Chapter 45: Eight Consecutive Wins, The Battle Continues
Among weapons, the whip is the bane of the sword.
Using softness to overcome hardness, using length to exploit shortness.
Just like Hong Tao at this moment, standing over ten meters away, he could still attack Zhang Ruochen.
His whip techniques were unpredictable, like holding a golden serpent in hand. The golden serpent coiled and twisted through the air, producing piercing, rapid sounds of wind being torn apart.
At the tip of the golden whip was a three-inch-long spike, even sharper than a sword's point.
"Quite interesting!"
Zhang Ruochen finally moved!
He channeled the true qi within his body into his legs, activating all twenty-seven meridians simultaneously. His feet stepped into a footwork pattern, transforming into a blur as he wove through the golden whip.
In an instant, Zhang Ruochen crossed the distance of over ten meters and stood before Hong Tao.
Hong Tao's expression changed. He tried to retract his whip to strike at Zhang Ruochen.
"Slap!"
Zhang Ruochen swung the scabbard in his hand, striking Hong Tao's neck.
Hong Tao lost his balance, tumbled sideways, and fell off the battle platform.
The moment he fell from the platform, Hong Tao immediately flipped in midair, landing steadily on his feet without falling as disgracefully as the previous six.
Standing below the platform, Hong Tao stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen. "I am defeated!"
The footwork Zhang Ruochen had just displayed was far too fast. Even if they fought again, he would surely lose.
Another single move!
"With Hong Tao's cultivation, he couldn't even block one move? Isn't that too monstrous?"
Xue Bingsheng gently waved his folding fan, a sinister smile curling at the corner of his lips. "Quite interesting!"
"Let me be the one to stop your winning streak in the eighth match." Xue Bingsheng transformed into a white shadow, lightly leaping like a falling leaf, landing softly on the battle platform.
"Xue Bingsheng!" Zhang Ruochen said.
Earlier, Zhang Ruochen had witnessed the battle between Xue Bingsheng and Nie Heng. In a single move, Xue Bingsheng had killed Nie Heng.
This man was extremely fast and was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.
Xue Bingsheng smiled slightly. "Among the geniuses Xue has seen, aside from His Highness the Seventh Prince, no one has higher talent than His Highness the Ninth Prince. It has been less than two months since the year-end assessment, yet His Highness has broken through two more realms, reaching the Great Extreme Position of the Yellow Extreme Realm. Admirable! Truly admirable!"
Zhang Ruochen said, "You are from the State Preceptor's Mansion?"
"Correct," Xue Bingsheng replied.
"Are you confident you can defeat me?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
Xue Bingsheng chuckled. "His Highness's greatest advantage is that his sword path has reached the high-level realm of the sword following the heart. His greatest disadvantage is the insufficiency of true qi within his body. His Highness has only just broken through to the Great Extreme Position, hasn't he?"
Zhang Ruochen remained silent.
Xue Bingsheng continued, "His Highness is very fast, but Xue is not slow either. If His Highness tries to win by speed, it may work on others, but it will not work on Xue. If we compare strength, with Xue's cultivation at the Yellow Extreme Realm Great Perfection, I am afraid I still have the upper hand over His Highness, wouldn't you agree?"
"Is that so?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Xue Bingsheng nodded. "Your Highness, before Xue, you should draw your sword."
"If I deem your strength sufficient, I will naturally draw my sword," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Then Your Highness had best be careful. Xue's Iron Bone Fan is a third-rank True Martial Treasure. Nine Yellow Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artists have already died under this fan."
Xue Bingsheng's eyelids narrowed. The originally closed folding fan snapped open with a *shua* sound, and from each fan leaf extended a three-inch-long, razor-sharp blade.
"Shua!"
Xue Bingsheng's speed was indeed astonishing. Like a white ghostly shadow, he reached Zhang Ruochen in an instant.
The movement technique he cultivated was a human-grade upper-rank technique called "Void-Stepping Eight Steps," each step covering a distance of one zhang.
After eight consecutive steps, eight afterimages appeared on the battle platform.
It was as if eight Xue Bingshengs were simultaneously attacking Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen stood like an unmoving divine tree, roots planted firmly, his legs unmoving as he continuously swung the scabbard in his hand.
With each strike, the sound of metal clashing rang out, and sparks flew in the air.
"Bang! Bang!"
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Ruochen and Xue Bingsheng had exchanged over twenty moves, their forms clashing like a blur of shadows on the platform. Martial artists with lower cultivation could not even see how they were striking, only catching glimpses of figures.
Standing on the highest viewing platform of the Yellow Extreme Martial Combat Palace, Liu Chengfeng watched the battle platform below and snorted coldly. "So even Xue Bingsheng can only fight him to a draw. The outcome is hard to predict!"
"Greetings, Young Master Liu!" Han Fu knelt on the ground, bowing respectfully to Liu Chengfeng.
