by Dragon King
“No! Hao Ren will lose,” Zhao Yanzi blurted out.
Zhao Hongyu turned to look at her and realized that Zhao Yanzi wanted Hao Ren to win after all. However, she didn’t point it out and turned her gaze to the center of the arena.
After all, faced with Zhao Kuo who had been at peak Qian-level, Hao Ren had done a great job lasting for so long.
Hua… Hao Ren retreated fast and was already at the edge of the arena; that was the limit.
The eight small arenas at the beginning of their battle were now all destroyed, and they had little ground to stand on in the grand arena.
Bang!
Zhao Kuo’s last wave of sword energies swept over, and the rocks beneath Hao Ren’s feet immediately broke.
With the protection of his 320 sword energies, Hao Ren tried to jump toward one of the last remaining rocks in the arena.
“You are trapped. Surrender!” With his sword energies, Zhao Kuo destroyed that piece of rock before Hao Ren could land.
He left no place for Hao Ren to land.
Dang! Dang… Hao Ren sent 160 sword energies to block Zhao Kuo’s sword energies while he leaped over to another rock in the distance.
“In your dreams!” After a long battle, Zhao Kuo finally got the upper hand, and he wouldn’t give Hao Ren the chance to regain his footing.
The 640 sword energies shot toward 12 places, shattering all the landing areas in the surroundings!
By now, in the entire east exam area that had 12 small arenas and one grand arena, only the stone pillar with an area of half a square meter under Zhao Kuo’s feet was left.
“It is done,” Zhao Guang said pitifully.
Boom… Zhao Kuo’s sword energies withdrew from all directions.
His 640 sword energies guarded eight directions, each group containing 80 sword energies. He formed the magnificent and most powerful central defense array– Eight Trigram Array.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Two sword energies appeared beneath Hao Ren’s feet and supported him in the air.
“Such high-level sword energies!” Some cultivators recognized it and blurted out.
The dragon cultivators, except for Qian-level and Kun -level cultivators who could use their nature essence efficiently, had to use dharma treasures to fly.
At Gen-level, Hao Ren could hover in the air without any dharma treasures. It was a great feat in the eyes of the others.
Outside of the arena, Oldman Zeng also looked surprised. Releasing sword beams and sword energies were not extraordinary, but supporting one’s body with sword energies was. It meant that the sword energies were almost as powerful as dharma treasures!
It meant that each of Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies was a dharma treasure!
Hua! Hua!
Zhao Kuo released two groups of 20 sword energies.
Hao Ren’s body shifted and dodged the 40 sword energies as he looked down at Zhao Kuo.
The 40 sword energies returned to Zhao Kuo, and his 640 sword energies rotated around him slowly.
Zhao Kuo used his defensive stance, and Hao Ren was exposed in the air like a moving target.
The flashing competition became a battle of defense and attack.
The key here was whether or not Hao Ren could destroy the stone pillar under Zhao Kuo’s feet.
Standing in the air, Hao Ren slowly tightened his fists, and his 320 sword energies lined up in order.
424 Killing Tribulation!
Hum… Hum… The 320 sword energies formed a triangular pyramid around Hao Ren, and they blinked with more injections of Hao Ren’s nature essence
Little White was jumping around the arena as if it wanted to join the battle.
However, they were competing using their sword arrays, so it was no longer important if Little White was Hao Ren’s mount or not.
“It looks like the Five Mountains Bracelets are effective…” Standing outside of the arena, Su Han thought to herself.
Released from the restriction of the Five Mountains Bracelets, Hao Ren experienced an explosive growth in the use of his nature essences.
Swoosh! Swoosh… The 320 sword energies formed a line before stabbing toward Zhao Kuo who was protected by 640 sword energies.
One-line Snake Array Formation!
Wang Xi who was standing at the sideline of the arena widened his eyes subconsciously.
He had once seen Hao Ren’s One-line Snake Array Formation, but this time, the power was ten times stronger than the last time.
The 640 sword energies rotated at great speed around Zhao Kuo.
