Chapter 361: Standing on Unbeatable Ground

"That's something you'll have to discover for yourself."

Wenren Xuewei smiled slightly, her right hand forming a loose fist. Streams of water rose from the lake's surface, condensing into a crescent-shaped water blade in her palm.

With a whooshing sound, the water blade surged forward like a roaring torrent, reaching Chen Mobai's eyes in an instant.

Faced with such an attack, Chen Mobai merely raised his right pinky finger. Earth-elemental sword light burst forth, effortlessly shattering the water blade. Its momentum continued unchecked, majestically splitting into three, aiming for Wenren Xuewei's forehead, heart, and dantian—three vital points of the human body.

However, a green spiritual light, representing the wood element, glowed on Wenren Xuewei's body. It transformed into an illusory, coiling branch that entangled and locked down the three earth-elemental swords before shattering them.

But after the earth-elemental sword light was countered, Chen Mobai once again wielded the Flying Sparrow Hairpin. The blazing Qingyang fire sword light, like a fiery thread, streaked from a distance, incinerating the illusory branch before piercing towards Wenren Xuewei again.

This time, however, it aimed for her mind palace.

"How ruthless!"

"It's just a spar, don't go for a kill!"

"Someone stop them! It would be a big deal if someone actually died."

The Foundation Establishment cultivators watching from the sidelines all changed their expressions upon seeing Chen Mobai's ruthless attack.

Even Wenren Xuewei's expression flickered slightly at that instant. She truly hadn't expected the person before her to be serious.

The Tonghai Ring glowed with a greenish-blue aquatic light, forming a water barrier that enveloped Wenren Xuewei's face, blocking the Flying Sparrow Hairpin.

*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!*

At this moment, golden sword lights surged like a torrential downpour, piercing into various parts of Wenren Xuewei's body with lightning speed, striking what would typically be critical vital points.

Her internal organs, the twelve meridians, and the most crucial dantian and qi sea...

"This guy's sword light transitions are a bit too fluid."

On the platform of the Mountain Sea Academy, Pei Qingshuang watched Chen Mobai's probing attacks against her friend Wenren Xuewei's Everspring Art, noting how he switched between earth, fire, and metal-elemental sword lights in the blink of an eye. She couldn't help but show a strange expression.

"As expected of the chief disciple of the Weapon Dance Academy. In the past hundred years of the Immortal Sect, it's estimated that only he and Senior Sister Pei possess the strongest sword cultivation talent."

Linghu Xian, the current chief disciple of the Mountain Sea Academy, was also a sword cultivator specializing in the Geng Metal Sword Art. Upon seeing Chen Mobai's seamless and unhindered transitions between three elemental sword lights, he, who had always held himself in high regard, couldn't help but express his admiration.

"How does his Geng Metal sword light compare to yours?"

Pei Qingshuang suddenly posed this question to Linghu Xian, who immediately shook his head upon hearing it, admitting his inferiority.

"My Geng Metal sword light has only just reached the introductory level; I can merely use it. It's simply incomparable to that of the Duel Victor."

Linghu Xian, a tenth-year student at Foundation Establishment fifth-layer, was hailed as the second greatest sword cultivation genius of the Mountain Sea Academy in the past sixty years, trailing only Pei Qingshuang, due to his mastery of sword light.

Relying on the powerful offensive capabilities of his sword light, Linghu Xian had gained considerable renown in the Lesser Scarlet Heaven. Some even believed he had a promising future and could potentially become the second Duel Victor.

Initially, Linghu Xian harbored a slight hope, feeling that with some effort, he might be able to replicate Chen Mobai's undefeated record in the Lesser Scarlet Heaven.

After all, both were sword cultivators who had mastered sword light, and he even had a slightly higher cultivation level.

But today, he finally understood.

There were differences even among geniuses.

While he was complacent about mastering one type, the Duel Victor from the Weapon Dance Academy had already mastered five—each of a different attribute—making him truly flawless in sword cultivation, a perfect sword cultivator.

"No, this level of sword cultivation already surpasses the definition of a genius."

However, Pei Qingshuang detected an anomaly. She was heralded as the Mountain Sea Academy's most outstanding genius in a century; even the sword dao grandmaster, Hao Cao, praised her talent extensively.

He believed she might surpass him in the future and become the first sword cultivator in the Immortal Sect to form a Nascent Soul in the past few centuries.

Yet, even with her sword cultivation talent, she had only mastered two types of sword light to date.

