Chapter 48: 1 vs 1

Chapter 48: 1 vs 1

3 days later, all the 1st year disciples were grouped in front of the arenas, standing to attention. This was the 10th disciple ranking competition.

By now, the gap between the 2nd and 3rd grade talents had become a chasm. The best 3rd grade talents had entered the 4th stage of body strengthening while the 2nd grade talents were still at the 2nd stage of body strengthening.

Cultivation was unfair and the school didn't make separate rankings for different talents. Nearly all 2nd grade talents had come to terms with being at the lowest ranks for their year. They could only hope for their luck to take a turn for the better at the qi condensation stage.

Some digested the realization better than others. At first, this was a hard blow for Chang Sile who had built grand ambitions since his initial rise from last place. It would have been a nice story! By now, Chang Sile (who ended at the 541st rank) had revised his motivations. He would take it slow and steady. Build a strong foundation and overtake his peers once they become stuck at bottlenecks later on! If only all the other disciples didn't have such thoughts

Anyway, except perhaps for his small group of friends, no one cared much about his rank. What the disciples wanted to see was some showdowns between the best. And this time, rumor had it that the 6th ranked disciple Han Lingyun had broken through to qi condensation already.

There hadn't been a 4th qi condensation 1st year yet. So, will he challenge someone? Will the 1st years witness a duel between qi condensation cultivators?

Whispers and rumors spread like wildfire in a dry forest.

This must have triggered other 4th grade talents out of their complacency as the top 50 had more challenges than during the last 4 months combined. The level of anticipation was reminiscent of the duels in the first trimester.

After half a day, the crowd held its breath as it was finally Han Lingyun's turn to issue a challenge.

He took a big breath. "I challenge the 4th ranked disciple, Li An!"

A roar resonated from the watchers. They could be witnessing a change in the 1st bracket for the 1st time in 9 months!

There is always something mystically exciting about a duel. Romanticized in countless epic stories. No outside interference, the ideal test of one's strengh against one another. The adrenaline rush before the final outcome. Then the uncompromising result.

Li An took his usual staff and calmly walked to the arena. He would not concede, even if his opponent was stronger on paper. His own techniques were extraordinary, with a hint of deep profoundness he had gleaned from witnessing his powerful uncle training silently.

Han Lingyun walked to the stage with a random short sword he picked from the pile of weapons available for the duels. Right now, the weapon didn't matter too much anyway.

The match began and Li An stood poised in place, analyzing his opponents every detail, scrutinizing Han Lingyun's breathing and his minute movements. He took deep breaths and steadied himself, every fiber of his body ready for an explosive and precise reaction.

Meanwhile Han Lingyun began taking slow steps towards Li An, which gradually accelerated into a sprint as he rapidly approached the immobile Li An.

The disciples held their breaths as the clash came.

Just at this instant, Han Lingyun speed suddenly multiplied by twenty-fold as he used the second level of his blackbird art. Li An reacted instinctively and his muscles contracted but Han Lingyun's sword had already reached his neck, only stopped by the elder watching the duel.

The elder declared without batting an eye. "Disciple Han Lingyun wins and reaches rank 4".

"AAand begin!"

Han Lingyun stayed in place while Wang Yimo sped to his direction by rushing through the trees with unnerving agility.

After an incense stick worth of time, she finally slowed down to a halt as she saw Han Lingyun in his white robe 20 meters in front of her, and a dangerous smile crept on her face. They silently stared at each other, concentrating to the maximum. Everything could be decided in an instant of inattention. But with the two disciples' proficiency, none should make these rookie mistakes and this set up could lead to a prolonged fight arbitrated by a careful use of the environment around.

Han Lingyun activated his blackbird art and slowly began merging with the background which caught Wang Yimo slightly off guard. This was a very unique use of qi! She couldn't let him do as he wanted though so she decisively approached her opponent.

At the instant Wang Yimo took her third step, Han Lingyun abruptly jerked his left foot back while Wang Yimo made a violent attacking motion.

However, right at that moment, the two disciples realized they had been frozen in place.

"STOP!"

An angry roar coming from a female Elder broke the tense silence that had momentarily engulfed the scene.

The beautiful Elder descended between the two young disciples and looked a bit reproachfully at Wang Yimo, who still hadn't registered what had happened.

Then she noticed it, the thin thread centimeters from her neck and her legs. She touched it with her finger and cut herself, the thread was being imbued with qi. Shocked, she turned to Han Lingyun and saw the small handle attached to his ankle which was at the end of the thread.

While trying to maintain an emotionless face, Elder Zhang announced "Han Lingyun wins."

"H-how? I-I didn't. I-If this was real life, I would have died, right?" Wang Yimo faced her master.

Elder Zhang's air seemed to change at this moment. It was as though the tension in the air relaxed as she took the countenance of a helpful teacher.

"That's right, at the very least, you would have lost a leg. Perhaps a miraculous instinct could have saved your neck. That's only because qi isn't strictly staying inside your body so a cultivator at the qi condensation realm might sense danger from an approaching dagger even if he cannot see it. But back to the topic, you were really too nave my disciple, you acted like it was a normal duel! On that note, you have disappointed me. But it's all right, you are here to learn after all.

All your attention was on Han Lingyun so you forgot about your surroundings. Also think from your opponent's point of view. Of course, he wouldn't just sit there without preparing anything. Why would he keep his visible white robes? Why not merge with the environment like he demonstrated and launch a surprise attack?

He was obviously baiting you here. I must say, disciple Lingyun, your idea wasn't bad, but a bit too rough for cultivators that have true battle experience. May I ask where you obtained such a treasure?"

"Thank you for the compliment and advice Elder Zhang, I will refine my methods against more experienced opponents. I bought this thread at the Thousand Treasure Pavilion for 500 Ps, in the section for young body strengthening disciples. I never had the opportunity to use it at the body strengthening stage and realized it would struggle more to cut through a qi condensation cultivator that could react with the qi inside his body to resist the thread. However, as I experimented with qi manipulation, I noticed that the material of the thread could support qi very well, even better, passing qi through it felt easier than passing through a sword. It has a remarkable qi conductivity!"

"You indeed found yourself a bargain. This thread could have been advertised as a qi condensation treasure. The one classifying it at the Thousand Treasure Pavilion seems to have stopped his inspection at its lack of runes, which is a surprising negligence.

Anyway, now that the bet is over, do the two of you wish to have another round and truly exchange blows?"