Chapter 338: Chapter 55: The Great January Competition, Instructing the Senior Sister
Another year had arrived.
For the Shushan Sword Immortals, there wasn’t a custom of celebrating the New Year’s Eve—instead, they retained another much more thrilling tradition.
The Great Competition of the First Month.
This time around, the competition didn’t involve challenging for seats or rankings on the Immortal Sword Ranking; it was simply everyone drawing lots for random one-on-one challenges, making it much more harmonious than the official Shushan competition.
Even sword immortals from the same sect who knew each other well ended up pitted against one another. They courteously fought in rounds, exchanging moves back and forth, stopping at the right point, and amicably determining the victor, with neither party losing face.
Of course, alongside harmonious examples, there were also those that were rather discordant.
For instance, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal from previous years, who went all out regardless of whether the opponent was strong or weak, causing dislike among the others.
But this time, An Zhisu was listening to the advice of her junior brother Ling Yunpo, to make more friends and fewer enemies during the competition, strictly forbidding any needless actions that might stir up animosity.
“Senior Sister, don’t always think about severing others’ life-bound sword artifacts!” Ling Yunpo earnestly implored, “Intimidating others too much will only isolate us of Qingluo Peak even more!”
“Even if their strength is truly weak, be courteous, give them a way out. During the festivities, there’s no need for such bloody, violent actions!”
An Zhisu nodded continuously as she said,
“Alright, Junior Brother, I’ll listen to you.”
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After drawing her lot, An Zhisu gracefully stepped onto the stage.
The sword immortal disciple opposite her had a pale face and seemed to tremble with fear, cursing inwardly, “How unlucky to have drawn this god of death!”
Looking at the disciples below the stage, there was also an air of discontent.
The battle hadn’t even started yet, and it already looked like you were ready to admit defeat, what was going on?
Nobody knew who shouted “Junior Brother Zhang will win,” but soon after, the sounds of encouragement rose up one after another.
Perhaps the cheers really were effective, or maybe Junior Brother Zhang had no way to back down after being pushed forward by everyone. Despite still appearing panicked and frightened, he was already doing much better compared to his initial trembling, pathetic state.
Meanwhile, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal on stage didn’t make an immediate move but kindly asked the opponent,
“Do you want to concede?”
At this, the crowd below immediately burst into an uproar.
We’ve all united as one to cheer for the opponent, and you actually dare say such arrogant words?
Now, it wasn’t just cheers but also curses filling the air.
Junior Brother Zhang listened, seemingly less afraid now:
“Although my swordsmanship is not polished,” he said with a shy smile, “with so many fellow disciples watching, if I admit defeat directly, I would lose face for our sect.”
“Please, Senior Sister An, enlighten me,” he said as he drew out his life-bound sword artifact earnestly.
An Zhisu sighed and then drew out her Flying Smoke Sword too.
A few breaths later, Junior Brother Zhang was defeated and ejected from the competition arena, in a completely disheveled manner.
The gap in swordsmanship attainment was not something a bit of courage could bridge.
Looking at the surrounding clamor that reached the heavens, An Zhisu slightly furrowed her brows.
Ordinarily, faced with such public curses, she would have been oblivious and simply walked away with indifference.
After all, Su Jian had taught her from a young age that “a sword immortal should only speak through the sword in their palm”.
However, this time she had heeded her junior brother’s advice, not severing her opponent’s life-bound sword artifact or inflicting serious injury as she usually would have done… so why hadn’t the attitude of the spectators changed much?
Stepping off the stage, An Zhisu approached Ling Yunpo and asked in confusion:
“Junior Brother, what did I do wrong?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong per se,” Ling Yunpo replied with a wry smile.
In the situation just now, since everyone was applauding for Junior Brother Zhang’s bravery, you, Senior Sister, should have said a few complimentary words, praised him, and then, with slightly superior strength, narrowly defeated him. That way, he could save face and step down gracefully.
