'Splashing the Lake of Heaven'. From the tip of Zhi Yin's sword, ripples spread in all directions. It looked like a powerful tide but within the air. Many disciples were shocked. This almost looked like Qi Manifestation but Zhi Yin was only an 8th-grade Mortal.
Chief Elder Baishen who was captivated by this fight saw through it. Zhi Yin had not manifested her Qi, but she had however sent a powerful surge of condensed Qi through her blade into the air. She had no control over it and could not change its form. It was a pure wave of Qi. But thanks to her technique that was creating a shock wave in the air, this Qi melded with the ripples and enhanced the attack.
Even though she didn't really manifest her Qi, this kind of attack was not something an 8th-grade Mortal could usually perform. It required to send a powerful surge of Qi through specific acupoints. Although she had learned to open and close those acupoints, they shouldn't have been strong enough to resist such pressure. Most likely, she had some secret that enabled her to strengthen these acupoints.
After the surprise of Cao Yun a few days ago, everyone got shocked even more. In the end, it was hard to judge who would win in a fight between Zhi Yin and Cao Yun. He could increase his strength beyond measure for a very short time, but she could send a surge of condensed Qi all around her.
Long Huafang quickly overcame her surprise and put her sword as a defense. 'Baring its Fangs to the Moon'. It protected her body from the shock wave but she was still blown away. The force pushing against her sword was so powerful that the girl was ejected from the platform. Her body was sent flying away and she crashed toward the ground. Her older brother wasn't here but Mu Hue was. She quickly appeared under Long Huafang and caught her before she hit the ground.
Mu Hue examined her briefly and was relieved to see that she was fine.
On the platform, Zhi Yin was exhausted. She had sent a powerful surge of Qi through some of the acupoints in her arm. Despite her calm demeanor, it had been a reckless move. It wasn't as reckless as Cao Yun's move, but she could have injured her acupoints as she was only an 8th-grade Mortal.
After a moment of surprise, the silence was broken by Ling Hui's cheers.
"Fairy Zhi has won! She was incredible!"
Following her, everyone cheered for Zhi Yin. Even the chief elders were pleased with her performance. Xiao Xuefeng was also very intrigued as she had sensed Zhi Yin enter her sea of consciousness for an instant. This was a really rare occurrence among Mortals, and even Mortal Warriors. Yet, she had found two Mortal cultivators able to do this. And they were both in the same faction, from the same sect. An idea popped in Xiao Xuefeng. Maybe Zhi Yin had sensed it in Cao Yun, and that was the reason why she asked him to join her faction.
The alchemist became very curious about this young woman.
Zhi Yin bowed politely and left the platform to join Ling Hui and the rest of the Heavenly Swallow Faction.
"Fairy Zhi, you were awesome up there! How could a mere Long Huafang think she could defeat you, huh? She was just lucky last time!"
"Sister Ling, do not belittle her efforts! Her martial arts truly bested me last time. And despite this, she did not slack off. Her 'The Moon in the Eye' was even more powerful than before. Just using my will alone was not enough to break it." She turned toward Cao Yun. "Brother Chen, you felt something, right?"
Indeed, Cao Yun's Zhi the Water Will had been stimulated just by being near Zhi Yin's technique.
"Faction Leader, your mind cultivation seems to have indeed resonated with mine."
"Interesting... Your mind cultivation must be incredible. I'd really like to exchange some pointers with you. It's too bad that we won't see each other in the next two years." She paused. "I'll be a Mortal Warrior by the time you come out of the Ancient Ruins. If you're able to break through during your fourth year, it would be my pleasure to spar with you, Brother Chen."
Ling Hui was pouting on the side.
"Fairy, what's so good about this boy? He just has a strong physique, that's it! In the Mortal Warrior realm, this won't help him at all!"
"Sister Ling, you've become a bit too much lately... I should teach you a lesson, I think."
Ling Hui was shocked to hear her idol say this. "Fairy Zhi..."
"Brother Chen, I'm tired so I won't be attending. But you should watch the final fight of this year's challenges. Chan Weifeng and Long Jian are both exceptional 1st-grade Mortal Warriors. You may even be able to get some insights for both your cultivation and your martial arts. Don't miss on this opportunity. Sister Zhi, let's go."
