219: Chapter 218 Shen Bing Makes Her Debut

"Well done!"

"Flowing Fire Sect, is this all the strength you have?"

"Hurry up and send someone else up!"

Another defeat in a single move! The Heavenly Sword Sect Cultivators erupted in even louder cheers, while the prodigies of the Flowing Fire Sect looked increasingly grim.

In the next moment, another Flowing Fire Sect Prodigy leaped onto the stage, also at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. However, he still couldn't last a single move against Hu Nan and was easily defeated, falling off the stage in a pathetic state.

Following that, several more Flowing Fire Sect prodigies took turns challenging him. There were those at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, the sixth level, and even one at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment. Yet, no matter how fiercely they attacked or what techniques they used, they were all defeated by Hu Nan. Not a single person could last more than three rounds against him.

Every time Hu Nan struck, it was clean and efficient, without the slightest hesitation. The defeated Flowing Fire Sect prodigies were all left in a wretched state, their faces filled with humiliation.

"Senior Brother Hu is truly incredible!"

"The people from Flowing Fire Sect are simply fragile!"

"Haha, weren't you all acting so arrogant?"

"Why is no one getting on the stage now?"

"Senior Brother Hu is truly the number one Prodigy of the Southern Region!"

The cheers from the Heavenly Sword Sect rose and fell in waves, their morale reaching its peak.

In contrast, the Flowing Fire Sect camp was dead silent. All their prodigies were as pale as paper, their eyes filled with fear and resentment, having completely lost the arrogance they arrived with.

On the high platform, Elder Huoyun's expression was now so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

He had originally thought that the Flowing Fire Sect would easily dominate this Exchange Conference with their formidable strength. He never expected that Chen Huan would be defeated by Hu Nan in one move, and now several more Flowing Fire Sect prodigies had been crushed by Hu Nan one after another, causing them to lose all face.

On the stage, Hu Nan calmly scanned the Flowing Fire Sect camp and spoke in a flat tone, "Is there any other Fellow Daoist from the Flowing Fire Sect willing to come up and fight?"

Many of the Flowing Fire Sect prodigies turned their gazes toward Shen Bing.

Shen Bing was the number one Prodigy of their Flowing Fire Sect.

If anyone in the Flowing Fire Sect could defeat Hu Nan, it would definitely be Shen Bing.

Shen Bing slowly stood up.

Seeing Shen Bing stand, the Flowing Fire Sect prodigies erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

"Senior Sister Shen Bing! Good luck!"

"Senior Sister Shen Bing will surely defeat Hu Nan and reclaim our honor!"

"Senior Sister Shen Bing, show Hu Nan and the Heavenly Sword Sect the true strength of our Flowing Fire Sect!"

In the hearts of the Flowing Fire Sect members, Shen Bing was their hope.

She was not only a top expert among the younger generation of the Southern Region but also the foremost among the Flowing Fire Sect's youth. She possessed a Lifebound Treasure, and her strength was unfathomable.

Everyone believed that only Shen Bing could defeat Hu Nan and restore the Flowing Fire Sect's reputation.

With a shift of her silhouette, Shen Bing appeared directly on the stage.

Her gaze was calm yet held a hint of complexity as she looked at Hu Nan across from her.

The moment she looked at Hu Nan, an imperceptible trace of wariness flashed in her eyes.

Last year, she and Hu Nan had fought in front of the Trial Tower.

At that time, she was full of confidence, believing she could easily defeat Hu Nan.

But to her surprise, Hu Nan's strength far exceeded her expectations. After a brief exchange, she was actually suppressed by him.

What she found even harder to accept was that after that, she had inexplicably caught a cold and was ill for two whole months.

As a Foundation Establishment expert, her Physique was far superior to ordinary people. Common colds couldn't even get near her, and even if she felt slight discomfort, she could quickly resolve it with her own spiritual power.

But that cold was exceptionally stubborn. Not only did it last for two months, but it also caused her spiritual power to become chaotic, her cultivation to stagnate, and even showed signs of regressing.

During those two months, she not only failed to Cultivate but also suffered a significant loss in strength due to her physical discomfort, missing her chance to reach the ninth floor of the Trial Tower.

Shen Bing knew in her heart that the cold was no accident.

She had always suspected that Hu Nan had done something to her during their fight last year.

However, she had no evidence and could not prove her suspicion.

"Shen Bing of the Flowing Fire Sect, please advise!" Shen Bing cupped her hands.

"Hu Nan of the Heavenly Sword Sect!" Hu Nan also cupped his hands.

Shen Bing stood opposite Hu Nan, her eyes full of wariness.

Before the Trial Tower incident last year, she and Hu Nan had sparred once.

In that match, she had been completely suppressed by Hu Nan.

She knew that only by going all out would she have a chance to defeat Hu Nan and win this Exchange Conference.

"Scarlet Flame Sword!" Shen Bing shouted coldly, her hands quickly forming hand seals.

Red light erupted from between her brows as a crimson longsword engraved with flame patterns emerged. The blade was scorching hot, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly from the heat.

This longsword was Shen Bing's Lifebound Treasure, the Scarlet Flame Sword.

