The ice crystal vortex rapidly rotated, carrying soul-freezing cold and powerful tearing force, covering Xiaoqi. The arena's temperature plummeted. Even light seemed distorted by that extreme cold.
Facing this assault stronger than before, Xiaoqi's gaze was composed. He pushed the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns to the extreme. His form was like smoke, actually advancing instead of retreating, actively approaching the vortex's edge! He wasn't trying to forcefully break through, but sliding rapidly along the vortex's force flow trajectory, like ice skating. The Red Flame Sword had somehow already unsheathed. The sword tip (expelled) warm sword light. Instead of brute force cutting, it precisely struck the most unstable structural nodes of the vortex.
"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"
Each sword tip strike dissolved a small piece of ice crystal structure with warm sword intent, making soft explosions. Xiaoqi's form rapidly moved at the giant ice crystal vortex's edge. The Red Flame Sword transformed into streams of crimson silk, constantly "suturing" yet also "dismantling" the vortex's structure. He, in an almost artistic way, weakened and dismantled this seemingly unstoppable ice crystal vortex from outside, piece by piece!
Mu Xue's cold eyes again flashed with admiration. She could sense the opponent wasn't relying on brute force or absolute speed to hard-break, but rather relying on extraordinary combat intuition and profound understanding of energy structure, performing the most precise "surgery." This response method was far smarter than head-on collision, and more demonstrated one's comprehensive qualities.
She wasn't angered by this. Instead, she felt delighted at meeting a worthy opponent. Her jade-like hand lightly waved. That massive ice crystal vortex suddenly contracted inward, then exploded!
Not energy losing control, but transforming into countless thumb-length, crystal-clear, extremely sharp-edged ice crystal swords! Like a violent storm, or Milky Way pouring down, from all directions, no dead angles, shooting toward Xiaoqi! Each ice crystal sword contained extreme cold and penetrating power. Speed was astonishingly fast!
"Ten Thousand Ice Sword Prison!"
Below arena, a gasp of cold air sounded. This move's coverage and precise control was far beyond the previous.
Xiaoqi's pupils contracted. At the sword prison's center, no escape! He took a deep breath. Guardian Sword Intent erupted to the extreme. The Red Flame Sword drew a smooth arc before him. Pale golden Guardian Sword Aura instantly expanded, shielding him completely!
"Ding-ding-ding-ding...!"
Dense sounds like heavy rain on banana leaves merged into one. Ears-piercing! Countless ice crystal swords collided with the pale golden sword aura, exploding into (skyful) ice powder. Cold aura spread, covering the entire arena in a hazy ice mist. The sword aura fluctuated violently, light brightening and dimming, yet always resiliently guarding Xiaoqi at the center.
Mu Xue didn't stop. She formed seals with both hands. The arena's cold aura condensed again. Water vapor in the air instantly froze, transforming into thick frost chains engraved with runes. Like living things, they wound from the ground, from the air, circling toward Xiaoqi's feet and sword arm, restricting his movement. Simultaneously, she breathed out lightly. A condensed-to-extremity, nearly transparent ice breath, like an invisible blade, quietly mixed within the ice crystal swords' assault, directly stabbing toward the sword aura's weakest point!
Assault advanced layer upon layer, each step connected—displaying ice-type Dao technique's control, attack, and unpredictability to the fullest!
Xiaoqi's pressure greatly increased, yet his will was steadfast. He acted calmly in crisis. Guardian Sword Aura rotated to the extreme. Meanwhile, his footwork didn't stop. The Swimming Dragon Nine Turns manifested within inches of space. He always avoided the frost chains' winding at critical moments. For that hidden ice breath, he relied on keen divine sense to detect it in advance. The Red Flame Sword suddenly defended. The sword tip precisely struck the ice breath!
"Peng!"
The ice breath exploded. Extremely strong cold spread along the sword blade. Xiaoqi's arm instantly covered with white frost. His qi and blood slightly stagnated. Yet his spiritual energy rotated. The Red Flame Sword blazed with fire light, dispelling the cold.
He knew prolonged defense would surely lose. At the instant of deflecting the ice breath, his form suddenly rushed forward. He (actively) closed distance with Mu Xue! The sword intent on the Red Flame Sword erupted. No longer pure guardian, but merged with volcano eruption-like warmth and explosiveness! A condensed crimson sword aura, like a fire meteor tearing through the cold night, directly stabbed toward Mu Xue!
Mu Xue seemed to have anticipated this. She didn't dodge. Her delicate finger pointed forward. A thin as cicada wing, yet glittering with seven-colored glazed light rhombus ice mirror (formed) before her.
"Mirror Flowers, Water's Moon!"
The crimson sword aura struck the ice mirror. No thunderous sound. The ice mirror's surface merely rippled, actually refracting and deflecting most of the sword aura's power toward the sky. Only a small portion of power penetrated through, easily dissolved by Mu Xue's naturally emanating cold aura domain.
Attack and defense exchanged in an instant. The two traded moves and dismantled moves.
Xiaoqi's sword, sometimes heavy as mountain, steady guarding four directions; sometimes warm as fire, invasive like flame; sometimes relying on movement technique, launching surprise attacks from unbelievable angles. He used Guardian Sword Intent increasingly skillfully, also infusing it with his own understanding and variations.
Mu Xue's ice techniques were even more ever-changing. Condensing water to ice, transforming ice to swords, chains, mirrors, domains... Displaying ice-type law's "freezing,""firmness,""transformation" characteristics to the fullest. She was like an ice-snow goddess, elegantly and (calmly) controlling the entire arena's rhythm.
Sword intent and ice methods continuously collided, erupting in gorgeous brilliance and ear-deafening roars. Cold and warmth intertwined, forming a strange scene on the arena. The two's forms quickly flashed and crossed within. Each exchange contained profound understanding of Dao and exquisite control.
No (bloody) life-and-death struggle, no sinister or vicious schemes. There was only skill exchange, Dao realm confrontation, and mutual respect and probing of each other's strength.
This wonderful, textbook-grade confrontation made the audience below be captivated, cheers and exclamations rising one after another. They clearly saw both hadn't used full strength, both retained trump cards. It was more like the two were using this confrontation to mutually verify their learning and temper themselves.
"So wonderful! This is truly a battle between top talents!"
"Immortal Mu Xue's ice methods have reached perfection. Tang Xiaoqi's sword intent and movement technique are also perfectly calibrated!"
"Didn't expect Tang Xiaoqi could actually fight Immortal Mu Xue to this extent, not seeming to fall behind at all!"
Elders on the high platform also nodded repeatedly, eyes full of admiration. At such a young age having such cultivation and mindset was truly rare.
The intense battle continued for nearly the time for an incense stick to burn. The two exchanged several hundred rounds, still evenly matched. On the arena, half covered with frost, half with sword aura warmth still lingering.
After another intense collision, the two separated, each retreating several steps, facing each other at a distance.
Mu Xue's aura remained steady. Her cold gaze fell on Xiaoqi. She spoke first: "Your strength is worthy of me using the 'Mysterious Ice Soul.'"
Xiaoqi held his sword standing, slightly panting. Upon hearing, his expression tensed. He knew Mu Xue was about to deploy her true trump card. However, just as he tensed for full alert, preparing to receive the stronger attack, he saw Mu Xue's terrifying cold aura actually slowlysuppress (receded), without further action.
She looked at Xiaoqi. Her gaze complex for an instant, as if making some decision. Her cold voice sounded again:
"Let this battle end here."