Chapter 231: Chapter 231: There’s always a higher mountain (Seeking subscription)
"How did you possibly improve so quickly?"
Yue Tianlin asked Xue Changqing with a heavy voice.
Xue Changqing smiled, saying, "In that fight, I was in the process of understanding certain things, hence I only used 50% of my power. To be able to compete that long with me, you did quite well."
Apart from achieving the perfect stage of sword and person unity, in reality, the Snow Listening Forty-nine Swords were also very unique. If it were utilized by a person of average realization, it would only be of second-rate lower grade power, but in Xue Changqing’s hands, the power of this sword technique was approaching the second-rate upper grade.
Combine those, the defeat of Yue Tianlin is not hard to understand.
Yue Tianlin’s face turned pale as if he was struck by thunder. His pride and self-esteem seemed to have been shattered by the other party’s casual words.
After a long while, he replied slowly, "Temporary leads mean nothing. I will return the humiliation of today."
Xue Changqing seemed to have gained a new respect for Yue Tianlin. Even though his words were indeed true, they are not without the intention of deliberately discouraging Yue Tianlin. He did not expect that under the gaze of everyone, Yue Tianlin could remain so calm.
Compared to Yuan Zong, who is known as the number one person in Qingxue State, his value has greatly fallen.
Having evaluated in his mind, Xue Changqing’s cold and icy blue gaze turned and finally landed on the teenager in Qingxue clothing amongst the crowd. Whether it was Yuan Zong or Yue Tianlin, he never took them seriously. The only person in this competition truly worth looking forward to is this person.
Shi Xiaole was also looking at Xue Changqing, his blood began to pump faster.
Long ago, by the Heart Inquiry Lake, he knew that among all the people, there was only one person who could pose a threat to him. This person was never Yuan Zong, but Xue Changqing, who was dressed entirely in white.
Their gazes met in mid-air, it seemed like two invisible swords were clashing against each other. The invisible aura expands around them, frightening many promising talents and forcing them to give way.
Xue Changqing smiled and jumped off the stage.
"This competition indeed leaves... much to be said."
Now, not only the average masters are shocked, even the masters of the Xuan Qi realm and some masters of the Spiritual-Passage realm, all felt a roller coaster of emotions.
Everyone thought that Yuan Zong was invincible, but as a result, he lost to Shi Xiaole, who was at the seventh level of Qi Absorption. Everyone thought that there would be a fierce battle between Yue Tianlin and Xue Changqing, however, the former used up all his methods but still couldn’t escape the latter’s Forty-nine Swords.
From the confrontation between Shi Xiaole and Xue Changqing, it was clear to all that they saw each other as their biggest opponent and completely ignored Yuan Zong.
"The waves behind push the waves ahead. The future martial world will likely become more and more exciting."
"I feel like I’m getting old."
Many masters sighed. However, their hearts were even more excited.
What’s the point of a stagnant martial world? Crowds of masters, a competition of strength is what they wanted to see. As spectators, they enjoyed drinking tea, discussing, and debating the strengths and weaknesses of the heroes of the martial world. Isn’t it one of life’s great pleasures?
His fist clenched continuously, Yuan Zong’s handsome face turned a liver-like color. When did he fall to being ignored by others?
Shi Xiaole, Xue Changqing, nice to meet you!
After the end of the 78th round, everyone’s sentiments drastically changed. By the 40th match of the 79th round, their sentiments reached their peak.
"Dragon Slayer Sword Qi."
While Yue Tianlin continuously swung his sword at Shi Xiaole, his body moved like a divine dragon swinging its tail, intending to kill Shi Xiaole in close combat with his sword technique at the late stage of person-sword unity.
Clang!
To Yue Tianlin’s surprise, as well as everyone else’s, Shi Xiaole also exhibited a late-stage person-sword-unity sword realm at the critical moment, and with his mind and spirit induction, made Yue Tianlin fall into a disadvantage just after nine sword attacks.
"Mysterious Annihilation Sword Technique!"
Yue Tianlin roared. As he moved his body, he swung the Mysterious Annihilation Sword Qi two inches from all four directions. He was exhausted.
"A strong sword technique is not necessarily threatening, it also depends on whether you can control it."
Shi Xiaole shook his head.
The Mysterious Annihilation Sword Qi is indeed terrifying, but to Shi Xiaole, he noticed many flaws due to the heavy burden from beginning to end of his opponent’s moves.
To an ordinary person, these flaws are probably hard to detect, let alone to take advantage of. But to Shi Xiaole, it was basically a death sentence.
Perhaps this was why Yue Tianlin lost to Xue Changqing. Otherwise, with his strength, he might not have lost in such a way. Of course, even without the Mysterious Annihilation Sword Qi, Yue Tianlin could not escape from forty-nine swords since he was absolutely suppressed by Xue Changqing’s superior strength.
The spiraling green sword Qi was launched out, forming a swirling sword Qi storm. With four loud bangs, Shi Xiaole burst out from the intertwined internal power gaps, the tip of his sword pointed at Yue Tianlin’s throat.
"I will watch closely at what you and Xue Changqing are hiding."
Yue Tianlin walked down from the stage without resentment, but instead with a calm face. Losing isn’t a big deal, the important thing is to understand the gap and find ways to catch up.
Yue Tianlin will prove one day--he is the strongest.
"Your Sect has really struck gold."
The leader of the Divine Fist Clan passed a message to the leader of the Spring Garden.
How far one can go primarily depends not on talent, but on the often over-looked aspect of will and mentality. On this point, Yue Tianlin is extraordinarily intelligent.
