Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Sword Contest, A Distinctive Flavor of Shushan, Not to Be Missed
Editor: Henyee Translations
With his outstanding personal charm, after having subdued the Thunder Punishment Sword, Ling Yunpo nestled in Qingluo Peak without leaving, focusing on practicing two-handed sword control with Senior Sister An.
Occasionally, he would reload his progress and go to Qiu Changtian to practice how to release Jade Pivot Thunder more covertly.
Or, pretending to be Luo Yan, he would go to Penglai Pavilion to attend classes, deal with Miss Shi, and brush up his Synchronization Value.
Time passed in this way, and finally, the day of the sword-fighting competition arrived.
At noon, sword lights began descending upon the very summit of the Shushan Golden Hall Peak one after the other.
Most people were there to watch the competition, while some were allied with Ziyun Peak or bore a grudge against Qingluo Peak. They harbored ulterior motives, left unsaid.
Lou Zhizheng stood on the south side of the competition arena, with his sword on his back and hands behind him, assuming a lofty stance.
Soon after, two sword lights descended on the north side. It was none other than Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu.
“Since you’ve come this far, take the time before the competition starts to say any last words you have,” Lou Zhizheng said.
His voice was loud and resonant, actually causing the air above the peak to buzz. Some disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm exclaimed in surprise:
“Could this person truly have reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank?!”
No matter what rumors had circulated before, to most Shushan disciples, a competition was naturally about fighting fairly and squarely. Winning honorably and losing openly was the right way.
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These kinds of underhanded tactics, like challenging someone of the same rank to a duel and then suddenly breaking through in power on the spot, were always considered despicable.
Now, seeing Lou Zhizheng actually breakthrough to the Marrow Cleansing Rank as rumored, using the power of a secret technique, they responded with a wave of loud booing.
“Tsk, strategy is also part of sword-fighting, what do you ignorant people know!”
Lou Zhizheng didn’t care at all, just folding his arms and sneering.
Forcing his breakthrough using the Purple Aura Gathering Top secret technique was a significant detriment to his future cultivation.
Having paid such a price, he was determined to beat Ling Yunpo to a pulp this time, damaging his root bone as much as possible.
Until An Zhisu could no longer stand it and was willing to offer the Immortal Sword in exchange for spirit stones, allowing him to gracefully accept, and then defeat Ling Yunpo swiftly and decisively, sparing him.
In his eyes, the plan was simply perfect, as seamless as heavenly clothing.
The only regret was that no high-rank seniors from his own Ziyun Peak had come to watch.
If a Golden Core True Person were standing by the arena, where would there be so many spectators daring to jeer at him!
Listening to the jeers from the crowd outside, Lou Zhizheng’s eyes twitched, and he clenched his fists in anger, silently forming an incantation with his hands.
“That guy doesn’t seem very popular,” Ling Yunpo said.
“Don’t mind the opinions of outsiders,” An Zhisu said with a smile, “Just concentrate on the fight.”
As soon as Ling Yunpo stood steady in the center of the arena, louder booing erupted from the surrounding crowd.
The curses were vile, the verbal abuses sharp, and it truly startled him.
“Is this the new disciple of Qingluo Peak? How could he be so blind to enter that vile place?”
“Is he the junior brother of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal? I heard he’s only at the Qi Refining Rank, surely doomed this time.”
“Hahaha, no matter which side gets severely injured or dies a miserable death, it’ll be a pleasure to all. After the competition, I’ll treat everyone to drinks.”
Having just commented on the poor popularity of the person across, Ling Yunpo thought to himself that his own reputation wasn’t much better.
As for why this was so, he had already figured out the main reasons during the time before the competition.
His cheap master, Su Jian, was said to be Shushan’s notorious killer star, having killed countless fellow sect True Persons and elders in sword-fighting competitions alone.
It was only later, due to secluding himself in deathlike meditation, that he faded from the view of Shushan, both high and low.
And his own An Zhisu, Senior Sister An, although she was gentle and considerate by nature, appeared to outsiders as a little killing star.
