Outside the elegant guest courtyard, Xiang Lanxuan paced beneath the trees along the mountain’s edge, gazing into the distance at times, lowering her head in thought at others, her skirt sleeves swaying occasionally with the wind. In her every movement, she revealed a maturity that did not match her gorgeous appearance.
Her attendant suddenly emerged from the courtyard, hurried to her side, and had just bowed when she spoke first. “Over at the Dingyin District, find out which day that Tanhuai Lang’s first round match falls on. Find a suitable hidden viewing spot. I simply must go see how he abandoned literature for martial arts.”
Speaking of this, she could not help but smile.
A woman watching a man, and the world’s greatest talent at that, was still somewhat interesting.
Unexpectedly, after a moment of slight surprise, the attendant replied, “Great Walker, I am afraid you cannot see it for now. He is not participating in the first round.”
Xiang Lanxuan stopped and turned back, frowning. “Not participating? What does that mean? Has he withdrawn again?”
Seeing her misunderstanding, the attendant hurriedly presented the secret report in hand and reported, “News came from over there. In the first round draw, that Tanhuai Lang failed to draw an opponent. He drew the only unmatched lot. According to the tournament rules, he automatically advances, so he does not need to participate in the first round.”
Xiang Lanxuan was speechless for a moment, then quickly snatched the report to examine it. After reading, she found it was indeed so. She could not help but shake her head at the report’s contents, clicking her tongue. “How did it happen to be him? He could even hit this. This fellow truly is a man of fortune.”
The attendant added, “He should participate in the second round. I will first scout a suitable viewing spot. By then, it will not be too late for the Great Walker to go.”
Xiang Lanxuan nodded and hummed in agreement. “Then we shall go see during the second round.”
At the third quarter of the chen hour the next day, the sun had just risen.
The previous draw venue in the Dingyin District had been slightly reorganised and directly converted into a competition ground.
Yesterday’s platform remained, now serving as the host’s stage for the competition.
A large circular area had been marked out in the middle of the vast drying ground, clearly intended as the competition field. Some trapezoid viewing stands had also been constructed around it. However, there were not many spectators, at least not many relative to such a large venue.
All participants from the Dingyin District had arrived without exception.
As people about to compete, they all wanted to see how others fought, since any of them might face each other in the next round. This was a perfect opportunity to study in advance.
Although Yu Qing did not need to participate in the first round, he felt that the “Fengchen Sword Manual” he cultivated should be a decent technique. But this was merely his own feeling.
He had never fought any Xuan-level cultivators. To put it plainly, he had not truly tested his depth.
A cultivation manual left ignored in a storeroom was unlike those with clear sect heritage, where the sect would tell you what achievements predecessors had with that technique. This manual of unknown origin indeed left one somewhat uncertain.
Moreover, those who could come here to participate should all be outstanding among early Xuan cultivators. Naturally, he too wanted to see others’ strength and estimate whether he could handle it if he faced them.
Besides participants and those maintaining the rules, some outside spectators had also come, scattered sparsely across the surrounding stands. There were probably only about a hundred in total. Yu Qing noticed that more than ten of them had come for Chan Shaoting.
A group of men and women, apparently all from “Guijian Villa.” Among them, a beautiful woman of considerable bearing seemed to be Chan Shaoting’s mother. Yu Qing could tell from Chan Shaoting’s polite attitude and the shape of his mouth when addressing her.
They came to cheer, to support, or to see how Chan Shaoting would display his prowess and bring honour to “Guijian Villa.”
Using his Observation Technique to read their lips, Yu Qing felt that these people from “Guijian Villa” did not regard the other competitors present at all. They seemed to think Chan Shaoting’s standout performance was only natural.
A young girl’s lip movements seemed to directly declare that Chan Shaoting was the number one person in the Dingyin District.
Chan Shaoting’s lips moved with modest words instead, saying one should not speak like this, who knew whether there were hidden dragons and crouching tigers among them, and so on.
Of course, modest words were modest words. Yet in the disdainful look in his eyes, he truly did not regard the other participants either.
That young girl seemed to be Chan Shaoting’s younger sister.
In short, a considerable portion of those who came to watch in this small district were people connected to the participants.
For the participants, from receiving the competition rules until now, they had almost all clarified the rules. Faced with the inquiry from the host’s stage, no one expressed objection.
Thus, a series of “dong dong dong dong” drumbeats rang out, and the competition officially began.
Two competitors holding wooden plaques numbered “One” arrived at the host’s stage in turn, handing over the plaques that served as their competition credentials, which also served as re-verification of their identity. Then both leaped into the circled competition field.
The competition was signalled by drumbeats. While the drums sounded, both sides were not allowed to strike.
When the drumbeats stopped abruptly, it meant the competition had officially begun.
The two sides in the first match of the first round did not rush to engage. Uncertain of each other’s depth, they confronted each other there, not daring to act rashly, seemingly both seeking the right moment to strike.
Everyone’s eyes in the entire venue were fixed on the two of them. Yet after waiting for quite a while, the two who had gathered their qi still hesitated to act.
At this moment, the “dong dong” drumbeats sounded again. According to the tournament rules, and also to prevent troublemakers, this was the urging drum.
Within a quarter of an hour, the drum would sound three times at intervals, urging battle three times. If after three drum rolls the two combatants still did not act, both would be judged eliminated.
At this moment, one person began to slowly shift his feet. Suddenly, he kicked up flying sand and rolling stones, and drew his sword in pursuit.
Unexpectedly, his opponent also kicked up flying sand and rolling stones to counterattack. The two figures instantly clashed together. Rumbling, clanging, and banging sounds intermingled without cease.
