Although no formations were installed on the island, the various formations of Taihu Sword Island disrupted the natural climate of the area. Golden rays were hitting the ground a moment ago, yet silver droplets suddenly belted down on Dragonroot Island, washing away the competitors’ motivation to throw hands. They could even afford to be complacent for it should’ve been impossible for anyone to move through the hail.
While over a hundred scrimmages took place on the first day of Refining Divine Convention and fights were audible ubiquitously, hardly any decisive victors emerged due to the three-people system reducing the discrepancy between big groups and small groups. At the end of the day, a small sect may have several elites, but being elite at one-on-one fights doesn’t automatically make one elite at tackling more than one opponent simultaneously. As such, smaller groups had better chances when they weren’t outnumbered – even on par with more prominent sects. That was not to say there weren’t any one-sided thrashings.
Over the course of the first day, the unspoken rules, as well as the host’s rules, were gradually established. If there was something that everyone could tacitly agree on, it was that everyone, besides those who didn’t come with Luo Clan’s weapons, shouldn’t be affronted. Refusing to accept Luo Sword Manor’s weapon and even breaking their weapons made it clear that they could afford to get on Luo Sword Manor’s bad side, after all.
“Big Brother, why are you wearing a long face when Yaoqin is back, and we just won?”
“Yaoqin may be back, but she also brought back an ailment,” replied Lyu Chunyang, taking shelter under a tree by the side of the tree.
“Is she sick?”
“If only. She’s diagnosed with lovesickness.” Because Li Tiegua and Zhong Lihan looked bemused, Lyu Chunyang expounded, “I feigned ignorance when she came back shining brighter than the sun. The way she went on and on about a Mr. Li while beaming is a dead giveaway that she’s fallen for him. I sent her in hopes of helping her get closer to Master Ming. She should’ve remembered him from when she met him as a kid. No matter how elite a man is at fighting, he’s still a man; if she could marry him, there’s nothing more I could ask for. Whoever this Dimwit Li is just had to steal her heart!”
Li Tieguai: “Big Bro, I’m not trying to criticise you; however, you really are making light of this, aren’t you? We’re risking our necks, yet you have the spare energy to worry about Yaoqin’s romance life?”
“I couldn’t give a toss about Refining Divine Convention. I could be blind and still tell Luo Ming is up to no good. I’m not going to dance to his tune. I’m just ticked off with the way he invited me. Can you even call that an invite? It’s straight derision towards every hero in the land.
“Master Ming is present but has yet to show himself. We should lay low and seek an opportunity to collaborate with him. If we can win this, cool. If not, who cares? As long as we can get a glimpse of the legendary cauldron, then we broadened our horizons and didn’t waste our time.”
“Someone’s ego is outgrowing their skull.” For the speaker’s voice to sound so clear in the hail, he was easily superior to Lyu Chunyang.
“Who’s there? How about we talk face to face?!” responded Lyu Chunyang.
“Let’s see who’s slighting Luo Ming.” His only companion was a big broadsword that had the identical colour of his scabbard and an asura face painted on.
Lyu Chunyang squeezed his shaky hands to shake out the unnerving chill and then held them in salute: “May this one ask for a name?”
No answer.
“This one is Lyu Chunyang from Jiaxing. His brothers are Li Tieguai and Zhong Lihan. How can this one help you?”
The man reached for his broadsword and mischievously grinned. “Hey, bring it.”
Jiangnan’s Thousand Yang Swordplay, one of the top six swordplays in Jiangnan, was totally overwhelmed in less than ten exchanges. Before Lyu Chunyang fell into his puddle of blood, he uttered, “… Blade… Demon…”
Note
“In ancient times, six dangerous beasts existed, with one in heaven, six on earth, three in the south, four in the north, two in the west and five in the east…” – First paragraph in Six Evil Beasts Chronicles.
To clear up some confusion, the “one, two, three…” in this are the number of the six beasts, not the number of total beasts (i.e. one in heaven means that number one is in heaven).