# Chapter 551: Su Zhizhan VS Helian Ba
Su Zhizhan defeated Bai Jie — this result surprised no one. He cleanly and efficiently defeated Bai Jie without excessive entanglement, clearly to preserve his profound force. Standing in the center of the arena, he looked toward the west seating area. Before waiting for the next combatant to come out on their own, he directly extended his longsword, pointing at one person among the Helian Clan's seats, and declared arrogantly: "Helian Ba, do you dare to come out and fight!"
This was the first time since the beginning of this competition that someone had designated an opponent to battle. And the person Su Zhizhan pointed at was none other than Helian Ba — the one who was known alongside him as the foremost of the younger generation of the Twelve Clans!
Su Zhizhan understood very well that in this confrontation, the side he represented was bound to suffer a crushing defeat. The best way to salvage some dignity was to defeat this Helian Ba who was known as his equal!
Under so many watchful eyes, being directly challenged by someone of equal fame and strength, Helian Ba naturally had to respond — he could not refuse, otherwise wouldn't it make people think he was afraid of Su Zhizhan? Without hesitation, he stood up, flew down and landed before Su Zhizhan, sneering at him: "Su Zhizhan, it seems you want to end this match early and then slink back in disgrace. Well, I certainly won't disappoint you."
"The one who's about to slink away is you." Su Zhizhan said coldly.
"Heh heh!" Helian Ba grinned widely. "Poor losers can only flaunt their mouths. At least you're someone who shares the same reputation as me, Helian Ba — truly pitiful. Hmm, you just fought a match with Bai Jie, so you've expended some energy. Tsk tsk, don't worry, I, Helian Ba, won't stoop to taking advantage of you. I'll give you fifteen minutes to recover. I want you to lose completely and willingly... There can only be one true number one."
"No need." Su Zhizhan's gaze was icy as he gave a cold laugh. "Known as equals? I could accept that before, but now — you are not worthy! For me, Su Zhizhan, to be called equals with a traitorous cur who has forgotten his ancestors is a tremendous disgrace! To defeat a cur like you, I need no time to recover!"
Su Xiangnan had always been upright and principled, and his son, though full of pride, had inherited this trait completely. His disgust toward the betrayal of the seven families and various princely mansions had reached an extreme.
Helian Ba's face immediately darkened: "I was planning to show some restraint, but you're asking for death!"
"Hmph!" Su Zhizhan snorted coldly, too lazy to say more. Sword in hand, gaze icy, he slowly stepped forward. A powerful sword momentum released with the rapidly swirling wind. With each step forward, the wind grew more ferocious and the sword momentum more imposing. After ten steps, countless sword images were dancing within the gale.
"This is the Su Clan's 'Wind Firmament Sword Domain,'" Yun Qinghong explained to Yun Che. "It is the prototype of the Su Clan's ultimate domain, the 'Wind God Sword Domain.' Wind swirling with sword momentum — its killing power is extremely strong. Anyone slightly weaker who gets caught in it will be shredded directly. Su Zhizhan using the Wind Firmament Sword Domain right from the start — it seems he's determined to go all out."
With a thunderclap, a pitch-black longsword appeared in Helian Ba's hand. Lightning crackled on the black sword, and a pitch-black lightning domain slowly expanded around his body. But before it was fully formed, a wind whistled before him as Su Zhizhan rushed over like lightning. The two swords clashed in midair, and their two domains instantly collided and overlapped.
Bang! Boom! Rumble!
In an instant, the two had exchanged over a dozen rounds. Su Zhizhan's sword light poured out wantonly like a river of stars falling to earth, while Helian Ba's black sword was like an enraged flood dragon. The two powerful domains were like a pair of frenzied beasts, colliding, tearing, and devouring each other. From the moment they engaged, the battle was already extremely intense.
Their profound forces rapidly escalated during the fierce battle, gradually rising from initial probing to peak levels. Amid wind howls and thunder crashes, the two fought hundreds of rounds like a violent storm, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Their domains simultaneously shrank and expanded repeatedly. The overflowing sword qi, gale winds, and crashing thunder spread beyond the arena. If not for those seated closest to the arena being from powerful families and mansions who blocked the forces with their own profound energy, the entire great hall would have been filled and overwhelmed by sword qi, wind, and thunder.
"So... so powerful. Are they really... of the younger generation?" Some young people attending the Yao Huang City for the first time were completely stunned. Having the qualification to participate in this Centennial Ceremony, they were naturally outstanding figures from their own regions. But the battle before them utterly shattered their long-held pride and confidence. Though they had always known that Yao Huang City possessed the highest level of profound force in all of Huan Yao Realm, they never imagined the gap could be so vast.
These were clearly two people around their own age, yet compared to their strength, the difference was far more than heaven and earth! Even their most respected and admired elders could hardly possess such power.
"This is the strength of the Twelve Guardian Clans," an old man said with deep admiration.
"In the Guardian Clans, reaching the Overlord Xuan Realm before the age of thirty is merely considered passing. In our regions, possessing a single Emperor Lord is enough to earn admiration from thousands and glory for a thousand years. But in the Twelve Guardian Clans, being an Emperor Lord is merely one of the qualifications to become an elder. Especially the Yun Clan a hundred years ago... they had as many as eleven high-level Emperor Lords above Lord Xuan Realm Level 7!"
