I Am Loaded With Passive Skills

by Stayrr

Outer yard disciple of the Tiansang Spirit Palace, Xu Xiaoshou, had average talent. However, after coming out of his death seclusion, he realized that everything had changed. He had received a Passive System with many strange, miraculous passive skills: He would become stronger with every breath. He would become stronger when he got attacked. He would become stronger when he got m

2. 31 - 60

Read I Am Loaded with Passive Skills Chapter 31 online for free - AllNovelFull

Chapter 31: Completely Refined

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Half of his body felt like it was frozen in a vault of ice, while the other half felt like it was being dipped into a volcano.

Comfort and pain assaulted him at the same time. While his body was being destroyed by the scorching energy, it was doubly restored by the effects of the Red Gold Pill and Eternal Vitality.

The extreme energy of fire and ice intertwined as they entered his body. Xu Xiaoshou, who was merely the vessel of the energy, could only feel pain.

"Kekeke…"

Xu Xiaoshou's teeth chattered. He had completely lost control over the energies. In fact, he could no longer control the Breathing Technique.

The energies that were coursing within his body tore past his meridians and instantly entered his energy reserve. His energy reserve sizzled, threatening to rip apart. The pain was enough to make a person go insane.

There was a charred smell in the surroundings. The grass Xu Xiaoshou was sitting on instantly died from the heat. Around him, the willow trees gradually changed from a tender green to yellow, then black, and the white jade railings around the lake were covered in a layer of soot.

The plump geese ran around in fright, as if the water in the lake was about to cook them alive.

In Xu Xiaoshou's body, the scorching energy wanted to continue rampaging after it entered his energy reserves. However, the forceful activation of the Breathing Technique suppressed the scorching energy right after it had started burning again.

Xu Xiaoshou took out another Red Gold Pill and took a deep breath. The high instantly suppressed his pain and quickly repaired his ravaged body.

Buzz!

A red and gold ripple spread out into the surroundings, and the mud and grass around him were sent flying into the air. The willow trees bent and snapped, and some segments of the white jade railings exploded.

Gurgle, gurgle.

The water of Goose Lake was almost boiling. Bubbles rose to the surface, and dead fishes floated to the surface. The plump geese that had escaped the crisis gathered at a faraway corner, shivering.

The old man wearing a straw hat flew into the air and quickly dived into Goose Lake.

Xu Xiaoshou opened his eyes. Cold sweat mixed with his blood was dripping down his body. He couldn't help but pat on his chest.

"I survived…?"

The Infernal Fire Seed had become much smaller with his one breath, and his cultivation level had also increased considerably from his original Spiritual Cultivation Level Seven.

The scorching energy had been suppressed, and the injuries in his body were recovering at a visible rate. Xu Xiaoshou felt numb and limp.

The terrifying regenerative capabilities of Eternal Vitality and the Red Gold Pill that the Red Gold Pill absorbed were being displayed to their fullest.

Xu Xiaoshou wiped off his blood and sweat and noticed that other than his haggard expression and drained energy, his condition was no different from that of an ordinary person.

"Oh my God…"

"This regenerative capability is really strong!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but shiver when he thought about the pain he'd gone through just now.

Above his energy reserve, the Infernal Fire Seed now looked rather indignant. It had gotten much smaller, and its rate of destruction had been completely suppressed by Eternal Vitality.

Xu Xiaoshou took a few breaths of fresh air. Seeing that his body was gradually recovering, he clenched his teeth and sat up once again, a determined look in his eyes.

So what if it's painful!

He'd been tortured in his previous life. Furthermore, even though this process was extremely painful, the pain was only temporary. Since it would become a threat sooner or later if he left it alone, he might as well tolerate the pain now and completely refine the seed tonight!

He took out a Spiritual Cultivation Pill and inhaled it in one breath, restoring himself to peak condition.

With a ferocious look on his face, Xu Xiaoshou once again exhaled a large orb of red energy out of his nose and mouth. Even the air was rippling from the heat. Xu Xiaoshou swallowed the energy along with a Red Gold Pill.

Under Goose Lake, the old man held onto his straw hat and looked at Xu Xiaoshou in shock. Completely forgetting that he was underwater, he swallowed a few mouthfuls of water on accident.

He'd had an experimental mindset when he first heard that there was a person with an Innate-stage physical body in the Outer Yard and forcibly made the young lad swallow the Infernal Fire Seed into his body.

He might be able to create a fire-element genius if he succeeded. If not, it would only cost him a life if he failed. That was no big deal.

However, observing Xu Xiaoshou throughout the day had touched him a little.

This person, who wasn't able to tolerate the pain from the start, had managed to forcefully suppress the pain just with Red Gold Pills later during the day and even get into the arena to battle.

The crowd might mock him for taking drugs before the contest because his body was burned red, but he, a person who had also consumed the Infernal Fire Seed, knew how much pain this lad was hiding behind his smiles and jokes.

Thus, when this lad tried to extort Xiao Qixiu, he'd taken advantage of the opportunity and lent Xiao Qixiu ten bottles of the Red Gold Pills he'd refined.

He was shocked by the training that the young man was now going through at Goose Lake under the moonlight. That young man had given up a little on refining the seed and was starting to devour the energy in large gulps.

"Is he not afraid of death?" he thought.

The old man wearing the straw hat couldn't tolerate it any longer and wanted to stop Xu Xiaoshou. However, he didn't expect that while he was flying over to him that Xu Xiaoshou would manage to use a unique technique and his immense willpower to fight through the first wave of pain.

It didn't end there. He managed to sit up after just a few breaths…

He's going through it again!" he thought.

"What kind of monster is he!

"Does he not feel pain?"

The old man was shocked and felt like he'd unintentionally discovered a treasure. Just with his willpower alone, Xu Xiaoshou had immense potential.

He was going to get Xu Xiaoshou as his disciple!

The explosions around Goose Lake naturally attracted the attention of the law enforcers from the Spiritual Law Division, and a group of black-robed men soon appeared around the lake.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't even notice them.

"Back down!" The old man suddenly flew out of the lake. His temperature rose and instantly evaporated the moisture on his body. He pressed down on his straw hat. His voice was a little raspy.

The law enforcers stopped in their tracks and looked up to see a somewhat withered and ordinary figure under the clear, round moon.

However, some of the law enforcers felt the faint scorching energy emanating from that person's body and were a little shocked.

"Vice-dean?"

"Elder Sang?"

The people in front looked at each other. They didn't understand what was going on and were a little confused. "When did he come…"

The law enforcer leading the group slapped the head of the person who said this, and the law enforcer lowered his head and obeyed the order, quickly leaving.

"Yes!"

The people behind quickly followed the command, and all of the law enforcers disappeared in a flash.

Elder Sang took off his straw hat and stood atop the white jade railings.

The night wind ruffled his creased shirt and blew away the few strands of withered grass on his head. The plump geese gathered under his feet and cackled, desperately searching for a sense of safety.

However, there was only one man in his large, black eyes.

"Hah!"

Elder Sang smiled. It was impossible to know what he was thinking.

There was destined to be no peace at Goose Lake that night, and the white jade railing was in desperate need of repair.

Because… the scorching waves that were coming from the young man's body in the distance had extraordinary destructive capabilities.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Noon the next day the disciples of the Outer Yard lethargically entered the spectator seats.

"Darn it, were they renovating the spirit palace last night? The explosions were so noisy. Did you guys hear it?"

"It came from the direction of Goose Lake, right? My yard is near the area. It was extremely noisy. If not for the fact that nothing happened, I'd have thought an enemy had infiltrated the spirit palace."

"What noise? My yard is also near Goose Lake!"

"How did you not hear it? Are you deaf?"

"Oh, oh, sorry. Now that I think about it, I have a soundproof barrier at home. Sigh, it can't be helped that I'm rich."

"… F* you!"

Xu Xiaoshou also entered the Chuyun Platform with dark circles under his eyes, looking like another victim of the noise. No one knew that this person was the true culprit.

He hurriedly entered the waiting area and finally managed to feel at ease.

On an average day, his training usually consisted of sleeping in his yard. He didn't have to worry about the noise he made disrupting his neighbors because of his soundproof barrier.

"However, this method instantly backfired when I trained at Goose Lake," he thought. "I wonder if the noise I made affected my opponent or not…

"If so, that would be great!"

The Infernal Seed had completely disappeared after his full night of refinement, and his cultivation level had also reached the peak of Level Seven.

He could advance if he wanted, but there was no need to.

Through the constant burning, Xu Xiaoshou had even managed to repeatedly consolidate what he'd learned from his past levels.

Now that he thought back on it, move people would've been moved by the process.

Xiao Qixiu continued the advancement matches for the top 16 candidates as if nothing had happened. Xu Xiaoshou gave the attendant a few instructions, then started to doze off.

"I'm so tired!" he thought.

He normally trained by breathing in his sleep. However, he'd gone two consecutive days without sleeping. He wasn't used to it.

He soon fell asleep. In his dreams, an attendant was running toward him with two bottles in his hands. The attendant slapped him on both his cheeks.

"Slap!"

"Wake up. It's your turn!"

Report chapter

Chapter 32: Autograph

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Got shocked. Passive Points 1."

Xu Xiaoshou abruptly sprang up, looked around, and realized that he was in the waiting area. He touched his face and looked indignantly at the attendant. "Why did you hit me?"

The attendant gave him an innocent look, and then gradually started to look confused.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the attendant's hand. "Oh, there's no pill bottles?" he thought.

"It's your turn to battle!" the attendant said coldly.

Only then did Xu Xiaoshou realize that he'd been dreaming before and embarrassedly walked out of the waiting area.

"Xu Xiaoshou, good luck!"

"Xu Xiaoshou, hang in there!"

"Xu Xiaoshou, champion!"

He was shocked by the crowd's cheers. The moment he walked out of the waiting area, he saw the entire crowd standing and cheering for him.

He froze. Of course, some people had cheered for him in the past, but a lot of people had put him down too. "Why is everyone cheering so hard for me today?" he thought.

"They didn't even sleep well…"

He didn't know that his consecutive victories over the rank-seven Wen Chong and the rank-four Zhou Tianshen, as well as his Acquired-stage Sword Will and Innate-stage physical body, had made him the favorite to win the entire competition.

"Got encouraged. Passive Points 442."

"Got cheered for. Passive Points 665."

The notification panel in his mind constantly refreshed, and Xu Xiaoshou happily waved his hands and slowly made his way into the arena.

"Passive Points: 44820."

"Passive Points: 45611."

"Passive Points: 46002."

Xu Xiaoshou was smiling so wide that his eyes had narrowed to slits. Even though the process of refining the Infernal Fire Seed last night was arduous, he'd been greatly rewarded for it in the last few hours. It had given him nearly 20000 Passive Points.

And his Passive Points were still rising.

"Xu Xiaoshou, walk faster!" Xiao Qixiu said in an unfriendly tone.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately quickened his footsteps, and when he entered the barrier, it was silent and peaceful.

He now had a good idea why a barrier was needed during the Windcloud Competition.

On the other side of the arena was a girl wearing a pale yellow dress who looked rather delicate. She had a tightly-combed head of hair, and the corners of her eyes were curved upward. She was wielding a soft bone whip and was striking it against the ground with every step she took. She looked extremely energetic.

Li Cenjing, Spiritual Cultivation Level Ten.

As usual, Xu Xiaoshou wanted to say something, but he didn't expect the young lady to interrupt him. She said mischievously, "Giving up before the battle is a great disrespect to your opponent. Running away without battling…

"Oh, what comes after that…

"Forget it."

Li Cenjing curled up her soft bone whip and tapped her head as she said, "Xu Xiaoshou, I've seen you battle. You are very impressive!

"Can I get your autograph later?"

"Got admired. Passive Points 1."

Xu Xiaoshou rubbed a hand over his head, embarrassed. He didn't expect there to be a fan amongst his opponents. He quickly swallowed the sarcastic comment that he'd been about to say and nodded in agreement.

Li Cenjing's expression immediately turned cheerful, and she chuckled.

Xiao Qixiu expressionlessly waved his hand. "Battle, start!"

Xu Xiaoshou played the gentleman and signaled for his opponent to attack him first. He didn't expect Li Cenjing to raise her hand and blink her large eyes.

"I admit defeat!"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened. "You stole my line just now, and now you're going to admit defeat?" he thought. "What kind of fan are you? Don't you know what I really need is Passive Points?"

Li Cenjing saw the change in his expression and quickly explained, "Zhang Fei is still lying down in the Spiritual Medical Division and can't even fight in the placement battles. I don't want to fight you. I want to fight in the placement battles!"

Xiao Qixiu didn't even have time to finish swallowing the mouthful of water in his mouth. He hurriedly raised his hand and announced, "The battle is over. Xu Xiaoshou is the victor!"

The spectators instantly started murmuring amongst themselves. They hadn't expected someone to give up during a top-16 battle. Wasn't that the same as giving up on the rewards that were to come?

"How boring. Why didn't she fight properly? I wanted to see Xu Xiaoshou's performance!"

"I think Li Cenjing is rather wise. She's only Level Ten. She wouldn't have been able to defeat the Level Seven Xu Xiaoshou. Conserving her strength now for the placement matches later is quite smart."

"Puu, listen to the nonsense you're spouting…"

Li Cenjing, who'd just admitted defeat, scampered over to Xu Xiaoshou and handed him a spiritual pen. "Autograph!" she said excitedly.

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

"Huff!

"Hold it in, she's a fan!" he warned himself.

"Where do I sign?" Xu Xiaoshou's said gently.

Li Cenjing generously extended her hand with her palm facing upward. Her fingers were slender. She said, "Oh, here!"

She deviously glanced in the direction of the spectator seats. The crowd seemed to be in an uproar, but the two of them couldn't hear anything in the arena.

Outside, a girl sitting in a front-row seat was manically roaring, "Stop it right there, Li Cenjing! Xu Xiaoshou is mine!"

"Kekeke!"

Li Cenjing shot her friend an ugly look, a smug expression on her face. "Hmph, see what happens when you don't train properly?" she thought. "All you can do is stay outside and be envious of me.

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't shy. He grabbed her hand. It was soft and warm.

He finished his autograph in a few strokes and said, "Don't admit defeat when you encounter anyone else in the future. It's very disadvantageous."

"Yes, yes, it's not disadvantageous."

Even though Li Cenjing was usually rather brazen, she couldn't help but blush when Xu Xiaoshou grabbed her hand in front of all these spectators. She was, after all, only a 16 to 17-year-old teenage girl.

The numb, itchy feeling his skin gave her almost made her pull her hand back, but she fought the impulse and answered softly, "Thank you!"

The young lady turned to run after she got the autograph, as if she were escaping.

"Hey, your spiritual pen…" Xu Xiaoshou immediately called out.

The young lady didn't even look back. "You can have it!"

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Xiao Qixiu. The middle-aged man was repeatedly shaking his head, his eyes filled with emotion as he thought back on past memories. He didn't even rush Xu Xiaoshou out of the arena.

All Xu Xiaoshou could do was put the spiritual pen in the ring hanging around his neck.

Outside, the girl sitting in the front-row seat went crazy when she saw this. She rushed toward Li Cenjing, who'd just gotten out of the arena, with red eyes. Even the attendants couldn't stop her in time.

"Li Cenjing, today is your death day!"

"Look at my otherworldly flying kick!"

"Don't. Look, are you still going to kick me?"

"Hng hng hng, I'm so envious. Chop off your hand and give it to me!"

"…" Xu Xiaoshou walked out of the barrier and glanced at the notification panel. He couldn't help but feel faint.

"Got despised. Passive Points 333."

"Got despised. Passive Points 333."

"What's going on?" he thought.

"Even though no blood was drawn, shouldn't they be praising and encouraging me for winning the battle?

"What happened to all of you? You were still cheering me on before I got into the arena, and then the next instant you dislike me?

"Heh, humans!"

Xu Xiaoshou forced a smile onto his face and waved at the crowd in an attempt to salvage the situation.

"Got despised. Passive Points 886."

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

In the waiting area.

Xu Xiaoshou squatted on the resting chair. The atmosphere outside was intense. He could no longer sleep.

At this point in the competition, he'd already successfully placed in the top eight.

According to the schedule, he still had one battle to fight today, and if he was victorious, he would compete for the championship tomorrow.

"Will I become champion…" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't so sure.

He might've felt more confident of becoming champion if he hadn't encountered Zhou Tianshen yesterday. Zhou Tianshen, who was at the peak of the Acquired-stage, already had such terrifying battle capabilities, so there was no telling how strong the Innate-stage fighters would be.

Xu Xiaoshou twirled the cup in his hands, a little dazed.

The Innate Stage was a general title.

It consisted of three levels: Origin Court, Occupied Void, and Upper Spirit.

After the first ten levels of the Spiritual Cultivation process, a Spiritual Cultivator would gain an understanding of the natural laws and open up an Origin Court near where the deities resided. If successful, they would awaken their Innate Elemental Power. That was the Innate-stage.

As for what the Innate Elemental Power was exactly, there was an infinite variety of them, and they differed from person to person.

It could be one of the five basic elements, or it could be a concept. For example, the stream of ice that Zhao Qingteng conjured with his sword, or Zhou Tianshen's Blade Will…

What Xu Xiaoshou was afraid of most was this:

Even though his passive skills could be used as Innate-stage Spiritual Techniques, they had their limitations.

At the very least, he didn't have the Innate Elemental Power, which meant he didn't have a strong guarantee to win compared to the true favorites to win the competition.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at his energy reserve and couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The spiritual strength in his energy reserve was pitch-black and saturated with scorching energy. This was the reward he'd gotten from fighting for his life yesterday night. However, it was still lacking compared to a real Innate Elemental Power.

"Sigh!"

Xu Xiaoshou let out a frustrated sigh. He had wanted to use his strength to achieve the top spot during this competition. Now, it looked like his dream was too unrealistic.

He looked into his mind again.

"Passive Points: 48226."

Chapter 33: Acting Up Again

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xu Xiaoshou currently had five Passive Skills, three of which had reached the Innate-stage. The remaining two were at Level Six and could be leveled-up.

If he set aside 10000 Passive Points to have a reserve, he'd still have a whopping 38000 Passive Points that he could use.

He had obtained three Passive Keys when he got Eternal Vitality. Thus, Xu Xiaoshou purchased seven keys, intending to make ten consecutive draws with the wheel.

He put his palms together and silently prayed for good fortune.

The red wheel in the merchant interface was still covered in fog. Xu Xiaoshou placed the keys into the slot one by one.

He hesitated a moment, then decided to shout as usual, "RNGesus, bless me!"

Bad luck can be reversed with rituals!

This was something Xu Xiaoshou had always believed in.

The two attendants in the waiting room heard Xu Xiaoshou's shout and looked at each other at the same time. "It's here again!"

The two of them went to the corner, and one of them squatted while the other stood. They silently observed Xu Xiaoshou with looks of curiosity.

The squatting attendant hit the attendant above him with his head. "Go prepare the resuscitation equipment."

"Wait, let me have a look too!"

"Quickly, what if something happens later?"

Xu Xiaoshou was squatting on the rest chair, and his gaze fell on the notification panel.

"Better luck next time!"

"One extra key!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"One extra key!"

"Better luck next time!"

Thump!

Behind the wall, the two attendants looked at Xu Xiaoshou, who seemed petrified in his praying state, fall headfirst onto the ground. They both looked like they'd expected this to happen.

The standing attendant immediately turned to retrieve the medicine and equipment, while the other attendant immediately rushed out. While he ran, he thought about whether mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was needed here or not.

Xu Xiaoshou, who had fallen to the ground, suddenly turned his head to look at them. "What are you doing?"

The two attendants pouted and slipped into a daze. The attendant who had put on heatproof gloves and had two bottles of medicine in his hands stopped in his tracks.

"You're fine?" the two attendants exclaimed in shock.

"Hehe, why wouldn't I be?"

Xu Xiaoshou laughed coldly. It was getting harder and harder to get anything from the system. He'd been prepared for this. At least this time he didn't faint from shock.

He waved his arm at the two attendants and said, "You're making a mountain out of a molehill. Go back first!"

"Oh, okay!"

The two attendants turned back to look at Xu Xiaoshou every three steps. "His body doesn't seem warm today," they whispered to each other. "So there's probably no need to wear heatproof gloves."

"Who knows. You should keep them on."

Xu Xiaoshou watched the two attendants disappear behind the wall, and his expression immediately twisted. He abruptly clutched his heart.

"It's toying with me!

"This broken system. That's another 10000 Passive Points down the drain."

Even though he'd been prepared for the outcome, it still fazed him, as it would anyone.

"Hehe, two keys for 10000 Passive Points…"

He remembered that the first time he spun the wheel, he'd gotten Sharpness and another key with just three keys, but now?

Hmph!

Xu Xiaoshou once again purchased eight keys to make it a nice round number, then stabbed one of the keys fiercely into the red wheel's hole.

There are still nine keys…

Stab it in again!

Continue…

"Hah! RNGesus bless me!" Xu Xiaoshou roared in fury. He looked furiously at the notification panel, as if concentrating harder would give him better items.

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"One extra key!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Obtained Extended Passive Skill: Sense!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

With a boom, the rest chair he was sitting on was instantly crushed. Xu Xiaoshou was so excited he lost control of his Innate-stage physical body and hit his head on the ceiling.

"It feels good… Urgh!"

Pieces of wooden shrapnel fell onto the ground, and Xu Xiaoshou's face crashed into the ceiling.

The two attendants behind the wall looked at Xu Xiaoshou, who was propping his hands against the ceiling and trying his best to pull his head out of the hole he'd created, and glanced at each other.

"He's generous, but he's definitely sick in the head."

"Yes, yes!"

"After all, we took the medicine from him. Let's repair the chair and the ceiling later. We don't need him to pay."

"Yes, yes!"

"Sigh, he's a decent man. What a pity he's only half useful…"

"Yes, yes!"

Xu Xiaoshou was halfway through pulling his head out of the ceiling when he suddenly stopped moving. The two attendants behind the wall became a little anxious.

"He can't pull it out?" they thought. "Does he need help?"

Xu Xiaoshou could naturally pull his head out of the ceiling if he wanted to. He only froze because even though he couldn't see anything with his head stuck inside the wood, he'd managed to "see" the two anxious figures of the attendants behind the wall.

More accurately, the faint outline of every figure within a several-mile-radius had appeared inside his mind.

Xu Xiaoshou could even discern the emotions of these two people.

This was…

"Sense!"

Xu Xiaoshou was elated. This passive skill was too powerful. He could conjure the image of his surroundings in his mind. Not only would this prevent his enemies from assassinating him, but he'd even be able to peep on young girls…

Cough, cough.

It's a great technique!

"Can you come down?" a concerned voice questioned from below.

The hazy image in his mind told him that the attendants had brought a ladder over. Xu Xiaoshou nearly fainted. This was a trivial matter. Why did they have to bring a ladder?

He quickly pulled his head out of the ceiling and jumped down. Then, he waved his hand to signal that they didn't need to go through all that trouble.

The two attendants sighed, feeling exhausted.

They'd never encountered such a weird candidate before. He would have bouts of insanity and mutilate himself. He would jump around. He had every devious technique imaginable in his arsenal, and frequently showed off his antics.

The two of them had silently brought out the ladder, and now they were silently taking the ladder back. It was as if they'd lost the ability to talk.

"Got cursed. Passive Points 2."

Xu Xiaoshou hit his head. "There's only the two of you here," he thought. "Do you have to be so obvious?"

He found another chair and squatted on it, then immediately purchased ten Skill Points and used them all on Sense.

"Sense (Acquired Lv. 2)."

"Sense (Innate Lv. 1)."

The visual range in his mind expanded to nearly ten meters. This was decent. What shocked Xu Xiaoshou even more was that the image had become much clearer.

Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes, and the formerly mosaic-like image became much clearer. He could even clearly see the two squirmish attendant's heads against the wall behind him.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly turned around and looked them in the eye.

"Bang!"

"Clank!"

The two attendants abruptly pulled their heads back and accidentally knocked each other. They toppled the teapot on the table and whispered to each other in shock, "Does this Xu Xiaoshou have eyes on the back of his head?"

"Darn it, that scared me to death. How did he know that we were looking at him?"

"Shhh!"

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. Whatever the two attendants were doing and saying… It was all presented clearly in his mind!

In the past, he would've noticed the two attendants spying on him. However, he wouldn't have heard what they were talking about or seen their movements.

This situation was akin to him having a surveillance camera in the back of his head that could present the image directly into his mind.

"My God!" Xu Xiaoshou said, as if he'd seen Wen Chong launching another surprise attack on him. However, this time he wouldn't need to turn his head around. He could just directly kick his foot backward and tear his opponent into two with his Innate-stage Sharpness.

"It's another sinister technique…" Xu Xiaoshou was very excited.

His Passive Points had reduced by 20000 in an instant, but he still had 20000 points left. He clenched his teeth and decided to go all out and purchased nine keys.

Along with the key he'd gotten previously, he now had 10 keys left!

"I've never tried spinning the wheel again after obtaining something. What if I get consecutive skills…"

Xu Xiaoshou calmed down his wildly beating heart and carefully slotted the keys into the red wheel.

"Hah! RNGesus bless me!"

Make it rain even harder than last time!

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"One extra key!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"Better luck next time!"

"One extra key!"

Boom!

Clank!

"Ah…"

The teacups in the two attendants' hands trembled from the deafening roar behind the wall and almost spilled over.

The two of them looked at each other and gulped down their tea. They moved quickly.

One of them put on the gloves again and grabbed the medicine. The other pouted as he put up three fingers…

Two!

One!

"Charge!"

"Speed!"

"He's acting up again. Secure him!"

The next second, another fearful voice rang out, "Oh f*! What are you guys doing?"

"F* you, shut up!"

"Urgh…"

Chapter 34: Hello! Goodbye!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xu Xiaoshou was washing his hands.

If he hadn't clasped a hand to his mouth at the critical moment, he would've had his first kiss in this life.

"Got cursed. Passive Points 2."

"Got cursed. Passive Points 2."

The two attendants were grabbing their bellies and rolling around on the ground in pain. They'd both been kicked by Xu Xiaoshou, and it definitely did not feel good.

Of course, these two people, whose bright idea had been to bring a ladder over to try and save him, had limited cultivation levels, so Xu Xiaoshou knew to hold back.

Boom!

At this moment, an explosion was heard from the main arena. A spiritual tree had crashed through the barrier and was growing toward the sky. It tossed a muscular figure out of the arena.

"The battle is over, Mu Zixi is victorious!"

The crowd was in an uproar. The sudden rapid growth of a spiritual tree had shocked them.

"Oh! My honey, that's too incredible! Inn… Innate?"

"To think that Junior Mu is also an Innate-stage fighter. She's only been in the spirit palace for a year, right? And these are the abilities of someone who's just entered the Windcloud Competition for the first time?"

"Genius… No, demon!"

"Ren Chong is so pitiful. He's Level Ten and has a Lesser Forged Body, but can only end his journey in the top eight."

"It's so tall, he must've been sent flying ten meters up… Oh f, Ren Chong is falling. There's someone on the ground right where he's going to fall. Is that… Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Careful!"

Xu Xiaoshou was gently rubbing the back of his palm to get rid of the stains when a black dot suddenly barged into his mind that… seemed to be coming from the sky?

"What's going on?" he thought.

To think that it destroyed the mini barrier around the waiting room!

"Got ambushed. Passive Points 1."

Xu Xiaoshou cackled. He was no longer the Xu Xiaoshou of the past.

With a backhand grab, Xu Xiaoshou grabbed onto something that felt like a watermelon. It was also a little spiky. He took a closer look at what he'd caught…

Oh f*!

It was a human head!

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. He quickly loosened his grip and reflexively struck it with his knee.

Boom!

A dull thud rang out, and Ren Chong was once again sent flying high up into the air. This time, Xu Xiaoshou had forgotten to hold back and might have even used more force because of his shock.

The crowd helplessly looked on as Ren Chong fell from heaven to hell, then from hell back to the mortal world before slamming onto the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood. The crowd burst out laughing.

"Haha, I can't take it anymore. Why did Ren Chong run into Xu Xiaoshou of all people? What kind of sins did he commit in the past? Xu Xiaoshou has an Innate-stage physical body. Wouldn't getting kneed by Xu Xiaoshou break all of his ribs?"

"What a pitiful man. He was beaten up twice in one battle."

"Xu Xiaoshou's reaction time was great just now. It looks like he learned a retaliation technique after getting ambushed by Boss Wen the last time. He can pierce a person's heart or grab their head now. Tsk tsk!"

The spectators were chattering amongst themselves, and Xu Xiaoshou gained a few Passive Points now that the barrier had been broken.

"Got admired. Passive Points 32."

"Got praised. Passive Points 17."

Medical personnel quickly ran past Xu Xiaoshou. They didn't forget to glare at him before leaving, as if he were the one who'd made Ren Chong faint.

"Got despised. Passive Points 4."

Xu Xiaoshou felt indignant. He'd been in the middle of washing his hands, and then trouble fell toward him from the sky. Who knew that it was a man!

It was lucky he didn't crush the watermelon in his hands just now.

"Got hated. Passive Points 1."

"Got hated. Passive Points 1."

"Got hated. Passive Points 1."

The notification panel was updated with a few lines, and Xu Xiaoshou became a little confused. He only gained one point with every notification. This rapid refresh rate…

He abruptly looked in the direction Ren Chong had fallen. Indeed, Ren Chong had been resuscitated by the medical attendants and was glaring at him, a spiteful look on his face.

"Oh wow!" he thought.

"You were sent flying out of the arena and even tried to ambush me, and now you're blaming me?"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened. He flicked off the water on his hands and quickly walked over to him.

"Got suspected. Passive Points 1."

"Got suspected. Passive Points 1."

Ren Chong's gaze started to waver. "Xu Xiaoshou is walking over here…" he thought. "What does he want to do?"

The two attendants behind Xu Xiaoshou saw that something was off. They understood Xu Xiaoshou all too well.

They quickly rushed forward to stop him. "What do you want to do? Don't be rash!"

"He's injured. He's a patient!"

"I can sense that he resents me," Xu Xiaoshou snarled.

Ren Chong became flustered. "How did you sense that so well?" he thought to himself.

He quickly grabbed onto the medical attendant's hand. "Don't save me for now. Xu Xiaoshou… He's walking over!"

