My Martial Arts Level Never Drops

Chapter 456: Chapter 208: Sharpness

A deep, vast, bone-chilling True Essence erupted from within him!

With him at the center, the temperature within a ten-zhang radius plummeted. Fine, white Ice Crystals condensed in the air and began to drift down.

The Profound Nether True Essence surged forth!

Zhao Yuanling’s expression immediately darkened. In the next instant, he saw Qin Fang’s figure explode into motion from absolute stillness!

This was no longer the ethereal movement of Mirror Flower Water Moon. Instead, he radiated a heavy, immense pressure, like the unstoppable force of a surging river, as he charged straight toward Zhao Yuanling!

His right hand clenched into a loose fist. He held no Weapon—he simply threw a punch.

However, in the instant he threw the punch, his True Essence surged wildly along the unique pathway of Celestial River Reversal. The telltale Muscle and Bone Sound rang out, and his Qi Blood surged like a tide!

An immense and irresistible power erupted violently from his fist.

Qin Fang’s physical strength, thanks to his cultivation and fortuitous encounters, already far surpassed that of his peers, approaching a staggering 200,000 jin!

Now, amplified by Celestial River Reversal, his strength instantly doubled, rocketing toward 400,000 jin!

Before his fist even arrived, the terrifying pressure it generated had compressed the air in front of it to its breaking point, causing a deafening boom as a visible white shockwave erupted forward!

Zhao Yuanling’s expression finally twisted in shock!

He never expected Qin Fang’s counterattack to be so utterly ferocious, a complete departure from the graceful Body Technique he had used before. It was like he was fighting a different person entirely!

’The terrifying power contained in that fist... it sent a jolt of pure dread through him.’

But he was, after all, a prodigy of the True Essence Third Realm, the Condensing Realm. His True Essence had been tempered repeatedly; its quality, Condensation Level, and instantaneous explosive power were all far superior to those of the True Essence Second Realm!

In that split second, he roared. Pale-golden True Essence flared around him like fire. The blade of the simple, ancient longsword in his hand lit up with a blinding golden light as he slashed horizontally without hesitation, meeting the mountain-shattering punch head-on!

’Golden-breaking Sword Technique: Cross-cutting Mountains and Peaks!’

BOOM----!!!!

When fist and sword met, it wasn’t with the ringing of steel, but with the terrifying, muffled boom of two mountains colliding! A visible, circular shockwave exploded from the point of impact, blasting clouds of Ice Crystals and shattered stone into the air!

Zhao Yuanling felt an unimaginable force travel up the blade of his sword. His grip trembled violently and his arm went numb. He was blasted back uncontrollably for several dozen zhang before he finally managed to stabilize himself.

His Qi Blood roiled within him. The hand holding his sword trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with utter shock.

But Qin Fang merely swayed for a moment before standing his ground, perfectly stable.

His fist was covered in a layer of flowing, dark Water Armor, as deep and black as the abyss...

It was none other than the Body Protection Leaf Skill: the Nine-Layered Abyss Water Armor!

...Zhao Yuanling’s incredibly sharp Sword Qi—sharp enough to sunder metal and crack stone—crashed against the Water Armor, only managing to create violent ripples and a hissing sound as it was frozen and ground away...

...It had only broken through four layers.

Qin Fang’s Perception registered this, but his expression remained calm. In an instant, his True Essence surged, and the layers were fully restored.

”Such incredible strength! And what a tough shell!”

Zhao Yuanling was utterly horrified.

But Qin Fang gave him no time to recover.

After his True Essence surged to restore the Nine-Layered Abyss Water Armor, he took another step forward. Frost spread from beneath his feet as he closed the distance again, once more throwing a simple, direct punch!

This time, however, his fist was not only gathered with terrifying force, but also wreathed in wisps of deep blue, chilling energy. The very air cracked and froze wherever it passed.

Zhao Yuanling roared, pushing his True Essence to the absolute limit. His longsword became a blur of golden light and shadow. He no longer tried to block the attack head-on, instead executing his exquisite Swordsmanship. Stabs like a shower of cold stars aimed for Qin Fang’s vital points, his sword moving with astonishing speed. He was attempting to use a focused point to break the entire surface, to dismantle that astoundingly tough Water Armor and, relying on the superior quality of his higher-Realm True Essence, find a seam in the encroaching cold.

DANG! DANG! DANG! DANG!

The sound of impacts, as dense as a rainstorm, rang out.

Qin Fang’s punches were wide and powerful, using brute force to shatter technique. Each blow was immensely heavy, forcing Zhao Yuanling to constantly dodge and parry.

Zhao Yuanling’s Swordsmanship was indeed exquisite. His blade flashed like a golden rainbow, striking the Abyss Water Armor again and again, sending ripples across its surface. Moreover, streams of incomparably sharp Sword Qi tried to pierce through the Water Armor...

But they were frozen and ground away, layer by layer, by the Profound Nether Cold Qi it contained.

...At most, his opponent could only break through four of the nine layers of the Abyss Water Armor.

But a single surge of True Essence restored it instantly!

As for Zhao Yuanling, the more he fought, the more he despaired.

’...He’s... only twenty-three years old?’

’He only joined the sect three years ago?!’

He could feel it clearly. His opponent’s strength was terrifyingly immense, his defense indestructible!

And that chilling energy was insidious, seeping in everywhere!

It relentlessly eroded his Body Protection True Essence. Gradually, Ice Crystals began to ’grow’ on his body.

More and more dark Ice Crystals condensed on Zhao Yuanling’s body, his movements becoming visibly sluggish. Every swing of his sword felt like a struggle through thick, icy slurry. His Body Protection True Essence flickered unsteadily, eroded by the insidious Profound Nether Cold Qi.

His face turned pale, and his every breath formed a cloud of white mist. For the first time, his eyes showed not just incredulous rage, but... a trace of panic.

”Damn it! This guy’s Profound Nether Nature is incredibly potent! How is that possible?!”

His mind reeled in shock.

His opponent’s Cultivation was clearly a Realm lower than his, yet the fundamental nature of that chill was so terrifying... It was like fighting against a world that was slowly freezing solid!

If not for his incredibly solid foundation in the True Essence Third Realm, the Condensing Realm, and the fact that his True Essence’s quality and Condensation Level far surpassed his peers, he would have long since been frozen into an ice sculpture or blasted off the platform by one of those monstrously powerful punches!

Below the platform, the disciples of the Heavenly Gang Wuji Sect were in an uproar, their cheers and cries of amazement deafening.

”My God! Senior Brother Qin... is he really this strong?!”

”So this is the true caliber of the top prodigy of the century?! He’s suppressing one of the Golden Rainbow Seven Sons despite being a realm below him?!”

”That chilling energy is terrifying! Look at Zhao Yuanling—he’s almost frozen solid!”

”Strength, defense, chilling energy... Root Skill, Leaf Skill, and Nature. It’s a complete, all-around domination!”

”Senior Brother is unstoppable! Senior Brother is unstoppable!!!”

Far away, high above the clouds, figures with profound and inscrutable auras stood suspended in the air. Their gazes pierced the distance, fixed silently on the Inquiry Platform below.

These were the Elders from the various Peak Veins who had come to observe the battle.

The more they watched...

...the brighter their eyes shone.