Chapter 118: Breakthrough at the Last Moment

"It's just electricity; it's not quite lightning yet," Cao Yaling said, adjusting her glasses as she perceived the subtle changes, then informed Chen Mobai.

"Although lightning arts are difficult to master, the Immortal Sect possesses countless unique and powerful techniques. The Five Thunder Academy, in particular, excels in this field. Xue Luan might have practiced the 'Ascending Thunder Incantation' and perhaps successfully transformed his spiritual root into a thunder spiritual root," class monitor Mo Simin explained, knowing Chen Mobai usually paid little attention to such details. After Cao Yaling finished speaking, Mo Simin carefully pointed to the Five Thunder Academy's representative in the audience. Indeed, the representative was looking at Xue Luan with newfound admiration and had already risen to his feet.

"How is Yan Bingxuan doing?" Chen Mobai suddenly remembered the classmate who had helped him, and asked, concerned about the art of spiritual root enhancement.

"She'll likely need a good period of rest. Although Yan Feng didn't aim to kill, Yan Bingxuan used the 'Profound Ice Transformation,' exhausting her spiritual power and causing some damage to her foundation."

"Is it serious?"

"Don't worry," Mo Simin replied, "she's using this opportunity to completely transform her foundation into the 'Profound Ice Incantation,' which aligns with her objective for participating in this combat trial."

Chen Mobai nodded slightly after hearing Mo Simin's explanation.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

At that moment, Xue Luan, utilizing his Purple Lightning Skill, doubled his speed on the arena, completely overwhelming Shi Yuanqing. If not for the powerful Jade Talisman, an integrated offense and defense charm that covered his entire body in ceramic armor with no blind spots, Shi Yuanqing would likely have been pierced through by now.

Even so, layers of jade-like ceramic scales on Shi Yuanqing's body began to shatter under the force of the Purple Lightning punches. Traces of electrocution penetrated, causing his skin to redden and seep blood. In a short while, half of Shi Yuanqing's body turned crimson, and his clothes became tattered. It seemed he was about to be knocked out of the arena by Xue Luan.

"It's over," Xue Luan declared. His figure left a series of afterimages across the arena as he raised his right fist. A wisp of purple electricity condensed, like a sudden burst of thunder, striking Shi Yuanqing's chest with immense force.

Crack!

The Jade Talisman covering Shi Yuanqing's entire body finally reached its limit. With a grating sound, it completely shattered, dissolving into scattered jade light. At the same moment, Shi Yuanqing formed his fingers into a sword, gathering wisps of dust into a thin earth-sword. As Xue Luan's fist slammed into his chest, the earth-sword pierced Xue Luan's right shoulder blade.

Amidst splashing blood, both men simultaneously extended their other hands and, disregarding their injuries, exchanged another powerful punch. Shi Yuanqing couldn't help but spit out a large mouthful of blood, collapsing at the edge of the arena. Xue Luan, on the opposite side, was also in pain. He staggered back to the center of the arena, his right arm dangling, rendered senseless by the pierced shoulder blade.

"You're truly different from before," Xue Luan stated. Though one arm was incapacitated, he stood ferociously, streaks of electricity flickering between his brows. His aura, remarkably, grew even stronger after being injured, as if his innate combativeness had been awakened.

"If you were still like before, with only that much, you'd already be defeated by me," Shi Yuanqing said, raising a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. Disregarding the sunken wound on his chest, his blood-stained skin shimmered with a jade-like glow.

"Hahahaha..." Xue Luan burst into laughter upon hearing this. Then, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and the flickering currents that had merely winked on and off abruptly intensified, transforming into streaks of vibrant purple lightning.

"You make me want to kill you," Shi Yuanqing scoffed with a cold smile. He clawed at the arena with both hands, and under the guidance of his divine sense, wisps of rock debris, pulverized during their exchange, enveloped his entire body.

"It's useless. My Purple Lightning Skill already shattered your Jade Talisman. This earthen armor of yours won't even withstand two of my punches," Xue Luan declared as he lunged rapidly towards Shi Yuanqing, striking a heavy blow with his left hand towards the wound on Shi Yuanqing's chest.

Shi Yuanqing opened his mouth and exhaled, a stream of flames erupting from his mouth and nose, covering his entire body. Unwilling to continue a mutually destructive battle, Xue Luan immediately activated his Purple Lightning Skill and swiftly retreated. However, at that moment, Shi Yuanqing charged directly after him.

The two exchanged a punch and three kicks mid-air again. Xue Luan retreated repeatedly until he could bear it no longer. He activated a Golden Armor Talisman, covering his entire body. Then, amidst the intertwining purple lightning and golden light, he engaged in a direct head-on collision with the flame-engulfed Shi Yuanqing.

Thud!

Shi Yuanqing was sent flying, but Xue Luan was also badly hit. A ceramic sword, seemingly appearing from nowhere, pierced his abdomen, adding yet another wound to his body.

As blood gushed, Xue Luan pulled out the ceramic sword from his waist, crushed it in his hand, and looked up, his eyes now filled with an unprecedented fervor.

"Interesting. You're the first person at the same cultivation stage who could beat me this badly."

Unbeknownst to Xue Luan, Shi Yuanqing was again covered in a layer of ceramic armor. It certainly wasn't another illegal use of the Jade Talisman, or the observers would have already struck him down. Shi Yuanqing shakily got up from the arena, spitting out a mouthful of blood from his throat.

"You're mistaken," Shi Yuanqing declared. "We are not at the same cultivation stage."

As he spoke, Shi Yuanqing extended his hand into the air and clenched it. Dust gathered on his hands and the shattered parts of his ceramic armor, then flames enveloped them. Two pristine, translucent ceramic swords and a brand new set of ceramic armor materialized from the fiery heat.

"Excellent! He broke through!" Shi Jingjing, who best understood Shi Yuanqing's cultivation techniques, exclaimed with delight as she watched her cousin effortlessly conjure the white ceramic swords and armor on the stage. Chen Mobai initially didn't understand what kind of breakthrough she was referring to. But he immediately noticed that despite Shi Yuanqing's weakened vitality, his spiritual power fluctuations were fifty percent more vigorous than before, and he instantly realized what had happened.

Shi Yuanqing had actually achieved a breakthrough to the ninth level of Qi Refinement in the midst of battle. Could he be the true protagonist of this combat trial?

"Good! Knocking someone like you off the stage will truly prove my combat prowess is unrivaled!" Xue Luan declared. However, upon seeing Shi Yuanqing break through to the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he showed no fear whatsoever; instead, he became even more fervent. He raised his only functional hand, his left, and pushed his Purple Lightning Skill to its absolute peak, a level his body might not even be able to withstand.

Boom!

The sky seemed to thunder with a sudden clap of clear-sky lightning. Clouds piled up, and a dark, ominous cloud slowly gathered, emanating blinding light.

"If you draw the lightning into your body, you might die," the Five Thunder Academy representative suddenly interjected, speaking to Xue Luan with a solemn expression.

"I'll win even if it kills me!" Xue Luan roared with laughter, raising his left hand towards the sky.

Flash!

Simultaneously, Shi Yuanqing unleashed all his spiritual power, brandishing his two pristine ceramic swords and unleashing his most dazzling and brilliant sword light.

Rumble!

A bolt of divine lightning struck, landing precisely on Xue Luan's head, completely incinerating his hair. Yet, it also ignited his previously stagnant vital energy. Without hesitation, he gripped the lightning, forming a fist, and charged directly at Shi Yuanqing's sword light.

With a tremendous crash, blinding light erupted. Even Cao Yaling and Shi Jingjing could no longer see clearly.