82: Chapter 86

86

Under the hasty block, Jiang Haojie was shaken and forced back several steps before he could barely steady himself.

In the spectator stands, Su Qingxue unconsciously clutched the corner of her clothes.

Since they had met, she had never seen Jiang Haojie look so disheveled.

On the other side, cold smiles appeared in the eyes of Xu Qing, Bai Yang, Dan Bei, and the others—the more trouble Jiang Haojie was in, the more satisfied they felt.

Lu Baichuan did not disappoint them.

The sword light flashed again, and the crimson flame sword flew out of his hand, landing at the edge of the arena.

Immediately after, a heavy kick landed ruthlessly on Jiang Haojie's chest.

“Cough—”

Blood overflowed from the corner of his lips as Jiang Haojie was sent flying, crashing heavily onto the boundary line of the arena, almost losing immediately.

A trace of bitterness rose in his heart.

He had thought that his hard cultivation during this period had narrowed the distance between him and the Fifth-Order, but at this moment, he realized that the chasm was still bottomless.

“The victory is decided, Jiang Haojie.”

Lu Baichuan approached slowly, the tip of his sword slightly raised. “But don't worry, I won't let you leave the stage so quickly.”

Lu Baichuan's boot pressed heavily onto Jiang Haojie's chest, the leather and fabric rubbing together with a coarse sound.

He looked down at the person beneath his feet, his voice suddenly rising like tearing silk: “Ancient Martial Artist? From ancient times to the present, they’ve been nothing but a bunch of trash! Do you even deserve to stand on this arena and compete with me?”

Before his voice had even faded, he exerted force from his waist and kicked out ruthlessly.

Jiang Haojie's body immediately took off like a kite with a broken string, flying across the edge of the arena and crashing heavily onto the ground.

Lu Baichuan took another step forward unhurriedly, his boot heel tapping the platform with a rhythmic and oppressive dull thud.

In the spectator stands, Chen Minan turned to look at Sun Wanyu, his brow furrowed. “Old Sun, still not stopping it? If this continues, Lu Baichuan might actually kill him.”

“No rush.”

Sun Wanyu's eyelids drooped slightly, but his gaze was locked onto the arena like hooks.

He wanted to see if that young man still hid a final spark of reversal within him.

Shen Tianming sneered from the side, his tone drawn out. “Some people just shouldn't hold on if they're such sore losers.

Old Sun, return my things as soon as possible; it will save everyone’s face.”

“The outcome is not yet decided, why the hurry.”

Sun Wanyu still wore a faint smile, but his gaze did not shift for a second.

Wang Changxiao cut in with a deep voice, his tone carrying a warning: “Old Sun, if you don't stop it now, don't regret it when Baichuan gets serious later.”

Sun Wanyu did not respond, only focusing all his attention on the arena.

Though he appeared calm and unruffled on the surface, his palms were already slick with sweat.

“What Ancient Martial Artist, what X, it's all just a joke.”

Lu Baichuan sneered, sweeping another kick toward Jiang Haojie's head.

Jiang Haojie was flipped into the air by this force, and then crashed down with a 'bang' like a tattered sack.

He lay face down on the platform, motionless.

The people in the audience who had previously been shouting and cheering for Jiang Haojie now shook their heads and sighed, their eyes filled with regret.

Watching through the live broadcast, Liu Jinglong, Zou Wenlin, and the others also remained silent.

They knew in their hearts that it hadn't been easy for Jiang Haojie to fight to this point—it wasn't that he was inferior in skill, but that the chasm of cultivation was simply too difficult to cross.

If they were in the same order, the outcome might have been rewritten long ago.

Lying on the cold platform, Jiang Haojie felt as if every bone in his body had shattered and peeled away; even the pain had become blurry and distant.

Lu Baichuan's mockery seemed to come through water, chaotic and unclear.

Just as his consciousness was about to sink into darkness, his entire body shook violently.

Deep within his originally unfocused pupils, a light as sharp as a sword suddenly burst forth.

Ding!

[Host has successfully promoted to Third-Order, obtaining God-level Inner Merit: Northern Darkness Divine Art x1]

[Host has successfully promoted to Third-Order, obtaining God-level Martial Arts: Sunflower Acupoint Hand x1]

[Host has successfully promoted to Third-Order, obtaining God-level Martial Arts: Golden Bell Shield x1]

[Host has successfully promoted to Third-Order, obtaining God-level Martial Arts: Dragon Claw Hand x1]

[Rewards delivered. Comprehend immediately?]

The clear notification sound rang out in his mind like a tolling bell, and Jiang Haojie's thoughts flashed: “Comprehend!”

