Chapter 186: Victory

"Not good!"

As soon as Chen Yufeng’s sword had been blasted out of his hand, he had realized his opponent’s true strength. This was an adversary against whom he had no confidence of victory. Even if he put his very life on the line, he still couldn’t do it.

Realizing this, he unleashed his secret art. He seemingly transformed into a gust of wind. His speed surged dramatically, causing him to flicker three times in rapid succession. Each movement was so elusive that it was nearly impossible to track.

His aura faded from Li Pin's perception, completely retreating into nothingness.

Immediately, the Martial Saint serving as Zhao Yushi's tactical advisor exclaimed, "It's one of the three great secret arts of the Divine Sword Manor, the Art of Wanderer! It uses Martial Will and spiritual belief as its guiding force, enabling the swordsman to shatter all constraints in their sword, body, and spirit, entering a state of ultimate freedom!

"In this state, a swordsman's movements are as unpredictable as a leaping antelope, and their sword strikes are as swift as a fleeting white horse. They are impossible to defend against!"

"Despite numerous modifications, the Art of Wanderer still has severe side effects. However, Li Pin has played right into Cheng Yufeng’s hand by choosing him as his first opponent and pushing him to this extent!"

The tactical advisor for the Great Sun Chosen One gloated, "No matter who wins this battle, both sides will be severely depleted. Even with various elixirs and medicines, they won't recover in time for the second round of battles.

"

Haha

, these two might end up missing out on the championship and become the biggest losers of the World's Top Martial Competition! After thirty-six years, it's time for the Great Sun Divine Sect to produce another world champion once again!"

Song Wuya's tactical advisor preached like a senior, "Young people often have lofty ambitions and refuse to follow the conventional path. They think they can ignore the rules and do as they please. However, not following the rules comes with a price. Missing out on the championship due to mutual defeat is one such cost."

Some who had high hopes for Li Pin's victory couldn't help but curse inwardly,

What's going on with Martial Saint Li's tactical advisor? Didn't he advise him to avoid the strongest opponent to prevent a mutual loss? How could he let him choose Cheng Yufeng first? This is a genuine Martial Saint! Has he lost his mind?

Tuo Bafeng let out a long sigh. What else could he do? He felt utterly helpless as well!

But with Li Pin having made such a reckless move... there’s nothing to be done now. It wasn’t like he could run up and stop him.

***

Li Pin sharpened his focus to its extreme. His ever-improving mental spirit attribute, along with his deep research into astral equipment amplification theories, had made his perception of the outside world exceptionally sharp. It was so sharp that even the sound of a speck of dust falling was clear to him.

Despite Cheng Yufeng's mastery over the agility-focused and unpredictable Art of Wanderer, it was all for naught. As much as he seemed to have blended seamlessly into the wind and the world, he remained utterly visible to Li Pin.

The technique became completely meaningless when Li Pin could easily predict all of Cheng Yufeng’s moves. No matter how elusive, mysterious, or fluid they were, they couldn’t escape his perception. Even Phantom, a High-Class Martial Saint specializing in concealment, couldn't hide from Li Pin's piercing gaze, let alone Cheng Yufeng.

It was like a gunsmith who had holed himself in his smithery to craft an exquisite and beautiful handgun. No matter how stunning the gun was, when it came to a life-or-death situation, people would choose to pick up a crude submachine instead.

Li Pin lost interest in the fight.

"You are genuinely weak.”

If this opponent is inadequate, there is still the next one, and the one after that. The Great Sun Chosen One, for example. The fact that he dared to face an

Beastfolk

Fighter head-on showed commendable battle spirit.

Cheng Yufeng's eyes turned icy cold, a chilling light flashing as he shifted his form. "Did you just say I'm weak!?"

"Let's end this."

Li Pin didn’t want to continue with the banter. He simply took a bold step forward. His blood boiled and burned, surging like a raging fire, making it seem as though he was encased in a suit of fiery armor.

His terrifying blood flame had been honed through countless victories, fueled by his unshakable belief in his own invincibility. As he lunged forward, a suffocating pressure erupted. Like a sea dragon bursting from tranquil waters, his pressure sprayed like water.

He punched.

The Blood-Seething Secret Art, Blood Core Eruption, combined with his sublime spiritual state, conjured a blazing golden crow of the sun. The terrifying pressure descended like a sun falling from the sky.

Eight Enormities True Fire Force—Great Sun Golden Crow!

The target was fixed, with pinpoint accuracy, on Cheng Yufeng.

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

No matter how Cheng Yufeng shifted his form with the Art of Wanderer, the black shadow, wings spread wide as it soared from the blazing sun, dominated his vision. It was as if a colossal sun was about to plummet from the heavens, incinerating everything in its path.

An unprecedented fear and horror instantly washed over Cheng Yu Feng.