The four medical attendants looked at Xu Xiaoshou at the same time, a murderous look in their eyes. Xu Xiaoshou forced a smile and said, "Hehe, it's fine, I was merely concerned and wanted to see if this man had gotten crippled or not."

"No need for your concern. I'm good!" Ren Chong shivered. He grabbed tightly onto the medical attendant's hand and bitterly pleaded, "I request for a change of location for my treatment!"

"Hehe…" Xu Xiaoshou warmly laughed.

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

"Zhao Qingteng!"

Xiao Qixiu's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting the small incident in the waiting room. The pairing had been completed.

The crowd fell silent after the names were announced. Then, a collective gasp was heard. Everyone was filled with anticipation for this battle.

Xu Xiaoshou froze. Zhao Qingteng?

Rank two of the Windcloud Scoreboard?

An Innate-stage fighter?

"Is it finally here?" He sighed melancholically, but he already knew that he'd likely encounter an innate-stage fighter in his battle for a spot in the top four.

"Got mocked. Passive Points 1."

"Got mocked. Passive Points 1."

The notification panel got updated constantly again, and Xu Xiaoshou instinctively looked at Ren Chong. Sure enough, the man had a gloating look on his face.

Who could tolerate that?

He was resenting and mocking him. How far was he going to go?

"So what if it's Zhao Qingteng," he thought. "It's not like he's guaranteed to win against me, so why is he mocking me?"

Xu Xiaoshou tossed the attendant's hand to the side and charged forward.

"Oh f, Xu Xiaoshou, what are you doing!" Ren Chong was flustered.

"Xu Xiaoshou, stop!" The medical personnel quickly dodged to the side, afraid that they'd be hit by an Innate-stage physical body. "This is a casualty. What are you trying to do?"

Ren Chong looked fearfully at the four white-robed angels. They ran away?

"Take me with you!"

Xu Xiaoshou picked up Ren Chong, who'd lost the ability to move, a look of self-blame and regret on his face.

"Whatever your name is, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit you. But it's all right. I know how to connect bones. And I also have a lot of Red Gold Pills, so I can guarantee that you'll be fine!" Xu Xiaoshou said, his tone somewhat nasal, as he felt toward Ren Chong's rib bone.

"Oh f, don't touch me!"

"Save me. Where are the medical personnel? Don't leave me here alone! Take me with you!"

"Sss~"

"Ahhhh…"

The medical personnel huddled with the waiting area attendants, and they all trembled when they saw Xu Xiaoshou attempt to connect Ren Chong's bones while taking out a pill.

He must be a demon!

A young lad wearing a pale green silk robe walked down the main arena. She had exquisite features that looked as though they were carved from jade. She was rather cute.

Her long ponytail shook as she looked around, as if searching for a target. Then, she skipped toward Xu Xiaoshou and reached out to pat him on his head.

"Xu Xiaoshou, Elder Xiao is calling for you."

Xu Xiaoshou didn't look at her. "Wait a moment. I'm connecting his bones!"

The young lady tilted her head, extremely curious.

She saw Xu Xiaoshou manically pressing on Ren Chong's wounds while letting him sniff on a pill and was startled by the act. She pointed at Ren Chong and said, "He's dying!"

"It's fine. The Red Gold Pill is regulating his breathing. He won't die."

"You're letting him sniff the pill instead of eating it? What use is there in that?"

Xu Xiaoshou froze when he heard these words. "That's right," he thought. "This person doesn't seem to have the Breathing Technique…"

Blood was foaming from Ren Chong's mouth, and his eyes had rolled into the back of his head. He looked like he was halfway to the afterlife. Xu Xiaoshou quickly fed him the pill.

Naturally, he managed to connect Ren Chong's bones. It turned out he had the skills after all. However, he couldn't do much about Ren Chong's pain.

"Xu Xiaoshou! Get up here!" Xiao Qixiu's furious roar assaulted his ears.

Xu Xiaoshou trembled, and he turned around to see the delicate appearance of the green-robed lady. She was the person who had called him earlier.

"You are…"

"Mu Zixi."

The green-robed lady tilted her head. She was very friendly. "Hello, Xu Xiaoshou."

"Oh-oh."

Xu Xiaoshou had no time to waste, and quickly ran toward the arena. "Hello! Goodbye!"

Mu Zixi was speechless.

"Got cursed. Passive Points 1."

Report chapter

Chapter 35: Judge, He's Cheating!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The battle for a spot in the top four. The third match.

Zhao Qingteng stood with his sword slanted downward. He was looking up into the sky. He seemed proud and cold.

The air seemed to become colder just from him standing there. There were even snowflakes falling around him.

Xu Xiaoshou poked his head into the barrier and shivered. The temperature inside the arena was many times colder than the temperature outside.

"Is this the Innate Elemental Power?" he thought to himself. He already knew that Zhao Qingteng had ice elemental abilities. However, he only truly realized how terrifying an Innate-stage fighter was now that he was facing one in the flesh.

Zhao Qingteng was affecting nature with his powers. How was that not terrifying!?

There was an adjustment period after the candidates entered the arena. Xiao Qixiu took rather good care of Xu Xiaoshou. Even though this lad was always very tardy, Xiao Qixiu still gave him the time he needed to prepare.

Xu Xiaoshou extended his hand, and the snowflakes in the air landed on his palm. It looked silent and elegant.

The crowd was smitten. A light snow was falling on the three men in the arena, and the sceen looked like something right out of a painting.

"Judge, he's cheating."

The crowd was still immersed in the picturesque scene when Xu Xiaoshou suddenly pointed at Zhao Qingteng on the other side and said in fury, "The battle hasn't started yet, and he's already influencing the environment. That isn't fair!"

The snow in the air seemed to stop somewhat, and Zhao Qingteng finally looked at Xu Xiaoshou.

"Got mocked. Passive Points 1."

"Oh my!" he thought.

"You're mocking me?"

Xu Xiaoshou indignantly glared back at Zhao Qingteng. "Who's afraid of who?" he thought.

Xiao Qixiu knitted his brows. What Xu Xiaoshou said made sense. However, in the middle of a battle, who would care about this little bit of snow?

"What do you want me to do about it?"

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. "I'm a little cold. Get him to stop the snow!"

He was acting a little over the top, but he wasn't taking this match lightly.

Who knew what kind of abilities these snowflakes had? Maybe Zhao Qinteng could sense his opponents' positions when the snowflakes touched them, or maybe he was charging up for a powerful move…

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't so careless as to give an Innate-stage fighter an advantage when he was battling one. Didn't that mean that he'd already lost half the battle?

The crowd was a little displeased when they saw this. Some of the spectators agreed with Xu Xiaoshou, seeing that he was acting out of caution, but most of them thought that Xu Xiaoshou was being too nitpicky.

It was just a few pieces of snow. Did he have to do that?

"I can't stop it," Zhao Qingteng said, his voice icy.

"That's not good…" Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands and said, "You specialize in casting techniques at long range, while I specialize in close-range combat. On top of that, you're cheating. So how will we go about fighting each other?"

Even an arrogant person like Zhao Qingteng couldn't help the corners of his mouth from twitching at being repeatedly accused of "cheating.""What exactly do you want to do?" he asked.

"Why not open the barrier and get the sun to shine on us?" Xu Xiaoshou suggested.

Xiao Qixiu staggered. "Get the sun to shine on us?" he thought. "You're trying to get the thousands of spectators to watch you sunbathe?"

"Letting the sun shine on us is impossible. Since you're suggesting a close-range battle, how about we close the distance a little?" Xiao Qixiu inquisitively glanced at Zhao Qingteng.

Zhao Qingteng nodded. Xu Xiaoshou was elated and thought, "He took the bait!"

"How much is a little?" Xu Xiaoshou continued asking.

Xiao Qixiu could no longer tolerate this lad. He was pushing it!

"Any distance you like." Zhao Qingteng's gaze turned cold, and he continued saying in a weighty tone, "The spectators outside are waiting. Let's start soon!"

"Any distance?" Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow.

In a flash, he arrived in front of Zhao Qingteng. Their noses were almost touching.

"Is this distance alright?" Xu Xiaoshou exhaled.

Zhao Qingteng was scared by the sudden increase in temperature. His pale skin became a little redder. He felt his heart thump wildly, and staggered backward a few steps, hesitating for a long while…

"It's fine!"

The spectators were going insane. A few female disciples were repeatedly shouting "no."

Zhao Qingteng's abilities and cold attitude made him the poster boy for the phrase "arrogant and cold." He was the white knight in the hearts of every female disciple in the Outer Yard.

If this were any other match, many people would've been in support of Xu Xiaoshou. However, since Xu Xiaoshou's opponent was Zhao Qingteng, all of the supporters had rallied to his side.

"Get away. Who permitted you to get close to my Brother Qingteng?"

"You can't agree to his request. Hng hng hng, Brother Qingteng, quickly put some distance between you."

"Oh my, so things can be done this way. I've learned! I'm going to train well. I want to get that close to Brother Qingteng…"

The two candidates in the arena were within one step of each other and were staring deeply into each other's eyes.

Xiao Qixiu raised his hand at an opportune moment. "Battle, start!"

As soon as he announced this, Xu Xiaoshou's jovial expression immediately disappeared, and with a serious face, he landed a punch on Zhao Qingteng's body amidst the falling snow.

Boom!

Ice shrapnel exploded everywhere. Xu Xiaoshou had hit something solid, but he could tell that he didn't hit Zhao Qingteng.

"This is…"

A clone, teleportation, or substitution technique?

Many thoughts instantly flashed through Xu Xiaoshou's mind. Within the radius of Sense, he saw the snow behind him move, and Zhao Qingteng appeared behind him.

Zhao Qingteng, who had just appeared, didn't attack right away. Instead, he chose to put some distance between them.

He raised a finger to indicate something, then calmly said, "You fight decently."

"Got praised. Passive Points 1."

Xu Xiaoshou felt as though he'd just been mocked. He was completely clueless as to how Zhao Qingteng had left. The fake Zhao Qingteng that he'd punched had transformed into an ice sculpture under the falling snow and shattered.

It was incredibly mysterious…

Xu Xiaoshou also pretended to be nonchalant. "You also hide well. I'm guessing that it has nothing to do with this snow. Otherwise, you'd really be cheating."

Zhao Qingteng was stoic. Xu Xiaoshou secretly felt that it was a waste. His face was so expressionless he couldn't read his next move.

He stared at Zhao Qingteng as if nothing was happening as he started expanding the radius of Sense to its maximum, and the formation and fall of every snowflake clearly appeared in his mind.

His instincts told him that he couldn't disregard the snow.

This was snow that only appeared when he was battling Zhao Qingteng. He'd never seen Zhao Qingteng use this technique in the past.

Zhao Qingteng's blue Ice Stream Sword had an extraordinarily wide blade. Zhao Qingteng slowly lifted it, and the snow in the air seemed to tremble slightly.

Xu Xiaoshou took out Hiding Pain. He knew that close-range combat would be impossible unless he could dispel Zhao Qingteng's technique.

At the Innate Origin Court Level, Zhao Qingteng's spiritual strength would've already evolved to become a spiritual source. Zhao Qingteng injected his spiritual source into the Ice Stream Sword, and the sword crackled as ice crystals formed on the blade.

Whoosh!

A blade sliced through the air, and an icy chill assaulted Xu Xiaoshou. He decided to tilt his body to the side to avoid the attack.

The chilly air didn't touch his body, but it released a terrifying frost when it near him, and the cold severely limited his movements.

Xu Xiaoshou finally understood why no one could avoid Zhao Qingteng's Ice Stream Strike.

"Sss~"

Xu Xiaoshou shivered. His body was so numb that he could no longer hold onto his sword. He had no way of blocking the second sword aura, so all he could do was barely lift Hiding Pain.

There was no collision, no explosion…

Under the shocked gazes of the spectators, Xu Xiaoshou got turned into an ice sculpture.

"Oh f*! Even Xu Xiaoshou met the same fate. He got frozen in just two attacks?"

"Zhao Qingteng is too strong. He used the Ice Stream Strike against all of his opponents, but Xu Xiaoshou has an Innate-stage physical body, so… Ice Stream Two Strikes?"

"Is there such a big difference between the ten levels of Spiritual Cultivation and the Innate-stage?" he thought. "I'm dumbfounded…"

Zhao Qingteng's expression was still nonchalant. He struck with his sword as if he were facing the rest of his opponents. It was just that Xu Xiaoshou was equivalent to two people.

However, the other party did have an Innate-stage physical body. Perhaps his Ice Stream Spiritual Source that could freeze the body of a Spiritual Cultivation Level Ten fighter to death might not be able to freeze Xu Xiaoshou to death…

Zhao Qingteng glanced at Xiao Qixiu. He saw that he had no intention of moving to save his opponent and became sure of his conjecture.

He was going to continue attacking!

Report chapter

Chapter 36: One Willing To Hit, The Other Willing To Get Hit

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Zhao Qingteng didn't approach Xu Xiaoshou. Instead, he lifted his Ice Stream Sword and looked up as he muttered, "Galaxy!"

"Whoosh…"

The snow on the ground instantly floated and swirled up into the air before shattering to become a sword aura.

Zhao Qingteng's attack seemed to tear open the galaxy, and it sliced toward Xu Xiaoshou amidst the hovering snow.

The sword behind Xiao Qixiu's back trembled, and the judge looked startled.

Acquired-stage Sword Will!

To think that it was an Acquired-stage Sword Will!

In the previous battle, there was Zhou Tianshen's Acquired-stage Blade Will, and now there was Zhao Qingteng's Acquired-stage Sword Will.

"Is this Xu Xiaoshou the key to unlocking the secrets of winning?" he thought to himself. "How does he expose all of his opponents' trump cards?"

Zhou Tianshen hugged his sword while sitting in the spectator seats, looking worried.

To think that it was a Sword Will!

"Faced with a Sword Will, how can Xu Xiaoshou, who's trapped within an ice sculpture, defend himself?

"Is Xu Xiaoshou, who defeated me, about to be taken down by Zhao Qingteng in three moves?

"Then won't I be…

He hit himself hard on the head, no longer able to sit still.

On the other side, Mu Ziqi grabbed her pigtails. She was standing on a chair in the waiting room, craning her neck to see how strong Xu Xiaoshou, who hadn't cared to greet her, really was.

In the end, she saw that he'd become an ice sculpture the moment the battle started.

Elder Qiao sat silently in the spectator seats. This was the second time he'd come to watch Xu Xiaoshou's battle, and it was also the second time he'd felt that he should go and console Xu Xiaoshou after the battle.

Under the crowd's gaze, the galaxy-like sword aura sliced the target into two.

The sword aura flashed past the arena, and the ice sculpture immediately exploded.

However, the crowd was shocked to find that the ice sculpture hadn't been cut by the Sword Will. Instead, an arm had sliced out from inside the ice sculpture, breaking it from the inside.

Zhao Qingteng's eyes narrowed. "An arm?" he thought.

The arm had a transparent glow about it, as if the flesh of the arm had a spiritual quality and was made out of treasures. The arm grabbed onto the fiercely approaching sword aura.

Everyone was shocked. It grabbed the attack?

Clang…

A piercing sound rang out. Xu Xiaoshou looked as though he'd just been reborn, and jumped out of the ice sculpture.

He somersaulted in the air, then tossed the Galaxy Sword Aura back at Zhao Qingteng!

"Oh f*!"

Zhou Tianshen, who was outside the arena, was shocked, and his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. This scene was extremely familiar.

In their battle, Xu Xiaoshou had reversed his Deity Mountain-Lifting Technique with his sword technique, which had ultimately led to his defeat.

In just the one day he hadn't seen Xu Xiaoshou, he didn't expect him to now be able to reverse his opponent's techniques without even using his sword.

"Grabbed onto a sword aura with his bare hands?" he thought, incredulous.

"Are you kidding me?"

Xu Xiaoshou knelt weakly onto the ground and trembled as he slowly expelled the chilly energy in his body.

Fleeting White Cloud Two: Modified Sword Style!

That's right. This was the Sword Will attack that he'd learned during his battle with Zhou Tianshen yesterday. It was just that Xu Xiaoshou had executed it with his Glow of Sharpness.

He gathered the transparent glow on his arm and turned it into a blade. Its sharpness was comparable to that of Hiding Pain.

Snow fell in the arena. The crowd was dumbfounded.

It would've been fine if Xu Xiaoshou had used his sword. However, Xu Xiaoshou had grabbed onto the sword aura with his bare hands, which shocked everyone beyond belief. Even Zhao Qingteng was unable to react for a moment.

The sword attack sliced toward Zhao Qingteng, and Zhao Qingteng narrowly managed to avoid it. The Galaxy Sword Aura blasted onto the barrier instead, causing it to ripple, and the barrier was almost torn apart.

"Terrifying!"

Everyone was shocked and couldn't believe that Xu Xiaoshou had been able to grab onto such a ferocious attack. At the same time, the Innate-stage physical body rose in their estimations.

There was frost on Xu Xiaoshou's face, and his lips had turned purple. He'd clearly been severely frozen. However, the wound on his palm that he'd gotten from the sword aura made him feel wide awake.

The scorching energy in his energy reserve spread through his body and quickly dispelled the cold, which was a pleasant surprise.

"I'll take his life now that he's weakened!" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't let the opportunity to launch consecutive attacks slip by. He immediately grabbed onto Hiding Pain after throwing the sword aura out.

A moment later, he gracefully sliced his sword through the air, and his Sword Will immediately pressed onto the surroundings.

Fleeting White Cloud One: Sword Web Style!

He'd thought up these names for two attacks while frozen, and during that time he'd also thought about how to use them!

He, Xu Xiaoshou, knew more than just close-range combat.

Zhao Qingteng had just avoided his own Galaxy Sword Aura when he saw the web of swords pressing toward him. He immediately sliced forward with his Ice Stream Sword, and the clashing of swords rang out in the arena as they hit.

Creak, creak, creak!

Streaks of red blood appeared on Zhao Qingteng's white robes.

The reality was that Xu Xiaoshou's Sword Will had become more powerful after refining it over the course of his battles.

Even though Zhao Qingteng also had an Acquired-stage Sword Will, he couldn't defend against Xu Xiaoshou's intensive barrage of attacks.

The next second, Zhao Qingteng gave up resisting, and the web of swords sliced past his body. Zhao Qingteng's ice sculpture appeared once again, and it instantly crumbled from the attacks of Xu Xiaoshou's sword.

It appeared!

The unknown substitution technique!

Xu Xiaoshou had been prepared for this. His Sense had constantly been concentrating on the movements of the snow. Sure enough, he saw some of the snow in one area abnormally stagnate.

It's there!

The crowd watched in shock as Xu Xiaoshou shot a palm toward the air beside him, and they grew so anxious that they almost cursed at Xu Xiaoshou.

However, the next instant, Zhao Qingteng appeared where Xu Xiaoshou's palm had struck!

"Oh, God!"

The crowd became confused at that moment. What was going on?

Xu Xiaoshou had hit Zhao Qingteng. One of them was willing to attack, while the other was willing to get hit?

Zhao Qingteng's expression changed. He knew that his opponent had seen through his Snow Traversing Technique with his attack just now.

Xu Xiaoshou's ability to analyze the battle was terrifying!

Caught off guard, Zhao Qingteng couldn't even lift his Ice Stream Sword. All he could do was meet Xu Xiaoshou's palm with his own.

Xu Xiaoshou snickered.

He twisted his right palm and made the Glow of Sharpness circle it. His palm instantly transformed into a claw as it pierced fiercely into Zhao Qingteng's comparatively tender palm.

Rip!

Blood sprayed into the air. Zhao Qingteng had already conjured an ice mirror so their palms would collide, thus defending himself against the attack. However, how would that stop the Innate-stage Sharpness?

The claw directly ripped apart the ice mirror and left five bloody holes in Zhao Qingteng's palm!

Xu Xiaoshou finally understood the difference between a palm strike and a claw attack. Now that his Sinister Skeletal Claw had landed, his opponent would be left with one finger if he pulled his hand back.

His opponent would be left with his shortest finger!

However, Xu Xiaoshou held back. It was just a thought. He didn't really do it.

Even so, Zhao Qingteng's face contorted with pain, and his body instantly disappeared.

This time, he didn't dare be careless. He immediately shifted his body to the furthest point away from Xu Xiaoshou. Xu Xiaoshou naturally couldn't catch up to him.

"There really was a problem with this snow…"

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. He turned to look at Xiao Qixiu. "I already told you that he was cheating, but you didn't believe me. If it was me, I would've immediately judged that he'd lost."

Xiao Qixiu pouted but didn't say anything.

The crowd was shocked. To think that Xu Xiaoshou was the first one to make Zhao Qingteng bleed during the Windcloud Competition. No one had expected this.

"So Zhao Qingteng's teleportation technique was really done through moving around in the snow as Xu Xiaoshou said?"

The spectators all had odd looks on their faces. If that were the case, then Zhao Qingteng really had cheated.

No one would've thought it inappropriate if Zhao Qingteng had made the snow fall before the battle started to add to his charisma. In fact, they would've even been envious of his ability.

But, because the snow was connected to a technique that required charging up or a technique that was done in secret, his actions sparked the crowd's ire.

At that moment, people started switching sides. It was clear that Zhao Qingteng's actions didn't sit well with them.

"Do your best, Xu Xiaoshou! I know that you're the best."

"Xu Xiaoshou, defeat Zhao Qingteng and I'll bear you a child!"

"Xu Xiaoshou! Ahhh, you're so handsome!"

Zhou Tianshen looked over in shock, only now realizing that he had unknowingly left the arena to observe the battle. Was the crowd always so fierce?

Report chapter

Chapter 37: That Sword Technique, Too Powerful!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the arena.

After using the Snow Traversing Technique to shift his position, Zhao Qingteng didn't stop at all. While Xu Xiaoshou was speaking, he crossed his palms and instantly made a dozen hand gestures.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

It was undoubtedly a powerful attack. Zhao Qingteng had taken advantage of the split second he was distracted.

"Liu Zhen, I've disappointed you. I've committed the grave taboo of underestimating my opponent!" he thought.

He immediately flew forward. Unfortunately, they were too far apart for him to close in on his opponent in time.

Xu Xiaoshou took a whiff of a spirit crystal and recovered a little of his spiritual strength. Then, he gracefully slashed his sword outward.

Sword Web Style!

Zhao Qingteng disregarded the sudden assault of the sword web and shot his blood palm toward the air.

"Formless Great Cold!"

He only picked up his Ice Stream Sword to defend against the sword web after he was done doing this.

Zhao Qingteng's flesh got cut open amidst the barrage of attacks.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't even imagine just how terrifying the attack Zhao Qingteng wanted to complete even at the risk of death was. A second later, the snow within his Sense was awakened by the spiritual seal in the air, and they slowly rose into the air.

The crowd rubbed their eyes. There'd already been a thick layer of accumulation on the ground, but now the inside of the barrier had become completely white after the snow was awakened. They couldn't even see the figures inside the arena.

"Chi!" Zhao Qingteng cried out, and the sword aura in the area sliced through the air.

In that instant, every snowflake exploded with a stern sword aura, as though tens of thousands of swords had risen into the air.

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded. This Zhao Qingteng was vicious!

As it turned out, Zhao Qingteng had caused the falling snow at the start not only to facilitate his Snow Traversing Technique, but also lay the foundation for this Formless Great Cold.

The entire sky was covered with snowflakes that contained sword aura. With Zhao Qingteng's command, the snowflakes intertwined and created a boundless sword glow within the barrier.

Not only did the attack instantly crumble Xu Xiaoshou's barrier, but it even penetrated his Innate-stage physical body.

Xiao Qixiu's expression turned grave. Even though this terrifying Innate-stage spiritual technique was called the Formless Great Cold, every piece of falling snow had taken the form of a lethal sword with the intention of killing him!

Would Xu Xiaoshou be able to survive against this technique?

The crowd suddenly saw blood spraying outward at a point within the snowy-white barrier.

That was where Xu Xiaoshou was!

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his teeth tightly. He'd even closed his eyes. If he hadn't, even his eyeballs would've been pierced through by the Sword Will-infused snowflakes.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Every snowflake was like a tiny sword that was sharp without parallel. Even his Innate-stage physical body couldn't defend against the attack, and countless bloody holes instantly appeared on his body.

Xiao Qixiu was ready to take action. He would definitely be the first to take action the moment Xu Xiaoshou showed any inclination of giving up.

Zhao Qingteng panted. He had used all of his trump cards. This technique had expended a great amount of his spiritual source, but Xu Xiaoshou could still stand the attack?

Was an Innate-stage physical body really that strong?

He clenched his teeth and flew forward. He shot his palm toward Xu Xiaoshou.

"Is he mad?"

Why would Zhao Qingteng choose to engage in close combat when the situation was very much in his favor? Wasn't he afraid that Xu Xiaoshou would turn the situation around when he got close?

"That's not right!" Someone suddenly stood up. "That's the Dark Ice Sealing Palm! That's a spiritual technique at the peak of the Innate-stage. Xu Xiaoshou is done for!"

"Dark Ice Sealing Palm?"

Even Elder Qiao was shocked. He knew that this spiritual technique could even be ranked amongst the top few in the Inner Yard.

He clutched onto his sleeves tightly. Xu Xiaoshou was in grave danger!

Furthermore, Xu Xiaoshou was still doing battle against the Sword Will-infused snowflakes and couldn't tell his left from right. The Eternal Vitality had been activated to its fullest extent and was constantly restoring his body.

Penetrated, repaired…

Repaired, penetrated…

The pain Xu Xiaoshou was going through now was comparable to that which he'd gone through when refining the Infernal Fire Seed.

"Got attacked. Passive Points 1."

"Got attacked. Passive Points 1."

Thousands of notifications immediately appeared in his notification panel, which showed how insane the barrage of attacks of the Sword Will-infused snowflakes was!

Xu Xiaoshou was holding on by sheer willpower alone. His Sense told him that Zhao Qingteng was attacking him with a palm. He finally had no choice but to use his Skill Points.

"Sword Technique Expertise (Acquired Lv. 7)."

"Sword Technique Expertise (Acquired Lv. 8)."

A large stream of information instantly flooded into his brain. Xu Xiaoshou seemed to have found a way to break apart the technique.

He fought back the pain he was feeling and raised Hiding Pain. Then, he infused his immense Sword Will into the blade of his sword. He was risking it all on this attack!

Whoosh!

Hiding Pain rapidly sliced through the air, and the blade of the sword erupted in flames. However, Zhao Qingteng had been prepared for this. He tilted his head, and the spiritual sword only pierced into his shoulder!

The sword kept flying forward from the momentum, and it pierced through the barrier and flew toward the horizon under the crowd's stunned gaze.

The crowd no longer had time to care about the spiritual sword. Zhao Qingteng continued pushing his palm forward despite the pain radiating from the wound in his shoulder.

On the other hand, Xu Xiaoshou…

He was all out of moves!

"Dark Ice Sealing Palm!"

Boom!

As the cry fell, the Sword Will-infused snowflakes that were assaulting Xu Xiaoshou at a rapid rate suddenly stopped.

The area in front of Zhao Qingteng, which included the area where Xu Xiaoshou was in as well as the arena behind him, immediately got frozen in ice under Zhao Qingteng's terrifying palm.

Half the arena had gotten frozen in ice!

The crowd was silent. It was a block of ice that was larger than a house. It was too startling.

The crowd froze.

Then, the crowd realized in shock that the attack wasn't over!

They saw Zhao Qingteng finally heave a sigh of relief. He was covered in blood. He brought his hands together and shouted, "Seal!"

Boom!

A soft explosion rang out. Under the crowd's incredulous gaze, the block of ice that occupied the larger half of the arena rapidly shrunk, tightening around Xu Xiaoshou.

Finally, the ice block stopped at Xu Xiaoshou, who had his hands raised in the air.

"Oh f*!"

Everyone's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets!

For such a large block of ice to instantly become this small. Wouldn't the density of the ice cause anyone who was sealed inside to become an ice fossil?

Was there any chance of survival? Zhao Qingteng might've been too heavy-handed!

Was Xu Xiaoshou dead?

Xiao Qixiu took a deep breath. He sensed that something bad had happened.

The saying still rang true. What judges feared the most were techniques that decided the battle in a split second.

If he saved Xu Xiaoshou, it would be the same as prematurely helping Xu Xiaoshou admit defeat. Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't thank him for that. However, if just looked on from the side, he'd be helplessly looking on as the candidate welcomed his death. What was he to do in this situation?

He could only slowly raise his hand. "The battle is ove…"

Whoosh!

At that moment, the sound of something tearing through the air rang out and interrupted Xiao Qixiu's words.

Everyone looked at the sky, confused. They saw Hiding Pain, which had pierced through Zhao Qingteng's shoulder and vanished into the horizon from the momentum, fly back toward the arena at supersonic speeds.

Zhao Qingteng looked back in fear to see the black dot instantly enlargen as it flew at him and pierced through his chest, landing fiercly into Xu Xiaoshou's ice sculpture.

"Puuu!"

Zhao Qingteng's body arched over, and he abruptly spat out a mouthful of blood that contained pieces of his organs.

Xiao Qixiu had been slow to charge forward to stop the sword, as he didn't expect the sword to come back.

Hiding Pain had stabbed into the ice sculpture and was buzzing excitedly, filled with a spiritual quality.

Xiao Qixiu's eyes were filled with shock. This is…

Sword Telepathy?

To think that Xu Xiaoshou had touched the doors of the Innate-stage Sword Will!

Outside the arena, Zhou Tianshen excitedly stood up. He looked at Hiding Pain, which was trembling constantly, and felt his body burn with fighting spirit.

That sword technique was too powerful!

It was too powerful!

It was ten times more powerful than Xu Xiaoshou was yesterday!

Elder Qiao froze. He'd never expected that after just a Death Seclusion, Xu Xiaoshou would improve so drastically in just the few days he hadn't seen him!

This was unimaginable!

In a waiting area not far away, an attendant was helping Mu Zixi, who had fallen from her chair, up onto a new chair. This green-robed lady's mouth had turned into an "o" shape, and she'd almost pulled out her pigtails.

Crack, crack!

The ice sculpture cracked under the sword's trembling.

The wounds on Xu Xiaoshou's body had been frozen, and he felt like even his soul was trembling.

