Devouring Soul Emperor

"Alright, let him give it a try then."

The Celestial Wind Army Master mused for a moment before nodding.

But the Grand Elder of the Ye Family, who was standing to the side, sneered contemptuously. "Not surrendering?" he said in a snide tone. "Swords have no eyes on the dueling platform. The rules may forbid killing, but severe injuries and permanent disabilities... well, those are unavoidable..."

The Celestial Wind Army Master shot him a sideways glare. Even for the most even-tempered Military Lord among the Six Armies, this was getting to be too much.

However, Grand Elder Ye was, after all, an Alchemist with a special status. So, the Celestial Wind Army Master decided to ignore him, silently praying that Chu Qingyun could keep up the pressure and continue to unleash his full power.

On the platform.

Once the Fierce Tiger Divine Pill took full effect, an explosive, tyrannical aura erupted from Ye Junhao. He stared at Chu Qingyun with a cold smirk. "Chu Qingyun, I’ll give you one chance. Surrender, crawl off this platform, and I’ll let you go. How about it?"

"Surrender?"

Chu Qingyun sneered. ’Waves of anger churned within him!’

Chu Qingyun had already spared Ye Junhao’s life once before, merely piercing his right chest without killing or grievously wounding him.

’To think he’d pull a stunt like this!’

’And on an Elixir, no less!’

"Ye Junhao, if you dare make a move, I guarantee you’ll be carried off this platform!" Chu Qingyun shouted, his face contorted with rage as he stared at his opponent.

"Hahaha! Me, carried off the platform?"

Ye Junhao couldn’t help but roar with laughter. He applied a little pressure with his foot, and a large section of the platform floor shattered.

Just then, however, he suddenly felt a faint, stabbing pain radiating from his Qi Sea and spreading through his body.

The sensation made his heart clench. ’My body... it’s starting to fail.’

Neither the Primordial Power of a Half-Step Martial Spirit nor the strength granted by the Fierce Tiger Divine Pill was something his body was meant to handle. Ye Junhao’s physique was formidable, allowing him to hold on for a short time, but he couldn’t sustain it for long.

"Chu Qingyun, since you won’t surrender, don’t blame me for what happens next! One move is all I’ll need to finish you!"

"Eight Desolates Sword Momentum! Sword Movement in Eight Directions!"

With another great roar, Ye Junhao unleashed a Sword Momentum even stronger and more ferocious than before, slashing down at Chu Qingyun.

Even if Chu Qingyun were to use his Thunder Light Sword Qi, it was unlikely he could withstand such a strike!

Though powerful, his Thunder Light Sword Qi was, after all, still only at the stage of a Sword Qi Seed.

But then Chu Qingyun did something that left everyone dumbfounded. Instead of retreating, he advanced, fearlessly charging straight into the massive, pale red Sword Momentum.

"Thunder Light Sword Qi!"

"Thrusting Sword Technique!"

Chu Qingyun let out a low cry and thrust his sword forward.

This time, he held nothing back, unleashing the Thrusting Sword Technique with one hundred percent of its power!

When he had fought Zhao Xiaolong, he only had the Second Layer of the Profound Celestial Divine Pattern on his right arm, so he had only used the Thrusting Sword Technique at fifty percent of its power.

But now, with the Third Layer of the Profound Celestial Divine Pattern at full mastery, he had enough power to support a one-hundred-percent-power Thrusting Sword Technique!

The Thunder Light Sword Qi, combined with the Thrusting Sword Technique, unleashed terrifying destructive force!

The colossal Sword Momentum, dozens of meters long, was instantly shattered into dust.

Immediately after, Ye Junhao’s body snapped backward. He violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, his grip slackening until he could no longer even hold his sword.

Chu Qingyun’s sword had punched straight through his right chest, tearing open a bloody, fist-sized hole. The flesh, organs, and even the bone within had been shredded by the Sword Qi!

After taking such a blow, Ye Junhao felt all his strength rapidly draining away through the bloody hole in his chest. Even breathing became difficult.