[Comprehension complete: God-level Inner Merit · Northern Darkness Divine Art (Low-tier)]

[Comprehension complete: God-level Martial Arts · Sunflower Acupoint Hand (Low-tier)]

[Comprehension complete: God-level Martial Arts · Dragon Claw Hand (Low-tier)]

“Ding!”

[Detected that the host's cultivation has broken through to Third-Order, the martial art "Taiji"

has automatically promoted to Mid-tier.]

It was as if some shackle within Jiang Haojie's body had quietly shattered, and a more solid power surged out. At the same time, that exquisite sword technique originating from Huashan also reached a new realm in his heart.

With a slight thought, a screen of text that only he could see appeared before his eyes.

Name: Jiang Haojie

Heritage: Ancient Martial Arts Lineage

Realm: Third-Order

Talents and Endowments:

(Extraordinary) Insight into True Meaning, (Extraordinary) Instantaneous Thunder

Inner Merit Foundation:

(Extraordinary) Shifting Stars (Entering the Hall), (Extraordinary) Dragon God True Qi (Initial Success), (Extraordinary) Northern Darkness Returning to Origin (First Glimpse)

Martial Techniques and Divine Abilities:

(Extraordinary) Lingbo Phantom Body (Initial Success), (Extraordinary) Lions Roar Thunderous Sound (Initial Success), (Extraordinary) Dragon Subduing Palm Intent (Initial Success), (Extraordinary) Taiji Circular Rotation (Initial Success), (Extraordinary) Huashan Sword Intent (Initial Success), (Extraordinary) Sunflower Vein-Settling (First Glimpse), (Extraordinary) Golden Bell Body Protection (First Glimpse), (Extraordinary) Dragon-Shaped Grappling (First Glimpse)

Sweeping his gaze over these various gains, a sense of heroic pride surged in Jiang Haojie's chest.

Now that he had reached the Third-Order, that once-unattainable threshold of the Fifth-Order no longer seemed like an insurmountable chasm.

“Jiang Haojie, why are you lying there? Where is the spirit you once had when you claimed you would revive the reputation of Ancient Martial Arts? Do you only have the ability left to lie paralyzed on the ground, panting for breath?”

Lu Baichuan's mocking voice was like a cold whip, constantly lashing the stagnant air.

“As a Fifth-Order, does defeating a mere Second-Order like me really make you so smug?”

A calm voice, carrying a hint of playfulness, suddenly interrupted the ear-piercing mockery.

Lu Baichuan's voice came to an abrupt halt, and he turned his head sharply.

Under the gaze of countless astonished eyes all around, that figure who should have been powerless to rise again actually stood up slowly and steadily.

Qin Qinglan and Su Qingxue finally relaxed their tightly clenched palms and breathed a secret sigh of relief.

The way Jiang Haojie had been lying there motionless just now had really made their hearts leap into their throats.

Outside the live broadcast, the furrowed brows of Liu Jinglong, Zou Wenlin, and the others also quietly smoothed out.

“You...!”

Lu Baichuan's pupils shrank, his heart filled with uncertainty.

He had absolutely not held back on that last strike; by all logic, it should have been impossible for the other party to stand up now.

Jiang Haojie raised his hand and wiped away the residual blood from his lips with the back of his finger, his tone indifferent: “Surprised?”

“Bluffing! If I could put you down once, I can put you down a second time!”

Lu Baichuan turned his shame into anger and snorted coldly. His body moved suddenly, and with a surge of fist wind, he lunged straight for Jiang Haojie's face.

The fist, carrying a gale of wind, rapidly enlarged in Jiang Haojie's field of vision.

However, he was not flustered. His arm traced a perfectly natural arc, meeting the attack with a movement that seemed slow but was actually swift—it was the essence of Taiji, deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces.

Lu Baichuan only felt an irresistible, supple force. Amidst the spinning world, he crashed heavily onto the ground with a dull thud.

“What's going on? How does Jiang Haojie seem like a different person?”

“Wait! Look at the aura fluctuations around him... he broke through! He's no longer Second-Order; he's Third-Order now!”

“A breakthrough during battle? Such a thing actually happened!”

“But isn't there a qualitative difference between the Third-Order and the Fifth-Order? How can he...”

“What do you know? When Jiang Haojie was Second-Order, he could already defeat a Fourth-Order. Now that he's Third-Order, why shouldn't he be able to contend with a Fifth-Order?”

There was no lack of people with keen eyes among the spectators, and they immediately pointed out the mystery.

“Bastard! I'll kill you!”

Lu Baichuan scrambled up in a disheveled state. Overwhelmed by shame and fury, he roared and lunged forward again.

However, this time, he was defeated even faster.

The crowd barely saw how Jiang Haojie moved before Lu Baichuan was sent flying back even more violently than he had come, crashing ruthlessly onto the ground.

Lu Baichuan endured the pain to prop up his body, a trace of sinister light flashing in his eyes.

