293 - Elasia Saga

At Fu Yan's current level of cultivation, she had naturally attained the realm where she and her sword were one. Upon sensing the terrifying attack from Fang Yu's sword, she had no time to hesitate. Instantly, she transformed herself into a sword and charged directly towards him. As the colossal swords descended upon the arena, the crowd collectively held their breath. The duel between the two had carried on for so long without anyone gaining the upper hand. The cultivators, though in awe, felt a growing impatience, eager to discover which of the two would first falter. Perhaps, this strike would provide the answer. Fu Yan's figure shot forward, surrounded by numerous sword shadows that clung to her tightly. Wherever she passed, the air was swiftly displaced by an immense force, causing the entire space to shudder violently. It was the same when the giant sword came down from the other side. With a deepening gaze, Fu Yan seemed like a sharp blade herself, soaring upward with an earth-shattering force towards Fang Yu's giant sword. "Buzz—" The moment they collided, a tremor resonated from the massive arena stage. The winds howled, and the surrounding currents were sucked into the fierce collision, with layers of true essence rubbing against each other. Sparks commenced, spreading in all directions. At the sword's center, a blinding ray of light flashed like the sun, hot and scorching, reminiscent of a bright afternoon, compelling the cultivators to involuntarily blink. Though the arena was enveloped in a barrier set by immortals, at this moment, everyone seemed to feel the terrifying aura emanating from within. Undoubtedly, even a master at the Transformation Phase would likely not survive if caught between these two fighters. Nonetheless, the cultivators were not frightened but instead displayed expressions of excitement, eagerly fixating their gaze on the stage, as if eager to witness the full extent of the power on display. “Boom—” Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted on the arena stage. Fu Yan's figure and surrounding sword shadows began rotating rapidly, akin to a drilling hammer, with a powerful sword intent tearing into the massive sword in front of her bit by bit. Beneath the giant sword, Fang Yu's calm demeanor finally showed a hint of amazement. He seemed unprepared for the strength displayed by his opponent, even beginning to hear the sound of his sword momentum being unraveled by Fu Yan, piece by piece. If he continued this way, it wouldn't take long before Fu Yan completely crushed Fang Yu's giant sword, subjecting him to severe backlash under such immense force. Thinking of this, Fang Yu had no other choice. Focusing his spirit, he released another surge of powerful true essence from his body, aggressively pressing down as he gestured his spells. "Swish—" In the next instant, the giant sword in mid-air flashed with true essence light, the sword momentum going into a frenzy and sweeping towards Fu Yan. Amidst the rumbling, an energy vortex rapidly formed where the giant sword clashed with Fu Yan. Within, lightning crackled, forcing the space around it to tear open like a rift. It was truly shocking, with everyone below widening their eyes, fixated on the colossal vortex. At this moment, Fu Yan found herself halfway submerged into the vortex, seemingly on the brink of being swallowed by its monumental force. Feeling the weight of the sword intent pressing upon her, Fu Yan found it hard to breathe. Yet, there was no room to back down. Whoever held back first would face severe backlash. Only one final strike to the end would suffice. Realizing this, Fu Yan chose not to dwell on her dilemma. Her eyes widened abruptly, a glint flowing through them, as she brought her entwined hands in a swift circular motion before her. “Clatter—” The speed of the surrounding sword shadows surged again. Fu Yan, without any reservation, unleashed her energy sea, allowing a powerful true essence to flood out, pointing with a finger to the void. Like a deflated balloon suddenly reinflated, the mighty sword intent around her area once more bore down forcefully. Moreover, Fu Yan's legs moved subtly in the void, an imprint lighting up dimly. She seemed to use it as leverage, pressing her feet onto the imprint, bending her legs slightly before straightening again. Whoosh! In the blink of an eye, Fu Yan gathered all the sword intent around her, like turbulent waves on a stormy sea, swiftly crushing towards the giant sword in front of her. “Crack—” In the span of a breath, a fracturing sound crept out of the energy vortex, spine-chilling in its resonance. Before anyone could react, the giant sword Fang Yu had conjured began