Chapter 169: Although I Am Sorry, but I Have to Say
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
The final battle at the Cloud Platform had been going on for some time.
In general terms, this fight had lasted quite a long time because, in the battle of two elite disciples supervised by the Elders, the two sides would usually go all out, not leaving anything behind and using all of their cards without any reservation. Therefore, the outcome would be decided very fast.
Actually, in the two previous rounds of fighting, the outcomes were decided in just a few strokes, the pace of the fight was fast and exciting. Often the dominant position would change several times in just a short time, which caused the audience to be breathless.
Before the final fight, a lot of people thought that the semi final between Zhan Ziye and Liu Li was the ultimate fight between the top level disciple of the two Sects. That few strokes of exchanges between the cultivator of Ten Thousand Methods Comprehension and Brilliant Sword Heart had suffocated the audience.
However, in today’s fight, the situation on the stage had made the audience feel tangled.
"... In recent years, this old man has watched quite a lot of fight between younger generations, but this is the first time I feel like I’m unable to make sense what I’m looking at."
An extraordinary looking, white-haired baby-faced old man with few strands of beard and two slender white eyebrows felt at a loss.
This Elder of the Myriad Appearance Sect had profound cultivation base and powerful primordial spirit. Since the start of the fight, he had closely observed all the change on the Cloud Platform. However, the information that he got was thoroughly unfathomable to him.
Why would Wang Lu confidently take the initiative to attack? What caused Liu Li to be wary? Were it not for the silent of the ice-cold-face regional leader of the Mysterious Sky Mansion, he would’ve really suspected that the fight was staged.
While he was feeling puzzled, the first head-on clash of Wang Lu and Liu Li broke out. The amount of information that he could gleam in that instance shocked this Elder of Myriad Appearance Sect.
Many changes were still puzzling to him. However, one thing was certain beyond doubt: Wang Lu was actually in the early stage of Foundation Establishment!?
Toward a big cultivator the level of Deity Stage like him, even a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t afford to withstand his primordial spirit fury. However, as the reward giver Elder in the Myriad Appearance Sect, he knew very well that reaching Foundation Establishment from Qi Cultivating Stage was really not an easy thing to do. It was such a big checkpoint, so much that it had caused disappointment and frustration of many cultivators in the Nine Regions. Even those outstanding disciples needed to spend a few months in seclusion in order to break through the Foundation Establishment from Qi Cultivating Stage. When they had accumulated sufficient potential, plus consuming the relevant Foundation Establishment elixirs, they could smoothly enter the Foundation Establishment.
When the lead disciple of the Myriad Appearance Sect reached the Foundation Establishment, it didn’t need to consume any elixir nor practice in seclusion. It just needed to meditate for a day and a night in the training room to construct its Jade Mansion, successfully entering the Foundation Establishment. It was already regarded by their sect as a once-in-a-century rare genius, a cultivator wizard. Rumor had it that Qiong Hua of Shengjing Sect just needed to deeply ponder for a moment before managing to build her Jade Mansion, which was an incredible legend for most of the people in the Union of Ten Thousand Immortals.
And now, an even more magical sight than that legend happened right before him.
Someone had entered the Foundation Establishment in the middle of a fight! Moreover, it was literally right before the big clash! Another rumor also said that Liu Li had reached Foundation Establishment at Blood Cloud Gorge. However, that fight lasted for several days and nights, so who knew how long it took for Liu Li to successfully break through the Foundation Establishment Stage? However, Wang Lu didn’t have any delay. He naturally passed the important checkpoint that was the Foundation Establishment!
Other people were also equally shocked as the Myriad Appearance Elder. The five disciples of Ten Thousand Arts Sect all have their jaws wide open; they felt as if their primordial spirits were frozen. The Eldest Brother Zhan Ziye tightly bit his lips as inwardly he felt angry and startled at the same time.
As the lead representative of the Ten Thousand Arts Sect, it took him a few minutes to break through the Foundation Establishment Stage. And from hearsay, it seemed like Qiong Hua’s time was comparable to him, which was a record in the Union of Ten Thousand Immortals. However, compared to Wang Lu who reached the Foundation Establishment in the middle of talking and smiling... was there even a need to compare?
Only the Elders of the Spirit Sword Sect who were not surprised.
For Wang Lu, after all, a cultivator who possessed the Void Spirit Root. Although the property of this spirit root was a pain in the ass for the current Immortal Cultivation World in the Nine Regions, at least in breaking through a bottleneck, the Void Spirit Root had an unsurpassable advantage over the other Spirit Roots, which was the lack of resistance, smooth transition between stages.
Of course, suddenly reaching the Foundation Establishment from the high-level Qi Cultivating Stage was not a big nor small miracle. However, with the help of elixirs plus the power from the Big Heart Demon Oath, it was not that difficult to understand.
What really surprised them was Liu Li, who suddenly looked vacant at the last moment.
