It was blood!
"!!!" Ma Hong Yun was stunned, "How did this happen?"
Ma Hong Yun was sure that unless the Killer Move's power vastly exceeded the limits of his Block or managed to outpace the rate at which he could repair the Block Killer Move.
"This is a problem…" Ma Hong Yun knew he couldn't use 2 Killer Moves at the same time, one was pushing his limits, "I can't use Heal without disabling Block, but I can tell that Block did manage to partially reduce the damage."
Indeed, the Self-Harm Killer Move reflected all the damage the user took onto the target, but Shen Shang stabbed himself multiple times yet only a single small cut appeared.
"Hehehe I was right," Shen Shang began to grin and laugh madly, "Then let's begin!"
He began furiously stabbing himself all over the place.
!!!
Bit by bit, small cuts began appearing around Ma Hong Yun.
"This is bad," Ma Hong Yun grits his teeth, "At this rate I'll bleed to death, I have to counter."
Ma Hong Yun waited for the moment Shen Shang had created a fresh stab, the knife still in his body, he dispelled the Block Killer Move and used Heal.
The damage he sustained was instantly replenished.
Ma Hong Yun prepared another Block but,
"Got you!" Shen Shang instantly seized the opportunity and used his Killer Move.
Immortal Killer Move --------- Heavy Injuries!
Blood began to spew forth from Ma Hong Yun's mouth and eyes.
How could a novice like Ma Hong Yun out-predict a veteran like Shen Shang?
He knew that he could gain an edge over Ma Hong Yun by deliberately inducing the idea of a war of attrition, it was why he questioned Ma Hong Yun's ability to hold out using such costly Killer Moves.
Seeing Ma Hong Yun not even flinch let him know that the Venerables had prepared some way for Ma Hong Yun to continuously use his Killer Moves with no problem.
So, he pretended to be in a bind against Ma Hong Yun's Block Killer Move
But in reality, he knew that the true crux of the matter lay in the fact that he couldn't do enough damage to Ma Hong Yun!
The Block strategy would have worked, if Ma Hong Yun could do simultaneous Killer Moves or had just kept blocking, after all, Shen Shang was dangerously low on Immortal Essence!
It had been a while since he had stockpiled Immortal Essence, coupled with his long departure from Fang Yuan, and he had been constantly spending his Immortal Essence, not to mention the fact that his disguise was intensely costly to keep up and one could see the predicament he had fallen into.
And Self-Harm was not a cheap Killer Move, far from it, to repeatedly use that move so much in such a short time…Shen Shang was on the edge of bankruptcy!
Shen Shang shrewdly deceived Ma Hong Yun into believing that what he wanted was a war of attrition, in reality, he was fabricating the perfect opportunity to strike!
He purposefully began to stab at a slower pace, one that Ma Hong Yun could track, and once he saw Block being lifted and Heal being activated he unleashed the Killer Move, Heavy Injuries, that he had prepared.
It was easy for all those used to using Killer Moves to sense Heavy Injuries, after all, Shen Shang couldn't quitely use it and use Self-Harm at the same time, but he was banking on the inexperience of Ma Hong Yun…and it worked!
Ma Hong Yun didn't sense the Killer Move Heavy Injuries at all, he played right into Shen Shang's hands!
Only once the pain hit did he realise that he had fallen into a trap!
But it was too late, Ma Hong Yun was in too much pain to concentrate on weaving another Killer Move, and even if he did, it would only delay the inevitable.
His only way out was to be able to either activate 2 Killer moves simultaneously, both Block and Heal!
"Argh," blood was dripping out of every orifice in Ma Hong Yun's body, "I-I n-eed t-to ov-ercome,"
He was panting heavily, Ma Hong Yun had never been known for his brains but one could not say he was a cowardly and uncourageous fellow.
Even when there was no hope or chance of success, he was still trying his best, waiting for a miracle.
"This ends now," just as Shen Shang was about to deliver the final blow.
"AHHHHHH" a loud scream distracted everyone present
!!!
They all turned to the source of the scream.
On the 5th Pillar, 4 Figures were surprisingly gathered instead of 1.
The 3 newcomers were surrounding the 5th participant who was meditating while observing the fight.
Before he could react, a hand was already plunging into his body.
