Chapter 211: Drawing the Sword
The night was deep, the stars shone brightly, and the vast Spiritual Qi continuously circled the sky, forming a blue stream of light that plunged downwards, lasting for half the night.
The night faded from thick to light, with chirping insects, until the eastern sky turned white the next morning, and sunlight shone through.
At Chenshi (7-9 AM), a gentle breeze in the courtyard blew into the open window of the eastern wing, causing the sword purchase invoice, which had been casually placed on the table upon returning last night, to rustle loudly.
At this moment, Ji You awoke from his stupor. After a long period of daze, his eyes regained their vitality. He looked down and found that the sweat on his body had dried, and combined with his sleep last night, his clothes were wrinkled into a ball.
He washed, changed, and cleared his Divine Soul in the small courtyard filled with a gentle breeze.
Fully awake, Ji You clenched his fist and dispersed his Qi, sending out a powerful wave of Qi that made the entire room hum. Streams of Qi whistled wildly through the gaps in the doors and windows, gradually subsiding after half an hour.
The soreness from last night was still exceptionally strong, but he instinctively suppressed a soft groan of pain.
Previously, when he lived in Senior Sister Wen's courtyard, he could blame things on her. Now that he was back, if he didn't restrain himself, the Inner Courtyard Disciples would say he could have a great time even by himself. At this moment, the voice of Wen Siyuan, a Master's Courtyard Disciple, rang out from outside the courtyard. He then pushed the door open and handed a letter from Shengjing to Ji You.
The letter was from Kuang Cheng, saying it had been a long time since they last met and asking if Brother Ji was well.
Seeing the words "long time no see," Ji You's mouth twitched. He then took out paper and a pen from his room to write a reply.
Those who uphold justice are often butchers; the most heartless are scholars.
Wen Siyuan couldn't help but ask, "Junior Brother Ji, aren't you going to the Ascension White Jade Platform today to take a look?"
"What's there to see at the Baiyu Platform?"
"A Rongdao Realm Senior Brother from the courtyard submitted a challenge to our Master's Courtyard today, to challenge Shi Junhao, who is defending the arena."
Ji You looked up at the sound, a hint of surprise in his eyes: "It's actually the first Rongdao Realm to start a battle?"
Wen Siyuan chuckled inwardly, thinking, 'Why is it that after crossing the Tong Xuan Realm, the Rongdao Realm is the first to fight? Doesn't Junior Brother know? It's all because you've suppressed this Realm.' But he still smiled shallowly and said, "That's how the preliminaries are. The first challenger fights first."
"I thought the Disciples in the courtyard were all quite cautious."
"Four of the Rongdao Realm spots have already been locked by Senior Sister He, Senior Sister Xiao, Junior Brother Chai, and Senior Brother Shi.
So for the Rongdao Realm, it doesn't make much difference who goes first or last."
"Locked? How do you lock a spot?"
Wen Siyuan pursed his lips: "The four of them agreed to take turns, so they won't meet. After Senior Brother Shi wins five matches,
Chai Hu will defend the arena, then Senior Sister Xiao, and finally Senior Sister He. So no matter when other Rongdao Realm Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters go on stage, they will encounter powerful opponents, so there's no distinction of who goes first."
Ji You chuckled after hearing this: "It sounds harmonious, but it's still a monopoly. But isn't He Lingxiu still in seclusion?"
"She's only one step away. The first three spots will be contested for a month, so there's still time."
"Alright, let's go down the mountain and see."
Ji You finished reading the letter and put it into his sleeve, then got up and walked out of the small courtyard, thinking, 'Let me see what's going on.' At this moment, a large crowd had gathered in the Outer Courtyard. Looking from the mountain path, it was a sea of people, and the scene was no less impressive than last year's Autumn Tournament.
As Ji You descended the mountain, the gazes that had been scattered suddenly began to turn towards him. Even Shi Junhao, who was guarding the arena, couldn't help but turn his head and fix his gaze on him.
