Chapter 220: Yun Che vs Fen Juebi
Today's Sword Discussion Platform was exuding a strange atmosphere. In particular, the several people from Fen Tian Gate had less-than-pleasant expressions.
For the first match of the Top Eight Battle, it was Yun Che versus Fen Juebi. Although Yun Che had surprised everyone time and again in his previous matches, to most people, this match was still beyond doubt. It wasn't that they still underestimated Yun Che after all those shocks, but rather that the dominant positions and images of the four great sects were already deeply ingrained.
"In this match, victory is absolutely mandatory! Yuan Ge lost to Xia Qingyue of Bing Yun Fairy Palace, and Jin'er unfortunately encountered Ling Yun yesterday. Among the three of us who entered the Top Eight Battle, only you remain! It seems that for this tournament, our ranking as fourth among the four great sects is basically already set in stone. But if you lose to this brat Yun Che, then we won't even be able to enter the top four—we'll only rank fifth! That would be an absolutely unacceptable disgrace for our Fen Tian Gate... do you understand?"
Fen Moli said with a grave expression. In yesterday's Top Sixteen Battle, the core disciple of Fen Tian Gate this time, his youngest grandson Fen Jin, had unfortunately encountered Ling Yun in the Top Sixteen Battle and was eliminated early, putting immense pressure on him. Ranking last among the four great sects was something he could accept, after all it had been like that for most of these years, but if the ranking fell outside the top four... that hadn't happened in hundreds of years! That would be enough to bring shame upon the entire Fen Tian Gate, something he absolutely could not accept.
And the first match of the Top Eight Battle was the decisive match! If he defeated Yun Che, Fen Tian Gate would be guaranteed a spot in the top four, and might even reach the top three. But if he lost...
"Grand Elder, rest assured. Among the six people besides me and Yun Che, I would have to carefully consider my chances against any one of them. But this Yun Che..." Fen Juebi let out a contemptuous laugh. "A piece of trash that relied entirely on luck to get this far doesn't even qualify for me to look at seriously. If I can't even beat him, then I really don't have the face to live."
Fen Moli slowly nodded. Although Yun Che's displayed strength was becoming increasingly astonishing, he also didn't believe there was any possibility of Fen Juebi losing. But his expression still didn't relax, and he said in a deep voice: "It's naturally good that you have such confidence, but being confident is fine—just don't be arrogant! Because that will blind your eyes. Additionally, in your match against Yun Che, never underestimate him! That strange movement technique he suddenly displayed yesterday was unfathomably mysterious—even I couldn't see through it. Moreover, he also knows how to control fire, which might give him some ability to counter our Fen Tian Flame. The most noteworthy thing is that he seems to have never fully displayed his complete strength... be careful!"
"Grand Elder worries too much. His movement technique is just a simple teleportation, how can it compare to our Fen Tian Gate's 'Fen Ying Phantom Body'? And even if his movement profound art were a hundred times more exquisite, it would be useless under the Fen Tian Flame that can cover the entire Sword Discussion Platform with no blind spots. As for him being able to control fire, hahaha... the flame he released yesterday was clearly just the lowest level of profound flame, how can it compare to our Fen Tian Flame? It's not that he can counter my abilities, but rather that I completely counter his abilities."
Fen Juebi's contemptuous demeanor and words made Fen Moli frown. His voice became even more serious: "Juebi, I must remind you of one thing: if you lose this match, the entire Fen Tian Gate will be humiliated, and you will become a sinner of our sect. When that happens, even the Sect Master might not forgive you."
Fen Moli's last few words finally made Fen Juebi put away his frivolous attitude. He nodded somewhat solemnly: "Grand Elder's teachings are correct. In this match, no matter how weak the opponent, I will not hold back... I will only win, not lose."
Fen Juebi leaned close to Fen Juecheng's ear, half-closing his eyes, and said in a low voice: "Big brother, the match is about to start. Do you want me to cripple both his legs, or burn his face, or turn him into a eunuch?"
"Burn his face!" Fen Juecheng's brows sank, and he answered without hesitation. Because during a match, this method could be perfectly understood as an "accident."
"I won't disappoint big brother," Fen Juebi stuck out his tongue and licked the corner of his mouth, letting out a sinister low laugh. "To me, this isn't so much a match as it is... hmm, an incredibly wonderful game."
Time came in an instant. Yun Che and Fen Juebi almost simultaneously leaped into the center of the Sword Discussion Platform, facing each other from a distance of over ten zhang.
Yun Che's face was completely calm. But from the eyes of Fen Juebi across from him, he clearly saw contempt and mockery, along with a trace of nearly perverse cruel desire mixed in. The corners of Yun Che's mouth twitched, and a cold smile flashed by.
In Fen Juebi's eyes, Yun Che was nothing more than a dish, something he could knead into any shape he wanted.
But in Yun Che's eyes, Fen Juebi wasn't even worthy of being called a dish. The threat he posed was far less than that of Mu Xiongyan yesterday. At least Mu Xiongyan's unknown fire weapons had made Yun Che, out of caution, choose to win by surprise and finish quickly. But this Fen Juebi posed absolutely no threat to him at all... because this guy was just a fire user.
"Do you think Yun Che has any chance of defeating Fen Juebi?"
"That's impossible, right? Fen Juebi and yesterday's Mu Xiongyan are at the same profound power level, but their strength is absolutely not on the same tier. He's the second son of Fen Duanhun!"
