Water-Fire Sword Light Defeats Yu Wei! (22) Seeking Bookmarks and Votes!

"Junior Apprentice Brother Ji Ning."

A black-clad young woman of breathtaking beauty and an ethereal, immortal-like bearing stood atop a stone pillar, gazing at Ji Ning across from her.

"Among the disciples who have comprehended multiple Domains of Dao, I should be the strongest. If you defeat me, Senior Brother Fire Saint and the others will naturally come fight you."

"Senior Apprentice Sister, please." Ji Ning answered solemnly.

[Fairy Fire Rainbow Yu Wei?]

At the entrance to the Dao Discussion Hall.

Xia Manggan watched the scene before him with great interest.

This should have been the first encounter between the original novel's male and female leads.

"Good thing I wasn't too late."

Xia Manggan swept his gaze around and saw Mu Zishuo standing alone before a spectator seat, so he walked over.

After this short while, he had already grown familiar with the vigorous Origin Force fluctuations from his recent breakthrough.

Now that he concealed his aura, others would not easily sense the difference between him and an ordinary Wanxiang Daoist.

"Win, win, win..."

Mu Zishuo clenched his fists and stared fixedly at the Puppet combat Battle Arena.

At this moment, the two Thousand Sword Puppets controlled by Yu Wei and Ji Ning had already taken up positions on opposite sides, poised for battle.

"Hm?"

Sensing someone beside him, Mu Zishuo turned curiously.

When he saw Xia Manggan, he was immediately overjoyed. "Senior Brother Xia Mang, why did you only get here now? Senior Brother Ji Ning just defeated five old disciples in a row—it was incredible!"

The third-generation disciples in the Dao Discussion Hall were now divided into two camps: new disciples and old disciples.

Before Xia Manggan had arrived.

He had been the only person in the new disciple camp cheering for and supporting Ji Ning.

There had not even been anyone with whom he could share his excitement and joy, and it had nearly stifled him.

"I saw it." Xia Manggan smiled as he spoke, his gaze sweeping toward two figures surrounded by a crowd of old disciples.

One was a bald young man dressed in a flaming red robe, with an unusual swastika-shaped Divine Pattern between his brows.

Even sitting there casually, the bald young man resembled a dormant volcano whose interior could erupt at any moment.

His body seemed to contain endless fiery energy.

This bald young man was the Fire Saint!

He had cultivated for more than two hundred years and had already comprehended a complete Dao.

At any moment, he could become a Primordial Spirit Daoist of the Black-White Academy.

Though he was not a reincarnated immortal, even the other two reincarnated immortals who had likewise comprehended a complete Dao were at most evenly matched with him. He was an absolute leader among the third-generation disciples.

The other was a plump young man in greasy, slovenly clothes who appeared utterly ordinary.

Yet even Fire Saint had not noticed Xia Manggan's gaze just now, while this plump young man sensed it immediately and even turned to smile at him.

True Person Sloppy, whose Daoist name was San Pang.

He had likewise cultivated for more than two hundred years and was acknowledged by all the Black-White Academy's third-generation disciples—including leader-class disciples like Fire Saint—as the strongest of them all...

He was also the opponent Xia Manggan most wanted to discuss the Dao and spar with.

"Is that Junior Apprentice Brother Xia Mang?"

True Person Sloppy withdrew his gaze, glanced at Fire Saint, and muttered, "With Fire Saint here, I probably won't need to act. Otherwise, although I promised the old man, I've cultivated for so many years already. Even the Academy's Primordial Spirit Daoists can barely beat me in Dao discussions. Going to deal with a newly admitted Junior Apprentice Brother... no matter how I think about it, it feels a little like bullying the young."

In normal Dao Discussion Hall sparring between old and new disciples, no matter how monstrous a new disciple was, supreme disciples like them who had comprehended complete Daos would not take action.

But this time.

From the third-generation disciples to the first-generation immortal patriarchs, everyone was fanning the flames behind the scenes.

This meant that this year's clash between new and old disciples was destined to become unprecedented in the entire history of the Black-White Academy.

At this moment.

On the Puppet combat arena.

After releasing one thousand flying swords, Yu Wei's Thousand Sword Puppet immediately transformed them all into towering flames of sword light.

The scorching, razor-sharp flame sword light met Ji Ning's sword light head-on and crushed it with unstoppable force.

That irresistible might seemed capable of sweeping through all Heaven and Earth.

"Yu Wei wins!"

The White-haired Elder Puppet responsible for judging the sparring match loudly announced the result.

