Chapter 49: The Art Style Changes Again

As her delicate fingers danced, obscure hand seals gradually took shape, and Xu Xiaoshou felt the chains grow hotter.

“Melt!”

Mo Mo let out a soft cry, and from four gaping chasms in the sky, magma surged forth, flowing scorching hot along the chains.

“Heavens, is this truly harmless?”

The audience was bewildered. Still in the Houtian Realm, they couldn't comprehend battles fought by those in the Xiantian Realm. If a regular Tenth-Stage Spirit Refiner were to face this, they'd probably perish instantly!

Xu Xiaoshou also felt a pang of discomfort. He pleaded, “No, give me a chance!”

Mo Mo ignored him, increased her force, and the magma immediately flowed over Xu Xiaoshou’s body.

“Ah—!”

Xu Xiaoshou instinctively let out a heart-wrenching scream, but then suddenly realized it wasn't as painful as he expected. He stopped his cries.

What was going on?

A feeling of déjà vu?

He recalled the time at Goose Lake when he refined the "Cinder Flame Seed"; that pain, from the inside out, was true agony! This magma, from the outside in, honestly, was a minor issue in comparison. While it hurt, it wasn't painful enough to make him scream. At most, it just looked terrifying.

Sizzle~

His flesh was burned through but quickly regenerated. This cycle repeated, and apart from the tolerable pain, this attack surprisingly had no real effect on Xu Xiaoshou!

“Heh, that’s nothing special!”

Xu Xiaoshou was amused. The sight of him, seemingly undergoing an execution, made him look exactly like a masochist. Even so, all the spectators present couldn't help but stop laughing, and even Xiao Qixiu wore a solemn expression.

“How many hardships has Xu Xiaoshou endured to reach this point today? He actually feels nothing from the magma’s burning?!”

“Honestly, I’m truly impressed by this. Indeed, those who can cultivate an Innate Physique are individuals with incredibly frightening willpower.”

“Phew… Xu Xiaoshou truly hasn't reached this point by luck!”

Su Qianqian covered her eyes, pained by the sight, unable to watch anymore.

Zhang Xinxiong’s expression was grim, revealing no discernible emotion. At this moment, he had also lost his usual playful teasing towards Xu Xiaoshou.

“Received admiration, Passive Points +666.”

“Received concern, Passive Points +888.”

“…”

In the arena, Mo Mo watched this scene, genuinely startled. No one knew better than her how terrifyingly hot this magma was, yet Xu Xiaoshou seemed completely accustomed to it. She looked towards Xiao Qixiu, unable to bear increasing the attack’s intensity further.

The venerable referee in the void shook his head. For a Spirit Refiner with such true and great willpower, no one could stop him from achieving victory. Since Xu Xiaoshou could still endure, how could he intervene to end the match?

“Phew…”

Mo Mo gritted her teeth and instantly doubled the temperature! The reddish magma suddenly gained a black tint, and this murky fluid instantly seeped between Xu Xiaoshou’s clothes.

“Ugh!”

Xu Xiaoshou’s expression finally twisted in pain. This suddenly doubled temperature was already higher than what he experienced that day. No, if this continued, he would truly die! His eyes darted as he recalled the refining method from that day. Perhaps…

Refine this magma into his body?

Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes lit up. If it hurts, it hurts. Let’s do it!

With a tremor in his chest, a crimson-gold pill flew out. Xu Xiaoshou bit onto it, then took a forceful inhale.

“Sizzle!”

The surging scorching energy instantly melted Xu Xiaoshou’s mouth and nose, only for them to be immediately restored. Another surge of searing energy was absorbed into his Qi Sea, completely assimilated.

“It works!”

Xu Xiaoshou was delighted and continued the process, disregarding everything else.

Everyone was horrified by the sight. This… It was gruesome! The scene left everyone speechless. The venue became utterly silent, and everyone involuntarily cheered for Xu Xiaoshou in their hearts.

Mo Mo couldn't watch anymore. Xu Xiaoshou could endure it, but she, the perpetrator, couldn't. It was too cruel.

I, Mo Mo, am not such a person!

