Though Jiang Yun and Liu Yi could only speculate about the progress of the battle from the shifts in aura, they watched with unwavering attention. Especially Liu Yi, who had never witnessed a battle at this level before. From the moment their clash began, his eyes remained wide open without a single blink.
"Junior Brother Jiang, do you think Elder Feng can win?"
Liu Yi, being an inner disciple of the Sky Sword Sect, had rarely seen Feng Lun in action, but he had heard many tales about his feats. He knew that Feng Lun was one of the top experts of the Sky Sword Sect, not just because he was at the pinnacle of the Ninth Layer of the Xuanwu Realm, but also because he practiced Sword Intent. His mastery of sword intent was impressive. Subconsciously, he believed that Feng Lun would surely win, not knowing the full extent of Xia Qing's strength.
With his internal energy locked down, Jiang Yun struggled to endure the rapid movement of the auras. However, when Liu Yi asked him, he suppressed the dizziness and focused on the two auras. He saw that the red aura was gradually slowing down while the green aura remained unchanged. He knew the situation wasn't looking good.
"It's hard to say. You see, Elder Feng's offensive isn't as fast as before. And as a practitioner of Sword Intent, once his attacks are thwarted, he's likely to fall behind. I suspect the situation on the field will become clear soon."
Liu Yi gave Jiang Yun a skeptical look and questioned, "How come I can't see that Elder Feng's attacks are failing? I actually feel like his aura is shining even brighter."
Jiang Yun's expression changed, and he looked up at the two auras in the sky. Indeed, as Liu Yi had pointed out, the red aura belonging to Feng Lun had intensified, shining as brilliantly as the sun in the sky.
"Not good, Elder Feng is losing."
At the moment when the red aura intensified, Jiang Yun exclaimed.
"How do you know Elder Feng is going to lose? Is that Xia Qing's strength so formidable?"
Liu Yi still didn't believe that Feng Lun would lose to Xia Qing. Upon Jiang Yun's exclamation, he turned to look at Jiang Yun, questioning his statement.
Jiang Yun explained, "Don't be deceived by the fact that Elder Feng's aura seems larger now. It indicates that he's already unleashed his most powerful techniques. But have you noticed that Xia Qing's aura has remained unchanged from the start to the end? That indicates he has been in control from the beginning, and he forced Elder Feng to use his ultimate move."
Liu Yi looked somewhat doubtful, gazing at the sky and muttering, "Listening to you, it seems to be true. Xia Qing's aura indeed hasn't changed much."
"Who wins and who loses will become clear soon. If Elder Feng's ultimate move doesn't yield good results this time, he's likely to lose."
After Jiang Yun's explanation, he looked up at the sky. The two auras collided, and at that moment, a deafening boom echoed. Jiang Yun and Liu Yi were instantly blinded by the intense light of the auras, forcing them to shut their eyes.
"Boom!"
Like the sound of an explosion, Jiang Yun and Liu Yi's eyes stung from the intense radiance of the two auras. They had no choice but to keep their eyes closed.
"Although you've improved over the years, Feng Lun, you're still not my match."
At the moment Jiang Yun and Liu Yi shut their eyes, Xia Qing's voice resounded. Then, the two of them heard Feng Lun's slightly weakened voice.
"Elder Xia's cultivation is profound, and Feng Lun acknowledges his inferiority."
Jiang Yun and Liu Yi opened their eyes at that moment and saw that Feng Lun and Xia Qing had already landed on the ground, standing exactly where they were before their clash.
Feng Lun's face turned pale, and a trace of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. However, Xia Qing still showed no significant change. It seemed that Jiang Yun's words were indeed true – Feng Lun had lost.
Both Xia Qing and Feng Lun turned their gaze toward Jiang Yun simultaneously. Inwardly, Jiang Yun cursed his predicament. If Feng Lun lost this battle, it also meant that he wouldn't have the strength to hinder Xia Qing's next course of action.
Could it be that he was destined to face this calamity? Jiang Yun's face bore a bitter expression. He realized that his abilities were lacking, and when confronting opponents with far superior realms, he didn't even have a chance to act.
Yet, he couldn't help but wonder why he always faced adversaries with much higher realms. When he was at the Qi Martial Realm, he encountered Ro Qi's jealousy, which nearly caused his meridians to rupture under the pressure of Ro Qi's aura.
After painstakingly advancing to the Elemental Martial Realm and unlocking the seal on his sword power, Jiang Yun had thought that with his current strength, he could stand out in the Sky Sword Sect. But he soon encountered the overbearing act of Feng Lun recruiting disciples. Once again, Jiang Yun was nearly overwhelmed by Feng Lun's pressure, on the verge of yielding.
Only three months had passed, and Jiang Yun's cultivation had soared. He had reached the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Martial Realm, and his sword intent had also advanced to the peak of the Second Layer. He had believed that even if he faced someone stronger than him, he wouldn't be helpless. However, as soon as he stepped out, he encountered Xia Qing, a practitioner of the Empty Martial Realm. Yet again, he found himself powerless to act.
Xia Qing's gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed onto Jiang Yun. He clenched his claw-like hand in the air, and Jiang Yun felt as if his body were being constrained and pulled in Xia Qing's direction.
"Elder Xia, after all, Jiang Yun is a disciple of our Sky Sword Sect. Even if you want to punish him, please don't go too far."
Feng Lun's tone was somber. After their exchange, Feng Lun had no reason to prevent Xia Qing from taking action against Jiang Yun. All he could do was plead for leniency, hoping that Xia Qing's intervention would be gentler.
"Hmph, last time he fought with Chen Si, Chen Si came back with his legs broken by me. The punishment I give him certainly won't be less severe than Chen Si's."
Liu Yi didn't fully understand what was being said. Although he had heard about Jiang Yun's fight with Chen Si, he wasn't aware of the severity of Chen Si's injuries. Hearing Xia Qing's words, he couldn't quite make sense of it.
Unbeknownst to Liu Yi, after returning to the Azure Moon Sect, Chen Si had provoked the Sky Sword Sect disciples and caused a commotion. This eventually led to the story of Jiang Yun overwhelming a group of Azure Moon Sect disciples spreading throughout the sect. Upon hearing this news, Xia Qing was furious at Chen Si's incompetence and impulsiveness, causing him to break Chen Si's legs in a fit of anger. Chen Si had been bedridden for a month.
After Xia Qing's words, Jiang Yun felt a cold sensation in his legs. However, he was currently restricted by Xia Qing's power and couldn't move. He could only glare angrily at Xia Qing and retort, "Elder Xia, as a senior of the Azure Moon Sect, you're taking action against an outer disciple of our Sky Sword Sect. It seems like you're bullying the weak a little too much. Aren't you afraid this matter will reach the ears of the sect leaders from both sides and trigger a dispute?"
"Hmph, don't try to use your status to pressure me. Everyone knows Xia Qing's temperament. Since you dared to injure my disciple, it's only natural that I would teach you a lesson. Even if there are consequences in the future, I'm not afraid. But for now, who can stop me?"