The old disciples in the Dao Discussion Hall all breathed sighs of relief.

They had finally won.

If even the reincarnated immortal, Fairy Fire Rainbow Yu Wei, had lost as well, would they not have been mocked to death by that Junior Apprentice Brother Mu Zishuo?

Quite a few old disciples could not help looking toward Mu Zishuo.

The instant they did—

The entire Dao Discussion Hall erupted in uproar.

"It's Xia Manggan."

"When did he arrive?"

"I don't know. We were too tense just now and only watched the battle arena."

"Perfect. Fairy Fire Rainbow just defeated Junior Apprentice Brother Ji Ning and her momentum is at its peak. We can settle the main culprit too!"

To be precise, the reason so many formal disciples had gathered in the Dao Discussion Hall today—

Even including the strongest third-generation disciple, True Person Sloppy, and leader-class disciples like Fire Saint—was at least seventy percent because of Xia Manggan.

Now, because one newly admitted disciple, Ji Ning, had won consecutive battles on the arena.

And because another new disciple, Mu Zishuo, had kept shouting and cheering below, along with...

The conflict between old and new disciples had evolved from the old disciples' "fine tradition" of taking care of new disciples into a battle for the pride of both camps.

Yu Wei understood this well.

Therefore, after defeating Ji Ning, she did not fly down from the stone pillar. Instead, she remained atop it and fixed Xia Manggan with an icy gaze.

"Junior Apprentice Brother Xia Mang?"

Yu Wei said coolly, "Among the newly admitted disciples, only you have yet to spar. How about I experience your skills for myself?"

"I came to the Dao Discussion Hall precisely to spar with my senior brothers and sisters. Since Fairy Fire Rainbow has invited me—" Xia Manggan smiled and took a step forward.

Whoosh!

A ripple spread through space.

Under the astonished gazes of the Dao Discussion Hall's old disciples, when Xia Manggan appeared again, he was already standing atop the stone pillar where Ji Ning had stood moments ago.

The vast Dao Discussion Hall suddenly fell silent.

Only after several breaths did an uncertain voice finally sound.

"Th-that was Void Transference?"

"It really was Void Transference!?"

"Heavens! In the Academy, I've only seen second-generation uncles and elders, as well as Slovenly Senior Brother and Senior Brother Fire Saint, use it. A newly admitted disciple..."

"Could he have already comprehended a complete Dao?"

"That can't be real!"

[The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth at the entry level?]

The bald young man, Fire Saint, seated in the center of the front row of the stands, stared at Xia Manggan from afar, a trace of gravity appearing in his eyes.

After comprehending a complete Dao himself, he had relied on the descent of Dao-might to control a region of Heaven and Earth and study the Universe. It had taken him more than thirty years before he successfully comprehended a trace of the true intent of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and could use Void Transference.

Yet Xia Manggan could use it immediately after entering the Academy, meaning he had already entered the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth...

Such talent was simply monstrous.

"No wonder he declared that he wanted to discuss the Dao and spar with me," Fire Saint said softly. "Junior Apprentice Brother Xia Mang is qualified."

"He has cultivated for only a few years. How could he possibly be a match for Senior Brother Fire Saint? At most, he barely qualifies."

Beishan Xuantang quickly added, "Using Void Transference over such a short distance—is he flaunting his strength and provoking us?"

Fire Saint frowned slightly and glanced at Beishan Xuantang without speaking.

Junior Apprentice Brother Xia Mang was clearly using practical action to respond to the old disciples' earlier claims that he was arrogant and looked down on everyone.

And incidentally, he was showing that he had the qualifications to discuss the Dao and spar with him.

So that Fire Saint would not refrain from acting out of concern for his status.

How had it become flaunting and provoking in Beishan Xuantang's mouth?

Recalling what Beishan Xuantang had said about the entrance examination, Fire Saint immediately understood that there was probably some hidden issue involved.

Yu Wei's expression also became solemn as she watched Xia Manggan suddenly teleport onto the stone pillar opposite her.

"Rise!"

With a loud shout from the White-haired Elder Puppet presiding over the battle arena.

Whoosh~~~

The Sealing Array instantly enveloped the entire Battle Arena.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A full thousand flying swords shot from the Thousand Sword Puppet controlled by Yu Wei, transforming into one thousand blazing flames of sword light in midair.

The entire combat Battle Arena seemed to plunge into an endless sea of fire.

Even the disciples in the stands outside the Sealing Array felt the temperature soaring rapidly.

