Chapter 178: Calling Him “Daoist,” Is That Polite?
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“Hmm, Yu Zhao made a move.”
“What does she intend to do? Could it be that she plans to target the other cultivators?”
“This…”
On the high platform, the elders of Aspiration Pavilion exchanged glances.
In their opinion, Yu Zhao securing first place was already a foregone conclusion. Why waste energy and potentially make herself a public enemy among the rogue cultivators?
“Talented yet lacking maturity,” one elder commented with a sigh.
Elder Sacrificial Blade, however, felt inexplicably displeased.
“I see Yu Zhao as clever. There must be a reason behind her actions.”
“You’re just bewitched by her talent.”
“So what if I am? She looks like she belongs to our Aspiration Pavilion. It’s such a pity that the Five Elements Dao Sect snatched her away! Otherwise, I’d fight tooth and nail for the honor of becoming her master!”
As the two elders debated, the distance between Yu Zhao and Tang Rui shrank to less than a meter.
Tang Rui gripped three silver needles, hiding them in his palm. Sweat dripped into his eyes, stinging painfully, yet he didn’t dare wipe it away.
Yu Zhao’s lips curved into a cold smirk.
Then, she unleashed her soul force.
An invisible surge of power swept toward Tang Rui.
He felt a breeze brush his face, and instinctively, he blinked.
In that instant, he found himself standing in a sea of fire. The scorching heat roasted his flesh, and the faint smell of burning flesh lingered in his nostrils.
His pupils quivered. This… was an illusion?
The realism was staggering.
No, he couldn’t trust it.
He had to escape! He still had to compete!
Tang Rui steadied himself quickly after an initial wave of panic, pondering ways to break the illusion.
Breaking an illusion wasn’t simple, but it wasn’t impossible either. At its core, illusions were about confusing the mind. Keeping a firm grasp on one’s inner focus was the key to dispelling the confusion.
In his previous life, Tang Rui had made it to the top ten in individual competitions, proving he wasn’t mediocre.
He centered himself, clearing his mind of distractions, and reminded himself constantly that he was on the training grounds, not in a sea of flames.
Soon, he felt the surrounding temperature begin to drop.
Just as he began to feel a flicker of joy at escaping the illusion, a massive force struck his abdomen.
“Ugh!”
A groan escaped him as his body soared through the air like a meteor streaking across the sky.
Yu Zhao looked up at Tang Rui, watching him fly farther and farther away. Satisfied, she retracted her foot.
Indeed, the illusion couldn’t cause real harm.
But she certainly could.
The surrounding cultivators, having witnessed Yu Zhao effortlessly kick Tang Rui away, were all struck silent with fear. Their gazes darted nervously, avoiding Yu Zhao’s eyes, terrified of becoming her next victim.
“Hahaha! Fascinating! Absolutely fascinating!” Elder Sacrificial Blade burst into laughter.
Yu Zhao’s kick was clean and precise. Even more impressive was that her opponent didn’t even resist, turning into a literal punching bag.
The more Elder Sacrificial Blade looked at Yu Zhao, the more pleasing he found her. He almost wanted to snatch her away on the spot.
The other elders, however, were focused on Yu Zhao’s mystical illusion technique.
A late-stage Golden Core cultivator like Tang Rui had no defenses against her, losing utterly.
If their disciples faced her, they would likely meet the same fate.
In hindsight, the elders felt fortunate that Yu Zhao hadn’t participated in the Sect Grand Tournament, as it would have been disastrous for their side.
While the elders of Aspiration Pavilion were secretly relieved, Yao Ji and Ten Thousand Slayer felt their doom looming, their eyes practically falling out of their sockets.
Who could’ve guessed that the woman sitting quietly beside that foul-mouthed bald monk would be more terrifying than his verbal attacks?
Tang Rui hadn’t even lasted a single round before being kicked out of the competition.
How many rounds could they endure?