"STOP!" a furious and mighty bellow broke through the barrier that surrounded the competition, the impact brought about knocked everyone down, everyone but the 3 mysterious figures.
"I know this voice!" Hei Lou Lan looked up, she had sensed the danger and immediately went into full battle mode, only to still be brought to her knees.
"FANG YUAN!" the commanding voice shouted, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SON!"
The voice belonged to none other than Giant Sun Immortal Venerable!
He had been monitoring the competition from afar, but still close enough to act.
But he had been caught off guard as a portal appeared next to Light Emperor out of nowhere and a split second later 2 women had walked out of the portal.
Giant Sun instantly knew something was wrong, "Why did Star Constellation and Ying Guang Xing walk out!?!?"
He instantly rushed in but as he was moving the 3rd figure who stepped out was someone he would never be able to mistake.
"Fang Yuan! What is he scheming now!" Giant Sun instantly chocked at his words as he saw Fang Yuan's eyes glance in his direction.
"He can see me!?" Giant Sun was using a method to hide his presence, it was an incredible method that merged his aura into the Luck surrounding the Central Continent, making him invisible even to Genesis Lotus!
But Fang Yuan saw through it!
With a twisted smile, Fang Yuan plunged his hands into Light Emperor with no hesitation, maintaining eye contact with Giant Sun the whole time.
This enraged Giant Sun.
No.
This was beyond Rage, this was Furry!
To Giant Sun it looked as if Fang Yuan was killing Light Emperor, but in reality, he was merely using a Thief Path move that allowed him to search and retrieve any Gu from any Gu cultivator, as long as he go close enough to put his hand in.
It was a Theif Path Killer Move from Theivining Heaven,
Immortal Killer Move ------- Scouring The Earth!
Giant Sun was certainly angry, but he would never lose his reasoning to emotions, "Strange. Star Constellation isn't stopping Fang Yuan, so they must be on the same side but why would Fang Yuan work with Heavenly Court? Is it the price he paid to escape?"
Giant Sun immediately dismissed such thoughts, "Impossible! Fang Yuan would never do such a thing unless he was going to double-cross them at some point and Star Constellation would never accept because she knows he will double-cross them."
At this point, Genesis Lotus took action as well, but instead of protecting Fang Yuan like Giant Sun expected, roots emerged from the ground and bound Fang Yuan in place, while he was still searching.
"Oh?" Fang Yuan glanced towards Star Constellation, "Don't we have a deal?"
"We do," Star Constellation's smile was full of sincerity, "This is just insurance on our end, that you do not deliberately harm anyone else here, what else could it be? It's not like WE are stopping you from obtaining Light Gu. You're still able to no?"
Her voice and smile did not match her words at all.
"Wellll, it's not like you to steal from the son of Giant Sun Immortal Venerable so I'm sure he's fine with letting you continue," Star Constellation turned to walk away with Earth, "Oh, but if he did try to stop you, well we have no obligation to help as long as we don't interfere that was the terms of deal yes?"
"Sly, fox." Fang Yuan activated his Defenesive Killer Move to break the roots, "You are right, as long as you don't help Giant Sun to stop me from taking Light Gu and you are ONLY acting to protect Heavenly Court, then I guess there's no harm…but what if in my effort to protect myself, I accidentally trash Heavenly Court?"
Fang Yuan's smile was just as radiant and sincere as Star Constellation's, the two Venerables smiling at each other sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Giant Sun calmed down after understanding the situation, his killing aura greatly simmered down.
Giant Sun let out a turbid breath, "So it seems they're bounded by some kind of deal and are not hurting Light Emperor, I'm still mad he's trying to steal Light Gu but this and that are two different prob-"
Before Gaint Sun could finish his thought,
"Friend Giant Sun." Fang Yuan called out.
"I can completely accept your anger directed towards me!"
???
"But I can't just let you kill me!" Fang Yuan said righteous and stoically.
?????????
"Prepare yourself, as I make my last stand against you!"
???
Giant Sun was still confused until he felt it.
"YOU SON OF A -"
Dao Killer Move ------------- Grand Elemental Tribulation!
"FANG YUAN!"
Giant Sun, Star Constellation, Genesis Lotus and Red Lotus all shouted in unison.