Then, a memory surfaced. A conversation from the night before.
========
Yuanba shifted uncomfortably under Yun Che's piercing gaze. His fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to process what his brother-in-law was asking of him.
Think back to that night.
The memory flashed through his mind like a bolt of lightning—Mai, her terrified eyes, the way she trembled when the Black Lotus Clan had surrounded them. The helplessness in her voice when she called out his name. That single, soul-deep moment when rage had consumed him, igniting something inside him he had never felt before.
His breathing grew heavier.
"Do I… really have to?" he muttered, his voice uncertain.
Yun Che's smirk widened as he clapped a firm hand on Yuanba's shoulder. "If you want to win against Ling Jie, yes. Otherwise, I'll take him down myself." His tone was teasing, but his words carried weight.
Yuanba swallowed hard. He knew what Yun Che was saying made sense. If Ling Jie unleashed the full power of the Yuan Yang Combination, there was no way he'd stand a chance—unless he could tap into that golden power again.
But the thought of purposely diving into that rage unsettled him.
Yun Che patted his back with an easy confidence. "Besides," he added, eyes glinting mischievously, "you're not going to lose in front of Mai, right?"
Yuanba winced.
Why… he whimpered internally.
===========================
Back in the present, Yuanba clenched his fists, his entire body trembling—not from pain, but from something far deeper.
Mai's worried face was still etched in his mind, her fearful eyes watching from the sidelines. Ling Jie stood before him, his twin swords gleaming under the arena lights, poised to end the match. And through it all, Yun Che's words echoed in his mind.
You're not going to let Mai get hurt again, right?
His heart thundered in his chest. His grip tightened until his knuckles turned white. Something deep within him stirred, awakening from the depths of his soul. A golden power flickered to life, faint at first, but growing stronger with each breath.
Yuanba's nails dug into his palms, the sharp sting barely registering. Compared to Mai's pain that night—compared to the helpless terror in her voice when the Black Lotus Clan took her—this was nothing. He could still hear her cries. He could still see her trembling form, her little sister clinging to her side.
If I had been just a second late…
His breath quickened. His body shook, not from fear, but from raw, unfiltered fury. His heart burned, igniting his rage—his hatred—his resolve. The fire inside him roared to life, a relentless inferno fueled by a single, unshakable truth.
Never again.
"That's it, my boy… Harness the anger." Yun Che's voice was calm, steady, almost encouraging.
Retsu and the others watched in silent awe as Yuanba's golden aura flickered, then flared. But he barely heard them. The world around him was fading, his mind consumed by a singular purpose.
No… I won't let Mai get hurt ever again!
I will protect her!
The declaration thundered in his mind, and then—he felt it.
A familiar tingle surged down his spine. The same sensation he had felt that night. The air around him crackled, the space behind him warping as swirling orbs of golden energy gathered. Flames erupted, forming a storm of divine power, surging and spiraling in a chaotic dance.
But it was unstable.
Too much. Too wild. Too angry.
Yuanba gritted his teeth, fighting to control the surge, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave. The sheer force of it threatened to tear him apart from the inside.
And Ling Jie—unaware of the transformation unfolding before him—moved in for the final strike.
"This is over, brother." His voice was solemn, tinged with regret. "There is no honor in this victory, but I fight for the villa."
He swung down.
CLANG!
The sound rang through the air like a thunderclap.
Yuanba had caught the sword.
With his bare hand.
For a single heartbeat, the entire arena fell into stunned silence. The crowd, the villa elders, the officials—every single spectator froze in disbelief.
"What…?!" Ling Jie's eyes widened in shock.
And then—
RAAARGHHHHHHH!!!
Yuanba roared, his voice a primal explosion of power. His control shattered, and before the energy could fully gather, it erupted.
A golden aura detonated outward, engulfing his entire body in a blazing inferno. The sheer force of it sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, shaking the ground, shattering what little remained of the battlefield. Dust and debris swirled around him like a raging storm.
The air shimmered. The very ground trembled beneath him. His silver hair stood on end, charged with raw, unrelenting power. His eyes turned white, glowing with pure energy.
Qin Wushang stared in disbelief, his mind racing to comprehend the overwhelming force he had just witnessed. Impossible. He had known Yuanba for years, trained him, watched over him at New Moon Profound Palace—never, not once, had he seen even a hint of this monstrous strength.
Where had it come from? Had Yuanba been hiding it all this time? Or had he just awakened something far beyond comprehension? A power so profound that even he, Qin Wushang, had failed to recognize it. His hands clenched tightly, his heart pounding in his chest. What… is this power?
On the imperial balcony, Cang Wanhe's breath hitched. His hands trembled slightly as he recalled a report from his guards—a report he had dismissed as exaggeration. They had spoken of a terrifying battle in the dead of night, of the Black Lotus Clan, utterly crushed.
