Chapter 442: You Brought This Upon Yourself

Chapter 442: You Brought This Upon Yourself

In this instant, Xu Huai Shang’s vision blurred into a single virtual silhouette. She knew in her heart that at this speed, she could no longer keep up.

But she showed no sign of giving up. Instead, her focus sharpened even further…

“If both grenades were the same model and their fuses were pulled simultaneously, the explosions must occur in the same second…” Xu Huai Shang’s mind raced. “He wouldn’t hold the grenades in his hands to detonate them against me… So…”

Despite the imminent danger, she made the correct judgment—no matter how mad Feng Bu Jue appeared, it was merely psychological warfare. Even with an advantage, he wouldn't resort to self-destructive tactics.

Indeed, just before detonation, Feng Bu Jue abruptly halted mid-air, using inertia to hurl the two grenades before springing backward off the ground.

The explosive devices flew toward Xu Huai Shang’s flanks, boxing her in. Typically, she had two options: leap upward or retreat swiftly.

But… her sharp combat intuition chose a third path: charging forward.

Blades crossed in her hands, she surged ahead, twin slashes ready to unleash. The grenades whizzed past her sides, their distance widening as they flew.

Boom—Boom! The twin explosions erupted nearly simultaneously.

Seven or eight meters behind Xu Huai Shang, the shrapnel caused minimal harm. But the shockwave propelled her forward, closing the gap on Feng Bu Jue’s retreating form.

“Your counter was sharp…” Feng Bu Jue murmured. “But you’re still too slow… Charging like this, you won’t last thirty seconds…” Golden light flickered in his hand—a playing card slid between his right index and middle fingers, slicing through the air—

Zhi—

Blood arced.

Yet, she did not fall.

“Hmm?” Feng Bu Jue’s first flicker of surprise emerged in this battle. This was no good omen…

“Hmph…” Xu Huai Shang smiled, though a jagged wound now split her neck. Her expression showed no sign of defeat.

“Is this your killer mace?” Feng Bu Jue’s gaze drifted to the item in her hand…

[Item Name: Bajingxiawan]

[Type: Other]

[Quality: Legendary]

[Special Effect: Unknown]

[Background: A holy relic once soaked in divine blood]

She had discovered this artifact during a team nightmare scenario, hidden in a secret chamber beneath “Tiancao City” alongside a skull. Beside it lay a scroll—a skill card:

[Skill Name: Soul Arrival]

[Skill Card Attribute: Special Skill, Disappears After One Use]

[Skill Category: Spirit Arts]

[Effect: Summons the power of otherworldly swordmasters (Duration: 5 minutes)]

[Consumption: Bajingxiawan (Requires pouring one’s near-death blood onto the relic to activate)]

[Learning Condition: Level 40+, Non-tradable After Pickup]

[Background: During Soul Arrival, survival, stamina, and spirit arts values become infinite, the skills bar lifts quantity limits, and all swordmasters’ techniques become freely usable. Post-skill, survival, stamina, and spirit energy drop to 1%, with no beneficial item effects for three minutes.]

“This move was meant for [Tian Tian Gui Xiao]…” Xu Huai Shang’s voice suddenly calmed as the holy relic dissolved into white light. “I’ve fought him once. That was the only time I felt utter despair… Now, unexpectedly, you’ve given me the same feeling.” As she spoke, her neck wound healed visibly.

By now, Feng Bu Jue had retreated over ten meters away. The moment her skill activated, a primal danger instinct kicked in.

“If you’re really only using 32% of your capability now…” Xu Huai Shang sheathed her left blade, gripping the right with both hands. “I suggest you go all out immediately. Otherwise…” Her short blade erupted with skyward murderous intent. The blade’s energy solidified, its form extending threefold in radiant light.

Feng Bu Jue’s heart sank. This was no longer a fight he could handle barehanded. He hastily retrieved his Folding Stool and shovel, dual-wielding them—a comically grimy image…

……

“Oh! Look, Xu Huai Shang contestant’s fatal wound healed instantly! How is that possible?” Hua Xiong exclaimed. “She doesn’t seem to be using any medicine-based skills…”

Pan Feng interjected, “Based on my experience, she might’ve activated a ‘transformation’ skill. Just without visible physical changes.”

Don’t mistake their banter for expertise—they were merely playacting. As Gms, they viewed the match differently. Alongside the combat feed, a split-screen displayed a system-generated “Combat Log,” listing every item and skill used. Without this function, their commentary would’ve been pure guesswork…

Of course, the log didn’t show exact survival points or stamina values to prevent premature outcome predictions.

“Go! Goddess reigns supreme! She won’t lose!”

“Annihilate that arrogant brat!”

“Thirty seconds passed already! Got owned! Haha!”

Go, Shang Shang! Chop him!

The audience erupted again, clearly thrilled by Feng Bu Jue’s reversal.

“She’s like someone else entirely…” Xiao Tan mused, eyes locked on the screen. “Grip posture, footwork, distance control, breathing rhythm…” He pondered. “Incredible…”

“Hmph… This is how it should be.” Si Yu’s lips curled into a smile. “Now it gets interesting.”

