Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal?

Chapter 852: Victory in a Single Move

...The moment Xiao Yanyao stepped onto the stage, the sense of oppression instantly maxed out.

Many of the surrounding Battle Masters watching the battle broke into a cold sweat for Li Qingran.

"Goddess, you can do it..."

"If it's really too much, we can just forfeit the stage, it's not shameful!"

...

Yet Li Qingran simply stood tall and graceful upon the dueling platform, her beautiful face still cold as ice, not even a single frown creasing her brow.

Due to the platform's design, the defender held the high ground.

.bg-ssp-11164{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;}The challenger, on the other hand, had no choice but to endure the defender's condescending gaze.

Xiao Yanyao lifted his eyes to stare at Li Qingran, a pair of cold glints already appearing within them.

He was a collateral branch member of the Xiao Family, relying on the favor of the main lineage to scrape by within the clan. He should have been in Li Qingran's position as the defender, but he had been forced to hide his strength and intentionally lose in the preliminary matches to complete the Young Master's task.

However... things weren't too bad yet.

The status he had lost, he could now reclaim from Li Qingran.

At the same time, he would be completing the Young Master's task, killing two birds with one stone.

The instant Xiao Yanyao stepped onto the platform, the entire surface gave a violent shudder. As he released his Battle Power, fine cracks spread across the green brick-paved ground.

He grinned, revealing two rows of stark white teeth, his bronze-colored face filled with arrogance. "Li Qingran, right... I originally didn't want to bully a delicate little flower like you, but unfortunately, you've offended someone you shouldn't have. Pay more attention to your station in the future!"

Before his words even faded.

Four World Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple—simultaneously lit up beneath his feet.

The dazzling radiance made the surrounding spectators squint.

The Battle Power of a 42nd-rank Battle Ancestor surged forth like molten lava, swelling along his gnarled muscles. The very air was compressed by this violent force, buzzing and humming.

"ROAR—!"

An ear-splitting lion's roar shook the entire arena.

A massive, translucent golden-maned Lion Emperor materialized behind Xiao Yanyao. Its golden mane flared like raging flames, its lion eyes gleaming with ferocious light, exuding a kingly pressure.

The spectators in the front rows were shaken by this aura, stumbling back repeatedly.

Many low-level Battle Masters paled, unable to help but cover their ears.

Gasps of shock rippled through the spectator stands.

"A top-tier Beast Battle Soul, the Golden-maned Lion Emperor!"

"He's going all out with his Battle Soul from the very start! Xiao Yanyao wants to end this quickly!"

"Li Qingran is in danger, the level gap is too huge!"

With absolutely no intention of wasting words, Xiao Yanyao's first World Ring instantly flashed brightly.

"Lion's Claw Rending Slaughter!"

He stomped forward fiercely, his right leg driving into the ground.

His entire body shot towards Li Qingran like a cannonball.

Mid-air, his right hand transformed into a sharp lion's claw, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the air, aimed directly at Li Qingran's face. This strike's momentum soared like a rainbow; even before it reached her, the oncoming gale of wind whipped the stray hairs on her forehead backwards.

Facing this ferocious, unstoppable pounce, Li Qingran's gaze remained calm as still water. She didn't even shift her feet, merely raising the simple, ancient-looking longsword in her hand with a light motion, its tip pointing diagonally forward.

Her first World Ring lit up.

A purple halo flowed beneath her feet.

"Sword Style: Long Wind Breaks Waves."

Her cool, clear voice lifted slightly, forming a stark contrast with the vast, majestic Sword Qi that suddenly erupted from her blade. A greenish, arc-shaped Sword Aura, condensed and sharp like the prow of a great ship cleaving through the sea, shot forward to meet the golden claw-light head-on.

"CLANG!"

The deafening clang of metal on metal made eardrums ache.

Xiao Yanyao only felt a cold, sharp force transmit up his arm.

His powerful, heavy-handed claw strike was actually blocked dead in its tracks.

He staggered back two steps, a flash of astonishment in his eyes. "Interesting! No wonder you caught the Young Master's eye! I admit you do have some skill!"

Xiao Yanyao's words made the coldness in Li Qingran's eyes deepen a few degrees.

What did he mean, 'caught the Young Master's eye'?

She belonged to her Master, she wasn't something for just anyone to look at.

She felt a little regretful for holding back just now.

For these annoying flies, she should just beat them senseless.

While she was pondering this, Xiao Yanyao's second World Ring lit up.

"Take my Second Battle Technique! Rampaging Lion's Tyrant Sunder!"

Xiao Yanyao's second technique seemed to be an enhanced version of his first. The claw and fist shadows originally aimed at Li Qingran instantly multiplied into a dense barrage, almost completely sealing off all her avenues of escape.

"The attacks are too dense, I can't imagine how the Goddess is going to dodge..."

"No! The Goddess can't get her face ruined!"

Dodge?

Li Qingran snorted coldly.

She didn't need to dodge at all.

Suxian struck out again, still the same move: Long Wind Breaks Waves.

A flash of sword light, and all the pouncing fist shadows shattered to pieces.

