History's Number 1 Founder

by Stayrr

He time-traveled and got a system but Lin Feng’s pressure is as big as a mountain. System main quest: Ling Feng creates a school, establishing history’s number 1 sect, Ling Feng himself becoming the number 1 founder. And so to become history’s number 1 founder Lin Feng started to work hard. “Your name is Shi Tianhao? Natural born supreme king but it was stolen by your cousin. No

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Chapter 290: The Semi-Finals Draw

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

"Ancient Confucian sect?" Zhu Yi's eyes turned to Lin Feng.

Lin Feng nodded, "In ancient times there was a boy named Confucius. From the age of three he started studying, and all he did everyday was read, write and think. He did not partake in any martial arts nor magical training, and his mind was solely focused on the pursuit of knowledge."

"The old sage lived over a hundred years old, which was already considered a living legend. On a rainy day when he was a hundred and three years old, he had an epiphany and concentrated everything he knew and felt into a cauldron. The cauldron exploded and shot through twelve levels of the building. Thereafter, he immediately erected an altar and an elixir stand."

Lin Feng's expression delivered a sense of awe, for he was in disbelief when he first heard of this story.

In the late morning after he set up the elixir stand, the Aurous Core began to form. By noon it had grown slightly, and by the evening it was complete and round.

Through the night, the storm continued to brew and rage. The sage drew the power of the lightning and thunder and directed it to the Aurous Core, forming a complete nascent soul overnight.

After that the sage continued studying and practicing, combining his knowledge and newfound power, ultimately becoming an immortal soul.

His teachings lived on under the Confucius sect, becoming a well-known legend in the Divine Lands.

But from what Lin Feng knew, this sect had been long defunct.

And it was clear, it was no easy feat to achieve magical powers solely from the study of academia. It would take a true scholar immense patience and knowledge to be able to cultivate and magic just from studying.

Even normal martial artists had difficulty reaching the nascent soul stage, lest the scholars and normal folks.

It would only be a one-in-a-million true scholar who could achieve such a feat.

In other words, this was a pursuit of knowledge and understanding, and all the studying beforehand was to establish a solid foundation upon which magic was built. But it was so of the highest level, for many have tried, but remained ordinary scholars.

Lin Feng looked at Jiao Junchen and added, "Looking from both the perspectives of academia and martial arts, this guy is a genius".

Jiao Junchen was only thirty years of age, and he had already reached the final aurous core stage. Such feat was beyond rare.

Presently, the only person who was faster than Jiao Junchen was the man with polycoria, Shi Tianyi, the man who once disrespected Xiao Budian.

After hearing Jiao Junchen's introduction, Zhu Yi understood the roots of the ancient Confucius sect. He looked and Jiao Junchen with mischievous eyes and blatantly commented, "Brother Jiao, not only do you see yourself as the benchmark for all scholars, but set Confucian teaching as a metric of academia, is that right?"

"Those who do not follow traditional teaching are people who know nothing?"

Zhu Yi flexed his fingers and continued, "You are the great scholar of the Great Qin Empire, I am but a nobody. If I were to request to exchange knowledge and you were to oblige, I'm afraid you would be reluctant"

"This reluctance would affect your performance and there are but two results. First, your writing will make absolutely no sense, or two, it would be overly filled with emotion that it weighs the reader down."

Jiao Junchen's eyes widened, "To be able to spout something like this, it seems that you are capable of some knowledge".

Zhu Yi laughed, "If I stimulate your thoughts, I should be happy. But I'm afraid that you are but an empty shell"

"No worry, I'll be heading to the capital later in the year to take the Qin Emperor's exams. After that we can have an exchange session to see who the learned truly is."

"Oh? That'll be great" replied Jiao Junchen.

Zhu Yi continued, "There's always time to compare knowledge. But since we're here, we might as well have a martial arts sparring"

"Even if the draws forbid, we can still have a private match" Zhu Yi added, "We are both learned people, there's a saying that there's always something to learn from another person"

"In his late years, the old sage once stopped to get advice from a kid. The more we know, the more we don't know. The scholar's ego is more sickening than a loner"

Jiao Junchen stared at Zhu Yi for a while. He smiled and replied, "All of a sudden I hope that the draws allow us to meet".

Zhu Yi smiled but did not answer.

After Jiao Junchen and Shi Xingyun took their leave, Lin Feng turned to Zhu Yi and said, "After this war of words your heart is much clearer. You're standing on the cusp, only an invisible membrane stands between you and the middle aurous core stage."

Zhu Yi nodded, "Thanks master for pointing out, I've indeed hit a glass ceiling"

He looked at Jiao Junchen's distant profile and continued, "defeating this man would take me to the next level".

Jiao Junchen's arrival was a minor disruption. The crowd had thought that he was here for a showdown with Zhu Yi, hence his departure left many disappointed.

Once again, the crowd's attention turned to the semi final draw of the foundation establishment stage.

Wang Lin, Yue Hongyan, Shi Shaogan and Dao Yuting had all reached such a stage of mastery at a tender age, proving to be the best among their peers. The earlier stages of fighting had revealed all their prowess, and the crowd was eager to see the match-up.

This was especially since Yue Hongyan and Wang Lin were from the same sect, making the Celestial Sect of Wonders a powerhouse once again.

For the majority of the crowd, many of them were silently hoping that Yue Hongyan would face Wang Lin, to let the weirdos face off.

Lin Feng looked at Vivant Joy Holy Man's bottle, if the draw was such that his disciples faced each other, he would really curse and swear.

Xiao Budian and the rest were anxious too, all of them hoping for their comrades to enter the finals and boost the reputation of their sect.

Apart from the members of the Celestial Sect of Wonders, there was one other person in the arena who was hoping that Yue Hongyan and Wang Lin would avoid each other.

Jiao Junchen looked at Shi Xingyun, "Since when were you on such good terms with the Celestial Sect of Wonders?"

"I've long heard of them, but only got to meet them recently"

Jiao Junchen looked slightly puzzled, "Isn't it better for your cousin Shi Shaogan if Yue and Wang were to meet?"

"Although I did not see for myself, but I heard that each one of them has a unique fighting style, and every one of them is formidable."

"If there's one person I hope he meets, it'll be Wang Lin" added Shi Xingyun.

"Why? Is he the weakest?" asked Jiao Junchen.

"No, because he's a man."

"So what?"

Shi Xingyun stuttered for a moment, seemingly embarrassed, "My cousin he...he...if he were to meet a lady, a young lady..."

Jiao Junchen came to a sudden realisation, "So his usual cool appearance is just a facade! Ha! Who'd expect him to be such a man?"

Jiao Junchen was keen and picked up that Shi Xingyun appeared more awkward than before. This bemused him even further.

"What cool appearance...he was taught by someone, it's all an act" Shi Xingyun continued, "Anyway, may all heavens bless him to get Wang Lin. Even if he really loses, that's fine as well".

Finally, the results of the draw were out.

Wang Lin was to meet Dao Yuting. Yue Hongyan was up against Shi Shaogan!

Shi Xingyun sighed, "it's over."

Over at Lin Feng's camp, Xiao Budian motioned to Yue Hongyan, "fourth senior, that brat is looking at you".

Yue Hongyan looked over her shoulder and caught Shi Shaogan staring straight at her with an unusual expression.

"Who cares, a fight is a fight" Yue Hongyan replied nonchalantly and turned her gaze away.

Lin Feng smiled and projected his power to send a message to Yue Hongyan.

A moment later, a startled Yue Hongyan turned to face Lin Feng, who gently nodded. Yue Hongyan's expressions turned solemn and she replied, "Yes master, I'll heed your word".

Over at the other side of the arena, the Heaven Lake Sect looked at the Celestial Sect of Wonders with contempt, especially Fang Zhong who venomously glared at Yang Qing.

Yang Qing felt the uncomfortable gaze and was about to turn away when Wang Lin interjected, "What're you afraid of? You beat him earlier on"

Yang Qing let out an awkward laugh. Wang Lin looked at him apathetically and added, "His hatred towards you just goes to show that you did not pound him hard enough. This kind of guys are worse than dogs, they only cower when they meet someone fiercer than themselves".

Amidst the Heaven Lake Sect, perhaps the most usual-looking person was Dao Yuting. Her long hair billowing in the wind, revealing an icy cold face and snow white lips.

Even as she turned to look at Wang Lin, she maintained her ice-queen self.

The first match of the semi finals was Yue Hongyan's. She took a bow towards Lin Feng and headed into the ring.

Shi Shaogan followed closely behind, the two of them only ten metres apart.

Shi Xingyun nervously glanced at the entrance of the ring, "please don't...please..." he uttered to himself.

Lin Feng noticed his unease and was slightly intrigued. He then realised than Shi Zongyue was also anxiously looking upon Shi Shaogan.

Just before Yue Hongyan made her first move, Shi Shaogan suddenly shouted, "Wait!"

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Chapter 291: He Was Acting Silly!

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Yue Hongyan was already in position, but Shi Shaogan shouted suddenly, "Hold a minute". This made her crease her brows and she stopped moving.

This was only a sparring contest. If their lives were at stake, Yue Hongyan would not have bothered about what he said. She would take the opportunity to take him down as he spouted nonsense.

Furthermore, as Shi Shaogan blurted out the words, Shi Xingyun closed her eyes and her face revealed a desperate expression.

Shi Zongyue, the Commander-in-chief and Immortal Soul Stage Elder from the Great Qin Empire that took part in this conference, also revealed an awkward and furious look on his face.

"What they are doing?" Lin Feng creased his brows, "Shi Zongyue and Shi Xingyun looks as if they are going for a funeral. I think he does not have any killer moves up his sleeves."

Yue Hongyan creased her brows at the same time, "What?"

Shi Shaogan coughed and looked at Yue Hongyan, saying seriously, "Miss Hongyan, I am proposing to you officially. I hope that you will marry me as my wife."

His tone was very serious and did not seem like he had any intention of harassing and fooling with her.

At that moment, the entire place was silent.

After a long while, Lin Feng moved his stiff neck and looked at the sky, "Why do I feel that a crow had just flown over?"

When he looked back, he saw that everyone was stunned. The Immortal Soul Stage Elder was shocked beyond words while the Nascent Soul Stage Elder was stunned. The entire Aurous Core Stage cultivators were fossilized, while the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators were stoned like clay statues.

The entire lakeside of the Sea of the Northern Wind was dead silent even though hundreds of people were gathered over there. Only the cold wind could be heard.

Even the Great Qin Empire camp was in a state of shock and looking at Shi Shaogan in the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Only Shi Zongyue and Shi Xingyun were still bursting with energy and they both let out a silent sigh.

The air continued to echo Shi Shaogan's voice, "After we exit the Hidden Dragon Gorge, I will propose marriage to the leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders. But I think it is more appropriate for you to know my feelings first. At the same time, I hope that you will agree to my proposal."

After a few moments, everyone started to react. There were a lot of stares at the Great Qin Empire camp. Although there was no laughter, the stares made the people from the Great Qin Empire extremely embarrassed.

Jiao Junchen was also stunned in place for a few moments before he laughed, "This person has character. He is a very straightforward person."

Shi Xingyun accepted fate and looked desolate. She lost her aura and steadiness of a Great Qin Empire princess.

"You do not know, that is why you phrase it that way." Shi Xingyun looked at Jiao Junchen and said, "If the lady standing in front of him was Dao Yuting, he will have done the same thing."

Jiao Junchen was speechless at this point.

Lin Feng did not know whether to laugh or cry as he looked at Shi Shaogan confessing. He felt as if a hundred thousand grassland horses filled with mud was sprinting towards him.

"At first, I thought that you were a stuck-up, violent and shallow person. Who knew that you had a funny side to you, beneath that cool demeanor!"

Lin Feng felt a sense of powerlessness, "You are such a silly man, regardless of whether you are joking or serious, what are you trying to do here? Do you not look at the situation before acting?"

You have spoilt the atmosphere of this spiritual conference!

Shi Zongyue coughed and looked towards Lin Feng, saying, "My grandson…. he is a little innocent and does not go by the rules. If he has offended you in any way, I hope that Master Lin will forgive him."

Lin Feng replied, "It is fine, it is fine."

Shi Zongyue's gaze also flashed a hint of helplessness and fury. He swore that if Shi Shaogan was not his biological grandson and that if he was not that talented, he would personally kill him.

In the abovementioned conditions, even if he did not fulfill either one, Shi Zongyue would still kill him.

"My grandson is a little reckless, but his heart is sincere." Shi Zongyue straightened his expression and said seriously, "I shall officially propose marriage for Shaogan to wed your disciple, Master Lin. Please consider carefully."

Lin Feng looked at Shi Zongyue but was speechless. Did he not hear what Shi Xingyun mentioned just now?

If Dao Yuting was standing in front of him, would his grandson have act out such a silly side to him?

Lin Feng had reason to believe that Shi Shaogan would find an opportunity to act silly in front of Dao Yuting after confessing to Yue Hongyan.

At this point, Lin Feng could tell that Shi Shaogan was not a Casanova who tried to lay his hands on beauties that he coveted. It was just that he lacked the knowledge to deal with gender relationships.

Every man liked beauties, but as for Shi Shaogan…he was a little funny in that aspect.

But as Lin Feng looked at Shi Zongyue, he realized that Shi Zongyue was very serious, which showed that he was really asking Lin Feng to consider such a proposal and that he really wanted Shi Shaogan to wed Yue Hongyan.

Lin Feng's pupils shrunk slightly. Shi Zongyue's intention was clear, that was, he wanted them to be related by marriage.

A marriage between the Great Qin Empire and the Celestial Sect of Wonders.

It was not just applicable to countries or families. They could also be related by marriage in the world of cultivators.

A related marriage between sects, between aristocrats and between sects and aristocrats also existed.

To the Great Qin Empire, a related marriage was common.

Although Shi Shaogan's actions were silly, but if he managed to wed Yue Hongyan, whatever that ensued could be considered a success.

Of course, that was secondary. To Shi Zongyue, building a close relationship with the Celestial Sect of Wonders was beneficial to the Great Qin Empire and himself.

Especially now when the pressure was mounting as the Great Zhou Empire was becoming more and more prosperous.

The logic behind this was simple. Lin Feng could understand it straight away, but it did not mean that he agreed.

"I will leave it up to Hongyan. If she fancies your grandson, I will be glad to give my blessings. But if she has no fate with your grandson, I will not force it upon her either."

Lin Feng's tone of voice was calm and pleasant, but his words clearly revealed what he felt.

Shi Zongyue creased his brows. He wanted to say something but the situation in the Hidden Dragon Gorge changed drastically suddenly.

Yue Hongyan went cold as she faced Shi Shaogan and her thin brows gradually creased.

She suddenly roared loudly and the mana in her body surged. The all-conquering Black Ember Pole-Ax was released upon Shi Shaogan, causing him to flail as he flew backward.

"Ugh!" Shi Shaogan's words were stuck in his throat. Although he was protected by his own mana, he was swept away by Yue Hongyan's Black Ember Pole-Ax.

After Yue Hongyan unleashed her move on him, she did not continue to exploit her advantage. Rather, she restrained her powers and revealed a perplexed look on her face.

"What, the gibberish that you were spouting just now was not a ploy to distract me?"

Yue Hongyan's face continued to reveal her confusion and disbelief.

The restless spectators were all silent again and were stoned in position.

As the cold wind blew, the entire venue resonated with a screeching sound.

Even the experienced Shi Zongyue was speechless at this point and he could only stare blankly at the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Lin Feng's lips twitched for a moment before he turned to look at Shi Zongyue. He laughed, "About that, my disciple, uh…is very innocent too. She is not very polite. I seek your forgiveness, Prince Anliang."

Shi Zongyue laughed as he looked at the sky, laughing, "It is fine, it is fine. Master Lin, you are too kind."

Within the Great Qin Empire camp, both Jiao Junchen and Shi Xingyun looked at each other without speaking.

After a long while, Jiao Junchen laughed, "One who does not follow the rhythm and one who does not know how to adapt. This show is dead. Do not be too worried."

Jiao Junchen did not know that Yue Hongyan was not inadaptable. It was just that after she had adapted, she learned that her heart could only contain one person.

Shi Xingyun laughed bitterly, "I am even more worried now."

Seeing that Jiao Junchen was looking at her curiously, Shi Xingyun sighed again, "It seems that if I had to make a choice between the two, I will rather Shaogan be facing Dao Yuting now. She will at most reject him straight up."

"Now that he met Yue Hongyan who did not know how to react to the situation, I fear that Shaogan will only misunderstand her and cause something even more embarrassing to pop up."

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Yue Hongyan looked at Shi Shaogan unhappily, "Since it is not a tactic, why are you talking so much crap?"

Shi Shaogan flipped himself over and brushed off the grass on his hair. He looked at Yue Hongyan and nodded his head seriously, "I know, to win the heart of someone like you, I have to emerge victorious against you first."

"In this case, let me do it!"

After finishing his words, he gathered his entire body's worth of mana and approached Yue Hongyan in his best condition.

His reaction caused everyone outside the gorge to be confused over whether they should laugh or not.

Jiao Junchen was stunned again, while Shi Xingyun shut her eyes in desolation, "It is really the case."

Yue Hongyan did not think further about it. She only knew that Shi Shaogan was very dangerous and his powers were strong.

Two light dragons, one red and one yellow, began to revolve around Shi Shaogan's body surroundings in mid-space. Two different auras of mana began to surface and they were very powerful.

The secret skill of the Great Qin Empire was unleashed. There were the Imperial Script of the Crimson Dragon and the Imperial Script of the Yellow Dragon, out of the five Secret Manual of the Imperial True Dragons.

Shi Shaogan carried two different spells in his hands. His left hand was opening and closing swiftly and carried a vigorous flame on it.

Whereas his right hand conjured a spell that remained solid in place and was extremely dense.

Shi Shaogan's eyes were flashing with red and yellow radiance while his lips lighted up. He let out a weird tune from his mouth that was like a low-pitched hum by the dragon clan.

"Quick!" Following Shi Shaogan's light shout, the light dragons around him roared at Yue Hongyan. Their stature was terrifying.

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Chapter 292: Plotting a Scheme and Countering the Scheme

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

The Secret Manual of the Five Imperial True Dragons birthed a powerful abhijna known as the Five Elements Light Dragon Transformation Spell. After forming the Five Elements Light Dragon, cultivating till the highest level and manifesting the Five Elements Light Dragon's Imperial True Self, an extremely destructive power would be created.

Shi Shaogan did not possess such capabilities, but for him to cultivate out two different Light Dragons with his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation was already a feat.

Under his command, the Crimson Light Dragon and the Yellow Light Dragon roared while attacking Yue Hongyan.

In the previous rounds, Shi Shaogan overcame his opponent just by using the Crimson Light Dragon. It was only in the last round that he was forced to unleash the Yellow Light Dragon. With the pairing of the two Light Dragons, he emerged victorious.

Now that he was facing Yue Hongyan, he unleashed both Light Dragons immediately. It was because Yue Hongyan's skills had brought him immense pressure.

Shi Shaogan might be a little silly, but in terms of his cultivation and skills, he was a rare talent.

However, Yue Hongyan was as equally talented as him.

Even in the face of Shi Shaogan's Light Dragons, Yue Hongyan was not fearful. She waved her Black Ember Pole-Ax and a vigorous streak of mana exploded out, which prevented the Light Dragons from inching closer.

Shi Shaogan was a little shocked, "It is so powerful. She has not even used her Avīci Infernal Gale. What does the Celestial Sect of Wonders possess that makes them so powerful?"

But Shi Shaogan was not panicking. He combined the two spells in both his hands into one, causing the Crimson and Yellow Light Dragons to intersect. The Yellow Light Dragon became more and more faint, while the Crimson Light Dragon's powers ballooned.

At the end, the entire flesh, holes, bones, and scales of the Crimson Light Dragon gradually condensed. It was surreal, but its body began to materialize into another entity in a short period of time.

A flaming aura began to surface. The Light Dragon roared loudly, as a faint dragon aura appeared. It was the aura of a True Dragon.

As Lin Feng and the rest witnessed this from outside the gorge, they nodded their heads.

The Blue Pavilion Holy Man sighed, "In the mutual generation sequence of the five elements, the Middle Earth element breeds the Southern Fire element. Although there are only two spiritual attributes, it is able to cause some form of change."

His disciple from the Purple Clouds Sect lost with no complaints. He had already been defeated even before Shi Shaogan produced this move. If Shi Shaogan had unleashed his entire power, he would have lost even more terribly.

Prince Xian of the Left from the Northern Tribes saw Shi Shaogan and pondered quietly. He believed that Shi Shaogan was indeed a rare talent.

The Sun Radiance Swordmaster also sighed. Li Bingqing and Zou Yuhua, the sword pairing that lost to Yue Hongyan, was actually more outstanding than the sword pairing that lost to Dao Yuting.

But even if Li Bingqing and Zou Yuhua faced off with Shi Shaogan, they were not confident of tackling such a move.

Shi Shaogan and Yue Hongyan were one of the cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage that were truly capable. Being able to defeat a group of Aurous Core Stage cultivators meant that their true powers had exceeded the gap in cultivation level. This signified that they were the best of the best.

A normal sect that could obtain even one of these individuals thought it as a joyous occasion that should be celebrated in front of their ancestors.

At this point, the Sun Radiance Swordmaster could not help but look at Lin Feng. Even though Yue Hongyan was so outstanding, she was not even the most elite disciple under Lin Feng.

If the Great Void Sect was a gathering ground for talents, then the Celestial Sect of Wonders was a place full of elites.

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Yue Hongyan was calm as she faced the lively Crimson Light Dragon. The Black Ember Pole-Ax was slanted in the direction of Shi Shaogan. A blustering storm whirled at the spear head, causing all the power to be focused at one point. The spear head developed an extremely destructive power.

At that point, it was as if an all-engulfing black hole had appeared.

The Space-Destroying Spear Technique!

Without further ado, Yue Hongyan unleashed her killer move. Facing Shi Shaogan's intersection of the two Light Dragon, she made the same choice as before, which was to counter him!

If you were strong, then let me be even stronger!

She turned a blind eye to the Crimson Light Dragon and focused on using the Space-Destroying Spear Technique to attack Shi Shaogan.

Shi Shaogan was also calmly focused on Yue Hongyan's Space-Destroying Spear Technique. He was not panicky and controlled his own Crimson Light Dragon to dodge the all-engulfing spear head of Yue Hongyan, avoiding a direct collision between the Crimson Light Dragon and the Space-Destroying Spear Technique.

A situation was formed where Yue Hongyan's Pole-Ax was attacking Shi Shaogan while his Crimson Light Dragon avoided the spear head and was attacking Yue Hongyan.

It seemed like both parties were going to get hurt in this battle

A sly smile suddenly flashed across the lips of Shi Shaogan. Before Yue Hongyan's Space-Destroying Space Technique hit him, his body suddenly transformed into an illusion. It was as if time and space was twisted.

Shi Shaogan's body turned illusory, as if he had plunged into an illusory realm and did not exist in the present time and space. Yue Hongyan's Space-Destroying Spear Technique was going to miss.

"Dimension-less Transformation?!" The Blue Pavilion Holy Man and Cao Wei both shouted.

The remaining Immortal Soul Stage Elders, the Sun Radiance Swordmaster, Supreme Radiance Swordmaster, Prince Xian of the Left from the Northern Tribes and even Huo Xiu, the Asura Holy Man who did not care about anything much, along with the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man were all shocked beyond words.

Although they had not encountered it before, but the Great Void Sect's legendary mantra, the Dimension-less Transformation, was too reputable. It was also easily recognizable.

But because it was easily recognizable, many of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders were shocked.

They were not shocked that Shi Shaogan still had a trump card.

What made them so shocked was that they did not think that Shi Shaogan would have learned the legendary mantra of the Great Void Sect.

How did he learn it, and how was he related to the Great Void Sect? That the Great Void Sect's mantra had been leaked, was it for some special purpose?

In the heads of the various Immortal Soul Stage Elders were all sorts of ideas and calculations of the benefits and drawbacks.

At this point inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Shi Shaogan had already used the Dimension-less Transformation to avoid Yue Hongyan's Space-Destroying Space Technique, whereas his Crimson Light Dragon had already completely struck Yue Hongyan.

Shi Shaogan revealed a smile on his face.

The various cultivators outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge were all anxious, "Is there a winner? Was it a success? Will the Celestial Sect of Wonders' unbeaten streak end here?"

"Miss Hongyan, please, believe me, I am true to you…" Shi Shaogan was saying before his voice suddenly stopped as if someone cut him off. Only the echo could be heard.

Yue Hongyan's body was ignited with a bright red light and a storm was brewing. The magnitude of the storm gradually increased and resisted the attack of the Crimson Light Dragon.

Shi Shaogan blamed himself for being careless, "She did not used the Avicii Infernal Gale before. This is something I should have added in my calculations. Now that it is time for the result to be decided and I have already exposed my Dimension-less Transformation, there is no better opportunity to unleash it."

Just as he was thinking about this round where neither side could gain an advantage over the other, Shi Shaogan realized that something was not right.

Yue Hongyan's Space-Destroying Spear Technique should have missed its target, but it was presently just floating in mid-space and did not move at the last moment.

When the Space-Destroying Spear Technique was about to hit Shi Shaogan, he unleashed his Dimension-less Transformation and converted his body to an illusion, effectively hiding himself in space.

But at the same time, Yue Hongyan stopped the attack of the Space-Destroying Spear Technique and the destructive power within it that was about to explode.

The all-engulfing black hole stopped quietly in its tracks in mid-space, in front of him. It was barely one centimeter away from his chest.

Yue Hongyan's looked calmed and her lips lightly opened, "Your mantra allows your body to avoid the attack, but your position cannot be shifted!"

Shi Shaogan's expression became extremely pale because Yue Hongyan had found out about the biggest weakness of the Dimension-less Transformation. The biggest weakness of it was its inability to shift the user's position while he entered the illusory world, such that when he returned to the current dimension, he would still be in the exact same position.

Those who can flexibly shift their positions were only the Immortal Soul Stage Elders who were powerful enough.

With Shi Shaogan's power, the Dimension-less Transformation could only last for a short while. In the next moment, his body had already returned to the real world.

At the same time, the static Space-Destroying Spear Technique started to move again and accurately hit the chest of Shi Shaogan.

The self-defensive mechanism of the Hidden Dragon Gorge helped Shi Shaogan to cushion the hit and announced his defeat.

The battle between the both had only ensued for a short period of time. It was almost just a few blinks of the eye before the victor was decided.

But the risks and strategies involved, as well as the competition between the different mantras had lasted several rounds. Both Yue Hongyan and Shi Shaogan had alternated between moments of life and death.

Shi Shaogan thought that he had the upper hand, but who knew that Yue Hongyan matched his tactics and defeated him.

Shi Zongyue looked at Lin Feng in horror. The rest of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders also turned to look at Lin Feng. All their expressions were different, but they were equally confused.

Lin Feng felt the confusion from their gaze and smiled, "I had experienced the effects of this Dimension-less Transformation not long ago."

In the Sect-Opening Ceremony at Shazhou County, Pang Jie once avoided Lin Feng's lethal Heaven and Earth Destroyer. Having experienced it personally, he had a clear memory of the mana involved within this mantra.

Although Shi Shaogan had not used the Dimension-less Transformation previously, his cultivation of the mantra caused him to develop a certain mana similarity to the Great Void Sect.

Lin Feng felt that he had something to do with the Great Void Sect, but he was not sure that he possessed a specific mantra of the Great Void Sect.

Before Yue Hongyan entered the gorge, Lin Feng warned her out of caution and told her about the traits of a few of the Great Void Sect's top mantras, which included the Dimension-less Transformation.

However, honestly speaking, Lin Feng was a little lucky this time round. He was only guessing and was not entirely sure. After all, Shi Shaogan did not reveal anything before.

But this did not stop Lin Feng from taking this opportunity to act dumb in front of the various Immortal Soul Stage Elders and boosted his image as an unpredictable person.

Indeed, as Shi Zongyue and the rest looked at Lin Feng, they were a little more cautious.

After Yue Hongyan and Shi Shaogan exited the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the next round of battle between Wang Lin and Dao Yuting was about to begin.

Lin Feng scanned his surroundings and saw that Cao Wei was also looking at him. As their gazes met, there were fireworks igniting from within them.

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Chapter 293: The Intentions are Unclear.

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

After exiting the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Yue Hongyan creased her brows and returned in front of Lin Feng. Although she had emerged victorious, she was not feeling good.

"What is wrong with Shi Shaogan? That was ridiculous from him!" She said frustratingly.

Zhu Yi, Xiao Budian and the rest of the disciples were unclear of what to say. They wanted to laugh but could not laugh either. They did not know how to explain it to her.

They felt that this matter was silly too and they were amused.

Tuntun said, "What else is there? He is trying to matchmake himself with you. It was so obvious."

"Kekekeke…" The surroundings were filled with a coughing sound. Xiao Budian slapped her unceremoniously, "You have converted to human form, can you at least speak like a person?"

Yue Hongyan overheard that and her brows creased. She stared ferociously at her.

Zhuge Fengling added on hurriedly, "It was not that exaggerated. He simply just has a crush on you and wanted your love. It was just that…this is not a proper venue for him to do that."

Yue Hongyan's rage did not go away, "So it seems he is a lecher."

"Even if this is the case, it is too ridiculous already. I have never even spoken to him before."

Zhuge Fengling laughed, "Love at first sight."

Lin Feng was watching from one side and he pursed his lips, thinking, "That guy will fall in love at first sight with every beauty he sees. No, more accurately speaking, he falls in love at first sight with every beauty whose powers he approves of."

He looked in the direction of Dao Yuting from the Heaven Lake Sect and sighed, "It has to be my disciple who faces her."

Shi Xingyun also saw Dao Yuting and realized that her expression was per normal. She also sighed in her heart, "If it was her, things may not be so messy."

As she listened to the cultivators from other sects mumbling to themselves, Shi Xingyun felt extremely embarrassed.

She looked at Shi Shaogan annoyingly. Although he had lost, he maintained the same cool expression as he exited the Hidden Dragon Gorge. He was just a little lost and walked over to Shi Xingyun, whispering, "Sister, what has happened?"

Ask yourself what happened!

Shi Xingyun wanted to abandon her ladylike image, grab him by the collar and spat on his face. But as she saw that Shi Shaogan was a little lost and did not seem to think that whatever he did previously was wrong, she felt weak.

After that, she saw Shi Shaogan looking at Yue Hongyan regretfully, causing her to shake her head and sigh.

But he regained his spirits after a while. He looked at Dao Yuting and felt that she was very mysterious.

...It was exactly the same as how he looked at Yue Hongyan.

Shi Xingyun saw this and pulled him to herself immediately. She felt helpless.

This brother of hers could confess to a lady in one second and say the same thing to another lady in the next second. What was worst was that he could do that in front of the first lady.

He did not think that anything was wrong with that. In his opinion, he thought that this was natural.

Shi Xingyun sighed while looking up. At many times, she wished that Shi Shaogan was actually a Casanova. Even though that might be bad, at least it was more normal than who he was now.

But even though Shi Shaogan wanted to confess for a second time, he had to wait for Dao Yuting and Wang Lin's battle to conclude first.

The second match of the round, between Wang Lin and Dao Yuting, was about to start.

Everyone walked towards the Hidden Dragon Gorge, while the elders soared up to watch the competition.

Although there was tension between Lin Feng and Cao Wei, Lin Feng managed to keep calm.

More accurately speaking, he had to keep a calm mind to ponder over other matters. This was because Cao Wei was acting strangely for the first time.

Lin Feng could not sense the aura of an Immortal Soul Stage Elder from him. He was acting like a ruffian, as he was being overly competitive.

But to claim that Cao Wei was such a person, Lin Feng did not believe that he could have made it this far and become the leader of the Heaven Lake Sect with that behavior.

As a matter of fact, Lin Feng had observed the competition between him and Prince Xian of the Left from the Northern Tribes. He could gather a few clues and concluded that this guy was not as reckless as he seemed.

Cao Wei's present movements seemed to be distracting people around him and covering up his true intentions.

Wagering on his own disciples was something that Cao Wei was likely to initiate. From Cao Wei's actions of nitpicking on him, Lin Feng deduced that he might be trying to gain something out of this.

"Fire and Ice Fruit?" Lin Feng slightly creased his brows, "It should not be the case. This thing may be miraculous, but to treat it as some kind of treasure will be over the top."

Lin Feng pondered for a moment and felt that the Fire and Ice Fruit could be Cao Wei's method of foreshadowing any future actions. Although this thing was useful to him, it was only a minor tool for him.

But Cao Wei's movements also revealed that his true target may have something to do with the Fire and Ice Fruit.

He could have discovered the aura of the Fire and Ice Fruit from Changchun Peak. The thing that he was seeking after could have something to do with Changchun Peak.

Lin Feng had a dim idea, but he was not entirely sure, "This old bird, what does he really want?"

Although he had a lot of ideas in his head, Lin Feng maintained a calm expression. He watched as Wang Lin and Dao Yuting entered the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

On the other side, Cao Wei looked over aggressively. Lin Feng stared back at him, causing the tension between both parties to rise.

The Blue Pavilion Holy Man looked at Lin Feng before looking at Cao Wei and he thought to himself, "Both of them are sect leaders, but they are acting so childish. How is that acceptable?"

"Hearsay that Cao Wei is someone who exhibits propriety. When he conversed with Lin Feng previously, he had displayed a little of his temperament. Now that the both of them are like that, is there something going on behind the scenes? Or do they have some kind of hatred between themselves?"

Shi Zongyue and the rest looked at Lin Feng and Cao Wei, pondering over what ensued between the both of them. They all maintained their silence and observed what was going on.

Prince Xian of the Left from the Northern Tribes was especially curious. As he looked at Lin Feng and Cao Wei, he started to smile.

The Gambling Holy Man coughed lightly, before saying, "Do the both of you want to lay down a wager again?"

Cao Wei raised his brows, "Of course."

Lin Feng laughed, "Wager? You miss my Fire and Ice Fruit?"

Cao Wei's gaze flashed and he did not reply to the question, "What wager do you want to lay again?"

Lin Feng thought for a moment before saying, "I have long heard that the Heaven Lake Snow Fields has a volcano opening. Inside the volcano and deep within the lava contains a rare flower called the Geocentric Fire Lotus. If my disciple wins, we shall use that as the stake, how about that?"

Cao Wei agreed, "No problem."

Lin Feng laughed, "Do not accept it so readily. Let me say first, the Geocentric Fire Lotus that I want is not just a flower."

"The roots, stem and the lotus itself, I want it all. I want the entire package."

Cao Wei squinted his eyes, "Are you trying to take away the Geocentric Fire Lotus from the Heaven Lake Sect?"

"You can graft it too. As to how you want to protect that flower of yours, it depends on your ability." Lin Feng coolly said. "There is a break between the Foundation Establishment Stage and Aurous Core Stage competition. If you lose, you can use that time to gather the Geocentric Fire Lotus. I do not have so much time to go to the Heaven Lake with you."

The Immortal Soul Stage Elders came to watch the fun, but none of them could laugh at this point. Lin Feng and Cao Wei were both serious as the stake was too high.

Lin Feng did it intentionally as he wanted to know what Cao Wei wanted from him.

Cao Wei looked at Lin Feng quietly. After a few moments, he nodded his head, "Okay, if your disciple wins, the Geocentric Fire Lotus is yours."

"But if my disciple wins, I will go to Mount Yujing and cut a piece of the mountain rock to take away." Cao Wei stared at Lin Feng and said, "Do you dare to bet with me?"

The rest of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders were a little intrigued. Besides being the most fearless sect, the Celestial Sect of Wonders possesses Mount Yujing which could hide itself amongst space, in addition to Lin Feng's unpredictability. Besides hiding itself, Mount Yujing can also be shifted to various other locations.

Lin Feng looked at Cao Wei and his pupil shrank. His expression did not change and he replied, "I will go with that bet."

The key to Mount Yujing's ability to shift around in space was due to the Black Heavenly Treasure Tree at the peak of the mountain.

The power concept of Mount Yujing had something to do with time and space. Lin Feng was also exploring that at the moment.

But Cao Wei's desire to go to Mount Yujing to cut a piece of the mountain rock left Lin Feng confused. That was because that had nothing to do with the Fire and Ice Fruit.

This left Lin Feng with nothing as he tried to test Cao Wei's true intentions.

At the end, Lin Feng still could not figure out Cao Wei's true intentions.

"Do not tell me that my guess is wrong?" Lin Feng thought, "His intention has nothing to do with the Hengduan Mountains and the Fire and Ice Fruit?"

"No, he came to Hengduan Mountains from the Northern Snow Fields for a reason. It is just that he can hold his temperament and not leak anything out, for fear of catching my suspicion."

Lin Feng was indignant, "But I do not believe you can keep it under wraps forever."

After both parties had confirmed the bet, the battle between Wang Lin and Dao Yuting in the Hidden Dragon Gorge had also started. It was heated right from the start.

Facing Dao Yuting who was in the advanced stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage, learned the mantras of the Heaven Lake Sect and was extremely talented, Wang Lin entered the Destructive Stage of the River of Styx right from the beginning. All his powers were converted to the dark and powerful Destructive Powers, which reeked of destruction and disaster.

Dao Yuting did not conserve either. Pale white flames emerged from around her body. Although they were flames, they revealed a chilly aura. It was the signature abhijna of the Heaven Lake Sect, Icy Blaze.

As she controlled the Icy Blaze, Dao Yuting made an unpredictable move. As she made her move at the start, she also dashed straight towards Wang Lin.

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Chapter 294: Increasing the Stake

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

As the audience outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge observed Dao Yuting dashing straight towards Wang Lin without any hesitation, they all creased their brows.

From the previous competitions, Wang Lin had already fully displayed the dominant prowess of his Destructive Powers of the River of Styx. Its destructive abilities were shocking, while the mantras of the Finger of Styx and the Road to River Styx were equally mysterious and powerful.

To others, Dao Yuting seemed reckless for dashing towards Wang Lin.

Only the members of the Celestial Sect of Wonders became extremely serious when they witnessed this scene.

Xiao Budian slightly tilted his head, "Can she tell, or is it the advice from her seniors and elders?"

Zhu Yi looked at the expressions of the cultivators from the Heaven Lake Sect, before saying, "It seems like she thought of it herself."

Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing were silent, but they looked markedly more serious as they looked at Dao Yuting.

This was because Dao Yuting's current attack method was seemingly reckless, but in fact, it was targeting Wang Lin's weakest point.

His mantra was powerful, but his flesh was weak.

Among Lin Feng's six Immediate Disciples, Xiao Budian had the toughest flesh. He was the most adept at close-quarters combat.

Whereas Wang Lin did not even practice any physical martial arts. Even Yang Qing was better than him in this area.

Wang Lin and Yang Qing were not adept at physical martial arts. They specialized in mantras. However, erecting the Spiritual Altar and promoting to the Middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage and using the Grand Moon Primordial Water had nourished his flesh and soul.

Whereas for Wang Lin, besides his weakness in physical martial arts, his flesh was also corroded by the River Styx Primordial Water and the Destructive Stage of the River of Styx. Strictly speaking, Wang Lin's body strength was slightly weaker than an average cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage.

It was just that Wang Lin's mantras were powerful and it had always been him terrorizing his opponents. Not many of the cultivators in the same stage could handle his attacks. Before they could even retaliate, they would have lost already.

To find a cultivator like Huo Chen that could handle the Lone Death Thumb was already very rare.

That was why very few cultivators in the same level dared to get close to Wang Lin and engaged in close quarters combat.

It was obvious that Dao Yuting was harboring such an idea.

What made Xiao Budian and the rest more worried was that her plan might be pulled off successfully.

The Icy Blaze spread and resisted Wang Lin's Destructive Powers. In terms of quality and strength, Wang Lin's Destructive Powers was slightly more powerful. However, he did not promote to the intermediate stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage and erect a Spiritual altar, hence his cultivation was still inferior to Dao Yuting.

Under such a circumstance, Dao Yuting did not attack. She focused her Icy Blaze for defensive purposes. The Destructive Powers were unable to be overcame in a short period of time.

The distance between both parties was close. Given Dao Yuting's speed, she could reach him in a blink of an eye.

Given her speed at closing in, it seemed as if she was not that skilled in physical martial arts either.

Compared to the men in the Northern Tribes, she would be on the losing end. But it was enough to fight Wang Lin. If she could get close to Wang Lin, Wang Lin would be trounced.

