Chapter 414: Terrifying Fire Crows

"From the Qi State, Xiao Xuan has won nine consecutive matches, defeating nine men from the Liang State!"

"And now, the Liang State has only one contestant left. Xiao Xuan, do you wish to compete tomorrow, or continue now?"

The black-clad host turned toward Xiao Xuan.

In the crowd, countless eyes turned to Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan lifted his proud chin: "Continue!"

"Very well…" the host said: "Rest for half a stick of incense!"

"No need!" Xiao Xuan waved his hand directly: "Summon He Pingsheng onto the stage immediately…"

"I can still defeat him!"

Every time Xiao Xuan saw He Pingsheng, he inexplicably grew agitated.

"Alright!" He Pingsheng rose to his feet.

He walked slowly to the edge of the arena, then leapt into the vast array.

In that instant, He Pingsheng felt a strange sensation—as if he had undergone an indescribable spatial shift.

Outside, the arena seemed small, but inside, it was absurdly vast.

Mountains stretched endlessly around him, forests thick beyond measure; below, a deep valley held a stream trickling softly.

This was practically a world unto itself.

This world was far larger than the one within He Pingsheng's enhanced Great Freedom Pearl.

Here, you couldn't help but admire the handiwork of the Holy Master of Nianshan.

Incredible.

He had embedded an entire miniature world into this array.

They say the Holy Master masters the Dao of space and time—truly beyond comprehension.

The two stood in the void above this valley.

Each occupied a corner of the emptiness!

Neither moved first.

Xiao Xuan smiled and said: "He Pingsheng, we meet again… I lost to you twice before, but this time, I will not fail!"

"Hehehe… I know you're strong!"

"But no matter how strong you are, you will lose!"

He Pingsheng said: "Your words are too many. Can we begin?"

"Of course!" Xiao Xuan said: "You may start whenever you like!"

"Let me see what progress you've made these past years."

Boom…

Xiao Xuan wasn't foolish.

He didn't launch an attack immediately; instead, a layer of defense first appeared around his body, and he held a spell-seal in his hand, ready to strike at any moment.

This way, He Pingsheng would have no opening at all.

"Good!"

He Pingsheng smiled.

Then, with a flick of his spiritual sense, he pointed a finger.

Countless wood-element spiritual energies burst from his body, transforming into countless emerald thorn vines that swept down from all directions of the sky, engulfing Xiao Xuan.

He Pingsheng's wood-element dantian was nearly drained.

Within a thirty-zhang radius, the sky was completely obscured by dense, overlapping thorn vines.

Of course, draining the dantian didn't matter—he still had four other full dantians.

And unlike other attacks, wood-element techniques could be retracted.

The thorns could reverse back into spiritual energy and be drawn into his body again.

Seeing this magnificent technique, countless spectators outside were stunned.

Regardless of its offensive power, the sheer visual impact of this move was breathtaking.

Puff…

Puff puff puff…

Countless thorns surrounded Xiao Xuan, and upon each vine, dark green flowers bloomed, each releasing several poisonous spines.

Every spine shot directly toward Xiao Xuan.

Xiao Xuan didn't dodge!

Hiss!

Hiss hiss hiss…

Tiny poison spines pierced his skin.

Yet Xiao Xuan laughed heartily: "He Pingsheng, you used this move on me over seventy years ago!"

"Now… it's useless!"

"Break it…"

Boom boom boom…

From within Xiao Xuan, a similarly emerald glow erupted.

The poison spines were blasted back in the opposite direction.

Moreover, his body showed no wounds or signs of poisoning.

"This…" He Pingsheng's eyes narrowed slightly: "You… you have a poison-resistant treasure?"

"Wrong!" Xiao Xuan said: "Talismans are forbidden in competition. This is my poison-resisting divine art!"

"Die…"

"Ice… God… Finger…"

Countless water-element immortal spiritual energies gathered around him, instantly forming a colossal finger.

The finger, over thirty zhang tall, was entirely forged from ice.

This massive finger shattered He Pingsheng's thorn prison and crashed toward him with a thunderous boom.

He Pingsheng dared not delay.

"Retract…"

He pulled back his wood-element spiritual energy while activating his fire-element dantian.

Boom…

Boom…

Boom…

Twelve fire crows coalesced around him.

"Go…"

Each fire crow was several zhang in size.

Guided by He Pingsheng's spiritual sense, they charged forward one after another, smashing into the ice god finger.

Boom…

The first fire crow struck the ice god finger.

After a violent surge of energy, the crow vanished, and the finger was shattered by five zhang.

Boom…

Boom…

Boom…

Boom…

Quickly, more fire crows slammed into it.

When the thirty-zhang ice god finger was completely destroyed, six fire crows remained.

The remaining six fire crows flew toward Xiao Xuan like moths diving into flames.

Xiao Xuan wasn't surprised.

If He Pingsheng couldn't even withstand his Ice God Finger, he wouldn't have made it to the Nine States Grand Tournament.

Xiao Xuan waved his hand, and his deep spiritual power erupted again—several shields formed, and he unleashed another divine art.

Seven Arrows Fall from Mount Tian.

This time, they were ice arrows.

After barely blocking the six remaining fire crows, Xiao Xuan sighed in relief—then turned his head and saw a massive swarm of fire crows, again flying toward him from He Pingsheng's head.

His spiritual sense swept over them—he froze: sixty in total.

Good heavens…

Damn it…

This…

Sixty!

How am I supposed to block this?

Run…

That was Xiao Xuan's first thought.

Then he moved his foot, and in a flash, he vanished from his original spot.

The fire crow was a spell; though infused with the rule-force of fire, it lacked the ability to lock onto space, so Xiao Xuan could still escape.

But another property of the fire crow made him want to spit blood.

This was no ordinary spell that vanished after a single missed strike.

Under He Pingsheng's spiritual sense, it moved like a living thing—miss one strike, and it could turn and strike again.

Sixty fire crows relentlessly pursued; Xiao Xuan continuously fled.

After a few breaths, the sixty fire crows suddenly changed direction.

Each one locked onto Xiao Xuan from a different angle, then slammed into him like caged dragons, leaving him no escape route.

He did not possess He Pingsheng's powerful spiritual sense, allowing instantaneous teleportation within a single breath.

To activate his teleportation technique, he needed nearly two breaths.

Two breaths?

He Pingsheng's fire crows could have crushed him a thousand times over by then.

Thud…

Thud…

Thud…

One after another, the fire crows struck the defenses around Xiao Xuan's body and his own attacks.

Xiao Xuan's strategy was simple: defend by attacking.

But it didn't work.

There were simply too many fire crows.

By the time Xiao Xuan exhausted nearly all his spiritual power, over thirty fire crows remained.

"Stop… stop… stop…"

"I surrender…"

He had no choice but to surrender!

Otherwise, death was certain.

This battle required no technique—only one thing was tested: spiritual power.

Whoever had the deeper spiritual power won.