Firmament Sword

The Celestial Brilliance Annual Competition, delayed by an unforeseen incident, had finally resumed. The round of sixteen, first battle: Luo Tian... versus Miao Jianfei!

Even before the match began, this battle had already become the focus of everyone's conversations.

"This is a crucial battle! I'm sure both Luo Tian and Miao Jianfei will give it their all!"

"The fights for the quarterfinals are always spectacular. Anyone who's made it this far is bound to be powerful!"

"Yeah, the Medicine Garden is really shining this year. They actually got two people into the top sixteen! Luo Tian was no surprise, but Qi Yue's improvement is astonishing!"

"That's right. After being overshadowed by Wu Sisi for so many years, who knew she'd have such a breakthrough after defeating her this year!"

"Especially in her match in the round of thirty-two! It was incredible! Everyone thought Qi Yue would stop there for sure, but then she used the signature technique of the Medicine Garden's young prodigy, Shao Zheng..."

"It just goes to show how united the Medicine Garden is now. They've become a force to be reckoned with in Celestial Brilliance!"

"Miao Jianfei must be feeling a lot of pressure, don't you think?"

"Not necessarily. Miao Jianfei's power... I heard he's already broken through to the Venerable Realm! Luo Tian is strong, but he's only in the Great Saint Realm. The gap between major realms is no small matter."

The stands surrounding the arena were packed. After so many matches, Xu Luo, the dark horse, had won the hearts of the people, and many were now rooting for him.

Though Miao Jianfei wasn't particularly popular in Celestial Brilliance, he still had a fair number of fans. Some even held up banners to support their idol.

Xu Luo sized up Miao Jianfei, who stood opposite him. The man didn't quite match the legends.

The Miao Jianfei before him was slender and handsome, with delicate features. One might even call him... pretty!

'Is this the legendary righteous and aloof Miao Jianfei?'

Xu Luo cupped his fist toward his opponent. "Luo Tian of the Medicine Garden."

"Miao Jianfei!" His tone was icy, not because he had a problem with Xu Luo, but because he treated everyone this way.

After the Referee made his announcement, neither man chose to make the first move.

Miao Jianfei looked at Xu Luo and said flatly, "I don't hold back."

"What a coincidence. Neither do I," Xu Luo said, smiling at him.

"I'm not joking. You should be careful." As Miao Jianfei spoke, his Long Sword left its sheath. He pointed it at Xu Luo, and his aura erupted.

A wave of gasps instantly came from the stands!

"A Venerable!"

"He really is a Venerable!"

"That's incredible! How old is Miao Jianfei? To have already cultivated to the Venerable Realm!"

"In the entire younger generation of the Medicine Garden, only a few have ever reached this realm. I can't believe Miao Jianfei actually did it."

"Luo Tian is in danger!"

As the Venerable's aura flared, immense pressure instantly bore down on Xu Luo.

The very air above the arena seemed to thicken, making it difficult to breathe.

Xu Luo knew this was the effect of his opponent's pressure. He let out a sharp cry, and the Beidou Sword in his hand bloomed with endless starlight, instantly tearing a fissure in the Venerable's oppressive aura!

"Die!"

Miao Jianfei roared, his figure vanishing into the void. The next instant, he reappeared at Xu Luo's side, his sword thrusting toward Xu Luo's shoulder.

CLANG!

The Beidou Sword collided violently with Miao Jianfei's blade, letting out a tremendous clang.

Miao Jianfei's Long Sword was also a Divine Soldier, but it was no match for the Beidou Sword. In a single strike, a notch was gashed into its blade!

This was only because Miao Jianfei was in the Venerable Realm. Otherwise, Xu Luo's strike would have been enough to slice his opponent's sword in two.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The two were instantly locked in combat, trading blows at an unbelievable speed.

Dozens of exchanges flew by, yet neither had gained the upper hand.

The crowd in the stands was completely mesmerized. The fight was even more spectacular than Luo Tian's match against Nie Yunfeng in the round of thirty-two!

That Miao Jianfei, who had already entered the Venerable Realm, couldn't suppress Xu Luo, a High Tier Great Saint, with his superior realm was beyond most people's expectations.

It was also beyond Miao Jianfei's own expectations.

While he hadn't expected to crush Luo Tian with his realm advantage alone, he thought it would at least make it difficult for Luo Tian to defend himself and prevent him from using his full power.

After they started fighting, Miao Jianfei realized the young man before him was nothing short of a monster!

His aura was clearly at the Peak of Great Saint Realm, yet his combat prowess was on par with his own, an Initial Tier Ultimate Venerable!

'Doesn't this mean... if he enters the Venerable Realm one day, he'll be able to defeat me with ease?'

As Miao Jianfei thought this, his shock grew. He finally understood that the rumors about Luo Tian weren't exaggerated—if anything, they were far too modest!

The gap between major realms stemmed from the difference in the amount of True Essence one possessed, the precision of one's techniques, and the ability to overwhelm with one's aura.

But for Xu Luo, none of these were problems.

First, the power within Xu Luo's body was Star Power. He himself was a star, and the energy stored in his Dantian was as vast and unfathomable as the cosmos itself!

