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A few miles outside the walls of Tianxing Academy, the world felt still. Tucked away in a secluded grove, the cold moonlight filtered through the thick canopy of leaves, casting dappled spots of pale light upon the forest floor.
A gentle night wind brushed through the trees, carrying the fresh fragrance of damp grass and a hint of the evening's chill. In this quiet place, Tang Chen and Qian Renxue stood facing one another, the silence between them heavy with anticipation.
They stood about ten meters apart, the air stagnant and thick with tension. Qian Renxue broke the silence first, her voice calm but carrying a sharp edge of warning. You need to be careful now, she said, her beautiful face appearing somewhat hazy and ethereal under the moonlight. A playful curve touched the corners of her lips as she spoke in a deep, serious tone. My Spirit is the Holy Sword. I am a Rank 52 attack system Spirit King.
As soon as she finished speaking, the atmosphere around her shifted violently. Her aura changed from calm to predatory in an instant. From beneath her feet, five spirit rings rose and began to spiral around her body.
Two were yellow, two were purple, and one was a deep, midnight black. It was an optimal configuration of rings, and they erupted with a powerful surge of spirit power that made the air hum.
In her hand, a magnificent long sword appeared out of thin air. It was entirely golden, carved with intricate sacred patterns that glowed with a warm, Holy Light. She held the weapon with practiced ease, its tip pointing diagonally toward the ground.
Tang Chen watched her closely, his brow furrowed so slightly it was almost imperceptible. He knew her secret. No, this isn't her true strength, he thought to himself. With her natural talent and all the years she has spent cultivation in secret, her spirit power shouldn't be stuck at Rank 50. She should be close to the Spirit Saint level by now.
He remembered the details of her life; Qian Renxue had already absorbed the head Spirit Bone from the six Spirit Bones of the Angelic Regalia. That bone gave her the ability to disguise her spirit rings, her Spirit, and even her physical appearance. He was certain she was using that power right now to hide her true Rank and the real form of her Spirit.
Even though his mind was racing with these realizations, Tang Chen remained calm on the surface. He looked at her with an indifferent expression and replied, I could say the same to you. You should be careful as well. My current cultivation has also reached the Spirit King level.
Without another word, Tang Chen slowly raised his right hand. In the center of his palm, a strangely shaped strand of Blue Silver Grass began to emerge. Unlike ordinary grass, this plant was a noble blue-gold color.
Its leaves were broad and thick, with edges that featured subtle patterns resembling dragon scales. The most shocking part was the center of the leaves, where a lifelike golden vertical eye pattern slowly opened and closed. It looked less like a plant and more like a living creature watching the world.
The moment the Blue Silver Grass appeared, a vast and majestic aura of life surged out from Tang Chen like a tidal wave. It swept across the grove, carrying a weight that felt as deep and endless as the ocean. Wherever this aura touched, the world responded.
On the ground, the ordinary patches of Blue Silver Grass began to grow wildly, as if they had been injected with infinite vitality. They shimmered with a spiritual light, spreading across the dirt in seconds. Even the trees changed; withered leaves that were about to fall suddenly turned a vibrant, tender green again.
The most miraculous sight happened at a small pond nearby. Several fish that had died and turned belly up only minutes ago suddenly twitched. They began to wag their tails, flipping over and swimming happily through the water once more. In a single breath, Tang Chen had transformed the entire area into a holy land of life.
Qian Renxue stood frozen for a moment, her eyes wide with shock. His Blue Silver Grass feels different, she thought, her grip tightening on the Holy Sword. She could feel her inner Angelic divine force resonating with the life aura he was putting off. It was the first time she had ever looked truly surprised. How can Blue Silver Grass have such terrifying vitality? she wondered aloud.
She didn't stay stunned for long. Her combat instincts took over, and her eyes narrowed with focus. Her spirit power erupted, and her body became a golden blur. She charged toward Tang Chen like a stream of light, her sword trailing a sharp intent that promised to cut through anything in its path.
Good move, Tang Chen shouted. He didn't try to run or dodge. Instead, the Blue Silver Grass in his palm began to twist and solidify. Amidst a burst of brilliant blue-gold light, the grass transformed into a magnificent long spear.
It was twelve feet long and flowed with the essence of life. The tip of the spear was a cold, sharp point that mirrored the golden vertical eye on his leaves. With a quick flick of his wrist, the spear hummed and thrust forward, meeting the Holy Sword head-on.
Clang! The sound of metal hitting metal rang through the forest, sharp and piercing. A powerful wave of air exploded from the point of contact, flattening the grass and snapping the branches of nearby trees.
The two figures became a blur, flickering through the grove as they collided again and again. Spear shadows danced like dragons in the dark, while sword light flashed like lightning. The sounds of explosions and clashing weapons filled the night as the battle grew more intense.
As the fight went on, Qian Renxue's shock grew deeper. She realized that even though Tang Chen appeared to be around Rank 50, his spirit power was as vast and condensed as the sea. His recovery speed and the sheer depth of his energy were equal to a Rank 70 Spirit Saint. She felt that if an ordinary low-level Spirit Saint were in her place, they might have already lost.
Frustrated that she couldn't break his defense, a look of determination crossed her face. She activated the holy power of her Angel Spirit, pouring it directly into her sword. The weapon began to glow with a blinding light, and a pure, intense Holy Fire erupted from the blade.
This fire was meant to incinerate all things, and it carried a heavy sense of oppression that came from the very origin of her Spirit. She slashed at him with everything she had, hoping to use the superior quality of the Angel Spirit to crush him.
At the same time, she silently released her Angelic Domain. It was an invisible field that filled the air with the power to purify and dissolve an opponent's spirit power.
However, Tang Chen's mental force was incredibly sharp. He felt the shift in energy the second she activated the domain. A domain? I have one too, he snorted. A brilliant blue halo spread out from under his feet. Blue Silver Domain, activate!
The two domains clashed silently. There was no explosion, but the air rippled as the two forces fought for control. The Blue Silver Domain was filled with a resilient, life-giving aura that acted like a vast forest.
It didn't try to fight the purification of the Angelic Domain directly. Instead, it used the cycle of life to nourish itself against the holy light, diluting the dissolving power and turning it into more vitality.
Tang Chen's response to the fire on her sword was just as clever. His spear vibrated, and the dragon patterns and golden eye on the weapon lit up. Instead of just defending, he met her attack with the power of destiny. He neutralized her strikes, making her sharp offensive feel like it was sinking into a deep, soft sea.
When the scorching Holy Fire touched his Blue Silver Emperor, it met an astonishing resilience. Life energy is usually fuel for fire, but Tang Chen controlled his energy to form layers of regenerating barriers.
As soon as the fire burned through one layer, another layer of vigorous energy took its place. It was like the old saying: wild fires cannot burn the grass away; it simply grows again when the spring breeze blows.
Then, he noticed something else. Even though her light attribute was offensive, it was still pure energy. Within his domain, the phantoms of Blue Silver Grass began to sway. They targeted the brightest parts of her sword's light.
A strange thing happened next; the Holy Light from her sword was drawn into the grass phantoms. They weren't just blocking it—they were absorbing it.
Just as a plant uses the sun to grow, the Blue Silver Domain converted her light into nutrients for Tang Chen. This energy was refined and sent into his own meridians as a supplement. Qian Renxue was horrified. Her attacks weren't just failing; they were charging him up. She was literally feeding her opponent with her own spirit power.
You! she cried out, her face a mix of shock and anger. She had never seen anything like this. She tried to pull her power back, but the pause in her movement gave Tang Chen the opening he needed. For the moment, her light and fire were completely held back by his endless, gentle life force.