"Hehe, many times, failure is also a good thing. Let’s hope he knows where he stands."
The leader of Spring Garden, a handsome middle-aged man, smiled at the remark.
Smooth sailing is not always a good thing. In fact, occasional setbacks are often preferable. Of course, even though he says so, he is a little shaken. In terms of sword realm, there are two of Yue Tianlin’s peers who surpassed him—it was simply unbelievable.
At the same time, Shi Xiaole also experienced a somewhat surreal, dreamlike sense.
He remembered when he first crossed over, the first time he went to the square of the Huajian Sect, he heard a group of disciples discussing the emerged figures, shining brilliantly, Yue Tianlin and Guan Duli.
At that time, they were so superior and unattainable to Shi Xiaole. Now, however, they had both become his defeated foes.
"In the future, I will defeat one legendary master after the other. I will reach the peak of martial arts and always stand at the highest point."
Shi Xiaole made a silent vow as a surge of ambition filled his chest.
Seventy-ninth round, forty-first match.
Yuan Zong against Xue Changqing.
Though Xue Changqing won the battle against Yue Tianlin without a drop of blood, and acted as if Shi Xiaole was his enemy, there were still some who had doubts.
More spectators, however, were extremely nervous.
Because if Xue Changqing lost, there was a great chance that Shi Xiaole would become the first in this competition, and the final set of matches tomorrow would lose suspense and meaning in advance.
"Witness my, ’Snow Listening Forty-nine Swords’."
Xue Changqing slightly moved his arm, his sword striking from various directions towards Yuan Zong.
"Such an arrogant fellow."
With the tenth layer of the Asura Martial Arts Scripture bursting out, Yuan Zong’s hands danced, combining the Asura Ghost Step with the Jade Halberd Six-Style in a full-strength attack, putting Xue Changqing under pressure.
However, at each critical moment, Xue Changqing could always turn the tide in his favor and avoid his opponent’s fatal strike.
This kind of reaction speed and skill were in no way inferior to Shi Xiaole.
"We have all been deceived by the Ice and Snow Swordsman. To ascend to the rank of the Four Young Swordsmen, who knows how little effort he was truly putting in."
"Being modest, this is true modesty."
At the thirty-second sword, Xue Changqing began his counterattack. The red torrent in front fell apart into countless uncontrolled pieces under the attack of his sword.
With an ethereal figure and unstable movements, Xue Changqing quickly passed through the sea of internal power, unscathed. The unity of person and sword was boosted to the limit, sweeping across with a single stroke.
Crack.
A long, thin, white sword Qi appeared to be thick in the front and thin at the end, dragging behind a shadow of cold white light. Yuan Zong’s protective wall was half a beat too slow, causing his protective true Qi to be half-shattered.
The increased attack power and speed from the late stage of Unity of Man and Sword to its peak state were terrifying. To put it bluntly, even if Xue Changqing only knew second-rate inferior swordsmanship, he would still be the top swordsman among the young generation of Qingxue State. There was simply no comparison.
"Rivers and Lakes like Blood."
Yuan Zong’s face turned red as he used his strongest technique.
Among the scattered internal power of the blood rain, Xue Changqing neither hid nor adopted a defensive stance like Shi Xiaole, but attacked continuously, intending to shatter the opponent’s killing move with his attacking skills.
Hisss Hisss Hisss...
After ten swords, the blood rain turned into even finer drops falling on the stage. Xue Changqing, his white clothes spotless, stepped out and unleashed a sword strike.
The forty-ninth sword.
With hair flying, a one-inch-long wound was slashed on Yuan Zong’s face, signifying his defeat.
Even Yuan Zong, who had been regarded as the ’Cold-faced Asura’ and pride of the heavens in the previous competition, could not break the limit of the ’Snow Listening Forty-nine Swords’ technique.
Hisss!
Many shivered in their hearts.
What was most important was that the various techniques Xue Changqing showed off just now, whether it was swordsmanship, physical agility, or the ability to exploit weaknesses, were all even better than Shi Xiaole, who was already acknowledged to be powerful!
What a terrifying fact.
There’s always someone better. Just before the finals, this cold, silent genius swordsman finally began to show his prowess. Was he revealing his peerless form?
Everyone was incredibly shocked.
"Regardless of the outcome, I think in the next ten years, fifty years, or even a hundred years, there will never be a competition as intense as this one."
"Indeed, even that competition hundreds of years ago can’t be compared to this one. I believe this competition will be recorded in the history of the martial world in Qingxue State. We are witnessing history."
"I’m looking forward to tomorrow."
After Xue Changqing defeated Yuan Zong with an overwhelming victory, the entire venue exploded. The deafening cheers could be heard clearly even from a hundred miles away. People communicated with each other, and even had to use their internal power, otherwise, they could not hear what each other was saying.
"Martial Uncle."
After all, only a few people could ascend the side peaks to watch the battle, so most of the guests from the martial world stayed at the foot of the Heroic Chivalry Mountain, a dense mass that couldn’t even be counted.
Late at night on this very day, a group of people hurried over. It was none other than Yang Jiuding and the others from the Positive Pole Sect.
Shamefully, Yang Jiuding and his two foremost disciples, Yang Zheng and Yang Yi, were so engrossed in the study of the Yangxuan Heavenly Scripture that they missed the Hero Gathering Competition and did not arrive until now.
When they heard from the messenger that Shi Xiaole was participating in the finals the next day, Yang Jiuding and the others were all stunned.
