Chapter 441: Mad Bu Jue VS Xu Huai Shang

Chapter 441: Mad Bu Jue VS Xu Huai Shang

"How dare he speak such arrogance..."

"Huh? What did that kid just say? He's being way too cocky!"

"He actually pulled out a Folding Stool... What does he plan to do with Xu Huai Shang? It's just making people furious for no reason!"

The audience in front of the main screen was getting restless, a tense atmosphere of "Mad Bu Jue must die" spreading...

"Hahaha... That sure sounds like something Feng Bu Jue would say", Seven Kill said with a grin.

"Mm... Definitely his style", Ji Bu agreed. "It doesn't matter who his opponent is... He just doesn't respect anyone."

"This isn't arrogance, it's self-sabotage", Bei Ling said slowly.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Black and White asked curiously.

Si Yu joined in, "He knew from the start that he'd be hated by the audience."

Black and White thought for a moment, "Hmm... That's true enough... After all, his opponent is Xu Huai Shang."

Si Yu added, "Plus, Bu Jue is the only non-celebrity contestant among the ten invited players."

Bei Ling continued, "So our commander understood before the match even started that no matter the outcome, the moment this fight began, he would draw countless hatred."

"Mm... If he wins, Xu Huai Shang's massive fanbase won't accept it", Long Ao Min mused. "And if he loses, the invited player status will invite skepticism from many players."

"Stuck between a rock and a hard place..." Suddenly, another voice system activated.

Everyone turned around, surprised to find Xiao Tan standing there.

"Eh? Aren't you in a match?" Bei Ling asked.

"Finished already", Xiao Tan grinned. "I won."

"What?" Everyone reacted with surprise. The big match on the screen hadn't even started yet, and Xiao Tan had already defeated his opponent and exited the scenario.

"Your opponent was..." Seven Kill asked immediately.

"The Heartbroken Fruit", Xiao Tan replied. "His guild seems to be 'Tiandi.'"

"Oh... It was him", Seven Kill muttered, having apparently fought him before. "He was quite strong... Did he only last a few minutes?"

"About average", Xiao Tan evaluated. "You would probably beat him easily too."

"Yeah... Maybe..." Seven Kill replied. Since losing to Xiao Tan, his confidence had taken a hit, his sharpness dulled in favor of more stability and caution.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Just then, the commentator's voice drew everyone's attention back.

"After Mad Bu Jue's verbal provocation", Pan Feng announced, "Xu Huai Shang has finally made the first move! And what a dazzling offense right from the start! Truly breathtaking!"

Hua Xiong continued, "However, Mad Bu Jue appears unfazed, retreating while fighting, blocking Xu Huai Shang's fierce attacks with just a Folding Stool."

"Damn it! Die already!"

"You're not even worthy of dying by Shang Shang's blade! Just commit suicide in apology!"

"Hmph! Talk big all you want! You can't even fight back now!"

"Go Shang Shang! Cut that trash to pieces!"

The audience erupted in noise once again, continuing their passionate shouting even though their voices couldn't reach the two fighters. It seemed Feng Bu Jue was indeed masterfully drawing hatred.

......

Meanwhile, inside the Colosseum.

Blades flashed wildly, shadows moved swiftly.

One fighter spun twin blades, dancing like a butterfly; the other countered with continuous Folding Stool movements, techniques seemingly clumsy.

Xu Huai Shang's sword techniques were fast, ruthless, and dangerous. The blade could sense killing intent, and the wielder had inherited the blade's vicious nature. Each move was bursting with momentum, aggressively pressing forward.

Feng Bu Jue, however, was masterfully using the Folding Stool—slow, dull, steady. He wasn't in the least bit hasty, his defense impenetrable. With seemingly simple movements, he deflected all attacks effortlessly. The Folding Stool had no edge, yet possessed supreme skill.

After a few moments, when Xu Huai Shang's initial anger had somewhat cooled, she began reassessing the situation: "Even my standard attacks can't find the slightest inconsistency... His calm reactions make it seem like he's fought me many times before. No matter how sharp or sudden my attacks are, he can respond flawlessly, even beyond limits..." Her expression shifted slightly, "If that's the case... then his words and actions just now were all deliberate. Not only did he create psychological pressure for me, but he also disrupted my emotions. This person... isn't simple." Thinking this, Xu Huai Shang suddenly feigned an attack, then withdrew.

The continuous combat that had lasted several minutes temporarily ceased.

As a Class player, Xu Huai Shang had studied the match video between Meng Jing Chan and Long Ao Min, so she clearly understood the potential dangers of prolonged stalemate. Though female, she rarely acted on emotion, never letting impulsive actions or blind confidence draw her into an opponent's rhythm. Her professionalism in this regard was something many male Class players could only admire.

"Oh?" Feng Bu Jue thought to himself, "She's sharper than I expected..." He let out a smile, intentional or not, "Good thing my zero-time differential calculations have reached quite a high level."

Seeing Feng Bu Jue's smug grin, Xu Huai Shang also smiled... but it was a cold one.

Her fans might be captivated by that fleeting smile, but Feng Bu Jue only sensed danger from it...