This way, the average disciples would think that Junior Brother Zhang lost the match but not his dignity, and those with keen insights into your leniency would feel everyone’s honor was intact.
Instead of doing what you did, which was to directly exert your full strength and blast him out of the arena…
That being said, for someone like An Zhisu, who virtually lacks any social experience, I’m afraid such complex maneuvers are completely beyond her capabilities.
After thinking it over, Ling Yunpo decided to advise in the simplest way possible, reorganizing his words:
“In the next match, after stepping onto the stage, don’t directly defeat your opponent. Instead, use just-enough strength to exchange a few blows back and forth, letting the opponent concede on their own.”
An Zhisu nodded and agreed, indicating no problem at all.
Ling Yunpo also took the time to go out and swiftly defeated his own drawn opponent.
As the foremost among the four strongest in the Shushan Foundation Establishment Realm, his victory was expected. The opponent didn’t put on a show of first being frightened then determined, and the surrounding audience didn’t offer any biased interventions.
Somehow, whenever it came to Senior Sister, there would always be a multitude of bizarre scenes for no apparent reason.
Back at the side of the arena, Ling Yunpo then saw that An Zhisu’s next opponent was Bi Sheng, a promising newcomer ranked just after the four stalwarts.
This Sword Immortal, Bi Sheng, was someone Ling Yunpo had not dealt with before, but Qiu Changtian was acquainted with her.
When she had participated in trials at the Shushan Demon Locking Tower, the Jade Capital Sect Leader had arranged for her to receive him.
As Bi Sheng stepped onto the stage with a valiant and heroic bearing, An Zhisu asked with a full smile:
“Do you want to concede?”
“No!” Bi Sheng immediately flew into a rage, as if she had just suffered a great humiliation, and drew her sword to say, “Senior Sister An, why do you humiliate me so? Even if I’m not as skilled, I will not readily admit defeat!”
Having said that, she charged forward with her sword.
The onlookers immediately erupted in cheers, clearly favoring Bi Sheng, who was stronger than the previously well-spoken but quickly defeated Junior Brother Zhang.
An Zhisu silently parried and, after several exchanges, was able to smoothly regain the rhythm and started to press Bi Sheng.
However, she firmly remembered Ling Yunpo’s instruction and thus slightly held back her strength, matching blows with Bi Sheng.
The audience watched anxiously. Bi Sheng, on the other hand, noticed something was amiss and started trembling with anger:
This isn’t An Zhisu’s full strength. Even facing Junior Brother Zhang just now, you used all your power, so why are you humiliating me like this?
In her outrage, she resorted to the Blood Ignition Technique, boosting her Cultivation Realm and making her swordsmanship suddenly much sharper.
Seeing Bi Sheng suddenly stronger, most of the onlooking fellow disciples were invigorated. Could it be that Senior Sister Bi Sheng had been playing possum all along and was now about to unveil her full hand to take down the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal?
Only a few disciples realized something was amiss. Bi Sheng wasn’t playing possum; she was provoked and beginning to push her limits in desperation!
“How about it?” In a distant viewing stand, Lin Duanshan suddenly asked.
“She can’t win,” Duan Fenhai replied succinctly.
As Bi Sheng’s strength spiked, An Zhisu’s brows furrowed slightly.
Is it necessary to use that kind of technique when it’s clear that you can’t defeat me with that level of skill?
Yet, she still remembered Ling Junior Brother’s reminder and once again raised her suppressed swordsmanship skill by a notch, maintaining just enough of an edge over Bi Sheng after her surge of power.
Bi Sheng had barely enjoyed a moment of dominance when she saw her opponent’s sword light also intensify, suppressing her completely once more. Shocked and angered, her eyes widened, her teeth clenched, her expression strained, and suddenly she spat out a large mouthful of blood mist into the sky.
Unwittingly, she had allowed the side effect of the technique to take hold.