Chen Mobai's cultivation realm was clearly lower than hers, yet he had mastered Five-Element, Five-Attribute sword light. Such aptitude could no longer be described as mere genius; perhaps even the Immortal Sect's Soul Transformation sword cultivator, Old Ancestor Baiguang, was only at this level at the same age.

Could it be that this person genuinely possesses the potential for Soul Transformation?

Or perhaps there was some crucial element she hadn't yet discovered.

As Pei Qingshuang pondered, her eyes narrowed, and she focused even more intently on the sparring match unfolding on the lake below.

Chen Mobai observed that although Wenren Xuewei's green dress was pierced in several places after being struck by his Geng Metal sword light, her physical body showed no injuries whatsoever. Her skin remained fair, smooth, and delicate, and there were no signs of weakened qi and blood; she was still in peak condition.

"You blocked the flying sword aimed at your Mind Palace, but you didn't seem to mind the Geng Metal sword light piercing other parts of your body. It seems the only vulnerability of your Everspring Art is your head."

As Chen Mobai spoke, Wenren Xuewei smiled faintly. She gently stroked her Jumang Immortal Azure Robe with her fair hand, and where the sword light had cut through, threads like growing branches and leaves automatically stitched the fabric back together.

In an instant, her dress was completely restored.

"I didn't expect you to probe it out so quickly. However, you're mistaken about one thing. Although my Everspring Art has only just reached the introductory level and cannot permanently keep my Mind Palace unharmed, I blocked your flying sword only because there's a powerful talisman within my spiritual consciousness. If your sword light were to invade it and trigger a backlash from the talisman, leading to your defeat, this spar would be too uninteresting."

Hearing Wenren Xuewei's words, Chen Mobai remembered the Fifth-Tier Wood Spirit Talisman mentioned by Qing Nü, and he was slightly speechless.

However, he hadn't intended to actually harm Wenren Xuewei's Mind Palace anyway; after all, it was just a spar.

Even if Wenren Xuewei hadn't used the Tonghai Ring to block the flying sword just now, he would have redirected it to pierce another part of her body.

"I believe your Everspring Art's ability to maintain an unharmed state can't last indefinitely, right?"

As he spoke, Chen Mobai gestured, and the Flying Sparrow Hairpin returned to his palm.

"You can try again; perhaps in a few minutes, I won't be able to hold on."

As Wenren Xuewei said this, a smile remained on her face, but Chen Mobai's combat instincts told him he might have overlooked something very important.

*Should he use sword *sha*?*

*He wondered if the continuous blood-burning effect of the Azure Blaze Sword *Sha* could break through her Everspring Art's constant state.*

*No, he decided to probe further.*

In an instant, numerous thoughts and tactics flashed through Chen Mobai's mind, but he ultimately decided not to rashly use his trump card before fully understanding the Everspring Art's limits of constant protection.

It was at this moment that Chen Mobai confirmed it.

Wenren Xuewei was indeed the most formidable opponent he had ever encountered at the same cultivation level.

No wonder Lan Haitian couldn't defeat her; after mastering the Everspring Art, Wenren Xuewei was inherently invincible against any opponent.

But what Lan Haitian couldn't achieve, he might not be unable to.

Facing such an indestructible opponent, Chen Mobai could finally unleash himself without restraint.

With a crackling sound, a crimson electric light burst from his left hand.

Upon seeing the lightning art, Wenren Xuewei instinctively activated the Tonghai Ring, forming a surging barrier of water light. But after acting, she suddenly realized this wasn't the Third-Tier Yi Wood Divine Thunder, but the Second-Tier Bing Fire Divine Thunder.

However, once the Third-Tier magical artifact was activated, she couldn't retract it. She could only grit her teeth and use the water light barrier to block the crimson electric light.

Since the artifact wasn't her own, Wenren Xuewei experienced a cooldown period after each use.

*Boom!*

After using the Bing Fire Divine Thunder to deplete the Third-Tier magical artifact, Chen Mobai unleashed the Third-Tier Yi Wood Divine Thunder.

The violent thunder essence, docile as water in his palm, condensed into a blazing bolt of lightning that burst forth, piercing through Wenren Xuewei, who had no choice but to withstand it with her physical body.

However, Chen Mobai still held back.

The blazing lightning bolt veered slightly, missing its original target of the dantian and qi sea, instead opening a hole in the elegantly curved right side of Wenren Xuewei's waist.