"This... how is this possible?!" Xiao Yanyao's eyes widened. His previous contempt for Li Qingran vanished completely, replaced by shock and disbelief.

He admittedly wasn't among the top-tier experts in his family, but he was definitely upper-middle level.

How could both his Battle Techniques be so easily, even effortlessly, countered by Li Qingran's first technique? Wouldn't that make him seem utterly incompetent in the eyes of his clansmen and the Young Master?

Xiao Yanyao could already feel a cold, severe gaze piercing him from the direction of the Xiao Family spectator seats. Without thinking, he knew it was the gaze of the Xiao Family's Eldest Young Master, Xiao Shijue.

"Impossible! I don't believe it!"

Xiao Yanyao clenched his fists, growling low. His third and fourth World Rings lit up simultaneously.

"Lion King's Charge!" The Golden-maned Lion Emperor's phantom merged with his form.

Xiao Yanyao's speed skyrocketed. His muscles bulged all over his body like a fully-loaded battering ram as he charged towards Li Qingran with earth-shattering momentum.

The platform's surface shattered under his stomps, sending stone fragments flying and leaving deep footprints.

Li Qingran's expression didn't change. Sword Qi gathered around her once more.

This time, the Sword Qi surged upwards, then shot straight forward, transforming into a straight, white rainbow that met Xiao Yanyao's charge head-on.

Sword Style One - Long Wind Breaks Waves could slash or cleave; it wasn't confined to a single sword move.

But without a doubt, the straight thrust maximized its power.

"Long Wind Breaks Waves, there will come a time!"

A soft chant rang out above the platform, even drowning out the roar of the Lion King behind Xiao Yanyao.

"Is she insane? She dares to clash head-on with Xiao Yanyao's power?"

"What kind of sword technique does she have? How can it possibly be this strong?"

Discussions erupted from the stands. Everyone held their breath.

The white rainbow of Sword Qi and the battering-ram-like figure collided with a thunderous boom. A violent shockwave of Battle Power exploded outwards, instantly activating the protective runes surrounding the platform.

Xiao Yanyao felt as if an iceberg had slammed into his chest. An irresistible force crashed over him.

His proud Battle Technique was actually no match for this single sword's energy.

"Pfft!" He spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backwards like a kite with its string cut.

But he didn't concede. His fourth purple World Ring suddenly erupted with dazzling light.

The Golden-maned Lion Emperor phantom let out a heaven-shaking roar. "Fourth Battle Technique, Golden Lion's Roar Wave!"

A golden sound wave, condensed to its extreme, erupted from its maw.

The sound wave, as tangible as a massive tidal surge, swept towards Li Qingran.

This was his strongest Battle Technique, capable of severely injuring multiple Battle Ancestors of the same level in a single move. It might even allow him to fight above his level.

"Hoist the sail to cross the sea!"

Only an afterimage remained in her original spot.

Li Qingran appeared almost instantly behind Xiao Yanyao.

Her sword spun out in a backhanded slash, the Sword Qi coiling like a dragon as it surged towards Xiao Yanyao.

"What?!" How could Xiao Yanyao have imagined Li Qingran would move behind him so bizarrely?

He took the sword strike squarely on his back, whirling around with all his might, trying to continue unleashing the Golden Lion's Roar Wave.

But the moment he turned, Li Qingran's figure vanished again, having returned to the position of her original afterimage.

Even as a Battle Technique, the characteristic of Sword Style One - Long Wind Breaks Waves remained:

Shadow Kill—instantly return to the original position, then thrust once more.

This final sword strike was the finishing blow.

Li Qingran stepped forward calmly, her instantaneous sword lashing out to strike Xiao Yanyao squarely on the back.

"PFFT—!"

Xiao Yanyao spat out another mouthful of old blood. His already-flying body smashed heavily into the protective barrier at the platform's edge with a dull thud.

The light of his World Rings instantly dimmed. The Golden-maned Lion Emperor phantom also dissipated.

Li Qingran sheathed her sword, standing in the center of the platform. Her simple robes were spotless, as if she had never moved at all.

Her clear, cold voice carried across the entire arena. "You lose."

The stands fell into dead silence for a moment, then erupted into thunderous cheers and exclamations. "My heavens! One move! Victory in a single move again!"

"A 42nd-rank Battle Ancestor! And with a Strong-Attack System Battle Soul like the Golden-maned Lion Emperor, actually defeated in one move!"

"What kind of monster is Goddess Qingran? How can a single First Battle Technique be this strong?"

"How do you know it's the First Battle Technique? She has a purple World Ring, clearly it's her Third Battle Technique!"

The surrounding discussions were endless, but Xiao Yanyao had no mind to listen.

His iron-tower-like body slumped to the ground, completely drained of strength. Staring at Li Qingran's retreating back, his eyes were filled with utter disbelief.

He had lost. Lost completely and utterly, without even touching the hem of her garment...

He had failed the Young Master's task.

He was finished.

"WAAAH—!"

Under Li Qingran's utterly bewildered gaze.

This brawny man, at least two meters tall, actually sat on the ground and began wailing loudly.

...