Chapter 337
Chapter 337: Pain
Ting Chen raised her palm, fingers curved toward Wang Jie. Wang Jie immediately dispersed his energy, his body twisting to evade the blow unharmed.
“You’ve forced out my Unending Sight. You truly stand at the pinnacle of the Full Star Realm, but it ends here.” Ting Chen lifted her arm high, starforce surging upward and forming a sharp blade that descended fiercely, severing all visions of the future.
Wang Jie swiftly rose, lock force surging wildly within him, soaring skyward and transforming into a crimson moon.
The red moon rose, the sharp blade fell.
Boom!
An explosive sound rang out.
Ripples of scarlet spread, sweeping across the battlefield.
Countless onlookers trembled. “The Southern Clan’s Red Moon?”
“Isn’t that the Red Moon technique? Could this boy be from the Southern Clan?”
“But he shouldn’t know the complete Red Moon technique! We all joined that event—did he secretly obtain something?”
Ting Chen was startled. The Southern Clan’s Red Moon?
Wang Jie waved his hand, sending moonlight flashing toward Ting Chen. Each strand of moonlight carried sword qi. Ting Chen raised her palm, starforce surging forth to meet the moonlight: Black White Heaven—Stacking Heavenly Light!
Countless streaks of moonlight collided with Stacking Heavenly Light, all perfectly blocked.
The spectators outside were dumbfounded.
Someone from Black White Heaven had cast the Southern Clan’s Red Moon, while a disciple from Star Dome Visage used Black White Heaven’s signature technique. What was happening?
Even Wang Jie hadn’t anticipated Ting Chen would know Stacking Heavenly Light.
It was called a shameless defense. Perhaps that was an exaggeration, but it certainly was enough to block his half-learned Red Moon.
Ting Chen attacked again with her other hand. Wang Jie stepped with Madman’s Footsteps, distorting the Shadow Trace.
He raised his finger: Starry Finger!
Countless finger shadows rained down.
Yet Ting Chen simply walked forward step by step, gracefully avoiding every shadow. If she could dodge the Rain Curtain, how could she fear the Starry Finger?
Once more, the two moved closer.
This time, Wang Jie gripped his sword, three swords circling him—Sword Stopping Technique. He needed to clearly see Ting Chen’s movements.
Ting Chen’s eyes locked onto him, again striking with her palm, simple and direct.
Wang Jie thrust forward with his sword.
Their figures passed each other. Wang Jie’s Sword Stopping Technique missed, and another palm landed squarely on his chest. But this time he’d been prepared, covering himself with the Thunder Pattern beforehand. Though it shattered, it softened part of the blow. His protective qi further reduced the damage.
Ting Chen glanced at him calmly. “Your qi isn’t enough,” she said plainly, unleashing another palm.
Wang Jie no longer knew how to evade.
This woman seemed to see through every move he made, utterly unstoppable.
Lock force formed a shield, instantly shattered by her palm. The leftover force sent him tumbling backward again, coughing up blood.
Every strike from Ting Chen seemed effortless, yet each pressed down like mountains, leaving him breathless.
The Three Tribulations of Time had widened a chasm between them, far beyond Wang Jie’s current ability. Simply blocking the first move, Shadow Trace, was already unbelievable.
But if he kept getting hit like this, defeat was certain.
Since the battle began, Ting Chen hadn’t sustained even the slightest injury.
At Star Dome Visage, Ting He anxiously watched the projection. She didn’t wish to see either Elder Sister or Wang Jie lose.
“Wang Jie cannot break the Three Tribulations of Time—even though she’s only just begun cultivating it, it is still a Star Position technique,” Ting Can said quietly from behind.
Ting He was confused. “Great Grandfather, does having a Star Position technique mean invincibility?”
Ting Can smiled softly. “No technique is truly invincible, but if the gap in strength is too wide, even a perfect counter is useless.” He turned back toward the projection. “Unless Wang Jie has a power far surpassing your Elder Sister’s, even knowing how to counter the Three Tribulations of Time won’t help.”
