Zhu Xian: The way of heaven collapses, and I only have one sword!

Chapter 32: Long Shoufeng Qi Hao, the quarterfinals competition!
Two days had passed, and the Seven Clans Martial Arts Competition had already reached its third day, the quarterfinals. However, this time, Chen Qiye's opponent was quite dramatic—he was directly facing the runner-up of the previous Seven Clans Martial Arts Competition, Qi Hao of Longshou Peak.

As soon as the news broke, the entire arena erupted in excitement. Qi Hao was a renowned figure within the Qingyun Sect. Not only was he a formidable warrior, he was also the favored disciple of Cangsong Daoist, the head monk of Longshou Peak, and possessed profound swordsmanship. In the previous Seven Clans Martial Arts Competition, he triumphed over all opponents, ultimately falling to the champion. His impressive performance is still recounted by many disciples. Now, he faced Chen Qiye, a match that would undoubtedly be the most anticipated since the competition began.

Qi Hao, dressed in a dark suit and holding the renowned Longshou Peak sword, the "Ice Sword," walked steadily onto the stage. His expression was stern, his gaze brimming with confidence and pride. As he looked at Chen Qiye, his eyes revealed both curiosity about the protégé of Daoxuan Zhenren and the arrogance of a powerful individual.

"Junior Brother Chen, I've long heard of your name. I'm glad to have the opportunity to spar with you today, and we must see who's better." Qi Hao's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the arena.

Chen Qiye still had that calm demeanor, holding the seemingly ordinary wooden sword in his hand, and replied with a smile: "Brother Qi, please give me your guidance."

The audience in the audience could no longer contain their excitement and there was a lot of discussion.

"Senior Brother Qi is a leader among the younger generation of our Qingyun Sect. I'm afraid that Senior Brother Chen will meet a formidable opponent this time."

"That's not necessarily true. Senior Brother Chen easily won with his wooden sword before. Who knows what other cards he might have."

Taoist Cangsong stood in the audience, looking at the arena with a serious expression, secretly hoping that his beloved disciple would shine in this competition. He also wanted to take this opportunity to see Chen Qiye's true strength.

Master Shuiyue's expression remained calm, though her eyes held a hint of concern. Behind her, Lu Xueqi stared intently at the arena, biting her lower lip, her thoughts unclear. Clearly, she had already defeated Tian Ling'er, her opponent from Dazhu Peak.

Taoist Master Daoxuan looked at his disciple and nodded slightly. He also wanted to see the gap between his disciple and the runner-up of the previous session.

"Dong—" The sound of bells and tripods rang out, signaling the start of the competition.

Qi Hao took the initiative. With a flick of his wrist, his "Ice Sword" swung out several sword flowers, and the sharp sword energy swept towards Chen Qiye like a frost knife. The air was instantly filled with a chill, and the audience in the audience couldn't help but shudder.

Chen Qiye, however, remained calm. With a light tap of his foot, his body drifted as lithely as willow catkins, easily dodging Qi Hao's fierce attack. With a seemingly casual swing of his wooden sword, he deftly neutralized the sharp edge of Qi Hao's sword energy.

Qi Hao's eyes flickered with surprise when his strike missed, but years of training and extensive combat experience allowed him to quickly adjust. He shouted, his aura suddenly surging. The cold light of the icy sword grew increasingly dazzling, chilling Chen Qiye to the bone as he stabbed at Chen Qiye's throat at a treacherous angle. This strike, condensed with the profound power of years of cultivation, moved with such speed that the opponent couldn't even blink.

Chen Qiye's eyes glared, and the wooden sword in his hand spun rapidly, forming an invisible barrier. The sound of metal clashing continued as Qi Hao's sword moves were blocked one by one. The sparks that flew across the arena were particularly dazzling.

The audience was stunned, and the tense atmosphere was like an invisible net, covering the entire stadium.

"How powerful! Chen Qiye's resistance seems to be casual, but there are mysteries hidden everywhere." Someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"Senior Brother Qi should not be underestimated. This is just the beginning and the outcome is still unknown." Another person responded.

