Another Match

Soon.

The disciples of the two sects had already gathered in the Martial Arena.

Every one of them was brimming with fighting spirit.

Dragon Mountain Daoist and Divine Sword Elder sat in Grand Tutor Chairs, smiling cheerfully.

The two spoke through Voice Transmission.

"Divine Sword Brother, what do you think of my idea?"

"You old bull's nose, I never thought you'd be this black-bellied."

"Divine Sword Brother, those words are mistaken. This old Daoist is letting the disciples temper themselves more. Think about it—before, it was always us fighting while they watched. What could they learn? At most, they were watching the excitement. But now, they're personally taking the field, and with the heavy responsibility of their sect on their shoulders, they'll certainly go all out. The effect will be completely different."

"Fine, you're clever. Once the disciples of my Divine Sword Sect beat your True Martial Sect until they cry for their fathers and mothers, this old man will reluctantly allow you to stay on True Martial Mountain for a few more years."

Listening to his old friend refuse to yield even in words, Dragon Mountain Daoist merely smiled and did not argue.

In his heart, Divine Sword Elder felt a faint gratitude.

He knew that Dragon Mountain Daoist had taken the initiative to propose this method to preserve his face as well.

In truth, though, he had never really intended to take True Martial Mountain back. At most, he would mock him a few times when the time came.

Gratitude was gratitude.

Face still had to be fought for.

"Since I can't beat you, then it's the same if my disciples beat your disciples!"

Divine Sword Elder was very confident.

Having received Dragon Mountain Daoist's signal, Luo Wentian looked toward the disciples of both sects.

"Everyone, according to my master and Senior Divine Sword, this sparring session is mainly for tempering yourselves. Though you must go all out, you must also stop at the proper point. You are strictly forbidden from wantonly injuring others, or you will surely be heavily punished."

"Of course, if you perform well, the two elders will not be stingy with rewards either!"

"Which disciple wishes to go first?"

Everyone was eager to try.

Very soon.

An Outer Disciple of the True Martial Sect stepped out.

"I am Wang Chong, Outer Disciple of the True Martial Sect. Which member of the Divine Sword Sect is willing to offer me a few pointers?" The youth was high-spirited and full of vigor.

Whether it was the True Martial Sect or the Divine Sword Sect, both were divided into Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and True Disciples. Outer Disciples were all in the Body Tempering Realm, while Inner Disciples were in the Inner Yuan Realm. If one was in the Gang Yuan Realm, one was an elder-level figure in the sect. It was just that both sects had not been founded for long, so there were very few Gang Yuan Realm cultivators.

As for True Disciples, they were not ranked by strength. These were disciples personally accepted by Dragon Mountain Daoist and Divine Sword Elder.

A youth from the Divine Sword Sect drew his sword and stepped out, his sharp edge revealed.

"I, Li Bing of the Divine Sword Sect's Outer Sect, will come meet you!"

The two clashed at once.

Sword light danced, and fist wind howled.

Those who dared to come out first naturally had some confidence.

The watching crowd nodded inwardly.

Ning Qi was also watching. He rarely fought, but with his Comprehension, experience-based things like this were far simpler than creating techniques. He only needed one or two battles for the growth he gained to far surpass others. Even observing others fight brought him tremendous improvement.

"Wang Chong is going to win."

Wang Chong used the Tiger Demon Fist. Ning Qi had cultivated this fist art as well, and in a short span, he had already brought it to the perfect realm. After that, he had even integrated it into his own Myriad Manifestations Fist. He likely understood this fist art even better than the founder of the Tiger Demon Fist.

As soon as this thought arose, Wang Chong punched with a Tiger Roar, carrying a surge of baleful qi, blasting Li Bing backward.

"Thanks for the match."

Wang Chong stopped at the proper point.

The disciples of the True Martial Sect were all stirred and delighted, while the disciples of the Divine Sword Sect could no longer hold themselves back.

"I'll come meet you!"

The atmosphere in the Martial Arena was thoroughly fired up.

Outer Disciples went up one after another.

But it could clearly be seen that the disciples of the True Martial Sect were stronger than the disciples of the Divine Sword Sect, and their foundation was somewhat deeper. The disciples of the Divine Sword Sect suffered more losses than victories.

Divine Sword Elder was startled and uncertain, and said with some envy:

"Dragon Mountain old bull's nose, you really did take in a fine batch of disciples, didn't you?"

Dragon Mountain Daoist stroked his beard and laughed loudly, glancing without a trace toward Ning Qi, greatly gratified.

Nearly two years had passed since they obtained the Improved Body Tempering Powder, and the results were already beginning to show.

It was foreseeable that in the future, the foundation of the True Martial Sect would grow deeper and deeper.

Divine Sword Elder saw Dragon Mountain Daoist deliberately acting profound and let out an irritated cold snort.

Very soon.

It was the Inner Disciples' turn to take the stage.

This time, the True Martial Sect's advantage was not so great. After all, Divine Sword Elder was no pushover either. It was said he had once obtained the incomplete inheritance of a Sword Saint, and the disciples of the Divine Sword Sect were all skilled in slaughter and killing.

The True Martial Sect's victories were almost tied with those of the Divine Sword Sect's disciples.

At that.

