Chapter 287: Let the Arrows Fly a Little Longer
Clang!
Another slash landed, causing both their left arms (or wings) to tremble slightly.
For Feng Xiaotian, it was the numbing shock from the impact. For Tang San, it was the increasing sharpness of the soul power surrounding Feng Xiaotian's body, combined with the growing force behind his attacks, nearly making him lose grip on his hammer.
This can't go on.
The same thought arose in both their minds.
Gritting his teeth, Feng Xiaotian attempted to further increase the frequency of his attacks he refused to believe that Tang San could block every single strike with precision.
Meanwhile, after blocking another hit and sliding back across the arena, Tang San suddenly realized why Feng Xiaotian's attack pattern had seemed familiar to him from the start.
This feels like my father's attacks!
No more precisely, it was similar to a technique Tang Hao had once taught him. Though it wasn't intended for combat, under the observation of Purple Demon Eyes, Tang San noticed that Feng Xiaotian's attack rhythm wasn't flawless. That was enough.
Seeing Feng Xiaotian hurtling toward him again at high speed, Tang San took a deep breath, rotated his body, and adjusted his grip on the hammer, switching from a single handed to a two handed hold.
His lower legs tensed, transferring force through his waist, back, and arms. His entire body spun, and the small black hammer, barely a foot long, swept upward from below to meet Feng Xiaotian's strike.
Boom!
This time, Feng Xiaotian was sent flying significantly higher. His face, though barely visible to the audience, turned momentarily pale.
He knew his own situation best under this strike, he could feel that a fine crack had formed in his wings.
Another self created soul skill? Feng Xiaotian wasn't entirely sure, but he wasn't about to back down. His consecutive slashes had only just begun, and he had also noticed that Tang San's movements were growing strained.
It's still too early to say who will win.
With a swift and elegant spin, he dove back down again.
On the ground, Tang San felt his blood surging due to the rushed exertion, but he also noticed that Feng Xiaotian had been launched higher than before and that his arm movements had become slightly unnatural.
It's working.
Tang San's heart filled with excitement. His spinning accelerated, and his footwork became even smoother. Using Random Cloak Hammer Technique to counter was definitely the right choice.
Thus, the arena witnessed a bizarre scene
Two figures spinning in tandem.
One in the air, one on the ground.
One slashing downward with his wings, one swinging upward with his hammer.
The repeated clashes sent shockwaves rippling through the arena, causing cracks to spread across the floor.
Both of them were moving faster and faster. In just moments, they had clashed over ten times.
Meanwhile, in the northernmost stands, the atmosphere grew heavier.
If it had only been the revelation of the Clear Sky Hammer, that might have been tolerable. But now, even the Random Cloak Hammer Technique had appeared.
This left little doubt Tang San was a direct descendant of the Clear Sky Sect, and not just any disciple, but someone of significant status.
The Random Cloak Hammer Technique wasn't exclusive to the Clear Sky Sect, but the combination of the two removed all uncertainty.
"Your Holiness…"
At this moment, Salas could no longer hold back. He no longer cared about Han Li's earlier command for him to remain silent.
If it had been just one of the three factors the Clear Sky Hammer, twin martial souls, or the Random Cloak Hammer Technique he might have been able to ignore it.
But when all three appeared in one person, not even the Holy Son himself could turn a blind eye.
"Mm. Send word to Spirit City."
The smile on Han Li's face had vanished. His expression was now cold and unreadable.
Yet, his response made the representatives of the Heaven Dou Empire breathe a sigh of relief.
This makes sense.
They weren't afraid of Han Li reacting. They were afraid of him not reacting.
If he had chosen to immediately seize Tang San, that would have been trouble. But if he had continued to smile as if nothing had happened, that would have been even worse.
His current response relaying the news to Spirit City first was in line with how Spirit Hall had handled such matters over the past twenty years. That was reassuring.
For once, Emperor Xue Ye refrained from engaging with Han Li. He didn't even acknowledge Xue Qinghe, instead falling into deep contemplation.
Is the Clear Sky Sect sending me a message by openly revealing their heir at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy?
Meanwhile, Ning Fengzhi frowned.
Something doesn't add up.
Tang San's reaction was completely off.
Based on all the intelligence he had gathered, and his own observations, how could this boy make the same choice as Bibi Dong?
He's definitely a hardliner.
The clearest example was how he had handled Shui Bing'er and Zhu Zhuqing.
Would someone as radical as him allow a known enemy of Spirit Hall to blatantly reveal themselves?
After all, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had only sided against Spirit Hall in the past, and yet this kid had been giving him trouble not too long ago.
Something is definitely wrong.
The idea that Han Li was showing Heaven Dou Empire some kind of favor?
Ridiculous.
Zhu Zhuqing was still staying at his residence.
Would Tang San really value Heaven Dou over Star Luo?
No way. Neither Xue Ye nor Xue Qinghe has that kind of influence.