As the former Commanding General of East Ocean, Zhao Kuo had a profound understanding of arrays, and he was able to use Light Splitting Sword Shadow Technique. After all, the sword energies were like soldiers, and the cultivator was the general.
Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies dashed into Zhao Kuo’s Eight Trigram Array and were bounced back instantly.
Then, Hao Ren’s right hand formed a sword gesture, and the 320 sword energies divided into three One-line Snake Array Formations before dashing downward at Zhao Kuo in the center of his array from three directions.
Zhao Kuo waved his hands, and the sword energies in eight directions around him pulled back suddenly and closed like a lotus!
Hao Ren’s sword energies shot down onto the outer edges of Zhao Kuo’s sword energies!
The sword energies entangled with each other and then suddenly paused.
After a short silence, Hao Ren’s sword energies were pushed away for hundreds of meters.
Standing in the air, Hao Ren almost fell to the ground due to the enormous impact on his spiritual sense.
In his blue robe, Zhao Kuo stood proudly while his 640 sword energies spread out and rotated in the positions of the Eight Trigrams.
“It’s no use. He can’t win,” Zhao Guang said in a low voice.
If they were engaged in close-range combat, Hao Ren might have a chance to win. It was impossible for him to defeat Zhao Kuo this way.
Standing where he was, Zhao Kuo waited for Hao Ren’s attacks. He was well-prepared in all eight directions, and his 640 sword energies were like elite soldiers under his command.
Zhao Kuo far surpassed Hao Ren in strategy, force, and position.
They were respectively the former and the current Commanding General of the East Ocean Dragon Clan, but Hao Ren’s experience in military battles was far inferior to Zhao Kuo’s.
This wasn’t only a battle of cultivation strength but a battle of military strategy as well!
Zhao Kuo was the general who had to guard the city, and Hao Ren was the general who had to siege the city!
With narrowed eyes, Oldman Zeng finally saw through this.
The power of arrays could deal with more than one cultivator.
Hao Ren could release 320 sword energies at Gen-level while Zhao Kuo could release 640 sword energies at Dui-level. Each of the sword energies was equivalent to a dharma treasure, and they could be positioned in changeable arrays.
If Zhao Kuo cultivated to a higher realm, then no one could defend against this former No.1 Master in the mortal world.
If Hao Ren and Zhao Kuo worked together, then the powerful sword energies would be like swarming soldiers… Oldman Zeng’s eyes widened gradually, and he was suddenly struck with fear.
The technique that Hao Ren and Zhao Kuo were cultivating was not a battle technique but rather a destruction technique!
Even though the West Ocean Dragon Palace had 300,000 soldiers, they couldn’t withstand 10,000 well-controlled sword energies!
Bang! Another collision of hundreds of sword energies startled Oldman Zeng, and he was soon covered in cold sweat.
Two Dragons Array Formation!
Standing in the high sky, Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies divided into two groups which tried to ambush Zhao Kuo’s 80 sword energies from both sides.
Zhao Kuo’s 80 sword energies retreated ten meters while his other 160 sword energies closed in on Hao Ren’s intruding sword energies fr
om both sides.
Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies were locked into Zhao Kuo’s array formation.
Bang! Bang…
The sounds of the explosion didn’t come from the sword energies but Hao Ren’s body.
While his sword energies were damaged, Hao Ren’s meridians exploded!
His blue robe was dyed in patches of red instantly.
“Gongzi!” Lu Linlin and Lu Lili immediately screamed.
“Third Uncle!” Zhao Yanzi also screamed.
However, Zhao Kuo didn’t show any intention of going easy on Hao Ren. His 640 sword energies dismantled Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies in the sword array little by little in all eight directions.
There was no mercy in war!
With his 320 sword energies captured and destroy by Zhao Kuo, Hao Ren would become defenseless.
Zhao Kuo demonstrated to Hao Ren what war and cruelty meant with his action!
A commander who didn’t treasure his or her soldiers and commanded them impulsively would fail!
“Zhao Kuo!”
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Zhao Guang yelled in concern.
If this continued, Hao Ren’s sword energies would all be destroyed, and his realm would be significantly reduced.
