Chapter 319
Chapter 319: Marvelous Archery
A similar scene unfolded on the opposite side. Everyone began to strike downward, trying desperately to push the scale lower.
The person standing beside Wang Jie slashed down with a single blade strike, the force impressive, easily surpassing two hundred thousand combat power. Such prowess marked him clearly as an elite disciple of a major sect, and there were quite a few similar talents here.
Having remained in Black White Heaven for so long, Wang Jie realized his vision had indeed grown narrow.
He’d never imagined there could be so many geniuses in the outside worlds whose strength at Full Star Realm could already surpass those in the Wandering Star Realm.
Here, masters from the Four Pillars had gathered, each employing countless forms of combat.
Wang Jie had entered the Martial Assembly through Black White Heaven, but that didn’t mean everyone around him was also from there. Assignments appeared entirely random.
Suddenly, the scales beneath them rose upward.
People around him panicked, “What’s happening? Who isn’t doing their best?”
“We’ve all given it our all!”
“Look at the opposite side! Isn’t that Pan Fan, the Sword Court master who’s famous in Star Dome Visage?”
“It is him! He’s known for leaving messages in Star Dome Visage and has even been reported about. To think we’d encounter such an expert on the other side!”
“And it’s not just him! There’s also a well-known master from Armor One Sect!”
“What about our side?”
Eyes began scanning anxiously.
Finally, someone recognized Wang Jie.
Because Wang Jie had kept a low profile for so long, had he not recently provoked everyone with his message, he’d probably have been forgotten entirely. Having just joined the Martial Assembly, no one had recognized him until now. But as everyone looked around to find hidden experts, it was inevitable that Wang Jie would be identified.
After all, he had been reported on by Star Dome Visage.
“You… You’re Wang Jie?”
As soon as his name was spoken, everyone nearby froze in astonishment, gazes swiftly turning toward him.
In this momentary distraction, the scales rose even faster.
Wang Jie calmly raised his palm and struck down. His powerful force instantly halted the scales’ upward movement, attracting attention from the opposite side.
“No way, it’s Wang Jie?”
“One of the seven granted Enlightenment Tea? We’re really unlucky to face someone of his caliber.”
“What are you afraid of? We have more experts, and Wang Jie is just a Lock Force cultivator. His past achievements don’t necessarily represent his current strength.”
Although they spoke bravely, their tense expressions betrayed deep unease.
Pan Fan lifted his gaze toward Wang Jie, stepping from the crowd with sword in hand. With a single thrust, he directly attacked Wang Jie.
On the scale, as Pan Fan’s sword qi surged forth, those in front of Wang Jie hurriedly scattered. Two unlucky cultivators who couldn’t evade in time had their arms sliced off.
The sword qi approached, and Wang Jie simply flicked his finger, effortlessly shattering it.
Pan Fan stared provocatively at Wang Jie, “My senior brother Yuan Mu wasn’t given Enlightenment Tea. Wang Jie, show me just what makes you worthy.” After speaking, Pan Fan stepped forward, charging toward Wang Jie’s end of the scale.
Crossing between the scales was not forbidden, but the price was steep.
If one person crossed over to the opposite side, twenty people would inevitably be eliminated from that side. It was a brutal trade—one person’s passage at the cost of twenty others.
The Heavenly Dao was imperfect, impossible to balance fully.
No rule was ever flawless.
The same held true for the Starry Martial Assembly.
The strong should not be burdened; such was the assembly’s fairness.
As Pan Fan approached, those on the scale felt an invisible suction pulling them upward into the sky.
Although only twenty would ultimately be eliminated, all were subjected to this irresistible force. It was only a question of which twenty would succumb first.
Immediately, some began to rise helplessly toward the sky.
The closer Pan Fan came, the more people were dragged upward.
“Pan Fan, stop coming closer!” someone shouted furiously, striking out.
