Chapter 976: Chapter 976

As soon as Ding Fan mentioned the name "Ruan Yuan," Ming Chen's gaze suddenly grew heavy with seriousness.

Ming Chen had pursued Ruan Yuan all the way from Mount Lu to this place. Not much time had passed since those events, and few people even knew about it. He couldn't fathom how Ding Fan would have any knowledge of it.

"Who are you?" Ming Chen asked, looking at Ding Fan with an increasingly grave expression.

Off to the side, Zhao Yan and Lingzhu exchanged puzzled glances, their gazes falling back on Ding Fan. Based on their conversation, it seemed Ding Fan knew these two men.

But Ming Chen's combat abilities were terrifying. He had single-handedly eliminated six Heavenly Level martial artists with ease. They couldn't understand how someone like Ding Fan could be connected to such an unrelenting figure.

"Mount Lu Auction... Bronze Mirror." Ding Fan's tone was calm and subdued.

Upon hearing Ding Fan's words, Ming Chen carefully examined his aura again.

"I didn't realize it was you..." Ming Chen said lightly, his tone tinged with a trace of surprise. "This isn't bad. It'll save me quite a bit of time, at least."

Ming Chen's chase had brought him here, yet he had initially planned to head to the Spirit Sect. The Emperor Pit Bronze Mirror, capable of refining one's Divine Sense, was undoubtedly the treasure of all treasures. How could he stand for such a thing falling into someone else's hands?

After the Mount Lu Auction, Ming Chen had specifically waited beneath the mountain for Ding Fan. But at that time, Ding Fan had discovered that the Spirit Sect was in trouble and had immediately left with Luv Shanqi, traveling by sword.

Because of that, Ming Chen had missed his chance to confront Ding Fan then.

Now that he had encountered Ding Fan here, how could he possibly let this opportunity slip away?

Swish... At that moment, Ming Chen flicked his right hand, and a long sword suddenly appeared in his grasp.

The onlookers were awestruck when they saw the longsword in Ming Chen's hand.

After all, when he had annihilated those six Heavenly Level martial artists earlier, Ming Chen hadn't even used a single Magic Artifact. But now, against Ding Fan, he actually unsheathed a longsword...

For a moment, Wang Jianchuan stared at Ding Fan, filled with curiosity. Just who was this person, to force Ming Chen, such a formidable and illustrious individual, to draw his sword?

Ding Fan also unsheathed his blade at this time.

Seeing Ding Fan draw his longsword to face the enemy, Zhao Yan couldn't help but grow uneasy.

After all, the opponent was far too powerful. She was genuinely worried for Ding Fan...

Ding Fan turned back toward Zhao Yan with a faint smile before tilting his longsword downward and walking toward Ming Chen.

A battle today was inevitable. Leaving aside the fact that the man before him was an evil cultivator who gained strength by devouring the flesh and blood of martial artists,

Ming Chen's relentless pursuit of Ruan Yuan and brutal crippling of Ye Tianshi alone were reasons enough for Ding Fan not to let him walk away.

Swish... Just as Ding Fan approached, Ming Chen abruptly and without warning swung his sword toward him.

The strike was powerful, kicking up a wave of sand and gravel in its wake. Lingzhu even felt a sharp sting against her face, scourged by the tempest stirred by the Sword Qi.

The sword's impact hit like a thunderclap, the entire arena engulfed in choking clouds of sand and debris.

Zhao Yan's worry peaked. Such a fearsome strike was unlike anything she'd ever seen. Under such a blow, how could Ding Fan possibly survive?

Lingzhu also looked deeply concerned. "He couldn't have been killed instantly, could he...?"

Just as everyone was certain Ding Fan was as good as dead, two figures abruptly retreated from the center of the arena.

"It's... it's him!" Lingzhu's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the two figures. Her astonishment was written across her face.

Before, Ming Chen had effortlessly obliterated six Heavenly Level martial artists, yet now, in this clash with Ding Fan, their first exchange ended in a draw!

Such incredible power from Ding Fan!

Before the shock wore off, the two figures re-engaged in ferocious combat.

Within the arena, the wind howled, the residual shockwaves of inner strength capable of overwhelming anyone nearby.

Zhao Yan, Lingzhu, and Wang Jianchuan hurriedly retreated to a safe distance. Any stray attack could easily cost them dearly.

Ming Chen's expression had grown grim.

He had used his Divine Sense to probe Ding Fan's cultivation. According to his findings, Ding Fan was merely at Earth Level, First Grade, yet he couldn't believe it. How could the sect master of the Spirit Sect only be at the Earth Level?

It was clear to him that Ding Fan must possess some Magical Treasure capable of concealing his true cultivation.

Because of this, Ming Chen had drawn his sword from the start.

To Ming Chen, this was already a sign of respect. But as they fought, he quickly realized he had still underestimated Ding Fan.

In direct confrontations of True Qi, Ding Fan didn't lose out in the slightest. In terms of movement technique, Ding Fan even seemed to surpass him...

Ming Chen couldn't suppress the shock swelling in his heart.

To reach the Golden Core Stage, Ming Chen had relied on unimaginable fortune. Even so, it had taken him over a century to achieve.

By Ming Chen's estimate, Ding Fan couldn't be older than twenty-two or twenty-three.

At Ding Fan's age, Ming Chen hadn't even reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, and yet here Ding Fan was—already at Golden Core Stage...

