Chapter 149: A Desperate Battle

To be sure, although that was his initial impression, Xia Wuya dared not be entirely certain. Dao Tianfeng’s martial arts had already reached a certain realm; if he were truly to unleash them with full force, it was impossible to fathom just how formidable they would be. Regardless, the current situation was somewhat difficult to handle. Judging solely by the surging spiritual power, Dao Tianfeng seemed even a bit stronger than himself. Perhaps it was not just him—even the four figures of Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Joyfulness who had remained completely motionless at the four corners of the stage had turned their bodies around at this moment. While gazing intently at the two combatants, they also secretly channeled their spiritual power to wrap themselves within it, so as to avoid being innocently implicated. One had to admit, these four possessed a remarkable tacit understanding. Without any verbal communication, their actions were executed almost simultaneously, as if prearranged. Seeing this, Gong Shaohua could not help but feel a deep sense of admiration!

Yet now was certainly not the time to dwell on them. Whoever they were, everyone at this moment focused solely on Xia Wuya and Dugu Meng as the central figures. The young man's inexplicable retreat earlier had already left them somewhat baffled, let alone what was happening right now. Although they stood at a considerable distance, each of them could clearly feel the increasingly intense vortex of spiritual power swirling atop the high platform, carrying an aura that rushed forward like a gale-force wind. The long hair tied up at the backs of their heads seemed almost uncontrollable, fluttering wildly with an utterly unrestrained demeanor. Pairs of eyes stared fixedly, as if terrified of missing even the slightest detail.

No matter the circumstances, Xia Wuya had to face it. Even knowing full well that he could not possibly be his opponent, he had to push through with sheer grit; even if he could only manage a draw in the end, it would still be worth it. Of course, the lingering sense of doubt in his heart could not be entirely appeased. Ever since she had pulled back her attack at the edge of the high platform, he felt as though this young girl had transformed into a completely different person. Leaving aside her peerless, formidable spiritual power, her gaze alone was enough to make one reluctant to meet it head-on—icy cold and intensely frightening. She simply stood in place without any immediate intention of moving, but behind her, driven by the gathering spiritual power and aura, Xia Wuya could vaguely perceive a pair of illusory wings unceasingly flapping behind Dugu Meng, glowing with a fiery red hue that appeared exceptionally glaring.

It seemed the opponent was about to unleash a full-strength strike. Indeed, when holding the advantage in spiritual power, deciding the outcome in a single move was undoubtedly the wisest choice. No matter how profound or mystical one's techniques might be, they would be of no avail, leaving one with no choice but to brace for a forced frontal confrontation. Xia Wuya was, after all, a disciple of Qilianshan and naturally understood this logic. He had no intention of resorting to any useless pretenses. Immediately, his long sword leaped from its scabbard, tracing an arc before him. Anyone versed in Qilian martial arts would instantly recognize this specific move; unless driven to absolute desperation, surely no one would be willing to employ such a technique. After all, once this sword was drawn, it was bound to taste blood before it could be sheathed. The only question was, whose blood would it ultimately be?

Sword shadows flickered, appearing as though there were hundreds of them surrounding Xia Wuya's front and back. Yet these were far from illusory or useless tricks. Sure enough, in the blink of an eye, those numerous sword shadows seemed constrained by an immense, powerful force, continuously converging toward the long sword in Xia Wuya's hand. As they attached themselves to it, the sword shadows made the weapon appear abruptly thickened and enlarged. Radiant glows shimmered with an intensely dazzling quality, casting a light so blinding that the onlookers found it almost unbearable to look upon. This sensation was perhaps felt most directly by Ye Hanguang; his position was already close, and consumed by a burning sense of resentment, he stared fixedly at the high platform, wishing desperately that his senior brother could avenge his grievance right then and there. Thus, at this moment, he was gazing straight ahead. Struck by that brilliant glare, his eyes felt as though they were burning blind, forcing him to shut them tightly. Only after fluttering his eyelids slightly did the discomfort ease somewhat, yet even so, countless bright spots continued to dance before his vision, leaving him in a state of considerable distress.

"Although you showed me mercy earlier, I never begged for it, so I owe you nothing. Still, I must remind you: this move is the supreme secret art of the Dugu family, possessing peerless might. You had better summon all your skill, or else if you are gravely injured by this technique, do not blame me for failing to warn you!" Even if she wished to deliver this warning in secret, lowering her voice would have sufficed; there was no need for her breath to be so faint and wandering, as if the life had been drained entirely from her body. Even Dugu Meng's face had turned somewhat pale at this moment. Compared to the blazing red radiance behind her, the contrast was stark. Seeing this alone, Xia Wuya knew that while the spiritual power the young girl was displaying at the moment was formidable, it undoubtedly placed a tremendous burden upon her physical body; otherwise, she would never have assumed such an appearance. If not for the fact that his identity as a Qilian disciple forbade him from backing down, deep down in his heart, he would truly have preferred to simply let her win.

