Chapter 780

"Oh? When?" Chairman Leng Cang was surprised.

"Two months from now, the Martial Arts Hall Exchange Tournament."

Wang Tai replied with a smile, "Xu Jingming will likely represent Lei Ting Martial Arts Hall in the competition."

"You're from the military—what does the Martial Arts Hall Exchange Tournament have to do with you?" Chairman Leng Cang asked, puzzled.

"This year's Martial Arts Hall Exchange Tournament is different from the last one; the venue might very well be the Yer Secret Realm."

Wang Tai replied, "Not just our military—some families from Great Xia will likely send participants as well."

"The Yer Secret Realm is opening again?" Chairman Leng Cang's eyes lit up.

The Yer Secret Realm was first discovered forty years ago by a sixth-rank adept.

After entering, this sixth-rank adept discovered that the secret realm was teeming with rare and exotic flowers and herbs!

The disturbance caused by the realm's emergence also attracted more people to go there.

Eventually, it even drew the attention of the strongest figures among the Six Titans.

But they soon discovered that only adepts below the ninth rank could enter.

And each opening lasted only one to two months.

The next opening might be two years away—or three.

Thus, the six strongest figures named it the Yer Secret Realm and agreed to jointly develop it.

Each time the realm opens, nations organize eighth-rank adepts to enter and harvest the rare flowers and herbs growing inside.

The format of the Martial Arts Hall Exchange Tournament is not fixed; choosing a secret realm as the venue is normal procedure.

"That's right," Wang Tai nodded.

"Pity I don't have much time left—if I did, I'd go in again for sure."

Chairman Leng Cang shook his head involuntarily.

He had entered the Yer Secret Realm before, but only once.

That was more than a decade ago.

"Don't worry—I'll go for you. If I can find an SSS-grade healing herb, you'll be saved."

Wang Tai said solemnly.

"SSS-grade healing herbs aren't that easy to find—even in the Yer Secret Realm."

Shaking his head, Chairman Leng Cang gazed ahead at the city: "Enough talk—the match is about to begin."

"Both competitors, prepare yourselves! After pressing the teleport button,"

"you will be randomly teleported to positions at least two kilometers apart within the city ahead!"

At the referee's voice, a teleport button appeared simultaneously before Leng Yuexi and Qiu Ran.

Without hesitation, both selected teleportation!

Shhh—

Their figures vanished instantly from their original spots and reappeared within the city ahead.

Simultaneously, two holographic projections appeared on either side, each displaying Leng Yuexi and Qiu Ran within the city.

"If Young Lady wins the first match, we still have a chance; if she loses, our chances are slim."

Xu Jingming's cold, clear black-and-white eyes fixed on the holographic projection above.

He had confidence he could defeat Wu Xuan, eighth-rank upper-level Weida Master—but even if he won, it wouldn't guarantee victory.

The virtual city spanned over twenty square kilometers, yet to these two powerful adepts, it was hardly large at all.

Just over ten seconds later, the two clashed.

Leng Yuexi wielded the Chilian Sword, which had two forms.

One was its conventional form, indistinguishable from an ordinary longsword.

The other resembled a whip—supple and razor-sharp.

Her opponent, Qiu Ran, was an Enhancement-type adept wielding a battle blade.

In direct confrontation, he was certainly unafraid.

Fire Sparrow Slash!

Brilliant Sun Sword!

Flame Sun Array!

Although Leng Yuexi trained in body-strengthening arts and followed the martial path,

she was also the owner of the S-rank elemental fire ability, "Jiuyou Purple Flame."

Each swing of her blade was wreathed in searing flame.

Like Xu Jingming, she unleashed numerous spell-like combat techniques—though perhaps fewer in number.

Boom—boom—boom!!

Waves of heat surged skyward; the purple-black flames nearly ignited half the city.

The ground trembled; skyscrapers collapsed.

As her opponent, Qiu Ran had to constantly maintain his qi defense—or the flames would instantly consume him.

"Whoa, Young Lady's strength is this powerful?"

"Terrifying! This power rivals most eighth-rank lower-level adepts!"

Watching Leng Yuexi trade blows with Qiu Ran, the members of the Spirit Fox Guild in the stands were stunned.

They knew Leng Yuexi, with her S-rank ability, would be strong—but never this strong!

You should know that Qiu Ran's strength was already considered impressive among eighth-rank lower-level Weida Masters!

"Hmm?" Leng Shu's expression darkened.

In his expectation, Qiu Ran should have defeated Leng Yuexi with overwhelming superiority right away.

"Young Lady's S-rank ability is strong, but what matters most is her physique."

Eighth-rank Weida Master Zongshi Wu Xuan frowned as he analyzed, "She can clash head-on with Qiu Ran without falling behind."

Her body cultivation must have reached an extremely profound level, yet according to the data we collected earlier,"

"Young Lady's breakthrough is powerful, but it should be nowhere near Qiu Ran's."

But he did not know that after absorbing nearly two hundred liters of ninth-rank peak King-level beast monarch's blood,"

Leng Yuexi's physique had reached an extremely terrifying level.

"Head-on, Sister Xi is slightly weaker, but it's negligible."

Next, we'll see who lasts longer—who endures longer, wins."

Xu Jingming silently thought as he carefully observed the battle.

Both were following the path of close-combat warriors.

In the nearly half-hour of brutal fighting that followed, almost no building in the city remained intact.

The ground and sky were filled with scorching purple flames and crimson blood qi crisscrossing everywhere.

Leng Yuexi and Qiu Ran were both drenched in blood; compared to the start, their conditions had clearly declined.

Yet neither had yet won.

"Zhu Que Burns the Heavens!"

Finally, after another ten minutes or so,

Leng Yuexi stood tall in the center of the city, her Chi Lian Sword circling her body like a nimble, living serpent.

Above her, in the sky, a Zhu Que, as tall as a small mountain, formed instantly from dark purple flames!

Boom—

The instant the Zhu Que took shape, flames erupted, releasing temperatures of over ten thousand degrees Celsius.

The air seemed to boil; the ruins around Leng Yuexi melted like ice cream in summer!

Even hardened concrete could not withstand temperatures of over ten thousand degrees!

"Oh? Is this an SSS-rank combat technique?" Xu Jingming raised his sword-like brows.

This should be settled now.

Indeed, after the Zhu Que formed, Qiu Ran—already at his limit—could no longer resist.

He was swallowed by flames and lost his life in an instant.

"Qiu Ran is dead. First round, Young Lady wins!" the referee's voice rang out.

Around them, a wave of stunned exclamations erupted.

When had Young Lady Leng Yuexi become this strong?