The old man screamed as he sent out waves of his 'will' outwards, creating himself a few seconds of respite. Then, he took a new stance and began to continuously slash at the incoming corruptive energies. He had been taken by surprise but after a few moments, he understood everything. Since he was facing someone in a state of constant adaptation, he could only replicate in kind. That being said, no matter how much he slashed, he couldn't seem to see the end of it while Jin had yet to inflict the slightest damage upon him.

It was a stalemate.

On the physical plan, it was. But something else was happening that the old man wasn't aware of. The corrupted eyes were open all over the place and watching him while Jin's secret technique was active. He could see everything and little by little, he began to understand something... He felt like he was close to figuring out a truth.

Little by little, the different forms of weapons disappeared so that only spear were there. He simply sent them forward with the single goal to pierce, again and again. The spear was slashed? Whatever, let's throw one more.

If one wasn't enough, then two. If two wasn't enough, then three. If three was still not enough...

He stopped counting as he continuously launched the spears forward. The old man was slashing them down easily at first while even managing to step forward but as the seconds ticked by, he began unable to move forward and was even forced to step back. Meanwhile, Jin continued to advance, as if in a state of trance, launching spears after spears. His palm grew to accommodate more fingers and the fingers grew as well to become spears. Those fingers were extended forward at maximum speed to emulate the throw of a spear and retracted after being slashed only to be extended again afterwards. Whatever 'mass' was cut off was being reabsorbed as only a small quantity that had been in contact with the old man's will was truly erased. It was the advance of quantity over quality and it was working.

But if it had only been quantity, the old man would have turned the tables long ago and not been forced to take backsteps. The fact was that Jin's 'will' was being sent through those spears and its power grew with every seconds. The old man had no idea how this situation came to be. A moment before, this kid had been laying on the ground half-dead...

His teeth remained clenches as he groaned and screamed while slashing his sword. How many times did he slash? He didn't know. He felt the tiredness but didn't give in. He entered a state of trance as well as he began to see the many paths of the spears and how to slash them...

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Back in the grand hall, the Teal Sword Emperor had gotten up from his throne in surprise. Everyone turned their gaze to him then to the screen displaying the fight of his champion. Their jaws opened wide. Compared to the other battles, it was... They couldn't be compared. The other battles were child's play in front of this one. All the contestants and their guests that had no related champions to watch over switched to watch this battle.

The Teal Sword Emperor didn't bother with trivialities and spoke to the Saint Patron: "If you deem him to have lost, please, save him, for I will pay the price"

The Saint Patron smiled widely as he nodded. At the same time, the Teal Sword Emperor called for one of his guests to come over. It was a swordsman of the 48th stage. He told him: "You'll pay and take him as your direct disciple"

The swordsman was told to sacrifice a hundred years of his life yet didn't show any signs of discontent. He bowed to his master and silently agreed to it.

The Teal Sword Emperor gazed at his champion with interest. His sect specialized in the sword but not everyone managed to achieve as much as this champion. Now that he showed promise and potential to reach the manifestation of law...He couldn't let him die. He could turn him into a pillar of the sect! If he could win, then so be it, that would be his fate to die. However, if he ended up losing, he would save him. It didn't cost him anything anyways. And it would bring him a new powerful chess piece for his sect.

Of course, nether of the two champions battling had any ideas about what was going on in the grand hall and the commotion they created. They were giving it their all while no longer even seeing their opponent. Both of them were in a state of enlightenment and saw nothing but their weapons.

Then, this thin thread was cut. As both were brought back to reality due to one of them reaching the enlightenment first.

A hazy figure of a middle-aged man holding a spear appeared behind Jin. It wasn't quite manifested yet, no more than a mirage, seemingly here yet not. But it had been enough. A strong current of power of 'will' entered him and was directly channeled through his attacks. It destroyed everything in its path and was too much for the old man to handle. He was pushed away while pierced in many places. Forcefully brought back to reality from his state of enlightenment also caused him internal injuries.

He was now the one laying half-dead on the ground.

But Jin had no interest in letting this go on further or use him as a sparring partner. He rushed in for the kill. As the distance closed, the old man roared while unable to move. He felt the heavens unfair. He had been so close to realizing his dream! If only he was given just a bit more time! He might be able to open that door and reach the next stage!

Both Jin and the old man expected the end as the final blow reached him. But it stopped mere millimeters away from taking his life. Both of them couldn't move anything but their pupils. And they both saw him.

The Saint Patron Bôrakos intervened.