Yue Jun returned in high spirits and raised his identification talisman for everyone to see. The character Victory had appeared upon it, meaning he had advanced directly to the next round.
Qiu Ze and the others congratulated him. Yue Jun’s victory was an excellent start, and it gave renewed confidence to ordinary inner-sect disciples like themselves, who had all been eliminated in the first round of their previous tournament.
His opening match had gone splendidly. Before long, it was Long Xuan’s turn.
He had learned a saber art called the Tyrant Wind Saber Art. Though only a middle-grade human-rank technique, the fierce fire-attributed true essence he poured into it caused wind to fan the flames, creating enormous power.
Long Xuan’s opponent was a female cultivator who, like him, had never found a master.
Ordinarily, Long Xuan showed a degree of consideration toward female cultivators. But once he started using his saber art, he recognized neither friend nor family.
The woman had drawn an unfortunate opponent. She employed a fine Flying Willow Sword Art, as light and agile as drifting willow catkins. Against another cultivator, her movements might have given her room to maneuver, but she had no chance to catch her breath now. In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, Long Xuan swept his great saber, and saber-astral force exploded outward, knocking her from the stage!
After Long Xuan came Qiu Ze.
He usually seemed simple and honest, but the technique he cultivated was a palm art called Heaven-Overturning, Earth-Toppling Palms. Every time he used it, countless earthen-yellow palm imprints blanketed the sky, trapping his opponent in an inescapable net!
His opponent wielded a pair of massive hammers and possessed strength enough to carry mountains. Unfortunately, although his strength was enormous, Qiu Ze was no weakling and had a greater degree of flexibility. Under the unending palm imprints, the hammer wielder’s true essence was gradually depleted until he had no choice but to cry, “I surrender!”
Their successive victories lifted everyone’s spirits. Even Luo Yao’s smile became noticeably more genuine.
If they performed well in the tournament, they might catch the attention of Golden Core cultivators watching from the sidelines and be accepted as disciples. Even winning a little appreciation from such people could prove enormously useful.
Everyone eagerly prepared to distinguish themselves further.
Perhaps one of the matches on Luo Yao’s assigned stage had dragged on. Although his position in the order came before Xu Ziqing’s, Xu Ziqing’s turn arrived first.
A tall male cultivator had just appeared upon the thirty-ninth stage after the previous competitor was knocked down.
This was Xu Ziqing’s opponent, Zhang Cheng of Little Sheng Peak.
Whether Xu Ziqing’s luck was good or bad was difficult to say. His first opponent, like himself, was someone who had a master.
Seeing that it was his turn, Xu Ziqing felt a little nervous. This was his first time participating in such a grand occasion. Almost unconsciously, he turned toward Yun Lie. Seeing that white figure as still as a mountain, his state of mind immediately steadied.
He was only afraid of being defeated in his very first match. But if his confidence faltered before he had even fought, then even a narrow victory in technique would still be a defeat in spirit.
At that thought, Xu Ziqing shifted his mind, and his aura became sharp and resolute.
After so many years of painstaking cultivation and tempering, he ought to have faith in himself!
On the fighting stage, Xu Ziqing stood in green cultivator robes, a gentle smile upon his lips, elegant and refined.
Opposite him stood an imposing man eight chi tall, with a bald head, a demon-subduing pestle in his hand, and a fierce look in his eyes. He resembled an angry Buddhist guardian, inspiring awe without a single word.
Xu Ziqing cupped his hands slightly, then turned his wrist and brought his thousand-year Steelwood Sword into his palm.
Zhang Cheng’s eyes were round as bronze bells. With formidable authority, he swung his demon-subduing pestle straight down at Xu Ziqing’s head!
Clang, clang!
A green shadow flashed past. The Steelwood Sword did not meet the pestle head-on, but merely brushed against it. Xu Ziqing moved like an agile snake and abruptly vanished from Zhang Cheng’s sight.
In the next instant, he appeared directly before the man’s face!
