Chapter 97: Profound Nether Viscera-Shattering Palm

“Xia Jiu Xuan!”

Mo Yong Jian’s voice rang with a metallic tremor, thick with fury.

He had never imagined that this inconspicuous young man would possess such terrifying combat power.

Though that strike had not caused him any real injury, the mere fact that he had been sent flying was already a grave humiliation.

“Do you dare to fight to the death?”

Mo Yong Jian flew back onto the arena, killing intent laid bare.

“You sure you want to die?” Xia Jiu Xuan lifted his spear and pointed it at Mo Yong Jian.

“Just answer me: do you dare or not!”

Mo Yong Jian was almost driven mad. At this point, he wanted nothing but blood.

“If you want to die, I’ll grant it.”

Xia Jiu Xuan agreed without the slightest hesitation.

“Good, very good! Everyone heard it: Xia Jiu Xuan has accepted the challenge to the death. If I kill him, it will be his own fault—no one else’s!”

Mo Yong Jian roared to all present.

“Young Master, no!”

At that moment, a voice sounded in Mo Yong Jian’s mind.

It was his guardian, trying to stop him through a sound-transmitting jade token.

“Uncle Gui, there is no need to stop me. I must kill this man,” Mo Yong Jian replied.

“Young Master, do not be rash. That boy is far more strange than he looks. In my opinion, his combat strength is no weaker than yours. Please, Young Master, think twice!”

Hearing this, Mo Yong Jian’s anger surged anew.

Xia Jiu Xuan, worthy of being compared to him?

He was not worthy.

“Uncle Gui, your eyes have gone dim with age. You have misjudged him. Today, I will kill him with a single move!”

With that, Mo Yong Jian cut off the transmission jade’s connection.

“Xia Jiu Xuan, die.”

He spoke very calmly, and his body changed once more.

Crack, crack, crack.

Ancient mysterious patterns appeared across the surface of his body. Then a suit of defensive armor materialized, enveloping him completely.

Head, torso, legs.

Every inch of his flesh was covered by helmet and armor.

Clang.

He spread his palm, and a spear and a sword appeared, one in each hand.

“You think only you know how to wield a spear and sword?” Xia Jiu Xuan suddenly smiled. “Sorry, I don’t. Only you know how to swing a sword like that.”

“You! You still dare to run your mouth?”

Thump, thump, thump!

Mo Yong Jian shot forward at high speed, spear and sword moving in unison.

“Good heavens, this is no small matter. Is Mo Yong Jian also trained in both spear and sword?”

“So he wasn’t using his true strength just now. He was only relying on his defenses to fight Xia Jiu Xuan.”

“The weapon-refining clan is monstrously strong. Who could possibly beat that?”

Seeing Mo Yong Jian unleash both spear and sword, the crowd was stunned.

Xia Jiu Xuan remained utterly calm.

Since he had dared to step onto the platform, of course he had confidence in killing his opponent.

While everyone was watching the battle with rapt attention, Xia Jiu Xuan suddenly put away both spear and sword.

Kill!

Xia Jiu Xuan also lunged forward.

Mo Yong Jian thrust his spear, aiming for Xia Jiu Xuan’s heart.

At the same time, his other arm extended, bending around in an impossible angle to stab at the back of Xia Jiu Xuan’s neck.

Smack!

Xia Jiu Xuan struck out with a palm, hitting Mo Yong Jian’s right arm. Using the rebound, he twisted sideways and dodged both spear and sword.

As he evaded, countless afterimages appeared around Xia Jiu Xuan’s palm, finally merging into one.

“Roar!”

He let out a savage bellow, and both palms formed a crushing pincer attack.

Boom!

Xia Jiu Xuan’s two palms clamped down with Mo Yong Jian’s head trapped between them.

“Aaahhh!”

Mo Yong Jian emitted a metallic scream, sounding utterly miserable.

But Mo Yong Jian’s response was also extremely quick. The sword in his hand had already swung back and stabbed straight into Xia Jiu Xuan’s shoulder.

Pierce!

The sword went through Xia Jiu Xuan’s shoulder.

If Mo Yong Jian had dragged it downward with force, half of Xia Jiu Xuan’s body would have been split open, and he would have died without question.

At such a life-or-death moment, Xia Jiu Xuan still showed no panic.

