Cannon Fodder Cultivation Guide

Chapter 157 - Stealing Thunder

The duel officially began, and Tang Xi's weapon immediately astonished everyone—it wasn't a physical sword but a flaming blade formed from blazing fire. The fire was of an unknown type, but its power was terrifyingly immense. The moment it appeared, the entire arena seemed to plunge into a world of searing flames, as though capable of incinerating everything in its path.

Experienced onlookers were secretly shocked. No wonder Tang Xi had dared to make such bold claims earlier—she had managed to tame the legendary Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Spirit from the abyss of Extreme Inferno Mountain. With such a weapon, they feared that even if Han Lin, her opponent, could avoid her flaming sword and devastating kick, she would ultimately perish on the stage.

Tang Xi wasted no time with sword techniques. The flaming sword, a manifestation of the Fire Spirit, struck with full force, its power far beyond what anyone at the Foundation Establishment stage could withstand.

In response, Zhang Yiyi didn't dare to take any chances. Her sword moved with blinding speed, its flowing strikes forming a continuous shield of sword energy that encased her entirely. A swordsman's blade could both strike forward relentlessly and defend with unyielding precision.

As the two powerful forces collided, the arena was engulfed in a blinding white light. Only a handful of high-level cultivators could discern the intense battle within the light. For most of the spectators, the details were entirely obscured.

When the light gradually subsided, Tang Xi and Zhang Yiyi had each retreated to their respective sides. Tang Xi's face was ashen, while Zhang Yiyi was grinning brightly, clearly delighted.

"Ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Pay up now?" Zhang Yiyi demanded without hesitation, showing no intention of sparing anyone's pride.

Tang Xi was undoubtedly strong—stronger than all the opponents Zhang Yiyi had faced earlier combined. She was indeed a formidable adversary. But to think that a single fiery sword and a kick could end her life? That was laughable. Tang Xi had severely underestimated her.

Seemingly humiliated in front of the crowd, Tang Xi didn't say a word. Instead, she threw a storage pouch toward Zhang Yiyi.

In her previous three full-force strikes, Tang Xi hadn't even managed to get close to Zhang Yiyi, let alone take her life. Accepting her loss without protest, Tang Xi handed over the wagered spirit stones. She didn't care about the humiliation or the loss of face; her determination to prevent Zhang Yiyi from leaving the arena alive only grew stronger.

Zhang Yiyi scanned the storage pouch with her divine sense, confirming the number of spirit stones was correct, and then swiftly stored it away.

The spectators below immediately understood the situation. The Tang family's prodigy had suffered a spectacular blow to her pride. Not only had she failed to defeat Zhang Yiyi with a single strike and kick, but she had also lost 10,000 mid-grade spirit stones—a significant setback.

However, the duel wasn't over yet.

Having paid up without hesitation, Tang Xi only grew fiercer. She launched a relentless barrage of attacks at Zhang Yiyi, giving her no chance to breathe, determined to end her opponent's life.

Zhang Yiyi, too, was invigorated by the rare challenge. Their back-and-forth exchanges on the stage were evenly matched, leaving no clear victor for the time being.

The longer the fight went on, the more alarmed Tang Xi became. She had never expected Zhang Yiyi to rely solely on her sword, using just three repeated techniques. Yet the variations in her execution were endless, and she only grew more formidable as the battle progressed, without showing any signs of exhausting her spiritual energy.