A streak of black sword-light stabbed toward Zhang Cheng’s brow. Startled, he staggered three steps backward and lifted the demon-subduing pestle to block it.
Clink!
The sword tip struck the pestle. The Steelwood Sword was exceptionally hard and did not bend. Xu Ziqing’s gentle face flashed before his opponent; then his figure blurred and vanished again.
From the moment Xu Ziqing stepped onto the stage, everyone on the viewing platform had watched with bated breath. Qiu Ze’s group was especially attentive, while Perfected Qiu He wore a smile. The eight female cultivators were overflowing with excitement, unsure how they should cheer for their gentle second senior brother! Seeing him vanish from the stage, they stared wide-eyed.
Yue Jun exclaimed, “What sort of technique is that? How can it possess such extraordinary powers?”
He realized as soon as he spoke that he had overstepped. Whatever marvelous art Xu Ziqing had learned, its secrets could hardly be shared so lightly. The question had been far too presumptuous. Chonghua, who was lying lazily behind them, raised its head and gave several seemingly mocking cries, as though laughing at him.
Yue Jun naturally would not argue with a beast companion. He had seen how affectionate Xu Ziqing was toward Chonghua, and he himself had spoken out of turn, so he fell silent. Yet he could not help glancing at the wordless Perfected One Yun out of curiosity.
Now that Yun Lie’s own personal junior brother was fighting, would the Perfected One continue to ignore the proceedings as he had earlier?
The sight made Yue Jun raise his brows.
Yun Lie had indeed opened his eyes. His expression remained cold, but his gaze now rested upon the fighting stage.
Yue Jun understood. He exchanged looks with Luo Yao and the others, who had noticed the same thing, and they all smiled.
As for Zhang Cheng, he had never encountered such a strange technique. In combat, he usually fought directly and relied on overwhelming force even against opponents with exceptional movement skills.
His strength was immense. He practiced the Demon-Subduing Staff Art and possessed abundant true essence. By striking fiercely from above, he often won decisively.
He had never imagined that this opponent’s movement technique would be so mysterious. After exchanging only a single move, he could no longer even detect Xu Ziqing’s aura. How was he supposed to fight?
But Zhang Cheng was firm of will. Since he could not find his opponent, he spun the demon-subduing pestle and raised it over his head, transforming it into a golden guardian wheel.
He then released his spiritual sense, searching the entire fighting stage!
Yet what his spiritual sense encountered was not the concealed green-robed youth.
It was utter stillness.
All things were silent. There was no sign of anyone, not even the faint sound of breathing.
Zhang Cheng could not even sense himself.
At the same time, however, he discovered that his body had become rigid, as though something had frozen him in place. His limbs felt no cold, yet he could not move them.
Realizing something was wrong, Zhang Cheng violently stirred his spiritual sense. His throat trembled as he roared, “Raaah!”
The sound resembled a lion roaring in the forest, shaking heaven and earth.
In the next instant, Zhang Cheng sprang upward, brandishing his pestle and swinging wildly without caring where his opponent might be.
But then a gentle spring rain seemed to fall, as fine as silk. Countless strands of green sword-light intertwined into a vast net, blocking Zhang Cheng’s entire field of vision.
While he struggled to break through that sword-light, a figure abruptly burst from the net. Caught off guard, Zhang Cheng found a sword tip resting against his throat!
His eyes flew wide, filled with unwillingness to lose.
Yet the green-robed youth stood directly before him. The pitch-black longsword was held unwaveringly. Another fraction of an inch and it would pierce his throat.
“I…” Zhang Cheng desperately wanted to speak. Then he saw a sharp edge beneath the youth’s gentle smile and muttered, “…I’ve lost.”
A cluster of black light settled onto the youth’s identification talisman, forming the character Victory.
The green-robed youth withdrew his sword and smiled softly. “Thank you for the match, Fellow Daoist Zhang.”
Zhang Cheng barely managed to cup his hands before hurrying off the stage without looking back.
Xu Ziqing pushed off lightly with his feet, drifting like a fallen leaf back onto the viewing platform.
