Chapter 142: Life and Death

Spirit Force, a force that transcended both Aura Force and the physical limitations of the human body. It was the ultimate union of spirit and qi, achieved only through surpassing oneself.

Leveraging his culminating state, each of Lin Yuzhi's sword strikes was imbued with Sword Intent with his Spirit Force tightly coiled within.

The edge Lin Yuzhi had over Li Pin in physical strength and qi and blood was small, yet he exhibited an overwhelming advantage, as if he could obliterate Li Pin at any moment.

However, Li Pin had now also unleashed his Spirit Force. His fist, meticulously channeled with every ounce of qi and blood within him, resembled a sun suspended high in the heavens, radiating boundless brilliance.

This was neither the Vermilion Phoenix nor Bifang! It was...

The Golden Crow! The Great Sun Golden Crow!

For some time, Li Pin had been trying to fuse Bifang, the most powerful explosive techniques of the Eight Enormities True Fire Force, with the Vermilion Phoenix Rise. While he had managed to perform a combo attack by combining the Vermilion Phoenix in his left hand and Bifang in his right, he was never able to create an ultimate technique for the Eight Enormities True Fire Force similar to the Five Elements Unity.

It wasn’t until recently, after receiving the Great Sun True Radiance Technique from Lian Hongchen, that he finally discerned a way to progress forward. Through relentless study and contemplation of the Martial Saint's spirit-nurturing and cultivation manual, he finally did it.

The Vermilion Phoenix and Bifang were both ultimate techniques approaching the grandmasters' limit. In a normal state, merely wielding one of these techniques would have been considered astonishing. To execute both simultaneously, one in each hand, was a testament to extraordinary talent.

But no one would think it possible to merge them into a single, lethal, and unparalleled technique. It was simply impossible for the human body to withstand that unless... one could break through their constraints and surpass their limits!

In this very moment, Li Pin entered a heightened state of Spirit Force through spiritual elevation and surpassing his limits. This allowed the Vermilion Phoenix Rise and Bifang, techniques he had long envisioned but never fully merged, to finally fuse and complete their transformation. It evolved into a Great Sun Golden Crow, blazing with intense, radiant light.

As the saying goes, "The great sun ascends, shattering through the heavens, its divine might scorches the heavens and boils the seas."[1]

The fist and sword collided.

Buzz, buzz!

The intense friction between the fist and sword aura generated such heat that the space around them warped, creating a distorted scene.

The two grandmasters, Lian Hongchen and Cao Tianyou, witnessed an immense colossal sun hurling toward a realm forged entirely of swords, the creation of a supreme sword god.

Under the scorching sun, the endless array of sword shadows, formed from countless sword lights, was like snow under intense heat. It was as if a great star had plunged into the ocean.

Evaporate! Evaporate! Evaporate!

Everything evaporated and was burned to ashes!

Bang!

With a thunderous boom that reverberated like a subsonic wave, the space within a dozen meters erupted into an apocalyptic scene.

Though the fight was held indoors, the violent clash of sword and fist unleashed a ferocious tempest that raged through the first training area, sending training equipment stacked ten meters away flying.

Lian Hongchen and Cao Tianyou, having barely touched upon this level of power, felt as if they were engulfed in a sea of flames. It was as though they truly witnessed the collision of a sun and the world, unleashing blinding light and intense heat.

Cao Tianyou, with his weaker spiritual power, couldn't help but cry out in agony, "My eyes, my eyes!"

He felt as though his eyes had been scorched by the intense light and searing flames of the sun’s explosion.

Unbeknownst to him, it was his mind, not his physical eyes, that had been burnt. But it didn’t matter. When the mind truly believed that it was the eyes that had been burnt, a person could indeed go blind as a result.

Martial Saints with powerful mental spirit could even employ special martial arts techniques to manipulate a person's senses and perceptions, hypnotizing them into leaping off a rooftop without hesitation. This was a testament to their power to influence reality with the mind.

Li Pin and Lin Yuzhi hadn't reached this level of power yet, but Cao Tianyou had invested so much spiritual power into observing the battle that he became deeply immersed in it. This led him to involuntarily cry out in agony, as if he were being engulfed by flames and blinded.

In contrast, Zhao Yuan and Lian Xiyue were far less affected by the scene. Their weaker abilities prevented them from fully comprehending the terrifying spectacle unfolding on the spiritual plane.

The Great Sun Golden Crow radiated an infernal radiance, scorching the heavens. In the face of the rising, blazing sun, even Lin Yuzhi’s supreme sword realm, forged with unmatched sword intent, could not withstand it.

The Sword Intent shattered! The sword aura crumbled! And the sword light dispersed!

Finally... as everything on the outer surface was blown apart and crushed, Li Pin’s punch landed precisely on Lin Yuzhi’s treasured astral equipment sword. The violent force of the punch erupted with a sound like a resounding bell, reverberating in everyone's heads.

The pure force, capable of burning everything, reverberated through the sword, causing it to let out an agonized shriek.

Lin Yuzhi’s right hand, gripping the sword, erupted in a fountain of blood as the flesh between his thumb and forefinger split open. The remaining force surged up his arm and crashed into his body like a tsunami, sending him flying backward.

Thud, thud, thud!

As Lin Yuzhi landed, he took several steps to disperse the force into the ground. The arena floor, so solid that even a cannonball could only crack it, had been marked with his footprints. Flying debris scattered as he braced himself against the ground.

The sword in his hand, however, was no ordinary blade. Had it been Qi Feng’s sword, it would have snapped long ago. But Lin Yuzhi'a treasured sword withstood Li Pin's immensely powerful blow, absorbing and dissipating the force within its blade. As a result, the damage to his arm was significantly reduced.

