Chapter 461: Defeating Chan Rong
As Chan Rong shattered rock after rock, a massive cloud of dust billowed skyward, obscuring the arena like a thick fog.
Meanwhile, in the Spirit Realm spectator stands:
Wan Gouxuan of Immortal Armaments University watched the dust-filled arena with a thoughtful expression. Beside him floated a Spirit Realm Projection in the form of a longsword — Yue Guanqiong, the top student of Heavenly Sword University’s Civil Engineering Department.
“Isn’t Mo Shangjin coming out yet?” Yue Guanqiong asked. “I thought that facing elimination at Myriad Laws University, they’d pool their resources and make sure he’d compete!”
Yue Guanqiong scoffed. “I was really looking forward to Mo Shangjin leading Myriad Laws University all the way to the finals, just for another chance to fight him!”
The memory of Mo Shangjin crushing his entire team’s Flying Swords last year still made Yue Guanqiong grind his teeth in fury. Especially the thought of his own Flying Sword, the one he had achieved human-sword unity with for years, the Intelligent Sword Spirit that had kept him company through countless nights.
He remembered Mo Shangjin casually crushing that Flying Sword with his bare hands right in front of him. He remembered Mo Shangjin tearing the Sword Spirit from its blade and tossing it into a Civil Engineering Department magical artifact, where Mo Shangjin’s Construction Site Soul Cultivators brutally humiliated it, stuffing it with endless streams of garbage data.
Even now, the Sword Spirit Yue Guan had rescued after the match remained unstable. The moment it entered the Flying Sword, it began vibrating violently, mistaking itself for a construction site vibrator.
This was a devastating blow to Yue Guan’s Dao Heart, forged through human-sword unity.
Every time he recalled those agonizing scenes, the killing intent in Yue Guanqiong’s heart surged uncontrollably. “Mo Shangjin…”
He had spent the past year studying frantically, borrowing money, and working tirelessly — all to crush Mo Shangjin in their next battle.
Now, his confidence was absolute. All he needed was another chance to face Mo Shangjin at Myriad Laws University.
Just then, Wan Gouxuan remarked, “I felt the same way before coming here. If Mo Shangjin doesn’t make a dramatic entrance at the last moment, this competition will be utterly dull!”
Wan Gouxuan believed that Mo Shangjin’s claims of lingering injuries preventing his participation were merely a smokescreen.
If Myriad Laws University faced elimination, if the final hour arrived, Wan Gouxuan thought, “Even if Mo Shangjin were dead, they might buy him back to life, pause the match, and swap him in to fight!”
He muttered inwardly, “With Mo Shangjin’s strength, he could definitely defeat Chan Rong!”
In Wan Gouxuan’s eyes, no amount of caution regarding Mo Shangjin could be excessive.
Wan Gouxuan still felt a surge of emotion whenever he recalled the battle where Mo Shangjin had single-handedly decimated his entire team’s medical insurance.
The lingering effects of that devastating defeat persisted to this day, forcing him to repay the medical loans he had incurred every month.
Each monthly loan repayment notification felt like a festering scar left by Mo Shangjin, fueling Wan Gouxuan’s hatred day by day.
That’s why he had been closely following Myriad Laws University’s matches, eager for a rematch between Mo Shangjin and his team.
After a year of relentless work to earn money, Wan Gouxuan now possessed the confidence to defeat Mo Shangjin and thoroughly humiliate him.
Today, he had come to observe Mo Shangjin’s potential appearance in the final round and assess his improved strength. However, Zhang Yu’s performance had taken him completely by surprise.
“So far,” Wan Gouxuan remarked, “even though Mo Shangjin hasn’t made an appearance, Zhang Yu’s performance has been truly unexpected.”
Yue Guanqiong beside him nodded in agreement. “Indeed. According to the records, Zhang Yu is only a Third-Year student, yet he has exceptionally mastered all Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering and cultivated the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power!”
“Moreover, he only recently mastered the final few techniques within the past two or three months, yet he’s already pushed his Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power to level 10 or higher.”
Such martial talent is exceedingly rare!
Recalling the battle, Yue Guanqiong analyzed, “Beyond his martial prowess, his physical refinement is also extraordinary. To clash so fiercely with Chan Rong using only his bare flesh clearly shows immense dedication to body tempering!”
But these very strengths expose his fatal weakness!
Yue Guanqiong continued smoothly, “Whether it’s the Seven Absolutes of Civil Engineering or his formidable physical strength, both indicate a lack of financial resources. That’s why his power manifests in these areas, lacking the support of Bionics and magical artifacts!”
“Precisely because he’s short on funds, he couldn’t sustain a direct confrontation with Chan Rong. That’s why he shifted tactics!”
“First, he attacked where the enemy would be forced to defend — the Vajra University construction site — to draw Chan Rong’s attention!”
“Then, he used the billowing dust and smoke to conceal himself!”
“After Chan Rong unleashed the Great Sun Manifestations, he became a glaring beacon, making Zhang Yu’s strategy of striking from the shadows against an illuminated target all the more effective!”
“However…” Yue Guanqiong’s tone shifted. “If Zhang Yu believes these tactics alone can counter Chan Rong, he’s gravely underestimating the wealth disparity between them and the power of Chan Rong’s Vajra Profound Creation Bionic!”
Chan Rong gazed at the swirling smoke and dust before him, silently closed his eyes, and instantly unleashed the full sensory capabilities of his bionic body. The smoke and dust gradually faded from his mental perception, while the surging spiritual energy in the atmosphere grew increasingly clear.
Within this turbulent spiritual energy, Chan Rong swiftly detected Zhang Yu’s presence.
In an instant, as he flicked his finger, streaks of firefly-like radiance erupted repeatedly within the smoke and dust.
