Chapter 123: Fierce Battle (Part Three)

As Ji Mo spat a mouthful of fresh blood onto the Purple Fallen Soul Sword, the head of the Warning Array suddenly blazed to life. Her black hair stood on end as if charged by electricity. Ignoring the blood pouring from her body, the spiritual energy around her surged wildly, pouring into the White Jade Dragon Whip. At the same time, a faint golden thunderbolt, infused with the true essence of three elemental forces, roared toward the terrifying purple sword aura.

Clash! The thunderbolt struck the purple sword light, splitting instantly and vanishing without a trace, yet the dreadful purple sword energy remained undeterred, slashing straight at Ji Mo’s head with the fierce determination to cleave her in two.

Outside the protective array, the spectators from the Moon Gazing Sect, along with Lord Yun, guests from the Lan Hui Sect, and the Ancient Intent Sect, all held their breath. Lei Wei clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging on the backs of his hands. His tiger-like eyes fixed unblinkingly on the arena, thick brows knotted, lips pressed into a thin line—his tension was plain to see.

Meanwhile, Mo Cong, who had just been made to spit blood by Yan Wei’s purple sword light, looked pale as death. Given Ji Mo’s current combat strength, killing him would be effortless. Thinking back to his reckless provocation days ago, he quietly glanced at the elder surnamed Rong. Yet Rong’s attention remained fixed solely on the duel between Ji Mo and Yan Wei, not sparing him a glance.

“Hmph! As your disciple, your eyes have always been on Senior Brother Mo and Senior Brother Yan. When have I ever mattered? If you had ever truly acknowledged me, would I be so far inferior to Yan Wei?” For some reason, looking at Elder Rong stirred an inexplicable resentment deep within Mo Cong’s heart.

What Mo Cong did not know was that this very resentment caught Elder Rong’s attention. The elder suddenly turned his gaze upon him, eyes cold and indifferent, as if looking upon a corpse.

Of course, none of these inner turmoils concerned Ji Mo. Her heart was void of all emotions, her gaze and mind fixed solely on the purple sword light descending upon her head. No, she would not die here!

Silently, she vowed to herself as her primordial energy surged even more fiercely into the White Jade Dragon Whip. When the purple sword light was but a few feet from her head, the whip flashed with radiant white light.

A clear dragon’s roar echoed, and everyone present felt the sky above their heads darken inexplicably. A white dragon, imbued with boundless majesty, appeared above Ji Mo, striking fiercely at the purple sword light mere inches away.

Boom! This collision was soundless. Only the invisible protective array around them rippled faintly. The dragon and the sword parted immediately upon contact. Like sworn mortal enemies, they clashed again without needing their wielders’ commands.

After several rounds, the White Dragon spotted an opening. With a sharp twist of its tail, it lashed fiercely at Yan Wei, who stood at one end of the arena. Meanwhile, the Purple Fallen Soul Sword broke free from the dragon’s entanglement, darting like lightning toward Ji Mo.

Ji Mo and Yan Wei had exhausted vast amounts of spiritual energy during their prolonged fierce battle, their bodies heavily wounded. Their movements slowed noticeably. Moreover, the actual combat power of the White Jade Dragon Whip and the Purple Fallen Soul Sword far surpassed that of their wielders. When the weapons launched their surprise attacks, Ji Mo and Yan Wei were powerless to resist, watching helplessly as they charged toward them.

Smack! The dragon’s tail struck Yan Wei’s right shoulder with brutal force, severing his entire arm. The momentum sent him flying dozens of feet away, where he collided with the arena’s protective array and bounced back, landing hard outside the ring, coughing up blood relentlessly.

Yet despite his grievous injuries, Yan Wei gave a strange smile upon seeing Ji Mo, who didn’t even flinch as she forcefully withdrew the Purple Fallen Soul Sword.

Ji Mo heard his laughter, raised her eyes coldly toward him, then weakly lowered her gaze again. The origin of the Purple Fallen Soul Sword was unknown, but after pulling it free, she realized her extraordinary regenerative powers could not heal the wound it inflicted. Blood poured uncontrollably from her body, life slowly draining away.

“Hmph, if you want me dead, it won’t be that easy!” A fierce light flashed in her eyes. With a flick of her hand, the white dragon transformed back into a whip and wrapped tightly around the sword’s hilt. Ji Mo grasped the whip handle and forcefully twisted outward.

Outside the arena, Lei Wei’s heart trembled. The sword Yan Wei wielded was forged from an unknown material; it not only consumed one’s soul but had countless serrated teeth along its blade. For Ji Mo to pull it out with such violent force, the damage she must endure was unimaginable.

Pfft! The Purple Fallen Soul Sword was forcibly withdrawn, dragging away a large chunk of flesh with it. A fist-sized blood hole gaped in Ji Mo’s left chest, blood gushing like a waterfall. As the sword clattered to the ground, Ji Mo’s spirit faltered. Her legs weakened, and with a thud, she sank to the arena floor.

Ji Mo was gravely wounded, and Yan Wei was scarcely better off. His right arm was severed by the dragon’s tail, and the residual force had thrown him several dozen feet away. He struck the protective array outside the arena and bounced back, falling beneath the platform while coughing up blood.

Yet, despite appearing near death, Yan Wei smiled oddly when he saw Ji Mo pull the Purple Fallen Soul Sword out without even blinking.

Ji Mo listened to his laughter, her cold eyes briefly meeting his before dropping weakly. The sword’s origin was unknown, but she knew that her abnormal healing ability had little effect on the wound it caused. Her blood continued to spurt forth; her life essence trickled away.

“Elder Rong, their battle is over. Both are severely injured. Shall we declare this a draw?” Lei Wei looked anxiously at Ji Mo, his heart heavy.

“Very well. Their powers are evenly matched; a draw it shall be,” Elder Rong said after observing both fighters on the arena floor for a moment, nodding slightly.

Lei Wei immediately flashed over to Ji Mo’s side, probing her pulse and condition with a frown deepening across his brow.

With a wave of his sleeve, Elder Rong summoned the collapsed Yan Wei onto the platform. The protective array surrounding the arena did not operate when there was no combat.

Lei Wei frowned again at Ji Mo before lifting her in his arms and approaching Ouyang Ruchu, the peak master of the Dan Yuan Peak of the Moon Gazing Sect.

“Ouyang Peak Master, please examine my young disciple,” Lei Wei said.

Ouyang Ruchu was the peak master of Dan Yuan Peak and the Moon Gazing Sect’s sole alchemy master. Her expertise in alchemy was profound. A refined woman exuding the grace of a noble lady, she wore a lotus-colored long dress. Her waist-length hair was loosely pinned with a wooden hairpin, cascading naturally down her back. Her delicate face bore a calm, composed expression.

Even Lei Wei, a rough and unrefined man, found himself lowering his voice when speaking to her, despite the intense anxiety weighing on him.

(To be continued…)