Chapter 592: Battle of the Giants: Xiao Chen versus Wang Quan
“This is the strength of a true giant. Unfortunately for Li Tianhua, in the end, a coiling dragon that is unrivaled on land is not a true dragon.”
“Now, there is one more person who can compete with Sima Lingxuan for the peak.”
“Out of the eight giants, only seven are left. In this round, we will probably see a few more giants fall.”
“As long as they lose one match, they could lose their qualification to fight for the first rank. After a few more rounds, the number of people who can make it to the top will decrease.”
Xuanyuan Zhantian strode forward with his head held high, ignoring Li Tianhua, who was lying on the stage with an unresigned and furious expression.
“Next match: Xiao Chen versus Wang Quan!”
On the Wind Cloud Platform, the referee called out the names of the next two participants for the next match. The cultivators who were still discussing the previous match immediately stopped and became excited.
“This is great. It is another battle of the giants. Although Wang Quan is clearly weaker than Bai Qi and the others, his opponent is Xiao Chen. The outcome of this match will be difficult to guess.”
“That’s right. Before this, Wang Quan used many moves to defeat Gong Yangyu but was able to defeat Lin Fei with one move. That is a better showing than Xiao Chen’s. Based on the strength that he has revealed, Wang Quan should be stronger than Xiao Chen.”
Although the remaining seven giants were ranked first together in terms of points, the crowd could roughly gauge who was stronger, based on the strength they had revealed.
Naturally, Sima Lingxuan was deemed the strongest. Xuanyuan Zhantian and Chu Chaoyun were considered second tier. Yue Chenxi, Li Tianhua, and Wang Quan followed after. For now, Xiao Chen was ranked last.
However, this was just an estimate. Only when they fought would it be known who was stronger.
On the Wind Cloud Platform, Wang Quan held the handle of the Dragon Fiend Whip with his right hand and the rest of it with his left. He looked at Xiao Chen across the stage, in no rush to make a move.
A light flashed in the depths of Wang Quan’s eyes. After a while, he said, “White Robed Bladesman Xiao Chen, the only cultivator to reach the eighth floor of the Ancient Desolate Tower in the past thousand years. I have heard about you long ago. You are very strong, but your weakness will guarantee that you cannot reach the peak. Do you know what your weakness is?”
Although Wang Quan’s voice was not loud, the cultivators in the spectator stands could hear him clearly.
Naturally, they were aware of the reputation of the Ancient Desolate Tower. As they stared at the calm Xiao Chen standing on the Wind Cloud Platform, they all looked shocked. Unexpectedly, this White Robed Bladesman, who had been silently winning all his matches, had such a glorious past; he was simply too low-key.
Being able to reach the eighth floor of the Ancient Desolate Tower, just this achievement alone meant that Xiao Chen’s background was no worse than that of the scions of the eight Noble Clans.
Xiao Chen looked at Wang Quan with interest. He said, “Tell me, what is my weakness?”
Wang Quan replied calmly, “You have a strong physical body, allowing your defense to surpass others. You have exquisite Saber Techniques and saber intent, allowing your Martial Techniques to match those of the other Noble Clan scions. With your state of thunder and state of massacre, you do not have to fear the states of others.
“What is even rarer is that you have a fearless heart. However, all these cannot cover up for your weakness—your low cultivation!”
When Xiao Chen heard this, he was somewhat stunned in his heart, but his expression did not change. Wang Quan was right. His cultivation was indeed too low. Out of the eight giants, aside from him, the weakest was a Great Perfection half-step Martial Monarch.
The stronger ones were peak Consummation half-step Martial Monarchs. As for Xiao Chen, he was only a Small Perfection half-step Martial Monarch. However, this should not be a big problem.
The Purple Thunder Divine Incantation was a supreme Cultivation Technique of Immortal Cultivation. It was better that the Heaven Ranked Cultivation Techniques of Martial Cultivation. His Essence was dense and abundant, no weaker than that of any of these people.
