Chapter 236: Knife to Cut the Bear

Chapter 233

“Oh my god!”

The blood blossoms blooming in the sky and the occasional splatters of flesh that rained down left everyone stunned. Even the giant Zhang Xin Xiong couldn't escape Xu Xiaoshou's “sky lantern” fate? Everyone's minds couldn't help but recall the death of Zhao Shu that night. Indeed, when it came to visual spectacle, night fireworks were certainly more beautiful. But with the identity of the person in the sky now changed, the shock it delivered was incomparable!

Watching Xu Xiaoshou smile on the arena, everyone felt their hearts clench. He's a devil! Turning someone into a “sky lantern” at the slightest disagreement—people might never be able to truly enjoy the full moon again!

“Hmm?”

Just then, Xu Xiaoshou, still on the stage, twitched an ear, as if he'd caught a hidden sound. The next second, his standing figure blurred, leaving behind an afterimage before vanishing instantly. His speed was no less impressive than Zhang Xin Xiong's had been earlier!

Those below quickly realized the situation had changed. Their spiritual senses swept towards where Zhang Xin Xiong had fallen, revealing a long-haired monster. The giant Zhang Xin Xiong had already been terrifying, but now his body was undergoing another transformation. Coarse, stiff black fur sprouted, and his body swelled once more. His specially made clothes ripped apart, as if the black bear phantom they'd seen earlier had solidified.

“He swallowed blood?” Xu Xiaoshou's eyes narrowed as he recalled the strange drop of blood Yuan Tou had consumed back then. Could it be that this substance actually originated from Zhang Xin Xiong, and now he too had consumed such a divine object, causing his body to mutate? Yes, the Zhang Xin Xiong he'd just “sensed,” though massive, had been somewhat shattered by the explosion. Looking again now, he was perfectly restored. Apart from that miraculous blood, nothing else could likely achieve such a feat.

Upon arriving, Xu Xiaoshou immediately threw a punch at the monster, who stood rooted, its eyes tinged red. Even though his size was barely comparable to one of the monster's arms, a Grandmaster's physical attack was enough to overwhelm most. With a muffled thud, the black-bear-transformed Zhang Xin Xiong turned and snatched. The reddish, fleshy palm seemed to possess a strange power, directly dissolving Xu Xiaoshou's force.

Xu Xiaoshou was somewhat startled by this. “A bear... paw?”

“Pfft!” Despite the inappropriate timing, many couldn't help but burst into laughter. To be fair, at first glance, the pinkish paw had completely lost its human form, looking exactly like a bear's paw. The next second, their laughter froze. Everyone watched as Zhang Xin Xiong suddenly pushed, blasting Xu Xiaoshou, whose fist was still caught, away like a cannonball. As Xu Xiaoshou's body shot back, a layer of blood mist erupted from him, showing just how terrifying the force of that push was.

“As expected of the Ancestral Bear bloodline!” Xu Xiaoshou felt a chill. A Grandmaster's body, suppressed in terms of strength? This guy's physique is a bit abnormal! But only a little… His injuries, mitigated by various passive abilities, weren't even considered severe and were instantly healed.

Zhang Xin Xiong, on the other hand, after his push, tried to follow up with a combo attack like Xu Xiaoshou, but frustratingly discovered he'd been blasted back by his own attack! And into a deep pit in the ground! “What in the world is this spirit skill?!” Zhang Xin Xiong was exasperated. Although his eyes were red, his mind was surprisingly clear. And the current situation was the worst: Xu Xiaoshou's attacks against him flowed smoothly, but his attacks against Xu Xiaoshou were constantly hindered. It was sickening!

The recoil force on his body finally subsided. Zhang Xin Xiong bent his legs, preparing to shoot out of the deep pit and blast Xu Xiaoshou. Unexpectedly, before he could even launch himself, five intensely energetic projectiles were thrown right at his face. Zhang Xin Xiong: ??? At that moment, his mental state nearly shattered. That move again? Although his own attack had recoiled, shouldn't Xu Xiaoshou also have been injured and unable to recover so quickly? And these terrifying explosive fire seeds, how could someone merely in the Yuan Ting Realm's early stage cast them continuously? Was his spiritual energy free, as if it cost nothing? This was utterly unfair!