After the Tong Xuan Realm list was announced, no one had yet challenged Ji You.
Shi Junhao also didn't expect that he would be the first to be challenged.
Because logically speaking, the gap between Rongdao Realm should be much larger than that of Tong Xuan Realm, just as the Rongdao of those Immortal Villas in Feng Province, three of them combined might not be as strong as one Rongdao of an Immortal Sect.
Such a gap is due to the many factors that influence cultivation in the Rongdao Realm; even a slight deviation can lead to falling behind others.
And other Disciples looked at Ji You, thinking that he was the kind of person who could suppress the Disciples of an entire Realm.
Among them were some newly admitted Disciples, who were from the same period as Xiang Fu, the daughter of the Dan Shui County Prefect. They had seen Ji You many times, so they couldn't help but look at him more.
In addition, the Nobles in Beijing also participated, causing the crowd to surge.
"Junior Brother, over here!"
In the crowd, Ban Yangshu waved at him.
Beside him were Cao Jinsong and others, as well as the Lu Family's sisters, all looking over.
Ji You stepped over: "Who's challenging Shi Junhao?"
"Yang Zijin, a Rongdao Realm cultivator who has been stuck in the Rongdao Realm for nearly fifteen years. The Tiandao Conference is his last Opportunity."
"More old guys. But why isn't Senior Sister Wen here?"
Ban Yangshu lowered his voice: "She's touched the threshold of the Upper Realm. She'll probably come out of seclusion with He Lingxiu. The courtyard must have noticed that she's going to challenge He Lingxiu again."
Ji You opened his mouth: "Actually, Senior Sister Wen could also practice Sword Dao with me. Although it might not have a decisive impact on the Rongdao Realm, it's always better to be a few points stronger."
Cao Jinsong couldn't help but interject at this moment: "Breaking into the Upper Realm before the Tiandao Conference is still a bit tight on time. Your Senior Sister Wen can only put all her energy into breaking through."
Ji You nodded, then saw a figure step onto the arena.
Inner Courtyard Rongdao Realm, Yang Zijin.
It is said that he is nearly fifty years old, which is not considered old in the cultivation world; he is still in his prime, at an age where he needs to go out and strive.
Ji You pondered for a long time, then suddenly felt several gazes from the southeast. He turned his head and saw several Elders from the Elder Council.
Fang, Ge, Yang, Shi, Xiao.
Elders like them are infinitely close to the Dao, their connection to the Heavenly Dao deepening, their Realm profound, and their Lifespan is almost exhausted. Their desire to Breakthrough is urgent, so they spend more time in solitary cultivation in the deep mountains than Disciples, and rarely appear in public view.
Even the Outer Courtyard's Autumn Tournament couldn't attract their attention.
However, the Tiandao Conference is, after all, a major event, especially since the participating Disciples are related to the Worldly Sect behind them.
It's normal for them to come and watch.
At this moment, Elder Fang's gaze was like a knife, looking at Ji You, his expression indifferent. After a long time, he let out a cold snort.
Ji You met his gaze, then raised his middle finger.
"What is Junior Brother doing?"
"Exercising my fingers."
"Oh."
At this moment, as the Master's Courtyard's gong sounded, a strong gust of wind instantly swept through the arena.
The Disciples gathered outside the venue were mostly from the Outer Courtyard, and their cultivation was not high. Feeling the pressure of the Rongdao Upper Realm at this moment, they all involuntarily held their breath.
At this point, Lu Hanyan and Lu Qingqiu both couldn't help but activate their Spirit Origin to resist the pressure, then simultaneously turned their heads to look to the right.
Cao Jinsong was already in the Rongdao Upper Realm, so this pressure was just a gentle breeze to him.
Although Ban Yangshu's Realm was slightly inferior, he had already touched the threshold of the Rongdao Middle Realm, so he was not too obviously suppressed by this pressure.
However, Ji You's state was quite surprising; he looked even more composed than Cao Jinsong beside him, as if the pressure that could crush everyone else didn't exist, and he was extremely focused on the arena.
