No Future

"Won just like that?"

Everyone in the stands looked utterly bewildered. Even some of the Inner Court powerhouses felt completely at a loss.

This was probably the most absurd victory in the Outer Court's history.

The loser was baffled, and the winner wore the same dazed expression.

"The first half was going so well. How did it all go off the rails at the end?"

"Don't ask. If it's Xu Xiaoshou, then an outcome like this is perfectly normal..."

"Haha, I've watched his matches all the way through. If the result weren't bizarre, it wouldn't be Xu Xiaoshou!"

"But this is the semifinals..."

Some people still could not believe it. The semifinals, which in previous years had been fought tooth and nail, had ended so hastily today?

"Under suspicion, Passive Value, +664."
"Under suspicion, Passive Value, +121."
"..."

Forget everyone else—even Xu Xiaoshou himself was dumbfounded.

His victory truly owed much to Mu Zixi's bite. Otherwise, the final outcome might still have been anyone's guess...

If she had not been greedy for that bite and had simply shoved him off the arena while he was paralyzed, Xu Xiaoshou might really have been beyond saving.

But there were no ifs...

He collected himself and walked along with a cheerful grin, constantly checking the Passive Value flooding his mind from all the doubts.

"Not bad!"

As he entered the waiting area, the barrier immediately cut off all information from outside, yet the scrolling notifications did not stop.

"Under suspicion, Passive Value, +2."
"Under suspicion, Passive Value, +2."
"..."

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the two stiff workers and smiled helplessly.

"Ride with the swift wind, leaving a trail of question marks behind..."

The contestant who had passively made it into the finals entered the washroom, cleaned the bloodstains from his body and clothes, then returned to his resting chair to meditate.

Xu Xiaoshou took out a Spirit Crystal, sniffing it as he recalled the battle.

It had to be said that Mu Zixi was very strong!

She was another girl who had broadened his combat horizons. The various unconventional fighting methods of the Innate realm truly opened one's eyes. Chao Qingteng, Mu Zixi...

Well, Zhou Tianshen counted as half of one.

Xu Xiaoshou began looking forward to how his strength would transform once he entered the Innate realm.

Perhaps then, he would no longer be constrained by those few passive skills in his mind. He could stretch his limbs and strike furiously in every direction.

"Still, it's probably because the time has been too short. I haven't gathered enough powerful passive skills..."

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes. From the time he obtained the Passive System until now, it had been far too short.

Even though he had earned Passive Value like mad during that time, he had only acquired six passive skills. Being able to barely combine them well enough to reach the finals was already no easy feat.

Perhaps if he were given more time, once the number and levels of his skills rose, he would not even need to hope for Innate attribute power...

"Mm, that makes perfect sense!" Xu Xiaoshou nodded heavily.

The two workers huddled in the corner and whispered, "He's started again..."

Xu Xiaoshou's face darkened. These two really were something!

Didn't they know I had Perception now? Hmph! He turned his back, took out a Spirit Refining Pill, and inhaled sharply, quickly recovering his condition.

His best plan now had been to watch Mo Mo's battle, but his fight with Mu Zixi had left him somewhat seriously injured.

"Endless Vitality" could restore him, but it still required time. So Xu Xiaoshou simply closed his eyes to rest, no longer allowing outside matters to disturb him.

Not long after, a worker knocked him awake.

"Has the match started?"

"No."

The worker took a letter from his robes. "It's from Elder Qiao."

Xu Xiaoshou raised a brow. What could be so important that it had to be delivered by letter?

Well, that made sense. Elder Qiao was probably watching the matches right now and could not come to the waiting area.

This letter had likely only been delivered because he was an elder! Xu Xiaoshou opened the envelope. There were only three large words written inside: "Sealing Art!"

Hiss! Spiritual energy surged out, burning the letter to ash, and Xu Xiaoshou sank into thought.

What did that mean, Sealing Art? Did it have something to do with Mo Mo in the finals?

At present, the only thing connected to this was the upcoming final. And without question, his opponent would be Mo Mo...