"You son of a bitch! Still dare to take an Elixir? Get the hell off my stage!"

Chu Qingyun roared and viciously kicked Ye Junhao right on his grievous wound, sending him flying high into the air. He soared over the edge of the platform and landed with a heavy THUD on the ground below the Observation Platform.

"Jun Hao!!"

It wasn’t until Ye Junhao landed, grievously wounded, that the people on the Observation Platform snapped back to their senses. Grand Elder Ye let out a blood-curdling scream, and the terrifying aura of a Celestial Spirit Realm expert instantly blanketed the entire platform.

"You little bastard! I’ll kill you!"

Grand Elder Ye roared in fury, leaping down from the Observation Platform and charging toward the dueling platform.

But at that same moment, the Celestial Wind Army Master also made his move.

He flickered into motion, appearing in front of Grand Elder Ye. With a single, direct palm strike, he forced the elder back several steps, his Qi and Blood thrown into such turmoil that he nearly spat blood.

"Ye Tianyao!"

"Do you take me for a mere figurehead?!"

"Believe me when I say I will leave all of you from the Four Races here today—permanently!"

The Celestial Wind Army Master was truly enraged now.

A terrifying killing intent surged from his body, freezing everyone around him. They were as silent as the grave, not daring to even breathe.

"You..."

Ye Tianyao was furious, but he didn’t dare make another reckless move.

The Six Great Army Commanders of the Great Xia Dragon Guard were all elites among Celestial Spirit Realm experts. Every single one possessed the terrifying might of a ninth-level Martial Spirit!

If he dared to push his luck any further, the Celestial Wind Army Master might actually slaughter everyone from the Four Races on the spot!

The elders from the other three of the Four Races quickly rushed to Ye Tianyao’s side. "Grand Elder Ye, you must see to Ye Junhao! If you don’t help him now, he might truly be beyond saving."

"That’s right, Grand Elder Ye. You’re an Alchemist! An injury like that would cripple anyone else, but it’s not impossible for you to save him."

The three of them pleaded with him, trying to talk some sense into him.

Seeing the murderous look on the Celestial Wind Army Master’s face, they had all lost their nerve in an instant.

"Hmph!"

Ye Tianyao snorted coldly. His figure flashed, and he was at Ye Junhao’s side. He stuffed two Elixirs into the young man’s mouth and used his own Primordial Power to help him start Refining their medicinal energy. Then, cradling him in his arms, he sped off toward the Ye Family estate and quickly vanished from sight.

With Ye Junhao grievously wounded and near death, and Jintai having had most of the bones in his body shattered, it was no surprise that none of the remaining disciples from the Four Races dared to step onto the platform for another challenge.

What was supposed to have been a one-sided challenge had, after many twists and turns, become two incredibly fierce battles!

One could only imagine what would happen after this fight. Whether he wanted it or not, Chu Qingyun’s name was sure to spread throughout the entire County City. Furthermore, within the ranks of the Great Xia Dragon Guard—and especially within the Celestial Wind Army—his prestige would soar.

After all, at the most critical moment, he had defeated two formidable opponents, Jintai and Ye Junhao, back-to-back, single-handedly turning the tide and saving the reputation of not only the Celestial Wind Army, but the entire Great Xia Dragon Guard!

At this moment, however, Chu Qingyun himself was feeling unwell.

On the way back to the Great Xia Dragon Guard’s garrison, his entire right arm felt as if it were being pricked by needles from the inside out, and it trembled uncontrollably from the pain.

The Celestial Wind Army Master and some of the Grand Commanders noticed this as well.

They could guess what it meant. ’Unleashing such a powerful move at the end,’ they thought, ’must have come at a price.’

Though they were astonished by the strength Chu Qingyun had displayed, none of them felt any jealousy or harbored any covetous thoughts.

Every Martial Artist has their own opportunities in life, and another person’s fortune is not necessarily the right fit for you.

Besides, most of what Chu Qingyun had demonstrated was his cultivation in the Sword Dao. Something like a Secret Sword Technique wasn’t necessarily useful for just anyone.