Chapter 311

Chapter 311: Using Cheats?

Before the match, Yan Fan came over on purpose and spoke to Li Shuang with an encouraging look: “Good luck. I believe you will win. I will be waiting at the peak. I hope you will not fall too far behind.”

“…All right,” Li Shuang said.

[Yan Fan really never gets tired of trying to act like a king around me. I just hope his face later will not be too dramatic.]

Luckily, Cangyuan Sect’s match was about to start too, so after showing a bit of “humble courtesy,” Yan Fan hurried back to his own ring. This time, Cangyuan Sect faced Thousand Mechanisms Sect, a clash between two of the top six. It should be exciting.

Even so, almost all eyes were fixed on the match between Sword Sect and Tyrant Blade Sect. Their grudge ran deep. This sect tournament might be the true end of it.

A steward from Cangyuan Sect served as referee and announced: “Sword Sect versus Tyrant Blade Sect, second round of the round robin, begin.”

“Will the first disciples of both sides take the stage.”

As the referee’s voice fell, Li Shuang and Ye Zhao Zhao stepped onto the platform from opposite sides. They stood in the center and looked at each other calmly.

“The match begins,” the referee declared, then leaped off the stage.

The first bout, Li Shuang versus Fang Qing Yu, officially began.

With a subtle smile at her lips, Ye Zhao Zhao said: “Fellow Daoist Li, before this you misunderstood me and kept calling me the Devil Path’s Ye Zhao Zhao. I can choose not to hold that against you. But three years ago, on the ring, you were ruthless and crippled three disciples of my Tyrant Blade Sect. Today I have to settle that account.”

She had found herself a neat-sounding reason to provoke Li Shuang.

Then the sword slid from its scabbard. On the blade, a black haired, black robed man faintly appeared.

“Sword Spirit!”

“This Fang Qing Yu’s sword also has a Sword Spirit.”

“Man and Sword as One, isn’t that Sword Sect’s specialty?”

“That is not quite right. Sword Sect’s Sword Pavilion is indeed good at nurturing Sword Spirits. But other sects can raise Artifact Spirits too. It is just harder.”

“This Sword Spirit of Fang Qing Yu looks unusual. Its aura is very sharp.”

“This one will be good to watch.”

Li Shuang looked at Long Yan and spoke in a cool voice: “Long time no see.”

Long Yan stared at her, a blade of hate flashing in his eyes, then he hid it and said coldly: “I think this is our first time meeting.”

Ye Zhao Zhao smiled and said: “Fellow Daoist Li, why not call out your Sword Spirit? I heard you and your Sword Spirit have Purple Affinity. In this match, please let me see it.”

At those words, the cold in Long Yan’s eyes grew. [Li Shuang cast me aside for that Sword Spirit. Because of her, I suffered three years of inhuman torment. Even now, my Spirit Body hurts every single moment. All of it is thanks to Li Shuang. Today I will make her see who is stronger, me or the Black Abyss Sword Spirit.]

Li Shuang drew Black Abyss. A cute little girl floated above the sword. Li Li glanced at Long Yan with a bit of disgust. Fighting these people was always troublesome. Every time she had to pinch her little nose, or else their stink would choke her.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes flashed with a touch of mockery. She could feel the Devilizing Crystal Dust on Li Shuang. She could trigger it at any time and leave Li Shuang with no way to explain herself, marked as a devil for all to see. But before that, she wanted to defeat Li Shuang in a fair and open way. She wanted Li Shuang to know she would always be pressed down by her.

In a breath, Ye Zhao Zhao’s aura climbed step by step until it settled at the Early Divine Transformation Stage. In only three years, she had gone from the Golden Core Stage to Early Divine Transformation. Her speed was frightening, and a wave of small exclamations rose from the crowd.

Li Shuang glanced at her. Her own aura rose as well and stopped at Early Divine Transformation.

Ye Zhao Zhao gave a cold laugh. [As expected of the Daughter of the Heavenly Dao. Even without me parasitizing her, in three years she not only rebuilt her original cultivation but surpassed it. But this time she is destined for a miserable defeat.]

She ran a finger along the sword’s edge. Black flames burst up around Long Yan, and with a tremor like metal, a piercing shriek tore into the sky. The green bricks under Li Shuang’s feet cracked apart without a sound. Long Yan’s eyes turned red, and a black vortex flowered at the tip of the blade. Holding the Dragon Roar Sword, Ye Zhao Zhao stepped through the vortex and appeared in front of Li Shuang. She chopped down at Black Abyss, powerful Sword Qi spilling out with that faint shriek. People watching below felt a headache just from the sound. Ye Zhao Zhao’s move was impressive, no doubt.

Yet Li Shuang only stood there calmly. [Too weak. Far too weak.]

At her level now, Ye Zhao Zhao was about the same as Yan Fan, a level that could not even make it onto the Genius Ranking.

Li Shuang did not dodge at all.

A flicker of doubt crossed Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes. [What is Li Shuang doing? Is she scared stiff?] She had no time to think more. The sword still fell without pause.

Li Li looked at the Dragon Roar Sword with disdain. Three feet of clear light bloomed from the ridge of the Black Abyss Sword. The black aura around the Dragon Roar Sword touched that fierce light and melted in an instant like ice in the sun. The Black Abyss Sword seemed to carry a force that was pure yang and pure steel.

[What is that?] Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes showed shock and doubt. Before she could react, a sharp pain stabbed her palm. Her body flew backward and crashed hard onto the ring.

Ye Zhao Zhao stared, stunned. [What just happened? Li Shuang did not even move. That little Sword Spirit did something, and my attack was bounced straight back?]

Li Li asked with pride: “Sister Li Shuang, how did I do? Am I amazing?”

She was joking, but not really. Following Li Shuang, she had passed through the Golden Soul Altar and the tempering of the Solar True Fire. Sword cultivators and Sword Spirits are linked in heart. With Li Shuang’s permission, she could even borrow a bit of Li Shuang’s soul power. Against truly strong foes she still had a long way to go, but against a Ye Zhao Zhao? That was easy.

Li Li made a face at Ye Zhao Zhao and Long Yan: “Anyone can talk big. To deal with you two, my Sister Li Shuang does not even need to act. I can handle it myself.”

Ye Zhao Zhao’s face turned cold as she clenched her sword hilt. Through gritted teeth she snapped in her mind: [System, you said I would crush Li Shuang easily this time.]

For once the system was at a loss: [I do not know what is going on. This Li Shuang is not playing by common rules.] Ye Zhao Zhao had been able to grow so fast because Your Excellency had helped her. He had given her such a huge cheat, and even so she had only reached the Divine Transformation Stage in three years.

[Li Shuang, though? What kind of cheat did she get? Her speed of growth looks even faster than Ye Zhao Zhao’s.]