Even Xiao Budian and the rest could tell the problem. As the protagonist, how could Wang Lin not tell?

He knew Dao Yuting's intentions right from the start. After all, it was his own weakness and he was the clearest about it. Wang Lin's development of his style of asserting high pressure on his opponents was, in fact, a way of covering his flaw.

As Dao Yuting attacked ferociously, Wang Lin was calm. He conjured a spell from both his hands and unleashed the Destructive Powers of the River of Styx.

Suddenly, a black-yellow path appeared in space and stretched very far across. It was the Road to River Styx.

As the Road to River Styx surfaced, Dao Yuting landed on the top of it. The powers of Samsara attacked her soul repeatedly.

To a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage, this was a move that was difficult to resist. This was because the soul of a cultivator in either the Foundation Establishment Stage or the Qi Cultivation Stage was unstable. Under the attack of the powers of Samsara, it was very easy to be drowned in one's own broken memories.

Lin Feng saw this scene and raised his brows suddenly.

He could feel that Dao Yuting was influenced minimally by the powers of Samsara.

There were two explanations. First was that her soul was extremely stable and had already surpassed the level of a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator. The other explanation was that her body had some sort of secret.

With Lin Feng's current cultivation, he could tell that the soul of Dao Yuting was still at the level of a Foundation Establishment Stage. There was nothing special about it.

Then it must be the second explanation, that her body was something special.

Wang Lin's expression also changed. From his expression, Lin Feng could tell what was happening.

He realized that Dao Yuting's broken memories were very little.

Wang Lin's low level of cultivation caused his abhijna to be of a rather low level. But he was still able to know how much of broken memories his opponent had, be it in the present or past lifetime, as he exhibited the spell.

Right now, in front of Wang Lin, the effects on Dao Yuting's soul was far lesser than that compared to a normal person.

Huo Chen had broken memories that were seven to eight times more than Dao Yuting.

Dao Yuting had very little broken memories not because she experienced very little things, but it was because her memories were already incomplete.

Especially her memories of the past lifetime, which was very little and they were only bits and pieces.

"Weird person." Wang Lin muttered in his heart, but he knew that he was in a precarious situation.

As the broken memories were little, the attack on her soul by the powers of Samsara would be quickly relieved and she would be less confused.

The effect of the Road to River Styx on Dao Yuting was very minimal.

As expected, Dao Yuting quickly regained her awareness. But it was just that her gaze contained something different, but it was unclear.

But this did not affect her judgment. As she faced the white claws trying to pull her into the black-yellow soil, Dao Yuting muttered a spell under her breath and white icy fog started to surround her body.

The secret mantra of the Heaven Lake Sect, the Burning Ice.

The white fog came into contact with the claws and soil and it was converted to a big fire instantaneously, which burned vigorously. It was threatening to destroy Wang Lin's Road to River Styx.

As the cultivators outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge saw this, they held their breath.

The Burning Ice could convert an opponent's mantra to its own fuel and continually increase its firepower. As the opponent's power get increasingly stronger, the fire would get increasingly stronger too.

As the opponent increased his own power to resist the Burning Ice, it would be the same as adding firewood to the fire and increased the strength of the Burning Ice. It was like aiding the opponent as more powers were invested.

For a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Stage to learn such a move was too much already.

But Wang Lin was still fearless. He watched as Dao Yuting displayed her Burning Ice expressionlessly. His only reaction was to maximize the power of the Destructive Powers of the River of Styx. Dark and concentrated destructive gas continued to flood the Road to River Styx.

"Is he an idiot? He clearly knows that would increase the strength of the Burning Ice." Fang Zhong commented outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Within the Great Qin Empire camp, Shi Shaogan looked at Dao Yuting. He looked curiously and muttered some words under his breath.

Shi Xingyun warned him while asking Jiao Junchen, "What do you see?"

Jiao Junchen blinked, "The Celestial Sect of Wonders is about to win again."

Shi Xingyun nodded her head, "Dao Yuting's jinx could be Wang Lin."

The rest of the audience realized that Wang Lin continuous increment of power on the Road to River Styx was not to fuel Dao Yuting's Burning Ice.

On the other hand, Dao Yuting's creation of the fire was gradually being repressed by the Road to River Styx. Initially, it could convert the opponent's power into its fuel. However, the fire had lost its desired effect.

The Immortal Soul Stage Elders were all quiet. The Blue Pavilion Holy Man slightly nodded, "His cultivation is only in the Foundation Establishment Stage, but he is able to understand the power concept of the Destructive Powers. This is rare."

Prince Xian of the Left laughed loudly and looked at Cao Wei, "Destructive Powers is of course used to destroy matter. Now that your Heaven Lake Sect's Burning Ice has encountered it, it is a miracle that it is not destroyed. How dare it try to engulf it instead? What a joke."

Cao Wei replied, "The result is uncertain. It may be too early to say anything."

Lin Feng looked him in the eye and said suddenly, "Since this is the case, I shall add another stake to this. I wonder if Master Cao is able to accept it?"

Cao Wei was a little disturbed and looked at Lin Feng, "What do you want to add?"

Lin Feng said, "I have always heard that the Snow Fields bloom with Nine-Circled Ice Orchids. If my disciple wins this round, will Master Cao add on the Nine-Circled Ice Orchid?"

Cao Wei slightly creased his brows. The Nine-Circled Ice Orchid was not some special flower. Its value was limited, but it was very rare.

With his Immortal Soul Stage cultivation, it was an easy feat for him to pick the orchid. The key laid in the tedious process of finding it. But sending his disciples to do the job would be considered very cowardly.

Cao Wei stared at Lin Feng for a moment and replied, "Can, but since this is the case, I will like to increase the stake also."

"If my disciple wins, besides the mountain rock, I want to add on a branch from the Black Heavenly Treasure Tree on Mount Yujing.

Lin Feng looked at him and smiled, "It is a deal."

With this new wager, the bet between both leaders became even more intense. Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Wang Lin and Dao Yuting's battle experienced a new change and the intensity rose.

After the Burning Ice was kept under control by Wang Lin, Dao Yuting shouted softly and the crucible in her body roared. Her entire mana was activated.

All the mana in her body started to gather together.

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Chapter 295: Wang Lin's Third Finger

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Although the mantra of the Burning Ice was ineffective, Dao Yuting was not worried. As she shouted softly, the external mana was recalled back into her body.

Regardless of the Icy Blaze or the white fog, they were all quickly gathered back into Dao Yuting's body.

Wang Lin noticed Dao Yuting's change at first glance and he thought to himself, "This is very familiar!"

Lin Feng's pupil also shrank. Along with Zhu Yi, the rest of the Celestial Sect of Wonders disciples all looked at Yang Qing.

Yang Qing muttered, "What she is doing is very similar to my Grand Moon Flash Flood Mantra…"

The rest of the cultivators also noticed some clues, "Besides the Burning Ice Mantra, this lady has even cultivated the Song of the Volcano?"

Dao Yuting was indeed using a special abhijna of the Heaven Lake Sect, the Song of the Volcano!

It had the same miraculous effect as Yang Qing's Flash Flood Mantra, which was to gather one's entire mana instantaneously. After that, it could be exploded out in one shot, causing extraordinary destruction. It was as if a volcano erupted and an earthquake occurred.

What was different between the Song of the Volcano and the Grand Moon Flash Flood Mantra was that the Song of the Volcano could accommodate the special traits of other mantras.

The Song of the Volcano was like the eruption of a volcano. Whereas the rest of the Heaven Lake Sect's mantra, such as the Icy Blaze and the Burning Ice, were similar to the lava that gushed out after the eruption of a volcano.

As if they were using the Song of the Volcano as a carrier, many of these mantras could be unleashed at the same time. Furthermore, due to the potential of the Song of the Volcano, the mantras that were unleashed could receive a huge increment in their power, much beyond their normal state.

Within the Heaven Lake Sect, it was a mantra that was much more powerful than the Burning Ice.

This was Dao Yuting's killer move and the reason why Cao Wei dared to wager with Lin Feng.

As the Gambling Holy Man saw this scene, he sighed and looked at Cao Wei, "Master Cao, this disciple of yours has a bright future."

Cao Wei nodded slightly and expressed his thanks, before turning his head to look at Lin Feng again, "I will have to trouble you to guide me through Mount Yujing."

Dao Yuting's Song of the Volcano suddenly exploded out in all directions, causing a blast countless times stronger than the Icy Blaze and white fog.

Under such a vigorous explosion of mana, Dao Yuting was still able to control herself and prevent her power from dissipating. She also managed to focus the entire explosion towards Wang Lin.

Initially, Dao Yuting had a slightly higher level of mana compared to Wang Lin. But with the Song of the Volcano, her powers were increased to an even higher level. She managed to overcome Wang Lin's Road to River Styx as she overwhelmed him.

The crumbling Road to River Styx foreshadowed Wang Lin's failure.

The Heaven Lake Sect disciples all cheered while the other cultivators were excited.

They might not be good friends with the Heaven Lake Sect, but they supported Dao Yuting because the victor in the previous round was Yue Hongyan.

If Wang Lin won this round, the top two Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators would be from the Celestial Sect of Wonders. The final would just be a sparring between Wang Lin and Yue Hongyan.

Most of them did not want to see this. Firstly, it was too meaningless. Secondly, the dominance of the Celestial Sect of Wonders unsettled many.

Dao Yuting was never fully confident of her victory. She continued to remain calm. She knew her Song of the Volcano mantra well and that was why she knew it had its own flaw.

After displaying one's skills, the cultivator's mana would be depleted. For a long period of time, the cultivator would lose the power to engage in battle again. That was why using the Song of the Volcano was a make or break situation.

That was why Dao Yuting did not have any ideas of relaxing. Rather, she used the Song of the Volcano to prolong the battle and closed in on Wang Lin. This was the most reliable method she could use to win.

Although Dao Yuting was skilled in both her mantras and fighting skills, her main skill was still her mantras. In terms of her physical martial arts, she was far behind Yue Hongyan, Zhamu Zeluo, etc. But for Wang Lin, it was sufficient enough.

She exploited the final moment as the Song of the Volcano exploded out to get close to Wang Lin. As she raised her hand, she consolidated her remaining mana into an Ice Blade, using it to stab Wang Lin in the chest.

Her blade skills were magnificent and it blocked off Wang Lin's route of escape.

The speed of the blade was quick and did not give Wang Lin any chance to dodge.

With her power, she could destroy Wang Lin's defense.

This stab of hers was bound to kill!

Wang Lin was fearful and he clenched his lips tightly. He stared hard at Dao Yuting's Ice Blade. He could not avoid the blade, but he never thought of doing so. His courage was unparalleled in the face of death.

"The Celestial Finger of Styx, destroy!" Wang Lin did not bother about Dao Yuting's Ice Blade and pointed his right finger out.

Instantaneously, a black space of deathly destructive gas engulfed Dao Yuting.

As she had expended her mana, Dao Yuting was unable to avoid Wang Lin's Lone Death Thumb!

Dao Yuting was fearless and looked coldly at Wang Lin.

Even though the both of them were in the face of death, they did not back off. They stared at each other as if time and space had frozen.

"Perish together?" Everyone opened their eyes wide and stared at the battle in the Hidden Dragon Gorge, unwilling to miss any of the action.

"Not together!" One highly cultivated individual made his judgment, "Before Wang Lin's Destructive Powers killed Dao Yuting, Dao Yuting's Ice Blade had already cut Wang Lin's throat!"

Jiao Junchen said firmly, "If this was a real battle, the ending would be the both of them perishing together. But now that they are in the Hidden Dragon Gorge, it will allow them to survive. But the mechanism can help to differentiate between the order, which allows us to determine the winner!"

"The winner of this round is Dao Yuting from the Heaven Lake Sect. The Celestial Sect of Wonders has lost!"

Shi Xingyun stared at the Hidden Dragon Gorge, saying, "The Celestial Sect of Wonders has finally lost?"

The Celestial Sect of Wonders was going to lose!

A commotion ensued at the venue. Everyone was excited and did not even dare to blink. They were waiting for the self-defense mechanism to be activated, which would allow them to determine the result.

It was confirmed that the Celestial Sect of Wonders lost.

The legend that the disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders in the same realm were invincible had been broken!

No one bothered about the fact that Dao Yuting was in the advanced stage while Wang Lin was only in the beginner stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage. If it was a real battle, the ending result should have been the both of them perishing together.

They would only remember that the legend about the Celestial Sect of Wonders had finally became history!

Everyone focused their attention to look at, to look at…. Wang Lin stretching out his left hand along with his Lone Death Thumb on his right hand. But he did not point it at Dao Yuting, but himself.

Oh?

What was happening?

Everyone was in shock and even the elders in the Immortal Soul Stage and the Aurous Core Stage were stunned.

Wang Lin looked at the Ice Blade that was across his throat and he whispered softly as if he was sleep-talking.

"Celestial Finger of Styx, reborn!"

Ever since Wang Lin comprehended the Celestial Finger of Styx, he had never truly completed the third finger. However, at this point in the Hidden Dragon Gorge, he had finally revealed it.

Black gas started to surge out from Wang Lin's body and gathered at the area which was cut by the Ice Blade. They mended the wound as if they were needle threads.

In the next moment, a black light flashed and Wang Lin's body was repaired completely. It was as if he was never cut by Dao Yuting.

The self-defense mechanism of the Hidden Dragon Gorge did not activate because the repair mechanism by Wang Lin was a step quicker. The Hidden Dragon Gorge judged that Wang Lin would not die by Dao Yuting's attack, thus there was no activation.

Everyone outside the gorge were stunned, "How is it possible?!"

Were they seeing things?

But it was too ridiculous to say that everyone was seeing things, wasn't it?

"Do not tell us that Wang Lin could not die?"

Wang Lin was not immortal. The Finger of Rebirth had a lot of restrictions to it and Wang Lin could only use it once in a long while. But it was already sufficient for him.

The Immortal Soul Stage Elders looked quietly at Wang Lin. After a while, Shi Zongyue sighed, "Besides the power concept of destruction, he has also comprehended the power concept of life?"

Life and destruction were the two most powerful things at their roots. For someone to comprehend it, it was his good fortune. Even for an Immortal Soul Stage Elder, that was the case.

But they had just witnessed a cultivator in the early stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage doing it. This made the Immortal Soul Stage Elders lament about it.

The Sword Radiance Swordmaster suddenly spoke, "There is no need for any more competition. The strongest disciple in the Foundation Establishment Stage is Wang Lin for sure."

He looked at Lin Feng, "Congratulations to Master Lin."

"You are too kind." Lin Feng slightly smiled and he looked at Wang Lin.

Inside the gorge, Wang Lin watched as the power of his Lone Death Thumb engulfed Dao Yuting. The Destructive Powers was starting to take effect. Dao Yuting was unable to resist it and could only watch as the Hidden Dragon Gorge saved her using its self-defense mechanism.

She became very pale but continued to stare at Wang Lin. She was unrelenting. But as she revealed an indifferent expression, a few of her emotions were also revealed.

Respect, indignance, shock, curiosity…various emotions flashed across her gaze. Eventually, it stopped at stubbornness. She continued to stare hard at Wang Lin without caving in.

Wang Lin continued to look at her quietly but suddenly said something.

"As an opponent, you are pretty good."

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Chapter 296: Intense Start but Disappointing Ending

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

After hearing Wang Lin's comments, Dao Yuting was furious. However, she noticed that Wang Lin was serious beneath the calm exterior, but was unable to speak.

As the result had been determined, Dao Yuting activated the self-defense mechanism of the Hidden Dragon Gorge as she faced Wang Lin's Lone Death Thumb. Whereas Wang Lin used his Finger of Rebirth to avert Dao Yuting's Ice Blade. There was a thin line between victory and loss.

Wang Lin was actually taking a huge risk here. The Finger of Rebirth needed the appropriate conditions for it to work practically. If they were just a little bit off, failure would be the result.

Under Lin Feng's guidance, Wang Lin comprehended the Destructive Powers and started to study the power concept of life. Recently, he managed to understand a few parts relating to it and completed his third finger of the Celestial Finger of Styx, the Finger of Rebirth.

This mantra was used to assist the injured and its main purpose was to help this group of people.

Under the power of life creation, it could be used to treat injuries. It could even bring someone back from the brink of death.

But that was only perfect theoretically. Practically, Wang Lin's cultivation had to be taken into consideration and the other party's extent of injury also had to be considered.

The principle of the Finger of Rebirth was to maximize the potential of the Destructive Powers. The forceful interaction of the extremes allowed the Destructive gas helped to boost the power of life and prolonged the longevity of a person.

Therefore, after using the Finger of Rebirth, Wang Lin's mana would be depleted. Even after a long time, he would still be unable to enter the Destructive Stage of the River of Styx

This mantra could be used on Wang Lin himself. Besides preventing any wastage of mana, the effect would be even more pronounced.

But it was extremely difficult to grasp the perfect timing.

If it was used too soon, it would be a waste. If it was used too late, the person would be dead. As the mana was depleted, the mantra would be completely useless.

It had to be used at a perfect timing when the enemy was about to inflict a blow, so as to achieve its desired effect.

It was only the first time that Wang Lin had used the Finger of Rebirth. He was very fortunate to have pulled it off. That was why he was in awe of Dao Yuting, who had pushed him to the limit.

Previously when he faced Dao Yuting's Ice Blade, Wang Lin retaliated with the Lone Death Thumb. His offensive attack was actually a daring move. He wanted to see if Dao Yuting would waver first and see who feared death less.

Even with the protection of the Hidden Dragon Gorge, most people would automatically enter self-defense mode in the face of death.

But Dao Yuting was able to curb her urge to self-defend. She did not waver and attacked Wang Lin, ready to wager her life with him.

Eventually, if it not were for Wang Lin's Finger of Rebirth, he would have lost to Dao Yuting.

To Wang Lin, this battle was very fruitful to his development.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the Sword Radiance Swordmaster came up with a conclusion, that Wang Lin was the strongest Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator in the spiritual conference.

The rest of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders were silent, but they looked like they agreed with that statement.

Everyone at the venue heard the words of Sword Radiance Swordmaster and they did not react well to that.

Even if they were indignant, it was pointless. That was because the final battle was between Wang Lin and Yue Hongyan.

Even if Wang Lin lost, the Celestial Sect of Wonders would still be the talk of the town.

Lin Feng looked at Cao Wei and Cao Wei looked back at him calmly. He nodded his head and wriggled his sleeves. A light dimension appeared in the sky and revealed the figure of an old person.

As the old person saw Cao Wei, he bowed towards and greeted him, "Master, what instructions do you have for me?"

Cao Wei replied, "Graft the Geocentric Fire Lotus from the volcano opening and send it to me at the Great Qin Sea of the Northern Wind. At the same time, find the Nine-Circled Orchid for me and send it over too."

The old person was shocked but did not probe. He hesitated for awhile before bowing, "I shall carry out your wishes, Master."

As the light dimension disappeared, Cao Wei continued to look nonchalant and looked at Wang Lin and Dao Yuting as they exited the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Lin Feng smiled, "Old man, it is okay if I cannot dig out your intentions first time round. There is always a second try."

When he suggested to increase their stake, he was actually testing Cao Wei. He wanted to find out what Cao Wei was after.

Eventually, Cao Wei wanted the branch of the Black Heavenly Treasure Tree. This was fitting with the mountain rock from Mount Yujing, but it made Lin Feng even more certain that Cao Wei was just trying to distract him.

His true intention was different.

Lin Feng had a wild guess but he was unable to prove it. But he was not frantic, as he knew that Cao Wei would reveal his intentions sooner or later if he really wanted it.

Wang Lin exited the Hidden Dragon Gorge and walked towards the holding area of the Celestial Sect of Wonders. The other cultivators looked at him with perplexed expressions.

Out of Lin Feng's disciples who took part in this Foundation Establishment Stage competition, the one who elicited the biggest reaction after his victory was undoubtedly Wang Lin.

Furthermore, his cultivation was only in the beginner stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage and he had not even erected a spiritual altar. On the other hand, all his opponents were already in the advanced stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage. They were all elites in the same realm and were only a step away from forming the Aurous Core.

Under such a circumstance, Wang Lin was still able to overcome all his opponents. His dominance was a testament to the invincibility of the disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders in the same realm.

The overwhelming feeling he brought was more intense than Yue Hongyan or Yang Qing.

Jiao Junchen looked at Wang Lin curiously and his line of vision drifted towards Zhu Yi, "Initially when they say Zhu Yi could defeat an Immortal Soul Stage Elder even if he was only in the beginner stage of the Aurous Core Stage, I was skeptical."

"Now that I have witnessed his junior's performance, I am convinced." He revealed a smile on his face, "I am excited to spar with a Celestial Sect of Wonders disciple."

Shi Xingyun wanted to say something, but she realized that Shi Shaogan was staring at Dao Yuting. She pulled Shi Shaogan away and turned to look at Jiao Junchen, laughing, "I hope you get what you wish, but I certainly hope not to spar with them."

"I am more willing to fight with Tao Yaoyao for three hundred rounds instead."

Jiao Junchen laughed, "I am afraid Tao Yaoyao has a different thought about that."

Wang Lin was indifferent to the opinions and stares of others, but creased his brows, as if he was thinking of something.

After he returned back to Lin Feng, he regained his awareness. He greeted Lin Feng and suddenly said, "Master, I have gained a new understanding on the power concepts of life and destruction. I wish to meditate to gain an even deeper understanding."

"I will like to forfeit the last round."

After he finished speaking, Xiao Budian and the rest were a little taken aback, but they were also understanding of his decision.

They understood that Wang Lin was dying to comprehend the logic behind the new mantra that he had just used, as they all had the same experience before.

Furthermore, if he did not take the opportunity to grasp the sudden realization, it would be difficult to explore it again.

Only Yue Hongyan was a little disappointed. After watching the battle between Wang Lin and Dao Yuting, her adrenaline was rushing and she was looking forward to sparring him. She believed that it would be an even more intense battle compared to the previous round with Shi Shaogan.

However, Yue Hongyan could understand Wang Lin's rationale.

"Fourth Junior, after using the Finger of Rebirth, I am now unable to enter the Destructive Stage of the River of Styx. Even if I spar with you, it would be meaningless."

Wang Lin looked at Yue Hongyan apologetically. Only when facing his own sect members did he reveal his true emotions.

Speaking from the bottom of his heart, Wang Lin was not a nice opponent to spar with. But he could sympathize with her, which made him a little regretful.

He did not care about his own personal fame either. After all, the Celestial Sect of Wonders' reputation was established regardless of the final result.

It was not that he was entirely selfless and without desire. It was just that he was unconcerned about such materialistic fame.

Yue Hongyan nodded her head regretfully, but she still smiled. "I hope that you can achieve something out of your meditation, Third Senior."

Wang Lin smiled and nodded his head. He looked towards Lin Feng, who smiled and tapped his finger lightly. A Celestial Small World created by Purple Clouds was formed and Wang Lin was fitted inside.

It was like an independent world on its own. As Wang Lin meditated inside, he would not be disturbed.

Lin Feng kept the Celestial Small World well and explained the situation to Shi Zongyue and the rest.

The Gambling Holy Man slightly creased his brows, "Is he so excited for it?"

Lin Feng nodded his head and said, "We are all cultivators. I am sure we all have had such an experience."

Although the Immortal Soul Stage Elders were taken aback, they still accepted Lin Feng's explanation.

In this way, Yue Hongyan had become the champion of the Foundation Establishment Stage competition in the Huanghai Spiritual Conference.

The cultivators from the various sects gathered and discussed about the competition.

After the Celestial Sect of Wonders bagged the first two placings, everyone was preparing to witness another internal competition between the Celestial Sect of Wonders. For now, they could only accept such a result. It was an intense start, but a disappointing ending.

After all, they could not ask Dao Yuting or Shi Shaogan to battle Yue Hongyan. Even if the Great Qin Empire or Heaven Lake Sect were thick-skinned enough, they also could not say such words.

As Shi Zongyue tapped the Hidden Dragon Gorge lightly, the Hidden Dragon Gorge enlarged by several times. It was now as huge as a mountain.

"As with the previous years, the spiritual conference will pause for some time." Shi Zongyue said as he pointed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge. "After this, all of you can move freely. If you want to trade with one another, please enter the Hidden Dragon Gorge. The Aurous Core Stage competition will begin tomorrow."

He turned his head to look at Lin Feng and the rest of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders, "Let them move around and interact with one another. All of you please follow me to the opening of the Ancient Huanghai World."

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Chapter 297: Take a Gamble and Cut the Rock!

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Yue Hongyan's crowning as the champion of the Foundation Establishment Stage competition left many people unhappy.

But the matter of fact was, the result would be the same even if Wang Lin fought Yue Hongyan, as he could not enter the Destructive Stage of the River of Styx.

However, most of the people did not recognize this point. Many of them lamented, "Dao Yuting should just be the winner."

Before Wang Lin sparred with Dao Yuting, a huge portion of the people had wished for Dao Yuting to defeat Wang Lin and Yue Hongyan.

One reason was that they did not want the Celestial Sect of Wonders to be too dominant and allowed the final to be an internal competition.

Another reason was that many of them wanted to see a fight between Yue Hongyan and Dao Yuting.

Yue Hongyan was a passionate fighter, who first overcame the sword duo of the Sun Moon Sword Sect. After that, she gained an advantage over her equally special junior, Yang Qing. Following that, she defeated Shi Shaogan from the Great Qin Empire.

Yue Hongyan's journey to the final was intense and got even more exciting along the way. At the end, she was unstoppable as she blazed through to the final.

Whereas Dao Yuting was a very cool person. Similarly, she defeated a sword pairing of the Sun Moon Sword Sect in the first round. After that, she overcame an arch-enemy cultivator from the Northern Tribes using the Burning Ice.

The battle with Wang Lin enabled her to push to her limits, as she tapped on her Song of the Volcano. Eventually, she only lost by a slim margin to Wang Lin.

Dao Yuting's performance was equally eye-catching. Many people were regretful that they could not witness a battle between Yue Hongyan and Dao Yuting.

After looking at Dao Yuting, Lin Feng turned his attention to the Great Qin Empire camp. Over there, Dao Zhiqiang lowered his head and dared not look at Dao Yuting.

On the other side, Shi Shaogan was blocked by Shi Xingyun. He was unhappy, which was pretty amusing.

But Lin Feng was more focused on Shi Shaogan rather than Dao Yuting.

It was not only him. Many of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders were also focusing their attention on Shi Shaogan.

He actually had some dealings with the Great Void Sect, which made many people confused. Although Shi Shaogan was only in the cultivation of the advanced stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage, his status was uncommon due to his blood relation with Prince Anliang, Shi Zongyue.

Prince Anliang's family and the orthodox royal family of the Great Qin Empire always had a close relationship.

Lin Feng had noticed before that when Shi Shaogan displayed the Dimension-less Transformation, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man from the Great Qin Empire were shocked. It seemed like they were unaware of it.

Only Prince Anliang, Shi Zongyue, was not shocked, which showed that he knew about it already.

"Is this just a small ploy by the Great Void Sect, or do they have something in mind?" Lin Feng pondered, "Are they being conservative or are they hurrying things?"

As he was pondering, Lin Feng and the rest of the Immortal Soul Stage Elders followed behind Shi Zongyue, as they flew above the Sea of the Northern Winds.

Although it was Lin Feng's first time joining the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, it was not the first time that it was organized. Regarding news of the Ancient Huanghai World, Lin Feng had already heard of them.

The opening of the Ancient Huanghai World was at the deepest point of the Sea of the Northern Winds. After the opening was unlocked, cultivators below the cultivation of the Nascent Soul Stage could enter.

On the other side of the opening was the deepest point of the boundless Huanghai Ocean of the Ancient Huanghai World.

It was an extremely deep water body and the water pressure was immense. Even with the powers of a cultivator in the Aurous Core Stage, he might not even be able to handle the pressure. Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Stage and below would be crushed.

In the Sea of the Northern Winds of the Greater Worlds, it was still more manageable. The dimensional power of the boundaries of the two worlds curbed the water pressure of the Huanghai Ocean, but across space and into the Ancient Huanghai World, such a problem would exist again.

At this point, the Dragon Boat of the Great Qin Empire that was just completed had to be used. Using the Dragon Boat to cross the boundless ocean would allow for the view of the sky in the Ancient Huanghai World.

Furthermore, the huge resources of the Ancient Huanghai World were all contained within the ocean. The Dragon Boat was therefore needed to gather these resources.

As Shi Zongyue placed his palms together, a wave rose on the water surface of the Sea of the Northern winds. Eight Dragon Boats started to show on the water surface and they were as big as loaches.

These Dragon Boats were not that big and were at most twenty meters in length. But Lin Feng could feel the strong surge of mana from within. The body of the Dragon Boat contained a line of charms that were used to resist the water pressure.

At this point, Shi Zongyue said, "My friends, every one of you shall command one Dragon Boat and use your powers to master it. After returning your disciples from the Ancient Huanghai World, please kindly return them to my Great Qin Empire."

Lin Feng and the rest nodded in agreement. This was necessary as it was pertinent for them to know how to control the Dragon Boat since their disciples were going to be ferried in it. Otherwise, if it was controlled by the Great Qin Empire, any accidents that occurred in the deep sea would be indisputable.

Unless it were their arch-enemies, the Great Qin Empire would not do something so lowly. But no one would dare to place the fate of their lives in the hands of other's morals.

Lin Feng's main body remained to master the Dragon Boat. On the other side, his Steel Tree Avatar crept into the crowd in the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, it was very crowded at this point. Everyone was engaging in all forms of trade.

There was an array of bustling activities inside the gorge. People were either the buyer or the seller, and they were haggling over the prices. Otherwise, they were quarreling with one another as they targeted the same items to buy.

Besides the Heaven Lake Sect and the Royal House of the Northern Tribes, there were meaningful interactions between the rest of the people.

This was also a main event within the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, for the facilitation of commercial trade of cultivation resources.

It was different from the Spiritual Conference of Hanhai, organized by the Pavilion of Heavenly Trade within the Shazhou County. In the Spiritual Conference of Hanhai, there was a specialized currency to pay for different goods. Whereas over here, people engaged in barter trade.

Besides this, many of the young cultivators were interacting with one another and expanding their social circle. There could be surprising benefits from making these connections with one another.

Not only was the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai used to display a sect's talent pool, it was also used for the sect disciples to gain more connections and improve relationships with one another.

Lin Feng observed that his disciples were welcomed by many people.

Many of the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators gathered around Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing. Even Zhuge Fengling benefited from them being in the limelight.

Some of the people with ulterior motives felt that Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing's status as Lin Feng's Immediate Disciple meant that they were less likely to reveal anything about the Celestial Sect of Wonders, as they were likely to be warier. That was why they got close to Zhuge Fengling instead and hoped to fish some of the news within the Celestial Sect of Wonders from her.

This scene left Lin Feng amused and he believed that this group of people were wasting their time asking. He knew that they could not find out anything valuable from her.

This was because Zhuge Fengling was unaware of most of the things in the Celestial Sect of Wonders.

But she was sly. Alternating between reality and falsehood, she managed to draw the attention of many people.

While there were those who welcomed the Celestial Sect of Wonders, there were also those who did not like their presence. For example, the Heaven Lake Sect and the Huo Family did not have a good impression of Xiao Budian, Yue Hongyan, and the rest.

On the contrary, cultivators from the Royal House of the Northern Tribes liked the disciples from the Celestial Sect of Wonders.

Lin Feng scanned the area and saw that Zhu Yi was talking with a Northern Tribe man. It seemed like he saw something he fancied.

Besides Zhu Yi, there were others who were surrounding the Northern Tribe man. All their gazes were fixated on a piece of black volcanic rock at the feet of the man.

The appearance of the black volcanic rock was nothing unusual. But as Lin Feng observed the rock, he knew that there was something special about it.

As he used his supernatural awareness to investigate, he realized that there was something mysterious about it. His awareness was devoured by the black volcanic rock.

This made Lin Feng excited, "Exactly, something that has been spotted by Zhu Yi must be interesting."

He had always guided others in the right direction in terms of such items.

But, who said that these foreign individuals were always simple and honest?

The trading conditions set out by this seemingly crude Northern Tribe man left everyone creasing their brows.

Cutting the rock.

Everyone could tell that this black volcanic rock was the embryo of some form of magic treasure. It was like a volcanic rock that wrapped a piece of beautiful jade within it.

"My friends, please try your luck by cutting this rock. Whoever can cut out the magic treasure within it will get to keep it."

But it was not free. Everyone who cut the rock had to give an item to the Northern Tribe man. If no magic treasure was retrieved, the item would not be returned to them.

This man was making a good deal.

As this trade deal was proposed, it caught the attention of the people around. Everyone creased their brows, but they were competitive too.

Using one's supernatural awareness was useless, thus no one could confirm the position of the magic treasure in the black volcanic rock. They did not even know the size of the magic treasure, while the black volcanic rock was one square foot long.

If the magic treasure was only the size of a grain of rice, then who knows how many cuts it would take to retrieve it. If their luck was bad, then it would bankrupt everyone before the magic treasure was even cut out.

The man could tell the considerations of the crowd and said hurriedly, "After the rock is cut, the part that separates from the rock will become a normal rock and lose its powers."

As he said, he drew out a long spear and cut a small piece of the rock at its edge. After the small piece of rock was detached, the awareness-engulfing abilities of the rock had disappeared.

As the crowd saw this scene, their interest was piqued again. All of them wanted to try.

Lin Feng looked at the black volcanic rock and nodded his head lightly, "This is much simpler then. Every time the rock is cut, the useless pieces of the rock will be eliminated from the equation. But if one's luck was really bad, then many cuts will still be needed."

The Northern Tribe man stated his price. He knew that the way he conducted business was a little out of line, that was why his price for each person was not particularly high.

Zhu Yi stepped forward. But before he could speak, a young man in black suddenly approached and whipped out his spear. He attempted to slash the black volcanic rock.

It was the second young master of the Huo Family, Huo Ming.

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Chapter 298: Mind Games

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Without even speaking, Huo Ming came up and sliced the black volcanic rock.

At the same time, he paid the Northern Tribe man for slicing the rock once.

Zhu Yi raised his brows and traded five pieces of Thunderous Echo Elixir to the Northern Tribe man in exchange for slicing the rock. After that, he whipped out his sword and slashed two strokes, blocking off Huo Ming's long spear.

The killing intent of Huo Ming was unleashed at this point. There was a frightening aura emanating from his long spear and it was converted to a ferocious Asura Doomsday Blade. His target was the black volcanic rock and Zhu Yi.

The way he positioned his body and spear clearly showed that he wanted to cut the volcanic rock and Zhu Yi into half.

As the rest saw this scene, they watched Huo Ming and Zhu Yi excitedly.

Everyone knew that the person who made the first move might not necessarily be at an advantage. His efforts could be wasted and might even be helping his opponent.

But while making the later move increased the possibility of winning, it could give the opponent the upper hand and it might be too late to regret then.

Besides a game of luck, this trade involving the cutting of the rock was also testing the mentality of people.

One who was impatient was undesirable. Being overcautious and indecisive was also equally undesirable.

Zhu Yi and Huo Ming understood this rationale, but they each wanted to be the first to cut the rock. This was caused by a psychological battle between the both of them.

If they could not cut it in the first try, they would go for a second one. But firstly, they had to possess the momentum, so as to bring about pressure to the other party.

Zhu Yi was calm as he faced Huo Ming's spear. His self-created Way of the Facile Blade changed, as he slashed two strokes. One was the 'Kan' Sword Technique while the other was the 'Dui' Sword Technique. 'Kan' was on the top while 'Dui' was at the bottom.

A person must exercise control in the things he did

Only with control could one act with propriety.

Control breeds relevance; A country that exercises efficient control was stable and a person who exercises control was perfect.

Zhu Yi's 'Jie" swordplay, formed by the combination of the 'Kan' and 'Dui' Sword Technique, controlled the devastating Asura Doomsday Blade of Huo Ming and prevented him from making another move.

Huo Ming focused his gaze on Zhu Yi. Before he changed his move, Zhu Yi had already retracted his sword. As he kept his sword, he sliced apart the volcanic rock into two.

The left half of the volcanic rock lost its spirituality and became a normal rock. It was no longer able to devour the analytical awareness of a cultivator. The right half of the volcanic rock retained its spirituality and was still able to cause a cultivator to lose his awareness.

After Zhu Yi sliced apart the volcanic rock, he stood firm and looked indifferent.

After staring at Zhu Yi for a while, Huo Ming did not continue to be on the offense. He did not draw his spear to slice the rock for a second time but kept it.

As he kept the spear, his killing intent disappeared too.

After losing to Zhu Yi in a bid to cut the rock, Huo Ming did not draw his spear again. Being the second to cut the rock was meaningless to him.

As the spectator watched Huo Ming retreating from the fight, they felt that he destroyed the fun.

Many of the spectators were hoping that the embarrassed Huo Ming would become angry and fight with Zhu Yi, allowing them to see a preview of the Aurous Core Stage competition.

Some of them with a higher cultivation and a keener eye became serious as they saw Huo Ming's gaze.

Zhu Yi was one of them. He looked at Huo Ming silently and thought, "If it was his brother Huo Chen, he would retaliate in embarrassment. But it is people like him that are less scary."

"Huo Ming could control the revelation of his killing intent well. Although he seemed hostile, he could maintain his calmness. This fits our 'Jie' sword technique. He is a worthy rival."

Lin Feng looked at Huo Ming in approval, "If he manages to stay alive, he will become the pillar of the Huo family one day. He would cultivate the deadly Asura Mantra and the Asura Doomsday Blade but still maintain his emotions well. Such a temperament will be very rare."

"The Huo family members were ranked in terms of their abilities. I heard that Huo Ming was ranked second? Who is the first place then, I am very curious about that. Not sure how he is compared to Shi Xingyun, Jiao Junchen, and Tao Yaoyao?"

A cultivation in the Aurous Core Stage was a very powerful one. The powers and talents of an Aurous Core Stage cultivator often had a significant influence on the growth and development of a sect."

As Lin Feng was pondering over the matter, he saw a group of people surrounding the black volcanic rock. After Zhu Yi had sliced it apart, no one dared to lay their hands on it anymore."

Although the price to pay for slicing the rock apart was not that high, the lack of result would mean that paying it was a waste of one's resources.

More accurately speaking, not only would it be a waste, it could even be aiding others.

No one knew what treasure the black volcanic rock was. They were unsure whether it was worth to pay such a huge price for it and cut it more than once.

It would be a tragedy if nothing could be retrieved from it.

At this point, a Sword of Radiance disciple stood up and paid the due amount to cut the rock before cutting the rock.

His rationale was simple. What if the surface of the rock was thin and the size of the treasure was not small? Maybe one slice could cut it out.

If the treasure was huge, then it would be easier to cut it out if it was done earlier.

However, the end result left him disappointed. As the volcanic rock was sliced into half again, one-half of it lost its spirituality while the other half maintained its spirituality.

At this point, everyone hesitated and the volcanic rock was left with a quarter of its original size. But the failure of the first two individuals made everyone think before acting.

Lin Feng slightly smiled. At this point, it was probably the most awkward moment. From then on, every cut could help to retrieve the magic treasure, but could also lead to failure and help any future individuals in increasing their chances of obtaining the treasure.

This was a dilemma. Those who really cared about the treasure were feeling the pressure now.

Those who were present at the scene were cultivators in the Aurous Core Stage. They were very tough individuals but in the face of such a situation, they were all at loss.

Of course, there were those who did not care. A Purple Clouds Sect cultivator laughed, "Not that you only have one choice, what are all of you hesitating for?"

He threw a purplish-blue gem towards the Northern Tribe man. After that, he gathered his mana and consolidated it to form a Thunder and Lightning Blade. After that, he slashed the volcanic rock.

The volcanic rock broke into two halves. But the treasure did not appear and the rock's size was halved again.

The Purple Clouds Sect cultivator twisted his mouth and asked the Northern Tribe man, "Let me ask you, did you give us a fake rock to scam everyone?"

The man snorted, "Cut it and you will find it. If nothing comes out eventually, I will return everything that I have taken and apologize to everyone at this conference."

"Good, I will have a peace of mind in this way." The Purple Clouds Sect cultivator laughed. As he was saying, he threw a piece of purplish-blue gem out and was prepared to slice for a second time.

Huo Ming suddenly made a move and cut the volcanic rock first.

