I Will Concede Defeat Wholeheartedly

Chapter 45: I Admit Defeat Wholeheartedly (Prince, please continue reading~)

You Su felt the power coming from behind him and looked up at Gu Yao in surprise.

Frankly, You Su didn't have a good impression of Gu Yao. Perhaps to others, Gu Yao was a noble and stern envoy of the Divine Mountain, but in You Su's eyes, he was just a hypocrite who used his power to oppress others. If it weren't for trying to appease him to get the chance to study, You Su wouldn't have admitted fault against his will that day.

Gu Yao ignored the young man's gaze and continued, "Indeed, these two youths are rare prodigies. Even within our Xuanxiao Sect, few at the same cultivation level possess such strength. In this match, they both displayed their prowess and cannot truly be considered losers compared to themselves. And precisely because of this, I cannot declare them a draw."

"Both victory and defeat are gifts, trophies they deserve today. While the process is important, it cannot be used to blur the outcome. To lose is to lose, to win is to win. Declaring the victor a loser disrespects the winner's efforts, and declaring the loser a winner insults the loser's striving. Their future paths are long, even longer than ours, and they will experience countless successes and failures. Rather than letting them become as detached about victory and defeat as elders now, it's better to let these fiery young men remember the truth of not being arrogant in victory and not being discouraged in defeat."

"Therefore, You Su wins! Wu Cheng loses!"

The excitement of the crowd subsided somewhat after Gu Yao's words. Outsiders truly had no right to determine the outcome of the battle between the two in the arena; it was disrespectful to them.

City Lord Liu and Qi Daodong, along with their entourage, looked a bit serious but still maintained their smiles.

At this moment, someone in the crowd shouted sharply, "Immortal Master Gu, didn't you say not to dwell on victory or defeat? Why are you saying now as if victory and defeat are so important? Moreover..."

"Moreover, I don't think my brother lost! That You Su can barely stand, my brother conceded because he was afraid of hurting him!" The speaker was short and shifty-eyed, looking indignant. It was none other than Wu Ping.

"Ping'er!" Patriarch Wu, Wu Xueting, sternly rebuked Wu Ping's outburst. Even Qi Daodong's smile faded, and he frowned at the young man speaking up for his brother.

Qi Daodong and the others understood that this was not a debate about victory or defeat. It didn't matter if Gu Yao's words had a thousand flaws; who made more sense was irrelevant. What mattered was Gu Yao's stance on the matter. His rebuttal meant that he had decided You Su would win today, regardless of whether the crowd agreed.

What was the point of continuing to argue? It would only make them seem to have ulterior motives.

Gu Yao wasn't angry. He glanced at Wu Ping indifferently, scaring the young man into shrinking back. Just as Wu Ping was about to explain further, someone beside him spoke up.

"Wu Ping, don't be rude! When did Immortal Master Gu's words about not dwelling on victory or defeat equate to victory and defeat not being important? Furthermore, You Su could barely stand because after I conceded, he forcefully controlled his Mystic Qi to stop his sword from harming me, causing him internal injuries. This match, I, Wu Cheng, admit defeat wholeheartedly!"

Wu Cheng's voice grew louder towards the end, no longer directed at Wu Ping but acknowledging his defeat to the entire crowd.

You Su's emotions were complex. Wu Cheng's reaction was even more unexpected than Gu Yao's.

Gu Yao's words could be seen as compensation for forcing him to admit fault earlier. But Wu Cheng had no reason to speak up for him; he could have remained silent and lost nothing.

By speaking up, he not only went against the wishes of his elders behind him but also generously admitted that You Su was the undisputed victor today, a fact no one could change.

"Good! As expected, Senior Brother Gu is far-sighted. Wu Cheng understands the principle of not being discouraged by defeat and will surely strive harder. You Su, do not become arrogant or complacent; continue to persevere. You two understand Immortal Master Gu's teachings, and your future will undoubtedly be bright, and you will surely bring honor to our Chuyun City!"

City Lord Liu, unwilling to prolong the debate about victory and defeat, spoke up to conclude.

Afterward, Gu Yao and City Lord Liu exchanged pleasantries, encouraging the city's cultivators in their pursuit of the Dao and affirming the efforts of all the contestants. The five-day Ascension Meet finally concluded with You Su's victory.

Gu Yao also decided to host a banquet at the City Lord's mansion on the evening of his last day in Chuyun City. He would invite the sect leaders of the city and every contestant. He would present rewards to outstanding cultivators and announce the final recipients of the affiliated sect and Xuanxiao Sect study slots.

Everyone finally dispersed, and the once bustling City Lord's mansion now appeared empty.

With the nurturing Mystic Qi from Gu Yao and the help of the Spirit Creation Pill, You Su could already walk with relative ease. He didn't slip away unnoticed in the crowd.

Gu Yao watched You Su's retreating figure and secretly shook his head, sighing that he was truly too strong a young man. Only such a person could comprehend sword intent at this age, something even old-timers who had practiced swordplay for hundreds of years couldn't grasp. The previous disciple of the Lotus Sword Venerable was the top prodigy; the next one would likely be no less.

On You Su's way back, the crowd surrounding him was even larger than before. His favorite restaurant even offered him free meals from now on, and the proprietress of Zhaiyun Clothing Shop was practically fawning over him, showering him with new clothes.

You Su thanked them all, got some medicine from the pharmacy, and left, avoiding the crowd. When he reached the deserted West Willow Road, he was alone again, which made him feel quite at ease.

However, a sudden obstacle blocking his path made him tense up again, bringing back memories of being cornered so many times since childhood.

It was Wu Cheng.

"Still want to fight?" You Su frowned slightly, his hand already on his sword hilt. His legs were inconvenient, so he couldn't escape as before; he could only fight now.

"Not fighting, didn't I say? I admit defeat wholeheartedly." Wu Cheng smiled and slowly walked towards You Su. He hadn't changed his blood-stained clothes, clearly having waited here for a while.

You Su didn't relax his vigilance, his hand still on his sword hilt.

"Don't be so tense, I just wanted to talk. I don't like talking before a fight, but can't I talk after one?" Wu Cheng stopped about two meters away from You Su, a distance that didn't feel threatening but wasn't too far either.

"If you have nothing else, then move aside. I'm in a hurry to get home." You Su's tone was clearly not friendly towards Wu Cheng.

Wu Cheng seemed to have expected this. He stepped aside and looked at the lush green leaves, saying leisurely, "My Master isn't as petty as you think. He did ask me to spar with you initially, but the later incidents targeting you were all my own doing. Even if you beat me, he wouldn't have truly attacked you."

"Mm." You Su didn't stop and hurried away.

"So, if you had agreed to fight me earlier, wouldn't it have been simpler? I knew you were so powerful, so I wouldn't have pestered you anymore."

"That's not a reason for you to keep pestering me."

"You're right. I was too fixated before. I won't bother you again." Wu Cheng looked relaxed, as if a burden had been lifted. He turned to look at You Su's retreating back and said solemnly, "You Su, the next time we meet, it will be at the Divine Mountain. I will defeat you."

You Su walked forward silently, disappearing around the corner of the alley, his indifferent voice echoing from afar:

"Next time, I won't hold back."

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