The air was tense, almost suffocating. Every disciple, elder, and attendant turned their attention to the final stage.
"Final match," the presiding elder announced, his voice carrying like thunder. "Li Wei versus Liang Fei."
A collective murmur rippled through the crowd.
Li Wei, the quiet storm who had revealed his shocking cultivation during the tournament, now stood tall, sword sheathed at his side. His expression was calm, yet the faint ripple of qi radiating from his body betrayed the monstrous power coiled within.
Opposite him, Liang Fei rolled his shoulders, every muscle taut with strength. He was the embodiment of raw force — fists hardened through countless battles, qi roaring in his meridians like a caged beast. He cracked his knuckles, his grin wide and unrestrained.
The contrast was stark—sword and wind against flesh and stone.
"Both are monsters," someone muttered."Li Wei has the higher cultivation…""…but Liang Fei fights as if pain itself were his weapon."
"Finally," Liang Fei said, his voice like gravel. "No more half-measures. Show me everything, Li Wei!"
Li Wei's eyes narrowed, the corner of his lips twitching upward. "Very well. Let us see whose path shines brighter."
Then the elder's hand fell. "Begin!"
At the signal, Liang Fei charged first, his fist wreathed in shimmering qi. The ground trembled under his step, the arena attendants hastily pouring reinforcing energy into the platform's formation as cracks spidered across the edges.
Li Wei drew his sword in a single fluid motion, the blade gleaming under the sun. A clash rang out, steel meeting flesh, yet it was no ordinary impact — the shockwave reverberated across the platform, forcing the crowd to shield their eyes.
Li Wei's sword cut, diverted, and redirected—but Liang Fei's fists pressed closer with every step, shaking the earth with each advance.
"His body… it's like a weapon itself," an elder breathed.
"And Li Wei," another murmured, "his control is frightening. Every strike wastes no energy."
Li Wei spun away, his blade carving a crescent that drew blood from Liang Fei's arm. Yet the brawler only grinned wider, eyes bright with battle-lust. He lunged again, fist slamming forward like a falling boulder.
The impact forced Li Wei back three paces, his arm trembling from the shock.
For a moment, they stood apart, chests rising and falling. Sweat gleamed on their brows, yet neither gaze wavered.
On the sidelines, Wang Zhao clenched his fists. He remembered his own failure in the trials, the weight of not being good enough. Watching this clash, his chest tightened — awe mingling with bitterness. This is the gap… between me and true geniuses.
The two combatants exchanged blows with increasing ferocity.
Liang Fei's fists hammered forward like falling mountains, each strike threatening to overwhelm. His qi manifested faint ripples in the air, each punch backed by an explosive burst of force that made even the reinforced platform groan under the strain.
But Li Wei danced between the blows, sword arcing with precision. Every counter was surgical, every step deliberate. He turned raw power into an opportunity, slicing into the narrowest gaps with terrifying calm.
"Li Wei is… suppressing him?" a disciple whispered.
"No," Xu Feng muttered, shaking his head. "Li Wei's sharper, but Liang Fei's body… he's built to endure. This fight won't be decided quickly."
Even the elders leaned forward now.
A thunderous exchange sent both fighters skidding back, dust rising in thick clouds.
Li Wei's robes were torn, his sword arm trembling faintly from the sheer impact of blocking Liang Fei's unrelenting fists. Meanwhile, Liang Fei's knuckles bled where they had struck the edge of Li Wei's blade, yet his grin only widened.
"Hah!" Liang Fei barked, wiping blood from his fist with no concern. "Not bad. But I'm just getting started!"
He roared, his qi flaring to its peak. His body seemed to swell with vigor, veins bulging across his arms. Every heartbeat thundered like a drum, his aura pressing down on the stage like a rampaging beast.
Li Wei exhaled, centering himself. Then his qi surged. A faint whirlwind rose around him, tugging at his robes, his hair, the very dust of the arena. His sword hummed with power, the edge glinting as if eager for blood.
The second exchange began.
Sword and fist collided in a blur. Sparks cascaded like meteors. Dust rose in choking clouds. To the untrained eye it seemed chaos, but to those who understood, every strike was precise, every movement calculated to claim victory.
Li Wei's blade found Liang Fei's side—only for the brawler's fist to hammer into his shoulder at the same instant. Both staggered, blood flecking their lips, neither giving an inch.
The crowd erupted into cheers, anticipation boiling over.
Then came the final clash.
Liang Fei charged, fists like meteors crashing down. The very air warped around his strikes, the reinforced formations around the stage flaring bright to contain the force.
Li Wei stepped forward, eyes flashing, and unleashed a sword strike infused with his full intent. The blade shone like a sliver of lightning, cutting through the storm of fists.
The two forces collided at the center of the stage.
The explosion of qi and will shook the entire arena, a shockwave rippling outward. Attendants staggered as they channeled even more qi into the formations, barely keeping the platform intact.
And then — silence.
Dust and smoke veiled the outcome.
...
When it cleared, the figures stood revealed.
Li Wei's sword rested against Liang Fei's chest, its tip stopped just short of piercing flesh. His stance was steady, though sweat beaded his brow.
Liang Fei's fist, frozen inches from Li Wei's head, trembled with exhausted force before finally lowering. His grin faded into a crooked smile.
"…Tch. Looks like… you win," he muttered, breath ragged.
The elder's voice rang out, cutting through the quiet. "Victory — Li Wei!"
The crowd roared, a tidal wave of voices shaking the heavens.
Some disciples cheered in awe, others fell silent in stunned respect. In the stands, Yao Lin closed her eyes, the image of the clash seared into her mind. I was never even on the same stage… but one day, I will be.
Li Wei exhaled slowly, sheathing his sword. He turned to Liang Fei and offered a respectful nod. "Your fists… carried the weight of mountains. Without you, this battle would not have been worthy of the finals."
Liang Fei laughed hoarsely, clapping him on the shoulder. "Don't get soft on me now. Next time, I'll break that sword of yours."
The audience's cheers only grew louder, echoing across the mountains.