The defensive barrier, formed by the combined power of many disciples, instantly met the aftershock of the explosion!
Fortunately, they were prepared. The residual force of the Dou Skill, potent enough to kill anyone below the rank of a Da Dou Shi, merely sent violent ripples across the barrier without shattering it.
Seeing this, Zhou Changqing's eyes lit up.
Due to his work in artifact refinement, he had long been studying the knowledge of formations on the Dou Qi Continent. However, most of what he had encountered were rudimentary formations. The defensive shield formed by the Misty Cloud Sect disciples was also a type of formation. Though it did not seem particularly profound, it was far superior to those commonly known.
Of course, it was nothing compared to the few powerful formations he had found while poring over the Snake-People Tribe's entire library in the desert.
But he knew the Misty Cloud Sect's formations were far more than this; their true foundational techniques had yet to be displayed. This defensive barrier was perhaps just a superficial application of their profound knowledge. He could tell from the disciples' synchronized breathing and the way their auras linked together, making them seem like a single entity where one move affected the whole.
This was an incredibly profound and powerful combination formation!
Ever since he had deepened his own understanding of formations among the Snake-People, he had not seen one so mystical. If he could decipher the principles behind this formation, his knowledge of artifact inscriptions might rise to a new level! He could even imagine the terrifying effect of applying the principles of such a combination formation to his inscriptions.
Picture it: a thousand fully charged fifth-tier Spirit Gathering Weapons, linked together to form a cohesive, massive array. What would that look like? Even a Dou Zong expert would likely have to retreat!
Unfortunately, the Misty Cloud Sect would never allow an outsider to borrow and study their sect-defining formation. And the chances of successfully stealing it, even with Medusa's help, were slim.
Still, nothing was absolute. An opportunity might yet present itself, depending on how the following events unfolded.
The aftershock of the Dou Skills lingered for a while before finally dissipating.
Once the situation in the square became clear, many of the Misty Cloud Sect disciples leaped to their feet, crying out in alarm.
"Th-this... Senior Sister Nalan lost?"
"Impossible! How could Senior Sister Nalan possibly lose?"
"She's the Sect Master's personal disciple! That brat from the Xiao Clan is just some country bumpkin. There's no way he could defeat Senior Sister Nalan!"
It was not just the disciples. The expressions of the deacons and elders like Yun Leng were also grave and rather unsightly. Their perception was far sharper than that of the disciples; they had seen the exchange of Dou Skills clearly. And it was precisely because they had seen it that they wore such faces.
On the square, Nalan Yanran had landed. Her dress was scorched black in several places, and her arms and the hem of her skirt were torn to varying degrees. While not indecent, the damage revealed several red, angry burns on her skin. Her once-beautiful face was now smudged with black ash, as if she had wiped it with a sooty rag. Furthermore, her chest heaved violently, and her aura had plummeted, showing signs of exhaustion.
As for Xiao Yan, though he looked just as disheveled as Nalan Yanran, his aura was far more stable. In fact, his presence seemed no weaker than before, giving the impression that he still had plenty of strength left.
Any discerning eye could see it at a glance.
In the previous exchange, Xiao Yan had held the absolute upper hand! One could even say the victor had been decided! There was no need to continue.
The experts present all knew that if Xiao Yan had not been caught in the blast's aftershock, he would not look nearly so ragged!
"What a powerful Dou Skill. Against an opponent of equal strength, it completely suppressed the Misty Cloud Sect's secret technique. It seems that young Xiao Yan has had quite a fortunate three years."
"Heh, the outcome is decided. I wonder how the Misty Cloud Sect will handle this?"
"They truly shot themselves in the foot. The Misty Cloud Sect wanted to make a show of strength and build Nalan Yanran's prestige, but who could have predicted such a result?"
"Yanran... lost..."
On the viewing platform, Jia Xingtian and the others wore varied expressions—some were calm, some amused, some amazed, and some bitter. But they all shared a single thought: the Misty Cloud Sect had lost a great deal of face this day, and to a boy once considered useless, no less.
