NABC Chapter 2196 The True Fire of Samadhi
Chapter 2196 The True Fire of Samadhi
As the verdict was announced, Cao Feiyu suppressed her surging Yuan Power, returned the salute to the female cultivator from the Azure Wave Sword Sect with a complex expression, and then flew out of the martial arts arena.
As soon as she landed on the viewing platform, a familiar figure appeared beside her, gently supporting her arm. A gentle and pure Yuan energy flowed into her body, helping her calm her blood and stabilize her Yuan energy.
Cao Feiyu looked up and saw Chen Fei's concerned gaze. A smile appeared on her face. "Haven't you gone on stage yet? Or have you already competed? How did it go?"
She was so focused on the fierce battle that she didn't notice the commotion in the other training grounds.
"I've already played one match, and I was lucky enough to advance."
"lucky?"
Cao Feiyu felt the steady and vast Yuan energy fluctuations coming from Chen Fei's palm. She also saw that his breathing was long and his face was normal. There was no trace of the fierce battle.
He clearly handled the situation with ease and won effortlessly.
Comparing her own somewhat disheveled state, she couldn't help but roll her eyes at Chen Fei. The look wasn't forceful; instead, it carried a hint of coquettishness.
"You didn't advance by luck, you easily crushed them." Cao Feiyu muttered under her breath, but the smile and pride in her eyes were undisguised.
The stronger Chen Fei was, the happier she was. But when she thought about how she had fought hard and barely won, while Chen Fei seemed to have won effortlessly, the little bit of pride that had risen in her heart because of the victory immediately disappeared.
Cao Feiyu grabbed Chen Fei's arm tightly as he supported her, feeling the warmth and strength from his palm, which eased her fatigue considerably.
The blue lotus jade hairpin in her hair swayed slightly with her movements, shimmering with a warm luster.
"Your sword strike just now was well-timed and decisive."
Chen Fei commented gently, "The Azure Wave Sword Sect's Autumn Water Sword Technique is extremely resilient and adept at attrition. If you are dragged into a protracted battle, it will be disadvantageous for you. It is wise to unleash your full power and exploit their weakest point."
Receiving Chen Fei's affirmation brought a sweet feeling to Cao Feiyu's heart, but she immediately frowned and said, "But the consumption is too great. If the opponent can withstand this sword strike, or has a stronger defensive method, I'm afraid..."
"It's alright."
Chen Fei gently patted the back of her hand, "This is how cultivation is; every battle is a test. If you discover your shortcomings, you can make up for them in the future. Your sword intent is pure and your foundation is solid; what you lack is only the tempering of some killer moves. Winning this battle is the reward."
Cao Feiyu nodded, took a deep breath, and suppressed the distracting thoughts in her mind.
Yes, winning the first battle is a good start. The road ahead is long and full of formidable enemies, but with him by my side, I feel no fear.
"Let's go back and recover. There are still many more battles to come," Chen Fei said softly.
"Mmm," Cao Feiyu responded softly.
The first round of competitions was not conducted simultaneously. One hundred and eight training grounds were opened in turn, and tens of thousands of participants were teleported in batches, making the entire first day of the competition full of continuous and intense battles.
After Cao Feiyu recovered, Chen Fei and Cao Feiyu began to stroll and linger among the 108 martial arts arena viewing platforms suspended in the sky.
For them, this Grand Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects was not only a battlefield for competition, but also an excellent opportunity to witness the countless sects, families, and rogue cultivators of the entire Yanyang Immortal Dynasty.
On the path of spiritual practice, it is a great taboo to work in isolation. Learning from others and observing the lessons of others can often bring unexpected inspiration.
The two seemed to be traversing a galaxy of battles and glory, occasionally pausing outside the noisy and dazzling martial arts arenas.
"Look over there."
Cao Feiyu pointed to a martial arts arena. Inside, a giant man with a bare upper body was roaring to the sky. His skin showed rock-like patterns. He threw a punch that sent his opponent flying, along with his protective weapon. His domineering power was unparalleled.
"It is the Giant Spirit Battle Body of the Northern Wilderness Giant Spirit Sect. It is indeed incredibly strong, proving the Dao through strength."
Chen Fei nodded, but his gaze was more focused on the solid and unwavering rhythmic patterns on the giant man's fist.
In another training ground, sword energy soared into the sky, but it wasn't just one sword, but thousands upon thousands.
A cold-faced swordsman in black hangs in mid-air, his sword case behind him wide open. Countless flying swords of various shapes fly like locusts, forming a sinister and terrifying sword formation that traps his opponent within.
The sword light splits, creating a mix of illusion and reality, sometimes like a torrential downpour, sometimes like a barrage of fine needles, making it impossible to defend against.
"It's the Ten Thousand Swords Return to One Technique from Tianjian Gorge. It's said that when cultivated to its peak, one can form an army, comparable to a small-scale sword cultivator army." As a sword cultivator herself, Cao Feiyu watched with particular focus, her eyes sparkling with wonder.
They also saw cultivators transforming into shadows, appearing and disappearing unpredictably on the arena. Each time their divine weapons flashed, they would strike the weakest point in their opponent's protective aura. They were cunning and ruthless, and were successors of the Shadow Assassin Sect, specializing in assassination.