Ji Bu turned, surprised. “Wait… Female Leader, what’s with that expression? You’re not secretly rooting for Xu Huai Shang, are you?”

Si Yu smiled, silent. Her official stance supported Feng Bu Jue—but she wouldn’t mind seeing him suffer a little.

……

Back in the Colosseum…

“Zizuo – Wu Ming.” Xu Huai Shang spoke, her radiant blade narrowing.

“Sounds familiar…” Feng Bu Jue muttered. “Whose weapon was this again…?”

Xu Huai Shang didn’t reply. Stepping forward, she spun the Blade Guild emblem and vaulted skyward.

A crescent-shaped slash descended—【Six Flying Swallow Cuts】!

Feng Bu Jue retreated half a step, crossing the Folding Stool and shovel to block. His grounded stance provided leverage, while her mid-air spin left no room to adjust. A direct clash would favor Feng Bu Jue’s counterattacks.

Unexpectedly, the clash sent his two “weapons” flying—

Luckily, his grip held firm. Still, his arms jolted backward, feet skidding seven or eight steps before steadying.

“Wtf?” Feng Bu Jue mentally cursed. “Is that item some legendary artifact infused with a century’s worth of a grandmaster’s power?”

“Can you still hold up?” Xu Huai Shang landed lightly, retracting her strike. “But… this is just the beginning.”

As she spoke, she vanished from sight, reappearing before Feng Bu Jue. He reacted instantly, parrying—

【Mekken】【Mekken】【Mekken】 – Three consecutive strikes!

Her iaijutsu flowed seamlessly, each slash meeting overwhelming force. Feng Bu Jue struggled to keep up, his strength faltering under the pressure. Without Soul Intent bolstering him, he’d have been severely wounded by now.

“This isn’t just power growth…” Feng Bu Jue realized. “It’s like fighting an entirely different person…”

“Hmph… Let’s see how long you last!” Xu Huai Shang dominated the exchange, mastering the 【Soul Arrival】 state with growing ease. With a flick of her wrist, the blade elongated further, glowing faintly purple. The weapon materialized—Baika Doku, a famed blade from the ancient Yin Style.

Xu Huai Shang transformed her weapon into a blade form and charged forward once more. Unburdened by concerns of consumption, she unleashed techniques freely and recklessly. "Hundred Ghosts Slay!" Before her words even faded, she had already closed in on Feng Bu Jue's flank. Her blade's aura erupted like surging tidal waves; with a single shrunken-step maneuver, she darted forward like lightning-swift dragon.

Feng Bu Jue finally snapped. He'd planned to hold back some capability at first, but this situation forced him to go all-out. "Guess this really means making me take it seriously!" He declared, stomping his foot before rocketing skyward.

Even on flat ground, Feng Bu Jue's spirit sense body technique allowed him to leap at least twenty meters upward in his current state.

Soaring above the Colosseum, he executed a sideways reclining posture midair, twisting his body into an awkward position to activate [Moon Step]. For a moment, he spun like a gyroscope, then used that rotational force to unleash a consecutive series of [Storm Leg] kicks mid-spin.

What should have been curved kicking strikes now descended like spiraling tornadoes.

"You think only you can shout technique names mid-attack?!" Feng Bu Jue roared while executing his moves. "Witness my self-created Ultimate Yang Lightning Dragon Drill!"

The arena's giant screen audience simultaneously groaned, "That's totally Wang Xiaohu's move from Dragon Tiger Gate!"

Meanwhile, Xu Huai Shang had already leaped into midair. She'd originally pursued him, but since Feng Bu Jue jumped first, this brief time difference created an opening for counterattack.

"Hmph...Ouka Zan!" Xu Huai Shang slashed mid-air without any foothold. Her blade aura erupted as a cherry-pink light plate, creating multiple lingering afterimages that blocked Feng Bu Jue's energy blast.

"Pfft...Rubber Battle Axe!" Feng Bu Jue stopped spinning, raised his kick overhead, then powerfully drove his heel downward to execute another [Storm Leg]. A thick arc of energy crashed down with a thunderous roar.

"It's neither rubber nor battle axe!" Xu Huai Shang interjected with another sarcastic remark, though this wasn't really important.

In this moment, she took advantage of the momentum to draw her left-handed blade from its scabbard mid-air, combining it with her right-hand hilt. The two weapons instantly fused into a single naginata-length greatsword forged from light - the legendary weapon of Senryou Kourousai, Sewa Nyoubou.

"How about I rename it Moon Fang Ten'chu next time?" Feng Bu Jue quipped.

"Ketten Dokuraku!" Xu Huai Shang spun rapidly while wielding her blade, ascending like a whirlwind. The spiraling blade aura quickly disrupted and dispersed the [Storm Leg] attack, rapidly closing in on Feng Bu Jue himself.

"Like I'd back down - I'll spin too!" Feng Bu Jue spread his arms wide, wielding his Folding Stool and army shovel while mimicking her movements in his downward assault. "Chi Enkyoku Bu!" He shouted a Senryou Kourousai technique of his own...