Although there was no deep grudge between them, the idea of lowering their heads and admitting fault crossed their minds. Would the opponent spare them if they apologized?
This thought was quickly dismissed.
Their opponent acted decisively, not even giving Tang Rui a chance to explain. They knew there was no way such a ruthless person would show them mercy either. There was only one way to avoid being eliminated by her—eliminate the others first and end the first round of the competition early!
In that split second, Yao Ji and Ten Thousand Slayer reached a silent agreement.
Chaos erupted across the entire martial arts arena.
Every cultivator with any strength began plotting to eliminate their competitors. This thwarted Yu Zhao’s plan to eliminate Yao Ji and Ten Thousand Slayer from the competition.
Meanwhile, Tang Rui, battered and disoriented, coughed up blood and groggily raised his head. What greeted his eyes was a shiny, bald head.
Tang Rui: !!!
Silence, the monk, grinned and quietly raised the wooden fish mallet in his hand.
…
Outside the arena, Yu Zhao and Yao Wu Ji noticed Silence standing with a serene smile, waiting at the edge.
Yao Wu Ji paused and circled him. “Silence, I feel like you’re smiling weirdly. Were you up to no good while we weren’t looking?”
Silence’s smile froze for a moment as he wondered how Yao Wu Ji had figured it out.
Yu Zhao swept the area with her divine sense but found no trace of Tang Rui, concluding that the monk must have “freed” him from the competition. She quickly shifted the topic.
“Yao Wu Ji, do you have a place to stay?”
The first round of the competition had ended early, leaving three days before the second round began.
Yao Wu Ji waved nonchalantly. “I’ve lived in the wild since I was a child—trees for roofs, earth for a bed. The whole world is my home. Don’t worry about me; I’ll be there in three days.”
She summoned her Red Spider and sat cross-legged on its back. In a flash, she was gone.
Yu Zhao and Silence were about to head back to Aspiration Pavilion when they were suddenly blocked by Si Tu Xuan.
Both looked at him in confusion.
“I… I’m Si Tu Xuan from the Si Tu Family of the Eastern Region,” he stammered, finally managing a self-introduction after a long pause.
Yu Zhao and Silence exchanged glances.
Si Tu Xuan was acting oddly, but out of respect for his family, they responded.
“Yu Zhao, of the Five Elements Dao Sect.”
“Silence, a monk from Harmony Sound Temple.”
Si Tu Xuan responded eagerly, “Greetings, Daoist Yu and Daoist… Silence?”
Silence: ?
Wait, why can’t he have a last name? Also, he’s a monk. Calling him “Daoist” isn’t exactly polite.
Silence felt an urge to hit the wooden fish again.
Si Tu Xuan, oblivious to Silence’s mood, tried his best to strike up a conversation with Yu Zhao.
Though initially patient, Yu Zhao soon realized Si Tu Xuan bore no ill intent and seemed genuinely interested in forming a connection, much to her surprise.
She had assumed his arrogant demeanor meant he wouldn’t actively seek friendships. While he carried himself with the poise of a young master, he wasn’t as condescending or prideful as rumors suggested.
Reflecting on this, she suddenly recalled how Si Tu Xuan had vanished after the competition in her past life. Perhaps it wasn’t voluntary but due to some unforeseen misfortune.
Yu Zhao froze momentarily, startled by her own speculation.
“Yu Daoist, are you tired? Forgive me if I’ve overstepped. Please rest, and I’ll see you in three days.”
Si Tu Xuan struggled to contain his excitement and walked far enough away before punching the air in triumph.
The surrounding cultivators, curious about his strange behavior, stared at him.
“What are you looking at? Scram!”
Si Tu Xuan’s expression turned icy, glaring at them fiercely.
The onlookers quickly scurried away.
Once alone, Si Tu Xuan’s joy returned.
Don’t misunderstand—he was simply delighted at having connected with someone who could become a future powerhouse for his family! Really, he had no other intentions!