Chapter 60: Blood Tide Technique

The sudden surge in Tian Zhan's strength was not only felt by Shen Chen, but also quickly noticed by some of the more discerning individuals present.

Ninth Rank of the Blood Fusion Realm!

The fluctuations emanating from Tian Zhan at this moment clearly belonged to the Ninth Rank of the Blood Fusion Realm. However, everyone soon noticed something strange: although the guy's aura had indeed surged to a new level, there was no ninth blood glow appearing on his body. On his right leg, there were still only two blood glows, no more and no less!

"Could this be..."

Soon, some of the knowledgeable old monsters in the VIP seats sensed a familiar vibe.

"It seems to be the rumored Lower Tier Earth Rank technique... Blood Tide Technique..." In the center of the VIP seats, Liao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, and he couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect the Tian family to have obtained such a treasure. They truly live up to their reputation as the wealthiest family within a hundred miles!"

"What? That's the Blood Tide Technique!"

When Liao Yan revealed the truth, the VIP seats erupted in a flurry of gasps. Many people inhaled sharply. While few had seen the Blood Tide Technique, many had heard of it.

The reason this technique had such a formidable reputation was not only due to its astonishing Lower Tier Earth Rank level, but mainly because... it was a rather sinister technique!

This point was well-known to anyone who had heard of the Blood Tide Technique. For a moment, many in the VIP seats felt a cold sweat for Shen Chen. The difference between the Eighth and Ninth Ranks of the Blood Fusion Realm was significant, far beyond the imagination of many novice martial artists.

"You need to be careful. Within the Blood Fusion Realm, the gap between the Eighth and Ninth Ranks is substantial. Many geniuses who initially made rapid progress often get stuck here and never advance further!" On the side of the stage, Elder Situ Chuan frowned and secretly transmitted a warning to Shen Chen. The appearance of this sinister technique had significantly shaken the elder's confidence in Shen Chen.

In fact, everything the elder said was clear to Shen Chen, who was facing off against Tian Zhan on the stage. Although the guy's strength was only slightly stronger than Yuan Xiao's, it was just a negligible advantage. However, now, even Shen Chen felt immense pressure.

After Tian Zhan's cultivation advanced to a new level, Shen Chen could barely sense his aura, as if a vast distance had suddenly opened between them. This made Shen Chen's heart race, and he didn't dare to let his guard down for a moment.

"Ha ha, this is the consequence of your repeated provocations. Losing to the Blood Tide Technique, you should be proud!" With his aura reaching unprecedented heights, Tian Zhan's face regained a smug expression. Shen Chen's earlier performance had genuinely surprised him, but that surprise should end here...

"Hmph! Am I afraid now?"

Shen Chen's face was grim as he coldly stared at the red-faced man with blood-crystal eyes. Suddenly, he swung his crimson-gold sword and charged forward, the sword techniques derived from the Vast Sea Tide Technique creating a dense array of sword shadows, aiming to stall his opponent for a moment.

Although he had only been formally practicing for a short time, Shen Chen had heard of such techniques that drastically boost cultivation by overexerting one's blood energy. These techniques usually don't last long, and once their effects wear off, the user's aura often drops sharply, leaving many lingering aftereffects.

What he needed to do now was to engage the opponent for a few rounds and wait for his aura to weaken before striking decisively.

"Ji ji... I must say, you're quite clever!"

Tian Zhan, having learned this technique, was well aware of its drawbacks. He immediately saw through Shen Chen's intentions and sneered, "So what if you know the weakness of the Blood Tide Technique? Don't worry, I have more than enough time to kill you a hundred times in half an incense stick's time!"

With that, a murderous intent surged in Tian Zhan's eyes. He shook his pair of black flails, and the sound of dragon roars accompanied his advance. Each step he took shook the entire stage, and his flails scattered the layers of sword shadows Shen Chen had created.

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

Tian Zhan advanced step by step, each step shattering several layers of sword shadows. In just a few breaths, he had forced Shen Chen to the edge of the stage, clearly taking the upper hand.

"The strength of the Ninth Rank of the Blood Fusion Realm is indeed formidable..." With no place to retreat, Shen Chen's heart raced. He increased the speed of his attacks, his sword moving swiftly.

The Tideless Sword, a set of sword techniques Shen Chen had developed from the Vast Sea Tide Technique, was not a complete martial skill but was effective in countering and neutralizing the attacks of ordinary opponents. Even Lin Hai's strongest move, the Purple Lightning Divine Thunder Slash, had failed to break through the layers of sword shadows Shen Chen had created.

However, this time, the same technique was completely ineffective against Tian Zhan, whose cultivation had surged. Tian Zhan, like a divine guardian, wielded his flails, making Shen Chen's sword shadows as fragile as paper.

At the edge of the stage, Shen Chen's expression grew increasingly serious. This was a formidable opponent, with astonishing means and cultivation far surpassing his own. If he wasn't careful, he might lose.

"Lightning and Thunder!"

In a moment of desperation, Shen Chen resorted to his true strength. His crimson-gold sword stabbed fiercely, accompanied by the sounds of lightning and thunder. Purple light enveloped the blade, like the dark clouds before a summer storm.

"Great Dragon Flail!"

On the opposite side, Tian Zhan, who had already taken the upper hand, was not to be outdone. He shook his flails, and debris and wood chips exploded around him before being drawn back. A fierce dragon, its face twisted in rage, emerged from the flails and swept toward Shen Chen.

