(Hidden Mountain Range- Temple of Agar)
(Underground Arena)
Xu Lu closed her eyes and hissed in pain as she floated gently inside the healing pool.
She could feel the wounds on her body slowly begin to heal as the crystal-clear waters forced her flesh to knit back together and regenerate.
Unfortunately, this healing process did little to rid the exhaustion that she felt as a wave of tiredness struck her all at once.
Xu Lu had to fight to stay awake as her eyelids slowly lowered whenever she lost concentration.
The fighting had been non-stop over the last few days, and it was starting to affect her mentally.
She had no idea how much time was left in the ceremony. It could be days, it could be hours or it could be minutes.
If there was a silver lining it was the challengers were now becoming a bit more infrequent which she assumed was because of the quality of opponents that she had defeated.
When she was an unknown, people would have dared to fight her because no one knew her strength.
A test your luck sort of mentality.
Now… she had to be seen as powerful.
This fact would make those who were reluctant or half-hearted give up from trying in case they lost their lives.
Xu Lu emerged from the waters and used a drying spell to get the moisture out of her robe. She took a small ribbon out of her storage bag and slowly began to tie her hair.
Nothing fancy.
Just a simple ponytail to prevent loose strands of hair from getting in front of her eyes, honestly it was probably better just to cut it all off.
Boom!
A loud noise shook the underground chamber and Xu Lu immediately stopped fixing her hair and picked up her sword.
She planted both of her feet firmly on the ground and assumed a battle posture. She took in a few deep breaths and the distracting thoughts in her mind vanished.
It was time for a fight.
A figure appeared on the opposite side of the arena. He wore a dark black robe with golden threads woven into the edges of the fabric.
His face was sharp, and his jaw well set to the extent where he looked almost like a model. His fiery red hair was neatly tied into a ponytail which swayed slightly as he stepped forward.
In his right hand was a curved sword whose sharp edge gleamed under the dim lighting coming from the flames inside the enormous braziers.
"I am Guo Rui the greatest of the younger generation," the mysterious challenger spoke with a hint of irritation in his voice.
"The successor… that position should have belonged to me."
"You hide behind a mask like a coward… you do not deserve to be the next leader of our sect… let me expose you for the fraud you are…"
The figure disappeared from the spot and then immediately appeared in front of Xu Lu with no warning.
He slashed forward using his curved sword directly at her throat. It was an attack that was both fast and ruthless.
Slash!
Xu Lu lifted up her weapon and barely managed to stop the blade from tearing apart her throat. She took a few steps back and the distance between the pair widened.
There was a brief moment of silence as they each assessed each other.
Xu Lu's posture was graceful and well balanced. Her face was completely covered by a silvery grey mask, so Guo Rui had no idea what she was thinking.
Suddenly the tension was broken!
Xu Lu rushed forward and executed a series of quick thrusts and deft parries with her longsword moving so swiftly it was almost as though it was an extension of her arm.
Her footwork was equally as impressive. She used quiet off rhythm steps to throw Guo Rui off his balance.
But it was not an easy fight.
Guo Rui retaliated by using his curved blade to launch swift and unpredictable thrusts. The unusual shape of his weapon allowed him to find gaps in Xu Lu's defense.
An inky darkness swirled around his body and Xu Lu quickly discovered that her eyesight was fading the longer she remained close to her opponent.
The loud sounds of clashing steel filled the air as both continued to fight without fear or hesitation.
Holy Sword Art- God's Judgement!
Xu Lu screamed loudly, and her voice threw Guo Rui off balance.
It was just for a second, but it was more than enough for her to use a rare swordsmanship technique.
A piercing beam of white light erupted from the tip of her blade and the sounds of trumpets blaring could be heard coming from the distance.
The golden flecks that stained Xu Lu's crimson eyes got even bigger and for a brief moment it looked as though wings were struggling to burst out of her back.
Guo Rui quickly retreated and muttered a few dark curses under his breath.
Reverse Constellation- Orion's Belt!
A dark wall of black energy burst out of his fingertips and formed a barrier between himself and the oncoming beam of light.
It was not enough.
Crack!
Guo Rui gritted his teeth in pain as numerous cracks began to spread across the barrier forcing him to his knees.
Was he going to die here?
No… he was the chosen one. He was the one who deserved the position of the successor.
How dare this woman take away what was rightfully his.
SHE SHOULD DIE!
Blood Arts- The Last Stand!
Guo Rui bit his tongue so violently that he tore off a piece of the pinkish flesh. The demonic qi inside his body began to circulate faster and faster.
He could feel newfound strength coursing through his body and the barrier blocking the beam of light also got sturdier.
Guo Rui stepped forward and swung his curved blade in Xu Lu's direction. A wave of dark energy flew towards her which forced her to dodge.
Xu Lu furrowed her brows as she could sense that her opponent's strength had somehow rapidly increased.
But… power always came with a price.
Guo Rui ran forward and began to attack Xu Lu like a man possessed. His eyes were wide and unfocused but contained an undercurrent of desperation.
Cracks had begun to appear on the surface of his skin and thin droplets of blood began to leak out of the wounds.
"Mine… MINE! MINE!" Guo Rui screamed as he lost his mind in a fit of anger and jealousy.
"YOU TOOK IT FROM ME! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!"
His once handsome face was now contorted into a horrific abomination as his dark emotions took over his mind.
This was one of the potential side effects of using demonic qi. It allowed one's base emotions to be enhanced so it was easy to drown in them.
Xu Lu ducked her head to the side and narrowly avoided the curved blade that brushed lightly against the side of her left cheek.
The crimson markings covering her body glowed in response to the dangerous situation and Xu Lu could feel something wriggling around beneath her skin.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l