Bang!
The impact was heavy as Chen An fell hard to the ground. Blood flowed in rivulets, and his face was pale. It seemed as though he had no strength left in him, and his chest heaved like a bellows, struggling to breathe.
There were seven blood-soaked holes in his shoulders, abdomen, and thighs, the wounds gaping open and sending a shiver down one's spine.
With such severe injuries, most people would have passed out from the pain, but not Chen An. Instead, his eyes remained bright, fixated on the kneeling Yun Xiao not far away. In the depths of his gaze, there was still a fierce fighting spirit!
On the other side, Yun Xiao, although in better shape than Chen An, was also severely injured. The devastating *Hān Shān Jìn* (Shattering Mountain Fist) unleashed by Chen An, powered by all his energy in the mid-level of Qi Condensation, had nearly killed him on the spot.
If it hadn't been for his cloud-patterned robe, which possessed incredibly strong defensive capabilities, the outcome might have been entirely different.
"Cough, cough… you were one step too slow in the game," Yun Xiao muttered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve. Leaning on his sword, he staggered to his feet and, dragging his sword, took slow, deliberate steps toward Chen An.
The tip of his sword sparked, and at that moment, everyone could feel the overwhelming killing intent radiating from Yun Xiao!
"Wait… wait a moment."
As Yun Xiao advanced toward him, Chen An weakly spoke, his breath coming in ragged gasps, and he seemed unable to say anything more.
"What do you want to say? I can allow you to leave your final words."
"Actually, what I wanted to say… this battle is far from over!"
As soon as Chen An spoke those words, Yun Xiao suddenly felt his scalp go numb. He spun around just in time to see a small snake, as thick as a thumb, darting out and sinking its fangs into his neck.
Pain shot through his body in an instant, but more importantly, along with the searing pain, Yun Xiao felt a strange, numb sensation. His movements and thoughts began to slow down.
Ever since Chen An tamed the red-ringed snake, he had been feeding it with toxic herbs. Over time, the poison inside the snake mutated. Not only did it retain its ability to remain dormant within its victim's body for long periods, but its toxicity had also been significantly enhanced.
Knowing that his Hān Shān Jìn*might not be enough to defeat Yun Xiao, Chen An had prepared the red-ringed snake as a final trump card. And now, it had successfully served its purpose!
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!!"
Yun Xiao, filled with rage from the sudden pain, lost control of his emotions. He attempted to grab the red-ringed snake and rip it to pieces, but the snake had already slithered away, returning to Chen An's side, coiling around his arm.
At this point, Chen An had regained a bit of strength, having taken a few healing herbs to temporarily control his injuries and stop the bleeding.
Struggling, he got to his feet, and using the opportunity the red-ringed snake gave him, he launched another attack!
Yun Xiao, now in a much weaker state due to the venom, was slow to react. Despite trying to dodge and defend himself, his body refused to cooperate.
Bang!
With a single punch, Chen An knocked Yun Xiao flat. He then straddled Yun Xiao and began pummeling his face relentlessly, as though engaged in a brawl in the countryside.
Yun Xiao's once handsome face quickly became deformed under the blows, his nose flattened, his teeth shattered, and he became an unrecognizable mess, losing all the charm he once had.
This scene, witnessed by Yun Henqiu from below, made his eyes burn with rage.
At this point, Yun Henqiu couldn't care less. He shouted angrily, "Xiao'er, don't forget your mission!"
Whether Yun Henqiu's words were intentional or not, they suddenly reminded Yun Xiao of the last trump card hidden in his storage bag. Using every ounce of his remaining strength, he finally managed to throw Chen An off and, reaching into his bag, pulled out a blood-red pill.
"Chen An, I will make sure you die without a burial place!"
With a face full of intense hatred, Yun Xiao swallowed the pill without hesitation. Almost immediately, his previously fair skin began to turn red, and steam began to rise from his body as if he were standing in a furnace.
"Boiling Blood Pill!!"
The crowd gasped in shock at the sight.
The Boiling Blood Pill, as the name implies, caused the blood inside the body to boil, granting the user immense strength in a short amount of time.
Though the pill's effects were powerful, its side effects were equally terrifying. After using the Boiling Blood Pill, the user would be unable to move for at least two months once the effects wore off, as the body would be left severely weakened and injured.
In a disciple competition, using such a method was already crossing a line. If every combatant resorted to such measures, there would be nothing stopping reckless individuals from self-destructing and taking everyone down with them. How could such a competition continue?
"Yun Henqiu, you've crossed the line!"
For the first time, Meng Wentian used such a stern tone to address Yun Henqiu.
However, at this point, Yun Henqiu would never admit that he had personally handed the Boiling Blood Pill to Yun Xiao the night before, just in case.
"Sect Leader, I had no idea Xiao'er still had the Boiling Blood Pill. He must be so concerned about winning that he took it. After the competition ends, I will ensure that he is properly disciplined!"
Yun Henqiu's words were sweet, but in reality, all his anger was now directed at Chen An.
After observing Chen An's previous battles, Yun Henqiu realized that this seemingly weak boy was not as simple as he appeared. That was why he had insisted that Yun Xiao bring the Boiling Blood Pill, just in case.
But that did not mean Yun Henqiu was entirely sure Yun Xiao would need the pill.
At first, he had only thought of it as insurance.
Now, the Boiling Blood Pill had become Yun Xiao's last hope of turning the tables. This was something Yun Henqiu could not accept.
If not for his status, he would have climbed onto the stage himself and killed Chen An with his own hands!
"At least this will be over soon. Xiao'er, you've disappointed me this time."Yun Henqiu consoled himself silently and stopped paying attention to the match. Instead, he began to focus on Meng Wentian.
Because of Chen An's appearance, Yun Henqiu's plan had been completely disrupted. He now had to rework his strategy to ensure that Yun Xiao stood out in Meng Wentian's eyes.
Why was Yun Henqiu so confident that this battle was over?
Because after taking the Boiling Blood Pill, Yun Xiao's power would skyrocket. Even though he was injured, didn't Chen An suffer the same fate?
In such a situation, if Chen An managed to turn the tide, it would truly be a miraculous feat.
"Don't you have plenty of trump cards? Why are you so quiet now? Has your last card been used up?" Yun Xiao was incredibly excited, the effects of the Boiling Blood Pill taking hold.
He felt unbearably hot as if he needed fresh blood to cool the burning heat within him.
Chen An, although not fully understanding Yun Xiao's state, could sense the looming danger.
He knew that some things could not be avoided.
Now, it was time to reveal his greatest trump card!