Chapter 136: Victory Secured
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The pitch-black wilderness stretched endlessly, shrouded in a thick mist, as two young men clashed fiercely.
Qin Ming’s left fist struck out like a blazing miniature sun, tearing through the night fog and disintegrating everything nearby. The grasses and trees crumbled under the intense light that banished the darkness, illuminating the battlefield.
Yu Zhuo Han, rather than retreating, chose to stand his ground. Silver flames boiled in his palm as he braced to confront the incoming assault head-on.
When their fists collided, it was as if thunder roared through the night. The deafening sound rippled across the wilderness, disturbing the tranquility of the distant mountains. Startled, flocks of fierce birds took flight, their shadows vanishing into the night sky.
Qin Ming followed up with his right palm, descending like divine light from beyond the world. The impact was earth-shattering, causing the air to explode and the fog to collapse entirely. It was as though divine punishment had descended, obliterating the surrounding boulders and snapping ancient trees into fragments.
Yu Zhuo Han, proud and ever-confident, had bolstered his body using techniques of the Secret Sect. He sought to challenge Qin Ming once more in this domain of newly awakened power. His silver-flamed palms bore intricate patterns as he unleashed his full might against the oncoming strikes.
As their palms met, dazzling sparks erupted like lightning slicing through the night, accompanied by a sound that shook the heavens. In the blink of an eye, their figures separated, standing apart amidst the wilderness.
Yu Zhuo Han staggered, blood spurting from his mouth. The silver flames surrounding him hissed as they incinerated the blood into nothingness. He stumbled backward, trying to regain his footing.
But Qin Ming was relentless, his movements forceful and precise. His left fist and right palm, radiant with golden light, exuded a piercing brilliance. Under his strikes, the mist dissipated entirely, revealing every blade of grass and tree in sharp detail.
Realizing the disparity in power, Yu Zhuo Han abandoned his headstrong approach. Despite his innate abilities and the blessings of the Secret Sect, he could not match Qin Ming’s dominance in the realm of the newly awakened.
Silver flames coalesced into wings on Yu Zhuo Han’s back, propelling him forward across the wilderness with remarkable speed. Though he couldn’t take to the skies, the flaming wings made his movements much lighter, allowing him to slip out of Qin Ming’s grasp.
Qin Ming halted his pursuit, watching his opponent with a calm gaze.
Though narrowly escaping danger, Yu Zhuo Han’s reliance on the techniques of the Secret Sect had not gone unnoticed by the spectators. Many observers exchanged looks of astonishment, shaken by Qin Ming’s prowess in the field of newly awakened powers.
“It’s remarkable to see an innate ability user manipulating spiritual energy from the Night Fog World so early,” someone muttered. “Most can only touch that level in the second realm.”
Among the audience, admiration and curiosity filled the air. Yu Zhuo Han’s talents were well-known, yet he had faced an adversary far beyond expectation.
The techniques of the Secret Sect were divided into two primary realms: Radiant Wisdom and Spirit Capture. The former emphasized accumulating spiritual insight, while the latter allowed practitioners to harness ambient energies like miasma and earth essence. Innate ability users like Yu Zhuo Han were rare, blessed with exceptional talents—such as his affinity with flames, which had allowed him to manipulate fire since childhood.
Even after joining the Secret Sect, Yu Zhuo Han’s abilities had grown immensely. With enhanced spiritual wisdom, he could wield partial techniques from the second realm, granting him significant power.
Taking a deep breath, Yu Zhuo Han wiped the blood from his lips and re-engaged, his fiery wings ablaze as he approached once more.
Qin Ming observed him intently. This was his first encounter with someone from the Secret Sect, and he was eager to study their techniques closely.
The dew-laden grass shimmered in the moonlight as Qin Ming, swift as the wind, charged forward.
Yu Zhuo Han fully embraced the Secret Sect’s methods. From his fingertips, silver flames shot forth, forming a fiery chain. The metallic sounds of the chain striking echoed through the wilderness as it flew toward Qin Ming.
Many among the observing crowd who followed the Secret Sect path sighed in admiration. For someone in the first realm to manifest a second-realm technique was no small feat.
The silver chain, glowing with flames, streaked toward Qin Ming’s head like a viper poised to strike. But Qin Ming raised his hand, his Celestial Light Force flowing like dawn piercing through the mist. With a sharp clang, he severed the chain with his bare hand, shattering part of it with a single motion.
Yu Zhuo Han’s expression remained steady as multiple silver chains erupted from his body, crisscrossing the night sky in a deadly web aimed at entrapping Qin Ming.
Yet, Qin Ming stood resolute. Encased in a golden shield of radiant energy, he withstood the onslaught without flinching. His Celestial Light Force, three inches thick, shredded and twisted the incoming chains, neutralizing their threat.
Confident in his endurance, Qin Ming dared Yu Zhuo Han to exhaust himself. “Bring it on,” his stance seemed to declare.
Undeterred, Yu Zhuo Han unleashed a torrent of fiery attacks. Chains turned into webs, glowing blades of fire rained down, and the wilderness blazed with their intensity. Yet, Qin Ming remained immovable, his Wuji Fist blending with the earth’s essence. Earthy mist swirled around him, intercepting the relentless barrage.
The ground trembled as Qin Ming connected with the earth itself. With the weight of mountains in his fists, he shattered the web of silver chains, scattering them like broken stars.
Yu Zhuo Han, realizing his techniques had failed to contain his opponent, drew his final weapon—a magnificent crimson sword that glowed brilliantly, illuminating the night.
“The Red Jade Iron Sword!” someone exclaimed among the spectators. The weapon was a rare artifact, crafted entirely of pure jade iron, a treasure of immense value.
