Luo Liang’s figure reformed in the North Courtyard’s rest area, his face as pale as a sheet. Though the Battle Network had healed his injuries, the blow to his spirit was far heavier.

He had lost. Once again, he had lost at the hands of Xu Wuyi.

And this time, his defeat was even more thorough, leaving him feeling even more helpless.

He could blame the last loss on carelessness, on his opponent’s bizarre Spiritual Attack. But this time, his opponent hadn’t even used his Spiritual Domain.

With just an exquisite Basic Spear Technique and that strange, scorching Qi and Blood, Xu Wuyi had worn him down completely. Luo Liang hadn’t even been able to put up a decent fight.

"Luo Liang lost again!"

"He’s the first one to get sent packing again. He’s disgraced the North Courtyard!"

"The Golden Jade Skills are wasted on him. It’s like a precious gem cast into the dark. He couldn’t even wear down his opponent..."

Faint murmurs arose, not just from the other academies’ spectator sections, but even from the North Courtyard’s own area, where suppressed whispers of disappointment could be heard.

The words pierced Luo Liang’s ears like needles. He clenched his fists, bowing his head low, unable to face the gazes around him.

Frustration and self-doubt nearly consumed him.

’Maybe... I really am not good enough? Is my so-called "invincible defense" just a joke in front of a true Genius?’

Just as he grew despondent, on the verge of giving up, a cold voice spoke beside him.

"You can’t take this already?"

Luo Liang snapped his head up to see Zhao Qingwei standing before him.

"I..." Luo Liang opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

Zhao Qingwei looked at him. Her tone was flat, yet every word struck like a hammer. "The path of a Martial Artist is covered in thorns. Defeat is nothing more than commonplace."

"If you can’t even handle a setback like this, you should just pack your bags and go home. Find a safe line of work. Why are you here, wasting the Federation’s resources and your own life?"

Her words were blunt, even harsh—nothing like words of comfort.

But as Luo Liang listened, he was first stunned. Then, an indescribable emotion welled up inside him.

Zhao Qingwei had a cold personality and rarely spoke to anyone, let alone initiating a conversation.

’Her words now might seem like a reprimand, but they’re actually a wake-up call!’

’That’s right. So what if I lost?’

’If I fail once, I’ll try twice. If I fail twice, I’ll try ten times! If I can’t even face my failures, then my path in Martial Arts truly is at a dead end!’

Realizing this, the look of defeat in Luo Liang’s eyes quickly faded, replaced by the flicker of a rekindled flame.

He took a deep breath and nodded emphatically at Zhao Qingwei. "I understand, Qingwei! Thanks!"

But Zhao Qingwei just rolled her eyes. "Don’t use my first name. We’re not that close."

Without another glance at Luo Liang, she stepped onto the arena platform.

Luo Liang, however, stood below, chuckling foolishly, all traces of his earlier dejection gone.

...

On the arena platform, Xu Wuyi and Zhao Qingwei stood ten meters apart.

The atmosphere was completely different from any of the previous duels.

There was no explosive opening attack, no roar of surging Qi and Blood, not even the glint of a drawn blade.

The two just stood there quietly, like two frozen statues.

Yet, an invisible pressure emanated from them, spreading outwards until even the clamor from the audience subsided.

Everyone knew this wasn’t a stalemate. It was the calm before the storm.

A duel on the spiritual level was far more dangerous than a clash of fists and blades, often decided by an instantaneous burst of power.

Whoever moved first wouldn’t necessarily seize the advantage; in fact, the shift in their aura might be the very thing that exposed a weakness in their spirit.

Zhao Qingwei’s cold eyes were fixed on Xu Wuyi. Her right hand rested lightly on her sword hilt, her aura retracted to its absolute limit.

She was like an iceberg hidden in the depths of the ocean. All her power, her Spirit, and her will were compressed inward, all for a single, earth-shattering strike.

She was searching, searching for that fleeting gap between the circulation of Xu Wuyi’s Spirit and Qi and Blood.

However, the feeling Xu Wuyi gave her was like facing a towering mountain.

This mountain wasn’t without weaknesses. In fact, it seemed to be full of them—paths leading up its slopes were everywhere.

But Zhao Qingwei clearly felt that no matter which path she took, the mountain would instantly turn on her, flipping over to crush her to dust.

Even more terrifying, the mountain was still growing at a maddening pace.

Xu Wuyi even slowly closed his eyes. His aura grew heavy and focused as he centered his intention on his Dantian.

Everything external seemed irrelevant to him. Only the Heart Fire within his body burned quietly, his Spiritual Power spreading like quicksilver to fill every inch of space around him, sensing the subtlest fluctuations in the air.

Far from becoming sluggish in its stillness, this "mountain’s" presence only continued to accumulate and build, ratcheting up the pressure on Zhao Qingwei.

She felt like a lone bird trapped by an invisible mountain range. The space around her was compressing, and if she didn’t strike soon, she feared even her courage to draw her sword would be crushed.

’What a powerful Realm of Realm...’ Zhao Qingwei finally realized. Xu Wuyi had already, without her noticing, drawn her into his own Domain.

’I can’t wait any longer!’

Zhao Qingwei gritted her teeth, a flicker of resolve in her eyes.

’Now!’

"SHIING—!"

The clear ring of a sword did not sound in the physical world, but vibrated directly in the minds of everyone watching!

A sword light so brilliant it seemed capable of severing consciousness and splitting light from darkness erupted from her side.

It was the same strike that could seize one’s very mind.

It moved faster than the eye could follow, striking directly at one’s Spiritual Will!

The moment the sword light flared, Xu Wuyi’s tightly closed eyes snapped open.

In his perception, the world wasn’t filled with the flash of her blade. Instead, the instant Zhao Qingwei’s killing intent erupted, her Spiritual Will condensed, becoming as clear and distinct as a torch lit in the darkness.

In his Dantian, the wisp of crimson-gold Heart Fire swayed. A scorching power instantly flowed through his entire body, suffusing his Spirit.

To an outside observer, it seemed as though Xu Wuyi, just like Tana before him, froze for a brief moment when the sword light appeared.

But his hesitation was far shorter than Tana’s had been.

In almost the same instant that clarity returned to his eyes, Zhao Qingwei’s sword was upon him.

Facing this unavoidable, unblockable strike, Xu Wuyi made a choice similar to Tana’s.

He didn’t try to parry or dodge—at that speed, any such attempt would be futile.

He chose to attack!

Trading a life for a life!

"HUMMM!"

The dark red spear let out a low hum. In that instant, Xu Wuyi poured all of his Qi and Blood into the spear without reservation. The power of his Heart Fire fused with his Qi and Blood, instantly cloaking the spear’s tip in a faint, crimson-gold light.

He used no fancy Spear Technique, only the simplest, most direct thrust.

His body followed the spear’s movement, man and spear becoming one. He transformed into a crimson meteor, hurtling resolutely toward the deadly sword light!

His target: straight for Zhao Qingwei’s heart!