It was as if there were two completely different weather conditions in the same sky: some felt a strong wind raging before them, with heavy Qi like a mountain, while others felt the sky was clear and bright, without a cloud in sight.
However, few people present noticed this, because Shi Junhao on the arena had already moved.
Accompanied by a sharp whistle, the gleaming Dao-Grade sword in his hand, enveloped in rolling thunder, struck out like lightning.
The sword body was infused with a heavy Huantian Technique, carrying the momentum of overturning mountains and seas, pressing down fiercely on the opponent in front of him.
Yang Zijin reacted extremely quickly, instantly swinging his saber to meet it. The saber body bloomed with a dazzling purple light, like a dark night meteor, rushing straight towards Shi Junhao.
The surrounding Disciples all widened their eyes, staring intently at the arena. They saw countless Mystic Light buzzing in mid-air, intertwining into a brilliant light curtain. The two figures, enveloped in the wind and waves, clashed fiercely back and forth.
A muffled 'boom' made everyone's eardrums ache.
Yang Zijin retreated three steps, gasping for air, muttering something, and at the same time gently caressing his saber.
In an instant, a dazzling light gathered on the saber body, and he fiercely struck out again.
On the other hand, Shi Junhao was already surrounded by intense Mystic Light and surging Qi waves, like a War God. With a whistle, he struck out with a sword, and the powerful force directly made the Baiyu Platform rumble. Yang Zijin was once again forced back by this immense power.
In the eyes of the Disciples, this was even more spectacular than last year's Autumn Tournament.
In the eyes of the Disciples, this battle was far more exciting than last year's Autumn Tournament.
Because what was before them was a fierce clash of Huantian Techniques, with dazzling and brilliant lights.
Especially some of the lower-Realm Disciples, who were in the Lower Three Realms. Aside from witnessing such spectacular Huantian Techniques on Chu River during last year's Autumn Tournament, this was their first time seeing a high-Realm clash.
Thus, anticipation and longing rose from the depths of their eyes, as if they saw their own future.
According to Cao Jinsong, Shi Junhao followed the Dao of All Huantian Techniques, integrating all the Heavenly Dao power he comprehended into himself, which was quite similar to the Huantian Technique of the Chu Family.
As for Yang Zijin, he practiced several Huantian Techniques horizontally, without integrating them with each other, but rather casting them individually.
Just now, the power he imbued into his iron saber was the "Collapsing Thunder Qi" from the Four Symbols Technique, which is based on Spirit Origin and emphasizes instant burst, releasing all its immense power in a flash.
Ji You listened to Cao Jinsong's explanation while watching the stage, his eyes reflecting countless rays of light and splashing sparks.
Then came another clang of metal, Yang Zijin's offense was sharp, his moves swift and decisive. It was not hard to see his intense desire for the Tiandao Conference.
He was already at this age, trapped in the Rongdao Realm for many years. If he couldn't enter the Sky Soaring Realm, he would remain in this Realm for the rest of his life. This was the sorrow of a cultivator.
When you embark on this path, you think it's a wide, boundless road to heaven, so when you see the end, you feel utterly desperate.
And the place where the ancient sages attained the Dao was the only Opportunity in his heart, so every move and every stance he made was poured with all his strength.
However, Shi Junhao appeared even more at ease. Several Mystic Light strikes from his straight sword forced Yang Zijin's iron saber to keep its distance.
With a 'clang,' Yang Zijin's iron saber suddenly froze in mid-air, as if held tightly by an invisible large hand. The hard saber body visibly bent into an arc.
It was two forces of stagnation.
One pushing up, one pressing down, two forces in different directions fiercely restrained the opponent's saber.
At this moment, Shi Junhao's footfall was like thunder, and the iron sword, empowered by Huantian Technique, rumbled as it instantly slashed down fiercely.
