Chapter 146: Chapter 145: Three Consecutive Wins

’Huo Man, ranked second among the new disciples of the Netherworld Pavilion!’

Fang Han stood with his sword in hand, his expression grave as he looked at his opponent and the giant warhammer emanating a vicious, baleful aura.

Because his opponent made no effort to conceal it, he could clearly feel the volcanic surge of Eighth Grade Middle Stage Inner Qi fluctuating within his body.

Although he had once fought and killed two Netherworld Pavilion disciples with Mid-Stage Eighth Grade Cultivation while he was only at the Early Stage of Eighth Grade, those two were clearly ordinary disciples with limited talent. Their attainments in Martial Techniques were nowhere near comparable to a genius like Huo Man.

Facing a genius like Huo Man, fighting someone a level above him would be no easy feat.

’This is going to be a tough fight.’

"Let the match begin!"

Xuanyuan Jing glanced at the two contestants, his eyes lingering on Huo Man’s terrifying warhammer, and announced in a deep voice.

"ROAR—!"

The moment the words fell, a ferocious glint exploded in Huo Man’s eyes. He let out a low roar, like an enraged beast.

The muscles in his arms suddenly bulged, making his thick limbs seem to swell a size larger as veins protruded like writhing serpents.

He swung the heavy warhammer with a single hand, and it descended upon Fang Han with the force of a falling meteor, accompanied by a suffocating, vicious gust of wind.

The wind from the warhammer howled as the air was rapidly compressed, creating a dull sonic boom.

There was nothing fancy about this strike; it was a pure, ultimate display of power.

Infused with Huo Man’s potent Middle Stage of Eighth Grade Inner Qi, it seemed as if it would smash both Fang Han and his sword to pieces.

"SWOOSH!"

As Huo Man’s warhammer came crashing down, a vicious wind rushed forward, so suffocating it felt as if the air itself had been sucked away by the blow.

Fang Han’s pupils contracted. He knew he couldn’t meet it with brute force.

Tapping the ground with his toes, he naturally executed the Wind Shadow Step. His body drifted backward like a willow catkin in the breeze, evading the point of the attack’s greatest power.

His Cyan Blade Sword transformed into a streak of cyan lightning. Instead of blocking head-on, its tip trembled and tapped the side of the massive warhammer, attempting to use skillful force to deflect its momentum.

"CHINK!"

The instant the sword tip met the body of the warhammer, Fang Han felt an overwhelming force surge through the blade like a tidal wave.

He let out a muffled grunt, his body sliding back uncontrollably, leaving two distinct footprints on the ground. His sword arm went numb and sore.

"Heh, you’re quick to dodge!"

Huo Man sneered, the bloodthirsty light in his eyes intensifying.

Pressing his advantage, the muscles in his arms bulged once more. The terrifying warhammer felt as light as a feather in his hands as he unleashed a continuous barrage of strikes on Fang Han, each accompanied by a "WHOOSH WHOOSH" sound, like a raging tempest.

Each strike was faster and heavier than the last!

The warhammer’s wide arc sealed off most of Fang Han’s escape routes, forcing him to repeatedly swing his sword to parry or deflect.

He clearly had a wealth of experience dealing with experts in Body Techniques.

"CLANG!" "CLANG!" "CLANG!"

A deafening cacophony of metal clashing erupted across the arena, sending sparks flying.

With every collision, Fang Han felt as if he’d been struck by a charging behemoth. His blood roiled, and the soreness in his arm gradually turned into a sharp, stinging pain. The webbing between his thumb and index finger had already split open, seeping blood.

He was constantly forced back, appearing completely suppressed by Huo Man’s incomparably fierce assault, facing one perilous situation after another.

"I’m afraid Fang Han is going to lose..."

In the Qingxuan Sect’s area, Huang Ling’er clasped her small hands tightly, her face etched with worry.

It wasn’t that Fang Han wasn’t strong enough, but that this Huo Man was even stronger. Not only was he a Middle Stage of Eighth Grade Martial Artist, but he had also cultivated a Middle Grade Hammer Technique to the Mastery level.