disintegrating swiftly from the tip onwards. Meanwhile, Fu Yan's form was growing stronger, her body becoming a living blade, breaking the giant sword with sheer force. Opposite, Fang Yu's eyes widened dramatically at seeing his sword momentum shattered so effortlessly, leaving him unable to do anything to remedy the situation. Fu Yan's figure then surged forward, drawing upon countless blades and the vortex's central power, bearing down entirely. "Poof—" The massive backlash surged through Fang Yu's body, and despite his strength, he couldn't hold back. A mouthful of blood burst from his lips. But with the ferocious force incoming, Fang Yu had no time to concern himself with other matters. He hastily formed seals, confronting the attack head-on. Swish! Instantly, amidst the whirlwind of swords and lightning, Fang Yu's figure, like a kite with its string cut, got swept in frantically before being violently thrown off the stage. Blood again streamed from his mouth, but as his body was about to be expelled from the stage, he flipped mid-air, miraculously regaining his balance. The crowd, witnessing this, erupted in amazement. But before the surrounding cultivators could process it, Fang Yu sprung back up, tightly gripping his spirit sword, unleashing an overwhelming sword aura, directing a barrage of blades towards Fu Yan in the sky. The earlier vortex of energy had begun to dissipate, and this was precisely when Fu Yan's power was in ebb, a moment of vulnerability. Fang Yu, aware of this, seized the opportunity with no intention to provide any respite, launching a counterattack despite his injuries. Seeing the barrage of sword blades bearing down, Fu Yan instantly grasped Fang Yu's intent. One had to admit, Fang Yu remained composed. Even suffering backlash and unstable breathing, he identified an opening swiftly. There was no time to evade. Fu Yan could only swiftly cross her arms, retreating as rapidly as possible, conjuring an urgent seal with her sword to deflect the incoming attack. However, with her true essence still swirling within, her ability to respond was limited. In her haste, she managed only to block about half of Fang Yu's assault. Swish! Swish! The remaining blades shattered through her defensive true essence, with the potent sword intent piercing through, propelling her forcefully through the air. "Ugh..." Crimson blood quickly seeped from her lips. Yet, Fu Yan paid it no mind, quickly pivoting on her toes, deftly spinning to stabilize herself mid-air on the arena stage. This sight left everyone speechless, needing a heartbeat to react before a wave of astonishment swept through the crowd. “This is terrifying, both of them are terrifying. It’s the first time I’ve witnessed such an intense battle. Just when I thought Fu Yan was going down, she launched such a mighty comeback, sending Fang Yu flying. Then, Fang Yu managed to counter-attack, despite his injuries. You truly don’t know what will happen until the very end!” “Ahhhh, I’m so pumped! This is the most exhilarating match I’ve ever seen. These two are indeed prodigies among the younger generation. Is this the power of the Great Ascension stage? I doubt anyone below an immortal could stand against it!” “Indeed terrifying, our cultivation world hasn’t seen talents like these for years. Now we have two at once; it’s a great blessing among cultivators!” “……” The crowd’s excitement was unconcealed, fervently cheering with waves of exclamations rising in succession. However, amidst the throngs of exhilarated people, only those from Frostflower Palace and the Sword King Sect remained silent, brows tightly knitted, unsure of the current situation. Previously, the Sword King Sect believed Fang Yu would easily clinch victory, but now, that seemed far from certain. The same unease lingered among those from Frostflower Palace. Although Ming Xi, Yi Tu, and others verbally expressed confidence in Fu Yan's victory, they couldn’t help but waver in their previous conviction as they watched each unfolding clash unfold. In the current situation, no one could truly predict who would emerge victorious in the end. After all, even at this point, the two combatants on stage hadn't yet revealed their final trump cards. Their true strength seemed boundless, leaving the outcome uncertain. It seemed the only way was to continue watching the battle unfold. Unconcerned with the noise outside, both fighters were wholly focused on each other, their breathing slightly heavy. Fu Yan wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, a gleam of determination flashing in her eyes. Despite sustaining injury from Fang Yu's strike, she believed his injuries were likely more severe than hers. This made her