The only reason why he could still hold onto his last breath was because Eternal Vitality was too powerful!

He walked out of the ice sculpture with trembling lips, and his body helpless slumped onto the ground.

"What kind of sword technique is that!" Zhao Qingteng looked incredibly indignant.

Xu Xiaoshou trembled as he slowly exhaled a breath of chilly energy.

"The White Cloud Sword Technique."

"Got doubted. Passive Points 1."

Chapter 38: Save Zhao Qingteng First

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Thud!

Zhao Qingteng's knees buckled, and he fell face-first onto the ground, unconscious.

Hiding Paid had pierced completely through his chest, leaving behind a would as large as a fist. His blood flowed down him like a waterfall, instantly dying the arena red.

"Help him!" Xu Xiaoshou immediately shouted at Xiao Qixiu when he saw how dumbfounded everyone was.

The judge waved his arm, and medical personnel immediately charged into the arena and surrounded both Xu Xiaoshou and Zhao Qingteng.

Xu Xiaoshou saw the four familiar faces around him. Weren't these people the ones who'd saved the big watermelon during the previous match?

"Don't worry about me. Save Zhao Qingteng first!"

Xu Xiaoshou grew anxious when he saw the medical personnel fiddle with their bags and grab their scalpels, and quickly pointed to the other side. "He has a hole in him. And he's an Innate-stage fighter. He's more important."

"You're important too!" the medical attendant said with honor.

It was their job to save people, if the person they had to save was sick in the head.

"Got concerned for. Passive Points 4."

Xu Xiaoshou looked a little hesitant when he saw them start threading their needles.

Saving people was naturally a good thing. However, the problem was he didn't need saving!

During the battle with Zhao Qingteng, only the Formless Great Cold and the Dark Ice Sealing Palm had really dealt any damage to him.

However, those attacks had already passed!

The Sword Will-infused snowflakes created by the former had stabbed into him and basically turned him into a beehive. However, because of Eternal Vitality, he only sustained superficial damage, and his injuries healed almost instantaneously after the Sword Will-infused snowflakes stopped raining down on him.

The latter attack had instantly compressed him into a block of ice. An average person's soul might've even gotten frozen by the attack. However, he'd just consumed the Infernal Fire Seed, and he also had an Innate-stage physical body as well as Eternal Vitality…

Truthfully speaking, the damage inflicted onto him by the Dark Ice Sealing Palm was lesser than that of the Formless Great Cold.

"I really don't need it…" Xu Xiaoshou said weakly.

The four medical attendants glared at him. "Who here didn't see you get beaten half to death?" they thought. "Look at your clothes. They're all dyed red!

"Look at your face. It's covered in patches of green and blue. It's clear that you've been quite severely frozen."

"Alright…"

Xu Xiaoshou gave up resisting, and the medical attendants raised their needles and scalpels and immediately touched Xu Xiaoshou's body.

"Got doubted. Passive Points 4."

The next instant, the medical attendants all stopped what they were doing at the same time and looked at Xu Xiaoshou in shock.

"This…"

How was this possible?

This person must be a monster. Zhao Qingteng's barrage of attacks just now only did this little damage to him?

Furthermore, the life force emanating from his body was never-ending, which was ridiculous. It was even more ridiculous than him consuming a Red Gold Pill.

There was nothing to treat him for!

Even though he was bleeding all over…

How could this be…

Could the Innate-stage physical body really be this powerful?

Xu Xiaoshou spread his arms and stood up. Even though the surface of his body was still purple from being frozen, he'd recovered his mobility during this brief period of time.

"I already told you that I didn't need treatment, but you guys didn't believe me!"

Xu Xiaoshou pointed at Zhao Qingteng. "Go and save him quickly. Hiding Pain should have avoided his vital areas, so he won't die from this."

The four medical attendants were extremely hesitant. After being shocked by Xu Xiaoshou's Innate-stage physical body, they were clearly at a loss for what to do.

"I'll tell you the truth. That person didn't even deal any damage to me during our battle!

"Go and save him quickly!

At the same time, the medical personnel on the other side had completed their treatment, and all of them got excited.

"He's awake!"

"That's great… Oh?"

The crowd wasn't excited for long. Zhao Qingteng's expression suddenly darkened after he woke up, and he fainted once again.

"Got cursed. Passive Points 1."

The four medical personnel on the other side glared at Xu Xiaoshou, their eyes filled with murderous rage.

"Got attacked. Passive Points 4."

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

"Got admired. Passive Points 666."

"Got admired. Passive Points 888."

As expected, Xu Xiaoshou received several notifications in the notification panel the moment he stepped out of the barrier.

Xu Xiaoshou saw the crowd rise to applaud him, and he happily waved his hands in reply.

"Oh?"

He suddenly saw Elder Qiao and Zhou Tianshen. The both of them were giving him a thumbs-up, and they almost charged down to give him a warm hug.

"Got praised. Passive Points 2."

Fortunately, this was the third match, so the spectators weren't allowed to come down to the arena. Otherwise, there would've been a manly hug.

Xu Xiaoshou smiled at them in reply. However, he was filled with confusion on the inside.

He could understand why Elder Qiao would come and watch his match and encourage him. But why was Zhou Tianshen here?

Had he become a fan after their battle?

Xu Xiaoshou returned to the waiting area. Even though it was already late in the day, Xu Xiaoshou didn't immediately return to his manor.

After the arena was cleaned up, Xiao Qixiu no longer had to draw names, as there were only two contestants left in the battle for the top four.

Mo Mo!

An Innate-stage expert!

The person ranked first on the Windcloud Scoreboard!

In terms of ability, she was undoubtedly the strongest disciple in the Outer Yard!

Xu Xiaoshou had stayed behind, as he wanted to observe Junior Mo, who he had a high chance of facing in tomorrow's battle.

In the arena, Mo Mo was dressed in a green robe, and her skin was fairer than snow.

She had a small bronze furnace in her hands that was burning purple sandalwood. Mo Mo, being an Innate-stage fighter who had a pure, ethereal demeanor, completely eclipsed her opponent.

Xu Xiaoshou was looking forward to the match.

However, there was no excitement or thrills from the moment the match started. In just a few seconds, Mo Mo's opponent, who was at Level Ten, was sent flying out of the arena in two strokes.

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

That darned Innate-stage fighter!

He angrily turned around and left the waiting area.

The path forked in two in the forest. One led to Goose Lake while the other led to his manor.

The former represented mystery and the unknown, while the latter represented comfort and relaxation.

Xu Xiaoshou chose the latter without hesitation.

What a joke. He'd just spent a great deal of effort to resolve the ordeal involving the Infernal Fire Seed, so why would he go to Goose Lake? To eat another seed?

He wouldn't do it even if he wanted to die. It was too painful!

Xu Xiaoshou returned to his manor and lay down on his bed after taking a shower, and an indescribable sense of comfort washed over him.

Xu Xiaoshou took out a Spiritual Cultivation Pill and took a whiff.

"Sss~"

It was double the pleasure!

The upgraded Breathing Technique had been strengthened, and he inhaled the entire pill in one breath. Fortunately, he'd already been trying his best to resist the high.

Even so, he still slipped into a daze from the sudden rush. Then, a wave of spiritual strength coursed through his body, and the tides of his energy reserve rose.

His body trembled…

He had broken through…

Spiritual Cultivation Level Eight!

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded.

He'd spent a great deal of effort to suppress his cultivation level after he finished refining the Infernal Fire Seed yesterday. In the end, he'd stopped paying attention for a moment and achieved a breakthrough…

"Forget it. Let it be fast."

"Perhaps my speed is nothing in front of true geniuses," Xu Xiaoshou consoled himself and stopped caring about the situation. After all, he could consolidate his cultivation level even while sleeping.

He willed the notification panel to appear in his mind.

Passive Points: 18882.

"Hm, it's a little less than it was before."

Xu Xiaoshou was a little disappointed, even though he'd somewhat expected such a result.

Without the Infernal Fire Seed giving him a Passive Point every second, he'd only gained roughly 4000 to 5000 Passive Points from the thousand-man crowd during his match.

And that was even after getting hit by Zhao Qingteng's Formless Great Cold. Otherwise, he would've gotten 1000 to 2000 fewer Passive Points.

"The Infernal Fire Seed…"

Xu Xiaoshou started to miss that item. However, the fire seed was a time bomb that could go off at any moment, so it was best not to think about it…

However, perhaps he might be able to control it…

Xu Xiaoshou stroked his chin as he deliberated, then finally did away with that bold thought.

Rather than think about the Infernal Fire Seed, he might as well mull over what intentions that detestable old man had had when he got him to swallow the item.

Report chapter

Chapter 39: Strange Sword Technique

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Nighttime.

Stars dotted the sky.

Xu Xiaoshou had only slept until the middle of the night before waking up again.

He didn't wake up because he was nervous about the semi-finals tomorrow. Definitely not!

He grabbed his sword and stepped into the yard.

He silently stood in the yard. The wind was quiet amidst the cicadas and frogs, and Xu Xiaoshou was even quieter.

"Now is a good time to practice my sword techniques…"

Xu Xiaoshou thought back to the sword techniques that he'd learned over the last few days.

Sword Technique Expertise was completely unlike his other passive skills. It wasn't at all like Strengthen or Sharpness, which had directly granted him new abilities. Instead, Sword Technique Expertise gave him insight into other abilities.

Xu Xiaoshou had to consolidate these insights on his own.

He slowly closed his eyes.

At this moment, everything in the yard seemed to tremble slightly.

The fake mountain, the spiritual pool, the newly-built house…

He thought back to Zhao Qingteng's Formless Great Cold, which was the technique that had made the greatest impression on him during the entire tournament.

But not just because of how powerful or high-level the technique was.

It'd made a deep impression on him because it was the first time he'd seen someone separate their Sword Will from their body and imbued it into snowflakes.

This way of using Sword Will had widened his horizons.

Yes, he was secretly learning his opponent's technique now.

He was stealing Zhao Qingteng's Formless Great Cold.

Even though he couldn't conjure snow, would he be able to imbue his Sword Will into other natural objects since Zhao Qingteng could imbue his into the snow?

The wind blew past him, and Xu Xiaoshou seemed to become one with his surroundings. The pebbles on the ground started to tremble violently.

Patter!

Patter!

Xu Xiaoshou abruptly opened his eyes. The pebbles suddenly rose into the air as if they were floating snow, and his Sword Will soared.

"Hah!"

He slashed his sword forward. The scene of a crashing snowy mountain appeared in his mind, as though his attack had severed the environment!

Within his field of vision, the pebbles vibrated violently before crashing onto the ground.

"Hm…" he thought.

"That's all??"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened. Why was it so different from what he'd imagined?

"Huff!"

"Fortunately, no one saw that…" he thought.

"Otherwise, I would've embarrassed myself."

He calmed himself down slightly and realized that it wasn't easy to secretly learn from someone.

However, this kind of sword technique that could imbue natural objects with his Sword Will seemed to have a lot of potential.

"At its core, it's also a way to battle with Sword Will…"

Xu Xiaoshou lifted his sword and paced around, his thoughts running wild under the dark sky.

This kind of training method felt similar to the time when he'd mulled over how to battle without using spiritual techniques and fight purely using his Sword Will.

"Move according to your heart's desires? Move as one with the sword?"

An image appeared in his mind. Multiple opponents were falling as fallen leaves rose into the air. It was then replaced with the image of a strike of a sword gathering tens of thousands of swords back to the source.

What kind of imagery would he reach if he continued on this path?

Xu Xiaoshou was a little moved. He knew that he didn't have great talent. After three years, he'd only managed to learn one stroke from the White Cloud Sword Technique.

However, he'd gained a better understanding of the Sword Will following the appearance of the Sword Technique Expertise.

Since that was the case, couldn't he try walking down this path?

The mainstream method of a swordsman was to pair his Sword Will with spiritual techniques to unleash terrifying damage output.

However, what Xu Xiaoshou thought to do was to battle purely using his Sword Will.

This was a path that was destined to be different from the rest. He didn't know if he would ultimately stray from the correct path or forge his own style within the mainstream.

"Sigh!"

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head. The latter was too difficult. He should take it one step at a time!

"Let me first think about how I should approach the semi-final tomorrow…"

His Innate-stage physical body had been exposed to the world. Everyone knew about it. He would lose half the initiative if his opponent put distance between them.

Only Hiding Pain could turn the tide of the battle in his favor tomorrow…

Xu Xiaoshou had an odd look on his face. Why does the topic always return to my Sword Will no matter what I think about?

He fell into deep thought.

He'd managed to create many different patterns of Fleeting White Clouds after the technique was magnified by his Sword Will.

Sword Web Style, Modified Sword Style, Reverse Sword Style…

The former two felt natural. It was the natural application of his Sword Will. As for the Reverse Sword Style…

Xu Xiaoshou looked at Hiding Pain in his hand.

This style had been the result of a stroke of inspiration in the middle of a crisis during his battle with Zhao Qingteng. It was more about combining his Sword Will with the sword itself.

During that time, he felt that Hiding Pain had come alive!

"Sword Telepathy?"

That also seemed like a way of imbuing Sword Will into another object. However, Hiding Pain was closer to him, which was why it worked.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly had an idea: he could imbue Hiding Pain with his Sword Will and launch a counterattack. However, was that all he'd be able to do?

No!

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes flashed. If he could perfectly control Hiding Pain with his Sword Will, wouldn't he master the legendary Sword Soaring Technique?!

Even…

Flying on a sword?!

Flying was something only an Innate-stage fighter could do. He was only Spiritual Cultivation Level Eight. Wouldn't the crowd be extremely startled if he managed to fly on his sword?

"Let's try it out!"

Xu Xiaoshou recalled his battle in the afternoon and infused his Sword Will into the blade of Hiding Pain.

"Buzz…"

A long howl was heard, and Hiding Pain started to tremble slightly.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. The black sword in his hand didn't feel like an inanimate object. It seemed to have some form of spiritual intelligence.

"Great!" he thought.

"This means I've already developed a relationship with it."

Xu Xiaoshou tossed Hiding Pain and pointed upward with two fingers.

"Rise!"

He seemed to see a vision of the black sword soaring in the air, but the sword behaved like an ordinary sword and fell onto the ground after he threw it.

Clank, clank, clank!

Xu Xiaoshou's expression was dark as charcoal. The black sword constantly struggled on the ground, as if it'd been forcibly used by someone.

"That's not right," he thought. "It wasn't like this in the afternoon!"

"Could it be that I didn't throw it with enough force?"

Xu Xiaoshou picked up the sword and once again imbued it with his Sword Will. Then, he fiercely tossed the sword.

Whoosh!

Flames surrounded the body of the sword as it shot toward the horizon!

Xu Xiaoshou cheered. Sometime later, he sensed the excited Sword Will again and immediately summoned his sword back to him.

With a whoosh, a black dot appeared on the horizon, fiercely slashing toward Xu Xiaoshou.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. He wasn't encapsulated within an ice sculpture. Wouldn't he become a second Zhao Qingteng if he got hit by the sword?

Thinking about this, he quickly jumped, wanting to stand on the sword's blade and fly into the air.

In the end, Hiding Pain was too fast. It slipped past under his legs and instantly tripped him.

Boom!

Clang!

The two of them fell onto the ground at the same time, and the surroundings became dead silent.

"Darn it, I don't believe this!"

"Again!"

Xu Xiaoshou tried out the technique again. He was definitely going to master the legendary Sword Soaring Technique tonight!

In the end…

Boom!

Clang!

"We continue!"

Boom!

Clang!

Stubbornness is a kind of poison. The night sky troubled Xu Xiaoshou.

Sometime later, when Xu Xiaoshou threw the sword again, he finally realized that the black sword wasn't psychic.

The only time the sword became truly excited was when it flew to its limits and was called back by Xu Xiaoshou.

In other words, the "Reverse" in the Reverse Sword Style meant that the black sword was only truly psychic during the reversal process.

This made Xu Xiaoshou fall silent for a long while as he tried to understand what the difference between throwing the sword and having it return was.

But he couldn't figure out the reason.

"This darned Reverse Sword Style…"

"I should've called it the Sword Soaring Technique!"

Xu Xiaoshou decided to skip the throwing the sword step, and pointed the tip of the sword toward himself and imbued it with Sword Will.

"Buzz!"

The body of the sword immediately started to get excited, and Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt the life within the sword.

He turned the sword around and pointed it toward the sky.

"Buzz…"

The life force reduced to just a sliver.

He turned it again.

"Buzz!"

He turned it again.

"Buzz…"

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

"What kind of principle is this?" he thought. "It only has spiritual intelligence when it's aimed at me?

"I think you want to kill your master!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't believe this and continued turning the sword around.

"Buzz!"

"Buzz…"

"Buzz!"

"Buzz…"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened, and he angrily tossed Hiding Pain. "Darn it," he thought. "There's something wrong with this sword!"

Whoosh!

The black sword once again flew toward him.

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

Cursed others. Passive Points 0!

Report chapter

Chapter 40: Oh My, Did I See A Deity?

Noon the next day.

The Tiansang Spirit Palace ushered in its yearly hot event. The champion of the Windcloud Competition was going to be determined today.

Not only were the disciples and elders of the Outer Yard here to watch the match, but even a few Inner Yard disciples who had the time also came to have a look at the battles.

The crowd's emotions were so high they were about to explode.

The people who'd come early to reserve seats saw the influential figures of the spirit palace in front of them.

To the left were the elders of the Spiritual Affairs Division, Spiritual Medical Division, and Spiritual Military Division…

There were also a few unknown people who rarely showed themselves. They were elders who looked like elders but weren't really elders…

To the right were the people ranked in the top hundred, top ten, and top five of the Windcloud Scoreboard…

These were all people who had lorded over the arena with unparalleled authority since the very start. They were all now sitting in the spectator seats, obediently waiting for the competition to start.

A female disciple had come to reserve a seat last night. Currently, Zhao Qingteng was sitting to her left and Zhou Tianshen to her right.

She cupped her face and looked around her, then fainted from bliss.

The people around her were so envious that their eyes almost fell out of their sockets.

"Wow, she fainted. Send her for treatment quickly. I'll take care of her seat for her."

"My God, who are these people. Senior Du, Senior Ling… They're all ranked within the top ten of the Windcloud Scoreboard!"

"Quick, look! That's the Inner Yard's… Su Qianqian?"

"Where? Where?"

The exclamation immediately attracted everyone's attention. The Inner Yard's Su Qianqian was a legendary figure in the Tiansang Spirit Palace.

She was the most powerful genius of the Su family in the Tiansang Prefecture of this era. She broke through to the Innate Stage when she was thirteen, and when she was fourteen she acquired the Innate-stage Sword Will. She wielded one of the twenty-one most famous swords in the continent: the Epitaph of City Snow. She was the personal disciple of the Spiritual Law Division's Xiao Qixiu…

Any one of these titles would cause an average person to tremble, but someone with all of them was sitting right before their eyes!

Su Qianqian was dressed in white exercise gear, and her snow-colored giant sword was lying horizontally across her thighs. She was swinging her feet from side to side, unfazed by the crowd.

She looked around but ultimately pouted in disappointment, as she didn't find Brother Little Beast, who she wanted to see.

"How unfortunate we can't see the senior from the Inner Yard. I heard that she adores Su Qianqian and is always by her side."

"That's right, that's right. Senior Rao is my goddess. Not only does she have an otherworldly appearance and impressive figure, but her abilities are also the cream of the crop. It's a pity that we cannot witness her splendor. Sigh!"

"Oh, I think I've seen the person you're talking about. She came during the group stages…"

"You must be dreaming. How would Senior Rao have time to come walk around in the Outer Yard? You must have dreamt it!"

"I really saw her!"

"Tsk~"

The crowd huddled together to look at the scene before them, constantly pointing out famous people from the Inner Yard that they recognized and whispering to each other.

To them, this was a rare scene not regularly seen, even during the past year.

It was only because the Outer Yard had a lot of break-out talents this year, with four Innate-stage fighters and Xu Xiaoshou, that many of the people from the Inner Yard had come to watch the match.

"Oh God, it's Zhang Xinxiong! He's one of the Inner Yard Thirty-Three, a living boss!"

"Inner Yard Thirty-Three? Oh my, where, where?!"

The crowd hurriedly looked around. They looked in the speaker's direction and saw a man with an overbearing aura not far away.

Zhang Xinxiong looked 27 to 28 years old and had a full beard. He looked extremely masculine.

He was very tall. He was a head taller than the rest of the crowd, even though he was sitting.

He was dressed simply in a light-colored shirt with a jacket draped over his shoulders.

Even so, under the sunlight, everyone could still see the alarming outline of his muscles hiding underneath his shirt.

"My God, he's too handsome. He's a true man!"

"I'm in love, I'm in love!"

This famous person from the Inner Yard didn't sit in the front row. Instead, he sat near the middle of the spectator seats. Beside him was Liu Zhen, who had been severely injured by Xu Xiaoshou in the past.

Liu Zhen was also a burly man, but he looked like a tiny bird sitting beside Zhang Xinxiong.

"The person who killed Ah Chong, Xu Xiaoshou. Which one is him?" Zhang Xinxiong asked.

"Let me find him…" Liu Zhen respectfully replied. His gaze swept past several of the waiting areas before he finally shook his head. "I don't think he's come."

"Hah, he sure is calm. Is he going to arrive last…"

Zhang Xinxiong laughed lightly. There was no emotion in his voice, but the people around him felt that there was something strange here.

Ah Chong…

That wasn't a name someone in an ordinary relationship with Wen Chong would call him.

"I heard that Boss Wen knew someone from the Inner Yard. Could that person be Zhang Xinxiong?"

"I think so. If that's true, isn't Xu Xiaoshou in trouble? He killed Wen Chong!"

"My God, I seem to have seen Xu Xiaoshou's doomsday…"

A ripple spread through the crowd after just one sentence. Everyone lowered their voices and discussed the situation.

"You can't say it like that. Zhang Xinxiong is one of the Inner Yard Thirty-Three. Why would he attack a Spiritual Cultivation Level Eight fighter? Wouldn't that sully his status?"

"However, being marked isn't a good feeling!"

"You think too much. Even if Xu Xiaoshou managed to become the champion, he might not be able to enter the Inner Yard because of his cultivation level."

"Furthermore, he still has to fight Mu Zixi and Senior Mo. Just getting into the top three would be decent."

"But he has an Innate-stage physical body!"

"So what if he has an Innate-stage physical body? Is there a future in that? You've seen an Innate-stage physical body, but have you seen a Master-stage physical body?"

The crowd fell silent.

The level above the Innate Stage was the Master Stage. There was a sliver of hope for a Spiritual Cultivator to reach the level where they could open up sects and schools. As for the physical body…

It was too difficult!

Some might not have even heard of it, much less seen it!

In the panel of judges.

Xiao Qixiu gulped the contents of his cup down and flew into the arena, instantly attracting the crowd's attention.

"The time has arrived. The semi-finals will start now!"

He activated the array token with his spiritual source, and the screen flickered, then froze. Two names in stark red were printed across the middle of the screen.

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

"Mu Zixi!"

The crowd instantly erupted into exclamations.

The first match of the semi-finals was already a battle between fighters with Innate-stage abilities, which was something everyone was looking forward to.

One of them had broken through to the Innate Stage despite only being in the spirit palace for a year. Her potential was almost as high as Su Qianqian's.

The other had an Innate-stage physical body and had defeated Zhao Qingteng yesterday, which proved that he had the ability to stand up against Innate-stage fighters!

The doors of the waiting room were opened. Mu Zixi was dressed in pale green. She skipped toward the stage, as if she wasn't at all worried about the battle that was to come.

Every step she took oozed youthful vitality, and the crowd couldn't help but like her.

"She sure lives up to her reputation as Junior Mu. An Innate-stage fighter… is always so dependable!"

The crowd looked at the other side. That was Xu Xiaoshou's waiting area.

Thud!

The doors opened.

Two attendants steeled their nerves and walked out. They spread their arms open to signal that Xu Xiaoshou wasn't there.

The crowd was dumbfounded.

"Why is it those two people? Where's Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Oh, my God! Why did that guy disappear again!"

"Why is he always this tardy during important events. It's already the semi-finals. Can he not make us worry…"

"Hey you, where did Xu Xiaoshou go?"

The two attendants were dazed. "Don't ask us," they thought.

They'd arrived at the waiting area early to wait, but the candidate didn't show.

They sent people to look for him in his yard but only saw many sword marks on the ground and didn't manage to find him.

Just where did Xu Xiaoshou go?

Xiao Qixiu's expression darkened. He wanted to scream again.

Suddenly, the sword behind his back trembled. He abruptly turned around and looked at the horizon.

The crowd also noticed this, and all of them raised their heads.

They saw a sword glow coming from far away. It was as if a sword deity had descended upon this world. On the sword was a figure whose robes were swaying in the wind.

That clean, pure demeanor. That otherworldly form…

"Oh God, did I just see a deity?" they thought.

No…

Everyone looked more closely, and their eyes almost fell out of their skulls.

Oh my!

Xu Xiaoshou???

---

Read I Am Loaded with Passive Skills Chapter 41 - I'm About to Attack online for free - AllNovelFull

Chapter 41: I'm About to Attack

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

At that moment, anyone would agree that Xu Xiaoshou really looked like some deity who had descended to the mortal world and fall in love with him.

To start with, he had impeccable looks and sported a regal air. The way he was standing holding a sword behind his back at that moment made a lot of girls fall for him.

"Oh man, I'm done for. Xu Xiaoshou is so cute!"

"Go to h*ll! Xu Xiaoshou is mine!"

Some of the girls were falling head over heels for him, but there were even more who had questions about him.

"D*mn, he sure knows how to make an entrance. Why is someone at Spiritual Cultivation Level Eight wielding a sword anyway?"

"Yeah, indeed. Isn't flying an ability only available at the Innate Stage? Did Xu Xiaoshou really get to that stage in just a single night?"

"Impossible. Just look at his aura. That's an eight right there."

"Wait, why is this guy… flying so slow?"

One of them mentioned this and everyone else slowly recovered from the awe that Xu Xiaoshou had inspired in them. All of them had puzzled looks on their faces.

Being able to ride one's sword and fly was indeed splendid, yet the speed at which he was flying…

Gosh, I can walk faster than you can fly!

If it wasn't for the wind blowing so strong today, his clothes wouldn't even be billowing.

Xu Xiaoshou simply flew at such a leisurely speed with his back to everyone else, as if only by moving at such slow speeds could he fully display his current state of mind.

"Just wait for it…"

"Why does he have his back facing us?" someone else asked.

Everyone had initially thought that Xu Xiaoshou was simply making an entrance and putting on airs, but then they discovered that something was off.

Not only was the kid flying excruciatingly slow, but the whole time he was flying his butt was facing everyone else.

It was as if he couldn't fly without facing backwards.

Mu Zixi, who was in the ring, curiously looked up and blinked her eyes at his antics. She felt as if Xu Xiaoshou was there to jest.

"Won't you… get dizzy from flying backwards?"

Xu Xiaoshou, who was on his black sword, slowly turned his head around while casting "Hiding Pain," doing his best to smile as he waved at the crowd.

His neck felt sore, as if he hadn't slept right the night before.

Which was the reason why he was flying backwards and was flying so slow…

Deep down, Xu Xiaoshou was howling and shouting. He wanted to fly forward and zip about like a bolt of lightning.

But this stupid sword technique just wouldn't let him!

He had worked on it for one whole night and found that the stupid black sword was only sapient when the tip of the blade was facing him.

He didn't know the reason why he could no longer control the sword as soon as the tip was facing away from him. He tried hundreds of times before finally deciding to give up.

After that, he finally managed to stand on the black sword, wanting to just fly out of his place, when he shot right back into his room instead.

He was utterly baffled by how that particular Sword Soaring Technique worked backwards instead and had no choice but to turn around and fly with Hiding Pain activated.

It took him over two hours to fly out of his place all the way to Chuyun Peak.

Those two hours had taught him that there was yet another type of sickness brought about by disorientation.

Sword-sickness.

Bluurggghh.

He fought the urge to throw up and waved as though nothing had happened to the people around him.

While the process was nothing short of excruciating, the reward was indeed very, very lucrative.

Impressed, Passive Points 664.

Impressed, Passive Points 882.

Envied, Passive Points 441.

Envied, Passive Points 261.

That process of flying got him over 4000 Passive Points, and those points were taking those from his brothers and sisters in training whom he met along the way.

But of course, those were previous records.

What was shown on the Information Bar at the moment was…

Suspected, Passive Points 563.

Ridiculed, Passive Points 446.

Belittled, Passive Points 337.

Yeah, the points shot by over 2000 all of a sudden.

As for the details…

"Whatever, so long as I still keep earning Passive Points, I guess," he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou kept up his façade as best he could while ignoring the earlier half of what was showing on the lines in the Information Bar.

Below.

Xiao Qixiu was feeling rather dizzy watching Xu Xiaoshou and didn't know what to say about him.

He had almost shouted for the kid to get down as soon as he saw him in the first place.

Yet, when he took a closer look, he'd realized that the kid had only acquired bits of Sword Telepathy the day before and was surprised that the kid had actually learned how to use it in just a single night.

That's a genius right there!

He had only seen such a level of talent before in Su Qianqian.

The way the technique was put to use was nonetheless baffling…

But still, a Sword Soaring Technique used backwards was still a Sword Soaring Technique, no?

Yet, he also realized that Xu Xiaoshou wasn't getting off of the sword after flying for quite a while and had actually taken to waving at the crowd instead.

"Oh boy, you're not telling me that the kid doesn't even know that he's in the first match!" he thought.

Xiao Qixiu had finally had enough and shouted, "Xu Xiaoshou, you get down here and get on with the match already!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked below him and was startled. His sword wobbled.

"My gosh, I'm flying so d*mn high!" he thought.

"Coming, coming right up…"

The audience was having a good laugh. Fights aside, Xu Xiaoshou seemed to be able to bring joy to all around him every time he showed up.

"Oh my god, I thought that dude was so d*mn surreal flying on a sword! Yet, he's flying backwards instead. Hahahahaha."

"D*mn, you're not telling me that he doesn't even know how to tell his way around? Man, my stomach is hurting so bad now."

"Xu Xiaoshou, go for it! You're almost at the barrier, steady yourself!"

