Chapter 155: A Fair and Aboveboard Showdown!
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
While the two sides were aggressively preparing for the upcoming match, three days flashed by in an instant.
Very early in the day, the morning sunlight had yet to pass through the clouds of the Grand Cloud Array in the Spirit Sword Mountain. The twelve peaks of the Spirit Sword Mountain were still shrouded in the dark before the dawn. However, Misty Peak’s Cloud Platform was already teeming with people.
For Spirit Sword Sect disciples whose training and rest were consistently on schedule, it was rare for them to get up this early. However, in order to witness the fight between the two Sects’ disciples, getting up early had some value—In any case, with their cultivation level, even staying up for several days and nights would not be a problem to them.
The competition schedule of the two Sects had been announced the night before. The competition would be held for ten days, of which, the first seven days were reserved for three rounds of individual matches and another round to decide the final winner. After two days of rest, there would be a round of team match. The rules for the individual match were simple, each sect would send five people as representatives, of which, one would stay out of the match as a substitute, and the other four would fight in the elimination round. However, what made most people anticipated was the match list.
Although the two sects claimed that the list was randomly drawn out, for those Elders with Yuanying and Deity Stage primordial spirit, would there really be a randomness in this world? The match list was very reasonable.
The first round: Yueyun vs. Zhan Ziye, Liu Li vs. Lu Qiancai, Wang Lu vs. Zhao Jiangyuan, and Wen Bao vs. Ye Feifei. Yue Xinyao and Hai Yunfan were the substitutes.
The match list perfectly avoided a match between two strong disciples. However, considering the second round of the match, it was not difficult to find out that Spirit Sword Sect had put Wang Lu and not Liu Li as the ultimate trump card.
"Tsk, Wang Lu is indeed their real trump card. Junior Brother, you’re right. Although his cultivation is not up to par, measuring his real strength through his cultivation level is meaningless. But, even if his Non-Phase Peak is formidable, in front of the annihilation thunder…"
On the Cloud Platform, Zhan Ziye’s train of thought was completely focused on matters regarding Wang Lu, and he didn’t notice the cheers from the Spirit Sword Sect disciples; his opponent had arrived on the stage.
Watching the opponent before him, in his heart, Yue Yun bitterly smiled. He knew that the result of this match was a done deal and he had to accept his part as the cannon fodder. Although among the other inner court disciples, he could still be counted as one of the best, yet the Ten Thousand Arts Sect disciples didn’t even put him in their eyes.
However...this was also natural. After cultivating for nearly eight years, he was still in the high-level Qi Cultivating Stage. Within his Inner Mansion, that majestic palace, a corner has just recently risen; still far from reaching the perfect Jade Mansion form. While the young man before him took only eight years to reach the middle-level Foundation Establishment, which was a level far more than him; whether it was the level of magical power or method...or even various kinds of techniques and learning, Zhan Ziye was far above him.
Yesterday at the Teng Cloud Hall, his Master Liu Xian had made a judgment. If he went against Zhan Ziye, his chance of winning was even less than ten percent. This was the result after the Elders of the Heavenly Sword Hall racked their brains.
Of course, if he really discarded everything for the cost of winning, there were many ways that he could take. Spirit Sword Sect didn’t have as many methods as the Ten Thousand Arts Sect. It had several Immortal level forbidden techniques, but at the cost of innate lifespan, future cultivation, or big heart demon oath...short time explosive strength, and so on. There were quite a few of these techniques. However, if he used that this early in the competition, that would be tantamount to a self-defeat—the opponent had yet to open their cards, but oneself had already shown one’s bright underwear; if that wasn’t a lost, then what was it?
However, even if he knew that his defeat was inevitable, Yue Yun was still in high spirits. His opponent was the lead representative of the Ten Thousand Arts Sect, one of the best talented geniuses in the Immortal Cultivation World, thus, it was normal if he lost the match...Therefore, he just needed to give his all and enjoy the fight.
"Hey, hey, Junior Brother Yue Yun, what kind of attitude is that?"
Just as Yue Yun decided he wanted to enjoy the fight, a familiar voice came from below the Cloud Platform.
"Senior Brother Wang Lu?"
"Tch, why are you giving that calmness-of-a-martyr look? You’re throwing in the towel before the fight even began. Moreover, it seems like you’re so happy about it. Junior Brother, are you even going to try?"