efforts worthwhile. The saying goes, "strike while the iron is hot"; in such moments, there could be no allowance for the opponent to catch their breath. The only path was to keep fighting, lest the situation became increasingly difficult. Both reached this realization. After quickly steadying themselves, it wasn't long before they resumed their stance, swords in hand, charging at each other once more. In an instant, the previously silent arena was again filled with the clash of overwhelming forces. Sword lights danced, enough to send shivers down the spines of onlookers. This battle, stretching from morning to dusk and then from dusk to the following dawn, seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye. A day and night of continuous combat, while seemingly lengthy, was but a moment to cultivators, for time was always like sand through the fingers, fleeting. For cultivators of equal strength, battling for two days and nights was not unusual, especially for talented disciples. If the fights between immortals didn't result in a decisive outcome within ten days to half a month or longer, it wouldn't be surprising. Thus, despite Fu Yan and Fang Yu's match lasting a day and a night already, no one felt the time dragging. The battle remained tense and electrifying, keeping everyone too spellbound to notice the passage of time. At midday, after another fierce collision, Fu Yan and Fang Yu finally stepped back to maintain a safe distance. Taking a deep breath, Fu Yan glanced at her Star Sword. A fine crack had appeared on its previously pristine, sharp blade. The Star Sword was nearing its limit. Even after Fu Yan had emerged from seclusion, with her power rapidly increasing, she realized the Star Sword had been pushed to its pinnacle. Though inscribed with her runes, the sword, it seemed, could no longer keep up with her pace. Moreover, after her ascension, it might serve her no further purpose. Yet, she had not found a suitable sword to replace it. Apparently, after her ascension, she would need to find a spiritual sword of immortal caliber to harness her full potential. But for now, Fu Yan had little time for such concerns. She calmly shifted her gaze back to Fang Yu. After a day and night of fierce fighting, both showed visible signs of wear, yet their breathing remained steady, save for substantial energy expenditure. With a slight pause to catch her breath, Fu Yan wasted no time. She swiftly reversed her grip on the hilt, raising her eyes sharply, as the surrounding flows of air suddenly surged in. Swish! Swish! In the next second, rings of sword shadows gathered behind Fu Yan, unfurling like petals, their edges pointed outward as she gestured, her hand directing the outermost circles. A formidable sword force rippled outwards like waves, spreading rapidly in all directions. This time, Fu Yan didn't deploy the Seven-Suspended Sword Array she had previously cultivated. Instead, she used the array entrusted to her by the white bear at the mausoleum beneath Youxin Lake when she acquired the celestial bow and crossbow. This array's power was undeniably formidable; Fu Yan, despite understanding its intricacies, could push it to its peak once at most. For this reason, she hadn't initially resorted to the array. However, as their duel escalated, Fu Yan realized she did not want to prolong the fight further. Despite having enough true essence to last three more days and nights, it was likely Fang Yu possessed similar endurance. Endless depletion was no issue for either; a new approach had to be found. Her eyes resolute, Fu Yan continued deftly, her sword array expanding behind her, with countless sword shadows accumulating as if there were tens of thousands of them. From afar, it was as if the sword array had blossomed, with Fu Yan poised at its heart like a swordsman standing majestically. Witnessing this sight, the surrounding cultivators were yet to marvel when Fang Yu's eyes glinted, his thoughts racing as he observed the sword shadows occupying half the sky. In the next moment, everyone saw him rise, sword in hand, casting a series of swift incantations as his spiritual sword spun. In no time, an array formed behind him. At this moment, the vast arena was split into two halves by their combined might. The viewers only saw an expanse filled with sword shadows, thrumming erratically, and the sound of swords piercing the sky echoed across the Cloud Armor Stage. Witnessing the opponent's sword array's might not lagging behind hers, Fu Yan wasn't particularly surprised. She figured Fang Yu had acquired many valuables at the bottom of Youxin Lake. Whatever the white bear offered, Fang Yu likely also possessed. Were there no clear rules prohibiting