Chapter 46

Chapter 46

In the first round of the competition, Lu Shitu and Jiang Ziliu were each paired with Qi Refining disciples.

The vast disparity in cultivation levels between them made the outcome almost a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, the spectating disciples watched intently, having come specifically to witness these two in action.

Ultimately, the audience found little excitement: both matches concluded in a single move.

In Jiang Ziliu’s match, he showed no quarter for his Qi Refining junior brother opponent, immediately unleashing a fierce and perilous technique—a burst of blazing flames directed straight at his opponent’s face. Although the Sect Tournament rules forbade lethal moves, any of his strikes, had they landed, would have resulted in serious injury at minimum.

The junior brother facing him had already wavered on whether to withdraw, and upon witnessing Jiang Ziliu’s vicious moves, he hastily conceded as soon as the match began.

What kind of sparring was this? His life could have been ended by the senior in a single stroke!

Meanwhile, the situation with Lu Shitu also took everyone by surprise.

Lu Shitu had always cultivated an image of detachment from fame and fortune, appearing unconcerned with worldly affairs and seemingly harmless. Thus, everyone anticipated a slow-paced battle and watched with wide-eyed expectation.

Upon stepping onto the stage, Lu Shitu calmly exchanged greetings with his opponent, and the atmosphere was harmonious, just as everyone had imagined.

Yet, the moment the match officially commenced, before anyone could even react, the young disciple on the stage was already knocked off.

The young disciple lay on the ground, still clutching his sword, utterly bewildered. At first, he didn't even register any pain. It was only after a moment that he belatedly clutched his stomach, groaning, "Ow, ow!"

No one saw Lu Shitu draw his sword because he truly hadn’t. The instant the match began, he relied solely on a burst of sword energy to swiftly knock his opponent off the stage.

The Taixu Hall Master standing nearby looked utterly stunned, taking a long moment before remembering to raise his hand. The Taixu Hall disciple beside him then loudly announced, "Lu Shitu of Po Shan Peak wins!"

Even after his victory, Lu Shitu’s expression remained serene. He stood on the stage and bowed once more, his etiquette impeccable and his demeanor humble—nothing like the ruthless fighter who had just ended the match with a single, decisive move.

Up in the floating elders' seating area, Rong Baichuan couldn’t help but praise, "Excellent. This is indeed the optimal approach."

Rong Yu nodded in profound agreement, a gratified smile gracing his face. He had been somewhat concerned that Lu Shitu might be overly bound by formalities or rules, prolonging the match unnecessarily. To his pleasant surprise, Lu Shitu had delivered a swift and decisive end to the battle.

There were four victors in this round: besides Lu Shitu and Jiang Ziliu, there was also one Qi Refining disciple and one Foundation Building disciple.

The Qi Refining disciple, having just witnessed the matches of Jiang Ziliu and Lu Shitu, immediately forfeited his spot for the next round without hesitation upon learning he had advanced. Thus, only three participants remained on the field.

Under these circumstances, the rules would change. The elders would select a provisional champion based on the previous combat performance of the remaining disciples, and those who wished to contend for the title would challenge him.

Jiang Ziliu was unequivocally chosen as the provisional champion. A Taixu Hall disciple asked, "Is there any disciple who wishes to challenge Jiang Ziliu of Ling Xiao Peak?"

A mocking, disdainful smile appeared on Jiang Ziliu’s face as he openly directed his gaze at Lu Shitu.

Lu Shitu took a step forward, raised his head, and met Jiang Ziliu’s gaze head-on, unwavering. He spoke clearly, word by word, "Lu Shitu of Po Shan Peak requests battle."

The observing disciples finally erupted in excitement.

On the stage, the two stood facing each other. A Taixu Hall disciple announced the start, and the moment the words faded, both drew their swords simultaneously!

Jiang Ziliu executed a peculiar sword flourish with an awkward starting stance, and in the next instant, his sword "Blaze" seemed to ignite with raging flames out of thin air. Disciples standing even slightly nearby could feel the terrifying wave of heat.

The crowd was stunned by this strange yet imposing sword technique. Someone murmured under their breath, "Is this the sword manual Senior Brother Jiang found in the Twelve Floors secret realm? It’s truly… incredibly powerful!"

Lu Shitu, standing opposite Jiang Ziliu, was the one truly facing this thunderous strike head-on, and his perception of it was far deeper than that of the spectators.

The sword technique was indeed exquisitely profound. But Lu Shitu, having cultivated for many years, possessed an almost supernatural control over spiritual energy and now had an unparalleled intuition for the sword path. He immediately sensed that Jiang Ziliu couldn’t fully unleash the power of this technique. What he was displaying now was, at most, thirty percent of what this move should truly be.

Perhaps he wasn’t proficient enough, perhaps his comprehension was lacking, or perhaps this technique simply didn’t suit him. Though his luck was astonishing, allowing him to obtain a peerless ancient opportunity hidden within the secret realm, this incredibly powerful sword technique might not be the most suitable for him, and he lacked the ability to wield it properly.

In contrast to Jiang Ziliu, Lu Shitu's first move seemed much plainer. He actually used the first stance of the Taixu Sword Art, a move every disciple had drilled a thousand times over since first entering the sect.

Even the divine sword Golden Wu seemed to dim slightly in Lu Shitu's hands, becoming utterly unremarkable when he executed this move.

The two clashed directly, head-on!

The difference in power between their techniques was too great, and with the gap in their cultivation realm, many disciples felt there was no need to keep watching, shaking their heads in disappointment.

But the next moment, as the sword energy cleared, everyone saw: both had been forced half a step back. Even if Lu Shitu had retreated slightly farther, he was not helpless.

