Chen Fan shocked everyone with his slash.
“How is that possible?”
Muye Xiao’s eyes trembled violently, ignoring the burning pain from his wounds. Only one thought crowded his mind: how did Chen Fan injure him with just one attack?
Yet, a burst of burning rage soon filled his heart.
I am the number one elite disciple of the Divine Light Sect! I am a ranker! How the hell did he nearly disembowel me with a single slash!
It was humiliating. Utter humiliation!
“Ah! Little bastard, I’ll kill you!” Muye Xiao’s anger reached the skies.
Moments earlier, he had been arrogant before the crowd, demanding that Chen Fan kneel and plead for mercy. Yet, Chen Fan pushed him back with a single slash. He had lost all face; he was furious.
“Dawn of Light!” Muye Xiao roared, unleashing his cultivation. A blinding light erupted from him. As he employed the Radiance Cultivation Technique, he looked like a child of light.
Bringing his palms together, he channeled the sun's rays. The intangible sunlight materialized in his hands, flowing like a fluid, gathering substance.
“Sunlight Blade, condense!”
The countless rays of sunlight took shape in his hands, transforming into an incredibly dazzling blade capable of blinding onlookers.
“As expected of a top sect. Such marvelous cultivation technique, turning formless sunlight into substance and condensing it into a weapon."
“That’s right. It looks like Wang Dongfan's attack has made Muye Xiao step up his game and go all out. Earlier, he was only injured by Wang Dongfan because he was a bit careless, underestimating his opponent. After all, how can a ranker be that weak?”
“A fight between two rankers of the leaderboard is bound to be quite a spectacle."
“I have to admit, Wang Dongfan’s strength is something else. He doesn’t have any background to speak of, yet he has such incredible strength.”
"He must have stumbled upon some stroke of luck. Otherwise, lone cultivators wouldn't be this formidable, no matter how talented they are."
“You have a point...”
The onlookers exchanged thoughts as they watched Muye Xiao unleashing his full power.
“Little bastard, surrender your life!” Muye Xiao roared furiously, wielding the Sunlight Blade. He moved like a light ray; one second, he was swinging his light blade away from Chen Fan, and moments later, he was bringing it down on Chen Fan.
However, with a flick of his sword, Chen Fan connected his sword tip to the edge of the light blade. A sharp noise rang out, and Muye Xiao had to take three steps back.
“You’re too weak!” Chen Fan said, his eyes devoid of any emotion. Stepping forward, he thrust his sword with lightning speed, reaching Muye Xiao's face instantly.
“Burst of Light!” Muye Xiao shouted angrily. His luminous aura intensified dramatically, resembling a sun. Even Chen Fan had to squint due to the blinding light, momentarily slowing his movements.
“Five Finger Lock!” Since Chen Fan was affected by his light, Muye Xiao immediately swiped his claw forward. Light gathered, and his fingernails grew to three feet long, capable of piercing through steel. His claw was reaching for Chen Fan’s head, attacking incomparably viciously.
“Hmph!” Chen Fan immediately recovered. He channeled his primeval force to his eyes, making Muye Xiao’s light curtain ineffective. Then, he flicked his wrist. His sword let out a humming noise, slashing toward Muye Xiao’s wrist.
Muye Xiao immediately withdrew his arm; simultaneously, his light blade slashed down violently.
Chen Fan shoved his palm forward, attacking through the air. Numerous streaks of force blast out from his punches, blocking the area. The streaks of force were like cannonballs, bombarding the blade of light and producing rumbling noises. A brief moment later, the blade of light could no longer withstand the impact and broke apart.
Muye Xiao's expression turned vicious. He did not expect Chen Fan to be so powerful and troublesome. Biting the tip of his tongue, he spat a mouthful of fresh blood that transformed into a blood arrow above his head. Channeling his cultivation, it suddenly burst apart, enveloping him in a mist of blood, leaving a pungent odor in the air.
Within the blood mist, the power of Muye Xiao's attacks doubled. Using the Five Finger Lock, his iron hook-like nails, formed from the sun rays, grew further to five feet long. As they scratched against the ground, deep grooves immediately marked the arena.
"Bloodshed Qigong!" Someone in the crowd swiftly recognized the technique. "Muye Xiao is resorting to the Bloodshed Qigong! This technique twists one’s meridians, igniting their sea of qi and dantian and damaging their cultivation. People usually only use it in life or death situations."
“Seriously? Is Wang Dongfan that strong? Even Muye Xiao is no match for him?”
“Looks like we’ve all judged them wrongly. The Moon Bloodline has recruited someone incredible as a helper this time. With his assistance, they might just be able to maintain the two seats they have left on the Council of Elders."
“That might not be true. Wang Dongfan is indeed powerful. However, Muye Xiao’s strength is now double what it used to be. He should be able to fight against even experts at the middle stage of the fifth level. That kid Wang Dongfan will lose.”
Muye Xiao’s eyes were surging with killing intent.
He had assumed an easy victory over Chen Fan but found himself unexpectedly pushed back, resorting to the self-damaging Bloodshed Qigong.
“Go die, you little bastard!”
A furious roar rang out in the arena. Muye Xiao leaped down fiercely. His clothes billowed, and his fingers radiated a terrifying aura, trying to restrict Chen Fan's movements.
Despite the demonic onslaught from the enraged Muye Xiao, Chen Fan remained unfazed. He stood emotionlessly as the powerful wind swept toward him, and Muye Xiao attacked like a crazed demon beast.
Suddenly, Chen Fan raised his arm and thrust his sword fiercely, piercing through space. Sword qi erupted as he skillfully wielded his sword and sliced through Muye Xiao's nails. The latter's anguished screams filled the air.
Although Muye Xiao's nails were condensed from the sun's rays, Chen Fan had sliced through Muye Xiao's palm. His sword qi infiltrated Muye Xiao's body, disrupting his meridians.
An emotionless sentence came from Chen Fan’s mouth. With a swish, he rose like a fairy, sweeping past Muye Xiao’s side.
“Since you were aiming for my life, there’s no way I can let you live. Die.”
A dull noise echoed, and a cloud of dust appeared in the arena a moment later.
Muye Xiao had fallen and crashed onto the ground. A bloody line could be seen on his neck, beheaded by Chen Fan.
The crowd in the martial arts arena fell into silence once more.
Chen Fan had killed Muye Xiao, the forty-sixth ranker on the Martial Market Earth Leaderboard.
The entire imperial city would be shaken.
The martial artist ranked at the bottom of the leaderboard had killed the ranked forty-sixth. It was simply terrifying.
At this time, a similar sound also rang out on the other side.
Nangong Qi struck Nangong Wan’er with a palm strike, making her spew blood and fall off the stage.
However, the crowd wasn’t interested in that. They were all focused on Chen Fan.
Soon, the silence was broken as discussions erupted.
The juniors of the Moon Bloodline did not feel discouraged by Nangong Wan’er’s defeat. Instead, their eyes were all flashing with anticipation.