Chapter 78: Victory Decided With Just One Slash
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
In the arena, Jiang Hao waited quietly. There weren’t many people in the audience. He wasn’t a famous person, after all. Xin Yuyue wasn’t as well known either.
People usually rushed to watch fights between those of higher realms. Jiang Hao was the same. He wouldn’t waste his time watching fights between those in the lower realms, either.
A woman approached him. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and her eyes were filled with determination. She seemed like she was going to fight to the death. He wouldn’t have cared about the fight if it was any other time. However, he needed that seed.
“Senior Sister Xin, it’s been a while since I saw you here,” said Jiang Hao.
“Junior Brother Jiang, likewise! I didn’t expect you to advance so quickly.” Xin Yuyue felt a little bitter.
She had come to this fight feeling very confident in herself. She hadn’t expected to meet someone that she least wanted to. In the Devil’s Den, she had feared Jiang Hao.
“I was just lucky,” said Jiang Hao humbly.
Jiang Hao heard some people cheer for Xin Yuyue. He didn’t care.
A senior in the Golden Core Realm approached them with a notebook. “State your name, please.”
“Xin Yuyue of Thunder Fire Peak.” “Jiang Hao of the Cliff of Broken Hearts.”
“Let’s begin,” said the senior.
In an instant, Jiang Hao felt a spiritual sword flying toward him.
Clang!
He unsheathed his new Half-Moon Blade and blocked the attack. There was no time to waste. His opponent continuously attacked him from all sides.
Jiang Hao defended himself as best as he could.
His opponent had no intention to stop. His slashes became even more frenzied.
For a moment, Jiang Hao only tried to defend. He didn’t have an opening to attack. He stayed where he was. His opponent didn’t even let him move from the spot.
There was a rumbling sound.
Jiang Hao felt the fluctuation in the spiritual energy. He had learned to sense changes in spiritual energy from the nameless manual.
It was a wonderful feeling to be in control. He just needed to wait till the opponent attacked because he knew the exact direction from where she would launch her attack.
Jiang Hao was on his guard this whole time, but he could sense every attack before it landed. He dodged and blocked easily.
However, Xin Yuyue was already feeling the strain of keeping up with her attacks. She used all her strength. Not one of her attacks flustered Jiang Hao. She felt as though he was a monster.
He didn’t move an inch from the spot. He didn’t even break a sweat. Jiang Hao just stood there blocking her attacks as it rained on him.
Xin Yuyue used the Lightning Sword technique and threw the sword at Jiang
Hao.
Jiang Hao’s blade rose to block the attack. He used the Demonic Sound Slash technique this time. There was a boom and dust flew everywhere.
His saber cut through Xin Yuyue’s Lightning Sword and broke it in half. The blade flashed past, missing Xin Yuyue’s cheek by inches. The saber then fell on the floor with a clang.
Xin Yuyue looked terrified. She took a deep breath to calm herself and bowed to Jiang Hao.
Jiang Hao bowed to her in return. “Thank you so much for letting me win, Senior Sister Xin.”
Xin Yuyue gave him a bitter smile and turned around and left.
The people who had supported Xin Yuyue followed her.
The senior from the Golden Core Realm approached the arena. “Jiang Hao of the Cliff of Broken Hearts wins!”
The senior glanced at him a few more times. He couldn’t believe Jiang Hao’s foundation was so strong. Jiang Hao bowed to his senior and left the arena.
The next fight would be held in the afternoon.
The top four competitors would be selected today. They would then fight tomorrow until there were only three left. The top three would then compete with each other the following day.
Jiang Hao did some calculations and figured out that he still had to fight three more rounds. He couldn’t make his win seem too obvious.
Xin Yuyue wasn’t someone weak. Han Ming, too.
After participating in the battle against Azure Mountain, he must be even stronger than before.
After a while, Jiang Hao returned to the Spirit Herb Garden.
[Lifeblood +1] [Spirit +1] [Strength +1]
[Endurance +1]
Jiang Hao was happy when he felt the bubbles absorb into his body. Although the changes weren’t very great, it was still something.
His spirit was much stronger than those of the same rank. He would soon break through to the late stage of the Golden Core Realm.
After that, he began to take care of the spirit herbs. He cared for the spirit herbs because they were the reason for his growth.
“Did you lose in the competition?” Cheng Chou walked to Jiang Hao.
“Ah… no,” he said.
“Then, shouldn’t you be resting right now and preparing for the afternoon?” asked Cheng Chou.
“No need.”
Cheng Chou did not say anything further and got busy with the herbs nearby.
Jiang Hao always treated the people well whenever they worked in the Spirit Herb Garden. They, in turn, hoped he would succeed in whatever he did. With a whoosh, the spirit beast darted to his side. “Master, I found something wrong in that corner of the garden!”
“Where?” asked Jiang Hao.
The spirit beast led him to a corner. Jiang Hao examined the area. He found out that the nutrients in the soil were depleted, and it hadn’t occurred naturally. Somebody had accelerated the growth of whatever had been planted there before.
“Go and tell Cheng Chou to find out what was planted in this area,” said Jiang Hao to the spirit beast.
If the spiritual herbs were left to grow on their own, they would absorb the nutrients but also replenish it by various means.
While Cheng Chou investigated the matter, Jiang Hao returned to the central square. He saw his name on the list for the next round. His opponent was Zhou Chan of White Moon Lake.
‘Senior Sister Zhou Chan?’
Jiang Hao found it hard to believe. If she had made it to the second round, then it meant she was very strong. She was actually in the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
When he walked to the arena, he saw that Zhou Chan had already arrived.
“Junior Brother Jiang, it really is you! I thought it was someone else with the same name. When we last met, you were just in the early stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Now, look at you! You’re already in the middle stage!” Zhou Chan smiled warmly at him.
Jiang Hao gave her a friendly smile in return. “I was just lucky to advance quickly. You’re so amazing, Senior Sister Zhou. I did hear rumors of White Moon Lake being full of geniuses. It seems the rumors are true, after all.”
Zhou Chan smiled. “The rumors aren’t true at all. There are very few people from the White Moon Lake in this competition. I’m the only one from that branch who’s in the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm.”
“Ah… is that so?”
“Names, please,” said the Golden Core Realm senior once again..