"If Fen Juebi really loses, Fen Tian Gate will be kicked out of the top four. That would be a huge joke."
"How could something like that happen..."
"Look at Fen Juebi's hand... that's the legendary quasi-Heavenly Xuan Device—the Ghost Flame Blade! It seems Fen Juebi has no intention of giving Yun Che any chance at all."
"Of course. For Fen Tian Gate, this match can only end in victory, not defeat. Even if the opponent were just a grasshopper, you absolutely cannot hold back."
On the Sword Discussion Platform, although the two had no verbal exchange, the atmosphere was filled with an indescribable eeriness. Seeing that both were ready, Ling Wugou no longer waited for the time to arrive and directly waved his hand: "First match of the Top Eight Battle... Yun Che of Cangfeng Imperial Clan versus Fen Duanhun of Fen Tian Gate, begin!"
"Heh!" Fen Juebi grinned sinisterly at Yun Che. "If you had chosen not to come on stage and just surrendered directly, I really wouldn't have been able to do anything to you. Good thing you didn't disappoint me and obediently came up. Now, even if you want to surrender, it's already too late. Today will be a day you'll remember for the rest of your life."
"Tch," Yun Che curled his lips disdainfully. "I didn't expect that not only are you ugly, but you also talk a whole lot of bullshit. No wonder Fen Tian Gate can only be at the bottom among the four great sects—turns out they're full of this kind of trash."
When it came to sharp tongues, Yun Che was definitely an expert. His words made Fen Juebi instantly furious: "You're looking for death!!"
Fen Juebi's body burst into crimson flames, all of which poured into the Ghost Flame Blade. The blinding firelight reflected the shape of the surrounding profound power barrier, bringing with it an incredibly terrifying high temperature. As Fen Juebi thrust his blade straight forward, the flames on the blade instantly formed a massive firestorm, like a fierce flame beast opening its deadly fangs at Yun Che.
The power of this blade drew gasps from the crowd dozens of zhang away. Yun Che's brows slightly furrowed as he rapidly retreated, quickly swinging out the Overlord Giant Sword to unleash waves of powerful profound force that collided with Fen Juebi's firestorm. In an instant, Yun Che's heavy sword force was scorched by the Fen Tian Flame, while the Fen Tian Flame was also shattered layer by layer by the heavy sword force. At the point where the two forces collided, flame and space simultaneously twisted violently.
Boom!!
With a loud crash, both the heavy sword force and the firestorm dissipated simultaneously. The two were pushed far apart by the huge blast. Fen Juebi steadied himself, his eyes becoming even more dangerous: "Heh, I'm actually quite surprised. You managed to withstand a strike at sixty percent of my power. It seems your progress to this point isn't entirely due to luck. Too bad, in front of me, you're still just a piece of trash."
He pointed his Ghost Flame Blade forward, eyes slightly narrowed, expression arrogant, as if pronouncing judgment on Yun Che's fate: "That was just casually saying hello. Next, I'll let you have a good experience of our Fen Tian Gate's Fen Tian Flame. Trust me, it will absolutely be a wonderful sight you'll remember for a lifetime, until you die, hahahaha!!"
Amidst the wild laughter, Fen Juebi suddenly rushed forward rapidly, flames reigniting on his body and the Ghost Flame Blade. His body trailed a long string of fiery afterimages, charging straight at Yun Che. When he was less than five zhang away from Yun Che, the color of the flames on his body suddenly changed—from crimson to blue.
Orange flames were called "mortal flames," the lowest level of fire power. Above orange were red flames, which were mid-to-low tier profound flames. Above red, in order of increasing power, were blue flame, purple flame, white flame, golden flame, and the legendary Burning Star Flame and Primordial Chaos Flame.
When profound power transformed into fire, the color of the flame could roughly indicate its power. However, special flames like Phoenix Flame, Vermilion Bird Flame, and Golden Crow Flame were not ordinary profound flames but the unique "divine flames" of divine beasts, with their own unique properties and colors that did not follow this rule.
Blue flame was a profound flame one level above red flame!
In people's understanding, it was generally only when one reached the Earth Xuan Realm that they could release such high-powered profound flame!
The moment this blue flame appeared, it undoubtedly drew gasps from the entire audience.
"B-blue... blue flame!!"
"Blue profound flame, which legends say requires at least Earth Xuan Realm profound power to ignite... Fen Juebi's flame talent is this high! At only Spirit Xuan Realm Level 8, he can actually ignite blue profound flame!"
"As expected of the son of the Fen Tian Gate Master. It seems Fen Juebi's strength must be reassessed. Since he can ignite blue profound flame, it seems Yun Che doesn't have even a shred of hope for victory."
In the Fen Tian Gate seating area, Fen Juecheng smiled faintly and muttered to himself: "It seems Grand Elder's words scared him, making him reveal his trump card this early. What an overreaction—using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken."
"Come on, let me hear your cries, pleas, and struggles!"
Fen Juebi, now close to Yun Che, let out a wild laugh. The blue flames on his body suddenly exploded, scattering into more than a dozen firestorms of varying sizes. The firestorms burned rapidly through the air, spreading and pressing toward Yun Che, and also toward every corner within the profound power barrier, as if intending to completely cover the entire space inside the profound power barrier, turning it into a blue sea of fire with no blind spots...
[Allow me to slack off for a few more days. After all, it's the first Spring Festival after marriage, so many many many many many many many many things... bow... sob sob...]