Xiaotian felt somewhat curious, not being Ancient Martial Artists they naturally couldn’t perceive much.

"The difference in weapons, the gap in strength. Yuwen Xingjian still held back. If he pressed Liu Xiaoxiao in a weapon clash, this battle would have ended much sooner."

Lin Tian saw clearly, the advantage of Yuwen Xingjian’s Sky Halberd far overpowered, yet at many times he steered away from direct weapon confrontations, otherwise, the Yanyue Blade wouldn’t withstand several strikes.

Rumble...

A tearing sound suddenly echoed in the arena. Yuwen Xingjian fiercely swung the Sky Halberd, its blade drawing a crimson arc that struck the Yanyue Blade.

The massive blade was instantly severed at the shaft by the halberd’s edge, the fallen blade segment hitting the ground with a crisp sound.

After cleaving the Yanyue Blade, Yuwen Xingjian ceased attacking, pulling back the Sky Halberd, and retreated a few meters to stand upright.

Liu Xiaoxiao glanced at the broken blade in her hand, momentarily dazed, but soon smiled: "The Sky Halberd truly lives up to its reputation. I lost."

She conceded readily, her smile gracious without any dejection of defeat, just as she said at the beginning, indifferent to the win or loss, simply wanting to witness the Sky Halberd’s power.

She was also keenly aware that Yuwen Xingjian had shown restraint, otherwise, the Yanyue Blade would have broken even faster.

"Thank you." Liu Xiaoxiao expressed her gratitude sincerely with a clasped fist, paying her respects.

Yuwen Xingjian nodded slightly, saying, "If it weren’t for your weapon holding you back, you could have fought on longer."

Liu Xiaoxiao laughed heartily, "If I had a weapon of equal caliber, perhaps I could have beaten you."

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Yuwen Xingjian was momentarily taken aback, then smiled too, but he said nothing more, turning to leave the stage.

"I didn’t expect that even our brother would have a soft spot." Yuwen Luofei looked at her elder brother, hinting at a teasing tone.

"She’s a girl. No need to let her lose too disgracefully." Yuwen Xingjian defended.

Yuwen Luofei nodded contently, "That’s true. However, given the current situation, Liu Xiaoxiao has no problem entering the top ten."

"Top ten?" Yuwen Xingjian seemed surprised by the notion, murmured, somewhat distracted. After a while, he said, "Who will claim first place?"

"Does it need questioning? Among the current participants, only Ji Zimo is in the Innate Realm, if not him then who?" Yuwen Luofei said, puzzled.

Yuwen Xingjian fell silent again, deep in thought, and then said, "I had thought the same before, that Ji Zimo was the only contender for first place. But after watching so many battles, I sense there might be a twist."

"Innate represents a qualitative change, a leap in realm. Even Postnatal Perfection is far off the mark, and with only Divine weapons, the chance of an over-leveled challenge is minimal. Who do you think has the ability to challenge Ji Zimo?" Yuwen Luofei questioned.

"And don’t forget, the Ji Family possesses the Sky Soaring Sword and the Emperor Heart Technique." Yuwen Luofei added.

"You’re right in all you said, but somehow, I harbor an inexplicable anticipation in my heart. Despite not knowing where it’s from, after seeing Lin Tian’s gaze, I understand. The variable in this match lies in Lin Tian." Yuwen Xingjian looked in a direction, his tone turning from puzzled to assured.

Yuwen Luofei raised her brow, full of surprise, "Lin Tian? How could he be the variable? Remember, he hasn’t even had a chance to step on stage."