The most eye-catching thing about him was the long, sheathed saber slung diagonally across his back. The scabbard was a somber, raven black, devoid of ornamentation, yet it faintly exuded a grim chill—the kind forged in the blood and fire of the battlefield.
After entering, Wu Qianjun’s gaze swept across the hall. He glanced at Yang Wenqing before walking straight to the rest area on the west side of the dueling ring.
Yang Wenqing took a slow breath, his eyes flicking over the black scabbard before he closed them again. He spent the last moments regulating his breathing, waiting for Vice Director Gao to come down and officiate the formal duel.
At half past eight, Vice Director Gao walked to the center of the ring. His gaze swept over the rest areas on the east and west sides, and his voice, amplified by an amplification Array, carried clearly to every corner of the auditorium:
"The dueling competition for the internal promotion to Vice Team Leader of the Qianjiao County City Defense Bureau’s Major Case Team begins now!"
"To reiterate the rules: standard-issue firearms and single-use, high-power treasured talismans are prohibited..."
"The match is decided when one party surrenders, loses consciousness, or is knocked out of the ring’s barrier."
"Now, I invite both combatants to the ring."
Yang Wenqing rose to his feet. He straightened the collar of his dark operational uniform, secured the scabbard of the Cyan Blade shortsword at his waist, and stepped onto the ring.
To the west, Wu Qianjun got up at nearly the same moment. He didn’t bother to adjust his clothes. Instead, he gripped the hilt of the saber on his back with his left hand while his right hand splayed open and slowly clenched into a fist. He rolled his neck, producing a faint CRACK of bone, then strode onto the ring.
The two men faced each other in the center of the ring, standing ten paces apart.
"Begin!"
The moment he finished speaking, Vice Director Gao drifted backward. The protective barrier at the ring’s edge flared to life, enveloping the entire dueling area in light.
The instant the word "Begin!" was spoken, Wu Qianjun moved!
No probing attacks, no wasted words. He stomped his left foot hard against the ground. The bluestone tiles groaned under the strain, and he shot forward like a cannonball, hurtling toward Yang Wenqing wrapped in a murderous aura.
His speed far surpassed that of an ordinary Fifth Refinement Cultivator.
Simultaneously, his right hand grasped the hilt on his back. With a ringing SCHRING, the long saber was drawn from its scabbard.
The blade was the color of dark, mystic iron, its edge a line of soul-stealing, cold light. The Spiritual Light of ’Armor Piercing’ and ’Sharpness’ runes flowed across its surface. Carried by Wu Qianjun’s charge, a deceptively simple diagonal slash shrieked as it tore through the air, descending upon Yang Wenqing’s head.
This was the Breaking Army Slash, one of the simplest techniques in the military.
Military combat techniques are all about overwhelming the enemy with sheer momentum and shattering finesse with brute force!
The slash seemed simple, yet it perfectly fused the kinetic energy of Wu Qianjun’s charge, the explosive power from the rotation of his torso and arms, and the dense Spiritual Power channeled by his Garrison Soldier Formulas. Before the blade even arrived, its indomitable, ferocious aura enveloped Yang Wenqing, making it hard for him to even breathe.
Fast! Vicious! Precise!
This was the style of an elite soldier from the Northern Border Frontline!
Yang Wenqing’s pupils contracted. As his thoughts raced, the Spell his left hand had already been forming was completed in an instant.
Golden Light Body Protection Spell! Light Body Spell!
The two Spells took effect almost simultaneously. A solid, golden membrane of light instantly enveloped him, and his body became incredibly light. With a slight push from his feet, amplified by the Light Body Spell, he shot backward, narrowly avoiding the main path of the blade.
SCREEE—
The edge of the blade scraped along the periphery of the Golden Light Body Protection Spell, creating a teeth-grating screech. The golden membrane of light rippled violently, a shallow crack appearing where the blade had struck. The residual energy from the slash plowed a deep furrow into the ground!
As the one on the receiving end, Yang Wenqing saw it all too clearly. He couldn’t help but think, ’Such terrifying power! An ordinary Golden Light Body Protection Spell could never stop a killing blow like that!’
PS: There’s another Chapter coming this afternoon. I’ll edit it once I’m free. Starting tomorrow, we’re back to the normal update schedule. I’m out of stockpiled Chapters.