"Senior Brother Ji Ning." Mu Zishuo stared nervously at the battle arena. "Senior Apprentice Sister Yu Wei's sword light seems even stronger than before! Can Senior Brother Xia Mang withstand it?"

"We'll know if we keep watching."

Ji Ning, who had just left the battle arena, stared without blinking at Xia Manggan and the Puppet he controlled.

Perhaps to recover some face for him, Xia Manggan was also using a Thousand Sword Puppet.

It was even the same one Ji Ning had used earlier, the one defeated by Yu Wei.

Now that it faced the same flame sword light that had utterly suppressed him...

How would Xia Manggan respond?

Would he use Sword Escape through Void Transference to avoid the strong and strike the weak?

"Three Domains of Dao from the Fire Path?"

Xia Manggan watched the flame sword light in the air, a trace of admiration flashing through his eyes.

The reason the Black-White Academy had established the Dao Discussion Hall and encouraged disciples to discuss the Dao and spar—

Was because an immortal cultivator's strength was not determined solely by one's realm of Dao comprehension.

What mattered even more was whether one could transform one's realm of Dao comprehension into true combat power!

Although the flame sword light Yu Wei displayed contained only the mysteries of three Domains of Dao.

Its coordination was exquisite, its fusion flawless, and every element reinforced the others, allowing its power to multiply and stack.

With such mastery over sword light, ordinary opponents would be overwhelmingly crushed even if they had comprehended more Domains of Dao than she had, so long as their coordination was less perfect than hers.

Sss~ sss~~ sss~~~

Of the thousand flames of sword light, five hundred remained behind to protect the Puppet's body.

The other five hundred streaked through the sky, slashing toward the Puppet controlled by Xia Manggan.

"Quite cautious."

Xia Manggan sat cross-legged atop the stone pillar. "Then let it be five hundred against five hundred."

Clang!

Five hundred of the small swords embedded in the back of his Thousand Sword Puppet immediately flew out, transforming into three-foot longswords in midair.

Then Heaven and Earth essence energy surged around the five hundred longswords. In an instant, flowing water and raging flames appeared around them.

"Using only two Domains of Dao, and activating only five hundred flying swords... Who does he think he's looking down on?"

Yu Wei's lovely face turned cold, and she immediately shouted:

"Slash!"

The momentum of those five hundred flames of sword light surged once more as they carried boundless killing intent and slashed furiously toward Xia Manggan's flying swords surrounded by Water and Fire.

Clang~ clang~~ clang~~~

Boom~ boom~~ boom~~~

Flying swords collided head-on, while flames and Water and Fire surged violently!

Yu Wei, who had been brimming with confidence, suddenly changed expression.

The flames on her five hundred flying swords had initially held an overwhelming advantage upon contact, but in the blink of an eye, they were suppressed by the Water and Fire surrounding Xia Manggan's flying swords.

Moreover, the Water and Fire around his flying swords no longer seemed like the mutually restraining paths of Water and Fire among the Five Elements. Instead, they resembled the mutually generating Five Elements, capable of transforming into one another at will.

First, the flames absorbed and assimilated the firelight on her flying swords. Then they immediately transformed, increasing the power of the flowing water, which in turn extinguished and weakened the flames on her flying swords...

In only one or two breaths, the flames on the five hundred flying swords Yu Wei controlled faded away, after which one hundred of Xia Manggan's Water-Fire flying swords trapped them.

The other four hundred Water-Fire flying swords swept through the void and slashed directly at her Thousand Sword Puppet.

"I've lost." Fire Saint sighed.

His sigh was not for Yu Wei's defeat.

It was for himself.

He had cultivated for more than two hundred years and, within the Academy, associated as equals with the second-generation Primordial Spirit Daoists.

Outside, he had even slain multiple Primordial Spirit Daoists.

Yet he had been forced to make a move by a newly inducted Junior Apprentice Brother.

"Xia Manggan wins!" the White-haired Elder announced loudly.

The entire Dao Discussion Hall was so silent, it seemed as though no one was there.

All the senior disciples turned their eyes toward the Fire Saint.

Only when they saw Senior Brother Fire Saint rise from his seat in the stands, living up to their expectations, did the senior disciples regain their spirits.

"With Senior Brother Fire Saint making a move, he should be able to win."

"Yes, he should win. Senior Brother Fire Saint has fully comprehended an entire complete 'Dao.' Usually, he discusses the Dao and spars with the uncles and senior uncles..."

The senior disciple trailed off and froze.

I actually said, "He should be able to win"...

Could it be that even with Senior Brother Fire Saint personally stepping in, I still can't feel completely at ease?