Cheng Yufeng, this elegant and graceful swordsman, widened his eyes in disbelief. "This Fist Intent...."

He was a Sword Saint, a seasoned veteran of countless battles, and had always emerged victorious. He was a legend in his own time and had dominated the world with his swordsmanship.

How could such a renowned swordsman allow his unparalleled to be trampled on by Li Pin’s Fist Intent!

"

Ahhh!

"

With a roar, Cheng Yufeng's mental spirit condensed to its peak. A divine sword, born from rage, defiance, and a sharpness capable of rending the heavens, materialized and soared into the sky. It struck with immense force, colliding with the blazing Great Sun Golden Crow, which seemed about to burn the very air.

The intense shockwave and the tempest within his spiritual world jolted him out of the oppressive grip of Li Pin's Fist Intent. Instantly, his qi and blood surged forth like a tidal wave, erupting with a powerful punch.

A swordsman without a sword was far from powerless. In this very moment, though Cheng Yufeng struck with his fist, his punch was imbued with a Sword Intent honed to its pinnacle.

The Sword Intent burst forth and pierced through the air like a peerless divine sword forged through countless tempers, aiming to completely shatter the sun-like flames that threatened to consume everything in its path.

"Astride my flying sword! I'll soar above the clouds, and pierce through the heavens! Slash!!"[1]

His Sword Intent exploded, permeating the heavens and earth. Cheng Yufeng delivered his most powerful and dazzling attack of the battle.

Despite delivering his attack with a punch and not with his sword, the intensity of his Sword Intent was so formidable that it rivaled the blazing Great Sun Golden Crow in the sky.

The violent collision between the two forces unleashed a blinding radiance. Flames and sword light intertwined, showcasing their raw power and ferocity within the perception of all martial artists who had grasped the essence of Fist and Sword Intent.

Countless grandmasters and Martial Saints shot to their feet from shock, subconsciously leaning forward to get a closer look at the spectacular battle between these two Martial Saints.

Bang!

The sword light that tore through the air could not withstand the scorching heat of the great sun for long. Just as fire conquered metal, the peerless Sword Intent couldn't escape the fate of being melted into molten iron under the relentless assault of the blazing sun.

Cheng Yufeng watched in disbelief as his Sword Intent, tempered to an unparalleled sharpness, clashed with the overwhelming force of Li Pin's fist only to be ultimately consumed by the fiery inferno.

Sword Intent had always been his greatest strength. His Sword Intent was among the top in the Tianyuan Federation, if not the best.

Throughout his career, no one had been able to withstand the devastating power of his sword. Even his elder brother, Cheng Yujian, a former contender for the King of the Century title, had personally admitted that his Sword Intent had not been as strong as Cheng Yufeng's at the same age.

But now...

Cheng Yufeng's Sword Intent had been defeated! It had been utterly incinerated when facing Li Pin’s Fist Intent!

Though the radiant sun dimmed slightly, the phantom of the Golden Crow within pressed on relentlessly.

At this moment, it wasn’t just Cheng Yufeng’s Sword Intent that had been defeated, but also his indomitable spirit. This spirit, forged through countless battles and sharpened over time, had been shattered. His belief in the invincibility of his sword had been shattered.

Cheng Yufeng's fighting spirit was dealt a crushing blow. "My Sword Intent..."

However, Li Pin's fist didn't show any mercy, even in the face of Cheng Yufeng's mental shock and shattered fighting spirit.

After overcoming Cheng Yufeng's formidable Sword Intent, Li Pin's terrifying punch, which seemed to eclipse even the sun, collided violently with Cheng Yufeng's sky-piercing sword strike.

Bang!

The clash sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

The moment their fist and sword met, the air within a radius of several meters went into a frenzy, and a white ring expanded outward, its epicenter their point of contact. This was an atmospheric ring, formed by the rapid compression of air due to the immense force of their extreme Aura Force.

Such a spectacle was typically reserved for the aftermath of heavy or even nuclear bomb explosions, yet here it was....

Mere mortals, with bodies of flesh and blood, had conjured a scene that was usually the exclusive domain of war machines.

Though the white atmospheric ring was small and vanished almost immediately, it left the audience in disbelief. It was almost inconceivable that ordinary humans, devoid of Astral Cultivation, could unleash such a devastating blow.

In this intense head-on collision, Cheng Yufeng felt as if his arm had been struck by a hundred-kilogram hammer. The sheer force, transmitted through his arm, violently shook his body, shattering several bones instantly.

Yes, shattered. The explosive force had shattered his entire arm.

The relentless power continued its assault, penetrating deep into his torso and ravaging his internal organs.

The force of the impact hurled him through the air. As he flew, the force tore through his back, rupturing capillaries and staining half his body crimson with blood.

1. A chant in preparation for the release of his technique. ☜