Fighting Wu Cheng

The sun rose in the east, painting the mountains with light. In Chuyun City, a throng of people surged towards the City Lord's mansion, eager to secure good viewing spots for the upcoming match.

You Su, surrounded by his supporters, was cheered on by the common folk. To them, You Su, a cultivator of such caliber, was approachable and down-to-earth. Facing Wu Cheng, who represented the aloof cultivators from the heavens, it felt as though You Su was fighting for them.

Passing by the breakfast street, everyone wanted to offer him food. You Su politely refused each offer, accepting only a crispy fried cake from Granny Wang.

When he walked past Zhaiyun Clothing Shop, the proprietress spotted him heading to such an important event in his simple black robe. Angered, she dragged him inside, intending to strip him and put on something new. Unable to refuse, You Su relented, settling for a slightly flashy silver belt, embroidered with the delicate characters "Zhaiyun."

After a strenuous journey, You Su finally arrived at the City Lord's mansion. Gu Yao, City Lord Liu, and others were already seated. At the other end of the arena, Wu Cheng, clad in understated white, stood silently by the edge, his gaze fixed on You Su.

Seeing that both contenders had arrived, City Lord Liu stood to quiet the boisterous crowd. He delivered a practiced speech, praising their exceptional skills and acknowledging their arduous journey to this final match. He urged them to fight bravely but to concede promptly if outmatched, forbidding any futile resistance.

Gu Yao also stepped forward, promising a gift to anyone he deemed to have performed exceptionally, regardless of their final ranking. This announcement rekindled hope in many participating cultivators, as gifts from a Xuanxiao Sect immortal were not easily obtained. Conversely, those who had performed poorly or given up hope grew even more disheartened.

At a signal, You Su and Wu Cheng slowly walked to the center of the arena. For You Su, a rare ripple of emotion stirred within him.

Facing others, You Su had never felt he would lose. Among cultivators, too many were content with mediocrity, their progress likely halted at the Channel Opening or Spirit Platform Realm, their pursuit of the Dao disrupted by external distractions and a lack of unwavering resolve.

But Wu Cheng, You Su sensed his pursuit of the Dao. Standing opposite him now, he felt a flicker of threat.

However, no matter what, even if You Su didn't need the spot as a disciple, he could not allow himself to lose to Wu Cheng. Setting aside their childhood squabbles, the provocation at his doorstep recently had thoroughly enraged You Su. Now, in this setting, he no longer had to worry about repercussions from Wu Cheng's backers. He was determined to shatter Wu Cheng's inexplicable arrogance.

Wu Cheng was also assessing You Su, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. The day had finally come when he could face You Su head-on. He felt an extraordinary excitement. He couldn't understand why he disliked You Su so intensely. While he treated others with considerable politeness, his aversion to this blind man grew with each encounter.

From childhood, he had been the pampered eldest son of his family, personally chosen by the Sky Guard Sect Master as his disciple. His growth had been smooth and uneventful. It wasn't until his Master first asked him to spar with You Su that he experienced the sting of rejection – a bitter, unwilling taste.

He detested this feeling. As a youth, he stubbornly wished for You Su to agree to a match, but You Su always refused. He couldn't comprehend why. Wasn't it just a fight, followed by an admission of inferiority? Everyone else could do it; why couldn't this blind man?

This eventually became his obsession, his inner demon, casting a shadow beneath his brilliant exterior. This filled him with dread, yet also gratitude towards You Su. He felt You Su had made him more complete, transforming him from a mere shining puppet for his family and sect to bring glory, into someone capable of harboring his own hatred and projecting it onto You Su.

At times, Wu Cheng even felt like a desperate sycophant in a brothel, endlessly pursuing a top courtesan. The more unattainable she seemed, the more he pursued. However, he differed fundamentally from those who couldn't achieve their desires. Because now, he had achieved it. He would immediately trample and ravage the seemingly impassive courtesan, thereby severing his obsession and paving the way to a broader Dao.

As the bronze drum sounded with a resonant "bang," the crowd by the arena held their breath, their gazes fixed intently on the two figures, one black, one white, in the center. This highly anticipated duel had finally begun.

You Su was more serious than ever, mobilizing all his senses to perceive Wu Cheng's every move. Wu Cheng was no mere decorative pillow; he wouldn't expose a glaring weakness like Sheng Ziling, allowing for an instant victory. You Su had to plan before acting. Being blind, he already had a congenital disadvantage; a purely offensive strategy wasn't the optimal path to victory.

Wu Cheng was also poised for action, his hands gripping his sword hilt, one in front, the other behind. This was the most difficult starting stance from the Sky Guard Sect's Sky Guard Sword Scripture. Among the younger generation, only Wu Cheng could execute it proficiently. It was as if all his Qi and sword momentum were condensed and compressed within the blade, ready to unleash a devastating strike.

