"General!" Jing Xue shouted.
"Shengzun!" Luo Heng shouted.
Similar noises came from the onlookers around.
Xuan Tian gripped the blade that pierced his chest with his left hand, to stop it from going deeper.
He spat out blood. "I got distracted."
Then he hit Han Zhaofeng's left shoulder hard. "Nothing more."
Han Zhaofeng, who had been basking in satisfaction after successfully landing a hit, suddenly felt a jolt of pain in his shoulder. He staggered backward and pulled his sword with him.
Fresh blood spilled from Xuan Tian's wound. His fingers moved like lightning, striking his own acupoints to stop the bleeding.
The pain caused Han Zhaofeng to gain moments of clarity. His eyes were slowly returning to dark brown—black streaks visibly fading. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind.
Luo Heng noticed. He took one step forward. "Han Shengzun?"
Another step… another step… hand out, reaching. Almost there—
"Don't touch him!" Xuan Tian barked.
Unfortunately, it was too late. Black-nailed fingers grasped Luo Heng's hand tightly, refusing to let go.
Xuan Tian moved instantly, swinging the fake Zhongyi down at Han Zhaofeng's hand—close enough to sever it.
Han Zhaofeng withdrew in time, releasing Luo Heng.
Xuan Tian grabbed Luo Heng's shoulder and pulled him behind.
Han Zhaofeng retreated a few steps—and stopped.
When he looked up, the black streaks had returned, more prominent than ever. Han Zhaofeng was almost completely turned.
Xuan Tian had no time to think. Han Zhaofeng moved again—faster.
Wu Zhenhai recognized the technique. "Shengzun, careful! Han Shengzun is executing his ultimate technique of Severing Sword—Silence!"
The name fit. The area became silent. So silent that Xuan Tian could hear his own heartbeat. He couldn't hear anything else. His eyes never left Han Zhaofeng—or Duansheng.
Duansheng moved silently, stealthily. It cut off the opponent's hearing, and in advanced stages, it could blind them—making Duansheng's slashes undetectable. If it had been anyone else, Silence would be truly terrifying. But unfortunately for Han Zhaofeng, his opponent was Zhongyi and its wielder: the God of War of the Celestial Realm.
Xuan Tian realized he was strong enough to break Silence—but not without a price. He would suffer significant internal injuries. He knew that already. The moment he laid a hand on Yan Zhen's shoulder, he was ready to pay that price.
Zhongyi moved, in sync with Duansheng.
From the onlookers' point of view, both swords moved so slowly it looked like a stage performance. But in truth, they were only seeing afterimages.
But Jing Xue, who had been at Xuan Tian's side in countless battlefield, recognised it instantly, and cursed inward.
Resonance… Damn it, Ge!
He turned to Lin Qian, who was watching the battle in awe like everyone else. Jing Xue's paw touched her hand.
"Doctor, don't be alarmed. It's me, Jing Xue. General is executing one of his ultimate sword techniques. He rarely uses it because it consumes significant spirit energy and takes a toll on his body. Be ready, Doctor."
Jing Xue spoke quickly, giving Lin Qian no time to process that a divine beast had just spoken to her.
Lin Qian, however, proved herself a true doctor. After the initial shock, she turned serious and nodded at Jing Xue, indicating she understood.
She got up, ready to 'receive' Xuan Tian at any moment.
The air thickened. The wind picked up. Strangely, it was the only sound—everything else was swallowed by the effect of Silence.
Slashes from the two swords began to affect the surroundings, forcing bystanders to retreat. But it was no use—the affected area kept expanding, and the wind was getting louder and stronger.
Damn it, you two! Jing Xue cursed again.
His eyes gleamed silver. Spirit energy surged around him—gentle but firm—as he carefully extended a barrier to contain the escalating fight.
No one noticed the silver-white wolf-dog weaving spirit energy into a new barrier to contain the fight. All they noticed was that the attacks no longer reached them.
Xuan Tian was starting to feel the strain of Resonance on his body. He rarely used Resonance because it drained a lot of spirit energy and left his body so strained, he often couldn't move afterward. That kind of weakness could be fatal on the battlefield.
He was using it now because it was the fastest way to defeat Han Zhaofeng. What made Resonance deadly wasn't just its ability to mimic and synchronize with the opponent's moves—it took one step further. It infiltrated their technique and began to break it from within, like a malignant disease attacking a healthy body without mercy.
Han Zhaofeng's attacks had begun to show imperfections. Xuan Tian saw this, and took his chance. He surged forward, dismantling Han Zhaofeng's attacks, one by one, slash by slash, until Duansheng flew out of Han Zhaofeng's hand and landed piercing the ground. Xuan Tian didn't stop there.
Fake Zhongyi also disappeared. Xuan Tian kept going forward, caught Han Zhaofeng, hit several of his acupoints, rendering him unable to move. Xuan Tian forced Han Zhaofeng to sit cross-legged. He also sat cross-legged.
Channeling his spirit energy to Han Zhaofeng, Xuan Tian started to pull him back from the dark cultivation path.
With Silence defeated, the sounds of the area returned. Onlookers' voices, their gasps, footsteps—everything came back. Some of them were shocked to find they were able to hear again.
The gasps grew louder when they saw Duansheng, pierced into the ground.
"Han Shengzun lost?"
"This is incredible!"
"Who is the other Shengzun?"
Jing Xue saw what Xuan Tian was trying to do. He couldn't blame him. Han Zhaofeng's transformation was nearing completion. Jing Xue would've done the same. He just hoped Xuan Tian's internal injuries wouldn't get worse—one can only wish.
Wu Zhenhai, Yan Zhen, and Luo Heng were watching the two people sitting cross-legged on the ground. They prayed inwardly, hoping that Xuan Tian would succeed.
Suddenly, the air shifted again.
Everyone's focus was on the two figures on the ground.
A burst of cold aura surged wildly, hitting everyone. The ones with lower cultivation couldn't take it and vomited blood.
Jing Xue protected Mu Qingran, who had regained consciousness when Xuan Tian began Resonance. She had stayed silent, too shocked by the scene that welcomed her.
Han Zhaofeng opened his eyes—fewer black streaks, but they were still there. He tried to move but couldn't. Frustrated, he forcefully opened his acupoints, coughing up blood in the process—but he could move again.
He launched at Xuan Tian, who was still sitting cross-legged and channeling spirit energy.
A bonus fight round began. This time, both men fought barehanded while sitting.
Xuan Tian's hand-to-hand combat skills were as formidable as his swordsmanship. He quickly subdued Han Zhaofeng, struck several acupoints again, and resumed channeling spirit energy—determined to pull him back from the darkness.
Han Zhaofeng, who was still groaning and struggling to move, slowly became calmer. The black streaks in his eyes gradually faded until his original eye color returned. He grew lethargic, consciousness slipping, until he collapsed completely.
The crowd gasped, "Han Shengzun!" and surged forward.
Luo Heng moved first. He stood and shouted, "Order!"
The Enforcers snapped back into focus.
Luo Heng continued, "It's over. Han Shengzun needs his rest. Go back to your duties. Let Han Shengzun rest."
Wu Zhenhai, as the highest-ranking Enforcer present, also issued his command. "I believe you all understand that what has happened here today cannot be leaked to outsiders."
All answered in unison, "YES SIR!"
And they dispersed.