Witnesses spoke of two young men storming the enemy's den—and a streak of golden light. One of the captured men, his voice shaking with fear, had spoken of a warrior bathed in golden energy. A warrior who charged into the enemy's ranks without hesitation. A warrior whose aura alone had shaken the earth.
They had called him: The Golden Warrior.
Cang Wanhe's fingers tightened around the armrest of his throne. Now, watching Yuanba's golden aura blaze fiercely in the arena, he felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Could it be…?
Was Yuanba the warrior from that night?
A thunderous gasp rippled through the crowd.
"Golden Flames!!!"
The words rang out in utter disbelief.
Mistaken for fire, Yuanba's golden aura blazed around him like a celestial inferno, swirling in waves of raw, untamed power. The sheer intensity of it sent cracks spiderwebbing across the already ruined arena floor.
"Golden Flames… at the Spirit Profound Realm?!" someone in the audience choked out.
"Who is this boy?!"
Ling Jie, still gripping his sword, felt his hands tremble.
For the first time since the battle began— he was afraid.
Across the battlefield, Yun Che stood with arms crossed, watching intently. His sharp gaze flickered as memories of that fateful night resurfaced. He had seen this power before. He had seen its potential. But even now…
"As expected… it's still incomplete," he muttered.
Beside him, Retsu's eyes remained locked onto Yuanba's blazing form. This was unlike any power she had ever seen—so wild, so unrefined. Her brows furrowed.
"Incomplete?" she echoed.
Yun Che smirked, his confidence unwavering. "Try focusing your haki behind him."
Retsu did as he instructed, extending her awareness toward Yuanba's back.
Then—her breath hitched.
Her eyes widened.
"This energy…!" she gasped.
She could feel it—a raging storm of unrestrained power, swirling and overflowing, fighting to be controlled. He had released it too soon.
Had he held on just a little longer—had he compressed it into a single focal point instead of letting it erupt chaotically…
Yun Che's grin widened.
"If he had done that…" his voice was laced with excitement.
"…his transformation would have been complete."
------------------------
[Ding….]
[False Tyrannical Rage detected]
[This transformation increases Xia Yuanba's power by two levels, when he transformed, golden aura surrounds him with his eyes white blinded by rage and his hair stood up.]
------------------------
"Tyrannical Rage, huh? Might need a proper name later," Yun Che smirked, watching Yuanba's golden aura surge wildly.
Retsu tilted her head. "Yuu-kun, back in New Moon Palace, you modified his profound veins, right? What kind of profound veins does he have? Is it the same as Xia Qingyue's? They're related… could he also have the Nine Profound Exquisite Body?"
Yun Che exhaled. "Explaining it fully would take a while, but I'll give you the short version."
He activated Tenteikura, allowing Mio and the doll-sized Jasmine to listen in.
"Yuanba and Qingyue share the same mother, but not the same father," Yun Che revealed.
"Ara…" Retsu nodded, while Jasmine's crimson eyes widened. She turned to stare at Yuanba in his transformed state.
Yun Che continued, "Their mother… is a divine cultivator. Long story short, Qingyue was conceived in the Realm of the Gods. Then, something happened—her mother was cast down to this world."
Retsu's expression darkened. "Like Sister Xin'er… abandoned with no memories?"
"Exactly." Yun Che nodded. "She was saved by Xia Hongyi, who married her to protect Qingyue from being called a child out of wedlock. Later, she had Yuanba with him."
Mio furrowed her brows. "So how does this connect to Yuanba's constitution?"
"Because he inherited something rare." Yun Che's gaze sharpened. "Yuanba possesses the Tyrannical Emperor's Divine Veins—Profound Veins of the War God. Once awakened, they allow instant breakthroughs to the Emperor Profound Realm, or even the Tyrant Profound Realm, in a single night."
The room fell silent.
"And Qingyue?" Retsu asked.
"She has the Nine Profound Exquisite Body and the Heart of Snow Glazed Glass." Yun Che smirked. "Doesn't that already tell you something?"
"You said that they both came from the same mother." Retsu whispered. If Qingyue was conceived before her mother met Xia Hongyi, her father must be a man with a powerful ranking. However, Yuanba was conceived with a normal human but still had a powerful constitution.
Her mind clicked.
Yun Che nodded as he looked at Retsu. "Exactly. Qingyue's father was from a divine ranking, while Yuanba's was just a normal non cultivator.."
Mio frowned. "Shouldn't Yuanba have been born as an ordinary human then? Instead, he has an extremely rare set of profound veins… That means their mother—"
"Was someone of great importance," Yun Che confirmed. "She had the Divine Stainless Body."
