Chapter 748: Unexpected Battle Situation

"Are you going to confront him directly?" Jasmine asked in a low voice. "Although he has expended more than half of his profound energy, it didn't achieve the effect you expected. It's still too strenuous for you to forcibly engage him now."

"It's fine," Yun Che said calmly. "Although his profound energy is astonishingly high, he can't control this power very well, and its consumption rate is significantly faster than normal profound energy. Previously, I only defended without attacking, yet he almost injured himself several times. It seems he's blinded by hatred, too eager for quick results, focusing solely on increasing his power without enough time to stabilize it."

Feng Juechen's surging profound energy came from absorbing and merging what Jasmine called the "devil source," rather than from his own cultivation. Since the time was short, his body had clearly not fully integrated with this power, making it impossible for him to perfectly control and wield it.

"Oh? So you've figured that out," Jasmine said blandly.

"Add to that my weapon advantage and his character weaknesses... even if he still has about forty percent of his power, it's not impossible for me to defeat him!"

Yun Che raised both hands, and the Heaven Smiting Sword swept out horizontally. In an instant, billows of air beneath Yun Che's feet erupted, and an overwhelmingly heavy aura powerfully radiated outwards. Across hundreds of miles, all sea beasts felt a tremor in their hearts, shrinking back and unable to move as if paralyzed.

It was as if, in that moment, an ancient devil god had suddenly descended, casting its supreme might over the world.

Feng Juechen's indifferent eyes flinched for a moment, his gaze fixed firmly on the crimson greatsword in Yun Che's hand. Yun Che's aura didn't make him feel any pressure, but the moment that crimson greatsword appeared in Yun Che's hand, he distinctly felt a heavy sense of suffocation.

Furthermore, as he gazed at the sword, the energy in his chest suddenly became turbulent, and an extremely uncomfortable sensation spread through his entire body. This feeling didn't subside with the circulation of his profound energy; instead, it inexplicably intensified until it became so unbearable that it felt as if something was violently tearing at his vital organs and soul.

Feng Juechen's face twisted, and he abruptly averted his gaze. Instantly, the uncomfortable sensation lessened slightly—but only slightly.

Compared to when he first met Hong'er on the Primordial Profound Ark, and after all the indiscriminate eating Hong'er had done during this period, the Heaven Smiting Sword's power was now incomparable. It already subtly possessed a might that could "astound heaven and earth with a single appearance."

However, this change wasn't entirely beneficial for Yun Che. The Heaven Smiting Sword's growth had far exceeded his own growth. Moreover, having focused entirely on helping the Ice Cloud women improve their profound energy for the past three months, he had barely touched the Heaven Smiting Sword. Now, holding the sword, he felt a considerable strain, as if it might even slip from his control.

How much had Hong'er secretly eaten in these three months?!

She couldn't have secretly eaten a Tyrant Emperor Sword, could she?!

Aside from the Heaven Smiting Sword's unparalleled momentum, Yun Che conservatively estimated that its sheer, mountain-like weight alone was at least over a million jin!

Yun Che's face was calm, even displaying an air of confidence. He noticed Feng Juechen's unusual expression after the Heaven Smiting Sword appeared, felt a slight puzzlement, but didn't dwell on it. "This forbidden art is the 'Heaven Smiting Devil Punishing Sword'! Let me see how long you can last before it!"

As Yun Che's voice faded, he let out a low roar, activated his "Purgatory" realm, and his profound energy surged, igniting flames. The Heaven Smiting Sword then struck down. His profound energy was already far less formidable than Feng Juechen's, and now, holding the Heaven Smiting Sword for even a breath caused him immense drain, leaving him no time for further delay.

It was a simple, unadorned attack, devoid of any profound skills, yet it drew upon the entirety of Yun Che's power. Its immense might was as if a mountain were crashing down from the sky.

Feng Juechen's gaze hardened, and his entire body radiated a black light deeper than the darkest night. The sword in his hand was completely enveloped in this black light, and terrifyingly violent dark profound energy erupted furiously from its blade, emitting a piercing screech that seemed to tear through space, as it met the Heaven Smiting Sword hurtling towards him.

To directly confront a greatsword head-on was certainly not a wise move—it could even be called foolish.

Yet, Feng Juechen, even knowing this, would surely do it.

Because of his intense pride and self-esteem!

It was also what Yun Che called his "character weakness."

CLANG!!!!

The two swords collided with a colossal clang that shook heaven and earth, piercing through clouds and echoing across the sea. The ocean beneath them instantly transformed into a catastrophic hell, more terrifying than a hurricane or tsunami. Hundreds of enormous geysers roared upwards, shooting straight into the sky.

Amidst the churning, monstrous waves, the clashing crimson and jet-black lights remained strikingly dazzling. The two swords clung tightly together at the intersection of the two lights. The flaming Heaven Smiting Sword still radiated divine might like a rainbow, while the black sword in Feng Juechen's hand had bent into a jet-black crescent—yet it did not break, stubbornly blocking the Heaven Smiting Sword's attack.

Their gazes passed through the sword blades, fixated on each other's faces, less than three feet apart. One's expression was calm, the other's icy—but in their hearts, both were filled with shock.

Yun Che was shocked that Feng Juechen, despite having largely depleted his profound energy, had managed to directly block the Heaven Smiting Sword's full-force attack with a black sword that only possessed the aura of a Monarch Profound weapon. Moreover, under Feng Juechen's immensely powerful profound energy support, the sword blade hadn't broken.

Feng Juechen was even more astonished that Yun Che, with only the profound energy aura of a Monarch Profound Realm practitioner, had not been defeated by his full-power strike!

