"Junior Sister Hongling, are you really confident in your eldest apprentice? This is a battle of life and death. That Ye Chen's martial arts are extraordinary. I'm afraid... Ah~"
On the high platform, seeing Xiao Hongling take her seat, True Master Yuanyi said, his face etched with worry.
"Chief Xiao, as long as you agree, we don't need to accept this duel to the death. As for the grievance between Ye Chen and Lin Xiao, as their mentors, we can mediate after he joins the sect," True Master Ziyun, the Sect Leader with his impeccable demeanor, also said.
"Tsk, tsk, Sect Leader, you're underestimating our Junior Sister Hongling with such words. Her personally groomed eldest apprentice is bound to be an exceptional talent. How could he be scared of an ordinary martial artist?"
"In my opinion, this battle to the death must be fought! Otherwise, in the future, any random uncouth savage will dare to challenge our Qinglan Sect!" Daoist Chisong, the monkey-faced Chairman of Red Cloud Peak, insisted grimly.
As soon as these words were said, the Elders on the side all shook their heads.
At this moment, everyone knew that Chairman Chisong was simply pouring oil on the fire, wanting to deliberately embarrass this arrogant "First Fairy of the Eastern Region"!
As everyone knew, Chairman Xiao Hongling of Divine Phoenix Peak usually traveled abroad and rarely meddled in the cultivation of her mountain's disciples, leaving such matters mostly to the lecturing and supervising Elders. And this Chief Disciple of Divine Phoenix Peak, whose talent was unremarkable and whose strength was rumored to be inferior even to several of his junior martial sisters—what chance did he possibly have!
"Junior Sister Hongling... are you truly confident in this Lin Xiao?" Su Mei, on the side, glanced over, her beautiful eyes flashing, and said coldly.
"Senior Sisters and Brothers, you need not worry. My apprentice is destined to be invincible and outshine everyone in this contest!" Xiao Hongling's eyes glowed as she looked at the peerless figure clothed in white on the fighting stage.
「On the fighting stage.」
The two youths faced each other from a distance; tension filled the air!
The great battle was about to erupt!
"Did you know? From the moment you disrespected me last night, you were already a corpse, rotting and stinking!"
"I, this Princely Heir, have killed my way from the Western Desert to the Eastern Region. Those who have offended me have all died unnatural deaths. You will be no exception!"
"Don't worry. After I kill you, I'll find a way to join Divine Phoenix Peak. Your junior martial sisters, including that Master of yours, I will take good care of them! Hahahaha..."
Ye Chen's mouth curled into a wicked and twisted smile.
Tsk tsk. His lines are indeed as vulgar as written in the book. As expected of a typical power-fantasy protagonist from ancient times.
Lin Xiao spat, recalled the lines from the book, and cursed, "You mongrel! You dare to challenge the Chief Disciple of Divine Phoenix Peak! Today, I'm going to shred you to pieces!"
With that, he executed a sword seal!
CLANG!
A powerful sound like a dragon's roar echoed through the valley.
Lin Xiao's eyes were cold. Following his palm's guidance, his Lifebound Spirit Sword, "Cloud Dream Marsh," suddenly unsheathed from his Purple Mansion!
WHOOSH!
A golden sword light flashed through the air, leaving a dazzling trail as it shot towards Ye Chen in the distance!
This sword strike, though seemingly flashy, contained less than ten percent of his Sword Intent!
He only wanted Ye Chen to be able to receive it smoothly, prompting Ye Chen to retaliate with his signature grandmaster-level technique: "Innate Body Breaking Sword Qi"!
"You damn brat! I painstakingly infused you with Sword Intent last night, and you dare to hold back?!"
From the high platform, Xiao Hongling, who had instantly seen through his intentions, furrowed her delicate brows.
More than anger at his failure to meet her expectations, she was now even more worried about her disciple getting into trouble!
"Ah, it seems that the Chief Disciple our Chief Xiao relies on so much is not that great after all."
"Indeed. With his mere Innate Realm cultivation level, to face an eighth-stage Martial Dao practitioner and still dare to not use his full strength—he is simply courting death!"
"Sigh, I've heard for some years now that this Lin Xiao of Divine Phoenix Peak has inappropriate behavior and is lazy. His strength is even said to be inferior to his junior martial sisters."