Jasmine's eyes snapped wide open. "Wait—Divine Stainless Body?!"
"Ara, Jasmine-san, you recognize that term?" Retsu asked curiously.
Jasmine clenched her fists. "Recognize it? That body caused a sensation in the Realm of the Gods!"
Everyone turned to her.
"The Divine Stainless Body… is one of the rarest constitutions in existence," Jasmine explained grimly. "It only appears in women, and it allows them to give birth to extraordinary children by infusing them with Primordial Power. If such a body is discovered, that woman would be hunted down mercilessly—treated as nothing more than a breeding tool, forced to conceive again and again to produce unmatched talents."
A heavy silence filled the air.
Jasmine turned to Yun Che. "Let me guess… The system told you that?"
Yun Che simply nodded.
"No wonder she was sent here," Retsu murmured. "But then… why did she have to go back?"
Yun Che exhaled, his gaze darkening. "I assume she regained her memories. Qingyue spent years cultivating to find her mother and reunite their family. But… I believe she left for a deeper reason."
Everyone listened intently.
"Her body is too special. If pursuers ever tracked her here, her entire family—and maybe even this planet—would be in danger. But there's more… She might have left to prevent Qingyue's Nine Profound Exquisite Body and Heart of Snow Glazed Glass from being discovered. Or even worse—Yuanba's Tyrannical Emperor's Divine Veins. If anyone confirmed that she was born with a Divine Stainless Body, her children would become targets."
A heavy silence fell upon the group.
"I see…" Retsu and the others nodded, a quiet understanding settling in. The Xia family's tragedy was now clear.
Yun Che continued, his tone shifting. "Back to Yuanba's constitution—I modified it by removing his limiter and forcing an early awakening. That's why his growth has been so explosive."
Mio's eyes narrowed. "He powered up to his current level in just two years?"
"Exactly. Without my intervention, he'd still be stuck at the Fourth Level of the Elementary Profound Realm right now," Yun Che smirked. "But now, every time he taps into his rage, he can trigger another awakening. And that…" He gestured toward Yuanba's golden aura burning like a storm.
"…is the result."
Yuanba's aura roared like an unleashed storm, shaking the entire arena. The very air trembled under the pressure, and the ground beneath him cracked apart as if unable to withstand the sheer force radiating from his body. Rocks and debris shot into the air, caught in the violent currents of power swirling around him.
The spectators sat frozen, their minds unable to comprehend what they were witnessing.
Cang Yue's breath hitched. "This… what kind of power is this?"
Xue Ling and Lin Yueru could only stare, their usually sharp minds struggling to process the sheer magnitude of Yuanba's transformation. This wasn't just profound energy—it was something else entirely. Something beyond comprehension. His strength was still in the Sixth Level of Spirit Profound Realm but he might just awakened a power boost beyond his current level.
Cang Yue's gaze shifted toward Yun Che. Unlike the others, he remained calm, his expression unreadable—no, not unreadable, expectant. As if he had foreseen this moment long before any of them.
Mai's hands clenched against her chest as she stared at the golden flames raging around Yuanba. That power, that overwhelming presence, that sheer fury—it was the same.
Her mind was dragged back to that night.
The night she was taken.
The night the Black Lotus Clan tried to break her.
The night she saw this very power rip through her captors.
Brutal. Unstoppable. Terrifying.
Even then, when she was nothing but a trembling prisoner, she had felt it—the sheer, unrelenting rage burning through Yuanba's body like a storm of fire, refusing to be contained.
The Chu sisters, usually composed and unreadable, now sat frozen in their seats. Their wide, stunned eyes reflected the golden flames that consumed Yuanba's form.
This was not the same man who had stepped onto the arena moments ago.
This was something else entirely.
--------------------
Yuanba's aura exploded outward, sending a shockwave through the entire arena. The sheer force of his power rattled the ground, cracks spiderwebbing across the stone floor.
A stunned silence fell over the crowd.
Even Xia Qingyue, who had always dismissed Yuanba as nothing more than a simple brute of a brother, felt a chill creep down her spine. What… was he?
Before anyone could fully comprehend the transformation, Yuanba moved.
A blur of golden flames.
In an instant, he closed the distance, his sword carving through the air with a deafening whoosh. Ling Jie's instincts screamed, and he raised his twin swords to block—
CLANG!
The moment their blades met, Ling Jie's hands went numb. His arms trembled violently, nearly wrenched out of their sockets from the sheer weight of Yuanba's strike.
"What… the hell!?"
He barely had time to adjust before—
"RAAHH!!"
Yuanba unleashed a relentless, high-speed onslaught. Blow after devastating blow crashed against Ling Jie's defense, each one heavier than the last.