Just as everyone anticipated that Yang Zijin would struggle to withstand this sword, he suddenly released his grip on the saber, striking out with his palms. A Qi barrier bloomed from his palms, fiercely meeting the incoming Dao-Grade sword.
The Four Symbols Technique, using Qi as a barrier, instantly blocked the opponent's attack.
Shi Junhao retracted his sword, then Huantian Technique re-condensed on the sword body, gathering a violent Qi, and he swung it down again.
Under the whistling Huantian Technique, both sides battled back and forth.
Facing Shi Junhao's sword swings, Yang Zijin repeatedly used a Qi barrier to block, then suddenly punched, and the instantly unleashed Collapsing Thunder struck directly downwards, dazzling the onlookers.
This is true Rongdao, the Rongdao of an Immortal Sect.
Then, he moved with Qi, repeatedly attempting to retrieve his iron saber, but each time it was fiercely blocked by the empty-air-slashing iron sword, preventing him from achieving his wish.
But that whistling sword also failed to strike him, still being completely blocked by the Qi barrier.
Just as everyone thought Shi Junhao would withdraw his sword and attack again, as he did last time, the iron sword in his hand suddenly trembled, emitting a strong clang of metal, and fiercely cut into it.
Another invisible Qi was directly poured onto the iron sword.
Just like a hammer hitting a nail, suddenly, the applied force instantly gave the iron sword renewed forward momentum.
Yang Zijin should have withdrawn his strength, then pushed horizontally to dodge this sword, and the Collapsing Thunder should have struck his back heart—Shi Junhao's sword was purely a tool for casting spells, relying on the Huantian Technique to empower it, caring only about the front and not the back—
However, Yang Zijin did not withdraw his strength; instead, his eyes widened, attempting to gather Qi again.
But in the next instant, only two muffled thuds were heard, a wild wave surged into the sky, and Shi Junhao roared, fiercely cutting through the Qi barrier, causing the wild wave to whistle.
Boom!
Yang Zijin flew backward, and the dust settled.
"Junhao's performance is even stronger than it was in the Snow Region."
Elder Ge couldn't help but gently stroke his beard, looking at the other Elders around him.
Yang Zhiping, Yang Zijin's paternal uncle and also a Sky Soaring Realm Elder, couldn't help but show a hint of disappointment in his eyes,
But he didn't show it, instead, like everyone else, he nodded in approval at Shi Junhao's performance.
At this moment, Elder Fang couldn't help but furrow his brows, looking at the figure with bright golden eyes opposite him, not knowing what he saw.
"How does it feel to witness a battle between Immortal Sect Rongdao?"
"Very strong."
Ji You came back to his senses, the golden light in his eyes receding: "If Yang Zijin were a bit smarter, he might have been able to hold on a bit longer, but... it wouldn't have made much difference."
Cao Jinsong nodded: "There's a clear Realm gap between the two. Regardless of the process, the outcome is obvious."
"Actually, the timing is just right."
"Are you talking about Shi Junhao's subsequent sword strike?"
"I mean, it's time to eat."
"?"
The first Rongdao Realm arena match was grand and attracted countless attention. Even after the dust settled, many people were still immersed in the shock, unable to extricate themselves, and lingered for a long time.
Tianshu Academy originally did not allow Disciples to fight privately, and Inner Courtyard Disciples were accustomed to cultivating in seclusion in the deep mountains, rarely showing their faces.
Therefore, battles like this, involving direct clashes of Huantian Techniques, were indeed rare.
At this moment, Shi Junhao had already put away his sword and left the arena, yet many spectators still gazed at the empty field, sighing continuously.
Even the defeated Yang Zijin's Four Symbols Technique was enough to amaze people, not to mention Shi Junhao's unpredictable force technique, which left people sighing in admiration.
The most crucial point is that this was only the first match of the Tiandao Conference preliminaries. Aside from the undisclosed Elder battles, the remaining battles would be enough to make the entire Shengjing boil for two months.
And those who were preparing to participate in the arena matches also fell into deep thought after witnessing this battle.
