Chapter 154 - Arc 11: The Sects Grand Competition | Chapter 154: Match 1

Chapter 154 - Arc 11: The Sect's Grand Competition | Chapter 154: Match 1

Translator: Lynn

The black dragon emitted a cloud of obsidian light, swiftly disintegrating into countless specks of light that dispersed into each letter talisman.

Xu Ziqing peered at his talisman and found an additional line of small characters.

“Thirty-ninth performance, eighty-sixth place, opponent: Xiao Shengfeng, Zhang Cheng.”

After reading it, he handed the letter talisman to Yun Lie. “Shixiong, have a look.”

Master Qiu He inquired, “Where is Ziqing?”

It took some time for everyone to learn about Xu Ziqing’s opponent. With over 300 martial arts arenas, each hosting hundreds of cultivators in combat, it would be a while before Xu Ziqing’s match actually took place.

Qiu Ze and the others also discovered their respective opponents, and luck appeared to favor them as they weren’t pitted against each other, likely due to the vast number of participants.

Soon, in every martial arts arena, contestants were made aware of their opponents, sparking contemplation in each participant’s heart.

The black dragon in the sky roared, then withdrew, ascending above the head of the overseer.

The punishment officer continued, “Regarding the rules of this competition, the one who knocks down their opponent is the victor, as is the one whose adversary admits defeat. If the loser persists in fighting after defeat is clear, life or death consequences will be of no concern. However, if the loser willingly concedes, the winner is declared. And if someone still insists on fighting even when victory is secured, they will be sent to Si Xingfeng and judged by the Xing Hall.”

These words stirred an uproar among the audience. Neew updates at novel/bin(.)com

Those who hadn’t taken part in the Sect’s Grand Competition yet muttered secretly, while the participants remained composed.

Xu Ziqing expressed surprise, “So, it’s possible for higher-ranked participants to kill their opponents during the competition?”

The sect’s laws typically prohibited the killing of fellow disciples, but during the Sect’s Grand Competition, these rules were evidently relaxed.

Luo Yao and his companions were no strangers to the Sect’s Grand Competition. Yue Jun explained, “Friend Xu might not know, during the year of the Sect’s Grand Competition, when many disciples compete, the upper hand is constrained by the no-killing rule. However, sometimes the loser is reluctant to concede, which can be unfair to the victor. Hence, this rule exists. If someone cheats and refuses to admit defeat and subsequently dies at the hands of the winner, it’s not considered unjust.”

“I understand now,” Xu Ziqing nodded suddenly. “Viewed in this light, the competition is indeed fair.”

Yue Jun and the others exchanged glances and smiled, but they didn’t elaborate further.

Fairness is one thing, but it’s relative fairness.

During the Sect’s Grand Competition, casualties occurred frequently. Some participants played tricks and refused to admit defeat, while others held deep grudges and were willing to take extreme measures when facing rivals. There were also cases where winners used their superior cultivation to manipulate their opponents, making it impossible for them to admit defeat. However, the sect’s rules were comprehensive, and no matter how you looked at it, it was a challenging situation to manage.

In the martial arts arena, the action began.

A dragon’s roar echoed, and cultivators quickly occupied the 300 martial arts stages. In pairs, they showcased their magical abilities.

The scene exploded with colors as real energy surged on the stages, creating a turbulent atmosphere that dazzled the onlookers.

Xu Ziqing’s gaze shifted to a nearby martial arts arena, where two female cultivators faced off. Flying swords danced in the air, colorful silks billowed, and their combat was intense.

Such an aura was exceptionally rare in a contest of this level.

Yue Jun had just taken his place on the martial arts stage, and luck had not favored him with an ordinary opponent but a rather peculiar one.

From the high platform, Xu Ziqing watched in amazement. If he hadn’t misinterpreted it, when Liao Hengwei exerted his coercion, a faint green dragon materialized behind him. Could it be a dragon spirit? Curiosity brimming, he turned to Yun Lie and inquired, “Yun Shixiong, do you have any insights into this?”

Yun Lie’s eyes seemed closed, yet he cast a sidelong glance at Liao Hengwei after hearing the question. His response was measured, “He hails from the royal family, hence naturally possesses Dragon Qi.”

Xu Ziqing was aware of this fact. He had heard Yun Lie speak of how the emperor was considered the celestial son, acting as the earthly agent of heaven. Cultivators followed the path of seeking enlightenment against the heavenly order. They mustn’t meddle in the affairs of earthly royalty to avoid offending the heavens and incurring dire consequences.

For this reason, members of the royal family seldom pursued immortality. The dominant presence of dragon energy in their bodies obstructed the cultivation of spiritual roots, ensuring that the emperor and cultivators remained separate entities.

But the enigma lay in the fact that Liao Hengwei, a royal-blooded individual with dragon aura, should have no spiritual roots. Regardless of his country of origin in the human realm, why would he have chosen to enter the Wuling Immortal Gate?

This strange occurrence piqued Xu Ziqing’s curiosity, prompting him to inquire further.

Yun Lie began to explain, “The royal family’s inability to develop spiritual roots is due to the suppression of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth by the dragon energy. In the small world, where spiritual energy is scarce, dragon energy prevails over spiritual energy. Dragon energy is dominant and suppresses spiritual roots. It’s a complex interplay, where the fate of the human realm is closely interwoven with that of cultivators, becoming an integral part of the heavenly design.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing said, somewhat bewildered, “So, in larger realms, can princes and princesses cultivate immortality? Could the Ninety Fifth Lord cultivate immortality?”

Yun Lie shook his head with a gentle sway. “The Ninety Fifth Lord is someone who gathers dragon energy, so immortality cultivation is out of the question for him. However, once he abdicates, he could.”

The intricacies of the matter remained shrouded in mystery, and Yun Lie chose not to elaborate further.

Recognizing the complexity of the subject, Xu Ziqing opted not to delve deeper. He redirected his attention to the martial arts stage.

As the two conversed, the battle on the stage grew increasingly intense.

Liao Hengwei’s golden dragon whip twisted into a coiled dragon, encircling his slender waist. The dragon’s maw melded with his clenched fist as he launched a series of “imperial dragon strikes” against Yue Jun.

Yue Jun adeptly wielded his Xuantian fan, the black aura gleaming. He deflected each of the “imperial dragon strikes” with ease, reducing the Huanglong Jin to tatters.

Despite their fierce duel, it seemed that Liao Hengwei’s imperial aura failed to subdue Yue Jun. In fact, he even managed a smile amidst the exchange. “Daoist Liao, if you were truly the Ninety Fifth Honor, your imperial aura might be worth some attention. At present, your dragon spirit of the same level can’t lay a finger on me!”

This mockery was a blow to Liao Hengwei’s arrogance. His attacks became more aggressive and rapid, while his expression soured.

As the fight continued, Liao Hengwei’s inexperience became increasingly evident. He lost his initial tactical approach and was goaded into acting recklessly. With Yue Jun seizing the opportunity, he disarmed him of the Golden Dragon Whip and disrupted the Dragon Strength entirely.

Yue Jun pressed the advantage, relentlessly pursuing his opponent. Before Liao Hengwei could regain his composure, he forced him off the martial arts stage. He stumbled several steps backward before collapsing to the ground, his face a mask of defeat.

In this round, victory belonged to Yue Jun.

Translator’s Notes:

This chapter is roughly edited, I’m not in a fit condition and my nephew is running around... Can’t focus. Please inform me if you find this chapter’s hard to read. I’ll edit them tomorrow

Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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