Xiao Chen would only get into trouble if these people had opened their sea of consciousness and started to refine their Essence into Quintessence with their Mental Energy. Of course, that would just be troublesome.
A trace of comprehension flashed across Wang Quan’s face. He continued, “You have figured out the problem as well, right? That’s right. As far as I know, Bai Qi already opened his sea of consciousness three months ago. He probably has refined a fifth of his Essence into Quintessence. Sima Lingxuan is even more powerful. He opened his sea of consciousness half a year ago.”
Xiao Chen maintained a calm expression. He could tell that his opponent was trying to disrupt his mental state. He interrupted him, saying, “According to gossip, you should have already refined a tenth of your Essence into Quintessence. You can try me yourself, to see if I can rise to the peak!”
After Xiao Chen cut in, Wang Quan’s face sank. He smiled coldly and said, “The strength of Quintessence is not something you can imagine. I only wanted to let you know about the difficulties and withdraw on your own volition. If you want to fight, I can grant you that fight.”
Wang Quan’s left hand released the coiled-up Dragon Fiend Whip. Then he infused his Quintessence into it. The soft whip seemed to come to life and sliced a small tear in space as it moved towards Xiao Chen.
As the whip landed, the tiny spatial tear quickly mended. Clearly, while this attack could rip space, it could only barely do so.
“Pa!”
The Dragon Fiend Whip was as fast as lightning and as agile as a rabbit. It instantly shattered the afterimage that Xiao Chen left behind when it landed on the stage.
A crack immediately appeared on the Wind Cloud Platform, allowing the boundless Dragon Qi to escape. Just a casual attack had such might—the crowd was flabbergasted.
A strange look flashed in Xiao Chen’s eyes. He performed a somersault and used the Azure Dragon Cloud Soaring Art to quickly move around the Wind Cloud Platform, avoiding the lights from the whip.
There were very few whip practitioners in the Tianwu Continent. This was because the whip was too difficult to use. It relied too heavily on the individual’s talent. However, once someone mastered it to Great Perfection, they would be hard to deal with—just like Wang Quan.
Wang Quan had fully brought out the unpredictable nature of the whip. Combining his attacks with Quintessence, he forced Xiao Chen into a continuous retreat. Xiao Chen could not find a chance to counterattack.
“Indeed, Essence cannot be compared to Quintessence. The difference is too big. Unexpectedly, this Wang Quan has opened his sea of consciousness.”
“Xiao Chen is doomed this time. How unfortunate that he did not have enough time to grow. The Noble Clan scions are all older than him by two or three years. Otherwise, he would have started refining Quintessence as well.”
“A lesser cultivation is indeed a great flaw. No matter how good his techniques are, they are useless.”
Seeing Xiao Chen dodging all over the Wind Cloud Platform, the spectators’ discussions were full of pity for him. They felt that it was too unfair for Xiao Chen.
“He he! White Robed Bladesman, isn’t it that you comprehend saber intent and can climb to the peak using your Saber Techniques? What’s wrong? Do you not even dare to draw your saber now?”
As Wang Quan brandished the Dragon Fiend Whip, he had a faint smile on his face. His whip thrashed around. In one moment, it was soft like a venomous snake coming out of its hole. In another, it was as hard as a cold, stone mountain. The Dragon Fiend Whip was like an extension of his arm.
Expertly switching between hard and soft, Wang Quan executed all sorts of Martial Techniques for the whip. The whip moved like a storm, crackling continuously as it rained lashes down on Xiao Chen.
The torrent of whip lashes formed a screen of light that even a drop of water could not pass, so that Xiao Chen had to keep moving back.
With the infusion of Quintessence, the might of this screen of light was raised to another level. As the Dragon Fiend Whip moved about, it tore many tiny holes in space.