So, not long after, someone went to the Master's Courtyard alone.
Ji You was currently at the Immortal Meal Workshop, with several bowls piled in front of him. Sitting behind the bowls was the murderous Cao Jinsong.
Body Refining is like this; the intake is relatively large.
However, despite his large appetite, Ji You ate very elegantly, without any wolfing down. But just as he was eating happily, a Master's Courtyard Disciple suddenly rushed in from outside.
The newcomer was not Wen Siyuan, because Wen Siyuan was responsible for transmitting messages to the Inner Courtyard, while this Disciple was specifically responsible for the Tiandao Conference preliminaries.
At this moment, he looked around the Immortal Meal Workshop for a long time, then locked onto Ji You, who had the best appetite among the crowd, and handed him a post.
Seeing this scene, the Immortal Meal Workshop, which had been discussing the battle just now, instantly fell silent, and everyone gathered there couldn't help but turn their heads.
“Junior Brother Ji, you are to defend the platform tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Ji You took the post and glanced at it, “Want to eat something together?”
Cao Jinsong: “?”
The Disciple of the Master's Courtyard politely cupped his hands, “Thank you, Junior Brother, but I have already eaten.”
“Is that so? Then I won't be overly polite.”
“Junior Brother, please enjoy your meal. I'll take my leave first.”
Ji You nodded, and then noticed Cao Jinsong taking the post and examining it.
The Disciples next to him also raised their eyes, seemingly wanting to clearly see the name on it.
While this was happening, Ji You quietly went to order two more bowls of noodles. By the time Cao Jinsong reacted, it was too late to stop him—
Lu Hanyan was right beside him at this moment, “Senior Brother, who is challenging you tomorrow?”
Ji You put down his chopsticks, a cold sneer in his deep gaze, “No name, only that he's from Wu Zhen. He's trying to be mysterious.”
Cao Jinsong looked up at this moment, “That person's name is Wu Zhen.”
“?”
Wu Zhen, an Outer Courtyard Disciple, had not achieved a Breakthrough in the Tong Xuan Realm for five years, and he was also the one previously praised by those around him for his profound cultivation.
Among the Tong Xuan Realm cultivators in the Outer Courtyard, Wu Zhen had the highest Battle Intent.
It was said that two years ago, after realizing he couldn't make achievements on the path of Wudao, he had been trying to find alternative paths and sought many methods.
Ji You listened to Cao Jinsong's introduction and nodded lightly.
He didn't know him well, and there was no need to remember him.
He ate until he was half full, then put away the challenge post and returned to the Inner Courtyard.
The news of Wu Zhen challenging Ji You quickly spread through various channels,
and was discussed until the morning of the second day.
As the sun rose higher, countless Inner Courtyard Disciples came down the mountain, and even Shi Junhao and Xiao Hanyan were among them.
They were in the Rongdao Realm and shouldn't have been so concerned about a Tong Xuan Realm competition, but since it involved Ji You, they still couldn't remain calm.
Because they had all witnessed that sword strike on the desolate land, they were very curious to know what Ji You would be like without using the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao.
And in the capital, scions of Worldly Sect also flocked to the Tianshu Academy, with thoughts similar to those in the Inner Courtyard.
Thus, before long, the Wudao Field became crowded.
Wu Zhen had arrived early and was familiarizing himself with the Ascension White Jade Platform, seemingly formulating an attack plan.
When he saw the list of Tong Xuan Realm defenders, he initially didn't want to participate in the first five rounds, as he didn't have much confidence against Ji You.
Instead, the Tong Xuan Realm cultivator who had coincidentally entered the Inner Courtyard two years ago was his chosen target.
But when he learned that Ji You would not be using sword Dao to defend the platform this time, a sudden urge stirred within him.
So he made extensive preparations, buying countless Spirit Stones, Magical Artifacts, and protective Medicinal Pills, ready to seize an Opportunity for himself to overcome difficulties and see success.