Encouraged, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou grinned, realizing that someone was actually cheering him on. He got excited and sped up at the barrier right away.

Crash!

Clang, clang!

That nightmarish noise that he'd heard over and over throughout the night was there yet again.

Due to having accelerated like that, he smacked right into the barrier all sprawled out. The black sword dropped to the ground after bashing against the barrier.

Ridiculed, Passive Points 224.

Ridiculed, Passive Points 446.

Ridiculed, Passive Points 654.

Xu Xiaoshou, "…".

Mu Zixi, who was down there, grabbed her pigtails as she looked up at the scene and almost burst out laughing.

She saw him slowly sliding down from the barrier from midair and shouted, "Windcloud Token!"

"How are you going to get inside without the token?"

"Hey, you hear me out there?…"

There was no doubt that he could hear her from inside the ring. Even if he couldn't hear her, there were still a lot of people in the audience shouting the exact same thing.

It was only then that he awkwardly fished the token out of the ring hanging around his neck and got inside the barrier.

He finally sighed in relief after seeing the lines of ridicule in the Information Bar stop appearing.

"I was really in over my head," he thought.

"I'd better make sure to master flying on a sword before ever doing this again."

Xiao Qixiu glared at Xu Xiaoshou, who gave him an apologetic look before turning around and saying to Mu Zixi, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Oh my, you're so hilarious!"

Complimented, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou, "…"

"Okay, you're telling me that you couldn't see that she was laughing at me?" he thought.

"Get ready!"

Xiao Qixiu raised his right hand. Everyone immediately stopped joking around and became serious.

This was the semi-finals after all. Despite the rather hilarious entrance, the match itself would nonetheless be spectacular and have many things that everyone could learn from.

The audience all became quiet.

"The match begins!"

Xu Xiaoshou immediately became serious, manipulating sword will at his fingers and blasting beams of the sword at Mu Zixi.

He charged at her right after blasting said beams.

Mu Zixi was totally unfazed by the incoming blasts. She flung her pigtails backward and grinned right away.

"Be careful, Xu Xiaoshou.

"I'm about to attack."

Chapter 42: Violent Girl

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xu Xiaoshou saw the girl's hands, which she'd been clenching, immediately extend right after she said this, and massive blasts of pitch-black particles came at him.

"What the hell?" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual energy inside burst right away, deflecting the pitch-black particles, and then he realized something.

"Seeds?" he thought. "There's actually someone weird enough to fight using seeds?"

He was puzzled and looked at the seeds spread all over the floor.

"Wait, hold on.

"Innate… wood elemental?"

He turned his attention to Mu Zixi again and seemed to once again recall that towering ancient tree that had shot a huge watermelon to the field.

"Seeds, ancient tree…"

Xu Xiaoshou's pupils contracted as he came to realize something.

"Precisely."

Mu Zixi seemed to know what he was thinking. She narrowed her eyes and grinned before clapping.

"Little trees, get him!"

Go go go!

Tens of ancient trees shot into the air in the blink of an eye and tried to blast him out of the barrier of the arena.

Pfft!

Blood sprayed in midair.

He felt his lower body shiver. The trees were so forceful they almost broke his spine and killed him on the spot.

"Damn, that was unexpected…" he thought.

He groaned in pain in midair. No one would have expected something like that to happen at the very start.

People usually fought using blades of some sort, yet that little girl used seeds instead.

"Innate-level trees. That impact… d*mn, that's terrifying!"

He managed to somehow get in control of his body while still in the air and scrambled to summon the black sword to get away riding the blade.

However, a thick vine unexpectedly shot into the air and wrapped around him before pulling him down hard.

"Sh*!" he cursed right then and there. That was a weakness of fighting up close: one could be caught in their opponent's combos right away.

Before he could even react, he felt his vision go black.

"What is going on?" he thought.

He was completely confused.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't realize what was happening due to being caught in the middle of the action, but the spectators well knew what was going on.

As soon as he was sent flying, a massive array beneath him immediately shifted, making space right in the center.

Then, a thick vine immediately emerged out of a tree and dragged him into that ancient tree's array.

"Everything is going as planned," Mu Zixi thought to herself. She clenched her fists, shaking hard.

A booming rumble was heard as the trunks crashed into each other and twisted into a single entity, leaving only the crown swaying elegantly about.

The arena was silent.

The spectators' eyes twitched as they seemed to clearly hear the sound of Xu Xiaoshou's bones snapping.

"Gosh, the girl is really going overboard."

"Oh heavens, she smiles like an angel, but she sure as h*ll doesn't fight with the mercy of one…"

"Tsk, tsk, I never knew you were like this, Sister Mu… umm, no, Demon Mu!"

The ancient trees were crushed and twisted into a single entity, forming a single super tree formed from over a dozen trees mashed together. Everyone felt that Xu Xiaoshou was doomed and had become sustenance for the tree.

"Hehehe."

Mu Zixi seemed to smile even brighter. She found the tree of incredible thickness very cute.

She then turned around and ran, coming to the edge of the barrier.

"What is she doing?" everyone present thought, puzzled. Even Xiao Qixiu's pupils contracted. He sensed that something terrible was about to happen.

"Heh!"

The girl continued flashing that beaming smile of hers as she clapped her hands. Then she shouted in a cute voice, "Explode!"

The arena was silent for a moment.

Booooom!

A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky.

The tree exploded, immediately leaving a crater behind in the arena. The explosion was so massive that it even sent Xiao Qixiu, who was caught off guard, flying from the shockwave.

He quickly defended his body with spiritual source and steadied himself as he hovered midair.

Hsssss.

Everyone turned to look at the arena again. The middle-aged man and the audience gasped when they saw what had happened.

The tree that had wrapped around Xu Xiaoshou had been reduced to dust after the explosion, shooting everywhere.

However, the dust had quickly taken root after landing, coalescing into massive amounts of seeds before sprouting.

"Oh man… she really is trying hard to kill whoever she's fighting."

"My gosh, does she need to be that violent? Even if Xu Xiaoshou survives this, will he be able to take the next attack?"

Mu Zixi, who had just finished her explosive art in the ring, frowned slightly.

Knowing that her regular attacks wouldn't be able to defeat someone with an Innate-level physique, she'd really brought her best to the fight.

She'd taken it to such a degree that she'd even feared for her own safety when bringing about that last explosion.

Yet she was still able to sense through the seed that she'd secretly planted into him that the man was still alive.

"He's not dead?" she thought.

"Is this Xu Xiaoshou a cockroach or something?"

She was secretly frustrated, as she was able to sense through that very seed she'd planted that the lifeforce in Xu Xiaoshou's body was still brimming.

"Hmm, maybe I could try that trick next."

The mushroom cloud finally dissipated altogether, and it was thanks to her not daring to get close for the time being that he was actually able to recover for quite a bit through Eternal Vitality.

But still, he was all covered in blood and many of his bones were broken.

That explosion was definitely more effective than what Liu Zhen had done back then. It was fortunate that the explosion hadn't taken place from the inside out, as he wouldn't have been able to even stand after that.

"That innate something is really something…"

First there was Zhao Qingteng's icy sword, and now there was Mu Zixi's ancient trees. Xu Xiaoshou really envied such innate elemental powers, as they were just too powerful.

He thought that if he had such powers, he wouldn't have been restricted to fighting up close and personal.

There were only so many ranged attacks one could do, so he refrained from charging at her right away, choosing to stand his ground instead.

Both of them were at a stalemate, and the audience was getting impatient.

"Is that Xu Xiaoshou really an idiot or something? Why isn't he attacking? Is he like waiting for the trees to sprout again?"

On the surface, both indeed looked like they had stopped moving altogether, yet the seeds spread by that explosion had all landed, covering the entire ring.

One could even say that Mu Zixi had all the advantage of terrain she needed at that moment.

Barrier of the Wood Element.

"Eat this, Xu Xiaoshou!"

Mu Zixi was in no mood to wait for long. She clapped her hands again, and the seeds cracked, sending trees shooting upwards.

Go go go!

Ancient trees shot out from the ground in all directions. It was no longer just a dozen or so trees in the ring. One could easily tell with one glance that there were over one hundred trees in the arena.

Worse still, that number was still growing.

The audience didn't dare to look at what was about to happen next. If another explosion happened, Xu Xiaoshou would definitely lose his limbs, even with an Innate-level physique.

He might even lose his head from the explosion.

"Huh?"

"What's that?"

"Xu Xiaoshou took out a scabbard?"

Everyone turned to look at him, feeling curious.

As the trees kept shooting up to the sky, Xu Xiaoshou moved as if he had eyes all over his body. His body flashed as he zipped in and out between the trees, moving as if he were a monkey.

He actually took out a scabbard after landing on a narrow spot on the ground that wasn't covered in seeds.

"Be careful," he said. The girl gave this warning to him each time she attacked him, so he now saw it fit to return the favor.

As soon as he finished saying this, all the seeds on the ground and the trees which had taken form all began to tremble as if they were running out of control.

He closed his eyes, and right then and there he felt as if he'd returned to the day before.

The garden is vast, and where shall the sword will go?

Mu Zixi opened her eyes wide. She was puzzled as to why she was unable to tell where all the sword will around her was coming from.

"From Xu Xiaoshou's sword?" she thought.

"Or the seeds on the ground?

"Or…

"Me?"

Mu Zixi sensed how ridiculous her thoughts had become, yet she was actually able to sense the sword will rising from above her head.

"Am I actually Xu Xiaoshou's sword?"

The girl shook her head, flapping her pigtails about as she dispelled that ridiculous thought from her mind.

Report chapter

Chapter 43: Xu Xiaoshou Bloomed

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In midair.

Xiao Qixiu was thoroughly shocked. He'd thought the kid's "Sword Soaring Technique in Reverse" was already the greatest out of what Xu Xiaoshou had acquired, not realizing that said technique was but the beginning.

"Who was it who taught him 'All Things are Swords'?" he thought.

"Who in Tiansang Spirit Palace is more capable with a sword than me?

"Furthermore…

"I understand how 'All Things are Swords' is at work now, but how is it possible that even Mu Zixi is emanating sword will? Just what the hell is happening right now?

"Do you even realize that she's human, kid?"

From Xu Xiaoshou's perspective, anything and anyone could indeed be a vessel for "All Things are Swords," but then again, he was still only half-way through his research.

Using his Spiritual Energy, he expelled the seed Mu Zixi had secretly planted in him, causing a startled expression to appear on her face, as she knew that her cover was blown.

Things around them continued to rumble. While Xu Xiaoshou was in a serene state, he was nonetheless all wrapped up by the trees.

While everyone was still anxiously waiting, he silently sheathed Hiding Pain in its scabbard.

And all the sword will around them dissipated all at once.

He seemed to have given up resisting and was letting the trees grow into a forest.

The audience was baffled.

"What the hell? That's it?"

"I thought he was prepping for some ultimate move, yet there wasn't even a single fart in the end."

"He gave up just like that? Well, good for him, I guess. Sister Mu may just go easy…"

Mu Zixi go easy?

What kind of a joke was that?

The girl saw Xu Xiaoshou sheath his sword and knew right away that something was off, yet she was unable to place what exactly was wrong. As such, she simply took the initiative to strike first.

"Here I come!"

She clapped her hands again, and over one hundred trees throughout the entire ring immediately rushed at Xu Xiaoshou.

Some in the audience had already closed their eyes, not wanting to see Xu Xiaoshou be reduced to mush.

Xu Xiaoshou was actually still utterly unfazed in the face of the howling, towering trees rushing at him.

He simply waited with his aura being still. He unsheathed his sword an inch before returning it to its sheath.

"What is he doing here?"

"Did he unsheathe his blade?"

"Did he just put his blade back?"

Despite being surrounded by the trees, there were still some who were able to see his movements through whatever gaps were left between the trees, and they were all very curious.

The very next second, all of the trees stopped moving, and a rumbling sound was heard. Mu Zixi was sent flying by a tree shooting up from beneath her.

Everyone was puzzled. What just happened?

Did Mu Zixi just go crazy all of a sudden?

Was that a misfire?

In the front row of the audience, Su Qianqian leaned forward and craned her neck, her eyes filled with wonder.

Others might not have seen what happened, but she, as someone with innate sword will, had clearly sensed it all.

The moment Xu Xiaoshou unsheathed his sword an inch, the blade immediately cut several falling leaves in half.

That was some utterly terrifying swordplay at work.

First, the All Things are Swords, then his will being given form, before all that ambient sword will returned to the scabbard.

He had unleashed a terrifying circular cutting power the instant he unsheathed his sword an inch.

As expected, the roots of all the trees that had suddenly been stopped in their tracks were cut down. After remaining in place for a brief moment, the remains of the trees nonetheless came crashing into each other above him due to inertia.

Boom!

Yet another massive mushroom cloud was seen.

Despite the one hundred trees all over the place at that moment, the mushroom cloud formed at that moment was an order of magnitude below the one before.

Hsssss.

It was only then that the audience realized that Xu Xiaoshou had actually cut down every single one of those trees with just one inch of his sword unsheathed.

"Oh heavens, this…"

"What a frightening rate of progress we're seeing in Xu Xiaoshou here. That move was just awesome!"

"Wuwuwu, that move alone was enough to make me fall in love with him."

Leaves fell all over the ring in shredded pieces.

Xu Xiaoshou unsheathed his sword and stood at the then pockmarked ring. The air of awesomeness that he was basking in was enough to daze anyone within sight.

But, despite having turned the tables in his favor in such a splendid fashion, he was frowning.

He'd performed that move with flying colors and was very satisfied with his own performance. He saw no reason why Mu Zixi would discover all that sword will he'd hidden so well.

Yet, just to evade that move, she opted to shot herself out of range with a tree instead…

Why?

Mu Zixi, who was hovering in midair at the moment, was still reeling from the shock, her heart continuing to race.

She wondered if she would've been decapitated if it hadn't been for that seed she'd secretly planted in Xu Xiaoshou.

"D*mn you, Xu Xiaoshou. You dared pull something like that…"

"Alright, my turn for something big next."

She threw a seed into the air above her. It burst in midair and immediately propelled her forward, sending her flying at Xu Xiaoshou.

The corners of Zhao Qingteng's mouth twitched. This girl was really bold. Was him getting his chest pierced not enough of a lesson for her?

Everyone was puzzled by what was happening. Another one who dared to close in on Xu Xiaoshou?

To them, such a move was nothing less than a death wish.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes glittered. Close combat, eh? Perfect.

The ground beneath him crumbled as he launched a punch at her, but the other party's counterattack baffled him.

Mu Zixi was actually clenching her fist and throwing a punch at him as well.

"What's wrong with the brat?" he thought.

"Is she getting high from the fight or something?"

However, there was no mercy to be had in the match.

Despite the possibility of rendering her arm totally useless if his punch connected, he nonetheless put all of his might behind the attack, seeing no need to go easy at all.

Poof, poof, poof.

The expected sound of bones cracking wasn't heard. Just when the punches were about to connect, the girl's punch dissolved into a mass of vines that coiled all over Xu Xiaoshou's body.

Forearms, shoulders, then everywhere else…

All of her body dissolved into vines and wrapped all around him.

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he'd punched cotton. It dissipated the force of his impact and sent him hurtling into the mass of vines instead.

"Hehe, over here."

He heard the voice of the little girl behind him, and he turned around in fright, finding to his surprise that the mass of vines coiled all around him had materialized into a human shape behind him.

"Mu Zixi!" he thought.

"Is she a snake?

"How did she manage to get behind me?"

"Get lost!"

Xu Xiaoshou used all his power to try and push her away, but to no avail.

Hmmphh.

He then felt a sharp pain in his kidneys. He glanced below and saw that her legs had turned into thorns and were stabbing into his midsection.

"Sh*! Don't do anyth… arrghh!"

It was when he wanted to pull the thorns away that he found his shoulder joints had been pierced by roots, robbing him of any control he had over his arms and making them lay completely still.

"You parasite! Get off me!" Xu Xiaoshou panicked. He found this wretched way of combat utterly disgusting.

The only part of his body he could still move at the moment was his head, so he turned around and bit, but he missed the mark altogether.

"You dare say that I'm a parasite, huh?"

Mu Zixi was angered. She then pouted and said, "Bloom, then."

Poof!

A red flower emerged from Xu Xiaoshou's head and swayed about, looking alluring.

"Hahaha!"

"Xu Xiaoshou bloomed!"

"Oh heavens, why is this so funny? Isn't this a battle? Can't you two be a little more serious?"

The audience erupted into laughter. Su Qianqian, who had been worried sick before the battle, had to cover her mouth to contain her laughter.

While everyone else was having a good laugh, Xu Xiaoshou was panicking, as his entire body had been paralyzed.

He was completely dumbfounded.

"When did another seed get into my body?" he thought. "And why wasn't I able to detect it?

"Stealth at its finest indeed!"

It was bad enough that he had a flower blooming above his head. Worse still, that flower was continuously injecting paralytic toxins into his body, preventing him from moving at all.

By this point, he was basically meat on a cutting board.

He was confident that he had never underestimated his opponent. He'd even put that Blade-draw Technique he had developed the night before to good use. Yet, even still, his opponent had rendered him completely immobile all the same.

"Gosh, the girl is really d*mn frightening," he thought.

Chapter 44: Passive Victory

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The fight was a deadlock.

Xu Xiaoshou, who had a flower coming out of his head, stood on the ground, not moving at all.

Mu Zixi, who was right behind him, had her legs stabbed into his midsection while her hands pierced through his shoulders. Her head with the pigtails was the only part of her body she could move.

Under the crowd's stunned gaze, she took a whiff of Xu Xiashou's aura.

Ohhhh.

"That's the taste I've been looking for!" she moaned, looking as if she were high.

That burst of vibrant life force that had been around since the start was very enticing to her, and she'd finally gotten her hands on him after doing all she could.

Who could resist it? Literally no one.

"Yum, here I go!"

Sh*!

Xu Xiaoshou felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard that. Despite being unable to see what was happening, he could nonetheless imagine what was going on.

Noooooo.

Chomp!

Mu Zixi bared her shinny canines and bit hard into the artery in his neck.

The spectators were all stunned and gasped at what she was doing.

"H*ll, is it alright to do that?"

"Isn't the referee going to do something about it?"

Xiao Qixiu didn't want to think about what was about to happen, but Xu Xiaoshou shot him a look.

"What does that mean?" he thought.

"Is he telling me to leave him be?

"Or is he telling me to save him?

"Whatever. Mu Zixi should know what she's doing, and that kid, he needs a lesson anyway."

He saw the satisfied look on the girl's face and was able to sense the spike in her lifeforce in a short period of them.

Tsk, tsk.

Xiao Qixiu had had enough of it and decided to save Xu Xiaoshou.

But he was stunned when he saw the look on Xu Xiaoshou's face.

Xu Xiaoshou.

"Why does he look like he's enjoying this too, eh?" he thought.

He had indeed panicked in the beginning, as anyone would've at a vampire stabbing them in their kidneys. But he had quickly calmed himself down, realizing that Mu Zixi was actually sucking more on his lifeforce than his blood.

If he hadn't already been paralyzed, the high almost would have had him moaning too.

But if there was one thing that he had more of than anyone else, it was lifeforce.

Eternal Vitality at the innate level meant that his lifeforce was practically inexhaustible. Lifeforce would burst from within as soon as he was injured—an effect deemed more insane than taking drugs.

As such, he watched how his lifeforce was sapped one second and then completely refilled the next.

If it wasn't for the fact that such energies couldn't leak out of the body, he would probably have even more left than what he had.

It was then that she noticed that something was off and wondered why the lifeforce in this guy just kept flowing without end.

If he were an average being, he would've already been rendered a dried corpse.

Yet, to tell her to stop at such a moment…

That would be asking for the impossible.

Her face was all red, as if she were drunk, and she was sucking on the lifeforce as hard as she could with a look that suggested that she was completely hooked.

There was just no stopping it.

It was worth noting that such a raging, vibrant lifeforce was utterly irresistible to Mu Zixi, who was of the wood element.

Some among the audience noticed that something wasn't right and wondered if something terrible would happen if she just kept sucking like that.

"What the hell is Sister Mu sucking at? Is it really just lifeforce? Is it possible for someone to have that much lifeforce?"

Some in the audience were frightened and wondered if Xu Xiaoshou would immediately be reduced to ash when Mu Zixi finally stopped.

"Wait, no. Take a look at his face. That kid's lifeforce seems practically limitless…"

"But well, how is this possible? Can someone with an Innate-level physique really be that powerful? Gosh, what a monster!"

"Hufff… I don't know. I guess you could get an Innate-level body and find out for yourself…"

Someone then pointed at the ring and yelled, "Look! Xu Xiaoshou's moving!"

Xu Xiaoshou had indeed regained some level of mobility.

As time passed, he could sense that the girl behind him had evidently gotten drunk, because that "flower of paralysis" on his head wasn't working so well anymore.

Xu Xiaoshou kept quiet and did his best to wrestle control of his body back.

It didn't take long for him to begin moving his head slightly.

"Calm down," he thought. "Think. I can't let her find out."

Xu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes, and a smirk appeared on his face.

The Glow of Sharpness coalesced on his hair, which ended up enabling him to cut that red flower down after vibrating his head for a tiny bit.

"D*mn, why is the flower gone already?"

The spectators, who were far away, were obviously unable to see it, as even Xiao Qixiu, who was airborne at the moment, was unable to see the exact moment the flower dropped.

Yet everyone was able to see that Mu Zixi was finished.

It was obvious that the girl had gotten addicted. Her eyes were narrowed to slits as she sucked away, her teeth still sunken into his neck.

Xu Xiaoshou had managed to wrestle basic control of his body back, yet his shoulders and kidneys were still pinned, so he didn't dare to do anything rash just yet.

The Glow of Sharpness was put to work again as he sent it to those four parts and then shook.

Swoop.

All four thick vines that were lodged inside his body were immediately cut down.

He quickly twisted around, grabbing at Mu Zixi's neck, and had her controlled from behind.

"Uhh, let me go. I wanna suck more!"

She looked dazed—a testament that her will had been all but washed away by that raging lifeforce. She flailed about, grabbing his hand, and was about to bite again.

He grabbed at her chin with his left hand right away and tilted her head high.

"Mmm, wet me woo…"

"Suu…"

"Gooo…" Mu Zixi mumbled in a dreamy state.

Requested, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou, "…"

'What do you mean 'requested?'" he thought. "She's been sucking my blood this whole time!"

He then looked up at Xiao Qixiu, trying to ask what was going on with her.

The look on Xiao Qixiu's face was just as puzzled as his. "Shouldn't Mu Zixi be attacking now?" he thought. "How come the tables got turned all of a sudden just like that?

The one sucking was dazed while the one being sucked on was puzzled.

Does Xu Xiaoshou have some kind of poison in him?

This was the first time he'd seen someone's passive ability bagging said someone a win.

He then waved his hand and said, "The battle is o…"

Mu Zixi came to her senses all of a sudden and shouted, "Hold on!" Then she shook her head slightly.

"What's happening?" she thought. "Why am I the one being pinned by Xu Xiaoshou instead? What just happened?"

The girl looked like someone who'd just gotten sober, and she turned to look at Xu Xiaoshou with a puzzled look on her face.

"Let me go!"

Xu Xiaoshou stared at her and thought for several seconds before covering her mouth all of a sudden.

"No way."

"Mmmmm!"

"Hehehe."

"Mmmmm!"

"You wanna talk?"

Chomp. Mu Zixi bit him again.

Sh, oww! He then yanked her hair upward and yelled, "Are you a dog or something?"

He hoisted her up and charged to the edge of the ring.

"What are you doing?"

The only thing in her eyes by this time was panic, and countless vines shot out of her body all of a sudden.

Xu Xiaoshou smirked. "You kidding me?" he thought. "You're mine now. Or do you think this Innate-level physique of mine is just for show?"

He then strangled her with his right hand.

Cough, cough.

Mu Zixi was immediately choked by her own spit, causing the vines to break off.

"Weettt meee…"

Boom!

He then threw the biting girl over the ring without a second thought, then walked away with great strides.

Then he wiped the drool off of his neck and smelled it, his face twisting into a grimace.

"Gosh, that stinks!"

Mu Zixi glared at him with teary eyes and almost climbed into the ring.

Cursed, Passive Points 1, 1,1,1,1,1…

Xiao Qixiu waved his hand, a rather tired look on his face.

"The battle is over. The winner is Xu Xiaoshou."

Report chapter

Chapter 45: He's Hopeless

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Wait, he won? Just like that?"

The audience was utterly confused, and even some of the fighters from the Inner Yard were puzzled by what they saw.

It was probably the most puzzling win in the history of the Outer Yard fights.

The one who'd lost was just as puzzled as the one who'd won.

"The first half of the fight was splendid, so why did things take a weird turn in the second half?"

"You done asking? It's Xu Xiaoshou, that's why. An outcome like that is actually pretty normal as far as Xu Xiaoshou's concerned…"

"Hahaha, I've watched all of the matches with him in it, and boy, the match isn't Xu Xiaoshou's if the outcome isn't anything less than weird."

"Yeah, but this is the semi-finals…"

Some still found the outcome totally unbelievable and were wondering why the semi-finals, which had been nothing short of utterly intense the past years, had ended so messily today.

Doubted, Passive Points 664.

Doubted, Passive Points 121.

No one knew what to think about the match.

Spectators aside, even Xu Xiaoshou himself was baffled by the whole deal.

He actually had to attribute his victory to that bite from Mu Zixi. Otherwise, who was to say what the final outcome would've been.

If it hadn't been for that greedy bite from her, causing her to be paralyzed long enough for him to throw her off of the ring, he might've been the one to bite the dust.

But then again, like it or not, that was reality.

He straightened up, then gestured at the crowd as he walked, feeling very pleased with himself as he checked on the Passive Points he earned from all the doubt cast on him.

Very nice.

The barrier shut out information from the outside once he walked into the waiting area, yet lines kept popping up all the same.

Doubted, Passive Points 2.

Doubted, Passive Points 2.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the two staff, who were standing frozen in place, and flashed an awkward grin.

Walking forward with a win, leaving the question marks behind in the dust…

The man who'd gotten into the finals thanks to his passive skills got into his changing area, where he washed himself and his clothes of all that dirt and bloodstains before returning to the chair to meditate.

Xu Xiaoshou took out a piece of Spirit Crystal and sniffed it, thinking back on the fight.

He had to admit that Mu Zixi was indeed powerful.

This was a girl who'd opened his eyes to other avenues of combat. He was thoroughly impressed by different ways combat could take place at Innate levels.

"Zhao Qingteng, Mu Zixi…"

"Well, I guess Zhou Tianshen could count," he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou started looking forward the growth he would experience after getting to the Innate Stage.

In his mind, he imagined that he probably would no longer be limited by those passive skills and could truly shine and beat countless others out there.

"But then again," he thought, "I'm probably limited because I wasn't able to collect more useful passive skills because I didn't have enough time."

His eyes narrowed as he figured that it'd been too short of a time since he acquired the Passive Skill System.

Despite having earned Passive Points in a frenzy the whole time, he hadn't been able to get more than six Passive Skills, which had barely managed to get him to the finals. That had definitely been hard work.

His level and number of skills could possibly get higher if he were to be given more time, so much so that he'd be okay with not gaining any Innate Elemental Powers.

Xu Xiaoshou nodded furiously. "Yeah, that makes sense."

The two staff members stuck close to the corner of a wall and whispered among themselves, "There he goes again…"

Xu Xiaoshou was exasperated by the two's antics.

"You guys really have no idea that I've gained Sense eh?" he thought.

"Hmph."

He turned around and took out a Spiritual Cultivation Pill, took a deep whiff, and rapidly recovered.

The best plan he had at the moment was actually to head out and watch Mo Mo fight, but his injuries from fighting Mu Zixi were rather grievous.

While Eternal Vitality alone was capable of healing his injuries, it would still take time. As such, he simply closed his eyes, shutting the outside world out, and devoted his energies to recovery.

A staff member came over and woke him up a while later.

"The match is on?"

"Not yet."

The staff member then handed him a letter. "This is from Elder Qiao."

His eyebrows twitched. What was so important that it needed to be delivered in a letter?

"Well, makes sense, I guess," he thought. "Elder Qiao's probably watching the battle now and couldn't come here personally, so he had to send a letter. It probably only got to me because an elder delivered it."

He then tore the envelope open. There were only two words on it:

Sealing Technique.

Woff.

Spiritual Energies burst and burned the letter, and he lapsed into deep thought.

"What does 'Sealing Technique' mean?" he wondered.

"Does this have anything to do with my fight with Mo Mo in the finals?"

"The only thing that would have anything to do with this are the upcoming finals, and there's no doubt that my next opponent will be Mo Mo."

"Come to think of it, I don't think anyone has seen what that Outer Yard big sister can actually do…"

"She threw everyone she fought out of the ring with just several strikes. Does that have something to do with 'Sealing Technique' here?"

"Is that some kind of Innate Elemental Power as well?"

"How does this sealing thing work by the way? Sealing one's Spiritual Energy?"

That letter had apparently brought him more questions than answers, so he simply stopped thinking about it altogether.

If it was something that worked by sealing Spiritual Energy, then the technique would technically not be of any use against him.

He'd hardly ever used Spiritual Energy in all of his fights so far, with the exception of the four moves of the Fleeting White Clouds.

Even if he were to be short on Spiritual Energy, he could easily take out a Spiritual Cultivation Pill and bring the fight to a standstill for half a second, which would give him enough time to recover. So he saw no need for concern.

"Call me when the final match is on," he said to the staff member, and closed his eyes again to work on his sword will.

The staff member agreed to it and sat down to have tea again.

However, before the staff member could pick up the cup, it started shaking, and sword will rose all of a sudden, causing the tea inside to spill.

The two staff members looked at each other, speechless.

Cursed, Passive Points 2.

The corners of Xu Xiaoshou's mouth lifted upward slightly as he closed his eyes to train, causing the cup to shake even harder.

Cursed, Passive Points 2, 2, 2, 2

Whack!

At the edge of the ring, Mo Mo launched a palm attack and sent her stout opponent flying out of the ring. Xiao Qixiu's voice was then heard.

The audience was in awe. Everyone had suprised looks on their faces, yet, at the same time, they found the outcome reasonable.

