Li Cai flew into a rage and launched several magical artifacts in succession.
There was a scarlet ruler blazing with heat, whose strikes penetrated deep into bone and could dissolve flesh and blood; a golden rope especially effective at binding opponents, clinging like an incurable affliction once it touched the body; and a silver whip that descended toward the head and could tear skin and flesh open!
Xu Ziqing remained unhurried. He simply let the Qingyun Needle keep the Mother-and-Child Swords occupied while using the immense green hand to slap down the other artifacts with a series of loud blows. He seized them all, erased their imprints, and stored them away.
Patriarch Ultimate Bliss truly treated his direct grandson well, giving him so many spiritual artifacts, all at least middle grade. Unfortunately, Li Cai was too useless to protect them. Encountering Xu Ziqing, who had no intention of sparing his dignity, he lost every one.
To be fair, the ancestor’s intentions were hardly difficult to understand. He was simply shielding his own descendant and wanted Li Cai to regain his pride. He had thought Xu Ziqing no more than a minor cultivator newly advanced to middle Foundation Establishment. Once Li Cai reached the peak of late Foundation Establishment, capturing him should be effortless.
The ancestor had originally intended to settle the dispute before the Hundred-Person Competition. Who could have imagined that Xu Ziqing would keep advancing and enter that competition as well? He had therefore changed his plan and arranged for Li Cai to scrape through too, so they could meet in the first round.
Now Xu Ziqing had genuinely reached late Foundation Establishment, and so had Li Cai. But one had a solid foundation and deep reserves, while the other’s foundation was hollow and his accumulation shallow. However many artifacts the latter possessed, his weaknesses were laid bare before the assembled crowd. Li Cai had thought himself incomparably stronger; in the end he only lost still more face.
After Xu Ziqing had taken several of his magical artifacts, Li Cai showed at least a little intelligence. He knew that he had already sent out his strongest treasures and that bringing out weaker ones would be useless. He stopped wasting his attention and devoted himself entirely to controlling the Mother-and-Child Swords in their struggle against the Qingyun Needle.
Unfortunately for him, Xu Ziqing had no intention of letting him concentrate.
The green-robed youth seized at the air with both hands, sending out several claw-shaped green shadows that descended on Li Cai from every direction.
The blue-green armor Li Cai wore flashed brightly and repelled many of the claws. Li Cai sneered. “If you’re so capable, why don’t you steal the armor my ancestor gave me too?”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “I was just about to grab you!”
As he spoke, another enormous palm descended fiercely from above. It was several times larger than the previous one and nearly covered half the entire battle platform.
Li Cai felt the light vanish overhead. An overwhelming force struck downward, smashing him and his armor flat against the ground!
Xu Ziqing used seventy percent of his true essence in that blow. Although the armor dispersed most of its force, Li Cai still felt a painful tightness in his chest and managed only a hoarse, “You…”
Xu Ziqing pressed his right hand down heavily. The green palm obeyed his will and pinned Li Cai firmly in place.
Poor Li Cai was held so tightly that he could no longer concentrate on controlling his life-bound magical artifacts. Deprived of direction, the Mother-and-Child Swords fell to the floor with a clatter.
Xu Ziqing beckoned with his left hand, recalling the Qingyun Needle. With a flick of his finger, he sent it darting out again, until it rested lightly between Li Cai’s brows.
Then he smiled. “Senior Brother Li, do you admit defeat?”
Li Cai could not move beneath the palm, and the Qingyun Needle was inches from his face. It seemed that if he uttered a single “No,” the needle would pierce his flesh and turn him into a wooden statue.
If he really became such a thing and was kicked off the stage, it would be still more humiliating.
After a long struggle against his resentment, a light flashed in Li Cai’s eyes and he forced the words through clenched teeth. “…I admit defeat.”
Xu Ziqing nodded slightly. “In that case, this match is mine.”
With those words he released the green palm and withdrew the Qingyun Needle, allowing it to float beside him.
Li Cai got up in a fury and summoned his Mother-and-Child Swords. Perhaps to preserve some dignity, he did not demand the return of his other treasures. Instead, he took a long, deep breath and sprang toward the edge of the platform.
Only then did Xu Ziqing prepare to leave.
But in the next instant, Li Cai suddenly turned and struck the breastplate of his armor.
A mass of extraordinarily violent power erupted from it. The chaotic force roared forward, filled with explosive energy!
In a blink, it was almost upon Xu Ziqing!
This was the same Water-and-Fire Taiji force Li Cai had previously used against him, but the power concentrated within this mass was more than ten times greater!
A vicious smile finally appeared on Li Cai’s face. He shrieked, “Xu Ziqing, today is the day you die! You’re the one who’ll lose to me! Hahahaha!”
Yet Xu Ziqing raised his hand almost at the same instant. An invisible force erupted from between his fingers, icy and ruthless, carrying an overwhelming killing intent that advanced without hesitation!
The invisible force collided directly with the Water-and-Fire Taiji, producing a brilliant flash.
Boom! Boom!
After the thunderous impact, chilling sword qi swept in every direction. An icy killing intent seemed to freeze the air over the entire battle platform. Powerful currents surged, and in an instant the ruthlessly indifferent aura drove away every other kind of power.
It was sword intent!