At this moment, he circled the Baiyu Platform and noticed several Elders from the Elder Council looking at him, a hint of approval flashing in their eyes, and a deep sense of winning intent welled up in his heart.
Subsequently, the Lu Family sisters also rushed from their courtyard to the Ascension White Jade Platform.
Lu Qingqiu was dragged along the entire way, watching her sister's hurried expression.
So, between kneeling, she couldn't help but look at her sister's buttocks.
It was even more perky, but as they walked, a figure suddenly made their brows furrow.
That person was wearing a brocade robe, with his hair neatly tied in a topknot. It was Fang Jincheng himself.
After Fang Jincheng was defeated in the Sword Forest that day, Elder Fang brought him into the Inner Courtyard under the pretense of healing, but it was said that Elder Fang personally tutored him.
At this moment, he stood on the left side of the Ascension White Jade Platform, looking at Lu Hanyan with a cold sneer.
“Miss Lu, long time no see.”
“Oh, it's Young Master Fang. What can I do for you?”
“Your Senior Brother Ji cannot use the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao to defend the platform today. Perhaps he will become a toothless tiger. Do you know that all of this is thanks to you? In this Qingyun World, personal strength is not the most important; the most important thing is the background of one's strength. Today, I will make you realize this fact.”
Lu Hanyan instantly pursed her red lips, and a hint of anger flashed in her beautiful eyes.
These words were also heard by others on both sides, leading to another round of continuous discussion.
Lu Qingqiu pulled her sister's arm at this moment, bringing her to the right side, “Junior Brother Fang, do you truly believe that Young Master Ji will lose?”
“As you and I both know, his greatest reliance is nothing more than the sword Dao he stole from my Lingjian Mountain.”
A voice suddenly rang out from behind Fang Jincheng, drawing everyone's gaze.
Zhao Yunyue walked gracefully, her gaze cold and arrogant as she looked at Lu Qingqiu.
Lu Qingqiu glanced at her, “Your Lingjian Mountain?”
“Although I haven't cultivated in Lingjian Mountain, I am a registered Disciple of Lingjian Mountain. It's not an exaggeration for me to say that Ji You secretly learned my Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao. You and I both know that if he truly doesn't use Lingjian Mountain's sword Dao as he promised, he will definitely fall into a bitter struggle.”
As Zhao Yunyue spoke, she subtly glanced, seemingly unintentionally, at the space between Lu Qingqiu's and Lu Hanyan's legs: “A self-cultivator from the countryside, served by the Lu Family's Young Miss every night, can indeed be passed down as a beautiful story.”
Lu Hanyan's brow furrowed, “Senior Brother is from a Worldly Family, so the Princess should stop calling him a self-cultivator from the countryside.”
“None of that matters. It's just, Miss Lu Er, do you think if he loses, he'll regret impulsively teaching you the sword Dao?”
“Lose? If that Wu Zhen truly had such ability, he should have entered the Inner Courtyard long ago.”
“But don't forget, it's not just Wu Zhen.”
Fang Jincheng took over the conversation, “He's just the first; there are four more after him, and each will be stronger than the last.”
Cao Jinsong, Ban Yangshu, and Bai Rulong also arrived nearby at this moment, frowning slightly at the noisy chatter.
However, this verbal dispute held no meaning at all right now; it only served to increase their irritation.
The three of them turned their heads and saw Ji You approaching the Ascension White Jade Platform, carrying a Dao-Grade sword.
Today, he was wearing the Tianshu Academy Immortal Robe, his hair neatly tied in a topknot, and he held an iron sword in his hand.
At this moment, the three Masters-in-charge of the Master's Courtyard and the five Elders of the Elder Council couldn't help but look at him.
And among them, many Tong Xuan Realm cultivators on the challenger list were holding their breath, silently watching the two figures on the stage.
All things in this World are most difficult at the beginning.
Before doing something, some people will hesitate, wait, be ambitious, shrink back from the unknown, and choose to observe how others do it first.