“But…”

“If ‘Seal and Refine Heaven and Earth’ can’t defeat him,” Mo Mo murmured, unconsciously touching her right arm, “do I have to use *that* move…?”

Xu Xiaoshou noticed! His legs trembled. The magma hadn’t made him yield, but Mo Mo’s slight movement nearly brought him to his knees.

What was she going to do? Unseal something? Are you kidding me?!

“Stop!” Xu Xiaoshou roared.

Mo Mo looked up. Did he know what she was about to do? Probably not… But never mind. Let him be freed sooner!

Mo Mo formed hand seals with her left hand, another series of complex gestures. Xu Xiaoshou felt utterly dreadful. “No, don’t! There’s no need! I’m not worth it!” He didn’t know what was sealed in Mo Mo’s right arm, but if she had such terrifying combat power without even unsealing it, then once unsealed… What then?!

“What to do, what to do…?” Xu Xiaoshou’s mind raced. He had to stop her!

Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the four chains binding him… Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes.

The next moment, the thousand-plus Spirit Swords throughout the arena, which had only just settled, began to tremble once more.

Xiao Qixiu’s pupils contracted. This guy… He could now use “All Things Are Swords” just like that? He only knew “Reverse Sword Control” this afternoon! Was he a monster?!

“Hum—!”

The thousand-plus Spirit Swords soared into the air again. Xu Xiaoshou, while breathing in the searing air, controlled the sword intent of the entire arena. Soon, he perceived a unique sword energy… The sword energy that Mo Mo had just swallowed, which had not yet been refined!

Xu Xiaoshou frowned. In his ‘Perception’, an obscure power suppressed this sword energy, preventing it from causing any commotion.

But…

“Reverse Sword Style!”

Xu Xiaoshou violently pulled, and “Hidden Suffering” on the ground suddenly spun around and shot towards him! He forcefully interrupted the sword intent’s pull, and the black sword clattered to the ground.

The audience was confused, unsure what Xu Xiaoshou was doing. The next moment, they noticed something was wrong with Mo Mo. Her left hand, which was forming seals, was forcefully interrupted. Her face was flushed, and her lower abdomen slightly distended, as if something inside was about to burst.

“Xu, Xiao, Shou!”

Mo Mo instantly knew this guy was playing tricks and was filled with extreme anger. She quickly dropped everything she was doing and suppressed the sword energy.

“Heh heh!”

Xu Xiaoshou seemed to have found a solution. “Reverse Sword Style!”

The black sword stood upright, but was interrupted before it could even fly, clattering to the ground once more.

At the same time, Mo Mo’s body trembled violently but then suddenly calmed. She frowned, but at the same time let out a sigh of relief. Good, Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't be able to distract her for a while…

But was that really the case?

“Reverse Sword Style!”

The black sword stood upright…

“Interrupt!”

Clang…

“Ugh!”

Mo Mo’s body trembled, and she looked up abruptly, as if realizing something. The bewildered audience also seemed to realize something…

“This Xu Xiaoshou, no way!”

“Holy hell, that’s a bit too cheap!”

Xu Xiaoshou also realized something, and not just realized it, he put it into action.

“Reverse Sword Style… Interrupt!”

“Reverse Sword Style… Interrupt!”

“Clang!”

“Clang!”

“Ugh!”

“Ugh!”

Mo Mo trembled twice in a row, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Xu Xiao…”

“Rev-rev-reverse!”

“Int-int-interrupt!”

“Clang-clang-clang!”

“Ugh-ugh-ugh!”

Mo Mo’s entire face burned red, even her neck was flushed. Half was from shame, half from anger!

“Xu…”

“Rev-rev-rev-reverse, rev-rev-reverse!”

“Int-int-int-interrupt, int-int-interrupt!”

“Clang-clang-clang-clang, clang-clang-clang!”

“Ugh-ugh-ugh-ugh, ugh-ugh-ugh!”

The atmosphere at the final match suddenly took a bizarre turn. Everyone was dumbfounded. Xiao Qixiu’s legs went weak, and he nearly fell from the sky.

“Pfft!”

Listening to Mo Mo’s highly rhythmic guttural sounds, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but lose control of his expression and burst into laughter, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

“Received a curse, Passive Points +1, +1, +1, +1, +1, +1…”