The match between Ye Changfeng and Lu Xueqi ended quickly.
Meanwhile,
the match between Qi Hao and Zeng Shushu ended not long afterward.
After all, the gap between their levels of cultivation was quite large.
One was at the Peak of Ninth Layer of Jade Purity.
The other was around the Seventh Layer of Jade Purity.
With the matches on both arenas over, the long-awaited final was about to begin...
True Lord Daoxuan announced a one-hour intermission.
It would give Lu Xueqi and the others time to recover their magical energy.
An hour later,
the final of the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament officially began.
"For this match,"
"Lu Xueqi of Little Bamboo Peak will face Qi Hao of Dragon Head Peak."
The Heaven-Reaching Peak elder on the arena struck the bronze bell gently.
"Dong!"
As the bell rang,
everyone gathered around the arena.
Anticipation flickered in the eyes of the many Qingyun Disciples.
"Who do you think will win?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Of course it'll be Senior Brother Qi Hao!"
"Senior Sister Lu's cultivation is impressive too, but Senior Brother Qi Hao has far more experience. Besides, he's already at the Peak of Ninth Layer of Jade Purity, just one step away from the Upper Purity Realm."
"I heard Senior Sister Lu is also at the Peak of Ninth Layer of Jade Purity..."
"Huh?"
"Really?"
"I heard that a little over a month ago, Senior Sister Lu was attacked by Demonic Sect fiends at Moon Gazing Platform. In the end, the ordeal turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and her cultivation advanced by a small step. Now she's on par with Senior Brother Qi Hao..."
The many Qingyun Disciples around them discussed the match animatedly.
Ye Changfeng raised an eyebrow.
Standing at the edge of the crowd, he looked toward the arena.
Lu Xueqi really was now at the Peak of Ninth Layer of Jade Purity. She had a pretty good chance of winning...
Otherwise,
he wouldn't have thought about having Lu Xueqi win the championship last night.
"Whoosh!"
With all eyes upon her,
Lu Xueqi slowly stepped onto the arena.
Her gaze swept over the crowd, and she immediately spotted Ye Changfeng. A hint of resolve welled in her clear, cool eyes.
Win the championship!
She had to claim the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament Champion title!
Not only to repay her mentor for raising her, but also to share the glory with him!
"Junior Sister Lu, please."
Qi Hao wore white robes and held the Ice Immortal Sword.
He smiled and gave Lu Xueqi a slight bow, but she didn't respond at all.
He didn't mind.
"Whoosh!"
The Tianya Divine Sword slid from its scabbard.
A blue Sword Light shot into the sky.
Without hesitation, Lu Xueqi charged at Qi Hao with her sword. Sharp Sword Light flashed around them, its dazzling brilliance covering almost the entire arena.
Seeing this,
Qi Hao's expression darkened slightly.
Lu Xueqi's cultivation really had reached the Peak of Ninth Layer of Jade Purity.
And now she had the added might of a Nine Heavens Divine Weapon.
Qi Hao immediately felt a faint pressure bear down on him.
"Boom!"
The final drew everyone's attention.
On the raised platform,
the Seven Peaks' Masters watched without blinking.
Shuiyue gripped the armrest, looking rather nervous.
"Whoosh!"
Lu Xueqi's attacks grew more and more fierce.
Calmly, she unleashed one sharp sword technique after another, her gaze occasionally straying to the white-clad young man beneath the arena. With every glance, her resolve only strengthened...
Unfortunately,
Qi Hao wasn't an easy opponent.
He had cultivated for nearly a hundred years.
His cultivation was extremely solid.
In the previous Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament, he had lost to Xiao Yicai by only a few moves.
"Boom!"
Facing Lu Xueqi's attacks,
Qi Hao calmly deflected them one by one.
He knew his own disadvantage. With their cultivation on par and Lu Xueqi backed by a divine weapon, he could only avoid her strongest attacks.
For a time,
Lu Xueqi couldn't break through Qi Hao's defenses.
And Qi Hao couldn't risk counterattacking against the divine weapon's edge.
The match reached a stalemate.
For now,
all they could do was test each other's endurance.
But...
Lu Xueqi didn't seem willing to let the stalemate continue.
Her cold eyes flickered.
It seemed she had made up her mind.
"Whoosh—"
The Tianya Divine Sword blazed with dazzling light.
Qi Hao chose to avoid its sharp edge.
He retreated again and again.
However,
right at that moment,
Lu Xueqi suddenly shot into the sky without hesitation.
At that moment,
her gaze fell on the white-clad young man watching beneath the arena, and she recalled their promise from the night before.
Win the championship.
She... had to claim the title.
"Whoo."
The Cold and Aloof Girl let out a soft breath.
She forcibly suppressed all the fear in her heart.
At that moment,
the wind fell still.
Countless people looked up at the sky.
Ye Changfeng was slightly taken aback.
He saw unwavering resolve in her eyes.
At that moment,
Ye Changfeng understood her choice.
He knew exactly what kind of person Lu Xueqi was... She seemed cool and distant, keeping everyone at arm's length, but in truth she was simply poor at expressing herself. She didn't know how to talk to others and wasn't good at showing her feelings.
But...
No matter what,
she would give you the very best of herself.
Even if she couldn't express her feelings, she would show them through her actions...
Just like now.
Why was she pushing herself so hard?
Simply to repay her mentor?
No!
That wasn't all!
She also wanted to share the glory with Ye Changfeng!
In her heart... the Seven Peaks Martial Arts Tournament Champion title should have belonged to Ye Changfeng. But since he couldn't claim that honor openly,
she would win it for him.
It was the perfect echo of what Ye Changfeng had said the night before.
"Your first place is my first place."
The two of them would share the glory.
At that moment,
Ye Changfeng truly couldn't help feeling his heart stir.
Who could resist a remarkable woman like her?
"Boom!"
High above the heavens,
a deep rumble of thunder suddenly echoed across the once-blue sky. Dark clouds gathered one after another, then piled together, creating a breathtaking scene of clouds pressing down over the city as if it were about to crumble...
The Cold and Aloof Girl stood poised in the air.
She held her sword against the raging wind, her dark hair streaming behind her and her plain white skirts fluttering. The Tianya Divine Sword in her hand shone with dazzling light.
"Rumble!"
Thunder roared.
The girl's eyes were extraordinarily clear.
She calmly watched the sky. No matter how fiercely the wind blew, she wouldn't retreat a single step...
That was the kind of remarkable woman Lu Xueqi was.
Beauty, strength, stubbornness, and coolness—all in one.
Take away even one,
and she wouldn't be Lu Xueqi.
"Whoosh!"
With all eyes fixed on her,
the Tianya Divine Sword pointed straight at the sky.
Lu Xueqi's lovely face gradually paled.
With one hand, she formed a sword seal. Her feet traced the Seven Star Steps, and then she formed the Five-Pointed Star Lightning Summoning Array. Her cool voice rang across the arena:
"Nine Heavens Profound Interdict, transform into divine thunder;"
"Awe-inspiring heavenly might, I summon with this sword!"
Her cool voice echoed in everyone's ears.
In an instant,
the heavens and earth lost their color.
Everyone looked up at the girl in white in the sky. They witnessed her resolve with their own eyes, and saw the determination in her gaze.
For a moment,
they couldn't help thinking:
Was this the bearing of the Number One Female Sword Immortal Under Heaven?
She truly was peerlessly elegant!
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