Chapter 820: Again That Sword

Zhou Yuan’s cold shout echoed through the Wind Pavilion, sounding strangely familiar to many. A moment of thought revealed why: two months prior, when he first arrived, he had faced Jin Teng’s provocation with precisely the same words and a sword strike.

That previous sword strike had directly defeated Jin Teng, establishing Zhou Yuan as the Vice Pavilion Master. Could today’s strike unleash the same formidable power, thereby solidifying his position as the true Wind Pavilion Master?

A colossal sword light, imbued with terrifying power, descended. It seemed as if the sky itself had been cleaved open by the single strike, drawing countless astonished gazes.

No one had anticipated Zhou Yuan’s meticulously prepared sword strike to be so incredibly powerful!

A flicker of fear appeared in Chen Beifeng’s crimson eyes. Yet, he knew this was his final opportunity. If he failed to withstand Zhou Yuan’s ultimate sword strike, he could abandon all hope of seizing the Wind Pavilion Master’s position.

If he failed, the Heavenly Spirit Sect would surely cast him aside. Having already offended Elder Xi Jing, how could he possibly survive within the Tianyuan Cave?

It would mean the complete ruin of his future.

Failure was not an option.

Roaring, Chen Beifeng suppressed his fear. His Genesis Qi erupted without reservation, fusing with the Insect Sand. His flesh began to wither, a consequence of his vital blood being consumed by the Insect Sand.

Chen Beifeng ignored these effects as the Insect Sand Genesis Qi compressed rapidly, ultimately forming an extremely thick layer of blood-red heavy armor around his body.

Despite his withered flesh, his body now towered several zhang high, exuding a violent, bloody aura that made him resemble an Asura giant emerging from the abyss.

“Do you think I am Jin Teng?!”

“Crimson Demon Undying Armor!”

He roared up to the sky, a sound that cracked the void.

And at that very instant, the overwhelming sword light violently struck down.

The blood-red giant crossed its arms, unleashing a burst of crimson light.

Under countless astonished gazes, the sword light struck the blood-red giant’s crossed arms, immediately producing a crisp clang of metal that resounded across the sky.

Boom! Boom!

An incredibly violent Genesis Qi impact swept through the area.

The hard stone slabs of the massive plaza shattered and collapsed, as deep cracks spread, splitting the area apart.

The surrounding lake churned into monstrous waves, surging endlessly outwards with astonishing power. Yet, as these colossal waves neared the spectators, they automatically dissipated, as if nullified by an invisible, powerful force.

Some spectators glanced at the two figures at the highest point, realizing these were likely two Law Domain experts who had effortlessly neutralized the impact.

Most, however, paid no mind to this, their gazes fixed intently on the lake-center plaza, which was obscured by a curtain of water.

They desperately wanted to know whether Zhou Yuan’s sword was sharper or Chen Beifeng’s full-powered demon armor was tougher in this final collision.

At the Fire Pavilion, Lü Xiao and Han Yuan had also fallen silent, their eyes fixed on the scene.

Faced with this situation, Lü Xiao, who had previously seemed indifferent, slowly clenched his hands.

This clash would determine the next Wind Pavilion Master!

Over at the Forest Pavilion, Mu Qingyan nervously whispered, “Who will win?”

Mu Liu stroked his chin, finding it difficult to answer. Chen Beifeng’s desperate outburst at the last moment had been quite astonishing, making the current outcome truly unpredictable.

The most nervous spectators were undoubtedly those from the Wind Pavilion, as the outcome would directly affect them.

Whether it was Ye Bingling, Yi Qiushui, or those who supported Chen Beifeng, all held their breath, their eyes fixed on the curtain of water, not daring to blink.

Splash!

In the almost silent world, the heavy curtain of water finally descended, spraying water mist everywhere.

The scene within the arena slowly revealed itself, becoming clear.

The first thing that met everyone’s eyes was the chaotic plaza, where a massive sword mark had almost split it in two.