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The earth-shattering roar immediately drowned out his thoughts. It wasn't until these five compressed fire seeds exploded on the ground that everyone truly grasped their terrifying power. As if standing at the epicenter of an earthquake, the ground shook violently, and countless fissures tore open from the deep pit. The Life-and-Death Arena could no longer withstand such power and completely shattered. The onlookers were even worse off, stumbling and scrambling, quickly flying into the air. The powerful tremors spread outwards; even the outer courtyard, far from the scene, faintly sensed that something was amiss in the Spirit Palace today.

Xu Xiaoshou stood in the air, his brows furrowed. In the images seen by his “Perception,” flesh writhed, rapidly healing, a recovery rate no less than his own “Everlasting Life.” “A bit disgusting…” He finally experienced the helplessness an enemy felt when facing him. With such regenerative power, even his “Little Fireball Technique” couldn't forcefully kill him instantly!

“He's stronger than Yuan Tou, not just by a little.” He thought of Yuan Tou, but the two were clearly not on the same level. Zhang Xin Xiong seemed to grow stronger with each recovery, and if he reached another critical point, he might undergo a qualitative transformation. Even with “Ember Heaven Flame” burning him continuously, it couldn't fully counteract this recovery.

“I can’t drag this out!” Xu Xiaoshou made his decision immediately. However, five compressed fire seeds were already his current maximum damage output; other moves seemed incomparable in power. Using them now would only give his opponent a chance to recover! Watching Zhang Xin Xiong rise again, his face twisted with hatred, Xu Xiaoshou subtly shifted his stance and reached into his pocket.

“Zhang Xin Xiong, let’s settle this now!”

Zhang Xin Xiong's heart was so choked with frustration it felt like it would explode. Ignoring Xu Xiaoshou completely, his aura intensified, and the presence of a Grandmaster suddenly surged. This fight had completely shattered his composure; he hadn't landed a single move and had been utterly suppressed. How many years had it been since he'd felt this way? The urge to drag the person from the sky down and grind them into the dirt made his mind hazy. His cultivation bottleneck could no longer be suppressed; it burst open, like a dam breaking, and his aura surged incomparably, climbing steadily. A dark, oppressive power, like storm clouds gathering, permeated the air, directly pressing down on the onlookers, making them stoop. Everyone was stunned.

“Grandmaster?!”

Xu Xiaoshou felt a sudden chill run down his spine. He dared to call himself invincible within the Innate Realm, but if his opponent truly broke through to the Grandmaster Realm, then life and death would become unpredictable.

“Mama…”

The A'Jie in his pocket could no longer be held back. Xu Xiaoshou gripped it and fiercely hurled it out. “Go, Pika-Jie, cut him down for me!”

“He threw…?” The crowd was instantly petrified. Facing Zhang Xin Xiong, who had just entered the Grandmaster Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, Xu Xiaoshou's response was merely to throw an iron ball? Had this guy given up? Using a stone to strike a bear?

A mocking look flashed in Zhang Xin Xiong's eyes. A mere lump of iron! Entering the Grandmaster Realm filled his entire body with comfort; the physical surge brought by his connection to the Heavenly Dao transformed into a roar that echoed through the clouds. “ROAR!!” All the onlookers were forced back by the roar, but the black ball remained unaffected, plummeting straight down. Its speed was neither fast nor slow. Zhang Xin Xiong didn't even spare the object a glance. His eyes were fixed on the person in the sky, hatred instantly surging within them. Because of Xu Xiaoshou, his cultivation realm, suppressed for three years, had been prematurely unleashed. The Eastern Heavenly King City was surely no longer within his reach! He gritted his teeth, suddenly slapped the ground, and launched himself upwards. “Xu Xiaoshou, your death is here!”

The black iron ball, suspended between the great black bear and Xu Xiaoshou, trembled, and obscure patterns on its surface lit up. The next second, the iron ball transformed into a massive Jiedao, a full ten feet long! Zhang Xin Xiong was completely stunned. This was actually a blade? In that brief moment of distraction, blood blossomed in mid-air. With a horizontal sweep of the Jiedao, Zhang Xin Xiong's head separated from his body.

“Mama…”