Some cultivators chanted incantations, each word transforming into golden runes that filled the void, forming a powerful restriction to trap, weaken, and suppress enemies—a tactic employed by the True Word Sect.
Furthermore, some cultivators wield enormous mechanical puppets, hiding themselves within the puppet's core—a testament to the Heavenly Crafts Pavilion's mechanical arts.
Various extraordinary skills, supernatural powers, and ingenious methods emerged one after another.
The territory of the Yan Yang Immortal Dynasty is too vast, and there are countless sects and families. There are many inheritances that Chen Fei has never even heard of, let alone seen.
Witnessing it with my own eyes now, I feel my horizons have been broadened.
"Judging from that person's movements, it's not just pure speed, but also incorporates spatial manipulation..."
"This technique, which uses music to resonate with the soul and disrupt the opponent, is similar to some illusions, but it is even more difficult to defend against..."
The two occasionally whispered to each other, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the techniques they had seen.
Half an hour later, just as the two were observing a wonderful clash between talismanic and lightning techniques outside a martial arts arena, Cao Feiyu's identity token became slightly warm, conveying new guidance.
"Bingwu area, Martial Arts Arena No. 9." Cao Feiyu read out the information and looked at Chen Fei.
“Come on, I’ll go with you.” Chen Fei took her hand, and the two of them transformed into streaks of light, quickly heading to the corresponding viewing platform.
Inside Arena Number Nine, Cao Feiyu's opponent was already waiting.
He was a man dressed in a magnificent crimson robe, with a handsome face, but his brows held a burning, aggressive air.
He held no weapon, only a cluster of pale golden flames dancing on his fingertips. Though small, the flames emitted a chillingly high temperature, scorching the surrounding space and causing it to distort slightly.
"Red Sun Sect, fiercely burning."
The man in red robes smiled with interest as he saw Cao Feiyu. His gaze swept over her beautiful face and the longsword in her hand. "Female sword cultivator? I hope your sword won't be melted by my flames too quickly."
"Danchen Sect, Cao Feiyu." Cao Feiyu's expression was cold and unmoved by the other party's words. She drew her long sword, the tip pointing out, and a clear sword intent spread out.
"The competition begins."
The moment the referee's voice fell, Lie Fen moved. He didn't step forward, but instead clasped his hands together in front of his chest and then forcefully spread them apart.
Burn the heavens and boil the seas!
"boom!"
Centered on him, endless golden-red flames erupted, spreading an overbearing will to burn and purify everything.
Flames swept across, instantly covering an area of hundreds of miles. Waves of fire rolled and heat surged, causing even those on the distant viewing platform to feel a burning sensation on their skin, as if they were standing on the edge of a furnace.
Cao Feiyu swung her sword, unleashing several icy sword energies in an attempt to cleave the flames. However, her icy sword energies were quickly evaporated and melted upon contact with the pale golden flames, proving difficult to sustain.
What's more troublesome is that this sea of fire is not static, but under Lie Fen's control, it surges and changes as if it had a life of its own.
Fire serpents danced wildly, coiling in from all directions. Walls of fire rose, blocking their path. Furthermore, fiery lotuses bloomed within the sea of fire, then exploded with a deafening roar, creating a vast, raging inferno.
Cao Feiyu unleashed the Heavenly Sword Technique to its fullest extent, the sword light forming a curtain that protected her entire body as she weaved and dodged through the sea of fire.
The cool, moonlit sword energy and the blazing pale golden flames collided and annihilated each other, producing a continuous series of explosions.
Cao Feiyu's swordsmanship was exquisite, and her movements were agile, often managing to evade fatal attacks at the last second. However, trapped in this boundless sea of fire, she was bogged down in the mire, her movements restricted, and most troublesome of all, she had lost track of her opponent.
Lie Fen's figure had completely merged into the sea of fire he had created.
He is the embodiment of fire, omnipresent yet nowhere to be found.
No matter how fast or sharp Cao Feiyu's sword was, it could only shatter pieces of flame, without harming Lie Fen's true form in the slightest. On the contrary, she had to constantly guard against flame attacks from any angle, which greatly drained her mental energy.
"He has mastered the essence of the blazing Crimson Sun True Fire, and has combined the rules of fire with illusion and concealment techniques. In this sea of fire, he is invincible from the start." On the viewing platform, a knowledgeable person commented in a low voice.
"Senior Sister Cao's swordsmanship is sharp, but it is countered by this sea of fire. If she holds out for too long, she will surely lose." The disciples of Danchen Sect looked anxious.
Chen Fei stood at the front of the viewing platform, calmly watching the arena.
He could sense that although Cao Feiyu was in a difficult situation, she was not flustered. Her sword intent remained refined, and she was simply searching for a way to break the deadlock.
This fierce fire was indeed stronger than the female cultivator from the Azure Wave Sword Sect in the previous match, greatly restraining Cao Feiyu's swordsmanship.
Amidst the flames, Cao Feiyu's situation became increasingly difficult.