Han Fu's body was enormous, standing two meters sixty or seventy tall. Even a single fist was larger than an ordinary person's head, and his body was covered in yellow leopard spots.
He possessed the bloodline of the Fire Lion Leopard, a savage beast, and was not a pure human but a member of the Fire Leopard Half-Human race.
In the Kunlun Realm, there were many half-humans who formed independent races, such as the powerful Dragon-Half-Human race, Elephant-Half-Human race, and Demon Ape-Half-Human race. There were also the Jade Fox Half-Human race and Moon Fish Half-Human race, renowned for their beauty.
The status of half-human races was actually very low, and many were captured as slaves.
Han Fu was a half-human slave. Because he had a record of nine consecutive wins in the Yellow-Level Martial Combat Palace, Liu Chengfeng had spent a high price to purchase him.
Liu Chengfeng said, "Rise! Do you see that youth on the battle platform?"
Han Fu stood up, looking at Zhang Ruochen on the platform. "He is strong!"
Liu Chengfeng said, "Of course he is strong. So, if Xue Bingsheng falls to him, you will take the next match and kill him."
"Han Fu will not disappoint the young master. Even if it means mutual destruction, I will kill him," Han Fu said with unwavering determination.
Liu Chengfeng nodded. "Xue Bingsheng has already tested his true strength. Watch their battle closely; it will help you in your next match."
Han Fu nodded.
"Xue Bingsheng is too strong. What if something goes wrong?" the Ninth Commandery Princess said with concern.
Xue Bingsheng would never dare to kill Zhang Ruochen, but what if an accident occurred?
Xue Bingsheng was no ordinary Great Perfection martial artist; he was a true powerhouse, and he had the advantage in every aspect against Zhang Ruochen. For Zhang Ruochen to win was nearly impossible.
All the martial artists in the Yellow Extreme Martial Combat Palace were tense, all wondering: Could Zhang Ruochen defeat Xue Bingsheng?
Could he achieve eight consecutive wins?
"It's time to end this."
Zhang Ruochen's gaze sharpened. He thrust his scabbard forward. "Heart-Breaking Plum Blossom!"
His sword speed tripled, like a white rainbow piercing the sun. Sword qi turned into a white stream of light, crossing through the void and striking toward Xue Bingsheng's brow.
Xue Bingsheng's expression changed drastically, and he immediately retreated.
But it was too late!
"Bang!"
The tip of the scabbard struck Xue Bingsheng's brow.
Xue Bingsheng's head went dark, his mind dizzy, and he collapsed directly onto the battle platform, unconscious.
Fortunately, it was only the scabbard. If it had been the blade, Xue Bingsheng's brow would have been pierced.
An old servant from the State Preceptor's Mansion immediately rushed onto the platform, bowing to Zhang Ruochen. "Thank you, Your Highness, for showing mercy!"
With that, the old servant picked up the unconscious Xue Bingsheng and carried him off the platform, quickly leaving the Yellow Extreme Martial Combat Palace.
Eight consecutive wins!
The entire Yellow Extreme Martial Combat Palace erupted in excitement. At just sixteen years old, achieving a record of eight consecutive wins was an extraordinary feat.
Even the Yellow List martial artist Liu Chengfeng, at sixteen, had not been this powerful.
"The Ninth Brother is too strong! If Father King learns of this, he will surely be delighted and feast the ministers," the Ninth Commandery Princess said, letting out a long breath. The stone that had been hanging in her heart finally fell.
But she noticed that after winning eight consecutive matches, Zhang Ruochen did not step down from the platform. Did he intend to continue with a ninth match?
At that moment, the towering Han Fu stepped onto the platform one step at a time.
He wielded a battle axe weighing twelve hundred jin, his body covered in metal armor. The armor was not worn on the surface of his body but was embedded into his bones and flesh, fused with his body.
"It's... Han Fu. Damn it!" The Ninth Commandery Princess's face turned pale. She immediately called out to the platform, "Ninth Brother, concede quickly! Han Fu is a battle maniac. No martial artist who fights him survives."
Shan Xiangling's expression also changed. "Han Fu is Liu Chengfeng's slave. He will definitely kill you on the platform. Ninth Prince, concede! Your status is noble; there is no need to fight a bloodthirsty madman to the death."
Standing on the platform, Han Fu laughed loudly. "Boy, did you hear that? Those two women are telling you to concede. If you don't, Han's battle axe will split you in two!"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze shifted to the highest viewing platform, where he saw Liu Chengfeng standing.
Liu Chengfeng was also staring at Zhang Ruochen, a sneer on his face. He said loudly, "If His Highness the Ninth Prince fears death, it is better to concede early. If you accidentally die on the platform, I would have a hard time explaining it to the Commandery Prince."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Is that so? We haven't fought yet. Who lives and who dies is still uncertain!"
"You don't know your place. Han Fu, show His Highness the Ninth Prince your strength. Don't let His Highness look down on you!" Liu Chengfeng said darkly.