There were even rumors that she would, with a smile, draw her sword and chop people at the slightest conflict. And her strength was formidable—without a hundred and eighty disciples of the same rank, no one could subdue her.
If it weren’t for the Shushan rule against challenging across ranks, there would have been Golden Core True Persons rushing to eliminate her seventeen or eighteen times over.
This pair from Qingluo Peak, one old and one young, had long oppressed the other Various Peaks of Shushan, antagonizing many fellow disciples to the extent that the reputation of Qingluo Peak within Shushan was second only to the people of the Demon Cult.
From this, one could imagine the kind of discrimination and difficulties Ling Yunpo, as a disciple of Qingluo Peak, would face in the outside world.
The martial arts competition hadn’t even started, and there was already a rustling sound of angry curses around.
They cursed Lou Zhizheng for “resorting to any means necessary,” “the disgrace of Shushan.”
They cursed him, Ling Yunpo, “descendant of the killing star,” “better die early.”
Their verbal firepower was comparable to a Ninth-Rank Flying Sword, practically wishing to flay the two on stage alive.
An Zhisu stood at the edge of the arena, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her face clearly unable to hide her concern.
Although her junior brother was strong, this was his first time facing such an away-ground array—wouldn’t it cause him psychological pressure?
The more she thought about it, the more worried she became.
To a disciple standing nearby who also bore ill will towards Qingluo Peak, this brought a faint sense of pleasure.
This disciple also had a grudge against Qingluo Peak; the sister he admired had once challenged An Zhisu, resulting in her Life-bound Sword Artifact being cleaved apart, greatly diminishing her cultivation level. She never recovered, and six years ago, she requested to leave Shushan to go into the outside world.
He didn’t dare provoke Qingluo Peak on a regular basis, but seeing Ling Yunpo being attacked by public opinion and An Zhisu’s distressed expression bolstered his courage. He approached to mock, saying:
“Senior Sister An, who would have thought that your Qingluo Peak would be so obsessed with martial arts competition that you could even pull off the feat of a Qi Refining Rank challenging a Marrow Cleansing Rank?”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Senior Sister, you’ve lived your life enjoying sword fighting, but you have had your moments of misjudgment. Now you may have to collect your junior brother’s corpse.”
An Zhisu smiled faintly and said:
“Martial arts competition is a means for us Sword Immortals to break through. It’s only on the brink of life and death that we can seize the opportunity for great enlightenment.”
“By the way, you seem to be a disciple of Green Bamboo Peak, aren’t you? I wonder if your Golden Core brother Ji has recovered from his injuries from the last competition?”
“If he has, please pass on the message that Senior Sister will soon come to visit for another lesson.”
The disciple initially just sneered, but upon hearing her talk of visiting for a lesson, his face drastically changed, and a sense of dread clutched at his heart.
Originally, he had merely indulged in the momentary pleasure of running his mouth, but he hadn’t expected to attract such trouble for his own.
If Ling Yunpo were to die in the competition, this An Shaxing, carrying her rage, might very well chop half the life out of his Golden Core brother!
Looking around at the edge of the arena, let alone Ziyun Peak, not a single disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from all of Shushan dared to show up!
It must be because they were afraid that if Ling Yunpo unfortunately perished, An Shaxing would go berserk on the spot and challenge someone to a duel to vent her anger, and thus they had all already hidden themselves!
The more he wildly speculated, the colder his courage turned. He mustered his remaining bravery to speak submissively to An Zhisu in a low voice, offering a few soft apologies.
Seeing him looking so fearful, An Zhisu couldn’t help but conceal a smile as she gently reassured him.
The disciple’s face grew even paler, thinking that this Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was indeed malicious—was she still hiding a knife within her jest?
He quickly made up an excuse to take his leave, seizing the opportunity to cast an incantation for Two-Handed Sword Control and speed back to Green Bamboo Peak, where he informed his Golden Core brother of the incident.
As a result, his Golden Core brother was shocked and scolded him fiercely before immediately flying off on his sword in the middle of the night, leaving Shushan to seek refuge elsewhere.