He suddenly channeled his power into the longsword in his hand, the blade humming: “Die for me!”

A sharp, peerless grim sword qi, over three feet long, burst from the tip of the sword, tearing through the air with a shrill whistle, aiming straight for Jiang Haojie's throat!

That crimson sword light was far longer than what Lu Baichuan had displayed before, and the pressure contained within it had surged several times over.

“I have moves like that, too.”

Jiang Haojie gripped the air with his five fingers.

The crimson flame sword in the distance flew back into his palm at his command.

He did not hesitate and slashed down—a crimson sword qi half a meter long surged from the blade like a ribbon of flame tearing through the air.

“Sword Qi?! How is this possible!”

The spectators were all shaken.

When did Sword Qi become so easy to comprehend? If that were true, could everyone realize sword intent just by taking a beating?

Jiang Haojie himself also felt a trace of surprise.

He knew that as his realm broke through and his sword techniques improved, his strikes would carry some anomalies, but he hadn't expected this Sword Qi to be so terrifying: not only was it longer than Lu Baichuan's, but the power of destruction within it far exceeded what he had seen before.

***

“Jiang Haojie actually comprehended Sword Qi as well...”

Inside a hidden compartment in the gymnasium, Sun Wanyu and the others were equally stunned to witness that crimson sword light.

Sword Qi was originally a domain that only Seventh-Order Physical Enhancers had a chance to touch. Who would have thought that while Lu Baichuan was already an exception, even Jiang Haojie would display it now.

Lu Baichuan comprehending the sword was still understandable—he was, after all, a Fifth-Order Awakened.

But Jiang Haojie was only a Third-Order; how could he reach this point? Such talent was simply inconceivable.

“Not good!”

Wang Changxiao's pupils suddenly contracted.

Sun Wanyu and the others also had a change in expression immediately after.

“Quick, have Ma Chenyu save Lu Baichuan!”

...

“Chenyu, intercept Jiang Haojie's strike!”

Wang Changxiao's urgent shout came over the broadcast.

Ma Chenyu did not hesitate, flying out from the judges' seats and lunging toward the arena.

But he was a moment too slow after all.

By the time he stepped onto the arena, Jiang Haojie's Sword Qi had already torn through Lu Baichuan's sword light with irresistible force and then pierced through the latter's body without any hindrance.

Lu Baichuan's whole body trembled, and then he slumped limply to the ground.

Wang Changxiao's voice rang out again: “Chenyu, check Lu Baichuan's condition!”

Ma Chenyu stepped forward quickly and leaned over to investigate; his heart immediately sank.

“Principal, Lu Baichuan... is deceased.”

Silence.

The entire gymnasium fell into a deathly silence.

No one had expected that Jiang Haojie would actually take Lu Baichuan's life.

Although no one thought he had done it intentionally, the fact that a Fifth-Order Awakened had fallen like this was ultimately regrettable.

“The competition is suspended and will resume at 1:00 PM.

Everyone can go rest for now.

Ma Chenyu, you all move Lu Baichuan's remains down and then come over for a moment.”

Sun Wanyu's steady instructions rang out over the broadcast.

The audience gradually left the venue under the guidance of the staff.

Su Qingxue walked to Jiang Haojie's side and whispered, “What should we do?”

“It's fine, nothing will happen.”

Jiang Haojie smiled faintly.

At this time, Qin Qinglan also walked over: “Let's leave here first.”

The three of them walked side by side and quietly left the gymnasium.

The murmurs in the hallway drifted low, like a fog that wouldn't dissipate.

“Will the higher-ups hold Jiang Haojie accountable?”

“Hard to say.

Rules are fixed, but didn't that time with Xu Qing turn out fine?”

“How is that the same? What level was Xu Qing dealing with? This time Jiang Haojie... it was a Fifth-Order.

Out in the world, that's someone who could guard a region.”

“Even so, doesn't the fact that Jiang Haojie could win explain everything? His value is probably greater than the one lost.”

The voices gradually faded away.

Deep within the gymnasium, in that secret room, the air was as stagnant as a solid.

Chen Minan rubbed his temples, his heavy sigh falling to the floor. “Everyone, speak up. How should we settle this?”

The situation he least wanted to see had, after all, been laid starkly before his eyes.

He had originally thought he needed to worry about Jiang Haojie's safety, but the outcome had been completely reversed.

No one answered, and several gazes turned simultaneously to Wang Changxiao.

Lu Baichuan was from Zhanwu Academy; at this moment, Wang Changxiao's attitude was crucial.

Seeing him remain silent for a long time, Sun Wanyu spoke to urge him: “Old Wang, what's your view?”

“View?”

Wang Changxiao gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “The person is already gone; anything said now is too late.”