Ning Fengzhi subtly observed everyone in the stands.
He made a decision Ning Rongrong would continue to maintain her connection with Han Li. No, it needed to be even more direct than before.
As for himself…
He glanced at Emperor Xue Ye and Xue Qinghe.
You don't put all your eggs in one basket.
He would continue to nurture his ties with the empire.
Back in the arena, Feng Xiaotian had reached over twenty consecutive slashes, while Tang San's Random Cloak Hammer Technique had swung sixteen times.
Both were beginning to struggle to keep control.
Feng Xiaotian wanted to stop, but he realized he couldn't. There was a strange force on Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer, an unusual stickiness that pulled at his body. Even if he wanted to cease his Gale Demon Wolf Thirty Six Consecutive Slashes, he was unable to.
Tang San, on the other hand, had not initiated his attack willingly. Forced into retaliation after taking heavy hits, he should have been able to control his hammer technique beyond forty strikes. However, due to his prior injuries and the sheer intensity of the battle, his mind had grown muddled.
The Bloodlust and Frenzy of the Titan Giant Ape were once again clouding his rationality.
Both of them wanted to stop.
Feng Xiaotian's face was twisted in pain from the numbness and agony in his wings. Meanwhile, Tang San's vision was turning red, and dizziness was setting in.
A final strike would decide the victor. Both of them bit their lips, channeling every ounce of soul power they had into their wings and hammer.
At that moment, no words were exchanged, yet both warriors made the same decision based on their grasp of the battle.
In midair, Feng Xiaotian's cyan wings swelled to nearly three times their original size. On the ground, the hammer in Tang San's hands became even darker. He forcibly halted his Random Cloak Hammer Technique, utilizing Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to execute an unusual maneuver.
Cyan light and black energy clashed no, they collided.
Because at the last moment, Tang San, at the cost of twisting his left arm, had thrown the Clear Sky Hammer like a hidden weapon.
A crack rang out the Clear Sky Hammer had struck Feng Xiaotian's wings, fracturing them.
But Feng Xiaotian only smiled.
"Perfect," he muttered, lips curling upward before spitting out a single word.
"Explode."
Blood trickled from his mouth he had forcibly detonated his wings.
Although they weren't his real wings, they were infused with the vast majority of his soul power. This was an ultimate sacrifice, a decisive move akin to severing his own limb to ensure victory.
The explosion slowed the Clear Sky Hammer's momentum, and the shattered cyan shards, under Feng Xiaotian's control, avoided Tang San's head and shot toward his body instead.
At the same time, the Clear Sky Hammer, under Tang San's control, twisted unnaturally in the air, evading Feng Xiaotian's wolf claws that sought to grab the handle, and smashed directly into his chest.
But because of this, Tang San had no way to dodge Feng Xiaotian's attack.
The Clear Sky Hammer was simply too heavy his Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon technique could only influence its trajectory within a limited range.
Both of their attacks landed simultaneously.
A groan and a scream echoed through the arena.
One was sent flying.
The other was slammed into the ground.
Their heads tilted to the side, and both of them lost consciousness.
The Clear Sky Hammer, now without an owner's soul power to sustain it, plummeted from midair and crashed into the arena floor, creating a deep crater before vanishing into nothingness.
The once rowdy stadium fell silent.
All eyes instinctively turned to the referee, who had stood at the edge of the stage, maintaining a low presence throughout the fight.
The referee raised a hand, stopping both teams from rushing onto the stage. He then approached the two fallen combatants, examined their conditions, and after a moment of silence, loudly announced:
"Heaven Dou Imperial Academy versus Divine Wind Academy draw!"
A rare tie in the Spirit Master Tournament.
The host descended slowly onto the stage. After whispering a few words with the referee, he addressed the audience:
"Rest assured, their injuries are not life threatening. With proper care, they will recover. Both fought to their last breath, displaying the true spirit of elite soul masters. Let us look forward to seeing them in the finals, where they will bring us even more thrilling battles!"
Without waiting for the audience's reactions, he immediately signaled for both teams and the medical staff to enter and carry them off.
This had been the final match of the day.
But, for the first time, the audience in the stands dispersed faster than those in the arena.
The sudden revelation of the Clear Sky Sect's heir one brimming with extraordinary talent forced every major power to reevaluate the situation. Especially with Spirit Hall in the mix, no one knew what would happen next.
Han Li was the last to leave.
Watching the hurried figures retreating into the distance, a faint smirk formed on his lips.
The final battle for allegiances was about to begin.
Though the choices of some individuals were insignificant given that his life was already on a countdown making these choices still held meaning.
His decisions would expose those who needed to be eliminated in the future, as well as stir the emotions of the public.
After all, trash was just misplaced treasure and what was an emperor, if not a piece on the board?
Han Li casually conjured an arrow, then let it dissolve in his palm as he vanished into the night.
Let the arrow fly a little longer. No rush.
(End of Chapter)
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