The atmosphere in the arena had completely changed.
Moments ago, the crowd had been certain of Fang Lin's defeat.
Now—
No one dared to say that anymore.
Zhou Yan stood at the center of the arena, his breathing uneven, his chest aching from Fang Lin's earlier strike. The disbelief in his eyes had not faded.
He had been pushed back.
By a middle stage Qi Conjunction cultivator.
By someone he believed he could crush effortlessly.
Humiliation surged through him like fire.
"You…"
His grip around the blade tightened violently.
The Qi around his body began to fluctuate wildly.
Fang Lin stood calmly several meters away, his gaze steady.
The earlier exchange had already revealed many things.
Late stage Qi Conjunction cultivators were indeed powerful.
Especially with a weapon.
If not for his spiritual perception and movement technique, he would've already lost.
But now—
He had adapted.
Zhou Yan slowly raised his head.
The killing intent in his eyes no longer bothered to hide itself.
"You forced me to this."
Boom!
A powerful surge of Qi erupted outward from Zhou Yan's body.
The arena floor beneath him cracked.
Several disciples near the front instinctively retreated.
"That pressure…"
"It increased again…"
"Is he still holding back?"
Even Xuo Mu's face turned pale.
"This monster…"
Zhou Yan suddenly slashed his blade horizontally.
A streak of Qi shot outward violently toward Fang Lin.
The crowd gasped.
Qi projection.
Only late stage cultivators with strong foundations could barely perform such attacks.
Fang Lin's eyes sharpened instantly.
Flowing Wind Steps activated.
His figure blurred sideways.
Boom!
The Qi slash exploded behind him, tearing apart part of the arena floor.
Dust surged upward.
Before it settled—
Zhou Yan charged through it.
Fast.
Much faster than before.
His blade descended violently.
Fang Lin narrowly dodged.
Rip!
Another tear appeared on his robe.
Then another.
And another.
Zhou Yan's attacks became relentless.
The pressure increased continuously.
The crowd's expressions changed again.
"He's suppressing Fang Lin…"
"He can barely retaliate now…"
"This is Zhou Yan's true strength…"
Fang Lin retreated repeatedly.
His Flowing Wind Steps operated at full capacity.
Yet even then—
The pressure kept increasing.
Zhou Yan suddenly laughed coldly.
"You think movement alone can save you?"
Boom!
His Qi exploded again.
This time—
The blade in his hand released a faint crimson glow.
A dangerous aura spread outward.
Li Shan's expression changed slightly.
"That's not a sect technique…"
Xue Ji's eyes narrowed.
"A family skill…"
Zhou Yan raised the blade slowly.
The Qi around it condensed violently.
"This is a martial skill passed down within my Zhou Clan."
His voice carried arrogance once more.
"You should feel honored dying under it."
The crowd's expressions turned pale.
"This is too much…"
"He's actually using clan techniques…"
"Fang Lin is finished…"
Even high above the arena, Elder Feng frowned.
"He's gone too far."
The Sect Master's gaze deepened slightly.
"But the boy…"
"He still hasn't panicked."
Indeed—
Fang Lin remained calm.
But inwardly—
His mind was moving rapidly.
Danger.
Extreme danger.
This strike—
Could cripple him.
Or kill him.
Zhou Yan roared and slashed downward.
"Crimson Severing Blade!"
Boom!
A massive surge of Qi burst toward Fang Lin.
The pressure locked onto him completely.
The crowd held its breath.
Xuo Mu's face turned white.
"FANG LIN!"
At that moment—
Fang Lin moved.
No.
He exploded forward.
Something within him suddenly shifted.
The Flowing Wind Steps circulation paths inside his body surged violently.
The Qi flow transformed instantly.
Smoother.
Faster.
Lighter.
A thin barrier shattered within the technique itself.
Boom.
Intermediate mastery.
The world around Fang Lin suddenly felt slower.
The wind.
The dust.
The blade.
Everything became clearer.
Lighter.
His body moved instinctively.
The crimson slash tore through the arena—
But Fang Lin disappeared.
Boom!
The attack exploded against the ground, creating a massive crater.
The crowd was stunned.
"Where is he?!"
Zhou Yan's eyes widened.
Then—
A figure appeared beside him.
Fang Lin.
Too fast.
His Flowing Wind Steps had completely transformed.
His movements no longer resembled ordinary speed.
He moved like flowing wind itself.
Impossible to predict.
Impossible to lock onto.
Zhou Yan swung his blade frantically.
But every strike missed.
Fang Lin appeared behind him.
Then beside him.
Then in front again.
Like an illusion.
The crowd stared blankly.
"So fast…"
"I can't even see him clearly…"
"This… this is still the same movement technique?!"
Even Li Shan's usually relaxed expression disappeared.
"He broke through during battle…"
Xue Ji's eyes widened slightly.
"A monster…"
Above the arena, Feng Jiu'er's pupils contracted faintly.
"He actually…"
Then a faint smile appeared despite herself.
"Ridiculous."
Back in the arena—
Zhou Yan's breathing became chaotic.
His attacks became more desperate.
"You coward! Stop dodging!"
Fang Lin's voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.
"You were the one bragging earlier."
Boom!
A palm strike landed heavily against Zhou Yan's ribs.
Crack.
The sound of bones fracturing echoed.
Zhou Yan coughed blood and staggered.
Before he could stabilize—
Another strike landed from the opposite side.
Boom!
Then another.
And another.
Fang Lin's speed had become terrifying.
Zhou Yan couldn't react anymore.
He was being toyed with.
The crowd was completely silent.
Moments ago—
They feared Fang Lin would die.
Now—
Zhou Yan looked utterly helpless.
Boom!
Another palm strike slammed into Zhou Yan's chest, blasting him across the arena.
He crashed heavily onto the ground, coughing blood violently.
His blade slipped from his hand.
The arena floor beneath him cracked.
Fang Lin slowly walked forward.
Calm.
Cold.
The Flowing Wind Steps still circulated lightly beneath his feet.
Zhou Yan looked up at him, panic finally appearing in his eyes.
"No… wait…"
Fang Lin stopped before him.
His palm slowly raised.
The crowd's hearts shook.
"He wants to cripple him…"
Zhou Yan's face turned pale instantly.
"STOP!"
Boom!
A powerful pressure suddenly descended upon the arena.
An elder figure appeared instantly between them.
The terrifying aura forced everyone backward.
Outer sect elder.
But everyone immediately recognized—
This elder belonged to Zhou Yan's faction.
The elder looked coldly at Fang Lin.
"That's enough."
Fang Lin's eyes narrowed slightly.
The elder's gaze swept over Zhou Yan's miserable state before returning to Fang Lin.
"You've already won."
His tone was calm.
But hidden within it—
Was pressure.
And warning.
Fang Lin lowered his palm slowly.
The elder had intervened personally.
Continuing further—
Would bring consequences.
Zhou Yan looked at the elder as if seeing salvation.
Meanwhile, the surrounding crowd remained completely shaken.
Fang Lin…
Had defeated Zhou Yan.
Completely.
Not through luck.
Not through tricks.
But through overwhelming movement and combat control.
And most terrifying of all—
He had broken through his technique during battle itself.
High above the arena, the Sect Master smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
Beside him, Elder Feng released a slow breath.
"He's growing too quickly."
Meanwhile, Feng Jiu'er looked down at Fang Lin silently.
The slight tension in her eyes had finally faded.
But her lips still moved softly.
"You reckless idiot…"