The black sword in Feng Juechen's hand was originally an Earth Profound Sword. During the years of Feng Juechen's rapid growth, this Earth Profound Sword underwent a qualitative change due to the dark profound ripples he released. In just a few years, by absorbing a large amount of dark profound energy, it had evolved into a low-grade Monarch Profound Sword.

A Monarch Profound Sword was considered the "Emperor of Swords" in the Azure Cloud Continent and a top-grade sword in the Heaven Profound Continent. However, against Yun Che's Heaven Smiting Sword, it would undoubtedly be at an absolute disadvantage!

Yet, even so, he had fully blocked Yun Che's attack head-on. Clearly, even with his profound energy largely depleted, it still far surpassed Yun Che's.

Feng Juechen's eyes turned sinister like a bloodthirsty wolf, and the black light around him suddenly expanded again. But at that very moment, he abruptly felt the dark profound energy within him become chaotic, as if startled. The black light on his sword, instead of expanding, suddenly twisted, then rapidly dissipated within the distortion, as if silently swallowed by an invisible black hole.

Feng Juechen's pressure suddenly weakened. Yun Che's gaze sharpened, his Golden Crow flames surged throughout his body, and the Heaven Smiting Sword was fully pushed forward. Feng Juechen's sword-wielding arm was violently forced open, and a massive, heavy impact slammed into his chest, making him grunt. His body flew far away like a withered leaf in a storm.

"Oh?"

Yun Che had been focusing intently and hadn't noticed the change in Feng Juechen's dark profound energy, but Jasmine had seen it all clearly, and a peculiar light flashed deep within her eyes.

The initially evenly matched stalemate lasted only a brief moment before being broken by Feng Juechen's "lack of sustained power." In their very first official exchange, Feng Juechen, who held the absolute advantage in profound energy, was sent flying by a single sword strike from Yun Che, who held the absolute advantage in weaponry.

Gaining the upper hand so easily greatly surprised Yun Che as well. He sneered, raising the Heaven Smiting Sword horizontally, and charged forward like a storm. "Feng Juechen, it seems you're nothing special. Let's see how many more strikes you can withstand!"

Feng Juechen tumbled backward dozens of times before finally stabilizing himself in mid-air. The heavy sword storm unleashed by Yun Che was far from ordinary. Although merely repelled by the sword wind, it made his blood and qi churn, and his internal organs nearly flipped over. This level of injury would normally be considered minor internal damage for him; he wouldn't even flinch from ten times the impact in usual circumstances. But now, for some unknown reason, that inexplicable feeling of discomfort returned, making him feel dizzy and nauseous.

Amidst the roar, Yun Che had already closed in, and the Heaven Smiting Sword, with the momentum of a mountain covering the sky, struck down once more. Blood-like light erupted from Feng Juechen's pupils, and his dark profound energy surged violently throughout his body.

CLANG!!!!

A massive energy storm swept in all directions, and spatial ripples covering an area of dozens of zhang appeared around the two of them. The Heaven Smiting Sword and the black sword clashed again. This time, the black sword almost bent into a black full moon shape, its blade trembling and emitting a ghostly wail.

The collision of the two swords still offered no stalemate; within half a breath, the black sword's power rapidly weakened.

BOOM!!

The fiery light and black light exploded simultaneously, sending both individuals flying far in opposite directions. But Yun Che executed a flip in mid-air and quickly regained his balance, whereas Feng Juechen was sent flying backward much further, his sword-wielding arm twisted at an alarming angle, nearly broken.

Yun Che, having regained his balance, gave Feng Juechen no chance to catch his breath. Activating his Vanishing Shadow Lightning Bolt, his body transformed into a streak of black lightning, and the Heaven Smiting Sword struck down fiercely, generating a thunderous roar.

CLANG!!

BOOM!!

BOOM!!

Like the hammer of the heavens striking down relentlessly, terrifying sound waves swept through the air and reverberated between heaven and earth, causing the firmament to tremble.

With every sword strike, Yun Che would send Feng Juechen recoiling far back. The black sword in Feng Juechen's hand deformed violently again and again; though it never shattered, it was smashed into a full-moon shape almost every time. Feng Juechen's expression was at times twisted, pained, unwilling, or ferocious.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Amidst continuous earth-shattering roars, Feng Juechen was blasted back dozens of miles. His blood and qi were already completely boiling, and he continuously spat out reddish-black blood. Under Yun Che's Heaven Smiting Sword, from the very first strike, he had been at a complete disadvantage, essentially only able to parry—and even parrying became increasingly difficult.

"Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash!"

BOOM!!!

The roar of the Sky Wolf and the long cry of the Phoenix resounded through the air. Feng Juechen shot away like a falling meteor, violently smashing into a cluster of reefs several miles away, pulverizing every reef he touched. Behind him, a bottomless gully stretched across the air, lingering for a long time as if it had directly sliced this vast expanse of sea in half.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Feng Juechen, standing in the seawater, staggered to his feet, continuously coughing up blood that was noticeably darker than normal.

What's happening? What's wrong with my power? Why did it lose control? Why did it suddenly vanish?

What exactly is going on?

Behind him, a violent surge of wind and waves rapidly approached. Feng Juechen fiercely swallowed the mouthful of metallic-tasting blood, then turned around with a sky-high aura of malice. His gaze first fell not on Yun Che, but on the crimson greatsword, almost larger than Yun Che's entire body. Instantly, the churning of his blood and qi intensified, and the painful sensation of his soul being pierced struck him again.

In that instant, he finally realized something.

It's that sword!

That persistent discomfort always appeared when his gaze or power came into contact with that sword!

His profound energy suddenly losing control and vanishing as if swallowed also happened when his own sword touched that sword!

That sword restrains my power!?