The Purple Clouds Sect cultivator picked his brows and smiled while shrugging his shoulders. But he did not stop Huo Ming.

Nothing from the rock appeared again.

Huo Ming creased his brows and stared at the even smaller rock for a moment. Suddenly, he turned and left.

The spectators were all shocked. Someone shouted, "What is this, must he also do this first? I still thought that he was coming up with something. Leaving after one failure, he has such poor determination."

"That is true, he is backing off after one failure." Someone else nearby commented.

As Zhu Yi and the Purple Clouds Sect cultivator heard, they shook their heads. As they saw each other's actions, their eyes lighted up.

"Huo Ming is not someone who cannot take a failure and gives up easily." The Purple Clouds Sect cultivator laughed while saying, "On the contrary, he had broken through his mantra bottleneck."

"He left to consolidate his powers. Compared to the breakthrough that he had achieved, the treasure was a minor issue."

Among the people around, some of them comprehended the logic while some were still skeptical.

Zhu Yi nodded, "That is the case."

He looked up at the Purple Clouds Sect cultivator and said, "My name is Zhu Yi, may I know what yours is?"

The cultivator smiled brightly and his face even had a dimple. "I am Gu Lei from the Purple Clouds Sect. You are too kind."

Zhu Yi nodded his head, "Would you like to make the next cut?"

Gu Lei laughed, "I am not one who calculates. I do as I please."

After he spoke, the second cut had already landed. But it was a pity nothing happened."

At this point, the black volcanic rock had already shrunk extremely small. Everyone looked at the rock nervously and the atmosphere became more and more serious.

Gu Lei did not stop and handed three purplish-blue gems to the Northern Tribe man. He followed it with the third cut.

"Third time lucky!" Gu Lei shouted and shook his head. He looked at the volcanic rock which was already the size of a fist only and laughed bitterly, "It seems like I have no fate with it."

Zhu Yi slightly smiled and did not speak. He did not make a move either.

Everyone was now tempted to cut the small rock. They felt that the next cut could be the decisive one.

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Chapter 299: Xiao Budian the Teenager

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

"If we continue to follow this method of cutting the rock, by cutting it into half at the center, we will still need two cuts."

Lin Feng smiled slightly. After cutting it twice, he could already make the accurate judgment.

As the black volcanic rock was continuously being cut and its size was continuously shrinking, therefore, its ability to devour the supernatural awareness of a cultivator would diminish continuously.

A cultivator with a stronger supernatural awareness would be able to see through the barrier of the black volcanic rock and find out the true image of the magic treasure within it.

Although Lin Feng's Steel Tree Avatar had its own limits, the strength and spirituality of his soul was the same as his main body. That was why he could tell that the rock contained the tooth of some beastly creature.

But this tooth was not in the center of the rock. Rather, it was at the edge of the rock. If the method of cutting the rock through the center was followed, at least two cuts would be needed to encounter the rock.

Lin Feng looked at Zhu Yi's expression and knew that he had already found out what was in the rock.

Among Lin Feng's disciples in the Foundation Establishment Stage, Wang Lin had the most powerful soul. Although he was only in the beginner stage, he was above Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing in terms of the strength and spirituality of his soul.

Whereas within the Aurous Core Stage disciples, Zhu Yi had the most powerful soul. It was even crossing the limits of an Aurous Core Stage cultivator.

Although he could figure out the existence of the tooth, he could not determine its position. That was why Zhu Yi was patiently waiting.

But if he missed out on the tooth, then he could only blame it on destiny.

What made Lin Feng uneasy was that the next person who wanted to cut the rock did not plan to cut it from the center. Rather, he was hesitating between cutting either end of the rock.

If he chose the side where the tooth was, then this cut would reveal it.

But Lin Feng was relieved when the guy chose the other side and did not managed to cut out the tooth.

At this point, Zhu Yi could figure out the exact position of the tooth. He immediately whipped out five pieces of the Thunderous Echo Elixir and drew his sword to cut the rock.

Just as Zhu Yi made a move, three people rushed out from the crowd and threw some treasures towards the Northern Tribe man. After that, they all fought to reach the rock first.

Lin Feng saw this and immediately knew that they were observing Zhu Yi. When Zhu Yi made a move, they took the opportunity to strike.

These three cultivators used Zhu Yi's judgment as a reference to strike.

"The three of you really look up to my disciple." Lin Feng shook his head while laughing, "But I must say, that was brilliant!"

But the problem was that it was futile!

Zhu Yi did not even blink his eyes as the three men rushed out. The Light and Darkness Aurous Core in his body started to vibrate vigorously. The aura of good and evil surged out as he swept his hand across.

The power of good was converted into a bright radiance while the power of evil was converted into a deep and dark aura.

They formed a huge boundary and its shape looked like, but at the same time did not look like, a Mandala Flower.

Zhu Yi's Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala!

The expressions of the three men changed. They immediately stopped in their tracks and performed their own mantras to breach the boundaries.

The Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala trapped the mana of the three men. After that, it suddenly shrank and collapsed towards the middle, as if it was a small-scale Destruction of Heaven and Earth. The mantras of the three men were destroyed totally.

Everyone around were entirely shocked as they looked at Zhu Yi. The ferocity of his mantra was beyond what everyone had expected.

"No wonder he could overcome a Nascent Soul Stage Elder!" Everyone thought of this instantaneously, "It seems like the Aurous Core Stage disciple of the Celestial Sect of Wonders is even more ferocious than the Foundation Establishment Stage disciples!"

The three men were in shock, but they dared not make any wrong move. They only stared as Zhu Yi waved his sword to slice open the rock, revealing the tooth.

The tooth was very sharp and a dark aura emanated from it. It did not look auspicious and left everyone crept out.

The tooth was black and flashed with a dark light. It was filled with a mysterious and strange power concept.

Zhu Yi grabbed the tooth and looked at the Northern Tribe man. The man was also looking at the tooth of his hand. He said, "Since you have cut out this treasure, you shall keep it."

Zhu Yi nodded his head and looked at everyone. Everyone that was staring at Zhu Yi looked unfriendly, especially those who paid for cutting the rock but ended up with nothing.

Gu Lei laughed at one corner, "Seems like this treasure is fated to belong to you, Comrade Zhu. I congratulate you for this reward."

As he stood with Zhu Yi, their statures were greatly boosted. No one wanted to offend the Celestial Sect of Wonders and Purple Clouds Sect.

Although a group of people were indignant about it, they could not do anything. Zhu Yi looked at the three men who tried to cut the rock and said calmly, "Are the three of you cultivators of the Great Qin Empire?"

One of the men, who was a tall and lean youth, turned his head and said fiercely, "What, do you want to continue to attack us? Do it if you want to. I will really like to see how good you are."

He knew that since he was in the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Zhu Yi could not kill him anyway. That was why he was not fearful.

Zhu Yi did not even look at the youth, but turned to his two companions, saying, "Tell Princess Xingyun to command her people instead."

After saying it, Zhu Yi waved his hand and the Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala appeared again, trapping the youth.

The tall and lean youth shouted furiously and a golden white light dragon appeared around him. He had cultivated a mantra of the Imperial Script of the White Dragon from the Secret Manual of the Five Imperial True Dragons.

He wanted to use the golden white light dragon to break Zhu Yi's Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala, but he ended up hurt instead.

Inside the boundaries, countless bright and dark rays intersected and created an independent small world.

No matter how much the golden white light dragon tried, it could not release itself from the trap.

But the boundaries did not collapse like before and only trapped the youth within it.

The youth was furious. Both he and Shi Shaogan were of the royal blood. Although he was not from the orthodox royal family, he still possessed royal blood within him. How could he be caged up like a prisoner?

This was a humiliation worse than death to him.

The other two Aurous Core Stage cultivators were his subordinates. When they wanted to help him, they were easily forced back by Zhu Yi.

They dared not say anything and only rushed back to inform Shi Xingyun.

Zhu Yi ignored the youth who was ranting and cursing. He kept the Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala and turned around to nod at Gu Lei, "Sorry to have made you wait."

Gu Lei laughed, "You are too kind. If you have the time, let me introduce my junior to you."

Zhu Yi followed him. As he walked, he was pondering, "That tooth seemed to contain some form of dark power concept. Not sure where does it originate from."

As he could not understand where the tooth came from, Lin Feng helped him through the system by distinguishing it.

Lin Feng was surprised, "It is the tooth of the Dark Beast, Ming Du. This comes as a surprise."

Previously, Lin Feng had engaged in a lucky draw through the system and won a magic item. It was a jade carving of a Black Crow and it contained the spiritual power of a Tianluo.

Tianluo, or also known as the Black Crow, was one of the most domineering Immemorial Demon. It was birthed out of an untouchable darkness and it was a beast that controlled a mysterious yet dark power.

But the Tianluo was not the strongest living spirit that possessed such a dark power. It was the Dark Beast, Ming Du.

Ming Du was shaped like a panther and its head had a lone horn. Its entire body was black and was covered with purplish-blue flowery patterns. It was extremely savage and it was an even more powerful Immemorial Demon than the Tianluo.

When Lin Feng obtained the jade carving of the Black Crow, he felt that he was a little lacking in his knowledge of dark power, although he had a faint idea of it.

On one hand, the spirituality of the jade carving was incomplete. On the other hand, the dark power of the Tianluo deviated from the source of dark power quite significantly.

But now that they have obtained the tooth of Ming Du, both Lin Feng and Zhu Yi could gain a deeper understanding of dark power.

Light and darkness were two extremes. Lin Feng possessed the Endless Brilliance Tathāgata Mantra from the Great Thunderclap Temple. But now if he could understand the source of dark power and the mystery behind it from Ming Du's tooth, then he could enter a new level in terms of his comprehension of the powers of light and darkness.

Lin Feng's Steel Tree Avatar did not follow behind Zhu Yi and Gu Lei. He walked around on his own and observed the contents of the trade deals everywhere.

But he expanded his supernatural awareness and continued to keep a lookout for his disciples.

He saw Gu Lei leading Zhu Yi to a group of Purple Clouds Sect cultivators. Xiao Budian was there too.

As he saw Zhu Yi approaching, Xiao Budian immediately laughed, "Second Senior, this lady is Li Kuiyin from the Purple Clouds Sect."

Zhu Yi was a little taken aback, whereas Lin Feng was stunned.

Xiao Budian was smiling widely and his eyes were sparkling. He was like a cute teenager.

He talked very sweetly, which caused Lin Feng's goosebumps to stand.

He looked at Li Kuiyin carefully. She was a tall female cultivator. Like Gu Lei, she was in the advanced stage of the Aurous Core Stage. She looked like a determined person.

But she was very friendly at this point. Judging from Xiao Budian's look, it seemed that he was fond of her.

Although she looked young, she was actually about a hundred years old. Xiao Budian was elated as he termed her 'Big Sister'.

Zhu Yi took some time to regain his awareness. He communicated with Xiao Budian surreptitiously.

"What are you up to?"

Xiao Budian made a silly face at him, away from Li Kuiyin.

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Chapter 300: One Versus One

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Zhu Yi used his mana to communicate with Xiao Budian, "What are you up to, by escorting her around?"

Xiao Budian replied, "I obtained some Spiritual Lightning Fruit from her just now. It tastes quite nice. I will like to obtain more from her."

Zhu Yi asked, "When did you turn vegetarian?"

Xiao Budian replied him, "As long as it tastes good, I am fine with it. I have been eating too much meat. A change in taste can aid in cleaning my digestive system."

"Besides eating, can you think of something else to do?" Zhu Yi said unkindly.

Xiao Budian pursed his lips, "When I grow older, I will consider other things to do."

"You are just a lazy rogue!" Zhu Yi commented, "Besides, if you really like her Spiritual Lightning Fruit, why not just trade with her? Why do you have to go through all this trouble?"

Xiao Bu Dian blinked his eyes, "Oh yes, I forgot."

He turned to look at Li Kuiyin and laughed, "Sister Li, I will like to trade a few more Spiritual Lightning Fruits with you, is it okay? I can trade them with my magic treasures."

Li Kuiyin laughed, "You do not have to trade anything. It is not as if this Spiritual Lightning Fruit is some special thing. If you like it, take as much as you want."

Gu Lei laughed at one corner, "Kuiyin, why are you normally not so generous towards me?"

Towards him, Li Kuiyin was not very polite. She rolled her eyes, "You are already eating the Spiritual Lightning Fruit like rice normally. You do not need me to supply you anymore, do you?"

Gu Lei shook his head in laughter as he looked at her.

As he looked at the both of them, Xiao Budian and Zhu Yi could not help but look at each other. They revealed smiles on their face too.

Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian could tell that Gu Lei and Li Kuiyin shared a close bond. The way that they looked at each other suggested that they might be a couple.

At this moment, a macho man from the Northern Tribes walked over. Before he had even reached, his voice could already be heard. He laughed, "Gu Lei, are you forced to concede again?"

Gu Lei laughed but did not speak. Li Kuiyin gave him an annoyed look, "Dou Kun, are you itching to be beaten up again?"

Dou Kun was the most outstanding Aurous Core Stage cultivator in the younger generation of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes. He looked tough and was the true Immemorial Celestial Dragon. His physical strength was comparable or even better than an Aurous Core Stage Demonic Commander.

Amongst all disciples in the younger generation who took part in the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, only he could cause a threat towards Xiao Budian in terms of physical strength.

Dou Kun was obviously very familiar with Li Kuiyin. He laughed, "If it was Gu Lei saying this, at least it sounded more convincing. But when you said it, I am unafraid."

Li Kuiyin replied sarcastically, "I will let you know how good I am sooner or later."

Beside Dou Kun was another lean youth that was dressed more complicated than him. He smiled slightly and said, "I will prefer to see Dou Kun and Comrade Gu fight again instead."

Gu Lei laughed, "Stop joking. After winning him once, I am not prepared to fight with him again. I will not give him an opportunity to turn the tables."

As he looked at the lean youth, he said, "But talking about it, I will like to spar with you, Sang Luohe. All the cultivators from the Northern Tribes that I have encountered were all trained in martial arts. I have rarely seen a sorcerer like you that is trained in the art of the soul."

Xiao Budian and Zhu Yi heard that and they both looked at Sang Luohe.

As what Gu Lei mentioned, cultivators trained in martial arts were common in the Northern Tribes. Out of ten, at least eight were these cultivators. But the sorcerers that were trained in the art of soul in another branch of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes were less common.

The numbers were already very little. Along with the fact that most of them rarely showed up in public, it was very uncommon to spot them around.

Even Lin Feng's supernatural awareness was focused on Sang Luohe. He was very interested in a Northern Tribes sorcerer who specialized in the soul.

Besides the Great Void Sect's "Exploration of the Great Void Thinking", only the Royal House of the Northern Tribes had sorcerers that specialized in mantras of the soul.

On the other hand, there were many species in the demonic clan that specialized in the mantras of the soul rather than physical martial arts or demonic powers.

"The lightning spells of the Purple Clouds Sect are the best in overcoming the mantras of the soul. Your suggestion is pretty good." Looking at the eager Gu Lei, Sang Luohe laughed while shaking his head.

His attention was drawn towards Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian, "If there is a chance, Sang Luohe will like to spar with the both of you."

Although he dressed in a foreign manner, the way he spoke was not fast or slow. It was different from an average gallant Northern Tribes man.

Zhu Yi smiled slightly, "Even if we do not draw each other in the spiritual conference, we can still spar."

Xiao Budian wanted to say something, but he thought of something and turned around. He saw a young man staring at him. As Xiao Budian looked over, the man did not even shift his gaze. On the other hand, he became even more provocative.

Zhu Yi turned his head to look, "He is from the Heaven Lake Sect. Do you remember Mu Jihai?"

Xiao Budian shrugged his shoulders and realized that Mu Jihai had a dangerous look in his eyes.

Dou Kun and Sang Luohe looked at Mu Jihai and the both of them laughed. Dou Kun said, "Ignore him. He is just a clown, leaving in the shadows of Song Qingyuan."

"Song Qingyuan?" Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian both thought of the figure of a young man smiling. But as they thought of Song Qingyuan, they could not help but feel a chill down their spines, as if they were facing a creepy poisonous snake.

Although it was not scary, it still made them feel uncomfortable.

Sang Luohe looked at Mu Jihai and said slowly, "He is quite outstanding in terms of his cultivation of mantras. But his character is lacking. Barring any surprises, he will never surpass Song Qingyuan in this lifetime."

Mu Jihai shifted his gaze between Xiao Budian, Dou Kun, and the Northern Tribes cultivators. Eventually, it stopped at Xiao Budian. He laughed creepily and performed an action of cutting his throat towards Xiao Budian.

Xiao Budian scoffed and looked at Mu Jihai as if he was looking at a mischievous kid.

For someone as young as him to give this sort of treatment was the most brutal insult ever.

Mu Jihai looked even more scary at this point and seemed as if he wanted to strike immediately. But as he shifted his gaze, he saw something that caught his attention more. He just snorted and turned his body in another direction.

Xiao Budian looked in the same direction and saw a man and woman standing together. The woman was Dao Yuting whereas the man was Song Qingyuan.

As usual, Song Qingyuan appeared very courteous and his face wore a smile.

But Dao Yuting was different from before. Initially, she was unconcerned about many things, but as she stood beside Song Qingyuan, she was trembling uncontrollably.

It was out of fear.

Because of fear, her body was trembling non-stop. It was like a rabbit or a deer facing a beast in the natural world.

Song Qingyuan laughed slightly while speaking followed by exiting the Hidden Dragon Gorge. Dao Yuting hesitated for a moment before following behind him.

After them was Mu Jihai. He looked downbeat as he stared at Song Qingyuan's back view.

Xiao Budian was curious as he saw this scene. After bidding goodbye to Zhu Yi and the rest, he rushed out of the gorge too.

Lin Feng witnessed all of this, but he was not bothered about it. Although he had some plans and ideas about the relationship between Dao Zhiqiang and Dao Yuting, he did not have any direct contact with Dao Yuting.

Anyway, with Dao Yuting's talent and potential, Song Qingyuan could not have really done anything towards her, otherwise, Cao Wei would teach him a lesson.

Even if he was Cao Wei's biological son, Cao Wei would not spare him if he hurt Dao Yuting. What more since he was only a budding talent and a future leader of the Heaven Lake Sect.

Dao Yuting's abilities were inferior to him, but the potential that she displayed was at least comparable. Under normal circumstances, they would all be the pillar of the Heaven Lake Sect and even the successor to the Heaven Lake Sect.

That was why Lin Feng did not really bother about this. Xiao Budian followed them as he was curious, but Lin Feng did not interfere in his decision.

But after this, Lin Feng discovered that something was amiss. Mu Jihai was following Song Qingyuan and Dao Yuting, while Xiao Budian was following Mu Jihai. But there was someone else following Xiao Budian!

Furthermore, it was a supreme cultivator in the Nascent Soul Stage. It was a middle-aged man wearing a green dress. He looked average but exuded a calm stature.

Lin Feng recalled that he belonged to the Great Qin Empire. He was very low profile during the spiritual conference and was just present to hold the fort for the Great Qin Empire cultivators.

But Lin Feng could tell that even though he looked normal, it was obvious that he was tailing Xiao Budian on purpose.

"What does he want?" Lin Feng raised his brows and commanded his Steel Tree Avatar to follow behind him.

After exiting the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Song Qingyuan continued to lead the way. He seemed very relaxed. Dao Yuting followed behind him, but she seemed to have a lot of things on her mind and she looked very scared.

But she was silent and only tensed her lips while following Song Qingyuan.

Song Qingyuan reached a quiet spot and stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at Dao Yuting, saying, "This place seems nice, does it not?"

Dao Yuting was silent, but Song Qingyuan did not expect a reply. He turned his head in another direction and laughed slightly.

In that direction, Mu Jihai was standing expressionlessly and seemed to know that Song Qingyuan had discovered him. But he did not move his body.

Song Qingyuan turned his head around and smiled slightly at Dao Yuting. His smile was warm as usual but there was a movement of icy mana in his body. It engulfed Dao Yuting's entire body.

Dao Yuting groaned. Her pale face became even more white and she revealed a painful expression.

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Chapter 301: The Silent Killer

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Song Qingyuan was in the later stages of the aurous core stage, and with it he overwhelmed Dao Yuting, who was only in the ending stages of the foundation establishment stage. One could say that Dao Yuting was helpless in retaliating against his onslaught.

Dao Yuting could possibly beat cultivators who had just entered the aurous core stage but she could not do anything against cultivators in the final periods of the aurous core stage. Furthermore, Song Qingyuan was not your average advanced aurous core stage cultivator. He was from Heaven Lake Sect, and aurous core stage cultivators from a sect as reputable as the aforementioned could even take on nascent soul stage grandmasters.

Song Qingyuan did not even have to cast spells – he was already suffocating Dao Yuting by enveloping her with his mana.

The young girl's face turned pale initially and gradually changed to a shade of green as she felt her body turn terribly cold.

In the subsequent moments, her face began to flush in a highly unnatural way and she felt as if she was submerged in a deadly pool of lava within a volcano.

Lin Feng was yet to show up but the Hidden Dragon Teapot was already in play and a stream of his consciousness was also paying attention. He frowned slightly as he witnessed the scene as he would never allow such things to happen at the Celestial Sect of Wonders.

"Eh, I didn't' notice this before, but I wonder if there's something special about Dao Yuting's physique?" Lin Feng suddenly thought of something. "The True Yang hidden within the Original Yin is much stronger than normal girls."

"Under such circumstances, when she advances to the intermediate aurous core stage after forming the golden elixir, she might be in danger as she goes through the Tribulations of the Yin Fire, as the fire in her heart may be too strong. She's at much more risk than normal female cultivators."

Lin Feng continued to ponder. "However, her Yin and Yang is of an extremely rare kind. Even though it's not a complete integration of the two, it is optimal to train in the mantra of the Heaven Lake Sect. She is a rare talent in that respect. No wonder she can master the 冰华焚炎之术 and the Song of the Volcano when she is only in the beginner foundation establishment stage."

"She must have a talent for learning and is naturally prodigious but surely her physique is also a great help."

On the other side, Song Qingyuan could sense the presence of Mu Jihai and he could even sense a little bit of Xiao Budian's position. Even so, he was unfettered and continued to dish out the relentless pressure upon Dao Yuting with a cheeky smile on his face.

His mana was interchanging between intense heat and extreme cold, and Dao Yuting was suffering in the middle of both.

"Do you understand why I'm punishing you?" Song Qingyuan's voice was still gentle, as if he was only having a little chat with Dao Yuting. "Firstly, it's because you lost a practice battle against someone else."

"It's okay if you lost the battle. However, you should never, ever lose to disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders," Song Qingyuan still wore an amiable smile on his face. "You should also know that the relationship between our Master and the Leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders isn't good. As disciples, we should be fighting for the glory of our sect and our master."

"It's okay to lose to anybody but disciples from the Celestial Sect of Wonders and the Northern Tribes. It's even worse still that you lost the bet for our master. Even though a single stalk of Geocentric Fire Lotus or a Nine-Circled Ice Orchid isn't much to the Heaven Lake Sect, master was humiliated because of you. Don't you think you deserve to be punished?"

Song Qingyuan's voice was gentle like the spring breeze. It seemed as if he was just having a light-hearted chat with Dao Yuting.

However, the person he was talking to had her lips tightly closed together and her expression was changing wildly – she was in so much pain that she could not say anything at all.

Song Qingyuan seemed unaware of what was happening. He smiled like he always did and said, "Besides the reason I just gave, there is another reason why you should be punished."

He looked at Dao Yuting and laughed lightly before he continued. "After the competition, the way you looked at Wang Lin was extremely inappropriate."

Even though Song Qingyuan's expression remained unchanged and even his eyes looked like they were smiling, the pressure he unleashed on Dao Yuting suddenly increased tenfold, nearly crushing her underneath.

Despite this, Dao Yuting raised her head with immense effort and stared at Song Qingyuan in the eye. Even though her eyes still betrayed a measure of fear, there was a spark of rebelliousness and defiance.

"I know, I know. As your senior I understand your opinions." Song Qingyuan laughed as he nodded. "I know there's nothing going on between you and him. The bulk of your emotions were leaning towards curiosity and denial of the result of the battle. I understand all that."

He turned and stared Dao Yuting in the eye. "But the problem is, you have never had so much emotions when you faced down other opponents. You were utterly indifferent."

"No matter the reason and no matter how you actually think, in your eyes he's very different from everyone else. You can't dispute my statement, can you?"

Song Qingyuan sauntered beside Dao Yuting and placed his mouth beside the white-clothed girl's ear. The scene was much alike a couple having a moment of intimacy. Song Qingyuan whispered into her ear, "But you seemed to forget that I've said this before – you are prohibited to display too much emotion towards other people. It's even best that you avoid anger and hate as well."

"Hatred, wrath, curiosity, denial and unwillingness to accept the result… All these will cause you to remember that person. But I've said before, between you and other men the only person you have to remember is me."

"When you first entered the sect, I already knew and made up my mind. You will eventually be my partner," Song Qingyuan smiled again and said, "And only my partner. You are talented and you have superior physical qualities, with a greater True Yang factor than most other females."

"Your physique is very close to a Yin and Yang equilibrium, but not quite a complete balance. Therefore, when you go through the tribulations of the Yin fire during your ascension to the aurous core stage, you will suffer greatly."

Song Qingyuan took a step back and looked at Dao Yuting's eyes while he chuckled. "However, I am your complete opposite. My True Yin is strongest within my Original Yang, and we complement each other perfectly to achieve the perfect balance between Yin and Yang. Our Yin and Yang balance will be much more perfect than the average partnership between a male and a female."

"Therefore, since you entered the sect, our master immediately arranged our marriage. I have been, and still am, waiting for you to advance to the aurous core stage. With your prodigal talent and mastery, that day will definitely be soon. I can't wait!"

Song Qingyuan heaved a heavy sigh. Lin Feng and Xiao Budian, who were in the shadows, noticed Mu Jihai at the side, who was also hiding in the shadows. His face was originally expressionless, but a hint of hostility flashed across his face.

This murderous hostility was not towards Song Qingyuan, however. It was towards Dao Yuting!

Lin Feng suddenly realized what was going on. "Song Qingyuan and Dao Yuting were opposites physically. Dao Yuting had a superior True Yang factor, while he had a True Yin in excess. However, if they integrated together it will still not be a perfect equilibrium between Yin and Yang.

The physique of both individuals were optimal for training in the mantras of the Heaven Lake Sect, namely the Dark Polar Blaze Mantra, and their progress would be off the charts. However, there was a hidden danger.

Dao Yuting's bottleneck when she proceeded to the intermediate foundation establishment stage from the beginner stage, the tribulations of Yin Fire were much more dangerous than most people.

As for Song Qingyuan, his bottleneck was at the thunder tribulations to form the nascent soul, in other words it was during his ascension to the nascent soul stage from the aurous core stage.

When cultivators form the nascent soul, huge pools of mana had to be cumulated, an aurous core of exemplar quality was required as well as a strong resilience and unwavering mental strength. Besides that, a few strokes of luck were required.

If Song Qingyuan could not achieve a balance between Yin and Yang, he would have trouble with his mental capabilities during the experience of the thunder tribulations. It was also highly likely that he would display problems with the cumulation of mana, may also betray a shaky foundation as well as a loss of control between Yin and Yang.

In other times, that was nothing much, but during the experience of the thunder tribulations, a single deviation from the prerequisites may lead to death or other serious consequences – perhaps a lightning strike, turning him into hot ash.

Song Qingyuan, as an aurous core stage cultivator, was an example to everybody else. He stood at the pinnacle of the aurous core stage, and with the abilities that he had displayed he could already break the bottleneck and advance to the nascent soul stage.

Yet, it was because of the aforementioned dangers that he had to remain in the aurous core stage. And Dao Yuting was the most appropriate and effective remedy to his problem.

"No wonder Song Qingyuan was treating Dao Yuting like his own property." Lin Feng shook his head. "Mu Jihai's murderous intentions can be easily understood now. Except this person is a little bit brainless."

Even if you killed Dao Yuting, there was still a possibility that Song Qingyuan could advance to the nascent soul stage without her. If you murdered or injured such a talented disciple with great potential – possibly greater than even you – you would definitely not be able to walk away from it.

Lin Feng had absolute confidence that Song Qingyuan was deliberately baiting Mu Jihai to make a move. After all, Mu Jihai was also a renowned disciple of the Heaven Lake Sect. If he did not do anything severely wrong, Song Qingyuan would also have to pay a high price if he murdered the former.

Therefore, Song Qingyuanwas deliberately giving him a chance to make a grave mistake.

Of course, Dao Yuting could not suffer any kind of accident or injury, and Song Qingyuan was confident of that.

However, he could not bait out Mu Jihai's move but Lin Feng baited out the move from the green-cloaked nascent soul stage cultivator.

A wave of green mist suddenly appeared beneath Xiao Budian's feet and seemed to envelope his entire body.

Once this happened, Song Qingyuan, Mu Jihai and Dao Yuting were taken aback. The thick green mist in front of them blurred their vision of their surroundings and they immediately realized that a nascent soul stage grandmaster was making a move against someone else.

Xiao Budian frowned slightly and let loose a low growl as he prepared to charge out of the layer of green mist. The only problem was that once he made a few steps outwards there was still a thick layer of green mist in front of him.

He extended his consciousness deep within the green mist but found nothing.

Xiao Budian worked the Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness and wanted to use it to break open the layer of green mist but quickly realized that the meandering green mist seemed to blur the boundaries of space.

Xiao Budian was stuck within the green mist and seemed to feel that his body had been transported to an independent world and he was removed from the Greater World. Even the Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness could not break open the void for him to escape.

The layer of green mist displayed no signs of aggression and did not seem to threaten Xiao Budian in any way. The only problem was that he was trapped inside with no means of escape.

A nascent soul stage grandmaster made the move but did not unleash an attacking move. His whole concentration was focused on trapping Xiao Budian.

Xiao Budian began to worry. He knew that the other party's intentions for trapping him here was definitely not for a good little chat about the ambitions of life.

Indeed, a voice rang out from within the green mist. "A person that should have been dead a few years ago… You should return to where you should have been. Do not remain in the land of the living and affect living beings."

The sound seemed to originate from all around Xiao Budian. Subsequently, four streaks of powerful mana barreled towards Xiao Budian with intense speed and aggression.

"The person who's alive should be the only one going to hell. Don't jump to conclusions." Xiao Budian was completely unafraid as he engaged into battle against four adversaries.

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Chapter 302: I Need An Explanation

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

The four adversaries were advanced level aurous core stage cultivators and each was outstanding in his or her own right. Their mantras and Abhijna were impressive, and they specialized in teaming up against their enemies. The four of them seemed to enter themselves into a formation and faced off Xiao Budian as one.

Xiao Budian had already unleashed the power of his Heaven-Shaking Thunderstorm and changed in to the form of the Thunderstorm Demon and God. He also released the Demon Tiger, which was at the pinnacle of the aurous core stage, from the Tiger Soul Golden Plate. He stood side by side with the demon tiger, and his coordination with the tiger allowed him to stand his ground.

However, Xiao Budian had a problem. He could not locate his enemies with his consciousness through the cloud of green mist. On the other hand, the four of them did not seem to be affected by the green mist.

Whenever Xiao Budian's attack flared, they temporarily retreated into the safety of the green mist to avoid the attack, and return fire at the same time using the mist as cover. If not for the Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness, he would already be at a disadvantage.

At this point in time, a ripple of mana tore through the air. Even though it was not extremely strong, the green mist began to tremble and seemed like it was falling apart.

Even though the mist did not dissipate, the hold it had on the surrounding space was significantly reduced.

Xiao Budian was rejuvenated. "Is this master's Fences of Heaven?"

The ability of the green mist to arrest the immediate space around it disappeared and, naturally, could no longer imprison Xiao Budian. With the vibration of the Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness, Xiao Budian took the chance and charged out of the mist cloud with a deafening howl.

"It's over! Let's go!" The middle-aged cultivator clad in a green robe reacted immediately and made the decisive order to retreat.

They would have had the chance to murder Xiao Budian If they trapped him within the green mist. However, Xiao Budian escaped and they could not really do anything much even if all Xiao Budian did was run.

Furthermore, this place was not that remote or deserted. The Sea of the Northern Wind was nearby and there were hundreds of participants at the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, let alone Lin Feng and the other elders.

The green mist of the middle-aged cultivator had a secondary effect of blocking off sound. Now that this effect had been negated, they had no choice but to retreat.

The four aurous core stage cultivators were wrapped up by the green mist and the host of them immediately flew away into the horizon.

"You think you can run?" Xiao Budian grunted and exclaimed. He immediately rode on top of his Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness and began to chase. He had no intention of taking down all five of them by himself, but he knew that if he could hold them back long enough, somebody would arrive to clean things up.

All of a sudden, Xiao Budian heard a dark and chilling laugh come from beside him.

At this moment, Xiao Budian shuddered in fright as he sensed the immediate danger. "So this was the killer move all along!"

It was an elderly figure clothed in grey and had a very typical look. He was the kind of person to merge perfectly into a throng of people. Even if he unleashed a killer move against Xiao Budian right in front of him, he would still look extremely normal and not a single part of his body or expression would betray his intentions.

This was the special quality of this kind of person. Even if he was right in front of you and said in your face, "I want to kill you," you would still overlook his presence or even forget about his existence altogether.

He had no reputation and nobody in the outside world would know about him either. He was only an advanced level aurous core stage cultivator, but despite that he had successfully assassinated a nascent soul stage grandmaster before.

Xiao Budian's mind was extremely flexible and he understood that his prowess exceeded that of normal aurous core stage cultivators. He was born in the wild mountains and possessed sharper instincts towards danger than most other people. When the green-robed cultivator made his move, Xiao Budian already began to detect that something else was going on.

Even the attacks of nascent soul stage cultivators could not completely avoid Xiao Budian's detection. However, the elderly figure in grey managed to get so close to him without his knowledge; only when he made his move did Xiao Budian finally realize the imminent danger.

This was Xiao Budian's supernatural awareness. If it was another aurous core stage cultivator in his place, he or she would not even know their manner of death! Any other aurous core stage cultivator would have been wiped off the face of the earth by the elderly figure without knowing anything at all.

"The mantra and Abhijna of this individual seems to exist just for assassination," Xiao Budian began to understand what was going on. "The four aurous core stage cultivators and the nascent soul stage cultivator were but his cover!"

In reality, the green-robed nascent soul stage grandmaster had no clue about the existence of the elderly figure either. Yet, it was because of this very fact that he would try his best to divert Xiao Budian's attention and give the elderly figure the chance he needed.

The light streak within the hands of the elderly figure radiated with a chilling touch. It weaved through the air, much like the path of a snake, and after a few turns and angles it effectively evaded all of Xiao Budian's defences and made straight for his neck.

The Green Bronze Crucible of Emptiness had left Xiao Budian's body as it was used to travel and no longer served any defensive purpose.

The form of the Thunderstorm Demon and God was formidable, but Xiao Budian had no confidence that the neck could withstand a strike from the elderly figure.

The streak of cold light was dim but the destructive force it embodied was enough to petrify every aurous core stage cultivator.

Even the vital point of a nascent soul stage grandmaster would not be able to survive such an attack.

Yet, Xiao Budian was calm and composed. Between the lightning and the flames, a small round shield materialized in front of him and blocked the attack of the elderly figure. At this point in time, the mutability of the streak of light was completely expended and it began to accelerate for the kill.

The shield was a gift from Kang Nanhua, named the Great Chaotic Shield of the Ganges, and was an item forged after Kang Nanhua entered the advanced aurous core stage. It possessed the power to block a single attack from a nascent soul stage grandmaster, and it was this exact shield that successfully blocked the killer move from the elderly figure!

The shield shattered into pieces. This force of this attack was comparable to that of a nascent soul stage cultivator.

The Great Chaotic Shield of the Ganges was no more, but the elderly figure's assault had been repelled. The streak of cold light materialized as a result and it appeared to be a thin knife not more than a foot long and its hilt was in the grasp of the elderly figure.

It was an old and frail hand and the skin was as rough as wilting bark. Despite the fact, his grasp on the knife was stable and unwavering – like a stone that survived the millennium.

"Does everyone have a shield like this? My intelligence failed to report this!" The grey-robed elderly figure heaved a sigh and abruptly withdrew his knife. He leaped backwards and vanished over the horizon.

Having missed his initial strike, the elderly figure retreated and left the scene without hesitation. He had no intention to continue his assault as he knew another chance would crop up in the future.

Disappearing over the horizon after an unsuccessful hit showed great discipline. He did not believe in gambles and was not greedy with his chances – such were the salient characteristics of a perfect hitman.

Despite all this, his exit was still too late. The space in front of him trembled and Lin Feng stepped out from a crack in the void and arrived in front of the elderly figure in no time. He carried a sphere of purple energy, and within the sphere was a small and independent world.

Within the Celestial Small Worlds, five individuals were struggling relentlessly to escape. They comprised the first wave of assassins sent forth – the green-robed cultivator and the other aurous core stage cultivators – and were easily subdued and caught by Lin Feng like fish in a net.

He let one of the aurous core stage cultivators go on purpose as he left a mark a on his body. He wanted to see if the 'fish' would lead him to an even greater catch.

Lin Feng peered at the elderly figure in silence and extended his fingers as if to grab him.

Even though he was faced with a person like Lin Feng, the elderly figure remained calm and soundlessly contracted his entire body into a size seemingly smaller than a grain of sand and rocketed backwards to avoid Lin Feng's capture.

Lin Feng watched on and said plainly, "Your method of escape is but an illusion. Your body never contracted into such a small size. You deceive people into thinking that you disappeared by minimizing yourself."

"But such illusions are nothing to me."

Lin Feng's fingers extended once again and spell of Heavenly Arrest, which extended from the Fences of Heaven, shot out towards the elderly figure's position in the form of a gigantic hand. The spell gripped him within its palm and he was immediately immobilized.

Suddenly, Prince Anliang of the Great Qin Empire stepped out from the void. Immediately behind him were the two immortal soul cultivators of the Great Qin Empire that participated in the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and Gambling Holy Man.

However, the typically jovial Vivant Joy Holy Man could laugh no longer and the easy-going Gambling Holy Man wore an intensely solemn expression.

The three immortal soul elders trained their gaze upon the Celestial Small World in Lin Feng's palm and stared at the imprisoned green-robed middle-aged cultivator.

If gazes could kill, this nascent soul stage cultivator would have already been utterly destroyed by the looks on the faces of the three immortal soul stage cultivators.

They recognized this nascent soul stage cultivator to be Zhao Xin. He was one of the nascent soul stage grandmasters who participated in the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai from the Great Qin Empire.

This individual used to be an enshrined member of the Great Qin Empire's group of nascent soul stage cultivators. He was typically low-profile, did not engage in battle often and neither did he travel often in the outside world. In a typical day, he was a shut-in and was silently practicing his mantra or forging pills and magic treasures.

His ability was quite impressive and he completed tasks with care and without fail as per the Great Qin Empire's various orders.

Shi Zongyue and company were originally extremely appreciative of such a powerful and low-profile subordinate. Little did they know that it was this exact person that knocked over the hornet's nest.

The three pillars of the Great Qin Empire were at a loss as they knew the impact of this incident was irrevocably negative.

As the hosts of the event, not only were the guests subjected to assassinations, people under the hosts themselves were directly involved in the assassinations. No matter what reason was given, the reputation of the Great Qin Empire took a big hit.

The Vivant Joy Holy Man glanced at the expressionless Lin Feng and made an inward sigh. "He just had to pick the disciple of this particular person as his target. Now things will definitely get more complicated."

After the events at Xingyun Peak, Lin Feng's reputation at protecting his disciples was already widespread. Everybody knew that the leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders had a soft spot for the weak, to the point where he would possibly overdo things. If something happened to his disciples, one could expect Lin Feng to get to the bottom of it and even fight the battle himself to seek justice for whatever happened.

"The only redeeming fact is that his disciple is okay after everything that's happened. Otherwise today's events would really cause never-ending trouble." The Vivant Joy Holy Man thought to himself as Lin Feng turned around and once again stared at them with an expressionless face.

"Prince Anliang, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man… I need an explanation." Lin Feng's tone was calm and plain but anybody could detect it was the last moment of composure before the thunderstorm and calamity.

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Chapter 303: Who Will Take the Blame?

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Shi Zongyue, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man looked intensely solemn. When Shi Zongyue first stepped foot onto the scene he laid down a magic formation that formed a dome around the immediate vicinity and denied entry to outsiders.