"You Su, you're finally not running today," Wu Cheng said with a sudden smile.

"I don't have a habit of talking before a fight," You Su replied, secretly gathering his strength, ready for anything.

Wu Cheng's smile widened. "What a coincidence, neither do I."

The moment the word "I" left his lips, a streak of light flashed. Wu Cheng, enveloped in astonishing sword momentum, swept towards You Su, his sword advancing fearlessly.

Witnessing this strike from Wu Cheng, those previously defeated by him in a single blow were astonished. The seemingly unstoppable sword they had faced was far from Wu Cheng's limit. At this very moment, they all believed You Su's defeat was inevitable.

But how could You Su be defeated so easily? Two swords clashed with a resounding clang. You Su was forced back a meter by the impact, his shoes leaving clear drag marks on the ground. Even his right hand, gripping the sword, trembled from the force of Wu Cheng's strike.

You Su remained calm. He knew the greatest drawback of this type of sword technique, which focused on a single, powerful strike, was the prolonged period of vulnerability afterward. Thus, You Su immediately released his right hand, twisted his body, and caught the Ink Pine Sword as it fell, driving it straight towards Wu Cheng's chest.

This move was incredibly perilous. Any slight miscalculation in predicting the opponent's sword trajectory could result in being directly severed.

Wu Cheng was startled by You Su's counter. It was easier to advance than to retreat. It was now too difficult for him to block You Su's sword. He immediately chanted an incantation, forming a Shock Qi Art to slow You Su's momentum.

Sensing the resistance against the Ink Pine Sword, You Su didn't struggle. He retracted his left hand, turned, and launched a flying kick towards Wu Cheng's face. You Su didn't practice leg techniques, but this kick was still powerful. He had channeled the Iron Transformation Technique, learned from the Selected Five Elements Sorcery, causing the Mystic Qi in his right leg to instantly tighten, making it as hard as steel.

Wu Cheng hadn't expected You Su to know sorcery, assuming him to be purely a Sword Cultivator. Astonished, he had no time to think of a better response and could only retract his arm to block with his elbow, taking the full force of the kick.

After the kick, Wu Cheng was sent flying back several meters. Comparing the distances each was forced to move, the onlookers were surprised that You Su had gained a slight advantage.

Seeing their desperate, life-or-death stance, City Lord Liu's eyes showed concern. "Senior Brother Gu, this..."

Gu Yao smiled nonchalantly and replied casually, "It's fine, I have it under control."

No enemy would hold back out of politeness. Gu Yao admired those with spirit, those who could shoulder the responsibility of clearing the world's impurities. While solitary cultivators existed, Gu Yao, at least, did not respect them.

Gu Yao withdrew his thoughts and continued to focus intently on the battle unfolding in the arena.

Wu Cheng patted his sleeve where he'd been kicked, his expression growing serious. You Su was a Mandarin Sword Sect disciple. Wu Cheng had intended to defeat him on the sword path, You Su's greatest strength, to make him completely submit. However, he hadn't expected his opponent to be so versatile, and his underestimation had nearly led to a grave mistake. Now, he decided not to hold back any longer. Sword in his right hand, fingers of his left hand together, "One Sword, One Art" was his strongest stance.

You Su felt the oppressive aura emanating from Wu Cheng and slightly lowered his stance, like a slender willow in the wind, swaying with it. No matter how fierce the wind and rain, it could not break it.

In the next instant, they charged at each other. Their swords met and clashed repeatedly, emitting a resounding din.

On the surface, it appeared to be an even match, but keen observers could discern that You Su was subtly gaining the upper hand. You Su's sword techniques didn't aim for immediate victory; instead, they seemed to cling to Wu Cheng's sword, forcing Wu Cheng to constantly react to You Su's endless onslaught, leaving him no time to chant incantations.

Gu Yao's eyes flickered as he observed. He realized this blind man's swordsmanship was undoubtedly profound, and his application of sword techniques was exceptionally skillful, appearing seasoned beyond his years. Recalling his encounter with Lotus Sword Venerable the previous night, he couldn't help but speculate about her connection to You Su.

Lotus Sword Venerable was a leading figure among female Sword Cultivators in the Five Continents. Relying on her self-created Lotus Birth Sword Technique, she had carved out thirteen peaks within Xuanxiao Sect's territory, becoming Xuanxiao Sect's thirteenth elder – a true female sword immortal. She had been famous for a century and had only taken one female disciple. After disappearing for eight years, her first appearance was to ask him to protect a young man. It was likely she saw the boy's talent in swordsmanship and intended to take him as her second disciple.

With this thought, Gu Yao made a decision.

Meanwhile, in the arena, the two continued to grapple. However, Wu Cheng was clearly weakening, his earlier evenly matched struggle now reduced to him retreating step by step. He prided himself on his exceptional sword skills, yet he couldn't match You Su's comprehension of the sword.

