Chapter 844 - 842: A Frustrating Defeat

Chapter 844: Chapter 842: A Frustrating Defeat

"How is that possible?"

"GASP! The Ancient Lotus Vajra Sword was actually halted by the sheer cold!"

"Good heavens."

"Is this Liou Xueyan a monster?"

"All eighty-one Ancient Lotus Vajra Swords! That’s an extremely high level to reach! For them to be frozen by the chill... doesn’t that mean Liou Xueyan is on a completely different level than Situ Ke?"

This scene instantly triggered a tidal wave of uproar. The crowd was rendered speechless, their faces filled with disbelief. The Vajra Sect’s Ancient Lotus Vajra Sword was renowned for its unparalleled power. By combining the strength of the ancient lotus and the Vajra Body, it was a deadly trump card. It had twelve levels in total, and reaching the ninth level was already astonishingly rare, comparable to the formation of a flawless immortal foundation. Yet, Liou Xueyan had frozen the Ancient Lotus Vajra Sword with her icy aura alone. That was even more terrifying.

Xu Yang secretly clicked his tongue in amazement after understanding the mechanics behind her technique. He realized she hadn’t summoned any immortal puppets. Instead, she had merged the Immortal Puppet Map into herself to release such astonishing coldness. Under her control, the chill within the Immortal Puppet Map had completely transformed into her own absolute domain of ice. Liou Xueyan’s move was truly impressive.

"You..." Situ Ke’s eyelids twitched wildly as his expression drastically changed. Looking at the Vajra Swords that could no longer advance, he suddenly roared, "You think a mere chill can stop me? Break!"

His body trembled with power. The eighty-one Vajra Swords rang out with metallic clangs—CLANG CLANG CLANG—as they erupted with a sharp, piercing energy that scattered wildly in all directions. The domain of ice distorted, acting like invisible chains that firmly bound the Vajra Swords.

Liou Xueyan smiled coldly. "You’re bound to lose."

Before her voice even faded, she abruptly took a step forward.

BOOM!

Her domain of ice expanded. A burst of silver immortal light erupted, so terrifyingly powerful that it violently knocked all eighty-one Vajra Swords backward, forcing them into retreat.

Situ Ke let out a muffled groan. When he looked up, Liou Xueyan had already closed the distance and was throwing a punch right at him. Rather than being alarmed, he was overjoyed.

"You actually dare to fight me in close combat? You’re recklessly courting death," he mocked, thrilled by her choice.

The Ancient Lotus Vajra Sect was known for its wildly fierce and overbearing physical strength. The Vajra Body they cultivated and their various combat techniques were mostly designed for close-quarters, hand-to-hand combat. In this field, the Vajra Sect was practically the founding ancestor.

BOOM!

Situ Ke swung his massive, bowl-sized fist to meet her strike.

BAM!

However, his punch felt as though it had hit empty air. A bone-piercing chill immediately enveloped his fist, halting its momentum in an instant.

"How is this possible?" Situ Ke stared in horror. His fist was stopped a mere two feet away from Liou Xueyan, completely restrained by her icy aura.

He struggled violently, but in that split second, Liou Xueyan seized the upper hand. Her fist slammed heavily into Situ Ke’s arm.

CRACK!

Situ Ke roared in pain and stumbled back.

"You little bitch! You’re dead!"

BOOM!

Driven mad like a wild beast, he unleashed the might of his Vajra techniques like an erupting tide, throwing a flurry of punches and palm strikes. Liou Xueyan fluttered about unpredictably, moving like a phantom. The space within several feet around her was entirely enveloped by her domain of ice. Whenever Situ Ke’s terrifying attacks drew near, they would be frozen by the sheer cold. Even though he was on guard against it, his movements were still slightly hindered no matter what he did. That momentary pause was all Liou Xueyan needed to monopolize the advantage.

The spectators grew increasingly numb to the shock. The shift in the battle’s momentum had defied everyone’s expectations.

"Situ Ke has been completely suppressed."

"Even his Ancient Lotus Vajra Swords can barely display their might. Close combat is supposed to be his greatest strength, but under Liou Xueyan’s bizarre domain of ice, that advantage is completely nullified."

"Isn’t that icy domain a bit too weird?"

"If this battle of attrition continues, Situ Ke will definitely lose."

"An icy domain? Damn it, I refuse to believe you can keep this up forever!" Situ Ke’s eyes were bloodshot with a mix of grief and indignation. Yet, facing that abnormal domain of ice, he was helpless and could only try to stall for time. Unfortunately, dragging the fight out was even more detrimental to him.

He assumed her domain wouldn’t last much longer. In reality, however, Liou Xueyan’s mastery over the Ice Extreme Immortal Puppet Map had already reached the pinnacle; this ancient treasure was perfectly attuned to her. By abandoning the method of manifesting immortal puppets in exchange for this several-foot-wide absolute domain of ice, she could maintain it indefinitely as long as her power was not depleted.

