Chapter 120: Flame Heavenly Vine

Chapter 120: Flame Heavenly Vine

Ming Yang's Supreme Sword Dao once again caused a sensation.

All the disciples outside the martial arena were discussing the event, analyzing the sword strike Ming Yang had just executed. They grew even more wary of him and eagerly anticipated the upcoming battles, longing to witness Ming Yang cutting down every opponent in his path.

No one could stop his advance.

Yu Qianqian, Ning Xin'er, and Murong Wushuang all wore solemn expressions, their gazes fixed on Ning Xiaochuan with deep concern.

Ning Xin'er tightly pursed her lips and said, "Brother, maybe you shouldn’t fight Ming Yang yet. Once your cultivation grows stronger in the future, you’ll definitely be able to defeat him."

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "Ming Yang’s strength isn’t necessarily unbeatable."

"But even an expert like Nan Shuiyi was killed in a single strike by him," Yu Qianqian interjected.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "Though I don’t fully understand the Supreme Sword Dao, I do know one principle: to unleash the most extreme Sword Qi, one must possess the most extreme momentum. Once that momentum weakens, so does the sword."

Yu Qianqian asked, "What do you mean?"

Ning Xiaochuan explained, "I believe Ming Yang’s strongest strike is his first one. If someone can withstand that first strike, his momentum will inevitably decline. Once his momentum falters, the power of his Supreme Sword Dao will diminish as well."

Yu Qianqian’s eyes brightened. "Ming Yang has never needed a second move in any of his battles, which is why everyone believes he’s invincible. He himself holds that conviction—that a single strike will always claim his opponent’s life. But if someone can block his first strike, it will shake his belief, weaken his momentum, and thus weaken his sword."

Murong Wushuang nodded, then shook his head. "If Ming Yang’s first strike were so easy to block, Nan Shuiyi and the others wouldn’t have died. The Supreme Sword Dao wouldn’t be called the Supreme Sword Dao then."

Ning Xin'er asked worriedly, "Brother, are you confident you can block Ming Yang’s first strike?"

Ning Xiaochuan smiled faintly, his gaze turning profound.

The list of this year’s top five was finalized: Ming Yang, Yu Tiadi, Ning Xiaochuan, Princess Lanfei, and Hu Han Yeli.

Ming Yang advanced directly to the finals, exempt from further qualification matches.

This meant Ming Yang would only appear in the final battle, and his opponent would emerge from among Ning Xiaochuan, Yu Tiadi, Princess Lanfei, and Hu Han Yeli.

"I hope to see you on the battlefield in the finals," Ming Yang said as he walked past Ning Xiaochuan, his sword strapped to his back. He left without turning his head, leaving behind an aloof and cold silhouette.

His battles were over—only the final match awaited him tomorrow.

Ning Xiaochuan, Yu Tiadi, Princess Lanfei, and Hu Han Yeli remained to compete, determining through duels who would be the most outstanding disciple to challenge Ming Yang for this year’s Champion title.

The drawing of lots began again.

This time, Ning Xiaochuan’s opponent was Princess Lanfei, while Yu Tiadi would face Hu Han Yeli.

On the martial stage, the beautiful Princess Lanfei wore a pristine white robe, neatly belted at the waist, accentuating her slender figure. Though dressed in male attire, she couldn’t conceal her captivating charm.

Her eyes were clear and lively, as if washed by a spiritual spring, with long, upturned lashes. Her pitch-black pupils fixed tightly on Ning Xiaochuan as she said, "Ning Xiaochuan, the grudge between us should come to an end today."

Ning Xiaochuan nodded and replied, "Then why don’t we make a bet?"

"What bet?" Princess Lanfei asked.

Ning Xiaochuan said, "If I win, all past grievances between us will be wiped clean. From then on, you must stop making unreasonable trouble and leave me alone."

Ning Xiaochuan truly didn’t want to continue fighting with Princess Lanfei and hoped to settle their feud with this battle.

Upon hearing this, Princess Lanfei’s forehead darkened with anger, her heart nearly exploding with rage. Her beautiful eyes widened in disbelief—how could there be such a shameless person in the world? Clearly, he was the one who had repeatedly insulted her, yet he accused her of making unreasonable trouble and told her not to bother him?

Clenching her pearly white teeth, she forced a smile and said, "Fine, I agree. But if you lose to me, you must be castrated and enter the palace as a eunuch, serving as my slave for the rest of your life, attending to my every need. Do you dare accept?"

Outside the martial arena, many warriors gasped in shock. Good heavens, this princess was truly ruthless!

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly felt a chill down below and solemnly said, "Let’s fight."

"So you agree? Don’t regret it later," Princess Lanfei said with a sly smile.

Murong Wushuang shouted from outside the arena, "This isn’t fair! It’s completely unfair! I propose that if Princess Lanfei loses to Ning Xiaochuan, she should become his wife—no, his concubine. What does everyone think?"

Many in the crowd joined in the uproar. "That’s a great suggestion! Only then would it be fair. Otherwise, if Ning Xiaochuan loses, he has to become a eunuch—that’s just too unfair."

"I think Brother Murong’s proposal is truly just and fair."