"Yet another show of slapping her opponent out of the ring with her left hand alone. Gosh, Sister Mo really… is just too powerful."

"Yeah, even in the semifinals no one was able to corner her well enough to make her use her right hand that's cradling that bronze cauldron. That is really something indeed."

"By the way, what's in that pot anyway? I've never seen her use it for anything."

"No idea. Probably just something to keep her right hand from doing anything else, just to give her opponents hope…"

"Hmm… she's indeed powerful. I wonder if Xu Xiaoshou will be able to force her to use both of her hands…"

Mo Mo stood in the ring with her white garb billowing.

Strictly-speaking, she had features so plain that she looked nothing more than ordinairy.

Yet, due to all of those achievements of hers, no one could afford to ignore her.

Zhang Xinxiong had a funny look on his face as he tilted his head and said, "This Mo Mo girl is formidable. If I were at the same early stage of Innate Origin Court Level as her, I probably wouldn't even be able to beat her."

He then paused and added, "Drawing the fight out, that is."

Liu Zhen was surprised.

He spoke so highly of some girl who was so plain-looking, yet during the fight between Xu Xiaoshou and Mu Xizi, he hadn't said a word.

"So, you're saying that if we were to fight Sister Mo, we'd have to end it quickly?"

Zhang Xinxiong nodded and answered, "Definitely. Every attack of hers comes with some special effect capable of decreasing her opponent's powers. It's a rather strange ability. I'm not quite sure what it is."

"Some Innate Elemental Power that she possesses, I guess?"

"Perhaps…"

Liu Zhen was rendered silent, wondering what kind of a special ability it could be.

The most awakened powers among the fighters at Innate Stage was the power of the five elements. The more extraordinary such elements turned out to be, the more difficult said opponent would be.

But then again, the prerequisite was that the possessor of such powers was familiar with their uses. Otherwise, it'd simply be better to pray that one would acquire one of the mainstream five instead.

Mo Mo was one such genius out of the ordinary. That eerie ability of hers to reduce her opponent's powers, coupled with her agile moves, enabled her to reign supreme as soon as the fight was drawn out.

Liu Zhen recalled the battle in the breakout match with Xu Xiaoshou and said, "Brother Xiong, what do you think of the upcoming final match?"

"Innate Level Physique eh…"

Zhang Xinxiong shook his head as he recalled the hilarious figure of Xu Xiaoshou riding on his sword backwards, and giggled.

He was unable to fathom just how someone like that had been able to make it to the final fight.

He wondered if that kid was probably one of those so-called "lucky ones."

He shook his head slowly and said, "Xu Xiaoshou… he's hopeless."

Report chapter

Chapter 46: The Terrifying Right Hand

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

In the first round, he'd had to fight multiple opponents. During the preliminary round, he'd had to take down both Liu Zhen, a Level 10 cultivator, and Wen Chong, who ranked seventh on the Windcloud Board. Then, in the advancement round, he'd been pitted against Zhou Tianshen, who was but a step away from breaking through to the Innate Stage, and Zhao Qingteng, who had reached the Innate Stage…

Even more, it'd turned out that Zhou Tianshen had an Acquired-stage Blade Will, and Zhao Qingteng, an Acquired-stage Sword Will!

In the mid-finals, he'd had to face off with the "parasite" and "vampire" Mu Zixi…

In fighting his way through the Windcloud Competition, he'd had to overcome arduous obstacles and take down powerful foes. The hardships he'd endured had been immense, and the labors he'd suffered arduous.

Xu Xiaoshou was convinced that he was the most unfortunate man in this world.

"Look at Mo Mo," he thought. "She only needed one hand to fight all her matches."

"What a heart-breaking, despairing juxtaposition…"

Feeling a sudden coolness on his cheek, Xu Xiaoshou slowly woke up and saw a helpful attendant cleaning his face for him. He was moved by the gesture.

"Is it time for the finals?"

"Yes," the attendant briefly replied, flinging the rag back into his basin. His eyes followed Xu Xiaoshou as the latter strode into the distance.

"How laid-back must a person be to catch a nap right before the finals?" he thought.

"Impressed, Passive Points 1."

Suddenly, Xu Xiaoshou whirled around and gave the attendant a fright. The latter shoved his basin behind his back and hid the rag from Xu Xiaoshou's view.

"What's up?"

"What do you want?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked bemused. He summoned Hiding Pain and then, with his back toward the door, leaped into the air.

The black sword slowly glided through the air. Atop the blade stood a man who looked every bit the young and dashing gentleman.

The attendant stared in silence.

"Cursed, Passive Points 1."

"Why does the young man have to turn away from his sword before jumping onto it?" he thought. "Couldn't he have gotten onto it the normal way?

"Doesn't he know he might give someone the wrong idea by looking at them like that?"

Xu Xiaoshou was incredulous. Had he just been cursed for no reason at all?

He had a niggling feeling that there was something wrong with the two attendants in his waiting area. It was all right though. After this round, he probably wouldn't ever see them again.

He waved goodbye to the two losers who had only managed to grant him two Passive Points.

"Ridiculed, Passive Points 449."

"Suspected, Passive Points 224."

"Impressed, Passive Points 3."

Xu Xiaoshou cheered up as soon as he stepped out of the waiting area. With the Windcloud Token in one hand, he vigorously turned his head from side to side, displaying his sincerest smile to all.

Where the crowds were, there lay his battleground.

Look at those Passive… …

Hmm?

How come only three people were impressed with him?

These mere mortals who couldn't even fly—what gave them the right to ridicule him?

At the thought, Xu Xiaoshou's black sword rose further into the heavens, as if complying with his desire to put a greater distance between himself and those mere mortals.

"Ridiculed, Passive Points 541."

"Ridiculed, Passive Points 623."

Hmm?

This was an unexpected boon.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes shone with glee as he rose further into the heavens.

"Ridiculed, Passive Points 777."

That was incredible…

One more time!

"Ridiculed, Passive Points 864."

Not bad. Not bad at all!

Keep this up…

"Ouch!"

Suddenly, he felt something bump against the top of his head…

They were in the skies. Had he just gotten himself into an aviation accident?

Xu Xiaoshou looked up.

The look on Xiao Qixiu's face was as dark as a storm cloud. His right hand gripped the long sword behind his back as he said in a deadpan voice, as if he were speaking to a dead man, "Go on, keep flying. Don't worry, you can go much higher than that."

"I can't believe it! It's the esteemed and venerable judge himself!" he thought, nearly dying from fright.

Heavens!

Xu Xiaoshou smiled sheepishly as he plunged back into the barrier.

"Hahaha! That Xu Xiaoshou! I can't believe him!"

The spectators nearly fell over with laughter. No one else could drive Elder Xiao as mad as Xu Xiaoshou.

On the other side.

Mo Mo had not left the arena at all. Instead, she'd rested onstage, naturally witnessing Xu Xiaoshou's advancement through the tournament.

Her lips curled upward into a smile. "Xu Xiaoshou, I've been watching you since the first round of the tournament. You have a…" She deliberated for a long moment before finally deciding on the appropriate description. "A great sense of humor."

"Praised, Passive Point 1."

Xu Xiaoshou kept staring at her bronze furnace. To be more precise, he was staring at her right hand, which was cradling the bronze furnace.

"It's so pretty!"

The unexpected compliment brought a blush to Mo Mo's cheeks. This was the first time someone had called her pretty to her face.

She was deliberating if she should return the compliment when she heard Xu Xiaoshou hastily add, "I meant the bronze furnace."

Mo Mo didn't say a word.

Xu Xiaoshou scratched his head then. He had a feeling that he shouldn't have said that.

"You're pretty too, of course. Pretty in a different way."

Mo Mo remained silent.

"Cursed, Passive Points 1."

Xu Xiaoshou was incredulous.

"What's going on?" he thought. "I complimented her on her beauty. Why did she curse me?"

"Women!"

He stepped forward, seemingly drawn toward the bronze furnace. He looked as if he would really like to touch it, yet found such a thought inappropriate. Finally, he couldn't help himself and blurted out, "Can I take a look at that?"

Mo Mo looked as if she wanted to say something. In the end, she stuck her hand out and handed the bronze furnace over.

If someone else had asked, he would have had to keep dreaming, but this guy…

Forget it. He had kind of complimented her just now. She was going to take his words as a compliment.

A quick look wouldn't hurt.

Having gotten Mo Mo's permission, Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward and grabbed her right hand with his soft, warm fingers.

"You…"

Mo Mo yanked her hand away, as if she'd just been shocked by a jolt of electricity, leaving the bronze furnace cradled within Xu Xiaoshou's palm.

Xu Xiaoshou stared at her in shock. He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on her right hand. That was when he seemed to realize what had just happened.

"I'm so sorry. That was rude of me. I was simply drawn to the bronze furnace. I didn't mean to suggest anything else…" he apologized profusely.

"…don't worry about it."

Mo Mo sighed in relief and shrugged slightly. The young man looked really earnest. It had probably been an accident.

The spectators were bewildered by the two contestants' interactions. Why were they being so polite?

They had complimented each other. Their hands had touched. Why didn't they just hold hands and announce their joint victory as well as the end of the tournament?

"What are they up to? Why isn't the fight starting?"

"What's the hurry? Xu Xiaoshou is allowed his rest. Besides, he's just taking a look at a bronze furnace. Don't watch if you're not willing to wait!"

"What's so attractive about that bronze furnace?"

"Hehe, a mystical artefact that never leaves the hands of our number one cultivator on the Windcloud Board? I'd like to have a look at it too!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't do anything about what those spectators thought or felt. He pretended to seriously study the bronze furnace as his heart raced wildly inside his chest.

He was right!

His senses had been right!

From the moment he stepped into the arena and his Sense enveloped the entire area, he had somehow detected an extraordinary and terrifying power within the barrier.

After a long search, he had finally locked onto the bronze furnace resting in Mo Mo's right hand.

But Sense couldn't discern clearly without physical contact. In order to touch her right hand, he had slowly but surely lured Mo Mo into his trap and finally gotten what he had set out to get.

As soon as they touched, he had distinctly felt the power dwelling within Mo Mo's right hand and how it was many times more powerful than the spiritual energy residing in the rest of her body…

It was at least ten times more powerful!

And it excluded any other powers that he couldn't identify.

What the hell…

What kind of monster was she?

Mo Mo had gotten into the finals by only fighting with her left hand!

Xu Xiaoshou began to panic. He had a feeling that the opponent before him belonged in an entirely different league incomparable to the likes of Zhao Qingteng and Mu Zixi.

He recalled the contents of Elder Qiao's letter.

The Sealing Technique…

"This is scaring me. Does she have an entire arm sealed within her eye or something?"

Report chapter

Chapter 47: I'm Not Going to Joke Around Anymore!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Xiao Qixiu raised his right hand above his head, signaling that the two of them could now get into position.

Xu Xiaoshou calmly returned the small bronze furnace to Mo Mo before putting a significant distance between the both of them.

"Aren't you a close-range fighter?"

Mo Mo looked baffled as she watched Xu Xiaoshou retreat to the edge of the arena.

She pointed to herself. "So am I," she said, implying that they could engage in close-range combat.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed weakly. Close-range combat?

Was she joking?

He pulled out his sheath and shoved Hiding Pain into it. Then, after some thought, he unsheathed his sword. "Actually, I'm a swordsman."

Mo Mo was silent.

"You're an Innate-stage fighter, and an incredibly powerful one at that. Why don't you let me go first and have a few stabs at you?" Xu Xiaoshou asked unabashedly.

Everyone on the bleachers rolled their eyes. Just look at that. Was that what a decent human being would say?

Did he have no shame at all?

They didn't expect Mo Mo to nod.

"Of course."

"Haha, thanks a lot!" After another short pause, Xu Xiaoshou added. "Let's keep our distance!"

Xiao Qixiu couldn't take it anymore. Xu Xiaoshou was really pushing it!

He waved his hand. "The match starts now!"

Mo Mo extended her hand, inviting Xu Xiaoshou to make the first move.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. He'd thought she was just joking…

But she'd kept her word. What an honest woman!

He had to teach her a lesson. She had to learn that in this world, honest folks didn't live long.

Xu Xiaoshou shut his eyes, and white clouds slowly started to take shape in the sky. The wind slowed to a whisper, and alongside it was the soft hiss of moving sand.

"Sword Web Style!"

He focused all his attention on that singular stroke of the blade.

The move was an enhanced version of the original Sword Web Style. The beams of light unleashed by the sword no longer cast a two-dimensional web of crisscrossing blades. Instead, these blades of light intersected from all corners to weave a three-dimensional elongated cocoon.

Even if his opponent possessed Zhao Qing-Teng's technique and could appear in another location by switching places with something else, they would still suffer the relentless assault from this web of intersecting blades as long as they didn't reappear behind him after his teleportation.

There was no hint of fear on Mo Mo's face as she gently inhaled a wisp of sandalwood incense from her bronze furnace.

Slowly, she reached out her left hand, and countless afterimages of that very hand instantly appeared.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

A series of crisp, clear, strange sounds rang out.

Every time her left hand tapped on a glowing blade, the latter would vanish into thin air. The hundreds of blades in the web were all intercepted by her!

The sight made Xu Xiaoshou cringe.

"What the hell…" he thought.

"She isn't human!

"Does she know the Glow of Sharpness too?"

Xu Xiaoshou recognized the spiritual technique that Mo Mo had unleashed. It was an ordinary spiritual technique that belonged to the Outer Yard, and was called the "Spirit Snatching Hand."

But how could someone have attained such mastery over the Spirit Snatching Hand…

How could someone's hand move so quickly that it left afterimages in its wake? In fact, how could anyone catch a blade's beam with their bare hands?

The Spirit Snatching Hand was meant to be a close-range spiritual technique!

"My turn!" Mo Mo's calves tensed momentarily before she sprung forward.

Xu Xiaoshou was weeping with fear inwardly. She had the Sealing Technique. He wasn't interested in exchanging punches with her at all!

Beams of light shot at Mo Mo, but they hardly slowed her down, and she was soon within arm's length.

He mustn't allow her to touch him!

Xu Xiaoshou cranked up Sense to the fullest and brought Hiding Pain into play, displaying for the first time the close-range swordsmanship that he had kept buried deep inside his head.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

Yet another round of extraordinary clashes rang loudly in the air.

Xu Xiaoshou could sense Hiding Pain weaken with every hit that Mo Mo gave. After exchanging a dozen blows, he realized that Hiding Pain was whimpering.

Damnit!

A look of pain appeared on Xu Xiaoshou's face. If they kept this up, his sword might just end up irreparably damaged!

"I'll give you what you want! Close-range combat it is!"

He placed Hiding Pain back in his ring. With a sudden step aside, he dodged an incoming punch, locked his fingers around Mo Mo's wrist like a vice, and sent his own fist flying at Mo Mo's chest.

Thud!

An experienced fighter, Mo Mo had instantly pulled her bronze furnace in front of her chest to block the blow. Regardless, the punch from an Innate Level Physique still managed to send her flying a dozen feet away.

"He did it!" The spectators rose to their feet excitedly.

This was the first time they'd seen someone exchange punches with Mo Mo and come out on top. What was even more incredible was how Xu Xiaoshou had driven Mo Mo into fighting with her right hand!

"An Innate Level Physique is truly formidable. Keep it up, Xu Xiaoshou!"

"Keep going while you're ahead! Clinch the championship with a single shot!"

"Something's not right. Look, Xu Xiaoshou looks terrible…"

The two fighters were standing on opposite sides of the arena. They had somehow put a considerable distance between them.

Xu Xiaoshou cradled his fist, looking as if he were suffering from a terrible bout of constipation.

There was no doubt that that was the Sealing Technique…

They had barely touched. In fact, she hadn't even hit him. Xu Xiaoshou could sense that a good half of his spiritual strength had been sealed after his punch landed.

He would have been fine if that had been the end of it, but he had then realized…

…that his physical strength had been sealed as well!

In fact, he could no longer cloak his fist in the Glow of Sharpness!

Xu Xiaoshou was beginning to panic. They'd only exchanged one hit. If this match were like any other match with any other opponent and they'd exchanged hundreds or even a thousand blows…

The seals still would've rendered him as helpless as an adult-sized baby!

An utterly powerless baby!

"How terrifying! Why does such a horrible Innate Elemental Power exist in the first place?" Xu Xiaoshou was silently quaking in his boots.

Mo Mo had her head slightly lowered as she cradled her right fist with her left hand. The tear that Xu Xiaoshou's Glow of Sharpness had ripped across her hand was healing at an extraordinary rate.

"I knew it…" She frowned as she lasped deep into thought.

If Xu Xiaoshou had witnessed this sight, he would've gasped at how alike they were. In fact, he might've even concluded that the speed at which his opponent was healing surpassed his.

But he was currently consumed by fear and was cowering like a coward. He chose not to go on the offensive.

"I suppose I have no choice but to use my sword…"

Xu Xiaoshou turned his gaze inwards, feeling the dying need to level up after their first exchange of blows.

Passive Points: 28766.

He unsheathed Hiding Pain once more, and his Sword Will flooded the arena, making it shake.

"Sword Technique Expertise (Acquired Lv. 9)."

"Sword Technique Expertise (Acquired Lv. 10)."

An ocean of knowledge flooded his brain. Xu Xiaoshou felt as if he could destroy the entire world with the knowledge that he now possessed.

Yet, after scouring through it, he found that there was no way of getting out of his current predicament.

"Oh man…"

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath and sheathed Hiding Pain, his hand remaining firmly clasped around the hilt of his sword.

Mo Mo had pulled her wandering mind back to the present moment. He stared at her with a serious look on his face.

"You're really powerful!"

"So are you." Mo Mo smiled softly.

"Praised, Passive Point 1."

A serious look came into Xu Xiaoshou's eyes. "I'm not going to joke around anymore."

"That makes two of us."

Xu Xiaoshou exhaled softly.

"Sword Technique Expertise (Innate Lv. 1)!"

The spectators grew impatient as they watched the two fighters stop their fight once again for a chat.

It was then that sudden tremors rippled across the Chuyun Platform and its ten thousand seats. The earth shook, and the mountain swayed.

"What's going on?"

"Is it an earthquake?"

Everyone's faces turned pale as they started to panic. Xiao Qixiu looked puzzled and wary. Before he could say anything to calm everyone down, the sword on his back shot into the sky.

The man was shocked.

He wasn't the only one. Sharing in his confusion were the more than two thousand spectators in the crowd. Anyone bearing a sword found their swords humming in unison before sliding out of the sheath of their own will and dashing into the skies, only to hover in mid-air.

"Clang, clang, clang…"

Under the azure skies, thousands of swords vibrated violently. The piercing whine of their metallic keening threatened to burst everyone's eardrums.

"That's…" Everyone's eyes were filled with Incredulity, and their gazes simultaneously landed on the handsome young man in the arena.

His right hand was splayed across the hilt of his sword, and his back was slightly hunched. He was staring unblinkingly at his opponent.

The sight sent alarm bells ringing inside Mo Mo's head. She charged at Xu Xiaoshou with the ferocity of a tiger racing down a mountain.

"Boom…"

At that very instant, a terrifying power erupted from Xu Xiaoshou and flung Mo Mo aside.

His Sword Will rose with the clouds and surged heavenward. Amidst a cacophony of cracks and crackles, the barrier shattered.

The visible, snow-white Sword Will pierced the stratosphere and shot straight into the heavens.

Led by the Sword Will, thousands of spiritual swords formed a river of blades in the sky above Xu Xiaoshou, streaming in circles before shooting outwards like fireworks.

With a thunderous explosion, swords flew across the skies, crashing from the heavens, and returned to their masters.

"Heavens!"

"An Innate-stage Sword Will?"

A hot flush reddened Xiao Qixiu's face while waves of coldness coursed through his body.

He stared at the young man in the arena and the storm that his Sword Will had summoned with a look of utter disbelief. Yet, he couldn't not believe his eyes.

Xu Xiaoshou's Sword Will had thrown Mo Mo off her earlier charge, viciously tearing into her and transforming her into a bloody, bleeding mess. Mo Mo did not pay any heed to that though. Her eyes were shining brightly as she stared at Xu Xiaoshou.

"Is that an Innate-stage Sword Will?"

Xu Xiaoshou reveled in the terrifying power of his Sword Will and fought against the desire to unsheath his own sword.

After a moment of contemplative silence, he nodded slightly.

"I guess so."

Chapter 48: The Shackles of Heaven and Earth

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Acquired-stage Sword Will could achieve resonance with all swords within a mile. The Innate-stage Sword Will could achieve resonance with all swords within ten miles.

When everyone's swords returned to their sheaths, still resonating, everyone came to realize that they had just witnessed the Innate-stage Sword Will.

"Heavens, I'm about to go crazy. Did Xu Xiaoshou attain the Innate-stage Sword Will?"

"How is that possible? He's making me die with envy!"

"How does this guy keep surprising us like this?"

The spectators were so beside themselves with excitement that some even jumped onto their seats, but they were quickly slapped by the person sitting behind them.

"Shit, am I dreaming?" The person who'd just smacked another spectator slapped himself on the cheek next before gasping aloud in pain.

"A swordsman with an Innate-stage Sword Will appears once every hundred years. Su Qianqian got her Innate-stage Sword Will a year ago, and now Xu Xiaoshou's got his too?"

"Is that for real? What is the world coming to…"

"It's gone mad! It's gone absolutely mad!"

In the arena, the fight had unexpectedly been interrupted by the emergence of Xu Xiaoshou's Innate-stage Sword Will. Nevertheless, it still had to go on.

Mo Mo didn't interrupt Xu Xiaoshou as he advanced in level. Of course, if she had, Xiao Qixiu wouldn't have let her.

She was the champion fighter in the Outer Yard, whereas Xu Xiaoshou was an Innate-stage swordsman. It was obvious who was more highly regarded out of the two.

Even after the Sword Will emanating from Xu Xiaoshou faded away, the two fighters still didn't move.

Mo Mo was a little puzzled. She hadn't moved, because she wanted to wait for Xu Xiaoshou to finish leveling up. But Xu Xiaoshou was done leveling up and still hadn't made a move. What was he up to?

"Is he grinning to himself?" Mo Mo stared. Xu Xiaoshou's hand was still on the hilt of his sword, and a dazed look had settled on his face. He looked like an absolute idiot.

Xu Xiaoshou was going mad with glee.

He hadn't expected the Sword Will's ascent into the heavens to pierce through the barrier. The torrent of points he'd received was unbelievable!

"Suspected, Passive Points 674."

"Suspected, Passive Points 1876."

"Impressed, Passive Points 1940."

"Impressed, Passive Points 1120."

The slew of Passive Points was a profound narration of the emotional rollercoaster the spectators had experienced as they journeyed from doubt to shock and finally, to inevitable respect.

That single breakthrough had raked in nearly ten thousand Passive Points!

He had traded a thousand Passive Points for ten thousand Passives Points and vast amounts of knowledge on swordsmanship. He had but three words for the trade: what a bargain!

Notifications continued to appear as Xu Xiaoshou lost himself in happy thoughts, although the figures were getting lower…

Hmm?

Why had everyone begun to view him with suspicion…

He broke out of his reverie, turned around, and saw everyone staring at him as they would an idiot.

"Are you done?" asked Mo Mo.

Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily rendered speechless. Had they…been waiting for him to level up and return to the present?

Good god. He had just embarrassed himself!

Fortunately, Mo Mo was a decent person and hadn't sneaked up on him and attacked him.

Well, his Information Bar would have notified him of her sneak attack anyway…

Xu Xiaoshou exhaled. "I'm done. Let's continue the fight!"

A glint of a blade flashed across Xu Xiaoshou's eyes just as Mo Mo was about to make her move.

"Fleeting White Cloud Four: Blade-Draw Technique!"

In the past, he would've had to glimpse an inch of his blade before he could unsheath his sword.

But now that he had advanced to the Innate Stage, his control over his Sword Will had drastically improved. The speed at which Xu Xiaoshou unsheathed his sword was quicker than the naked eye could see.

Dust swept through the air, and when the spectators finally caught a glimpse of the glowing blade, it had already appeared right in front of Mo Mo.

Clank!

Xu Xiaoshou's eyelid twitched. It was that sound again.

That blade was his Innate-stage Sword Will distilled and condensed, yet somehow Mo Mo had caught it barehanded!

Regardless, even though she'd caught the blade with both hands, he was consoled by the sight of her struggling and being driven back by the force of it.

But as she slowed down the blade's advance, she slowly but surely drained the snow-white sword until it lost its luminance.

"That Sealing Technique's got to be some kind of cheat!" Xu Xiaoshou gasped in shock.

He wasn't going to give Mo Mo the chance to counterattack, though.

Blade-Draw Technique!

With a flip of his palm, and amidst numerous gasps from the spectators, he sent another white glowing blade slashing at Mo Mo.

The latter's hands were busy. How was she going to block his second blade?

Xu Xiaoshou could see victory within his reach. Just to be safe though, he slotted Hiding Pain into its sheath once more.

"Dear lord, is Xu Xiaoshou mad? Why isn't he stopping?"

Xu Xiaoshou didn't care what the spectators thought. Following the second blade, he got ready to unleash the third.

"Clink!"

A crystalline sound resounded in the air. The sword was out, but he didn't see a glowing blade at all.

Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened. He checked his energy reserve and realized that he'd been sucked dry of spiritual strength.

"D*mnit!" He raised his fists and charged forward.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the arena.

Xu Xiaoshou's first blade had driven Mo Mo to the edge of the arena. Seeing that the second blade was about ready to lop her head off the next moment, she suddenly opened her mouth and took a deep breath.

"Hnn!"

She swallowed the second blade!

"Clank!"

Then, with a smack, she shattered the first blade as well!

Everyone got up to their feet in utter disbelief. Xu Xiaoshou jumped, shocked, and the young man, who'd been charging forward with his fists raised, instantly turned tail and ran.

"What the hell!" he thought.

"She's a monster!

"She doesn't even possess an Innate Level Physique, yet she swallowed my Sword Will!

"How did she manage to avoid being cleaved in half from the inside?"

Mo Mo appeared to be in excruciating pain. Forcibly sealing her opponents' attacks must be draining for her too.

Xu Xiaoshou froze momentarily in the middle of his retreat, as he'd clearly realized this.

He charged at Mo Mo again.

The crowd was perplexed.

"There must be a flurry of thoughts in Xu Xiaoshou's head right now. So, is he going to make a charge or not?"

"Hahahaha! Well, I completely understand how he feels…"

"If it were me and I'd just seen my opponent swallow my Innate-stage Sword Will, I'm quite sure I would jump right out of the arena from sheer fright."

Xu Xiaoshou had raised his fists and turned around. But it was too late.

Mo Mo had recovered from her pangs of agony. She decided not to think about the blade that she had just swallowed and instead began to swiftly form a series of hand seals.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyelids twitched violently at the sight. The last time something like that had happened, he had ended up being riddled with holes by Zhao Qingteng's Formless Great Cold.

Now…

Xu Xiaoshou surged forward like a bolt of lightning and threw his fist forward. They were but an inch apart!

Mo Mo stared at the face that was barely an inch away from hers before abruptly pulling her face away, putting another inch between the two. She thrust her palms together.

"World Sealing Chains!"

He had been that close. He had been one step away from determining who died and who lived. Xu Xiaoshou knew that he had missed his chance.

He was right…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Eruptions thundered in the air as both corners of the skies and the earth split apart. Out of the enormous, gaping black holes black chains as wide as a human head shot out and wrapped around and shackled Xu Xiaoshou's four limbs.

Bam!

With a forceful yank that threatened to rip Xu Xiaoshou's limbs apart, the chains went taut.

Xu Xiaoshou thought he was going to be torn apart right there and then. Without his Innate Level Physique, he would become four separate body parts instead of a whole human being!

Blood would be flowing unceasingly from his broken and mutilated body…

Xu Xiaoshou panicked. He looked around and found himself bound in mid-air by heavy chains that stretched from two sides of the skies as well as the ground. Spreadeagled, he had become a sitting duck.

What manner of sorcery was this?

Xu Xiao was on the verge of tears. Were Innate-stage spiritual techniques supposed to be this powerful?

This was terrifying!

Xiao Qixiu frowned. He hadn't come across such a spiritual technique before, but he was certain that it didn't belong to the Spiritual Library Division.

Mo Mo must have chanced upon it under fortuitous circumstances.

Seated amongst the spectators, Zhang Xinxiong appeared solemn. The World Sealing Chains had honestly caught him by surprise. "This is at least a Master Stage spiritual technique…"

"Who exactly is this Mo Mo? Where did she come from?"

Liu Zhen was flabbergasted. The Master Stage?

A Master Stage spiritual technique was a rare beast hardly seen, even in the Inner Yard!

Bound by chains and hanging in mid-air, Xu Xiaoshou struggled to get free. He unleashed the Glow of Sharpness from every part of his body, yet failed to break a single link in the chains.

"I'm finished…"

"This doesn't make sense at all. Why can't I break this with my Innate-stage Glow of Sharpness?"

Xu Xiaoshou felt incredibly cold as he hung in mid-air. It was so, so cold…

Mo Mo had begun to form her hand seals…

"No, don't!" cried Xu Xiaoshou inwardly.

He was suddenly overcome by the urge to pee…

Somebody, save him!

Chapter 49: Atmosphere Changed Again

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Her jade-like fingers danced as she completed the complicated hand seals, and Xu Xiaoshou felt the temperature of the chains rise.

"Smelt!" Mo Mo softly chanted, and lava erupted from the four openings by the sky and quickly flowed down along the chains.

"Oh my god, is that really okay?"

The audience was dumbfounded. They were all at the Acquired Stage, so none of them could understand an Innate-level battle.

If an ordinary Spiritual Cultivation Level 10 were to fight in his place, he'd probably be defeated in an instant!

Xu Xiaoshou also felt a little troubled and pleaded, "Please, spare me!"

Mo Mo ignored him and further fired up her power. In a flash, the lava covered Xu Xiaoshou's body.

"Ah!"

Xu Xiaoshou subconsciously let out a heartwrenching scream, but then realized suddenly that it wasn't that painful and stopped screaming.

What was going on?

Why did this sensation give him a sense of déjà vu?

He suddenly thought of the situation at Goose Lake when he'd tried to cultivate the Infernal Fire Seed. The seed had burned him from the inside. That was the real pain!