“You already know your Elder Sister’s strength.”
Ting He bit her lip. “I only hope Elder Sister won’t make him lose too badly.”
Ting Can laughed gently.
In the skies of Heaven’s Azure, Shu Mu Night silently watched, expression unreadable.
At Black White Heaven, Feng Yu Xing, Hong Jian, and the others clenched their fists, the oppressive atmosphere suffocating them.
They watched Wang Jie, battered relentlessly by Ting Chen, unable to help, their hearts filled with helpless frustration.
Zhi Yu shook his head. “After Shadow Trace comes Unending Sight, the legendary technique that sees the birth and death of all outcomes, capable of predicting the future. It is fundamentally unsolvable. Even if one found a way, how could Wang Jie win after expending so much energy against the Three Tribulations? Even without it, Ting Chen’s strength matches any who’ve been granted Enlightenment Tea.”
Shu Rang remained silent.
From the moment Ting Chen stood as Wang Jie’s opponent, the outcome had already been set. All that remained was how Wang Jie handled it.
Some women needed to be defeated to yield.
Thud, thud, thud—
Wang Jie retreated step by step, his robes soaked in blood, strands of hair stained red. Yet, his gaze remained unwavering, absorbing every strike Ting Chen delivered.
He had to admit she was unbeatable.
All defensive techniques crumbled like sand before her. Even complete defenses were meaningless. How could he win after draining so much lock force?
In that moment, Ting Chen’s peerless beauty was like a goddess, engraved in the hearts of countless across the universe.
They cheered, thrilled and expectant, awaiting the crowning of the champion of the Full Star Martial Meet.
Ting Chen embodied all their desires.
Her beauty, her background, her cold gaze, her lofty pride—all matched the image of invincibility.
Wang Jie breathed heavily, face pale.
“How many times have you struck me?” he asked.
Ting Chen regarded him calmly. “I don’t remember.”
“You don’t even remember how many times you’ve hit me? You truly look down on me.”
“I’ve already told you—you’re not worthy.”
“Is that so?” Wang Jie suddenly smiled, staring into Ting Chen’s black-and-white eyes, “If I’m not mistaken, one of your eyes predicts my moves, and the other sees through my weaknesses.”
Ting Chen narrowed her eyes slightly, offering no reply.
Wang Jie sighed softly, “Such a terrifying skill. Distorting shadows and time, foreseeing moves and laying bare weaknesses—it’s almost flawless.”
“But what if I have no weaknesses—or perhaps, my entire being is one great weakness?”
Ting Chen was confused, uncertain of what Wang Jie meant.
This man should have exhausted all his techniques by now. His strength, sword styles, star method, Red Moon, qi—even pushing his own body to its very limit. How could he still have such fighting spirit? It made no sense. Why did he still have hope? Why did he still believe he could win?
Up to this point, he hadn’t even managed to wound her once.
“If you think displaying such stubborn pride will spark my interest, you’re mistaken. To me, your pride is no different from begging,” she said coldly, stepping forward and raising her palm again, her eyes fixed sharply upon him.
Wang Jie lifted his head, breathing deeply, pulling air into his lungs fiercely. [Here it comes. The pain.]
In the next instant, indescribable agony surged through his body. His flesh and bones shifted violently, and his ears filled with the dreadful sounds of his body breaking apart. Onlookers stared blankly, unable to comprehend what he was doing.
They saw Wang Jie’s upper garments shred to nothing, his skin tearing open, muscles ripping apart, veins snapping beneath his flesh, and bones piercing through his skin. He looked as if he were about to explode at any moment.
Ting Chen suddenly halted, stunned as she watched him.
Wang Jie gritted his teeth, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth. Behind him, his bones tore apart inch by inch. He spat a mouthful of blood and fell heavily to one knee, gasping painfully. Then, raising his head, he looked at Ting Chen and forced out an utterly hoarse voice: “If even I… don’t know… what I’m capable of… then how… can you?”
