Chapter 549: "Mutual Destruction"
It was obvious to everyone that the East Seat's overall strength far surpassed that of the West Seat, but not many expected the West Seat to lose so miserably right from the start. They sent out four people in a row, and all were completely defeated, while the opponent had only sent out Zihuan Commandery Prince, who was still standing in the arena. He was drenched in sweat and gasping heavily, but aside from that, his armor was only damaged in a few places, and there wasn't even a trace of blood on his body.
Clearly, even though he had just won four consecutive matches, it hadn't been all that difficult for him!
And among the entire East Seat, there were still Chi Yang Yan Wu, Bai Jie, and Lin Hanchuan, whose strength was not inferior to Zihuan Commandery Prince, as well as He Lian Ba, who was stronger than him, Hui Ye Commandery Prince, ranked third among the Seven Illusion Demon Sons, Yuan Que Commandery Prince, ranked second... and, above all, Hui Ran, the head of the Seven Illusion Demon Sons, whose strength had already transcended the young generation and was terrifying to the point of being abnormal!!
How could this match continue?
Among the West Seat, even those who had originally been prepared to lose but not retreat were now shaken in heart and mind, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness and desolation.
"Who's next? Who will take up the next challenge?"
Zihuan Commandery Prince swung his Crimson Blood Blade and shouted arrogantly at the West Seat. After consecutively defeating one clan's top figure and three complete... suddenly, a thunderous roar exploded like a crack of lightning, shaking Zihuan Commandery Prince so violently that his whole body trembled, darkness flashed before his eyes, and he nearly spat blood. Xiao Yaohou heavily struck the armrest of her throne, her crescent brows slanting upward, and her icy gaze shot straight at Zihuan Commandery Prince, making his entire body go cold, as if frozen solid, and he dared not even move.
"The Yan Clan has guarded our Demon Emperor lineage for ten thousand years, loyal and devoted, with countless merits and achievements. Every previous Demon Emperor has respected and valued the Yan Clan highly. A junior brat from a prince's mansion dares to speak such reckless words about the Yan Clan—who gave you the audacity!!"
Zihuan Commandery Prince was ranked among the Seven Illusion Demon Sons and possessed strength that could look down on the entire Illusion Demon Realm among his peers, but how could he withstand Xiao Yaohou's fury and imposing aura? His face instantly turned pale with terror, his body swayed unsteadily, and he was almost about to kneel on the spot.
Among the East Seat, Zihuan Commandery Prince's father, Zhao Wang, hurriedly stood up and bowed: "Xiao Yaohou, please calm down. My son only meant to undermine the enemy's morale and spoke carelessly for a moment. He absolutely had no intention of disrespecting the Yan Clan... Zihuan, quickly apologize to Xiao Yaohou and the Yan Clan!"
Zihuan Commandery Prince hastily said, "Zihuan spoke carelessly and said things he shouldn't have. I beg Xiao Yaohou and the Yan Clan to forgive me."
With four consecutive losses on the West Seat, Xiao Yaohou's mood naturally wasn't good either. She let out a faint cold snort, finally reining in her anger, but she didn't respond further. She returned to her throne and coldly watched the center of the arena.
That pressure, like a ten-thousand-zhang mountain crashing down, had not completely dissipated. The atmosphere in the grand hall remained extremely tense. The few medical personnel present, following orders, hurriedly took the four unconscious people from the West Seat away for treatment. Zihuan Commandery Prince took a deep breath, shook off the lingering fear from Xiao Yaohou's rebuke, and then looked at the West Seat again, his eyes filled with a wild and ferocious light: "Since even the Yan Clan has sent out such useless people, I really have no idea how this West Seat intends to fight me now."
In an instant, fierce anger surged in the hearts of the younger generation of the Yan Clan. The elder supporting Wen Renxiang narrowed his eyes, but just as he was about to speak, Yan Chengkong beside him had already stood up.
"Father, let your son fight."
Yan Zijing frowned. "Chengkong, your strength is only at the early stage of the third level of Overlord Xuan Realm. Although you practice our Yan Clan's Overlord Spear Art, the gap between you and Zihuan is still too great. Your chance of winning is extremely slim."
"It doesn't matter," Yan Chengkong said calmly, "Since it's a fight, there's no room for cowardice. Besides, I've wanted to spar with the famous Zihuan Commandery Prince of the East Seat for a long time. Even if I can't win, I absolutely won't embarrass our Yan Clan!"
"The Overlord Spear Art has dominated the world for generations. Although the Overlord Spear Art passed down to later generations is incomplete, it still has the power to overturn seas and rivers. Among the twelve major clans, only our Yan Clan dares to claim the title of number one spear technique," a Yan Clan elder supplemented. "Moreover, Chengkong has always trained diligently since childhood and has already grasped thirty percent of the essence of the Overlord Spear Art. If he fights Zihuan, he might... be able to achieve something."
"Mm." Yan Zijing nodded slowly. "Fine, then I'll leave this battle to you. Remember, if it's not possible, retreat immediately. There's no need to force a contest of life and death. Don't let your father down."