"If I'm not mistaken", Xu Huai Shang spoke, "so far, you've still held back at least 30% of your strength."

"Oh? What makes you say that?" Feng Bu Jue shot back defiantly.

Xu Huai Shang didn't mind, now employing psychological tactics herself, "Because just now, I used only 50% of my power."

"Hah! What's there to brag about?" Feng Bu Jue immediately shrugged with a grin. "You say I've held back at least 30%, which isn't wrong. Unfortunately, the actual proportion is much further from what you imagine." He paused, "When it comes to pure physical techniques, right now I've actually only displayed about 8% of my maximum capability."

"Hmph... Anyone can talk big", Xu Huai Shang coldly replied.

She naturally didn't believe him, but... Feng Bu Jue was actually telling the truth.

Earlier, Feng Bu Jue had also used 50% of his strength, but he still had the spirit sense body technique and demon god descent techniques unused. Therefore, theoretically speaking, he indeed had massive room for improvement.

"Don't believe me?" Feng Bu Jue simply put away his Folding Stool. "Then let's try 16% first..."

......

"Oh! Mad Bu Jue has shocked everyone again!" Hua Xiong shouted, clearly trying to stir excitement. "He's actually claimed that in that intense fight just now, he only used 8% of his capability!" He paused a second, "Brother Pan, what's your take on this?"

Pan Feng answered, "Hmm... This is probably just bluffing... According to Mad Bu Jue's statement, he would already have the upper hand if he used just 30% of his capability against Xu Huai Shang."

The audience generally believed Feng Bu Jue was talking nonsense, erupting in curses once again.

"This Battle Five Zhao is spouting nonsense without any draft support!"

"Middle school syndrome acting up again!"

"You're getting cocky just because Shang Shang held back a bit!"

However... A few people had different opinions.

"Hey... Is he really that strong?" Seven Kill turned to Xiao Tan.

Long Ao Min, Ji Bu Shao Ye, and Black & White also turned their heads, wanting to hear what a member of Hell Front would say.

Xiao Tan thoughtfully replied, "Purely based on data... More or less."

"No..." Si Yu spoke up then, her face serious, speaking with ten points of certainty, "Stronger than that."

......

At the same time, inside the scenario, Feng Bu Jue's counterattack had already begun.

Without weapons, he fought Xu Huai Shang with only his fists and feet. His punches moved like shuttles, his movements unpredictable, not at all inferior to his opponent's twin blades.

"Tch... He really did immediately double his capability..." Xu Huai Shang now used 90% of her strength, barely matching the opponent evenly.

Between experts, that final reserve power wasn't easily used. It was something saved for crucial moments or unexpected situations. If one side was forced to fight at full strength every moment, it meant the situation was already very unfavorable.

Xu Huai Shang was now at this critical point. Though reluctant, she had to admit at this point... that the opponent's capability was indeed above hers.

"Not good... Even if his physical techniques have reached their limit here, I'm still in danger..." Xu Huai Shang thought. "He's fighting my weapons with just his bare hands... If conditions were equal, I might struggle to withstand him." Thinking this, she felt a trace of fear, "What if... he's really only using 16% of his capability right now..." She hesitated for a second, "No, that's impossible. I'm also in the top twenty players. The gap can't be that huge..."

"Stay focused, Heroine Xu", Feng Bu Jue's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Despite the fierce battle, Feng Bu Jue not only had the energy to speak but did so with a relaxed tone, his breathing perfectly steady. This added yet another layer of psychological pressure on his opponent.

"Hmph... getting ahead of yourself!" Xu Huai Shang coldly snapped, twisting her slim waist and flashing out her jade-like hands. Her left short blade slashed horizontally across the ground.

Feng Bu Jue remained composed, elegantly tilting his neck and raising his wrist as his palm shifted forms. Suddenly, his right hand snapped inward, fingers like blades, aiming for Xu Huai Shang's shoulder.

Techniques like this, which countered attacks with preemptive strikes, had frustrated Xu Huai Shang multiple times. She'd never faced an opponent who could consistently disrupt her moves with such unsettling precision.

As her technique was countered again, she shifted her footing, rotated her waist, and dropped her left elbow, abandoning the blade to strike Feng Bu Jue's right ribs with her elbow.

Seeing his opponent fall for the bait, Feng Bu Jue knew the moment had come. He took the barely acceptable blow without flinching, ignoring the 7% vitality loss, and unleashed his 【southern dipper flying dragon fist】.

Xu Huai Shang had no chance to evade...

However, top experts possess exceptional qualities. In this desperate moment, she instinctively activated a skill:

【Name: northern cross sparrow】

【Skill Card Attribute: Active Skill, Permanently Mastered】

【Skill Category: Martial Arts】

【Effect: Launches a cross-shaped ice attribute slash (Cooldown twelve minutes, can only be activated when using bladed weapons)】

【Consumption: Stamina Value 400】

【Learning Condition: Martial Arts Proficiency C】

【Background: A technique created by a northern swordsmaster. This martial artist became so skilled that in his later years he grew obsessed with combat. He tried to write an ultimate martial arts manual that would dominate the world forever, but for every technique he created, he immediately devised a counter. Though he produced countless martial arts techniques, he eventually discarded them all as useless, dying in frustration.】

This lightning-fast, reflexive intervention minimized Xu Huai Shang's damage.