His decision was proved to be correct. Previously, when Xiao Budian faced off his adversaries and after the cloud of green mist had dissipated, the ripples of mana from the clash traversed outward and attracted the attention of numerous individuals within the audience of the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai. In fact, some of these individuals had already made their way here but were rejected entry by the Shi Zongyue.

The other immortal soul cultivators could break through, naturally, but refrained from doing so out of respect for the Prince's intentions.

Some of those people outside the dome still cared about what was going on inside, however. The Blue Pavilion Holy Man projected his voice inside the dome with his mana and asked aloud, "May I ask the Prince Anliang about what happened that led to the mana ripples?"

Shi Zongyue took a deep breath. "There was a minor clash here. I am already handling it, no need the Blue Pavilion Holy Man to worry. It's not a big deal anyway."

This was also the same statement he wanted to make to the other immortal soul cultivators, or whoever else was interested in what just transpired.

Controlling the spread of information and keeping the information contained was imperative as the main aim was to prevent further complications to the already negative situation.

Of course, to achieve that end he had to calm Lin Feng down, along with the rest of the Celestial Secft of Wonders.

Shi Zongyue faced the expressionless Lin Feng in front of him and coughed dryly before saying, "Master Lin, the three of us and the Great Qin Empire are the last people that would have wanted this to happen. You have to believe me."

Lin Feng nodded his head but remained silent. He accepted this explanation as the consequences of assassinating their guests would rain hell on the hosts of the event. Moreover, the assassin was himself from the Great Qin Empire.

However, accepting the explanation did not mean that Lin Feng was going to just let it go. He was not going to let a few words resolve something that happened on the turf of the Great Qin Empire and something that was executed by the subordinates of the latter.

Shi Zongyue and company absolutely understood that. The Vivant Joy Holy Man was the first and he said, "Please forgive us for what happened, Master Lin. The Great Qin Empire is willing to provide commensurate compensation. We do hope you and your disciple will accept our offer."

The three of them turned and trained their gazes on Xiao Budian. Everybody was heaving inward sighs.

The rise of the Celestial Sect of Wonders was extremely high profile. Besides Lin Feng, who was up till now still mysterious as ever and full of secrets, the backgrounds of everybody else in the Sect had been investigated and laid bare. Naturally, they knew of Xiao Budian's family history and his life story. Two nascent soul stage grandmasters from the Yu Family perished in their pursuit of the fact.

Yu Qianshan and Yu Wanfeng, two nascent soul stage cultivators, died at the hands of Lin Feng. The Yu Family bore this grudge ever since but never had a chance to take their revenge.

A long time ago, Xiao Budian's parents had a big fight so the Shi Family had to cover things up to the best of their ability. However, news got out in the end and even caused several uproars and public discussions.

Resources were generally diverted or favourably so towards some of the most talented or prodigious members of the family. This was nothing new as every family was doing something like this.

Except Shi Tianyi and his mother went too far. The victim of all this was Xiao Budian, who was still in his infancy. This was also the reason why the public were so upset.

However, Xiao Budian and his parents suddenly vanished. On the other side, Shi Tianyi rose as a prodigy and displayed his extraordinary and unprecedented talent. People in the Shi Family seemed to be deliberately directing and guiding him, changing the course of events.

Increasingly more people began to suspect that the Shi Family made a good deal to concentrate all their resources on a single person to forge and produce one of the most prodigious individuals ever; this individual was destined to leave his mark in history.

In recent years, Xiao Budian was reborn along with the rapid rise of the Celestial Sect of Wonders and returned into the sights of the public. Everybody knew that this kid was bound to have a showdown with Shi Tianyi – it was only a matter of time.

In fact, Shi Zongyue and the Vivant Joy Holy Man were somewhat related to Xiao Budian by blood. As they took in the child in front of them, the two great immortal soul cultivators heaved another inward sigh and glanced at each other. All of a sudden, an idea popped up in their heads at the same time.

"Could this be the doing of the Shi Family?"

They could not shake off the possibility of this theory the moment it appeared. Their gazes turned towards the grey-robed elderly figure and Zhao Xin and their eyes sparkled.

Shi Zongyue lowered his voice and said, "Master Lin, would you be willing to transfer custody of your prisoners to us for interrogation? I will definitely come up with a satisfactory explanation."

Lin Feng did not even stop to think and rejected them outright. "I will personally interrogate these people. This is not because I don't trust you, Prince Anliang, but I do not wish for any other unforeseen circumstances to happen."

Shi Zongyue was taken aback. In normal times, his word was worth everything, but Lin Feng's rebuttal rendered him speechless.

The only redeeming factor of it all was that Lin Feng seemed to believe that the main perpetrator of the assassinations was not the Great Qin Empire and that Shi Zongyue and company were in the dark as well.

However, Shi Zongyue and company were distressed by another fact. Even though Lin Feng did not say it out, the hidden meaning in his words was clear.

I trust that you had no knowledge of whatever happened, but something like this happened right under your nose, and the assassin was somebody under you as well. What were you doing?

I trust your personality and your word but I no longer trust your ability. To avoid any other accidents, let me handle this myself.

What worried Shi Zongyue the most was that Lin Feng was always doing everything himself. From previous occurrences, the leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders did not typically antagonize others, but if others antagonized him his reaction was more often extremely firm than otherwise.

Back at Shazhou City, everybody who sought or created trouble at the opening ceremony of the Celestial Sect of Wonders suffered horrible consequences. Lin Feng showed no mercy and captured or murdered every single one of them.

The comparatively more fortunate outcomes were but Pang Jie, Kong Chang and Zhang Hai.

Lin Feng imprisoned Zhang Hai, the butler of the House of the Marquis of Xuanji of the Great Zhou Empire. In the end, the Head Eunuch of the Great Zhou Empire Mei Wulang exchanged a great sum of resources in exchange for Zhang Hai's safe return.

Kong Chang of the Mount Shu Sword Sect was physically devastated and his nascent sword suffered irreparable damage. When he was captured by Lin Feng, he was already on the verge of death and was eventually handed over to the Heavenly Master Sword Sect. If Kong Chang could choose his fate, he would have preferred to die quickly on the spot.

Pang Jie ended up in a similar situation as Kong Chang. He was still alive when he was captured by Lin Feng. Put bluntly, this was the result of 庞佑. The Six Appearances Sword protected Pang Jie but he was still imprisoned inside Lin Feng's Two Elements of Creation Formation. If not for Yan Mingyue, who arrived at the scene to beg Lin Feng for mercy, Pang Jie would have ended up in the hands of Lin Feng.

Of course, not many people knew the fact that the Pang Jie at Shazhou City was just an Avatar. However, it was also because of this fact that he became a stepping stone for the returning Yan Mingyue.

Besides the three of them, everybody else who picked a fight with the Celestial Sect of Wonders suffered the most undesirable consequences.

Shi Zongyue would not have been too bothered if it had been somebody else. Even if the other party rampaged up to their front door in a fit of rage, he would just let them be as any power would be subject to his geographical advantage. His own mountain entrance was fortified and extremely formidable.

Invading someone else's mountain entrance with anything less than a distinctly superior ability would be futile. Chances were, the invading party would suffer great loss with no conceivable progress.

The ancestral grounds of the Shi Family, let alone Xiling City of the Great Qin Empire, had existed for millennia with unshakable foundations. In typical times they were unafraid of any incoming invaders seeking trouble at their front door.

However, the Lin Feng and the Celestial Sect of Wonders was a completely different breed. The uniqueness of Mount Yujing gave them the extraordinary ability of negating their adversaries' geographical advantage. Lin Feng could carry his own mountain along with him; all the way up to his adversaries' front door if need be. The clashing of mountain doors would be a great disaster.

According to his own approximations, the Shi Family should not be so hot-headed and take such risky measures.

This was because the benefits were not good enough to justify the downsides. They ran the risk of angering the Celestial Sect of Wonders and the Great Qin Empire at the same time and the consequence of that was extremely severe.

Furthermore, employing such drastic measures of assassination betrayed their guilty conscience.

This guilty conscience could be compared to a thief who ran into the stolen object's owner.

Even if they successfully murdered Xiao Budian, the losses the Shi Family would be subject to from the wrath of the Celestial Sect of Wonders and the Great Qin Empire was not something they could handle, and far exceeded their gains.

Shi Zongyue, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling man exchanged glances and turned back towards Lin Feng. "From the way I see it, the Great Zhou Empire's suspicion is the greatest. What do you think, Master Lin?"

Taking down the reputation of the Great Qin Empire a notch, provoking disapproval from the Great Qin Royal Family towards the Shi Family and thus causing internal conflict, and creating an enemy for them as frightening as Lin Feng.

The party with the most to gain from the outcome of events was undoubtedly the Great Zhou Empire. It did not matter whether Xiao Budian was murdered – the Great Zhou Empire would still be reaping the benefits of whatever happened. It all made logical sense.

"That's the problem – this makes too much sense. So from every angle it seems like you're trying to push the frame someone else." Lin Feng laughed inside but still wore a calm expression as he continued to look at Shi Zongyue and company. He knew that the three of them would set the tone for the resolution of this incident.

The assassin that Lin Feng captured had not even been interrogated and Shi Zongyue was already prepared to push the blame to the Great Zhou Empire.

If they reached an agreement with Lin Feng, even if the Great Zhou Empire was completely uninvolved, to the outside world the responsibility and blame would become theirs to bear regardless.

It was possible that the three immortal soul cultivators understood the problem with their theory. However, it was to their infinite advantage if they could push the blame to the Great Zhou Empire right here and now.

Yet, from Lin Feng's perspective, pushing the blame to the Great Zhou Empire was not that good an outcome at all. Put more accurately, jumping to conclusions was of no benefit to him. Handling the incident himself was the best way to maximise the outcome and maintain his autonomy.

At the same tie, Lin Feng truly wanted to investigate the matter and get to the bottom of it. The other party had the audacity to assault one of his direct disciples – this violated his fundamental principles. He would never let it go just like that.

"The Great Zhou Empire is indeed a suspect. But this conclusion is too early to make." Lin Feng yet again replied with an expressionless look, "I will personally interrogate these people with care. If I find anything I will definitely let the three of you know."

He turned to look at Xiao Budian. "The most important question is, my disciple being ambushed and assassinated by a number of perpetrators…"

Lin Feng paused. Xiao Budian immediately understood his master's intentions and his round black eyes sparkled with mischievous playfulness. A look of intense pain flashed across his face as he walked up to his master and tugged on his sleeve while he complained piteously, "Master, I have been injured and its hurts like crazy!"

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Chapter 304: A Chip Off the Old Block

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Xiao Budian tugged on Lin Feng's sleeve and blinked at him with that piteous look of a child in need, as if he had been harmed and was seeking the protection of his parents. It was a very charming look.

However, the scene in the eyes of Shi Zongyue and company was one of trouble and gloom.

When the grey-robed elderly assassin made his move, they were already at the scene and witnessed all that transpired – the Great Chaotic Shield of the Ganges and how it blocked the attack, saving Xiao Budian's life.

Even if they missed that part completely, with their level of mastery they could tell instantly that Xiao Budian was actually perfectly fine and had not been harmed in any way.

Xiao Budian did not suffer internal injuries or any other form of hidden injuries, let alone physical injury. He was, in fact, extremely healthy and was energetic and vitalized enough to wrack havoc upon the world for a long time to come.

Xiao Budian was Lin Feng's disciple, so Shi Zongyue and company could not just chide and reprimand him out of general courtesy. They turned to look at Lin Feng and hoped that the master could rein in his disciple and teach him to stop telling lies and pretending.

Lin Feng appeared concerned as he dragged Xiao Budian in front of him and carefully scrutinized Xiao Budian for a long while. What he said afterwards came as a shock to everyone and sent Shi Zongyue and company into intense exasperation.

"Oh, you've been hurt bad indeed. It's hard to heal this."

Lin Feng had a look of solemnity and looked up at Shi Zongyue and the others. "My disciple has lived a hard life and has had to face a great many challenges. He almost lost his life when he was just a little boy."

"But this kid is tough and resilient. There's a saying that goes: God helps those who help themselves. He has survived till now despite everything," Lin Feng heaved a heavy sigh. "I've watched Tian Hao grow up since he was a little kid. I am extremely clear about how difficult his life has been."

"But no matter how much suffering and darkness he has had to endure, Tian Hao's heart and soul has remained kind and radiant and is still a blessing to this world!"

Lin Feng continued. "This kid extends his love and his warmth to all the fauna and flora of the world, all the pieces of nature and all the souls with beating hearts."

"Looking back at his tragic childhood, it is indeed surprising yet wonderful that Tian Hao has remained so optimistic about the world."

He paused and a look of indignation flashed across his face. "And some people couldn't let a kid like this live?"

"Badly hurting a twelve-year-old kid like this – it's unacceptable!"

Shi Zongyue and the others stared at Lin Feng with gaping mouths. Their eyes darted back and forth between Lin Feng and Xiao Budian.

The Vivant Joy Hold Man suddenly blinked and scrutinized Xiao Budian once again. He thought to himself, "Could it be that he suffered some internal injury that I failed to detect? That's not likely though…"

He wanted to tell Lin Feng that his disciple was completely fine.

Shi Zongyue recovered after a long while and let out a muffled grunt. He could tell that Lin Feng was just being opportunistic and taking the chance to knock a hefty sum off the Great Qin Empire.

For such a thing to happen on the Great Qin Empire's home turf, even if the victim was only marginally hurt, the Great Qin Empire still had to provide compensation and assurance as a gesture of courtesy. The amount was another story altogether.

Shi Zongyue was the first to speak. "Master Lin, the Great Qin Empire will definitely compensate you for what happened. However, I am willing to swear on my life – I have lived five thousand and eight hundred years – that your disciple was completely unhurt in the assault!"

Even Xiao Budian's skin was completely intact, let alone another form of injury.

Shi Zongyue was complaining in his mind. "What nonsense. We have already arrived halfway during the assassination. If there was any real danger, we would have stepped in to stop it. Heck, you would have done the same. How could he be hurt?"

Lin Feng looked at him plainly and answered, "When did I say he suffered external injury?"

The Gambling Holy Man laughed forcefully and replied, "Master Lin, he does not have any internal injuries either."

Lin Feng patted Xiao Budian on the head. "Of course I know that. My disciple is completely fine – his mental state or his physical state.

Shi Zongyue and company heaved a sigh of relief. Everything was simpler as long as he recognized the fact.

Lin Feng suddenly changed his tone of speech and continued, "But my disciple is psychologically traumatized!"

"What?" The Vivant Joy Holy Man and Zhuge Guang were stunned. Shi Zongyue frowned and replied, "Please do not joke about this, Master Lin."

Lin Feng's faced returned to a state of solemnity. "Who's joking with you? I'm sure everyone knows his real age."

Shi Zongyue and company's stopped breathing and peered at Xiao Budian. At least they were old enough to have seen innumerable numbers of decadent prodigies. Right now they were feeling exasperated.

Xiao Budian was not even twelve and he was already in the beginner aurous core stage!

Xiao Budian's prowess frequently caused others to overlook his real age. In other words, many individuals subconsciously avoided the question as it was a complete mismatch. This level of mastery at such a young age could embarrass so many cultivators to the point of suicide.

Lin Feng lowered his voice and said, "He's a little kid that's not even twelve years old. To think that he has the emotional maturity of a grown adult is impossible."

"He's just a kid and he just faced a situation of life and death. He was chased down by assassins and barely escaped with his life. What do you think the impact would be on his psychological state of mind?" Lin Feng continued and said, "Especially so when the perpetrators could possibly be related to him by blood. What do you think this could do to his soul?"

"A psychological trauma as serious as this – if nothing's done to fix it and help him recover it will ruin his life."

Shi Zongyue and company could only watch as Lin Feng spoke with eloquence and unfettered righteousness. Their mouths gaped open and nobody could say anything.

As for Xiao Budian's psychological state of mind, they did not believe Lin Feng's nonsense. To the best of their knowledge, Xiao Budian was doted on by Lin Feng, but his background was nothing like a privileged kid. He had already experienced multiple situations of life and death amongst other challenging experiences.

If his psychological state of mind was that weak, he would have died hundreds of times over. How could he have survived until now to wrack havoc upon the world?

However, Lin Feng's words seemed to suggest that the Shi Family was the mastermind of this evil plan. Shi Zongyue and the others could not disregard his words.

If that were true, and the Shi Family was identified as the main perpetrator and the true mastermind of the crime, the Great Qin Empire could not possibly pretend it never happened. This would only strain their relationship with the Shi Family.

The four great families of the Great Qin Empire, besides the relatively stronger rapport between the Huo Family and the Royal Family, the other three families had some conflicts between each other. However, they were usually able to stick or progress together. If the Great Qin Empire antagonized the Shi Family, it was likely the other two families would be dragged in as well.

At that point, the external pressure from the Great Zhou Empire would be greater and greater. Under such circumstances, any internal conflict within the Great Qin Empire would be highly unwise.

This was the reason that Shi Zongyue and company wanted to resolve this issue as quietly as possible, and the reason why they wanted to push the blame to their adversary, the Great Zhou Empire.

The three great immortal soul cultivators ran their thoughts while Xiao Budian wore a pitiful look and hid behind Lin Feng. He hugged Lin Feng and said quietly, "Master, I'm afraid. Can we go back to Mount Yujing?"

Shi Zongyue's face and the others instantly turned black. They glanced at Lin Feng, then at Xiao Budian and back at Lin Feng. The combined age of the three great immortal cultivators was more than ten thousand years but suddenly they seemed to be at a loss for words and ideas.

"This is really a chip off the old block!" Shi Zongyue heaved a heavy sigh to the heavens and shook his head while he said to Lin Feng, "Master Lin, the abilities of your disciple is indeed impressive. I have nothing else to say."

How could Lin Feng not detect the sarcasm in his voice?

However, Lin Feng simply chuckled and replied, "Of course. It is natural that my disciple is like me in every way."

Lin Feng peered at Shi Zongyue with a faint smile on his face.

"In every way…" Shi Zongyue was taken aback once again. He stared at the legislations and nodded his head slowly but said no more. He shot the Vivant Joy Holy Man and look and turned around.

The Vivant Joy Holy Man coughed dryly and looked at Lin Feng. "Whatever you say. Tell me, Master Lin, how can we help to repair your disciples psychological trauma?"

The Vivant Joy Holy Man enunciated the last two words syllable by syllable with pauses in between. It was as if he squeezed out the words 'psychological trauma' from between the gaps of his teeth.

The state of his temperament was already a wonder in itself.

Lin Feng glanced at the Vivant Joy Holy Man and replied with a tone of disapproval. "Do the three of you think I'm trying to blackmail you or extort from you? I think you guys are underestimating me."

He patted Xiao Budian on the head once more and said, "What do you want from them?"

The Vivant Joy Holy Man was stunned. He understood Lin Feng's words – he wanted to give the right to compensation to Xiao Budian and let him decide on whatever he wanted in compensation. To do things until such a level as a master was indeed impressive.

The Gambling Holy Man nodded his head slowly and Shi Zongyue turned back to face them. His expression was a lot more relaxed now as he looked at Xiao Budian and heaved a heavy sigh after a long while. "Forget it. Tell me, my child, what do you want? If it's anything that the Great Qin Empire possesses it is yours."

Even though his words were as such, if Xiao Budian's request was something outrageous like a magic treasure on the spot Shi Zongyue was going to pretend he did not hear.

However, Xiao Budian did not seem like he had such intentions. He just stared at Shi Zongyue and the other immortal soul elders like an injured little animal.

The Vivant Joy Holy Man looked at Xiao Budian and said amiably, "Tell us, what do you desire?"

Stop pretending you little bastard! We had already agreed to compensate you, you should make it quick!

Xiao Budian tried to test the waters and made his first request. "I want a Purple-Golden Gust. Is that okay?"

"Ah, that is nothing much. At least this kid has decent propriety." The Vivant Joy Holy Man thought to himself as he met Xiao Budian's desirous gaze and flashed a smile. "Sure, no problem."

A smile appeared on Xiao Budian's face and he whispered his second request. "Then… Then can I also have a piece of Thunder Crystal?"

His big eyes had a tinge of embarrassment in them, as if he knew he was getting greedy.

"Thunder Crystals? No problem." The Vivant Joy Holy Man replied before he thought to himself, "That's nothing too rare or exotic either. It seems like this kid is quite pure and innocent after all. He's only requested for such a small amount and he's already feeling embarrassed."

If these were the only items that the Great Qin Empire gave as compensation seemed to betray stinginess on their part. Shi Zongyue and the Vivant Joy Holy Man exchanged a look and said, "If you want anything else, just tell us now. I will ensure that anything suitable for you, as long as you desire them, will be yours!"

Xiao Budian giggled when he heard those words and replied, "Thank you, sir. Then… then I'm going to say them now."

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Chapter 305: Reopening of the Spiritual Conference

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Even though he felt like Xiao Budian knew his limits and would not suggest anything too outrageous, Shi Zongyue left wiggle space in his words for himself.

"Anything that is suitable for you, it's yours." The preamble was that the item he requested had to be suitable for Xiao Budian. The word "suitable" gave him a chance to dispute in case the request was too much to handle.

Xiao Budian's requests were not too flagrant and were definitely things that he could use. Nobody would argue with that fact, but Shi Zongyue and the others were left pinned to the floor and speechless.

"I want a pair of Golden Deers, a male and a female."

"I also want Black Spirit Serpents, also a male and a female."

"I also want ten stalks of Butterfly Dragon Grass. If ten stalks is too much, eight stalks will do."

"I heard Xiling City is famous for its many exotic fruits such as the Holy Fruit of the Sky River Clock, the Purple Jade Melon, the Purefire Pear and the Original Golden Fruit. I would like some of them – one tree of each will do."

As soon as Xiao Budian's mouth opened a string of names flowed out like a river. Shi Zongyue, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and Zhuge Guang were left utterly speechless.

On the other side, Xiao Budian seemed oblivious and was enjoying the fantasy. He swallowed and continued,

"I also want the Songzhen Spirit Snake, the Nine-hearted Sparrow, the Pearl Fish, the Chicken of Eight Treasures and the Purple Lightning Mink. I want five of each.

"As for plants, I would like the Green Light Vine, the Emerald Jade Celery and the Dragon Scale Bamboo Shoots."

Shi Zongyue and company were done. Their faces were as black as black could get and the three great immortal soul cultivators were crying out inside. "I take back my compliments for this little bastard. This is definitely one wild child!"

Even Lin Feng seemed to not be able to watch anymore and interrupted Xiao Budian with a dry cough.

Shi Zongyue was just about to heave a long sigh of relief that the leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders was finally stepping in to disciple his disciple.

However, Xiao Budian's voice paused for a moment before continuing, "Oh yes, I forgot something else. I also want some minerals like the Gengjin Flowing Water Rock, the Heavenly Cinnabar. Each item should weight at least three taels."

"Besides that, I also want a Remains of the Thunder Dragon,the Talons of the Flying Lian King and the Blood of the Panlong..."

Xiao Budian was going to continue on but Shi Zongyue could take it no longer and interrupted him. "Enough!"

Prince Anliang of the Great Qin Empire glared at the little boy for a long while. Subsequently, he flicked his sleeve and walked away without a word.

He swore that if this continued, even if he had to fight Lin Feng for real, he would murder this evil Satan's spawn.

Even so, Xiao Budian's list was long but almost none of the items on it were extremely exotic or limited. Only the Remains of the Thunder Dragon and the Blood of the Panlong were relatively hard to obtain. The other items could be easily obtained by the Great Qin Empire.

What Shi Zongyue could not accept was that Xiao Budian's mouth was so big and treated the three of them with condescension, as if they were his servants. How infuriating!

Before he left, Shi Zongyue paused momentarily and muttered, "Give him everything on that list!"

And then he was gone.

Lin Feng and the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man glared at Xiao Budian until Lin Feng broke the silence with a dry laugh. "Child… Still a child."

The Vivant Joy Holy Man and Zhuge Guang laughed out loud at the same time and replied, "Yes, he's still a child. It's normal, it's normal…"

What nonsense!

An evil child like this should not exist to wrack havoc upon the world!

The two immortal soul elders were scolding Xiao Budian on the inside, but they did not know that Lin Feng was doing the same and wanted to spank Xiao Budian as well.

"You little shit. You really know how to be opportunistic." The corner of Lin Feng's mouth spasmed incessantly. He pretty much watched Xiao Budian grow up and Xiao Budian had been following him from the moment he was born. Master and disciple almost had a telepathic connection and they could understand each other without any verbal interaction.

As for Xiao Budian's development after the nine-holed aurous core, master and disciple naturally talked about it and Xiao Budian knew that to progress to Advanced aurous core stage and complete the aurous core, he had to 想要弥补先天九窍 and required a great amount of time and energy.

Back then, Lin Feng casually remarked that magic items like the Black Butterfly Dragon Grass,the Gengjin Flowing Water Rock,the Heavenly Cinnabar,the Blood of the Panlong,the Purple Golden Gust and Thunder Crystals could help him complete the aurous core and break the bottleneck. Xiao Budian had always remembered that.

Even though Lin Feng also said that he would prepare the items for Xiao Budian, such a prime opportunity for extortion arose and he could not just let it go.

"It would save it a lot of trouble for master if somebody helped to obtain those items." Xiao Budian thought to himself joyfully.

The Remains of the Thunder Dragon and the Talons of the Flying Lian King were items that could help Xiao Budian train and meditate and he took the chance to request for them.

What rendered Lin Feng speechless was the fact that Xiao Budian absolutely maximised his opportunity and tried to obtain even more benefits for himself. He even temporarily left aside the actual important items and requested a bunch of unnecessary and random things from the Great Qin Empire.

The Golden Deer, the Black Spirit Serpent, the Songzhen Spirit Snake, the Chicken of Eight Treasures, the Nine-hearted Spirit Sparrow, the Pearl Fish and the Purple Lightning Mink were relatively rare creatures. Xiao Budian wanted these creatures not to open a zoo but for breeding – which was the reason why he requested for a male and a female of each. His idea was to solve his cravings for the long term.

The other items like the Holy Fruit of the Sky River Clock, the Original Golden Fruit, the Purple Jade Melon, the Purefire Pear and whatnot were also to satisfy his eating cravings.

The Green Light Vine, the Emerald Green Celery and the Dragon Scale Bamboo Shoots were all for eating as well.

This little boy was getting better and better at eating. He even had the fruits ready for after the meal, let alone the main courses themselves.

Lin Feng watched him speechlessly when he named the creatures and other food like when he was ordering from a restaurant. It was then that he coughed dryly to remind Xiao Budian to ask for what was actually important before anything else.

In the end, Shi Zongyue left in a fit of rage and left the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man standing there with miserable looks on their faces to remember the names that Xiao Budian called out.

Lin Feng did not want them to be overly miserable, however. Even though he could not hand over Zhang Xin and the grey-robed elder, he still handed over two of the aurous core stage cultivators to the two Holy Men for interrogation by the Great Qin Empire.

Lin Feng was noncommittal about the conclusion to the incident and the Vivant Joy Holy Man and the Gambling Holy Man could not do anything about it either.

Even though they knew that the two aurous core stage cultivators would not yield any useful intelligence, the two of them had no choice but take them away for questioning and hope for a surprising discovery.

As everyone left the magic formation set by Shi Zongyuue, they immediately saw Shi Zongyue hovering in the air and chatting with the Leader of the Heaven Lake Sect, Cao Wei, in the distance.

AS they left the magic formation, Shi Zongyue's emotions were back to normal and was conversing with Cao Wei with his look of usual composure. Cao Wei was no different.

Below them were a handful of cultivators from the Heaven Lake Sect. Dao Yuting took point along with Song Qingyuan and Mu Jihai.

Dao Yuting was staring into the distance – it did not seem like her eyes were focused on anything – as if she were daydreaming.

On the other hand, Mu Jihai seemed as if there were multiple things on his mind and his eyes were moving around except towards Dao Yuting and Song Qingyuan.

Out of the three of them, Song Qingyuan looked the most natural and even wore a warm smile on his face. However, there seemed to be something inexplicable about the expression in his eyes.

Lin Feng witnessed the scene and immediately realized that Shi Zongyue was negotiating with Cao Wei.

When Xiao Budian was under attack, Song Qingyuan and company were just at the side. Even though they did not understand the whole story, or even the people who were involved, they were still at the scene.

Shi Zongyue had no choice but to reach and agreement with Cao Wei and ensure that the incident was controlled within his own grasp and avoid the occurrence of unforeseen circumstances.

Song Qingyuan and the others were, in the end, just passers-by and had no clue about what happened. This was the reason why they were still reasonably carefree and autonomous in front of Cao Wei and Shi Zongyue.

Cao Wei had a plain look on his face and did not inquire too much about the event. It seemed like he was apathetic.

It was only when Lin Feng and Xiao Budian exited the magic formation did he glance over momentarily and made Lin Feng slightly wary.

This was because Lin Feng realized that Cao Wei's gaze remained on Xiao Budian longer than it did on him.

Lin Feng simply smiled in response and did not point anything out.

Once both parties reached an agreement, the situation calmed down. The consensus for the public announcement was there was a small misunderstanding which led to a minor conflict, and now the conflict had been resolved. It did not affect the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai and the latter could continue.

The subsequent deals to be made at the Spiritual Conference were not only unaffected, they were hotter now that more people entered the Hidden Dragon Teapot.

The trading platform was nearing its end and a great many cultivators had looks of glee and joyfulness, as if they were quite satisfied with their gains today.

Under these circumstances, everybody was looking forward even more to the cultivator competition the following day.

Time flew inside the Hidden Dragon Teapot. In the blink of an eye, it was the second day already and the battle between aurous core stage cultivators was about to be reopened.

Everyone exited the Hidden Dragon Teapot and gathered around the Vivant Joy Holy Man. They watched the bronze bottle on the floor and waited for the aurous core stage cultivators to draw lots and pick their opponents.

The Vivant Joy Holy Man had the typical happy-go-lucky expression. Other people could not tell but Lin Feng noticed a hint of distress somewhere deep in his eyes.

"Master, where did the people you captured yesterday come from?" Xiao Budian arrived next to Lin Feng and asked aloud.

Lin Feng turned to look at him and Xiao Budian met his gaze.

Lin Feng flashed a warm smile and shook his head at Xiao Budian. Xiao Budian remained silent but Lin Feng could feel a hint of relief coming from his disciple.

Zhu Yi whispered to Lin Feng, "Master, what are we going to do about this?"

Lin Feng smiled again but his eyes turned cold. "Do not worry. I know how to handle troublemakers and I will make them pay for it."

Zhu Yi nodded and seemed to understand Lin Feng. He turned and saw a yellow silhouette drift downwards in front of him. It was the Royal Princess of the Great Qin Empire, Shi Xingyun.

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Chapter 306: The Ring Is a Performance Stage

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Shi Xingyun walked to Lin Feng and greeted him. Lin Feng tilted his head in response and said, "You don't have to be so courteous, Princess Xingyun."

"I hope that one day the leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders will advise me. It will be my genuine honor." Shi Xingyun stood up and turned to Zhu Yi. "One of my friends offended you before and I hope you will forgive him."

Zhu Yi watched the yellow-robed girl in front of him and replied calmly, "There's nothing to forgive. Perhaps it's just a misunderstanding."

Zhu Yi shook his long sleeve and a Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala appeared in the middle his palm, much like a mandala flower oscillating between white and black.

In the centre of it was a tall and skinny youth who tried to take advantage of Zhu Yi when he was cleaving the rock to obtain the Mingdu Teeth.

Zhu Yi released the astral imprisonment and the tall and skinny youth fell out onto the ground. Before he could say anything, Shi Xingyun was already in front of him with a faint smile.

The tall and skinny youth trembled as he mumbled, "Princess Xingyun."

Shi Xingyun nodded her head lightly and replied, "When we reach Xiling City, you will proceed to the Clan Pavilion."

The skinny youth acted as if great mercy had been bestowed upon him and continually nodded his head while agreeing with Shi Xingyun's statement.

Zhu Yi and company watched on with mild amusement. Xiao Budian tilted his head towards Zhu Yi and asked, "Look at him. He's going to the Clan Pavilion to receive his punishment but he seems to be more afraid of being punished by Shi Xingyun herself."

Zhu Yi flashed him a smile and replied, "We will see what she is truly capable of soon enough."

Xiao Budian pouted and seemed to disapprove of what Zhu Yi said about Shi Xingyun.

Shi Xingyun greeted Zhu Yi again and said, "Thank you for your mercy, my friend." She flipped her elegant and pale hands lightly and a ray of golden light flew into the sky before arriving in front of Zhu Yi.

The ray of golden light radiated with the nature of Buddha – vast, bright and infinitely pure.

Zhu Yi took it all in and exclaimed, "Oh? Looks like a remnant of a robe once worn by a great monk from the Great Thunderclap Temple. Even though it's just a small remnant piece of it, the mana is comparatively whole and untarnished."

Shi Xingyun laughed and replied, "You are indeed knowledgeable, Zhu Yi. This is indeed a piece from the Bright Treasure Robe and contains the true meaning of the Forever-Bright Light as well as a large amount of mana of Buddhist nature."

"I can see that your mantra is based off the integration between the fundamentals of your sect with your understanding of the Concept of intersections between light and darkness. I believe this remnan piece of the Robe will be useful to you."

She turned to look at the tall and skinny youth and continued, "A junior from my side has offended you, and we are lucky to have received your forgiveness. I am extremely guilty and I will give you this piece of the Robe as a form of compensation and apology."

At this point, Lin Feng turned his gaze and paused when it arrived on Shi Xingyun's body.

The assassination event that just happened, as much as Shi Zongyue and company wanted to keep it from others they would not keep it from Shi Xingyun. Even though Shi Xingyun was a girl and was typically low-profile, her prodigal abilities and talent proved that she was one of the more representative individuals of her generation.

Even though she was only in the aurous core stage, the weight of Shi Xingyun's words in the Great Qin Empire was quite substantial.

Previously, Shi Zongyue and the others promised to compensate Xiao Budian and willingly accepted his little 'extortion'. Despite so, Shi Xingyun still took the initiative to seek them out and continue to repair the relationship between the two parties.

Her gift of compensation was real, but it had nothing to do with the tall and skinny youth.

As the daughter of the current Qin Emperor, her status was one of the most respected in all of the Great Qin Empire. Even so, her demeanour and way she carried herself was not too much and considered relatively low-profile.

Lin Feng and Zhu Yi did not underestimate her because of that, however. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Their regard for Shi Xingyun was only getting higher and higher.

Zhu Yi glanced at Lin Feng but Lin Feng did not say anything. He turned his gaze away and Zhu Yi immediately understood that Lin Feng would not be interfering in this matter and was letting Zhu Yi take responsibility and make the decision himself.

"You are too kind, Princess Shi Xingyun. I am extremely grateful." Zhu Yi thought for a moment and accepted Shi Xingyun's offer and took the piece of the Bright Treasure Robe.

Shi Qingyun smiled and continued to chat for a while longer before she brought the skinny youth away after taking her leave.

From the beginning to the end, her conversation with Zhu Yi did not bring up anything about the assassination. However, with the transfer of ownership of the piece of the Robe, both parties did not need to voice out their intentions anymore.

After this little incident, the competition of the aurous core stage disciples was about to officially begin. With the Vivant Joy Holy Man as the host, the first round of lots were drawn.

Only Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian were representing the Celestial Sect of Wonders in this competition. Similarly, the two sword partners of the Sun Moon Sword Sect held two places. In the first round of drawing lots, sixteen advanced from the pool of thirty-two competitors and four people were bound to miss the first round and were automatically advanced to the next roun.

Tradition stated that all aurous core stage disciples who make it to the round-of-sixteen obtained permission to enter the Ancient World of Huanghai.

Besides the twenty-four people that would be divided into twelve groups to vie for advancement, four lucky cultivators would have the chance to advance to the next round without participating in the first round. This was equivalent to obtaining a free pass into the Ancient World of Huanghai.

Every disciple was anxiously waiting for the results of the drawing of lots by the Vivant Joy Holy Man.

Lin Feng was mildly disappointed as neither Zhu Yi or Xiao Budian did not get the free pass to advance to the next round.

Lin Feng could not help but appreciate people's character and how much they are worth conversing. Previously, during the drawing of lots for the foundation establishment stage competition, Wang Lin and Yang Qing simultaneously drew the free advance to the next round-of-sixteen. In the aurous core stage competition both Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian needed to battle in the first round.

Lin Feng glanced at Zhu Yi out of the corner of his eye and thought to himself, "It's normal for Xiao Budian, but I thought your luck has always been good? How could you miss this draw? Zhu Yi, let me tell you, this is a huge blemish in your life!"

"The king of luck could not even pick up a one-in-eight chance to draw the free pass to the next round, I really ought to kick you out of my Sect and re-evaluate your luck with the Talent Detector to see if the value has dropped?"

"What an embarrassment! You little shit, you better put in your best for entry to the Ancient World of Huanghai. If not, you'll have to bear that humiliation for the rest of your life and wear it like an albatross around your neck!"

In actual fact, Lin Feng was just extremely bored and shooting random thoughts through his head. In a moment, a thought popped into his mind and could not help but laugh out loud. "I forgot that this kind of ring battle is the most optimal opportunity for you boys to exert your dominance."

"To others, this is a ring battle but for you guys it's like a performance stage."

Which man did not become a tough adversary when he steps into the ring? If you did not fight it out for as long as you can it was an embarrassment to even say you were in the ring at all.

Every competitor would be officially sequenced by their standard, from the lowest to the highest. In the road to ascension and promotion, the true competitor would be calmly waiting for their adversaries to arrive, and with a sincerity and composure as if he were advancing to the ladder of glory.

Even if there were tough opponents, they were just different kinds of scenery in the path to success.

Previously, Wang Lin had already proven this point. And now, Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian were on the same path to the top.

The only thing Lin Feng was unsure of was that if the two of them end up facing each other, who would be the ultimate winner?

As for everyone else, Lin Feng did not pay any attention to them as looking at the prized disciples of those big Sects were like looking at training dummies for them.

Lin Feng glanced at Xiao Budian and Zhu Yi again and thought to himself, albeit with a little playfulness, "So, who is stronger?"

Besides this, more gossipy thoughts surfaced in his head. "Talk about being the big winners of life. Riding through the path to career success and marrying a pretty and rich girl. Perhaps after the Spiritual conference the two of you may attract some pretty ladies with your capabilities?"

Just as Lin Feng's thoughts were wandering around, the first round of drawing was completed.

The first four names that the public were most concerned about were the ones that drew the free pass to the next round. They ended up in the hands of Jiao Junchen from the Great Qin Empire, Tao Yaoyoa of the Sword of Radiance Sword Sect, Huo Ming of the Huo Family and Sang Luohe of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes.

The four of them did not have to participate in the round-of-thirty-two and advanced straight away to the round-of-sixteen, which meant they automatically obtained entry into the Ancient World of Huanghai.

Even though many were envious, the truth was that when the four of them drew the free pass many were more relieved.

To be fair, the four of them were considered a few of the strongest competitors in the pool, and their abilities were greater than their reputations.

Even if they did not draw the free pass and had to participate in the first round, unless they faced someone of their own standard they had no problem advancing to the next round based on their own abilities.

Their draw in the first round reduced the competitiveness of the round-of-thirty-two.

After the first round, the aurous core stage cultivators that advanced to the top sixteen were announced.

Besides the four that were given a free advance, two individuals from the Heaven Lake Sect, Song Qingyuan and Mu Jihai successfully advanced to the next round.

Shi Xingyun of the Great Qin Empire advanced to the next round. The tall and skinny fellow that antagonized Zhu Yi lost to Song Qingyuan.

One cultivator from the Sword of Radiance Sect advanced to the next round. The most powerful aurous core stage senior from the Sect besides Tao Yaoyao was Zhao Yan and he also successfully defeated his adversary to advance to the next round.

The Royal House of the Northern Tribes also produced a winner. Besides Sang Luohe, Du Kunhao also successfully advanced to the next round.

Two members of the Purple Clouds Sect also advanced to the next round by defeating their respective competitors. They were Gu Lei and Li Kuiyin.

Besides that, a cultivator from the Huo Family defeated his enemy as well to enter the round-of-sixteen. In addition to the free pass holder Huo Ming, the huo Family also had two placings in the next round.

