Zhao Fenghua couldn't help but scoff when she saw Ming Qi fail to recognize the danger and instead foolishly drew his sword.
"Hey, isn't this Prince Xu's Nifeng sword? How did it end up in this kid's hands?"
The miniature Azure Dragon rolled around in the clouds, muttering softly, its large, round eyes gleaming with an inexplicable brilliance.
In the distance, Ji Ruyue was equally surprised when she saw the longsword in Ming Qi's hand. Although her veil obscured her expression, her tone clearly betrayed her emotions.
"This sword! How could this sword be in his hands!"
Aside from Ji Ruyue and the mysterious Azure Dragon, no one present seemed to recognize the Nifeng longsword.
Sword in hand, Ming Qi raised his wrist and pointed the tip of the sword twice at Zhao Fenghua.
This gesture was clearly a provocation.
Seeing Ming Qi's determination to continue fighting, showing no sign of surrender, a sinister smile flashed across Zhao Fenghua's face.
"I had intended to give you a few more days, but it seems you're seeking your own demise. You can't blame me then."
Swish!
A ray of spiritual energy flashed, and the aura shield that had been shattered reappeared, enveloping Zhao Fenghua's body.
Though Ming Qi didn't show any signs of weakness at this moment, he was fully aware of the situation within. He had to admit that Zhao Fenghua's Soul-Tethering Finger move was truly powerful and soul-shaking. Although he had inflicted considerable damage with his Wolf Fist in the previous duel, the opponent's finger still shook his soul through his fists.
Ming Qi could clearly sense that his soul within his body was becoming somewhat erratic, as if it were about to break away from him.
But he wasn't afraid either. Just as the strange power of Zhao Fenghua's Soul-Binding Finger touched his soul, the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map hidden within his sea of consciousness suddenly trembled and erupted with a hazy aura. This misty aura then flowed toward the soul within his main body, firmly locking the shaken soul within it.
Although the shaking of his soul was somewhat erratic, it was locked within the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map's misty aura, preventing it from dissipating and leaving his main body.
But it was precisely because of this that Ming Qi was completely enraged.
He had originally intended not to use this mysterious sword unless absolutely necessary, but now it seemed impossible to defeat Zhao Fenghua, who possessed the strange Soul-Binding Technique.
Drawing his sword, Ming Qi immediately mobilized the Star God power within the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map, gained from the Heavenly Official Pagoda.
"Come on!"
Ming Qi shouted expressionlessly, wielding his sword and unleashing a stream of brilliant sword energy like a star.
Confident of victory, Zhao Fenghua, using his Ghostly Sky-Walking Step to weave through Ming Qi's sword energy, flew through the air.
Swish, swish, swish!
Seeing Zhao Fenghua's continued swiftness, dodging the sword energy, Ming Qi swung his sword in rapid succession. Eighteen different wisps of Star God Sword Qi shot out, spreading in all directions and instantly blocking Zhao Fenghua from all directions.
"Such powerful sword energy!"
Besieged, Zhao Fenghua couldn't help but be surprised. He hadn't expected Ming Qi, with his soul wounded, to still unleash such fierce sword energy.
However, Zhao Fenghua remained unfazed, seemingly holding back.
Seeing Zhao Fenghua remain calm and composed despite being surrounded by sword energy, Ming Qi realized he must have a trump card. Without holding back, he unleashed eighteen wisps of sword energy, creating a subtle formation.
Suddenly, Zhao Fenghua, surrounded by sword energy, raised both hands. A faint ripple of heavenly spiritual energy emanated from his slender, white fingers!
He unleashed a fist force of the Ninth Level of the Acquired Realm, but now Zhao Fenghua seemed to have transformed it into another form.
The battle was now indecisive. Everyone in Tianqi Academy watched Ming Qi grappling with Zhao Fenghua with wide eyes, their breathing heavy from the sheer intensity.
"I didn't expect Zhao Fenghua to be so powerful. It seems he's never revealed his full strength before."
Meng Junyi's face was filled with worry. Before, when Zhao Fenghua hadn't unleashed his full power, they hadn't been able to match him. Now, with his hidden abilities, Ming Qi was in grave danger.
Seeing Zhao Fenghua's fingers spread out, their tips gleaming with light, Ji Ruyue nodded in the distance. "It seems the dark ice silk I gave him has completely integrated. Not bad, not bad. This Zhao Fenghua is a promising talent. Once he reaches the Xiantian realm, he'll surely be very popular."
As Ji Ruyue muttered to herself, ten imperceptible strands of silk emanated from Zhao Fenghua's fingertips, shimmering with eerie colors. However, these strands were as fine as a hair, invisible to the average person.
These hair-thin threads, a dark black, were the silk exuded by the dark ice silkworm.
Although Zhao Fenghua possessed exceptional talent, he was also extremely cunning and possessed a tendency towards concealment. This resulted in his cultivation techniques being ruthless and subtle. Even those of equal strength would find it difficult to avoid his attacks, even for those unfamiliar with his nature.
Both the Soul-Binding Finger and the upcoming Ten-Finger Soul-Hooking Threads were extremely sinister and ruthless tactics. Although Ming Qi now possessed the mysterious Nifeng Sword, facing Zhao Fenghua's full-strength attack for the first time was still somewhat strained. However, his foundation was unparalleled, and with the aid of his divine sword, he had some room to maneuver.
Hiss!