"Very well, many thanks for Lady Dugu's reminder. My technique is called 'Ten Thousand Swords Return to One'. Lacking in true ability, I, Xia Wuya, have only managed to train it to this level. Lady Dugu's mastery of martial arts is exceptionally profound, and I am merely making a fool of myself before an expert. I sincerely hope Lady Dugu will offer generous guidance!" This response carried a somewhat awkward tone, yet a faint smile still lingered on his face. Although he still did not fully understand the purpose behind her stubborn persistence, he knew that they shared certain similarities—at least at this moment, both had reasons why they refused to lose. Pointing his long sword diagonally, his body once again surged forward. There was no need for superfluous gestures; straightforward and direct, the outcome would be decided in a single thought, offering at least a swift and decisive resolution.

As they moved toward each other, the speed of neither was particularly fast. The more peerless and formidable a technique grew, the less emphasis was placed on intricate footwork; what it demanded was a hard, head-on clash. Although neither harbored any genuine willingness within their hearts, neither was prepared to simply yield and turn back. Before they had even fully closed the distance, their auras had already collided mid-air. Amidst the impact, faint shrieking sounds echoed through the atmosphere—not overly loud, but piercingly sharp, sending vibrations through the eardrums of those standing close by and causing a dull ache.

"Can you young people not simply remain calm and peaceful? What matters could possibly require settling through violence? And even if you must fight, stopping at the very edge should suffice—why must you harm the bonds of harmony? What good is there in fighting to the death like this? When you injure others, does your conscience feel no remorse? When you injure yourselves, it is your own flesh that suffers the pain!" Just as the two were about to meet face-to-face, when the atmosphere across the entire arena held no sound other than those piercing screeches, and virtually everyone was holding their breath for the answer of who was stronger and who was weaker, another voice suddenly drifted in from not far away. It sounded somewhat elderly, and the tone was not particularly loud, yet upon closer listening, one could discern an immense reservoir of inner breath contained within those words, lacking nothing in vigor when compared to any youthful warrior.

Had it merely been that, it might have passed, but the newcomer proved even more extraordinary. Even as he spoke, he was still dozens of meters away, yet before his voice had fully faded, a figure flashed past—far swifter than an arrow released from a drawn bow—and arrived directly before them in the blink of an eye. The sheer velocity left observers struggling to keep up with their eyes. Without a shred of hesitation, his figure drove straight between Xia Wuya and Dugu Meng, his hand trembling abruptly as if two immensely powerful forces had instantly radiated outward, forcefully parrying their lunging swords and sweeping sleeves. When the blades finally came to a halt, the sword tips seemed to rest a mere half-inch from the hairs of his temples; had they advanced by even a fraction, the newcomer would surely have been splattered with blood on the spot.

"Master!" Almost in unison, Xia Wuya and Ye Hanguang bowed their bodies and called out respectfully. In the dark of night, though visibility was limited, the high platform was illuminated by lanterns. Under that hazy, dreamlike glow, the newcomer's face was clearly discernible—it was none other than Dao Tianfeng. Although advanced in years, with wrinkles etched upon his skin and silver threading through his hair as undeniable proof of his age, his gaze remained piercingly bright and full of spirit. Both Xia Wuya and Dugu Meng had exerted their absolute utmost, and the momentum of their converging attacks possessed a terrifying might that no ordinary person could easily neutralize. Anyone lacking sufficient spiritual power of their own would have been crushed into cripples by those two external forces. Yet right now, Dao Tianfeng stood as unconcerned as if nothing had happened at all. A distinctly visible smile rested upon his face, calm and composed, as though the formidable clash he had just dissolved was nothing more than a child's game.

Hearing the two disciples shout this out, Dugu Meng naturally understood who had arrived. The full-strength technique she had unleashed with all her might had been swept away and dissolved entirely into nothingness the moment it encountered his hands. That alone was astonishing enough, but in that very instant, her scattered spiritual power was forcibly driven back into her body by the elder. Moreover, without any physical contact whatsoever, he had smoothly guided that turbulent spiritual power back into her various meridians. Such miraculous capability was something she could never hope to achieve. Therefore, as she gazed at Dao Tianfeng, her eyes betrayed an expression of profound shock. This look intertwined strangely with Dao Tianfeng's steady, composed gaze, creating a truly bizarre tableau. Deep in her heart, she pondered intently precisely what this suddenly appeared old man intended to do with her, for after all, history was written by the victors, a truth that remained indisputable.