The outcome of clashing head on with Wang Lu, who had just entered the Foundation Establishment and with peak state Primordial Spirit, was that her opponent was slightly injured. However, she also lost three of her flying swords. Although the explosive power of her Brilliant Sword Heart didn’t change, her swords’ agile and ever changing intent was completely gone, something that a normal Liu Li would never do!
While people were still in doubt, the second round of direct clash between Wang Lu and Liu Li had arrived!
After a round of confrontation, the girl’s vacant look was completely gone, and her lively and penetrating eyes glowed again. The girl adjusted the position of her remaining nine flying swords and pointed her finger forward. Her flying swords suddenly dispersed, encircled her opponent and then successively attacked one after the other; an exceptionally tricky move to counter. Wang Lu sneered; his previously calm Sword of Mount Kun became light and lively like the wind. A faintly visible form of an elegant and simple woman glimpsed on the sword; it was exactly the fully excited sword spirit Autumn Beam.
Within the three feet sword defense, the Sword of Mount Kun was like a mirage, not letting even one iota of any one of the opponent’s nine flying swords to pass through. The Brilliant Sword Heart that once caused a big headache for the people of the Ten Thousand Immortals was completely unable to break Wang Lu’s sword defense. Along with the sound of clashing swords, Wang Lu’s expression gradually turned heavy.
"Strengthening with the Big Heart Demon Oath, coupled with the overflowing magical power of Foundation Establishment... Wang Lu indeed has a perfect defense ability at this time. However, Liu Li is doing a range fight, so, Wang Lu couldn’t land his counter attack. In the long run, Liu Li still has a higher chance to win."
Just as Hua Yun sounded out her judgment, she saw on the stage Wang Lu sneer, scatter away three flying swords and then jerk forward a step.
Unperturbed, Liu Li fluttered back. Her colorful long skirt drew a quick and lively rainbow—on agility, ten Wang Lu couldn’t possibly match that of Brilliant Sword Heart’s Liu Li.
However, the next moment, the girl’s movement suddenly stopped, and her eyes turned vacant again. The nine flying swords merged by her and then she unexpectedly launched a fierce and overbearing attack, which could be rated as an unplanned attack!
Boom!
Waves of clouds tumbled over once again. After the second round of collision, people could see that another three of Liu Li’s flying swords were destroyed. And once again, Wang Lu coughed up some blood; his injury was actually not light, yet irrelevant to the big picture.
Seeing the remaining six flying swords in midair, most people realized that Liu Li had suffered a big loss, however... what exactly just happened?
While they were still puzzled about it, the girl’s face turned vacant for the third time. The remaining six flying swords merged and with full might shot at the opponent!
Boom!
There were only three remaining flying swords. Wang Lu’s injury worsened, yet his morale went up really high.
As long as he could withstand the last blow, Liu Li’s flying swords would be completely destroyed and then she would be completely helpless!
And just at this time, a certain Master of Brilliant Peak suddenly exclaimed, "What a crafty kid!"
With that, Zhou Ming pointed at something. "Look at his clothes!"
Clued by Zhou Ming, Liu Xian, Fang He and the other Elders suddenly saw the trick. What actually happened was that during the fight, Wang Lu would occasionally shake his sleeves, revealing a densely packed text on the inside part of his long black coat. When Liu Li saw those texts, her face would turn vacant, and she would become agile no more.
And those texts were: "Stupid, only knows how to eat!"
"Eat, eat, eat, eat until you die!"
"Practice three more hours. If you don’t practice, you’re not allowed to eat!"
... and so on and so forth; a completely confusing text. However, as soon as the Elders of the Spirit Sword Sect saw those, they immediately roared in laughter.
"A really crafty kid indeed!"
Liu Li’s sword heart cleared her mind. Once she entered the fighting state, she would ignore any outside interference, not the least bit disturbed... However, Wang Lu had cunningly imitated her Master Zhou Ming’s handwriting and how he expressed himself, writing them as interference tool. Liu Li could ignore anything, but she must pay attention to her Master.
What was once her advantage now became her disadvantage; her clear mind actually exacerbated this interference effect; it was as if there was a countless chorus of reprimand by her Master in her mind, which nearly frightened her out of her wits!
Were it not for the suppression from an even more powerful fighting will, Liu Li would’ve collapsed a long time ago... Although this move from Wang Lu was quite crafty, it really hit the nail on the head.
Hua Yun shook her head and said, "Since he could think of this move and do this step, Wang Lu has obviously done his homework on Liu Li. Senior Brother, I think this loss is not unjustifiable."
"It’s not that Liu Li, that child’s Brilliant Sword Heart is lacking, otherwise…"
"Those words would be of no interest. Wang Lu’s Non-Phase Method has yet to reach a profound state, moreover, his magical power and cultivation base are still several notches lower."
"Humph." Zhou Ming bitterly sat down. His face still looked gloomy yet didn’t appear to be worried.
"Wang Lu that kid really underestimates Brilliant Sword Heart. Does he really think he could win when all of Liu Li’s flying swords are broken?"
