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Chapter 205: Chapter 205: The Victor Lives, the Vanquished Die!
"Cough! Luckily, I had this Purple-Blue Soft Armor gifted by Senior Brother Jin Min! Otherwise..."
Yan Qi looked at the sword mark on the soft armor covering his chest. His face was pale, and his heart trembled with lingering fear.
Just now, he had narrowly escaped a trip to the Ghost Gate.
If not for this Three-star Treasure Armor, that sword would have surely pierced him through, leaving him beyond dead!
Swallowing hard, Yan Qi immediately activated the treasure armor. Only when the purple crystal barrier securely enveloped him did his spirit finally calm.
The audience seating was utterly silent; everyone was stunned by the scene before them.
This battle, which had seemed to be a foregone conclusion, had completely reversed. Despite recently advancing to the Tongxuan Realm Second Layer, Yan Qi had been constantly suppressed by Luo Cheng from the start, nearly killed by a single sword strike!
The outcome defied everyone’s expectations.
"What the hell is Yan Qi doing? He can’t even kill a worthless nobody!"
Ren Qian’s body was immobile, but his face twisted fiercely. His extreme anger nearly caused him to spit blood.
Ren Xiaoguang glared at Luo Cheng, his face ashen and seething with indescribable fury:
"That guy is clearly just at the Tongxuan Realm Second Layer; how is his strength so terrifying!"
He had also seen it—the earlier sword strike was perilous beyond belief, nearly taking Yan Qi’s life!
Qi Guyun’s hand, clutching the sword hilt, slowly relaxed as he calmly remarked:
"No need to worry. The Purple-Blue Soft Armor is a top-tier Three-star Treasure. It significantly enhances Yan Qi’s Protective Essence Energy, its defensive power comparable to a Tongxuan Realm Third Layer Martial Artist."
"With the Purple-Blue Soft Armor, no matter how extraordinary Luo Cheng’s abilities might be, he can only taste defeat on the spot!"
In fact, Qi Guyun had initially thought, like Yan Qi, that this battle required no intervention from the Purple-Blue Treasure Armor—it was superfluous.
At this moment, Qi Guyun couldn’t help but admire his cousin Jin Min’s foresight.
Otherwise, today might have ended with a major humiliation here!
"Luo Cheng, you dream of defeating me! If I don’t kill you today, I’m not fit to be called human!"
With the treasure armor protecting him, Yan Qi’s confidence surged as he glared at Luo Cheng, his bloodshot eyes verging on tears of bright red.
As an esteemed Tongxuan Realm Second Layer Martial Artist and a member of the Crown Prince Hall, to be unable to defeat a mere Tongxuan Realm First Layer "worthless nobody" and to suffer such disgrace—this was utterly intolerable!
Luo Cheng remained silent, his gaze sharp. As his figure flickered, shadow following form, another sword strike slashed forth.
Buzz!
The long sword struck the purple crystal barrier, causing the crystalline shield to tremble violently before swiftly stabilizing again.
Yan Qi staggered back several steps, his face alight with a sinister smile:
"It’s useless! This Purple-Blue Soft Armor was gifted by Senior Brother Jin Min, a top-tier Three-star Treasure! With my current Protective Essence Energy, my defense rivals a Tongxuan Realm Third Layer Martial Artist. You dream of breaking through it? Foolishness!"
"Kneel down and beg for mercy; I might just make your death quick!"
Seeing that Luo Cheng couldn’t breach his Protective Essence Energy, Yan Qi’s heart settled.
"Oh? Then let’s see whether your turtle shell is tougher than my sword!"
Luo Cheng’s previously indifferent demeanor suddenly sharpened ominously.
Whoosh!
As his words ended, Luo Cheng’s figure vanished once more. His movements became unpredictable, like drifting clouds across the heavens—no consistent trajectory, no fixed form!
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the span of one breath, Yan Qi was attacked six times—his entire body forced into retreat, the crystal barrier twisting violently but showing no signs of shattering.
"Hahaha, it seems you’re not just a worthless fool but a stubborn one too! I already told you it wouldn’t work, but you keep trying! Once your Essence Energy is depleted, let’s see if you’ll still cling to life!"
Yan Qi’s gaze turned triumphant, his laughter twisted and cruel.
No matter how powerful Luo Cheng’s combat prowess was, he was ultimately just a Tongxuan Realm First Layer Middle Stage Martial Artist.
Yan Qi, on the other hand, was a Tongxuan Realm Second Layer Martial Artist!
In terms of the quality and quantity of Essence Energy, he was miles ahead. As long as this stalemate continued, Luo Cheng would inevitably exhaust his energy, leaving him as helpless prey to be slaughtered at will!
"Die!"
Amidst his sinister laughter, Yan Qi actively charged toward Luo Cheng. His palm struck heavily.
Luo Cheng remained unconcerned, meeting the attack with a left-handed fist, followed promptly by another diagonal sword strike.