Ling Hui was dejected but she followed behind her idol, not daring to add a single word.
The fight between Chan Weifeng and Long Jian was to be held the following day and Cao Yun was determined to see it. He had fought against Long Jian, but he had suppressed his cultivation as much as he could. If he had not restrained his Wei Qi, even his most powerful attack wouldn't have been able to pierce through it. Ling Hui was not so wrong when she spoke. Physical strength wasn't very helpful against a Mortal Warrior. The strength needed just to pierce their Wei Qi was incredible. And they wouldn't just stand there and watch you try. Against Qi Manifestation, physical strength wouldn't be extremely useful.
By using the incomplete technique of the Heart Star, Cao Yun could maybe resist some moves. But in the end, unless he could manifest his own Qi, there wasn't anything he could do but flee. However, the fight he had just witnessed gave him ideas about this. Thanks to his Chamber of Jade being energized, he had an incredible intuition for martial arts. This was what allowed him to perceive the move from the Heart Star with just one glimpse of it, even if it was still incomplete and thus dangerous. By watching the attack from Zhi Yin, he had several ideas. But unless he had already opened a few acupoints, he wouldn't be able to try them out.
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Watching Zhi Yin leave the square, Cao Yun was wondering whether she had used this technique to show him something. After all, she probably could have won without using a technique that could potentially harm her. Did she really ask him to join her faction just to safeguard it during her stay in the Ancient Ruins? Or was there something more?
Cao Yun had had very little interactions with Zhi Yin. But he clearly felt that she never did anything without a good reason. However, he never felt any ill will from her either. Cao Yun was pretty confident that she wasn't in league with the demonic cultivators. But to be honest, he didn't fully trust her, because he wasn't sure of her real goal. That was why he had given his mind cultivation to his close friends but not to his faction.
-
The next day, the square was absolutely full. This time, everyone had joined in to watch the final fight. There was even a number of inner disciples. Cao Yun recognized some inner disciples who had bought him some pills during his first months in the Wubei Sect. They recognized him as well and exchanged a few courtesies. In particular, they were really thankful for his pills and were hoping to purchase more now that he was a 5-star Earth alchemist. Cao Yun didn't want to disappoint them but he had no intention of being a full-time alchemist. He just told them that if he had time, he could consider making specific pills for them.
Finally the last fight before the great finale ended. Chief Elder Baishen announced the winner and unceremoniously sent her away. The poor girl was a bit dejected, but she knew that everyone was here to watch the final fight between the leaders of the two greatest factions. However, some of her friends were there to cheer her up and congratulate her on her victory.
"The fight that everyone has been looking for is upon us! The Red Cliff Faction's Faction Leader and number one of the fighting scroll, Chan Weifeng!"
Chan Weifeng climbed the stairs of the platform. He was wearing his Wubei Sect uniform, but there was something else. Around his arm was an armband. It was marked with an emblem that Cao Yun knew, the emblem of the Sunmen Province. Sunmen Province's emblem looked like a setting sun crushing a black gate. This province was in the extreme west of the Hongchen Kingdom. And it was one of humanity's bastions against the demons. This was probably the province with the most powerful military force, even before the Imperial City.
Of course, all the provincial military forces were under the commandment of the Emperor, but they also had a form of independence. The Sunmen Province's army was under the control of Long Cheng, the father of Long Jian and Long Huafang and also Sunmen Province's governor. Chan Weifeng was also from this province and wished to join the military, just like Long Jian. As such, they were natural rivals.
Chan Weifeng was not holding any weapon, but a wooden umbrella made from black paper. In fact, oil-paper umbrellas were part of the unconventional weapons. For a man wishing to join the military, this was a strange weapon. But strangely, it seemed to be perfect for him. This weapon was also the one of Ancestor Wu, the legendary founder of the Wubei sect. He had also left a martial art behind that was using this weapon, 'Black Tortoise Under the Rain'. However, it was extremely difficult to master and since the founding of the sect, only a handful of cultivators had really trained in it. It turned out that Chan Weifeng was one of them. This martial art was said to be 5-star Heaven, but could be pushed beyond the Spirit realm if it was truly mastered. It was on the same level as 'The Dragon Howling at the Moons' of the Long family.
