Luo Yunshuang was the first to seize an opportunity, performing a backflip to widen the distance.
Instantly after, her twin swords merged, materializing countless flying swords that surged toward Lin Shimeng.
"Taste the true power of my Falling Heavenly Stars!"
Alongside the swarm of sword shadows came Luo Yunshuang herself. While the numerous flying swords possessed formidable might, her true core attack remained the main blade in her hand.
Lin Shimeng was far from unprepared.
The moment Luo Yunshuang had backed away, she had already leveled her sword horizontally across her chest. Because of the angle, Luo Yunshuang failed to notice in time.
"Mountain Severance."
Judging the moment to be ripe, Lin Shimeng whirled around and slashed toward her opponent.
A ring-shaped wave of sword Qi erupted outward.
"Damn it, I've fallen for it."
By the time Luo Yunshuang realized the truth, it was far too late. The distance was already too narrow to evade.
She never imagined that Lin Shimeng would unleash her ultimate strike at such point-blank range, driving her straight into the path of the blade.
With no time to hesitate, Luo Yunshuang hastily activated her Protective Dharma Treasure while pressing her sword vertically before her, her left hand braced against the flat of the blade to absorb part of the impact.
Once [Mountain Severance] was unleashed, Lin Shimeng did not pursue. At a distance, follow-up moves might have been necessary, but at such close quarters, taking a point-blank ultimate strike meant the opponent was either injured or entirely spent.
Sure enough, due to the minimal distance, Luo Yunshuang's hasty defense proved inadequate. The immense power shattered her Protective Dharma Treasure instantly.
In the end, she survived solely on her remaining Spiritual Qi shield. Though she avoided serious injury, her Spiritual Qi was nearly exhausted.
"You've lost."
Lin Shimeng declared the outcome with the air of a victor.
"I haven't lost yet. Don't celebrate too soon!"
Refusing to concede, Luo Yunshuang raised her sword to press the attack once more.
"Little Sister, step down."
Luo Yunbing's cold voice rang out with absolute authority.
"Elder Sister, I haven't lost yet!"
Luo Yunshuang protested, bewildered as to why even her sister refused to back her.
"Get down here. Sister will avenge you."
Luo Yunshuang might not have realized it, but Luo Yunbing had seen the situation clearly. Had Lin Shimeng pressed the attack a moment ago, her younger sister would have suffered far worse, potentially sustaining severe injuries. Their opponent had already shown mercy; persisting further would only bring disgrace.
Though impressed by Lin Shimeng's strength, Luo Yunbing had thoroughly analyzed her techniques during the clash. Combined with the toll the previous fight had taken on Lin Shimeng, she was confident of victory.
Reluctant though she was, Luo Yunshuang obeyed when she saw the unyielding seriousness in her sister's eyes.
The two sisters had been taken into the Mysterious Yin Sect together in their youth. Though they were twins, her sister had always been far more sensible. Whenever she got into trouble, her sister took the blame. When she wept in frustration over difficult cultivation bottlenecks, her sister patiently taught her word by word. No one surpassed her sister's affection for her, but when her sister turned stern, obedience was the only option.
Stepping onto the arena, Luo Yunbing consumed a Spirit-Burst Pill, her aura surging to the late Nascent Soul stage.
Without a wasted word, she adjusted her footing, exchanged a single glance, and charged at Lin Shimeng.
Knowing her opponent came prepared, Lin Shimeng had maintained her guard, and the two instantly locked in combat.
Though they were twins blessed with identical talent, Luo Yunbing's combat strength far outstripped Luo Yunshuang's, placing her roughly on par with Su Lin.
At first, the gap was barely noticeable, but as the exchange dragged on, Lin Shimeng found the going increasingly difficult. Aside from the fatigue of her previous match, she could clearly feel that Luo Yunbing was the more formidable combatant.
A momentary lapse in concentration gave Luo Yunbing her opening; a swift strike sent Lin Shimeng flying from the stage.