the use of celestial artifacts in the duel, Fu Yan suspected he could counter with his own celestial weapon. They were evenly matched resource-wise. Wasting no time pondering, Fu Yan's gaze returned to Fang Yu. Without any delay, she moved her hands, her lips whispering, "Go!" The outermost circle of her sword array shot forward as a relentless tide of sword shadows, seemingly chaotic but aimed with precision. Sensing the incoming sword intent bearing down like a tidal wave, Fang Yu swiftly raised his hand in response. Activating his own array, sword shadows immediately burst forth. “Screech—” The entire stage filled with the ringing of swords, thousands of shadows clashing and piercing. As their relentless interactions ripped through the skies, a spatial rift began to forcefully emerge, causing everyone to gasp, fearing they might tear the sky itself apart. Moreover, under the onslaught of shadows, the surrounding barrier began to falter. Within less than an hour, a cracking sound echoed ominously from the arena. The crowd, taken aback, exclaimed, "No way, will the celestial barrier shatter, affecting us as well?" As soon as the words left their lips, the keenly attentive cultivators widened their eyes in growing concern. Fortuitously, at this critical moment, two immortals suddenly appeared, swiftly mending the barrier with formidable power, further reinforcing it to prevent any mishaps. This sight seemed surreal to everyone watching. "Are they really doing this? They're merely at the Great Ascension stage, yet an immortal's barrier can be broken by them. Am I just inexperienced?" Regardless of others’ shock, the two on stage showed no inclination to halt. Their sword arrays clashed fiercely, weaving back and forth across the battlefield. In the mid-air of the duel, a dozen spatial rifts twisted into being. Unsure how much time had passed, a thought suddenly struck Fu Yan amidst her surge of true essence. Fang Yu's sword array matched her own in power. Despite any differences, each one's gaps were quickly filled, threatening to end in mutual destruction. But just then, an idea came to Fu Yan. Her spiritual power had grown so immense; perhaps she could manipulate her sword array, freeing her hands to act independently. This could allow her to seize the advantage. With this thought, Fu Yan's breath quickened. Despite having never attempted this before, she hesitated not, channeling her spiritual power immediately. Fu Yan didn't dare to directly control the entire array initially, opting instead to first command the ring of sword shadows closest to her, gradually extending outward layer by layer. Initially, it was manageable, but by the time she controlled nearly half, immense pressure emanated from her mind, yet she gritted her teeth and continued expanding her spiritual reach. "Ugh..." With each additional sword shadow her spiritual power sought to control, the pounding pain inside Fu Yan's head intensified, soon feeling as though her consciousness was being forcibly torn apart, drawing a stifled groan from her lips. Even so, Fu Yan did not halt. She sensed her spiritual power had not yet reached its limit. Despite the searing agony, she persevered in extending her reach further to the outer circle. A full half-hour elapsed, and by the time her spiritual power commanded the final ring of the sword array, it felt as if her head might explode at any moment. Though she had succeeded, Fu Yan knew she couldn't maintain this state for more than a few fleeting moments. Yet, even a brief instant was all she needed. In the critical moment, Fu Yan suddenly detached from the sword array in midair. Her face grimaced with effort as she swiftly flung the Star Sword with a reverse grip. Despite the blinding pain clouding her vision, she gritted her teeth, channeling a torrent of energy into the blade. "Aiming... strike!" At the last second, as Fu Yan released the sword, the Star Sword rocketed forward, expending this strike left Fu Yan feeling utterly drained. She nearly lost her balance, almost toppling over. Witnessing the Aiming Strike searing towards him, Fang Yu's eyes widened in shock. Instinctively, he attempted to control his sword array to block it, but with the interference from Fu Yan’s sword array, there was no stopping the Star Sword's unstoppable momentum. Unless... Fang Yu abandoned his sword array’s defense. But even if he sacrificed it to deflect this strike, the tidal wave of sword shadows would engulf him, leaving him vulnerable. It was a catch-22. In the next moment, as everyone held their breath, watching the scene unfold, they witnessed the Star Sword carrying its terrifying intent— And it pierced through Fang Yu's chest in an instant.