"Against the Purple Northern Cloud Faction's Faction Leader, Long Jian!"
Long Jian climbed the stairs as well. Compared to the day of the fight against Cao Yun, his aura was way fiercer. He wasn't restraining his cultivation at all. Both men smiled to each other, cupped their fists and bowed down.
"Fight!"
The very moment the fight began, both men went full out. They knew each other very well and didn't need to test their opponent. A powerful aura emanated from them. Limited to the platform, a heavy rain started to fall. It wasn't even coming from the clouds above, it was just raining. This was the Qi Manifestation of 'Black Tortoise Under the Rain'. And in the sky above, eight moons appeared. They were small but shined brightly. Finally, under Chan Weifeng's feet, an ethereal shell materialized. Only two of its thirteen scutes were missing, leaving two holes on either side of the shell. There also appeared to be characters engraved in every scute on the shell, but it was impossible to read them.
"Brother Chan, impressive! You've almost mastered the full shell!"
"It's really nothing much, Brother Long. But it seems like you've exceeded the record of your own father by forging eight moons before graduating from the sect."
"It's just luck. I must say that your words and my fight with Chen Guo really pushed me! To thank you, I won't hold back."
"Neither will I, Brother. Let's compare our best!"
'Tail Follows the Sky'. Long Jian's sword swept toward Chan Weifeng. In the air, the light from the eight moons formed the tail of a wolf lashing toward the young man. Impassive, he struck with the butt of his umbrella. 'Knock out the Snake's Head'. The rain intensified just at this very location, forming a wall of water that blocked the tail. Long Jian felt as though he had hit a wall of steel.
Not wanting to let Chan Weifeng breathe, Long Jian followed his attack with 'Silver River Overflows'. He took over the wall of rain that turned silver and went toward Chan Weifeng with the sword 'Dragon Wolf Fang' right in the center of it. Both martial arts were heavily focused on the Water element. As such, no one had any advantage over the other. Having a small advantage in element could always be useful in a fight, even though it wasn't essential.
'Black Snake Darts Out its Tongue'. Chan Weifeng stabbed with the shaft of his umbrella. The form of a small snake appeared coiled around the umbrella. As the umbrella stabbed toward Long Jian, the head of the snake jumped forward, trying to bite its opponent. It forced Long Jian to redirect a part of his Qi to protect himself, weakening his attack. Both men received the other's strike in the chest. Long Jian was pushed away but Chan Weifeng stood his ground. His Wei Qi vibrated but was not pierced.
"Brother Long. I warn you. You won't ever be able to break my defense."
"I don't need to!"
The eight moons shined ever brighter, making the entire platform silver. Long Jian's eyes were now two literal silver moons. 'The Moon in the Eye'. At the very same moment, Chan Weifeng finally opened his umbrella and sent it flying in the sky. It went straight in the center of the platform and rose into the air. The umbrella was rotating faster and faster. What was strange was that it was stopping the silver light but not the rain. Gradually, it looked like the rain was coming from the umbrella itself.
Of course, it wasn't real rain, just as they weren't real moons. They were Qi Manifestation of each other's martial arts.
'The Shell Encompasses the World'. Suddenly, the umbrella widened and engulfed the entire sky above the platform, hiding the eight moons. Long Jian saw a perfect opportunity. His attack had been blocked but Chan Weifeng was unarmed now.
'Wolf's Pounce'. He lounged toward the unarmed man with all of his strength, 'Dragon Wolf Fang' ready to pierce through his Wei Qi. But the moment he got close, Chan Weifeng's Wei Qi expanded. It fused with the ethereal shell under his feet.
Now, the shell engulfed all of Chan Weifeng. Long Jian's sword collided against this shell and was pushed back. The shock was so intense that Long Jian almost lost his weapon and was sent all the way to the other side of the platform.
'Impenetrable Turtle Shell'!