The wild winds of the Seventh Small Realm's Gobi Desert howled like thousands of steel needles, with the whirling stones colliding in mid-air, producing sharp "crackling" sounds.

The sand of the hundred-mile Gobi shimmered with a somber sheen, its edges made sharp by years of buffeting gales, providing a clear stabbing sensation underfoot.

The earth element power of this small realm was chaotic, even the sand and stones carried the effect of breaking spells.

Chen Xihua and Profound Roc fell into the small realm almost simultaneously, their figures landing at opposite ends of the Gobi.

At the moment of landing, Chen Xihua touched the sand with the tip of his foot, the hem of his profound black martial attire instantly aligned with the ground, a faint golden light emanating from his body.

This was the "Ground-hugging Sword Escape" personally taught by Chen Sheng, capable of erasing traces of escape light and accelerating using the terrain.

He moved like a golden shadow skimming the ground, swiftly heading towards the center of the Gobi, the sword escape causing two fine ripples in the sand, which were instantly smoothed by the swirling gales.

Through years of Chen Sheng's training, Chen Xihua had rich combat experience, immediately rushing to the center upon entering to seize the initiative.

A hundred miles away, Profound Roc similarly acted, seemingly having a similar idea,

This disciple of the Talisman Hall landed and immediately activated a "Wind Spirit Talisman", transforming into a gray-blue gust of wind that enveloped him, his speed from the wind escape only slightly slower than Chen Xihua's sword escape.

His divine sense spread out like a spider's web, though somewhat blurred by the gale, it firmly locked onto the central area—a low-lying area ten miles around, offering some respite from the wild winds, a natural battlefield.

"Boom!"

In less than a hundred breaths, Profound Roc stepped into the center circle.

Just as he was about to raise his hand to activate the investigation talisman, a strong sense of danger surged up in his heart.

Without a moment to think, he formed a water screen with a hand gesture, while pressing a hand to his waist, igniting three "Red Blood Talismans" at the same time, forming a light red barrier tightly enveloping him.

"Shing!"

A small flying sword pierced through the wild wind, accurately striking the water screen.

The water screen, seemingly thick, melted away like thin ice encountering fire, the flying sword's momentum undiminished, heavily striking the red blood light shield.

The light shield trembled violently, surface covered in fine cracks, making a "rustling" sound, finally dissipating, revealing an extremely condensed sword qi.

Profound Roc stared at the clearly dimmed scar on the light shield, cold sweat instantly formed on his back—this sword's force nearly broke through the defense of the red blood talisman.

"Such sharp sword qi."

Profound Roc gritted his teeth, knowing he had encountered a tough opponent, not daring to be negligent.

Quickly taking out five Vajra Talismans from his storage pouch, the talismans shimmering with golden light adhered to the outside of the red blood light shield, weaving with the red light into a golden-red double-layered protective shield.

Meanwhile, he swiftly formed hand gestures to use the "Pupil Technique of Breaking Illusion"—a secret technique of the Talisman Hall, capable of seeing through concealment techniques to locate the sword cultivator.

Just then, a dense sound of breaking air came from the left, the hidden sword cultivator had evidently changed position.

Profound Roc's divine sense swept out, only to see dozens of small flying swords a few inches long shooting over like a torrential rain, at a very fast frequency, the blades glinting coldly in the wild wind, evenly spaced, weaving into a sword whip hundreds of feet long.

The sword whip twisted and struck, splitting the gale, forming a brief vacuum zone.

Profound Roc snorted coldly:

"Just an empty show of force!"

He had deduced the opponent's cultivation from the force of the first sword, strong but not overwhelming.

The sword whip seemed fierce, but the spiritual power of each small flying sword was dispersed; as long as the shield withstood the first wave, he could deploy a magical artifact to counterattack.

He accelerated his hand gestures, the pupil technique active in an instant, catching sight of a point of purple-blue light at the tail of the sword whip, moving with the same speed and frequency as the other flying swords, yet exuding an entirely different sense of concentration.

"Not good!"

Profound Roc's hair stood on end, just about to activate the final defense talisman, when the purple-blue light's speed surged, cutting through the sword whip like a shooting star, becoming a three-foot azure peak.

This was Chen Xihua's real killing move!

Using dozens of virtual swords of condensed sword qi as cover, moving at the same speed and frequency, concealing the lifebound flying sword within, borrowing the momentum of the sword whip to accelerate, erupting at the last moment with true sharpness.

"Clang!"

As the purple-blue flying sword pierced through the golden-red shield, the Primordial Spirit Talisman on Profound Roc's brow suddenly burst forth with brilliant golden light.

This was the automatic protection of the Tier Three Middle Grade Primordial Spirit Talisman, transforming into a half-foot thick golden light barrier, the flying sword clashing with the golden light, creating a deafening roar, yet ultimately unable to break through the golden light.

Profound Roc felt a massive force, blacked out, and found himself enveloped by a gentle power of space, instantly exiting the small realm.

Within the Gobi of wild winds, space rippled.

Chen Xihua's figure emerged from a whirlwind, his right hand making a virtual grip, summoning back the lifebound flying sword, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

The "Illusionary Sword Whip" just now was his self-created killing move, cultivators lacking in combat experience would find it difficult to evade this final lethal strike.

He then sat cross-legged on the ground to restore mana, waiting for the next opponent.

...

On the cloud platform outside, Master Shi Fang slapped the stone table, spilling spirit tea over the rim:

"Good lad! That concealed sword is even sneakier than mine back in the day. The frequency of that sword whip, it's probably imitating my sword-launching rhythm, isn't it?"

He watched the image of Chen Xihua in the water screen, eyes full of delight.