"Your son understands!"
As Yan Chengkong walked into the central arena, his spear aura was already sweeping across like an abyss. Yan Chengkong was not particularly tall or burly, but when he grasped the heavy profound spear in his hand, his entire being transformed instantly, as if infused with an invincible might. Every step he took was accompanied by the rattling sound of his spear shaft.
"A mere early third level of Overlord Xuan Realm dares to face me?" Zihuan Commandery Prince sneered contemptuously. "The people of the Yan Clan are truly arrogant and ignorant. Fine, I'll use this chance to let you witness true power and see just how laughable your Overlord Spear Art really is!"
Facing Zihuan Commandery Prince's mockery, Yan Chengkong remained calm and composed. He slowly pointed the Heavy Profound Spear forward: "Your Highness, please enlighten me!"
"Find a place to warm up and pass the time," Zihuan Commandery Prince shouted wantonly, raising his Crimson Blood Blade to meet him head-on.
Buzz... Before Zihuan Commandery Prince charged forward, Yan Chengkong's spear had already made its move. The heavy profound spear, which weighed several thousand pounds, was incredibly fast under Yan Chengkong's control. It was like a meteor chasing the moon, instantly arriving in front of Zihuan Commandery Prince. Without any fancy moves, it was a straight thrust, carrying the momentum of breaking mountains and cracking rocks, with a power that was fierce and unstoppable.
"What a fast spear!"
For a moment, Zihuan Commandery Prince's pupils contracted. He couldn't dodge in time and instinctively swept his Crimson Blood Blade to meet the incoming spear.
Clang!!!
Sparks flew in all directions. The spear tip and blade edge violently collided, sending ripples of profound force spreading outward. Zihuan Commandery Prince's body tilted back slightly, but Yan Chengkong remained completely steady, and the spear in his hand continuously advanced with increasingly fierce and sharp spear techniques.
"This is the Overlord Spear Art... This is the only one in the world that is the true first spear technique!" In the West Seat, many people's eyes lit up. The mighty and domineering spear techniques made even their hearts race. "In terms of the pinnacle of spear techniques, the Overlord Spear Art is worthy of its reputation. Its power is unmatched, swift as thunder, destructive as breaking bamboo. It interprets the power of the spear to its extreme. Once mastered, it can sweep across the world, leaving all other weapons powerless, truly living up to the name of the number one divine spear. Yan Chengkong's profound strength is relatively weak, but his Overlord Spear Art has already reached a decent level. At the same cultivation level, it's hard to find an opponent. With Zihuan's current state, he can fairly easily defeat a peak third level Overlord Xuan Realm, but it's extremely difficult for him to defeat Yan Chengkong, who is only at the mid-stage of the third level Overlord Xuan Realm."
The spear howled, the blade wind pierced the ears. Zihuan Commandery Prince continuously increased his profound force, and under full exertion, his bones cracked and popped, repeatedly forcing Yan Chengkong's attacks away… but only forcing them away. Before he could counterattack, the spear light howled forth again. In terms of weapon characteristics, the spear's power and attack range surpass the blade, but it is inferior in flexibility, speed, and control. Yet now, the spear shrouding Zihuan Commandery Prince was as swift as lightning, as nimble as a living creature, several times forcing him into a flustered state.
One had superior profound force, the other wielded a divine spear like a dragon. The two, despite a considerable gap in cultivation realm, ended up locked in a stalemate on the arena. Spear and blade clashed countless times, stirring up lasting ripples in space, and the images of the two fighting seen by those in the grand hall were always distorted. Zihuan Commandery Prince could never escape Yan Chengkong's spear shadows, and Yan Chengkong, for the time being, could not truly harm Zihuan Commandery Prince.
Among the many prince mansions, there were also many spear users. Zihuan Commandery Prince had fought many times against opponents who used spears, but indeed, he had never fought against the Yan Clan, nor had he expected the Yan Clan's Overlord Spear to be so astonishing. That heavy profound spear in Yan Chengkong's hands was both offensive and defensive. When attacking, the spear's momentum was like surging wind and clouds, swallowing mountains and rivers, slowing Zihuan's movements and heavily suppressing his blade force and flames. When defending, it was like an iron chain spanning a river, leaving no room for flaw.
The two fought for over a hundred exchanges, yet neither could gain the upper hand over the other. Yan Chengkong remained steady and calm, while Zihuan Commandery Prince grew increasingly impatient. Before their fight, he had heavily mocked Yan Chengkong and even dragged the entire Yan Clan into it, and had been severely rebuked by Xiao Yaohou, causing him great loss of face. Now, after over a hundred exchanges, he had not been able to defeat the person he had publicly belittled and had instead been continuously suppressed. His heart was filled with extreme frustration and anger.
"Heh!!"
Zihuan Commandery Prince gritted his teeth and suddenly let out a low roar. The light on his Crimson Blood Blade surged several times brighter, and with a tearing sound, it fiercely split the space… This strike was exactly the "Blood Flame Blade" that had instantly defeated Mu Hengyi earlier. However, due to his heavily depleted profound force, the power of this "Blood Flame Blade" was far inferior to when he had defeated Mu Hengyi.