Subsequently, the Yi Wood Divine Thunder exploded, spreading from the wound on Wenren Xuewei's waist across her entire body.

Such an injury, even if inflicted upon a Foundation Establishment cultivator specialized in body tempering, would likely result in immediate incapacitation.

But the formidable power of the Everspring Art still exceeded Chen Mobai's expectations.

Although Wenren Xuewei's physical body was ravaged by the Yi Wood Divine Thunder, she endured until the Tonghai Ring's cooldown period ended. A stream of clear water light emanated from the golden ring's surface, flowed into her body, and suppressed and expelled all the violent thunder essence.

*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!*

Chen Mobai, however, pressed his advantage. Raising three fingers on his right hand, he simultaneously shot out three streams of sword qi: Divine Wood, Geng Metal, and Qingyang Fire.

Among these, the Qingyang fire sword light, attached to the Flying Sparrow Hairpin and enhanced by spiritual fire, reached the peak of second-tier power.

Any single one of them could have defeated Lu Qiulong, and among those present, fewer than a handful dared claim they could withstand it head-on.

Wenren Xuewei had just expelled the third-tier lightning, and the fist-sized hole in her waist had only halfway recovered when Chen Mobai's three sword lights pierced into her spleen, stomach, liver, gallbladder, intestines, and lungs.

In an instant, the Five Elements within Wenren Xuewei's body began to fall out of balance.

However, she remained remarkably calm. Her fair fingers on her right hand condensed a thin layer of water essence, like a transparent glove, and at this critical moment, she grasped the Flying Sparrow Hairpin that was piercing her liver and gallbladder.

Although some of the Qingyang fire sword light still dissipated and pierced into her body, she had minimized the physical damage.

Chen Mobai's right hand moved again. The remaining Qingyang fire in front of him suddenly spread and ignited, transforming into crimson-green flame chains that extended from the void, binding Wenren Xuewei's neck and limbs.

Then, his spiritual consciousness erupted, and he controlled the Flame Chain Art, attempting to drag Wenren Xuewei out of the sparring arena.

*Splash!*

As expected, Wenren Xuewei couldn't withstand Chen Mobai's complete tactical assault. Her delicate body, not yet fully recovered, was dragged across the lake surface like a waterskier behind a jet ski, leaving a white wake, and was on the verge of being pulled off the arena.

"Wood God, aid me!"

With a soft cry, Wenren Xuewei formed a hand seal with her left hand, and an intricate, precise restriction spread from her palm.

Then, two thick tree roots extended from beneath the water. Their immense wood elemental power surprisingly overcame elemental suppression, forcibly crushing the flame chains formed by the Qingyang fire. They then tugged at Wenren Xuewei's slender legs, pulling her back to the center of the arena.

Seeing this, Chen Mobai finally realized what he had overlooked.

His Spirit Eye of Void Penetration lit up. With Wenren Xuewei no longer concealing it, he saw a connection formed between her and the Great Toon Tree, facilitating energy transfer.

As pure and powerful wood elemental energy surged in, Wenren Xuewei's body, riddled with holes from Chen Mobai's attacks, seemed to rewind in time. The fist-sized hole in her waist slowly shrunk, eventually returning to smooth, fair skin.

With a casual wave of Wenren Xuewei's fair hand, the Jumang Immortal Azure Robe also returned to its pristine condition.

The two branches released her legs, and she gracefully descended, standing on the lake surface. She slightly furrowed her brows, rubbing the waist area where she had been pierced, as if the pain had not entirely faded.

At this moment, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators watching cast monster-like gazes at Wenren Xuewei.

Such injuries, if sustained by anyone else, would likely require immediate emergency care.

Bian Jingchun estimated that if Chen Mobai had inflicted such damage upon her, she would likely be on her last breath.

But Wenren Xuewei, just like in the Lesser Scarlet Heaven, had reset.

She looked as if she had just descended from the platform to spar with Chen Mobai, elegant and graceful, her clothes neat, showing no trace of the terrifying injuries that had almost crippled her body just moments ago.

"So that's it. Your constant state isn't consuming your own power."

Chen Mobai looked at the energy link between Wenren Xuewei and the Great Toon Tree, his brows furrowed.

He could understand the Everspring Art's ability to maintain an unharmed physical body, but he had judged that such a state would surely consume immense spiritual power.

