Chapter 450
In an instant, the Mystic Frost Sword Qi surged forth, and the white light flashed like Rushing Thunder. It was as if a giant dragon made of white jade was rushing out along the lake surface, swallowing up Si Shuiyun's figure in the blink of an eye.
Just as everyone was worried that Shen Wumian accidentally kill someone in his rage, suddenly a dark Gang Qi burst forth from the jade dragon's body, each petal resembling a lotus flower in full bloom.
"Eight-Petal Lotus Slash!"
Previously, Si Shuiyun used the "Water Moon Precious Mirror" as a foundation to unleash the ultimate moves of the "Void Shadow Killing Technique," but now she has reversed the situation.
The black lotus bloomed, strangling the white dragon. Shattered Sword Qi and blade aura spread out in mid-air, affecting the frozen lake below, which shattered instantly with crackling sounds, sending ice shards flying. The mountain wall where the waterfall was located was not spared either, as if a shallow explosion had occurred, blasting out crisscrossing cracks that extended in all directions. Chunks of earth and rocks flew and fell, causing the heroes below to retreat and avoid them. Some unlucky ones were hit, their heads bleeding, and for a moment, there were howls and cries of ghosts.
But the true masters paid no attention to such trivial matters; their eyes remained fixed on the sky, not even blinking.
Even amidst the terrifying burst of sword and blade Sword Qi, the two combatants did not cease their fight. Accompanied by a continuous series of clashing weapons, they descended from the air, fighting as they fell. Just as they were about to fall into the lake, they simultaneously struck each other with a palm strike. The force of the palm strikes sent them flying far away.
Si Shuiyun was knocked back in the direction of the shattered island. The moment her toes touched the ground, she immediately swung her halberd and charged out.
Shen Wumian reacted in the same way, but there were no rocks or islands in the direction he retreated, only broken ice blocks. When he stepped on the ice, it floated and he inevitably slipped.
Two figures rapidly approached each other, each unleashing their weapons; the outcome was decided in an instant!
Tick-tock.
Blood flowed from the wound, dripping down the blade of the Wave-Severing Dagger-Axe Spear and into the lake.
Si Shuiyun's Wave-Severing Dagger-Axe struck Shen Wumian's right chest, penetrating an inch inward, while Shen Wumian's Crimson Snow Sword barely stopped at Si Shuiyun's shoulder.
"Why not cut it down?" Si Shuiyun asked.
"A martial artist has the pride of a martial artist. If one is even an inch slower, then one has lost. A loser should at least retain their last shred of dignity, rather than clinging to the past after already having lost. That would be too ugly."
Shen Wumian sheathed his sword, then took a step back and covered his wound to stop the bleeding.
The pinnacle of mastery is close to the peak of the Spirit Transformation. Si Shuiyun is still quite far from that level. In terms of strength, cultivation, and skill, she is no match for Shen Wumian. However, she was the one who won in the end. Although she had the advantage of location, the help of Si Ming, and a little bit of luck, she won. That was an unchangeable result.
Battle is such an interesting thing, with too many unpredictable variables, which is why some people say—
It's not that the strong win, but that the winners become strong.
"The pride of a martial artist? I didn't see any of that so-called pride in the last match," Si Shuiyun said with a hint of sarcasm.
Shen Wumian did not argue about who poisoned him, but said, "I come from the Aristocratic Clan, and I have relatives and friends in my family. Therefore, I have an obligation to protect their interests, but that does not mean that I condone their actions." After saying that, he turned and left.
"An opponent who doesn't inspire disgust, no wonder he possesses such cultivation."
Si Shuiyun gave a rare, fair evaluation.
Seeing that Wuguo side had any objections, Master Wuguo immediately announced the result, "The winner of the fifth match is the Heavenly Martial Alliance."
Shen Wumian returned to his clansmen's location, clutching his wound. He had fought as the top expert of a prestigious Aristocratic Clan, but had been defeated, which naturally drew criticism.
"Shen Wumian, I never expected you to lose to a mere dowry maid! You've completely disgraced the Aristocratic Clan!"
"What on earth did you do? How could you lose such an important battle? Do you know how devastating this is for the people? Everyone placed their hopes on you, and this is how you repay them?"
"We went through so much trouble to finally win two matches, and you ruined them all. How are we supposed to win the next two matches?"
"Snowflake Divine Sword? Bah!"
Faced with the accusations, Shen Wumian shrugged slightly, drew his Crimson Snow Sword half a foot from its sheath, and several Sword Qi shot out from it, attacking the people who were hurling insults at him.
"Shen Wumian, how dare you!"
These people's expressions changed drastically. They hurriedly made moves to defend themselves, but to no avail. They were all pierced through the chest by the Sword Qi, and then the cold flowed into their bodies, covering the wounds with a layer of white frost. Their faces turned purple from the cold.
"It's not that I dare not, it's that you don't even have the right to speak in front of me."
Shen Wumian ignored the reactions of others after hearing his words, found a clean patch of grass, sat down, and began to heal his injuries.
This commotion naturally did not escape Si Ming's watchful eye.
"They said a desperate army is bound to win, but they've turned into infighting. What a bunch of useless idiots!"
Compared to the Aristocratic Clan, whose soldiers were reduced to deadly foes and plagued by internal strife, the Heavenly Martial Alliance was naturally filled with joy and confidence. Moreover, everyone looked at Si Shuiyun with respect, no longer looking down on her as a "dowry maid." After all, she was a female master who had defeated the "Snowflake Divine Sword" in a head-on battle. This achievement was genuine, and from now on, the martial arts world would have another top-notch expert—reputation was more important than strength.
As long as you have the ability, you will earn respect. The martial arts world is a fair yet mercenary place.
Many female warriors looked at Si Shuiyun with longing in their eyes. After all, there were very few female masters in the world, practically phoenix feathers and unicorn horns, and not a single Grandmaster among them. Si Shuiyun's strength gave them hope, but they couldn't help but feel a sense of regret and disappointment—why would someone so powerful willingly become a maidservant in someone else's dowry?
Consequently, Si Ming's image in the eyes of others became even more unfathomable.
Some people have also begun to discuss what kind of catchy nickname should be given to Si Shuiyun that can both reflect her superb martial arts skills and match her image.
After a short rest, Master Wuguo led everyone back to the waterfall and said, "The sixth martial arts match will take place here."
Gu Changsheng frowned and asked, "The same as the fifth match?"
Master Wuguo shook his head, pointed diagonally upwards with his finger, and said, "The sixth match will be held above the waterfall. The first to land loses, whether they fall to the ground or into the lake."
Gu Changsheng glanced at Si Ming and said, "Our side would like to add a rule: neither side's members may interfere in the fighting in any way."
The Heavenly Martial Alliance members objected. "Why should we! Just because you're incompetent doesn't mean others can't be. No wonder the Aristocratic Clan are declining; it's because of people like you who are always dragging them down."
The members of the Aristocratic Clan said, "True Lord observes chess in silence, but a martial arts duel is a matter between two people and should be decided fairly and squarely. What kind of behavior is it to have a third party interfere? Does it even matter if fairness is lost?"
The two sides argued endlessly, Wuguo agreement was reached, the master looked at Si Ming and said, "This matter still depends on the alliance leader's thoughts."
Ultimately, this rule was set up to restrict Si Ming; it makes no difference whether others have this rule or not.
Everyone thought that Si Ming would never agree, after all, it would be tantamount to tying his own hands and handing over a major advantage to his side. The Aristocratic Clan's proposal was like a mouse trying to put a bell on a cat.