Hua Yun asked, "Oh? So you mean?"
"Humph, Flying Sword Incarnation is a method that Liu Li just started to cultivate, so she is far from being skilled with it. Her real ability is actually close combat fight. When all her flying swords are shattered, and she has to fight in close combat, Wang Lu would’ve no chance of winning—even with the help of the Big Heart Demon Oath."
This was actually not that hard to understand. Suppose that Wang Lu was currently in his peak state; with his Non-Phase Sword strengthened by the Big Heart Demon Oath and his magical power overflowed after he entered the Foundation Establishment, he could clash head on with Liu Li’s Brilliant Sword Heart. However, because of this, he had also received quite a heavy injury. Therefore, his Non-Phase Sword couldn’t be maintained at its peak.
Therefore, choosing flying sword as her first method to deal with Wang Lu was actually a correct choice by Liu Li. Although she fell for Wang Lu’s crafty plot, her odds of winning was still higher... In the end, no one could deny that Liu Li was the stronger one.
Hua Yun said, "Even so, it’s still an excellent feat. What Wang Lu did already far exceeds anyone’s expectation."
Several of her Senior Brothers coldly humphed in unison, yet no one could refute her.
If it were anyone else, no one could achieve this step from Wang Lu. Though this kid was as despicable as his Master... no one could deny how formidable he was.
"A pity he seems to be so confident in himself to the point of blindness. I wonder what would he do when he lost his bet that he placed on himself?"
During this talk, the situation on stage had changed again.
From twelve flying swords at the beginning of the fight, only three remained. Even if she still looked dazed and her mind was no longer as lively and agile, she instinctively clenched her swords, giving up the plan to hurt the opponent. Then, the girl dashed forward like the wind, the two swords were simultaneously ignited, looking like two dazzling meteors.
Twentieth Layer of Fiery Sword, Double Slay!
Wang Lu’s complexion abruptly changed. His left hand gently caressed the Sword of Mount Kun; he had pulled out his last card.
The fourth seal of the Sword of Mount Kun had been broken. Sword spirit Autumn Beam manifested outside the sword in ethereal form, standing side by side with Wang Lu. Together with Wang Lu, her delicate hands gripped the sword hilt. Then, the two of them raised the Sword of Mount Kun together and wielded it straight at Liu Li.
Boom!
After a deafening blast of sound, a ring of flame rolled and spread out as it burned the cloud, using it as the fuel. On the Cloud Platform, the area within the ring was practically burnt out in an instant. Under the constraint from the restriction array of the Cloud Platform, the fire was like the inferno flame.
The sword strike was enough to burn an entire city.
And within this inferno, Liu Li continuously coughed and blood dripped from the corner of her mouth non-stop; she had suffered an internal injury. However, both of her hands still clenched the swords, and their imposing manner hadn't been reduced in the slightest!
On the other side, in the middle of the flame, there was a dazzling golden light.
It was the light spell placed by the Elders to protect the life of the defeated party... Liu Li had won the fight!
——
While the crowd off stage burst into cheers, there were certain areas that remained silent. Some of the disciples of the Spirit Sword Sect and Ten Thousand Arts Sect froze as they looked at the result on stage in disbelief.
That Wang Lu... actually lost?
Although from a rational point of view, this was a reasonable result, and even several of Ten Thousand Arts Sect disciples had come up with all of their money to bet it on Liu Li’s victory, when the result came out, it was still quite unbelievable to them.
That miracle Wang Lu, actually failed to create a miracle?
"Speaking of which... If I remember it correctly, didn’t Wang Lu that kid place a 90 million spirit stones bet on himself before the match?"
"Ckckck, if you value your life, stay away from gambling."
——
At this moment, on the platform, shrouded within the golden light, Wang Lu looked aggrieved.
"Damn it, I still lost in the end."
Opposite of him, Liu Li lightly smiled and retrieved her swords. The sharp sword intent was replaced with an innocent and naive smile.
"It’s a really good fight. I didn’t expect you to be so fierce! Martial Uncles said that people from Non-Phase Peak are only good at scheming, while their cultivation base is lacking…"
Wang Lu wryly smiled. "Your comforting words are really quite grating." And then he shook his head, "Forget it. First, I must congratulate you on your victory."
With that, he stretched out his hand in a friendly gesture toward Liu Li. Although Liu Li was quite naive, she was not without etiquette. She cheerfully walked over to shake hands with Wang Lu.
The next moment, a pink mist sprayed out from Wang Lu’s hand. Liu Li’s body swayed and then softly fell down.
Wang Lu reached out to hold the maiden, slowly put her on the ground and then lightly pressed something on his shoulder.
The golden light that shrouded over his body immediately went off.
Off the stage, there was only deathly silence.
Wang Lu stood for a moment on the stage while coughing up a few mouthful of blood—his injury was so heavy that he could fall at any moment—yet no one spoke, and thus he had to open his mouth.
"Although I’m sorry, I have to say, I’ve won."