"Fang Han hasn’t given up yet. His swordsmanship hasn’t fallen into disarray, and his footwork is still steady. He’s looking for an opportunity."

Yun Qianyue watched the arena with a cool gaze, her voice calm.

Li Feng, cradling his long saber, remained silent with eyes as sharp as an eagle’s. He gave a slight nod, seemingly agreeing with Yun Qianyue’s judgment.

In the stands, discussions began to ripple through the crowd.

"Huo Man’s strength is terrifying. That warhammer must weigh hundreds of pounds, right?"

"That kid from the Qingxuan Sect has good swordsmanship and agile body techniques, but unfortunately, his cultivation is a step behind. His strength is completely suppressed."

"He is, after all, facing Huo Man of the Middle Stage of Eighth Grade, who is far from your average Martial Artist of that level. To last this long, even in defeat, would be a glorious loss."

Most people believed Fang Han’s defeat was only a matter of time.

The gap in cultivation, especially when it came to a complete suppression in pure strength, was often impossible to overcome with skill alone.

In the Netherworld Pavilion’s camp, many disciples already wore relaxed expressions, as if victory were in sight.

Mo Yuan stared intently at the arena. He both hoped that Huo Man would teach Fang Han a harsh lesson and avenge his earlier humiliation, yet also felt a faint sense of unwillingness. ’Why wasn’t I the one to defeat Fang Han?’

On the arena stage, Fang Han’s breathing was slightly ragged, and sweat had appeared on his temples.

Huo Man’s assault was like a raging storm, wave after wave, giving him almost no chance to catch his breath.

But his eyes remained as calm and unrippled as a deep pool.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the moment when Huo Man, frustrated by his inability to land a decisive blow, would grow impatient or his strength would begin to wane.

Unable to secure victory after a prolonged assault, Huo Man grew increasingly anxious.

He had assumed that with his Middle Stage of Eighth Grade Cultivation and Innate Divine Power, he could finish off this Early Stage of Eighth Grade brat in just a few swings. He never expected his opponent to be so slippery, with such tricky swordsmanship that he always managed to neutralize his killing blows by the slimmest of margins.

"Get on the ground!"

Huo Man roared furiously, frantically pouring Inner Qi into his warhammer. The dark red patterns on its head seemed to come alive, radiating a scorching heat.

Veins bulged on his arms as he brought the warhammer crashing down toward Fang Han’s head with the force of a collapsing mountain, accompanied by a searing heatwave.

This strike reached the peak of both speed and power. The wind from the warhammer completely locked down a several-foot radius around Fang Han, leaving him no room to dodge!

At the side of the stage, the referee, Xuanyuan Jing, narrowed his eyes. His fingers twitched within his sleeve, ready to intervene and rescue at a moment’s notice.

Everyone held their breath, believing the outcome was decided.

In that split second, a sharp glint flashed in Fang Han’s eyes as he fully activated the Wind Shadow Step he had been holding in reserve.

The Mastery Level "Wind Momentum" erupted from his feet!

"SWOOSH—!"

His figure seemed to blur for an instant. He was no longer dodging backward or to the side.

Instead, like a phantom, he moved at an unbelievable angle and speed, closing in toward the oncoming warhammer and narrowly brushing past it.

The warhammer, carrying terrifying wind pressure, grazed the corner of his clothes as it passed and slammed heavily onto the arena stage.

"BOOM!!!"

With a tremendous crash, stone fragments flew everywhere. A shallow crater was blasted into the hard surface of the stage, and dust filled the air.

As for Fang Han, he had already closed the distance, sticking to Huo Man’s front like a maggot on a rotting bone.

"Wind Splitting Shadow!"

The Cyan Blade Sword let out a clear, high-pitched hum as he fully unleashed the Mastery Level Wind-Splitting Swordsmanship.

The light of his sword transformed into erratic yet incomparably sharp, pale cyan wind blades, which swept like a swift shadow and instantly enveloped several vital points on Huo Man’s chest and abdomen.

’Not good!’

Horrified, Huo Man hastily brought his warhammer back to block.

"CLANG—SCHLICK!"

