CHAPTER 1617: CHAPTER 1617: PRIMORDIAL SPIRIT DETONATION

Qu Rui and Zhu Jingze, these two high-rank Soul Severing experts, launched a fierce battle with all their might to seize Fang Bai’s Blood-Drinking Mad Blade.

They speculated that Qingzhu Venerable previously relied on Fang Bai’s Blood Blade to reach the eighth level of the Linglong Tower and thereby advance to Soul Severing Perfection. They thought if they could obtain the Blood Blade, they might also reach the stature of Qingzhu Venerable when the Linglong Tower reopens in ten years.

In the realm of martial artists, after reaching Soul Severing realm, further advancement becomes exponentially difficult, especially for prodigies like Qu Rui and Zhu Jingze, whose cultivation levels have reached their limits due to innate constraints. Advancing further is extremely challenging, even after ten, twenty years or even longer; they might still fail to reach the next level.

However, if they could seize a tremendous opportunity to break free from the shackles hindering their advancement, they might still ascend. Achieving Soul Severing Perfection would grant them an additional sixty years of life, naturally an immense allure, compelling them to risk their lives to obtain the Blood Blade.

Fang Bai stood proudly atop a distant mountain peak with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes shining like electricity, watching the epic battle between the two high-rank Soul Severing experts, like a seasoned hunter awaiting the chance to deliver a fatal strike.

Qu Rui and Zhu Jingze, one was cold, the other irritable, and during the fight, only Zhu Jingze’s angry shouts and curses were heard incessantly while Qu Rui responded silently, his expression as icy as his demeanor.

In the eyes of others, Zhu Jingze’s momentum was unrivaled, relentlessly suppressing Qu Rui, and it seemed likely that Qu Rui was heading for defeat.

But from Fang Bai’s perspective, Zhu Jingze’s fierce and initial momentum could not inflict any substantial damage on Qu Rui; instead, it was wasting his own strength and spiritual energy.

On the contrary, although Qu Rui mostly remained defensive, he was secretly amassing power. Once he counterattacked, it would be irresistibly fierce, and hence the ultimate loser would certainly be Zhu Jingze.

Yet, who wins or loses is of no concern to Fang Bai.

What Fang Bai wants are the lives of both of them.

Fang Bai dislikes slaughter, but for those who dare covet his life, he doesn’t mind becoming Death incarnate.

"Bang!"

The spiritual artifacts of Qu Rui and Zhu Jingze collided in mid-air, and the powerful shockwave forced both to retreat tens of meters.

Qu Rui stood proudly like a pine, tightly grasping the Black Blade while looking at Zhu Jingze with a sneering smile full of disdain.

Zhu Jingze’s hand holding the hammer trembled slightly, a trickle of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and on closer inspection, a crack appeared on his hammer.

Clearly, this time Zhu Jingze suffered a significant setback.

"Give me the Blood Blade, or fight me to the death!"

Zhu Jingze raised the iron hammer high, fiercely staring at Qu Rui as he shouted threateningly.

The powerful pressure and Killing Qi released from his hammer made Qu Rui’s breath constrict.

"Want the Blood Blade? Hahaha..."

Qu Rui laughed heartily at the sky, his gaze fierce as he said, "Then come and take it with your skills!"

Zhu Jingze let out a strange cry, bellowing, "Qu Rui, you old scoundrel, I’m fighting you to the death!"

His killing intent surged, and he threw the iron hammer upward, instantly enlarging it dozens of times, crashing down on Qu Rui like a small mountain.

In previous exchanges, Zhu Jingze aimed for a quick victory, his relentless attacks exhausting nearly half his strength and spiritual energy. Knowing he couldn’t match the power-preserved Qu Rui, he suddenly activated his body’s potential, boosting his combat ability by thirty percent.

Seeing the hammer approaching, Qu Rui knew any carelessness might turn him into minced meat, and he felt a chill in his heart, wildly slashing upward with the Black Blade to weave an impenetrable Defense Qi Shield above his head.

"Ding ding ding..."

Qu Rui’s knife mesh met Zhu Jingze’s hammer, producing a clear, resonant sound like pearls falling on jade plates, which shook the heart and churned the blood.

Though Zhu Jingze’s assault was wild, this strike was blocked hard by Qu Rui.

"Zhu old thief, taste my blade!"

Qu Rui sensed Zhu Jingze’s all-out strike, knowing it was time to counterattack. The opportunity was rare, so he slashed with the Black Blade like lightning, launching a series of assaults like tides, enveloping Zhu Jingze completely.

Zhu Jingze could inflict no harm on Qu Rui with his strike; his vitality was depleted. Despite offsetting Qu Rui’s chain of attacks, several wounds appeared on his body as well, staining half of his garb red with blood.

"Ah!"

Zhu Jingze, undefeated through the years, yet today was beaten heavily by Qu Rui. Covered in wounds, he was exceedingly angry, roaring, and frenetically charging at Qu Rui with his partly damaged hammer.

Knowing his current state meant he couldn’t overcome Qu Rui using normal combat, he resorted to fighting to the death, hoping to force Qu Rui to retreat, thereby seizing a sliver of hope.

Martial artist duels, especially between those of the same rank, dread encountering those unafraid of death.

"Old scoundrel, you lunatic!"

Under Zhu Jingze’s reckless offensive, Qu Rui was forced to retreat repeatedly, shifted from advantage to disadvantage, becoming angry.

"Since you wish to die, I shall grant your wish!"

Qu Rui forced himself to calm down, employing the Art of Wandering Combat to shake off Zhu Jingze’s close attacks, seeking the chance to counterattack and soon regained the upper hand.

To avoid prolonged uncertainty, Qu Rui endured injuries himself and left several deep, visible wounds on Zhu Jingze’s body, wreaking significant havoc.

Zhu Jingze’s entrails spilled out, his left leg severed by Qu Rui’s Black Blade, diminishing his combat power by over half, leaving him unable to resistance Qu Rui’s attacks.

"Qu Rui, if I die, you won’t fare any better!"

Zhu Jingze shouted vehemently, his eyes bloodshot, and his body swelled rapidly at an eye-popping speed.

"Insane... this old thief has genuinely gone mad..."

Sensing the frenzy emanating from Zhu Jingze, knowing he was preparing Primordial Spirit Detonation, Qu Rui’s pupils shrank in horror, abandoning the intention to seize his Spatial Ring, and retreated explosively.

"Bang!"

A thunderous noise erupted as Qu Rui retreated a hundred meters away and Zhu Jingze’s body exploded, the insane and powerful shockwave expanding toward surrounding space.

Within a thousand-meter radius centered around Zhu Jingze, the sky darkened, and space trembled incessantly; all vegetation on nearby mountain peaks was flattened, leaving bare land.

The self-detonation of a high-rank Soul Severing expert exceeds the power of a Nascent Soul Expert’s self-detonation by tenfold.

Though Qu Rui retreated swiftly and had the Qi Shield protecting him, he was heavily damaged by the powerful shockwave generated by Zhu Jingze’s detonation.

His clothes were torn, hair disheveled, bleeding from seven orifices, utterly miserable, knowing recovery wouldn’t be possible for three to five months after this battle.

A streak of blood light plummeted from high above.

Qu Rui’s eyes concentrated, only then realizing his Spatial Ring had shattered during Zhu Jingze’s Primordial Spirit Detonation, and the Blood Blade he acquired slipped out of the Spatial Ring, falling toward the ground.

Qu Rui descended, grabbed it, and held it in his hand, exalted and unable to suppress his laughter.