He was greeted by admiring looks.
Xu Ziqing himself had not thought much of the match, but to Luo Yao’s group it had been extraordinary.
From their perspective, the moment Xu Ziqing stepped onto the stage he concealed himself, and in less than half the time it took an incense stick to burn, he had already defeated his opponent without appearing to expend much effort.
His techniques were so subtle that they could hardly follow his movements, yet his sword strikes were swift and decisive, completely unlike the impression he gave in ordinary life.
The entire fight had flowed as smoothly as drifting clouds and running water. With only a few effortless-looking moves, he had secured victory, leaving them deeply impressed.
Luo Yao’s group imagined facing Xu Ziqing themselves and wondered what techniques they could use in response. The more they thought about it, the graver their expressions grew.
Even so, they were on friendly terms with him now. Apart from gaining a deeper appreciation of this new friend’s abilities, they merely resolved to cultivate harder themselves. No darker feelings arose.
After receiving everyone’s congratulations, Xu Ziqing approached Yun Lie and sat beside him.
Yun Lie raised his eyes and found the green-robed youth staring at him expectantly. He paused.
Xu Ziqing truly was nervous. He had won the first match rather quickly, but did not know whether he had fought well. Only a word from his senior brother would truly reassure him.
After a moment’s thought, Yun Lie asked, “How did you feel during the fight?”
Xu Ziqing straightened. “Very good.”
Yun Lie was silent, then said, “Explain in detail.”
Xu Ziqing replied, “Fellow Daoist Zhang was at the peak of early Foundation Establishment, but still lacked something before he could advance. My cultivation is one stage higher, so I used only forty percent of my strength. First I trapped him with the Concealment Formula. He broke free with his Beast Roar Art. To seize the chance of victory, I countered strength with skill. Before he fully recovered his senses, I entangled him with the Spring Rain Sword Art and won with a single finishing move.” He thought for a moment and added, “Before I drew my sword, I expected to feel nervous, but once we started fighting, that feeling disappeared. As for my sword technique… I think I was able to use it reasonably well.”
Yun Lie listened and gave a trace of approval. “You understood that battle well. Very good.”
Xu Ziqing’s eyes brightened. “Then you mean that my performance was good enough to meet your standards, Senior Brother?”
Yun Lie nodded slightly, then added, “That was only your first match. There will be many others. Do not let down your guard.”
Xu Ziqing grew solemn. “Yes, Senior Brother Yun. I understand.”
Their question-and-answer exchange was exceedingly serious.
Luo Yao’s group, listening nearby, found it rather amusing.
They had always heard that Perfected One Yun was cold and ruthless. Later, they had learned that he cared deeply for his junior brother. But now his manner with Xu Ziqing seemed different again from the rumors, almost unusually attentive.
If they told anyone else, the listeners would probably laugh at them.
Xu Ziqing had also opened their eyes. The first thing he did after leaving the stage was seek his senior brother’s praise, then willingly accept further instruction, behaving with extraordinary obedience.
Such a pair of senior and junior brothers was something they had never seen or heard of before.
Yue Jun’s expression turned a little peculiar. He could not help saying to Luo Yao, “This new friend of yours seems…”
He wanted to say something more, but hesitated.
Luo Yao looked puzzled. “What’s wrong with Ziqing?”
Yue Jun shook his head, suppressing his thoughts. “…Nothing. Perhaps I misunderstood.”
Luo Yao glanced at him, but did not press the matter. Though the last of the four to compete, it was now finally his turn to go onto the fighting stage.
His opponent was another ordinary inner-sect disciple. Luo Yao’s natural aptitude was not exceptional, but his control of spirit talismans was exquisite. In particular, he had made every talisman he carried with his own hands, so he could wield them with exceptional skill.
Before long, a bolt of lightning struck and violently depleted more than half his opponent’s true essence. Then a fierce gale swept away the remaining clouds, blowing the man completely off the stage!
Of the five who had now fought, not one had lost.
All had advanced to the second round.