Chapter 41: Shattering Strike

Outer Sect Tournament of the Azure Cloud Sect, quarterfinals.

All eyes were fixed on Arena Three, the atmosphere heavier than the day before.

After her earth-shattering strike in the previous round, Bai Yue’ning and her sword had become the focal point of the entire gathering, impossible to ignore.

She stood quietly atop the platform, her face still tinged with pallor; the internal injuries from yesterday’s bitter struggle had not fully healed.

The gray-cloth-wrapped longsword that hung at her back was now unbound and held in her hand. Since it had already been exposed, there was no need to conceal it any longer.

The ancient blade, somber and lustreless, nonetheless carried an imposing aura that none dared underestimate.

Her opponent was Qi Qiu, a well-known expert among the outer disciples.

At the peak of the eighth stage of Qi Refining, he was one of the favorites to win the competition.

He wielded a pair of eight-sided bronze hammers, their heads engraved with intricate runes, exuding a heavy, dark glow when infused with spiritual power—an intimidating sight.

He cultivated the “Unmoving Vajra Mountain Sutra,” famed for its defense and counterforce; a faint, invisible shield of qi swirled around him, rendering ordinary attacks utterly futile.

Qi Qiu eyed the sword in Bai Yue’ning’s hand with a gaze both fervent and critical.

With unshakable confidence, he spoke: “Junior Sister Bai, your sword yesterday was indeed extraordinary.”

“But if you think that alone can break through my Unmoving Vajra Qi, you are far too naive.”

Bai Yue’ning offered no reply, merely slowing and deepening her breath as she gathered herself to her best possible state.

Her injuries had not healed; her spiritual power was far from full strength—this battle would be arduous.

Wow, those hammers are massive. Just looking at them gives me a headache.

His qi shield is interesting—smooth and rounded like an iron turtle shell. If we try to hack at it head-on, both of us will probably be knocked silly.

Keep your distance and defend yourself. I’ll see if there are any cracks in that shell.

Ninth-level Qi Refining, Unmoving Vajra Qi… truly troublesome.

Bai Yue’ning’s heart sank. A direct clash could only spell defeat; she had to rely on Ye Ming’s perception to find an opening and strike with flawless precision.

Ye Ming’s consciousness spread silently outward, attuned to the currents of qi swirling around Qi Qiu.

As soon as the referee elder lowered his hand, Qi Qiu let out a thunderous shout—yet he did not attack. Instead, the twin hammers crossed before him, and the dark qi shielded his entire body, like a real wall of copper and iron.

His tactics were even more uncompromising than Ji Wei’s: to depend on absolute defense, exhausting or repelling every assault.

Fully aware of her own disadvantages, Bai Yue’ning refused to attack head-on. Her figure moved like the wind, circling Qi Qiu.

The sword in her hand traced arcs of deep blue and black, stabbing, flicking, slashing, probing—constantly testing the invisible shield.

Each collision rang out with a heavy, muffled sound.

Yet the barrier was preternaturally tough—her blade could only send ripples across its surface, never breaking through.

On the contrary, every strike was met with a strong rebound, the force transmitting through the sword to jolt Bai Yue’ning’s arm and meridians, making her half-healed wounds throb with renewed pain.

Lower left, three-tenths—the qi circulation there is ever so slightly sluggish!

Back of the right shoulder—a fleeting weakness as he exhales!

Watch his breathing. The instant he inhales, the qi before his chest thins by a hair!

Ye Ming rapidly reported each momentary flaw in her mind.

His perception, under pressure, was pushed to the utmost—what seemed seamless and impenetrable to others was not so in his “eyes.”

Bai Yue’ning’s mind was razor sharp, turning Ye Ming’s guidance into instinctive action.

Her swordsmanship grew intractable, abandoning brute force in favor of speed and absolute accuracy.

She was always able, in the instant Ye Ming pointed out, to thrust the blade toward those infinitesimal weak spots.

The sounds of impact grew shorter, sharper, the sword’s light falling like rain upon Qi Qiu’s protective shield.

