Being able to achieve nine consecutive victories in the Great Spirit Arena, the strength and on-the-spot decision-making ability of Evil Tiger were naturally not to be underestimated.
After receiving the initial strike, Evil Tiger used the tiger claws on both hands to forcibly catch the sword energy.
For the next thirty seconds, neither side made the first move. Instead, they maintained a distance, each carefully looking for openings in the other's defense.
Most of the spectators were not spirit masters and couldn't understand the subtleties of the battle, so they began to boo impatiently.
Evil Tiger wasn't affected by the crowd's reactions. Shaking his stinging hands, he thought to himself:
"This kid actually didn't get reckless and attack just because he had the upper hand with that first strike. He's a tough one."
His first spirit skill came with an imposing presence.
Some weaker-willed opponents would lose their will to fight just from that alone.
But Ning Tianchen not only remained calm, he even responded with a practiced, skilled counter.
And those eyes of his — sharp and composed — were not something a typical young man should have.
"He's not easy to deal with…"
While the standoff continued, Ning Tianchen kept building up his momentum.
He infused more and more spirit power into the Seven-Kill Sword.
Sensing the moment was right, he raised the sword above his head and slashed down.
A crisp sword cry rang out from the blade, and a burst of white sword energy shot forth, aiming straight for Evil Tiger's vital point.
But that wasn't all — Ning Tianchen followed through with a horizontal slash, forming a cross-shaped "十" sword energy, bearing down on his opponent.
Evil Tiger's brows furrowed deeply.
Earlier, when he blocked Ning Tianchen's sword energy with his tiger claws, he had already been injured.
The sharpness of the Seven-Kill Sword left him speechless — it had nearly sliced his hands clean off.
This cross-shaped "十" sword energy was something Evil Tiger absolutely did not dare to take head-on.
Since the trajectory of the sword energy was fixed, Evil Tiger dropped to all fours and dashed swiftly along the edge of the arena like a wild beast on the hunt.
His speed was astonishing — not only did he evade the sword energy, he also circled around to Ning Tianchen's flank.
"Second Spirit Skill — Tiger Claws!"
His claws grew thicker and longer, gleaming coldly under the lights of the Great Spirit Arena.
With such razor-sharp claws, tearing through a target's flesh would be effortless.
The Seven-Kill Sword martial spirit was purely offensive in nature — the spirit master's own defense was not strong. If those claws landed on him, he would either be crippled or killed.
Ning Tianchen furrowed his brows slightly, but did not panic. Instead, he raised the Seven-Kill Sword to float in front of him.
"Second Spirit Skill — Dragon Sword Guard."
As he channeled spirit power into the Seven-Kill Sword, countless spectral sword phantoms manifested around him. These phantoms instinctively gathered together, forming a barrier of sword energy.
Evil Tiger didn't know the effect of this spirit skill, nor could he discern Ning Tianchen's true capabilities.
Dragon Sword Guard was a wide-area skill. Erring on the side of caution, Evil Tiger chose to hold back and avoid a direct confrontation for the moment.
Only when the full sword barrier had risen did he realize — it was a defensive-type skill.
He muttered in his heart, "Damn, I walked right into that," and the next instant, his sharp tiger claws struck the barrier.
As his claws scraped against the shield, a sharp, piercing screech rang out — like a blade being dragged across glass, harsh and unpleasant to the ear.
"Kid, I'll admit your tactics are impressive. But your spirit power is far below mine. This strike—will decide the outcome!" Evil Tiger roared.
Ning Tianchen's lips curled into a faint smile as he replied calmly:
"Why don't you break through my defense first, and then we'll talk."
In battle, concealing one's true strength was a key advantage. Evil Tiger knew Ning Tianchen's spirit power was lower than his, but he had no idea just how much lower.
This would force him to adjust his tactics.
Secondly, in battle, you should never change your strategy just because of what your opponent says.
You have to understand that the enemy will only take actions that benefit themselves. If you follow their lead, the one who suffers losses will be you.
Ning Tianchen's sword energy barrier made it difficult for Evil Tiger to break through, so he had no reason to give up his current position.
...
Evil Tiger's words were highly influential, and immediately, boos and jeers erupted from the spectator stands.
The last time, the crowd had booed because Evil Tiger hadn't gained the upper hand; this time, they were simply displeased with Ning Tianchen, who was hiding inside his "turtle shell."
For them, the cost of watching a fight was fixed, so naturally, they wanted to see an exciting performance.
This explained why villains like Evil Tiger were so popular among the audience.
Ning Tianchen didn't know the other's past, but clearly, someone who earned such crowd praise was never a good person.
Seeing the match dragging on, which was affecting his reputation, Evil Tiger decided not to continue wasting time.
"Third Spirit Skill — Fury of the Fierce Tiger."
The third, purple spirit ring appeared at his feet, radiating dazzling light.
With the power of the spirit ring surging into his body, Evil Tiger's muscles bulged even more, and his height increased noticeably.
At this moment, he stood on the arena like a massive humanoid mountain.
In the next instant, Evil Tiger's eyes turned blood red, and his breathing became heavy and powerful, like a furious tiger in a rage.
"The barrier probably can't hold much longer."
Ning Tianchen made a judgment. The moment Evil Tiger lunged forward, he reached out his right hand and grabbed the floating Seven-Kill Sword before him.
"Roar~!"
A loud tiger's roar erupted, terrifying the front-row spectators. Some were even so scared they lost control.
Ning Tianchen on the arena was not intimidated by these powerless tactics.
Under the fury of Evil Tiger, all his attributes had increased significantly.
The sword energy barrier under his attack lasted only two breaths before shattering with a snap.
"Kid, I don't care who's behind you. Since you stepped onto this arena, you should be prepared to die."
"That statement applies to you as well," Ning Tianchen snorted lightly.
The three spirit rings at his feet did not light up, but his body emitted the soul energy fluctuations of a spirit skill.
"Seven-Kill Sword Technique — Pressing Sword Stance."
As Evil Tiger's claws came slashing, Ning Tianchen pushed off with his legs and leapt into the air.
He raised the Seven-Kill Sword overhead, then brought it down in a chopping strike.
At this moment, Swordmaster Tianchen truly looked like a master of swordsmanship — his sword momentum was like a meteor crushing down, his aura overwhelming.
Evil Tiger suddenly lifted his head, facing such sword momentum. At that moment, a wave of dread rose in his heart.
A tiger that retreats will only hand victory to others.
...
"Congratulations to Swordmaster Tianchen for winning this duel," the referee shouted.
The audience was silent for a moment, then erupted into a thunderous roar.
The drunken merchant felt as if he were dreaming — everything seemed unreal.
Before the match started, no one believed a rookie from the Grand Spirit Arena could withstand the unstoppable Evil Tiger's winning streak, so the betting odds were very high.
Now, this merchant's principal investment had at least quintupled.
On the arena, Ning Tianchen sheathed the Seven-Kill Sword and glanced at Evil Tiger lying in a pool of blood.
The latter's tiger claw was completely severed, along with multiple deep wounds slashing down his entire arm. Bright red blood continuously spurted out.
Such injuries, even if healed, would keep him out of Spirit Duels for at least half a year.