"Body Sect versus Divine Refinement Sect."
"Flowing Bright Palace versus Profound Thunder Sect."
The Three Stars Master finished speaking and looked at the four Peak Masters, including Mo Xian. "Esteemed Peak Masters, please begin."
As soon as the Three Stars Master’s words fell, the teams from the Three Sects and One Palace began to take their places. Li Xuan, as always, was at the very end of the line.
"Body Sect, Yu Heng." Yu Heng was the first to step onto the stage, his gaze then shifting towards the Divine Refinement Sect's team.
"Divine Refinement Sect, Jun Mei." Under Yu Heng's watchful eyes, a figure slowly emerged. To Yu Heng's surprise, the person who appeared was the strongest among the Divine Refinement Sect's disciples, a cultivator at the intermediate level of the Qiankun realm.
"You are not my match. Let him come forward. If I lose, consider the Divine Refinement Sect defeated in this disciple competition," Jun Mei said, glancing at Yu Heng before shifting his attention to Li Xuan.
Yu Heng was about to retort, but he froze upon hearing the latter part of Jun Mei's statement. Did Jun Mei possess such immense confidence?
"Hong Yang, is this your intention?" Peak Master Mo Xian frowned slightly and asked Hong Yang, the leader of the Divine Refinement Sect's contingent.
Hong Yang chuckled. "I still acknowledge Jun Mei's strength. Since he has spoken so boldly, how can I possibly let my disciple's spirit be dampened? If Jun Mei loses, the remaining disciples of the Divine Refinement Sect will not participate further."
"Very well." A look of seriousness flickered in Peak Master Mo Xian's eyes. Jun Mei's confidence clearly stemmed from a more potent ability. Even if Li Xuan possessed exceptional combat prowess, this battle was pivotal for both sides. Furthermore, if Jun Mei proved too formidable, there was a risk of Li Xuan getting injured.
One must not forget that Li Xuan was currently Peak Master Mo Xian's junior brother. Any misfortune befalling Li Xuan would be a significant loss for the Body Sect.
"Peak Master Mo Xian, I accept the challenge." Li Xuan, seemingly sensing Peak Master Mo Xian's concern, stepped forward. Since the opponent had extended the offer, there was no reason for Li Xuan to refuse. Even though Jun Mei posed a threat, it was merely a threat.
"Be careful. If you are outmatched, it is acceptable to concede," Peak Master Mo Xian said, nodding.
Li Xuan smiled and then nodded towards Yu Heng, offering a silent acknowledgment. Yu Heng, seeing this, whispered a word of caution to Li Xuan before stepping back.
"Body Sect, Li Xuan." Li Xuan stood facing Jun Mei, a smile on his lips.
Jun Mei smiled and nodded. "You are quite remarkable. Your strength and your current cultivation level are clearly not in alignment. I can tell you are a genius. And to be a disciple of the Body Sect, yet also a powerful sword cultivator. This is what truly piques my interest."
Li Xuan looked at Jun Mei. "I believe we should begin first."
"In such a hurry? Very well." Jun Mei glanced around before nodding slightly. The next moment, an aura surged from Jun Mei, and the pressure of an intermediate Qiankun realm cultivator instantly permeated the air.
Li Xuan curled his lips. Ever since he comprehended the Unyielding Will, such pressure had become ineffective against him. Let alone Jun Mei, even the pressure from the Three Stars Master would likely not make Li Xuan flinch.
Seeing that Li Xuan was completely unaffected by his aura, Jun Mei's brow furrowed slightly, but he attacked swiftly. Jun Mei moved like lightning, and in an instant, he appeared behind Li Xuan.
"Be careful!"
Yu Heng and the others exclaimed in alarm. At that moment, Jun Mei’s palm was descending towards Li Xuan's back.
But soon, Yu Heng and the others were stunned. Even Jun Mei's pupils contracted. Jun Mei's palm strike seemed to have hit empty air. Li Xuan's figure, under the blow, dissipated.
"An afterimage?!"
Yu Heng and the others were shocked. They had been watching Li Xuan intently from the very beginning. In their understanding, Li Xuan had not moved an inch. Yet, Jun Mei's palm strike had only connected with Li Xuan's afterimage.
"Junior Brother's movement technique is incredibly powerful!" Jing Yi's eyes widened, and she let out a wry laugh.
After all, Li Xuan was their junior brother. Before this disciples' competition, they might not have felt anything significant. But since the competition began, they had clearly witnessed Li Xuan's strength surpassing their own.
