After hearing Wang Qi's request, Suo Wenhong couldn't help but laugh, "I only need to suppress half of my mana, and even under this condition, you still think you can definitely win?"
Battle is determined by many factors. Feng Luoyi once told Wang Qi that merely having three times the mana, speed, or skill is actually not enough to determine the outcome—unless you surpass your opponent threefold in every aspect, without any shortcomings.
However, between the Qi Cultivation Late Stage and the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment, how could the difference in mana be merely thirtyfold?
Wang Qi stretched his body, performing warm-up exercises, "I have my own Divine Skills—I originally thought this move was remarkable. It turns out every disciple from Tianling Ridge knows it."
As he spoke, a powerful life force emanated from within him. This life force wasn't as domineering and formidable as Ai Qinglan's or Chen Feng's Life Flame, but was balanced and mild, filled with a quietly nourishing essence. Following that, another swell of destructive Qi Intent appeared, starting to devour the life force. The life force transformed into fuel, perishing in "destruction" and converting into terrifying strength.
"'Holy Light,' a Lower Divine Power of Life Flame that I figured out on my own, then used in combination with the secret technique of burning lifespan," Wang Qi drew his long sword and pointed it at Suo Wenhong, "Supressing half is enough."
Burning lifespan disrupts the "Order" of the Mana System, annihilating the system's limitations, turning it into chaos— "Spirit Sense" or "Information". The effect of Holy Light, akin to Life Flame, is to confer Order onto things. The "Order" generated by Holy Light, when burned by the Heavenly Entropy Life Burning Skill, can achieve a result similar to burning lifespan.
Although the strength gained is slightly less than burning one's own lifespan, it excels in being continuous and not harming oneself.
It's like igniting a fire on an oil well: the combustible gases and oil within will keep surging out endlessly.
Suo Wenhong scoffed twice. Wang Qi's move could indeed make his mana temporarily surge several times, closing the gap from Suo Wenhong's half mana from heaven-and-earth to just several times more.
Suo Wenhong's wrist flipped, his sword unsheathing from his waist. Wang Qi's sword tip dipped slightly, signaling he was ready. Then, as if there was an unspoken agreement between them, they both lunged forward, raising their swords!
Suo Wenhong's body swayed twice, moving mysteriously, evidently using the Impermanence Step as well. However, his execution of the step technique was more adept than Wang Qi's; his body's twists were seamless, without any hint of hindrance, each turn elusive and seeming naturally formed. Empowered by mana, a four-foot green blade became a pale white comet's tail, slashing across a twelve-meter void toward Wang Qi's heart.
Wang Qi's long sword was as agile as a skylark, twirling lightly in the air, forming a ring of light. This halo of light softly disrupted Suo Wenhong's relentless initial strike. Homogeneous mana burst forth simultaneously, scattering with the sparks it carried, creating a spectacle as brilliant as fireworks where the two swords collided.
Wang Qi felt the immense strength of Suo Wenhong's Kun Mountain Sword whistling towards him, his soft sword unable to deflect Suo Wenhong's fierce attack. As he was forced to step back three steps by the sheer force, Suo Wenhong advanced again with a strong offensive.
Facing this explosive force akin to a mountain torrent, Wang Qi leaned his upper body slightly backward, swinging his sword with his right hand near his abdomen toward Suo Wenhong. His sword was already entwined with dark red Destructive Energy, precisely the Entropy Increase effect of the Heavenly Entropy Technique.
How domineering was the Heavenly Entropy Technique, even Suo Wenhong dare not take such a hit head-on!
Suo Wenhong retreated, simultaneously dispersing Wang Qi's sword momentum with his own Sword Light. Next, he retaliate with numerous essential sword moves from the Wanfa Sect's swordsmanship, the Sword Light howling like a blizzard. Facing the overwhelming sword momentum, Wang Qi's body faltered, then for the fourth time, he launched the "No Mistake Sword Net."
The Divine Sword symbolizing mathematical compatibility appeared once again. A trace of madness flashed in Suo Wenhong's mind. This sword technique, derived from the Li Sect theory... he could clearly sense its flaws, he clearly knew this move was not perfect, yet why... why could it not be broken!?
The Sword Net acted like a shield, blocking Suo Wenhong's torrential attacks. Wang Qi fixated on Suo Wenhong's sword, confidently sure his own moves would keep up with his calculations and perfectly reproduce his envisioned defense.
In all known mathematical fields, Set Theory was still applicable. Perhaps this wasn't the infinite earth, but within limited conditions, its stability was indestructible.
Such was this sword move.
"Amazing!" A disciple from Wanfa Sect, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but shout in praise. This shout was independent of ideologies or stances, merely the instinctive reaction of an Arithmetician seeing a refined computation, a recognition between swordsmen.
Chen Feng turned his head to look at Chen Youjia. A fluctuation, too, appeared in the eyes of this typically aloof True Inheritor of Wanfa Sect, who muttered, "What swordsmanship is this..."
As things become vigorous, they age, and after prolonged aggressive attacks, Suo Wenhong finally felt winded; his frantic assaults momentarily halted. At that very instant, when his sword momentum shifted from rise to decay, Wang Qi's sword momentum unexpectedly evolved. The flawless Sword Net, artistically contracting, solidified into a dreamlike light track. The beautiful yet mysterious cold light, sweeping like a live snake towards Suo Wenhong.
Godel's Incompleteness Theorem may deny Set Theory's role in "all" domains, but in the "finite" known domains, Set Theory is sound. Therefore, aren't there domains other than Arithmetic that possess compatibility?
One compatible sword, one flawless sword, born from the transformation of the No Mistake Sword Net!
Suo Wenhong let out a long cry, his Wanfa Sect swordsmanship spontaneously responding, leveraging his five years more experience to maintain the battle dynamics. Both engaged once more in a supreme bout, their swordsmanship ethereal, nearly mystical. Oddly enough, though, their sword momentum actually slowed down, with neither Wang Qi initiating an attack nor Suo Wenhong resorting to the previous breath-stealing fast sword flurry.
Elder Xiao was the first to frown. Initially, he suspected both were exhausted. However, his sense discerned that while their summit power was completely internalized, a burst could severely injure a Foundation Establishment Cultivator—where was the exhaustion? But this slow sword... it made no sense?
Contrasting with Elder Xiao's view, Chen Youjia and a few other Wanfa Sect disciples became increasingly mesmerized.
Fast sword contests strength, the epitome of overpowering with force when speed is essential. However, the slow sword, in its sophisticated and dangerous nature, far surpasses the fast sword, representing a tacit competition between two similarly skilled Wanfa Sect disciples. Both Wang Qi and Suo Wenhong's every sword stroke now contained dozens or hundreds of variations, the opponent had to shatter all those variations in a split second and respond with even more elaborate changes. As their sword strikes grew slower, and if one of them were to launch a fast sword again, it would be the moment to deliver a guaranteed winning blow!
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The book is going on shelves, please generously. Also, the recommendation tickets have been less powerful these past few days, please don't be stingy!