Chu Ming raised his sword and took a step forward from the group of Lin Family martial artists. His face was full of arrogance. He had been holding a grudge since Lin Qingxuan introduced Hu Zifei, and now, seeing Hu Zifei make a move, he stepped out eagerly.
He had heard of Hu Zifei’s reputation but had never fought him. Chu Ming’s sword was a blue longsword, shimmering with starlight like countless stars. Looking at it was like gazing at the night sky.
Hu Zifei’s expression remained calm, but his tone revealed a hint of surprise.
"What? Are you scared?"
Hearing Hu Zifei’s question, Chu Ming thought he was afraid and sneered disdainfully.
"I’m just wondering how many moves I’ll take to defeat you."
Hu Zifei gently grasped the slender red sword at his waist with his right hand. In an instant, the momentum of his sword surged, creating invisible ripples in the air. Rocks around them crumbled like they were weathered, turning into dust and dissipating into the space.
Chu Ming’s eyes showed contempt. Just as he was about to retort, he saw an incredibly fast flash of sword light, which broke through layers of Qi force and reached him in an instant, bringing a chilling coldness that frightened him to his core.
Two more streaks of red sword light surged forward, violent to the extreme, swirling into menacing black tornadoes, which attacked Chu Ming from both sides.
The sound of clothing flapping echoed as his long black hair whipped around. Chu Ming swung his blue treasure sword horizontally.
A thunderous roar erupted. Centered on the two of them, a massive ripple of Qi force spread out, trapping countless air currents within it. The red sword light that conjured the black tornado shattered, leaving the ground around them ravaged and uneven.
"Young Master Chu, who do you think has a better chance of winning?"
Lin Yue’Er watched the battle in awe. Although Chu Ming was arrogant, he had real skills. Even the shockwaves from the fight were too much for her to handle. In her eyes, Chu Ming, who had once defeated her with a single strike, was simply a monster.
Chu Ming narrowed his eyes, observing the two fighters. "Hu Zifei has a better chance of winning, but we can’t rule out unexpected outcomes."
In the battle, Hu Zifei excelled with his exquisite swordsmanship, making it hard to defend against. Chu Ming, on the other hand, relied on brute force to break through everything. Often, one sword stroke of his could neutralize several of Hu Zifei’s. However, Chu Ming could see that Hu Zifei was skillfully looking for Chu Ming’s weak points.
Raising his blue treasure sword high, Chu Ming looked at Hu Zifei from a distance and said coldly, "I practice the Killing Sword. When my sword is drawn, blood is seen. Be ready for severe injuries; don’t say I didn’t warn you."
Hu Zifei smiled gently and said, "That blood may not be mine; it could be yours!"
Hu Zifei’s voice wasn’t loud, but everyone felt a sharp will emanating from him, completely enveloping Chu Ming.
Hu Zifei’s words infuriated Chu Ming, who retorted icily.
Chu Ming moved his left foot half a step forward, grasped the blue treasure sword with both hands, and slashed it down forcefully. The blue sword light, mixed with a ferocious wolf’s howl, cut towards Hu Zifei.
Leaping into the air, Hu Zifei shattered the black sword Qi with one stroke. His left hand shot out from his waist, emitting two streaks of red sword Qi, catching Chu Ming off guard.
"Seven Stars, converge!"
A gigantic blue river poured down from the sky, its cascading waters sparkling with starlight. Even Chu Ming was astonished by this move.
As the starlight flowed, it formed into a suit of Seven-Star Armor, covering all the vital parts of Chu Ming’s body, shining brightly.
Hu Zifei’s two streaks of red sword Qi hit the Seven-Star Armor, but they dissipated like sparks falling into water, leaving no trace.
Seeing Chu Ming reveal his trump card, Hu Zifei’s eyes flashed with solemnity. She shouted fiercely, her black hair standing on end. Red Qi force surged upward, and her slender red sword met the Seven-Star Armor.
At this moment, Chu Ming, donned in the Seven-Star Armor, exuded an aura as mighty as a Demon God. However, he dared not waste time. With every second the armor remained, his spiritual power drained faster. Given his current level of spiritual power, it would be depleted in just two minutes.
Without the constraints of defense, Chu Ming attacked without any reservations. The blue sword light instantly clashed with Hu Zifei’s slender red sword. At the point of contact, a blue and red orb of light materialized from nothing, and in no time, it expanded to about a meter in size.
The orb shattered, releasing its energy. Billowing dust rose from the ground, and a massive wave of light rapidly spread out from where they clashed, pulverizing rocks within a hundred meters.
When the dust settled, the crowd saw that Chu Ming and Hu Zifei were nowhere to be seen. The field was now empty.
In mid-air, Hu Zifei’s figure reappeared, grasping her slender sword with both hands. She raised it over her shoulder, then channeled power from her waist to her hands, delivering an explosive force into her palms.
A red lotus-shaped slash swiftly descended, sending out terrifying red sword waves in a 180-degree fan shape. Only a few present could sense its speed.
Facing this slash, Chu Ming’s face turned grave. He drew his blue treasure sword with his right hand and countered directly. A brilliant starlight instantly illuminated the surroundings.
"Seven Stars Shining!"
The two sword lights engulfed the air around them, the sounds of breaking air echoing incessantly. The waves of light spread out, like two fierce dragons clashing.
As the attacks collided, Hu Zifei’s eyes narrowed, and a glowing light appeared at her fingertips. A small orb of light, the size of a fingernail, silently shot towards Chu Ming.
As the aftermath of the collision slowly subsided and the dust settled, Chu Ming’s eyes widened in shock. He leapt into the air, fleeing to the distance. Meanwhile, he swung his blue treasure sword, creating a roaring dragon of icy sword light.
However, the small orb of light instantly exploded, its energy like countless flames engulphing Chu Ming in an instant.