He had faith in Zhou Dingshan’s defense.
The Rock Gang Force of Four Elements Unite could not possibly be broken by an Embracing Pill Martial Artist.
Zhang Su’s words were nothing but a bluff.
Meng Shouzhen understood now.
Zhong Taiheng meant that deaths and injuries in the arena would not be investigated.
If Zhang Su really killed Zhou Dingshan, the Five Elements Sect wouldn’t pursue the matter.
Of course, that was assuming Zhang Su actually had the ability to do so.
"Zhang Su, just unleash your swordsmanship. As long as you don’t kill him intentionally, Sect Leader Zhong won’t mind."
Meng Shouzhen’s words spread throughout the Martial Arts Arena.
Everyone heard him.
Many people stared at Zhang Su, their gazes filled with shock and doubt.
’At this point, what other tricks could Zhang Su have up his sleeve?’
He had already used all his techniques: the Nine Shadows Sword Technique, the Wind and Thunder Sword Technique, the Light and Shadow Killing Sword, the Twelve Layers Killing Sword... Every single one had been blocked by Zhou Dingshan’s Gang Force.
’What other trump card could he possibly have?’
’An Embracing Pill Martial Artist killing someone who has achieved Four Elements Unite—and the defense-oriented Zhou Dingshan at that?’
’Who would believe such a claim?’
But Zhang Su’s expression didn’t look like he was joking. His face was grave and his gaze was earnest.
It didn’t seem like a bluff. He seemed genuinely confident.
Zhou Dingshan also sensed that something was off.
’Zhang Su is being so solemn... does he really have some terrifying sword technique up his sleeve?’
Still, he had come this far. The Cyan Wood Spirit Pill was almost within his grasp; he couldn’t possibly give up now.
He had made it this far. He was just one final victory away from obtaining the Cyan Wood Spirit Pill he had always dreamed of.
How could he possibly back down just because of something Zhang Su said?
"Come, Zhang Su! Let me witness this earth-shattering sword technique of yours!"
Zhou Dingshan declared.
His tone was a few degrees more serious than before.
At the same time, he pushed his Gang Force to its absolute limit, clearly not daring to let his guard down.
"Fine. As you wish..."
Zhang Su took a deep breath.
He gripped the Shadow-Stealing Sword, and his insights into the Bursting Sword Form flooded his mind.
It was an exceptionally unique sword technique.
Zhang Su had already mastered it, and had even brought it to the level of Perfection.
However, he had never actually used it in a real fight.
He had obtained this sword technique from Hidden Sword Manor. Like the Infinite Sword Scripture’s Extreme Sword Form, it was part of the Infinite Sword Scripture.
The Extreme Sword Form focused on speed, pushing it to the absolute limit.
The Bursting Sword Form focused on power, unleashing it with ultimate ferocity.
It involved detonating all the Inner Strength in one’s body in a single instant, channeling it all into one slash.
The power of this one strike was terrifyingly immense.
Of course, the price was also steep.
Like the Extreme Sword Form, the Bursting Sword Form would drain the user of all their Inner Strength the instant the sword was swung.
After that one strike, he would have no strength left.
Either the enemy dies, or you do.
This was a true do-or-die strike.
VMMMM.
In the next moment, Zhang Su’s Shadow-Stealing Sword began to vibrate.
The blade trembled violently, letting out a low hum.
At the same instant, the vast Pure Yang Force within Zhang Su’s body was drained in its entirety.
All of it was siphoned into the Shadow-Stealing Sword in his hand.
SWOOSH.
Zhang Su unleashed the strike.
It wasn’t particularly fast.
This strike lacked the ultimate speed of the Extreme Sword Form and the thunderous roar of the Wind and Thunder Sword Technique. It had no flashy skills to speak of.
It was just a single strike.
A simple, unadorned strike.
Slashing straight for Zhou Dingshan.
Yet the power contained within it startled even Zhang Su himself.
The air tore with a sharp shriek wherever the blade passed.
Infinite Sword Scripture—Bursting Sword Form!
The sword struck Zhou Dingshan’s Gang Force viciously.
And then...
BOOM.
It exploded!
A massive explosion, like a clap of thunder, erupted on the arena platform.
An indescribably terrifying power erupted in an instant.
Zhou Dingshan’s Gang Force, in which he had been so confident, proved incomparably fragile before the power of this strike. It shattered in an instant.
Even his Gang Force of Four Elements Unite was no exception.
The fusion of four types of Gang Force was nothing before the absolute power of the Bursting Sword Form.
"My Gang Force..."
Zhou Dingshan’s face contorted, his pupils filled with shock and terror.
The defense he took such pride in, the Four-in-One Gang Strength he was confident could block any attack, had actually shattered.
It shattered completely.
He tried to retreat.
But it was too late.
Before his body could even react, Zhang Su’s sword was upon him.
The very instant his Gang Force shattered, Zhang Su’s sword slashed into his hulking frame.
The blade sliced through his body without the slightest resistance.
SLICE.
Zhou Dingshan had no time to react before he was sliced clean in two.
The shock and terror from the moment before his death were still frozen on his face.
THUD.
In the end, the momentum of Zhang Su’s strike carried it down onto the arena platform.
The blade slammed into the arena floor, letting out a heavy, resounding thud.
The incredibly sturdy platform groaned, and a deep gash was carved into its surface by Zhang Su’s Shadow-Stealing Sword.
The gash stretched from Zhang Su’s feet all the way to the edge of the platform, a full thirty feet long.
A testament to the strike’s terrifying power.
THUMP.
The two halves of Zhou Dingshan’s body collapsed onto the platform.
Blood flowed through the cracks in the platform, dripping onto the ground below. DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.
In an instant, the once-noisy Martial Arts Arena fell deathly silent.