The crowd erupted—what they were witnessing defied belief.
It was like watching a hammer crushing a sword.
Ling Jie grit his teeth, trying to regain control, but Yuanba didn't let up.
SLAM!
A powerful kick crashed into his guard, sending shockwaves through his entire body. His vision blurred as his feet left the ground—
Then, he was soaring.
SMASH!
Ling Jie crashed into the arena floor, dust and debris billowing into the air. The stone beneath him shattered on impact.
The audience was stunned.
Ling Jie regained his footing, his figure blurring like the wind as he dodged at the last second. Yuanba's golden-aura-coated Sword of Hope slammed into the ground with a thunderous boom!
A massive crater erupted beneath him, shattered rock and dust exploding outward in all directions. The sheer shockwave forced the entire Sword Discourse Arena to hold their breath.
Even Ling Jie, despite himself, felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple.
That strike… was monstrous. But he couldn't hesitate.
"Flowing Light Slash!"
With a sharp breath, Ling Jie leapt backward, the Yuan Yang twin swords orbiting him in a mesmerizing, deadly dance. Blades gleamed as they spun, conjuring a storm of razor-sharp sword silhouettes that shredded through the air, their deadly intent warping space itself.
Facing this devastating assault, Yuanba did not flinch and his rage power burned hotter.
Without even sparing a glance at the approaching Sky Profound Swords, he locked onto Ling Jie's presence.
Wave after wave of golden-aura blasts erupted from Yuanba, each one a shockwave of destruction, carving deep scars into the battlefield as they roared toward Ling Jie.
With every furious swing of his rage-fueled Sword of Hope, the ground shattered, sending up tremors and clouds of debris. The booming echoes of each impact rattled the air, a sound so thunderous that it felt as if a giant was marching toward them from the abyss. Even the profound barrier, built to withstand the mightiest duels, shuddered violently beneath the sheer force of his strikes.
At first, the crowd had been stunned by Yuanba's transformation. But now, they could barely breathe.
Every strike thundered like a war drum in their chests. Every step he took felt like the arrival of a storm.
Ling Jie grimaced, his twin swords flashing with brilliant sword intent. Earlier, he had been able to slice apart Yuanba's attacks, cutting through the explosive shockwaves with ease. Not anymore.
Now, Yuanba's raw strength has multiplied by his golden aura.
Each devastating blow sent the Yuan Yang dual swords flying back, reverberating violently in Ling Jie's hands. He could barely deflect them, let alone cut through them. His sword intent, which once felt unshakable, now seemed fragile—like trying to hold back a flood with a single thread.
Even when he found an opening—using his peerless speed and precision to close in—Yuanba didn't even flinch.
His rage-infused body ignored the blades closing in on him.
With a single colossal swing, Yuanba unleashed a shockwave so fierce that it blasted Ling Jie backward, forcing him to retreat. The air howled, and a crushing storm of wind and force engulfed the arena.
Thud… Thud…
Yuanba strode forward, teeth gritted, veins bulging. His body felt like a vessel barely containing the unstoppable force raging inside him. Every step radiated sheer dominance, a silent declaration—Ling Jie was fighting a monster, not a man.
The battlefield trembled under their violent exchange.
Ear-splitting shrieks of tearing energy and earth-shattering booms exploded through the air, hammering against the souls of every spectator. Their duel had spanned only dozens of steps, yet beneath them lay utter devastation.
More than a hundred overlapping craters marred the ground, fractures weaving together in a chaotic web of destruction. The once-grand center of the Sword Discourse Arena was now unrecognizable, reduced to little more than a wasteland of shattered stone and ruin.
Sand, dust, and broken rock shot skyward in a towering plume, rising dozens of meters into the air. The two warriors disappeared within the storm, their forms obscured, only the dazzling streaks of cyan and orange sword beams cutting through the chaos like shooting stars.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
"Is… Is this real?" a disciple whispered, unable to believe his eyes.
"Xia Yuanba's sword… it's unscathed! Even after clashing against two Sky Profound Swords?!"
"Just like Princess Cang Yue's blades… they withstood relentless, crushing blows without shattering!"
"Could it be… Xia Yuanba wasn't even using his full strength before? Or… did the golden aura turn him into a completely different being?"
Even though a barrier protected the spectators, Yuanba's presence alone was suffocating, his energy pressing down on them like a mountain.
BOOM!!
Yuanba's Sword of Hope came crashing down.
Ling Jie's body blurred, his speed incomparable, yet even he was helpless before the titanic force of Yuanba's strike. The shockwave detonated, sending Ling Jie hurtling backward like a ragdoll.
Before he could even land, his eyes flashed coldly.
The Yuan Yang dual swords crossed before his chest, their cyan and orange glows intensifying, condensing into an almost solid radiance.
