The moment they collided, the arena rang with a sharp metallic crack as halberd and spear met head-on, the force of the impact sending a shock through the ground beneath their feet.
Xiaoshan did not step back, his grip tightening as he twisted the halberd downward and forced Ji Wuchen's spear aside before driving forward with raw strength.
Ji Wuchen slid half a step to the side, his body turning with the motion as the spear snapped back into position and thrust toward Xiaoshan's ribs without hesitation.
The tip tore through flesh, drawing a clean line of blood, yet Xiaoshan did not even slow, his expression hardening as if pain had only sharpened his focus.
His halberd came down in a brutal arc aimed straight for Ji Wuchen's shoulder, forcing him to raise the shaft of his spear to block.
The impact landed heavily, bones trembling under the force as Ji Wuchen was driven backward across the arena, his feet carving lines into the ground.
