When Qian Duoduo, Yan Boyuan, and Xu Fa drew their lots, Qian Duoduo smiled, while Xu Fa’s face changed from clear to stormy.
He was number two again, and he had to compete against Qian Duoduo.
Veins popped out on Xu Fa’s forehead, throbbing.
“Who was I supposed to remember today? I can’t seem to recall?” Qian Duoduo tilted his head, thinking hard, a wrinkle forming above his eyebrows.
“Ah, I’m getting old, my memory isn’t what it used to be. I won’t think about it anymore.” Qian Duoduo looked at Xu Fa, “Senior Brother Xu, shall we go up to the stage and get started? Let’s not keep everyone waiting.”
Xu Fa’s hands seemed to be trembling.
On Tianzhu Peak, everyone’s eyes were on them.
“Palace Lord Tang, Elder Hu, my Magical Artifact is severely damaged. I forfeit this match.” Xu Fa said after taking several deep breaths, bowing to Tang Honggong and Elder Hu. His last match with Qian Duoduo had used up all his skills. Meeting again this time, Xu Fa had no chance of winning, so it was better to admit defeat proactively, which would both preserve his dignity and leave a good impression on Qian Duoduo.
Qian Duoduo was secretly delighted, “This Xu Fa is quite straightforward; he can humble himself, making him an opponent not to be underestimated.”
Elder Hu looked at Tang Honggong. Tang Honggong nodded slightly.
“Jin Buhuan wins. Three and four will compete.” Elder Hu’s announcement caused another uproar in the stands. Everyone clearly hadn’t expected the first match of the top three competition to conclude so quickly.
As soon as Yan Boyuan and Meng Linyang stepped onto the stage, Qian Duoduo knew who would win.
Meng Linyang, who played with fireballs, was completely suppressed when he encountered Yan Boyuan, who sprayed mist.
From the gasps in the stands, Qian Duoduo knew that Yan Boyuan’s Magical Artifact was the Profound Water Blade. Not only did every strike carry mist, but it also made the arena like it was raining, damp and gloomy.
Meng Linyang’s charcoal-black face looked even darker and shinier in the mist.
There was no suspense in this match.
After dozens of rounds, Meng Linyang’s Spiritual Qi was exhausted, he couldn’t conjure fireballs, and he directly admitted defeat.
At this point, the top three of the minor competition were determined—Qian Duoduo, Yu Yixiang, and Yan Boyuan.
“Draw lots. Numbers one and two will compete, number three gets a bye.” In Elder Hu’s green bamboo tube, three bamboo slips stood alone.
Yu Yixiang reached out and drew one first, holding it in her hand without looking.
Yan Boyuan looked a bit nervous and let Qian Duoduo go first.
Qian Duoduo took one, and it was number one again.
After drawing his number, Yan Boyuan quietly asked Qian Duoduo, “Junior Brother Bu Huan, what number did you get?”
Qian Duoduo held the bamboo slip up to his eyes.
After seeing the number clearly, Yan Boyuan actually blushed. He turned to Yu Yixiang and whispered, “The first place in the minor competition is yours!”
As soon as he blurted this out, Qian Duoduo immediately felt displeased, cursing inwardly, “Am I just air? You, Yan Boyuan, directly ignored me? It’s one thing for Yu Yixiang to get a lucky bye and directly enter the top two. You, Yan Boyuan, are sure to win, and then you’ll perform a hero saving the beauty act? I think you’re dreaming!”
Yu Yixiang lowered her eyelids, not a single eyelash moving in response to Yan Boyuan’s words.
This Ice Phoenix’s reaction made Qian Duoduo feel a little better.
At least, this was just Yan Boyuan’s wishful thinking.
Qian Duoduo walked onto the arena stage and loudly called out to Yan Boyuan, who was still “electrifying” the air, “Senior Brother Yan, time is precious, wasting it is a sin. Come up quickly, I still have another match.”
The stands immediately burst into laughter. “Still another match” meant that Yan Boyuan was sure to lose.
As everyone laughed, Qian Duoduo felt enlightened. That feeling of exhilaration was as refreshing as winning a fight.
Yan Boyuan’s face turned green, he bit his cheek, and slowly walked onto the stage, saying each word deliberately, “Speaking requires strength, otherwise it’s just a joke.”
Qian Duoduo took out his Golden Rooster Sword, “Same to you. Let’s use our swords, not our mouths.”
The Profound Water Blade flew out, spraying a cloud of mist on the arena. Qian Duoduo used his Spiritual Awareness to sense the mist and found that it wasn’t pure water; it seemed to be ice water and could also reduce Spiritual Awareness.