As he spoke, he activated the Bone Motion Art, pulling his body forward using his bones. Inside him, the torn flesh was stitched together with countless sword threads, turning himself into a puppet controlled by his own martial art. With no hesitation, he lunged.
Ting Chen stared at Wang Jie in astonishment. Her eyes could no longer see his future moves.
His actions had become impossible to predict.
[How? How is he doing this?]
A dull thud echoed as Ting Chen instinctively raised her arms to block, yet she was still hurled backward by Wang Jie’s punch. The shockwave spread behind her, pushing relentlessly toward the edge of the stage.
Her eyes flashed with anger. [Impossible!]
[There is no way this man can surpass the Unending.]
She flipped and landed gracefully, only to find Wang Jie already before her again. Under the Bone Motion Art, his entire body moved erratically, devoid of any order. Because his flesh, bones, and veins had all shattered, his entire body was one enormous weakness.
Because of this, Ting Chen’s eyes became useless.
She couldn’t predict his movements or find weaknesses when his whole body was a weakness.
[Impossible. Nobody can achieve this state. How can he even move with a completely broken body? Under such pressure, he should’ve turned to dust already.]
[How is this possible?]
Another heavy punch thundered forward, qi colliding, Lock Force erupting through Wang Jie’s entire body. The Bone Tempering Method, the nameless techniques he had cultivated, the unimaginable pain and torture he’d endured—all had prepared him for this moment.
The agony of being sewn back together by sword threads was now numbingly familiar. He knew only one thing: to strike, and strike again. There were no alternatives, only the simplest and most direct attacks. To win—he had to win.
Countless spectators watched with trembling hearts, clearly seeing the immense suffering Wang Jie was enduring.
He was holding on.
He was fighting with all he had.
Ting Chen had now been forced into retreat.
In the Star Dome Visage, Ting He covered her mouth, deeply shaken. It was as if she were seeing again the figure who had repeatedly challenged Shu Mu Night, covered in wounds yet never yielding. At that moment, the silhouette walking out of the sunlight re-entered her heart.
The man who fought desperately for his hometown had returned.
Even Ting Can was surprised. [This child really doesn’t hold back.]
Qing Huan, Shu Mu Night, Ban Xia—each person’s eyes changed because of this battle. They gazed upon the figure who fought with everything he had, every step leaving a trail of bloody footprints. No one could truly say how strong a person’s will could be. But what Wang Jie was showing now was more than enough.
Ting Chen was forced back again. Her eyes returned to normal, glaring fiercely at Wang Jie, fury burning within her heart.
[She would not lose.]
She was the young miss of Star Dome Visage, undefeated since childhood. Her goal was to become the Sky Azure Star Guardian, strongest among her peers. How could she lose to this person?
[You desire victory? Then I shall make you despair, and show you how ridiculous it is to dream of marrying either of us.]
Wang Jie charged toward Ting Chen once more.
Watching him approach, Ting Chen’s aura suddenly changed. Even the air seemed to grow heavy, pressing down with suffocating intensity.
Wang Jie immediately sensed this shift. The new aura emanating from Ting Chen was utterly strange and oppressive, nearly stopping his breath.
In Star Dome Visage, Ting Can’s face paled. “No good. How can this lass use that technique?” As he prepared to intervene, a loud shout from Ting He stopped him.
“Great-grandfather,” Ting He called firmly.
Ting Can turned toward Ting He, whose usual expression had vanished, replaced by solemn serenity, as if he were meeting her for the first time.
“Elder sister is proud. Since she has chosen this path, please allow her to see it through.”
Ting Can met Ting He’s gaze. He had only seen her like this once before. Whenever Ting He wore this expression, it meant she had made up her mind.
“Do you realize how much this could affect our Star Dome Visage?”
Ting He smiled faintly, turning toward the distant figure of Ting Chen. “No matter the consequences, elder sister and I can handle them.”
Ting Can smiled bitterly, shaking his head softly. [So be it. Let them have their way.]