In a flash, the dark icy silk threads emanating from Zhao Fenghua's fingertips stretched infinitely, weaving in and out of Ming Qi's sword energy.
These hair-thin threads emitted a continuous hissing sound, like venomous snakes.
"This fellow is truly not a good person!"
Seeing the sinister and vicious nature of Zhao Fenghua's every move, he now felt a deep disdain for him. He wasn't some demonic cultivator, yet he employed methods similar to those of demonic cultivators. It was truly despicable.
Thinking of this, Ming Qi felt the urge to kill him.
If he were to remain in the Biyou Sect, once he were promoted to an inner disciple and entered the Xiantian realm, even more people would be killed.
Ming Qi also knew that his bet with Zhao Fenghua was essentially a fight to the death; he couldn't lose, and neither could Zhao Fenghua.
Ming Qi, completely ruthless, mobilized eighteen strands of Star God Sword Qi and launched them repeatedly, simultaneously energizing the Nine Steps of the Great Void Technique to its fullest extent, maneuvering through the opponent's intertwined silk threads.
In a matter of seconds, the two men were locked in a fierce battle.
Ming Qi's sword energy grew increasingly refined and uncanny.
Each strand of Zhao Fenghua's dark ice silk resembled a venomous snake, freely and vividly retracted.
In Ming Qi's mind, as the Star God Sword Qi circulated, the eighteen miniature sword energies surrounding the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map seemed to begin to shift!
The arrangement of the sword energy shadows shifted, and in a moment, the phantoms of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger emerged!
This change surprised and delighted Ming Qi. The sword energy shifted, clearly evolving into a sword formation!
The twenty-eight celestial officials of the four directions naturally possessed twenty-eight divine star sword energies. Although the sword formation currently evolving was still very vague and undoubtedly incomplete, Ming Qi could already sense a more intense power within it than before!
Feeling the sword formation unfold, Ming Qi's eyes fluttered. The longsword in his hand suddenly transformed, unleashing seven streams of sword energy, representing the divine star sword energy of the Seven Constellations Celestial Officials of the Eastern Azure Dragon!
As these seven sword energy phantoms were released, they instantly shifted and formed in mid-air, and in a flash of lightning, they condensed into the phantom of an Azure Dragon!
"The Eastern Azure Dragon, the Seven Constellations of the Celestial Officials, the Azure Dragon True Law!"
Ming Qi was now composed, his Azure Dragon shadow emanating bursts of fist energy akin to that of the Ninth Stage of the Acquired Realm. Instantly, with a low roar, the Azure Dragon shadow tore through the web of dark ice silk threads like a mid-air battle, charging straight towards Zhao Fenghua, who was sprinting in the distance with focused concentration!
The Azure Dragon shadow was unstoppable, its boundless sharpness severing countless strands of dark ice silk wherever it passed, unstoppable!
At the same time, Ming Qi sensed a mysterious aura surging within the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map, as if the source of the incredibly powerful sword formation's power came from this mysterious aura.
Of course, Ming Qi had no time to ponder these thoughts. Seeing the Azure Dragon True Law's unstoppable momentum, he swiftly unleashed seven more sword energies, forming a formation.
"White Tiger of the West, Seven Constellations of the Celestial Officials, the White Tiger's Righteous Law!"
A gigantic white tiger phantom followed Canglong, instantly releasing a deafening roar.
Sword energy formed into a faint formation, and Zhao Fenghua's expression changed drastically.
"How is this possible!"
He struggled to dodge, but faced with this strange and mysterious sword formation that seemed to hold infinite power, he was unable to escape. No matter how refined his ghostly footwork, he simply couldn't escape!
His face instantly went from shock to a pale white. He knew he was completely overwhelmed. This young man's fighting style was so bizarre, so unbelievable, so completely unconventional!
Sword formation! How could this young man possess something only a congenitally powerful being could touch?
But he had no time to dwell on it, for in the instant he was startled, the surging sword formation, carrying terrifying force, tore through him!
Swish!
Zhao Fenghua's robes instantly transformed into strips of cloth as if swept by a gust of wind!
Countless strong winds blew past, and the sharp sword energy directly pierced the spiritual shield and slashed into Zhao Fenghua's body!
Bang, bang, bang!
Blood splattered, and Zhao Fenghua began to fall backward like a deflated ball, blood spurting wildly!
Ming Qi's face was pale, and his hand gripping the longsword trembled uncontrollably. Although he remained stubbornly standing, the soul within his body was struggling to escape and swaying violently.
Both the Soul-Pulling Finger and the Ten-Finger Soul-Hooking Silk were strange techniques designed to directly target the soul. After being hit by the Soul-Pulling Finger, Ming Qi was attacked countless times by the Ten-Finger Soul-Hooking Silk. The inexplicable pull on his soul was undoubtedly an unprecedented torture.
If it weren't for the powerful restraint of the Supreme Mountain and Sea Map, Ming Qi's mind and spirit would have already begun to dissipate.
With the soul shaken and detached, even a congenitally powerful being would be powerless to recover. However, just when Ming Qi thought he had truly defeated Zhao Fenghua and that everything was over, he was shocked to discover that Zhao Fenghua, lying on the ground in the distance, covered in blood, suddenly struggled. Amidst the endless uproar and struggle, he trembled and stood up again!
Zhao Fenghua actually stood up again!
Ming Qi's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately had a bad premonition.