Chapter 82

Ye Lingxi’s gaze locked onto the stage, her cold eyes flickering with solemnity.

“Golden flame carries ultimate destructive power, several times stronger than ordinary fire. Though Jiang Xia’s black flame is strange, suppressing the golden flame won’t be easy.”

Onstage, Jiang Xia felt the barrier’s resistance; his left Sharingan spun rapidly.

“Kamui!” The Mangekyo Sharingan flared; the air around the golden flame twisted, and Kamui tore a gap clean through it.

Seizing the opening, his blade drove through the breach, black flame spreading along the golden flame’s fissures, racing toward Akatsuki Jin.

Akatsuki Jin’s face darkened; he hastily retreated.

“Golden Flame Clone!”

Three clones, identical to him, appeared instantly, charging at Jiang Xia from three directions, each wielding a blade of golden flame.

“Child’s play.” Jiang Xia sneered, switching his Sharingan, instantly locking onto the true body—“Kamui!”

His body phased out, effortlessly dodging the clones’ attacks, while Susanoo spun, its black flame blade sweeping—three clones severed in an instant.

At that moment, Akatsuki Jin’s true body suddenly appeared behind Jiang Xia, golden flame coalescing into a fist, slamming hard into Jiang Xia’s back.

“I’ve studied your file—Itachi can’t use your spatial ability while attacking!”

“Watch out!” Ye Lingxi couldn’t help shouting.

Jiang Xia’s Rinnegan ignited: “Shinra Tensei!”

A powerful repulsive force erupted; Akatsuki Jin’s fist was violently repelled half a meter from Jiang Xia’s back, sending him stumbling back three steps, blood trickling from his lips.

“Damn it—the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion held back another trick!” Akatsuki Jin clutched his chest, eyes filled with shock.

Jiang Xia turned slowly, his left Sharingan and right Rinnegan both glowing—one red, one purple, dazzling in the sunlight: “Akatsuki Jin, Itachi’ve lost.”

“Not yet!” Akatsuki Jin’s voice was hoarse; flame in his palm began to spin, forming a miniature vortex.

“I didn’t expect a Wu Zong beginner could force me to use my true power.”

“I once used this to slay Wang Hou—Burning Ruin: Annihilation!”

Jiang Xia’s expression hardened; his Sharingan spun, instantly perceiving the energy trajectory of the flame vortex.

The vortex’s core temperature had exceeded a thousand degrees; the surrounding space was cracked by searing heat—if struck directly, even Susanoo’s skeletal frame might not withstand it.

He took a deep breath, shifting Susanoo into its fourth form, summoning the Kagutsuchi long blade—

“Then let’s see!”

Before Jiang Xia finished speaking, Susanoo lunged forward, the blade slicing through air with a tearing shriek, slashing toward Akatsuki Jin.

Akatsuki Jin’s eyes flashed with ruthlessness; he hurled the flame vortex—it exploded midair, swelling into a massive fireball several meters wide, colliding with the flame blade.

“Boom—”

A deafening explosion echoed across the training ground; the energy shockwave forced spectators back several meters.

Even the metal floor of the stage melted under the heat, forming a pool of dark red liquid. When the smoke cleared, both figures reappeared.

Jiang Xia’s Susanoo skeleton was riddled with cracks, finally collapsing.

His face was pale, breath ragged, blood tears flowing more freely.

Opposite him, Akatsuki Jin was no better—his training uniform torn in multiple places, blood dripping from his lips, backlash damage injuring his internal organs.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Xia, eyes filled with shock.

He hadn’t expected that even after unleashing one of his ultimate techniques, he still couldn’t defeat this Wu Zong beginner!

“Draw?” Someone below the stage gasped.

“Jiang Xia actually blocked Akatsuki Jin’s Burning Heaven-Splitting Void! That move can severely wound a regular Gao Jie mid-stage beast!”

“What is that skeletal giant of his? Its defense and offense are both monstrous!”

The two locked eyes across the distance, each recognizing the other’s strength—and feeling deeper battle intent.

“Still going?” Jiang Xia wiped blood from his eye, voice low.

His right eye, the Rinnegan, faintly rippled—preparing to unleash greater power.

Akatsuki Jin wiped blood from his lips, staring intently at Jiang Xia’s strange, powerful eyes—he could feel the opponent still held back a trump card.

He himself still had hidden techniques, but using them would mean a fight to the death.

“Enough!”

General Lei Zhan’s voice boomed like thunder; he stepped onto the center of the sparring platform, his overwhelming aura instantly suppressing the residual energy.

“Sparring ends here! If Itachi keep fighting, Itachi’ll tear this platform apart! This match is a draw!”

Draw!

The crowd below erupted in uproar.

This news would explode like a bomb, shaking the entire training camp—and even Shanhai Pass.

Holding his own against Akatsuki Jin, a Wu Zong peak cultivator, with only Wu Zong beginner cultivation—this strength alone would silence every doubter of his ranking.

Akatsuki Jin cast a long look at Jiang Xia, snorted coldly; though he didn’t dispute Lei Zhan’s ruling, his defiance was obvious.

He leapt off the platform; disciples of the Burning Heaven Pavilion immediately surrounded him.

Jiang Xia exhaled, slowly descending the stage. Wang Teng and Ye Lingxi and others rushed forward.

“Old Xia, awesome! Itachi drew with Akatsuki Jin!” Wang Teng excitedly punched Jiang Xia’s shoulder.

“Itachi okay?” Ye Lingxi handed him a spirit-restoring potion, her cold eyes holding a trace of concern.

Jiang Xia took the potion and drank it, shaking his head: “Heavy drain. Just need rest.”

Lei Zhan watched Jiang Xia, admiration deepening: “Kid, good. Your ocular ability is indeed strange and powerful, and your foundation is solid. But your realm remains a weakness—Itachi still need to work hard.”

On the spectator stand, Ling Zhantian couldn’t help but admire both—after all, when he’d fought Jiang Xia before, he’d been a true Da Wu Shi, one full realm higher.

On the training camp’s elevated platform, a guard with the rank of Junior Lieutenant transmitted the battle footage via ocular relay to a pavilion.

In the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, Qing Yun watched the video and smiled lightly: “These two are patient. We wasted an eye agent and still didn’t uncover their trump cards.”

“Withdraw. The instructors have sensed Itachi.”

“Understood.” The guard on the platform replied, then leapt away, vanishing from the training camp.

In General’s Office, Zhao Gang heard his subordinate report the spy had escaped; his expression didn’t change. He waved his hand, and the officer left.

The major opposite him snapped angrily: “Anyone can tell it’s a Heavenly Mechanism agent. Shouldn’t we demand an explanation?”

Zhao Gang waved dismissively: “No need. If they left unharmed, they aren’t afraid of us pursuing. They deliberately made noise so we’d know they’d gone—no point chasing.”

“But we should investigate Jiang Xia. The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion came here for him.”

“Understood.” The major nodded and left the office.

On the dueling arena.

“Next, Zhao Kui!” Lei Zhan called.

Zhao Kui, summoned, was from the Ren Yuan Pass Martial Alliance, Wu Zong mid-stage, ranked fourteenth on the Tianjiao List, with exceptional defense.

He blinked, then leapt onto the stage, his voice deep and rumbling: “Miss Ye Lingxi, please!”

Ye Lingxi released her grip on Jiang Xia, leaping lightly onto the sparring platform, her gaze calm as she surveyed her opponent: “Please instruct me.”