My Arts Evolve When Perfected

"You..."

Sakai Yoshiei’s pupils widened. An unprecedented sense of mortal danger flooded his heart. Meeting Jiang Qiu’s blazing, furious gaze, a chill ran down his spine. He felt blood pouring from his abdomen as if a dam had burst—a sign of impending death!

The moment his Shadow Cut failed to kill Jiang Qiu instantly, he knew something was wrong. ’But how is that possible?’

’Perhaps Jiang Qiu just got lucky and dodged the first strike. As long as I increase my power output and pour in more Spirit Charm, I’ll definitely be able to cut him down!’

But Jiang Qiu’s physical body was terrifying. His Shadow Cut, which could normally grievously injure a high-defense Ancestral Great Demon with a single blow, had only managed to leave a gash on this guy. The moment it hit bone, the blade’s momentum stopped dead!

What was even stranger was that the longer they fought, the more agile Jiang Qiu became. Eventually, he couldn’t even break his skin!

’What kind of monster is this?’

’How can something like him exist!’

A surge of black blood suddenly welled up in Sakai Yoshiei’s chest, filling his mouth and puffing out his pale cheeks.

He clenched his jaw. A desperate, self-destructive impulse forced him to circulate his Nether Dark Spirit Charm. The blades in his hands erupted with a brilliant, violet-black light. For a moment, a purple daylight descended, filling the entire barrier!

"Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect!"

Following a roar in the language of Sang Island, Jiang Qiu suddenly felt as if he were a mouse facing a python, on the brink of death. A surging wave of Nether Dark Spirit Charm crept up the shaft of his spear.

’He actually manifested his Dharma Aspect!’

He forcefully activated his Fiery Flame Spirit Charm and, with a BOOM, shot backward away from Sakai Yoshiei. His withdrawn Chuyuan spear flung off droplets of violet-black blood.

*HUFF... HAH...*

Looking up, he saw a massive, one-hundred-foot-tall phantom looking down from high above, like a vulture eyeing an ant. The killing intent pressed down on him, sending a chill across his scalp.

A pair of large, eerie green eyes hung high in the air. As the purple light faded, the phantom of the giant python grew more solid. Sakai Yoshiei stood beneath the python’s enormous body, his twin blades held high above his head as black blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.

The Dharma Aspect radiated an intense Demon Race aura, as if a Demon King had lent a wisp of its Essence Blood to Sakai Yoshiei. It was sinister and vicious!

This drew gasps of shock from the spectator stands. Some even clenched their teeth and fists, circulating their energy as they stared at the powerful Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect!

Even Beligi was dumbfounded, his expression grave. "According to legend, after the great Secret Realm on Sang Island reawakened, a Demon King with eight heads appeared, calling itself Baki!

"The people of Sang Island, having suffered a devastating blow, chose to submit to the Baki clan. They fanatically altered their bloodlines to obey Baki’s will."

"This also gave the people of Sang Island an opportunity for Talent Transformation. If a disciple from the main branch of the Sakai Family has truly outstanding Talent, they can summon the Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect!

"It even carries a sliver of Baki’s might!"

In this era where the major Demon Races were growing ever stronger, the power of a Demon King was self-evident. It held a natural suppressive effect over most Martial Artists who had absorbed Demon Race bloodlines.

Having pushed Sakai Yoshiei this far, Jiang Qiu was doomed!

While Beligi was worrying, Sakai Yoshiei’s blades had already gathered a sufficiently surging Nether Dark Spirit Charm. The killing intent pierced through the barrier, and dark clouds rumbled overhead.

The hearts of the countless spectators grew cold, as if they were witnessing a monstrous tsunami cresting. The massive phantom of the Eight-headed Snake King opened its cavernous maw, its two curved fangs looking as if they could pierce the very earth!

"Jiang Qiu, you won’t be able to take this strike!"

Sakai Yoshiei’s face was savage as his roar became a tidal wave of sound. Intense wind pressure slammed down on Jiang Qiu’s head and shoulders, forcing his eyes wide open. His clothes whipped about, and his veins pulsed and bulged. THUMP-THUMP.

