C130 The Final Battle!(part I)
Ying Le was already at her wits' end, having barely evaded the relentless pursuit of the Annihilation Light. Now, with the onslaught of the dark blade light, she found herself besieged on all sides.
Biting down on her silver teeth, Ying Le summoned her remaining spiritual energy and cried out, "Ming Dynasty Sword Art: Fire God!" With a flourish of her sword, the fiery deity materialized once again to shield her.
"Ming Dynasty Sword Art: Sword Light Escape!" The arena was briefly illuminated as Ying Le vanished, reappearing an instant later behind the dark blade light. The effort left her complexion ghostly pale.
In the private room, Ying Zhi couldn't hide his frustration, "Does this guy have no regard for gentleness? He's relentless."
"Clang!"
"Boom!"
The harsh sounds of battle echoed behind Ying Le, caught between the dark blade light and the Annihilation Aura. The Fire God was extinguished in less than two breaths.
Witnessing the scene, Qin Buyi remarked, "Mentor Ying Le truly possesses extraordinary strength."
Ying Le, fighting the urge to lash out, managed to keep her composure. With a forced smile, she posed an off-topic question to Qin Buyi, "Mentor Qin, you're still single, aren't you?"
"Indeed," Qin Buyi confirmed, "I am single, as Mentor Ying Le has surmised."
Ying Le couldn't help but comment, "With such a brusque manner towards ladies, Teacher Qin, I suspect you might remain single for life."
Qin Buyi retorted, "Mentor Ying Le need not concern herself. Brace yourself!"
"Killing Swordsmanship: Annihilation, Immortal Slashing!"
"Killing Swordsmanship: Annihilation, Immortal Slashing!"
"Killing Swordsmanship: Annihilation, Immortal Slashing!"
Qin Buyi executed a rapid succession of twelve combined strikes of Immortal Slashing and Annihilation. Panting slightly from the exertion, he challenged Ying Le, "Mentor Ying Le, can you withstand this assault?"
Ying Le surveyed the twelve blade beams that had materialized in the arena, her previous encounter with the technique fresh in her mind. A single beam had been enough to drain her; a dozen was unthinkable.
With a complex gaze, Ying Le conceded to Qin Buyi, "I yield."
Judge Hee Yan took the stage and swiftly extinguished the twelve blade lights.
He declared, "The victor of the fourth bout is Qin Buyi!"
"The fifth bout will commence in one hour."
Qin Buyi bowed respectfully and said, "Mentor Ying Le, I'm grateful for your leniency."
Ying Le stared at Qin Buyi for a moment before retorting, "You're such an unromantic fellow. I'm done with you."
With those words, Ying Le spun on her heel, dashed to the spectator area, and nestled into a luxurious booth to await the start of the fifth match.
On the live feed, Ye Hui and others who had been defeated in the earlier rounds were setting the tone.
From within his virtual reality helmet, Ye Hui exclaimed, "Who would've thought that even the third-ranked Mentor Ying Le would be beaten? She's definitely stronger than Yu Jin, haha."
Wang Dan commented, "Mentor Ying Le, despite being a woman, has done remarkably well to last this long against a monster like Qin Buyi. She's certainly stronger than Yu Jin!"
Yu Jin remained silent.
Other teachers and students from the College of Ming Dynasty chimed in with their comments:
"The guys above are focusing on the weirdest things! How can you not be charmed by the stunning Mentor Ying Le, who clearly favors Instructor Qin?"
"Exactly! Who pays attention to the fight when there's such beauty present? The ones above are clueless! Instructor Qin's conduct is exemplary, a true paragon among men, the ultimate insulator. He's a keeper!"
"If I encountered such a gorgeous woman, I'd concede as soon as I stepped onto the stage. Unlike Instructor Qin, who spares no mercy for beauty, I'm fated to a life of solitude."
"Speaking as a woman, let me just say, you're all on a fast track to lifelong solitude. We like someone like Instructor Qin Buyi, who has both talent and looks—even if he goes a bit overboard."
As time slipped by, the moment for the fifth battle swiftly approached.
Lan Linglong announced onscreen, "The fifth and final battle is upon us. Time to begin!"
"Now, please welcome Instructor Qin Buyi's adversary for the fifth battle, the second-ranked Mentor Bao Shui!"
"Before we officially kick off the battle, allow me to give a grand introduction to Mentor Bao Shui."
Mentor Bao Shui is renowned as the premier water controller at the College of Ming Dynasty, with a cultivation level that has reached the pinnacle of Tribulation Crossing.
Previously, Mentor Bao Shui had engaged in a fierce battle with the now-deceased Mentor Lie Huo, fighting dozens of rounds to a standstill.
Lan Linglong's words had barely settled when a man clad in sky-blue, exuding a dense aura of water, materialized opposite Qin Buyi.
Bao Shui eyed Qin Buyi and declared, "Qin Buyi, you possess great strength, but it's still not sufficient!"
Qin Buyi returned the gaze earnestly, countering, "You too wield considerable power, yet today, defeat is your only destiny."
With a scoff, Bao Shui retorted, "We shall see the truth in combat, then."
The fifth battle had yet to commence, yet the air was already electric with anticipation and rivalry.
Hee Yan, sensing the charged atmosphere, sought confirmation with a glance, asking if they were ready to begin.
Upon receiving affirmative nods from both Qin Buyi and Bao Shui, Hee Yan proclaimed, "Let the fifth battle begin!"
While observing the imminent clash, Hee Yan couldn't help but reflect internally,
"This is a clash of titans within the College of Ming Dynasty, second only to the dean himself."
"One is the second-ranked high-level mentor, and the other, the formidable Qin Buyi, is known for triumphing against higher-level cultivators time and again."
"The anticipation for their upcoming duel is palpable."
With a resonant "clang," Qin Buyi unsheathed his Killing Saber, while Bao Shui stood unarmed, a picture of calm.
Qin Buyi's eyes betrayed a flicker of confusion at the sight, prompting Bao Shui to explain,
"My innate talent lies in water control. Throughout my cultivation journey, I've never once relied on a weapon."
"Qin Buyi, there is a vast gulf between our levels of cultivation. I won't exploit that. You strike first!"
"Agreed!" Qin Buyi nodded, ready to engage.
Of all the five battles, it was this confrontation with Bao Shui that Qin Buyi valued most.
The opponent's skills and cultivation level were leagues beyond the other four.
With no hesitation, Qin Buyi unleashed his full might, invoking the "Eight Nine Profound Arts: Heavenly Phenomenon!"
In a battle of such magnitude, any reservation was tantamount to seeking one's own demise.
After achieving Perfection in the Combination Stage, Qin Buyi's stature surged from a hundred feet to an imposing two hundred feet.
Like a colossus, he towered over the field, his gaze bearing down on Bao Shui.
"Zheng!"
The Killing Saber sang with a chorus of metallic cries, growing alongside Qin Buyi until the blade itself stretched over a hundred feet.
Bao Shui's gaze sharpened. He had thoroughly researched Qin Buyi's background over the past three days.
This technique didn't catch him off guard, but witnessing it firsthand still sent a jolt of shock through him.
Bao Shui enunciated each word deliberately: "Great Divine Ability, Heavenly Phenomenon!"
Qin Buyi acknowledged, "Impressive insight."
Many in the audience, including Ying Qian, had never witnessed the Heavenly Phenomenon with their own eyes.
Ying Qian, looking on at Qin Buyi's display, expressed his envy, "To possess such a formidable divine ability, one's fortune must be incredibly profound."