A terrifying power descended upon him. Yan Chengkong horizontally raised his spear shaft, blocking, resisting, and defending. Seventy percent of the Blood Flame Blade's power was already nullified. At this moment, a sharp light flashed in his eyes. Instead of retreating to shake off the remaining thirty percent of the Blood Flame Blade's power, he turned his spear shaft, allowing the bloody blade light to graze his waist. The Heavy Profound Spear suddenly shot out like a dragon emerging from the sea, unstoppable, piercing through the profound force storm brought by the Blood Flame Blade, and viciously stabbed into Zihuan Commandery Prince's shoulder… At the moment the spear tip touched his shoulder, all power instantly converged at the spear tip, penetrating straight through Zihuan Commandery Prince's protective profound force and armor.
Puff!
A spray of blood blossomed from Yan Chengkong's waist, while the tip of the Heavy Profound Spear sank heavily into Zihuan Commandery Prince's shoulder, wedged between his shoulder bones.
The sharp pain from his left shoulder, along with a feeling of humiliation, fiercely provoked Zihuan Commandery Prince's ferocity. His eyes widened, releasing a frenzied light: "Die…!!"
Zihuan Commandery Prince's entire body instantly ignited with blood-red flames, as if he had just emerged from a pool of blood… Seeing this action, Yan Clan Patriarch Yan Zijing was greatly alarmed and shouted: "Chengkong, dodge quickly!!"
"Blood Prison Nether Flame!!"
The blood-red flames suddenly exploded, and a terrifyingly unparalleled aura shrouded down. Yan Chengkong's pupils contracted, but he did not choose to abandon his spear and retreat. Instead, he clenched his teeth fiercely and poured his entire profound force into the Heavy Profound Spear… In the next instant, his chest felt as if struck by a ten-thousand-jun hammer, and his consciousness went blank in an instant.
Boom!!!
The blood flames exploded, and Yan Chengkong was sent flying far away. When Yan Zijing caught him in midair, his chest was already a bloody mess. But flying out from the blood flames was not only Yan Chengkong but also Zihuan Commandery Prince. At the moment the blood flames erupted, the Heavy Profound Spear, infused with Yan Chengkong's last bit of power, had directly pierced through Zihuan Commandery Prince's shoulder, creating a real transparent hole in his body. The remaining force sent Zihuan Commandery Prince flying high into the air, spraying blood as he crashed into the East Seat… That Heavy Profound Spear also viciously stabbed into the East Seat's benches, not stained with a drop of blood.
"Chengkong!"
"Zihuan!"
Both sides were greatly alarmed. No one expected that the two, who had been locked in a stalemate, would produce such a tragic outcome in an instant. Zihuan Commandery Prince had burned through his entire profound force to unleash that blood flame, and his body had been pierced through by the Heavy Profound Spear, making it impossible for him to continue fighting. Yan Chengkong was not much better. The flesh on his chest was completely mangled, his internal organs displaced. If not for his strong will, he would have surely passed out by now, but continuing to fight was even more impossible.
This battle ended in a "mutual destruction" between Yan Chengkong and Zihuan Commandery Prince.
"Brothers of the Tianxia Clan, we trouble you!" Facing the severely injured Yan Chengkong, Yan Zijing remained relatively calm.
"Rest assured, as long as we are here, your son will be fine." Two elders of the Tianxia Clan nodded. They extended their hands, and an emerald green light enveloped Yan Chengkong's wounds.
Under the natural healing power of the Elf Clan, Yan Chengkong's injuries, though severe, quickly stabilized. He let out a heavy breath and said guiltily, "Father, your son's cultivation is still too shallow... I have disappointed you..."
"Don't blame yourself," Yan Zijing comforted him. "After all, Zihuan is ranked fourth among the Seven Illusion Demon Sons. The gap between you is huge. To have achieved this result, your father is already very gratified. Immediately calm your mind and stop talking."
Finally, Zihuan Commandery Prince was defeated, but the faces of the people on the West Seat did not relax at all. Because they had used a total of five people to defeat just this one Zihuan Commandery Prince.
"Alas, the gap in strength between the two sides is truly too great," people in the grand hall sighed one after another.
"Yes. I wonder why the Yun Family agreed to this match... Though it's said that losing in competition doesn't mean losing momentum, with such a miserable defeat, where is the momentum?"
"And there's still the Su Family over there. I heard that Su Zhibei of the Su Family is one of the top figures among the younger generation of the twelve clans. He should be able to recover some of the disadvantage."
"Forget it. He Lian Ba of the He Lian Family, Hui Ye Commandery Prince and Yuan Que Commandery Prince, ranked second and third among the Seven Illusion Demon Sons—none of them are weaker than Su Zhibei. As for Hui Ran Commandery Prince, ranked first... his strength alone is enough to defeat all twelve on the opposing side, no exaggeration!" A person from Demon Emperor City shook his head.
...