"Junior Brother's movement technique… it seems somewhat similar to the legendary Carefree Step of our sect," Song Tao mused, then suddenly spoke.
Yu Heng and the others exchanged glances, but soon shook their heads. They were, of course, aware of the Carefree Step. However, they had never heard of the Carefree Step being capable of concealing one's figure to such an extent as Li Xuan displayed.
*Yin!*
At that very moment, a sword cry echoed. The onlookers turned to see Li Xuan's figure appear from seemingly nowhere. He stood before Jun Mei, holding his Chong Feng sword, and what shocked them even more was that Jun Mei also wielded a celestial sword, its tip now pressed against Chong Feng.
"I forgot to mention, I am also a sword cultivator." Jun Mei smiled, a look of confident victory on his face, as he met Li Xuan's surprised gaze.
*Bang!*
The next instant, Chong Feng was sent flying. Chong Feng, being a King's Sword, was outmatched by a celestial sword in terms of rank. Coupled with the powerful sword intent Jun Mei unleashed, Chong Feng being sent flying was entirely understandable.
"Impressive skill," Li Xuan remarked, marveling at Jun Mei's ability to conceal himself so effectively. Li Xuan had not detected any hint of sword cultivator aura from Jun Mei until this very moment.
Only now did Li Xuan understand Jun Mei's confidence; it was because they were both sword cultivators. Furthermore, judging by the sword technique Jun Mei had just displayed, his level as a sword cultivator was not low.
His sword cultivation realm was at least at the Sword Master level, practically the same as Li Xuan's.
"Since we are both sword cultivators, if we were to fight conventionally, it might take three days and three nights to decide a victor. I propose we settle this with a single strike." Jun Mei smiled and looked at Li Xuan.
"A single strike to decide the victor?" Li Xuan pondered for a moment before nodding. "Agreed."
Yu Heng and the others did not intervene. Jun Mei's displayed prowess was truly astonishing. In their memory, Jun Mei had never revealed any sword cultivator abilities. His current revelation indicated a keen interest in Li Xuan's own sword cultivation skills. Li Xuan's abilities were enough to make Jun Mei reveal his true self.
Moreover, although this was a disciple competition between the Body Sect and the Divine Refinement Sect, it had now evolved into a duel between two sword cultivators. They could only respect and support Li Xuan. Regardless of the outcome, the result was no longer the most important factor.
"Be careful," Jun Mei said, a look of certainty flashing across his face as Li Xuan accepted his proposal.
Li Xuan smiled and, with a thought, exchanged Chong Feng for a celestial sword. In its current grade, Chong Feng was indeed somewhat lacking for such a duel.
"My sword technique is called the Great Flame Sword Art. If you cannot withstand it, you may concede. Otherwise, once I unleash it, you might perish." Jun Mei glanced at the celestial sword in Li Xuan's hand and spoke again.
Li Xuan nodded. "Proceed."
Seeing that he could not sway Li Xuan, Jun Mei said no more. The next moment, a terrifying sword qi permeated the air. Peak Master Mo Xian and Hong Yang immediately moved to reinforce the barrier.
Watching Jun Mei's sword draw, Li Xuan took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. His body seemed to shimmer, and an unyielding sword intent churned around him.
"Great Flame Sword Art, Slash!"
Jun Mei let out a low cry, and the celestial sword in his hand rapidly grew, reaching over ten zhang in size before descending upon Li Xuan. In the next instant, Li Xuan was engulfed by a dazzling sword light and disappeared from view.
"Junior Brother!"
Yu Heng and the others cried out in unison. Even Peak Master Mo Xian's pupils constricted. Jun Mei's sword strike had surpassed the power of the strike Li Xuan had previously unleashed against him.
*Hiccup.*
At that moment, a loud burp echoed, startling everyone. Jun Mei was taken aback, as his senses told him his strike had hit Li Xuan. Even he himself would have been heavily injured by such a blow.
"So Senior Huang Shan was not lying to me." As a voice rang out, everyone watched in shock as Li Xuan's figure slowly emerged. Jun Mei's celestial sword was now embedded in Li Xuan's chest, but bizarrely, it was continuously vanishing.
Peak Master Mo Xian was stunned for a moment, then recalled Li Xuan's earlier actions of increasing his cultivation. The next moment, Peak Master Mo Xian smiled.
Seeing this, Jun Mei felt the connection to his celestial sword severed.
"You… you can absorb my celestial sword?!"