ROAR—

At that moment, the Dragon Spirit hidden within Jiang Qiu’s body threw back its head and roared. His Dragon Eyes appeared once again, and the might of a dragon began to gather.

"Come!"

A single word erupted from Jiang Qiu’s mouth with a torrent of rage, carrying with it a few flecks of spittle. The flames on his body flared up wildly, like a bonfire doused in oil.

BOOM—

The immense, chilling blade swung down, bringing the phantom of the Eight-headed Snake King with it. The cavernous maw descended from the sky, intending to swallow the ant-sized Jiang Qiu in a single bite.

But...

Flaming Azure Dragon Dharma Aspect!

Jiang Qiu’s eyes flew wide. In an instant, he emptied his body of its Fiery Flame Spirit Charm. The newly erupted flames coalesced into the silhouette of an Azure Dragon, its head rising along with the spear tip as he pulled back to gather power.

It was no more than fifty or sixty feet tall, less than half the size of the Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect. From a distance, it looked like a fledgling dragon roaring at a giant python.

The corners of Sakai Yoshiei’s mouth curled up. Bloodshot veins seemed to grip his nearly-bursting eyeballs as his expression turned crazed. "A mere little flame snake, and you dare summon it to clash with my Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect?!"

He brought down the blade he had charged with all his might, crashing it against the tip of Jiang Qiu’s twisting spear. Above them, the massive, majestic Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect lunged to bite the Flaming Azure Dragon Dharma Aspect, an overwhelming force bearing down!

’How can a tiny snake aspect contend with a king?’

Sakai Yoshiei roared inwardly. Just as he was about to slice this strange, unknown genius in two, a sudden, heart-stopping premonition erupted from the point of contact between his blade and the spear.

Then, the head of the Flaming Azure Dragon exploded forth, instantly engulfing him!

Furious Dragon Ascending to Heaven!

The body of the Flaming Azure Dragon above Jiang Qiu’s head smashed through the so-called Eight-headed Snake King Dharma Aspect with unstoppable momentum. Wherever the flames passed, the black mist retreated, like mice fearing a True Dragon.

In the single instant of their clash, the overwhelming power Sakai Yoshiei had accumulated was shattered with ease. Countless pupils contracted in shock. The entire arena fell silent.

Meanwhile, Belite, who was still watching the live broadcast, shot up from his seat and slammed his hand on his desk, utterly stunned. "How can he be this strong?!"

Ever since Jiang Qiu had left with the Ice Lotus, he had returned to his office to watch the live broadcast from the fighting arena. As an internal member of the Belli Family, he could watch for free.

But he hadn’t been watching for long when, just as the resident Martial Artist, the One-Eyed Demon Monarch, was about to die, Jiang Qiu had appeared out of nowhere and actually started fighting Sang Island’s number one genius, Sakai Yoshiei!

His heart had skipped a beat then. This was a Dharma Realm Martial Artist, someone with a fair amount of influence. Making an enemy of such a person was undoubtedly unwise.

And as the fight progressed, he gradually realized that Jiang Qiu’s strength might even surpass Sakai Yoshiei’s. ’I may have offended an incredibly powerful figure!’

But things had already come to this. His only hope was that Sakai Yoshiei’s ultimate technique would be able to kill Jiang Qiu. But now...

GULP. Belite swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Just who is he?"

The broadcast feed focused on Jiang Qiu again. He had sent Sakai Yoshiei flying with his spear and was about to step forward to finish him off when the figure of an old man with a handlebar mustache flickered into the arena. Circulating Nether Dark Spirit Charm to protect Sakai Yoshiei’s bloody, mangled body, the veins on his own face bulged as he glared at Jiang Qiu. "Bastard! You dare to grievously injure my grandson? You’ll die here today!"

BANG!

The old man with the handlebar mustache erupted with power, intending to kill Jiang Qiu with a single punch.

Just then, Zhu Weiyi’s voice, brimming with killing intent, descended from the sky: "Who did you say you were going to kill?"