Clang! Clash! Sparks flew as their weapons collided repeatedly, battle auras erupting chaotically. The Colosseum's airspace became a swirling maelstrom, the air thick with lingering energy like diffuse mist.

...Inside the mall, the audience fell silent once more, overwhelmed solely by overwhelming awe...

This match unquestionably stood as the most spectacular so far in the Summit Confrontation. While Xiao Wen Cang Tian's duel against Vishnu had featured two top twenty-ranked players, their battle couldn't compare to the dazzling spectacle and thrilling intensity of this one.

Xu Huai Shang wielded skills that could only be unlocked using Consumption Legendary-Level Items - her abilities surpassed even the demon god descent technique in terms of sheer power. From the moment she activated her skills, the combat level had already escalated to an entirely different tier.

"Go Xu Huai Shang!"

"Don't lose, Shangshang!"

"That guy's resilience is getting ridiculous..."

"Is that guy some kind of monster? Actually holding out using a Folding Stool and army shovel..."

Though their disdain for Mad Bu Jue hadn't diminished, the crowd now mixed their hatred with newfound awe.

...Back above the Colosseum, the two combatants clashed with equal ferocity.

As time passed, Xu Huai Shang gained increasing awareness of the gravity's downward pull from her lower position. Noticing this, she chose not to stubbornly fight for dominance in this momentary exchange. With a single Blade Guild technique, she broke away and ended the confrontation.

Feng Bu Jue felt immense relief - his arms had nearly reached the point of complete exhaustion. He was grateful she chose this time point to retreat, giving him desperately needed breathing room.

"You lied..." Xu Huai Shang descended through the air, her beautiful face displaying a confident smile. "That supposed 32% power...was actually your full strength, wasn't it?"

Feng Bu Jue also descended slowly, his cold snort carrying through the air. "You want to test what it feels like fighting me at full power..." He paused. "Three times stronger than now..."

"Hmph...If that's truly the case, I'd love to see it for myself." Xu Huai Shang landed lightly, her long weapon splitting back into twin blades - one long and one short naginata.

Feng Bu Jue landed steadily as well, his eyes fixed on her weapon. "I'll guess...this time it's Yamashiro no Tora Tetsu."

"You remember so many weapon forms from skill lists I can't even memorize myself", Xu Huai Shang countered, landing gracefully. "In a way, you really are impressive."

"Based on my speculation, that thing you used earlier..." Feng Bu Jue continued, "Allowed you to access all characters' martial arts from Samurai Spirits, granting your blade transformation ability to become any character's weapon." He returned his Folding Stool and army shovel into his satchel. "Also...judging from your attack rhythm and skill selection, I'd wager your technique consumption has become practically negligible." He spread his hands with a smile. "This enhanced state...I assume it has certain sustained time limitations?"

Xu Huai Shang inwardly recoiled slightly. The first two deductions weren't particularly surprising - at most proving he was a hardcore fan with encyclopedic knowledge of Samurai Spirits. But accurately identifying the third point was extremely difficult...

When an opponent's capability suddenly surges and launches relentless attacks, most people would naturally focus on solving immediate problems. Feng Bu Jue, however, was thinking deeper, farther, and more comprehensively. Even amidst intense combat, he'd already made calm, precise judgments.

"What difference would knowing make?" Xu Huai Shang's words hung in the air as she moved again.

Without showing any impatience after activating her skills, she wanted to create a psychological illusion - making him believe this enhanced ability could last infinite duration, causing fear and self-sabotage.

Yet Mad Bu Jue's reaction was shocking. Far from being intimidated, his calmness was infuriatingly composed...

At this point, Xu Huai Shang had no reason to continue pretending calm conversation with her opponent. If words needed saying, they'd speak through combat.

"What difference would knowing make..." Feng Bu Jue muttered this while activating [Demon God Descent]...

Some might wonder why Feng Bu Jue didn't immediately combine [Demon God Descent] with [Spirit Sense Body Technique] from the start, instantly overwhelming Xu Huai Shang.

But the truth was simple - the cost of [Demon God Descent] was simply too great. Once activated, it meant burning all bridges. If the battle couldn't be resolved within the time limit, all that remained would be waiting for death...

Feng Bu Jue still didn't fully understand Xu Huai Shang's capabilities. Without knowing her potential skills, if she had any specialized life-saving techniques for avoiding instant defeat or escaping detection, once the three-minute demon-god state expired, Feng Bu Jue would become helpless prey.

Now, cornered with no choice but to activate this skill or risk getting killed, Feng Bu Jue had nothing left to hold back.

Black energy exploded skyward, changing the very atmosphere with a single finger-snap.

Fear, like invisible hands, gripped Xu Huai Shang's throat. Her movements froze as she felt...some truly horror-inducing presence...descending directly before her.

"100%...roughly this much power." Feng Bu Jue stood enveloped in wild, savage black aura. His expression remained dark and calm, but his eyes burned with endless warlike fervor. "This...is entirely your doing..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end