The masked swordsman took a step back, still stunned by his sudden drop in cultivation.
"This… What the hell did you do to me?" he demanded, eyes narrowing behind his silver mask.
"I sealed your cultivation," I said, spinning my sword in my hand. "Now we're equal. No excuses."
He smirked, lifting both swords into a high guard stance. "Heh… Fine. This might actually be fun."
He lunged first, blades moving in a whirl of steel. The air screamed as his twin swords carved arcs of death toward me. But now that our cultivations were matched, his pressure wasn't as suffocating.
Clang! Clang!
Our blades danced. My single sword met his two in a flurry of sparks and rapid footwork. He was fast—unpredictable—using one sword to feint while the other struck. But I was calm. Focused. Every movement of mine was deliberate.
I activated Inferno Slash – First Form.
A wave of blazing sword light shot toward him.
He crossed his blades, blocking the flame—but skidded back several meters, boots carving trenches in the ground.
"Nice move," he said, winded. "But it's my turn."
His swords began to glow with pale blue light—wind element infused.
He dashed toward me with incredible speed, his blades like wings, spinning and slashing in a deadly cyclone.
I raised my sword to defend—but the sheer momentum of his dual-blade combo forced me onto the defensive.
Slash!
A cut opened on my side.
"Tch…"
I leapt back, blood dripping from my wound. The pain flared—but I refused to fall.
"Earth Seal – Five Hand Palm!" I roared again.
Five spiritual palms crashed down from the sky, aiming directly for him.
He twisted, using both swords to shatter the first two palms. But the third knocked him flat, and the fourth crushed his defense. The fifth hit the ground beside him, flinging him across the clearing.
Boom!
He lay still, groaning in pain, one arm bent awkwardly.
I approached him, sword raised.
"End it," he said, removing his mask. He was young—maybe only a year or two older than me—with sharp eyes and a confident smirk, even in defeat.
"You're strong," I said. "What's your name?"
"Feng Xuan," he replied. "From the Blade Sect."
I nodded. "Zhen Huan. From High Heaven Sect."
We stared at each other in silence for a moment. Then I turned away and said, "I won't kill you. Not today."
"You're letting me go?" he said, surprised.
I looked back. "You're not my enemy. I just needed the orbs."
I took his ring, collected his half Orb Fragments, and walked away.
[Orb Fragments +72]
Only three hours remained in the competition.
And I had one goal left:
Take first place.
[Total Orb Fragments: 235]