Taoist Cangsong frowned slightly. He hadn't expected Chen Qiye to be able to handle Qi Hao's attack so easily. Taoist Daoxuan smiled, very satisfied with his disciple's performance.

Qi Hao's attack became more and more fierce. For a moment, it seemed as if a giant icy dragon roared out from the ring and pounced towards Chen Qiye.

"Brother Qi is worthy of being the runner-up in the previous competition. He is indeed very powerful. However, the winner of this competition will still be me. I have a sword called Two Sleeves Green Snake!"

Chen Qiye smiled faintly, and in an instant, two balls of green sword energy, like two nimble green snakes, surged out from the wooden sword. They bared their fangs and claws, and surrounded themselves with a sharp wind, hissing and whistling, as if they wanted to crush everything around them.

With overwhelming force, the two green snakes in their sleeves collided with Qi Hao's sword energy, which was like a giant icy dragon. In an instant, a deafening roar erupted from the arena, and powerful air currents spread wildly in all directions, blowing the flags at the edge of the arena into a fluttering sound.

The audience stared with eyes wide open and mouths agape, completely shocked by this breathtaking scene. Some disciples with less advanced cultivation were even forced to retreat repeatedly by this airflow, their faces filled with fear and awe.

Qi Hao sensed the terrifying power contained within the two green snakes, and a shudder sank within him. But he was, after all, a prized disciple of Longshou Peak, possessing a formidable fighting spirit and adaptability. He gritted his teeth, his dark armor swirling without a breeze. His spiritual energy circulated furiously, unleashing the chilling force of his ice sword to its fullest potential. The icy sword energy, originally aimed at Chen Qiye, instantly transformed into an impenetrable ice wall, standing between him and the two green snakes. The cyan sword energy collided violently with the ice wall, sending up countless shards of ice and a cyan glow.

"Sword Qi rolls against the Dragon Wall, breaking through 2,600 armors with one sword!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Qiye stomped his toes onto the ground and rushed forward like an arrow. The wooden sword in his hand drew sharp arcs as he moved. A strong sword energy burst out from the sword, like a roaring dragon, carrying a rolling momentum towards the ice wall.

The dragon-like sword energy slammed fiercely into the ice wall, and in an instant, it seemed as if the very world itself trembled. A resounding bang stung everyone's eardrums. Under this terrifying impact, the ice wall instantly crumbled, breaking into countless tiny shards that shot out in all directions like hidden weapons.

Qi Hao's face suddenly changed. He had clearly not anticipated the sheer power of Chen Qiye's attack. The impact of the shattering ice wall sent him reeling back, cracking the stone slabs beneath his feet. But he was formidable. After retreating several steps, he steadied himself, swung his ice sword across, and blocked the remaining ice shards. Chen Qiye gave Qi Hao no time to breathe. His eyes shone with determination, and he swung his wooden sword once more. His aura intensified, as if merging with the heavens and the earth. As his sword danced, the spiritual energy in the air, as if controlled by an invisible hand, converged frantically upon him.

"What kind of power is this?" The audience in the audience exclaimed one after another.

In front of Chen Qiye, countless sword energies began to condense, interweaving and entwining with each other, gradually forming a huge sword energy vortex. In the vortex, the sword energy crisscrossed and uttered a sharp whistling sound, as if it was about to swallow up the entire world.

Qi Hao felt an unprecedented pressure. Beads of sweat covered his forehead, and the Ice Sword in his hand trembled slightly. He took a deep breath and increased his spiritual power to the limit. The chill of the Ice Sword and the vortex of Chen Qiye's sword energy counteracted each other, and for a moment, a strange stalemate formed on the arena.

At this moment of stalemate, Chen Qiye quietly unleashed his supreme sword intent. In an instant, the aura surrounding him underwent a drastic transformation. The previously violent vortex of sword energy now carried a subtle aura of dominance. This aura surged like an invisible wave, spreading outward in all directions. The arena, previously shrouded in sword energy and icy aura, now seemed dominated by an even more powerful force.