Seeing that Xiao Chen was not far away from the Wind Cloud Barrier, Wang Quan smiled coldly and said, “Are you still not going to draw your saber? Netherworld Demonic Whip!”
Wang Quan’s hand shook three times in the air. The long whip instantly sent out thousands of whip images and formed countless ferocious and malicious spirits, producing the image of hell.
With no way to retreat further and a hell formed by the whip in front, Wang Quan was forcing Xiao Chen to clash head-on.
No way to retreat, no way to advance. Fighting is the only way out!
Xiao Chen stopped moving and rooted himself in place, standing firmly on the Wind Cloud Platform; he became like an ancient tree. When the strong winds blew from the front, his clothes and hair fluttered without end.
However, Xiao Chen’s body did not move at all. His pride did not permit him to fear this netherworld or even the Quintessence in the whip.
Placing his right hand on the saber’s hilt, Xiao Chen drew the Lunar Shadow Saber by two centimeters. A dazzling light flashed and a saber intent grew stronger continuously.
Ten percent. Twenty percent. Thirty percent, peak Small Perfection. Forty percent…
By the time the slender, black Lunar Shadow Saber was completely drawn, Xiao Chen had raised his saber intent to sixty percent comprehension. He released it without controlling it. In an instant, the dazzling saber light stunned everyone, flabbergasting them again.
“Sixty-percent comprehension! It really is sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent. Although it has not reached the level of perfect control, it really is sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent!”
“This completely surpasses Bai Qi’s peak Small Perfection saber intent. He is just a step shy of reaching Great Perfection saber intent.”
“At this rate, even Sima Lingxuan’s sword intent would not be able to suppress it.”
Intense discussions erupted among the cultivators in the spectator stands. Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen still had this as a trump card.
The spectators were not the only ones astonished. The other giants also turned serious, especially Bai Qi. A look of shock appeared on his face. Since the beginning, he had considered himself to be the most talented bladesman of his generation in the Tianwu Continent.
However, just based on the saber intent Xiao Chen revealed, Bai Qi was completely inferior. That saber intent was twenty percent more comprehended than Bai Qi’s.
Clenching his right fist tightly, Bai Qi said to himself in a self-consoling manner, “Saber intent is nothing. I have the Four Season Saber Technique. No bladesman is my match, and never will be.”
When Chu Chaoyun saw this scene, he smiled gently and said, “Sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent. Although it is not mature yet, it is sufficient for him to stand proud.”
The people of the Heavenly Saber Pavilion who were worried for Xiao Chen, as well as Xiao Bai and the others, all heaved a sigh of relief.
“Xiu! Xiu! Xiu!”
Xiao Chen had not completely grasped the sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent. Strands of saber wind flew uncontrollably in all directions, chopping all the demons and malicious spirits formed by Quintessence into nothing.
The demons and malicious spirits could not even resist. The strength of the sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent far surpassed the crowd’s expectations. Wang Quan had only refined ten percent of his Essence. That was insufficient to tip the situation back into his favor.
Winds blew and clouds moved, Gathering Cloud and Wind!”
With the support of the sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent, Xiao Chen executed the starting moves of the Lightning Tribulation Saber Technique. Using the momentum of the winds and clouds, he exterminated the demons and malicious spirits, breaking apart the scene of hell.
Then, Xiao Chen hacked on Wang Quan’s protective Quintessence shield. There was a loud ‘clang’ and the Quintessence shield quaked. However, it was very resilient and did not break.
Shaken and leaking blood from his lips, Wang Quan laughed loudly and said, “I have a Quintessence shield and cannot be defeated. Your sixty-percent-comprehended saber intent is not dense enough. It cannot break my Quintessence shield!”
“Idiot, do I need to break it?” Xiao Chen said softly. The crystal whirlpool spun quickly in his body. The surging Essence all gathered on his saber. Occasionally, electricity leaped about his saber. With the support of saber intent, the light from the electrical arcs were very resplendent.
“Bang!”