Sensing Situ Ke’s intentions, a flash of mockery crossed Liou Xueyan’s eyes. From then on, Liou Xueyan took the offensive while Situ Ke continuously retreated and dodged, avoiding direct confrontation to conserve his energy.

At a certain moment, Liou Xueyan’s figure swayed slightly, and the ambient chill abruptly shrank. She had intentionally exposed a flaw in her defense.

Situ Ke’s eyes lit up brightly. Seizing the opportunity without hesitation, he summoned his Vajra Pestle and charged forward viciously.

SWISH!

"It’s over!" Seeing his Vajra Pestle about to strike Liou Xueyan’s body directly, Situ Ke trembled with excitement.

"Over? Open your eyes wide and look closely," Liou Xueyan sneered.

"What?" Situ Ke’s expression changed drastically. His pupils shrank as he gasped in horror.

The Vajra Pestle appeared to have made contact with Liou Xueyan, but in truth, it was still an inch away! It was merely an inch—a microscopic distance. The sheer impact force alone should have been enough to severely injure anyone. Yet, the weapon was completely sealed in place by her domain of ice.

BOOM!

Situ Ke let out a miserable shriek and plummeted wretchedly toward the ground.

Holding nothing back, Liou Xueyan lunged at him, wrapped in a vast blizzard. Countless ice crystals and snowflakes rained down from the sky, carrying a biting, murderous intent. The instant Situ Ke tried to steady himself, he was met with a continuous barrage of frantic strikes. Liou Xueyan showed absolutely no mercy, fighting as if she were venting her rage. The sheer brutality of it made the scalps of the spectating crowd tingle with dread.

Situ Ke fought back like a madman at first, but he was no longer in his peak condition. Once the ultimate bursts of his Ancient Lotus Vajra Swords and his Vajra Divine Avatar were both suppressed by the icy domain—failing to pose any lethal threat to Liou Xueyan—he completely lost the initiative. He could only parry awkwardly, losing ground with every step. His aura rapidly weakened, and his energy reserves hit rock bottom.

At this point, everyone knew Liou Xueyan was going to win. Some still harbored hopes of Situ Ke making a desperate counterattack from the brink of defeat, but in the end, they were left thoroughly disappointed.

BAM!

Situ Ke rolled across the ground, his face bruised and swollen, his body covered in horrendous wounds. It was a ghastly sight. He struggled to climb to his feet with great difficulty, his face contorted in a horrifying grimace, utterly unwilling to accept defeat.

"That is enough. In this battle, Situ Ke loses!" A stern shout echoed through the heavens and the earth. It came from none other than a powerhouse of the Vajra Sect.

"No, I haven’t lost yet!" Situ Ke roared in fury.

The Vajra Sect powerhouse’s face turned livid. He instantly appeared in the arena and tapped his finger against the center of Situ Ke’s brow. Situ Ke shuddered all over, his expression becoming dazed as if he had been plunged into a void. The powerhouse then lifted Situ Ke and soared into the sky, disappearing from sight. ℯℯ𝘭.

Liou Xueyan had won. For Situ Ke, this battle had been the absolute pinnacle of frustration. It would likely become the greatest shadow looming over his future.

"It’s over."

"I didn’t expect Situ Ke to actually lose."

"The geniuses of the Northern Continent cannot be underestimated."

"Situ Ke really disgraced himself."

"And to think I actually believed in him. Bah!"

Xu Yang gazed at the incredibly radiant Liou Xueyan, marveling inwardly. Through this battle, this woman had truly carved out a space of her own. Her future achievements would certainly not be trivial.

"Mr. Xu, if you were to fight Liou Xueyan, what would the outcome be?" Liou Sanqian suddenly couldn’t resist asking.

Hearing this, Xu Yang gave a faint smile. "She would lose, without a doubt."

Liou Sanqian’s pupils contracted. Such confidence? Liou Xueyan’s display of strength today had already shocked the entire Eastern Continent. She had claimed the seventh spot on the Dragon and Tiger List. Though there was a gap between her and the fourth, fifth, and sixth spots, it wasn’t insurmountable. She was already among the absolute apex of the Eastern Continent. And with such strength, she would definitely lose?

Liou Sanqian secretly clicked his tongue in awe. He didn’t even dare to imagine just how powerful Xu Yang would be once he broke through to the Golden Immortal cultivation realm.

"Tsk, tsk. I never expected a piece of trash like Situ Ke to be unable to beat a broad from the Northern Continent. What a disgrace to the geniuses of the Eastern Continent."

A frivolous laugh suddenly echoed across the martial arena, drawing the unified gaze of countless cultivators. Who dared to be so arrogant?

Liou Xueyan, who was in the midst of regulating her breathing, had a sudden change in expression. She looked up with grave solemnity.

She saw a young man dressed in azure brocade robes appear out of thin air in the sky above. His hands were clasped behind his back, his demeanor overbearing and wild. The gaze he fixed upon Liou Xueyan was filled with frivolity, amusement, and a hint of lust.

"You’re quite the beauty. Are you interested in becoming my personal maid?"

As soon as his words fell, an uproar washed over the entire crowd, crashing like a tidal wave.