"Heaven's Might Absolute Sword… Moon Break!!"
Ling Jie roared, his dual swords slashing through the air with terrifying force. The cyan and orange crescents tore forward, their speed like streaks of lightning—unstoppable, devastating. This was the very attack that had awakened Yuanba's mysterious power.
But this time… Yuanba was ready.
His white pupilless eyes locked onto the incoming blades. No hesitation. No fear. He had suffered once—he would not fall in the same place twice.
Yuanba planted his feet, gripping his sword tightly as he pulled it back, the blade humming with sheer energy.
"Shining…"
He exhaled, his body coiling like a spring.
"SLASH!!!"
His roar shook the air as he swung down with all his might. A colossal crescent moon of deep blue light exploded from his blade, its arc wide, its force immeasurable.
The two crescent moons of cyan and orange streaked forward like twin meteors, colliding head-on with Yuanba's titanic crescent slash.
BOOM!!
A detonation of unimaginable magnitude rocked the arena.
The moment the three sword beams clashed, shockwaves erupted outward, sending violent gusts through the battlefield. A fantasy-like burst of color filled the sky, cyan and orange interweaving with the deep black of Yuanba's moon slash.
Countless streaks of sword intent lashed out, wildly slashing through the air like phantom blades.
But then… something unnatural happened.
The giant crescent moon absorbed the sword intents, devouring them into absolute nothingness. The cyan and orange beams, despite their overwhelming power, began to collapse. Their vibrant glow dimmed, their form distorted, and then—
Shatter.
The sword beams vanished.
In the sky, only one thing remained.
A massive, blue crescent moon—untouched, undiminished—rushing forward with terrifying speed straight at Ling Jie.
"Wh… What!?" Ling Yun shot to his feet, his voice trembling with shock.
Ling Jie's body blurred as he dodged at the very last second, the attack barely grazing past him. The moment he evaded, an earth-shaking explosion sounded behind him, obliterating a massive chunk of the battlefield.
Ling Jie gasped, his entire body drenched in cold sweat. He turned toward Yuanba… and froze.
Yuanba stood there, his breathing calm, his golden aura burning unwaveringly around him. He wasn't panting. He wasn't stumbling.
He was simply waiting.
Like a predator, standing still, watching its prey, simply giving it a chance to make its final move.
Ling Jie's hand trembled slightly as he clutched his dual swords. His lips parted unconsciously, his voice a whisper.
"…So strong. So strong…"
For the first time in his life, Ling Jie felt true, crushing power. Facing this Yuanba… he couldn't even breathe.
From the seating zone, Yun Che watched the battle unfold, his gaze sharp with analysis. He was impressed. Even if this was only a false version of the real thing, it was still remarkable—an increase in two levels, similar to his Heretic Soul. Enough to match Ling Jie blow for blow.
But even with that power, Yuanba was far from perfect. He was in a rage form, his control barely holding together. If he didn't learn to properly harness this strength, it would consume him before he could reach his full potential.
Yun Che exhaled, already forming a plan. He would seek Yuanba out tonight—guide him, just as he had before. Because if he won against Ling Yun, there was no doubt in his mind that Yuanba would challenge him next. And Yuanba wanted nothing more than to face him at full strength.
His thoughts were interrupted by the shifting energy on the battlefield. He lifted his gaze to Ling Jie, watching as the young swordsman leaped high into the sky.
"Looks like he's going to use that move," Yun Che murmured, tilting his head. "A move of desperation… It makes sense. All his killing techniques have failed. Even two Sky Profound swords meant nothing against Yuanba now."
Beside him, Retsu observed with a knowing smile. "Ufuu… This might be his last hope."
She glanced at Yun Che. "You gave Yuanba an unbreakable sword, and even now, he's only used a single move against Ling Jie. Meanwhile, Ling Jie has thrown everything at him and still come out worse for wear."
She shifted her gaze to Mai, whose hands were clenched in worry.
"He better end this soon," Retsu continued. "Mai-san looks like she just wants to jump in and save him."
Yun Che chuckled, patting Retsu's head. "Well, that's young love for you. If I were in the same situation, you'd do the same thing."
Retsu gave him a sideways look as she smiled sweetly. "Ufuu….You mean like the two times I already did?"
"Hah, true." Yun Che sighed, recalling the times Retsu had taken lethal blows meant for him. He gave her a peck on her cheek which she loves it.
From the side, he could feel the piercing stares of Mio, Cang Yue, and Little Fairy. Silent jealousy lingered in their gazes, but Yun Che wisely chose to ignore it.
Down in the arena, Yuanba's breath was ragged. His body still trembled, golden energy flickering wildly around him. He raised his head, locking eyes with Ling Jie, who hovered above, his twin swords glowing brighter than ever.
