In the far north of the Northern Region, on an ice-covered plain that has stood for millennia, inside an ice cave.
Jiang Li slowly opened her eyes, a flash of red light in them, and the spiritual energy around her was more concentrated than before. In the past few days, with the help of the "Concentration Pill" given to her by Lin Zhou, she not only stabilized her cultivation at the peak of the late Nascent Soul stage, but also awakened a bit of the Empress's soul from her previous life.
She looked at Xiao Zhan's soul form behind her. His soul form had changed from light blue to dark blue, and his aura had become much calmer, indicating that he had recovered well.
"Master's pills are indeed wondrous," Jiang Li said softly, her fingertips stroking the rusty iron sword at her waist. "Your injuries are almost healed. Come with me to find my senior brother."
She had already learned about the martial arts tournament through the communication talisman. Xiao Chen had achieved outstanding results on the stage and was even going to fight against Ling Chen from the Northern Region. She was worried about him.
"Your subordinate obeys!" Xiao Zhan's soul transformed into a beam of blue light and disappeared into the jade pendant at Jiang Li's waist, his aura vanishing without a trace.
Jiang Li's figure blurred, her red robes blazing like flames, as she sped towards the direction of the Northern Region Imperial City—she could sense that her senior brother seemed to be facing a tough battle.
Meanwhile, on the arena of the martial arts training ground.
The spear intent emanating from Xiao Chen was still flowing, but it had become somewhat restrained compared to before, carrying a calm and unpretentious quality. Only then did the crowd below belatedly realize that the level of refinement of this spear intent had already surpassed the realm that a Nascent Soul cultivator should possess, and had even faintly touched the threshold of "momentum." He had perfectly concealed it before, no wonder he had been able to achieve a winning streak!
Ling Chen gripped his longsword, his eyes burning as he stared at Xiao Chen, as if he were looking at a rare treasure: "Your spear intent... is truly well hidden."
He wasn't aiming for victory, but rather to use Xiao Chen's spear intent to break through the "sword intent shackles" that had troubled him for so long. However, this was akin to dancing on a knife's edge—Xiao Chen's spear intent was domineering and fierce. If he wasn't careful, he would not only fail to break through, but would also be devoured by the spear intent, resulting in damage to his Dao foundation at best, and becoming a cripple at worst.
"Do you dare?" Ling Chen asked, his voice trembling slightly, not with fear, but with excitement.
Looking at the determination in his eyes, Xiao Chen recalled his master's words: "The path of martial arts requires the courage to break through and then rebuild." He nodded slowly, gripping the rusty iron spear tightly: "If you dare to accept, I dare to release."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Chen's spear intent suddenly erupted!
This time, there was no room for retreat. The spear intent, like a raging river, carried the sharpness to cleave through everything and the intense heat to scorch the heavens, sweeping towards Ling Chen with overwhelming force! Where the spear intent passed, the runes at the edge of the arena flickered wildly, emitting a hum that seemed unable to bear the weight. The cultivators below the arena were swept back several steps by the aftershocks of the spear intent, their faces turning deathly pale—this spear intent was comparable to the pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator!
"This is it!" Ling Chen's eyes flashed with a brilliant light. Instead of retreating, he took the initiative to meet the spear intent, holding his longsword horizontally in front of his chest, letting the domineering spear intent wash over his sword intent barrier.
"Buzz—"
The clash between spear intent and sword intent produced no earth-shattering roar, only two invisible forces intertwining and tearing at each other in the center of the arena. Ling Chen's face instantly flushed red, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, clearly enduring immense pain. Yet, he gritted his teeth, his eyes shining with an astonishing light, as if he could see the outline of the "shackles" that bound him within the torrent of spear intent.
The audience below was terrified: "He's gone mad! Ling Chen is risking his life to break through!" "His spear intent is too domineering; the slightest carelessness could shatter his Dao foundation!"
Xiao Chen's eyes were calm as he controlled the intensity of his spear intent—he needed to give Ling Chen enough impact without actually damaging his foundation. This level of control far surpassed that of other cultivators of the same level.
After an incense stick had burned, a clear and melodious sword cry suddenly erupted from Ling Chen's body!
The sword intent that had bound him for years shattered with a "crack" under the repeated impact of the spear intent! A sword intent several times stronger than before surged out of his body, carrying the clarity of "breaking and then building," and the barrier of the peak of the Nascent Soul stage broke in response, allowing him to directly step into the early stage of the Divine Transformation stage!
"It's done!" The elders of the Northern Region stood up excitedly.
Ling Chen slowly sheathed his sword, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, bowed deeply to Xiao Chen, and said sincerely, "Brother Xiao's spear intent helped me break through to the next realm. I will remember this kindness. I concede defeat in today's battle."
He won the breakthrough in realm and sword intent, but lost the duel. He was open and honest, without the slightest hesitation.
Xiao Chen withdrew his spear and nodded slightly: "Thank you for your kind offer."
"The champion of this year's Four Regions Martial Arts Tournament is Xiao Chen of the Qingyun Sect in the Southern Region!" The old cultivator presiding over the event announced loudly with a hint of excitement in his voice.
The cultivators of the Southern Region erupted in thunderous cheers. Even those who had doubts about Xiao Chen before were now genuinely cheering for him—this was the first time the Southern Region had won the championship in the Four Regions Martial Arts Tournament, which was of extraordinary significance!
Zhao Feng stood on the Xuan Tian Sect's flying boat, his face so gloomy it could drip water, his nails digging deep into his palms—Xiao Chen not only won, but also helped Ling Chen break through to a higher realm; this potential had reached a point that terrified him.
"Make your move!" Zhao Feng whispered to Xuan Yangzi beside him, his voice icy. "We can't wait any longer!"
A cold glint flashed in Xuan Yangzi's eyes, and he quietly released his Nascent Soul aura. He condensed a jet-black spiritual power at his fingertips and aimed it at Xiao Chen on the arena.
Just then, a chilling killing intent suddenly erupted from the sky!
The killing intent didn't emanate from Xuan Yangzi; it was far more powerful and chilling, like dark clouds pressing down, instantly enveloping the entire training ground! The air seemed to freeze, and everyone felt a chill run down their spines, instinctively looking up—
Suddenly, the clouds above the martial arts arena twisted, and three dark figures tore through the clouds like ghosts, exuding the pressure of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, their target pointing directly at Xiao Chen on the arena!
"It's an assassin from the Shadow Pavilion!" someone exclaimed in shock upon recognizing the distinctive black robe.
"Wait a minute! Where did Shadow Pavilion get so many Nascent Soul stage assassins?"
Even more alarming was that Xuan Yangzi on the Xuan Tian Sect's flying boat also made a move. His dark spiritual energy transformed into a venomous snake and silently shot towards Xiao Chen's back—he had actually joined forces with the Shadow Pavilion assassins!
With three Nascent Soul cultivators from the Shadow Pavilion in front and a Nascent Soul elder from the Profound Heaven Sect launching a sneak attack from behind, the area was surrounded by murderous intent, leaving no way to avoid it!
Xiao Chen's expression changed drastically. He gripped the rusty iron spear tightly, and his spear intent erupted once more—he hadn't expected that his opponent would so brazenly try to kill him in front of everyone at the Martial Arts Tournament!
The cultivators from the Southern Region below the stage were furious, but they were blocked by the cultivators from the Northern Region and the assassins from the outer perimeter of the Shadow Pavilion, and were unable to come forward to provide support.
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