The ones the Earthfire Sect sent this time were all elderly men bodies half-buried in the grave, so to speak.
Was it because there were no younger disciples in the Earthfire Sect? Of course not. They had come here determined to give their final contribution to the sect.
So, the moment the first elder stepped onto the stage, he went all out, fighting Song Changsheng with everything he had, even burning his blood essence and detonating his magical artifacts. If Song Changsheng had been a novice, he might've been intimidated by this suicidal fury.
Unfortunately, Song Changsheng had been through his fair share of brutal battles since the beginning of his cultivation journey. He remained completely unfazed and beheaded the elder in less than twenty rounds claiming the first life since the challenge battles began.
Between Song Changsheng and the Earthfire Sect, hatred had already reached the point of no return. He didn't mind adding a few more lives to his record.
Looking at the elder's decapitated body, Qu Jinsheng's expression remained unchanged. After ordering the corpse to be taken away, he immediately sent up the second elder intent on giving Song Changsheng no time to rest or recover.
Earthfire Sect had brought five people this time, all of them over ninety years old. With their wealth of experience, ruthless techniques, and utter disregard for death, they attacked relentlessly. After facing four of them in a row, even someone as well-resourced as Song Changsheng was beginning to feel fatigued.
Still, the results were impressive he had killed four peak-stage Qi Refining cultivators. That kind of loss was not something Earthfire Sect could afford lightly.
But if it meant killing Song Changsheng, Qu Jinsheng felt it would all be worth it. This young man was too powerful, his talent too terrifying. People feared that he could become the next Song Xianming or even the next Song Taiyi.
"Senior Brother, everything rests on you now," Qu Jinsheng said coldly to the final elder standing behind him.
"I shall not fail the Sect Master's trust," the elder replied solemnly. "If sacrificing this old body can rid the sect of a major threat, I can think of no more worthwhile trade." With that, he stepped onto the stage without another word his frail frame suddenly towering like a mountain.
Song Changsheng watched his final opponent with a grave expression. The man had a head full of white hair and a weathered, lifeless aura. He had to be at least 110 years old approaching the lifespan limit of a Qi Refining cultivator.
Taking a deep breath, Song narrowed his eyes. He knew the real killing move Earthfire Sect had prepared for him was finally here.
The elder moved slowly but steadily. With each step forward, his aura surged, becoming increasingly intense. His once-hunched back gradually straightened.
By the time he took his final step, the power within him had reached its peak far surpassing anyone who had stepped onto the stage before him.
Song Changsheng couldn't help but be moved. With a touch of pity, he said,
"Is it worth throwing your life away for that good-for-nothing Chang Tianhua?"
The elder shook his head calmly.
"I'm not here for the Young Sect Master. Though he is the Sect Master's son, in my eyes, he's just another disciple.
I came here for the honor of Earthfire Sect for the glory that has lasted centuries.
I fight for the honor in my heart!"
The moment the word "fight" left his lips, he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, brandishing a heavy ring-bladed saber. Every move was executed with ruthless precision and deadly force.
Song Changsheng took a deep breath and met the assault head-on. The battle instantly reached a fever pitch.
The elder had used some secret technique to boost his strength dramatically. But fake strength was still fake after twenty rounds, cracks began to show in his offense.
Just as he was about to falter, Song Changsheng's sharp gaze caught a flicker of movement he noticed something clenched tightly in the elder's hand.
"So that must be his trump card…"
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Song Changsheng snapped to full alert and intensified his attacks, giving the old man no chance to make a move.
The elder, clearly flustered, struggled to defend himself but could do nothing to turn the tide. At last, a single misstep left him wide open Song Changsheng's treasured gourd, under his control, smashed into the old man's head. His aura collapsed instantly as he crumpled to the ground.
As he fell, the object he had been tightly gripping slipped from his palm. Song Changsheng took a closer look it was a metallic sphere.
"A Thunder Pearl?" he muttered, immediately recognizing it. A chill ran down his spine. Thunder Pearls were powerful, single-use items.
Even though this one was only of the first tier, if it had exploded at close range, he wouldn't have walked away unscathed if not dead, then at least seriously injured.
Relieved, Song Changsheng was about to reach down and pick it up.
But suddenly an unforeseen change!
A beam of crimson light burst out from the elder's chest, shooting straight at Song Changsheng's head.
His instincts screamed danger. Song instantly retreated, throwing up multiple layers of defensive spells in front of him. Still uneasy, he summoned the Water Origin Shield as extra protection.
The crimson light struck in the blink of an eye. His defensive spells shattered like paper against it, vanishing in an instant before slamming into the Water Origin Shield.
"Crack"
The sharp sound made Song Changsheng feel like he'd fallen into an icy abyss.
In the next second, the Water Origin Shield a top-tier first-grade magical artifact crafted from refined Guishui essence was completely obliterated, exploding into countless shards.
The crimson beam didn't slow down. It surged straight at Song Changsheng, exploding less than three meters away from him.
"BOOOOM!"
A thunderous explosion erupted, sending shockwaves across the stage. The stone arena collapsed in a roar, clouds of dust billowing outward. Even the cultivators closest to the platform had to cast spells to withstand the residual blast.
"Changsheng!"
Song Luzhou's eyes widened with grief, his heart filled with regret. That elder had played his part too perfectly. Everyone thought the Thunder Pearl was his trump card no one expected the true killing blow to come after his death, striking when everyone had let their guard down.
"Hahaha! That little brat is finally dead!" Qu Jinsheng laughed wildly, his face brimming with glee. The disgrace he had once suffered at the hands of Song Changsheng's mother had finally been avenged.
The crowd erupted in shocked uproar. No one had anticipated such an outcome. The Earthfire Sect's tactics were too sinister.
But just as everyone believed Song Changsheng had perished, streaks of light pierced through the lingering smoke.
All eyes turned in that direction.
As the dust settled, they saw Song Changsheng seated cross-legged amidst the rubble of the ruined stage, atop a pitch-black lotus platform. His hands were pressed together in a mudra, a black-and-white Taiji diagram slowly spinning in front of him, radiating a soft, hazy glow.
Though his face was a bit pale, his aura remained steady. He had survived.
Song Luzhou was overwhelmed with joy. The rest of the spectators were dumbfounded how was he still alive? This Song Changsheng was proving incredibly hard to kill.
Qu Jinsheng's laughter abruptly died. It was as if someone had clutched his throat mid-cackle. He stared at the unharmed Song Changsheng with an expression like he'd seen a ghost.
"This... how is this possible? That technique was the Sect Master's ultimate strike, paid for with his life force! And it still failed to kill him?" Qu Jinsheng's face twisted with rage, his eyes burning with venomous hatred.
Song Changsheng slowly opened his eyes and stood up. With a strong, steady voice, he declared:
"Song Changsheng is still here ready for your next move!"
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