Divine Sword Elder's expression finally improved a little, though it was still dark.

His gaze swept across the field. A White-Robed Youth understood at once and immediately shot out. The White-Robed Youth had an imposing bearing, his eyes like lightning, and the three-foot green blade in his hand gleamed with a cold light like autumn water.

"Yan Shiheng, Sixth True Disciple of the Divine Sword Sect, is here. I ask the True Disciples of the True Martial Sect for instruction!"

Everyone's gazes shook.

The contest between True Disciples was the greatest spectacle. After all, in a certain sense, True Disciples were what truly represented a sect's real foundation.

Ning Qi raised an eyebrow, interest stirring as well.

Qin Yun was just about to rise.

A figure beside him pressed him back down.

The Thin Youth in Blue Daoist Robe smiled and said, "Sun Chuanhai, Sixth True Disciple of the True Martial Sect. Brother Yan, please instruct me!"

Sixth True Disciple against Sixth True Disciple—this was the proper match.

The two exchanged courtesies.

Then, almost at the same time, they charged to kill each other.

The moment Zhenwu Disciples made a move, it immediately felt different. Both of them were in the Inner Yuan Realm, but their combat strength was much greater than the Inner Disciples'. Their techniques were exquisite, leaving the gathered disciples sighing in admiration and crying out in surprise again and again.

Even Dragon Mountain Daoist and Divine Sword Elder watched much more intently.

"Sixth Senior Brother will probably lose."

Ning Qi watched very carefully.

He wanted to observe the circulation of Inner Strength, but the Inner Strength of Inner Yuan Realm experts was deeply restrained, able only to augment the body. Those with profound cultivation could extend it outside the body, but they could not release it from the body the way Gang Yuan could. Even after exhausting all his effort, Ning Qi could only infer the changes in their Inner Strength through the variations in their moves.

Because of that, he could tell that after the two had exchanged several hundred moves, Sun Chuanhai was beginning to run out of strength.

Joy surfaced in Divine Sword Elder's eyes.

Sure enough, Sun Chuanhai's expression changed, and Yan Shiheng's sword had already appeared at his throat at some unknown moment.

In the first battle of the True Disciples, the Divine Sword Sect won.

"Brother Yan's swordsmanship is astonishing."

Sun Chuanhai drew in a deep breath and said. His skill was inferior; there was nothing more to say.

Yan Shiheng returned the courtesy.

"Brother Sun overpraises me. I merely ate two more years' worth of rice."

He looked toward the others from the True Martial Sect and said calmly, "Which True Disciple will offer me instruction next?"

The disciples of the Divine Sword Sect relaxed. This time, it was the True Martial Sect's disciples who became somewhat restless instead.

Qin Yun finally could not hold himself back. With a tap of his toe, his figure drifted gracefully down opposite Yan Shiheng.

"Qin Yun, Eighth True Disciple of the True Martial Sect!"

Battle intent rose in his eyes.

Yan Shiheng frowned slightly. If Sun Chuanhai could still be considered in the same age bracket as him, then Qin Yun was much younger, probably five or six years his junior. Even if he won, it would be a victory without honor.

But in the next instant.

He changed his mind.

Qin Yun held a saber. With just one slash, that powerful, biting saber light made him cast aside his earlier thoughts.

This boy was even stronger than the previous Sixth True Disciple! Within the arena, saber light and sword light crisscrossed. Even with both of them doing their utmost to control it, they still inevitably carved one interlacing mark after another across the Martial Arena.

Qin Yun's gaze was cold, and the more he fought, the stronger he became.

After only a hundred moves.

A streak of saber light cut open the clothes at Yan Shiheng's chest.

The True Martial Sect's disciples could not help cheering in excitement.

"Eighth Senior Brother is mighty!"

For the Eighth True Disciple to defeat the Sixth True Disciple greatly boosted morale.

Divine Sword Elder's expression was complicated.

He could tell that this Eighth True Disciple of the True Martial Sect had extremely high talent. Most likely, he was already advancing toward the great accomplishment stage of the Inner Yuan Realm. To have such achievements at such an age—his own Divine Sword Sect currently could not find a single person like that.

Dragon Mountain Daoist could not help revealing a smile as well.

Before Ning Qi went up the mountain, Qin Yun had been the most talented disciple in the True Martial Sect.

Qin Yun basked in the feeling of being the focus of every gaze, his mood inexplicably carefree.

He said calmly:

"I concede."

Yan Shiheng merely waved a hand with a wry smile, faintly discouraged.

Dragon Mountain Daoist smiled and said to the Divine Sword Elder beside him, "Divine Sword Brother, how about we call today's battles here?"

"The disciples must have gained a certain understanding of one another's strength. In another ten years, we can determine victory and defeat again."

The Divine Sword Elder fell slightly silent.

He felt somewhat stifled.

Their Outer Disciples were completely outmatched, their Inner Disciples were also a little inferior, and though the True Disciples were said to have one win and one loss, the other side's Eighth True Disciple had defeated his own Sixth True Disciple. No matter how one looked at it, that could not count as a draw.

His face burned hot. He looked toward Zhuang Chen, the Chubby Kid off to the side who was sniffing back snot, and made up his mind.

"Why don't we have one more match?"