You Su had practiced his sword swings tens of thousands of times daily since childhood, never slacking due to his talent, seeking the power of water droplets wearing away stone. This was not something easily achieved by anyone.

His sword was struck away once more, and Wu Cheng completely lost the rhythm of You Su's attacks, exposing a significant opening. You Su, sensing it keenly, had waited for such an opportunity during their prolonged engagement and immediately thrust his sword forward.

Unexpectedly, this turned out to be a feigned weakness deliberately exposed by Wu Cheng. Because he had prepared himself mentally, Wu Cheng managed to narrowly dodge, allowing the Ink Pine Sword to only graze his waist. He traded the precious time needed to cast a spell for the cost of his injury. A fiery dragon erupted from his palm. You Su, wary of the flames' power, had to create distance, his black robe now bearing several scorched holes.

Qi Daodong, seeing Wu Cheng bleed, frowned deeply and was about to call a halt to the increasingly fierce confrontation. However, he couldn't believe his prized disciple would lose and ultimately restrained himself from standing up.

You Su's heart sank. His vigilance towards Wu Cheng was now at two hundred percent. The opponent's strength far exceeded his expectations. The power within that fire stream was far greater than the sorcery he had only learned for a few days. Wu Cheng was clearly adept at sorcery. You Su immediately raised his sword and attacked again, unwilling to give him any chance to breathe.

Wu Cheng paid no mind to the bleeding wound on his waist. He decisively discarded his sword and began rapidly forming hand seals, chanting incantations. Gu Yao, witnessing Wu Cheng's hand movements, nearly slammed the table in shock. He realized that Wu Cheng was performing two different incantations simultaneously! He intended to release two spells with a single chant!

Gu Yao hadn't expected that Wu Cheng possessed such an extremely rare innate Dao Body—the Sound-Word Dao Body!

This Dao Body was naturally highly sensitive to sound, making it especially suitable for cultivating sorcery. Only those who possessed this Dao Body could cast spells simultaneously. Historically, there was even a Sound-Word Dao Body user who could unleash five spells at once! Wu Cheng, despite only being in the lower stage of the Spirit Platform Realm, could already cast two simultaneously. His future was immeasurable!

Gu Yao watched the two figures in the arena and sighed, "How can this small Chuyun City be worthy of nurturing two young heavenly prodigies, a crouching dragon and a phoenix, at the same time? And they were both hidden so deeply!"

Even City Lord Liu wore a look of astonishment. Only Wu Cheng's Master, Qi Daodong, appeared confident, believing this battle was already a sure win.

You Su's sword light arrived, but Wu Cheng neither dodged nor evaded. His lips moved in a silent chant, and he suddenly clapped his hands together! A tangible chain instantly bound You Su's legs, directly yanking and holding his swift form in place. You Su tried to forcefully push off the ground to break free, but the chain unexpectedly delivered rapid electric shocks, leaving his entire body stiff and gradually weakening.

Wu Cheng seemed exhausted after casting the spell, panting heavily as he arrogantly looked at the immobilized You Su. He then managed another incantation, and the fire dragon from before once again coiled around his hand.

"You Su, surrender," he said haughtily.

You Su had never encountered such a body-binding sorcery. Even the immobilization spell cast by True Man Ling, who was in the Condensing Water Realm, wasn't as troublesome as Wu Cheng's, leaving him stuck as if in quicksand, unable to move.

Seeing this, everyone assumed the fierce battle had finally concluded.

But You Su didn't stop struggling!

The cold sword hummed, seemingly more unyielding than You Su. Feeling the weight on the sword hilt, You Su perceived absolute silence, with only his Mistress's voice echoing repeatedly in his mind, "Believe in the sword you've swung countless times."

You Su raised his eyes, and a piercing gaze erupted from his previously vacant pupils. He lightly twisted the sword's edge and used the Wind Riding Ladder Technique with his feet. Ignoring the bloody tears on his calves, he forcefully leaped high into the air. This descending sword strike was like divine punishment! Under the clear blue sky, it made people envision torrential rain and thunder!

Everyone present seemed to have their minds captivated by this sword strike, forgetting to breathe.

Gu Yao was so shocked he stood up abruptly and immediately rushed into the arena to save Wu Cheng, cursing inwardly, "Damn it, he comprehended Sword Intent at eighteen! Does he want to be a Sword God?!"

Wu Cheng stood frozen on the spot, unable to dodge the approaching sword edge. Yet, he showed no fear. Instead, he smiled, a smile of complete satisfaction.

"I surrender."

Please support by reading! Otherwise, it's really going to be gone, sob sob!! Reading this double-chaptered update should be satisfying. This chapter is definitely not about whitewashing Wu Cheng; people are complex, not simple villains. Bullies have their reasons for bullying, but that doesn't mean they will be forgiven.