Ling Jie's voice rang out, steady but filled with respect.
"Brother… This move… you must block it." His expression hardened. "Because if you don't—you might actually die."
His grip tightened, and he continued.
"But… if you succeed in blocking this final strike… then I will willingly become your little brother. And I will never regret it!"
As the words left his lips, the Celestial Yuan and Celestial Yang swords floated from his hands, hovering on his left and right.
Then—
A blinding radiance erupted.
The swords cracked through the very air, their beams expanding into something monstrous—beyond the realm of normal sword energy. A cyan sun. An orange sun. Suspended in the sky, twin celestial bodies pulsed with overwhelming sword intent.
And Yuanba—stood at the center of it all.
From above, an enormous sword formation took shape, covering the battlefield, sealing off every escape route. It was inescapable.
Ling Jie had bet everything on this one strike.
Yuanba exhaled, lowering his head. His hands slowly curled around the Sword of Hope.
Golden energy surged through his veins. His sword hummed, responding to the sheer will he poured into it.
This was it.
His final attack.
One last Shining Slash.
And this battle would be decided.
Yuanba made no attempt to evade. He simply stood his ground, golden aura crackling around him like a living force.
Ling Jie's eyes gleamed with determination. He could feel it—this would be the strongest attack he had ever unleashed. He poured everything into it—his profound strength, his sword intent, his very will.
A massive Radiant Sky Sword took form above him, its glow fierce enough to pierce the heavens. This was beyond anything he had ever created before. Even when he had dreamt of surpassing his brother, Ling Yun, he had never fought this hard.
"If you can't take it—I win! If you do… then I, Ling Jie, will acknowledge you as my big brother!"
The Radiant Sky Sword fell.
Like a flaming star crashing to earth, its sheer pressure distorted the very air. The ground trembled. Yuanba's silver hair stood on end, forced upward by the golden energy radiating from his body. His feet sank deep into the earth, but his stance never wavered. He was nailed in place—unyielding.
Xia Qingyue grips her fist. Seeing her brother face such dangers. She wasn't sure if she could face their father should Yuanba got hurt. She silently prayed he somehow survives this.
From the stands, Yun Che watched intently. He had seen Radiant Sky attacks before—faced them from warriors at elder levels as the swordsman, Mihawk. And yet, they had never impressed him.
No pressurized force. No real danger.
A single slash from Yoru had been enough to dispel them.
But now, Yun Che wasn't fighting. His Mihawk persona wasn't fighting. Yuanba was. And he could only hope that the Shining Slash he had taught him last night was enough to end this.
The Shining Slash—a move borrowed from an old Dragon Ball PS2 game, Dragon Ball Infinite World. Originally, it was a vertical sword strike, designed to blow the opponent away with sheer force. Infused with profound strength, it could generate a crescent moon energy wave.
There were variations, of course. Another version required charging before delivering a powerful vertical slice—though it was far from the strongest form.
Yun Che had modified it, shaping it into something Yuanba could use. But what truly impressed him—was how fast Yuanba had adapted.
He had learned it last night and now, after using the same move over and over again, he had made it even stronger.
Yun Che smirked, murmuring to himself.
"I fear not the man who has practiced a thousand techniques… but the man who has practiced one move a thousand times."
Bruce Lee was right.
The Radiant Sky Sword streaked downward, unstoppable.
In less than a breath, the very center of the Sword Discourse Arena had sunk by a full foot. The stage cracked apart, deep fissures racing outward. The sheer weight of the sword aura pressed down, forcing half of Yuanba's body beneath the earth.
His clothes? Shredded. Torn into countless strips by the blinding energy.
But his grip on his Sword of Hope remained. Unbroken.
Thirty meters… Fifteen meters… Ten meters…
"Shining Slash!!!"
Just as the Radiant Sky Sword loomed less than a meter above Yuanba's head, his once-wild aura shifted—refining, focusing. In that instant, he no longer seemed like a frenzied warrior lost in his rage. Instead, he became something far more terrifying—an awakened dragon.
His profound strength surged, bursting out in an explosive force that sent shockwaves rippling through the arena. His grip on the Sword of Hope tightened, and with a fierce battle cry, he swung upward—meeting Ling Jie's descending blade head-on.
The crescent-shaped sword slash roared to life, golden energy carving through the air in a brilliant arc. A single, devastating strike.
BOOM!!!!!!!!
The world seemed to shake as a thunderous explosion erupted across the Sword Discourse Arena. The sheer impact rattled the entire Heavenly Sword Villa, sending a deep, trembling echo through its foundations.
It was a sound that forced hearts to tremble.