Pan Fan swung his sword, wielding a mysterious technique where the body followed the sword. In a single flash, three cultivators had their bodies pierced through, instantly eliminated. He fixed his eyes intently on Wang Jie, channeling star force steadily into his blade. Taking a deep breath, he merged heart with sword, spirit guiding its path. In a single motion, he slashed.
The sword split the void, vanishing in an instant.
Wang Jie stood still, unmoving.
All stared in astonishment, even those who had been dragged into the sky paused to watch.
Wang Jie didn’t react at all?
If he fell to Pan Fan, Star Dome Visage’s rule—those gifted Enlightenment Tea inevitably reaching the top twenty—would shatter. Losing so effortlessly would make Star Dome Visage itself a laughingstock. Could Wang Jie really be this weak?
Pan Fan stood with his back to Wang Jie. Slowly lowering his gaze, he looked down at his sword.
How could this…be?
He collapsed.
The sword shattered.
From beginning to end, no one had clearly seen Wang Jie’s movements. He hadn’t moved at all.
Above, the cultivators who had been dragged upward fell back down, while Pan Fan’s body slowly dissipated.
Those who died here weren’t truly dead, merely eliminated. This was the marvel of the Starry Martial Assembly. Although cultivators participated in person, external aids such as pills, formation books, and star artifacts were forbidden. Even death wasn’t genuine, as though they had entered a mystical realm beyond comprehension.
Pan Fan’s defeat greatly inspired Wang Jie’s allies. They attacked the scales vigorously once more. Now, the scale clearly dipped downward. Losing Pan Fan was a significant blow to their opponents.
Yet the descent remained painfully slow.
Wang Jie struck downward once more. This time, Lock Force struck the earth, sending visible ripples that pressed the scales lower.
The speed improved markedly.
Faces turned grim across from them; no one dared mock Wang Jie anymore.
Anyone granted Enlightenment Tea indeed deserved respect.
“Amazing! How did you do that? I could hardly see clearly,” came a voice from behind, belonging to a scruffy-looking man in tattered clothing, carrying a crude bow on his back.
Wang Jie turned, his expression odd. [This fellow…cross-eyed?]
“Cross-eyed?” someone in the distance muttered softly.
The man suddenly fixed his gaze upon them and roared furiously, “What did you say? I’m not cross-eyed!”
His thunderous shout startled everyone nearby, drawing their attention. One by one, they turned to look, and soon laughter filled the air.
“Haha, cross-eyed!”
“How can a cultivator have crossed eyes? Hahaha!”
“Brother, what are you thinking? Can’t you straighten your eyeballs?”
Even the people on the opposite side of the scale couldn’t help but laugh.
The man clenched his teeth, trembling with rage, and shouted fiercely, “I’m not cross-eyed! You’re all too disrespectful! I’ll make you pay for this!” Saying this, he drew his bow, aiming forward without an arrow.
The laughter grew louder.
“Brother, you don’t even have an arrow!”
The man released his grip.
Hum.
A faint hum sounded.
Wang Jie’s gaze sharpened. Ripples suddenly appeared in the empty air, transforming swiftly into countless arrows streaking forward. The laughter continued—but the people vanished.
The laughter spread far more slowly than the disappearance of the people who were laughing.
This strange scene silenced all present. They stared blankly, mouths agape, as even those who hadn’t mocked the man stood stunned. [What kind of arrow technique is this?]
“Could he be… Zhou Ye?” someone whispered hesitantly.
The man lowered his bow, straightened his clothes, and calmly introduced himself as though he had never been angry, “I am Zhou Ye, of the Southern Dipper.” Then, facing the one who had spoken, he respectfully bowed, saying, “My greetings.”
That person trembled and quickly returned the courtesy, “Ah, greetings to you as well!”
Wang Jie watched Zhou Ye carefully. [So it’s him.]
The one whose name appeared prominently in the special reports by Star Dome. Even Du Xian knew little about him. The move he had just displayed was truly extraordinary.
Crossed eyes were no longer a laughing matter.