Under the barrage of series of questions from Wang Lu, Yue Yun could only reveal a wry smile. "But he is indeed more powerful than me."
Wang Lu sneered. "If I were like you, giving up just because the opponent is more powerful, I would’ve suffered more than a hundred defeat in a row. If your strength is inferior, then use your brain to make up for it! Forget it, I know you’re not good at this, so I’ve arranged this brocade sack for you. Use it when the opportunity arises. It may not be able to help you win the match, but it still has a little bit of use."
Then he threw a mustard seed bag at Yue Yun. When Yue Yun was about to open it, Wang Lu interrupted him by saying, "Use it at the crucial moment, don’t just rashly open it."
"Oh."
After accepting that mustard seed bag, Yue Yun’s heart slightly eased a bit. And just at this time, Zhan Ziye finally focused his attention on his opponent.
Yue Yun, level two Qi Cultivating Stage, soil base spirit root… in a comprehensive evaluation, he was not Zhan Ziye’s opponent. However, even though his opponent was weaker, Zhan Ziye would still go all out; there was no need for him to give his opponent a chance. According to the pre-fight calculation, his chance of winning was more than ninety percent. Out of prudence, the opposite party could choose the strongest defensive mean to delay time. However, based on the other side’s magical power, spirit root, and other conditions, the other side could only withstand his full frontal attack in less than five minutes, and because the other side couldn’t repeatedly support continuous burst of magical power as a fuel for this defense; he could easily tear this defense by variating the attack... However, none of this had much to do with himself.
When there were too many means at his disposal, the so-called weakness was irrelevant. The Ten Thousand Arts Sect people were always good at pushing heavy objects using just a little power, but when needed, they could use one hundred percent of their strength!
Thinking of this, the five thunder force within the thunder reservoir in his Jade Mansion began to roar. On the outside, people saw Zhan Ziye’s body began to emit dazzling electric arcs and his body started to float. Flashes of lightning began to snake around his hands, which contained a burst of force that could make people’s heart palpitate.
On the platform, each Sect sent one of their Elders as referees. From the Ten Thousand Arts Sect, naturally, Yuan Chaonian was their choice, while Spirit Sword Sect has chosen Liu Xian.
Seeing these lightning arcs from Zhan Ziye, Liu Xian frowned. "Is this the lightning body? I’m afraid he could even reach the eighth layer of heat. I never thought your noble sect’s disciple could reach this state of lightning body while still in the middle-level Foundation Establishment."
Yuan Chaonian smilingly nodded. However, inwardly he was secretly surprised. Although Zhan Ziye was indeed able to reach the eight layer of lightning body, right now he only showed the sixth layer of heat! Moreover, in recent years, their sect has improved this method so that its performance was quite different than its previous version. However, unexpectedly, although this Spirit Sword Sect Elder’s cultivation wasn’t as too high, his eyesight was quite terrifying!
"Your noble sect’s Yue Yun is also good. His basic skill is very solid, I can see that he really worked hard in the body refining period."
Liu Xian said, "Hehe, in the face of Zhan Ziye’s lightning body, my sect’s body refining period is like a child’s play...Well, let’s not delay the fight anymore, let them start the match."
"Then please give your order, Brother Liu."
The next moment, along with the signal from the referee, dazzling rays of light suddenly bloomed on the Cloud Platform as if a fierce lightning suddenly appeared from the platform, which amazed the Spirit Sword Sect disciples that surrounded the platform.
The deafening, shaking-people's-mind sound of thunder quickly followed. The wave of cloud tumbled upon the cloud platform, trying to diffuse the turbulence force. Soon, the sound of raging thunder and the dazzling lightning gradually subsided. On the platform, the outcome of the match had almost been decided.
The two people still stood on the platform without any change in their positions. However, the lightning on Zhan Ziye’s right hand was already extinguished, and on the other side, blood began to flow from the corner of Yue Yun’s mouth as he lightly coughed a few times.
Just now, they only had one exchange. However, Zhan Ziye’s lightning actually pierced through Yue Yun’s most proud of clay shield easily. Although his shield had also canceled the power of that lightning palm and didn’t cause any real harm to him, Yue Yun’s protective shield was connected to his Inner Mansion. When it shattered, his inner mansion shook and caused him internal injuries.
