Chapter 549: Crushing Gu Cheng

BOOM!!

In the center of the arena, a crimson, dragon-like Sword Gang and a Golden Spear Gang were the first to collide.

WHOOSH!!

The explosion sent Energy scattering, forming a violent gale that ravaged the arena.

In the span of a breath, two figures burst through the gale, their eyes meeting.

“Die!”

Gu City’s killing intent surged as a terrifying power erupted from his body. From it, an intangible, blazing, crimson lizard began to materialize.

It was a Level 11 Demon Beast he had comprehended from the Ten Thousand Beasts Blood Pillar—the Lava Lizard!

ROAR!!

As the giant lizard was unleashed, he swung his Battle Saber, his Sword Gang highly condensed, fusing his Fire Dragon Realm into the Saber Technique.

Seeing this, Lin Qi unleashed his Six Records of Mountains and Rivers. The Mountain and River Realm manifested, swirling around the tip of his spear.

Gripping the Big Gun with both hands, he found the perfect moment for a sudden upward thrust, instantly Tearing the air apart!

BOOM!!

Their Weapons clashed, their Gang Powers locking in a contest of pure impact. Ripples spread through the air in concentric waves.

The air crackled as a terrifying Rebound Force sent them both staggering back several steps.

THUD, THUD, THUD!!

Lin Qi took five steps back, his feet cracking the alloy floor with each impact.

He felt the force of the rebound travel up the shaft of his spear, only to be absorbed and dispersed by his Gang Power.

‘This guy’s strong!’

Lin Qi quickly made an assessment, his benchmark being Jenos from the Silver Federation.

Jenos’s power was immense and had left a lasting impression on him.

But Gu City was far stronger than Jenos, especially when it came to the impact of his Saber Technique.

Gu City was over 2.1 meters tall and possessed incredible strength.

‘I used fifty percent of my strength,’ Lin Qi thought, ‘and I’m still at a disadvantage?’

THUD, THUD, THUD!!

Gu City took three steps back, a thrill of excitement growing within him as he stared at Lin Qi.

“Lin Qi, is this all the strength you have?”

“It’s too weak!”

“I’ll show you what true power looks like!”

He charged forward again like a Meteor, moving like a Fire Dragon as he executed his Saber Technique.

The scorching Sword Gang made the air temperature climb as he boosted the power of his Saber Technique once more.

That last strike had only been seventy percent of his power, yet it had completely suppressed Lin Qi.

‘And he dared to provoke me with this pathetic level of skill.’

‘He’s only good enough to bully my little brother, who hasn’t even Awakened.’

‘And this guy is supposed to be the champion of the Global Martial Arts Tournament?’

‘It just goes to show how weak the so-called geniuses are these days. Any of my old rivals could have easily won the title this year.’

Fire Dragon Saber Technique—Fire Dragon Chaotic Dance!

This time, he unleashed eighty percent of his power, intending to crush Lin Qi as easily as one would squash an ant.

BOOM!!

Lin Qi swung his Big Gun, raising his power to seventy percent as he continued to test the waters.

The Mountain and River Realm manifested, its heavy Power of Realm reinforcing his entire body.

BAM! BAM!!

Above the arena, the two clashed once more, Red Flame meeting Golden Gang Power.

They were locked in a fierce exchange.

Once a Martial Artist reaches the Seventh Realm, they condense Gang Power, which becomes their most powerful means of attack.

A clash of Gang Power is a clash of Martial Arts itself.

A weaker technique naturally puts one at a disadvantage, unless they can compensate with superior speed or incredible defense.

Lin Qi could sense that Gu City’s fighting style was relentlessly aggressive—fiery and violent.

Every saber strike was domineering, like the chaotic dance of a fire dragon.

BAM! BAM!!

The two clashed head-on in the arena!

He could feel a scorching heat, like flickering flames trying to crawl over his body.

It sought to break through his Gang Power’s defense and incinerate him.

The two clashed repeatedly in the arena, exchanging several blows in just a few short seconds.

The terrifying Gang Power radiating from their exchange battered the ground beneath them, causing a dense web of cracks to spread across the floor.

…

In the audience stands,

The Sword Emperor, who had been silent until now, slowly began to offer his commentary.

“Gu City’s Fire Dragon Saber Technique has truly captured the essence of your teachings, Chi Lie.”

“You created your Saber Technique based on Emperor Red’s Ultimate Skill, but you added your own style, making it even more fiercely aggressive.”

“Gu City has already advanced far down the path of Mental Realm Communication with the Divine. He’s getting very close to Tier Four Perfection.”

“He can already start looking toward a Tier Five Saber Technique!”

“Haha!”

King Chi Lie roared with laughter. Among Ninth Realm Martial Artists, it was common to address one another by title or by their given name.

For instance, everyone called King Chi Lie simply “Chi Lie,” an alternative form of address.

Chi Lie was overjoyed and made no attempt to hide it, even knowing that Lin Qi was the grand-disciple of the King of Mountains and Rivers.

“In all of Xia Country, besides the Red Emperor, I am the only one who has managed to comprehend an entirely new Saber Technique from Emperor Red’s Ultimate Skill.”

King Chi Lie was immensely proud.

“Gu City is the disciple I am most proud of. It’s only natural for him to defeat Lin Qi.”

“He is, after all, the ‘genius’ who won the Global Martial Arts Tournament.”

“Look! Gu City isn’t even using his full strength, and Lin Qi is already on the ropes!”

The North River Sword King frowned, complaining silently to himself.

‘He just copied Emperor Red’s Ultimate Skill and made a few minor changes. What’s there to be so smug about?’

The Red Emperor was the most exceptional of Emperor Red’s sons, so it was understandable that their Ultimate Skills were similar, as both were derived from the Emperor’s original.

There was nothing wrong with that.

But for King Chi Lie to do the same was something the other Ninth Realm Martial Artists secretly scorned him for.

He glanced at Lin Qi in the arena. He greatly admired the young man; if the King of Mountains and Rivers hadn’t stepped in first, he would have wanted to take Lin Qi as his own disciple.

Naturally, he didn’t want to see Lin Qi lose.

He turned to glance at the King of Mountains and Rivers, but the older man’s expression was placid, revealing nothing.

…

In a corner of the audience stands,

“Haha, Lin Qi is losing!”

Guu Ming was with a group of people, his face flush with excitement as he pumped a clenched fist in the air.

He was ecstatic, unable to wait for the moment he’d see Lin Qi brought to his knees.