He drove his knee upward with explosive force, and before Mo Yong Jian could slash downward with the sword, he sent him flying.

Whoosh!

Xia Jiu Xuan turned into a streak of shadow and pursued the metallic body as it was hurled away.

“Mysterious Underworld Shattering Organ Palm!”

Xia Jiu Xuan raised his hand and pressed it down.

Bang, bang, bang...

A string of explosive detonations rang out as Xia Jiu Xuan’s figure bounced away at great speed.

The spear Mo Yong Jian had thrust out was perfectly avoided by Xia Jiu Xuan.

Boom!

The ground was smashed open. Mo Yong Jian’s body sank more than ten zhang into the earth.

Thud, thud, thud...

Xia Jiu Xuan landed and staggered back several steps before finally steadying himself.

The entire arena fell silent.

Not a single sound.

That movement, that combat method, that pinpoint precision in finding openings, all were flawless beyond belief.

After a long while, the gifted youths below the platform finally burst into fervent discussion.

“Xia Jiu Xuan is truly a god among men!”

“I called myself a genius, too, yet compared to Xia Jiu Xuan, I’m nothing. Sigh.”

“To me, Mo Yong Jian didn’t have the slightest opening just now, but Xia Jiu Xuan was able to find several in a row and suppress him in one flowing sequence. The gap between us is at least three entire levels.”

“Yes, magnificent. This is the most brilliant battle I have ever witnessed in my life!”

“Don’t be so sure. Mo Yong Jian may not have lost yet. His defenses are unmatched!”

“Win or lose, Xia Jiu Xuan has already become a legend with this battle alone! You have to understand, Xia Jiu Xuan is seven minor realms below Mo Yong Jian. If they were at the same level, even Mo Yong Jian’s defenses would have been pierced through!”

The discussion went on and on. Nearly everyone was filled with admiration for Xia Jiu Xuan and bitterly regretted having underestimated him before.

Amid the crowd’s excitement, a few people remained relatively composed.

“Qin Wei, if you were to fight Xia Jiu Xuan, how would it end?” a youth asked quietly.

“Eighty-twenty. I’m eighty, he’s twenty,” the youth called Qin Wei replied.

“So confident? He isn’t weak,” the other youth said with a smile.

“He isn’t weak. I’m stronger,” Qin Wei said, lifting his brows.

“Then why don’t you go and fight him?” the youth pressed.

“Keep a low profile. Is there any need to make a show of myself like that?” Qin Wei said coolly.

“That’s true.” The youth nodded, then rubbed his hands together. “Still, I’m itching. I want to go beat Xia Jiu Xuan up.”

“Tch, childish. The divine beast you control is still in its juvenile stage. If you expose it, be careful that the hidden sects set their sights on it.”

The youth froze, then said, “You really are the steadier one. Fine then, I won’t steal the spotlight either.”

...

On the arena.

From the shattered pit in the earth, a figure slowly climbed out.

His whole body shook once, and the dust and grime clinging to him fell away. His body was completely unharmed.

“I knew it! How could Mo Yong Jian lose so easily? Look, he’s not hurt at all!”

Seeing Mo Yong Jian emerge, the crowd erupted once more.

One side was completely intact; the other had exhausted all his techniques and even had a pierced shoulder.

There was no way to continue fighting now, was there?

Xia Jiu Xuan had done his best, but in the end he still could not defeat Mo Yong Jian.

What a pity. Truly a pity.

While everyone marveled and sighed, Xia Jiu Xuan walked step by step toward Mo Yong Jian.

“Kneel and admit your mistake, and I will spare your life.”

Arms folded, Xia Jiu Xuan looked down at Mo Yong Jian from above.

Mo Yong Jian trembled all over, his fists clenched tightly.

He raised his head, and faint golden ripples seemed to turn in his eyes.

Was Mo Yong Jian about to unleash his killing move?

Everyone held their breath, eager to see how the frenzied Mo Yong Jian would retaliate against Xia Jiu Xuan.

But the scene that followed would remain with them for a lifetime.

Clang.

Mo Yong Jian’s heavy metallic knees slammed hard into the ground.

He knelt.

He knelt without the slightest warning.

“I have lost. Please spare my life.”

His choked voice was very soft, yet it fell clearly into everyone’s ears.

What in heaven’s name was going on?

Every single person wore the same bewildered expression.