Wu Jian observed the profound spirit armor of his opponent. It looked quite impressive. He wondered how it ranked with his own Phoenix Ascension Armor. He also wondered what it did.

Different armors had different strengths and weaknesses; one might grant immunity to fire, while another might do the same for water. There were also armors that had sealing arrays to increase a person’s strength. His own Phoenix Ascension Armor granted him increased durability and immunity from fire. It was good armor, but it could be beaten if someone used powerful water techniques on it.

If he’s bothered putting on this armor, then it must somehow compliment his fighting style.

He had yet to see Luo Feng fight, but he was a member of the Crimson Swords, which meant his style would revolve around quick-draw techniques.

“You are quite the thorn in my side,” Luo Feng suddenly said. “I do not think you realize how many of my plans you have ruined.”

“Plans? Do you mean plans for Mei?” Wu Jian tilted his head.

Luo Feng snarled. “The audacity! How dare you refer to the Lady Oracle by such an informal nickname! Have you no shame?!”

Wu Jian shrugged. “If you have a problem with how I refer to Mei, I suggest you take it up with her. She’s the one who asked me to call her that. Really, though, our relationship and what we call each other is none of your business. You're the one who’s audacity knows no bounds.”

“You little shit. Arrogant filth.”

Luo Feng raised his hand, and, quite suddenly, a sheathed sword appeared within his grasp. It was a magnificent nandao, a sabre known for its curved, single-edged blade. The weapon itself seemed to pay homage to the legendary behemoth--a magical beast known far and wide for its strength. The hilt was wrapped in deep crimson leather, which seemed to symbolize the fury of the creature it was inspired by. Curving like a pair of horns, the guard elegantly swept upward to protect Luo Feng’s hand from enemy strikes. A strange aura seemed to have engulfed the sword. It was like the blade itself was responding to Luo Feng’s emotions.

“I am going to make you regret ever stepping foot inside of the Heavenly Sword Sect,” Luo Feng continued. “I will do more than just defeat you. I will make you suffer. You will be so miserably you’ll be calling me your honored grandfather by the time I am through with you.”

Wu Jian rolled his eyes as he rested his sword on his shoulder. “Okay, grandpa. Try not to break your hip during our bout. I hear that happens when you get old.”

Luo Feng gnashed his teeth together and narrowed his eyes. His entire body radiated fury. Wu Jian wondered if these emotions belonged to the man or if the sword was making him feel this way, or maybe the sword was amplifying his emotions to increase his power? Wu Jian would have to study this weapon in detail during their fight to discover what sort of power it had.

“Are you hearing this, ladies and gentlemen?!” Li Mingxia said, eyes sparkling. “The battle hasn’t even started yeet, but these two are already raring to go! You can cut the tension with a knife! Since that is the case, let’s get this battle started! Jian Wu and Luo Feng! It is time! Bow to me, now bow to your ancestors, and now to each other. Come on now. I can’t get duel started if you don’t follow the proper protocols.”

While Wu Jian had bowed to Luo Feng, the other man had refused when Li Mingxia requested it. He was still grinding his teeth and looked ready to pop a blood vessel. However, when the audience pressured Luo Feng with their shouts that he hurry up, the man finally, reluctantly, bowed to Wu Jian.

“That’s better! Okay then! Get ready! The duel is starting in three, two, one… begin!”

Barely a moment had passed since the battle began and Luo Feng was already right in front of Wu Jian. He was fast. Even Wu Jian had struggled to see him move. It was like his body had blurred for a but a moment, then turned into a streak, and now he was standing barely ten chih from him.

[Crimson Flash]

With lightning-quick, unparalleled speed, Luo Feeng drew his sword and slashed at Wu Jian. His slash was a blur of motion, so fast it left behind afterimages that would have bewildered most opponents. His strike was aimed at Wu Jian’s vital point--namely, the kidney. The attack was so fast that it would have been impossible for most people to counter or evade.

Most people.

Clang!

Wu Jian had already brought Pale Moon to bear. He fended off the attack by placing his sword perpendicular to the ground and braced it with his forearm. When the attack struck, Wu Jian was sent skidding backward, but he bent his knees to avoid stumbling. The attack had been successfully fended off.

[Crimson Flash]

Luo Feng was undeterred, and he attacked again with the same technique. Like the last time, Wu Jian successfully defended himself, but this time, it was easier. It seemed the momentum his opponent had built during that first strike was hard to replicate. Hee likely needed distance to built the appropriate momentum, and Luo Feng seemed to realize this too, for he quickly switched tactics.

[Scarlet Behemoth Dancing Sword]

Moving with speed, grace, and ferocity, Luo Feng swept through a graceful dance that created a seamless series of slashes and thrusts. The blade barely seemed to leave its sheath as he attacked. His attacks also increased in speed with every strike. Faster and faster, until they became a crimson blur of multiple afterimages that made it hard to judge which attack was real and which was fake.

Wu Jian used a method of two-handed blocking. While his dominant hand gripped the hilt, he placed the other one against the flat of his sword and used it to direct his blade, countering the man’s attacks. Despite the numerous afterimages meant to confuse him, he was always able to find out which attack was the real one.

Is Luo Feng’s power increasing?

His opponent’s attacks were becoming heavier. Each consecutive strike felt more powerful than the last. He was getting faster, too. Luo Feng’s speed kept increasing without pause. Wu Jian was curious. How strong and fast could this man become? However, he seemed to reach a plateau relatively quickly, both in speed and strength.

I see. It must be…

“Your armor,” he muttered out loud. Luo Feng’s eyes widened as he leapt back. Wu Jian continued talking as though to himself. “I see now. That armor is designed to turn your rage into strength. The angrier you are, the more powerful you become. The armor itself also amplifies your emotions, helping increase your anger.”