It was a clash beyond mortal limits—one that mirrored yesterday's battle between Retsu and Cang Yue, their energy once covering the entire arena in a storm of devastation.
The collision of sword energy was like a volcanic eruption, an unrelenting force seeking to consume everything in its path. The energy spread wildly, crashing outward in waves of destruction and raw power. A storm was born—winds howling as a tempest of energy blasted across the Sword Discourse Arena, scattering loose debris and forcing weaker disciples to shield themselves.
At the center of it all—two figures stood, locked in a battle of wills.
A radiant glow—brighter than the very sword itself—engulfed both Yuanba and Ling Jie. From afar, it seemed as though a blazing fireball had erupted, with streaks of cyan and orange light swirling like dragons dancing through the inferno.
Then, cracks spread across the battlefield.
Deep, jagged fissures tore through the Sword Discourse Arena, the longest one splitting the platform completely in two.
Even Ling Wugou, one of the highest-ranked members of the Heavenly Sword Villa, found himself wary. Despite being at the Sky Profound Realm, he chose not to underestimate the force at play. He abandoned the barrier and leaped away, releasing a burst of profound energy to shield himself from the raging sword aura.
All around the arena, Heavenly Sword Villa disciples scrambled to contain the shockwaves, ensuring that those with weaker profound strengths wouldn't be caught in the storm.
But the true battle was still unfolding.
The Radiant Sky Sword, the very pinnacle of Ling Jie's power, was pushed back. It trembled in midair, struggling against the overwhelming force of Yuanba's Overlord Colossal Sword.
Ling Jie's eyes widened. He could feel it. The very foundation of his ultimate attack was crumbling.
Then—a crack appeared.
A small, nearly invisible fracture at the tip of the Radiant Sky Sword.
For ten long breaths, the two warriors remained locked in place. And then—
BOOM!!!!
The crack spread like wildfire, tearing through the blade until it reached the hilt. The very sky trembled as the Radiant Sky Sword—shattered.
Shards of energy erupted in all directions, scattering clouds in the heavens. Yun Che sighs. It was a moment eerily similar to when Mio had crushed a massive sword with a single grip, shattering it as if it were made of glass. He silently smiles knowing Yuanba will stood tall despite things happening around him.
The Radiant Sky Sword did not shatter horizontally as one might expect from a typical broken weapon. Instead, it fractured vertically, from the very tip to the hilt. The wild, raging sword aura that had once filled the battlefield like an unrelenting storm dissipated almost instantly, as though the sword's very essence had been undone.
As the tremors that had shaken the Sword Discourse Arena began to subside, so too did the violent energy storm above. The sky, once alive with clashing forces, finally fell into silence. Within the fading light of vanishing profound energy, Ling Jie's figure descended from the air.
He fell—not with the grace of a warrior in control, but with the helpless drift of a man utterly spent. The sheer force of their battle had carried him hundreds of meters away, where he landed unsteadily. His feet touched the ground, but his body swayed violently—his legs barely able to hold his weight.
In his hands, he still clutched the Celestial Yang Sword and the Celestial Yuan Sword, but their once radiant glow had faded. The legendary Yuan Yang dual swords, once shining with brilliance, now dull and lifeless. His face was deathly pale, drained of all color—proof that he had poured every last ounce of his strength into that final attack.
The storm of sand and profound energy that had obscured Yuanba finally dissipated, revealing his unshaken figure.
A massive crater stretched beneath his feet, measuring at least one hundred and fifty meters in length and six meters in depth. It was no ordinary destruction—no crude, chaotic battlefield of reckless devastation. Instead, the crater's surface was eerily smooth, as if carved by the sharpest of blades.
The sheer precision and sharpness of the sword intent left behind was unfathomable.
Despite standing at the very center of this destruction, Yuanba remained upright, his golden aura still flaring around him. His pupilless eyes still stare him.
The sight of the Sword Discourse Arena was now beyond tragic—the very foundation of the legendary battleground laid to waste. If someone had not personally witnessed what had happened, they would never believe that such a cataclysmic scene had been caused by two mere Spirit Profound Realm practitioners.
Even as the dust settled, Yuanba's silver hair remained standing, lifted by the crackling force of his golden energy. While his aura protected him from the storm of debris, his clothes had been completely shredded. What remained could barely be called clothing—a mere collection of tattered strands barely holding together.
The only relief was that his key areas were still covered—just barely. Had fate been any crueler, even his thick skin would not have been enough to shield him from the sheer embarrassment of the moment.
His exposed skin revealed countless thin wounds, marks left behind by the sheer intensity of the battle. Yet, to a practitioner of his level, they were nothing. Not a single deep injury marred his body, nor was there any sign of true damage.
Against all odds, he had endured.