But once it begins, things will come naturally, and Wu Zhen is that beginning.
Through this battle, the other Tong Xuan Realm cultivators waiting to challenge will realize that Ji You, without the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao, is actually very weak, far less terrifying than his reputation suggests.
Even without the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao, Ji You can still win, but his means will not be too many.
After this match, everyone will have a good idea of how Ji You responds and counters moves. At that time, with sword moves countered, what more can a toothless tiger do?
At this moment, Wu Zhen looked up at Ji You, and then faint Spiritual Light flickered around his body. The protective Medicinal Pill within him began to take effect, causing the Spiritual Qi around him to form a hazy layer of light.
Then he took out a flat, square box. The box was entirely hollowed out, with a polished, rounded Spirit Stone in the center, which he embedded in his belt.
“What is that?”
“A Magical Artifact, equivalent to another Spirit Origin, but with no auxiliary effects. It can only help cultivators quickly replenish their Qi.”
Lu Qingqiu spoke, explaining to the questioning Cao Jinsong.
Another thing poor people haven't seen, Cao Jinsong frowned slightly, “This is too much against the rules—
Ban Yangshu pursed his lips, “That's just the rule. There's nothing we can do.”
The Lu Family sisters frowned, thinking that such a Spiritual Artifact was not cheap and difficult to buy.
Otherwise, those Disciples sent to Qi Ridge back then could each have one to resist the suppression of Evil Qi on Spirit Origin.
They didn't know much about Wu Zhen, but they knew the Wu Family of Feng Province very well. A Worldly Family that couldn't even join the Ling Shi Merchant Association, their financial resources were obvious.
Wu Zhen wouldn't receive such support. Even if the Tiandao Conference might allow him to Breakthrough his current Bottleneck, this was only a preliminary selection.
Anyone with a discerning eye knew that even if he could defend the platform for five rounds and enter the Tiandao Conference, his chances of entering the top ten were extremely slim. Family investments always hoped for immediate results, so the source of this Magical Artifact must be suspicious.
At this moment, Lu Hanyan's peripheral vision inadvertently swept over Fang Jincheng nearby, and she saw him revealing an expression of venomous excitement.
Before the Lu family's Second Miss could show her annoyance, a gong suddenly sounded, and the arena competition officially began!
In an instant, a furious Spiritual current began to surge around Wu Zhen's body. Although his Aura was not as strong as Shi Junhao's and Yang Zijin's, it still made the surrounding Outer Courtyard Disciples feel a faint pressure.
However, most people's attention was actually focused on Ji You.
At this moment, Ji You drew his sword from its sheath, his arm muscles bulging slightly, and at the same time, a scorching Aura began to emanate from his body.
However, his Aura was not intense; it even seemed subdued, and its momentum was not even comparable to Wu Zhen's on the opposite side, seeming like just a simple sword draw.
This was like two different people compared to the Ji You who had fought against Chu River with surging Aura.
The next instant, Wu Zhen stomped the ground and charged forward, his iron sword suddenly slashing horizontally.
A surging Spiritual Qi instantly gathered on the sword sheath, roaring and swirling like a turbulent tide, heading straight for Ji You.
At this moment, Ji You also slowly raised his sword. The muscles from his arm to his shoulder instantly tensed like bowstrings. A powerful force rapidly condensed in his arm, and then he raised his sword—still a simple sword raise.
But the moment he raised his hand, with a “buzz,” a scorching wave of Qi suddenly surged wildly.
Everyone's gaze had been following the first-moving Wu Zhen, but at this moment, they suddenly turned their heads, their eyes instantly widening,
feeling a heart-pounding sense of crisis.
But this was not coercion, because coercion came from the outside, generated by the Human-Heavenly Dao sensing,
the power from the Heavenly Dao.
However, this feeling seemed to arise from within, an instinctive alertness of the Human Race to the outside world, instantly causing their scalps to tingle continuously, and even some cultivators with lower Realms couldn't help but tremble all over.