It was a type of armor he hadn’t seen yet. Of course, not many people could afford profound spirit armor to begin with, and most of what people had was basic armor that protected against techniques or elements. An armor that enhanced a wearer’s abilities based on the state of their emotions was quite rare.

He narrowed his eyes. “However, there is a limit to how much your armor can enhance you. You reached it a while ago, didn’t you?”

“I don’t have to answer you!” Luo Feng snarled.

Wu Jian shrugged. “You don’t. I was just talking to myself. It doesn’t matter either way. I’m going to win.”

“Arrogant son of a bitch! We’ll see who wins!!”

Luo Feng bent his knees, slid his dominant foot forward, and lowered his center of gravity. The chi surrounding him became condensed. It felt like he was compressing it inside of himself. Soon, however, it exploded outward with explosive force, and he flew toward Wu Jian like a man possessed, the blade leaving its sheath and leaving a crimson trail in its wake.

[Vermillion Behemoth’s Fury]

He struck at Wu Jian with a relentless onslaught of fiery slashes and thrusts. Wu Jian furrowed his brow as he felt heat from the man’s sword, like the friction created from his speed had created fire. The scorching heat would have overwhelmed most opponents, but Wu Jian was wearing Phoenix Ascension Armor, which prevented any attack that relied on heat from damaging him.

[Sanguine Cyclone Slash]

Re-sheathing his blade, Luo Feng quickly drew it again as he initiated a spinning motion, creating a sanguine cyclone of flashing steel. His blade became a blur as he unleashed multiple slashes in a circular motion. It was like a vortex of deadly strikes all around him. Wu Jian was forced to withdraw, lest he be diced into small pieces.

[Cleaving the Heavens in a Single Stroke]

Wu Jian sent several attacks at Luo Feng. He used the weaker variant of his technique, creating many golden sword strikes that slammed into Luo Feng as he spun. Each attack was sliced apart. That his opponent could slice through pure chi attacks like that was a sign of his strength. Those attacks were imbued with sword intent, making them incomparably sharper than a normal attack. Luo Feng’s own sword must have been infused with sword intent as well.

The cyclone that Luo Feng had become eventually began to slow; Wu Jian watched through narrowed eyes as his movement died down, then rushed forward attacked with a powerful overhand slash. It was blocked by a scabbard. However, the power behind Wu Jian’s strike caused Luo Feng’s knees to buckle. The second strike forced him onto a knee. His arms shook with the strain of fending off Wu Jian’s powerful overhand swing.

“What… the hell…? What’s with… this strength?!”

The two of them were so close that Wu Jian could see the bemusement in Luo Feng’s eyes. His eyes had widened. The look of shock etched upon his face was something Wu Jian relished seeing. This man reminded him of the arrogant young master of the Ming Feng. Wu Jian had met many young masters since he was a child, but he held a special hatred for that one in particular.

Before the Luo Feng could attempt to deflect his attack, Wu Jian lashed out, kicking him so hard in the ribs that his entire body flew backward. He crashed against the ground and tumbled. However, credit had to be given where it was due. Luo Feng slapped the ground, lifting himself into the air, and landed on his feet.

He didn’t seem injured.

So the armor increases his defense as well as his strength.

“I’ll admit, you’re stronger than I gave you credit for… but you won’t win,” Luo Feng declared, chi building up all around him, which manifested in a sharp aura that surrounded his body. “I am ending this right now.”

He’s gearing up for a long range attack. What sort of quick-draw technique is this?

“Hah? You want to end this with your next attack? Fine then. I’ll play along.”

Wu Jian placed his dominant foot forward, knees only slightly bent, and raised Pale Moon high above his head. He began channeling massive amounts of chi through his sword, causing the entire thing to glow vibrantly. Then he changed the nature of his chi to create sword intent. The simple glow turned a vibrant gold.

On the other end of the arena, Luo Feng compressed all the chi he had gathered into his sword. It was still sheathed. Only a dull red glow could be seen from the weapon, seeping from the cracks in the sheath.

A moment passed.

The arena was silent as though everyone had ceased breathing.

Yet this moment needed to inevitably end.

[Furious Behemoth Slash]

[Cleaving the Heavens in a Single Strike]

Red and gold attacks flew from their weapons. Luo Feng’s crimson strike was a vertical slash traveled as fast as any quick-draw technique. Wu Jian’s golden light was slower. It traveled forward like a beast tearing through the landscape. These two techniques soon met, and the clash echoed all around them, creating a symphonic boom. Fierce winds erupted from the two attacks as they battled for supremacy.

However, it was Wu Jian’s that won.

His attack quickly overpowered Luo Feng’s, then continued on. Luo Feng was so shocked that he stood still even as the attack came closer. Perhaps seeing his own technique get crushed had left him stupefied. He was unable to do anything as the technique slammed into him.

Light erupted all around them. Everyone was forced to close their eyes. An eruption of intense wind and chi slammed into the barrier around the arena, though it did little more than make it flare into existence. When the light finally died down, everyone cautiously opened their eyes and looked at the arena floor.

Eyes widened.

Mouths hung agape.

Standing where he had been was Wu Jian, sword embedded into the floor as he stared ahead. Lying on the ground, off the stage, was Luo Feng. He lay on his back. Though his eyes were wide open, it was clear that no one was home. The man didn’t move a muscle.

Li Minxya was so shocked that she needed several minutes to find her voice. “U-unbelievable! Jian Wu has won! He has emerged victorious!”

It took a while for her words to sink in, but once they did, the entire audience burst into applause, cheers, and shouts. Wu Jian ignored them all as he turned toward his waiting booth. Wu Meiying stood there, and though a veil covered her face, he could tell she was smiling.

I did it, he said through his eyes.

Her own eyes crinkled as she responded. I know.

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