While trying to circulate his magical power to repair his inner mansion, Yue Yun inwardly sighed: it was just one move... Moreover, if it were not for his cautiousness, which made him push the shield power to the extreme, just now he wouldn’t have lasted one exchange.
When faced with another disciple from the Five Unique, which had the same if not more privileges as him, Yue Yun finally realized intuitively how strong a real Foundation Establishment cultivator was. That overwhelmingly powerful strength… was simply too much for him.
Although at present there were still all kinds of moves available at Yue Yun’s hands, seeing that the other side had relit the right hand’s lighting, he knew that struggling would be meaningless… Since he had no other choice, it seemed like he had to rely on the bag of tricks given by his Senior Brother.
After thinking about it, Yue Yun opened the mustard seed bag, from which there was only a silk handkerchief.
After he took out that silk handkerchief, Yue Yun was stunned. Yet, he saw opposite of him, Zhan Ziye looked even more surprised. With this divided primordial spirit, he almost couldn’t maintain his lightning body!
"Could it be that this familiar smell belongs to…"
Yue Yun was in disbelief. However, he saw there was also a note in that mustard seed bag, which read: To use this...
"Em, this is, Senior Sister Liu Li’s personal handkerchief that she used to wipe her sweat off. If you want this, just admit defeat."
After reading, Yue Yun’s hand trembled, and he nearly threw that handkerchief to the ground.
At the same time, silence descended upon the cloud platform. A moment later, a lively maiden voice echoed, "Ah, that is really my silk handkerchief that I lost two days ago!" Then, an unknown force blocked her mouth and she could no longer speak.
After a long time, Zhan Ziye finally managed to open his mouth, "What did you say?"
Yue Yun spent a great deal of his resolve to convince himself to read again. "If you want this handkerchief, just give up."
"Are you kidding me?"
Yue Yun’s countenance revealed a mixed emotion. "Em...I wish this is just a joke, but…"
At this time, from among the crowd, someone said, "Brother Zhan, think about it. On this competition, even if you overcome all the obstacles and become the final winner, so what? You’re already your sect’s lead representative, no more extra benefits would be given. However, you only have one chance to have this handkerchief."
Zhan Ziye swept his gaze. "Who is it?"
That sound offstage was illusory, which was obviously purposely concealed by a special mean. Moreover, this was also the Spirit Sword Sect’s home ground, thus, Zhan Ziye couldn’t ascertain that person’s identity.
"What does this kind of exchange activity give you besides vanity? Is there any use for the honored Ten Thousand Arts Sect to be the winner in this? No matter what, everyone has already seen your power. Even if you lose the match, you will not lose your prestige, but instead, you can show your sincerity!"
Zhan Ziye froze. "This…"
"I believe any woman will not reject a strong, romantic, and sincere man. Therefore, Brother Zhan, you need to carefully consider your option."
Zhan Ziye earnestly stared at the silk handkerchief in Yue Yun’s hand and began to think about this difficult choice.
The one holding the focus of Zhan Ziye’s gaze felt as if he was surrounded by a deathly silent atmosphere. Thinking about the wrath of Liu Xian, Fang He, and the other Elders later on, Yue Yun wanted to cry but had no tears.
‘Senior Brother, you’ve killed me this time!’
However, on the other hand, if Zhan Ziye really decided to give up, then...
And just at this time, another person offstage shouted, "Senior Brother, don’t fall for his trick!"
Zhan Ziye turned around, and with a slightly red face, he said, "Junior Brother Yunfan? What-what are you talking about, how could I fall for such a shitty trick!"
However, as soon as he said that, he immediately focused his gaze on that handkerchief, betraying what he had just said.
Hai Yunfan helplessly shook his head and fished out a prop which was jaw-dropping to his Eldest Brother.
It was another handkerchief. Although it has a different style than that of Yue Yun, the smell was the same.
"Where-where did you get that…!?"
Hai Yunfan sneered, "Just now I managed to request it from its owner. Senior Sister Liu Li is so generous, she readily traded this handkerchief for two pieces of candy... Senior Brother, listen to me, when you win this match, I will give this handkerchief to you."
There was a dead silent on the stage. A moment later, that illusory sound ruefully said, "That fool Liu Li foiled my big plan!"