When the results of today's battle spread, though no one would dare say it to their faces, many would surely laugh at the Misty Cloud Sect in their hearts. The Young Sect Master, cultivated with all their resources, couldn't even defeat a self-taught practitioner.
Tsk, tsk. And this was the strongest sect in the Jia Ma Empire? How utterly underwhelming.
"Cough, cough..."
In the silent square, Nalan Yanran coughed, and a trickle of blood spilled from her lips, staining the ground. She propped herself up with her sword, looking up at the still-composed Xiao Yan. The complex emotions in her eyes deepened as she spoke slowly.
"Xiao Yan, you are truly strong. So strong that even I must admit my inferiority..."
Xiao Yan held his heavy ruler at an angle, his face devoid of any victor's joy. His expression was calm as he listened quietly, seemingly unafraid that Nalan Yanran might use this time to recover her Dou Qi.
Seeing his magnanimous and confident posture, Nalan Yanran felt not humiliation, but a rising tide of guilt.
"But... I am sorry. As the Young Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, I absolutely cannot lose this match, no matter what!"
As she finished speaking, Nalan Yanran straightened her body and returned her longsword to her storage ring.
The crowd, who had expected her to make a last desperate stand, was stunned by this action. Even Yun Leng, who was just about to send a mental message to Xiao Yan telling him to throw the fight, was interrupted by Nalan Yanran's apparent surrender. Only Nalan Jie and his son seemed to realize something, their expressions shifting.
"Could Yanran... be planning to use that item?"
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, watched with a mixture of confusion and gravity. He hadn't interacted with Nalan Yanran much, but he knew how proud and unyielding she was. Even if she was no match for him, she would not give up so easily.
"Does she have another trump card?"
With this thought, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi began to circulate faster, his eyes narrowing as he watched Nalan Yanran.
Under the gazes of the entire assembly, after stowing her longsword, Nalan Yanran retrieved another item from her storage ring.
It was also a longsword.
But it was not the same one as before. This was a brand-new sword, one of exquisite and striking beauty. The blade was a pale, bluish-white, its surface etched with patterns of flowing clouds and a gentle breeze. Embedded in the center of the crossguard was a vibrant, bluish-green monster core!
The moment this sword appeared, Zhou Changqing, on the viewing platform, froze. In the square, Xiao Yan's pupils constricted in shock!
"What the hell! A Core Armament!"
On instinct, Xiao Yan whipped his head around to look at Zhou Changqing on the third platform to his right, a look of utter confusion on his face.
Seeing Xiao Yan's bizarre reaction, the others followed his gaze. When they saw he was looking at Zhou Changqing, many of the sharper minds, aside from Nalan Jie and his son, had a sudden realization.
Zhou Changqing quickly recalled that among the first batch of Core Weapons he had auctioned, a high-grade, third-tier longsword had been purchased by a Nalan Clan elder named Nalan Xun.
He never thought that very sword would end up in Nalan Yanran's hands.
Didn't that mean...
A strange, slightly awkward expression flickered across Zhou Changqing's face. The awkwardness lasted only a moment before his expression returned to one of detached calm. He even gave Xiao Yan a slight nod.
"Damn it! Old Zhou, you swindler!"
Seeing this, a stampede of curses ran through Xiao Yan's mind, yet a slight smile appeared on his face. When a person reaches the absolute peak of speechlessness, they really do laugh.
As for Nalan Yanran, seeing that Xiao Yan and many others now understood her intent, the tips of her ears turned a rare shade of red.
"Xiao Yan, I know this might not be an honorable victory..."
"Stop!"
Xiao Yan raised a hand, cutting her off. A hint of helplessness was in his eyes, but his words were firm. "You don't need to explain. A weapon is a part of one's strength. I can't very well ask my enemies not to use their weapons when I fight them."
"Come on, Nalan Yanran."
Nalan Yanran bit her lip, feeling even more guilty, but she did not put away the Core Weapon. As she had said, this was a battle she could not afford to lose.
Clang!
The sword sang as Nalan Yanran poured her Dou Qi into it, activating the monster core in its hilt. In an instant, a furious torrent of wind-attribute energy erupted from the blade, gathering and condensing along its length