But if that were true, Li Chang’an would be in real danger.
Thinking about what might happen next, Su Ruobing grew restless. She was about to call the three of them back.
But just then, Su Ruobing belatedly realized the arena match had already begun while she was lost in thought!
On the tournament stage, Li Chang’an, Zhao Xiaowan, and Caiyou stood facing three men, each with a distinct style of dress.
The man on the far left wore a long robe that almost dragged on the ground. He was rather gaunt, and he gripped a staff that was half his height in one pale hand.
It was hard to tell if he was a Wizard or a Mage.
The man in the middle was the Spiritual Mind Master who had made a move on Caiyou earlier. He wore a pair of large, black sunglasses, the lenses glinting coldly.
As for the man on the far right, he wielded a very peculiar weapon.
At first glance, it looked like a Long Spear. In truth, its design was closer to that of a metal Magic Staff, its surface engraved with unsettling patterns of Evil Ghosts and divine figures that made one’s skin crawl just by looking at them.
The man wielding this weapon was himself shrouded in bandage-like strips of cloth.
All that was visible of him was a pair of cold, sinister eyes.
None of the three men looked particularly sturdy.
And yet, the oppressive aura they radiated was enough to make the knuckles of the normally fearless Zhao Xiaowan turn white as she gripped her long spear.
To say nothing of the far weaker Caiyou.
Just meeting the Spiritual Mind Master’s gaze for a second was enough to give her goosebumps all over.
The referee’s whistle blew, and the battle began.
Yet, none of the combatants on the stage moved immediately.
On the Linjiang side, Caiyou and Zhao Xiaowan remained still because Li Chang’an had previously told Su Ruobing he was confident he could win and had devised a battle plan.
At the time, Su Ruobing had asked for the details of his plan.
Li Chang’an had deflected, saying he couldn’t reveal it ahead of time; it would only work if he explained it on the stage.
Now, Caiyou and Zhao Xiaowan were waiting for Li Chang’an to reveal this battle plan.
Though nervous, Caiyou’s face was full of anticipation. "Chang’an, they aren’t advancing. Hurry up and tell us your plan! How should Xiaowan and I support you so we can win?"
At this crucial moment, Caiyou understood the situation perfectly.
Their only hope in this lopsided battle was for her and Zhao Xiaowan to wholeheartedly support Li Chang’an, who was the strongest among them.
Zhao Xiaowan also turned her gaze toward him.
She didn’t speak, but her look said it all.
Seeing them both staring at him, waiting for him to unveil some world-shattering, tide-turning strategy, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but grin. "My strategy is simple: you two stand back, and I’ll get a good warm-up in by myself!"
Hearing this, Caiyou thought she was imagining things. She even dug a finger in her ear, right in front of everyone.
When she finally processed what he’d said and confirmed she hadn’t misheard, her eyes went wide. "Hey! Is that your brilliant, guaranteed-to-win strategy? Are you serious?"
Li Chang’an nodded. "Of course..."
Before the word was even fully out, he vanished from the spot.
SHING!
The sound of a blade being unsheathed rang out.
When Li Chang’an reappeared, he was already in front of the robed man, his drawn blade slashing down at the man’s head.
There was no special technique to the strike.
It was all about being simple and direct.
But it was so incredibly fast that an ordinary Tier Six Martial Artist would have been decapitated before they could even react.
The robed man, however, reacted in time.
BAM!
The robed man slammed the butt of his Magic Staff into the ground. Instantly, an incredibly hard stone wall erupted in the path of the descending blade, shielding him completely.
KRAK... SCREEECH...
The long blade scraped across the stone wall, sending a shower of brilliant sparks into the air.
The ear-piercing screech of metal on stone spread out, making one’s scalp tingle and setting their teeth on edge.
His first strike having failed, Li Chang’an was not discouraged.
On the contrary, he moved even faster, swiftly circling behind the robed man and slashing toward his blind spot.
Though it was a blind spot, the robed man still seemed able to track the blade’s path. Another hard stone wall materialized just where the blade was about to fall.
This time, however, Li Chang’an was ready for his defensive maneuver.
The moment he saw the stone wall appear, he instantly changed the direction of his blade, slashing toward the robed man’s abdomen.
In response, the robed man’s Magic Staff flashed with light.
Three stone walls shot up one after another, blocking every possible angle of attack and completely encasing his body.
At the same time, earthen spikes shot up from the ground beneath Li Chang’an’s feet.
They shot out like blades, intending to turn the moving Li Chang’an into a pincushion.
In response, Li Chang’an vanished once more. When he reappeared, his blade was at the robed man’s neck, less than an inch from decapitating him.
But at that very moment, the Spiritual Mind Master who had been watching from a distance finally made his move.
Waves of a magnetic storm-like psychic field pulsed outward, one after another. Like ripples in water, the formless, intangible Spiritual Power enveloped Li Chang’an and began to take control of his thoughts and movements.
Everything had happened so quickly and suddenly that most of the spectators were only just now realizing what had transpired on the stage!
...