This lava was invading his body from the outside, and, frankly speaking, it was nothing compared to the Internal Fire Seed. Although it was painful, it wasn't painful enough to make him cry out in pain. Hence, he immediately regained his cool.

At most, it looked really horrifying to be covered in it.

Crack.

His body was burned through but immediately recovered. This lasted for quite some time in a cyclical fashion. Besides the pain he had to endure, this move actually didn't deal any substantial damage to Xu Xiaoshou!

"Heh, this is no big deal!"

Xu Xiaoshou was amused, but his reaction made him looked like a masochist, as he was in fact being dealt an extreme sentence of death by burning.

Even though he was smiling, the spectators that were present in the arena couldn't totally relate, and even Xiao Qixiu looked very stern and serious.

"How many challenges has Xu Xiaoshou overcome to reach these heights today? How can he not feel the lava burning him?!"

"Objectively speaking, he has my respect. Those who work their way up to acquire the Innate physical body are indeed tenacious and determined monsters."

"Phew… Xu Xiaoshou really had more than just luck to reach this new height today!"

Su Qianqian covered her eyes, as she couldn't bear to see him suffering. She didn't dare to open her eyes.

Zhang Xinxiong looked indifferent, and it was hard to tell his current emotional state, but he had stopped teasing Xu Xiaoshou.

"Impressed, Passive Points 666."

"Cared, Passive Points 888."

Shocked, Mo Mo stared at him on the ground.

Nobody knew better than her how hot this lava could get, yet Xu Xiaoshou took it as if it was an ordinary cold shower.

She looked over at Xiao Qixiu, as she couldn't bear to increase the heat anymore.

The judge in the void shook his head. Nobody could stop such a man with true tenacity and perseverance from attaining victory.

Xu Xiaoshou was still able to withstand it, so how could he intervene in the battle and stop it abruptly?

"Phew…"

Mo Mo clenched her teeth and doubled the temperature of the lava!

A hint of a pitch-black mixture suddenly appeared in the crimson lava, and this muddy liquid instantly flowed into Xu Xiaoshou's clothes.

"Ugh!"

A pained expression finally came over Xu Xiaoshou's face. This sudden increase in temperature surpassed what he had experienced last time.

No, he could not let this go on, or he would really die!

His eyes darted as he remembered the cultivation method he'd used that day. Why not…

Cultivate and incorporate this lava into his body?

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up, and he decided to tolerate the pain to absorb the lava!

His chest quaked as a Red Gold Pill emerged. Xu Xiaoshou bit it in one bite and sucked onto it hard.

"Zzzzzzz."

That surging hot energy instantly melted Xu Xiaoshou's mouth and nose, but they were recovered the next moment.

Another gush of burning energy had been incorporated into his energy reserve and was completely assimilated.

"It's doable!"

Xu Xiaoshou was thrilled and recklessly continued doing this.

Everyone was shocked when they saw this. It was…

Bloody!

The sight made everyone choke up and fall dead silent. In their hearts, everyone couldn't help but cheer for Xu Xiaoshou.

Mo Mo couldn't bear it anymore.

Xu Xiaoshou could bear it, but she as the aggressor couldn't take it anymore. This was just too cruel.

"This isn't how I, Mo Mo, do things!"

"But…"

"If World Sealing Chains couldn't defeat him, must I use that…" Mo Mo subconsciously caressed her right arm.

Xu Xiaoshou noticed it!

His leg trembled. Lava couldn't even move him an inch, yet Mo Mo's subconscious action almost made him kneel.

What was she thinking? Breaking the seal?

What nonsense!

"Stop!" Xu Xiaoshou roared angrily.

Mo Mo looked up, surprised that he knew what she was thinking.

"That shouldn't be the case…" she thought.

"Never mind that. Let's free him of this suffering soon!"

Mo Mo's left hand started making a complicated combination of hand seals.

Xu Xiaoshou felt terrible. "Please, don't do that," he thought. "I'm not worthy of that!"

He didn't know what was sealed within Mo Mo's right hand, but she was already so incredibly powerful, even with her seal in-tact, so breaking the seal would mean…

Things would take a major turn for the worse!

"What can I do, what can I do…" Xu Xiaoshou started brainstorming, as he had to stop her!

His gaze suddenly fell on the four chains that were restricting him…

Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes.

The next moment, thousands of spiritual swords, that had been sedated just a moment ago, started vibrating again.

Xiao Qixiu was shocked. "This dude…"

"He learned 'All Things Are Swords' just like that?

"Is he a monster? He just learned "Reverse Sword Subduing" in the afternoon!"

Ring.

Thousands of spiritual swords levitated again, and Xu Xiaoshou breathed out burning air as he controlled every sword's consciousness.

Soon, he felt a special sword aura…

It was that uncultivated sword aura that Mo Mo had swallowed just now!

Xu Xiaoshou frowned, as he sensed a kind of complicated energy suppressing this sword aura and preventing it from unleashing its power.

But…

"Reverse Sword Style!"

Xu Xiaoshou pulled suddenly, and Hiding Pain on the ground teleported toward his hand!

He abruptly stopped the pulling, and the black sword fell onto the ground.

The audience was dumbfounded, confused by his action. However, the next moment, they all saw that something was wrong with Mo Mo.

Her left hand, which was making the hand seals, was interrupted. Her face was flushed, and her torso was swelling, as if something was about to burst out of it.

"Xu! Xiao! Shou!"

Mo Mo knew right away that he was pulling some tricks and was infuriated. She could only stop making hand seals and start suppressing the sword aura.

"Hehe!"

Xu Xiaoshou seemed to have found the solution. "Reverse Sword Style!"

The black sword stood up but was interrupted before it could fly, falling to the ground once again.

At the same time, Mo Mo's body quaked momentarily but soon calmed down. She was frowning, and let out a sigh of relief.

Luckily, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't multitask now…

However, was that really the case?

"Reverse Sword Style!"

The black sword stood…

"Stop!"

Dang…

"Ugh!"

Mo Mo's body shook again as she looked up, finally realizing something.

The audience was still shocked, but they seemed to have realized the same thing…

"Can't it be! Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Oh my god, that's a little cheap!"

Xu Xiaoshou also realized something. Heck, not only had he realized it, but he had even come up with the idea!

"Reverse Sword Style… Stop!"

"Reverse Sword Style… Stop!"

"Dang!"

"Dang!"

"Ugh!"

"Ugh!"

Mo Mo was shocked twice in a row, and she was completely bushing. "Xu Xiao…"

"Reverse Reverse Reverse!"

"Stop Stop Stop!"

"Dang Dang Dang!"

"Ugh Ugh Ugh!"

Mo Mo's whole face turned red, even her neck. She was both ashamed and angry at Xu Xiaoshou!

"Xu…"

"Reverse Reverse Reverse!"

"Stop Stop Stop!"

"Dang Dang Dang!"

"Ugh Ugh Ugh!"

The finals battle's atmosphere changed abruptly, and everyone was completely puzzled. Xiao Qiqiu stumbled and fell from the sky.

"Ha!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but lose his cool as he listened to Mo Mo's rhythmic burping, and he finally burst into bloody laughter.

"Cursed, Passive Points, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1…

Report chapter

Chapter 50: You're Leaking Gas

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Mo Mo's spasmodic "ugh" and the constant shaking of her body made her looked rather scary.

However, she also looked ridiculous at the same time.

Xu Xiaoshou believed that he had good control over his emotions and usually wouldn't burst into laughter, unless he really couldn't help it.

That was equally true for the audience. At first, nobody dared to laugh, as she was the Outer Yard Senior Sister and at the top of the honor roll!

However, after Xu Xiaoshou started laughing, it caused a chain reaction.

The initial shock disappeared from people's faces, and they gradually erupted into laughter.

"Oh my gosh, Xu Xiaoshou, he has my respect. He's toxic, eh. Hahaha!"

"I can't take it anymore. I'm dying of laughter. I'm seeing another side of Senior Sister Mo. She's so cute!"

"Haha, I can't bear it, really. I'm sorry. Let me laugh first, hahaha…"

"Hehahehaheheha!!"

Such unique laughter had suddenly taken over the entire battleground. Everyone was stunned.

"What the heck. Who laughs like that? It's strange!"

"Shut up. Look behind you."

That person turned around and saw Elder Qiao's expressionless face, and he almost peed his pants.

Oh god, he was done for!

To his surprise, Elder Qiao pointed at the arena and yelled, "There he goes again! Xu Xiaoshou's a psycho, right!"

"Hehahehaheheha!!"

"Ha!"

"Hahaha!"

No one could contain their laughter anymore. Half were laughing at the battle, while the other half was laughing at Elder Qiao, which was a rare occasion, as none of them would usually dare to laugh at him.

A new wave of passive points was registered on the information bar. Most were from people respectfully mocking him, but more were from people's disdain and curses.

Xu Xiaoshou was amused. This was the benefit of having no barrier. He could see the updates in real-time, which felt really good.

On the other side.

Mo Mo had planned on reserving her strength, but after Xu Xiaoshou's humiliating trick, she was now determined to unleash her right hand.

She forced herself to endure the weird feeling in her body and continued to choppily make hand seals, which were actually connecting.

"What the… that actually works."

Xu Xiaoshou was caught off guard and realized that he couldn't fool around anymore. If he didn't treat her seriously, she would definitely kill him here.

"Reverse Sword Style!"

"Ugh!" Mo Mo endured it and stared at Xu Xiaoshou, her eyes blazing with anger, but her hands didn't stop making hand seals.

However, this time, Xu Xiaoshou also didn't stop.

The black sword swiftly flew over, and right before it penetrated his chest, Xu Xiaoshou used his mind to put it inside the space ring.

Xu Xiaoshou felt that he was a genius for thinking of using the ring around his neck.

After getting rid of Hiding Pain, which had tried to devour its owner, he now could finally unleash his full potential.

"Innate Sword Will fully activate!"

Mo Mo's body trembled violently as she felt herself lose control of the sword aura within her body.

So Xu Xiaoshou hadn't exhausted all of his strength?

"Ugh!"

She finally caved in and vomited a mouthful of blood.

With a mouthful of blood, she could no longer suppress the seal, and a sky-shooting sword will started rising from her.

Xiao Qixiu, who was standing at the edge of the arena, was numb.

"Xu Xiaoshou…

"Has he really cultivated the skill 'All Things Are Swords' to the point where he can even forcefully control a human?

"What kind of a weirdo is he!?"

Strictly speaking, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't controlling a human. He was controlling the sword aura within Mo Mo's body.

It had originally belonged to him and was as dear to him as Hiding Pain, so how could he fail to summon it?

After Mo Mo lost control of the sword aura, not only did the sword will rise from her body, but the white Innate sword aura was also released.

"Tsk!"

The seven apertures on her head and four limbs started releasing a horrifying sword aura. The sharp sword will then immediately cut her, causing her to bleed profusely.

Mo Mo had really underestimated him. She didn't know Xu Xiaoshou's control of the sword will was so powerful.

Usually, people who'd acquired "All Things Are Sword" would definitely be able to learn Innate Sword Will, but those with Innate Sword Will weren't guaranteed to learn "All Things Are Sword!"

This wasn't a spiritual technique, but a real realization of a state of mind. It was tremendously difficult to get to that.

It seemed like Xu Xiaoshou was the only weirdo who'd learned "All Things Are Sword" while he acquired Innate Sword Will.

"Tsk!"

As the horrifying sword aura leaked out, Mo Mo was sent flying into the air by the recoil.

In the air, their eyes met. One of them was chained up in the void, while the other was literally a portable sword aura projector…

The only similarity they shared was that both of their limbs were spread wide, and they were both drenched in blood.

"Hehe!" Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. "You've finally gotten a taste of what I feel!"

"Let go!" Mo Mo said with much difficulty.

"I didn't chain you up. And, on top of that, you started this first!"

Xu Xiaoshou blinked and added, "Why don't you let me go first?"

"Impossible!"

"Hehe! That's my line too!"

The two looked at each other in silence, both with stubborn looks on their faces.

Xu Xiaoshou stayed quiet for a while longer before suddenly saying, "Junior Sister Mo, stop struggling. You're leaking gas…"

Mo Mo was puzzled for a moment before she became so enranged she felt she might faint.

"Xu Xiaoshou!

"I will kill you!"

"Threatened, Passive Points, 1."

The audience below them erupted into hysterial laughter. Although both of them were in a terrible state, Xu Xiaoshou had made it difficult for the audience to sympathize with them.

Blood was spurting out of them!

Was their blood infinite!?

Mo Mo was hesitant, as she didn't possess an Innate body. She'd only been able to last until now all thanks to the tremendous life force released from her right hand to heal her.

However, she knew that "it" felt tired.

"Fine!"

"I agree that I'll let you go first!" she said through clenched teeth, and made a hand seal, stopping the lava immediately.

"Oh!"

Eternal Vitality insantly healed most of his body, and Xu Xiaoshou moaned with relief.

Mo Mo then said, "It's your turn!"

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath, enjoying the hard-earned moment of peace.

"I'm sorry. I can't control the sword will, actually…"

Mo Mo: ???

"Cursed, Passive Points, 1."

She waved her hand, letting the lava flow again.

"What the heck. You're cruel!"

Xu Xiaoshou seized the moment to thrust his chest out and lift the ring high.

Hiding Pain reemerged and started hovering in the sky.

When the sword handle was facing his forehead, Xu Xiaoshou used "Glow of Sharpness" and concentrated his power onto his forehead, then banged the sword handle.

Klink!

The black sword was forcefully fired toward the sky.

In the spectator seats, Qing Teng realized…

It was the sword that had defeated him that day!

Everyone understood Xu Xiaoshou's intentions, and they all sat up straight to see how the battle would proceed.

How could Mo Mo ignore that?

However, her body was still releasing sword will, and it was nearly impossible for her to move her hand.

Even so, she still started making hand seals.

"It's too slow…"

Xiao Qixiu shook his head. Even if Mo Mo had a horrifying ultimate skill up her sleeve, she was constrained by the complicated hand seals.

If she were fighting against an ordinary person, this wouldn't be a problem.

However, she was facing Xu Xiaoshou the weirdo, who happened to be a talented young man that could capture every detail of the battle!

It felt like that night when Hiding Pain had flown to an extremely far distance. Xu Xiaoshou felt excited.

"Come!" he thought.

"Devour your owner. I'm giving you the chance today!"

"Reverse Sword Style!"

Mo Mo didn't give up, even as the sound of something slicing through the air came from behind her, and Hiding Pain came up and impaled her in the chest!

This wasn't all. Everyone witnessed the black sword continue to thrust forward with Mo Mo on it and pierce cleanly through Xu Xiaoshou's chest.

The world fell dead silent.

The void of the finals, four gigantic chains covered in lava, a black sword dripping with blood with two people on it…

This sight would probably be etched into the spectators' minds forever.

"Xu Xiaoshou… He's really determined… He really could harm himself…"

"I'm tearing up. It looks really painful…"

In the void, the chains looked transparent, as if they would disappear at any second.

"Ugh!"

Xu Xiaoshou vomited blood on Mo Mo's head.

Pain! It was a heart-piercing pain!

However, he wouldn't have been able to stop Mo Mo from unleashing her right hand if he hadn't gone to such lengths.

"Ugh!"

Mo Mo also vomited blood on Xu Xiaoshou. She didn't possess an Innate body, so she passed out on Xu Xiaoshou's chest.

Some people's eyes teared up at the sight, some were bedazzled, but most were stunned.

Bang!

The chains finally disintegrated, and Xu Xiaoshou hugged Mo Mo, who had lost consciousness and fallen from the void.

"Bang!"

Xu Xiaoshou withdrew the black sword and carried Mo Mo in both of his hands, then fed her a red gold pill.

"The battle has ended. The winner is Xu Xiaoshou!"

Report chapter

---

Read I Am Loaded with Passive Skills Chapter 51 - Inner Yard Opening online for free - AllNovelFull

Chapter 51: Inner Yard Opening

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Clap clap clap!

A huge round of applause!

Everyone in the audience had stood up to pay their respects, and none were stingy with their applause, as they'd been completely captivated by the battle.

How should they describe this final…

It had started out strong and ended with a bang, with Xu Xiaoshou becoming the center of attention.

Everyone thought it was a little weird, but as they looked at this young man in the arena drenched in blood, they all felt that with him around, it was no surprise the match had ended with such a heated battle.

It was undeniable that this had been an extremely fantastic battle!

Xiao Qixiu waved and sent the medical staff to receive Mo Mo from Xu Xiaoshou's hands.

The remaining four staff members all awkwardly stared at Xu Xiaoshou.

"Do you need any treatment?"

The four familiar faces…

Xu Xiaoshou was amused. "It's okay!"

He took off his shirt and rubbed off the dead flesh that had been cooked by the lava, then passed it to them.

"Since you guys are here and I don't have anything nice for you guys, take this as a souvenir!"

"Cursed, Passive Points. 4."

The four staff members turned around and immediately left. This time, they didn't even bother to check out his condition.

He really was a monster. How had such horrifying lava not burned him? What a shame.

During the battle just now, these four people had been the least worried when they saw the lava appear. When they saw the audience start to feel nervous for Xu Xiaoshou, they'd all thought that the audience knew nothing about him. Then again, if they hadn't checked his body before, they probably would've thought him in danger too.

Xiao Qixiu signaled for the crowd to settle down and stop clapping, then smiled and said, "First, I would like to congratulate Xu Xiaoshou on winning the Wincloud Competition. To be honest, this was beyond my expectations!"

The spectators all smiled simultaneously, as they'd all thought the same thing.

Except for Xu Xiaoshou, who was inwardly cursing this middle-aged old man, his expression dark.

"So you thought I couldn't win the competition, huh?" he thought.

Xiao Qixiu didn't pay him any mind and added, "I noticed him in the group play-off because he was stirring up trouble. I noticed him once again in the subsequent matches, as he was making even bigger trouble. In the qualifying match…"

"Ha. Ha."

"I could no longer ignore him. This man almost p*ssed me off!"

The audience burst into laughter, but Xu Xiaoshou's expression darkened.

Revenge!

This middle-aged old man had finally seized an opportunity to tease him!

Xiao Qixiu went on. "However, Xu Xiaoshou is undeniably a black horse!"

"Everyone encounters a turning point in his or her life at some point, be it a setback or an opportunity. It all depends on your own effort to determine if you can overcome your own limitations."

He was taking such a roundabout way to praise him, and Xu Xiaoshou shyly scratched his head.

"Effort?" he thought.

"Well, it was okay."

"However, after your encouraging speech, I'll try harder to earn more Passive Points."

Xiao Qixiu wasn't aware that his words were being twisted by someone else. After he gave another round of appraise, he finally ended the post-game commentary.

"I hope that in the next cohort, there will still be people who can 'impress' me…

"Now to the prize presentation!"

He activated the formation order, and a podium emerged in the arena. There were only ten spots.

The staff escorted the top ten contestants to the podium. Although the rest of the people who'd participated in the qualifying matches were also awarded, they couldn't enjoy being on the podium in this moment of glory.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced over and saw many of his subordinates…

Cough cough, familiar old friends!

Zhao Qingteng, Mu Zixi, Mo Mo…

The medical staff was indeed capable, as Mu Mu had regained consciousness and was able to move on her own.

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled as these people walked by him, and even waved enthusiastically to greet them.

However, he was shocked when he glanced at his information bar.

Zhao Qingteng walked by in front of him and said emotionlessly, "Congratulations!"

"Cursed, Passive Points, 1."

Mu Zixi passed by, playing with her twin ponytails, and looked away, wrinkling her nose at him.

"Despised, Passive Points, 1."

Mo Mo walked over, not even looking at him.

"Ignored, Passive Points, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

"Hey!" he thought.

"All I did was stab you guys a few times and simply knock each of you out!

"Why are you people so narrow-minded?

"You guys really bear me a grudge, huh?"

Since everyone was being like this, Xu Xiaoshou didn't bother to wave his hand to greet anyone anymore.

Intolerant, shallow, and unbecoming!

The staff gave everyone another space ring, which Xu Xiaoshou really loved. This was his second ring.

"I'm not going to list out all the other prizes. Just take a look for yourself."

Xiao Qixiu turned to face the audience after saying this and raised his voice. "The top ten of the Windcloud Board each gets a chance to enter Spiritual Library Division to pick his or her spiritual skill."

"The top three will each be awarded an Innate Pill. If you don't need it, you can exchange it for other pills of equivalent value!"

The audience was amazed by the prizes, and they all looked envious.

The Spiritual Library division was one of the most important divisions in the entire Tiansang Spirit Palace. It contained countless spiritual skills, including the Acquired Stage, Innate Stage, and even Master Stage skills.

The Innate Pill was a Grade Eight pill that could increase the chances of evolving to the Innate Stage by thirty percent. This was the dream pill that was highly sought after by everyone!

Of course, the top three this year were a little unusual, as Xu Xiaoshou, the champion, was the only person who could use this…

The other two had already reached the Innate Stage!

Xiao Qixiu felt rather helpless too, as the quality of this cohort was higher than usual, and the Innate Pill, which was usually a popular prize, looked rather pathetic to them this year.

Of course, being able to exchange the Innate Pill for other pills of equivalent value was a pretty flexible option.

Xu Xiaoshou was pretty thrilled, as his cultivation level wasn't as high as those monsters.

These rewards were indeed timely for him. The Innate Pill would be useful to him, same for the opportunity to enter the Spiritual Library Division to pick a spiritual skill.

God knows that he had enrolled into the Spirit Palace for three years and only gotten a chance to enter there to get a White Cloud Sword Technique. Since then, he hadn't gotten a chance to enter there again.

Thinking of this, Xu Xiaoshou felt sad.

Just look at the other contestants. They all had huge reserves of spiritual skills to use. Look at Mo Mo. Her spiritual skill rank was probably higher than the Innate Stage!

A poor underdog like him could only rely on his self-invented skills, which were rankless.

Hmm?

But he had won at last.

"Heheh!" At this thought, Xu Xiaoshou chuckled, feeling good about himself.

The audience in turn felt conflicted as they watched the prize presentation ceremony being carried out in the arena.

At last, Xiao Qixiu smirked and said, "Very well. We've finally reached the last segment.

"The opening for Inner Yard!"

When he said this, people started to discuss enthusiastically.

"It's finally here! I've been waiting for this moment. I wonder how many will make it to the Inner Yard this year!"

"If I remember correctly, Su Qianqian was the only one who made it last year. I think the years before that saw few cohorts with people who made it."

"That's right. The benchmark for qualifying to enter the Inner Yard is too high, but the quality of the students there is really cream of the crop."

"Yeah, even with the thirty-three people in the Inner Yard, adding up the others wouldn't even surpass a hundred people…"

"Yup!"

Xiao Qixiu took out a paper from his pocket and read, "First Inner Yard Opening, Zhou Tianshen!"

Zhou Tianshen, who was sitting among the audience, stood up in disbelief and pointed at himself.

"Me?"

"You sure you aren't mistaken?"

Report chapter

Chapter 52: Sunset

It was understandable that he didn't believe it.

The guy had already been cut down by Xu Xiaoshou when there were thirty-two people left in the match, and thus had long since given up hope. As such, he couldn't believe that he was actually able to join the Inner Yard.

The crowd cheered. Some were envious, some were jealous, but most were just curious.

Many were wondering if the bar had been lowered for this year, given the fact that someone ranked below 32 on the Windcloud Board was allowed to join.

Xiao Qixiu continued saying, "The second candidate to join the Inner Yard, Zhao Qingteng."

Zhao Qingteng, who was usually cool and aloof, couldn't help but smirk, his fingers tracing the guard of his Ice Stream Sword.

"Second ne…"

The audience clenched their fists, noting that the record had been broken.

"Third candidate to join the Inner Yard, Mu Zixi."

"Fourth candidate to join the Inner Yard, Mo Mo."

Xiao Qixiu read out two names in a row, causing quite a commotion in the audience.

Mu Zixi grabbed her pigtails. She looked very excited, so much so she even hopped once on the spot.

Mo Mo, on the other hand, remained cradling the bronze cauldron in her hand. She took a whiff of the incense within, her face deadpan.

"This is awesome!"

The audience was extremely excited, as if their names were the ones that had been called instead.

But someone voiced their doubts all of a sudden. "Hold on. It looks like only people at the Innate Stage were called…"

Everyone was stunned, finding that it was indeed the case.

Even Zhou Tianshen, who was outside the 32, was only able to join the Inner Yard due to having broken into Innate Stage in that battle with Xu Xiaoshou.

"In previous years, it seems like only people at the Innate Stage were allowed to join too."

"If that's the case, Xu Xiaoshou would definitely be able to join then, since he has Innate Level Physique…"

"Not quite," someone interjected.

"Those with Innate Level Physiques have reached the end of the road. It would be very difficult for them to go further from there. Furthermore, his powers are only at level eight."

Everyone started to feel tense then, as someone with Innate Level Physique making it to Master Stage was virtually unheard of.

The reason was simple—training was simply too difficult to achieve further success.

That was an unwritten law of sorts, which applied to more than just the Tiansang Spirit Palace; it was something that applied everywhere in the entire Shengshen Continent.

Everyone's gaze fell on Xu Xiaoshou. None had expected the champion to be the one who'd caused the audience the most worry.

They wondered if an exception would be made for someone at Acquired Stage to join the Inner Yard.

They wondered if the number of candidates allowed to join the Inner Yard would go up to five, which was unprecedented.

Everyone started to feel very tense.

Xu Xiaoshou was rather intimidated by the looks he received all around, yet the next second, he felt nothing but glee.

Anticipated, Passive Points 2130.

He took a breath, like he felt nothing at all. But, despite having become the champion, he was nonetheless feeling rather tense.

Xiao Qixiu turned his gaze away from the paper, folded it, and put it away. His expression was cold as he said, "Four candidates. That will be all."

Doubted, Passive Points 1869.

Doubted, Passive Points 1511.

Doubted, Passive Points 1042.

The Information Bar was flooded by such lines, and Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. "I'm not in?" he thought.

Even though he'd put on a nonchalant façade, he was still nonetheless the champion. Even if he hadn't shown it outright, he'd nonetheless felt for sure deep down that he'd gotten it, yet this was the outcome.

That was all?

The others on the stage were equally as stunned. The smiles on the faces of the three who'd just been admitted instantly froze.

While they wouldn't openly admit it, they'd all been nonetheless impressed by Xu Xiaoshou, yet here was this baffling outcome.

The audience wasn't as reserved as the contestants. One after another, the spectators instantly went berserk.

"What? No more? Four candidates? Are you kidding me?"

"Xu Xiaoshou is the champion, man! He is funny, but you could not joke at such a time?"

"Oh the irony. The champion isn't admitted into the Inner Yard, and yet the one outside the thirty-two… hey, let me go! I'm gonna say what I'm gonna say!"

"Are you out of your mind? Zhou Tianshen is right behind you!"

Zhou Tianshen was furious. He immediately rose to his feet and said, "If this is how it's going to be, then I, Zhou Tianshen, would like to forfeit my candidacy into the Inner Yard."

He glared at Xiao Qixiu without a slight hint of fear in his eyes.

"Well said. Same goes for me."

"It's not like you're in."

"Oh, you shut up."

Xiao Qixiu's words had set the audience on fire. They were practically boiling with anger.

He didn't say anything to address their protests, and instead walked up to Xu Xiaoshou, looking at the kid without saying anything.

"The kid is still pretending that it doesn't matter eh?" he thought. "But…"

Xiao Qixiu was experienced enough to read all the hidden bitterness on the kid's face.

"The kid is still just eighteen, after all."

"Huff…" Xiao Qixiu sighed.

Xu Xiaoshou backed away, pinching his nose.

Xiao Qixiu was baffled.

"Oh, that little sh*!

"The kid really does know how to put up a fight. And there I was feeling pity for him."

Xiao Qixiu stopped sighing and took a great big breath. He clapped Xu Xiaoshou on the shoulder and said, "You could still stay in the Outer Yard for another year, so as to make a breakthrough into Innate Stage as soon as possible."

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

He had almost forgotten that if he were unable to join the Inner Yard within three years, or stayed at the bottom of the Contest of Wind and Cloud, he would be kicked out of the palace.

"So, that's to say someone actually spoke on my behalf?" he thought.

"Was it this middle-aged guy who did so, or…

"Elder Qiao?"

He took a look at the audience.

Elder Qiao was one of the few who had remained quietly seated in the audience seats. He simply nodded and said nothing.

Encouraged, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou felt warm and fuzzy deep down.

He was undoubtedly feeling disappointed and dejected.

Yet, he didn't like being pitied, so he just had to do it when he saw the sympathetic look on Xiao Qixiu's face.

At the moment, however, he was truly touched.

Xu Xiaoshou sincerely voiced his gratitude. "Thank you."

Xiao Qixiu shook his head and grinned. "You'd do enough by just sparing me your antics. Your thanks are too much for me."

He had no idea why this kid, despite being his junior, still managed to get on his nerves with all the antics he pulled.

Furthermore, he also seemed to have the subconscious tendency of lowering his status whenever he talked to Xu Xiaoshou.

"Yeah, that's probably how Old Qiao feels as well, I guess," Xu Xiaoshou thought. He pouted slightly and said nothing in return.

Xiao Qixiu then turned around and said loudly, "I hereby announce that the Contest of Wind and Cloud of this year is officially over!"

"Dismissed!"

Everyone in the audience was feeling vexed, but they couldn't do anything to protest the outcome.

They'd witnessed the birth of a dark horse and thought the ending would be utmost spectacular, yet the outcome had been unexpected.

The champion was unable to even get a place in the Inner Yard.

This would've been fine with them if Xu Xiaoshou were an ordinary champion, but he had defeated so many with Innate Elemental Powers, which meant he was anything but ordinary.

They wondered if his powers and potential were indeed not worth the Spirit Palace making a one-time exception.

"Good work! Xu Xiaoshou!"

Many didn't leave right away and came to encourage him instead. Before long, cheers were coming from all over the place.

"Xu Xiaoshou! You're the best! I'll love you forever!"

"Xu Xiaoshou! Hang in there!"

Encouraged, Passive Points 663.

Encouraged, Passive Points 414.

Encouraged, Passive Points 520.

Xu Xiaoshou was touched again seeing the waves of encouragement washing all over him.

This was especially so for the line: "Xu Xiaoshou! Hang in there!"