The young people listened with wide eyes, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
Su Zhizhan's sword was as fast as flowing light, his wind blade like a rain of pear blossoms in a storm. Helian Ba's sword, though relatively slower, was extremely fierce — each swing shattering several of Su Zhizhan's sword beams.
Su Zhizhan's face remained calm and rigid, but Helian Ba's expression grew increasingly twisted. Su Zhizhan before him seemed utterly insane — each move, each strike was as if facing a mortal enemy. Nine parts of his profound force were devoted to offense, only one part to defense. Under this near-suicidal fighting style, though neither suffered severe injuries, within the intertwined Wind Firmament Sword Domain and Thunder Domain, Su Zhizhan's body was already scorched in patches, while Helian Ba's body was covered with over a hundred bleeding wounds cut by sword wind. His armor had long become a sieve.
Boom!!!
With a heavy blow, both domains collapsed simultaneously. Su Zhizhan and Helian Ba shot backward like two cannonballs, landing at opposite edges of the arena. As soon as Helian Ba landed, his profound energy slightly released, and the hundred wounds on his body all burst open, dyeing his clothes and most of his body red. Though they were minor injuries, so much blood was enough to drive him mad. Gritting his teeth, he tore off his upper garment and roared: "Su Zhizhan... are you looking for death!"
Su Zhizhan was also covered in wounds. The two had just fought fiercely within the intertwining wind and thunder domain. Only now that they were separated and covered in injuries did people realize that their battle had not just been intense — it had been brutal! Though neither was severely wounded, it was enough to make spectators tremble with fear.
Su Zhizhan didn't seem to be competing — he seemed to be fighting for his life.
Because this was a battle he absolutely could not lose.
"What's wrong? Afraid to die?" Su Zhizhan said with a cold smile.
Frankly speaking, Helian Ba was a little afraid. Anyone living well would fear a suicidal madman. His face darkened, patience completely gone, and he growled: "Since you want to die... then I'll grant your wish!"
As the words fell, Helian Ba raised his sword with both hands. Instantly, the black sword hummed, lightning swirled around it, and the space around the sword suddenly twisted. Even Helian Ba himself became caught in violently distorted space. Waves of spatial ripples drifted left and right, shocking to behold.
The momentum of this sword caused everyone in the great hall to slightly change color.
"Su Zhizhan, do you really think you're worthy of being called the number one alongside me!" Helian Ba's body twisted with the spatial ripples. A pressure like the heavens collapsing enveloped the entire arena and great hall. Even the surrounding light noticeably dimmed. He didn't spread his lightning domain — only a faint ring of thunder circled his sword blade — but deafening thunder resounded from somewhere unknown throughout the hall: "Our Nine-Headed Demon Snake Clan possesses the Heaven-given power of profound thunder and a body of solid rock — how can you humans compare! Under this sword, you can only kneel!"
"Get down there!"
With a furious roar, Helian Ba leaped high into the air. In midair, his figure flickered, suddenly transforming into the shadow of a giant snake. The snake had nine heads, all nine hissing in the sky, mouths wide open, all pouncing at Su Zhizhan at once. In the next instant, the nine snake heads vanished simultaneously, transforming into nine Helian Bas, all slashing at Su Zhizhan.
"Nine Abyss Thunder Emperor Slash! Helian Ba can already use this technique — and a complete Nine Abyss Thunder Emperor Slash at that!" Yan Zijing, head of the Yan family, suddenly stood up, exclaiming in shock: "This is an attack that even Overlord Xuan Realm Level 6 profound force cannot withstand! Su Zhizhan is in danger..."
He turned to look at Su Xiangnan, only to find him still seated. Though his expression was grave, he didn't seem panicked.
The overwhelming momentum descended from above, and everyone in the great hall felt a deep suffocation. Several with relatively weaker profound force turned pale, their chests feeling like they would burst... If even the peripheral shockwaves were so terrifying, the power of this sword was simply unimaginable.
Su Zhizhan looked up, staring coldly at the nine figures plummeting from the sky. The Wind Firmament Sword Domain silently rose, rapidly expanding.
"What is Su Zhizhan doing! Why isn't he quickly defending or dodging? Why is he still expanding the Wind Firmament Sword Domain now!"
Su Zhizhan was deaf to the surrounding shouts. Just as the Wind Firmament Sword Domain touched the approaching figures of Helian Ba and was easily torn apart by the black sword, a cold gleam suddenly flashed in his eyes. His sword flew up, floating before him, then rapidly rotated. A huge whirlwind quickly formed with the rotation of the sword, growing larger and larger...
"Wind... God... Sword!!"
The three low, slow words spilled from Su Zhizhan's lips. Just as Helian Ba's black sword was less than two zhang from his head, his hands suddenly pushed forward. The longsword shot out with a massive whirlwind, aiming straight at one of the nine Helian Bas.
"What!" Helian Ba's heart jolted in alarm. Of the nine figures he had conjured, naturally not all were real. Though his true form was a nine-headed demon snake, having nine heads didn't mean he could create nine bodies. Of these nine figures, one was real, while the other eight were meant to completely confuse the enemy's mind and senses.
And Su Zhizhan's sword was shooting directly at his true body!
"So that's it. He's using the Wind Firmament Sword Domain to probe for Helian Ba's true body," Yun Che said with understanding. "This domain is different from ordinary ones. It not only requires profound force to sustain but also incorporates powerful sword intent. By sensing the feedback from the sword intent when Helian Ba's nine figures touched the domain, he instantly determined which one was real."