Chapter 217: Chapter 126: Zhong Ming: You’re Too Late
"You can use the power in the Dragon Vein Jade Pendant as much as you need. It doesn’t matter if you use it all up."
This Dragon Vein Jade Pendant, and the message that came with it, made Lin Kong see Ji Qinghui in a new light.
’He’s actually willing to part with this and let me use up its power. He’s got some guts.’
"Heh..." Zhu Junfeng scoffed and shook his head at that. "If he really had guts, the situation wouldn’t be what it is now. The way I see it, he must have tricked Ji Chengping into giving him that Jade Pendant..."
Before he could finish, Zhu Junfeng shook his head again. "Forget it. How he got it has nothing to do with us. With this thing to help you, your chances of beating Zhong Ming have increased by thirty percent... They’re at eighty percent now."
"One hundred percent!" Lin Kong replied, a sharp look in his eyes. "I already believed I was no weaker than Zhong Ming. If you hadn’t stopped me and insisted I aim for a surefire victory, I would have made my move long ago."
"Alright, alright. My mistake."
Hearing Lin Kong’s absolute confidence in his victory, Zhu Junfeng’s expression relaxed considerably, and he even started to joke around.
But his expression quickly turned serious again. He said to Lin Kong, "Be careful. And if you have the strength to spare, make it a clean win."
"You need to restore the reputation of our Void Moon Sect."
"Of course, the most important thing is to win. No matter what, you cannot lose this duel!"
"Don’t worry." With a casual wave behind him, Lin Kong started walking toward the center of Crescent Lake. His voice was calm, yet filled with an undeniable confidence as he said, "I will win!"
...
WHOOSH...
Lin Kong wasn’t flying as he walked across the lake’s surface. He simply took normal steps, strolling elegantly over the water.
But a special Cultivation Technique allowed him to cross over ten meters with each casual step.
At the same time, as he slowly advanced, a cold and desolate aura spread out from him in all directions, like moonlight pouring down.
HUMMM...
Under the influence of this lonely, cold intent, the ordinary Cultivators gathered on Zhong Ming’s Flying Ship felt a sudden chill in body and soul. They had the strange illusion of being shrouded by a solitary moon, isolated from the rest of the world.
This desolation chilled their spirits. The once-bustling Qingyue Flying Ship, crowded as a marketplace, fell silent in an instant.
Now, everyone on the Flying Ship stared at Lin Kong with grave expressions.
And as he drew near, the crowd of Cultivators loyal to Princess Qingyue subconsciously parted, clearing a path for him, not daring to stand in his way.
Seeing this, Ji Qingyue, Mrs. Qin, and the captain of the guards didn’t blame them. The three of them also watched Lin Kong’s step-by-step approach with solemn faces.
"This is trouble. A True Disciple from a Major Sect has finally made a move!" Mrs. Qin whispered, a hint of a sigh on her face.
...
"Finally, a real powerhouse has appeared!"
"Haha, now the real show is starting!"
Lin Kong’s appearance and his unique Sword Intent filled the Cultivators allied with Zhong Ming and Princess Qingyue with gravity. They felt an awe that made them ’not dare to speak loudly, for fear of startling those in the heavens.’
However, his Sword Intent clearly didn’t affect the Cultivators on the Crescent Lake Shore, much less those on the other luxurious Flying Ships.
Therefore, whether it was the other Major Sects, Ji Qinghui and Ji Qingkang, or the Cultivators on the Crescent Lake Shore, they all watched his entrance with anticipation, ready to enjoy the spectacle.
Among them, Ji Qingkang, Ji Qinghui, and Ji Chengping were all hoping for Zhong Ming’s defeat.
They wanted to halt Ji Qingyue’s rising influence and prevent her from becoming a player in the Qinghe Commandery Mansion.
As for the other five Major Sects, they were indifferent.
In fact, some of them even hoped Zhong Ming could win this battle.
Miaoyun of the Celestial Sound Sect was watching Zhong Ming with an expectant gaze:
’The Void Moon Sect is stronger than this. Go, Zhong Ming! I hope you can force out all of their hidden cards!’
Besides the Major Sects, many of the Cultivators on the Crescent Lake Shore had no strong feelings about who would win, but they were paying close attention to this battle.
The reason was that they wanted to use this fight to judge which power was worthy of their allegiance.
—Although quite a few Cultivators had previously joined Zhong Ming’s faction, some of the ’smarter ones,’ as well as some of the elites, had been biding their time.
These people had a deep understanding of the Major Sects. They knew that a sect’s true foundation lay with its True Disciples—in a Prefecture City’s Major Sect, Inner Sect Disciples were not qualified to practice the highest-level Cultivation Techniques.
This was partly due to status and partly because powerful Cultivation Techniques required too many resources. Even a large sect couldn’t afford to train so many people.
Only True Disciples could learn the sect’s true Foundation Techniques and receive a greater share of the sect’s resources. This created a world of difference between the strength of a Major Sect’s True Disciples and its Inner Sect Disciples.
Zhong Ming had never fought a True Disciple from a Major Sect. No matter how many victories he racked up, in the eyes of those in the know, his achievements lacked a certain substance.
’Only by defeating these True Disciples can Zhong Ming, and Princess Qingyue whom he supports, truly become one of the players!’
...
Some watched with eager, focused anticipation, believing this battle would determine whether Princess Qingyue’s faction could truly step onto the stage of Qinghe Prefecture City and establish a firm foothold.
But there were others who, while also watching with anticipation, lacked the patience to wait for the final outcome. Even before the fight began, they started speculating wildly about who would win and who would lose.