What attracted the most attention was the two pairs sword cultivator partners of the Sun Moon Sword Sect. The four of them enter the round-of-sixteen together but only took up two placings. Their Dual Sword Combination was indeed impressive. It did not matter whether their adversaries had partners aiding them in battle or not, the cultivators of the Sun Moon Sword Sect still emerged victorious.

The four of them obtained the right to enter the Ancient World of Huanghai. From a certain point of view, they had a hundred percent success rate in this competition. At the same time, they were the Sect with the most individuals allowed to enter the Ancient World of Huanghai.

The other Sect with a hundred percent success rate was, naturally, Lin Feng's Celestial Sect of Wonders. Xiao Budian and Zhu Yi had no trouble dispatching their opponents to advance to the next round.

However, such results no longer surprised everyone. After the Wang Lin set the bar during the foundation establishment stage competition, everyone had already accepted the supernatural abilities of disciples from the Celestial Sect of Wonders and were already used to their victories.

When the Celestial Sect of Wonders lost their match would thus be the big news.

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Chapter 307: Identity Reversals

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Just when everyone started to instinctively think that you should have secured a victory, but you did not, they would consider it unusual. This was one of the ways to increase the reputation, and that was why Lin Feng was currently secretly grinning in joy as he stared at the Reputation Ratings displayed on the System.

After the first round of challenge, everyone realized that, coincidentally, among the last 16 surviving contenders, the eight dominant sects each had two representatives for the upcoming round.

Shortly after, the draw for the second round would begin. After the first round of challenge, those remaining were none other than the top-notch contenders from each clan. They were the most gifted among the gifted, the strongest among the strong ones.

As a result, beginning from the last-16 challenges, every challenge would be extremely competitive. The spectators were also looking forward to the release of the details of the draw for the last 16 contenders.

Even though the last 16 contenders from the Aurous Core Stage could earn a place to enter the Ancient Huanghai World, majority still set their eyes on the exact ranking of the contenders. The Aurous Core Stage was indicative of one's foundation and potential, and the challenges by the Foundation Establishment disciples yesterday were but just a warm-up for today.

Among the Aurous Core Cultivators participating in the subsequent contests, all of them were undeniably the most outstanding in their respective sects from the younger generation. Their potentials were limitless, their powers extraordinary. None of them could be said to be inferior to one another, and each had both the intention and the confidence to emerge as the top contender.

At this moment, everyone stared intently at the bronze bottle before the Vivant Joy Holy Man. From there, the last-16 draw would be revealed.

Zhuge Fengling stared at the bronze bottle, muttering to himself under his breath, "The strongest opponents should be Jiao Junchen, Tao Yaoyao, Song Qingyuan and Gu Lei. Oh, there is also that big bloke from the Northern Tribe, Du Kun."

"If I bump into any of them in the second round, that would be really unlucky of me…."

Yue Hongyan looked at her condescendingly, "Sooner of later you'll have to meet them. It does not make a difference at which stage that happens. There is nothing to be afraid of."

Yang Qing spoke softly beside her, "Senior, there is certainly a difference. Just like when you all were in the last-four of the Foundation Establishment Stage, had our Third Senior Brother not exhausted himself in the battle against Dao Yuting from the Heaven Lake Sect, perhaps he would still have enough stamina in him to battle you in the final."

"Conversely, had you all met Dao Yuting in the quarter finals, or even the last-16 round, even if you could win, it would still affect your subsequent performance."

Yue Hongyan said, "But not everyone is only as good as Dao Yuting. Even if one were exhausted in the battle against Dao Yuting, it did not necessarily mean that they could not win."

Listening to their discussion, Xiao Budian smiled and tilted his head. He asked Zhu Yi, "Second Senior Brother, who do you hope to get in the draw?"

Zhu Yi's demeanour was calm, he replied emotionlessly, "It does not make a difference who I get."

His tone was one of nonchalance. He did not mean to be arrogant or flamboyant, but it certainly revealed his confidence.

Zhu Yi looked at Xiao Budian, "My Junior Brother, what about you?"

Xiao Budian grinned, "Jiao Juncheng, Tao Yaoyao, Song Qingyuan, Gu Lei, Du Kun…" He repeated the names Zhuge Fengling mentioned previously and added two other names. All of them were the trickiest opponents among the Aurous Core last-16 contenders.

Zhu Yi laughed after hearing what he said. Zhuge Fengling's expression darkened instantaneously. She thought to herself, "You little Devil, you intentionally embarrass me."

Xiao Budian seemed to know what she was thinking. He laughed as he said, "These strong contenders were widely believed to be able to reach the last-eight, even the last-four. To be able to eliminate any of them this round would be such a huge pleasure."

Zhuge Fengling laughed dryly but did not say anything. The Gold-digging Mouse on her shoulder communicated with her through telepathy, "Fengling, they are little Devils and their way of thinking is definitely different from ours."

Just at that moment, the Vivant Joy Holy Man already drew the first lot – it was Zhu Yi.

The surrounding spectators were agitated, but quickly remained silent. They held their breath and listened attentively, waiting to find out the unlucky individual who would be up against Zhu Yi.

Apart from Zhu Yi's previous battle records, the most important reason for the spectator's reaction was because during the transactional process in the Spiritual Conference, he captured alive the descendant of the Great Qin Empire who tried to vie against him for the Mingdu Teeth.

This incident propelled him to a position of popularity in a short period of time.

That lean teenager was an Advanced Aurous Core. He even learned the White Emperor Dragon Text as part of the Secret Manual of the Five Emperor True Dragons (a family secret within the royal family), making him a capable fighter.

However, rather unexpectedly and shockingly, this Advanced Aurous Core Cultivator was captured alive by Zhu Yi, who was only in the Beginner Aurous Core Stage.

Prior to this, rumors were abound that Zhu Yi was capable of holding off a Nascent Soul Stage Elder. However, in these rumors, Zhu Yi could achieve this partly because he was protected by a Nascent Soul Stage Magic Weapon. When he captured the Great Qin Empire descendant, however, he did not receive any protection nor assistance from any Magic Weapons, instead relying completely on his individual prowess to capture his opponent.

And as was widely known to everyone, the various outcomes – holding off, suppressing, defeating, killing and capturing alive – differed from each other. Especially in terms of difficulties, they were completely different from one another.

Based on what most people thought previously, to be able to defeat and severely wound the lanky teenager was conceivable to many.

Even killing would have some difficulties, though not entirely inconceivable.

However, when it came to capturing him alive, it was beyond the imagination of many. In fact, the entire flow of events during which he captured the teenager was witnessed by many. And these witnesses shuddered in fear when they recalled the incident.

That is because it seemed to many that perchance Zhu Yi did not expend much energy to capture that person alive. There was a stark difference in their abilities.

That made many even more impressed with and shocked at the powers that Zhu Yi displayed.

After all, at this point, Zhu Yi's cultivation had only reached the Beginner Aurous Core Stage. What were inconceivable to many were the immense powers he would amass when he advanced to the Intermediate and Advanced Aurous Core Stages.

And, when his Soul Formation succeeded, what would become of him and his powers?

The sheer thought of it was enough to strike fear in the group of people. As such, having only offered a glimpse of his real powers, Zhu Yi had become one of the favorites in the contest, his popularity equivalent to that of a Boss.

To many, Zhu Yi was guaranteed a spot in the last four. To them, it was only a matter of others challenging him. Unless he faced other favorites like himself, entering the last four was an easy fear for him.

Lin Feng could palpably feel that many of the spectators were agitated. He smirked, "My little Yi, you're quite impressive indeed. Weren't you supposed to slowly climb the ladder by defeating one by one those who stood in your way, before finally challenging the top contender?"

"Now, the reverse seems to have happened - instead, you have supplanted the position as the top contender."

Lin Feng smirked, "I feel so sorry for those contenders preparing to face Zhu the Devil King. Their journeys must be a tragic one."

Just as Lin Feng was immersed in his random thoughts, the Vivant Joy Holy Man had picked Zhu Yi's opponent.

Lin Feng saw the result and was instantaneously delighted.

It seemed that fate favored the meeting of those with enmity between them. Zhu Yi's opponent happened to be the Huo Family's second son, Huo Ming, with whom the Celestial Sect of Wonders' disciples had an unpleasant altercation previously.

When the result of the draw was announced, silence fell upon the spectator stand. Everyone's eyes fleeted between Zhu Yi and Huo Ming.

"This will be an interesting fight," that was probably what most people were thinking.

To Zhu Yi, Huo Ming was one of those few among the last 16 contenders who could put up a convincing fight with him. The Huo Family's Mantra Abhijna specialized in brutal and fatal hand-to-hand fighting. The disciples in the tribe built a name for themselves after killing many people.

The usual basic fighting moves were insufficient to show the Huo Family's disciples real abilities. Only in a neck-to-neck battle would their fighting abilities be displayed.

The Hidden Dragon Teapot's unique characteristic was able to make it happen. It will allow Huo Ming to display his true powers and fight to the best of his ability.

Coupled with the elimination of Huo Ming's tribal brother, Huo Chen, by Zhu Yi's junior disciple Wang Lin in the Foundation Establishment Stage battle, some degree of enmity existed between them, making this battle an exciting one to watch.

Huo Ming saw the lot, but his expression did not change a bit. He merely took a look at Zhu Yi from afar, and his gaze remained as calm and imperturbable.

But it was precisely this look that made Lin Feng and Zhu Yi nodded secretly, "Not bad. After that time cutting stones, his entire mental state has indeed improved tremendously."

If it were the previous Huo Ming, while he could stay calm under normal circumstances, the result of the draw would have agitated him – he would have exuded a murderous aura and glared at Zhu Yi like a bull ready to charge.

However, the present Huo Ming was as calm as ever. He did not reveal any intention to kill of battle anyone.

His ability to control his state of mind, as well as his individual powers, spoke volumes about his improvement.

The peculiarity of the Huo Family's Mantra Abhijna could make them extraordinarily powerful. However, at the same time, their state of mind was precarious and it was easy to lose control of their mental state. As such, those who practised the Huo Family's Mantra to advanced levels often possessed the quality of a return to simplicity.

Asura Holy Man Huo Xiu was a quintessential example. From the present Huo Ming, Lin Feng could vaguely glimpse some resemblance with Huo Xiu.

The resemblance between them was not much, only a little bit. But for Huo Ming who was in the Advanced Aurous Core Stage, it was already a rarity. There were some Nascent Soul Stage Elder in the Huo Family who eclipsed him in their powers, but their state of mind was perhaps no better than Huo Ming.

The subsequent pairings after drawing the lots left many torn between amusement and frustration. Notably, the lot from Purple Cloud Sect looked worried.

Gu Lei and Li Kuiyin who were both from the Purple Cloud Sect ended up having to fight against each other. This pair of disciples had to face each other prematurely in the last 16, and this meant that one of them would not be able to enter the last eight.

The third pairing consisted of Shi Xingyun and the Northern Tribes Soul cultivator, Sang Luohe. This pairing was widely regarded as the most difficult to predict because Shi Xingyun had always maintained a low profile and very few had seen her in a battle.

And being a Soul Sorcerer that was hard to be found in the Royal House of the Northern Tribes and the Divine Lands, Sang Luohe was mysterious and unfathomable to many.

In the fourth and fifth groups, the Sun Moon Sword Sect couple would appear one after the other. And their opponents were the Huo Family's disciple other than Huo Ming, and Sword of Radiance Sect's Big Sister Tao Yaoyao who was on the same level of popularity as Zhu Yi.

The sixth pairing created another commotion. Song Qingyuan from the Heaven Lake Sect would be going against Du Kun from the Royal House of Northern Tribes. It would be a battle between nemeses.

And in the seventh group, it was Xiao Budian's turn.

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Chapter 308: A Ferocious Battle

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

People usually chose to believe what they saw with their eyes, not what they heard with their ears.

As compared to Zhu Yi, whom everyone had placed on the pedestal, Xiao Budian attracted much less attention.

In the previous assassination incident, even though Song Qingyuan and company were present, they were hardly aware of what was happening. Regarding Xiao Budian's true powers, most people at the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai knew little.

But owing to the impressive performance by the disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders, naturally people looked more favourably upon Xiao Budian.

As a result, they felt that the opponent he got this round was slightly underwhelming.

Mu Jihai from the Heaven Lake Sect was Xiao Budian's opponent in the second round. However, most people felt that, had Xiao Budian's opponent been Song Qingyuan, this match would have been more exciting to watch.

All these discussions naturally fell on Mu Jihai's ears and he was extremely unhappy. To make matters worse, the Heaven Lake Sect paid more attention to Song Qingyuan instead of himself. Of course, it was not because they wanted to ingratiate themselves with Song Qingyuan, but because his opponent was Du Kun from the Royal House of the Northern Tribes.

Du Kun's position in the Royal House of the Northern Tribes was comparable to Song Qingyuan's position in the Heaven Lake Sect. They were in their prime and were among the best Aurous Core cultivators of their generation. Their talent and potential were top-notch, and were both well regarded to be the successors of their respective sects.

The difference, however, lay in the fact that Song Qingyuan was perhaps indisputably the best in his sect and that no one could come close to him. On the other hand, as the Royal House of the Northern Tribes had different branches, apart from Du Kun, there was still Sang Luohe who garnered equal attention. However, it must be noted that Du Kun and Sang Luohe were like two parallel lines, and no conflict would occur between them.

The battle between Song Qingyuan and Du Kun, if slightly exaggerated, was tantamount to a future battle between the Royal House of the Northern Tribes and the Heaven Lake Sect.

If there were no accidents or unforeseen circumstances, these two individuals were destined to be leaders in their respective fields in the future.

In light of the significance of the battle, many sects and tribes, other than the Heaven Lake Sect and the Royal House of the Northern Tribes, were brimming with interest. In fact, many people even felt that it was a pity that the battle between the two of them had to come so early.

Even if not in the final round, they felt that both of them should at least meet each other in the last four. Only then would the battle be of greater significance and excitement.

To the spectators, this pair was regarded as the monumental battle of the second round of the Aurous Core Stage battle, to the extent that the battles between Xiao Budian and Mu Jihai, and Jiao Juncheng and Zhao Yan from the Sword of Radiance Sect were neglected by many.

Tuntun looked at Xiao Budian sinisterly, and said mockingly, "How does it feel like to be neglected?"

Xiao Budian shrugged indifferently, "This is only temporary. It only takes one battle to impress the spectators thoroughly."

Lin Feng heard this, and transmitted a message to him telepathically to remind him of something.

Xiao Budian was taken aback. He thought about it for a while and smiled, "Alright, this sounds interesting!"

He moved towards Lin Feng, and said with a wide grin, "Master, if you do gain anything from it, I want a share of it too!"

Lin Feng laughed and flicked Xiao Budian on his head, "Don't worry, the good things will go to you."

Xiao Budian was momentarily overjoyed. He laughed, "Thank you, Master. You just wait and see! I promise to deliver impeccably."

On the other side, Shi Xingyun was teasing Jiao Juncheng, "What is it? Are you disappointed with the draw?"

Jiao Juncheng smiled nonchalantly, "If I have to be truthful, I am fairly tempted to challenge Zhu Yi. Whether it's now or later, it does not matter. Even if we don't meet each other, that will be fine too."

"I will wait for him in the final round, and I hope to be able to meet him then? Of course, that's predicated on the assumption that he manages to enter the final round."

Jiao Juncheng peered at Shi Xingyun, "You should be thinking of yourself. Sang Luohe won't be an easy opponent. The Royal House of the Northern Tribes is quite well-versed in the study of the Soul. Apart from the Purple Clouds Sect cultivators, any other people who have to be up against Sang Luohe won't have an easy time."

Shi Xingyun smiled and said, "I will definitely give it my best."

She looked towards the center of the battleground. There, the first pair of contenders – Zhu Yi and Huo Ming – were already making their way to the Hidden Dragon Teapot.

"Huo Ming has made improvement again. This battle must be a tough one."

Jiao Juncheng raised his eyebrow and turned to look at Shi Xingyun. He asked with a tone of seriousness, "Is there something you know that we don't?"

Shi Xingyun nodded gently, "Based on my knowledge, the Huo Family's most notable All-powerful Merciless Killing Technique is the Asura Doomsday Blade. It can annihilate all beings, and is in the same league as the Immemorial God Slayer Sect's Heaven Defying Sword of Fatality."

"As long as they have passed the Foundation Establishment Stage, any direct disciples from the Huo Family can cultivate the Asura Doomsday Blade. However, the level of mastery of this technique depends greatly on the individual's talent and intelligence. Oftentimes, one's understanding of the Asura Doomsday Blade does not correlate with the cultivation stage one is in."

Jiao Juncheng nodded, "I have heard about this before."

Shi Xingyun's gaze rested on Huo Ming, "The Heaven Lake Sect's Burning Ice Technique and Song of the Volcano can only be cultivated when an individual has reached a certain stage. If one is in a lower stage than that is required, the cultivation must fail. The likes of Dao Yuting are exceptions, and are rarely indicative of anything."

"Meanwhile, in the Huo Family's Asura Doomsday Blade, there are a few sword techniques that are not affected by the stage of cultivation. Instead, they depend solely on the individual's understanding of the mantra. As such, a rather odd phenomenon will appear where some Nascent Soul Stage Elders are not able to master the techniques successfully, but where a few cultivators from the Aurous Core Stage are able to successfully cultivate."

"And one of the sword techniques is extremely vicious. It is so vicious that it is almost forbidden to learn for the Huo Family's disciples who are already accustomed to arbitrary killing." Shi Xingyun averted her gaze, and said slowly, "Initially, among the Huo Family's Aurous Core cultivators, only the untraceable Huo Big Brother successfully mastered that sword technique. But that does not seem to be the case now…"

Jiao Juncheng's expression started to reveal some interest, "Now that you just mentioned it, I think I am able to recall it. I must admit, while it is cruel, it is a powerful mantra. Do you mean to say that Huo Ming has successfully mastered it?"

Shi Xingyun's sight fell upon Zhu Yi. She spoke softly, "I cannot be sure. However, judging from Huo Ming's present state, it resembles Huo Big Brother from three years ago."

Jiao Juncheng now also looked at Zhu Yi with a grin, "If that is indeed the case, I am now really excited to watch this match."

Lin Feng and company's eyes also followed Zhu Yi's entrance into the Hidden Dragon Teapot. Xiao Budian looked at Huo Ming with a slight frown, "Master, why do I feel like there is something amiss?"

"He is brewing his emotions," Lin Feng replied calmly, "Before this, he managed to overcome the bottleneck in his cultivation. Be it his mantra cultivation or his state of mind, he has improved tremendously and indubitably reached the peak of the Advanced Aurous Core Stage."

"However, in the face of Little Yi, he has only once chance. If he can seize it, the outcome may not be cast in stone. If he can't seize it, he still is not Little Yi's opponent."

At this point, Lin Feng's eyes flashed, "I have heard before that the Huo Family's Asura Doomsday Blade has a few killer moves that frighten even the devils and deities. If I am right about it, he intends to perform one of those moves."

"However, after all, he only just achieved his breakthrough, so his foundation is not strong yet. In order to successfully perform the mantra that he only just cultivated, he needs to brew his emotions, build up his intention to kill, raise his physical and mental states to their prime, even outdo his best – only then will he stand a chance of winning."

Xiao Budian contemplated, "And this move, like what Master just said, is his only chance?"

Lin Feng nodded. Yang Qing looked at Zhu Yi, "What do you think Second Senior Brother will do? Will he surprise attack Huo Ming while Huo Ming is preparing to attack him, or will he wait for him to issue his attacks before delivering a crippling blow?"

Lin Feng smiled, "Your Second Senior brother may be well versed in ancient scriptures, but that does not mean that he subscribes to those archaic and atavistic ideas. Giving in to his opponents is never his style."

Zhu Yi treats everything the same way: he is principled; he carries out what he has to perform unhesitatingly with swiftness.

True enough, as soon as he entered the Hidden Dragon Teapot, the first words he uttered was, "The moment we first met at Yuzhou City and you and Huo Chen attempted to provoke me and my brothers, this fight has become inevitable."

Once he finished the sentence, Zhu Yi unsheathed his sword and slashed mercilessly at Huo Ming.

Huo Ming looked at Zhu Yi coldly, and mustered a few words from his throat, "A pity that we are in the Hidden Dragon Teapot, otherwise, I would have beheaded you today."

As he said this, he unsheathed his long sword. His sword radiance transformed into pitch-blackness when he met Zhu Yi.

Zhu Yi wielded two sword techniques: the Heaven Sword and the Earth Sword, together they formed the Tai Hexagram Sword.

The Tai Hexagram was an auspicious one, and could suppress Huo Ming's murderous intention, while annulling the vicious aura and inauspiciousness of the Asura Doomsday Blade.

Huo Ming witnessed this. His countenance was cold and expressionless. He suddenly let out a deafening roar while his body was wrapped in black fog.

Amidst the black fog, Huo Ming looked as though he were the God of Death from Hell, full of the determination to kill and destroy everything.

This aura was similar to that of Huo Chen previously, except that it was even crueler, even more bloodthirsty, even lonelier, and even more violent.

Huo Ming shouted loudly, and stomped his foot. He slashed his sword, creating black sword radiance. Then, he slashed again, and then again. The power of three consecutive Asura Doomsday Blade combined together was massive. Its unstoppable destructive power forcefully demolished Zhu Yi's Tai Hexagram Sword Technique.

Huo Ming would not stop slashing vigorously. One after the other, he slashed violently. With a blink of an eye, he charged towards Zhu Yi speedily.

"Things have indeed changed," Zhu Yi's eyebrows moved. Again, he wielded two sword techniques: the Vibrating Sword Technique and the Qian Sword Technique.

Combined together, they formed the Great Strength Hexagram. Thunder rumbled in the sky; its power was magnificent and boundless.

After using the Great Strength Way of the Sword, Zhu Yi did not stop attacking. The third and fourth sword techniques he used subsequently were similarly an amalgamation of the Vibrating Sword Technique and the Qian Sword Technique. But, this time, the order was reversed.

Zhu Yi's two Ways of the Facile Blade were used at the same time, combining as one the Great Strength Way of the Sword and the Great Calamity Way of the Sword. With that he met Huo Ming's vicious Asura Doomsday Blade.

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Chapter 309: What A Waste

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Zhu Yi's Great Strength Way of the Sword sent rumbling thunder across the sky. The stance was of immense strength and its force had no end – it was enough to face off Huo Ming's Asura Doomsday Blade head on.

As for the Great Calamity Way of the Sword, it had the strength and quality of restoring the fertility of all beings and the fullness of life energy counteracted the murderous energy of the Asura Doomsday Blade.

The two ways of the sword were released at the same time, and worked together to resolve Huo Ming's fierce assault. Besides that, they fought back against Huo Ming with unprecedented fierceness and speed.

Huo Ming took a deep breath as he faced Zhu Yi's attack.

A streak of black light wrapped itself around Huo Ming's weapon like a current of electricity. It came alive and meandered around and, under the cover of darkness, Huo Ming's knife morphed into a huge shining knife at over two meters long. The scene was horrifying.

However, this giant knife minimized the moment Huo Ming waved his weapon and reverted back to its original size. Except this time there were no longer flashing streaks of flickering black light and the blade was now completely pitch black. The hidden strength and ferocity seemed to bend the ripple the air and space around it.

Huo Ming slashed out and the air ripped in the wake of the fact, leaving a dense black scar with a calamitous kind of energy.

Zhu Yi nodded his head slightly and said, "The Asura Doomsday Blade…. Indeed impressive."

Huo Ming was, after all, in the advanced aurous core stage and his mana pool was substantial and was actually bigger than Zhu Yi's. Zhu Yi could not obtain any advantage by facing him head-on.

Zhu Yi had no intention to fight his adversary's strength with his own weakness. Faced with Huo Ming's fierce blade, he flicked his sword towards it with two quick stabs and released two streaks of sword Qi of light and darkness. The light streak was brilliant and blinding while the other was full of doom and gloom.

The two streaks of sword Qi intertwined in the air and immediately morphed into the Great Boundaries of the Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala. It opened up like a huge cloth bag in the sky and prepared to clash with the incoming Huo Ming.

Huo Ming's previous action of rushing forward was equivalent of running head-on into the huge bag in front of him.

Those who had seen Zhu Yi's Great Boundaries of Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala knew that even if Huo Ming stopped abruptly in his tracks, Zhu Yi's Mandala would still barrel forward and swallow him up.

Once in the Great Boundaries of Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala, Huo Ming would no longer be in control of his life and death. Zhu Yi's could cause the Mandala could collapse into itself, similar to a minute version of a global-scale disaster. The strength of the fact was not something an aurous core stage cultivator could resolve or negate.

Huo Ming's cold eyes stared ahead at the mass of white and black in front of him. It seemed like a portal to another tiny universe of pure light and darkness.

All of a sudden, his body curled and twisted.

Such a movement took away Zhu Yi's target even though he originally locked in on his adversary.

Visually, Huo Ming's body was still there but his huge physical body minimized in the blink of an eye and the surface area was reduced.

To the public watching the battle outside of the Hidden Dragon Teapot, let alone Zhu Yi, could feel that in that moment Huo Ming seemed to vanish into thin air.

Disappeared into nothing in a moment's passing.

Zhu Yi's gaze froze. As the person directly involved, his experience was the strongest and could also be said to be the sharpest. He could faintly feel that whatever happened before this was within Huo Ming's calculations.

Once released, his Great Boundaries of Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala was extremely difficult to dodge and avoid unless the other party had a premeditated plan.

It seemed like Huo Ming was already prepared for this. The fierce slashing of the knife was, in reality, just a foreshadow and a cover to suggest that he was heading straight for the net and bait out Zhu Yi's Great Boundaries of Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala. He was already prepared and was waiting for Zhu Yi to release and then immediately retreat.

If Zhu Yi did not use the Great Boundaries of Celestial Light and Darkness Mandala, then his previous attack would become a real one. Under the current circumstances, however, it became a feint to bait his opponent.

"My trump card, which has never let me down before, missed its target today. My spirit is gone," Zhu Yi thought to himself. "When I realized that I have fallen into his calculation and his trap, I can't help but feel at a loss, as if I was played by a mischievous clown and my confidence and dignity would take a hit."

"Under such circumstances, I could possibly develop feelings of exasperation and anger and press forward to take back what was lost. I could become increasingly frustrated and, in the process, commit more and unforgivable errors and betray even more weaknesses."

Zhu Yi laughed on the inside. "Could it be that my emotions would be within his calculations as well? This is interesting. Okay then, show me what you are going to now."

At this point, Zhu Yi remained expressionless but the longsword in his hand trembled and a streak of Dui Sword Technique and another streak of Li Sword Technique burst forth.

Dui above and Li below – fire blazes in the pond, Change!

This was the pinnacle of attack strength in the Way of the Facile Blade. It was the most dominant and intimidating of all, the Transformation Sword Technique. This technique was filled with an unstoppable and world-changing brilliance, and morphed into a white patch and shot out towards Huo Ming.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Teapot, Jiao Junchen witnessed the scene but shook his head faintly, and his eyes were filled with utter disappointment.

"You realized that you were tricked, so you became angry? Such temperament is a little bit too pathetic. How could you possibly hope to improve with a mentality like that?"

However, everybody else watching the fight did not think the same way. Some people in the crowd cried out as the strength of Zhu Yi's technique was enough to petrify all the aurous core stage cultivators.

Faced with the onslaught, Huo Ming's mouth contorted into a wry smile.

His originally miniscule body size immediately reverted back to its original size and the murderous quality and ferocious energy suddenly exploded forward again. The flora inside the Hidden Dragon Teapot seemed to wither in response and Huo Ming showed unprecedented ferocity and intimidation since the beginning of the fight.

From the start of the fight, even though he had his ups and downs against Zhu Yi and looked as if it was a heated battle, the truth was that Huo Ming had been suppressing himself and holding down his rippling mana as well as the true ferocity in his chest. He held back the tyrannical explosiveness of his body.

And all of this was released at this point in time and he no longer held back.

Huo Ming felt a wanton relief as if he had the biggest breakthrough of his life and his whole spirit, person and being, reached an unprecedented pinnacle.

All the preparation, patience and covering was all for this moment.

The knife in Huo Ming's hand was raised but did not come down. The stance of the knife was sprung but not triggered and an immense strength spread around the vicinity and enveloped the entire area.

Zhu Yi, who was in the middle of it, could feel that the air and space around him was shut down and arrested by Huo Ming's mana in an instant.

It became a solitary space, closed off to the outside world, and the darkness of it all was not unlike hell on Earth. When one looked inside, there were only skulls and bones and a sea of blood and corpses!

In that instance, he seemed to enter an inferno of carrion and death.

"The Asura Array!" Outside the Hidden Dragon Teapot, Jiao Junchen and Shi Xingyun shivered at the same time.

The Asura Array – the killer move of the Asura Doomsday Blade!

Non-stop killing and unstoppable death, the ultimate end of the human life, hell on Earth!

"It's the Asura Array indeed! He really mastered it!" Shi Xingyun's eyes sparkled with awe and wonder. "The Huo Family has really gained from this. Another aurous core stage cultivator has mastered the Asura Array."

The formidable energy from the Asura Array rippled and was charged with the fearsome stink of blood and death. Outside the Teapot, the onlookers were stirred and an uproar ensued.

Even though Song Qingyuan had a smile on his face and was typically indifferent towards the process of the competition, at this point the smile on his face hardened and faded a little bit. He watched the Hidden Dragon Teapot with a more serious look.

The straightforward and direct Tao Yaoyao, who was chatting away with Zhao Yan and the others, began to compliment Huo Ming. "The Asura Array. It's been a long time since I've seen this. Who would have thought another member of the Huo Family, who's also an aurous core stage cultivator, could master this move?"

Du Kun, Sang Luohe of the the Royal House of the Northern Tribes, Li Kuiyin and Gu Lei of the Purple Clouds Sect were also extremely solemn. Huo Ming, who had mastered the Asura Array, now commanded the respect of all aurous core stage cultivators.

Inside the Asura Array, Zhu Yi's Transformation Sword Technique was still thick with intense strength and a majestic aura but was ultimately wiped clean, piece by piece, by the deathly energy coming from the Asura Array.

Huo Ming raised his giant knife and the tip of knife seemed like it was supporting the entire world. He peered at Zhu Yi and chuckled, "I need to thank you. It is with your help that I could break through the bottleneck and master the Asura Array technique."

"Originally, I was going to punish you with death and give you the honor of becoming the first person to die under my knife during my first use of the Asura Array to show my gratitude."

"What a waste, though, that we are in the Hidden Dragon Teapot and I cannot actually kill you right here. But don't worry, I will have the opportunity in the days to come."

"I can feel that even if I don't kill you right here, by beating you at this place at this time, I have experienced the thunder tribulations and it won't be long before I ascend to the nascent soul stage."

Huo Ming slowly stepped forward as he spoke. The giant knife slashed downwards, but with the speed of a snail and a slowness that exasperated everyone.

Except, with the swing of his blade the entire Asura Array was also trembling along. The entire murderous energy of the Asura Array was channeled towards the tip of Huo Ming's blade. The amount of doom and dark energy amassed at that point of a quality and amount that froze people's hearts.

Under the slash of the blade, the destructive force of the Asura Array and the ensuring disasters were concentrated onto the blade. This blade was all-conquering and eliminated every living soul that stood in its way.

Enemies that were stuck inside the Asura Array were locked in by the energy coming from within and had nowhere to run.

"Master, is this what you were talking about, Huo Ming's opportunity?" At this point, Xiao Budian's face tightened up and became very solemn. "It is indeed fierce!"

Yue Hongyan, Yang Qing and the others also wore a look of gloom and solemnity and stared at the movie picture coming from the top of the Hidden Dragon Teapot.

However, it was Lin Feng that had a plain and expressionless face. He smiled and said, "It's true that this is his only chance. But from the looks of it, your Senior Zhu will not give him this chance anymore."

Inside the Hidden Dragon Teapot, Zhu Yi watched in silence as Huo Ming's blade came closer and closer. All of a sudden, a grin flashed across his face and he let loose a quiet sigh. "I also think it is a waste that we are in the Hidden Dragon Teapot."

Zhu Yi kept his sword in his sheath as he spoke and turned around with both hands behind his back, as if he was completely giving up on defending himself.

But Huo Ming's soul suddenly trembled and flickered as he had been watching Zhu Yi the whole time and suddenly discovered something was extremely wrong.

Zhu Yi's eyes were a complete pitch black. His eyes were no longer separated by white and black as his eye whites completely disappeared. In his eye sockets was a complete mass of black, much alike the silent and gloomy tranquility of midnight.

Zhu Yi's voice appeared in the Hidden Dragon Teapot. "I also think, there will be another chance in the future. The thing is, when we exit the Hidden Dragon Teapot don't run when you see me."

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Chapter 310: The Higher the Level, the Wider the Gap

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Faced with Huo Ming's ultimate reckoning, Zhu Yi's expression remained calm and natural, but his eyes were insidiously coloured pitch black.

In the next moment, in the uncanny tranquillity of the darkness, a brilliant radiance lit up from within – but it was one devoid of warmth and amicability. It was one of pure light.

"Birth of light from ultimate darkness, polar reversal?!" Outside the Hidden Dragon Teapot, Xiao Budian's eyes lit up. "What a fantastic move from Senior Zhu!"

Within Zhu Yi's pitch-black eyes, the light was blindingly radiant. From the depths of ultimate darkness came the birth of the brightest light, and the streaks of light became stronger and stronger until they morphed into a single ray of holy light of dazzling brilliance.

This ray of holy light had an unstoppable stance and directly pierced through Huo Ming's Asura Array.

Once pierced by the holy light, the Asura Array began to tremble and shake and collapse into itself. This was not because he concentrated the destructive force of the Asura Array onto the tip of his blade and neither was this within his control – this happened because the Asura Array could not withstand the strength of the external assault!

Asura Array, the ultimate move of the Asura Doomsday Blade, could not withstand Zhu Yi's ray of holy light that hatched from the depths of darkness and instantly shattered into pieces.

Huo Ming's eyes froze as he witnessed what just transpired. Even though his mental strength was decent and he was relatively resilient, the sudden reversal and the fall from cloud nine into the abyss crushed him. He almost went mad at the dismal sight.

Compared to someone who had not experienced anything more crushing, there is no doubt that he wished it was right in front of his eyes, but only to realize that it was his erroneous understanding in the end.

"Kill!" Huo Ming had been suppressed for a long time, and the explosively murderous feeling drove him mad. The composed temperament was forced and reluctantly maintained, and now that it had been dashed to pieces his whole being was consumed by murderous fire. His eyes flashed red as he pounced towards Zhu Yi.

Even though his attack still had a form of some sort, but in the eyes of the audience there was only pity and heavy sighs.

The previous progress that he made to the next level was completely ruined and he slipped into regression.

At this point in time, he could never hope to defeat Zhu Yi. When the forces of the Hidden Dragon Teapot came into effect, Huo Ming was frozen to the spot with a look of gloom and dismay, as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head.

Since the inauguration of the Spiritual Conference, the Asura Holy Man, Huo Xiu, was stoic as a stone statue and did not utter a single word, as if nothing in the world deserved his attention. Suddenly, he began to move.

The five fingers on his hand straightened and whipped downwards in the direction of Huo Ming. There was nothing aggressive or murderous about this move and neither were there any ripples of mana.

However, a bleeding wound appeared across Huo Ming's forehead. The opening was blood red but not a single drop of blood flowed out.

Huo Ming was taken aback and knelt down with his head bowed in front of the Huo Xiu in silence.

"When we return, go and find the person you've always wanted to avoid." Huo Xiu's cold voice rang out in the air.

Huo Ming's body shuddered. After a long while, he whispered his acknowledgement of his judgment. "Yes, sir."

As for the defeated Huo Ming, everybody's attention was no longer on him as their gazes were transferred to Zhu Yi, who was not exiting the Hidden Dragon Teapot.

Perhaps it was because their opponents were too weak in the first round of competition that Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian had no trouble achieving victory and thus did not display any extraordinary qualities or moves. However, after Zhu Yi and Huo Ming's battle, everyone witnessed the extraordinary strength of the disciples from the Celestial Sect of Wonders once again.

The pressure of the stirring performance of Zhu Yi, who was only in the aurous core stage, exceeded that of Wang Lin, Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing, who were only in the foundation establishment stage.

It seemed as if, the higher the standard and level, the gap between the disciples of Celestial Sect of Wonders and everybody else became wider and wider.

Wang Lin of the beginner foundation establishment stage had to take the fight to the final moments before she emerged victorious against Dao Yuting, who was already in the advanced foundation establishment stage. If not for the Finger of Rebirth that Wang Lin was hiding all along, the victor of the battle would be unclear.

On the other hand, even though Zhu Yi of the beginner aurous core stage was forced to play his new trump card to defeat Huo Ming of the advanced aurous core stage, it seemed as if there was a hint of ease about the fact.

Everybody's expressions were solemn and heavy, especially the other aurous core stage participants of the competition.

Huo Ming, who just mastered the Asura Array, could be considered the best of the best amongst the advanced aurous core stage cultivators. Of all the aurous core stage participants of the competition, only a meagre few had a hundred percent confidence of defeating Huo Ming.

And they were in the advanced aurous core stage, just like Huo Ming.

Zhu Yi, who was only in the beginner aurous core stage, and his display of dominance brought intense pressure to the rest of the competitors. It was no wonder that many people placed him at position 'demon king boss'.

Huo Ming had also exited the Hidden Dragon Teapot at this point in time and his head was bent over as he walked back to the Huo Family camp. Everyone in the Huo Family was devastated.

Yet, they could not really blame or reprimand Huo Ming. He even used the Asura Array and they could not possibly ask for more when he ended up in defeat.

It was not because Huo Ming did not put in enough effort – it was because his opponent was too otherworldly!

Naturally, Huo Chen was the one feeling better. Ever since the loss to Wang Lin, Huo Chen was in tatters.

He was in the advanced foundation establishment stage and he still lost to Wang Lin, who was only in the beginner foundation establishment stage. To Huo Chen, it was not just a simple loss; this was as close as it gets to humiliation.

Now that there was Huo Ming to accompany him, he began to feel less lonely.

Of course, he did not feel very good about another member of his family suffering a loss at the hands of a disciple from the Celestial Sect of Wonders.

Behind Huo Chen, a grey-clothed youth had more mixed feelings. He subconsciously glanced in the direction of the Celestial Sect of Wonders to look for the originally familiar but now extremely distant figure.

However, Wang Lin was shut in under the care of Lin Feng and Wang Zhuo naturally could not find him.

Wang Zhuo chuckled as if he were laughing at himself, but heaved a sigh in the end as he thought about when he first entered the Hengyue Faction. Back then, he was so ambitious and well-spirited and was doted upon by his seniors and masters.

Wang Lin used to be the laughingstock of the other disciples of the Hengyue Faction. Wang Zhuo, who was extremely egotistic was himself the one always laughing at him.

"I'm the joke now, right?" Wang Zhuo shook his head. His emotional state now was a lot more peaceful than before. When Wang Lin first entered the round-of-eight, he was severely affected.

And when Wang Lin defeated Huo Chen, Wang Zhuo began to feel that his entire world was crumbling.

When Wang Lin defeated Dao Yuting, who was even stronger, Wang Zhuo became completely numb.

He once again glanced towards the Celestial Sect of Wonders and at Lin Feng. A single thought ran around his mind again and again: "Is this Celestial Sect of Wonders and the leader so extraordinary?"

As for Wang Zhuo's gaze, Lin Feng would naturally not pay any attention to it. He was smiling at Zhu Yi, who had just returned from battle.

"The Birth of Light from Ultimate Darkness… Zhu Yi, you did good today. If you reversed that, there was the beginning of darkness from the ultimate light," Lin Feng smiled as he said, "When light and darkness could be interchangeable like that, your understanding of the mantra would advance to a higher level."

Zhu Yi nodded his head repeatedly. "Thank you for your advice, master. I will mull over it."

Lin Feng continued. "Go and quietly observe the dawn and dusk, the sunrise and sunset. It will help with your understanding."

"Yes, master." Zhu Yi replied. Xiao Budian was giggling at the side and said, "Senior Zhu, when Huo Ming's Asura Array came out I thought you were done."

Zhu Yi tapped Xiao Budian's forehead. "You little shit. In your eyes, I'm always done for no matter what happened. I knew that."

Xiao Budian was over his head in amusement. His eyeballs rolled in their sockets and he sighed, "Senior Li's luck isn't so good, however."

