Su Mubai's Righteous Sword Domain locked down the duelling arena, stripping Xiao Wuchen of the mobility advantage of Flower Blooms to Reveal Buddha and forcing him into a direct confrontation.
Xiao Wuchen no longer evaded, unleashing the full power of his newly established purple inner energy. This energy was no longer purely defensive; it had transformed into countless soft, mysterious purple threads, like willow branches in deep water, which met Su Mubai's solidified sword domain.
The Righteous Sword Qi and the purple inner energy clashed wildly within the domain. Su Mubai's sword domain was pure and fierce, attempting to crush the purple energy with absolute 'momentum', while Xiao Wuchen's purple energy displayed the highest realm of [Purple Qi Swaying Like Willow] — soft, resilient and yielding — neutralising force.
With each collision, the purple threads instantly dissolved the sword energy's most powerful force, guiding it towards the crystal surface and producing muffled thuds. To outsiders, Xiao Wuchen appeared like a willow swaying in a storm: seemingly weak yet deeply rooted and remarkably resilient.
Su Mubai's heart skipped a beat. "The resilience of his internal energy is terrifying! Although he has spent little time cultivating his meridians, he has reached a state of perfection in his mastery of Yin-Yang martial arts."
Sword Maniac's Ultimate Strike: Sealing Space and Time
Having failed to gain the upper hand, Su Mubai no longer held back. He knew that, as long as Xiao Wuchen's purple energy persisted, his own fierce momentum would gradually be eroded.
He took a deep breath, his sword robe fluttering in the absence of wind, and the Frost Sword emitted a clear dragon's roar. At that moment, the sword domain shrank and all the vast sword intent ceased spreading, instead condensing into a single point.
"Eunuch Xiao, be careful! This move is called Sealing Space and Time!"
Su Mubai channelled all his true energy into the tip of his sword before thrusting it out with great force. Although this sword strike lacked ornate techniques and immense momentum, wherever the tip passed, space seemed to fold and solidify. It blocked all of Xiao Wuchen's escape routes — a perfect fusion of power, speed and sword intent — forcing Xiao Wuchen to confront the attack with his strongest stance.
Xiao Wuchen sensed the terror of this attack, recognising it as the strongest he had faced since opening his meridians.
He did not retreat nor make any unnecessary movements, but instead met the attack with all his might.
Xiao Wuchen's protective purple aura was pierced by the sword tip just a fraction of a second later!
After three days of arduous training, Xiao Wuchen unleashed a fusion of hardness and softness in his killing move:
[Purple Aura Swaying Like Willows]Leveraging Force (Softness). Rather than deflecting the force, Xiao Wuchen concentrated all of his purple aura energy in his chest like a giant suction cup to meet the full force of Su Mubai's sword strike. Rather than dissipating, this force was instantly distorted, guided and rebounded back at Su Mubai!
[Flower Blooming to Reveal Buddha] Explosion (Speed): Using this terrifying rebound force, Xiao Wuchen's body shot out instantly like a cannonball. He activated the refined speed of Flower Blooming to Reveal Buddha, breaking through the limitations of the sword domain and exploding at extreme speed. It was as if a lotus flower had bloomed instantly before Su Mubai's eyes!
Speed and unpredictability merged perfectly at that moment.
In the brief moment when Su Mubai's old strength had exhausted itself and new strength had not yet arisen, Xiao Wuchen had already transformed into a purple afterimage, closing in on Su Mubai.
Rather than using his sword, he struck Su Mubai's vital point at the waist with two fingers, enveloped in the subtle and mysterious purple energy of the Qi Buildup Meridians, like a venomous snake's hiss!
This strike was a pure penetration of internal energy, the subtle characteristics of the [Purple Qi Sweeping Willow] pushed to their extreme — not damaging bones or muscles, but merely shaking the dantian.
"Pfft—"
Su Mubai's body trembled violently and the Frost Sword slipped from his hand, falling to the ground with a crisp hum. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth and his face turned instantly pale. However, with his powerful willpower, he stubbornly refused to fall 'I lost...' Su Mubai's voice was hoarse and his eyes were filled with complex emotions. He had lost because of the utilisation of 'softness' against 'hardness', because of that subtle and mysterious killing move that combined extreme speed with subtle internal energy.The enforcement officer immediately ran onto the stage to examine Su Mubai's injuries. Upon confirming that he was no longer able to fight, he raised his hands and announced, "Su Mubai of the Haoran Sword Sect is defeated! Xiao Wuchen of the Hidden Guard is victorious!" There was an enormous outcry in the square of the Martial Saint Hall. No one could have predicted that this battle, widely considered to be a mismatch between strength and weakness, would end with Su Mubai's sword falling from his hand and his internal energy being damaged. That afternoon, the latest Earthly Ranking spread throughout the martial world: Changes: Original Ranking | New Ranking: Xiao Wuchen (Earthly Ranking Rising Star, previously 500th) — Earthly Ranking 38th; Su Mubai — Earthly Ranking 36th; Earthly Ranking 39th. Xiao Wuchen's victory as a newly promoted cultivator who directly challenged a veteran Earthly Ranking expert propelled him into the top forty, shocking the entire martial world. 'Purple Qi Eunuch', 'Flowers Bloom to Reveal the Buddha' — these names, previously only known in small circles, now resound throughout the martial world. The "Heavenly Ranking Agreement" taught Su Mubai a lesson and made Xiao Wuchen famous in the martial arts world. He is now a rising star that countless forces must take note of!
Following the duel, Xiao Wuchen did not pursue or humiliate Su Mubai. Standing on the duelling platform and watching Su Mubai being carried away, he showed no sense of pride, only respect for someone who was strong.
That night, at the Haoran Sword Sect's temporary lodgings, Su Mubai wrote a letter and secretly sent it to the Hidden Guard's residence, despite his injuries.
The letter contained no hatred, only eight words: 'The sword's fierceness is inferior to Zi Liu's.'
Su Mubai acknowledged Xiao Wuchen's martial arts prowess, especially his ability to combine strength and gentleness. He knew that Xiao Wuchen would be an important reference point in his future attempts to reach higher realms.
Xiao Wuchen received Su Mubai's letter in the secluded courtyard of the Hidden Guard Division and smiled slightly.
'This Su Mubai certainly has a magnanimous heart.'
But victory did not bring peace. While the significant rise in his Earthly Ranking did indeed solidify Xiao Wuchen's position within the inner court, it also attracted more jealousy and attention.
He stood by the window, looking down at the night seeping into the courtyard.
'The Earthly Ranking is set; the Heavenly Ranking is imminent.'
He knew that the next wave of turmoil in the martial world would revolve around him. Although he had defeated Su Mubai, he had also exposed his Qi Condensation stage to the world, particularly to the forces that coveted his eunuch status and power within the inner court.
Xiao Wuchen looked into the distance, his eyes deep and wary. 'The real trouble is yet to come.'