There were truly few opponents who could force Xu Luo to fight to the point of exhaustion!

The precision of his techniques was even less of an issue. Every single Cultivation Technique Xu Luo practiced was among the most supreme in the world!

Whether it was the Breaking Army Seven Kills, the Seven-Star Heaven-Slaying Technique, the Extreme Yang Technique, or the Yin-Yang Technique derived from it... any one of these Cultivation Techniques would incite a crazed scramble anywhere it appeared. People would not hesitate to shed rivers of blood to obtain them.

As for being overwhelmed by sheer presence, Xu Luo's Spiritual Power had already far surpassed the Great Saint Realm. His Sea of Spiritual Consciousness was vaster than that of an ordinary Venerable.

It was a blessing he wasn't the one using his Jade Balance Demon Sound to crush others; in this world, how many could possibly suppress him with their presence alone?

If he were facing an expert at the Mid-stage Ultimate Venerable level or higher, Xu Luo would certainly be no match. But against a Junior Venerable... Xu Luo truly felt no fear.

This was also why a smile had touched Xu Luo's lips when Xie Wanrou mentioned that the ancient tomb suppressed the cultivation of all who entered to the Great Saint Realm.

The Great Saint Realm... for Xu Luo, it posed no pressure at all.

The longer Miao Jianfei fought, the more unnerved he became. He felt he had still underestimated the First Brother of the Medicine Garden.

The stronger the expert, the deeper their pride.

Lv Di had lost to him. Nie Yunfeng had also lost to him. And both had been defeated in close combat.

Thus, Luo Tian's reputation as the "King of Close Combat" among the younger generation began to spread.

But Miao Jianfei refused to accept it!

'There are plenty of experts in close combat among Celestial Brilliance's younger generation. I refuse to believe no one can best him at it!'

Therefore, for today's match in the round of sixteen, Miao Jianfei's initial plan was to defeat Luo Tian... in close combat!

But now, it seemed that defeating him in close combat was indeed a difficult task.

'In that case... I'll show you the power of my Divine Techniques!' After trading another heavy blow with Xu Luo, Miao Jianfei used the recoil to spring back and shouted, "Behold my second sword!"

SWOOSH!

An ear-piercing shriek suddenly tore through the air.

A streak of light shot abruptly toward Xu Luo!

The light was so fast it was unbelievable. The vast majority of the crowd didn't even see what had happened.

The few who did see something... only caught the afterimage of Miao Jianfei's second sword!

In fact, the very instant Miao Jianfei shouted, his second sword—a Spiritual Artifact—had already reached Xu Luo!

Using the Shaking Light Step, Xu Luo dodged the attack by a hair's breadth.

At the same time, the Beidou Sword in Xu Luo's hand let out a clear, crisp hum. Like an enraged True Dragon, its blade suddenly erupted in a brilliant burst of light!

Stellar Radiance!

Seven-Star Heaven-Slaying Technique!

This time... the Seven-Star Heaven-Slaying Technique was unleashed by the Beidou Sword on its own!

In other words, in that moment, the Beidou Sword had actually transformed itself into a Spiritual Artifact and was now locked in combat with Miao Jianfei's second sword!

Xu Luo roared, his vital energy surging even more powerfully, leaving the countless spectators in the stands dumbfounded.

They had all seen a Venerable crush a Great Saint, but they had never seen a Great Saint fight a Venerable and grow more imposing with every blow...

"This is simply astonishing!"

"Luo Tian's combat prowess... is arguably the best among Celestial Brilliance's younger generation!"

"That's right! Even Jin Ming would be no match for him if they were in the same realm!"

These evaluations weren't coming from the mesmerized audience in the stands, but from the elders in the private boxes!

This group of elders was immensely experienced, and their eyes were exceptionally sharp. Every one of them looked at Xu Luo with a gleam in their eyes.

"This kid... he's simply the most outstanding young talent in Celestial Brilliance since Xie Wanrou!"

"I never imagined... he was this exceptional!"

"After the competition, perhaps... some reclusive old ancestor will come out of seclusion to fight Old Man Yu Wen for the boy!"

Almost all the major figures who had come to watch couldn't contain their excitement and began to discuss the young man.

Xu Luo threw his fists, unleashing the Breaking Army Seven Kills. At his current realm, the power of the technique was on a completely different level from what it once was.

BANG! BANG!

With his second sword tied up by the Beidou Sword, Miao Jianfei was forced to fight Xu Luo with the Long Sword that the Beidou Sword had nearly destroyed.

His opponent's tyrannical combat strength made Miao Jianfei's heart pound with fear. He even began to wonder if he was facing a human at all.

'He's like a barbaric dragon in human form!'

SHHIIING!

The Beidou Sword transformed into a dragon and coiled around Miao Jianfei's second sword. The dragon's head opened its maw and actually tried to swallow the other blade in a single gulp!

"Ah... stop!" Miao Jianfei's eyes nearly burst from their sockets. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, his internal organs churning from Xu Luo's attacks. Now, seeing his Spiritual Artifact about to be devoured, he could no longer bear it and roared, "I surrender!"

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