A Compendium of One Hundred Demons: My Path to Immortality in a World of Demons and Monsters

As Xu Yuan finished speaking, the two figures simultaneously sprang into action!

"boom--!"

Fist and sword clashed, and shockwaves exploded!

This time, neither of them backed down!

Liu Ruyan's longsword poured down like a torrential rain, each strike carrying the power to burn everything in its path!

Xu Yuan met the attack with both fists like iron hammers, each punch causing the sword to hum!

Ten moves, twenty moves, fifty moves!

The two fought from the center of the ring to the edge, and then back from the edge to the center!

Debris flew everywhere, and shockwaves surged!

The audience was stunned and didn't dare to breathe.

"This...this is a battle that can be fought in the early stage of Qi Condensation?!"

"Both of them are too strong! Their combat power is comparable to the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation realm!"

"Xu Yuan is even more terrifying! He fights swords with his bare fists, directly confronting Xuanbing weapons with his bare hands! What kind of physique is that?!"

Shen Moyan crossed his arms, his eyes full of admiration and anticipation.

"Good! Well done!"

Lin Xiaotian was speechless, his mouth agape as he stared blankly at the god-like figure on the arena.

Qin Shuang's beautiful eyes sparkled, and before she knew it, her hands were clenched tightly.

On the high platform, the white-haired old man nodded slightly, his smile growing even wider.

"This young man... is truly extraordinary."

Duan nodded in agreement: "His combat intelligence far surpasses that of his peers, allowing him to remain calm in combat of this intensity and constantly adjust his tactics."

The man in black robes remained silent, but for the first time, a different emotion seemed to emerge in the shadows beneath his hat.

The battle on the arena had been going on for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Both Xu Yuan and Liu Ruyan's auras began to fluctuate.

The side effects of the Blood Burning Secret Technique began to appear; Liu Ruyan's face grew even paler, and her sword-wielding speed slowed down.

Xu Yuan was also in a bad state. The simultaneous activation of all his special abilities was extremely taxing on him. Most of the scales on his right arm had shattered, and blood was gushing out.

But neither of them showed any sign of stopping.

Because they all know that whoever stops first will lose!

"Xu Yuan!" Liu Ruyan roared, her longsword slashing down. "Die!"

This sword strike contained her last bit of power!

The sword light flashed like a bolt of lightning, carrying the power to burn everything in its path, and went straight for Xu Yuan's head!

Xu Yuan's eyes narrowed. This time, he didn't take the attack head-on. Instead, he flashed and quietly activated [Shadow Escape]!

His figure vanished instantly, and the next moment he appeared behind Liu Ruyan!

A punch was thrown!

Liu Ruyan tried her best to parry with her sword, but was knocked forward by the punch!

She barely managed to steady herself and turned to fight, only to find that Xu Yuan had already closed in and thrown another punch!

"Bang--!"

Liu Ruyan raised her sword to block, but was forced back three steps!

"Bang--!"

Take three steps back!

"Bang--!"

Three steps again!

Liu Ruyan retreated repeatedly, until she reached the edge of the arena!

The audience held their breath!

"Is Liu Ruyan going to lose?!"

"Xu Yuan is going to win?!"

Liu Ruyan knelt on one knee, supporting herself with her sword, panting heavily.

She looked up at Xu Yuan.

Those phoenix eyes were now filled with resentment and unwillingness.

"I...I can't lose..." she murmured. "I am the legitimate daughter of the Liu family...I am an inner disciple of the Green Mountain Sect...I can't lose to a country bumpkin..."

She slowly stood up.

At that moment, her true energy began to surge once again.

No, it's not true essence.

It is some kind of more mysterious, more pure power!

"This is..." someone in the audience exclaimed.

"Sword intent! It's sword intent!"

"Liu Ruyan has grasped the essence of swordsmanship!"

As soon as Liu Ruyan appeared, invisible sword intent began to gather around her.

Those sword intents were formless and intangible, yet they carried an unparalleled sharpness, cutting the air with tiny cracks wherever they passed!

The crimson longsword in her hand was now shining brightly, and a crimson sword shadow slowly emerged on its blade!

The sword's edge gleamed!

The sword intent is beginning to take shape!

"Excellent!" An elder from the Green Mountain Sect's camp suddenly stood up, his face beaming with joy. "That girl, Ruyan, actually comprehended sword intent during the battle! This is an incredible stroke of luck!"

The head of the Liu family, Liu Zhenshan, trembled with excitement: "My Liu family... is about to produce a sword genius!"

On the viewing platform, the heads of various families and elders of various clans all expressed their admiration.