"Come to think of it, it seems no one has ever truly seen what abilities the Outer Court's senior sister possesses..."

"Every opponent gets blasted off the arena with two or three palms. Could it be related to this 'Sealing Art'?"

"Is this also Innate attribute power?"

"But what does it seal? Spiritual energy?"

One letter had brought even more question marks. Xu Xiaoshou simply stopped thinking about it.

If it truly sealed spiritual energy, then it would basically have no effect on him.

At present, he hardly needed spiritual energy in battle, aside from using those four sword moves of "Leisurely White Clouds."

Even if he really lacked spiritual energy, he could casually take out a Spirit Refining Pill. At most, he would stiffen for half a second before recovering. It was no great concern.

"Call me when it's the finals."

After saying that to the workers, he closed his eyes again and began to comprehend sword intent.

The workers hurriedly agreed and sat back down to drink tea.

Yet before the teacup could even be lifted, it began to tremble. An inexplicable sword intent rose from it, and tea splashed everywhere.

The two workers looked at each other in speechless silence.

"Under curse, Passive Value, +2."

The corners of Xu Xiaoshou's lips curled faintly as he cultivated with his eyes closed. The teacup immediately shook even more violently.

"Under curse, Passive Value, +2, +2, +2, +2..."

Smack! At the edge of the arena, Mo Mo sent out a palm strike, and her burly opponent tumbled off the stage. Xiao Qixiu's voice rang out at just the right moment.

A wave of astonishment swept through the stands. Everyone wore expressions that said it was unexpected, yet somehow perfectly reasonable.

"She sent her opponent flying off the arena with just one left hand again. Senior Sister Mo is really... too strong!"

"Yeah, even in the semifinals, no one could force Senior Sister Mo to use the right hand holding that bronze furnace. This is simply unbelievable!"

"Say, what exactly is that little bronze furnace? We haven't even seen Senior Sister Mo use it!"

"Who knows? Maybe holding something in her right hand keeps it from moving around, giving her opponents a sliver of hope..."

"Mm... She's too strong. I wonder whether Xu Xiaoshou can force her to use both hands..."

Mo Mo stood atop the arena, her white robes fluttering.

Strictly speaking, her looks were not outstanding. They could even be called ordinary.

Yet beneath that succession of halos, no one could overlook this woman.

A ripple passed through Zhang Xinxiong's expression. He turned his head and said, "This Mo Mo is very strong. If we were both at the early Yuan Court realm, I might not be able to defeat her."

He paused, then added, "In a prolonged battle."

Liu Zhen was shocked.

Even after Xu Xiaoshou and Mu Zixi's intense battle in the previous match, Zhang Xinxiong had offered no evaluation. Yet he praised this ordinary-looking woman so highly...

"So, when fighting Senior Sister Mo, you have to end it quickly?"

Zhang Xinxiong nodded. "Right! Every one of her attacks carries a special effect that weakens her opponent's abilities. It's very strange. I can't tell what kind of ability it is either."

"Is it Senior Sister Mo's Innate attribute power?"

"Perhaps..."

Liu Zhen fell silent. What kind of special ability was that?

Among Innate experts, the most commonly awakened powers were the five elements. The stranger the attribute, the more troublesome it became.

Of course, that was only if one knew how to use it. Otherwise, one might as well pray to awaken one of the mainstream five-element powers!

Mo Mo belonged to this kind of genius. With that bizarre ability to weaken her opponents combined with her agile movements, once a battle dragged on, she became invincible.

Liu Zhen recalled his battle with Xu Xiaoshou during the breakout round and asked, "What about the finals, Brother Xiong? What do you think? That Innate body..."

Zhang Xinxiong shook his head. The bizarre figure who wielded his sword in reverse surfaced in his mind, and he gave a derisive laugh.

He could not understand how someone like that had made it into the finals.

Perhaps there truly was such a thing as a "child of fortune"!

He slowly shook his head. "Xu Xiaoshou... has no future!"