Finally, someone caught on. A Nascent Soul Stage senior brother spoke with surprise and admiration: "Junior Brother Lu’s sword... it seems he has refined it into his bonded sword. He has actually achieved the state of man and sword as one—no wonder its power is so immense."

His words made everyone realize: they had completely overlooked that Golden Wu in Lu Shitu’s hands hadn’t weakened at all. Instead, it matched so well with the black-clad youth on the stage that the two seemed to merge into one—the man was the sword, the sword was the man. Thus, no one saw only the sword’s imposing aura as they once had. It wasn’t that the divine sword had weakened, but that it had been tamed.

Someone else added: "And his use of the Taixu Sword Art was a clever move. The simpler and more familiar the technique, the more he can maximize his spiritual power and compensate for the limits of his realm."

"Unfortunately... the gap between realms is like an unbridgeable chasm. No matter how skilled Brother Lu is in the sword path, I’m afraid he still can’t outlast Brother Jiang."

Not only did those below the stage sense the disparity in spiritual power, Lu Shitu himself was slightly startled. Although Jiang Ziliu’s move lacked true intent, it still unleashed such formidable power—his spiritual energy was truly unfathomable.

Is this the strength of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator?

Meanwhile, Jiang Ziliu felt exhilarated. After that clash, he fully sensed the power contained in Lu Shitu’s sword move. Though the sword intent was sharp, it was still only at the Golden Core Stage—lacking in strength.

No matter how hard you train, what does it matter! You’ll never compare to a single finger of mine. I am the chosen one!

As if encouraged by this thought, when he lifted his head again, everyone noticed the change in his aura. His fire-attribute spiritual power erupted from his body like a tangible force. He stared at Lu Shitu and gave a sinister grin.

"Die!!"

"Bang—" Lu Shitu completely failed to block his power-packed strike and instantly employed movement arts to retreat hastily, barely avoiding the most dangerous part of the sword wind.

Even so, he was injured, his face paling slightly.

Rong Yu saw it clearly from the viewing platform, his brows furrowing deeply.

Lu Shitu glanced subtly toward the elder seats in the sky, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed a mouthful of coppery-tasting blood. He was dodging clumsily under Jiang Ziliu’s increasingly fierce sword wind and suddenly spoke: "You won’t win." The arena had a barrier, so their conversation couldn’t be heard below.

Jiang Ziliu, emboldened by his successful strike and fired up for battle, sneered and swung his sword fiercely: "You think you’re worthy of defeating me?"

Lu Shitu met the strike with his own sword and was forced back several steps, but he continued calmly: "Do you really think you’re so powerful? You’ve merely taken shortcuts—even your sword doesn’t acknowledge you."

Jiang Ziliu seemed struck where it hurt. A flash of red fire passed through his eyes, and his face twisted almost viciously as another layer of spiritual power erupted from his "Blaze"!

Some nearby disciples exclaimed in alarm and stepped back.

Jiang Ziliu vented his fury with a series of relentless strikes. Lu Shitu couldn’t block them all, and gradually, cuts appeared across his body.

After this barrage, Jiang Ziliu finally gathered enough strength and resolve to unleash a thunderous, ultimate strike, slashing fiercely toward Lu Shitu, who nearly stumbled and fell!

Like a wildfire igniting dry grasslands, the flames surged toward Lu Shitu with unstoppable force. Some spectators gasped aloud, while others turned away, unable to watch.

The next moment, a "shing" was heard, and blood sprayed. But when the disciples looked up, the scene wasn’t as brutal as they had imagined.

Jiang Ziliu’s sword tip had indeed pierced Lu Shitu’s shoulder, but it was far from a vital spot. Moreover, Jiang Ziliu had been forced back three steps and stared incredulously at his sword.

"Blaze" was trembling slightly, as if under unbearable strain. Meanwhile, Lu Shitu held his sword horizontally—Golden Wu emitted a clear ring, like an echo after a strike.

Jiang Ziliu’s all-out attack had ultimately gained him little advantage, resulting only in mutual damage.

Lu Shitu slowly raised his eyes, sheathed his sword and settled into a stance. In that instant, everyone could tell his presence had shifted. His gaze was cold and sharp, as if he had truly become an unsheathed sword.

Those with more experienced in the crowd exclaimed in shock, "How is his sword technique... Could it be from *Shattering Mountains and Rivers*, that legendary text from the Kaiyang Realm?"

"Impossible! How could he have been taught that technique? It's a closely guarded secret of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, something even cultivators from the Kaiyang Realm can't obtain."

"Indeed, it can't be. I heard *Shattering Mountains and Rivers* was destroyed in the struggle long ago, leaving only fragments, and no one has been able to cultivate it. It definitely isn't that. Let's move on."

Amid their discussion, Lu Shitu and Jiang Ziliu had already resumed their battle. This time, Lu Shitu no longer retreated, meeting each strike head-on. Raging flames and immense sword energy collided violently!

Though Lu Shitu seemingly still seemed slightly disadvantaged, he was clearly much more composed than before. Jiang Ziliu, growing increasingly frustrated and finding less success with each exchange, began attacking with full force, gradually losing all discipline. Though Lu Shitu had difficulty avoiding his powerful strikes, each of his moves was exquisitely executed. By precisely controlling his spiritual power, he unleashed the full potential of his sword moves, demonstrating a profound understanding and mastery of the sword path and spiritual energy.

Amid the fierce battle, Jiang Ziliu seemed to have lost all reason, his face twisted with rage as he roared, "Do you think you're any better?!"

"What did you do that night after emerging from the Immortal Sword Secret Realm?!"

Author's Note: Fight, fight! (Zha Xing cracks open some sunflower seeds)

Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!