Chapter 107

Chapter 107: Shen Sang Ruo and Bai Mu Mu Exchange Blows

Someone wondered aloud: “Is this Shen Sang Ruo’s life-bound artifact?”

Another still insisted: “It still looks inferior to Junior Sister Bai’s Snowfrost Staff.”

A third sniffed: “Who knows what bird it came from, but it’s definitely not from a high-level beast.”

Because the Luan Feather Fan looked rather simple on the outside, and because the disciples of the Flying Cloud Sect lacked the knowledge to judge it, they could not see its true quality.

Or maybe they simply did not believe Shen Sang Ruo could ever hold a good artifact.

The Elders, however, had seen far more. At a glance they knew the Luan Feather Fan in Shen Sang Ruo’s hand far surpassed the Snowfrost Staff.

Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao both paused, puzzled about where she had gotten such a thing.

Master Ling Xiao frowned and stared hard at the Luan Feather Fan. As the number one cultivator in the Cultivation World, he could not fail to recognize an artifact crafted from an Azure Luan Heart-Guarding Feather.

Such a precious treasure. Who could have given it to her?

A green figure rose up in his mind’s eye, the one who had taken Shen Sang Ruo away that day.

Could it be her?

A cultivator at the Divine Transformation Stage would likely own an artifact of this level.

What was their relationship? Did she want to become Shen Sang Ruo’s master?

Hidden inside his sleeve, his fingers curled tight.

So Shen Sang Ruo had long had a divided heart. In such a short time, she had coaxed an artifact out of a Divine Transformation Stage cultivator. [Someone like her, except for me, who would ever value her?] He let out a cold laugh, his face darkening.

What he wanted was to see Shen Sang Ruo miserable after leaving Thunder-Scale Peak, then wake up with deep regret.

But her life-bound artifact clearly showed that after leaving Thunder-Scale Peak, she had not been hurt at all; instead, she had advanced another step.

His mood soured badly.

Only if Bai Mu Mu, representing Thunder-Scale Peak, trampled Shen Sang Ruo underfoot would he feel a bit more balanced.

Even with waves raging inside, Master Ling Xiao’s face stayed proud and calm.

He would watch and see how her fire-attribute spiritual power could possibly control a wind-attribute weapon.

Down below, everyone watching was just as curious about how Shen Sang Ruo would attack.

Back on the platform, Shen Sang Ruo and Bai Mu Mu had both drawn their artifacts.

They moved almost at the same time.

Shen Sang Ruo lifted her fan and gave a single sweeping strike. Fire spread across the space the Luan Feather Fan had passed over, leaving an orange red sea of flames. The whole platform looked as if the evening glow had fallen there, bright and beautiful.

That sea of fire rushed straight at Bai Mu Mu, power rolling in waves.

Bai Mu Mu urged the Snowfrost Staff. Countless icicles burst up from the floor and shot toward Shen Sang Ruo at great speed.

But Shen Sang Ruo reacted faster, struck earlier, and pressed harder.

Fire and icicles collided. The icicles melted at once, and the shockwave was so strong that even the disciples standing outside the platform felt it.

The sea of fire cut through layer after layer of ice and still rolled toward Bai Mu Mu, like a giant mouth opening to devour her.

Seeing danger, Bai Mu Mu hastily formed a thick, snowflake shaped ice shield in front of herself with the Snowfrost Staff and barely held off that blazing glow.

Her face hardened; she flicked her wrist and sent several ice spikes back at Shen Sang Ruo like arrows loosed from a bowstring.

Shen Sang Ruo only dipped the Luan Feather Fan and gave a light downward sweep; her whole body rose into the air like a bird, and she slipped past the ice spikes with ease.

She landed lightly. Bai Mu Mu pressed her lips tight, her eyes fixed on Shen Sang Ruo with a trace of shock.

Both were testing, stopping short.

In the blink of an eye, they had already traded two rounds.

Around them, the disciples had been shocked several times in such a short span.

The clash of ice and fire made people cheer.

Someone gasped: “What technique is Shen Sang Ruo using? She actually swung a fan and made a sea of fire.”

More exactly, flames fell from above like Glazed Flame, perfectly blending fire spiritual power with a wind-attribute weapon.

Another voice broke in: “Her strike just now overpowered Junior Sister Bai’s outright. That was strong.”

“And her steps are so light. With a small jump she flew that high.”

“What about Junior Sister Bai’s technique? How can it have so many forms?”

A disciple answered with pride: “I know this one. Junior Sister Bai’s art is called Myriad Aspects Frostheart Art. The myriad forms rise from the heart, and she can wield any power of ice and snow.”

This was one of the very top techniques in the Cultivation World.

More gasps followed: “Junior Sister Bai truly has Master Ling Xiao’s favor if he could find such an art for her.”

The crowd buzzed.

Someone cautioned: “Don’t only watch Junior Sister Bai. I think Shen Sang Ruo’s technique is unusual too, and it even seems to faintly suppress the Myriad Aspects Frostheart Art.”

“Does anyone know what art Shen Sang Ruo is using? It doesn’t look like something passed down by Master Ling Xiao.”

The Flying Cloud Sect disciples argued hotly, but no one reached a conclusion.

On the viewing dais, Master Ling Xiao narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowed so tight they could pinch a fly. He knew the technique Shen Sang Ruo used was the one he had found earlier. It was very likely passed down from that “wild master” of hers. And it was not inferior to his own Profound Fire True Dragon Art. Every time Shen Sang Ruo used that “wild art,” it was a fierce slap across his face.

His annoyance deepened, and his expression looked as if he had swallowed something foul.

While the crowd argued, the two on the platform locked eyes. Battle intent and killing will shone in both.

Bai Mu Mu pulled at the corner of her mouth and said with a thin smile: “I really did underestimate you. I didn’t expect that after breaking with your master, you could still find an art like this.”

She tilted her chin, amused: “Good. At least this match won’t be dull.”

Then she spoke coldly: “Your art is fine, but my Myriad Aspects Frostheart Art stands far above yours.”

To her, swinging a fan to send out flames was too simple and not worth fearing. Shen Sang Ruo’s fire was fierce, but Bai Mu Mu had not even used her full strength. It would not be hard to defend and suppress. Ice and fire were opposed, and the two arts restrained one another.

Shen Sang Ruo’s voice stayed cool as she raised her hand and swept the fan again: “That was only the beginning. What comes next is what I prepared for you.”

Her Sunset Glassfire Art was certainly not just one sweep. She had prepared far more for Bai Mu Mu than this.

Bai Mu Mu laughed softly and promised: “Fine, then I’ll show you that your defeat was set long ago and nothing you do can change it.”

She had planned to crush Shen Sang Ruo first and then carry out her plan, but Shen Sang Ruo’s art and life-bound artifact had gone beyond her expectations. So she would play with her a while, then throw her into the abyss.

Bai Mu Mu shook the Snowfrost Staff again and summoned another ice shield to block Shen Sang Ruo’s strike.

Shen Sang Ruo’s eyes flashed. After the sweep of her fan, her movements did not stop.