Zhou Yuan stood in mid-air, a much-dimmed sword pellet spinning around him before entering his body. His previously astonishing aura was now gradually fading.

At the end of the massive sword mark, a blood-red giant figure stood like an iron tower. His arms remained crossed, his body perfectly still.

Genesis Qi still circulated around his body.

“Chen Beifeng blocked it?!”

Upon seeing this, the surroundings immediately erupted in exclamations of surprise.

Lü Xiao secretly sighed in relief, while Ye Bingling and Yi Qiushui’s faces noticeably paled. They knew that the previous sword strike was close to Zhou Yuan’s current peak power, and he couldn’t unleash another one within a short time.

Countless whispers of regret quietly arose.

It seemed Zhou Yuan’s dark horse performance for the day was about to end.

Yet, Zhou Yuan seemed oblivious to the sounds of regret from outside. He calmly glanced at Chen Beifeng, who stood below like an Asura, then ignored him, turned, and stepped into the air, walking away from the arena.

Seeing his actions, some people muttered, “Is he giving up directly?”

But the moment Zhou Yuan stepped out of the plaza’s boundary, the entire plaza suddenly trembled violently, then collapsed with a roar, turning into rubble and plunging into the lake.

On Chen Beifeng’s blood-red demon armor, fine cracks appeared, then it disintegrated into blood-red powder that drifted away.

In mere moments, the demon armor turned to dust.

Chen Beifeng’s cadaver-like body was revealed.

The crimson in his eyes receded, replaced by a profound sense of fear.

A blood-red line appeared on his body, yet not a single drop of blood seeped out. This was because the blood within him had already been consumed by the insect eggs.

Chen Beifeng looked down at the blood-red line on his body. He knew that the previous sword strike had not only destroyed the Insect Demon Armor but had also nearly cleaved him in two. Clearly, Zhou Yuan had held back slightly at the very last moment.

“I’m not reconciled...”

“I’ve worked hard for many years, why did I fail at this final step?!”

He recalled how, two months ago, upon Zhou Yuan’s arrival at the Wind Pavilion, Zhou Yuan had defeated the provoking Jin Teng with a single sword strike right before his eyes. At the time, he had felt disdain for Zhou Yuan’s rather crude display of power. Yet, who could have imagined that just two months later, he himself would be defeated by that very same sword strike?

Endless fatigue and unwillingness suddenly surged through him. Chen Beifeng’s withered body slowly toppled backward, finally plunging into the lake with a splash.

At this instant, the area around the lake fell silent once more.

Then, countless gazes instantly turned to the young figure walking through the air. The next moment, deafening cheers resounded across Wind Island.

Lü Xiao’s expression turned grim, while Han Yuan, beside him, frowned deeply.

On the Wind Pavilion’s side, Ye Bingling and Yi Qiushui were crying tears of joy; the rollercoaster of emotions had almost been too much for them. Around them, Zhou Yuan’s supporters were already roaring with unrestrained elation.

Even the neutral factions, who had been observing, now cheered without hesitation.

Countless gazes from across the world converged on that young figure, carrying varied emotions: curiosity, anger, and joy.

Regardless, no one could deny that today’s contest for the Wind Pavilion Master had delivered a magnificent spectacle.

At the highest point, Xi Jing and Sect Master Xuankun quietly observed the scene.

Sect Master Xuankun’s gaze lingered on Zhou Yuan for a long time before he slowly closed his eyes, his face revealing no emotion, like an unfathomable abyss.

Xi Jing paid no attention to the quiet Sect Master Xuankun. Her clear, bright eyes were fixed on Zhou Yuan’s figure, and a hint of a smile flickered in their depths. This junior brother indeed possessed some capability; no wonder their old master had chosen him.

She stood up gracefully. The next moment, her clear, pleasant voice resonated throughout the world, accompanied by deafening cheers.

“The results of today’s Wind Pavilion Master competition are in... From this day forward, the Wind Pavilion Master for this generation will be... Zhou Yuan!”