"To comprehend sword intent with only nine orifices—this girl from the Liu family has a limitless future!"

"With this sword intent within him, he is invincible among those of the same level! No matter how strong Xu Yuan is, he will undoubtedly be defeated!"

The white-haired old man stroked his beard and smiled, but a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.

"What a pity for that kid. If it weren't for the Liu family girl's breakthrough at the last minute, the outcome would have been uncertain."

Du An nodded: "With the initial formation of sword intent, combat power has increased exponentially. Although Xu Yuan has many methods, I'm afraid he'll be no match for sword intent..."

The man in black remained silent, but seemed to disagree with the two men's views.

On the arena, Liu Ruyan slowly rose to her feet, her body swirling with sword intent, like a fairy among swords.

She looked at Xu Yuan, her eyes filled with smugness and contempt.

"Xu Yuan, did you see that?" she whispered. "That's sword intent, the ultimate expression of a martial artist's understanding of the sword. With this sword intent within me, even someone at the mid-stage of the Qi Condensation realm would be a match for me!"

"And you—you're just a country bumpkin. Even if you've had some extraordinary encounters, how can you compare to a true genius?"

"Now, kneel down and admit defeat, and I might spare your life."

The audience nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, once the sword intent is unleashed, the outcome is already decided."

"Although Xu Yuan is strong, he probably wouldn't be able to withstand even one move from the sword intent."

"Admit defeat, there's no shame in it."

The faces of the men in the Northern Camp were grim, and Meng Hu clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

Xiao Yunhan took a deep breath, about to tell Xu Yuan to admit defeat—

But then, on the arena, Xu Yuan suddenly smiled.

That smile was calm and serene, yet it inexplicably made everyone's heart tighten.

"Sword intent?" he said slowly. "You're right, the ultimate manifestation of a martial artist's understanding of the way of the sword... is indeed formidable."

He paused.

"but---"

He raised his right hand.

At that moment, an invisible and intangible aura, yet as heavy as a mountain, suddenly erupted from his body!

It's not sword intent.

It's the intent of the sword!

A more solid, more profound, and more domineering sword intent!

Wherever the sword intent passed, the bluestone slabs on the arena cracked instantly, with cracks spreading like a spider web!

The sword intent surrounding Liu Ruyan began to tremble violently in the face of this saber intent!

It was as if a subject had met his king!

"This...this is..." someone in the audience said, their voice trembling.

"Sword intent?! He's comprehended sword intent?!"

"And its sword intent is stronger and more solid than Liu Ruyan's!"

Shen Moyan's pupils constricted sharply, and he exclaimed, "Thirty percent of sword intent?! When did this kid...?"

Xiao Yunhan was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Good! Good lad! You've been hiding it well!"

On the high platform, the white-haired old man suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with shock.

"Thirty percent of sword intent?! Early stage of Qi Condensation, comprehending thirty percent of sword intent? This... what kind of talent is this?!"

Duan's feather fan stopped in mid-air, and the smile on his face slowly froze.

Even the man in black robes who had been silent all along raised his head at this moment.

From the shadows beneath the straw hat, a pair of eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

Those eyes were now fixed intently on Xu Yuan.

On the stage, Liu Ruyan's face was deathly pale.

Her proud sword intent was so easily defeated in the face of Xu Yuan's saber intent!

"Impossible...this is impossible..." she murmured, "How could you...have also comprehended it..."

Xu Yuan looked at her, a faint smile still playing on his lips.

He comprehended this sword intent while defending Qingyang, on the verge of life and death.

That night, he infiltrated the Xiongnu camp alone, facing thousands of soldiers, burning with passion, and wielding his sword to kill the enemy.

That night, he touched the rudiments of sword intent for the first time.

In subsequent battles, he never revealed this trump card, but he never slacked off in cultivating and comprehending the essence of the sword.

Simply because he was waiting.

Waiting for the right opportunity.

And now—

That was the perfect opportunity!

"Miss Liu," he said slowly, "you're right. A martial artist's ultimate understanding of the way of the sword is indeed impressive."

"It's just a pity—"

He raised his right hand, his five fingers loosely clenched.

At that moment, the sword intent around him instantly condensed, transforming into an invisible blade over ten feet long, hovering above his head!

"My sword intent is stronger than yours!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the sword strike landed!

Liu Ruyan exerted all her strength to unleash her sword intent to resist, but she could only hold out for less than half a breath!

"boom--!"

Sword intent shattered!

Liu Ruyan screamed and flew backward, crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena!

She struggled to get up, but found that her meridians were in excruciating pain and she could no longer muster any true energy!

The entire room fell silent!