Over the years, he often guided Chen Xihua, imparting all his experiences. At this moment, seeing the other incorporate his guidance into his swordsmanship, he felt incredibly proud.

Chen Sheng raised his teacup, hiding a smile at his lips:

"It's just winning by surprise. If Friend Profound Roc had been more cautious, he might not have fallen for this trick."

Though modest in words, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes—the idea of blending illusion and reality was precisely the principle of "Sword Heart Concealed Blade" he often taught.

Master De Ming clapped his hands and laughed beside:

"Brother Micro-Image, you're being too humble. That Profound Roc is the direct disciple of the Void Transformation Elder from the Talisman Hall. His 'Red Blood Vajra Shield' can withstand even Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivators."

"Yet was broken by a single sword from Friend Xihua. Such sword momentum is something even the sword cultivators of the Myriad Swords Sect may not rival."

He watched the small realm image slowly dissipate in the water screen, where other magical combats were still ongoing. This battle here ended the fastest.

Amidst the Cloud Sea, Han Lou True Monarch's gaze lingered on the name Chen Xihua for a moment, then returned to calm.

...

The rounds of the tournament proceeded like flowing water. The turmoil of the Seventh Small Realm had yet to subside, yet Chen Xihua's figure had already appeared in different space channels consecutively.

His sword grew faster, the rhythm of the Illusionary Sword Whip becoming ever more exquisite. The eighth opponent had just summoned their Lifebound Banner, only to have their magical artifact toppled by the Purple-Blue Flying Sword hidden within sword shadows, conceding defeat.

When the list for the ninth confrontation appeared on the Jade Stele, the atmosphere on the clouds platform suddenly became tense.

Master Shi Fang paused slightly, teacup in hand, his gaze turning to the young disciple in the water screen clad in green:

"Profound Sword… this lad is the heart's desire of Peak Master Hua Cang."

"A few years back, he was sent for an exchange to the Myriad Swords Sect. It's said he received the elders' true inheritance there, mastering the Path of Vertical Sword to a considerable degree."

Chen Sheng followed his gaze and saw Profound Sword standing before the Teleportation Array, his form tall and straight like a lone pine. The sword tassel at his waist moved without wind, exuding the mana fluctuations of late-stage Foundation Establishment.

This person wore a stern expression, exuding calmness from his brows and eyes, a leading figure among the young generation of the Daoist Sect's Sword Vein.

Peak Master Hua Cang sat at the foremost of the Sword Vein Elders' seats, clad in a dark gold Sword Robe. On the ring finger of his left hand, he wore a ring etched with a Sword Pattern, emblematic of the leader of the Sword Vein.

As a Golden Core Perfection Cultivator and a Tier Four Lower Grade Grandmaster in Artifact Refining, his status was undisputed.

Feeling the eyes around him, Peak Master Hua Cang's lips curved into an imperceptible smile, evidently filled with confidence in his disciple.

He also cast a glance at Chen Xihua, nodding gently:

"This lad's sword is not very threatening, but in body refining, he is not to be underestimated."

Though Chen Xihua had been confronting opponents with sword cultivator techniques all along, none of the present elders had forgotten his identity as a Body Cultivator at Body Refining Sixth Layer Perfection.

He nodded lightly:

"Profound Sword's Path of Vertical Sword is well inherited. Even if he can't defeat him, securing a draw shouldn't be a problem."

The light membrane of the space channel rippled, as Chen Xihua and Profound Sword stepped into it simultaneously.

This time, they descended into a boundless grassland, the lush grass knee-high, waving in green waves as the gentle breeze passed.

"One thousand two hundred zhang!"

As soon as Chen Xihua settled his footing, he felt a sharp Sword Qi surge towards him, his pupils constricted, and his Divine Sense instantly expanded.

From a thousand zhang away, Profound Sword had already drawn his sword. The green-gray Sword Light cut through the sky, carrying rolls of thunderous sounds, flying straight towards him like a green lightning bolt.

It was unmistakably the Sword Qi Thunder Sound.

Chen Xihua dared not delay. Tapping the grassbed with his toe, his figure shot forward like an arrow, simultaneously forming seals with both hands. Dozens of azure Sword Qi burst forth from his fingertips, forming a sword wall in an attempt to block.

But Profound Sword's flying sword speed was exceedingly fast. Before the thunder sound even dropped, the Sword Light had pierced through the sword wall, grazing Chen Xihua's shoulder and carving a yard-wide gully into the prairie behind him.

"So fast!"

Chen Xihua felt a chill in his heart.

His sword launching range was no more than a thousand zhang, while the opponent could launch an effective attack from one thousand two hundred zhang away, indicating he was at a disadvantage right from the start.

He hurriedly executed the Ground-hugging Sword Escape to close the distance between them, only to see Profound Sword's figure flicker, turning into a Sword Light to retreat.

His Escape Technique surpassed Chen Xihua's, continuously releasing Sword Qi to obstruct him, maintaining the thousand zhang distance, performing the Path of Vertical Sword to its fullest.

Master De Ming exclaimed in surprise:

"Kite flying, Profound Sword has thoroughly mastered the Vertical Sword Technique from the Myriad Swords Sect, relying on swift sword speed and strong Escape Technique, not allowing Xihua any chance to get close."

In the water screen, Profound Sword's figure darted erratically across the grassland, the green-gray Sword Light falling like raindrops.

With each sword released, he would retreat several zhang, his footwork light yet carrying some mysterious rhythm, precisely the Myriad Swords Sect's 'Inch and Mile Skill.'"

Chen Xihua's several attempts to approach were repelled by his opponent's Sword Qi, forced into passivity, appearing a bit embarrassed for a time.

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