Li Cai’s maniacal laughter stopped abruptly. His face contorted with fear and terror. “No! What is this? How could you have sword intent? Ahhh!”
Helpless in his limitless fear, he could only watch the sword intent approach. A raging killing aura invaded his sea of consciousness in an instant. Then he knew nothing more.
As the gale-like killing aura slowly subsided, one person stood upon the stage and another lay sprawled there. The one standing was naturally Xu Ziqing. The one lying down was Li Cai, whose failed treacherous attack had brought disaster upon himself.
That streak of sword intent had been too pure. No one controlled it; it had simply been released.
It therefore possessed no emotion and showed no restraint.
After shattering the Water-and-Fire Taiji, the remaining sword intent tore apart Li Cai’s will and spiritual sense. His sea of consciousness was now utterly empty.
In other words, all that remained lying on the ground was Li Cai’s physical shell.
Xu Ziqing sighed and shook his head. “Senior Brother Li, why go to such lengths?”
Li Cai might have an ancestor who had empowered him and bestowed many magical artifacts, but Xu Ziqing also had a master and senior brother who cared for him.
Sword intent was enormously powerful and could not be stored except in special materials. Time was short during the tournament, leaving no opportunity to prepare. Thus, as soon as Xu Ziqing qualified for the Hundred-Person Competition, Yun Lie had deposited a streak of his sword intent in Xu Ziqing’s storage ring.
It was meant to guard against opponents whose elders had entrusted them with some of their own power.
Li Cai had admitted defeat, but Xu Ziqing knew his character. How could he fail to remain on guard? And however carefully Li Cai concealed his killing aura, how could it deceive Xu Ziqing, who was acutely sensitive to murderous intent?
Thus, the moment Li Cai began to move, Xu Ziqing had already prepared his counterattack.
The mass of Water-and-Fire Taiji power was formidable, but it was not a divine ability, merely an accumulation of powerful energies. No one knew what portion of its power came from Li Cai’s ancestor or some other elder. Sword intent, however, was intensely condensed and heavy with killing force, bearing the whole of Yun Lie’s comprehension of the sword Dao. The Water-and-Fire Taiji could not match the Ruthless Slaughter Sword Intent.
Xu Ziqing had won this contest between their respective elders as well.
He spared Li Cai no further glance. The man was not dead, and the Stewards of Discipline would naturally handle the aftermath. Xu Ziqing rose into the air and returned to the raised platform.
The others greeted him with smiles and congratulations on his victory.
Xu Ziqing felt somewhat apologetic. “I’m afraid Li Cai’s affair will bring trouble to all of you.”
The young cultivators exchanged glances and shook their heads. “Don’t worry. None of this was your fault.”
Perfected Qiu He said, “Ziqing, what sort of thing is that to say? Do you think your master is so small-minded?” Then he looked toward his eldest disciple with a warm smile. “Yun’er, you did well to give Ziqing a streak of sword intent.”
Xu Ziqing smiled too. “I truly owe Senior Brother for that. Otherwise, I might have been seriously injured.”
Yun Lie said little. With a point of his finger, he deposited another streak of sword intent in Xu Ziqing’s storage ring before speaking. “Do not use it lightly unless your life is in danger.”
Xu Ziqing smiled and agreed.
For a time, everyone got along harmoniously, concealing the slight concern they still felt over the Nascent Soul ancestor.
Li Cai had Patriarch Ultimate Bliss behind him, but they had all entered the path of longevity and would not easily succumb to fear. Li Cai was plainly the one at fault today. Patriarch Ultimate Bliss had no legitimate grounds to attack openly. Still, they would need to act more cautiously elsewhere and avoid giving anyone an excuse or opening to exploit.
With this victory, Xu Ziqing advanced in ranking and entered the top fifty.
Perfected Qiu He felt proud of him. “During the previous sect tournament, Yun’er was cultivating in seclusion in the Sword Cavern and did not participate, missing the opportunity. Now Ziqing has distinguished himself from hundreds of thousands of disciples. It truly gives your master great satisfaction.”
In those earlier days, Yun Lie had devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation. Few at the same level could match his power, yet he lived in seclusion and never displayed his brilliance in the tournament. Even now, Perfected Qiu He regarded it as a pity and could not help sighing when he recalled it.
Seeing this, Xu Ziqing sought to comfort him. “With Senior Brother’s strength, he has no need to gain fame through such a tournament. Who among the younger talents has not heard of Yun Lie, the Slaughter Sword ranked fifth on the Heavenly Dragon Ranking? Master, please don’t dwell on it.”
Qiu Ze, newly accepted into the school, also joined in at his friends’ prompting. “Second Senior Brother is right. Think about it, Master. Most young cultivators can participate in the sect tournament only once in a hundred years. On their first appearance, they are usually at Foundation Establishment or Essence Transformation. Eldest Senior Brother is still under a hundred, yet he has two opportunities. Though he missed the first, he is already a Golden Core Perfected One for the second. That’s far beyond what others can manage!”
Comforted by both personal disciples, Perfected Qiu He’s regret soon faded. He became still more satisfied with and fond of them.
Xu Ziqing smiled again and shook his sleeve, letting five or six magical artifacts tumble out. All gleamed brilliantly with powerful spiritual energy.