Northern Cross Sparrow not only absorbed most of the southern dipper flying dragon fist's impact but also applied a Frozen status to Feng Bu Jue's hands. This round of combat left it difficult to determine who had the advantage...

As the light faded and the battle cries ceased, both fighters retreated to safety distance, stabilizing their stances for a brief adjustment...

Though the description seems lengthy, Feng Bu Jue and Xu Huai Shang's exchange of techniques had taken only seconds.

...The mall arena fell silent.

Even the commentators took several moments to recover before continuing.

"Er... right... both competitors have used skills in direct confrontation!" Hua Xiong announced. "But... the advantage remains unclear."

"From the live footage, we can clearly see Mad Bu Jue contestant's hands are affected by Frozen status", Pan Feng added. "And under his killing move, Xu Huai Shang contestant surely suffered significant damage."

"Die! Face execution! Death penalty!"

"Who dares hurt my Shangshang! Chop their hands off!"

Soon, several members of Xu Huai Shang's Honor Guard Unit shouted again, though this time their voices lacked conviction. Fewer regular players supported them.

The previous spectacle had revealed much. Even average players recognized the difference between experts and amateurs in close-quarters combat. With identical limbs, only experts could perform what others couldn't.

No matter how much Xu Huai Shang's fanbase disliked Feng Bu Jue, they couldn't deny the facts.

Feng Bu Jue's incredible reaction speed and bizarre movements were unparalleled. Under Soul Intent support, he executed seemingly chaotic motions that precisely countered every attack. This unique combat style amazed all spectators watching today's match.

"Can this really be just 16%?" Long Ao Min wiped cold sweat from his head.

Even Xiao Tan and Bei Ling began doubting...

Only one person had the confidence and qualifications to answer - this person had fought Feng Bu Jue at his peak state.

"Yes, he's far stronger than this", Si Yu calmly replied, her expression unchanged. "Keep watching... Xu Huai Shang hasn't used her full strength yet." Something flickered in her eyes.

...Xu Huai Shang straightened after adjusting her breathing. The flush on her cheeks and the rise and fall of her chest captivated everyone. Even other women couldn't help but steal glances at her delicate beauty.

Feng Bu Jue naturally fixed his gaze on her, his expression unreadable. Was he admiring beauty or analyzing an enemy? Only he knew.

"Hehe...", Feng Bu Jue suddenly chuckled, beginning warm-up stretches. He extended his left arm across his chest toward the right, bent his right elbow upward, and pulled his left arm tightly inward while twisting his waist. Repeating the motions on the opposite side.

"Ready?" Feng Bu Jue asked.

"For what?" Xu Huai Shang countered. "Are we doing morning exercises together?"

"Hehe..." Feng Bu Jue laughed. "I mean... are you ready for 32%?"

At his words, Xu Huai Shang paled. "He really can escalate... Impossible..."

The mall audience erupted in comments: "This Mad Bu Jue must be the real-life younger Toguro..."

"You actually executed that move decently", Feng Bu Jue continued, stretching like a student performing morning exercises. "So this is the legendary technique 'Frozen Fresh Sea Bream Mountain' from the Northern Celestial Wolf Blade?" His delivery was painfully awkward, earning instant eye-rolls from the audience.

"You got both the weapon name and skill name wrong..." Xu Huai Shang glanced at her butterfly daggers. "Calling my weapon a kitchen knife was bad enough... why compare yourself to a fish?"

...Off-stage, Xu Huai Shang's fanbase suffered mental paralysis. Their goddess actually critiqued the fight - and made reasonable points.

Si Yu sighed softly: "Looks like another mentally healthy youth is getting corrupted..."

"Terrible sin..." Xiao Tan and Bei Ling chorused.

"I think 32% will suffice", Feng Bu Jue returned to serious matters. "You've prepared yourself, haven't you?"

"Watch and see..." Xu Huai Shang silently targeted a consumption technique on her skill bar, ready to gamble everything...

"By the way, after this match, I'll get destroyed by your fanbase, right?" Feng Bu Jue still didn't attack, speaking confidently. "They waited so long for their idol's appearance, only to get eliminated in one round..."

"You're already being heard by them", Xu Huai Shang reminded.

"Oh, I know. Otherwise why would I speak?" Feng Bu Jue raised his head. "System, how about a close-up shot?" He paused for a few seconds - the system actually gave him a dramatic close-up...

"Ladies and gentlemen", Feng Bu Jue's unsettling smile spread across the giant live screen. "If my analysis is correct, your idol still has one or two ultimate trump cards hidden, and her physical techniques can forcibly escalate another 20-30%."

His words struck true, making Xu Huai Shang's heart tremble.

"But..." Feng Bu Jue suddenly produced two grenades from his coat, bit off both pins, and laughed maniacally. "She can only last thirty seconds more! Hahahaha!" He erupted into frenzied laughter, his body suddenly glowing red as he launched like an arrow toward Xu Huai Shang.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end