CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76: BURNING HEAVEN WITH IMPERIAL FIRE_1

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Shen Mo slowly stepped onto the Martial Arts Stage.

"Senior Brother Lv, I look forward to learning from you!"

Facing such a prominent figure among the peripheral disciples, Shen Mo also did not dare to be complacent.

In a swift move, he drew out his Dragon Sparrow Sword.

"CLANG!"

The Dragon Sparrow Sword became a flash of light, flying into Shen Mo’s hand.

Subsequently, his aura became incredibly sharp.

Everyone held their breath, staring intently at Shen Mo and Lv Xu facing each other from a distance on the stage, a sight that sparked numerous discussions among the crowd.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Lv Xu has the most distinguished name among the peripheral disciples promoted this year. Although Shen Mo is showing signs of being a dark horse, he will most likely still be at a disadvantage against Lv Xu."

"Yes, I also think Senior Brother Lv should win. After all, he has two Grade I magic techniques that he cultivated to the Perfection stage. He has been dominating previously, and it seems like he hasn’t even shown his full strength yet. I believe in this battle, even if Shen Mo is capable, he will find it hard to compete with Senior Brother Lv’s secret weapon."

"I’ve heard that Senior Brother Lv’s biggest secret weapon is the Control Fire technique. This magic is only Grade I, but in Senior Brother Lv’s hands, it reaches an unfathomable level. When combined with the Earthly Fire that he painstakingly cultivated, its effect is on par with Grade II."

Despite Shen Mo’s dazzling performance, the majority still favored Lv Xu.

A person’s prestige is like a tree’s shadow.

Lv Xu had been famous for many years in the peripheral region and naturally made a deeper impression than Shen Mo, who had suddenly emerged.

"I feel that this battle is fraught with uncertainty. Perhaps this dark horse can once again shock everyone and advance to the finals!"

There were also those who spoke up for Shen Mo, but they were few and far between.

The numerous discussions and exchanges among the audience did not affect Shen Mo and Lv Xu on the Martial Arts Stage.

The moment these two stepped onto the stage, their spiritual senses locked onto each other almost instantly, creating a tense atmosphere, as if a battle could erupt at any second.

"Green Lotus Flame!"

After a brief standoff with Shen Mo, Lv Xu impatiently made the first move.

With a wave of his hand, a deep green flame, dancing with endless destructive heat, rose from his palm.

This Green Lotus Flame was a rare treasure listed on the Earthly Fire Rankings.

He had spent a great deal of effort to obtain and tame it for his Control Fire technique.

When used in battle, its power was immense, making it his main reliance for fighting enemies beyond his level.

"Burn!"

The moment the Green Lotus Flame pulsed in his palm, Lv Xu’s figure burst forward, forming multiple afterimages as he lunged at Shen Mo.

"What terrifying speed!"

"This must be the legendary Shadow Step!"

"As expected of top-tier talents! Their magic cultivated to the Perfection stage is indeed extraordinary. Who could stop such speed?"

The moment Lv Xu moved, a wave of astonishment spread through the crowd below.

"BOOM!"

It only took Lv Xu a breath’s time to circle behind Shen Mo and unleash the flame in his palm, which transformed into endless crimson waves.

"Did it hit?"

When everyone saw the terrifying waves of the Green Lotus Flame explode on Shen Mo’s figure, they were taken aback.

The overwhelming power of this Green Lotus Flame was not inferior to a full-blown strike from someone at Qi Gathering Realm Layer II.

If caught off guard and hit, even a cultivator at Qi Gathering Realm Layer III would be severely injured.

If Shen Mo were hit, he would be directly eliminated.

But—the situation was not that simple.

Shen Mo sensed Lv Xu’s intentions immediately. As Lv Xu moved behind him, Shen Mo swiftly activated his Thunderclap Rapid Step and leaped away.

The Green Lotus Flame only struck an afterimage of Shen Mo.

The smile on Lv Xu’s face froze instantly as he saw his fire wave pass through Shen Mo’s body.

Before he had time to think, a sharp sword intent swiftly assailed him.

"CLANG!"

The shadow of the sword flickered. Lv Xu was forced to retreat, spraying blood.

"COUGH, COUGH!"

With trepidation, he clutched the horrifying injury on his chest, which was dripping blood.

If it were not for the profound-level inner armor he wore, which had blocked most of the damage, this single strike could have severely wounded Lv Xu to the point of being unable to continue fighting.

Indeed, he is no ordinary opponent!

With his gaze fixed on Shen Mo, Lv Xu gritted his teeth and reached into his bosom, withdrawing the Demon Pill and Divine Power Talisman he had prepared beforehand.

"GLUG!"

As soon as Lv Xu swallowed the Demon Pill, he hastily applied the Divine Power Talisman to his chest.

Immediately, his aura surged powerfully, climbing rapidly.

After their previous exchange, he realized that he could not defeat Shen Mo with a surprise attack.

Although Lv Xu was proud of his Shadow Step technique, which he had cultivated to the Perfection stage, he could see that Shen Mo also practiced a lightness magic, and his speed was by no means inferior to his own.

If he wanted to win, he had to stake everything on a swift victory.

"Lv Xu is using an Elixir and a talisman!"

Quite a few people were surprised by this scene on the stage.

These amplifying elixirs and talismans could temporarily skyrocket one’s combat power. However, they also rapidly induced a state of weakness once their time limit elapsed.

By using these talismans and elixirs, Lv Xu signified that he was foregoing the chance to compete for first place. He only wished to seize this opportunity to defeat Shen Mo and at least secure a position in the top two.

"Forcing Lv Xu to this extent, this dark horse is truly no joke. We all underestimated him."

"Regardless, Lv Xu has shown all his cards. If he uses his ultimate Control Fire technique, Shen Mo is likely to lose."

"Not necessarily. Lv Xu has tricks up his sleeve, but Shen Mo may also have his own preparations."

Everyone’s gaze converged on Shen Mo, curious to see if he had also prepared items like a Demon Pill or Divine Power Talisman for an all-out fight.

However, Shen Mo, under everyone’s scrutiny, merely held his Dragon Sparrow Sword horizontally before him, assuming an optimal offensive stance. Contrary to everyone’s expectations, he did not resort to any amplifying items.

After swallowing the Demon Pill and applying the Divine Power Talisman, Lv Xu’s power has increased by at least fifty percent, Shen Mo thought. If he uses his trump card now, his power will be truly shocking... But I should still be able to withstand it.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shen Mo decided against using a talisman. Using one now would mean losing the initiative in the next round’s fight for first place.

Lv Xu had already given up on winning first place and only hoped to secure second.

But it was different for Shen Mo. He believed that even if Lv Xu played all his cards, he still had the ability to defeat him.

"Shangqing Swordplay—Slash!"

This confidence stemmed from the Shangqing Swordplay, which Shen Mo had cultivated to the Master stage.

Although this finishing move consumed a huge amount of Spiritual Qi, its power was absolutely earth-shattering!

As Shen Mo stood, sword in hand, Lv Xu made his move.

After his aura reached its peak, he lifted his hands slightly, merging the two destructive Green Lotus Flames.

"Control Fire—Burn the Sky!"