What kind of logic was this...?

Swish, swish, swish... Ming Chen abandoned all restraint, throwing himself at Ding Fan with his full power. Against an opponent like Ding Fan, holding back would be nothing less than self-destructive indulgence.

Ding Fan, in contrast, was considerably more composed. Despite Ming Chen's relentless onslaught, Ding Fan managed to respond with calculated ease.

Thanks to the refinement of his Divine Sense, Ding Fan could keenly detect the shifts in his opponent's tactics and prepare counters in advance.

But even so, killing Ming Chen was no easy feat.

Ming Chen's techniques were vicious and cunning. In terms of combat experience, even with the accumulated wisdom of two lifetimes, Ding Fan couldn't necessarily match him.

"Kill..." At that moment, Ming Chen suddenly hurled his longsword into the air, transforming it into a beam of light that shot straight toward Ding Fan.

Ding Fan quickly understood what was happening. That longsword was clearly a flying sword.

Ming Chen's intent was obvious: he was using the element of surprise to have the sword attack Ding Fan from behind.

Ding Fan sneered lightly. This was a trick he'd already grown tired of using himself.

Still, he didn't dare to be careless. He swiftly dodged to the side, letting the glowing blade miss its mark.

Feigning ignorance of Ming Chen's ploy, Ding Fan charged forward with his longsword.

A sly smirk tugged at the corner of Ming Chen's mouth. To him, it seemed Ding Fan hadn't caught on to his plan.

Ming Chen watched as the flying sword, having missed its first strike, adjusted its trajectory and now flew straight toward Ding Fan's back.

"Watch out!" Zhao Yan, who hadn't realized the full scope of the trick, cried out in alarm.

But the sword beam was already perilously close. From Zhao Yan's perspective, avoiding it was impossible.

You're doomed... Ming Chen's face twisted into a gloating grin.

But just as Ming Chen was certain his flying sword would skewer Ding Fan, what happened next left him utterly dumbfounded.

With a flicker, Ding Fan's figure vanished into thin air.

Whoosh... In the same instant that Ding Fan disappeared, the flying sword stabbed harmlessly into the space he had occupied...

How... how could this be?!

Ming Chen's eyes widened in shock. What had just happened defied comprehension.

The flying sword's ambush was meant to catch Ding Fan completely off guard.

He couldn't fathom how Ding Fan had managed to sense the incoming threat.

This technique had claimed the lives of countless masters on Earth, yet here it had utterly failed against Ding Fan...

Not only was Ming Chen shaken, but even Wang Jianchuan, who had been watching from the sidelines, looked on in disbelief.

Ding Fan's evasion was almost otherworldly, resembling Instantaneous Movement.

A movement technique of this caliber was something even Profound Level experts struggled to achieve...

As the thought crossed his mind, Wang Jianchuan couldn't hide his astonishment as he turned to look at Ding Fan. Could it be that, at such a young age, this man was already at the Profound Level...?

While the crowd was still marveling at Ding Fan's display, a piercing sound suddenly rang out, commanding everyone's attention.

They turned their eyes back to the arena just in time to see Ding Fan, longsword in hand, descending from the air toward Ming Chen.

The sheer might of his strike was utterly overwhelming.

The sheer force of the aura made even those watching from afar feel as though they couldn't catch their breath.

Lingzhu stared at Ding Fan, descending from above, her gaze dazed and distant.

Back when they were trapped in the crevice on Mount Lu, Ding Fan had once casually remarked that escaping wasn't difficult—just scatter the Ghost Sect disciples, and it would be over.

At the time, Lingzhu thought he was boasting.

But now, seeing Ding Fan fight Ming Chen, who had slaughtered six Heavenly Level martial artists, to a standstill, scattering a few Ghost Sect disciples truly seemed trivial.

Only now did Lingzhu realize that Ding Fan had been hiding the depth of his true power the whole time...

In the arena, Ming Chen had no way to avoid the strike from above. If he tried to escape, he'd only hasten his death. His only chance was to endure it head-on.

With clenched teeth, Ming Chen braced his longsword and met the strike head-on, putting every ounce of strength he had into the defense.

The deafening clash shook the heavens and the earth.

The explosion of True Yuan blasted clouds of dust, throwing debris high into the air and engulfing the entire arena.

The onlookers couldn't even open their eyes. Their ears rang from the deafening shockwave.

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It took an indeterminate amount of time before the dust began to settle. Zhao Yan, Lingzhu, and Wang Jianchuan anxiously looked toward the battlefield.

In the arena, Ding Fan and Ming Chen stood facing each other.

Just as the crowd wondered who the victor was, Ding Fan suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Zhao Yan and Lingzhu immediately panicked at the sight.

At that moment, Ming Chen glanced at Ding Fan before abruptly taking off on his flying sword, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

The crowd was left bewildered, unsure of who had won or lost.

Seeing Ming Chen flee, Zhao Yan and Lingzhu hurriedly rushed to support Ding Fan.

Ding Fan glanced in the direction where Ming Chen had disappeared, sighing quietly to himself.

In their final clash of True Qi, Ding Fan had merely suffered some internal turbulence, while Ming Chen had sustained severe injuries...

But Ming Chen had seized the moment while Ding Fan was steadying his breath to flee on his flying sword...

A prime opportunity to eliminate this evil cultivator was lost...