Chapter 137: Huntian Spell

(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)

Midway through the sixth month, on the fifth day after the Beginning of Autumn, which also marked the fifth day of the Autumn Duel, the outer court of the Heavenly Script Academy suddenly became unusually crowded.

Among the gathering were descendants of noble families from the capital, wandering cultivators from various sects active in Shengjing, and the families of outer court disciples.

Such an open invitation for outsiders to witness the Autumn Duel had never been seen in the history of the Heavenly Script Academy. It was said that this was done at the behest of the Office of Affairs.

The academy had recently suffered a double defeat in the Dao Inquiry against Spirit Sword Mountain. Though they had not been outright humiliated, rumors had already spread far and wide. The notion that the Divine Sect of Great Xia was nothing but an empty shell was a frequent topic of conversation among wandering cultivators in Shengjing.

For the Office of Affairs, there was no better way to reclaim the academy’s reputation than to invite everyone to witness the Autumn Duel firsthand.

However, when making this decision, the three stewards of the office felt somewhat conflicted.

After all, it was Ji You who had preserved the last shred of dignity for the academy during the Dao Inquiry. And now, to restore that very dignity, they once again had to rely on a Autumn Duel in which he participated.

Before long, the White Jade Terrace of Ascension was overflowing with spectators.

Many outer court disciples stood on the outskirts, peering inward with curiosity. Their gazes first fell upon the western side.

“Look, it’s Senior Sister He Ling Xiu, a direct disciple of the Hall of Tranquility.”

“I’ve been in the academy for three years, and I’ve never seen an inner court disciple take interest in outer court duels.”

“This isn’t surprising. In past years, there were never three Mystic Enlightenment Stage disciples competing for the inner court quota at the same time.”

In the audience, He Ling Xiu stood gracefully, accompanied by a large group of inner court disciples, many of whom had participated in the Dao Inquiry at Spirit Sword Mountain.

Ever since learning that Ji You had cut through the Sword Forest, she had been eager to witness his swordsmanship for herself.

This duel was something she could not miss.

Beyond them, other spectators included Prince Chong, Titled Princess Chang Le, Wei Li, and various members of the royal family, all seated on the high platform.

Behind them sat wandering cultivators who resided in Shengjing, their presence adding to the significance of the event.

Among these cultivators, the most attention-grabbing were the disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain, clad in their signature sword robes.

This attention was not merely due to their involvement in the Dao Inquiry, but also because one of them held a brush and paper, seemingly preparing to transcribe events as they unfolded. No one could quite determine his intent.

Toward the center of the terrace sat the heads of the Bai Clan of Liang Prefecture and the Du Clan of Yun Prefecture.

Du Zhu had reached the Mystic Enlightenment Stage, making him eligible to participate in the Autumn Duel, though his chances of victory were slim. At best, he was seen as a stepping stone.

As for Bai Ru Long, he had yet to break into the Mystic Enlightenment Stage, making him ineligible for the duel.

Thus, many disciples found it puzzling that these two clan leaders had come in person.

But even their presence was overshadowed by the arrival of the Chu Clan of You Prefecture.

They occupied the eastern side of the White Jade Terrace, with Chu Xiong, the Clan Chief of the Chu Family, seated at the forefront.

Dressed in a black brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns, he held a fine porcelain teacup in his hand. His aura exuded authority, commanding respect without the need for words. His presence alone was overwhelming, and behind him stood an old servant attending to tea, who himself was at the Heaven Resonance Stage.

“I’ve always heard that Chu Xiong had already reached the Spirit Wandering Realm, just a step away from perfecting the Upper Five Realms. Judging by his aura, it seems the rumors were true.”

“There are only a handful of Upper Five Realm cultivators in the Seven Great Immortal Sects. It’s no wonder the Chu Clan is considered the unofficial eighth sect despite lacking a Daoist lineage.”

“The Seven Apertures Exquisite Physique is naturally attuned to the Dao. Perhaps that’s why they remain so powerful.”

As murmurs filled the air, the White Jade Terrace quickly became packed with spectators. A sea of people stretched as far as the eye could see.

Soon, Ban Yang Shu, Wen Zheng Xin, and Pei Ru Yi arrived, with Immortal Emperor Ru Long having already secured them seats in advance.

“This year’s rules seem to favor a Ring Defense Match,” Ru Long remarked.

Ban Yang Shu sat down and looked up. “A Ring Defense Match?”

“That’s right. In past years, at most two outer court disciples reached the Mystic Enlightenment Stage, so they could simply fight it out however they wished. But this year, there are three, so the Office of Affairs decided on a Ring Defense Match to determine the final winner.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Ru Yi frowned, an uneasy feeling creeping into her heart. “Who will be defending the ring? It wouldn’t be Junior Brother Ji, would it? Forcing Du Zhu to exhaust him, only to have Chu He finish him off afterward?”

Bai Ru Long hesitated before speaking, “Surely they wouldn’t be that despicable, would they?”

“The Office of Affairs has never been known for fairness…”

“I think with so many eyes watching, if they were truly that shameless, it would be a slap to their own faces. Besides, more than getting Chu He into the inner court, they care about their own reputation.”

Wen Zheng Xin glanced at him. “And what reputation does the Heavenly Script Academy have left?”

Bai Ru Long: “…”

Under the brilliant sunlight, the crowd eagerly awaited the defender of the ring, murmuring in speculation.

Most believed it would be Ji You.

After all, he had no powerful clan backing him, making him the easiest to manipulate. The Office of Affairs had long been partial to Chu He—this was no secret.

Thus, if Ji You was indeed the ring defender, then Du Zhu would undoubtedly be the first challenger, followed by Chu He.