He vaguely remembered that that line had come about in the group matches, where he had pretended to be ganged up by over 40 people.

"Thank you," he whispered in gratitude.

The sun set, and the crowd eventually dispersed.

Xu Xiaoshou smiled as he responded to those who came up to him just to encourage him, whether he recognized them or not.

"Dejected?" Elder Qiao came up to him and asked.

"Yeah.

"Very much so."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the sunset while Elder Qiao looked at him.

"This kid…" he thought.

Despite having said he was fine to so many people, he was sure being frank with him.

"That's how it is with life,' he said. "Ups and downs all the time."

"Yeah." Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head and seemed to recall something. "Ups and downs, but if you're lucky…"

"You sure are one hell of an optimist." Elder Qiao shook his head, then took out two bottles of pills for him before walking into the sunset.

"Good work."

"Teach those unflinching old farts a lesson. Make them see that they were wrong."

Xu Xiaoshou was rather stunned, thinking that there was definitely a lot to swallow in those two lines.

He then looked down at the two bottles of pills in his hand.

A bottle of Spiritual Cultivation Pills.

Another bottle carrying Red Gold Pills.

Sunset, Elder Qiao, and pills again…

Xu Xiaoshou smiled faintly, finding the scene oddly familiar, yet something was missing.

He took out a Spiritual Cultivation Pill and took a whiff.

Hsss.

The sunset seemed to sway, so much so that even his shadow seemed to shudder.

Report chapter

Chapter 53: Spiritual Library Division

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

He slept soundly all the way until morning.

He slept so well that he'd swear it was the best sleep he'd gotten in his entire life so far.

There were no mosquitoes around, he didn't need to worry about matches the next day, and there was no need to wake up to practice swordplay in the middle of the night just to ease all that tension.

As for that dull, dreadful ending from the day before, he had completely put it behind him after being dejected for a while.

Death was unable to completely do him in, so he thought nothing of that minor setback.

"It's just the Inner Yard after all," he thought. "And maybe I'm just not ready for it!

Urgent knocks were heard at his door again, waking him up. He went over to open the door.

"It's you?"

The person before him was none other than a staff member from that waiting room who had delivered him the Red Gold Pills from Xiao Qixiu.

"Please be quick. Elder Xiao is waiting for you." He deliberated for a moment. Then, afraid that Xu Xiaoshou would take his sweet time getting ready, he added, "You're the only one who hasn't shown up yet."

Today was the day he would head inside the Spiritual Library Division to pick his spiritual technique. It was already noon, and was indeed getting late.

"Alright, lead the way."

Xu Xiaoshou simply waved his hand and told the staff to lead the way, as he had nothing to pack anyway.

The staff member immediately rushed to get ahead of him.

"By the way, are there any special rules, written or otherwise, that I should know about before getting into the Spiritual Library Division?" Xu Xiaoshou took out a bottle of Red Gold Pills.

Again?

The staff member was startled, and immediately waved his hand in the negative.

"Nothing of that sort. Elder Xiao will personally explain the rules when he sees you all." He pushed the Red Gold Pill bottle back, then drastically lowered his voice. "I've already broken the rules once, so I really can't do this again."

Xu Xiaoshou frowned. "Take it!"

The staff member looked like he was about to cry. "There really are no hidden rules, and even if I took this, I wouldn't be able to tell you anything. I've never been to the Spiritual Library Division."

"Oh, that so?" Xu Xiaoshou hesitated for a bit, realizing that he wouldn't be able to fish anything out of the other man.

The last time he went there was about three years ago, and it actually wasn't his soul that had been in control then, so he'd forgotten everything.

Furthermore, he was rather dumb back then, having picked the "White Cloud Sword Techniques," which he was unable to master more than the first move of, even after practicing for three years.

He was determined to be smarter this time.

But then again, he had little confidence in his potential and figured that it wouldn't quite matter what he picked anyway.

Sigh.

Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned dull, and he had no intentions of taking that bottle of Red Gold Pills back.

The staff member took a deep breath, as if he were about to make some very, very important decision, and said, "I cannot take this!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the staff member, surprised that he wasn't actually backing down but was instead glaring at him with his teeth clenched.

Shing!

Xu Xiaoshou then drew his black sword out of his chest.

"Take it."

Sigh. The staff member then took the pills and shoved them into his sleeve.

"Lead the way."

"Very well."

The sun was hot, and the leader of the staff members looked up, trying to let the sun dry his tears.

"Oh, elder," he sighed inwardly.

"It's really not my fault. Xu Xiaoshou just insists on bribing me. Wuuuuuuu.

"I'm sorry for breaking the rules again…"

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

Impressed, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou was amused, wondering what could've possibly caused such ambivalence.

The Spiritual Library Division, Inner Yard.

The Inner Yard had a concentration of Spiritual Energy several times that of the Outer Yard, which enabled one to be invigorated as soon as one entered the place.

Every disciple who first joined the Tiansang Spirit Palace would get a chance to enter the Spiritual Library Division once. While this was mainly to let them select the techniques they would soon practice, having them experience the difference in Spiritual Energy concentration between the Inner and Outer Yards also served as a way to encourage them to be diligent in their training.

Furthermore, it was said that every Inner Yard disciple would get their own private compound, which had an array that, when opened, would increase said concentration by several times over.

Private compounds were hard to come by.

Not everyone was like Xu Xiaoshou, who'd managed to get himself a private compound when he was still training at the Outer Yard.

Some even had to sneak up others' doors just to train.

Xiao Qixiu brought eleven others with him, walking as he talked.

"Although you've all been here before, I'm about to reiterate the rules one more time."

"Each of you can select an Innate-level spiritual technique. Once you're done, get to registration right away. Be careful not to cause a scene, and fighting inside is absolutely forbidden."

He turned around and locked eyes with Xu Xiaoshou. "Got it?"

Exasperated, Xu Xiaoshou asked, "Why are you looking at me?"

"Heh."

Xiao Qixiu's expression seemed to say "you of all people should know why," and he added, "I'm not going to be discreet about his. What I said was meant for you!"

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

Everyone else around laughed their lungs out.

Ridiculed, Passive Points 11.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt rather exhausted, and he shot a look at Xiao Qixiu that seemed to say, "I'm not talking to you." Then, he walked to the tail end of the entourage.

He then found Zhou Tianshen in the entourage as well, and that piqued his interest.

He recalled Xiao Qixiu having said that only the top ten would get a chance to visit the Spiritual Library Division again, but he remembered having eliminated Zhou Tianshen when they were fighting for one of the top thirty-two places.

"Wait a minute," he thought.

"Under-the-table deal then?"

Xu Xiaoshou went up and put an arm around Zhou Tianshen's shoulders. "Why are you here too?"

The other man wanted to say something but decided not to.

Xu Xiaoshou then chuckled. His look seemed to say that he understood, and he dragged the man out of the entourage and whispered, "Just tell me, how did you manage to get here. I swear I won't tell anyone."

Zhou Tianshen tried to think up a way to go about this.

He had taken Xu Xiaoshou to be his friend after that battle, so he felt that he couldn't do anything to provoke him.

However, by the look on Xu Xiaoshou's face, he seemed to be urging him to speak the truth, so he had no choice but to be honest with him. "An opportunity given to me after making it into the Inner Yard."

Xu Xiaoshou's smile froze.

"Okay, sure!" he thought. "No problem. My own fault for putting salt in my own wound."

"So umm… they all can pick two techniques each?"

"Yeah." Zhou Tianshen nodded. "They can pick one now, and then they can come again to pick another after they master that one."

"D*mn, that's convoluted," he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath and left.

"That middle-aged guy was right. I'm better off not talking at all."

Disturbed, Passive Points 1.

He was stunned for a moment, then turned around to see the worried look on Zhou Tianshen's face, as if he were worried that what he said had hurt him.

"This is one straightforward guy indeed," Xu Xiaoshou chuckled inwardly.

"We're here."

A building that was three stories tall appeared before their eyes after they took a turn on the winding path.

The building looked plain and was sparsely decorated. There weren't even any carvings to be found on its pillars. Other than the huge crimson pearl that seemed to be emanating heat on the roof, nothing about the building seemed to be out of the ordinary.

The plaque hanging above the door said "Spiritual Library Division" in black lettering.

The writing looked rustic and magnanimous.

It seemed to suggest that it was a good place for studying.

Xiao Qixiu took out a reddish-black Elder Token and placed it on the array printed at the door, which then opened it.

"Get in there. The first floor contains Acquired-level techniques, the second floor contains Innate-level ones, and no going to the third floor.

"You have six hours to pick your techniques. Don't get too engrossed, and be mindful of the time allotted. Get to registration once you're done."

He then took a look at Xu Xiaoshou and said, "Remember what I said on our way here."

Everyone was having a good laugh again. As the student who was specifically picked on by the "instructor," Xu Xiaoshou had no choice but to walk inside with his head hung low.

Report chapter

Chapter 54: Zhou Tianshen Learns to Use His Head

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Spiritual Library Division was bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside.

Xu Xiaoshou scanned the place and found that there were hundreds of shelves around, with every shelf either having jade scrolls or ancient texts on them. There were easily over 1000 Acquired-level spiritual techniques to be found on that one floor alone.

"Tsk, tsk, this is something."

He walked to the end along with the crowd and turned, reaching out his hand and touching the first technique.

That was a snippet of an ancient text that one could read, yet an array had been installed on it, causing the reader to only be able to read the name and introduction but not the content inside.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't dwell on this book. He glanced at it, then shook it a bit, but nothing happened.

He then shook even harder, and still nothing happened.

He put the book down and went for the second book.

The result was the same.

In contrast, the others in the crowd passed through the first floor and made their way to the stairs leading to the second floor.

Xiao Qixiu had made it very clear that the first floor contained Acquired-level techniques, which no one out of the group batted an eye at.

It wasn't every day they were allowed to come inside this place. Given that there were no restrictions on what they could read, they all naturally headed to the second floor.

Zhou Tianshen had thought to do the same as them initially, following the rest to the stairs, but when he saw that no one else was behind him when they turned a corner, he stopped instead.

"Where's Xu Xiaoshou gone to again? Is he still on the first floor picking techniques?"

Zhou Tianshen was puzzled. He figured that he should advise his friend if that were the case.

He peered around the corner and found Xu Xiaoshou doing something at a shelf near the entrance.

He took a closer look and missed a step on the stairs, causing him to almost roll down the steps.

"Sh*!" he thought.

"What's that guy doing?

"Shaking ancient texts??"

Zhou Tianshen was completely baffled, thinking that Xu Xiaoshou was definitely very bold.

He'd completely forgotten what Elder Xiao had just said as soon as they'd gone inside. The way Xu Xiaoshou was shaking the books, it would only take moments for the caretakers to come and pick a fight with him.

Zhou Tianshen was exasperated. He headed back there and stopped Xu Xiaoshou from shaking the books again. "What the h*ll are you doing?"

"Looking for techniques." The look on Xu Xiaoshou's face seemed to suggest that he'd done nothing wrong.

"You call this looking for techniques?" Zhou Tianshen was so exasperated that his voice raised considerably. "What you're doing here is ruining the books. You'll be done for when the caretakers get here!"

"Quiet!"

Xu Xiaoshou then shushed him and said, "You know nothing, do you? The books are protected by arrays, so there's no way they could be ruined. You on the other hand, why the h*ll are you being so loud? Looking to get your head chopped off?"

Zhou Tianshen shrunk back and added, "But that's no reason for you to do what you did. Just in case, you know, the books do get ruined."

"They won't!"

Xu Xiaoshou waved his hand in dismissal, then stared at him instead. "What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be upstairs looking for Innate-level techniques?"

Zhou Tianshen was speechless.

"So you did know that the Innate level ones were up there, huh?" he thought. "Then why the h*ll are you shak…

"Huh?

"Hold on."

He paused all of a sudden and started pondering.

"The guy knows that the good stuff is upstairs, so what is he doing here still?

"Oh…

"I see."

He recalled the conversation he'd had with Xu Xiaoshou on their way here, and his face lit up with sudden understanding as he asked, "You have other ways, then?"

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded.

"Other ways, yeah, right. I'm trying to find gold in the sands, dude!"

"Pfftt!" Zhou Tianshen pouted for a bit, then continued, "What gold could you find in the first floor, eh? The way I see it, you're picking sesames in a pile of sh* instead."

Xu Xiaoshou's hand that was shaking the text stopped. He was kind of offended by Zhou Tianshen's words.

"So what? You know how to go about it then?" he thought.

"Whatever. You've been here before. Might as well teach you something, then," Xu Xiaoshou sighed, figuring that these people of foreign worlds were indeed hopeless. However, he figured that it would do no harm to remind a guy who'd been kind enough to come and remind him about some things.

He pulled Zhou Tianshen over and pressed the other man's head low, saying, "Listen now. The real deal, the truly powerful techniques, will definitely not be put right in front of you.

"Only by selecting certain texts like me can you seek the lost treasures."

Zhou Tianshen looked doubtful, and he retorted, "What? You think you can shake treasures out of these old books?"

"That's hard to say…"

Xu Xiaoshou stretched himself a bit, a mysterious grin on his face. "You know, the likes of golden pages, ancient maps, pieces of broken scrolls and whatever. They're often found wedged inside the common ones."

"How do you know that?"

"Hehe, I've read enough books to tell."

Zhou Tianshen saw how confident Xu Xiaoshou was and figured that he might not be lying, but then again…

He wondered if such ways that seemed to have come out of nowhere would actually work.

"Believe it or not. Have it your way."

Xu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes, tired of explaining. Then he returned to shaking the ancient texts again.

Zhou Tianshen looked at Xu Xiaoshou, then shifted his gaze upwards as he thought about something. His gaze was so intense he could've seen through into the second floor.

He thought for a bit, then found himself reaching for a book on a shelf.

"We have six hours, so I'm going to search for three hours and then head upstairs if I don't find anything."

"Yeah, just like that."

He nodded in the affirmative and looked at Xu Xiaoshou again. The other man almost looked like he were glowing.

While Xu Xiaoshou did look like a lunatic, most of those who were thought to have sense had all been taken out by him. Zhou Tianshen then figured that there was maybe something to what the former had said.

That was probably how he'd managed to become champion.

Zhou Tianshen's eyes widened, as he felt he had seemingly discovered a piece of Xu Xiaoshou's secret to success.

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

He started shaking the books one by one, finding nothing.

"I knew it!" he thought. "That the road to success would be anything but easy!"

Zhou Tianshen's eyes lit up.

Moving on!

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Still nothing.

"Failed again, as expected…"

"Great. I guess this is what grandpa meant when he told me about the trials and tribulations one experiences on the road to success."

"Thinking could actually enable one to discover shortcuts to success. Now I know why grandpa kept telling me to think more."

A stout kid rubbed his hands and then kept searching the books on the first floor of the library, his eyes seemingly sparkling the whole time.

On the other side.

Xu Xiaoshou had already searched several shelves. His Sense told him that Zhou Tianshen was actually searching the places he'd already searched, and he almost fainted at the thought.

He walked up to Zhou Tianshen and said, "I've already searched the places you're looking through!"

"Hey, you might have overlooked something," Zhou Tianshen answered without looking up. His hands were busy shaking through all the books. No one could stop him from reaching success.

Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned glum. The other man actually made sense.

"But we don't have that much time!"

He pointed at the end of the first floor and said, "Search over there instead. We'll split up. Remember to share when you find something."

"Hmm…"

"Seems like a good idea." Zhou Tianshen stopped doing what he was doing and decided to do as told.

"Remember, the weirder the stuff you find, the better. If you happen to find a piece of blank paper, you're inches away from becoming a god."

"Blank paper?" Zhou Tianshen then looked like he had just realized something and clenched his fists. "I'll keep that in mind."

"And don't just search the shelves. Look through the dusty corners, and there might be pieces stuffed under the legs of tables and chairs. If you find something, let me have a look first!"

"Man…" he thought.

"You want to cover that much, eh?"

Zhou Tianshen was stunned at the thought there might be legendary obscured pieces hidden somewhere.

That was the champion for you!

He gulped and came to believe all of a sudden that Xu Xiaoshou's thought patterns would definitely lead him to fame and glory.

Xu Xiaoshou saw him walk away and returned to flipping everywhere he could flip, not missing even a single corner.

He figured that Zhou Tianshen might not find anything satisfactory, but he was different.

Knowing oneself was a precious trait. Xu Xiaoshou knew how rare his potential was from the fact that he'd only been able to master one move, even after practicing the White Cloud Sword Techniques for three years. As such, he knew that he had no hopes of being able to master any of the Innate-level techniques.

What he was looking for at the moment were techniques that were practical, yet had few requirements in terms of talent. As for level, he figured that it would be better if it was beneath the Acquired level.

As for those powerful techniques, he saw fit to just let the Passive System take care of them.

As for broken pieces…

He deemed it imperative to find any pieces of those. Although the chances of finding such pieces were low, every book he read had something of that sort.

Just in case, man!

He turned around to look at Zhou Tianshen. Truth be told, he actually had high hopes for the other man.

There was a saying about it, after all.

What was it again?

Luck favors the dumb?

He might just actually run into some rare techniques.

Report chapter

Chapter 55: Third Person on The Treasure Hunt

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On the second floor of the Spiritual Library Division.

The place was different from the first floor, given that there were no shelves. There weren't even ancient texts or jade scrolls. The only things around were white halos spaced far apart from each other.

Every single halo represented an Innate-level spiritual technique, and there were nearly one hundred of them to be found on the floor.

Mu Zixi, with a rather bored look on her face, played with her pigtails as she walked past one of the halos.

Unlike the others, she had set her sights on something and managed to find what she was looking for right away.

It wasn't every day that they got to enter the library, so she didn't want to just register her stuff and head out so quickly. Everyone was still inside. It would've been boring for her to stay outside all on her own, so she'd stayed inside the library.

She scanned her surroundings as she aimlessly walked around.

The halos were rather mystical. They would light up immediately once someone entered them, preventing another from getting inside.

Mu Zixi walked around and found something wasn't right. She counted the halos that were lit up.

"Eight?"

"Why are there only eight halos lit up when there are eleven of us here?" she thought.

"Where are the other three?

"We aren't allowed to enter the third floor, so are there still people on the first floor, then?"

She frowned, finding this turn of events amusing, and ran all the way downstairs.

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Rhythmic and minute shaking sounds were heard. Mu Zixi sneaked up on the source of the sounds.

"Zhou Tianshen?" she thought.

"What is he doing?"

Mu Zixi was puzzled.

She saw the stout kid pick up a book and shake it before returning it to its place and reaching for another one.

That wasn't all. Mu Zixi looked on, finding it scary when he suddenly stopped at a corner and pounced on a dusty box, his eyes lighting up as if he'd found some kind of treasure.

He then got up there, pushed the box away, and started fiddling with the dust.

He seemed to be having a good time.

Mu Zixi was completely baffled, and was feeling a little puzzled at this sight. Who would've thought the stout guy would actually enjoy games that were so childish?

But this was the Spiritual Library Division. He was here to play games instead of selecting spiritual techniques?

"Zhou Tianshen!"

"What are you doing?" she yelled at him, arms akimbo.

The stout guy, who was busy moving the boxes, was startled, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that it was only Mu Zixi.

"Gosh, you scared me to death. I thought the caretakers were here…"

"Hmph, so you're telling me that you can just fool around as long as the caretakers aren't here?"

Zhou Tianshen was stunned when he heard this. Then, wiping the sweat from his brow, he said, "I'm not fooling around. I'm looking for techniques!"

Mu Zixi, amused, watched his blackened hand leave marks behind on his face and said, "Look at your messy face. Since when do people go about looking for techniques like this?"

"Yeah, that's what you think." Zhou Tianshen said, disgruntled. Then he pointed at Xu Xiaoshou. "Xu Xiaoshou's looking for techniques like this too, okay?"

Xu Xiaoshou?

Mu Zixi looked in the direction he was pointing and immediately spotted a lanky figure.

However, the sight that greeted them was completely different from what they'd expected.

Xu Xiaoshou, who was in his simple white garb, was leaning on a shelf, a book in his hands. He looked dazed, as if he were pondering some big question that was bothering him.

The bit of sunlight coming from the windows above shone on the young man's chiseled face, making the scene look like something out of a painting.

Zhou Tiansheng was completely baffled.

Mu Zixi got engrossed in the scene for a bit before recalling how Xu Xiaoshou had wiped at his neck, saying that it stank. She then quickly snapped back to reality.

She looked at Zhou Tianshen and snickered. "Well, the way you both look for spiritual techniques is definitely really similar."

Zhou Tianshen was all quiet as he looked at his blackened hand, then at Xu Xiaoshou's clean face, feeling that he'd been several cheated.

"I think I need to explain myself…"

"No need to explain anything. Better get your face washed instead."

"Oh? Don't you wanna know the secret to that guy becoming the champion?"

"I'm no… huh? What did you say? Come again?"

"Well, I'd better just get my face washed."

"Wait, hold on. Come here for a bit."

Xu Xiaoshou naturally wasn't just acting cool in a sunny place because he'd sensed the two's conversation and what they were doing.

He was actually engrossed by the broken piece he'd found.

"10 Sections of the Finger Sword?" Xu Xiaoshou mumbled.

He'd actually been able to find quite a number of such broken pieces after searching for two hours. However, all those techniques required certain special elemental traits, and it'd taken him just one look to tell that those weren't for him.

All but the "10 Sections of the Finger Sword," that is.

The technique's level was unclear, and it didn't require spiritual strength. All the technique required was sword will and arts of the finger. When fully mastered, one could easily slice a river open with a single attack.

It was as if the technique were tailor-made for him.

The experience of a transported one was actually d*mn useful!

The only thing that concerned him was if the sword finger technique would stack with Glow of Sharpness, yet it was also the part that got him thinking.

According to the introduction, it melded sword will with one's fingers…

"Not with any sword-like item, like 'All Things are Swords,' but with one's own fingers eh?" he thought.

This was just like the third way a swordsman could train in the way of the sword, then!

The mainstream way of combining a sword with spiritual techniques was one way.

Fighting with pure sword will that he created, which he'd had no idea would actually work, was the second way.

Yet this "10 Sections of Sword Finger"…

Combining sword will with one's own body?

"I guess you can find all manner of weird stuff under the sun…" he thought.

He was completely shocked by this wild, unconventional way of thinking. Combining sword will and a sword-like item would produce Sword Telepathy. He wondered what combining sword will and one's own body would produce.

"Hold on," he thought.

"Sword will is something that gets produced from one's own training in the first place. Does the "combining" concept even apply here?

"But wait.

"It says here that it could be done."

He was completely puzzled by what he was reading.

He decided that if he were unable to find anything else, then he would settle for "10 Sections of Sword Finger."

Even if nothing else came out of his training with the technique, such a unique way of training would keep him occupied for a very long time.

"Heh, who was it who thought something this weird up? I guess I've met my match, and whoever invented this was a genius."

He tried looking for the name of the creator. Unfortunately, it was a broken piece, and there was no mention of the creator.

He packed his stuff and looked at the time. There were still four hours left, which meant he had a lot of time left to explore.

So he went back to searching high and low.

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Mu Zixi rather regretted having bought Zhou Tianshen's mumbo-jumbo. She was holding two old books in her hands, and her favorite dress was all dirtied. She looked a mess.

"Zhou Tianshen!"

"There's nothing at all!" She forcefully shoved a book back onto a shelf.

The bang startled him.

He stuck his head through a crack in the wall, then said with a disgruntled expression on his face, "Oh gosh, miss. Don't you go scaring people like that! Becoming champion requires sacrifice, alright!"

Mu Zixi was actually fuming at the moment, yet she laughed out loud when she saw Zhou Tianshen's face.

His face was all blackened, and given that there wasn't enough light around, she was only able to see his white teeth.

Pfft!

"I think you really need to wash your face. Hahahaha!"

"Shh! Keep it down!" Zhou Tianshen shook the piece that he'd managed to find in the crack. It was indeed a page from somewhere. "See?"

"You found something?" Mu Zixi's eyes glittered, and she immediately headed over to him.

Zhou Tianshen dusted off the page by blowing on it, causing both of them to cough.

"An old image?"

The image was of an old one-armed man lifting a saber while bending backwards, looking very twisted and weird on that tattered, old parchment.

Mu Zixi immediately pouted. She could tell from one glance that the technique would fit Zhou Tianshen just right, but would be of no use to her.

She was just about to grumble when she turned around and saw that dirtied man staring at that old image, seemingly in some sort of trance.

"You learned something?" She was stunned.

"Indeed."

"What Xu Xiaoshou said was true, then? That the treasures are indeed on the first floor?"

"Yeah."

Mu Zixi found her motivation for finding techniques there again, but then she quickly realized something, which caused her to freeze.

Zhou Tianshen was in a trance, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't around, then…

"Who was speaking to me?" she thought.

She turned around in fright.

Report chapter

Chapter 56: A Stare from the Abyss

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

She turned around to see a wrinkled old face underneath a straw hat. On that shriveled face of his, which was doing its best to force a warm smile, there were two massive dark circles underneath his eyes.

But the distance between her face and his, which was less than an inch, was more than enough to scare her to death.

Mu Zixi was so frightened that she was unable to even make a sound. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and her body stiffened before she fell backward onto the ground like a log.

Thump.

The old man pulled his hat down and watched her fall to the ground, his face deadpan.

"Hmph, you've caused enough trouble, rascal. I bet you would've started digging at the walls next if I'd let you keep you doing this."

He took the books from her hand, dusted them a bit, then put them back on the shelves.

He then kicked the girl, who was lying on the ground, to the side. He moved to get ready to take care of the next one, but then frowned all of a sudden.

He squatted down and lifted one of her hands.

"What the hell?" he muttered in shock.

"Such massive lifeforce…"

The old man was frightened, as he sensed that the lifeforce in her was so dense that it had almost concealed the presence of her wood elemental traits.

Furthermore, he also sensed that not only was the suppressed wood elemental powers not dying, but it was also gobbling up that lifeforce as best it could to strengthen itself. This was what shocked him the most.

"What kind of a physique is this?"

"Wood element capable of absorbing lifeforce to strengthen itself?"

His eyes glittered, as if he'd come across some rare treasure.

Yet, he turned his gaze to the shelf and then back again, obviously struggling inwardly.

However, the struggle only lasted for a brief moment before a determined look came back into his eyes.

"It's a pity…" He sighed. "If you'd appeared before me earlier, I might have just picked you instead."

After coming to this decision, the old man no longer hesitated, and he kicked the girl aside.

He lifted his head and squatted beside Zhou Tianshen. Then, he looked at the parchment, and his face twisted.

"He's stunned?

"How did something like this get out here?

"Man, are these few fellows rats or something?"

The stout kid beside him seemed to move, and the old man put his face closer.

Zhou Tianshen finally snapped out of the trance he'd fallen under from reading the parchment. His eyes were filled with an excitement so intense that his hands, which were holding the image, couldn't stop shaking.

"So, you've learned quite a bit, eh?" a hallowed voice seemed to say in his mind, and Zhou Tianshen nodded furiously.

"I've learned a lot indeed!

"What Xu Xiaoshou said was true. So long as I keep practicing this blade technique, I'll be able to get to Innate-level blade will in no time!"

"Mu Zi…"

His mind was completely occupied by that image, and he was about to wave to Mu Zixi, just to tell her to come to take a look, before he realized that he'd grabbed hold of something.

That thing was warm, soft, yet rough.

Zhou Tianshen turned around, a suspicious look on his face.

An old face!

An old face right before his very eyes!

He saw a pair of sunken, dark eyes peering at him through his fingers, making him feel as if the reaper himself were staring at him.

"Holy sh*!"

Zhou Tianshen's eyes lost focus. The shout had barely left his lips before he passed out from this utterly frightening scene.

He stiffened, fell backward, knocked again the wall, then dropped to the ground with a thump.

"Tsk!"

The old man wiped his face and kicked the kid to a corner. "One more left!"

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Swoop, swoop, swoop.

Xu Xiaoshou was doing two things at one time to be more efficient. He was shaking a book in one hand while holding a jade scroll in the other.

His movements slowed for a brief moment, yet he didn't stop altogether.

The jabs from those other two in the Information Bar in his mind had been gone for a long time, yet another new information line popped up.

Being watched, Passive Point 1.

That information made his skin crawl, and a shiver immediately ran down his spine, causing him to almost whip his hand at whatever was watching him.

Yet, he held back the urge instead.

He then kept telling himself not to act on impulse. Turning around would definitely be the end of him.

"Who's watching me?" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou was utterly frightened, yet he continued doing what he was doing with his hands as he yelled deep down.

He noted that his Sense hadn't told him there was anyone around him.

"No, wait," he thought.

"What happened to the spiritual energy fluctuations from those two?"

"Why are they gone too?"

He tried hard to shift his focus to the two's last location, and then saw the both of them passed out on the ground.

"Sh*!

"Someone got rid of them?

"Is the caretaker here?"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart thumped furiously in his chest. If the person would just appear before him, he wouldn't feel so frightened.

But the other person was watching him, while he was unable to see them.

The fear of the unknown is the most torturous.

Xu Xiaoshou carefully blew on the book, then put it back again, pretending to mumble without a care in the world.

"Man, I wonder just how many years it's been since someone last cleaned this place. What's with all the dust? Can't help it. Just have to shake all that dust away."

He stretched backward without turning his head around. "I've done enough charity on the first floor. Time to look for my own spiritual technique on the second floor, then."

He rested his hand on the shelf, then moved his legs. That was when he realized he was no longer in control of his own body.

"Sh*!" he thought.

"Move, d*mn it!"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned glum all of a sudden, but he quickly adjusted himself and clapped at his legs.

"H*ll, legs got numbed from standing for so long. It's tiring work indeed.

"It sure is tough being a caretaker of this place and having to take care of so many books every day. I have to say, I'm impressed."

He was finally able to move his leg, and took a step up. Overjoyed, he rested his hand on the shelf, about to leave.

"Heh, you could actually detect my presence. Some progress right there," a jeering voice came from behind him.

"D*mn."

Xu Xiaoshou immediately covered his ears. "I'm getting so tired that I'm hearing things now…"

With his legs becoming mobile again, he immediately strode forward, yet he couldn't shake the feeling of being choked by fate itself.

"Quit pretending already.

