Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 296: Chapter 296 Breakthrough in Battle

Lie Buqun had never expected Ye Qingchen to push him to such an extent. He possessed a Fire Attribute Martial Soul and cultivated a Fire Attribute Cultivation Technique, yet he was completely suppressed by Ye Qingchen in terms of flames.

This was something Lie Buqun could not accept. He understood that with the strength Ye Qingchen had displayed, it would be very difficult for him to be his opponent.

That was why, in the brief moment he was dodging Ye Qingchen’s attack, Lie Buqun consumed the Fire Spirit Pill—a forbidden medicine that could enhance his strength—with lightning speed.

After taking the Fire Spirit Pill, his strength neared that of the Martial King Realm. He refused to believe that with such power, he still couldn’t defeat Ye Qingchen!

Ye Qingchen clearly remembered that the rules of the Sect Advancement Competition prohibited the consumption of any Spirit Pills.

And based on my intuition as a fourth-rank Alchemist, the Spirit Pill Lie Buqun just consumed is definitely not one that simply restores Spiritual Power. However, I know that even if I expose him for secretly taking it, he will surely deny it. In the end, without evidence, I might even be accused of malicious slander. I can’t possibly tell everyone I saw through it with my Dual Pupil Martial Soul, can I?

Ye Qingchen’s attacks also caused Ling Xiaoyu, seated among the judges, to show a look of surprise. He couldn’t help but exclaim, ”The Fen Tian Earth Fire and the Ancient Jade Spiritual Fire? To possess two Exotic Flames... this lad’s luck defies the heavens!”

With Ling Xiaoyu’s experience, neither the Fen Tian Earth Fire nor the Ancient Jade Spiritual Fire alone would have made him lose his composure. What truly shocked him was that Ye Qingchen could fuse two Exotic Flames simultaneously. Although the Ancient Jade Spiritual Fire wasn’t considered a true Exotic Flame, its properties were absolutely incompatible with the Fen Tian Earth Fire. The two should have been impossible to merge. Coupled with the two Earth-Rank Martial Techniques Ye Qingchen possessed, his identity became even more mysterious in Ling Xiaoyu’s eyes.

Just when everyone thought Ye Qingchen was completely overpowering Lie Buqun, the situation on the platform changed once again.

Lie Buqun, who had been scurrying around to evade the vines, suddenly stood still. Facing the oncoming tendrils, he didn’t dodge or evade. Instead, he raised his flame sword and chopped directly at them.

The previously unstoppable vines shattered on impact, and Ye Qingchen’s eyes narrowed.

So it’s true. The Spirit Pill that guy just swallowed was one that enhances strength. I remember Li Qingfeng telling me that their opponent used the same despicable means to defeat the Qingyun Sect in the last Sect Advancement Competition. I can’t believe Lie Buqun is audacious enough to use such a despicable trick again.

After shattering the vines, Lie Buqun’s confidence surged, and he charged at Ye Qingchen, wielding his flame sword. The Flame Leopard, which had been languishing under the suppression of the Fen Tian Earth Fire, also roared back to life and lunged at Ye Qingchen.

Ye Qingchen dared not be careless. He quickly unleashed Leaf Blade Storm to block the Flame Leopard’s attacks while his other hand wielded the Qingfeng Sword to meet Lie Buqun’s flame sword.

With a resounding BANG, Ye Qingchen was sent flying by the formidable force.

The spectating crowd burst into an uproar. No one expected that Ye Qingchen, who had seemed to be in complete control, would suddenly be no match for Lie Buqun.

However, after a brief moment of shock, everyone rationalized the situation. After all, Lie Buqun was at the peak of the ninth layer of the Martial Spirit Realm; it stood to reason that he was much stronger than Ye Qingchen. Perhaps Ye Qingchen had only gained the upper hand earlier because Lie Buqun had been careless. Now that he had composed himself and unleashed his full strength, it was only natural that Ye Qingchen was no longer his opponent.

But Xiao Xiao, sitting with the judges, pursed her lips and said, ”That old guy is so strange. I feel like his aura has suddenly grown a lot stronger.”

Ling Xiaoyu’s brow furrowed as he spoke, ”The surge in his strength is indeed peculiar. Rest assured, I will find out the truth after the match is over.”

At this point, Ye Qingchen, who had been sent flying, struggled to his feet. A trickle of fresh blood ran from the corner of his mouth. That single strike from Lie Buqun had seriously injured him.

”Despicable!” Ye Qingchen snorted coldly.

Unfazed by Ye Qingchen’s insult, Lie Buqun continued to swing his flame sword at him.

Ye Qingchen resisted with all his might but was still forced to retreat repeatedly. The surging blood in his body became even more uncontrollable, and he finally spat out a mouthful of blood.

”Give up, kid. You’re no match for me!” A cruel smile appeared on Lie Buqun’s face as he continued to approach Ye Qingchen, flame sword in hand.

Looking at the blood on the ground, Ye Qingchen’s eyes turned crimson.

”I can’t lose. No matter what means the opponent uses, I cannot lose. I have to lead the Qingyun Sect to advance to a Two-Star Sect, secure a spot to go to the Demon Region, and find the medicine for my father!” Ye Qingchen muttered to himself, repeating this phrase over and over.

He had never been so desperate for victory.

CRACK!

The stronger this belief became in his heart, the more intense the fluctuations of qi in his body grew, constantly washing against his realm barrier that was already on the brink of breakthrough.

CRACK!

Finally, a sound like a shattering mirror echoed within Ye Qingchen’s body. The barrier that had been holding him back shattered at this moment.

Spiritual Energy from all around the platform began to converge on Ye Qingchen.

”What’s this kid doing? Why is he drawing in such terrifying Spiritual Energy?”

”I don’t know! Is he about to use some high-level Martial Technique?”

”How could that be? Even an Earth-Rank Martial Technique shouldn’t be able to mobilize so much Spiritual Energy, right?”

The changes on the platform sent a wave of discussion rippling through the crowd.

Lie Buqun had a bad feeling and wanted to interrupt Ye Qingchen. However, the rampaging Spiritual Energy surrounding him was like a storm of wind blades, terrifyingly powerful and preventing him from getting anywhere near.

”Young Master is about to break through!” Xiao Xiao immediately recognized the changes in Ye Qingchen and exclaimed excitedly.

”He’s just breaking through to the fifth layer of the Martial Spirit Realm. Does he really need this much Spiritual Energy?” Ling Xiaoyu said in disbelief.

Xiao Xiao pouted and muttered, ”What do you know? Young Master has extraordinary talent. His breakthroughs are definitely not like other people’s.”

If it had been anyone else, breaking through to the fifth layer of the Martial Spirit Realm would not require so much Spiritual Energy. But Ye Qingchen possessed two Martial Souls and two Exotic Flames. Moreover, his dantian’s sea of qi and his meridians were several times wider than an ordinary person’s. Therefore, the amount of Spiritual Energy he needed was naturally ten, or even dozens, of times greater.

Ye Qingchen had long reached the pinnacle of the fourth layer of the Martial Spirit Realm. Once the realm barrier was breached, his breakthrough became a natural progression.

Half a minute later, the rampant Spiritual Energy around him subsided, and Ye Qingchen slowly opened his eyes.

Fifth layer of the Martial Spirit Realm. He had arrived.

Sensing the new aura emanating from Ye Qingchen, Lie Buqun said in amazement, ”What kind of monster are you, kid, to actually break through in the middle of a battle!”