The battlefield was eerily silent.
The moment Mu Qinglan lowered her stance, something changed.
The wind stopped.
The weight of the air grew oppressive.
Jiang Chen's instincts screamed, but he saw nothing.
Her sword was gone.
No…
It was right there.
And yet, it wasn't.
"Tch… This isn't just speed. This is something else."
The disciples in the stands grew restless.
"What the hell is happening?"
"Where's her sword? It was there a second ago!"
Xiao Dong grimaced. "Shit. She's using that technique."
Jiang Chen's golden-amber eyes narrowed.
"Alright, Mu Qinglan," he smirked, lifting his fists, Chaos Qi swirling around him. "Let's see how long you can stay invisible."
A single word slipped from Mu Qinglan's lips.
"Sever."
Then—
She disappeared.
BOOM!
A blade flashed through the air, and Jiang Chen barely twisted his body in time to avoid a fatal strike to the throat.
But even as he dodged—blood sprayed from his arm.
SHINK!
A second slash appeared out of nowhere, this one cutting across his ribs.
Jiang Chen gritted his teeth, skidding backward.
"I can't see her attacks!"
For the first time since entering the Heaven Sundering Sect, Jiang Chen was being completely outmatched in speed.
Mu Qinglan's voice rang out, though she was nowhere to be seen.
"You're strong, Jiang Chen. But strength alone isn't enough."
Jiang Chen snorted, blood dripping from his wounds. "And what? You think hiding makes you superior?"
Mu Qinglan's tone remained indifferent.
"This isn't hiding. This is control."
Another blade flash erupted from the void—
Jiang Chen barely deflected it, the impact sending him sliding back.
"I have to figure this out, or I'll be dead before I can even counter."
He exhaled slowly, focusing. Did he have access to more powerful methods such as using his Starshadow Body? Yes. But Jiang Chen didn't want to be forced to use all of his methods quite yet. He had to think his way out of this.
What was this technique?
Then, realization struck.
Mu Qinglan's blade wasn't invisible.
It was untethered.
She was cutting through space itself, distorting reality with her strikes so that by the time the attack was visible, it had already landed.
Jiang Chen's golden-amber eyes flickered with understanding.
So that's how it is.
"This isn't just speed… This is a technique that folds distance itself."
Xiao Dong watched nervously from the stands.
"Shit, man… If you don't figure it out fast, she's gonna cut you to pieces."
Elder Zhao Yan chuckled. "Nah… Look at his face."
Xiao Dong blinked—then grinned.
Jiang Chen was smirking.
"I got you now, Phantom Blade."
Mu Qinglan moved again, her blade slashing out from the void.
Jiang Chen didn't dodge.
Instead—
He closed his eyes.
BOOM!
Her sword came down, aiming for his shoulder—
And at the last second, Jiang Chen stepped forward instead of back.
SHINK!
A thin cut formed on his shoulder, but—
His fist was already mid-swing.
BANG!
Jiang Chen's palm smashed into Mu Qinglan's ribs, sending her flying backward!
The crowd exploded.
"HE HIT HER?!"
"NO WAY! HOW?!"
Mu Qinglan flipped mid-air, landing gracefully, but her usually calm expression had changed.
For the first time in the match—her eyes burned with battle intent.
Jiang Chen flexed his fingers, his grin widening.
"You fold space. But that means you have to be within range when you attack. I just had to step toward the blade instead of away from it."
Mu Qinglan's gaze sharpened.
"You're quick to adapt."
Jiang Chen cracked his knuckles. "Damn right. Now let's see how well you fight when I can hit back."
The battle had truly begun.
The entire battlefield was shaking, Qi crackling in the air.
Mu Qinglan lowered her stance, her blade pulsing with power.
"This will be the last exchange."
Jiang Chen smirked. "Then make it count."
A powerful storm of Qi erupted around them both.
Mu Qinglan's sword disappeared completely.
She was going all in.
Jiang Chen lowered his own stance, Chaos Qi coiling around his palm like a black vortex.
In a contest of power, he was never afraid.
The very air distorted, warping under the sheer pressure.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM!
They vanished at the same time.
"Phantom Blade Art – World Severance!"
"Heaven Sundering Chaos Palm!"
A massive explosion of pure destruction erupted at the center of the battlefield, shaking the entire sect to its core.
The stone floor shattered, Qi tore through the air, and even the protective formations trembled under the force.
For a moment—
Nothing moved.
Then—
A figure stood alone in the dust.
The disciples held their breath.
Then, the dust cleared.
Jiang Chen stood at the center of the crater, his robe torn, blood dripping from his arm.
Mu Qinglan was on one knee, her sword buried into the ground for support.
Silence.
Then—
Mu Qinglan chuckled.
She slowly stood, sheathing her blade.
"I see now," she said softly. "You're not just some brute."
Jiang Chen grinned. "And you're not just some speedster."
A moment passed between them.
Then—
She clasped her fist and bowed slightly.
"I concede."
The moment those words left her lips, the sect erupted into chaos.
"HE BEAT MU QINGLAN?!"
"SECOND PLACE TRUE DISCIPLE?! GONE?!"
"THIS IS INSANE!!"
Xiao Dong screamed with laughter. "BAHAHAHA! I KNEW IT! Jiang Chen, you crazy bastard, you actually pulled it off!!"
Elder Zhao Yan just grinned, arms crossed.
"Hah… Looks like the rankings just changed."