"Turn around, now!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked desolate, as he was forced to turn around. He then saw an old man in a straw hat with dark circles under his eyes.

"It's you!"

His fear was immediately dispelled and replaced with shock instead.

"Isn't that the old man who forced me to swallow that Infernal Fire Seed back then?" he thought to himself.

"What's his name again…"

"Elder Sang!"

He immediately became furious as he recalled all the pain he'd experienced that day. He was so furious he almost completely forgot the old man's status.

He'd sworn before that if he ever ran into that old man again, he would cut him into pieces. How could he forget him?

He took one step backward and pulled Hiding Pain from his chest, then pointed it at the old man.

"One's gotta live hard and fast, no?" he thought.

Whatever was left of Elder Sang's eyebrows raised when he saw that sword. He looked at the tip and traced the sword all the way back to Xu Xiaoshou without an ounce of emotion.

"Eh?"

He could only gasp before feeling as if he'd been thrown into an icy hell for a moment, and his body felt cold all of a sudden.

"My gosh!" he thought.

"What am I doing?

"Why am I pointing a sword at the caretaker??

"Am I crazy or what? He got rid of those two without making a sound! Am I trying to get myself killed?"

He then slowly lifted the sword, twirling it about in the air for a moment before putting it back into the ring and flashing a beaming smile at the old man.

"Hehe, I've been looking at the technique for so long that I've found it kind of easy to pick up a thing or two from it. I just feel like I have to play with it for a bit with my sword…"

"Hehe, hehe…"

"Sword techniques?" Elder Sang took off his straw hat and took the book he'd just put back. "You mean this 12 Punches of the Great Barren Lands?"

Gulp. The smile on Xu Xiaoshou's face immediately froze.

Chapter 57: Getting Played

"Why are you here, sir?"

Xu Xiaoshou tried his best to steady himself and explained, "I didn't break any of the books or scrolls, and I didn't mess up the boxes…"

"Relax. I'm not going to do anything to you." Elder Sang flashed him an amicable smile. "What happened to those two was purely incidental. I'm here specifically for you."

Xu Xiaoshou panicked even more. He'd rather this old man were here for his head than anything else.

What that old man did to him before had been excruciating.

He wondered how the old man would deal with him next.

"Let me have a look at the technique that you've picked." Elder Sang reached out his hand.

Xu Xiaoshou took out the broken piece, wondering what the old man was up to.

"Ten Sections of the Finger Sword?"

Elder Sang frowned as soon as he took the piece. "You picked this thing despite it looking so broken already? You'd be lucky to even get one section out of all ten!"

He took the broken piece and flicked his hand, and an exquisite jade scroll appeared in his grasp.

Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled.

"What does this mean?" he thought. "What is that old fart up to now?

"Give me back my broken piece!"

"Pretty, right?" Elder Sang snickered.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately got a bad feeling inside, but he couldn't do anything but nod.

"Nice that you find it pretty. This is something I made specifically for you!" Elder Sang then stuffed the jade scroll into his hand, then gestured with his chin. "Take a look."

"I don't wanna take a look!" he thought.

"I want my broken piece back!"

"Pretty thing indeed." Xu Xiaoshou grinned as he pressed the jade scroll to his head, then scanned it with his will.

"Infernal Heavens?"

His heart almost stopped right then and there at the familiar word.

Infernal?

He wasn't about to believe any claims about this thing if it had something to do with that Infernal Fire Seed he'd swallowed back then.

Xu Xiaoshou stopped pretending and handed the jade scroll back, saying, "Sir, you've overestimated me. I really have very little talent, so much so that I was only able to master one move of that White Cloud Sword Technique, even after practicing it for three years. I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to master this."

Elder Sang waved his hand dismissively.

"It's fine. Talent and potential are not requirements for learning this thing. So long as your physical body is strong enough to resist the burning might of the Infernal Fire Seed, you'll do fine."

Xu Xiaoshou panicked. "The thing is I don't want to go through all that!" he thought.

"I have the Passive System, man! Why the h*ll would I want to do this to myself?"

"I could just slowly earn Passive Points. This thing here is no joke, man! One misstep and I could be reduced to dust!"

Elder Sang pushed the jade scroll back, grabbed his hand, then sensed for a bit.

"Hmm, you've internalized the Infernal Fire Seed well. You're already halfway there. I definitely have a good eye."

Elder Sang then flipped his hand over, and that familiar scorching hot red seed appeared in his hand, which he immediately stuffed into Xu Xiaoshou's hand.

"Register this spiritual technique when you head out. Practice it well, and when you're done, come and look for me here again."

"To h*ll with you!" he thought.

"I don't wanna see your face anymore!"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart almost seized as that terrifying pain and heat from the seed seemed to creep inside him again.

He then realized that he couldn't just roll with whatever life threw at him, that he needed to resist sometimes.

"Sir, I don't want to eat this thing…"

Shuu!

Elder Sang flicked his finger and shot another seed into Xu Xiaoshou's throat. Xu Xiaoshou swallowed it with a grunt.

"You can keep this one for later if you don't want to eat it now. Let's eat another one instead." The old man said amicably, squinting at him.

He then took out a jade bottle and carefully put the seed in Xu Xiaoshou's hand into it before shoving it back to him and saying, "No need to hurry. Just take your time."

Xu Xiaoshou staggered and fell to the ground, his face drained of color.

"That's not what I meant," he thought.

"I don't wanna eat any of these!"

He was entirely baffled. This trick had come so suddenly, making him think that the old man was entirely devoid of the air usually present in formidable seniors for having utterly relied on petty tricks.

He no longer dared to do anything rash with that seed in his stomach, and maneuvered his qi to quickly stabilize himself.

The heat in his body quickly rose, and his entire body became red hot again.

He leaned on a bookshelf as steam emanated from his body and that familiar, intense pain came again, almost making him go crazy.

Attacked, Passive Points 1.

Attacked, Passive Points 1.

He knew there'd be a massive rush of Passive Points, but he wasn't happy about it.

That was the price of pain!

No!

That was the price of being in h*ll!

If he started refining it, the pain would only get a lot more intense.

"Wasn't I here to pick my spiritual technique?" he thought. "How did this happen…"

He looked dazed, as he felt like his soul was leaving his body.

Elder Sang, regardless of this, put ten bottles of pills before Xu Xiaoshou, causing the latter's face to twitch.

"Red Gold Pills?" he thought.

"Ten bottles?

"So, that's what's happening…"

He felt as if fate were toying with him.

"You'll have a bright future ahead of you after you tough through this. Trust me." The old man rummaged for a bit, then put down yet another bottle of pills.

"Work hard!

"And remember to come and find me again after you've mastered it." After saying this, he disappeared from where he was standing.

Encouraged, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou sat where he was, dazed, feeling as if life had lost all meaning.

"Why?" he thought.

"I fought so hard and became champion, yet I didn't get to enter the Inner Yard?"

"I finally got a once in a blue moon chance to go into the Spiritual Library Division to pick a spiritual technique, and yet I got played instead?"

Xu Xiaoshou was unable to find an explanation for it. He felt like the world was out to mess him up.

"Forget it. Whatever…"

He registered his spiritual technique in a dazed state and left the place.

Back in the Inner Yard.

In some spiritual spot.

Bubble, bubble.

A wine flask, which was made of spiritual silver jade, burned nicely.

Lan Xinzi retracted the blue flames in her hand and opened the lid of the flask. The fragrance of wine went everywhere.

She took two cups, picked up the flask, and walked with steps as light as a feather to the side of a man training with his eyes closed.

"Master Zhang, this is the Murky Sage Brew that the head of the clan just sent here. How about trying it out for a bit?" she probed.

Zhang Xinxiong opened his eyes, coming out of his training state. He looked at the woman before him.

He had to admit that Lan Xinzi was an absolute beauty.

Her dress flowed like a goddess's, and her shoulders were barely covered. She didn't need much makeup to make flowers lose their radiance in her presence.

"Your dress fell down. Wear it right." Zhang Xinxiong looked away.

"What do you mean? This is how it's worn…" Lan Xinzi's lips twitched all of a sudden, and she said slyly, "Well, I have two cups in my hands, and, as you can see, my hands are full, so how about you straighten it for me, then?"

Zhang Xinxiong took the cups away and gulped the contents down. "Straighten it yourself."

Lan Xinzi only rolled her eyes at him, then went on to pour him more wine, saying in his ear, "News from the clan."

"Speak properly." Zhang Xinxiong tilted his head away and frowned. "What is it this time?"

"The thing about Wen Chong getting killed. Did you actually think you could hide it?"

Lan Xinzi stretched about lazily, putting up quite a show before the man, and continued.

"Your second mother would only need to whisper at your father's ear. You see, more news here now." She lightly blew on the wine in the cup while casting a glance at the man, looking alluring.

Zhang Xinxiong snickered. "What does the matter with the Wen family have to do with me?"

"That guy is your cousin!"

"Just a good-for-nothing piece of trash."

Lan Xinzi was speechless for quite a while.

Report chapter

Chapter 58: Get me a Flask, and Kill Someone for Me

"If you don't want to do it yourself, I could kill Xu Xiaoshou for you." Lan Xinzi shrugged, causing her dress to slip even further down her shoulders.

"One of the thirty-three of the Inner Yard kill one of the Outer Yard disciples who just became the champion of the Contest of Wind and Cloud?" Zhang Xinxiong stared directly at her. "How would you do that?"

"Assassination." Lan Xinzi raised her chin a little, and a sneering look appeared in her eyes. "You said it yourself. He's but an Outer Yard disciple."

"Heh, he's but an Outer Yard disciple, eh?

"Killing Xu Xiaoshou would indeed be simple, but do you really think you could fool the enforcer elder of the Spiritual Law Division so easily?"

"Kill him today, and you'd be executed tomorrow." Zhang Xinxiong smirked.

"So you're worried for me!" Lan Xinzi immediately flashed him a beaming smile.

"I just don't want to have myself cornered over someone like that." Zhang Xinxiong looked into the distance, a spirited look on his face. "The Tiansang Prefecture is nothing to me. Dongtianwang City is where the truly strong ones will fight in half a year."

Lan Xinzi stared at his chiseled features with yearning in her eyes. Zhang Xinxiong's mettle, which befitted a supreme overlord whom all submitted to, was what struck her the most.

She thought that it was quite a pity that he didn't fancy her at all.

Zhang Xinxiong turned around and looked at her instead, causing her to become flustered, then said in a serious tone, "Get someone to keep a close eye on Xu Xiaoshou. Remember, don't do anything rash."

"Sure," she said. "My Lord Master Zhang."

Lan Xinzi then snickered and asked, "More wine?"

"No. I need to head out."

"Where are you going?"

"None of your business."

Lan Xinzi's expression immediately changed, and she slammed the flask down on the table, shouting, "You're going to find that b*ch Rao Yinyin, aren't you?"

Zhang Xinxiong halted and slowly turned around. The look in his eyes made him look like he was about to eat someone. "Say that one more time."

Lan Xinzi backed away and fell on a chair.

Zhang Xinxiong's terrifying aura washed over her like a tsunami when he was angry. Despite being at Upper Spiritual Level just like Zhang Xinxiong, she still was unable to resist.

Yet, Lan Zinxi didn't just back off this time. She immediately stood up and shouted furiously, "You won't even be able to get inside her place. You've tried over and over. What's the point in doing it again?"

Zhang Xinxiong walked up to her with heavy steps. His expression was glum as he pushed her onto a chair and said slowly, "There are some things that are beyond you.

"You have good talents, and you're now part of the Inner Yard, so devote yourself to your training and forget about everything else.

"Know your place. You're but a servant of the Zhang family, a messenger…

"And nothing more."

Lan Xinzi stared at Zhang Xinxiong with a blank look in her eyes until the man was no longer within sight. Then, her stiffened body immediately slumped over, and she felt that her back was drenched in a cold sweat.

She then laughed at herself, realizing that the gap between them in terms of level and status was something that could never be filled in that man's eyes.

That fact had remained the same, even after she became one of the thirty-three in the Inner Yard.

Crack!

She then shattered the flask made of spiritual silver jade by sweeping it to the floor, and the fragrance of Murky Sage Brew immediately filled the entire place.

She stared at the pieces on the ground with teary eyes.

The very next second, she siphoned spiritual source and dried her eyes.

"He Yuxing!"

At that moment, a man came in from outside the compound. He looked dashing, and wore a sword at his waist. He looked like he'd been waiting for a while.

"Why do you have to do this to yourself?" He Yuxing's eyes, under those vibrant eyebrows of his, were filled with hurt and pity. He stepped on the wine and started picking up the pieces of the flask.

"Leave it be." Lan Xinzi waved her hand, and blue flames sprouted from the ground, causing him to back away.

"The flask was his, and I broke it."

"I know."

"Get me one that looks just like it."

"Will do." He Yuxing snickered bitterly and turned to look at her, but she was gazing far into the distance.

Just as Zhang Xinxiong never saw her as anything more, she too never regarded He Yuxing as anything more.

He shook his head to dispel his messy thoughts.

"A flask. That's all?"

"Of course not."

Lan Xinzi straightened her dress and rose, heading for the door.

"Kill someone for me."

"And that would be?"

"Xu Xiaoshou."

Asschhuumm!

"Who's talking about me?" Xu Xiaoshou thought.

He rubbed his nose.

If he had to name the prettiest girl he'd ever seen so far, it would probably be the woman in the red dress who went to the group matches with Su Qianqian that day. The woman had even shot him a seductive look when she left.

"She's probably the one thinking about me, eh…

"I wonder what her name is…

"Sigh. I guess being good-looking does come with the perk of being unforgettable."

Xu Xiaoshou shifted his focus. He had returned from the Spiritual Library Division and was currently spacing out on his bed.

That trip had been nothing short of mystical. He remembered the sympathetic look on Xiao Qixiu's face when he'd finished registering; the older man had been so sympathetic he'd even offered him words of encouragement when he left.

"Judging from Xiao Qixiu's attitude, that old man may actually be of a higher status. But Xiao Qixiu is already an enforcer elder, no? What could that old man be, then?"

"The dean?

"No, that can't be right.

"The dean is someone named Ye Xiaotian…"

Xu Xiaoshou rolled around on the ground. He was unable to get on the bed, as he would reduce the bed to charred pieces if he were to lose control, and that would be utterly terrifying.

The temperature on the surface of his body had already burned the blanket and sheets to cinders.

"Whatever. No more thinking about that d*mned old fart. Gets on my nerves every time I think about him…"

Due to all that had happened, he had to resign to his fate of becoming a guinea pig of some sort, as the old man seemed to be doing some kind of experiment with him.

Objectively speaking, there were pros and cons to it.

Xu Xiaoshou took out the jade scroll and pressed it to his forehead, extending his will to learn what was in it again.

"Infernal Heavens…"

That was an extremely special type of spiritual technique that didn't have a grade designation.

Yet, from his perspective, things that lacked a grade designation were probably the most formidable types of all.

In actual fact, this wasn't far from the truth. The prerequisite for picking up this skill was to have Innate-level Physique with the addition of a fire elemental treasure—the Infernal Fire Seed.

Training this skill was straightforward and simple. So long as one was able to withstand the might of the seed, one would gain the "Infernal Spiritual Source."

He was very familiar with Spiritual Sources.

When one was at Spiritual Cultivation Level 10, absorbing ambient spiritual energy would enable one to cultivate Spiritual Strength at one's energy reserve. After one had gotten to the Innate Stage, said Spiritual Strength would then become Spiritual Source and would amplify the might within by several times over.

That technique, which he was currently training in, would enable one to cultivate the unique Infernal Spiritual Source once one mastered it, regardless of one's level. It was indeed something fearsome and supreme, yet that was also a testament to the difficulty of acquiring it.

Xu Xiaoshou bared his torso as he sat cross-legged on the floor with steam emanating from him all the time.

He had actually yet to get into the zone.

According to the introduction, the longer the Infernal Fire Seed stayed in one's body, the more unstable it would become, which fitted his speculations.

This thing was indeed a time bomb!

He shot a glance at the red interface in his mind.

Passive Points: 48662.

According to his previous experience, internalizing that thing would require four to six hours, and getting through that stage would earn him a hefty sum in Passive Points.

"Alright. Time to eat it up."

Xu Xiaoshou steeled himself. While the pain was still there, having been through the process and succeeded once, he deemed that nothing untoward would happen, so long as he was cautious.

He even began to look forward to his transformation after the session was successful.

The fire elemental Infernal Spiritual Source.

That would be akin to having mastered Innate Elemental Powers of fire, man!

Report chapter

Chapter 59: Fundamental Transformation of the Breathing Technique

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Over ten bottles of Red Gold Pills were laid before him in a row on the floor. It was quite a splurge.

Xu Xiaoshou was ready, and yet he still hesitated nonetheless.

Through the use of Breathing Technique, he'd been able to shorten the refining time from about a month to four to six hours.

But at that time his Breathing Technique had been at level six.

After many trials and errors, he had basically figured out that every single passive skill would be fundamentally transformed after breaking into Innate Level.

He wondered if that would enable his Breathing Technique to break through Innate Level and become something he could manipulate.

For instance, he would like to be able to control the amount of scorching heat he took in with each breath.

Because if that were the case, it would apparently enable him to drastically reduce the pain and risk involved.

But what if the thing took a different turn, and instead of enabling him to control amounts, it enabled him to derive pleasure from it?

He shuddered at the thought, finding it terrifying.

He turned to look at the red interface. There were three technique bars with a total of six passive skills between them, and five were already at the Innate Level.

The only one left at the Acquired Level looked out of place.

He was somewhat OCD, so this bothered him somewhat.

"Whatever. You can't stop eating because you might choke. I still need it so it can level itself up on its own in the future."

Xu Xiaoshou gritted his teeth and exchanged his Passive Points for five Skill Points, then immediately dumped them all into Breathing Technique.

Breathing Technique (Acquired, level 7).

Breathing Technique (Acquired, level 8).

Breathing Technique (Acquired, level 9).

Breathing Technique (Acquired, level 10).

Breathing Technique (Innate, level 1).

The Information Bar quickly refreshed, and several messages went by. Xu Xiaoshou felt somewhat better, but the change wasn't that noticeable.

He shuddered when the last message appeared.

He felt himself become a spirit-gathering array. Spiritual energy was absorbed, and the surface of his body became misty.

Pores all over his skin opened the very next instant, with every inch of his skin absorbing the spiritual mist around him.

The more drastic change took place in his nose. He caused two mini tornados to form just from taking a whiff.

That bit of spiritual energy that he absorbed in that one instant was able to compensate for a night's sleep altogether.

Xu Xiaoshou felt rather nauseous. His hands, which were splayed on his knees, clenched and his face twisted, as if he were trying to hold something in.

Hmm!

His body shuddered slightly.

Huff!

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his teeth.

Hah… Huuuhhh!

He struggled to the best of his ability, deeming it imperative that he hold it in.

He then leapt and threw a punch.

The resulting force of the spiritual energy immediately blew the door to his room open.

After exhaling hard, the pores all over his body closed, and he felt as if he'd just weathered a storm that could've killed him.

"Not bad. It's alright. Problem's manageable. Could continue training further in the future."

The rush that he felt was well over several times what he'd felt before. However, after practicing it a few times, he managed to develop a measure of resistance to it, making the situation manageable.

He then took out a Spirit Crystal.

He then hesitated and put the thing away, taking out a Spiritual Cultivation Pill instead.

"Let's get this over with. The harder I go, the sooner this could end."

He reached his hand out as far as it would go and pushed his head back as far as he could. Then, he took a light whiff.

Voooom!

The pill immediately disappeared.

He was surprised.

He was hardly able to keep himself steady, as he was feeling dizzy, and thought that he'd taken it too far.

But he had no time to dwell on it. That terrifying spiritual energy went all the way into his energy reserve through his nose, and the rush spread all over his body.

Ohhh.

He was only able to keep a stoic face for a second before feeling like he'd melted into a puddle. His legs clamped inside, his wrists turned outside, and he slumped to the ground like mush.

Hmmmmm…

He spasmed, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Xu Xiaoshou wiggled and flapped about on the ground like a dying fish, yet as soon as his body touched the ground, he became a lot more sensitive.

"Hickkk!" he thought.

"He-help me!"

After a while.

He finally returned to normal and looked at the bottle of pills on the ground, still reeling from the shock and terror.

He tested sniffing the pills and found that the rush had increased by three to four times from what it'd been back then. He stopped testing it further and thought that it would be more or less the same with the Red Gold Pills.

He came to realize something after all of this.

Grade 10 pills, like the Spiritual Cultivation Pill and Red Gold Pill, would bring him a higher rush, as the level of his Breathing Technique had increased, yet there was still a limit to it.

A pill could only hold so much spiritual energy in it. Being at level eight at the moment, he was no longer at a stage where sucking in a pill or two would bring about a breakthrough.

Yeah, that would require over a dozen instead.

However, that was beside the point. His progress at making breakthroughs was already deemed high enough, and he had no need to rush.

More importantly, he was already able to see the limits of pills at such grades.

Even if the pills were stronger, he still wouldn't be able to get more than five times out of them.

Xu Xiaoshou found this range tolerable.

But then again, he hadn't been able to stop himself from talking to ease the rush.

He deemed that it would serve as an important piece of information that could serve as a reference for when he went about absorbing other pills in the future.

Other than that, he'd also discovered that Breathing Technique at Innate Levels brought about a fundamental change: it enabled him to breathe not only through his nose but through his pores.

At the moment, every single pore on his body was breathing the spiritual energy around him.

That was something terrifying in itself, as his training rate would spike by more than ten times.

His speculation that he would be able to control the amount of whatever he could take in had been realized to a certain extent.

He could manipulate the pores all over his body by opening and closing them at will.

When he went all out with his training, he would even be able to form spiritual mist around his body. If he were to only breathe through his nose, his training rate would increase to a max of two to three times the usual.

"Very well."

He looked at the six Innate-level passive skills in his mind and smiled with satisfaction.

If he were to treat them like spiritual techniques, it would make him a formidable fighter capable of six Innate-level spiritual techniques, and his growth from then on out would be practically limitless.

"Everything is set. Just one more thing.

"I have to get rid of this thing next."

He saw the Infernal Fire Seed in his reserve. He'd had enough of its presence, as it prevented him from even sleeping in his own bed.

"I don't give a d*mn that you're a fire seed," he thought. "H*ll, you could be a fire walnut for all I care. One way or another, I'm gonna bust you open!"

He took a Red Gold Pill and held his breath.

The next second, veins popped out of his forehead, and his neck got all tense.

As the pain built up, a faint red mist sprayed from the surface of his body. It was an air of bloodiness, but more importantly, it carried a charred smell with it.

That was his new way of using Breathing Technique—letting his body release all that gas in him.

A spark of joy flashed in his eye. By letting his body spread the work out instead of letting his nose do it all, his pain was drastically reduced.

It got to the point that he didn't even need the Red Gold Pills. All that pain spread thin was easily repaired by Eternal Vitality right away.

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his teeth and said, "Get back here!"

He sucked in with all his might, taking in all that red mist that had just spread out. It was all suppressed by his new Breathing Technique, and all of it went straight to his energy reserve.

"Boy, that's some efficiency indeed."

"The rate is more than double!"

He remembered that when he'd taken the energy in again before, the scorching energy had burned his meridians for one microcosmic orbit. But at the moment, this process had surprisingly and completely been omitted.

"That's Innate-level Breathing Technique for you. Perks far outweigh its shortcomings."

Report chapter

Chapter 60: Infernal Heavenly Flames

The Infernal Fire Seed shrunk considerably.

And the spiritual power in his reserves noticeably increased.

Xu Xiaoshou stopped after he was done with the first round of refinement.

The process was far easier than he'd imagined it would be. All of the situations he'd been afraid of happening hadn't appeared.

He was feeling rather disgruntled instead, and wondered if the seed had become weaker.

"No…" he thought.

"Something is off."

He solemnly walked out his door, letting the night breeze blow through his clothes as he pressed a finger to his head and looked up at the sky with a rather lonesome expression on his face.

"It's not that the Infernal Fire Seed has gotten weak. It's just that…"

"I have become stronger!"

Whoooosshh.

The cold breeze blew, and it looked like it was about to rain. It was then that he realized what "high and mighty," yet alone, felt like.

He snapped back to reality after quite a while.

Given that the Infernal Fire Seed was no longer a threat to him, he went on to simply hasten his rate of internalization, changing his goal from internalizing the seed to earning Passive Points. But there was also something else.

He wanted to finish his training in "Infernal Heavens."

It was undoubtedly a very powerful spiritual technique, and the no-brainer method of training was just what he was seeking.

A determined look came into his eyes again as he sat down cross-legged, resisting the pain as he sprayed red mist all around him again.

Absorb!

Spray again…

Absorb!

Spray…

Resilience came in handy at such times. It was something he'd long honed due to his illness back in his past life.

So long as it was something he saw to be a goal and there was hope, he would make sure that he succeeded one way or another, regardless of how painful the process would be.

As time passed, that seed in his body shrunk again, and the Passive Points in his mind continuously spiked.

Passive Points: 43220.

Passive Points: 53449.

Passive Points: 64122.

It was nighttime, and the last bit of scorching heat was absorbed into his energy reserves. Spiritual power raged within him, and seemed to fill him completely.

"I did it."

He opened his eyes, which looked ablaze with heat.

He sensed all that raging energy inside him, and that solid feeling of having become stronger was every bit on par with dumping Skill Points into techniques.

The Infernal Fire Seed above his energy reserve was completely gone, yet his progress with cultivating Infernal Spiritual Source was still at just 80 to 90 percent.

"That d*mned old fart. Don't tell me he even got that figured out!"

He then took out a bottle containing another fire seed.

His face twisted for a bit, as if he were a kid that still had homework left that needed to be done.

"D*mn it!"

He sat down again and quit thinking about rest altogether. He looked up at the sky and decided to get his hands on the Infernal Spiritual Source before the sun rose.

He swallowed his third seed and started refining it.

The night was quiet, and the breeze gentle. It was drizzling outside.

If Elder Sang were present, he probably would've been astonished at the frightening resilience demonstrated by Xu Xiaoshou.

While he had indeed given the kid the third Infernal Fire Seed, he never would've expected the kid to actually internalize two seeds in a single day.

It was more a matter of resilience, as only an insane masochist could've done this.

Poofff.

Red mist sprayed, and he got high yet again.

Attacked, Passive Points 1.

Attacked, Passive Points 1.

His body was scorched again and again, yet with pain came Passive Points.

Passive Points: 73322.

Passive Points: 81008.

Time passed. The misty spiritual strength in his energy reserve gradually became viscous, and the crimson colors gradually diluted into translucency as he neared the precipice.

He knew that when his misty spiritual strength finally condensed into a gel state, that would be the sign that he had acquired the Infernal Spiritual Source.

There were only bits of the seed left in him, and he breathed out in a frenzy, ignoring his pain altogether, and melded it with his energy reserve.

Boom!

His energy reserve rumbled, and his spiritual strength became completely condensed, turning into a crimson spiritual source that raged inside his energy reserve.

The resulting force was released, and he made his breakthrough.

He reached Spiritual Cultivation Level nine.

The spiritual source cooled, and the crimson color faded into pure white. Everything became completely silent again.

Huufff.

He breathed out, his expression one of excitement.

He did it!

The Infernal Spiritual Source was white, packing massive power and super high temperatures. It could be as still as a mountain yet rumble like thunder.

He then attempted to siphon the spiritual source in him. A sliver of it contained several times more heat energy than when it was conjured from mere spiritual power.

He wrapped it around the tip of his finger and prod at the ground. His attempt unexpectedly caused the stone ground underneath to melt before his finger even touched it.

"Man, this is dope!"

Xu Xiaoshou was excited. The force of his attack had very noticeably spiked.

He wondered what would happen if he added Strengthen and Sharpness to it.

Tsk, tsk.

He clicked his tongue under his breath. He wondered if he could be considered an absolute genius for having mastered Innate Elemental Power of fire, and acquiring the Infernal Spiritual Source of such fearsome force, while still at the Acquired Stage.

"Alright. Time to get to Infernal Heavenly Flames, then."

According to the jade scroll, the Infernal Heavens was the next step to go after acquiring Infernal Heavenly Flames.

White spiritual source flowed and manifested at the center of his palm, and the temperature in his room spiked all of a sudden.

He manipulated the spiritual source with his will and did his best to compress it. He was able to sense fearsome energy being condensed at a single point on his palm.

He was sweating profusely. Not daring to let his guard down, he opened his Sense to the fullest and manipulated that bit of energy on his palm with utmost precision.

He knew that that bit of energy could explode violently if he wasn't careful with it, and he had no intention of dying.

He manipulated it with extreme precision, and made constant adjustments.

That bit of white on his palm became so condensed that it utterly disappeared before long.

Puk, puk.

He could very clearly hear sparks going off.

He took a look at his palm. Nothing could be seen, yet he was able to sense that there was a blob of extremely compressed raging energy there.

The Infernal Heavenly Flames had no color. It was completely transparent, with white sparks erupting from it once in a while. It was capable of burning everything.

That was how it was written in the jade scroll, and he wondered if any of that was just an exaggeration. He thought for a bit, then took out a piece of Spirit Crystal.

The thing was rock solid and had a high energy density. It would serve as a very useful item to experiment with.

He held the Spirit Crystal high above his right palm, which had that blob of invisible energy on it. Yet, he hadn't even released it yet before the crystal started to evaporate.

"The hell…"

He was so surprised that he let go of the crystal.

Fzzzz!

The crystal fell, and when it was still a few feet away from the palm of his hand, it was completely vaporized, and dense spiritual strength spread all over the place.

"Holy sh*!"

He was thoroughly frightened, finding the phenomenon utterly terrifying. The bit of flames in his hand was transparent and yet packed such terrifying heat. He wondered if there was anyone who could defend themselves against it.

He willed and absorbed that bit of flames on his palm back into his energy reserve along with all that spiritual energy that the Spirit Crystal had released.

Such was the way of his Breathing Technique. It took it all in without wasting even one bit.

Haahhh.

Xu Xiaoshou groaned comfortably as that bit of energy surged into his body and cured him of the exhaustion he'd felt from working the whole night.

He clenched his fists momentarily, finding everything to have worked smoothly. He was only one step away from completing that powerful spiritual technique of his.

Report chapter