Chapter 193

Chapter 193: Advancing Again

The rolling soil and the razor-cold ice smashed together in the center of the arena, locking in place. Neither side could overwhelm the other.

Ever since Yun Xi cultivated the Bright Moon Condensing Frost Art, her three mutated spirit roots advanced together. That was also why she had been able to form her Golden Core successfully.

And because she now had a master, she could openly use ice spells without anyone suspecting her. So before she even stepped onto the arena, she had already decided to use ice arts as her main method of attack.

The two fighters remained locked for about five breaths. In the end, Lin Ke Yang stepped back first, ending that round of the contest.

At the same time, he swiped a hand over his wrist and put on a pair of black gauntlets. He was clearly increasing the power of his attacks.

Yun Xi withdrew her ice art. After thinking, she didn’t use Frost Profound Ice Needles. That was a weapon for sneak attacks, not something she wanted to reveal in public.

Instead, she reached out and took Seven-Star Doom Staff into her hand.

Someone in the crowd whispered, “Tsk. Junior Sister is that fierce? She’s using a staff?”

“True Lord Yu Ling is the most elegant,” someone else said. “His disciple doesn’t seem to have inherited that at all.”

“You’re just sour,” another voice replied. “Strength is what matters.”

Zong Han and the others watched Yun Xi’s first real match with tight nerves. They were all worried for her. Lin True Master was not easy to deal with. He was a true powerhouse who fought every round to reach this stage, and they were afraid he would beat Yun Xi flat.

Yun Xi poured ice spiritual power into Seven-Star Doom Staff. In the next instant, she lifted the staff and blocked Lin Ke Yang’s heavy punch head-on. The two forces collided again, and both sides retreated.

In a place no one noticed, Kai Yang Star on the staff flashed once, secretly stealing a trace of the ice spiritual power Yun Xi poured into it.

But Yun Xi didn’t notice at all.

After retreating to the edge of the arena, she tapped the ground with her toe and leapt up, attacking again.

This time, with the support of the Thousand Shadow Wind-Supporting Technique, she flashed in front of Lin Ke Yang first. Seven-Star Doom Staff carried a sharp chill, and behind her, a phantom “Extreme Ice Blade” formed.

The phantom overlapped with the staff’s strike, and the attack fell like lightning.

Lin Ke Yang’s pupils reflected a huge ice blade. He immediately crossed his arms in front of his face, trying to withstand the blow.

With a loud boom, Lin Ke Yang smashed into the arena, creating a pit. Before he could get up, Yun Xi flashed forward and pressed Seven-Star Doom Staff against his forehead. The winner was already decided.

Lin Ke Yang pulled himself out of the ground and took off his gauntlets. “I lost!”

Only then did Yun Xi let out the breath she had been holding. She withdrew Seven-Star Doom Staff and saluted. “Senior Brother Lin, thank you for holding back. I only won by half a move.”

Lin Ke Yang smiled. “Half a move is still a win.”

The referee announced Yun Xi’s victory. When the protective barrier opened, both of them jumped down from the arena.

Lin Ke Yang rotated his wrist, still feeling sore, and went to meet up with his friends.

Meanwhile, Yun Xi was surrounded like she was the center of the stars. “True Master Wei, you’re amazing! You actually beat mid Golden Core Lin True Master!”

“Yeah! We were sweating just watching!”

“That fight was so intense. If your eyes turned even a little slower, you couldn’t follow you two at all!”

“Exactly, exactly…”

Yun Xi only smiled slightly, not letting the praise go to her head.

She knew she had simply taken advantage of being new to the arena. Her opponent didn’t understand her habits or her moves yet, so he could only respond as she attacked. He didn’t know enough about her real combat style.

And this was a sect tournament, not life-and-death combat. Neither side would reveal all their hidden cards. They followed the “touch and stop” rule, so Yun Xi’s win was narrow.

Of course, among the praise there were ugly voices too.

“Tsk, I think Wei Yun Xi is average,” someone said. “She only won because her opponent gave face to her master.”

“But Lin True Master looked like he went all out,” someone argued.

“Are you stupid?” the first voice snapped. “He’s mid Golden Core. His spiritual power reserves are double Wei Yun Xi’s. How could he lose that easily? Use your toes – he obviously let her win.”

“Oh…” the other person said. “Now that you mention it, maybe you’re right.”

Those words also reached Lin Ke Yang. Zhang Ling Rui beside him teased with a grin, “Ke Yang, you’re copying ‘gentle with women’ and letting her win? That doesn’t sound like you.”

Lin Ke Yang glared at him. “Those people don’t know me and are talking nonsense. Do you think I’m that kind of person? Besides, she didn’t need me to let her win.”

Zhang Ling Rui raised an eyebrow. “The little girl is really that strong?”

“All I can say is she’s not weak,” Lin Ke Yang replied. “And I feel like she didn’t use her strongest move.”

“Her spiritual power reserves are higher than yours?” Zhang Ling Rui asked.

“I’m not sure,” Lin Ke Yang said. “But at the very least, she’s not weaker than me. Her spiritual power is very thick and pure, with no sign of being unstable.”

Zhang Ling Rui sighed. “That’s the advantage of being taught by a master.”

“Don’t be so jealous,” Lin Ke Yang said. “I heard that three days after Wei Yun Xi took Yu Ling True Lord as her master, Yu Ling True Lord went into seclusion to try for Spirit Transformation. He still hasn’t come out. Having a master or not is basically the same.”

Zhang Ling Rui’s mood instantly improved. “Hearing that makes me feel much better! I hope the next round pairs me with the little girl too. I want to see what a ‘master’s disciple’ can do.”

After swallowing a top-grade spirit-replenishing pill, Yun Xi went back up again. She had been the last match of the round, so the winners of the first seven matches were already decided. With Yun Xi included, the eight of them drew lots again.

This time, Yun Xi drew Zhang Ling Rui, a late Golden Core sword cultivator.

Yun Xi felt her good luck had finally run out. In her mind, sword cultivators were basically another name for “strong.” Still, she was also looking forward to fighting him.

Zhang Ling Rui was very satisfied with the result. He patted Lin Ke Yang’s shoulder. “Looks like my prayer worked. I’ll help you get your face back.”

Lin Ke Yang folded his arms at the edge of the arena and swept Zhang Ling Rui with his eyes, silently cursing that the little girl should knock this show-off off the platform.

By now, almost everyone left in the Golden Core group was a veteran cultivator. Their cultivation was either late Golden Core or late peak. Only Yun Xi, an early peak Golden Core “black horse,” stood out, so she naturally drew everyone’s attention.

This round, Yun Xi and Zhang Ling Rui were the first group to step onto the arena. They leapt up, exchanged salutes, and immediately entered combat.

The instant the protective barrier closed, Zhang Ling Rui swung his sword, trying to finish quickly. Sword light flooded the entire arena.

Yun Xi used Wind-Supporting Steps and cleverly avoided the first wave, but the sharp sword light still cut her cheek. She frowned.

With Seven-Star Doom Staff in hand, she poured in ice spiritual power and also activated the clone art of the Thousand Shadow Wind-Supporting Technique. Three Yun Xi appeared at once, each holding the staff, attacking Zhang Ling Rui from three different directions.

Zhang Ling Rui spread his divine sense, but for a moment he couldn’t tell which Yun Xi was the real one. He could only swing three sword lights at the three targets.

The sword lights fell, and the three Yun Xi instantly turned into fading light and vanished.

Zhang Ling Rui thought, [Crap.] He tried to move away from where he stood, but it was already too late. A neat, small fist was already right in front of his face.