A Lifebound Treasure is connected to a Cultivator's mind and soul, and its power far exceeds that of a normal Magical Artifact. Shen Bing summoning her trump card right at the start showed just how deep her wariness of Hu Nan was.

Shen Bing gripped the Scarlet Flame Sword and stepped through the air, her body turning into a fiery red afterimage. Her sword moves were sharp and ruthless, the sword wind carrying raging flames as she launched a relentless assault on Hu Nan's vital points. The sword shadows were so dense they almost sealed off all of Hu Nan's space to dodge, clearly aiming to suppress him with absolute offense and wash away her previous humiliation.

Facing Shen Bing's storm-like assault, Hu Nan's expression remained calm and unruffled, without the slightest hint of panic.

With a wave of his hand, the Dragon Abyss Sword broke through the air from between his brows and hovered in front of him!

Hu Nan reached out and grabbed the Dragon Abyss Sword, his wrist flicking slightly. A condensed strand of Sword Qi erupted, precisely parrying Shen Bing's Scarlet Flame Sword. As the two swords collided, the sound of clashing metal rang through the arena, sparks flying everywhere. Fire-attribute spiritual power and pure Sword Qi scattered in all directions, causing fine cracks to appear on the stage floor from the shock.

The two figures instantly intertwined, sword light clashing and flames churning. They engaged in a fierce struggle on the stage, moving so fast they were mere afterimages, leaving the audience dazzled.

But the moment the Dragon Abyss Sword appeared, the entire Martial Arts Arena instantly boiled over. Every Cultivator present showed a look of shock, their eyes wide in disbelief.

"That... that is the Dragon Abyss Sword?!"

"How can the Sword Villa's Dragon Abyss Sword be in Hu Nan's hands?"

"So it was Hu Nan who took the Dragon Abyss Sword the year before last?"

"The Dragon Abyss Sword is an Earth-Grade Low Grade Magical Artifact!"

"Hu Nan is using it so seamlessly; has he refined the Dragon Abyss Sword into his Lifebound Treasure?"

"In just under two short years, he successfully obtained a Lifebound Treasure?"

The Cultivators were in an uproar, their shock even greater than before.

One must know that a Lifebound Treasure requires a Cultivator to expend a massive amount of effort, nurturing it day and night and repeatedly tempering it with their own spiritual power before it can merge with the Divine Soul. For an ordinary Cultivator to refine a Magical Artifact into a Lifebound Treasure, it would take at least three to five years, or even a decade.

Yet Hu Nan had only had the Dragon Abyss Sword for a little over a year, and he had already completely refined this famous sword of the Sword Villa into his own Lifebound Treasure. This talent, this Opportunity, and this cultivation Speed were simply appalling and far beyond ordinary imagination.

The Flowing Fire Sect prodigies, who were originally full of confidence in Shen Bing, turned pale at the sight of the Dragon Abyss Sword. The hope in their eyes instantly vanished, replaced by deep shock and despair.

On the high platform, Elder Huoyun's face completely darkened, and the last shred of expectation he had left disappeared.

Sect Leader Xuanyangzi also looked at Hu Nan below with some shock. He had originally thought that with Hu Nan's talent, he would at most be able to reach Foundation Establishment.

He never expected that after entering Foundation Establishment, Hu Nan's cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.

And now, he had even forged his Lifebound Treasure.

At this moment, Lin Hao's expression was also very poor.

Over these years, he had also been trying to forge a Lifebound Treasure.

However, due to the scarcity of Materials, he had not succeeded.

But he never imagined that Hu Nan, whose cultivation, talent, and background were all unremarkable, would be the first to successfully forge a Lifebound Treasure.

On the stage of the Heavenly Sword Sect's Martial Arts Arena, sword light and flames intertwined and roared. Hu Nan held the Dragon Abyss Sword while Shen Bing gripped the Scarlet Flame Sword. The two figures were as fast as lightning, fighting fiercely on the small stage. The deafening sound of clashing metal and the ripples of spiritual power swept in all directions, making the surrounding Cultivators hold their breath, not daring to make a sound.

In the quiet courtyard outside the Heavenly Sword Sect, Qin Changsheng's Divine Sense was focused entirely on Hu Nan. He watched the entire duel quietly, his expression remaining calm throughout.

Qin Changsheng was not the least bit surprised by the temporary stalemate between Hu Nan and Shen Bing on the stage.

He already knew a secret unknown to others: Shen Bing, the number one Prodigy of the Flowing Fire Sect before him, was not an ordinary Human Race Cultivator at all, but a member of the Yao Race hiding within a human Sect. Her Bloodline talent already far exceeded that of ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and her physical strength, spiritual power reserves, and cultivation Aptitude were all far beyond those of Cultivators in the same rank.

Furthermore, she had spent several years nurturing her Lifebound Scarlet Flame Sword and had rich combat experience. Being able to fight Hu Nan to a standstill was perfectly reasonable.

More importantly, from the very beginning, this battle was entirely within Qin Changsheng's control.

He had already secretly given Hu Nan instructions to deliberately hide his true strength and not use his full power to crush her. Instead, he was to use the Opportunity of fighting Shen Bing to test the true power of his awakened Golden Trait, "Mana Absorption."