The power of this attack was terrifying, comparable to Yuan Xiao's Bloodthirsty Lion Roar. The dragon, formed from debris and wood chips, resembled a malevolent spirit from the depths of hell, creating a massive wave as it twisted its massive body, aiming to cut Shen Chen in half.

Shen Chen was shocked. If he were hit, he would surely be severely injured. Without hesitation, he quickly retracted his sword and used the Shadow Fox Step to the utmost, moving sideways.

"Bang!"

"Rumble~~~"

The fearsome dragon swept across Shen Chen's afterimage, shattering it. The remaining power then obliterated a corner of the stage, causing it to collapse. The four massive wooden pillars supporting the stage began to crumble, and dust and debris filled the air, the ground trembling.

"The stage is collapsing, run!"

Shen Chen, Tian Zhan, and Elder Situ Chuan immediately fled to avoid being buried. Around the stage, many disciples, who were slower to react, panicked and scattered, screaming and fleeing in disarray.

Fortunately, the stage collapsed slowly, and no one was injured. However, the shocking scene left many hearts racing and cold sweats breaking out.

"What a domineering attack, it even collapsed the stage!" In the VIP seats, which were several dozen yards away, the old monsters were not affected much, but the scene had left them speechless, finding it hard to believe that a young man had unleashed such a powerful attack.

"Ugh..." On the collapsed side of the stage, Shen Chen landed and felt a闷 in his chest, a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. He was injured. Although he had successfully evaded Tian Zhan's overwhelming attack using the Shadow Fox Step, his body still suffered significant impact from the aftermath.

Since slaying Lin Hai three months ago, Shen Chen had not been injured in a duel for a long time. Staring coldly at the young man on the other side of the stage, Shen Chen's eyes burned with intense battle spirit.

"The stage has collapsed, but there's no lack of open space in front of the Purple Mist Hall. Let's continue on the square!" On the other side, Tian Zhan glanced at Shen Chen with a challenging look, a smug smile on his face.

That attack had clearly left a profound impact on the surrounding crowd, and this was exactly what Tian Zhan wanted. To achieve great things, one needed a formidable reputation. How could he surpass others without it?

"As you wish!" Shen Chen responded calmly, as if the collapsed stage didn't matter.

At this point, there was nothing left to say. Only a battle remained!

The battle soon resumed, and this time, Shen Chen held nothing back, each sword strike fierce and powerful.

Cultivation was his current weakness, but in terms of techniques, Shen Chen was no weaker than any disciple in the sect.

"Boy, I've played with you enough. It's time to have someone carry you off like a dead body!"

After several rounds of intense fighting, Tian Zhan had lost his patience. More importantly, he could faintly feel a sense of weakness, which was not a good sign.

"Ha ha, it's not that you don't want to play, but that you can't continue, Tian Zhan Senior!" With his head meridians already connected, Shen Chen's perception was extremely sharp. He could not be deceived by Tian Zhan's subtle changes. He retorted without giving the older senior any face.

"Hmph! You're a sly one, but I won't let you live to see the technique's effects wear off!"

Tian Zhan's expression turned cold the moment he heard Shen Chen's taunt. A glint of killing intent appeared in his eyes, a will that should not exist in a friendly sparring match.

In fact, Tian Zhan had already harbored a faint desire to kill Shen Chen, especially after Shen Chen defeated the third-ranked inner disciple, Yuan Xiao. In his view, this boy, who showed such terrifying talent and combat strength at just fifteen or sixteen, would be a threat in a few years.

For Tian Zhan, who coveted the position of Sect Master Liao Yan, Shen Chen's existence was a significant threat. For the Tian family, controlling the Flowing Cloud Sect was a lifelong ambition, and Liao Yan's favor toward Shen Chen had repeatedly tested Tian Zhan's patience. Now, he could no longer tolerate it and planned to eliminate Shen Chen under the guise of a sparring accident, leaving no room for future trouble.

However, although Tian Zhan's killing intent was well-concealed, it did not escape Shen Chen's perception. In an instant, Shen Chen's expression turned icy.

Since escaping from the major sect, Shen Chen had treated anyone who wanted to kill him as a mortal enemy. The deceased Lin Hai was one such enemy, and now, this young master of the Tian family was another!

"Kill!"

This time, before Tian Zhan could move, Shen Chen struck first, adhering to the principle of striking first in the face of a mortal enemy.

"Hmph! Just what I needed!"

Seeing Shen Chen charge recklessly, Tian Zhan's eyes flashed with joy. He knew his opportunity had come.

"Dragon Battle in the Wilderness, Kill!!!"

In an instant, Tian Zhan's aura reached its peak. His flails hummed, and he took a large step, leaping into the air like a dragon emerging from its cave, charging at Shen Chen with a fierce green glow. His target was... Shen Chen's crown!

If this strike hit, even Sect Master Liao Yan would be killed on the spot.

"Boy, your attack is too ruthless! Stop now!"

Not far away, Elder Situ Chuan shouted, his face tense. By the time he reacted, it was too late. Even with his peak Ninth Rank of the Blood Fusion Realm, he couldn't reach Tian Zhan in time.

In the VIP seats, many old monsters' eyes widened in shock. Tian Zhan's sudden lethal attack caught them off guard!

"Hmph! You're not qualified to kill me!"

However, the intense tension of the crowd did not mean Shen Chen was a helpless lamb. As Tian Zhan charged down, Shen Chen did not dodge but met him head-on with his sword.

In that moment, many sect disciples' faces turned pale. Could a Ninth Rank of the Blood Fusion Realm really clash so directly...?

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