Zhou Shiyu looked up at Sun Tianqi, noting his minimal injuries. Resolve flashed in Zhou Shiyu’s eyes. He said nothing, not even a curse. Overwhelming rage and guilt churned inside him.

Boom!

Zhou Shiyu clenched his fist and slammed it into the chains at his heart. With that one punch, he drove the exposed chains three cun deeper into his chest.

His face contorted, his eyes bloodshot, and blood poured from all his facial orifices. The muffled impact echoed like war drums through the heavens.

The moment the punch landed, the golden chains erupted in waves of golden light with a faint blood-red sheen. Zhou Shiyu’s weakened aura surged back to its peak.

The many disciples from the Six Gates Holy Sect who had rushed over all felt their hearts ache at this sight. A young man clenched his fists and roared hoarsely, “Eldest Senior Brother! Keep going, Eldest Senior Brother!”

A woman pressed her hands to her chest, brows furrowed, and shouted, “Senior Brother, you can do it!”

“Senior Brother Zhou! Take him down!”

The youth in elder’s robes cried out, “Shiyu...”

Zhou Shiyu stood straight as an arrow. With bloodstained hands, he swept his loose hair back, revealing a resolute, handsome face.

Eyes still bloodshot, he walked on empty air. He beckoned, and the broadsword behind him flew into his grasp.

His lips parted as he roared, “Heaven-Opening Tier, Judgment!”

Boom!

Overwhelming sword intent surged up from the ground.

Li Guanqi’s eyes widened. This was the first time he had sensed such sword intent. He murmured, “A bladeless sword, yet with such resolve to protect what he cherishes... The spirit void’s Heaven-Opening Tier ability empowers and sharpens his bladeless sword... Judgment. What a remarkable sword cultivator.”

Violent sword qi swept across heaven and earth. The pitch-black, bladeless broadsword now revealed a fierce blade. The hilt took the shape of a roaring dragon’s head, and the spine was covered in what looked like dragon scales, glinting with a cold light. The blade on either side was three fingers wide.

Whoosh!

Zhou Shiyu stood sideways, holding the sword one-handed. He swung it up to point at Sun Tianqi, his voice cold. “Let’s begin. This battle does not end until one of us is dead.”

Sun Tianqi eyed him gravely. The power from invoking an immortal wouldn’t last long either. He had no choice but to go all out. Spirit pills, talismans, secret techniques, and spirit void power erupted at once. His long sword shimmered, so sharp it cut through space itself.

A pebble fell beside the two.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two blurred figures collided. Cold light flashed, and the incessant clang of steel from both swords nearly became one. Zhou Shiyu had descended into madness.

Sun Tianqi’s sword light could slice flesh and sever bone, yet Zhou Shiyu refused to dodge, charging through it to hack his opponent down.

But how could Sun Tianqi do the same? A single strike from Zhou Shiyu’s sword would split open even an ancient demonic beast. Sun Tianqi found himself on the defensive, forced to wait desperately for an opening.

A strange voice reached Zhou Shiyu’s ear, low and magnetic. “Restrict his movements. Attack with everything you have. You don’t have much time left.”

Zhou Shiyu was like an oil lamp burning its last wick. He was overusing his life force.

Zhou Shiyu glimpsed Li Guanqi out of the corner of his eye. His sword pushed Sun Tianqi back, but his right side was left wide open.

Sun Tianqi didn’t hesitate. He struck with full force, sending out several blades of condensed sword qi.

“Nine Suns!”

Nine blazing sword lights burst forth like suns. The glare was so dazzling that no one could keep their eyes open.

Zhou Shiyu squinted and suddenly kicked the sword spine.

Boom!

He gripped the hilt tightly, then turned and slashed. Heavy, earth-colored sword light charged forward like a wild ox, plowing through the nine dazzling sword lights.

Zhou Shiyu’s eyes flashed. His left hand flew through a series of hand seals.

Pfft pfft pfft pfft!

Four sword lights punched through Zhou Shiyu, leaving bowl-sized holes. Vital force surged through him, and he roared, face contorting, “Spirit Spell 146, Hundred-Layered Four Walls!”

Layer upon layer of earth-yellow barriers materialized around Sun Tianqi in mid-air, wrapping him in barrier after barrier. A full hundred layers rotated outward, earth-yellow light flickering along each one.

Zhou Shiyu’s face turned pale. Standing in mid-air, he panted like an ox, blood dripping into the air around him.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The spirit spell barriers shattered one after another. Frantic pounding came from within. Sun Tianqi would break free before long.

Zhou Shiyu’s aura was weakening. He raised his sword with a trembling hand, killing intent flaring in his eyes. The Judgment Sword cried out in deep waves. The dragon scales on the sword spine writhed, and the dragon eyes on the hilt ignited with earth-yellow light. Terrifying sword light stretched several dozen zhang from the blade.

“Judgment Sword, Sorrow!”

Boom! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The sword split the cloud layer overhead. Li Guanqi narrowed his eyes. “He’s strong...”

Boom!

Sun Zhen, watching from a distance, could no longer hold back. He teleported outside the barrier and slashed at it with his sword.

Zhou Shiyu roared, “You wouldn’t!”

He had never expected anyone from the ancient clans to interfere so shamelessly in their death match. In that same moment, his sword came down.

Thud!

Before Sun Zhen’s sword light could land, he shot backward like a cannonball.

Sun Zhen’s chest had caved in. He’d never expected anyone to intervene, let alone a complete stranger.

“Why?!”

Li Guanqi said quietly, “This battle... belongs to the two of them.”

Only two layers of the barrier remained, but inside, Sun Tianqi sensed mortal danger. With no time to think, he threw every life-saving measure he had into the space before him.

Boom!

The terrifying explosion nearly deafened everyone. The barrier shattered, and a blood-soaked figure stood proudly. But Sun Zhen’s aura had grown unstable.

Sun Tianqi seized the opening, giving Sun Zhen no chance to catch his breath. He pressed forward, venting his fury through everything he knew.

“Senior Brother!”

“Big Brother Zhou!”

“Eldest Senior Brother! Fight back!”