Otherwise, the impact would not have merely cut open the web of his thumb; his phalanges, ulna, and radius would have potentially broken entirely!

"Spirit Force! Spirit Force! Spirit Force!" Lian Hongchen's voice trembled with awe.

This was a strike that many grandmasters could only dream of achieving in their lifetimes. A strike that shattered the boundaries of human potential.

Even those revered as Martial Saints would consider the moment they unleashed their Spirit Force the zenith of their careers. In the future, perhaps even the rest of their lives, they might never again reach such heights of power.

Lian Hongchen was fortunate enough to witness the two top-tier fighters contending with Spirit Force. As a martial artist yet to fully refine his martial arts system and step into the great grandmaster realm, the insights gained from this battle were invaluable for his future understanding and application of Spirit Force.

The impact from witnessing this battle could significantly influence his ability to unleash the Spirit Force during the assessment and determine whether or not he could successfully attain the Martial Saint title.

"Impressive swordsmanship! But my fist..." Li Pin declared. "Is even stronger!"

"Your fist may be stronger...."

Lin Yuzhi’s hand, still gripping the treasured sword, continued to bleed. Yet, he stood firm. His mental spirit, in its ultimate sublimation, elevated to an extraordinary state.

"But this battle isn't about determining who's better."

In the next moment, he lunged forward like a moth drawn to flames, ready to sacrifice his body to fuel the fire, making it burn brighter and more magnificently.

"It is about deciding who lives and who dies!"

Having reached the peak of sublimation, he had sealed his fate. In that fleeting moment, he unleashed the full fury of his remaining Vitality, Qi, and Spirit, reserves that would have normally lasted him one more confrontation.

Retreat was no longer an option. Nor did he desire it. Instead, he chose to burn all of himself away, seeking only to transcend his limits.

Clang!

The sound of the sword rang out!

Lin Yuzhi, pushed back, charged forward once more. In this state, he felt as if he had drifted back to ten years ago, to the peak of his youth and power.

In his prime, he had swept through Jiang Province, leaving a trail of fallen enemies in his wake. His sword was invincible, and none could withstand his might.

It was as if the present him had merged spiritually with him from ten years ago, unleashing a formidable display of his fierce edge and terrifying aura.

Benefiting from this state of sublimation, his performance was even more dazzling and impressive than before. His sword flashed with endless light, illuminating the sky.

"

Kill!

" Lin Yuzhi roared.

"Hahaha!

Kill!

" Li Pin let out a long, passionate roar.

With every fiber of his being ignited, he felt the intense heat of his qi and blood, compressed to its extreme, pushed to its absolute limit by the Blood-Seething Secret Art. He clearly felt that he was alive and evolving, ascending to greater heights of power and perfection.

The cheers from every organ, every fiber of his being, ignited a spirit more vibrant than ever. A sense of detachment, as if his consciousness were soaring above his physical form, allowed him to unleash his body's full potential.

A new great sun once again gathered and rose in his hand!

Within the great sun, the golden crow cried out long and clear, its roar echoing with the sword's qi.

Flames, Fist Intent, Sword Intent, sword aura, and fist aura erupted in another dazzling, brilliant clash!

Bang!

Spirit Force! Yet another clash of Spirit Force!

In the briefest moment, Li Pin, even without the stable manifestation of Martial Will, unleashed a second Spirit Force strike with his non-Martial Saint body. Such a feat was virtually unheard of among those who had yet to grasp Martial Will.

Lian Hongchen, Cao Tianyou, and the others were utterly astounded, Lian Hongchen in particular. He couldn’t help but mutter to himself, "Why... why isn’t he retreating..."

Retreat!

Lin Yuzhi’s current state could no longer be described as the pinnacle of transcendence. He was burning himself out completely, ready to perish alongside his enemy. He had cut off all his paths of retreat, and this state could only last for a very short time. Perhaps ten seconds, maybe even eight or six...

Li Pin didn't need Li Pin to make a move; Lin Yuzhi would exhaust his Vitality, Qi, and Spirit and die. Even if he managed to kill Li Pin with his next strike, he wouldn’t have a chance of survival. Under these circumstances, as long as Li Pin retreated slightly and dragged the fight out for less than ten seconds, he would win without a fight.

Despite knowing this... he unleashed Spirit Force!

Li Pin chose to unleash a second Spirit Force, disregarding the cost of exhausting his spiritual strength! Once again, he collided with Lin Yuzhi’s sword!

The second Spirit Force was still not his limit!

As their Sword and Fist Intent clashed again, Lin Yuzhi’s entire arm twisted, shattering his bones and rupturing the capillaries. Blood sprayed, dying his arm red. But he didn’t stop.

With his right hand disabled, he switched to his left.

Wielding the sword with a desperate, life-or-death determination, he raised it up and struck once more.

Li Pin refused to dodge or retreat, hurling out a third strike of Spirit Force. This strike was weaker than the previous strikes. However, despite being mentally and physically exhausted, he continued to fight!

As the two collided intensely, blood spurted from Lin Yuzhi’s left hand, and he was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. He slid for over four meters, drawing a trail of blood behind him.

Yet, he didn't pause for even a second. Struggling to rise, he gripped the hilt of his blood-soaked sword and supported himself, determined to stand once more.

To fight again! Until death!

But just as he was pushing himself up with his sword...

Bang!

The sword... shattered.

Lin Yuzhi's face froze in disbelief.

His source of support now shattered, Lin Yuzhi fell once more. But he paid no attention to himself. His eyes remained fixed on the broken sword.

Staring at the severed blade, he murmured, "I... lost?"

In the next moment, the light in his eyes rapidly dimmed.

His Vitality, Qi and Spirit diminished completely.

1. a poetic way to depict a powerful, overwhelming force. ☜