Chen Damrong stared at Xiao Xuan in disbelief. In his estimation, the attack he had just unleashed was strong enough to force even a cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining to use every ounce of their strength to resist.
Yet, Xiao Xuan—still at the seventh level of Qi Refining—had not only blocked the strike but emerged unscathed.
What shocked him even more was the casual way Xiao Xuan stood there, as though the attack had been nothing more than a breeze.
With a faint smile, Xiao Xuan twirled his sword in one hand, making a simple sword gesture. His gaze landed on Chen Damrong, full of mockery.
"The so-called genius of the Chen family from Lanling doesn't seem all that impressive," he said, his voice calm but dripping with disdain.
The words echoed across the deep pool, their weight heavier than any blade.
Chen Damrong's face turned crimson with rage, his composure shattering under the insult. His chest heaved with fury, and his eyes burned with a murderous glint.
"Alright, alright. You've got guts!" he snarled, his voice trembling with anger.
The realization that Xiao Xuan had effortlessly deflected his strike was bad enough, but being mocked in such a way? That was unforgivable.
Without another word, Chen Damrong stepped forward, his aura surging to new heights. The oppressive energy of the ninth level of Qi Refining roared around him, threatening to tip over into its peak.
This time, he wasn't holding back. He wasn't just attacking—he was determined to kill.
**BOOM!**
Spirit Power engulfed his body as his blade lit up with a fierce glow. With a single step, he charged toward Xiao Xuan, every movement radiating deadly intent.
Gone was the arrogant smirk. Gone was the taunting. Chen Damrong now wore the expression of a warrior fully focused on the battle.
Xiao Xuan's smile faded as well. His eyes sharpened like lightning, and the aura of the seventh level of Qi Refining burst forth, matching the tension in the air.
His grip on his sword tightened as the thrill of the fight coursed through his veins.
'If I can kill him here,' Xiao Xuan thought, his blood pumping with excitement, 'I'll be unstoppable under the Foundation Establishment stage.'
BOOM!
Xiao Xuan's sword gleamed as it slashed through the air, heading directly for Chen Damrong.
On the bank of the deep pool, the two figures clashed, their Spirit Powers colliding in a dazzling display of force.
Xiao Xuan's cyan Spirit Power surged like roaring waves, while Chen Damrong's aura was a blend of khaki, grass green, and light blue—a testament to his high-grade spiritual roots of earth, wood, and water attributes.
Though high-grade spiritual roots were rare and impressive in the Eastern Wastelands, and Chen Damrong's cultivation to the ninth level of Qi Refining by age thirty was remarkable by most standards, it paled in comparison to the monstrous talent of Xiao Xuan.
BOOM!
DING!
CRACK!
The air trembled as their weapons clashed, sending shockwaves rippling through the surrounding forest. Sparks flew with each strike, lighting up the darkened area like flashes of lightning.
Their exchange was fierce but brief, each strike carrying deadly intent. After a final collision, the two combatants broke apart, their positions now reversed as they stared each other down.
Chen Damrong's expression darkened. His grip on his blade trembled ever so slightly, and a faint pain spread through his chest, a testament to the power behind Xiao Xuan's strikes. His breathing quickened, but he maintained his composure.
"Hmph," Chen Damrong scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the young man before him.
"Who are you? There's no one like you in Lanling City. A genius of your level couldn't have stayed hidden for long."
His voice carried suspicion and curiosity as he tried to probe Xiao Xuan's background. The strength displayed by this youth had far exceeded his expectations, forcing him to reconsider his approach.
If Xiao Xuan turned out to be from a powerful family or sect, pursuing the Xuan Huang Grass further might bring trouble upon himself and the Chen family.
"Don't worry, I'm just from a small family!"
At this, Chen Damrong's serious expression finally relaxed, and his face twisted into an even more vicious grin.
"Then you're going to die!!!"
In that instant, Xiao Xuan felt the iron sword in his hand crack. The cracks spread rapidly across the blade, and within moments, only the hilt remained in his grasp. It was clear that during the clash with Chen Damrong's long knife, Xiao Xuan's sword had been destroyed.
Xiao Xuan frowned, looking at the hilt in his hand. He felt a sense of frustration well up inside him.
'As expected, a mid-grade Magical Item can't keep up with that level of power.'
"Haha, today you will die!!!"
Chen Damrong's eyes gleamed with malicious joy as he charged toward Xiao Xuan, his long knife raised.
The long knife in his hands was a top-grade Magical Item, far superior to Xiao Xuan's destroyed sword. With no weapon to defend himself, Xiao Xuan appeared to be at a clear disadvantage.
At this moment, the balance of the battle tilted in Chen Damrong's favor.
But to his surprise, Xiao Xuan didn't back away. Instead, he rushed forward, still holding the sword hilt tightly.
BOOM!!!
In a flash, Xiao Xuan used the hilt of his broken sword to block Chen Damrong's long knife. The two were now incredibly close to each other.
Chen Damrong's face twisted with excitement, a savage killing intent gleaming in his eyes.
"You are going to die, genius!!!"
With that, he poured more Spirit Power into his long knife, pressing it down forcefully toward Xiao Xuan.
A wave of overwhelming momentum surged from Chen Damrong's body, threatening to crush Xiao Xuan.
At this point, only the hilt of the sword remained in Xiao Xuan's hand. There was no way he could stop Chen Damrong's attack.
But Xiao Xuan's next move stunned him completely.
"Space Teleportation!!!"
Xiao Xuan shouted fiercely, and in an instant, his body disappeared before Chen Damrong's eyes.
Chen Damrong froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened. A moment ago, there had been a living person right in front of him, and now—nothing.
It took him a second to realize what had occurred. By the time he processed it, there was a sudden, sharp pain in his chest.
Looking down in horror, he saw that a broken sword had pierced through his back, sticking out of his chest.
Chen Damrong slowly turned his head, struggling to look at Xiao Xuan, who stood behind him. His eyes widened in realization, and he groaned in pain.
"You… you are actually a space..."