The Art of Chaotic Divinity-Chapter 817: The Day of the Finals

Cai Yan stood shakily, her forehead drenched in cold sweat, barely able to remain upright after the backlash from the Word Spirit Curse. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Ling Feng stepped forward, gently pressing on her acupoints—Shenting[1], Yintang[2], and others—before feeding her a medicinal pill. Only then did her complexion begin to ease.

"My apologies for earlier."

Ling Feng gave her a fist-and-palm salute and turned to leave, but Cai Yan clenched her teeth and called out, "Wait! H-How do you know the Cai family's Word Spirit Curse?"

"Ah..."

Ling Feng rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I just picked it up after watching you use it."

"You expect me to believe that? It took me eighteen years just to learn the first four curses, and you claim you mastered them in a glance? What does that make me—dumber than a pig?"

Cai Yan glared at him, hands on her hips, before suddenly realizing the inappropriateness of her outburst. She bit her lip and lowered her voice. "Tell me the truth... are you my second uncle's illegitimate son? His name is Cai Hang. Are you—"

"No!"

Ling Feng cut her off. "Senior Sister Cai, I have no relation to your family whatsoever!"

"Hmph, I don’t believe you!" She eyed him suspiciously, sizing him up from head to toe. "You even look a little like him!"

"..."

Ling Feng almost burst out laughing but held it in. With a sigh, he spun a lie without hesitation. "The world is vast—do you really think the Cai family is the only one that knows the Word Spirit Curse? I just happened to come across an ancient manual and picked it up by chance."

If you won’t believe me anyway, I might as well make something up.

But Cai Yan remained stubborn. "You think I'd buy that? Even if such a thing existed, the version you used was refined by over a dozen generations of the Cai family—down to the exact hand seals! You must be connected to my long-lost second uncle!"

Ling Feng rolled his eyes, exasperated. Why not accuse me of being your long-lost father while you're at it?

Of course, he couldn't say that aloud. He simply shrugged. "Think what you want. Either way, well fought."

With that, he walked away. All he'd done was replicate a technique with the Heavenly Dao Eye—now he'd somehow gained a relative? Ridiculous!

"Just you wait, Ling Feng!" Cai Yan called after him. "I will get to the bottom of this!"

As she watched his retreating figure, she muttered under her breath, Hmph, I'll prove you're my cousin!

Back with Gu Tengfeng and the others, the captain clapped Ling Feng's shoulder. "Well done. Who'd have thought you even knew the Cai family's secret art?"

Ling Feng sighed. "If I hadn't been worried about damaging Cai Yan's spiritual consciousness, I wouldn't have bothered. Now I'm stuck with this mess."

Still, he had to admit—the Word Spirit Curse he'd learned from her felt like just the tip of the iceberg. The full version was likely terrifyingly powerful.

At the very least, he'd finally taken his first step into the realm of spiritual consciousness techniques.

Yu Sixian sidled up with a grin. "Brother Feng, what did the beautiful Senior Sister Cai say to you? I've never seen her so flustered!"

The others perked up, curious. Even Mu Qianxue leaned in slightly, eager to hear if there was some connection between Ling Feng and Cai Yan—especially given how stunning she was.

"She just over-thought things."

Ling Feng explained how Cai Yan had mistaken him for her second uncle's descendant.

Yu Sixian burst out laughing. "Honestly, I'd think the same! Their family's secret art, and you mastered it in a glance? If I didn't know you were a freak, I wouldn't believe it either."

The rest of the team nodded in agreement.

"Brother Feng really is a monster," Ye Nanfeng said solemnly.

Ling Feng's eyes twitched. The urge to punch someone grew stronger.

...

After a short break, the teams returned. With Cai Yan sidelined by backlash, Hailan Academy was at a clear disadvantage.

Before long, Tianwei Academy crushed through their defenses and toppled the Black Tortoise battle flag, securing another 2-0 victory.

Now, only two teams remain undefeated: Tianwei Academy and Zhenlong Academy.

The final challenger for the Royal Sword Team would be decided between them.

The next day, Hailan Academy faced Wenyuan Academy in their last match. Though neither could advance, they still fought for pride.

The result was predictable. With Cai Yan recovered—thanks to Ling Feng's medicine—and Wan Jianyi by her side, Wenyuan Academy fell swiftly, cementing their reputation as the eternal underdogs.

...

And then—the day arrived.

The finals.

The moment everyone had waited for.

The arena was packed early, every spectator, referee, and team member eager to witness the ultimate showdown.

At that point, the cheers for Tianwei Academy completely drowned out those for Zhenlong Academy. In the major casinos, the odds for Tianwei Academy's victory kept dropping[3], while the odds for Zhenlong Academy's victory had surged[4] to a staggering 1:300.

And that was only because a mysterious bettor had placed 10 million elemental crystals on Tianwei Academy losing earlier that morning. Otherwise, the odds might have skyrocketed past 1:500!

"The day of the finals is here!"

The referee's voice boomed with excitement. "Captains, please select your teams and prepare your strategies. You have the time it takes to finish a cup of tea."

As the announcement ended, Zhenlong Academy's team, led by Mo Wufeng, swiftly took the stage.

But on Tianwei Academy's side, the atmosphere was tense. The players looked uneasy—and sharp-eyed observers quickly noticed someone was missing.

A crucial someone.

The soul of the East Court Sword Team.

Ling Feng!

1. A point on the forehead, between the eyebrows, linked to mental clarity and spiritual energy in Chinese medicine and metaphysics. It is associated with the spirit ("shen") and emotional well-being. ☜

2. Acupuncture point between the eyebrows, is known as the "third eye," used to calm the mind, improve clarity, and enhance spiritual insight. ☜

3. means that more people are betting on them to win, so the payout decreases because the outcome is seen as more likely ☜

4. means that fewer people are betting on them, so the potential payout increases because their victory is seen as highly unlikely ☜