"You are defeated. With what little Spiritual Qi you have left, I will not kick a person while they're down."
Luo Yunbing held back from pursuing, repaying the unspoken courtesy Lin Shimeng had shown earlier.
"Second Disciple, that's enough."
Seeing Lin Shimeng reach for a flask of Spirit Liquid, Qin Xiao called out.
"Understood, Master."
Lin Shimeng stepped down cleanly.
She knew that even if she replenished her Spiritual Qi, without finding a flaw in her opponent, the match would only devolve into a war of attrition. Since her master called a halt, there was no point continuing; she had already secured one victory.
"Master, I am ready as well."
Hearing Qin Xiao summon Lin Shimeng, Yun Man opened her eyes.
"Not your turn. Keep healing. Your master wants to stretch his limbs a bit."
Qin Xiao brushed off Yun Man's offer, intending to take the field himself.
A genuine late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator was beyond his certainty, but against one propped up by pills, he wanted to test whether his Body Refinement Fourth Layer could hold its ground.
"Then Master, here are your boots back."
Noticing Qin Xiao's intention, Yun Man unlaced the footwear.
"Keep them. I'm just going up to take a beating. What would I need boots for? Use them yourself until everything is settled."
Refusing the offer, Qin Xiao prepared himself to test his physical limits rather than fight.
With a subtle shift of his stance, Qin Xiao lifted into the air, stepping upward through empty space until he hovered above the arena.
During his two months of Secluded Cultivation, Qin Xiao had researched extensively. He discovered that air possessed resistance; with sufficient leg speed and striking force, it could generate adequate propulsion, especially when combined with precise control over his own body weight.
"What is happening? Isn't Qin Xiao supposed to be a mortal incapable of cultivation? How is he walking through the air?"
"Could he be using some sort of Dharma Treasure?"
"It's not a Dharma Treasure. I cannot sense the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Qi."
"Then how is this possible? Is he truly a mortal?"
Qin Xiao's airborne ascent instantly sparked a wave of astonished murmurs among the spectators.
Hearing the rising tide of discussion, Qin Xiao felt entirely gratified. It seemed his display of posturing had landed perfectly.
"Great Elder, have you discerned anything?"
Su Lin asked Wei Jian with a hint of anxiety, utterly unable to read Qin Xiao's state.
"I checked. There is no Spiritual Qi fluctuation about him whatsoever. Every step he takes compresses the air currents slightly, but such raw force should be utterly insufficient to support a human body in midair."
As a Body Integration stage expert, Wei Jian was thoroughly baffled. It defied all logic.
Had Qin Xiao heard Wei Jian's thoughts, he would undoubtedly have retorted: since when has your cultivation conformed to logic?
"Just how many secrets does this boy Qin Xiao possess? To walk through the air using merely a mortal shell?"
Pure Yang Sect Second Elder Han Mingyuan was equally dumbfounded, entirely at a loss.
"Hey! How long do you plan to loiter up there? Are we fighting or not?"
Luo Yunbing finally lost her patience. What was the man trying to prove with this grand display?
"Ah, apologies. Got a bit carried away showing off. I'm coming down now."
Savoring the commentary from the crowd and keeping his Divine Sense wide open to catch every word of praise, Qin Xiao only snapped back to reality when Luo Yunbing called out.
Landing with an air of profound mystery, Qin Xiao placed his hands behind his back and assumed an impassive posture.
"Make your move."
Watching him stand there like a wooden post, even Luo Yunbing's icy composure frayed into irritation.
"You attack first. I'm here to test your level."
Qin Xiao mused inwardly: I came up here to get beaten up, what am I supposed to attack with?
"Do you think playing the fool will save you? Ridiculous."
Utterly provoked, Luo Yunbing dismissed her sword. Deciding that a blade might prove fatal, she coated her fists in dense Spiritual Qi instead.
Qin Xiao watched calmly as she closed the distance, still making no move to defend himself.