Though she still could not break through, she managed to set the qi barrier rippling, its flow no longer as smooth as at the outset.

Qi Qiu’s brow furrowed; it seemed her sword had eyes, always landing on the most uncomfortable points of his qi circulation.

Though she could not truly harm him, her relentless probing greatly disrupted the flow of his spiritual power, leaving him stifled and vexed.

He tried to counter, but his hammers were heavy; his speed was no match for Bai Yue’ning’s agility, his blows falling on empty air again and again.

The crowd below watched, dazzled.

All they could see was Bai Yue’ning’s shadow weaving, sword light flashing, completely enveloping Qi Qiu—at the very peak of the eighth Qi Refining stage—in an unending assault.

Though she could not pierce his defense, she had clearly seized control of the fight.

“What speed! What swordsmanship!”

“Is she probing Senior Brother Qi’s qi shield?”

“Impossible, isn’t it? The Unmoving Vajra Mountain Sutra’s shield is supposed to be flawless—how could she find a weakness?”

Even the elders upon the high dais wore looks of surprise.

Li Qifeng’s gaze sharpened, watching Bai Yue’ning’s seemingly prescient swordplay with deep thought.

The moment is now! Ye Ming suddenly called out.

He’s grown impatient after so long on defense—his spiritual power is running half a beat too fast!

Three inches below the center of his chest, there’s a disruption in the qi circuit—a flaw that will last but a heartbeat!

Bai Yue’ning’s eyes flashed with resolve. Without hesitation, she poured every last drop of her remaining spiritual power into the blade.

Sword and body moved as one, striking exactly where Ye Ming directed.

Qi Qiu sensed the difference in this attack!

With a wild roar, he slammed his hammers together, surging his defensive qi to the front of his chest in an attempt to withstand the blow head-on.

Infuse the sword—break the shield!

A strange, pure surge of spiritual essence erupted from the hilt, enveloping the entire sword in an instant.

At the tip, a point of searing brilliance flared to life!

The blue-black swordtip pierced the armored barrier without the slightest hindrance.

The shield, so unyielding moments before, was pierced as if by a sword of destiny, its special spiritual essence shattering the defense with ease.

Qi Qiu’s confidence evaporated, replaced by utter terror.

He could not comprehend how the shield he had honed for years had been breached as if it were mere paper.

The sword tip broke through, its momentum unchecked, striking with pinpoint accuracy three inches beneath his chest, at the exact node of his spiritual circuit.

Though Bai Yue’ning instantly withdrew the blade, sparing his life, the disruption at the node sent his spiritual power into violent turmoil.

Qi Qiu’s protective qi disintegrated in a rush. He paled, vomiting a mouthful of blood.

His hammers slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground.

He staggered back several steps, barely managing to stay upright, but his strength was spent—he could fight no more.

The entire audience was stunned by this miraculous reversal.

She had broken through the shield of a peak eighth-stage Qi Refining cultivator?

What sword could be so keen?

What perception, so precise?

The referee elder paused in disbelief before finally declaring, “Bai Yue’ning—victory!”

Bai Yue’ning stood with her sword, her chest heaving, her face even paler than before; that one strike had nearly drained her dry.

She could feel that even the special essence Ye Ming had imparted was nearly exhausted—the blade itself seemed to have lost a shade of its former luster.

That’s a wrap! Ye Ming’s voice rang out, weary but triumphant.

Well? Wasn’t my shield-breaking skill absolutely stunning? It crushes all resistance!

Bai Yue’ning ignored his self-congratulation, her fingertips lightly brushing the blade’s warm surface, a faint worry flickering through her heart.

The cost was steep—had it harmed him?

But as that feeling of perfect accord in the moment of crisis surged up again, a quiet trust and reassurance settled within her heart.

She paid no heed to Qi Qiu’s look of disbelief, nor to the burning stares from the crowd. She sheathed her sword in its plain scabbard and stepped down from the stage, one step at a time.

The semifinals.

She was one step closer to her goal.