“I’m your enemy at the moment, not your third uncle!” Zhao Kuo said coldly to Hao Ren while his 640 sword energies brightened again to destroy Hao Ren’s remaining sword energies!
Hao Ren remained silent while he maneuvered the remaining sword energies which decreased by the second, trying to find a way out of Zhao Kuo’s array formation.
Drops of blood fell from his heels, and his palms had cracks in them.
“Hao Ren, admit defeat! Third Uncle won’t stop!” Zhao Yanzi screamed in tears.
Xie Yujia’s eyes flashed with fear as well.
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili were ready to rush over and save Hao Ren.
Everyone could see that Hao Ren was no match for Zhao Kuo and wondered why he persisted.
Coldly, Zhen Congming watched the battle and curled his lips as if he thought of something. By his side, Little White was anxious to jump into the arena but was held back by Zhen Congming’s palm. Hao Ren had also ordered Little White to stay put with his spiritual sense.
“You are defeated. Why are you so stubborn?” Zhao Kuo looked up and asked him in a loud voice.
“I’d rather fight it out with Third Uncle!” With blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, Hao Ren answered in a loud voice.
“What a fool…” Zhao Kuo shook his head slightly. “Then, I’ll give you a total defeat and beat you back to Zhen-level!”
Zhao Kuo’s sword energies lit up with humming sounds.
“Zhao Kuo!” Zhao Guang yelled.
Not far from them, Oldman Zeng smiled with pleasure.
Hum!
Suddenly, a brighter light appeared in Zhao Kuo’s sword array.
Among the dozens of Hao Ren’s remaining sword energies, 12 sword energies suddenly turned grey.
Hundun sword energies broke everything of the five elements!
The hundun sword energies abruptly scattered Zhao Kuo’s Eight Trigram Array!
The 12 sword energies connected with each other and shot toward Zhao Kuo’s heart.
It was a sudden attack!
Hao Ren’s 320 sword energies were being dismantled, but it was within his strategy of breaking out.
Who said that Hao Ren didn’t know anything about the art of war?!
Wide-eyed, Zhao Kuo had no time to react. The sword energies were so fast that they hit his chest and sent him flying from the stone pillar, and there was no place for him to land!
If he landed on the ground, he would lose!
Deng!
From Zhao Kuo’s heel appeared a weapon.
The pitch-black tri-point double-edge sword that was made from 10,000-year-old green-water mystic iron!
It was Zhao Kuo’s weapon, the one that earned him his reputation - Killing Tribulation!
Ding! The tri-point double-edge sword, over one-meter long, shot into the ground with its tip upward.
Zhao Kuo landed on the sword and regained his balance.
As long as he didn’t land on the ground, he didn’t lose the match!
Surprised at Zhao Kuo’s response, Hao Ren rushed over to take the only stone pillar in the grand arena. However, Zhao Kuo’s sword energies shot at it without mercy!
If Zhao Kuo couldn’t step on it, he wouldn’t allow Hao Ren to get it.
Hao Ren turned in the air and shot out 12 sword energies with both hands to block Zhao Kuo’s sword energies before backing off by ten meters.
The arena was suddenly quiet.
Zhao Kuo stood tall on the tri-point double-edge sword while Hao Ren hovered in the air one meter above the ground.
Around them was all debris, and the 24 small arenas and one grand arena were no longer recognizable.
Between them was a stone pillar that was only one meter long and half a square meter big.
The surrounding cultivators held their breaths since none of them had ever seen such a fierce battle.
“Kid, you are good,” Zhao Kuo looked at Hao Ren and said.
“So are you, Third Uncle,” Hao Ren answered.
Around Zhao Kuo rose 320 sword energies.
Hao Ren clenched his fists and released 160 sword energies.
At Dui-level, Zhao Kuo didn’t feel like it was easy to use 640 sword energies at full force. On the other hand, Hao Ren, with his meridians damaged, had reached his limit when releasing 160 sword energies.
Hao Ren’s hundun sword energies left a huge hole in Zhao Kuo’s robe right in front of his chest, revealing a black color beneath it.
Rip! Zhao Kuo tore off his robe.