Just as everyone was immersed in this powerful momentum, the swords in the hands of the spectators below the stage, whether they were famous swords or ordinary swords, were pulled by this inexplicable force, shaking constantly and making buzzing sounds.

"This is... the realm of swordsmanship!" Qi Hao looked at the vortex of sword energy carrying the supreme sword intent, and a feeling of powerlessness surged in his heart.

At this moment, the entire arena was silent. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the ring, afraid to miss even a single detail. Even the usually calm and composed Daoist Daoxuan and Taoist Cangsong leaned forward slightly, their faces filled with tension and concentration.

"I have a sword that makes immortals kneel!" As Chen Qiye's words fell, the whole world seemed to be shocked by this sword intent.

The vortex of sword energy that was wrapped in the unique sword intent was like a star of destruction ready to be launched. Amid the exclamations of the crowd, it crushed towards Qi Hao with an overwhelming force.

Qi Hao's face instantly turned pale. He knew full well that the power of this attack was far beyond his ability to withstand. He gritted his teeth and poured every last ounce of his spiritual energy into the Ice Sword, attempting to counter this fatal blow with his strongest defense.

Instantly, icy air and sharp sword energy collided and fused frantically in the center of the arena, emitting a dazzling light that forced everyone in the audience to squint to avoid the glare. A powerful airflow raged across the entire arena.

"Boom!" A loud noise shook the entire stadium.

After a fierce clash between the sword energy vortex and Qi Hao's defense, a force powerful enough to destroy everything erupted.

Qi Hao's body was like a kite with a broken string. He was blown away by this force and hit the protective wall at the edge of the ring heavily, leaving a long blood mark on the ring.

"Senior Brother Qi!" Seeing this, the disciples of Longshou Peak below the stage exclaimed in surprise, their faces full of worry and anxiety.

Taoist Cangsong's face turned livid, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the exertion. He had never imagined that his beloved disciple, whom he had placed such high hopes on, would be defeated so completely in this competition.

Chen Qiye, on the other hand, stood quietly in the center of the arena, his breath steady and his expression calm. He looked at Qi Hao lying on the ground and bowed slightly, saying, "Brother Qi, I'm grateful for your kindness."

Qi Hao raised his head with difficulty and looked at Chen Qiye, his eyes filled with resentment and admiration. He said in a trembling voice, "Junior Brother Chen, you... you are very strong. I am convinced of my defeat." After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes and fell into a coma.

"Bang!" As everyone watched in shock, Chen Qiye's incredibly powerful "Immortal Kneel" not only sent Qi Hao flying but also overwhelmed the seemingly ordinary wooden sword in his hand. Cracks spread across the sword like spiderwebs, creeping from the hilt to the tip in the blink of an eye. With a soft "crack," the sword finally succumbed to the backlash of the overwhelming force, and its blade began to disintegrate into countless tiny wood chips, which fluttered down.

The audience in the audience, who were originally still immersed in the afterglow of this shocking duel, were now shocked by this sudden scene and gasped. Their eyes involuntarily shifted from the unconscious Qi Hao to the wood chips floating like snowflakes.

"This wooden sword just broke like that?" someone in the crowd murmured in disbelief.

"Brother Chen's move is too powerful. Even the wooden sword can't withstand it." Another voice responded in amazement.

Chen Qiye, who was on the stage, looked at the flying wood chips with a startled expression. He shook his head helplessly, raised his hand and waved it towards his courtyard. A brand new wooden sword instantly cut through the sky and fell steadily into his hand.

"The ninth level of Jade Purity Realm..."

At this moment, even the most obtuse of people could accurately sense Chen Qiye's true strength. Aside from Daoxuan Zhenren, the other Six Sect Leaders couldn't help but be shocked. Considering how long it had been since Chen Qiye joined the sect, it had been less than five years at most.

Taoist Master Daoxuan could clearly sense that Chen Qiye's spiritual energy was nearing its critical point. It wouldn't take more than three days for him to passively break through. Taoist Master Daoxuan sighed helplessly, "The thirty-sixth level of the Three Flowers..."

(End of this chapter)