"Actually, the princess still has the upper hand. If she loses, she only becomes a concubine, but if Ning Xiaochuan loses, he becomes a eunuch—the price is far too steep."

The commotion outside the arena reached unprecedented levels, but Yu Qianqian’s expression turned ugly. She glared fiercely at Murong Wushuang, itching to beat him up.

A sudden thought crossed Princess Lanfei’s mind: "If I really lose to Ning Xiaochuan, should I truly let bygones be bygones? Should I really let him off the hook? After taking my body, does he think he can just shirk all responsibility? No way! The world isn’t that forgiving!"

Her eyes glinted shrewdly as she declared solemnly, "Fine! If Ning Xiaochuan defeats me, I will marry him."

Ning Xiaochuan was momentarily stunned—had Princess Lanfei gone mad?

Princess Lanfei, of course, had her own calculations. As the daughter of an emperor, her status was incomparably noble. Even if she married Ning Xiaochuan, her rank would still place her above him.

In the entire Yulan Empire, it was always said that the princess held power over her consort—no consort had ever dared to defy a princess.

In other words, even if Ning Xiaochuan did marry her, he would still be nothing more than her servant.

"Boom!"

The entire martial arena erupted in excitement. No one had expected Princess Lanfei to actually agree. Now, there was truly a spectacle to behold. Whether Ning Xiaochuan lost to Princess Lanfei or Princess Lanfei fell to Ning Xiaochuan, something fascinating was bound to happen.

Of course, many talented geniuses envied Ning Xiaochuan. After all, Princess Lanfei was a peerless beauty, her looks breathtaking, her status noble, and her martial talent far surpassing her peers. A woman like Princess Lanfei could almost be called perfect—the goddess in the hearts of many young men. And now, Ning Xiaochuan had the chance to marry such a royal celestial maiden. Just the thought of it filled countless people with envy and jealousy.

Yu Qianqian’s eyes at this moment were practically murderous, glaring fiercely at Murong Wushuang, as if she wanted nothing more than to cut out his wagging tongue. Murong Wushuang knew he had messed up. His face stiffened into an awkward smile before he turned and fled, terrified that if he ran too slowly, Yu Qianqian would indeed slice out his tongue.

"Let’s fight."

Ning Xiaochuan spread his palm, strands of lightning seeping from his pores, his gaze calm and steady.

A faint smile curled at Princess Lanfei’s lips as wisps of Profound Qi flowed from her fingertips into the yellow sand beneath her. Her rosy lips parted, uttering four words: "Flame Heavenly Vine."

Sizzle— From beneath the sand, green vines erupted, sprouting tender shoots that rapidly grew, thickening until they became dozens of meters long, as thick as a wrist. The entire martial arena was soon overgrown with these vines—at least a hundred of them—so dense they blotted out the sky, transforming the desert into a forest.

Princess Lanfei possessed the Five Elements Divine Body, and she was now manipulating the Wood Elemental Power.

"Her cultivation has indeed grown much stronger. This must be her Fifth Divine Ability."

Ning Xiaochuan’s entire body was wrapped in lightning as he stood at the center of his Lightning Ball, striking bolts of lightning at the vines. Though the vines withered upon being struck, more quickly sprouted in their place. The tips of the vines were as sharp as spearheads, their leaves as keen as blades.

Swish! Swish!

A hundred vines relentlessly hammered against the Lightning Ball, trying to breach the Lightning Shield’s defenses. Their power grew increasingly ferocious, denting the shield with massive craters.

Princess Lanfei stood gracefully atop one of the vines, her white robes like snow, her skin like jade, her long hair cascading like a waterfall—a fairy traversing a verdant forest. Her slender, delicate fingers, like works of art carved from white jade, pointed toward the Lightning Ball as her rosy lips parted again: "Flame."

Boom!

Fire erupted from every vine in the arena, transforming them into blazing Divine Dragons. The vines burned, the leaves burned—the entire martial arena was engulfed in flames.

Boom! Boom!

The Flame Heavenly Vines lashed at the Lightning Ball like fiery whips, sparks flying with each strike, the impacts deafening.

It was a breathtaking sight—the entire arena aflame, overgrown with a hundred blazing vines, each dozens of meters long, writhing like fiery Mystic Artifact whips as they relentlessly struck the Lightning Ball.

Many were stunned, never having imagined Princess Lanfei’s cultivation could be so formidable.

"Princess Lanfei actually possesses both Wood Elemental Power and Fire Elemental Power simultaneously. She is undoubtedly a Dual-Attribute Physique, one in ten thousand, far surpassing ordinary Five Elements Divine Body warriors in combat strength at the same cultivation realm."

"If Princess Lanfei defeats Ning Xiaochuan, wouldn’t he really have to be castrated and become a eunuch?"

"Ning Xiaochuan won’t be defeated so easily. Look, look at the dark cloud forming above the martial arena."

Above the martial arena, a dark cloud condensed, making the air in the entire space grow stiflingly hot.

Ning Xiaochuan stood within his Lightning Ball, his expression solemn as he pointed a finger toward the sky. Instantly, thunder and lightning erupted within the dark cloud, with Lightning Serpents weaving through it, accompanied by deafening roars.

"Whoosh—"

A heavy rain began to pour from the sky.