Though deflected by the impact with the warhammer, the sword’s edge still managed to slice across his body.

A bloody gash appeared on his chest, and blood instantly spurted out.

Because the injury wasn’t severe, Xuanyuan Jing did not intervene to end the fight.

"AARGH!"

Huo Man let out a pained roar. Spurred on by the intense pain, his savagery erupted. He swung his warhammer, wrapped in ferocious Inner Qi, toward Fang Han’s face like a cannonball.

Having successfully landed a blow, Fang Han didn’t linger for a second. He executed the Wind Shadow Step again, his body drifting backward like the wind to evade the furious strike.

"He... he dodged it? And even counter-attacked and wounded Huo Man?"

"What a fast Body Technique! That kid Fang Han actually has such an incredible technique up his sleeve!"

The entire crowd was in an uproar over their brief exchange. No one had expected that the first one to be injured would be Huo Man, who had been dominating the fight.

"You brat... I’m going to tear you apart!"

Huo Man looked down at the bleeding wound on his chest, then raised his head to glare at Fang Han, his eyes filled with rage, humiliation, and a trace of disbelief.

With a wild roar, he gripped the warhammer with both hands and launched another fierce assault on Fang Han, like a maddened beast.

’A pity!’

Fang Han felt a pang of regret. Although his surprise attack had wounded Huo Man, it hadn’t injured him severely enough to end the fight.

He was, after all, the second-ranked new disciple of the Netherworld Pavilion; his strength was far from simple.

Even though he had fallen into his trap, he had reacted quickly enough to prevent the plan from succeeding completely.

"SWOOSH!"

Unleashing the Mastery Level Wind Shadow Step, Fang Han’s figure became like wind and shadow, moving erratically around the arena.

He pushed his speed and agility to their limits, constantly circling around Huo Man.

His Cyan Blade Sword transformed into streaks of cyan lightning, sometimes striking and retreating instantly like a dragonfly skipping across water.

Other times, it was like a viper striking, aimed precisely at the openings created when Huo Man swung his warhammer.

"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—"

The intense battle continued. The two figures crisscrossed rapidly on the stage, the dazzling flashes of the sword and the shadow of the warhammer a blur to the eye.

The clang of metal, the crackle of exploding Qi Force, and Huo Man’s furious roars intertwined.

Everyone watched, captivated, never having imagined that a fight they expected to be one-sided would become so intense and deadlocked.

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over two hundred blows!

Fang Han’s Inner Qi consumption was immense, and his forehead was now covered in fine beads of sweat.

’I have to decide this soon, or I’ll lose once my Inner Qi runs out.’

"SWOOSH!"

A glint flashed in his eyes as his figure seemed to teleport to Huo Man’s left, swinging his sword to attack from the side.

Huo Man hastily moved his warhammer to block his left.

Just then, Fang Han pushed his Wind Shadow Step to its absolute limit, his body perilously brushing past the defending warhammer as he circled around to Huo Man’s right side.

"SHIIING—!"

The Cyan Blade Sword let out a sharp hum as all of his "Wind Momentum" was highly condensed at its tip.

It transformed into a single, brilliant point of cyan starlight, stabbing straight for Huo Man’s right ribs.

This thrust was incredibly swift, vicious, and cunning!

’Not good!’

Sensing the fatal danger coming from his right, Huo Man’s pupils shrank. He wanted to change his move, but it was already too late to defend his right side.

He could only desperately twist his body in an attempt to dodge.

But with his burly frame, which was ill-suited for body techniques, it was clearly impossible to evade.

Just as the sword was about to plunge into Huo Man’s ribs and inflict a grievous wound—

"Stop!"

Xuanyuan Jing’s figure appeared between the two like a ghost.

One of his hands, fast as lightning, shot out. With his index and middle fingers pressed together, he precisely pinched the tip of Fang Han’s Cyan Blade Sword!

The incomparably sharp Sword Qi vanished without a trace the moment it touched Xuanyuan Jing’s fingers, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

With his other hand, he gave a light flick, and a gentle Power pushed Huo Man several steps back.

He had separated the two.