"Begin the match!"
After the command, he swiftly retreated, clearing the arena.
Chen Junting's eyes snapped open—
A razor-sharp glint flashing within them. In the next instant, the crystalline azure Seven Kill Sword materialized before him, gleaming like carved ice.
At the same time, Wang Dong completed his martial soul manifestation—his Light Goddess Butterfly wings unfurling in a blaze of sapphire light.
Just as his second soul ring began to glow, Chen Junting's hand closed around the hilt of his sword.
At that moment, the very air turned sharp. A vast, ferocious sword intent erupted from Chen Junting—like a hurricane sweeping across the arena!
The instant Huo Yuhao's trio faced this pressure, it felt as if a colossal blade had struck them head-on. Wang Dong, caught at the epicenter, found his second soul skill abruptly halted under the storm-like onslaught.
"Xin!"
Huo Yuhao's white soul ring flared. Golden light blazed in his eyes, and three-inch flames erupted from his pupils. A terrifying wave of spiritual energy surged forth—
targeting Gao Ming.
"Hmm—"
Chen Junting's eyes flickered crimson. Instantly, he redirected his sword intent. An invisible, cutting force clashed with Huo Yuhao's soul shock—
and shattered it to pieces in an instant.
"First soul skill—Speed Light Bloom!"
"Second soul skill—Attack Light Bloom!"
Before Gao Ming, the exquisite Ruyi Disc floated, its surface shimmering. Recognizing himself as the primary target, he activated two hundred-year soul rings. As the disc spun, twin beams shot out—splitting into four streams that surged into Chen Junting and Qin Lan.
"Third soul skill—Sword Wings Soar!"
"First soul skill—Phantom Leopard Afterimage!"
Qin Lan blurred into a black streak, appearing instantly beside Wang Dong at the front line. His claws snapped out—"Void Hundred Rends" unleashed. Countless indistinct claw shadows engulfed Wang Dong, forcing him to activate his first soul skill, "Wing Guillotine." Golden edges flared along the sapphire wings, and with a sweeping arc, he slashed toward Qin Lan's face.
"Clang—!"
Leopard claws met wing blades—sparks flying. At that moment, a new threat emerged from Wang Dong's flank.
Sensing danger, Wang Dong snapped his wings shut. Black light flashed in his right hand—and suddenly, a dull, unassuming black hammer appeared. Yet its presence alone made the air grow heavy and oppressive.
"Clang—!"
The Seven Kill Sword struck the black hammer, ringing like clashing metal. The force sent Wang Dong hurtling backward, escaping the encirclement.
Chen Junting's wrist trembled—his palm stung.
"Is that… the Hao Tian Hammer!?"
On the spectator stands, Du Weilun froze in shock.
He never imagined Huo Yuhao's team concealed a Soul Grandmaster with twin martial souls—and that the second was none other than the continent's number-one weapon soul: the Hao Tian Hammer!
Even Headmaster Yan Shaozhe grew solemn. Though the Hao Tian Sect had long withdrawn from the world, its name still commanded awe.
Now on the ground, Wang Dong pivoted mid-air and hurled the jet-black hammer. It spun violently, streaking straight toward Chen Junting.
"The number-one weapon soul…?"
Chen Junting's wrist flicked slightly. The first and second stars on his sword blazed. With a delicate thrust, the azure blade intercepted the Hao Tian Hammer's path.
"Buzz—!"
The resonant hum held both weight and grace—
Yet its mere vibration forced everyone nearby to step back.
Then, something bizarre happened. The famed Hao Tian Hammer—supposedly indestructible—seemed to split cleanly in two by that single sword stroke, dissolving into black light and vanishing.
Wang Dong, meanwhile, had just reverted to his Light Goddess Butterfly form.
"Phew… that was close," he gasped, patting his chest before glancing at Huo Yuhao—clearly, he'd informed him of his Hao Tian Hammer beforehand.
Seeing their opening gambits fail, Huo Yuhao showed no disappointment—only calm resolve. "Proceed with the plan."
Dugu Xin, already coiled, opened his mouth. Under his first soul ring's glow, a cloud of black mist erupted—engulfing nearly half the arena, then spreading rapidly.
"Fall back."
Chen Junting's eyes narrowed—then he stepped straight into the fog.
Inside, his senses dulled, his movements sluggish, as if wading through invisible barriers.
The next second—
"Clang—!"
Metal clashed within the mist.
Chen Junting's sword slashed downward, meeting the Hao Tian Hammer thrust upward from below.
Before Wang Dong could wonder how Chen Junting saw through the fog, Huo Yuhao's urgent voice rang out:
"Wang Dong—watch out!"
The Seven Kill Sword trembled—and its sharp aura suddenly turned as heavy as the Hao Tian Hammer itself.
A crushing force bore down on Wang Dong.
At that moment, a soul shock shot toward Chen Junting.
Seizing the opening, Wang Dong swung his small hammer upward, unleashing the Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique to break free. The collisions roared like rain on banana leaves—relentless, deafening.
Then—Wang Dong broke away!
The Hao Tian Hammer vanished, replaced once more by the Light Goddess Butterfly.
A storm of poison darts rained down!
But in the next instant—
every dart shattered.
The black fog—and the toxic vapor from the broken darts—was cleanly sliced apart, then abruptly drawn inward and vanished.
Chen Junting reappeared. But now, he radiated none of his earlier brilliance—no surging soul power, no overwhelming aura. He seemed to have disappeared entirely, his presence fused seamlessly with the Seven Kill Sword.
This was the first step of Person and Sword Unity.
He's already achieved this?
Yan Shaozhe, on the stands, was stunned anew. "The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's current generation… truly brims with talent."
At that moment, all three stars on the sword blazed. Six fierce sword beams carved a massive, blood-red "Kill" (杀) character in the air—each stroke wrapped in Dugu Xin's fog and venom, slashing toward Huo Yuhao's trio.
Huo Yuhao's eyes gleamed. He looked at Chen Junting—resolute.
"Wang Dong!"
At his shout, Wang Dong understood what he intended.
But their fusion skill was still on cooldown—impossible to activate.
"Trust me."
"Alright!"
Though unsure of Huo Yuhao's plan, Wang Dong charged forward without hesitation.
In that instant, Huo Yuhao's consciousness sank into his spiritual sea, calling out:
"Brother Tianmeng—help me!"
"Ugh…"
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, rudely awakened from his nap, grumbled, "Yuhao, you really need Big Brother for something this trivial? And isn't this… cheating, by human standards?"
"I know," Huo Yuhao replied, unwavering. "But I want Big Brother Junting to see how hard I've worked. Please help Wang Dong and me fuse our souls one more time—so I can show my full strength. As for winning or losing… I don't care. Even if we use the fusion skill, I don't think we can beat Senior Junting. And since I know this is cheating, I'll forfeit afterward—no matter the outcome."
"Alright, alright," Tianmeng sighed, stretching lazily. "Leave it to Big Brother."
Outside, the moment Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong embraced, white light shimmered from Huo Yuhao's body, enveloping them both in a translucent silkworm cocoon.
But the cocoon vanished in a flash—and with what followed, no one in the arena noticed the anomaly.
Except Chen Junting.
His brow lifted slightly. He recognized that fleeting cocoon as Tianmeng's doing—and understood its purpose: to force their fusion skill.
Yet he felt no displeasure. After all, Tianmeng was now part of Huo Yuhao. His power is Huo Yuhao's power.
Then—
Amid twin rays of strange light, a colossal, resplendent eye manifested in the sky.
A dual-colored beam erupted—
And slammed straight into the giant "Kill" character!
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