Chapter 81: Can She Achieve 'Enlightenment of Principles'? (First Update)
Zhang Yunlu’s heart trembled, the hesitation in her eyes vanished, replaced by a cold glint.
Facing the increasingly close tip of the cold iron spear, she actually raised her sword to meet it directly, then dodged to the side at the critical moment.
Unlike the steady approach of the Supreme Dao Sect, Sword Cultivators of the Sword Sect excel at taking risks, which Yu Ming was not surprised by.
He slammed the shaft of the spear with his left hand.
Roar!
The thin layer of spiritual light condensed into a striped fierce tiger, the spearhead like the tiger's tail, sweeping towards Zhang Yunlu's throat again.
However, Zhang Yunlu seemed to have anticipated it. Before the spearhead swept over, she fell backward, and just as she was about to hit the ground, she slammed her palm against the ground.
Spiritual energy erupted, propping her body up again.
Taking advantage of the moment when Yu Ming's old strength was gone and new strength hadn't arisen, she raised her sword and thrust it towards his glabella. A thin layer of bloody light illuminated the sword body and then disappeared halfway.
"Good!"
Yu Ming had seen this move during the combat test, so how could he not be prepared?
He let go of the spear, turned his head to dodge the sword light, and then reached up to grab.
His right hand grabbed the sword body that had reappeared. The blade cut through his palm, directly slicing off his thumb, leaving it covered in blood.
However, Yu Ming didn't care at all. He pulled out a short knife from his waist with his left hand and stabbed it towards Zhang Yunlu's throat.
Who said he only knew how to use a spear!
Sword Cultivators are good at taking risks, and wasn't he also planning the same thing!
The short knife gleamed with cold light, reaching the fair and delicate skin, easily piercing it. Dots of crimson flowed down the blade, seemingly about to pierce through the throat.
Puff!
A swift sword light pierced through the back of Yu Ming's head, mixed with brain matter and blood.
He saw that Zhang Yunlu was holding a short sword in her other hand as well.
In a flash of lightning, the victor was decided!
Close-quarters combat for Qi Refining stage cultivators was this simple and unadorned, each move was a dance on the edge of a blade.
Yu Ming slowly fell, dissolving into specks of starlight.
Zhang Yunlu withdrew the short sword. The wound on her throat healed at a visible speed, and even the spiritual energy she had just consumed was instantly replenished.
After being caught off guard during her first encounter with the Sword Cultivator phantom, she had kept a short sword with her ever since.
If Yu Ming hadn't used this risky method, but instead engaged in a frontal battle with his rich combat experience, it would have been hard to say who would win.
The surrounding gray mist gradually faded, everything seemed to be returning.
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Yunlu was back in the Mystic Realm, appearing at the foot of the mountain.
"Teacher..." she sighed softly.
After a long time, she finally calmed down and looked towards the central Sword Peak.
The scenes of her battle with Yu Ming kept replaying in her mind.
There were many, many areas for improvement.
When she drew her sword, she should have hesitated a little less.
Dimly, Zhang Yunlu seemed to feel an invisible and intangible, yet extremely important tremor, as if it was within reach, yet also far away, untouchable.
"Enlightenment of Principles..."
It was false to say she hadn't thought about this.
But 'Enlightenment of Principles' was too ethereal, so no matter how she tried, she could never grasp the key.
And now, it seemed she had finally found a little clue.
...
...
Xuanjian City Third Middle School, in a meditation room.
The Principal sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his breathing long, seemingly waiting for something.
Suddenly!
He opened his eyes.
A light suddenly shone in front of him where there had been nothing, like the guiding light that had descended before.
Soon, the light faded, revealing a figure within - it was Yu Ming, who had been defeated by Zhang Yunlu in the trial.
His eyes still held a hint of surprise. The moment the light faded, he raised his hand to touch his forehead, but he didn't feel the expected wound.
Moreover, the feeling of endless spiritual light and surging thoughts had disappeared, and his thinking seemed to become incredibly sluggish.
"Old Yu?" The Principal looked at his actions, a little strange. "Is the trial over? Why are you out so quickly?"
Is the trial over?
Yu Ming was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he said, "The trial isn't over, I was eliminated."
"Did you encounter a tough character from an Immortal Sect?"
Defeating Yu Ming so quickly, in the Principal's opinion, could only be done by some powerful individuals from the Immortal Sect.
"No, it wasn't an Immortal Sect Disciple, it was a student from our school." Yu Ming smiled bitterly.
"Hmm?!"
"Zhang Yunlu."
Zhang Yunlu?
The Principal was stunned for a moment.
Is it that little fellow who got first place in the combat test?
"She can defeat you?" His tone clearly carried a hint of disbelief.
The Principal knew Yu Ming's abilities very well.
It could be said that if his Foundation hadn't been damaged, Yu Ming's current Realm would definitely not be below his, and might even surpass it.
His sharp spear technique was definitely not inferior to that of outstanding Disciples of the Immortal Sect.
"Although I don't want to admit it, I did underestimate her a little."
He couldn't help but recall the final sword light that had pierced through his glabella.
Alas~
He had hunted geese all day, but was pecked in the eye by a goose.
If he hadn't tried to finish the battle quickly, perhaps he wouldn't have been defeated so soon.
In the end, it was because he underestimated her that he was so easily defeated by her.
Seeing him like this, the Principal finally believed that a student had actually defeated Old Yu.
It was truly incredible.
Emm...
It seems his teaching abilities are still quite good.
Speaking of which, could that Xiao Fan also be a student from this school?
After all, if Old Yu's Foundation could be repaired, a Pseudo Foundation Establishment becoming Qi Refining Ninth Layer doesn't seem so hard to understand.
After the trial ends, should he call them back for an awards ceremony?
Just then, something suddenly dropped out of thin air.
Looking closely, it was actually two stalks of tongxuan grass with sword-shaped leaves!
"..."
Yu Ming was a little speechless.
What was this?
A consolation prize?
............
"Dao Brother, do you think this junior can break through this step?"
Zhang Yunlu's battle with Yu Ming and her subsequent performance naturally fell into the eyes of Huo.
"Perhaps." Xu Xing said indifferently.
It was still the same statement, whether she could achieve 'Enlightenment of Principles', the most important thing was still up to her.
"Little friend, what do you think?" Huo looked at Chi Jiuyu again.
"Ah?" Chi Jiuyu turned back. "Senior, are you asking me?"
"Yes."
Otherwise? There's no one else here besides you.
Would I dare to address Dao Brother like that?
Chi Jiuyu put down the plate of beans she was holding and thought for a moment.
"I think, this kind of thing isn't very difficult in the first place, so Xiao Yunlu still has a great chance, at least greater than everyone else in the Mystic Realm."
Is this kind of thing difficult?
She was only at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer when she achieved 'Enlightenment of Principles'!
After she achieved 'Enlightenment of Principles', advanced to Qi Refining Ninth Layer, and completed her Cailian Method cultivation to build her Good Fortune Dao Foundation, she impatiently ran to the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters to show off.
But they had all left the Sect early, completely not giving her a chance.
She was almost angered to death!
"...That's true."
Huo ignored the first half of Chi Jiuyu's sentence but agreed with the second half.
Among all the trial participants, Zhang Yunlu was indeed the closest to 'Enlightenment of Principles'.
Emm...
After all, among the five hundred trial participants, there were only two Qi Training cultivators in total.
Besides Zhang Yunlu, there was Xiao Fan.
Zhang Yunlu had at least found a little clue, while Xiao Fan... he didn't even know what a Good Fortune Dao Foundation was.
Seeking initial subscription!!!