He reminded himself to avoid the mist as much as possible. There might be something tricky hidden in the water.
“Bang!” Qian Duoduo and Yan Boyuan clashed with full force, their blade and sword colliding violently in the air, each retreating three feet.
Yan Boyuan’s strength was indeed impressive. With his Qi Condensation Level Six cultivation, he controlled the Profound Water Blade, which was much heavier than a wooden sword, and his spiritual power far surpassed that of Senior Brothers at the same level.
The Profound Water Blade and the Golden Rooster Sword continuously struck each other in the air. Qian Duoduo was apprehensive and constantly dodged the mist. Yan Boyuan, on the other hand, focused on offense, his blade techniques broad and sweeping, maintaining the initiative.
Hmm, Qian Duoduo felt a slight slip under his feet. He saw that the surface of the arena already had a thin layer of water.
Seeing Qian Duoduo slip, Yan Boyuan’s Profound Water Blade, like it was urinating, sprayed water and charged over from the air.
This move was too disgusting. Qian Duoduo wondered if he would be cursed to death by female Disciples if he used it against them.
Controlling the Golden Rooster Sword, Qian Duoduo barely managed to parry the Profound Water Blade. He noticed that his sword had a hint of sluggishness. This sluggishness was also caused by Yan Boyuan’s water.
The Profound Water was indeed not ordinary water. There was darkness hidden within the water.
Qian Duoduo recalled the Golden Rooster Sword and poured spiritual power into the sword body. The Golden Rooster Sword’s material contained blazing flame grass. Elder Liu had said that blazing flame grass specifically countered this kind of yin water.
The Golden Rooster Sword heated up, and the Profound Water on its blade began to evaporate.
Seeing Qian Duoduo holding the sword by hand, Yan Boyuan sneered a few times, thinking that his spiritual power was beginning to run low. Holding the sword by hand only used physical strength. And how could physical strength be as great or as flexible as spiritual power? The Profound Water Blade closed in on Qian Duoduo, launching waves of even faster and more urgent attacks.
The blade wind carried a chill, wrapped in cold mist, almost turning the area around Qian Duoduo into early winter.
Noticing that the sword body was dry, Qian Duoduo dodged an attack from the Profound Water Blade and suddenly thrust a sword at Yan Boyuan.
The revitalized Golden Rooster Sword’s speed increased dramatically, reaching Yan Boyuan in an instant.
Yan Boyuan lifted a long leg, elegantly dodged, and then, forming a hand seal, swung the Profound Water Blade, which hummed as it slashed towards Qian Duoduo.
His demeanor was as if Qian Duoduo was a fish on the bank, making only a final struggle, ultimately to be slaughtered by him.
The blade wind grew tighter and tighter, eager to end the match quickly, so he could offer the honor of first place in the minor competition, like the most vibrant flower, on his knees to Yu Yixiang.
“But how could such an easy thing happen? I, Qian Duoduo, insist on being this stumbling block that prevents others from succeeding. Your blade is fast, but my sword is not slow either.”
The Golden Rooster Sword flew faster, not only defending but also attacking.
Yan Boyuan only then realized that the Golden Rooster Sword had become a living fish; the Profound Water had lost its effectiveness.
This was beyond his expectation.
The Golden Rooster Sword and the Profound Water Blade continuously clashed, the arena resounding with loud bangs one after another.
Qian Duoduo didn’t think about the next match; he only wanted to shatter Yan Boyuan’s dream of a hero saving the beauty.
Yan Boyuan’s face grew longer and longer as the fight progressed. He had already expended considerable energy in his previous match and started fighting Qian Duoduo without rest. Now, his always effective Profound Water was useless, his spiritual power was weakening, and he saw no hope of victory.
At this moment, every word he had said to Yu Yixiang hurt him more than Qian Duoduo’s Golden Rooster Sword.
Qian Duoduo’s sword cutting into his flesh, no matter how painful, he could endure.
But his own words, each one stabbing his face and piercing his heart, he might be able to endure, but what would his goddess think?
“Bang!” The Golden Rooster Sword caught up with the less agile Profound Water Blade, striking it heavily, and the blade actually fell onto the stage.
Before Yan Boyuan could recall the Profound Water Blade, the Golden Rooster Sword was already before him, its Sword Qi pressed against his face.
“I lost…” Yan Boyuan’s face was like stagnant water, as foul as could be.
Qian Duoduo turned and cupped his hands to Yu Yixiang, “Senior Sister, please come to the stage for our final match. Please do your best and grant me a defeat.”