"I'm going to teach you a proper lesson today," Lin Jie said, stepping toward Ouyang Zihao with his blade in hand. "This is what I promised those Black Gold people earlier."
"You're really confident," Ouyang Zihao chuckled. "I originally planned to use it against the Flame Spirit Sword, but it seems it'll come in handy this time."
"Oh?" Lin Jie stopped in his tracks, watching Ouyang Zihao with keen interest.
Ouyang Zihao produced a token in his hand. It bore two ancient Chinese characters—'Bingjie'—and runes Lin Jie couldn't decipher. He'd seen similar ones in old zombie movies.
Below the stage, the Dong family head's gaze sharpened. "That's a Daoist token! Could this kid have been there?"
Beside him, the Ouyang Family head nodded. "Zihao's had extraordinary encounters since childhood. I never expected him connected to that place. Truly, heaven favors our Ouyang Family."
...
On stage, Lin Jie watched the token curiously. From the moment it appeared, his Azure Dragon Crescent Blade began trembling incessantly.
"Do you think divine weapons alone can defeat me?" Ouyang Zihao asked with a light laugh. "I dared duel you—the Flame Spirit Sword wielder—because I came prepared."
Ouyang Zihao tossed the Bingjie token high. It glowed eerily, drifting upward. As it floated, Lin Jie's Azure Dragon Crescent Blade grew unbearably heavy.
Sensing this, Lin Jie simply let go. The blade flew straight into the token.
"Interesting token," Lin Jie remarked.
"Without divine weapons, can you still win?" Ouyang Zihao stared at him. "I know your strength inside out."
Ouyang Zihao charged, sword auras extending from every finger. He swept a fierce claw at the motionless Lin Jie, convinced the Bingjie token had stunned him into forgetting defense.
Just as the strike passed, Lin Jie moved. He shifted slightly aside, dodging easily. Behind him, the S Rank-rated energy barrier cracked open with five fissures from that single blow.
"You've gone from Six Meridian Divine Sword to Nine Yin White Bone Claw!" Lin Jie said, putting distance between them as the barrier slowly healed.
"Surrender," Ouyang Zihao urged. "Weaponless, you can't beat me."
Ouyang Zihao waited arrogantly for Lin Jie's reply.
"No. I promised to thrash you, and I must take Xueer back. I won't surrender," Lin Jie declared. "Today, I'm beating you down."
"Then no choice."
Ouyang Zihao's hands whirled at blinding speed. His sword auras wove into a net-like attack. Ten auras shot toward Lin Jie, each striking over a hundred times in seconds.
Lin Jie remained unscathed, dodging effortlessly while yawning. Ouyang Zihao accelerated, shredding the energy shield on his side. Fortunately, spectators had fled after the first breach.
Relentlessly attacking, Ouyang Zihao wondered how long Lin Jie would last. But a fist slammed into his face before the thought finished.
He crashed into the barrier again. Fresh cracks marred his handsome face; blood streamed from his nose.
Impossible! He's this strong without a weapon!
Ouyang Zihao stared in disbelief as Lin Jie approached. He'd overestimated Lin Jie repeatedly—yet still underestimated him. Now, he had to reveal his trump card.
Sword auras gathered before Ouyang Zihao, coalescing into an ancient longsword floating midair.
"Now you're a Sword Immortal?" Lin Jie remarked, still walking forward.
"You forced this move," Ouyang Zihao said, fingers forming a sword gesture.
The sword shot toward Lin Jie like a streak of light. Its terrifying power was palpable even to distant spectators.
Lin Jie merely shifted aside, dodging the thrust. But as it passed, the sword disintegrated into countless auras, enveloping him in a chaotic spherical storm.
Dust flew; sparks scattered. Stray auras shredded the arena. The energy barrier crumbled like tofu.
Seeing Lin Jie trapped, Ouyang Zihao smiled victoriously. Lin Jie's death would complicate finding the Flame Spirit Sword—but he'd gained a genuine Azure Dragon Crescent Blade.
As he calculated his next move, footsteps sounded through the chaotic auras.
The noise was overwhelming, yet Ouyang Zihao clearly heard them. A second step followed, pounding like a hammer on his heart.
As the auras faded, each footstep made his heart lurch.
When the storm vanished, Lin Jie stood before him. His formal suit was shredded, but the red face paint remained intact—a likely lifelong nightmare for Ouyang Zihao.
The alloy floor beneath Lin Jie had turned to iron sand, yet he walked on as if untouched.
Not just Ouyang Zihao was stunned; the entire audience gaped. Glasses Bro and Winter Leaf, reunited with Xiao Zhan and Winter Xueer, had worried for Lin Jie—but now their jaws dropped.
"Freak," Winter Leaf muttered, recalling Lin Jie crushing them pre-training. He'd been holding back then.
In the crowd, Shangguan Shuai of the Shangguan Clan watched Lin Jie with shining eyes.
"You're unharmed?" Ouyang Zihao gasped. "No one survives that move!"
"Who said I'm fine!" Lin Jie snapped. "Look at my suit! Xiao Zhan lent me this high-end formal wear—it's ruined!"
Lin Jie reached Ouyang Zihao. Facing him, Ouyang Zihao's sword aura swelled thick, sweeping horizontally at top speed.
But Lin Jie's fist connected with his face again. Ouyang Zihao crashed into the barrier.
Lin Jie appeared before him instantly. "I promised to thrash you."
An uppercut sent Ouyang Zihao flying along the barrier. Lin Jie leaped, unleashing a Gatling-gun flurry of punches. Each strike left massive cracks on Ouyang Zihao's body. His particle armor suit couldn't withstand the assault. A final punch to the face shattered the barrier behind him.
Ouyang Zihao flew out of the dueling arena.
The audience fell silent. Only Glasses Bro's group cheered.
"Time to go back," Lin Jie said, gesturing for them to approach.
As Glasses Bro moved, Lin Jie jumped to grab the Bingjie token.
"Interesting," he muttered. Its glow dimmed in his hand, and the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade fell out.
"Not over yet!!" Ouyang Zihao staggered up, his face beaten out of shape. "I will kill you!"
He pulled out a pale golden scroll.
"No good!" the Ouyang Family head shouted. "Everyone, leave the training ground!"
The audience realized the danger instantly. In a blink, only Lin Jie and Ouyang Zihao remained.
"Still have items?" Lin Jie asked. "A magic scroll?"
"You'll find out soon enough!"
