Chapter 211: Chapter 179: Impossible to Tell Who’s Superior

Draw your sword? Xiao Tianci tried hard to lift the longsword he cherished as his life. Before his eyes flashed the formidable presence Lu Qian displayed during the fight. This Ruyi that acted according to his will, his most important partner, at this moment felt as heavy as a thousand junctures, difficult to wield.

"Xiao Tianci, didn’t you say you wanted to challenge me? Draw your sword!" Lu Qian’s voice grew more and more angry, "What are you afraid of?"

Afraid of what? Xiao Tianci’s breathing grew heavy. I am regarded as a genius, a sword cultivator undefeated in a hundred battles, unstoppable, victory assured whenever my sword is drawn. Now, two thousand people are watching me. If I lose, I’ll never be able to hold my head up high again, and my Sword Heart will be destroyed.

Knowing I’ll lose, how can I draw my sword? Why draw it?

"Xiao Tianci!" Lu Qian bellowed, "Are you drawing your sword to defeat the enemy, or to conquer yourself?"

Xiao Tianci abruptly raised his head, Lu Qian’s voice exploding like thunder in his heart.

I cultivate the Sword Dao, drawing my sword to slay the enemy, slay all beings, and slay heaven and earth, but first, I must be able to slay myself!

"Draw your sword! Let me see your Sword Heart!"

The audience held their breath, watching with wide eyes.

Yet Xiao Tianci closed his eyes, slowly gripping his longsword, his steady and powerful heartbeat merging with the sword’s body. In an instant, the sword body became one with his body, his heart became the Sword Heart.

Facing a formidable enemy, only one sword. Facing failure, only one sword. Facing death, only one sword!

When he opened his eyes again, it was as if a bolt of lightning flashed across his pupils.

"Sect Leader Lu, please teach me."

Clang!

Sword light like lightning, a rainbow piercing the sun, unstoppable, even if heavenly gods block the way, I will wield my sword!

This sword is not to defeat the enemy, but to conquer myself!

As the Sword Qi swept by, a crack several feet wide instantly appeared on the stone floor. In the blink of an eye, a clear and emerald flying sword aimed straight for Lu Qian’s forehead, still thirty feet away, yet the sharp and fierce aura already made the hair on one’s body stand on end.

Lu Qian smiled faintly, a flash of five-colored light, golden light expanding and contracting.

"Xiao Tianci, you have not disappointed me at last."

With a clang, the cyan flying sword swung high, a dazzling gold flounder-shaped Geng Metal Divine Sword hung between Xiao Tianci’s eyebrows, the sharp Geng Metal Qi causing a drop of crimson Blood Pearl to seep from between his brows.

"I lost." Xiao Tianci looked calmly, seeming unconcerned about the Geng Metal Divine Sword suspended at his brow, reaching out to summon back his flying sword.

Lu Qian chuckled softly, the Geng Metal Divine Sword quietly dissipating. He had released thirty-four flounder swords just now, Xiao Tianci’s flying sword had destroyed thirty-three of them.

This sword truly is extraordinary, its power enough to compare to a full-force strike from an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Qin Zhiyi and the others were not unjustly defeated.

Retracting his longsword, Xiao Tianci respectfully bowed: "Sect Leader Lu, your guidance is etched in my heart. In the future, if there’s ever a need for my sword, please do not hesitate to call on me."

Lu Qian nodded: "What are your plans for the future?"

"I shall travel the world, refine my Sword Heart, and wait patiently for a Foundation Establishment opportunity."

Lu Qian laughed lightly: "Good, if ever you think of me, or the Yunshan Sect, you’re always welcome to visit Bichao Mountain anytime."

Lu Qian and Xiao Tianci gracefully departed the arena to the roaring applause of the audience once more.

"I told you Sect Leader Lu is magnanimous and possesses the bearing of a grandmaster; it turns out he was guiding Xiao Tianci’s cultivation!"

"That’s not what you just said..."

"Oh, if only I could receive even a fraction of Sect Leader Lu’s guidance."

"You? Please, decorating a pile of dung won’t make it anything but a pile of dung."

