Read Novel Full Chapter 317: Final Phase (7)
Chapter 317: Final Phase (7)
The judge raised his hand.
"Mo Tianhai of the Verdant Sword against Mu Qing of the Ancient Forest!"
Mo Tianhai stepped onto the arena with firm strides. His expression was serious, but his eyes shone with an intense light. Finally, a real fight. A worthy opponent.
Mu Qing was already at the center, waiting.
The disciple of the Ancient Forest was tall and slender, with dark green hair that seemed to move softly even without wind. His robe was green and brown, embroidered with leaves and branches. He carried no visible weapon, but his hands were covered by a thin layer of living wood.
"It will be an honor to face you." Said Mu Qing, his voice calm like a stream.
Mo Tianhai laughed, a rough and confident sound.
"The honor will be mine. Don’t hold back."
The judge gave the signal.
"You may begin!"
Mo Tianhai wasted no time. His destructive sword intent exploded from his body like an invisible shockwave. The air around him distorted, and small cracks appeared on the wooden floor of the arena, even with the protective runes trying to contain the damage.
He attacked first.
A straight slash, filled with sharp Qi and destructive intent, surged toward Mu Qing like a giant invisible blade.
Mu Qing did not retreat.
He raised his right hand, and a wall of living wood sprouted from the arena floor, growing instantly to the height of a man. The wood was dark, dense, glowing with a fluorescent green.
Mo Tianhai’s slash struck the wall.
The impact was deafening. Splinters of wood flew in all directions. The wall trembled, cracks spreading across its surface, but it did not break.
Mu Qing moved his fingers, and the wall reconstructed instantly, as if time had reversed.
"Living wood." Someone murmured in the stands.
"He’s using wood Qi in its purest form. As long as there is Qi, the wood regenerates."
Mo Tianhai narrowed his eyes.
"Interesting."
He attacked again. This time, not one, but three consecutive slashes, each more powerful than the last.
Mu Qing raised both hands. Three wooden walls emerged, one behind the other.
The first slash destroyed the first wall. The second slash destroyed the second wall but lost strength. The third slash struck the third wall and stopped, unable to completely break through it.
"My turn." Said Mu Qing calmly.
He brought his hands together, and dozens of sharp wooden spears burst from the ground around Mo Tianhai, flying toward him from all angles.
Mo Tianhai spun his sword, creating a vortex of destructive Qi around himself. The wooden spears were disintegrated before they could touch him, turning into dust that scattered through the air.
But Mu Qing was already moving.
He rushed toward Mo Tianhai, his hands now covered in wooden claws as sharp as blades. His steps were light, almost silent, and his speed was surprising.
Mo Tianhai tried to retreat, but Mu Qing was too fast. The wooden claws scratched across Mo Tianhai’s arm, tearing his robe and the skin beneath.
Blood flowed.
Mo Tianhai gritted his teeth and counterattacked with a horizontal slash, releasing all his destructive intent in a wide wave.
Mu Qing leaped back, but the slash still reached him. He crossed his arms, and a thick layer of wood enveloped his torso and limbs.
The slash struck the wooden armor.
The wood shattered in several places, and Mu Qing was pushed a few steps back, blood flowing from shallow cuts on his arms. But he was still standing.
"Strong." Admitted Mu Qing, looking at his own injuries.
"Your sword intent is truly formidable."
Mo Tianhai was breathing heavily. Each attack consumed a great deal of Qi. He couldn’t keep this up for long.
"But not strong enough." Mu Qing finished.
He raised his right hand to the sky.
"Ancestral Forest Technique. Living Wood Prison!"
The arena floor trembled. Beneath Mo Tianhai’s feet, giant roots burst forth from nothing, coiling around his legs, his torso, and his arms. They were as thick as ancient snakes and as strong as steel ropes.
Mo Tianhai tried to cut them with his destructive intent. The roots trembled, some breaking apart, but new ones grew in their place instantly. It was like trying to cut the water of a river.
"Destroy one, and ten are born." Said Mu Qing.
"These roots are directly connected to the Qi of the Ancient Tree. As long as I have Qi, they won’t stop."
Mo Tianhai gritted his teeth. He gathered all his remaining Qi into a single strike, a vertical slash that should split everything before him.
The invisible blade descended.
The roots split apart. The arena trembled. Even the protective runes shone intensely, nearly breaking.
But Mu Qing had already moved.
He appeared behind Mo Tianhai the instant the strike was unleashed, his wooden claws aimed at the back of his opponent’s neck.
"You lost." Said Mu Qing, his voice calm.
Mo Tianhai froze. He knew he couldn’t dodge. The strike he had just unleashed had consumed nearly everything he had left.
He sighed, lowering his sword.
"I lost."
The judge announced.
"The winner is Mu Qing of the Ancient Forest!"
The audience applauded. It was a fight worthy of two elite warriors.
Mo Tianhai stepped down from the arena, staggering, his arms covered in cuts and bruises. Kyrian was waiting for him at the exit.
"You fought well." Said Kyrian.
"Well my ass." Replied Mo Tianhai, with a bitter smile.
"He destroyed me."
Mo Tianhai laughed, but the laugh quickly turned into a dry cough. He was taken away by the disciples of the Ancient Forest to receive treatment.
Kyrian turned his attention back to the arena.
The final fight was about to begin.
It was the fight between Huo Ling and the disciple of the Wind Sect.
The audience erupted in excitement. Huo Ling was one of the favorites to win the entire competition, aside from Kyrian. The girl from the Wind Sect, on the other hand, was an unknown, fast, and agile, but no one knew if she could face the overwhelming power of the second place.
The two stepped onto the arena.
Huo Ling was tall, with hair red like lava, and his eyes shone with an intensity that seemed to burn the air itself. His sword was long and curved, with a blade that looked as if it were made of solid fire.
The girl from the Wind Sect was small and slender, with silver hair that floated as if submerged in water. She carried no weapons. Her hands were empty, but the air around her moved in visible whirlwinds.
"You may begin!"