Bam!
Yan Qi’s body was flung backward, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
While Protective Essence Energy could shield him from injury, it couldn’t block the transmission of force; the immense impact rattled him, causing his blood and Qi to churn—he almost spat blood.
Yan Qi, however, paid little mind. The moment his stance stabilized, he charged at Luo Cheng again.
He yearned to drain Luo Cheng’s energy as quickly as possible, exact revenge to redeem himself!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
In an instant, the ring was filled with the frenzied silhouettes of their battle, with Qi Force bursting in all directions!
Within mere moments, the two clashed dozens of times, each encounter leaving Yan Qi sent flying.
As the exchanges mounted, Yan Qi began to bleed from his nose and mouth, injured internally.
Despite this, he pressed on, his mind fixated on a single objective: exhaust Luo Cheng’s energy, then slaughter him mercilessly!
"This is insane! He’s only a Tongxuan Realm First Layer Middle Stage Martial Artist, yet he’s suppressing Yan Qi!"
"Suppressing or not, it doesn’t matter if he can’t break his defense. Once his energy is depleted, Yan Qi will crush him with a single strike!"
"Challenging the might of the Crown Prince Hall? Only death awaits him!"
The intense duel left the Outer Disciples in the audience both terrified and enthralled.
Yan Qi’s predicament appeared grim, but everyone clearly understood that once Luo Cheng drained his energy, the tide of the battle would turn sharply!
Spurt!
Another clash caused the crystal barrier to cave in with a deep crack. Yan Qi was thrown backward, unable to suppress the sweet metallic taste in his throat, and spewed blood.
Watching Luo Cheng charge at him again, Yan Qi finally sensed something amiss, his face pale and raging:
"You! Why hasn’t your Essence Energy drained yet?!"
The prolonged, intense struggle had left Yan Qi’s energy nearly depleted, weakening the crystal barrier by thirty percent.
Luo Cheng, on the other hand, showed no sign of fatigue—his attacks seemed to grow increasingly ferocious!
"Take a guess."
Luo Cheng spat out these two cold words nonchalantly as his moves continued without pause. Another diagonal sword strike unleashed an incredibly condensed sword aura, sharp and unyielding.
Crack!
The crystal barrier held for a brief moment before finally shattering into shards like broken mirrors, scattering into nothingness.
The sweeping sword aura cleanly severed four fingers from Yan Qi’s right hand.
"Ahhh!"
A harrowing scream echoed throughout the Martial Arts Square. Yan Qi vomited a mouthful of blood and was hurled violently across the ring.
"What?! The defense of the Purple-Blue Soft Armor was breached?!"
Qi Guyun, who had always appeared unperturbed, had his pupils contract as his grip tightened—his chair’s armrest shattered into powder.
The moment Yan Qi activated the Purple-Blue Soft Armor, Qi Guyun had deemed the battle resolved. Yan Qi’s Protective Essence Energy was, in his eyes, unbreakable; now the reality was proving him terribly wrong.
"Trash!"
Ren Xiaoguang’s face turned livid with rage; he wished he could take the stage himself and kill Luo Cheng with a single strike.
Gu Lingfeng and the others had long since been dumbfounded.
From the outset to now, this battle felt like their emotions were tossed on a rollercoaster ride.
In the ring.
Yan Qi coughed blood repeatedly; the immense force behind Luo Cheng’s last strike had shattered his organs, leaving him severely injured internally.
Gritting his teeth to prop himself up, Yan Qi glared at the approaching Luo Cheng and growled:
"Luo Cheng, today’s humiliation, I will repay tenfold in the future!"
Luo Cheng shook his head, speaking calmly: "I’m afraid you won’t have a ’future.’ In a life-or-death duel, the victor lives, and the defeated dies. Could it be that you still don’t grasp such a simple principle?"
Feeling the killing intent emanating from Luo Cheng, Yan Qi’s face changed drastically. He roared:
"You! You dare kill me? Do you know how many Crown Prince Hall members are here? Senior Brother Qi Guyun is also present! If you kill me, you’ll be an enemy of every Crown Prince Hall member! You’re seeking death!"
Yan Qi’s voice betrayed his inner fear.
He refused to believe Luo Cheng truly had the audacity to kill him here and now.
Never mind anyone else—Qi Guyun alone wouldn’t allow it!
"Luo Cheng, the battle’s outcome is settled. Release Yan Qi now!" Ren Xiaoguang stepped forward, his tone firm and commanding.
A Crown Prince Hall disciple shouted: "Let Senior Brother Yan Qi go! If you dare take it further, you’ll die without even a place to be buried!"
Qi Guyun said nothing, merely staring daggers at Luo Cheng with icy cold eyes that cut through the air.
Amid the furious outcries from the Crown Prince Hall members, Luo Cheng calmly walked up to Yan Qi.
He raised his sword and thrust it forward.
Swish!
A glint of icy light—one strike to the throat!