Ling Jie, who was closest to Yuanba, stared in utter disbelief. His eyeballs nearly popped out of their sockets as he took in the sight before him.
Moments ago, he had warned Yuanba that if he failed to block his strongest attack, he might not survive. Even so, Ling Jie had felt confident—Yuanba would block it, but he had expected him to be utterly exhausted afterward.
Yet, what had happened was far beyond anything he could have imagined.
His ultimate technique—the one infused with all of his sword intent and profound energy—had done nothing more than shred Yuanba's clothes and leave him with a few shallow scratches. Wounds so small, they looked like mere itches rather than injuries.
Thud… thud… thud…
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the shattered arena.
Yuanba advanced, his silver hair falling over his face, his pupilless golden eyes locked onto Ling Jie like a predator stalking its prey. His body still radiated an overwhelming, flaring aura, the very air around him distorting with power.
He wasn't done.
He had endured the attack. Now, he was approaching with the intent to end this battle—permanently.
Ling Jie's heart pounded in his chest, and for the first time in his life, he genuinely feared for his life.
"W-Wait… wait… Brother Yuanba… Let's settle this properly!" Ling Jie stammered, backpedaling furiously. His usual confidence was nowhere to be found.
But Yuanba did not stop.
"You won! You won! I can't fight anymore!" Ling Jie raised his hands in surrender, his voice frantic.
Yuanba raised his sword high, his golden aura swelling as he prepared to strike.
"Yuanba!"
Mai's voice cut through the battlefield, filled with worry.
Yuanba's pupilless eyes turned toward her, and for the first time, his expression wavered. Seeing her worried face, the fury in his golden aura flickered, and his grip on the sword loosened.
His aura vanished in an instant.
His silver hair fell back to normal, and his eyes regained their pupils.
Clang!
His Sword of Hope slipped from his grasp, crashing onto the arena floor.
Then, he collapsed onto his knees, disbelief etched across his face.
He had survived that attack. Somehow.
Ling Jie let out a huge sigh of relief before his own legs gave out beneath him. His cherished swords, which he usually treated as his very life, were thrown onto the ground without a second thought. He didn't care anymore.
He fell flat on his butt and let out a wail of absolute exhaustion and frustration.
"I'm not fighting anymore… I quit, I quit, I quit! I surrender! AAAAAAHH… I, Ling Jie, will never, ever, ever, EVER… fight a monster like you again, brother Yuanba!!"
The words "I surrender" had barely left his mouth before an overwhelming wave of relief washed over him.
It felt like a giant boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.
He had given it everything he had, poured his entire being into this battle… and still lost.
Yet, in the end, the strongest emotion that filled his heart wasn't frustration—it was pure, unbearable exhaustion.
He had never felt this unbearable in all the fights he had fought.
=========
Usually, when sparring against the senior brothers of the Heavenly Sword Villa, even when his opponents overpowered him by a large margin, he never backed down. He clashed against them fiercely, like a young tiger refusing to yield. Even if he suffered injuries in those battles, he never felt fear or the urge to retreat.
But against Yuanba, everything was different.
From the very first clash, he had felt on edge, his nerves stretched taut. His usual confidence and aggression had been replaced with caution and dread. Yuanba was able to defeat all his opponents with his raw strength alone. He was even more cautious once Yuanba awakened some sort of mysterious power.
When fighting normal opponents, even if pierced or slashed by a light sword, as long as he avoided the fatal points, the worst outcome would be a scar. But with Yuanba?
One misstep. One mistake. Even Yuanba's amateurish sword slash was enough to take him down.
And it wouldn't just be a scar—it could mean his entire body being smashed into oblivion.
Ling Jie had always prided himself on his speed, agility, and unpredictable swordplay. His strikes were nimble, his movements as swift as the wind, and his techniques ever-changing. No one could predict his next move.
Yet, against Yuanba, none of that mattered. No matter how much he threw at him, Yuanba just won't back down. All his skills, all his techniques, all the tricks he had honed—they had turned into mere ornaments.
From start to finish, Yuanba only used a single move to break through every single one of his attacks.
Throughout the battle, Ling Jie had remained on guard every second. Whether he was close-range or far away, his mind was constantly strained, his focus unwavering.
He did not dare to relax.
Not even for a single moment.
Yuanba's overwhelming presence crushed him.
The pressure on his mind and body was like a mountain, so heavy that he could barely breathe.
This suffocating suppression, this feeling of helplessness, was so unbearable… it made him want to puke blood.
When he finally uttered the words, "I surrender", it was like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
He exhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air he hadn't realized he had been holding.
For the first time since the battle started, he felt relief.
The words he spoke—about never wanting to fight Yuanba again—were not something said in the heat of the moment.
They came from the very depths of his soul.