Black Mystic Iron Armor!
Beneath his robe, Zhao Kuo was wearing a Black Mystic Iron Armor!
The armor weighed 2,250 kilograms!
He had been battling while wearing such a heavy iron armor and carrying Killing Tribulation, a weapon that weighed over 3,250 kilograms!
Wow! The surrounding cultivators exclaimed.
These cultivators didn’t know how to lead troops in battles, but they knew that Zhao Kuo’s iron armor was used in wars and was very heavy.
“You are the first person who has forced me to take off the iron armor.” Standing on the tri-point double-edge sword, Zhao Kuo took off his iron armor and tossed it onto the ground.
Thud!
The iron armor created a small crater in the ground while a big cloud of dust flew up.
At this sight, the cultivators who had been speculating about the weight of the iron armor were all astonished. After all, the platform the Dragon God Shrine was on was not made of ordinary rocks!
With his upper body naked, Zhao Kuo revealed his magnificent figure. A fierce-looking black dragon tattoo was on his chest, running from his shoulders to his waist. At the moment, he was only wearing a pair of grey pants that covered his brawny legs.
While everyone was staring at him, Zhao Kuo suddenly slid off the tri-point double-edge sword.
The moment before he landed on the ground, his hands gripped the handle of the sword and pulled it from the ground with force!
Bang!
The black tri-point double-edge sword turned in a white beam of light before the tip smashed onto the ground.
In the dancing debris, Zhao Kuo rode on the upward force and flew toward Hao Ren while viciously striking his sword forward!
425 Break Your Killing Tribulation!
Slash!
Zhao Kuo’s tri-point double-edge sword whistled toward Hao Ren.
The blade of the black Killing Tribulation shined a dazzling light.
The 320 five-colored sword energies around Zhao Kuo attached themselves onto the tri-point double-edge sword, releasing magnificent aura!
It happened in an instant, and Hao Ren didn’t have any time to dodge; he hurriedly condensed his 160 sword energies to form a shield.
Crack! The tri-point double-edge sword easily broke through Hao Ren’s sword energy defense. With a twist of his wrist, Zhao Kuo turned the stabbing motion into a slap, smashing the body of the heavy tri-point double-edge sword onto Hao Ren’s chest.
The Killing Tribulation weighed about 3,250 kilograms!
Hao Ren felt like his chest was going to shatter as blood spurted from his mouth, and he flew backward.
“Uncle!” Zhao Yanzi tensed up and yelled.
However, Zhao Kuo didn’t stop. With an arc of light, the tri-point double-edge sword crashed onto the ground and bounced back, pushing Zhao Kuo toward Hao Ren.
With his tri-point double-edge sword, Zhao Kuo didn’t need to fly on sword energies to keep him from falling to the ground!
Swoosh! Black-faced and black-bearded, Zhao Kuo flew like a shooting star toward Hao Ren with the black Killing Tribulation in his hand, and he quickly caught up with Hao Ren.
Hu!
The tri-point double-edge sword struck toward Hao Ren’s heels!
Snap! Snap!
With two crisp noises, the sword energies under Hao Ren’s feet immediately scattered!
Seeing the sword coming at his feet, Hao Ren transferred his nature essence into his legs and caught Zhao Kuo’s Killing Tribulation in between his feet!
However, his strength was no match for Zhao Kuo’s!
With a naked upper body, Zhao Kuo put strength into his arms which then expanded as thick as water barrels, and he sent Hao Ren flying hundreds of meters upward!
Bang!
Zhao Kuo smashed his tri-point double-edge sword onto the ground, and his massive body shot up like a rocket. Meanwhile, his 320 sword energies suddenly left Killing Tribulation and flew to the ground before rising abruptly!
Zhao Kuo’s momentum soon got canceled by gravity, but he struck his tri-point double-edge sword onto his sword energies!
Bang! The stronger repulsive force of the collision sent Zhao Kuo further up!
All his movements were done in one breath!
The cultivators in the area gaped since they had never seen such a fierce battle before.
In the blink of an eye, Hao Ren and Zhao Kuo were both 200 meters from the ground.