"Oh? Could such a thing be true? Chief Xiao is a once-in-a-millennium genius Sword Cultivator in the Cultivation World, renowned throughout her life. How could she accept such an unruly person as her disciple?"
"Hmph, Chief Xiao's willfulness isn't new. Among her Direct Disciples, which one joined through a formal disciple acceptance ceremony? Weren't they all just casually picked up by her during her travels?"
"Sigh, right now, the chief disciples of Dragon Head, Red Cloud, Tiandang, and Fengming Peaks are all exceptional talents. Only Lin Xiao of Divine Phoenix Peak is all show and no substance. The balance of power among the Five Branches of our Qinglan Sect is likely to be completely shattered now..."
At this time, the group of Qinglan Sect Elders seated in the void also shook their heads, their disappointment evident.
The young men and women watching in the square couldn't discern the subtleties of the exchange; they were merely looking forward to a brawl between two strong peers.
The next second, a scene no one expected occurred... Even Lin Xiao himself hadn't anticipated it!
DING!
"You have successfully maintained the character's plot persona! Triggered Sword Technique Divine Skill: Divine Sword Thunder Control Sword Technique! (Heaven Rank, Lower Class)"
...
What the hell? You give me a reward at a time like this?!
I don't want it! Don't come any closer!
Lin Xiao cried out desperately in his heart.
However, things don't always go as one wishes!
DING!
"Instantly implanting 'Divine Sword Thunder Control Sword Technique' for you!"
As streams of profound true comprehension of the Sword Dao forcefully entered the depths of his Sea of Consciousness, Lin Xiao could tangibly feel his Formless Sword Body grow stronger!
The Sword Intent he casually condensed was also becoming increasingly pure!
Of course, the most terrifying thing was...
The seemingly ordinary sword strike he had just executed had actually triggered a special effect of his newly comprehended Sword Technique!
RUMBLE!
In an instant, the heavens and the earth changed color, clouds from the Nine Heavens suddenly descended, and flashes of lightning appeared amidst them!
Moreover, as Lin Xiao's Immortal Sword was drawn, myriad bolts of lightning, as if summoned, descended from the Nine Heavens, converging on the tip of his sword!
In a flash, the entire audience was shaken!
Ye Chen, in particular, turned deathly pale with fear!
"Heavens! Sword Intent into Thunder! One sword to attract Heavenly Thunder!"
"Eldest Senior Brother is indeed extraordinary!"
"No wonder that in the script of the future, he was able to see through Ye Chen's true nature so early on!"
At the back of the square, two beautiful young ladies, Guo Yourong and Chu Youwei, were filled with countless exclamations in their hearts!
Looking at the figure on the stage, handsome and possessing an ethereal grace like a celestial being, their eyes, bright as stars, flashed with shock, awe, admiration, and a myriad of other emotions!
「On the fighting stage.」
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
As Lin Xiao's sword momentum dissipated, thunder raged all around, the winds reversed, and sand and stones flew everywhere!
The noble Sword Intent, naturally generated by the Formless Sword Body, filled an area with a radius of a hundred zhang, instantly engulfing and assimilating Ye Chen's Sword Intent!
Simultaneously, the surrounding flowers, grass, trees, and even flying stones were all incinerated to ash!
Divine Sword Thunder Control Sword Technique!
Wielded by a mortal, it incites the vast power of Heaven and Earth, augmented by a divine weapon, to call down the divine thunder of the Nine Heavens—utterly unstoppable!
At this moment, even the Elders and Chairmen on the high platform—men who had lived for hundreds of years, were well-versed in worldly affairs, and possessed a mental fortitude as steadfast as a mountain—were visibly taken aback!
Xiao'er, is this the first Sword Technique you've created using the Formless Sword Body? You... you've truly given your Master quite a surprise.
Atop the high platform, Xiao Hongling's red lips trembled. With a graceful movement of her long legs, she stood up, her excitement palpable.
Her beautiful eyes, wide with astonishment, gazed at her beloved apprentice whose performance had stunned the entire audience!
Even if there are flaws in the causality guided by the Heavenly Dao of this world, my judgment is never wrong! My Xiao'er shows the potential to become an Emperor!