Once Zhu Yi and Huo Ming's battle ended, the second pair was about to begin. However, the pair battling it out were disciples of the sasme sect, Gu Lei and Li Kuiyin.

AT this point, besides the Blue Pavilion Holy Man who still had a natural expression, the other cultivators of the Purple Clouds Sect were all black-faced.

Of the round-of-sixteen, eight different sects held two spots each and the outcome was that Gu Lei and Li Kuiyin had to be matched together.

Even though this had happened before in the history of the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai, it was still a small chance in the end. Whoever ended up with such a situation could be said to be the most unfortunate.

Xiao Budian cupped his hands around his mouth in the shape of a loudspeaker and shouted, "Let's go, Sister Li! You have to win!"

Li Kuiyin turned around and smiled. "With your luck, I will." She turned back and forced a laugh to herself. "The problem is, your encouragement and me putting in effort may not be effective."

Once in the Hidden Dragon Teapot, Li Kuiyin looked up and glared and Gu Lei. Gu Lei placed his hands out with a gesture and an expression of helplessness.

Li Kuiyin muttered with a tone of indignation and said, "Stop pretending. We have battled each other countless times within our doors and whenever you truly displayed your skills I have never beaten you a single time."

Gu Lei laughed and dimples appeared on his cheeks. "Anything goes for me, really. I'm only afraid of the seniors having opinions about what I do."

Li Kuiyin grunted and replied, "stop with your nonsense. I know where I stand. Even if you let me proceed to the round-of-eight, that will be the end for me. The sect has hopes for you to enter into the round-of-four."

Gu Lei shook his head and said quietly, "The Spiritual Conference of today is filled with strong competitors. Even if I advance to the next round I have a good chance of being knocked out in the round-of-eight."

"If I don't meet the two monsters from the Celestial Sect of Wonders or Jiao Junchen, I may have a chance. Even so, the other competitors are not easy to beat either."

Li Kuiyin walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. "Believe me, the others are hoping not to face you in their next round."

She waved her fists in the air and continued, "The following rounds are all up to you. If you let us down, you'll get it from me."

Once she was done, Li Kuiyin tilted her head upwards and muttered, "I admit defeat in this round."

The onlookers from outside the Hidden Dragon Teapot felt a little anticlimactic and were discussing amongst themselves. Even so, they did not really know what to say as those two were disciples from the same. From the looks of it, they had a good relationship and to hope that they would battle each other to the very end was highly unrealistic in the first place.

A tactical concession so that the stronger participant could advance to the next level and save his strength for the next round was a natural and forgivable choice in such a situation.

Except, now that this happened the audience's expectations for the next round were much higher.

Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian's glanced over at the Great Qin Empire's camp at the same time. Over there, Shi Xingyun stepped out of the throng and walked towards the Hidden Dragon Teapot.

On the other side, from the Royal Houses of the Northern Tribes' camp, a skinny youth walked out. He had a physical build much unlike that of normal youths from his region, and was also Shi Xingyun's opponent, Sang Luohe.

Lin Feng looked at the participants about to enter the Teapot and an expression of excitement flashed across his face.

"Besides the mysterious mantras of the Northern Tribes, we should be able to expect more revelations about the Secret Manual of the Five Imperial True Dragons from this little girl, eh?"

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Chapter 311: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Lin Feng's gaze shifted from Sang Luohe to Shi Xingyun, and his eyes shut gently.

"Something doesn't feel right about this girl; her soul is very unusual." Lin Feng could thoroughly distinguish Shi Xingyun's mana waves, but as for her soul, if she herself does not project it astrally, even great Immortal Soul cultivators would not be able to penetrate it.

But as Lin Feng gazed at Shi Xingyun, he still sensed that her soul was strange, which piqued his interest greatly. "Looks like that soul sorcerer of the Northern Tribes may have to eat his own words this time."

Sang Luohe walked slowly to the Hidden Dragon Gorge, but did not enter the Gorge like Shi Xingyun did, and instead sat cross-legged on the ground.

The surrounding crowd stared at him curiously as Sang Luohe sat there with his eyes closed, and his slender face looked serene as ever, as though he was sound asleep.

"What's he doing? He's not entering the Hidden Dragon Gorge?" Many onlookers in the crowd had these questions drifting in their minds.

Only a few of them could vaguely make out a faint light floating above Sang Luohe's head, which morphed into a ray of radiance and entered the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Zhu Yi turned to Lin Feng and asked, "Master, is that Sang Luohe's soul? But, how can it be like that?"

Regarding astral projection, the higher a cultivator's personal mastery level, the stronger his soul would be, so the form it adopts after astral projection would be clearer and more tangible.

When a Nascent Soul stage cultivator projects his soul astrally, others perceive it as no less than a real person. Aurous Core stage cultivators with strong souls would also produce clear and agile projections that have almost condensed into a physical entity.

Although Sang Luohe trained specifically in soul mastery, when his soul was projected out, it was faded and indiscernible under the overhead sun, like a faint shadow, almost transparent.

Lin Feng explained, "This is the special trait of the soul mantras of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes. Observe carefully, and you'll learn even more from it."

Zhu Yi, Xiao Budian and the rest of the disciples nodded in unison, and observed the Hidden Dragon Gorge attentively.

Inside the gorge, Shi Xingyun lifted his head and gazed at an empty plot of land. He smiled faintly, "Your soul mastery is indeed as deep as the secret mantras of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes."

The interior of the Hidden Dragon Gorge suddenly rang with Sang Luohe's voice coming from every direction.

"Please excuse my inferior skills, Princess Xingyun. I look forward to learning from you."

Before his voice disappeared, Shi Xingyun's vision suddenly turned pitch black, as though she had fallen into a deep abyss and was completely deprived of her six senses.

She could not think, see, hear, smell, taste, or move.

She wanted to step backward, but then realized that she could not move at all. Not being able to even control one's own body would easily make anyone extremely terrified and anxious.

But the onlooking audience could not empathize with what Shi Xingyun was feeling. Most of them could only see Shi Xingyun standing there, silent and motionless like a clay puppet or a wooden statue, while Sang Luohe's physical body was sitting quietly outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

"Has it started already?" Zhuge Fengling was baffled, unable to grasp the situation.

Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing similarly knitted their eyebrows, and gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge in confusion and uncertainty.

Xiao Budian lowered his head slightly and said to Zhu Yi, "Second Senior, I could make out Sang Luohe's obscure figure, then I saw a black shadow suddenly emerge from his body and leap onto Shi Xingyun. I couldn't see anything else, how much could you observe?"

Zhu Yi stared closely at the light shining forth from the mouth of the Hidden Dragon Gorge, and answered casually, "Not a lot more than you could. That black shadow you saw was a hideous brute covered entirely with purple tattoos."

"But I couldn't see what happened after the black shadow leaped onto Shi Xingyun."

Lin Feng said at one side, "That is the Black Nightmare Prison spell of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes' secret soul spells. It can repress others' souls and sever the connection between the target's soul and his physical body, imprisoning the opponent's soul within one's own spells and depriving the opponent of his six senses."

With Lin Feng's current mastery levels and the strength of his soul, even though he could not fully comprehend the principles behind Sang Luohe's spell, he could still see its effects on Shi Xingyun.

Comparing these against the famed special features of the secret soul spells of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes, one could easily understand what Sang Luohe was doing.

Xiao Budian frowned slightly, "There's not a trace of it. It's too difficult to fend against the soul spells of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes."

"That's not true." Lin Feng smiled, "There are two forces that best counter the secret soul spells, one of them would be thunder spells. Once the heavenly thunder roars, the frightened shaken soul would scatter. Blazing thunder spells deal the greatest damage to people's souls, hence are ideal for opposing soul spells."

"Besides thunder spells, the opponents that soul sorcerers fear the most are incidentally the martial arts cultivators that the Royal House of the Northern Tribes abounds with."

Lin Feng patted Xiao Budian's head. "Great martial arts cultivators are hot-blooded and muscular, fiery like the sun. Their soul and their well-built bodies are linked very tightly to each other, making them almost immovable and similarly effective for countering soul spells."

Among all his disciples, the one who should fear Sang Luohe the least would be Xiao Budian. Even though his soul was weaker than Zhu Yi's, but his physical strength was immense, and he could control the forces of wind and thunder. If pitted against Sang Luohe, he would not be on the losing end.

Zhu Yi nodded at one side. "Indeed, a strong physique would fend off impure spirits easily and prevent evil from invading one's body."

"While that might be true, there are only a handful of people who boast these qualities." Lin Feng thought to himself, "Aside from a select few, the others among the top sixteen Aurous Core cultivators would have an incredibly hard time dealing with Sang Luohe."

Lin Feng scanned the crowd. The elders from the respective sects were also explaining the principles of the spell they witnessed to their disciples, but in fact, most of them were still perplexed as they stared at the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

People are most easily afraid of the unknown, and the majority of the audience there gazed at Sang Luohe's physical body sitting calmly outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge in horror and unease.

This was just an exhibition match at a spiritual conference, so Sang Luohe could afford to be so exposed. One could only imagine that in a real fight to the death, Sang Luohe would definitely conceal his physical body with care before projecting his soul to engage his opponents in battle.

And for most people, they could not even see Sang Luohe, and would already be doomed.

Xiao Budian gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge, "How would Shi Xingyun handle this?"

Before he could finish asking his question, Shi Xingyun, who was inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, already gave her answer.

The young lady in yellow, who was previously as still as a ceramic sculpture, suddenly flickered her sullen eyes and instantly regained her vitality and spiritual energy, but her gaze now contained something completely different from before.

The young lady crooned, and the voice she let out was no human language, instead resembling the odd syllables of a dragon's moan.

The faint figure of a dragon then emerged from her head, lifelike and picturesque. Its overwhelming draconic might diffused to the surroundings, shocking everything in the audience.

"I see, I knew there was something amiss about her soul." This realization dawned upon Lin Feng, and he shook his head and laughed. "But I would have never thought that this brat actually infused the dragon soul of an Immemorial Celestial Dragon into her own soul."

Shi Xingyun obviously could not have relied solely on her own strength to infuse a dragon soul. She must have received assistance from the Great Qin Royal Family.

The original intention of doing so would have been to help her master the mantras within the Secret Manual of the Five Imperial True Dragons, but a side effect of this was that her soul became exceedingly strong.

At least, in the Aurous Core stage, the strength of Shi Xingyun's soul has definitely reached the peak of its potential.

When the Northern Tribes' Prince Xian of the Left witnessed this sight, his eyelids shuddered and he shook his head. He turned to Shi Zongyue, "You people were so willing to invest your capital in her. That's the dragon soul of a pure-blood Immemorial Celestial Dragon, right? Even the Great Void Sect that rears dragons wouldn't bear to use them like this. I reckon that even Crown Prince Chongyun wouldn't enjoy such treatment, right?"

Shi Zongyue smiled, "Our Great Qin Empire only made this one exception, but Xingyun's chance was given to her by her senior."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the Immortal Soul cultivators present shifted slightly before quickly reverting back to normal.

Meanwhile in the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Shi Xingyun crooned incessantly. She clasped her hands together and rays of faint gold and white light enveloped her and swirled around her body, morphing into a roaring Platinum Light Dragon, produced from the Abhijina of the Imperial Script of the White Dragon.

Shi Xingyun's Platinum Light Dragon glistened with a dazzling golden luster and bounced around continuously, emitting harsh grating electric sparks that cackled loudly. Rolling storms of lightning then appeared around the Platinum Light Dragon's body.

"Roar!" The dragon soul's figure above Shi Xingyun's head and the Platinum White Dragon before her both let out an incomparably ferocious roar, like the bellow of an Immemorial Dragon, or the cracking of thunderbolts.

Waves upon waves of deafening sounds shook the entire interior of the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

The originally formless sound waves, like the ripples on a water surface spreading outwards, quickly rocked the air and merged into the blurry silhouette of a person. It was Sang Luohe's soul!

Since the start of the battle, Sang Luohe's soul finally revealed itself before the crowd for the first time, and everyone could confirm its presence clearly with their naked eyes.

The blurry figure swayed about violently, as though it was a porcelain object undergoing tremendous shock, with the possibility of breaking at any time.

And Shi Xingyun's roar was incessant, long, and majestic, seemingly unceasing for eternity.

Sang Luohe's soul endured it for a moment, then suddenly flew out of the Hidden Dragon Gorge and returned to his physical body. His body jolted violently and he opened his eyes. His gaze was weak, and he sighed, "I lost."

The arena's audience started a commotion, all looking at Shi Xingyun and Sang Luohe in uncertainty and doubt.

Lin Feng smiled and turned to look at Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian, saying, "How was that?"

Xiao Budian chuckled, "It was a crouching tiger, a hidden dragon."

Zhu Yi muttered, "If not for its inner conflicts, the Great Qin Empire as a whole would definitely surpass the Great Zhou Empire in strength."

Shi Xingyun emerged from the Hidden Dragon Gorge and graciously saluted Sang Luohe before bowing to Shi Zongyue and Prince Xian of the Left, then slowly made her way back to the Great Qin Empire's delegation.

All this time, her expression was calm without a hint of complacency or arrogance.

Lin Feng glanced at her and nodded. "Everything else aside, if comparing the strength of souls alone, this woman would probably be the best among all the Aurous Core stage cultivators present here today."

"A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Furthermore, this camel that is the Great Qin Empire might be a little old and feeble, but it's still far from dying."

As he pondered to himself, Lin Feng suddenly sensed a reaction from one of his Voice-Projecting Crystals.

What was most surprising was, the person that sent the message was actually Xiao Yan, who had not sent any voice messages for almost a month.

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Chapter 312: The Message From Xiao Yan

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Lin Feng had not received any messages from Xiao Yan ever since he left.

But Lin Feng had nothing to worry about regarding Xiao Yan. Mavericks of the Heaven's Destiny Sect like him have always been in the position to threaten others, and not the other way around. Even if he did get bullied, he would eventually get back what he had lost previously and more.

In the depths of Lin Feng's heart, he was even secretly looking forward to seeing just how much trouble Xiao Yan could churn up.

If there was any real danger, Lin Feng had left Xiao Yan a talisman. Once Xiao Yan crushes the talisman, Lin Feng can determine his location and immediately traverse space over to Xiao Yan and lend his eldest disciple a helping hand.

Lin Feng was a little surprised to receive Xiao Yan's message now. He crumbed the Voice-Projecting Crystal and quickly used his mana to contain it, then relied on mana voice-relaying to converse with Xiao Yan on the other side of the crystal.

From the outside, Lin Feng was still standing motionlessly at his original spot, seemingly observing the new battle unfolding in the Hidden Dragon Gorge attentively.

Once the communication line was established, without Lin Feng saying a word yet, Xiao Yan who was on the other side of the line already sounded quite flustered and exasperated. "Master, among the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires, besides the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire, the Grand Sun Primordial Flame, and the Pure Yang Primordial Fire, what are the other fires like?"

Lin Feng smiled, "What happened, did you encounter a flame that withstood your Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire and your Grand Sun Primordial Flame?"

Xiao Yan replied, "Indeed so, the base colour of the flame was gold like the Grand Sun Primordial Flame, but it wasn't gathered from the heavenly rays of the Sun. It's just a regular kindling, and the surface of the flame is still dyed with red and blue light."

When Lin Feng heard Xiao Yan's description, he went over the characteristics of each of the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires previously mentioned by the System, and instantly locked onto an answer.

He suddenly recalled that, when he visited Wuzhou City for the first time and had yet to accept Xiao Yan as his disciple, he saw a strange golden blaze flickering in Xiao Zhener's eyes.

Lin Feng smiled, "Your wife's family actually trained to yield the Nanming Primordial Fire of the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires."

"The Nanming Primordial Fire?" Xiao Yan slowly disgested the name as Lin Feng continued, "Yes, based on your descriptions, that would indeed be the Nanming Primordial Fire of the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires."

"The flame itself is golden, dyed with red and blue hues. It may not look strong, but that's because its firepower is compressed and concentrated. In fact, this flame possesses immense destructive power, and can blaze through and incinerate space."

Xiao Yan let out a muffled grunt. "So that's the case, I almost got pulverised by it."

"Did you cross swords with your father-in-law?" Lin Feng's words were casual but his tone was very serious. Initially, when he read the letter that Xiao Zhener left for Xiao Yan, Lin Feng knew that Xiao Yan's journey would not be a smooth one. If he did stir a conflict with Xiao Zhener's family, things would become even more complicated.

Xiao Yan said dejectedly, "It's hard to explain. I'll elaborate on the details to Master after I return."

Lin Feng said, "If the opponent's mastery levels are not a lot stronger than yours, then the best method to counter the Nanming Primordial Fire would be to use the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire. When comparing offensive destructive power, the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire is the best of the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires, even the Nanming Primordial Fire is no match for it."

"Among the Seven Legendary Primordial Fires, the Nanming Primordial Fire is the most suitable flame for crafting weapons and elixirs. Although it has substantial intensity for battle, it cannot rival the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire at equal quantities."

After a moment of silence, Xiao Yan said, "But the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire's innate power is too overwhelming and uncontrollable, an instance of carelessness could result in a disastrous outcome. I don't actually wish to harm Zhener's family for real."

Lin Feng replied, "I fully understand your feelings, but think about it carefully, letting your father-in-law experience a few setbacks may perhaps influence the direction of their strategies to a certain degree. This may in fact be a good thing for them."

Xiao Yan livened back up and his voice became peppy. "Master is right, I understand now."

Lin Feng nodded contentedly, "The exact degree, however, requires your own judgement."

Xiao Yan smiled, "Don't worry, Master. I did not understand my opponents fully last time, but now that I do, it'll be much easier for me. I've always remembered Master's words: Members of the Celestial Sect of Wonders can do anything except suffer defeat!"

Lin Feng thought to himself, I don't have to worry about you. I still have to worry about Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing, but as for you four mavericks, I have nothing to worry about.

"Right, have you met your wife yet?" After discussing the important matters, Lin Feng's thirst for gossip was reinvigorated again.

Xiao Yan's voice instantly withered, and replied gloomily, "Not yet."

Lin Feng snickered to himself, but still maintained a dignified, proper facade. "Hm, the revolution has not succeeded yet. Xiao Yan, you must continue to work hard."

He wanted to blurt out something else, but he swallowed his words back down again.

After ending his conversation with Xiao Yan, Lin Feng lifted his head towards the sky and pondered silently. "The situation is gradually becoming more complicated. For me and the Celestial Sect of Wonders, this brings both advantages and disadvantages. Whether these are ultimately beneficial or harmful, I'm afraid I'll need to see the measures taken when things finally come to a head."

"But it's still good to take precautions early. Just that, what should I do exactly?"

Lin Feng pondered for a long while before gradually forming some ideas. Beside him, Zhu Yi, Xiao Budian and the rest wanted to ask him some questions, but sensed that Lin Feng was deep in thought, so did not dare to disturb him.

After he weighed his options, Lin Feng turned to face his disciples and asked with a smile, "What is it, did you all have things to ask me just now?"

The disciples looked at each other, then Zhu Yi stood up and asked, "Master, we wish to ask, what are the inner workings of the swordplay demonstrated by the sword duo from the Sun Moon Sword Sect just now?"

Although Lin Feng was mulling over his own matters, based on his soul's current strength, multi-tasking was no big deal, and he still witnessed everything that happened in the Hidden Dragon Gorge clearly.

In the time that Lin Feng conversed with Xiao Yan and pondered to himself, two matches had already concluded in the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

Coincidentally, sword duos from the Sun Moon Sword Sect participated in both these matches, with one win and one loss.

For the first match, their opponent was Tao Yaoyao of the Sword of Radiance Sect.

And Tao Yaoyao's partner caused an uproar among all the cultivators present, because she did not select someone similarly in the Aurous Core stage to pair up with. Her partner, impressively, was a Sword of Radiance Sect disciple in the Foundation Establishment stage.

This was just blatantly announcing that she intended to fight one-against-two, and her partner was just here to fill the numbers.

This was different from the time Yue Hongyan paired with Zhuge Fengling. At least Zhuge Fengling achieved the effect of confusing their opponents, but now, Tao Yaoyao was just flaunting her dominance.

The final outcome proved Tao Yaoyao's overwhelming confidence in her abilities. She displayed her wildly crowd-pleasing prowess and relied on her individual strength to overcome the dual swords of the Sun Moon Sword Sect. She brought a Foundation Establishment stage junior with the label 'Full-time Soy Sauce Maker' pasted on his face and clinched a victory.

In this battle, Tao Yaoyao shone radiantly and dazzled the entire arena.

During the Foundation Establishment stage Disciple Matches, the Sword of Radiance Sect embarrassingly had no representatives in the Top 8, so none of them attained the right to enter the Ancient Huanghai World.

But with this battle, Tao Yaoyao salvaged all the pride lost by the Sword of Radiance Sect previously, and gained them even more.

Lin Feng glimpsed at the Sword of Radiance Sect's delegation. The sect's Swordmaster appeared calm, seemingly aloof, while their various Nascent Soul and Aurous Core stage elders wore a variety of troubled and perplexed expressions.

"Forcefully dragging a Foundation Establishment stage disciple who only knows how to stir soy sauce onto the battlefield seems to be Tao Yaoyao's own idea, without uniform agreement within the ranks of the Sword of Radiance Sect." Lin Feng realized, "There would always be disputes and agreements within a group of people."

Tao Yaoyao's brilliant performance awed the crowd, and the Sun Moon Sword Sect that faded into the background was naturally unhappy. But fortunately for them, another pair of their disciples swiftly secured a one-sided victory against a pair from the Huo Family in the following match, successfully advancing into the Top 8.

And in this match, the Sun Moon Sword Sect's disciples suddenly demonstrated swordplay that was starkly different from before.

Their Sun Radiance swordplay, originally overflowing with vigorous sword radiance, became the dim and bizarre, dark and cold Lunar Glow swordplay, yet still shining forth with countless rays of light.

They also completely reversed their model of relying on the Sun Radiance swordplay for offence and the Lunar Glow swordplay for support.

"Master, it feels as though the reversal of the Sun and Moon swordplay isn't just about exchanging the roles of offence and support. The swordplay itself is completely different from before." Zhu Yi frowned slightly and said, "The battle strategy does not determine the swordplay. Instead, the changes in swordplay results in changing strategies."

Lin Feng smiled, "Your intuition is correct. The swords used by that duo are not the traditional Dual Swords of the Sun and Moon."

"They are hybrids of the Sun Radiance and Lunar Glow swordplay - the Solar Eclipse and Full Moon Holy Light swordplay. Technically speaking, they are respective branches of the Sun Radiance and Lunar Glow swordplay. Although they originated from the Dual Swords of the Sun and Moon, they each produced their own unique traits and mysteries."

The disciples nodded slowly. Xiao Budian commented, "These two types of swordplay are probably sword skills learnt by the Sun Moon Sword Sect's disciples after they have formed their Aurous Core. No wonder Master had mentioned previously that the higher the sword duo's personal mastery levels were, the stronger the combined force of the dual swords would be."

"Raising one's mastery level allows one to yield stronger swordplay and Abhijna, and also allows the dual sword combination to gain versatility."

Lin Feng nodded, "That is indeed the case."

As he helped clarify the doubts of his disciples, he gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge. There, a new match had already begun.

And for many, this duel was the most talked-about, thrilling, and eye-catching match of all the battles between the Top 16.

The match between sworn enemies: Song Qingyuan of the Heaven Lake Sect versus Dou Kun of the Royal House of the Northern Tribes.

The cultivators from the Heaven Lake Sect and the Royal House of the Northern Tribes had sparked another round of rivalry. Previously during the Foundation Establishment stage matches, Dao Yuting defeated Zhamu Zeluo of the Northern Tribes, heightening the conflict between the two sides. And now, it has already reached its boiling point.

If not for the elders on both sides restraining their disciples, a fight would already have erupted between the lower-level cultivators.

Lin Feng glanced at the Hidden Dragon Gorge and his eyes flickered.

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Chapter 313: Rivals

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Lin Feng gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge. The light from the gorge's mouth reflected everything that was occurring within it.

Dou Kun was the strongest Aurous Core stage disciple in physical martial arts among all the younger Northern Tribes' disciples. Hence, when up against Song Qingyuan, the Heaven Lake Sect disciple with extensive mastery of spells, he naturally needed to implement a battle strategy that would be most beneficial to himself - to attempt closing the distance between them as much as possible before striking his foe at close-range.

So Dou Kun's first attack was like a tornado charging straight for Song Qingyuan.

Dou Kun moved so speedily that before more than half the audience even saw his attack, he was already right in front of Song Qingyuan. He gave off intense, fiery testosterone and fury like an Immemorial Celestial Dragon in human form, with overwhelming physical strength.

Seeing Dou Kun closing in on him, Song Qingyuan did not show any intentions to concede, and clasped his hands together to summon a spell.

And before him appeared two giant figures out of thin air. One of them was entirely black but emitted a crimson fiery glow continuously.

There were faint signs of flowing liquid between its four flailing limbs, yet it seemed incredibly viscous. As it stood on the ground, the vegetation beneath its feet instantly burned to a crisp.

It was a Flame Giant formed from molten volcanic lava.

And beside the Flame Giant was a frigid Ice Giant shrouded in white icy fog.

The two giants flanking Song Qingyuan both let out a silent roar and violently charged their fists towards the incoming Dou Kun.

Dou Kun seemed unfazed by the assault and similarly unleashed his fists, battling one-against-two and colliding each fist with both the Ice and Flame Giants'.

After that thunderous clash, Dou Kun was still standing upright at his original position, while the two giants both took three steps back.

But Dou Kun's face did not show any sign of glee, and frowned instead. "The Two Bodies of Ice and Fire?"

Song Qingyuan grinned, "Yes, these are indeed the Two Bodies of Ice and Fire." He clasped his hands to combine his spells, and his entire spirit and disposition instantly changed completely, from gentle and courteous to invigorated and itching for battle, becoming even more intimidating and ferocious than Dou Kun.

The Ice and Flame Giants pressed Song Qingyuan between them, and the three fused together in a blend of ice and fire within Song Qingyuan's body, instantly transforming him into a three-meter tall titan.

He exuded vast amounts of surging vitality and rage, and was in no way inferior to Dou Kun. His immense stature and overwhelming appearance was even more intimidating than Dou Kun.

Having morphed into an Ice and Fire Demon, Song Qingyuan opened his gaping mouth and bellowed, "Don't you Northern Tribe cultivators always proclaim that your physical bodies are sturdily strong? Now then, Dou Kun, let's battle!"

Before his sentence faded, Song Qingyuan's enormous ten-meter tall body suddenly vanished, and the next time he appeared within sight, he was already in front of Dou Kun, and he knocked him to the ground with a single punch!

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the crowd watched on with their hearts pounding and spirits trembling. No one expected Song Qingyuan to be this powerful, and that he would purposely challenge Dou Kun's strongest area.

A group of Heaven Lake Sect cultivators cheered loudly in unison. Their Big Senior's actions really boosted their morale.

On the other hand, the cultivators from the Celestial Sect of Wonders all showed puzzled expressions as their gazes all landed on Xiao Budian.

Lin Feng smiled, "Don't look at him. The Heaven Lake Sect's spell is different from your junior's Heaven-Shaking Thunderstorm."

"Its effects may look similar, but the principles it works on are completely different."

Xiao Budian shrugged his shoulders. "It's just as Master said. My Heaven-Shaking Thunderstorm is still a part of the Infinite Thunderstorm spell, where the forces of wind and thunder mutually complement and trigger the other to grow, so the spell's power steadily increases. Its upper limit is determined by how much stress my body can endure."

"As for the Heaven Lake Sect's Two Bodies of Ice and Fire, it also uses mana to strengthen the user's physical body, but although the forces of ice and fire fuse together, they merely coexist, nothing more than that."

Zhu Yi stared at Song Qingyuan inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, who was battling Dou Kun on equal footing, and said, "That is indeed the case, but Song Qingyuan definitely still has other tricks up his sleeve."

Xiao Budian's face also turned a little more serious. "Of course. When I fuse with the forces of wind and thunder and transform into a spectral avatar, my physical strength becomes much greater, but since my body is already very strong in the first place, I can endure a considerable amount of the thunderstorm's energy."

"Based on Song Qingyuan's inherent physical strength, he would require immense amounts of the powers of ice and fire to be fused with his body in order to reach Dou Kun's physical prowess. Theoretically speaking, Song Qingyuan's physical foundation cannot withstand such vast amounts of ice and fire energy."

Xiao Budian said firmly, "He definitely still has other tricks up his sleeve to support this spell, or else he would have been either incinerated to soot or froze into an ice sculpture by such great amounts of ice and fire energy infused into his body."

Just as the members of the Celestial Sect of Wonders were discussing this, Dou Kun and Song Qingyuan were already unleashing their arsenals against each other.

Seeing how Song Qingyuan dared to challenge his most salient strength, Dou Kun was naturally not afraid. Even after casting the enhancement spell of the Two Bodies of Ice and Fire, if competing with physical martial arts alone, Song Qingyuan was still no match for Dou Kun.

But Dou Kun did not dare to be careless. Since the Royal House of the Northern Tribes and the Heaven Lake Sect were sworn enemies with a bitter feud lasting thousands of years, each party understood the other quite well, so Dou Kun had an adequate grasp of the Heaven Lake Sect's Two Bodies of Ice and Fire. Hence, he also shared the same doubts as Xiao Budian and Zhu Yi.

In view of these doubts, Dou Kun decided to conclude the match as quickly as possible to prevent Song Qingyuan from trying any new tricks.

"Since you want to use your weakness to attack my strengths, I'll oblige you. I'll defeat you swiftly and utterly so you won't have the chance to regret, or use any other spells!"

With that thought, Dou Kun charged towards Song Qingyuan with ferocity rivalling that of a thunderstorm.

Even though his assault was swift, it was not reckless, instead combining even more changes and techniques, not just relying his current strength that was merely half a notch better than his opponent's.

Although Song Qingyuan relied on the Two Bodies of Ice and Fire to elevate his physical strength to an adequate level to match Dou Kun, he still could not raise his martial arts skills and hand-to-hand combat experience to reach Dou Kun's level.

Consequently, Dou Kun quickly gained the upper hand, and pinned Song Qingyuan down to pummel him. If he didn't take extra precautions against Song Qingyuan's possible tricks, the outcome of the match would have been decided long ago.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the spectators were on an emotional rollercoaster ride. The cultivators from the Royal House of the Northern Tribes ridiculed the Heaven Lake Sect mercilessly, lampooning Song Qingyuan for biting off more than he could chew.

And the Heaven Lake Sect's members sadly could not counter the mockery fired at them, some almost vomiting blood from suppressing all that rage. They could only watch on anxiously as Song Qingyuan was suffering a severe disadvantage inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

After continuously chipping away at Song Qingyuan's strength and improving his own advantage, Dou Kun delivered one final blow.

His body suddenly prostrated then rose again, leaping in front of Song Qingyuan like a lightning bolt. As Song Qingyuan was barely enduring the assault, Dou Kun did not slow his pace down, and agilely manoeuvred his large body behind Song Qingyuan instantly in one fluid turn.

Dou Kun exhaled and elbowed Song Qingyuan straight in the centre of his back. The force, or even just the winds it churned up, was like a razor-sharp blade, stabbing Song Qingyuan's titan of ice and fire and leaving countless scars.

This blow could split even a massive mountain into half.

Thunderous cracking sounds reverberated through the air incessantly with Dou Kun's elbow smash, which even produced a burning odour usually given off only from the violent grinding of metal. Dou Kun's elbow strike shook the surrounding space, nearly obliterating it.

When one's physical strength achieves such a standard, one would already have reached the peak of an Aurous Core stage cultivator's potential.

The key point was that, after Dou Kun carefully laid the foundations for his attack, Song Qingyuan has been backed into a corner with nowhere to run and no chance to defend himself. This was Dou Kun's true killing blow.

Faced with this attack, Song Qingyuan's face formed from ice and fire suddenly revealed a cunning grin.

The infinite amounts of ice and fire fused onto his body suddenly dissipated and gathered behind his back, morphing into a vortex of freezing ice and raging fire.

Dou Kun's elbow was pounded by the vortex and almost completely crushed by the swirling ice and fire.

But his expression changed drastically, as he felt an immense surge of power building up within the vortex which instantly exploded!

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Lin Feng let out a sigh. "The outcome has been sealed."

Yue Hongyan, who had been watching the fight with utmost concentration, directed her gaze over to him. "Master, did Song Qingyuan do everything from the beginning on purpose?"

Lin Feng nodded. "Indeed. Right from the start, Song Qingyuan had no intentions of competing with Dou Kun using physical martial arts. Every action he took was just laying the groundwork for this attack."

"Dou Kun was already wary and patient enough, but Song Qingyuan was still one step ahead of him."

Zhu Yi frowned, "In the end, we still don't know what methods he used to make his weak body endure the tremendous forces of ice and fire."

Lin Feng looked at Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian, and said, "This person hides his true capabilities and still has many aces he has yet to reveal. He's your rival."

Zhu Yi and Xiao Budian nodded together.

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, although Dou Kun was merely severely wounded by Song Qingyuan's ambush and has not truly been defeated yet, everyone could tell that the match's outcome has been determined. Only if Song Qingyuan carelessly commits an unforgivable mistake, can Dou Kun hope to reverse the tides of the battle.

But this was evidently a possibility with miniscule hope.

Prince Xian of the Left's face turned livid, but his emotions were still stable. He turned towards Cao Wei, Leader of the Heaven Lake Sect. "I can understand everything else, but what's with that vortex of ice and fire?"

He has had dealings with the Heaven Lake Sect for thousands of years, and knew the Heaven Lake Sect's spells, from the most advanced ones to those practiced by novices, all by heart.

Cao Wei explained calmly, "This spell is called the Venus of Ice and Fire, and was designed by that good-for-nothing disciple of mine. I'll still need you, my fellow peers, to critique it."

"Self-created, self-created, hmph!" Prince Xian of the Left muffled a grunt. He knew that Dou Kun's defeat was not one of injustice, since Song Qingyuan just showcased this spell for the first time to the public, and Dou Kun was completely unprepared for it."

He observed the expressions on the faces of the Heaven Lake Sect's cultivators. Except for a few people, most of the Nascent Soul and Aurous Core stage elders were astonished, evidently unaware that Song Qingyuan possessed such an overpowering spell.

If he could hide it from his own sect, how would outsiders even know about it?

After barely holding on for a while, Dou Kun still could not avoid his inevitable defeat in the end. This victory of this match between rivals belonged to Song Qingyuan and the Heaven Lake Sect.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Xiao Budian rotated his head and warmed up his little arms and legs. He grinned, "They've finally finished their match. Now it's my turn."

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Chapter 314: Xiao Budian Takes the Stage

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

In the second round of the competition among the Aurous Core stage cultivators at the Spiritual Conference, there are a total of eight matches where the Top 8 emerge from the Top 16. Song Qingyuan and Dou Kun's duel was the sixth match, and the seventh match was Xiao Budian's.

And his opponent Mu Jihai was coincidentally a cultivator from the Heaven Lake Sect too.

This time, with Song Qingyuan's impressive comeback, the Heaven Lake Sect's cultivators who were suppressing their rage could finally hold their heads up high. Every dog has its day, and they retrieved all the pride they had lost to the Royal House of the Northern Tribes.

As for the Northern Tribes' cultivators, it was their turn to be depressed. To be fair, Dou Kun was already amply cautious and modest, but he still fell into Song Qingyuan's trap.

The Northern Tribes' Prince Xian of the Left could only shake his head and admit defeat. With his mastery level, he could instantly identify the standard of Song Qingyuan's mana mastery with one glance, but if Song Qingyuan creates a spell that he has never used before, Prince Xian of the Left could never have known about it no matter how impressive his abilities were.

This was still different from how Lin Feng saw through Shi Shaogan's mastery of the Dimension-less Transformation. Lin Feng could actually only identify the possibility of Shi Shaogan mastering a certain spell of the Great Void Sect, but he could not pinpoint which particular spell it was, and could only remind Yue Hongyan to be careful on all fronts.

This was still because the Great Void Sect's spells and the Secret Manual of the Five Imperial True Dragons that Shi Shaogan used were completely different, so Lin Feng could sniff out some hints.

Song Qingyuan's Venus of Ice and Fire spell was created after he internalized the Dark Polar Blaze Mantra, which was derived from the same source as the other spells from the Heaven Lake Sect.

If he had continued to conceal this secret, perhaps even Cao Wei would not have known that he mastered such a spell.

That is unless someone like Lin Feng, Prince Xian of the Left, or Cao Wei used their mana to invade Song Qingyuan's body directly and search his soul.

For the Northern Tribes, attending the Spiritual Conference of Hanhai this time round could be considered a terrible blunder. Their Aurous Core and Foundation Establishment stage disciples may have earned the rights to enter the Ancient Huanghai World, but no one from their sect entered the Top 8 and Top 4 of the Aurous Core and Foundation Establishment categories respectively.

What was even more depressing was that, they lost two key matches at the hands of the Heaven Lake Sect. The Northern Tribes could no longer escape the outcome of being outshone by the Heaven Lake Sect during this Spiritual Conference.

And for the Heaven Lake Sect, having secured consecutive victories against their rivals, all their cultivators were naturally ecstatic, and gazed at Mu Jihai with longing anticipation, hoping that he would continue their winning streak and defeat the Celestial Sect of Wonders, the sect enjoying the most limelight in this Spiritual Conference. This would also salvage the shame of suffering consecutive losses at the hands of the Celestial Sect of Wonders previously during the Foundation Establishment matches.

Xiao Budian warmed up his little arms and legs, and grinned at Lin Feng, chuckling, "Master, I'm off."

As he said this, he winked his left eye at Lin Feng, cracking a sly grin.

Lin Feng smiled back and nodded at him.

Xiao Budian turned and walked towards the Hidden Dragon Gorge, and on the other side, Mu Jihai also walked out of the Heaven Lake Sect's camp. He looked a little under the weather, not because his opponent was Xiao Budian, but because Song Qingyuan's stellar performance was giving him immense pressure.

Having chased after him for so long, Mu Jihai thought he had finally caught up to him, only to realize that he himself was running for dear life while his rival was just strolling leisurely. A slight increase in speed and a short jog by his rival would leave him in the dust again.

This disheartening feeling was driving Mu Jihai insane, and he shot Xiao Budian a highly antagonistic glare. "I always thought you were an eyesore, and today, I can't stand the sight of you even more."

Xiao Budian glanced at him and said, "Battling you would be so boring."

Mu Jihai's eyes were seething with rage as he heard Xiao Budian continue, "How about we make a bet? Or else it would be too mundane."

With that, Xiao Budian flipped out the Tiger Soul Golden Plate in his palm and chuckled, "I place this as my bet. Do you dare to play with me?"

In principle, the rules of the Spiritual Conference of Hanhai state that the competing sides can only rely on their own mana mastery and Abhijna to battle, and any magic items or talismans used cannot be of a stage that exceeds the user's current mastery level.

Hence, taking Xiao Budian and Mu Jihai's Aurous Core match for example, Nascent Soul stage magic items and Purple Soul Charms are prohibited.

The Tiger Soul Golden Plate can be used, but Xiao Budian has never used it before, and many have never known that he possessed such an item.

The golden plate was producing roars from the Demon Tiger Soul Essence and formidable demonic energy waves, which made Mu Jihai stare at it with longing eyes. He hummed, "This is nothing. I heard that you have a Nascent Soul stage item. If you lose, you'll give it to me."

Xiao Budian scoffed, "If I win, will you give me a Nascent Soul stage item too?"

Mu Jihai regretted saying what he said immediately. Even though he had the mastery level of the advanced Aurous Core stage, and his sect supplied abundant resources without restrictions for talented disciples it treasured, he still did not possess a Nascent Soul stage magic item.

Among his peers in the Aurous Core stage, only Song Qingyuan yields a Nascent Soul stage magic item.

With that thought in mind, Mu Jihai felt even worse, and he glared at Xiao Budian more menacingly than before. "I heard that every Aurous Core stage disciple in the Celestial Sect of Wonders owns a Nascent Soul stage item, despite them only having the mastery of the beginner Aurous Core stage. How ridiculous!"

Upon hearing their exchange, the spectators outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge all gazed at Xiao Budian with great envy.

Possessing Nascent Soul stage items at the beginner Aurous Core stage, what amazing luxury is this?

