"Challenger, do you still wish to continue?"
As Li Xuan slowly opened his eyes, the hoarse voice echoed once more.
Outside the Purgatory Hall, the crowd turned their gazes towards Li Xuan on the screen.
Expectation flickered in everyone's eyes, evidently awaiting Li Xuan's decision. However, a trace of worry was present in the eyes of some Xuan Sect disciples.
After all, Li Xuan had suffered a severe injury in the very first encounter of the twenty-seventh level. The subsequent challenges were bound to be even more arduous.
"Senior Brother Li Xuan, there's no need to continue, right? Having passed twenty-seven levels, he has already surpassed Senior Brother Yue Mingchi."
"To have reached this point, I also believe there's no need to push further. But we are not Senior Brother Li Xuan; who can truly know his choice."
"Although Senior Brother Li Xuan was knocked to the ground by the guardian of the twenty-seventh level, that was due to momentary carelessness. Since Senior Brother Li Xuan managed to kill the guardian of the twenty-seventh level, he should still be able to continue challenging."
"..."
Li Xuan, of course, could not hear the discussions. After a moment of contemplation, Li Xuan nodded again and said, "Continue."
*Bang!*
The instant Li Xuan spoke, a resounding *bang* followed. Immediately after, Li Xuan's body was thrown heavily. In the spot where he had been standing, a phantom slowly materialized. Its extended right hand indicated it was the one who had attacked Li Xuan.
"Isn't this too shameless? As soon as Senior Brother Li Xuan agreed, the guardian attacked!"
"Exactly! They didn't give Senior Brother Li Xuan any time to prepare!"
"These levels in the Purgatory Hall are too difficult. Attacking like this, who could possibly react in time?"
"..."
Witnessing Li Xuan being sent flying with a palm strike, the crowd immediately cried out in indignation. After all, if it were them, they likely wouldn't have expected the guardian to appear in such a manner.
"This Purgatory challenge tests more than just strength; without wisdom, it's all for naught. This time, let it be a lesson for Li Xuan."
As Li Xuan was once again struck down by the guardian's phantom, Gong Zimo's face, which had just shown a flicker of worry, soon settled into a shake of his head as he spoke.
Xuan Yi Xian and the others nodded in agreement. While the guardian's phantom's surprise attack had an element of unfairness, it was not an unprecedented tactic. If one did not maintain vigilance at all times during a battle, defeat would be inevitable.
"Cough cough..." Li Xuan spat out a mouthful of blood, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. It was clear that Li Xuan now realized his own carelessness.
However, a surge of unnamable anger rose within him towards the guardian of this level. If not for his physical defense being reasonably robust, that single blow would have been enough to seriously injure him.
The guardian's phantom, seemingly indifferent to Li Xuan's glare, vanished the moment Li Xuan rose to his feet.
With the guardian's disappearance, Li Xuan felt a powerful sense of crisis. Without hesitation, he retreated rapidly, simultaneously erecting a spiritual energy barrier around himself.
Just as Li Xuan had moved more than ten meters from his previous position, the guardian's phantom reappeared behind Li Xuan. Had Li Xuan not retreated decisively, he would have been struck again.
"Playing dirty like this, huh?" Li Xuan furrowed his brow, observing the guardian phantom's calm and indifferent face.
The guardian of this level was elusive, and he could not sense its movements at all. If not for the sense of crisis in his heart, he would have already been defeated.
Seeing that he could not sense the guardian's aura, Li Xuan unleashed his divine sense to its full extent.
His divine sense, at the peak of the 'You Shen' stage, spread out like a spiderweb from Li Xuan in all directions.
The next moment, Li Xuan's gaze shifted towards the guardian. The body of his divine sword began to glow.
A powerful sword intent emanated from the blade.
In an instant, the divine sword slashed directly towards the guardian.
Just as the divine sword was about to reach the guardian, the guardian once again vanished enigmatically. However, Li Xuan, whose eyes were now slightly closed, pointed his finger to the left. The divine sword also disappeared from its original spot and instantly reappeared in front of Li Xuan to his left.
"Instant Kill Sword!"
Li Xuan's figure also vanished. However, the clear sound of a sword's hum echoed.
The terrifying power instantly caused space to collapse. The guardian, who had now materialized, had the divine sword embedded halfway into its chest.
Li Xuan, gripping the hilt, smiled slightly. Then, with a thought, sword energy erupted and raged.
In the next moment, the guardian's body dimmed, then exploded.
Countless streams of spiritual light flowed into Li Xuan's body, and he instantly felt his internal injuries largely healed. Feeling this, Li Xuan grinned.
"He passed?" Witnessing this, Zhou Wenlun and the others were stunned.
Yue Mingchi observed intently for a moment, then said with a hint of admiration, "Senior Brother Li Xuan's previous level also involved a similar surprise assassination tactic, which is why this level has simulated it. Assassination against assassination relies on perception and explosive power."
"Furthermore, Senior Brother Li Xuan's divine soul is extremely powerful. His initial injury was undoubtedly due to him not expecting this level's guardian to simulate an assassination. I must say, after regaining his footing, Senior Brother Li Xuan's reaction was the most effective."
"During the Divine Soul Tower, Senior Brother Li Xuan already displayed a powerful divine soul, so his performance today is within reason. However, this is the twenty-eighth level, and he passed it just like that." Chu Kuangtian said with a wry smile, shaking his head.
"If the guardian's aura cannot be locked onto, no matter how strong one's power, any attack launched would be futile. It's likely that without the guardian even needing to act, Senior Brother Li Xuan would have been exhausted to death. Explosive power and divine sense, neither can be lacking," Fuyao Jin remarked.
"Indeed. If it were us, we likely wouldn't be able to do what Senior Brother Li Xuan did. I must say, Senior Brother Li Xuan is already the first person from our Xuan Sect, from ancient times to the present, to have reached this far. This time, I have gained a new understanding of Senior Brother Li Xuan." Yue Mingchi nodded, then smiled slightly.
Upon hearing this, Fuyao Jin also looked at Li Xuan on the screen with curiosity. "We haven't properly understood Senior Brother Li Xuan before. Now is the perfect opportunity to see just how many tricks our Senior Brother Li Xuan has up his sleeve!"
"Challenger, do you..."
Just as Li Xuan finished absorbing the law power from the guardian's phantom, the hoarse voice echoed once more.
However, before it could finish speaking, Li Xuan looked directly up at the sky. "Continue."