However, to everyone’s astonishment, the figure who stepped onto the stage was not Ji You.

Dressed in luxurious silk robes, with a jade crown intricately carved from Purple Crystal, the figure’s garments bore golden embroidery depicting an ascendant immortal soaring to the heavens. His gaze was calm and profound, and under the sunlight, he stood with unwavering arrogance.

“It’s Chu He who will be defending the ring?” Ban Yang Shu murmured in surprise.

Wen Zheng Xin furrowed her brows. “Could it be that the Office of Affairs actually handled things fairly this time?”

Pei Ru Yi, too, slightly knitted her brows. “Is the challenger this time Junior Brother Ji or Du Zhu?”

As murmurs filled the air, another figure stepped onto the platform, moving toward Chu He with a solemn expression. This was the challenger, his grip firm around a long blade of deep black hue, an obvious sign that it was no ordinary weapon.

“It’s Du Zhu? Then Junior Brother Ji is last in line?” Ban Yang Shu widened his eyes. “Did Junior Brother Ji pay someone off?”

Bai Ru Long shook his head at the notion. “Impossible. Brother Ji uses my money even for buying the simplest things. I’ve never seen him willingly spend a coin on anyone.”

On the high stage, the elder servant of the Chu Clan’s expression darkened. He instinctively cast a glance toward the Office of Affairs, seemingly just as puzzled as the rest—why was it that Chu He was the first to defend the ring, with Du Zhu as his opponent?

For the past two months, he had personally watched over the young master, and his confidence in him was unshakable. The clan head and the eldest young master had both assured him that even cultivators at the initial stage of Dao Fusion would find it difficult to defeat the second young master in his current state.

But confidence and an easy victory were two different things, so he had made some private arrangements behind the scenes. And yet, they seemed to have been for naught.

The three Headmasters of the Office of Affairs sat present, catching the many bewildered gazes directed at them, their expressions slightly unnatural.

Ji You’s performance on Spirit Sword Mountain had left them little room to manipulate the proceedings unfairly. They had already decided to stop interfering… yet the Chu Clan’s offering had been too great to ignore.

Since everyone in the academy had been saying that Ji You was strong, merely adjusting the order of matches seemed harmless enough.

Thus, during the drawing of lots, they had used a special box that blocked Spiritual Sense, placing inside three identical slips, all marked as “defender.” Ji You was to be the first to draw.

From their perspective, as long as Ji You drew “defender” first, everything would fall into place.

What they did not expect was for Ji You to swallow the slip he drew and then calmly watch as Chu He picked the second “defender” slip.

Then, smiling, Ji You had looked at them and asked if they still wanted to draw a third, just to see who would end up as the challenger.

He even added that cultivation was ultimately a game for the wealthy, and as a lone wandering rogue cultivator, he had to be extra cautious.

And so, the final match arrangement had become what it was now.

The Heavenly Script Academy had always upheld the philosophy of going with the flow, and since Chu He did not voice any objections, they simply accepted the outcome.

The three Headmasters were lost in thought when, suddenly, a menacing aura swept through the air.

On the White Jade Terrace of Ascension, a surge of untamed energy burst forth. A vast and violent Spiritual Light flared in all directions, making their hearts tremble in shock.

Buzz! With a single hum, Chu He unsheathed his sword.

Though he had only trained under Instructor Wang for a few days in the way of the sword, his strike bore no trace of technique.

It was the simplest, most primal straight thrust, enveloped in a surge of Qi Force, roaring forward like a storm.

The blade, cutting through the air, was shrouded in a deep purple-red radiance, its very essence infused with thunderclaps and howling winds, surging forth with untamed power.

Clang! Steel clashed as Du Zhu’s iron blade met it head-on, a tidal wave of Spiritual Qi colliding with explosive force. The sheer impact sent gales of wind sweeping across the platform.

Even with such a simple exchange of steel, Du Zhu staggered back three steps, feeling a bone-chilling cold seeping into his very marrow.

In the next instant, Chu He soared into the air. The purple-red energy spiraled around him, the ambient Spiritual Qi swirling in chaos as his sword surged forth once more.

From within the storm of sword light, his eyes gleamed with an icy sharpness, his entire presence exuding an overwhelming killing intent.

“?!”

The Outer Court disciples felt a chill pierce through them, while many Inner Court disciples suddenly shot to their feet.

For those of lesser cultivation, feeling pressure from Chu He was natural.

But for the Inner Court disciples, whose realms were all above his, feeling their scalps tingle from a single strike was something far beyond expectation.

Chu He was now completely engulfed in deep crimson energy, like a hurricane personified. His aura surged violently, exceeding what anyone had anticipated.

Clang! A searing sword light descended, its radiance fierce and scorching.

The crowd’s eyes widened.

“That’s the Chu Clan’s Huntian Spell!”

“So strong…!”

“But Chu He is only at the Mystic Enlightenment Stage, still unable to truly merge techniques! Even if his clan imparted their teachings, how could it possess such power?!”

Beneath the strike, the wind howled like a feral beast.

Du Zhu channeled all of his Spiritual Qi into his blade, gritting his teeth as he met the attack with everything he had. His Immortal Robe was instantly shredded by the violent force.

He had not expected Chu He to be so ruthless. From his perspective, Ji You should have been his true opponent.

Then, another violent tremor rang through the battlefield, a deafening crash of clashing weapons. The sheer force of the collision sent shockwaves rippling outward, engulfing the entire arena in a whirlwind of purple-red lightning.

The iron sword slashed downward once more, its echoing roar a fearsome battle hymn.

Even He Ling Xiu could not help but pale slightly as she sensed the overwhelming arcane energy radiating from that deep purple-red glow.

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