At this moment, Ji You swung down the iron sword in his hand, and the bones of his entire arm emitted a trembling sound like a bowstring drawn to its fullest.
The previously still air was instantly squeezed to both sides, with muffled explosions of shattered air currents, and the sword edge, as it cut down, was already glowing red.
Clang!
A harsh collision sound, the crisp iron sword struck down.
Wu Zhen, who had already charged forward with his sword, abruptly stopped, instantly frozen on the platform.
He had initially charged with a slashing sword posture, filled with intense Battle Intent, as if victory was inevitable and no god or Buddha could stop him.
But in the process, he suddenly switched to a horizontal sword, adopting a defensive posture. When Ji You's sword fell, it directly struck his horizontal sword, and the clang sound came from this.
Those closer, like Lu Qingqiu and Lu Hanyan who had arrived early, only felt their feet tingle when the “clang” sounded, and their perfectly rounded toes couldn't help but curl up.
Looking at Wu Zhen again, he was still in the posture of holding his sword horizontally above his head, but he remained motionless for a long time, as if frozen on the platform.
Seeing this scene, the people from the Elder Council suddenly had an ominous premonition, but they couldn't understand where it came from.
Then they heard a crack from the platform. The Magical Artifact embedded in Wu Zhen's belt suddenly cracked and shattered to the ground, and the Spiritual Light formed by the protective Medicinal Pill Qi dispersed instantly like thin ice meeting a hot iron.
Then, with a “bang,” Wu Zhen's mouth and nose overflowed with blood, and he fell straight backward onto the ground.
In the arena, there was a stunned silence.
【Even if he doesn't use the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao, I only have a 60% chance of winning.】
【Without the Spiritual Sword Mountain Sword Dao, Ji You is a toothless tiger.】
【Miss Lu, don't forget, there are five more after this.】
【Even if Ji You can still win the first match with difficulty, his means won't be too many. Then, it will be a matter of countering moves—】
【The beginning is the most difficult, but once it starts, no one will be afraid of him who cannot use sword Dao.】
After a few breaths of silence, the entire Ascension White Jade Platform instantly erupted in loud gasps of surprise.
Fang Jincheng's face changed dramatically in horror, while Zhao Yunyue's beautiful eyes trembled wildly. Even the Inner Courtyard Elder, who was usually calm and composed, suddenly opened his eyes wide, revealing a hint of disbelief.
There was no bitter struggle, no lucky win.
There was no countering of moves, and no helplessness after being unable to use sword Dao.
There was only one sword swing: raised, then brought down, as clean as a child waving a wooden stick.
From Lu Hanyan's perspective, that sword strike was even less swift than Senior Brother Ji's spanking, yet it directly crippled a Tong Xuan Realm cultivator.
No one cared if Wu Zhen was dead.
Even the Disciple of the Master's Courtyard had forgotten to strike the gong, only staring intently at the figure on the stage.
Ji You at this moment gripped his sword hilt, savoring the feeling of severing everything when he had just drawn his sword.
It was power, pure and unadorned power, originating from himself, then unleashed without reservation in that instant.
Because of this, there was no coercion around him from the Human-Heavenly Dao sensing, nor were there surging Qi waves formed by the frantic stacking of Spiritual Qi. Even during the operation of his Realm, there was no manifestation of that grand and magnificent Aura.
What existed was merely the powerful force that suddenly erupted from his Rongdao Realm Physical Body.
This power linked his bones and muscles, making his sword swing feel like a towering mountain crashing down, carrying an irresistible might.
This power gushed forth from the depths of his bone marrow, making every inch of bone vibrate in resonance and every muscle bulge and tense, causing his sword swing to be as heavy as a thousand jun, yet without a single trace of power leaking out.
It felt good, but not entirely satisfying.
Because the opponent was too weak, his sword, which focused on penetrating power, didn't actually follow through with a full slash.
(8,000 words, please vote for tomorrow's monthly pass—.)