Zhou Ye turned toward Wang Jie again, saying, “Impressive. How did you do that? Even I almost couldn’t see clearly.”
Wang Jie felt strange. [Was Zhou Ye repeating himself?]
“Brother Zhou’s archery is also exceptional. You have my admiration,” Wang Jie replied.
Zhou Ye modestly waved his hand, “Just average, just average. Brother Wang, as a Lock Force cultivator, have you also experienced being looked down upon?” Perhaps sensing his question might seem rude, he hurriedly added, “Brother Wang, please don’t misunderstand—I have no intention of belittling Lock Force cultivators. It’s just that from birth, I have been misunderstood and lived under mockery and ridicule. Perhaps Brother Wang, as a Lock Force cultivator, has similar experiences.”
Wang Jie nodded, “Indeed, my experiences are quite similar to yours.”
Zhou Ye sighed, “The world’s prejudice is like a mountain, hard to move.”
“Excuse me…” Someone cautiously interrupted from nearby. “I don’t mean to disturb you two, but our side has begun rising.”
Wang Jie and Zhou Ye looked across the scale at the same moment.
Even though they had killed Pan Fan, the opposing side still remained strong, especially after Zhou Ye’s earlier attack had accidentally removed several of their own people.
Zhou Ye stepped forward decisively, raising his bow and pointing at the opponents, “The imbalance of the scales is due to my rashness earlier. Then let me resolve it. Of course, I absolutely do not regret my previous actions.” He released another arrow.
The same astonishing scene repeated itself.
Countless attacks came rushing toward them from the opposite side of the scale, attempting to stop the invisible arrows. Yet, the ripples in space ignored all those attacks, as though coming from another dimension, continuously spreading forward. The cultivators opposite grew frightened and scrambled to evade. Anyone touched by the ripples disappeared instantly.
Without worrying whether his techniques would be studied, Zhou Ye fired again.
At this critical moment in the Starry Martial Meet, especially with a powerhouse who had received enlightenment tea standing nearby, Zhou Ye’s actions seemed incredibly reckless. Yet he still acted without hesitation.
The scales gradually stabilized.
Zhou Ye had singlehandedly corrected the imbalance he himself had created.
With Wang Jie and Zhou Ye together, the cultivators on their side felt a sense of certainty. Unless the opposing side had two cultivators who had also received enlightenment tea, victory was assured.
Just as they thought this, the opponents suddenly moved, crowding together to obscure their vision.
Wang Jie raised an eyebrow and tapped his finger downward. The Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger pressed heavily onto the scale beneath their feet, causing it to slowly descend.
No matter what the opponents were plotting, as long as he could push their side of the scale down, it would be fine.
Zhou Ye shot yet again.
The same ripples appeared, still utterly incomprehensible. As soon as they emerged, the enemies panicked and retreated frantically.
Suddenly, the scales jolted violently. Wang Jie frowned deeply. [Can’t push it down?] He had already exerted considerable power. He struck again.
Yet, the scale remained unmoving.
At the same time, the tightly gathered people on the opposite scale began dispersing slowly, revealing a strange creature behind them—a massive beast shaped like a whale. It raised its head toward Wang Jie’s side and let out a mighty roar.
Someone gasped in surprise, “Di Kun?”
Another cultivator exclaimed in shock, “It truly is Di Kun, our Eastern Dipper’s Pillar Beast. This is trouble. Di Kun itself is immensely heavy, with incomparable strength. Once it exerts its power, our side will find it almost impossible to press down. No wonder they blocked our sight—they feared we would stop Di Kun’s power.”
Zhou Ye fired another arrow.
Ripples surged out once more.
Di Kun roared, its soundwaves forming visible ripples that collided with Zhou Ye’s arrow ripples, overlapping and then separating again. The arrow ripples struck Di Kun’s body, creating bloody streaks and severely damaging it. Yet Di Kun’s roar still reached their side, forcing Zhou Ye to retreat several steps.
In the next instant, Di Kun soared into the sky and then plummeted down with devastating force.