With a burst of speed, Yu Zhuo Han’s flaming wings propelled him forward. He swung the sword with both hands, slashing toward Qin Ming in a streak of red light.
But as the fiery web dissolved, Qin Ming retaliated with his Wuji Fist, shattering the chains completely and standing tall amidst the chaos.
With a resounding clang, Qin Ming drew his White Jade Iron Blade, gripping it single-handedly. Amid the splintering remnants of fire chains, he stepped forward, swinging the blade with immense force.
Under the night sky, sparks erupted in all directions. The two combatants streaked across the wilderness like flashes of lightning, their weapons clashing in rapid succession. The sharp screeches of metal grinding and striking echoed through the desolate landscape, grating on the ears of those watching.
“Jade iron tempered through the Secret Sect’s unique methods not only shields their Divine Wisdom but also enhances their power,” one of the spectators remarked.
Jade iron, a rare and precious material, possessed extraordinary qualities. In Yu Zhuo Han’s hands, the Red Jade Iron Sword amplified his innate abilities, turning each swing into a torrent of flames that flooded toward his opponent.
Qin Ming was taken aback. No wonder Yu Zhuo Han dared to confront him at such close range again. The sword appeared to merge the powers of his new awakening and the Secret Sect’s techniques into a seamless force. The intertwining celestial light and strange fire burst forth in waves of ferocity.
From the inferno conjured by the Red Jade Iron Sword, flocks of fiery crows erupted, swarming toward Qin Ming.
Yet Qin Ming remained calm. Wielding his blade in his right hand and striking with his left, he swiftly destroyed the fire crows, reducing them to a fiery rain that scattered harmlessly across the ground.
His White Jade Iron Blade shimmered, imbued with his celestial light and an almost poetic intent. With a single sweep, it seemed to split the night itself, its dazzling brilliance invoking the image of lightning cascading from the heavens, carrying the might of the natural order.
Yu Zhuo Han’s grip faltered under the immense force. His Red Jade Iron Sword almost flew from his hand, while his right hand bled profusely, the skin between his fingers torn apart.
Qin Ming followed through with relentless strikes. Each slash of his blade exuded the power of the sun rising over a vast ocean, cutting through mist, illuminating the battlefield, and creating a scene of utter devastation.
The night fog surged wildly before being utterly obliterated by a final, thunderous strike. The fiery glow of Yu Zhuo Han’s sword dimmed, and he was hurled backward, his arm convulsing. He barely managed to keep hold of his weapon.
The watching crowd was stunned. Qin Ming’s mastery of the blade exuded an aura reminiscent of a young grandmaster.
With a single step, Qin Ming closed the distance, his blade poised for another strike. The wilderness lit up under the gleaming light of his blade, illuminating his determined expression and Yu Zhuo Han’s pale, blood-streaked face.
In desperation, Yu Zhuo Han invoked another secret technique. Fiery wings unfurled behind him, allowing him to retreat with increased speed. Yet even with this advantage, his arm trembled violently, his muscles torn and flesh deeply lacerated by the earlier blows.
The spectators, particularly those from noble families, were shaken to their core. Yu Zhuo Han was a formidable opponent, blessed with the physical traits of an aberrant, an innate talent for fire, and the refined methods of the Secret Sect. Despite all this, he was no match for Qin Ming.
Among them, Zheng Mao Rong felt a cold chill. “If this former acquaintance survives and rises to power, will he come seeking revenge?” he thought grimly.
Lu Yu Zhi, radiant and composed, could not hide her surprise. “With such strength, Qin Ming is sure to pass the Yuqing Lineage’s core disciple trials,” she murmured.
Back on the battlefield, Yu Zhuo Han sheathed his sword and raised both hands toward the sky. A brilliant silver glow erupted from his body, brighter than before. Unwilling to accept defeat, he pushed himself to his limits.
Yu Zhuo Han’s dual path, as both an innate ability user and a Secret Sect disciple, had always made him confident in his superiority. But tonight, faced with repeated setbacks, he was unwilling to back down.
With a furious roar, his silver flames blazed, forming a radiant silver moon that rose from his body. The moon, no longer a symbol of purity, burned ferociously, exuding an aura of destruction that illuminated the night.
The spectators gasped. The sight of Yu Zhuo Han lifting this flaming silver moon above his head was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
The silver moon soared into the sky, emitting dangerous waves of heat and power. Qin Ming, gripping his blade, charged forward like a gust of wind, prepared to confront it head-on.
With a bellow, Yu Zhuo Han hurled the silver moon toward Qin Ming, its deadly glow cutting through the wilderness at breakneck speed.
Qin Ming dodged swiftly, but the moon, guided by Yu Zhuo Han’s Divine Wisdom, turned sharply and sped toward him once more. This time, Qin Ming stood firm. Channeling all his celestial light into his blade, he swung with all his might, his strike resembling a blazing sun in the sky.
With a deafening explosion, the silver moon shattered, sending Qin Ming flying back several meters. His clothes were torn, his celestial light dimmed, but he remained unscathed.
Qin Ming rose to his feet, his eyes flashing like lightning. In an instant, his celestial light surged forth once more, brighter and more intense than ever.
As he strode forward, sheathing his blade, his entire body radiated celestial energy. With fists clenched, he prepared to end the fight.
Yu Zhuo Han, pale and trembling, summoned another silver moon, though its glow was dim and its flames lacked vigor. As Qin Ming approached, the moon’s light extinguished before it could fully manifest.
Qin Ming’s fist, blazing with celestial light, halted just before striking Yu Zhuo Han’s brow.
“Ah!” Yu Zhuo Han screamed. The radiant pressure of Qin Ming’s strike overwhelmed his Divine Wisdom, rendering him unconscious. He collapsed onto the ground, defeated.