Amidst the thunderous explosions, shockwaves swept outward, but before Chan Rong stood shattered fragments of Formless Warriors, blasted apart by scorching flames.
Hmph, trying to mislead me with humanoid Gang Qi constructs? he thought.
Simultaneously, waves of Earthly Fiend Gravity swept across the battlefield, and a Comet Bombardment assault tore through the sky, yet none struck Chan Rong directly.
For at that moment, the sky resembled ten suns rising at once!
As Chan Rong repeatedly activated his Great Sun Manifestations, fireballs materialized into multiple radiant sources, bathing the sky in blinding white light and temporarily obscuring Zhang Yu’s target.
Yue Guanqiong watched as both combatants concealed themselves within the smoke and light, each searching for and attacking the other. He mused in surprise, “Chan Rong can’t find Zhang Yu?”
“His Vajra Profound Creation is the latest model, capable of accurately sensing even the slightest fluctuations in spiritual energy. How could it fail to detect Zhang Yu’s position?”
Wan Gouxuan replied, “Because there’s a simulated Spirit Vein beneath the arena!”
“Zhang Yu must have hidden himself within the Spirit Vein, which is why Chan Rong couldn’t find him!”
As they spoke, the swirling smoke and dust above the arena suddenly contracted violently, as if an invisible vortex had descended, hungrily devouring everything in its path!
Yue Guanqiong gritted his teeth. “Ten Phases of Suppressing Stars — Star Locking Prison!”
“So Zhang Yu was stalling earlier to gather energy for this move! He’s created a massive Earthly Fiend Gravity cage to trap Chan Rong!”
Yue Guanqiong remembered how Mo Shangjin had used this same Star Locking Prison last year to capture countless Flying Swords during their battle.
As the smoke, dust, and light were relentlessly compressed within the immense Earthly Fiend Gravity cage, Chan Rong appeared to be firmly pinned in mid-air!
The next moment, as the fiery glow subsided, Chan Rong’s figure was revealed!
Then, with a crackling explosion, Chan Rong’s body, unable to withstand the crushing Earthly Fiend Gravity, began to twist and contort grotesquely!
Wan Gouxuan’s eyes lit up as he watched the scene unfold. “It’s a Substitute Puppet created by Vajra Profound Creation! At the same time, an advertisement for Substitute Puppets is playing above the arena!”
“A Substitute Puppet that will never betray you!”
“Your physical body is now under my protection!”
Wan Gouxuan continued, “Ever since Zhang Yu went into hiding, Chan Rong never intended to deal with him directly. He was waiting for an opportunity to shift the battlefield and end this match decisively!”
As he spoke, Wan Gouxuan’s gaze suddenly snapped to the other end of the arena. “He’s here.”
Yue Guanqiong’s eyes flickered. “So that’s it. By moving the battle to their construction site, Chan Rong’s destructive range will ensure victory!”
“Zhang Yu still lacks a Bionic of sufficient quality. He couldn’t detect Chan Rong’s movements in advance. The smoke he created has only served to conceal Chan Rong’s approach!”
A faint spark flickered, and the next moment, a blinding white light erupted above Myriad Laws University’s construction site!
Chan Rong stood suspended in mid-air, engulfed in scorching radiance. With a pointed finger, he prepared to incinerate the entire construction site below!
The construction site spontaneously combusted, with countless stones, earth, and materials bursting into flames without any apparent source, emitting plumes of cyan smoke.
But in the next instant, Chan Rong’s expression shifted slightly.
Apart from a few magical artifacts still operating, not a single student from Myriad Laws University remained on the site.
Wan Gouxuan observed, “This is a fake construction site created by Myriad Laws University. Their true forces have likely already retreated underground.”
“Indeed,” he mused. “To counter the Blazing Great Sun high above in the Nine Heavens, hiding beneath the Nine Earths is the wisest course.”
He continued, “So that’s it. Zhang Yu’s initial strategy was probably to stall Chan Rong while rapidly constructing a Formation to gain the upper hand.”
“But after their fierce clash, they realized the gap between Zhang Yu and Chan Rong’s strength. They understood that continuing that way wouldn’t work, so they switched tactics.”
“The earlier battle had led Chan Rong to believe they were trying to prevent him from advancing.”
“So when Zhang Yu deliberately created opportunities for Chan Rong to advance, Chan Rong naturally moved into the range of the Myriad Laws University construction site, bringing it within his attack range.”
“But with the students now hidden underground, the destructive power of the Great Sun Manifestations has been greatly diminished!”
“Of course, given enough time, Chan Rong could handle this. The problem is, he doesn’t have that time!”
Wan Gouxuan turned his gaze toward the Vajra University construction site. “By now, Zhang Yu has likely already taken advantage of this opportunity and gone there!”
Yue Guanqiong summarized, “Outmatched economically, they’ve resorted to a ‘home field advantage’ strategy.”
“But the Myriad Laws University students are clearly holding out longer against the Great Sun Manifestations than the Vajra University students are against the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power!”
“They’re exploiting the strengths of the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power and the weaknesses of the Great Sun Manifestations!”
“After all, against the Heavenly Kunlun Mountain-Moving Divine Power, hiding underground would only make things worse. The destructive force of the Earthly Fiend Gravity churning the earth would become even more terrifying.”
In the instant the two observers completed their rapid exchange in the Spirit Realm, Chan Rong, without hesitation, transformed into a blazing comet of Daoist fire and shot toward the Vajra University construction site!
A moment later, a massive explosion of fire erupted above Vajra University!
Watching the spectacle, Wan Gouxuan sighed, “The battlefield has shifted to Vajra University. Chan Rong has already lost!”
Unless he can crush Zhang Yu before his teammates collapse!