This performance of ’Sect Leader Lu provokingly guiding Xiao Tianci to hone his Sword Heart’ left the audience exuberant, each fantasizing of encountering a senior master someday and receiving their favor and instruction. Unfortunately, Sect Leader Lu didn’t have a commanding presence that stunned everyone, nor did Xiao Tianci bow in submission, so it still fell short of the storybooks where ruler and minister understand each other completely.

As the audience sighed and reminisced, a white figure quietly descended into the arena. Looking at that mesmerizing and captivating figure, the male cultivators who were just talking about Xiao Tianci a second ago now found their eyes wide and mouths agape.

The Divine Flood Dragon Sect Leader, Jade Flood Dragon Fairy Ji Yunrou, enters the scene!

"Congratulations, Sect Leader!" Lu Qian stepped into the Yunshan Sect’s private box, where a group of Elders and Stewards flocked to offer their congratulations.

Lu Qian waved his hand, unable to suppress the smile on his face: "Defeating Ling Xuzi is not a true celebration."

"Oh? Then why is Junior Brother so happy?" Lu Qian, usually calm and composed, rarely showed such evident expressions of joy or anger. Seeing his elated appearance, Jiang Qingfeng was also pleased, quickly asking.

Lu Qian glanced around, smiling: "My opportunity for Foundation Establishment has finally arrived!"

The box was silent for a moment, then everyone’s eyes lit up, smiles brightening as they could hardly contain their joy.

Ji Yunrou had been waiting in the arena for a long time, and the audience began to murmur. At this moment, a golden-red streak of light flashed, and only then did Guh Niqiang arrive leisurely.

Ji Yunrou raised her eyes to see the usually fiery-tempered, cold-faced Fairy Nishang, now with the corners of her mouth curved and her eyes filled with joy.

What happened at the Yunshan Sect?

"Quickly fight, I have urgent matters after this." Guh Niqiang said hurriedly, even her favorite pastime, fighting, seemed to be a bit absent-minded.

Zhuang Qing lightly coughed in the arena: "Are you ready? Then, for today’s final martial demonstration, Guh Niqiang of the Yunshan Sect versus Ji Yunrou of the Divine Flood Dragon Sect."

"Now, begin!" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

As the gong sounded, the cheers of the audience surged, shaking the surroundings.

Lu Qian and the Yunshan Sect members sat in the private box, watching the match while sharing insights on the opportunity for Foundation Establishment, also discussing and planning the work for the future.

However, as the battle intensified, everyone’s attention was drawn in, and they couldn’t spare even a moment for conversation.

The duel was extremely intense, and towards the end, Guh Niqiang utilized the "Golden Crow Illusion," while Ji Yunrou transformed into the "Jade Flood Dragon True Form." Guh Niqiang’s Golden Crow Cyan Flame was terrifyingly hot and immensely powerful, while Ji Yunrou’s Netherworld Yin Qi was extremely cold and unpredictable.

They fought for the time of two incense sticks, unable to determine a victor. The entire field was plowed over, with thousands of stone slabs shattered, mud waves flying. Zhuang Qing had to retreat, quickly blocking several aftershocks for the audience.

In the end, both sides went all out.

Guh Niqiang flipped her hand, and within the Golden Crow Cyan Flame, strands of black Qi suddenly entwined.

Ji Yunrou transformed into a white-scaled giant python, with a jade horn slowly emerging from her forehead.

Even the watching cultivators were so stunned by the aftershocks of the battle that they felt uneasy, breaking out in a cold sweat.

Seeing the danger, Lu Qian couldn’t let them continue, or the entire arena would be destroyed and could result in casualties among the spectators.

Without caring for the arena rules, the Five Elements Grand Array suddenly opened, and with Zhuang Qing’s active cooperation, finally separated the two fierce combatants.

Lu Qian cupped his hands and bowed to the crowd: "Apologies to the audience. Everyone witnessed firsthand that the two fairies’ cultivation levels are evenly matched. Continuing the fight would only damage the harmony and go against the arena’s purpose of friendship through martial arts, and may even unintentionally harm spectators. The result of this match will be announced after consulting the Marketplace side and the two fairies, so please take a short rest and patiently wait."