Qi force blasted dust flying within the competition field. The two figures weaved and exchanged blows without pause, sometimes fighting on the ground, sometimes both rising into the air.
The intensity of this exchange made Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie’s expressions slightly stern. They realised that those who could come to participate were indeed not simple. These two, if placed in the cultivation world’s jianghu, should count as so-called early Xuan experts.
Yu Qing turned his head to observe his two senior brothers’ reactions.
Between combatants, the possibility of completely balanced strength was small. Under normal circumstances, one side must be weaker. After a few moves, the disparity in strength became apparent. The weaker party, to grasp a slim chance of victory, naturally poured out all their strength in a frenzy.
The first match of the first round quickly entered a white-hot stage. Explosive sounds of bombardment rang out continuously in the competition field.
Seeing his opponent fighting desperately, the stronger one had roughly gauged his depth and seemed unwilling to drag it out. Seizing an opportunity, he suddenly flashed backward, retreating to the edge of the demarcated competition field.
The weaker one immediately swung his sword in rapid pursuit, his momentum showing no inferiority, even surpassing the other.
The stronger one suddenly erupted with powerful qi force, instantly raising a small sandstorm like an overwhelming tide. He too charged back, carrying the rolling sand and dust with him. The momentum was quite astonishing.
The weaker one was greatly alarmed at the sight. Clearly, if this continued, the entire large competition ground would likely be swallowed by the opponent’s sandstorm momentum. Thus, he leaped up, avoiding the frontal impact. In midair, he gripped his sword with both hands and slashed at the target charging from the ground.
The man on the ground stopped abruptly with a stamping step, holding his sword horizontally, gazing coldly upward. The rolling sand rushing from behind instantly swallowed him.
The man slashing with his sword from the air used a blast of sword qi to part the sand, but was still swallowed by the scale of the sandstorm. Both figures, in the air and on the ground, disappeared into the sand one after another.
The onlookers did not know what happened within the sand. They only heard a “bang” of a violent sound, faintly seeing turbulent movements within the sandstorm.
A sword light suddenly shot skyward from the sand, like a meteor shooting back into the firmament under the morning sun’s rays.
A figure also flashed out from the sand. It was the stronger one, standing with one hand behind his back, while the other hand suddenly faced the rolling sand.
The rolling sand instantly became like a frozen picture.
He actually stopped the rolling momentum of the sand with one palm.
Many in the stands showed surprise. Many actually slowly rose to their feet. On the host’s stage, Wu Tian and his martial uncle Sun Lianxing looked at each other.
Sun Lianxing slowly said, “I am afraid the other is in grave danger.”
Yu Qing in the stands also narrowed his eyes and praised, “What powerful qi control technique!”
The still sand suddenly fell like rain, also like a descending curtain.
That sword light flying toward the firmament began to fall back down, drifting in an arc through midair, tracing out a curved line. With a “swoosh,” it shot toward the stronger one.
With a “shua” sound, the sword light returned precisely to its sheath without deviation, returning to the stronger one’s waist.
Although this stronger one was plainly dressed and of ordinary appearance, the momentum as he slowly lowered his hand actually gave one the bearing of a grandmaster whose greatness transcended form.
“Remote sword control!” Chan Shaoting, muttering to himself, also slowly stood up, his eyes shining with light.
The woman beside him, his mother, also looked somewhat grave and reminded him, “Ting’er, this person’s sword control technique actually has a bit of our Guijian Villa’s bearing. He also looks young. If his cultivation can break through to the upper Xuan realm, he will surely have an extraordinary future. If you face him in later matches, you must be alert and careful.”
Chan Shaoting nodded silently.
The young girl beside them, his younger sister, said in a surprised tone, “I thought Brother was just being modest. So among these unremarkable-looking people, there really are hidden dragons and crouching tigers!”
She could not help but glance a few more times at the other competitors in the stands, wondering whether other low-key experts might be among them.
The curtain-like dust and sand fell, revealing the figure of the other weaker man.
In the faint dust drifting on the breeze, the weaker one leaned on his sword for support. The distance from the stronger one was actually not far. His figure swayed as if about to fall, seemingly barely holding himself up with his sword. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth. There was an obvious bloody penetrating wound through his chest and back.
The stronger one spoke, seemingly saying something to the weaker one. The distance was somewhat far. No one present could hear clearly.
But Yu Qing watched the movement of his lips and saw. That sentence was, “I did not want to kill you. You yourself did not know to retreat in the face of difficulty, insisting on fighting me desperately. Do not blame me!”
A miserable smile appeared on the weaker one’s face, then he toppled sideways.
The stronger one turned and walked toward the host’s stage.
Wu Tian on the host’s stage waved his hand in signal. Kunling Mountain disciples who had been waiting on standby immediately rushed out to carry away the fallen weaker one for emergency treatment.
Everyone saw the location of the penetrating wound and knew it was futile. Sure enough, before long, they saw the Kunling Mountain disciples crouching outside the field stand up one by one, shaking their heads. Clearly, there was no saving him.
Wu Tian on the stage looked at the rescue efforts below and sighed. Then he looked at the stronger one who had already come onto the stage. He still had to follow the rules. He walked to the backdrop wall, removed the dart bearing the stronger one’s name, and handed it to the stronger one to keep. This also announced that the stronger one was qualified to enter the next round’s dart draw. The people in the stands all watched the stronger one’s every move in dead silence. None had expected such an expert to suddenly emerge in the first match of the first round. None had expected life and death to be decided in the very first match of the first round.
Anyone would have to weigh what to do when facing this man later.
Their eyes fixed on that man, Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie’s Adam’s apples bobbed from time to time.