But then, most of them quickly recalled that Lin Feng's three outstanding Aurous Core stage disciples in the Celestial Sect of Wonders - Xiao Yan, Zhu Yi, and Xiao Budian - each own a Nascent Soul stage magic item.

Such munificent treatment made every worthy young disciple drool in envy secretly.

Mu Jihai snorted, and took out a gorgeous box. He lifted the lid to reveal an ice blue crystal flower, with the ice flower's surface still dancing with blazing crimson flames.

"This is the Zhuyan Ice Flower, which can balance the mana forces of ice and fire." Mu Jihai said solemnly. "It doesn't have to be ice and fire; this flower can balance any two completely opposing forces."

He stared at Xiao Budian. "Ignoring your Nascent Soul stage item, at least the value of this flower would not be lower than that of your Golden Plate."

Xiao Budian's eyes flickered, and he smiled, "Sure, it's settled then. I'll bet with you."

With both sides going head to head inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Lin Feng did not laze around outside, and instead went to find Cao Wei.

"With our disciples engaging in such a leisurely game, would Sect Master Cao like to bet with me as well?" Lin Feng looked at Cao Wei with a forced faint smile. Cao Wei's expression remained the same as he gazed at Xiao Budian inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge and said slowly, "No hurry about that. The Geocentric Fire Lotus and the Nine-Circled Ice Orchid are already on the way there. We shall bet after our old debts are paid."

"I don't like to owe people things."

Upon hearing Cao Wei's words, a few other Immortal Soul cultivators looked puzzled. Zhu Muguang muttered to himself, "This is too strange. The winning party would allow the other to bet further even with existing debts."

"Yet the losing party would rather clear their previous debts first before betting, and not use a new one to counteract an old one." Zhu Muguang thought to himself, "If I were Cao Wei, I'd definitely make the bet, and if I win, I'd use it to clear off all my previous debts."

Upon hearing Cao Wei reject the offer, he smiled even wider and nodded, "No worries, I can do so anytime."

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Mu Jihai clasped his hands together to summon a spell. Flames as white as glaciers appeared out of nowhere and surged towards Xiao Budian like a torrent of water. This was the Icy Blaze, the signature Abhijna of the Heaven Lake Sect.

Upon witnessing this sight, the spectators were inevitably slightly disappointed.

Although they were both Heaven Lake Sect cultivators, Mu Jihai's first attack was far less impressive and spectacular compared to Song Qingyuan's. They all knew that those capable of summoning the Icy Blaze were among the best of the Heaven Lake Sect, but after watching Song Qingyuan's battle, they couldn't help but be slightly let down.

Especially since Dao Yuting, in the Foundation Establishment stage, had previously demonstrated top-notch spells and Abhijna like the Burning Ice Spell and the Song of the Volcano.

But Xiao Budian, who was in the middle of the battle, would not underestimate Mu Jihai just because of this.

Xiao Budian has always kept Lin Feng's words in mind: when dealing with any enemy, always disparage his strategy but don't underestimate his combat skills.

Furthermore, Mu Jihai possessed the stature that prevented others from belittling him. His mastery of the Icy Blaze Abhijna has reached the acme of its power, in a completely different league from Dao Yuting and Fang Zhong in the Foundation Establishment stage.

Ignoring the gaps between them in mana mastery, and comparing just how accomplished their Abhijna was in the Icy Blaze, Dao Yuting was like a child compared to Mu Jihai, while Fang Zhong was so inferior that he was like an animal that just learned how to walk.

Having specialized in this spell for hundreds of years, Mu Jihai naturally internalized every aspect of the spell. Even a few Nascent Soul grandmasters in the Heaven Lake Sect don't necessarily surpass him in their familiarity and competency in the Icy Blaze Abhijna, much less any other Aurous Core cultivators.

They may exceed him in power, but not necessarily so in terms of skills.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Song Qingyuan, who had already returned to the Heaven Lake Sect's delegation, was grinning as he watched Xiao Budian and Mu Jihai's battle. He muttered to himself softly, "He probably can force his opponent to use the full extent of his strength, right?"

A Heaven Lake Sect disciple beside him chuckled, "Those disciples of the Celestial Sect of Wonders are acting so pompously because they haven't faced you yet, Big Senior. You'll clinch the top spot in this Spiritual Conference for sure."

Song Qingyuan casually waved his hand and smiled gently, "That's still too early to say. The Great Qin Empire's Shi Xingyun is very tough to deal with."

"Besides, I have yet to determine the true mastery levels of Shi Tianhao and Jiao Junchen of the Great Qin Empire. Hopefully, I can do so in the following matches."

"But the other competitors are indeed not worth my concern." Song Qingyuan said frankly, "Tao Yaoyao may be strong, but her personality has flaws which can be easily exploited. Gu Lei of the Purple Clouds Sect is also not bad, and is capable of entering the Top 8, but he's no match for me."

"The Dual Sword Combination of the Sun Moon Sword Sect has its extraordinary points, but it's not hard to deal with."

His gaze landed on Zhu Yi for a second, and he laughed softly, "That man is very formidable indeed, but I already found a way to deal with him. In his previous match against Huo Ming, even though he secured a swift and clean victory, he already exposed his final ace in the hole."

"If I'm paired with him, I'll definitely destroy the myth that the Celestial Sect of Wonders is undefeatable with my own hands."

As he said this, Song Qingyuan gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge again and mumbled, "Now, let me witness the strength of another disciple from the Celestial Sect of Wonders."

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Chapter 315: Danger

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge facing Mu Jihai's Icy Blaze Abhijna, Xiao Budian dealt with the assault calmly. The forces of wind and thunder surged through his entire body, and as his fists bumped together, the wind and thunder fused with his body, and he morphed into a spectral avatar over two meters tall.

Xiao Budian was enveloped by savage lightning bolts and howling cyclones. The ravaging force swept through the entire surrounding space, and even halted the advance of Mu Jihai's Icy Blaze.

Looking at his size, Xiao Budian was now larger and brawnier than before, albeit still much smaller than Song Qingyuan's size during the Two Bodies of Ice and Fire spell.

But the overpowering pressure and the staggering power it emanated was even stronger than Song Qingyuan's spell.

Based on physical strength alone, only Dou Kun could rival Xiao Budian among all the Aurous Core cultivators present there.

At the Sword of Radiance Sect's delegation, Tao Yaoyao's heroic and elegant face cracked a mischievous smirk, and she glanced at Zhan Yan from the corner of her eye, "He's improved since that time on Xingyun Peak, hasn't he? If he duels you with that level of mastery, you'd be pulverized in no time."

Zhao Yan laughed bitterly and couldn't help but nod in agreement, "He may be much smaller than me, but he used his powers of wind and thunder to increase his size to over three meters in height. Although his size is smaller than before, but his power now is more concentrated and his strength is more formidable."

He gazed at Xiao Budian, "To show such an outstanding improvement in the span of just one month, the Celestial Sect of Wonders is truly a bunch of freaks."

Inside the Gorge, Xiao Budian stomped his foot and his entire body morphed into a bolt of lightning, and he charged ferociously towards Mu Jihai. In his wake, he almost cleared out an entire corridor of space, with the cackling of the ruptured air reverberating everywhere.

When they actually started to battle each other full-on, Mu Jihai looked solemn. Under his manipulation, changes began occurring to the Icy Blaze.

Both the hot blazing snow and the freezing flames appeared simultaneously and blended with each other. The two states of the Icy Blaze were coexisting perfectly under Mu Jihai's control.

The two diametrically opposite bizarre forces swirled continuously around Mu Jihai, like an enormous monstrous disc that would crush any trespassers that dared to step foot into it.

Xiao Budian sliced his way in, and instantly felt the fearsome forces of the Icy Blaze gushing towards him from all directions, and the further he dived in, the more immense the pressure.

"Even the most ordinary and basic spells can unleash enormous amounts of power if comprehended and internalized fully. And the Icy Blaze is still the formidable signature abhijna of the Heaven Lake Sect." Xiao Budian nodded to himself, "But, it still can't stop me."

The nine holes of the Nine-holed Aurous Core simultaneously produced a deafening burst, and mass amounts of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy spat forth. Xiao Budian's body shuddered, and the ferocious powers directly tore apart Mu Jihai's Icy Blaze ocean.

This severely overbearing scene stunned the audience. Seeing someone use a beginner Aurous Core level of mastery to wrestle down an opponent in the advanced Aurous Core stage was truly an astounding sight, which subverted the preconceptions of many.

Back at the Celestial Sect of Wonders' delegation, Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time. The magnificence of their junior's mana was really beyond logical comprehension. He truly lived up to his nickname as the Human Beast.

Zhu Yi was concentrating on Xiao Budian's performance too. Since the first day he entered the sect, he knew that although Xiao Budian was called 'Little Junior', he was actually the disciple that entered Lin Feng's sect the earliest. If he had not decided otherwise, Zhu Yi, Yue Hongyan, Yang Qing, Wang Lin and Xiao Yan would all be addressing this child just over ten years of age as 'Big Senior'.

Xiao Budian's existence was also spurring others to train harder to a great extent, or else how could they be worthy of having this rascal call them his seniors?

And what made people especially uneasy was that, Xiao Budian was both the first to achieve the Foundation Establishment and to form his Aurous Core among all of Lin Feng's disciples.

Zhu Yi calmed himself down, and watched the battle within the Hidden Dragon Gorge closely. The more he watched, the more he frowned.

In the end, Zhu Yi could not stand it anymore, and turned to look at Lin Feng. "Master, Little Junior is ..."

Lin Feng smiled, "No need to worry. Tian Hao has a plan."

A realization dawned upon Zhu Yi, and his face cracked a smile as well. "I understand. Little Junior is really ..." Zhu Yi couldn't even complete his sentence, and just shook his head and laughed.

Back inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Xiao Budian was inching deeper step by step, relying on his slightly superior strength to forcefully tear apart Mu Jihai's Icy Blaze, and was closing in on Mu Jihai's actual body inside.

Mu Jihai glared at the approaching Xiao Budian, and with a flick of his hand, he suddenly altered his spell.

The two states of the original Icy Blaze - both the blistering snow and the frigid flames - started to change simultaneously.

The scorching ice suddenly cooled, seemingly turning into real ice, chilling to the bone. The freezing flames also mutated, gradually morphing into ice with no change in temperature.

The state and intensity of the ice and fire instantly changed, with no sign of weakening but rather appearing even more nimble than before, radiating with the fluidity of flowing clouds and water.

With this move alone, all the spectators began seeing Mu Jihai in a better light.

Even the Immortal Soul cultivators outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge nodded to themselves after witnessing that sight. "His understanding of the mantra and his control of its power are top-notch. With such a sturdy and well-rounded foundation, his future training path would be smoother with less bottlenecks."

Lin Feng smiled, "No wonder he dared to eye Song Qingyuan's position. He's pretty impressive himself."

Only when the distance between two people is shorter, or at least not a demoralizingly large gap, would the one struggling behind start feeling jealous of the one leading in front, and wish to take his place.

When the gap is so huge that it makes one feel totally despondent, the one in the dust would be incapable of feeling jealous, which would instead result in admiration, worship or emotional dependence. He just becomes a follower tailing behind the one leading in front.

Many disciples in the Heaven Lake Sect who were Song Qingyuan's peers were also in the same situation, but the only one with the courage and confidence to challenge Song Qingyuan's position was Mu Jihai.

And now, Mu Jihai demonstrated the strength he dared to challenge Song Qingyuan with.

The Icy Blaze instantly evolved into frigid ice, freezing Xiao Budian in a glacier. The interior of the Hidden Dragon Gorge completely transformed into a world of ice.

It was no longer the combination of ice and fire, the balance between the two opposing forces in the Icy Blaze. Instead, it completely abandoned the power of fire and plunged into the frozen extreme.

Mu Jihai has unleashed the power of ice within the Dark Polar Blaze Mantra to the extreme, wanting to freeze Xiao Budian entirely.

The piercing chilling air actually froze Xiao Budian, who was still enveloped by swirling wind and thunder, inside a thick layer of ice.

Xiao Budian's figure still seemed highly agile, even the wind and thunder that encircled him did not dissipate. Raging thunderstorms and swirling cyclones could be clearly seen through the layer of ice.

But everything then came to a still. Xiao Budian became like an insect preserved in amber.

Upon witnessing this sight, the spectators outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge instantly riled up a commotion, and some were getting fired up. "Is the Celestial Sect of Wonders' disciple going to lose the match?"

"I never knew, never knew, that the Heaven Lake Sect was so strong. Aside from Song Qingyuan, Mu Jihai's strength is also terrifying."

"This way, the sect that shines the brightest during this Spiritual Conference would undeniably be the Heaven Lake Sect."

As someone who had personally crossed swords with Xiao Budian before, Zhao Yan's expression turned incredibly serious, and he said solemnly, "It's still too early to form a conclusion."

Beside him, Tao Yaoyao twitched the corners of her mouth. "That's true, because Mu Jihai never intended to use this trick to secure his win."

"If he still thinks that he can win just with this spell after witnessing that rascal's strength, then he would be hopelessly naive." Tao Yaoyao's eyelids drooped. "So, the key now is whether that rascal can handle Mu Jihai's real ace in the hole."

Zhao Yan's face turned green from shock. He wanted to say something but then heard a deafening sound.

"Crack!"

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, a huge crack abruptly ruptured through the thick layer of ice that sealed Xiao Budian inside. The source of the crack was indeed Xiao Budian who was frozen in the centre of the glacier.

His body was cloaked in tempestuous wind and thunder, and his power kept increasing. The Nine-holed Aurous Core released vast amounts of spiritual energy, which transformed into boundless mana.

The thunderous sound of crushing ice reverberated everywhere.

Numerous new fissures extended out from the initial crack, ultimately forming a dense, intricate network of fractures like a spider web.

The more cracks there were, the weaker the chill of the glacier. Conversely, within the breaking ice, there was a terrifying swell of power that was becoming more and more prominent, as if there was a dormant ancient deity awakening inside the glacier.

Mu Jihai looked on with an expressionless face, and he clasped his hands again to alter his spell.

All of a sudden, the sound of cracking ice disappeared, not because Xiao Budian could not destroy the glacier, but because the entire glacier had vanished into thin air.

The frigid, piercing frost that transformed hundreds of meters of space around it into a world of ice and snow just abruptly disappeared.

The world of white instantly became red!

It was as if the deepest winter turned into the peak of summer in the blink of an eye. The interior of the Hidden Dragon Gorge instantly transformed from a white world of ice and snow into a red world of fire.

Xiao Budian just escaped his icy prison, but before he could get back on his feet, the freezing glacier that trapped him had already morphed into endless, blistering lava that surrounded him completely. The scorching heat was about to melt his entire body.

After emerging from the glacier, Xiao Budian seemed to have missed his step, falling straight into the mouth of a volcano.

Having already exhausted large amounts of energy after attempting to escape from the glacier, the Thunderstorm Avatar, now met with explosive flaming magma, immediately showed signs of collapsing, and was about to break into many tiny fragments!

Mu Jihai's face finally cracked a sinister grin.

The audience outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge burst with excitement. The strength that Mu Jihai displayed, morphing a freezing glacier into the diametrically opposite force of raging fire in a mere instant and manipulating these two extremes with ease, shocked every single spectator.

At the Purple Clouds Sect, Li Kuiyin watched as Xiao Budian was being engulfed in flames, looking on worryingly. "That brat ..."

Facing Mu Jihai's formidable chain attack, those supporting Xiao Budian were losing faith even with the strength that he had demonstrated before.

The smile on Gu Lei's face vanished. He also looked extremely serious as he squeezed a word out through the gaps of his clenched teeth, "Danger!"

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Chapter 316: Other Families' Children

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

At this point in time, it wasn't just Gu Lei who was not optimistic about Xiao Budian's plight. Everyone watching formed the same conclusion, regardless whether they were worried about him or were gloating about his imminent downfall.

Xiao Budian was in danger.

Mu Jihai's conversion of ice to fire, and his spell combination of two drastically opposing forces possessed overpowering strength. Even the members of his Heaven Lake Sect were astonished, and many glanced in the direction of Song Qingyuan discreetly.

This was because the aptitude that Mu Jihai demonstrated was already adequate to challenge Song Qingyuan, with no trace of inferiority at all.

Song Qingyuan's expression did not change, and gazed at Mu Jihai in awe, nodding slightly. "I see, this is your real strength, Junior Mu."

Meanwhile, back in the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Mu Jihai's performance was not over yet. He eyed Xiao Budian closely, who was engulfed in roaring flames, and he suddenly joined his hands together.

Massive amounts of spiritual energy inside the Gorge gathered around Mu Jihai, then plunged into the scorching lava under Mu Jihai's manipulation, as if supplying charcoal to the fire. The intensity of the flames instantly grew stronger, and the effervescing lava became more violent and explosive.

Outside the Gorge, all the cultivators from the Royal House of the Northern Tribes grew sombre after witnessing this sight. Strong warriors from their sworn enemy's youngest generation were emerging in an endless stream, which brought immense pressure for everyone in the Northern Tribes.

There was Dao Yuting from the Foundation Establishment stage and Song Qingyuan from the Aurous Core stage, both of whom already vexed the Northern Tribes heavily. And now, Mu Jihai's outstanding strength added another heavy burden to weigh down the hearts of every Northern Tribes cultivator.

Both Dou Kun and Sang Luohe looked incredibly serious.

Even the Northern Tribes' Prince Xian of the Left was staring at the Hidden Dragon Gorge and frowning. He certainly wasn't afraid, he wasn't even scared of Cao Wei, let alone Song Qingyuan and Mu Jihai. He just felt a little worried.

Because with Song Qingyuan, Mu Jihai, Dao Yuting and other outstanding individuals emerging, he could vaguely notice the Heaven Lake Sect's burgeoning fortune. They were ushering in a golden era of home-grown talent and strength, which was what Prince Xian of the Left was truly concerned about.

If this trend is not broken, the Heaven Lake Sect's power would definitely experience a great jump in the near future, and even reach a new peak if Cao Wei and the rest handle it well.

The rise of one power means the fall of another, the Royal House of the Northern Tribes would thus be in deep trouble. In the next thousand years, even if they are not oppressed, they would inevitably suffer from many sanctions and restrictions.

The eyes of all the Immortal Soul cultivators were flickering, their minds evidently convoluted with countless thoughts, analysing them non-stop.

The lower-level cultivators had much simpler concerns. Most of them gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge anxiously, feeling excited with a tinge of anticipation.

They only had one thought in mind - that devilish demonic freak that had given them boundless stress, and the Celestial Sect of Wonders that had snatched all the glory so far, was finally about to experience their first defeat.

These people did not necessarily have a feud with the Celestial Sect of Wonders, but since the Celestial Sect of Wonders' performance was too outstanding and outshone all others that they could not even lift their heads up, almost everyone had to endure the disappointed gazes of their respective sect elders.

Although none of the sect elders said it out loud, all their gazes conveyed the same message.

Look at them, then take a good look at yourselves, you bunch of worthless trash!

To be continuously showered by such piercing gazes was certainly something that drove them insane, so more than half of all the disciples from the respective sects present there were desperately hoping for Xiao Budian to lose.

They didn't need much either, they just needed that sect to lose one match to disprove that damned rumour, to dispel the myth that the Celestial Sect of Wonders' disciples are unbeatable by peers in the same stage. They didn't mind if the Celestial Sect of Wonders clinched the top spot of the Aurous Core stage, as long as it wasn't a sweep of all the categories. Just losing one match would make it bearable!

These were the heartfelt voices of countless people.

Lin Feng may not know what exactly these spectators were thinking about, but he could vaguely guess just by observing their expressions.

"A tall tree catches more wind, is this what the saying was referring to?" Lin Feng shook his head and laughed, then glanced back at his own disciples and smiled to himself. "Haha, to others, are my disciples as detestable as 'other families' children'?"

Lin Feng chuckled, "My disciples are your nightmares, they are the Joes from your next-door neighbour that always score 20 points higher in tests than your children. What about it?"

No matter how much wind a tall tree catches, as long as the tree is sturdy enough, no wind will blow it down!

Inside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Mu Jihai was probably unaware that he was carrying the hopeful expectations of hundreds of people on his shoulders, but he certainly still wanted to defeat Xiao Budian himself. Many of them, including Mu Jihai, didn't realize that they already regarded defeating a Celestial Sect disciple as an honour.

The Hidden Dragon Gorge was glowing and flickering, and the audience was on edge. After numerous past matches, people already realized that every time a competitor inside the Gorge was about to, or had a very high chance of, activating the Gorge's protective barrier, the Gorge's exterior would emit a glow in advance.

And at that moment, Xiao Budian was struggling to withstand Mu Jihai's assault, like a tiny raft in the middle of an ocean where disaster can strike anytime, and may very well be capsized by the next wave.

The Hidden Dragon Gorge had evidently sensed something, and was preparing to activate its barrier anytime to protect Xiao Budian.

"Tian Hao!" Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing both shrieked in horror. Even the usually heartless Tun Tun was looking on nervously.

Zhu Yi looked puzzled, and he quickly turned to look at Lin Feng. "Master ..."

Then, the mana pulses coming from Xiao Budian, who was surrounded by flames and lava, abruptly weakened.

"He won! He won!" Even if so many formidable Immortal Soul cultivators and elders onsite, many lower-level cultivators couldn't suppress their excitement and gazed eagerly at the Hidden Dragon Gorge, with some even beginning to cheer softly.

But the Gorge's protective barrier did not activate.

As many watched in confusion and doubt, a long howl suddenly resounded from within the flames, crisp and pleasant like a phoenix's cry, yet also magnificent and commanding like a dragon's roar.

Immediately following the cracking of wind and thunder, raging thunderbolts and cyclones instantly broke through the circle of blazing fire.

It was a powerful force that already surpassed the limit that Aurous Core cultivators can control. It was the Infinite Thunderstorm on an uncontrollable rampage. The power of the coalescing gales and lightning have reached an unprecedented level.

It was an immense power that Xiao Budian has never used before, so immense that even he couldn't control it!

Amidst the merging wind and thunder, Xiao Budian's howl clearly conveyed his pain. Powers that exceeded his capacity for control would hurt himself before even hurting the enemy, so the first person that took damage was Xiao Budian himself.

But this formidable power, which would force even cultivators in the beginner Nascent Soul stage to retreat in fear, instantly swamped the Hidden Dragon Gorge and engulfed the petrified Mu Jihai.

Even the coldest ice or the hottest flames were useless before the cataclysmic thunderstorm, and were instantly obliterated.

The Hidden Dragon Gorge's protective barrier had been activated, not to shield Xiao Budian, but to shield Mu Jihai, who was still pompous and seemingly triumphant just a moment ago.

The victory of this match belonged to Xiao Budian. The winner was still the Celestial Sect of Wonders.

But this was, without a doubt, a Pyrrhic victory. Xiao Budian, who had used powers that exceeded his own limits, was in no better shape compared to his opponent. After the wind and thunder dissipated, he was in a mass of bruises, like a broken porcelain doll.

When Xiao Budian emerged from the Hidden Dragon Gorge and landed on the ground, he couldn't even stand upright, and was tottering about.

He gritted his teeth and forcefully straightened his body upright. This strenuous action strained his wounds again, and his face crumpled in pain with his large eyes wincing in agony.

Upon seeing this, the spectators who were originally disappointed at the result became silent again.

The cost of Xiao Budian's method to obtain victory was just too great.

The injuries he sustained and the pain he experienced were even more severe than Mu Jihai whom he defeated, because the Hidden Dragon Gorge actually cushioned the greatest amount of damage for Mu Jihai.

In this brutal brawl, Xiao Budian finally defeated Mu Jihai while suffering grievous injuries in the process, but although he won this match, when the dust settled, his injuries were worse than Mu Jihai's.

He was actually willing to go this far to attain victory?

At this point in time, a lot of people suddenly recalled that, no matter how talented or formidable Xiao Budian was, he was still just a child over ten years of age. This made many of those who had wished for Xiao Budian to lose speechless.

Yue Hongyan could not hold it in anymore, and leapt to the Hidden Dragon Gorge straightaway, wanting to support Xiao Budian. Then, a tall figure speedier than her helped up Xiao Budian first, who was about to collapse onto the ground. It was Li Kuiyin from the Purple Clouds Sect.

Xiao Budian struggled to open his eyes. He was no longer in high spirits like before, now weak and in pain. He muttered softly, "Fourth Senior, Sister Kuiyin."

He smiled feebly, "Fourth Senior, I won."

"Yes, Tian Hao won." Yue Hongyan nodded and held onto Xiao Budian's hand firmly.

Li Kuiyin hugged him tightly. "Don't say anything."

Xiao Budian looked at them, as if he was back in his family's embrace, and exposed his vulnerable side. He twitched his nose, "My body hurts, every part of it hurts so bad."

Li Kuiyin's heart was aching terribly for him. She took out a bunch of dark green fruits and swayed them before his eyes. "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt. Look, it's your favourite Spiritual Lightning Fruits. Eat one and it won't hurt anymore.'

Then, two figures, one yellow and one white, flashed before their eyes. They were Tao Yaoyao and Shi Xingyun. Tao Yaoyao gazed at the frail Xiao Budian and gave him a thumbs-up. "Good lad, let's not talk about your mastery level. You possess such grit at such a young age. Not bad, really not bad!"

Shi Xingyun looked at him with a troubled expression. She said softly, "Tian Hao, your parents would be proud of you."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Budian cracked a weak smile, yet his eyes could not conceal his excruciating pain, which made all the girls' hearts ache for him.

After a brief moment, when Xiao Budian finally made his way back to Lin Feng and the rest with the help of Yue Hongyan, Lin Feng could clearly see that little rascal wink his left eye lightly at him, while the corners of his mouth raised to form a faint sly grin which faded quickly afterwards.

Zhu Yi also witnessed this sight, and turned to look at Lin Feng wearing a stiff expression. He was usually proper and calm, dignified and relaxed, but he would only break his character in front of this living treasure that was his junior.

"Mas ... Master ..."

Lin Feng twitched his mouth a few times then let out a dry cough. "Zhu Yi, I'll teach you two terms today. One of them is called 'acting cute', the other is called 'spitefully acting cute'!"

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Chapter 317: In the Shortest Amount of Time

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

Seeing Xiao Budian hold a pile of spiritual fruits and flowers that Li Kuiyin and the rest stuffed in his arms, Zhu Yi loosened his stiff neck and exhaled a breath of cold air. "Master, although I don't really understand what these terms mean, but ..."

He shot Xiao Budian a sour glare. "But, looking at Little Junior, I think I understand it a little now."

Lin Feng smiled and walked up to Xiao Budian, looking at him with a wide grin.

When Xiao Budian saw Lin Feng, he let out an incredibly innocent smile, and communicated with Lin Feng telepathically, "Master, I've completed my task!"

Lin Feng returned a faint smile and similarly used his mana to converse with him. "Yes, and you've snagged other benefits in the process."

Xiao Budian chuckled, "It was unplanned, completely unplanned, a pleasant surprise that occurred purely by chance. I never expected these older sisters to be so kind."

"If Hongyan finds out that you've been deceiving her, what do you think will happen?" Lin Feng glanced at Xiao Budian teasingly.

Xiao Budian mocked, "But Master, my injuries are really bad. I'm not faking it one bit."

Of course he wasn't faking it. Even if he could deceive everyone else, he wouldn't be able to trick Cao Wei and his sect.

The little rascal gazed at Lin Feng pitifully, "Master, it really hurts."

Lin Feng snapped, "Who told you to use such a stupid method? You deserve it!" In spite of this, Lin Feng still produced a ray of purple clouds which enshrouded Xiao Budian, and used his own mana to heal Xiao Budian's wounded body.

He then heard Cao Wei's voice from afar. "I admit defeat. These rightfully belong to your Celestial Sect of Wonders."

Lin Feng turned his head and saw three objects packaged by Cao Wei's mana transported to him. They were the Geocentric Fire Lotus, Nine-Circled Ice Orchid, and the Zhuyan Ice Flower that Mu Jihai just lost in his bet with Xiao Budian.

Lin Feng nodded and accepted them unreservedly. Cao Wei said bluntly, "With this, we've cleared our debts."

"Yes, indeed." Lin Feng cracked a faint, undetectable smile.

On the other side, Mu Jihai returned to the Heaven Lake Sect's delegation. His sect elders and peers gazed at him, yet with no intention of ridiculing him. Most of them felt that it was a pity for him, since the aptitude that Mu Jihai just demonstrated was indeed worthy of respect.

Judging by the situation just now, Mu Jihai did have a chance of winning, perhaps even being only half a step to victory, but Xiao Budian was more determined and courageous than anyone had imagined.

Mu Jihai wasn't feeling any better himself. Being a sensitive person, the sympathetic, pitying gazes from bystanders were even harder to bear than ridicule or mockery, as if reminding him: "You still can't do it. No matter how close you are to succeeding, you'll still get stuck before the finish line."

Then, someone suddenly exclaimed, "Although Senior Mu lost, we now know that disciples from the Celestial Sect of Wonders are not invincible. They still have their limits. If Senior Song battles him, he would surely win."

Song Qingyuan chuckled when he heard this, and did not say anything. However, the confidence his expression exuded made all the Heaven Lake Sect disciples believe that he did have faith in himself to accomplish that feat.

"If they aren't hiding any more tricks, then I wouldn't need to fear Zhu Yi and Shi Tianhao from the Celestial Sect of Wonders." Song Qingyuan gazed at the Hidden Dragon Gorge calmly. "There's only one person left."

Two people entered the arena and walked towards the Hidden Dragon Gorge together. One of them was Zhao Yan from the Sword of Radiance Sect, the other was Jiao Junchen from the Great Qin Empire.

At the Celestial Sect of Wonders, Zhu Yi's gaze fell onto Jiao Junchen, and he tilted his head slightly. "Tun Tun, how strong is the Sword of Radiance Sect's Zhao Yan?"

During the journey to Xingyun Peak, Zhu Yi had to remain on Mount Yujing to coach the newly inducted second batch of disciples, so he couldn't join the rest.

Zhu Yi had heard about the time Xiao Budian crossed swords with Zhao Yan, but he did not know the exact details.

Among those present during that incident, Xiao Yan was not here, Xiao Budian was being treated by Lin Feng, while Yue Hongyan's mastery level was too low to notice certain details, so Zhu Yi had to ask Tun Tun.

Tun Tun may be erratic at times , but she was never ambiguous about these things, and went straight to the point, "If compared against those currently present here and using the strength he previously displayed as a reference, he hasn't reached Huo Ming or Mu Jihai's level. However, he has a chance of winning either of them in a duel."

"But he certainly has no hope of winning Tao Yaoyao or Song Qingyuan."

After a short pause, Tun Tun added, "Unless, he had some sort of breakthrough in the past month."

Zhu Yi nodded and observed at the light reflected from the Hidden Dragon Gorge. Jiao Junchen and Zhao Yan had already begun their battle.

Zhao Yan was still interchanging between the Sword of Radiance Sect's signature swordplay and abhijna: the Radiant Clouds Sword Technique, Sword Radiance and Sword Qi. He was highly unpredictable, agile, and ferocious at the same time.

Jiao Junchen, on the other hand, received a bye in the first round and advanced to the Top 16 straightaway. No one had seen him in battle before, and his current match with Zhao Yan would be his first duel in this Spiritual Conference.

The audience was evidently more intrigued by Jiao Junchen who has gained quite a reputation, wanting to see the forte of the Great Qin Empire's newest scholar.

"I look forward to learning from you." Jiao Junchen did a brief salute to Zhao Yan's Radiant Clouds Sword Technique, then crouched down.

As he crouched, swirling mist and clouds suddenly appeared and lifted him up. With a slight spin, he dodged Zhao Yan's Sword Radiance with ease.

Zhao Yan was a little shocked, and altered his sword stance. The Sword Radiance similarly morphed into mist and clouds to capture Jiao Junchen's roving figure.

But no one expected that Jiao Junchen would step on the clouds and form an incredibly peculiar trail behind him across the sky, then slip directly through a gap in Zhao Yan's cloud of Sword Qi.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the faces of all the Sword of Radiance Sect cultivators turned slightly ghastly. Even Tao Yaoyao and a few Nascent Soul stage Grandmasters looked sombre.

Zhao Yan's Radiant Clouds Sword Technique was the authentic spell of the Sword of Radiance Sect, which he was incomparably familiar with. When his sword radiance evaporates into Qi and transforms into a blanket of mist and clouds, it overcasts the skies and land without any openings.

Even if the cloud of Sword Qi does have a gap, it would have been formed naturally between the flowing mana, but it would be so minute that it is nearly undetectable. But Jiao Junchen still located the gap with utmost skill and accuracy.

Furthermore, Jiao Junchen slid through the gap with great precision. His movements were graceful and fluid, calm and smooth, and charged in front of Zhao Yan in one unimpeded path without once grazing the cloud of Sword Qi on both sides of the gap.

Everyone else stared at Jiao Junchen in astonishment. They were all knowledgeable enough to tell that Zhao Yan's Radiant Clouds Sword Technique was arguably perfect, but Jiao Junchen still overcame it with such ease.

When Jiao Junchen strode across the flowing clouds, he produced the faint cry of a phoenix, which contained mysterious mana powers that suppressed the versatility of Zhao Yan's Radiant Clouds Sword Technique.

Noticing Jiao Junchen's incoming assault, Zhao Yan knew that he was in trouble. He wanted to induce another transformation in his Sword Radiance, but realized that his speed at which his mana could alternate had slowed. By the time his sword technique changed, he would already be one step behind.

And now, Jiao Junchen had already sliced his way into Zhao Yan's Sword Qi. The moment he brushed past Zhao Yan, he suddenly turned to his side and executed the action of drawing a bow. Then, a ray of white light shot towards Zhao Yan like a piercing arrow.

Facing imminent danger, Zhao Yan manoeuvred the Sword Qi around his entire body, morphing it into a specialized defence sword formation called the "Barrier of Clouds and Mist, Veil of Wind and Rain".

However, Jiao Junchen did not fire just one arrow of white light, instead firing four arrows in succession. After the first arrow, he immediately fired three more consecutively which joined together at the ends like a string of beads and bombarded the same point continuously.

This wall-breaking strategy that targets one particular point instantly demonstrated its effectiveness, and forcefully penetrated Zhao Yan's "Barrier of Clouds and Mist, Veil of Wind and Rain" sword formation.

Zhao Yan turned pale, and immediately worked to remedy the gaps in his sword formation. His reaction was still considerably fast, and he manipulated his alternating mana to close the gaping hole formed by Jiao Junchen quickly.

But in that instant, Jiao Junchen fired another arrow which was as fast as lightning. Right after he launched it, the arrow has already speared through the gap in Zhao Yan's sword formation, about to pierce Zhao Yan.

The Hidden Dragon Gorge's protective barrier then activated.

In a short span of time, Zhao Yan had been defeated.

The crowd outside the Gorge gawked at the sight before them. No one expected that the outcome of this match would be determined so easily.

Apart from Li Kuiyin's voluntary forfeit, this match lasted for the shortest amount of time among all eight matches in the second round.

It was so quick that Zhao Yan had no time to react, and was at a loss. "I ... already lost?"

Everyone in the Sword of Radiance Sect was even more flabbergasted. It's true that Zhao Yan was not in his strongest state, being unable to use the Sky Sword Talisman, his Nascent Soul stage magic item. But based on his mastery level alone, he was still a formidable cultivator in the advanced Aurous Core stage, yet he still lost so ... easily!

In the eyes of all the spectators, Jiao Junchen's victory came too easily.

Tao Yaoyao glared at Jiao Junchen with eyes blazing like the scorching sun. Her intense lust for battle made her sect's disciples beside her avoid her like the plague.

Song Qingyuan's expression turned awfully serious as he thought to himself, "Who knew that the greatest enemy is not the Celestial Sect of Wonders, but Jiao Junchen?"

When Jiao Junchen emerged from the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the arena turned completely silent.

Zhao Yan lost so quickly, but not because he was too weak. There was only one reason.

Jiao Junchen was frighteningly strong!

He was so strong that one could no longer measure his strength based on the capabilities of an Aurous Core cultivator.

At the Celestial Sect of Wonders, Zhu Yi looked at Jiao Junchen without uttering a word, but his eyes had never been so bright before.

Yang Qing frowned, "What's up with that spell that Jiao Junchen just used?"

Yue Hongan shook her head. "I don't know. I just felt that the way he strode across the flowing clouds was weirdly similar to ... yup, it was as if he was riding a horse carriage."

"Your intuition is correct." Lin Feng said calmly, "This man's mantras originate from ancient Confucianism, and his abhijna and spells encapsulate the Six Arts of Confucianism: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and mathematics."

"The spell he used to win Zhao Yan just now was a combination of 'archery' and 'charioteering'."

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Chapter 318: The Top 8 Draw Lots

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

"The Six Arts?" Yue Hongyan, Yang Qing, Tun Tun, and even Zhuge Fengling were slightly stunned.

Lin Feng smiled and did not say anything. Zhu Yi then came back to his senses and answered on Lin Feng's behalf. "It's just as Master said. Jiao Junchen's spell originated from the Six Arts of Confucianism, which are also called the Six Arts of a Gentleman, being rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and mathematics respectively."

"Rites refer to etiquette and propriety; music is as it is; archery is the art of shooting with a bow and arrow; charioteering refers to riding a horse carriage, as scholars in ancient times did not sit in sedans or ride horses when travelling, and instead commanded horse carriages." Zhu Yi then continued explaining, "Calligraphy can refer to literature, or just the art itself; mathematics refers to arithmetic and knowledge of number theories."

Zhu Yi elaborated, "In ancient times, these Six Arts were deemed as six skills that every scholar had to master. Confucianist scholars back then were not nerds with only the strength of a limbless chicken, and were definitely never mocked for being inept at either physical work or practical knowledge, far from the rotten bookworms of today."

He gazed at Jiao Junchen, who had just emerged from the Hidden Dragon Gorge and returned to the Great Qin Empire's delegation, and said softly, "This person comprehended the philosophies behind the Six Arts and formed his own spell based on his understanding, albeit adopting a more traditional flair."

Yang Qing also looked at Jiao Junchen, "Master said that the spell Jiao Junchen used to defeat Zhao Yan was the combination of 'archery' and 'charioteering', right?"

Zhu Yi said, "Yes. There are five types of charioteering: Ming He Luan, Zhu Shui Che, Guo Jun Biao, Wu Jiao Qu and Zhu Qin Zuo."

"When Jiao Junchen first rode the chariot of clouds and nimbly dodged Zhao Yan's Sword Radiance attack, he probably used a spell that originated from Zhu Shui Che. Charioteers practicing Zhu Shui Che can gallop along the riverbank and not fall, and are the most agile of all."

"Following that, the spell he used to penetrate the slit between Zhao Yan's cloud of Sword Qi definitely stemmed from Wu Jiao Qu, being able to negotiate narrow pathways with ease."

"The phoenix's cries accompanying the moving chariot that suppressed Zhao Yan's ability to interchange his swordplay was from Ming He Luan, where the chariot's movements correspond to a phoenix's cries."

"And when he sliced through the interior of Zhao Yan's sword formation and drew his bow as he brushed past Zhao Yan, he used Zhu Qin Zuo. It refers to chasing down beasts then shooting them down from the left when hunting."

Zhu Yi said everything in one breath, and explained every step of Jiao Junchen's spell transformation in detail. "And when he demonstrated Zhu Qin Zuo, he blended the arts of 'archery' and 'charioteering' together perfectly."

"There are five types of charioteering, and there are also five types of archery: Bai Shi, Can Lian, Shan Zhu, Xiang Chi and Jing Yi."

"Jiao Junchen's first arrow was Can Lian. By releasing one arrow first followed by three consecutive shots, the arrows interlink with one another like a string of pearls. The four interconnected arrows then aim at one spot and attack, which was how he broke through Zhao Yan's defences just now."

"Afterwards, he immediately used Shan Zhu, which produces rapid-fire. The time it takes to aim is short, and it fires off arrows almost immediately, but it doesn't forsake its accuracy in the process. It pierced the gap opened by the Can Lian with superb precision, and finally took down Zhao Yan."

After saying this, Zhao Yan took a slight pause before continuing, "Besides his exquisite spells, he also possesses vigorous mana. Even though he targeted only one gap, but using just four arrows to destroy the Sword of Radiance Sect's 'Barrier of Clouds and Mist, Veil of Wind and Rain' formation was not a feat anyone could achieve."

