Chapter 97: The Flame Descendants' Arena Tournament (VI)

At this moment, Ji Mo, the first contender, was in an impossibly difficult predicament. She was like a lone boat tossed about in a raging storm, on the verge of being capsized at any moment. When Mo Fan unleashed three blades, she felt herself ensnared by the deadly brilliance of the swords, unable to escape the fate of being cleaved apart no matter which way she retreated.

With no way to evade, Ji Mo let out a piercing cry. Her skin and bones cracked inch by inch, blood spraying wildly from her body. Suddenly, a force no weaker than the three blades surged forth from within her, and she managed to withstand the overwhelming blade aura. Gripping her silver whip, her figure became a blur, moving along a strange trajectory, relentlessly lashing at the web of swords.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! The dull sounds of impact echoed in everyone’s ears. Ji Mo, at the cost of burning her own life, struck out eighty-one lashes, finally shattering the terrifying web before her. Thanks to her protective robes, her outward appearance was not too frightening, but in truth, her organs and skin were riddled with countless cracks.

Mo Fan had poured every ounce of his power into those three blades. He had believed that their outcome was inevitable, but Ji Mo shattered his expectations by breaking through them. Pale as a sheet, he landed on the arena floor, thrusting his sword into the ground. Only by gripping the hilt did he manage to steady himself. Staring at Ji Mo, his eyes were filled with disbelief.

Yet, as the blade aura faded, that disbelief in Mo Fan’s eyes gradually gave way to admiration and understanding. Ji Mo still stood stubbornly, but blood trickled from her eyes, nose, and mouth, her vitality dangerously weak. Clearly, she was nearing death. Her ability to break through the three blades had come at the price of burning her life away.

“Ah, this child is indeed strong. It’s a pity she encountered the number one prodigy of the Flameborn clan right from the start. Otherwise, she could have helped our Ten Directions Cultivation World reclaim its blood debt.” An elderly man observing from afar shook his head in regret.

Mo Fan’s face showed a complex mix of feelings—regret, wistfulness, and, undeniably, a relieved smile. Ji Mo was a rare opponent. If possible, he did not wish to take her life. But on this arena, he neither wanted nor could afford to lose. This outcome was unavoidable.

Now, all he had to do was wait—wait for Ji Mo to collapse. Given her condition, he believed it wouldn’t be long. Once she fell, this hurdle would be cleared. Yet, as the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed, Ji Mo remained standing. Two cups of tea later, she still stood firm.

What baffled Mo Fan most was that her fragile vitality, which should have faded with time, instead grew stronger and stronger. What cultivation technique was she practicing that could be so unnatural? Mo Fan’s already pale face grew even more colorless.

Mo Fan was not the only one unsettled; countless spectators and powerful figures watching quietly from all sides were equally astonished. When Ji Mo shattered Mo Fan’s three blades, everyone assumed her death was certain. Yet, not only did she survive, her vitality seemed to flourish with every passing moment.

Looking at her now, she seemed not only unlikely to die, but in a day or two, her fighting strength might be fully restored. What kind of body-tempering technique could have such monstrous recovery abilities? The Heavenly Demon Body-Tempering Technique—could it be that she was practicing this very method? Suddenly, a name flashed like lightning through the mind of a certain member of the Flameborn clan.

That person was the current head of the Mo family. He was startled by the thought that struck him. No, impossible! How could this child possess the credentials to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Body-Tempering Technique? This technique was the foremost method among the Witch and Demon clans in the Celestial Realm. Few in the mortal world even knew of its existence, but the Mo family head was one of those rare few.

The creator of the Heavenly Demon Body-Tempering Technique was the ruler of the Witch and Demon Realms—Nine Profound Demon Emperor. And that emperor had originally hailed from the Flameborn clan. After developing the technique, for various reasons, he never passed it back to his clan; however, several elders in the Flameborn clan’s sacred place—the Temple of Pyro-Witch—knew of it. Not only did they know, but the body-tempering arts practiced by the ten major families of the Flameborn clan were all derived from the Heavenly Demon Body-Tempering Technique.

Yet, the true technique itself was known only by name; its true power had never been witnessed. Ji Mo’s current condition could only be explained by this extraordinary art. If she truly practiced it… The Mo family head quietly swallowed, his eyes narrowing. After a moment’s contemplation, he sent this information to the Temple of Pyro-Witch. He was not alone; observers from many worlds were secretly transmitting urgent messages.

Ji Mo had no idea that the potential she displayed in her desperate gamble had stirred up countless storms and thrust herself into tremendous danger. Of course, even if she had foreseen this outcome, she would have done the same—otherwise, what, let herself be cleaved to death without resistance?

“Are you still able to fight?” After another two cups of tea’s worth of time, the blood finally stopped flowing from Ji Mo’s eyes, nose, and mouth. She wanted to conjure a water sphere to wash the ghastly blood from her face, but her body was utterly depleted, unable to muster even a wisp of spiritual power. Helpless, she shook her head, then stepped toward Mo Fan, stopping three paces away to speak.

“No. After unleashing those three blades, I won’t be able to use spiritual power for the next two days. So, I’ve lost.” Mo Fan did not know that Ji Mo was equally unable to fight. He gazed at her in silence for a while and said,

“You’re a remarkable opponent. I hope we have a chance to fight with all our strength again next time.” Ji Mo replied,

“I feel the same.” Mo Fan looked at her deeply, then turned and walked step by step off the arena.

“I challenge you!” No sooner had Mo Fan left than a robust youth in blue leaped onto the stage.

“Fu Xiangang, have you no shame? After such a fierce battle between them, you dare jump up now to take advantage?” Before Ji Mo could respond, a clear voice rang out from the crowd. Ji Mo turned to see a sprite-like girl in green—it was Fei Dai, who had taken the stage the day before.

Ji Mo gave her a gentle smile, signaling her not to worry, then turned to the newcomer and said, “I am not defending the arena, so I do not accept your challenge.”

With that, Ji Mo paid no heed to anyone else, stepping off the stage. Given her current physical state, to try and defend the arena would be courting death—she was not one to attempt what she knew was impossible. Having defeated Mo Fan, her task for the fifth round should be complete, she mused quietly to herself.

(To be continued…)