The protective sword aura gradually dimmed under the continuous scorching of the pale golden flames. The intense heat not only burned her body but also threatened to ignite the Yuan energy within her, causing her waves of restlessness and anxiety.
Lie Fen's attacks became increasingly unpredictable and erratic. At times, the sea of fire would shrink, transforming into countless rockets that shot forth. At other times, waves of fire would surge into the sky, forming a gigantic flaming hand that slammed down. And at still other times, tiny sparks would silently adhere to Cao Feiyu's protective sword aura, continuously eroding it.
Cao Feiyu knew that she had to find Lie Fen's true form, otherwise she would eventually be drained of her energy by this endless sea of fire, or be fatally ambushed.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anxiety in her heart, her eyes regaining their cool and firm expression. In her mind, she recalled the scene three months ago when Chen Fei handed her a simplified secret technique.
"Feiyu, your sword heart is pure and your senses are keen, but sometimes you are easily deceived by appearances. This Undying Aura is derived from the Undying True Light Mirror. I have greatly simplified it, retaining only the most core essence of the Aura Illumination and the profound meaning of seeing through illusions to reveal the truth."
Upon successful cultivation, you can condense a point of undying spiritual light within your sword heart for a short period, allowing you to enter a special state of stillness where heaven and earth are in perfect tranquility. In this state, your perception will be greatly enhanced, enabling you to temporarily see through many illusions and concealments.
Combined with your Heavenly Sword Technique, it might become a surprise attack. However, this method is not without its flaws. Because it is a simplified version of a secret technique, it consumes a significant amount of spiritual energy and its duration is extremely short; it must strike with absolute certainty.
For the past three months, Cao Feiyu has spent most of her time studying this immortal spiritual light, in addition to consolidating her cultivation and refining her swordsmanship.
Although Chen Fei simplified this method, it still originated from a top-tier divine soul technique, making it difficult to cultivate. Fortunately, Cao Feiyu possessed considerable comprehension and had received all the insights gained from cultivating the Tai Cang Realm, finally mastering it before the Grand Tournament of Ten Thousand Sects.
Cao Feiyu narrowed her eyes slightly, her body suddenly stopped, she held the long sword upright in front of her brow, and gently touched her brow with the sword finger of her left hand.
The undying spiritual light illuminates the true nature of reality!
A gentle, clear, faint light suddenly shone from between his brows. This light was not intense, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power, able to ignore appearances and go straight to the core.
In the instant that inspiration struck, the world in Cao Feiyu's eyes instantly changed.
The pale golden flames that danced in the sky, burning intensely, lost their fiery exterior in her eyes, revealing the trajectory of their internal energy flow.
That seemingly boundless, chaotic, and violent sea of fire does not have an arbitrary flow of energy; rather, it subtly revolves around a few specific nodes, cycling repeatedly.
found it!
The true form of the Blazing Flame is hidden in the center of that huge, slowly rotating lotus of flames, which appears to be no different from any other flame.
He enveloped himself in flames, and his energy fluctuations were perfectly in sync with the surrounding environment, making him virtually undetectable without the illumination of his undying spiritual light.
All of this seemed to take a long time, but in reality it was completed in the blink of an eye when the undying spiritual light shone.
Cao Feiyu's Heavenly Sword Technique circulated wildly within her body at an unprecedented speed, pouring all of it into the longsword in her hand.
Moonlight and starlight intertwined on the sword's blade, and a chilling sword intent that could sever all illusions soared into the sky.
It fell from the sky!
Cao Feiyu's delicate body arched like a bow, becoming one with her sword, transforming into a silver streak more resolute than ever before. Ignoring all the flames that tried to block her path, she shot towards the center of the enormous flame lotus.
At the center of the Flaming Lotus, Lie Fen's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't expected that his technique of hiding in the sea of fire would be so easily seen through by his opponent.
Moreover, the opponent's sword came so fast and so accurately, aiming straight for the core of his hiding place.
In his haste, he could only condense the flames around him into a thick, massive shield of fire to block his path, while simultaneously retreating rapidly.
"laugh!"
The silver sword rainbow clashed violently with the giant fiery shield, but this time, there was no violent explosion.
Under the sword intent of piercing illusion, enhanced by the undying spiritual light, the energy structure of the giant fiery shield became clear yet fragile. The sword rainbow, like a red-hot needle piercing through grease, broke through the shield's core energy node in an instant.
"puff!"
The sword's momentum remained undiminished, piercing through the giant shield and grazing Lie Fen's shoulder, leaving a trail of blood. It also completely tore apart the protective aura around his body, and the violent sword energy invaded his body, causing him to groan and stagger, the flames around him dimming instantly.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Cao Feiyu flicked her wrist, and her longsword drew an arc, resting against the neck of Lie Fen, who had not yet fully regained his footing. The sword's edge was icy cold, and its killing intent was chilling.
Lie Fen's body stiffened as he felt the stinging pain in his neck and the chaotic sword energy surging within his body. His expression shifted, and finally, he let out a sigh of resentment: "I... admit defeat."
"Bingwu Region, Martial Arts Arena No. 9, Victorious: Cao Feiyu of Danchen Sect." (End of Chapter)