Zhu Yi did not use his mana to converse telepathically with Yue Hongyan and the rest, neither did he intentionally lower his volume, so everyone at the Spiritual Conference could hear his explanations. Many of them finally understood what was going on.

When Jiao Junchen fought Zhao Yan just now, the process did not seem so complicated, and its duration was also very short, but since even Zhao Yan himself didn't know exactly how he lost, everyone else watching would be even more bewildered.

But after Zhu Yi's systematic, well-structured and clear analysis, everyone finally understood exactly how Jiao Junchen defeated Zhao Yan.

Some of them gazed at Jiao Junchen, and noticed that his face did not bear the slightest hint of bashfulness, instead seeming pleasantly surprised. He nodded repeatedly at Zhu Yi, "I can't wait to have a go with you now."

This meant that he acknowledged that Zhu Yi's analysis was correct. After hearing this, Tao Yaoyao snappily shot a glare at Zhao Yan standing behind her. "Do you understand why you lost now?"

Zhao Yan cracked a bitter smile and kept nodding. "I know, I know. If I had heeded Big Senior's advice earlier and concentrated on mastering the Instant Sword Teleportation Technique, I wouldn't have lost so badly."

Tao Yaoyao glared at him, "Nonsense, you would have won for sure!"

When the surrounding crowd saw Zhao Yan being berated by Tao Yaoyao as if he was her grandson, they could not resist snickering at that hilarious sight.

Lin Feng also chuckled, but he knew for sure that Tao Yaoyao was not reprimanding him just for the sake of it.

The Instant Sword Teleportation Technique was the most elite of the Sword of Radiance Sect's swordplay, more superior than the Radiant Clouds Sword Technique, being incredibly fast and able to traverse thousands of mountains and rivers in a split second. It is the speediest form of swordplay under the heavens, excluding the Shaoze Sword of Mount Shu, and is on par with the Heavenly Sword Sect's Heavenly Sword Teleportation Technique.

If comparing just its attacking speed at close range, it is even better than the Heavenly Sword Teleportation Technique, and can only be rivalled by the Shaoze Sword of Mount Shu.

The difference is, the Shaoze Sword of Mount Shu traverses space to kill, while the Sword of Radiance Sect's Instant Sword Teleportation Technique incorporates the enigmatic concepts of time.

An instant and eternity, the shortest and longest amount of time, represent the two extremes ot time respectively. Fully comprehending these two concepts would allow one to understand the true meaning of time, and the power of an instant forms the foundation of the Sword of Radiance Sect's mantras and swordplay.

Tao Yaoyao also demonstrated the Instant Sword Teleportation Technique previously when she singlehandedly defeated a sword duo from the Sun Moon Sword Sect. She relied on speed to overcome her slow opponents, and unleashed this battle strategy to the extreme, brutally destroying the Sun Moon Sword Sect's Dual Sword Combination.

Although Lin Feng was distracted by his piling concerns back then, and observed the Spiritual Conference half-heartedly, he too was surprised by Tao Yaoyao's swordplay.

"The Instant Sword Teleportation Technique is the Sword of Radiance Sect's real hidden trump card." Lin Feng thought to himself, "Even though Tao Yaoyao claimed that Zhao Yan would surely win Jiao Junchen if he mastered the Instant Sword Teleportation Technique, that's obviously impossible. But with that technique, Zhao Yan would have at least stood a chance against Jiao Junchen."

After all, the strength that Jiao Junchen just displayed was probably only the tip of the iceberg.

Upon hearing what Tao Yaoyao said, Jiao Junchen just smiled. Even if Zhao Yan did master the Instant Sword Teleportation Technique, he still wouldn't have been Jiao Junchen's match. Jiao Junchen would only treat the battle more seriously if Tao Yaoyao was the one sparring with him instead.

"Those capable of entering the Top 8 are certainly not weaklings." Shi Xingyun chuckled from a side, "Besides Sister Yaoyao and Zhu Yi, I could also be paired with you."

Jiao Junchen grinned, "Out of the seven competitors, the opponent I hope to get the most is Zhu Yi, followed by you. Tao Yaoyao and Song Qingyuan are ranked behind you."

Shi Xingyun shook her head and laughed, "But that being said, Zhu Yi is indeed the most suitable opponent for you. I really hope to watch the two of you battle."

Back at the Celestial Sect of Wonders, after Zhu Yi scrutinized the secrets behind Jiao Junchen's spell, he didn't say anything else. Yue Hongyan glanced at him and asked, "Second Senior, bystanders can see the clearest. You may be able to analyse Jiao Junchen's every move so systematically and clearly now, but can you still do the same when you're facing him in battle?"

Yue Hongyan looked incredibly serious. She had no intention of doubting or provoking Zhu Yi, but was concerned from the bottom of her heart.

Zhu Yi did not misinterpret her good intentions either. He remained calm as ever and said bluntly, "No I can't. Truth be told, I couldn't see through his tricks immediately when I watched him battle Zhao Yan at first."

"Initially, I could only see that the roots of his spell are derived from internalizing the skills of 'archery' and 'charioteering' of the Six Arts. I could only understand the specific details after he had ended his match with Zhao Yan." Zhu Yi's eyes flickered, and he said composedly, "If I had fought him before his match with Zhao Yan, then I'm afraid I could not have analysed his moves so slowly, and the outcome of the match would have been difficult to predict."

"But now, I have no need to worry because I already know his approximate skill level. Even though he hasn't demonstrated the spells of rites, music, calligraphy, and mathematics from the Six Arts, I can still roughly speculate what they might be like."

Zhu Yi smiled, "I also have a rough idea of any new tricks he might have aside from the Six Arts."

"If I were to battle him now, I wouldn't be in a complete mess like Zhao Yan was. However, this person's strength is truly formidable. Even though I'm confident of winning, victory wouldn't come easily."

With Jiao Junchen's victory over Zhao Yan, the second round of the competition between the Aurous Core cultivators has concluded, and the final Top 8 have been determined.

Zhu Yi, Gu Lei, Shi Xingyun, Tao Yaoyao, the Sun Moon Sword Sect's sword duo of Li Dongtao and Yun Mei, Song Qingyuan, Xiao Budian, and Jiao Junchen, formed the final line-up of the quarterfinals.

The Celestial Sect of Wonders and the host, the Great Qin Empire, both held two spots each in the Top 8, once again becoming the focus of everyone's attention.

With the names of the Top 8 confirmed, the third round of drawing lots also went underway, which was hosted once again by the Vivant Joy Holy Man.

Everyone fixed their gaze on the copper bottle in front of the Vivant Joy Holy Man, and Lin Feng was no exception. To him, it didn't matter which opponent his own disciples were paired him, as long as they weren't paired together.

Previously during the Foundation Establishment matches, Yang Qing and Yue Hongyan were paired together, which was truly a heart-breaking thing to watch.

Lin Feng stared at the copper bottle and thought to himself, "It would be best for them to be paired with the Heaven Lake Sect if possible."

The Vivant Joy Holy Man quickly drew the first name, which immediaty roused a slight commotion, because the first name drawn was none other than Xiao Budian.

Everyone's gazes fell onto Xiao Budian, who was beside Lin Feng, cloaked in purple clouds. Li Kuiyin and Shi Xingyun looked very worried.

Being the first name drawn also meant that he would be the first to take the stage and compete. Xiao Budian suffered severe injuries from his previous deathmatch against Mu Jihai. Even though Lin Feng was tending to him, whether he could revert to his strongest state still remained to be seen.

He obviously required more rest to heal his wounds under these circumstances, but now, he had to participate in the first match.

And shortly afterwards, Xiao Budian's opponent has also been determined - the sword duo of Li Dongtao and Yun Mei from the Sun Moon Sword Sect.

Both of them were already renowned individuals among all the advanced Aurous Core stage cultivators, and now with them battling as a duo, the strength of their Dual Sword Combination would increase drastically, which made the audience break out in a cold sweat for Xiao Budian.

The subsequent match line-ups were also quickly determined. The second match was Song Qingyuan versus Gu Lei, while the third match was a battle between two women, Tao Yaoyao and Shi Xingyun.

At this point in time, the fourth pair was already decided without needing to draw lots, and it was a pairing that shocked the entire audience.

Zhu Yi of the Celestial Sect of Wonders, versus Jiao Junchen of the Great Qin Empire!

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Chapter 319: No Child Left Behind

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

The competition between the Aurous Core cultivators at the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai has entered its third round. Those who managed to advance to the Top 8 were certainly no ordinary people.

At this stage of the competition, it's very difficult to predict who would emerge victorious in each match. Even Lin Feng, Cao Wei and Shi Zongyue couldn't ascertain the winners, so those lower-level cultivators had no hope of doing so, since the competitors on both sides were almost evenly matched in terms of strength, with only a fine line between victory and defeat.

If purely comparing raw strength, the differences between them would be miniscule, making this at least no longer the deciding factor of the outcome of the match.

The psychological states, battle strategies and spontaneous reactions to sudden changes of both sides would be the keys to determining the victors. Absolute distinctions between 'strong' and 'weak' would no longer exist.

But the most eye-catching match of the four matches between the Top 8, would still be the one between Zhu Yi and Jiao Junchen.

One was from the Celestial Sect of Wonders, having showcased unbeatable prowess and boasting a perfect win streak throughout this Spiritual Conference, while the other crushed his opponent with an overwhelming advantage in the match that just concluded.

Furthermore, their similar dispositions made everyone anticipate their match excitedly. Some nosy spectators even claimed that this match was the finals brought forward, and that the victor of this duel would sweep all his subsequent matches and eventually clinch the championship title.

Such a postulation might seem a little extreme, but it amply showed the high expectations the crowd bore for Zhu Yi and Jiao Junchen.

However, the first disciple from the Celestial Sect of Wonders to take the stage was not Zhu Yi, but Xiao Budian.

Lin Feng withdrew his mana, exposing Xiao Budian who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. Although there were no visible wounds on his body, he still felt rather weak and sluggish.

Shi Zongyue, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and Zhu Muguang looked at each other with troubled faces.

Xiao Budian's injuries were extremely severe just now. Although he was not on the verge of dying, he would still have needed a long period of treatment to recover fully. Even formidable Immortal Soul powerhouses would not be able to heal him completely in such a short amount of time.

"Is that the effect of the Grand Moon Primordial Water, or are his mastery and mana levels that terrifyingly high?" The Gambling Holy Man Zhu Muguang frowned and used his mana to communicate with Shi Zongyue.

Shi Zongyue shook his head. "I don't know."

Upon saying this, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and Zhu Muguang appeared even more concerned than before. During the Spiritual Conference of Huanghai this time round, even though every sect had their Immortal Soul stage powerhouses present, but needless to say, the strongest one of all was Prince Anliang of the Great Qin Empire, Shi Zongyue.

Since even Shi Zongyue could not deduce Lin Feng's mastery level, or even understand how he could heal Xiao Budian completely in such a short amount of time, the Vivant Joy Holy Man and Zhu Muguang's impression of Lin Feng went up another notch.

And when they recalled that time during the Celestial Sect of Wonders' first Sect-Opening Ceremony at Shazhou, where Mei Wulang, the Superintendent of the Great Zhou Empire, presented a precious gift to congratulate Lin Feng, Shi Zongyue's heart became slightly heavy.

Meanwhile, Lin Feng wasn't aware of the concerns churning inside the heads of the Great Qin Empire's three great Immortal Soul cultivators, and was exhorting his disciples.

"Tian Hao, before the start of the Spiritual Conference, Shi Xingyun greeted you before." Lin Feng patted Xiao Budian's shoulder. "Do you still remember what she told you?"

While saying this, Lin Feng's eyes also scanned across Zhu Yi and the other disciples. Xiao Budian met Zhu Yi's gaze, then said, "She said that among the Aurous Core cultivators at this Spiritual Conference, there were three and a half of them worthy of battling me and Second Senior."

"Jiao Junchen was one of them, Tao Yaoyao from the Sword of Radiance Sect was another." Xiao Budian paused and looked towards the direction of the Sun Moon Sword Sect. "That duo from the Sun Moon Sword Sect would also be considered as one of them, and finally, Shi Xingyun herself was the last half."

Zhu Yi said, "When she said that she was only considered as a half, she was obviously being modest. Among the Aurous Core cultivators in this Spiritual Conference, those that truly can give me pressure, besides Little Junior, are only Jiao Junchen and her."

He directed his gaze towards the Sun Moon Sword Sect, "As for the Sun Moon Sword Sect's sword duo that she mentioned, she's probably referring to those two."

Xiao Budian's next opponent was the pair of disciples from the Sun Moon Sword Sect, Li Dongtao and Yun Mei. Both had mastery levels in the advanced Aurous Core stage, and completely overpowered a pair of Huo Family cultivators during the Top 8 selection round.

The Huo Family boasts frighteningly lethal strength in battle due to their mantras and Abhijna, hence in an environment where they can fight without constraints like the Hidden Dragon Gorge, their powers are highly outstanding. Unfortunately, their luck has been consistently poor.

Whether it was during the Foundation Establishment stage or Aurous Core stage matches, the Huo Family disciples have often been pit against the Celestial Sect of Wonders, hence becoming the stepping stones of people like Zhu Yi and Wang Lin.

But in spite of this, Huo Ming and Huo Chen battled Zhu Yi so ferociously that sparks were flying everywhere, which clearly displayed their unbending fighting spirit, proving that they should never be belittled.

But during their match with Li Dongtao and Yun Mei, they suffered a devastating defeat. Li Dongtao and Yun Mei revealed powers that surpassed those of other Sun Moon Sword Sect disciples. Their Solar Eclipse Sword and Full Moon Holy Light Sword, derived from the Dual Swords of the Sun and Moon, each complemented the other's radiance and strength, unleashing boundless power.

Tao Yaoyao's impressive feat of single-handedly defeating another pair of Sun Moon Sword Sect disciples was indeed eye-catching, but everyone could tell that, if the opponent she was allocated to was the duo of Li Dongtao and Yun Mei instead, she would not have had a surefire victory.

Zhu Yi took a glance at Xiao Budian then said to Lin Feng, "Master, Little Junior's injuries have not fully healed. Let me join him for this match."

Lin Feng chuckled, "You've already obtained the right to enter the Ancient Huanghai World. Leave this opportunity for someone else."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yi and the other disciples paused, then everyone's gazes simultaneously landed on Tuntun.

Among those present, Zhu Yi, Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing have all secured a place to enter the Ancient Huanghai World. Even Zhuge Fengling, who was riding on Yue Hongyan's coattails by hitch-hiking with her, obtained a spot, with the only exception being the little Taotie, Tuntun.

Tuntun pointed at her nose. "Me?"

Lin Feng smiled, "Of course it's you." He patted Tuntun's little head. "We'll have to rely on you for this match. Tian Hao is just there to make up the numbers."

Xiao Budian rolled her large black eyeballs and giggled, "Master, you're adding oil to the fire."

Lin Feng smiled and yanked the heads of the two rascals to turn them around, then gently pushed their backs. "Go, all that delicious food in the Ancient Huanghai World is waiting for you."

Tuntun's eyes widened. "I've heard long ago that the Ancient Huanghai World has many tasty treats, but I've never had the opportunity to go in. This is indeed a good chance for me."

All the cultivators from the respective sects stared at Tuntun curiously as she walked towards the Hidden Dragon Gorge together with Xiao Budian. After taking on her human form, Tuntun appeared slightly older than the time Lin Feng first met her, but she still looked around five or six years old.

She looked even younger than Xiao Budian, which made the spectators grow even more puzzled. Many of them couldn't discern Tuntun's mastery level, and pondered to themselves, "Could it be that the Celestial Sect of Wonders wants to fight one-against-two again?"

Since Yue Hongyan and Tao Yaoyao did so previously, the spectators sighed to themselves, "What's wrong with societal expectations nowadays? If you don't destroy the Sun Moon Sword Sect's Dual Sword Combination in a one-on-two matchup, would you be too embarrassed to call yourself strong?"

But cultivators with outstanding mastery levels like Tao Yaoyao and Shi Xingyun could vaguely sense the terrifying power contained within Tuntun's tiny body, while those with acute senses could distinguish that this energy did not belong to a human cultivator, but was similar to the demonic energy of a demon.

Nascent Soul stage grandmasters with higher mastery levels frowned immediately. "A demon, and a pure-blood Taotie no less?!"

Shi Zongyue looked at Lin Feng, "Sect Master Lin, isn't sending a demon to participate in a Spiritual Conference match quite inappropriate?"

In today's Grand Celestial World, broadly speaking, humans and demons are against each other, and many large-scale wars have erupted between the two sides throughout history.

Ever since the War of the Two Worlds, the two tribes have entered the recuperation stage. The animosity between them still exists, but it's no longer that intense. Only the region surrounding the gap in space connecting the Divine Lands and the Barren Expanses would break out in bloody scuffles.

Many human tribes also have the habit of rearing demonic and spiritual beasts, with many of them being at the level of a demon king.

The Dragon Pool of the Great Void Sect is even the habitat of dragons at the Grand Sage level which have formed their demon souls.

But on the whole, human cultivators would obviously not treat their domesticated demonic beasts the same way they treat their own kind.

Most demons are seen as either modes of transport by riding, weapons, or sources of ingredients for spells, relatively similar to how mortal humans train and rear hunting dogs, cows, sheep and horses.

Lin Feng was well aware of this himself, but if he didn't intend to send both Tuntun and Zhuge Fengling into the Ancient Huanghai World as well, why would he have suggested for the Sun Moon Sword Sect cultivators to fight as a pair?

"This demon is also a disciple of my sect in name." Lin Feng replied calmly, "There are no restrictions pertaining to this matter. I didn't let her compete from the first round either, so she wouldn't occupy another person's slot. Please try to understand, Prince Anliang."

The Supreme Radiance Swordmaster frowned, "Even if she is a disciple in name, as the master of your sect with a status above everyone else, does Sect Master Lin really wish to accept a demon as your disciple?"

Lin Feng chuckled, "If I remember correctly, about ten thousand years ago, the Sword of Radiance Sect's fourth Sect Master had six immediate disciples, and among them were two from the demonic tribe. Yet in the end, they also contributed greatly in the strengthening and development of the Sword of Radiance Sect."

The Supreme Radiance Swordmaster gasped. Very few people know about this period in the Sword of Radiance Sect's history after the sect attempted to intentionally obscure it throughout all its ranks. Even their own disciples know very little about this, so no one expected Lin Feng to have such clear knowledge of it.

Before anyone else spoke, Lin Feng's gaze fell onto Cao Wei. "I remember that there was a Snowy Demon Master somewhere in the history of the Heaven Lake Sect, in the form of a Polar Bear Demon?"

Cao Wei let out a muffled grunt and said nothing.

"No child left behind. This practice has persisted since ancient times, it's a very normal thing." Lin Feng scanned the other Immortal Soul grandmasters, making all their hearts skip a beat.

Throughout the long passage of time, humans and demons have not always opposed each other; there were also times when they coexisted in harmony. Although they were enemies most of the time, but which sect could guarantee that there weren't any black smears on their history books?

But these smears were just outdated stale gossip, unlike Lin Feng's controversial act at the peak of everyone's attention. However, Lin Feng only said that Tuntun was his disciple in name. She wasn't even an official disciple, much less considered an immediate disciple, so the crowd couldn't pry into it too much.

The various Immortal Soul grandmasters swallowed their doubts, and the people beneath them naturally had nothing else better to say, and just watched in bafflement as Tuntun and Xiao Budian both entered the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

"At least the System contains information on most of the sects' histories. As long as there are no internal cover-ups, anything can be exposed." Lin Feng also stared at Tuntun and Xiao Budian. "The chance is yours to seize. Both of you have to work for it now."

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Chapter 320: I'll Leave This Match to You

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

As he watched Tuntun and Xiao Budian enter the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Yang Qing suddenly woke from his daze and looked at Zhu Yi with a hint of hesitation.

Zhu Yi turned around. "What's wrong? Fifth Junior can just fire away."

Yang Qing laughed in embarrassment. "Second Senior, I feel that Song Qingyuan's performance was also very outstanding."

"It's not bad." Zhu Yi nodded calmly, "Judging by the strength he demonstrated so far during this Spiritual Conference, he can even be ranked in the Top 3, but the pressure he gives me still pales in comparison to Jiao Junchen and Shi Xingyun."

Zhu Yi paused, then continued saying, "This is just the feeling that I'm getting."

Yang Qing and Yue Hongyan looked lost.

Lin Feng then explained, "The feeling that your Second Senior is referring to, is not some esoteric concept, neither is it a psychological effect."

"When he observes others, certain details would stimulate his thoughts and attract his attention. Perhaps he can't pinpoint the principles behind them at first, or identify the crux within, but he can still pick up some subtle hints."

Zhu Yi turned around abruptly. "Master, you're referring to..."

Lin Feng smiled and nodded. "Your intuition is correct. Song Qingyuan did showcase the formidable strength of an elite Aurous Core cultivator in his previous match, but he exposed his weaknesses, unlike Shi Xingyun and Jiao Junchen who seemed almost flawless."

"That's why you view him as a smaller threat as compared to Shi Xingyun and Jiao Junchen."

Zhu Yi sank deep into thought. "That woman Shi Xingyun is not someone who would speak carelessly. The Great Qin Empire's intelligence agencies definitely have a certain grasp of Song Qingyuan's situation. Under such circumstances, if she excludes Song Qingyuan from the list of opponents to look out for, it may be because she's extremely confident."

Lin Feng did not reply, and scanned the Heaven Lake Sect's delegation and thought, "The details I can pick up from a match are still relatively little. His subsequent match with the Purple Clouds Sect's Gu Lei would probably test my intuition skills."

In the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the Sun Moon Sword Sect's disciples, Li Dongtao and Yun Mei, were sizing up Tuntun curiously. Before they entered the gorge, their sect's elders already informed them about Tuntun's background, so they both knew that she was a pure-blooded Taotie.

Yun Mei alternated her gaze between Tuntun and Xiao Budian, and broke out into laughter after a while. "Senior, unleash everything we've got. We know they're really strong, but it's still very embarrassing if we lose."

Li Dongtao nodded and looked at Xiao Budian. "Your injuries haven't fully healed, it's best not to push yourself too hard."

Xiao Budian puffed up his small chest and exclaimed, "If I try my hardest, I can lose without regrets. I'll give it my best shot."

Although his face still looked frail and pale, Xiao Budian's words still sounded incredibly confident, which instantly roused a huge ovation from the crowd outside. Even those who were wishing for the Celestial Sect of Wonders to lose, were applauding his tenacity and courage.

Instead, it was Tuntun who pursed her lips and stared at him in disdain.

It was this brat who discreetly used his mana before entering the Hidden Dragon Gorge to tell her that, "I'll leave this match to you. I'll just sit at one side and watch you."

And now he's acting all heroic and noble. How shameless!

"In a while, I'll hide at one corner with Zhuge Fengling and see how you make a fool of yourself. Anyway, since you're injured, you can't outrun me." Tuntun's small face cracked a sly grin, with the little abacus in her mind calculating madly, until she saw Xiao Budian bellow a war-cry and charge straight for Li Dongtao and Yun Mei.

Tuntun was momentarily stunned. "Am I seeing what I'm seeing? Is this little devil really going to charge in so recklessly with all his injuries?"

Xiao Budian then joined his hands together. Cyclones and thunderbolts were already swirling around him violently, clashing head-on with Li Dongtao and Yun Mei.

Li Dongtao belted out a long howl and drew his Sun Radiance Sword, which cast thousands of beams of light like the rising sun, and faced Xiao Budian's attack head-on. Amidst the resplendent rays of sunlight clasped multiple rays of Yun Mei's well-concealed Lunar Glow Sword Radiance.

The pair worked flawlessly together with great chemistry. The mana from both Sword Radiances mutually strengthened each other, and they relied on their combined efforts to weave a prison with their Sword Radiances, trapping Xiao Budian inside.

Xiao Budian was unfazed by this. His Infinite Thunderstorm spiked in power, and he singlehandedly took on the sword duo's joint attack.

Tuntun batted her eyelids. "Was he just joking when he said those things previously?"

The little Taotie approached the battle cautiously and observed it closely. She noticed that although Xiao Budian was bursting with confidence, his body has yet to recover fully, and he was being restrained securely by Li Dongtao and Yun Mei.

If he continues to raise his mana levels, he may slip into an uncontrollable state again and tear his existing wounds, which made Xiao Budian extremely concerned.

Tuntun's heart was riled up. "If I run away and hide now, I wouldn't seem very faithful."

"More importantly, his Master is watching outside. If I don't offer any help at all, I probably won't be getting anything good when I get out of here."

"Furthermore, we have to win in order to enter the Ancient Huanghai World to feast on the goodies there. If we lose, this little devil can still enter but I can't." Numerous ideas instantly flashed through Tuntun's mind before she finally settled on one. "Um, I'll support him from the side. I'll just offer a helping hand, but he'll handle most of the fighting."

With that, Tuntun didn't go any closer and just opened her tiny mouth, unleashing her Devour abhijna. Her mouth was like a black hole, with incredible suction powers that instantly swallowed a portion of Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's Sword Radiance.

Tuntun smacked her lips. "It tastes pretty good."

Li Dongtao and Yun Mei were slightly shocked. The Devour abhijna of the Taotie tribe is considered to be well-known, yet it is rarely seen. With the duo's first encounter with it, it felt very tricky to deal with.

Yun Mei's Sword Radiance did not change, but Li Dongtao's sword suddenly transformed. The originally shining and blazing Sun Radiance Sword suddenly extinguished its light, as if a Tiangou had devoured the sun, with the sun instantly vanishing into thin air and the land descending into darkness.

There was only the weak glow given off by a flickering ring, like the astronomical phenomenon of the annual solar eclipse. This was the Solar Eclipse Swordplay, a variant of the Sun Radiance Swordplay.

Li Dongtao's swordplay changed into the Solar Eclipse Swordplay, while Yun Mei's swordplay remained as the gorgeous and shadowy Lunar Glow Swordplay. Both their Sword Radiances turned dim at the same time.

Tuntun then suddenly felt that she could no longer absorb much mana from her opponents. Everything before her became like an empty void.

But Xiao Budian seized this chance to go on the offense. With the opponents' sword forces weakening, he immediately charged forward.

But after briefly withdrawing their strength, Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's sword forces quickly bounced back explosively.

Li Dongtao's swordplay turned back from the Solar Eclipse Swordplay into the authentic Sun Radiance Swordplay, shimmering with a golden glow, lighting up the heavens and earth like the midday sun.

On the other hand, Yun Mei's sword force transformed from the traditional Lunar Glow Sword into the unrestrained Full Moon Holy Light Sword. Its power and impact was in no way inferior to Li Dongtao's Sun Radiance Swordplay. A full moon rose into the sky and wanted to steal the sun's limelight.

Both their swordplay did not coordinate by having one as the main and the other as the support. Instead, both would weaken and strengthen together, instantly unleashing the greatest, most explosive force.

Xiao Budian wanted to retaliate, but instantly took a painful blow to the head. Xiao Budian didn't dare to have any signs of hesitation against Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's majestic Sword Radiance, and immediately gave up on all forms of offense to concentrate on defending himself.

If he didn't, he would have been pierced into a sieve by thousands of rays of Sword Radiance.

That being said, Xiao Budian was still sent flying back like a kite that broke off from its string by the overpowering assaults from the Sun Moon Sword Sect's duo.

The duo's sword force had just been unleashed, and rolled towards Xiao Budian and Tuntun, wave after wave like the rapid tides of a raging sea.

Tuntun gasped and took a deep breath, fully activating her Devour abhijna to forcefully swallow Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's Sword Radiance.

But the complementing forces of the Sun and Moon had seemingly infinite power, like the coexistence of Yin and Yang, which gave Tuntun more and more pressure. "Such mana levels are already too ferocious even for someone in the Nascent Soul stage. The Sun Moon Sword Sect's Dual Sword Combination is too impressive."

In the face of imminent danger, Tuntun didn't dare to hold back, and charged her Grand Sun Primordial Flame fully and collided it with Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's Sword Radiance.

The holy rays of the Grand Sun Primordial Flame ignited and exploded continuously, incinerating rays after rays of Sword Radiance, but it still couldn't suppress Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's endless wave-like assault.

But by temporarily weakening her opponents' attack, Tuntun bought herself a precious sliver of time.

The little Taotie took a huge breath, and her tiny belly instantly became bloated and round. The next moment, Tuntun opened her mouth and fired something at Li Dongtao and Yun Mei.

Spit!

Tuntun expelled all the Sun Moon Sword Radiance that she had previously ingested using her Devour abhijna and had yet to digest, all in its original state, straight at Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's incoming attack, and both forces collided violently!

The Sun Moon Sword Radiance against another Sun Moon Sword Radiance!

The amount of Sun Moon Sword Radiance Tuntun discharged was nonetheless limited, and cannot compare to the combined forces of Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's boundless Sword Radiance mana, but that instant burst of energy still exceeded the latter in power.

"That's too bad." Tuntun sighed, "But at least I disrupted their attack. I'll take this chance to ..."

As she considered her options, Tuntun wanted to turn and flee, but then she witnessed a sight that made her burst into tears.

The last thing her retina registered was the view of Xiao Budian's relaxed back before he vanished into the depths of the gorge's dense forests in a whiz, with no trace of him after that.

At this moment, there seemed to be a bleak gust of autumn breeze blowing across the Hidden Dragon Gorge, leaving Tuntun stranded alone amidst the howling wind.

She felt as though a flock of crows just flew over her head, with bursts of laughter seemingly mocking her for her idiocy.

The air turned still, and time seemed to have come to a halt.

Tuntun gulped bitterly and turned around to see the Sword Radiance of Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's Dual Sword Combination surge violently, which inundated the area and engulfed her.

To them, Xiao Budian's move may be similar to what Zhuge Fengling did previously, but their strength levels cannot be mentioned in the same breath at all. The sword duo didn't dare to believe that Xiao Budian was fleeing, and just assumed that he was lying in ambush, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

The pair instantly made the same decision, to focus all their efforts on one person first, to take down Tuntun before dealing with Xiao Budian.

Tuntun was immediately submerged in an endless ocean of Sword Radiance, and her shrill roar resounded throughout the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

"Shi Tianhao!!!"

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Chapter 321: Rascal

Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

The crowds, watching from outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, clamored in adoration. "The Taotie Clan's Devour is truly powerful!"

"Yes, Yes. But she even has the Grand Sun Primordial Flame…to be honest, this is rather unexpected."

"Not really that unexpected…it must have been given to her by that Leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders. It is well-known now that the Celestial Sect of Wonders has mastered the techniques to cultivate and control the Grand Sun Primordial Flame."

"True. The First Disciple of the Leader, Xiao Yan, for example – he possesses simultaneously two Primordial Fires, the Nefarious Spectral Primordial Fire and the Grand Sun Primordial Flame. Such boundless might…come to speak of it, he did not attend the Conference this time, or else the Celestial Sect of Wonders would be truly unstoppable."

"Come to speak of it, the Leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders said that this pureblood Taotie is his Unofficial Disciple…he wasn't joking, it is true…"

Unease was brewing in the spectators' hearts. "The Celestial Sect of Wonders, truly, does not lack talent…"

Little do they know that Tuntun, so powerful and awe-inspiring in their eyes, was moaning internally at this moment as she unleashed silent tirades against Xiao Budian (and his ancestors, for good measure).

Every single human swear word that she knew has been used multiple times on Xiao Budian at this point.

However, regardless of how incensed Tuntun was, she has more on her plate than to get even with Xiao Budian right now. She was utterly tied down dealing with Li Dongtao and Yun Mei's dual combo attacks, unending and unstoppable like tidal waves. In spite of her Taotie physique, suppressed by the boundless waves of swords, she was having a hard time handling the situation.

"Shi Tianhao! You bastard, better don't let me catch you, or else even if your Master sides with you, I'll swallow you whole!" Tuntun's face was twisted by anger, completely forgetting that she herself has previously been plotting to land Xiao Budian in the hot seat.

Outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Zhu Yi and the other disciples were oblivious yet. From their perspective, Xiao Budian was just concealing himself to look for an opportunity.

Unlike when Yue Hongyan fought the Dual Swords of the Sun and the Moon, Zhuge Fengling was almost completely helpless. Still, as long as Xiao Budian found a suitable opportunity, there was still the possibility of snatching back victory.

In addition, he was still plagued by old injuries. To fight guerrilla-style, with Tuntun on the frontlines tying the foes down, was also an appropriate tactical arrangement.

Only Lin Feng could, to some extent, guess that Xiao Budian and Tuntun have, in fact, completely abandoned the other – or even digging traps for each other.

This caused him much silent amusement. "You two perfectly illustrates that old maxim – with friends like this, who needs enemies?"

Within the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Tuntun has been locked into a tedious stalemate with Li Dongtao and Yun Mei. Most of their concentration was devoted to the foe, to the extent that none was able to detect any trace of Xiao Budian.

However, the spectators outside the Gorge were able to see Xiao Budian and his actions via the reflections and shadows at the opening.

Instead of the impasse that was the current battle, many have their attention on Xiao Budian. Clearly, Xiao Budian has the ability to tilt the balance – any developments in the situation would likely rest on Xiao Budian's next move.

In the Purple Clouds Sect camp, Li Kuiyin gazed at Xiao Budian nervously. "What do you think he'll do?" She asked Gu Lei.

"Difficult to say. If it's me, I'll hide myself carefully first and then patiently wait for Li Dongtao and Yun Mei to expose a fatal flaw, before finishing them off with a coup de grâce." Gu Lei thought for a moment and said, slowly.

"After all, by concealing himself, he will cause tremendous stress for Li Dongtao and Yun Mei. It is incredibly difficult to keep your cool and not make a single mistake under anxiety and stress."

"Even the slightest emotional disturbance could affect the entire situation, but especially so for a fighting style like the Sun Moon Sword Sect's Dual Sword Combination that requires extreme coordination and synchronization.

In the Great Qin Empire camp, Shi Xingyun and Jiao Junchen were exchanging views as well.

"Actually, there was no need to go to such trouble." Jiao Junchen said dismissively. "Together, Shi Tianhao and that Taotie could only be stronger than the Dual Swords of the Sun and the Moon. Even in a head-on battle, they have the upper hand."

"Maybe, Tianhao's injuries are much more serious than we thought, such that even with the help of the Leader of the Celestial Sect of Wonders, the root of the problem remains." Shi Xingyun said slowly as he stared at the Hidden Dragon Gorge.

A slight disturbance rippled across Jiao Junchen's face. "You mean, although he seems to have largely recovered, this is but an illusion?"

"It is hard for me to say, but at the very least, if he tried to take on the Dual Swords of the Sun and the Moon directly like you said, it is very possible that his injuries will flare up again." After some musing, Shi Xingyun said cautiously. "Or maybe, he is trying to preserve as much of his strength as possible in preparation for the Conference afterwards."

"Since that Taotie only needs to fight this one battle, might as well as use all your strength – no need to preserve any energy."

In the Sword of Radiance Sect camp, Zhao Yan glanced at Tao Yaoyao with the same confusion. "Big Senior, what will he do next?"

Tao Yaoyao, clad in white, shrugged. "Regardless of what he plans to do next, it would center around one goal – severing the link between Li Dongtao and Yun Mei. This, is the most effective and most fundamental way to neutralize the Dual Sword Combination."

"Once the two of them cannot establish a link, the Dual Sword Combination has been neutralized. Then, at the end of the day, they will just be two pretty good Advanced Aurous Core cultivators – instead of being able to take on Nascent Soul cultivators like now."

As someone who has personally attained the achievement of one versus two – defeating a pair of Sword Partners from the Sun Moon Sword Sect, Tao Yaoyao's comments on the Sun Moon Sword Sect's Dual Sword Combination were doubtlessly convincing for those around her.

Previously, in that battle, Tao Yaoyao had done exactly that. Using the superior speed of her Instant Sword Teleportation, she had made her adversaries, the Sun Moon Sword Sect disciples, struggle to keep up with her and thus unable to maintain their usual rhythm and coordination, until they were finally isolated and destroyed by Tao Yaoyao.

At this moment, everyone were focused on the Hidden Dragon Gorge – specifically, on Xiao Budian within – wanting to see what sort of decision he would make.

Then, they saw Xiao Budian leaping into the wilderness.

"First vanishing from the enemy's sight, then maneuver to find a better attack position. Meanwhile, concealing yourself would cause stress for the opponent as well." Many nodded as they interpreted Xiao Budian's moves themselves.

Following that, they observed Xiao Budian strolling in the woods leisurely. Suddenly, a look of delight came across his face as he picked several spiritual flowers under a large tree.

"Huh? This is hard to understand. What does this mean?" The spectators were completely baffled.

"Are the spiritual herbs in the Hidden Dragon Gorge real?" Jiao Junchen glanced at Shi Xingyun.

"That's right. The Hidden Dragon Gorge is an Alternate World-type Magic Treasure. Spiritual Energy is abundant within – not only can it nourish cultivators, all sorts of spiritual flowers and herbs can be planted as well." Shi Xingyun nodded.

"But even if they're real, what is he picking that spiritual flower for? Poison?" Jiao Junchen's eyebrows crunched into a frown.

"Shouldn't be…that spiritual flower he picked is called the Heavenly Fragrance Iris – a nourishing herb, with no poison at all. I know there exists ways of mixed poison that can produce impossible toxins by mixing several harmless substances – but I've never heard of any that uses the Heavenly Fragrance Iris…" A look of confusion came across Shi Xingyun's face as well.

Befuddled, everyone looked at Xiao Budian as he ambled through the woods and picked one flower or fruit after the other. Looking at him, it seems as if he entered the Hidden Dragon Gorge specifically to pick herbs instead of fighting.

Summoning their patience, the company watched as Xiao Budian walked towards the top of the hill, casually picking whatever arouses his interest along the way.

When he reached the top, Xiao Budian already has a huge pile of items he picked in his arms. Turning, he planted himself firmly on a rock, gazing at the intense battle below and nodding with satisfaction.

"Is he about to make his move?" At this instant, everyone's stomach knotted up as they nervously observed Xiao Budian's every gesture. His next move was very likely to transform the entire battle.

Since Xiao Budian has revealed himself, with their sight, Li Dongtao and Yun Mei naturally saw him sitting on top of the hill instantly. Both of their chests tightened at once; "What is he trying to do, occupying that sort of high ground? Trying to imitate mortal archers?"

The Sun Moon Sword Sect Sword Partners were instantly alert. These sort of ranged attacks were usually spells with great speed, accuracy and penetration – maybe Xiao Budian wanted to dispatch one of them first with such a spell.

Widening the distance, especially, hinted that his next spell might require extended preparation and was vulnerable to being disturbed and interrupted. This sort of spell, obviously, would be tremendously powerful.

At this moment, even Tuntun temporarily forgot about Xiao Budian's previous misdeeds and trap-digging as she filled up with anticipation. "Quickly settle them and I shall magnanimously forgive your previous…"

"Chomp."

A crisp sound reverberated in the air.

As if completely unaware that all attention were on him, Xiao Budian leisurely picked up a fruit and bit into it, juice dripping from his mouth.

"Great taste." Xiao Budian sighed contently. As he continued eating fruits, his glimmering eyes peered at the intense battle below with interest and amusement.

In addition, as he eats, he was mouthing comments, his head bobbing from side to side.

"Nice blow just now!" As he spoke, Xiao Budian tossed a date-sized fruit into the air and caught it with his mouth.

"Tuntun, you should have dodged to the right and then counterattack." Xiao Budian hit his palm with his hand, with a woeful expression on his face. He picked up a thick vine and bit through the skin; loads of juice leaked out instantly.

Xiao Budian took a sip of the vine juice and complemented it with a bite of fruit, a look of content surfacing on his face.

"Hmm, the Dual Swords of the Sun and the Moon have such a transformation within their move? I haven't anticipated that."

He watched, enthralled, oblivious that outside the Hidden Dragon Gorge, the entire bank of the Sea of the Northern Wind has fallen into a deathly silence. The place where hundreds stand now resembled a remote graveyard in the dead of the night.

A wind gusted by, and the crowd finally regained some life. Almost every single person gazed up at the sky, with tears in their eyes.

"Beat him! Beat him! Beat that rascal to a pulp!"

Not a single person spoke, but everyone's will seemed to solidify and materialize at this instant, silently reverberating through the space.

In the Hidden Dragon Gorge, Tuntun's enraged voice was deafening. "Shi Tianhao! I will kill you! Kill you! Even if your Master kills me afterwards, I will still butcher you! Even if we were to die together, I shall butcher you!"

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