From the aura radiating off that sword, Song Wanníng clearly wasn't all show. She might really have some skill.
If that was the case, he couldn't afford to be careless.
"Please."
Xu Mingyu gestured invitingly, then drew a long, transparent soft sword from his waist. Though colorless at first glance, the blade shimmered faintly with prismatic light, dazzling to behold.
Yet that beauty, paired with Xu Mingyu's towering figure, felt oddly mismatched.
Song Wanníng swept her divine sense over him, then struck without hesitation. A razor-sharp sword light burst forth with unstoppable momentum, tearing toward Xu Mingyu. It was as swift as lightning, so fast the air seemed unaware of its passing, smooth and without a single ripple.
In that split second, Xu Mingyu felt himself locked onto by a terrifying force. His heart sank. The soft sword in his hand flickered to life, twisting like the shadow of a serpent, lashing toward the sword light.
Boom!
The two forces collided with a heavy impact, followed by a suction force tugging at the soft sword. The blade paused, then twisted free, snapping back like a venomous snake, curling toward the sword light.
By then, Song Wanníng had already closed the distance, her sword cleaving down with her Sword Dao true domain unleashed in full. She had recently opened a channel to her internal world, greatly amplifying the might of her Sword Dao true domain beyond anything she once wielded.
The moment it manifested, Xu Mingyu sensed mortal danger. He slammed his palm onto the battle stage, and countless cracks spread across the arena floor.
The fissures surged upward like giant hands, swiping toward Song Wanníng. At the same time, his soft sword lashed forward again, aiming to shatter her Sword Dao domain.
"Go!"
Song Wanníng's fingers pinched a sword seal, a flash of light bursting into countless star-like motes that rained down upon the giant hands.
They looked weightless, yet each struck with flawless precision, shattering the hands into nothingness, dispersing them back into raw spiritual energy.
Her Sword Dao domain then swallowed the soft sword whole. In that instant, Xu Mingyu felt a chilling jolt in his heart—the weapon in his grasp was radiating a will of submission toward her.
With a shout, he wrenched it free and swept it toward her again.
The soft sword transformed into a soaring dragon of light, roaring as it unleashed a torrent of water toward her.
In moments, the entire battle stage was drenched in a torrential downpour. But these raindrops were no ordinary rain—they carried a corrosive force. A single drop striking flesh would flay skin and tear muscle.
Song Wanníng didn't evade. Her sword blurred into a flurry of strikes, cleaving through the rain.
In the haze of battle, it felt as if she stood atop a mountain peak, looking down upon the myriad beings below. This was her world, a realm where everything moved to her will.
She was the sovereign of this domain.
Boom!
A single slash shattered the dragon into mist, leaving behind only a startled, lingering wail.
The deadly rain vanished in an instant.
In less than three breaths, they had exchanged several moves, leaving the disciples below wide-eyed in shock.
"Wait… weren't they saying Song Wanníng's strength was nothing special? What the hell is this?"
"Exactly! Isn't she only early Void Refinement? Xu Mingyu is late Void Refinement!"
"I'm starting to wonder if she might actually win this match…"
"No way. You can tell Xu Mingyu is going easy on her. The man always gets distracted by a pretty face—it's not the first time."
"Really?"
"…"
Most of the disciples still believed there was no way Song Wanníng could win.
However, a few of Xu Mingyu's close friends exchanged looks, surprise flickering in their eyes. They knew his strength better than anyone. This was no act of mercy. It seemed this new disciple truly had some skill.
While the crowd murmured, the battle raged on.
Xu Mingyu's expression grew more grave with each exchange. Song Wanníng's Sword Dao realm was forcing his heart to quake, every pull into her domain planting a seed of submission deep within him.
Even for just a second, the feeling was intolerable.
And she was only early Void Refinement. Talented geniuses could fight across realms, but he was one too. By all logic, he should have suppressed her from the first move. Yet here they were, still locked in combat.
He was beginning to feel cornered. Song Wanníng wasn't even among the top hundred cultivators. Losing to her would mean losing his secret realm quota—and having to challenge someone else to win it back.
That kind of humiliation, he could never accept.
A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, he pulled out a segment of Heaven Thunder Bamboo. This rare treasure was said to summon heavenly lightning, beloved by all lightning attribute cultivators. Xu Mingyu's mutated lightning spiritual root made wielding it effortless. Raising his hand, lightning fire flickered in his gaze.
"Heavenly Thunder, descend!"
With a furious roar, the Heaven Thunder Bamboo pointed to the sky.
"My god, he's using his ultimate move! So soon?"
"He must be done playing around with Song Wanníng!"
Gasps echoed through the crowd. In past challenges, this move had been unstoppable—Xu Mingyu had used it to break into the top fifty. Everyone waited to see Song Wanníng struck down by the heavenly bolt.
But instead, she curved her lips in a faint smile and raised her sword toward the oncoming thunder tearing through the clouds.
"Hah! She's crazy! Does she really think she can slash heavenly lightning apart?"
"Utter ignorance."
Snickers spread among the disciples. To them, not dodging was bad enough—trying to meet heavenly thunder head-on was sheer madness.
Xu Mingyu himself smirked coldly. This was heavenly thunder…
Yet in the very next heartbeat, her sword pierced straight through the bolt, absorbing its power, and came slashing toward him wreathed in lightning.
Rumble!
Thunder exploded, scattering light in every direction.
Using the divine lightning seed within her, Song Wanníng had forced the heavenly thunder to change course, turning it against its summoner.
After all, this was only Heaven Thunder Bamboo lightning, far weaker than true tribulation lightning.
Xu Mingyu cursed in shock, his soft sword sweeping up in desperate defense as he staggered back.
But he was already too late.
Her strike merged her internal world, heavenly thunder, and Sword Dao domain into one—a brand-new fusion of power.
The overwhelming force blasted the soft sword from his grip, shattered the glowing shield that appeared on his chest, and drove her blade into his shoulder, sending him flying.
Bang!
Pfft!
He crashed to the ground, vision spinning, blood spraying from his mouth. A gaping wound tore through his shoulder, the bone pierced clean through. Blood poured freely, soaking his robes in moments.
Pain twisted his features. Rage and fear mingled in his eyes as he looked up to see Song Wanníng closing in again, sword in hand.
"Damn it!"
Snarling, Xu Mingyu scrambled to his feet, a talisman plate appearing in his palm. He slammed it toward her.