Divine Convenience Store

Jiang Jianxin's lips curled slightly as she heard Lin Mo's words from the side. She didn't acknowledge them, but inwardly, she couldn't help but agree. The sheer power Hu Zhen was displaying now wasn't just a testament to his cultivation but to the store's products themselves.

Still, this level of strength… it was far from enough to shake her. She hadn't even shown the depths of her strength yet.

Elder Hu Zhen roared as his saber swung down again. This time, his strike was accompanied by a surge of energy that cracked the very air itself.

The [Infernal Bull Spirit] enhancement and the three talismans had pushed his combat ability beyond what anyone expected.

Jiang Jianxin's sword trembled before it vanished.

Swish!

A streak of silver light flashed.

The next moment, Hu Zhen's overwhelming saber strike met nothing but empty air.

"What?! Where–"

Before he could react, a chill ran down his spine. The cold, sharp steel flashed past his eyesight.

He barely twisted his body to dodge before a thin, razor-sharp cut appeared on his sleeve.

Jiang Jianxin stood behind him, her sword lazily hovering in the air. She hadn't even turned to look at him yet.

The crowd gasped.

"She dodged again?!"

"No… she didn't just dodge. She countered."

"She's too fast! Even with all those store items, Elder Hu can't keep up!"

Hu Zhen gritted his teeth. His breath was heavy, his muscles burning from the power coursing through them. He had used the best combination of store products he had on hand, yet even now, he couldn't land a proper hit.

But he wasn't done.

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"This fight isn't over!" he bellowed. His body ignited with a deeper crimson glow as he activated another store-bought item.

A jade talisman shattered in his hand.

[Unyielding Blood Surge]. A single-use talisman that forcefully draws out the hidden potential within one's bloodline, temporarily doubling all physical attributes at the cost of immense fatigue afterward.

The effects were instant.

His body bulked up even further, veins pulsating with a dangerous red hue. His speed, strength, and endurance surged once more.

The audience was now holding their breath.

And then, he moved.

BOOM!

The air itself exploded as he shot forward, causing sonic booms to materialize in everyone's eyes.

His saber came down in a wide arc, no longer just a refined technique—it was a full-bodied, brute-force assault backed by overwhelming power.

Jiang Jianxin's gaze sharpened.

So this is the extent of his struggle?

For the first time in this fight, her expression shifted from mild interest to something more serious.

As the saber came down, she moved.

She didn't dodge this time.

Instead, her sword floated in front of her to block. However, that's not all.

One. Two. Three. Four more swords appeared floating in front of her, ready to meet his strike.

Ding!

A crisp, almost melodic sound echoed through the arena.

Hu Zhen's massive saber strike… was stopped.

Not deflected. Not redirected.

Stopped.

Jiang Jianxin's five floating swords effortlessly halted his devastating blow.

Silence.

It was at that moment that everyone realized–

The gap was still there.

Even with all his enhancements, all his strength, Elder Hu Zhen was still beneath her. And it seemed to be even wider than before.

The crushing reality settled in.

The crowd erupted in shock.

"No way…"

"He's at his absolute peak right now. He should be stronger than ever!"

"But she… she blocked it like it was nothing."

"Heh. That scar-faced arrogant Elder should be honored. He managed to push the sword fairy to reveal that." A sky-blue robed cultivator from the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect spoke up with a hint of pride in her voice.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Can't you see? Flying Sword Technique isn't just about controlling one sword through Sword Will. It is controlling a lot of them at once. Through that… a single sword cultivator will be able to unleash the power of a Sword Formation. Elder Jiang, our very own Sword Fairy is someone capable of controlling five swords at once and activating the [Five Indomitable Sword Formation]."

A collective gasp echoed through the audience.

A Sword Formation was something typically deployed by groups of sword cultivators working in harmony, yet Jiang Jianxin was doing it alone.

Five swords, perfectly synchronized, moving with the grace of a grandmaster's brushstroke across a blank canvas.

Even Elder Hu Zhen, caught in the midst of his overwhelming assault, realized how foolish he had been to challenge someone like her.

"How… how can she control so many swords at once?" A disciple from the Ironclad Blood Sect muttered with a pale face.

"Idiot! That's why she's called the Sword Fairy!" A rogue cultivator barked in response. "She's not just some expert with a sword. She embodies the sword and the beauty of it!"

Hu Zhen clenched his teeth, his mind roaring with defiance. His muscles burned, his veins pulsed, but he refused to accept this outcome.

He swung his saber again, pouring everything he had into a series of relentless attacks.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Each strike was met with a perfectly placed sword, deflecting or nullifying the blow entirely.

The five swords moved like an impenetrable barrier, a force of nature itself, while Jiang Jianxin's expression remained serene with an indifferent gaze.

Then, without warning—

Swish.

One of her swords disappeared.

Then another.

And another.

Three blades vanished from the formation. Even the golden screen showing the closeup of the battle down below failed to catch them right away.

Before anyone could even comprehend what happened—

SLASH!

A sharp, clean cut appeared on Elder Hu Zhen's dominant arm.

SLASH!

A second one, across his thigh.

SLASH!

A final one, grazing his shoulder.

Blood splattered onto the platform once again, staining the pristine platform with crimson streaks.

Elder Hu Zhen staggered, his body suddenly feeling sluggish as his strength ebbed away.

"What…?" His vision blurred as his body trembled, the effects of the [Unyielding Blood Surge] wearing off far quicker than expected.

The audience was deathly silent.

It was only then that people realized.

The three missing swords had never truly disappeared.

Jiang Jianxin had sent them behind Elder Hu Zhen, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"Impossible…" A disciple of the Ironclad Blood Sect fell to his knees, his confidence in their Elder completely shattered.

Hu Zhen wavered as he continued to try and stay upright.

But Jiang Jianxin simply raised her hand.

The remaining two swords hovered in the air, pointing directly at his throat.

"This match is over. Yield." She declared with a calm voice yet filled with undeniable authority and confidence.

Elder Hu Zhen wanted to argue, to push forward despite the odds.

But he couldn't.

His body betrayed him. His injuries were minor, but the sheer psychological weight of the battle had broken his will to fight.

His saber trembled in his grasp.

Then, with a deep, shuddering breath…

He let it fall.

CLANG.

The moment the saber hit the ground, it was over.

The crowd erupted.

"She won… Sword Fairy won!"

"No, she dominated! Even after all that, Elder Hu Zhen still couldn't force her to reveal her full strength!"

"She's on an entirely different level… I'm glad I bet on her!"

The Ironclad Blood Sect disciples looked down in shame, unable to muster the strength to argue.

Lin Mo, still watching from the sidelines, let out a satisfied laugh. "Perfect. This is going to be great for business."

Even though the scar-faced Elder could only use a few store-bought items, it was enough to boost the enthusiasm of everyone who watched the duel.

Furthermore, he could tell that even the Sword Fairy now had a mild interest in them. They wouldn't just look for a manual anymore.

"I should also post this match in the Store Bulletin Board… When the Viewing Jades are released to the public, everyone will have the ability to replay these recordings. And that would be a constant promotion of our products."