He had previously believed that even with Wenren Xuewei's perfected Foundation Establishment realm and cultivation of a Soul Transformation technique, she would have at most 300 drops of liquid spiritual power. He thought he could wear her down by repeatedly damaging her body, forcing her to abandon this state.

Moreover, Wenren Xuewei's use of a Third-Tier magical artifact would also heavily deplete her spiritual power.

But he had never expected that the energy source for Wenren Xuewei's constant unharmed physical state was actually this Great Toon Tree.

"Isn't that a bit too unfair?"

Chen Mobai extended his hand, attempting to recall the Flying Sparrow Hairpin from Wenren Xuewei's grasp, but a branch shot out from the lake surface, coiling around and suppressing the flying sword.

"You shouldn't think I can only do this because I have a geographical advantage here," Wenren Xuewei explained with a smile, uttering words that astonished everyone present even more. "As long as I've mastered the Everspring Art, I've already formed a link with the Wood God. Even in the farthest reaches of the Immortal Sect, or even in the celestial void beyond, I can borrow the Wood God's power to maintain my constant unharmed state."

"Lan Haitian and I didn't spar here, but he still couldn't overcome my Everspring Art. This is precisely why."

*He wondered if the link between the Everspring Art and the Great Toon Tree would still be effective if they were a world apart.* This question flashed through Chen Mobai's mind, but he certainly wouldn't ask it aloud.

He looked at Wenren Xuewei. Under the gaze of his Spirit Eye of Void Penetration, seeking a possible weakness, he finally noticed something different about his opponent compared to before.

"The power of the Great Toon Tree can maintain your body's unharmed state, but wielding a Third-Tier magical artifact, or even maintaining your link with the Great Toon Tree, still requires consuming your own spiritual power and divine sense."

"Oh, you noticed."

Wenren Xuewei's expression showed surprise, but she remained composed, standing in the center of the arena.

"In other words, the key to this spar lies in whose spiritual power and divine sense will be exhausted first—yours or mine."

After seeing through this, Chen Mobai nodded, acknowledging the correctness of his decision not to use sword *sha*.

Using sword *sha* would consume too much spiritual power.

Wenren Xuewei's 'HP bar' was infinite, but her offensive and defensive spells were average.

In other words, if he adopted the right tactics, he could wear down her spiritual power and divine sense until they were depleted.

Conveniently, his Five-Element sword light wasn't countered by any element and could even counter Wenren Xuewei's earth, water, and wood element spells.

Winning this spar wasn't impossible.

Although many thoughts had passed through his mind, only an instant had elapsed. After reconfirming his strategy, Chen Mobai no longer wasted spiritual power or divine sense trying to make the Flying Sparrow Hairpin break free.

He simply stood on the lake surface, his right fingertips poised with Five-Element sword light, ready to strike, but he made no proactive moves.

"Forget it. How about we call this match a draw?"

After Chen Mobai adopted a defensive counter-attack stance, Wenren Xuewei was first startled, then realized that the Duel Victor before her had grasped the key to sparring with her. After some thought, she also refrained from attacking and instead proposed an idea that surprised and enlightened everyone.

Offline spars could indeed end in a draw.

And given the current situation, it was the best option.

"So be it."

After both parties agreed, the spar concluded in a draw.

However, no one thought there was anything wrong with this draw.

Although Wenren Xuewei had mastered the Everspring Art, she surely wouldn't want to experience the sensation of her body being riddled with holes again.

As for Chen Mobai, he had no way to break through this Soul Transformation technique, which was the most difficult to master in the Immortal Sect, so he could only accept a draw.

"Your sword cultivation realm isn't 'one sword breaking all techniques,' is it?"

Just as Chen Mobai turned to leave, Pei Qingshuang's voice rang out from above.

"Oh, I didn't expect anyone to see that."

Chen Mobai looked up and smiled faintly.

The "Sword Light Manifestation" realm was something he deliberately exposed to solidify his image as an unparalleled sword cultivation genius.

However, few recognized it.

After sparring with Daoist Ling and Lu Qiulong, it was only today, fighting Wenren Xuewei, that Pei Qingshuang, who had the highest sword cultivation realm present, discerned the truth.

"No wonder you possess such terrifying combat power at your realm."

Hearing Chen Mobai's admission, Pei Qingshuang, who usually held herself in high regard, showed a solemn expression for the first time.

However, the dialogue between the two left everyone else present completely bewildered.

Only Lou Fengcheng seemed to realize something, and his expression drastically changed.