Tournament (3)

The matches continued. When Wang Rong took the stage, he did not dare let his guard down in the slightest. No one who had reached the top eight was an ordinary opponent.

His opponent was a cultivator from a mid-sized sect, skilled in the arts of Qimen Dunjia. The instant the match began, he could not wait to unleash his methods, intending to seize the initiative through sheer momentum.

Runes flickered, light and shadow interwove, and Wang Rong was instantly trapped within an illusory realm. The scenery around him shifted without end, as though he had been cast into an infinite maze.

Wang Rong did not panic.

The moment the illusion array activated, he reacted swiftly and activated the Engraved Talisman Stone he had prepared beforehand. The talisman stone blazed with light, releasing a gentle yet unyielding curtain of spiritual power that wrapped him tightly from head to toe.

That curtain of light formed a shield, protecting him from the countless illusions within the array.

He shut his eyes tightly, calmed his mind, and sensed the flow of spiritual power around him.

Before long, he suddenly opened his eyes. With a sweep of the folding fan in his hand, a fierce blast of spiritual power tore through the air and shot straight at the illusion array's weak point.

With a boom, the illusion array was torn open. Wang Rong seized the chance to break free, his folding fan dancing in his hand and casting out dazzling trails of light as he lunged at his opponent.

Seeing his painstakingly arranged illusion array broken so easily, his opponent could not help but be startled. His hands rapidly formed seals as he spat out a string of obscure incantations.

As he moved, the arena floor began to shake violently. Several thick earthen spikes abruptly thrust up from underground toward Wang Rong, like earth dragons bursting from the soil with ferocious force.

Wang Rong lightly tapped off with his toes, his body darting nimbly through the air. The earthen spikes brushed past the hems of his robes, stirring gusts of wind, yet they could not harm him in the least.

Then Wang Rong seized the moment and snapped open his folding fan. A powerful wind spiritual force swept out from it like a sudden raging gale, blowing his opponent back again and again. It howled like countless sharp blades, making his opponent's robes flap violently.

After a fierce exchange, spiritual power surged across the arena and dust filled the air. Wang Rong caught an opening and struck his opponent off the stage with a heavy blow, advancing smoothly into the top four.

Elsewhere, the young disciple from the Heavenly Sword Sect also faced his opponent. Though young, he had been carefully trained by the Heavenly Sword Sect, and his swordsmanship was already quite refined.

His opponent was a cultivator skilled in controlling flames. The moment the battle began, blazing fire engulfed the entire arena, and the searing heat warped even the air around them.

Yet the young disciple was utterly fearless. Sword in hand, he moved freely through the flames. Sword flowers danced as streams of Sword Qi burst from his blade, cutting apart every wave of fire rushing toward him.

Seeing this, his opponent poured out even more spiritual power. The flames grew fiercer, forming wave after wave of fire that surged toward the young disciple.

The young disciple drew a deep breath and gathered all his spiritual power into his sword. Then he leaped into the air and unleashed a fierce sword technique. A massive Sword Qi shot skyward, forcibly cleaving the fire wave in two.

Then, riding the lingering might of his Sword Qi, he rushed toward his opponent. Before the other man could react, the tip of his sword was already at his throat.

Thus, the young disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect also won his match and advanced.

The final competitor in the top four was a hulking brute covered in bulging muscle.

He came from a sect renowned for body cultivation. Tall and powerfully built, he resembled a small mountain. When he stepped onto the stage, his heavy footsteps made the whole arena tremble. Before him, his opponent looked especially small.

When the battle began, the brute charged straight at his opponent. His opponent tried to evade with agile footwork, but the brute's attack range was simply too broad, and his speed was not slow either.

Within only a few exchanges, the brute found an opening, sent his opponent flying with one punch, and slammed him heavily out of the arena.

At this point, all four semifinalists had been decided: Wang Rong, Tan Yin of the Heavenly Sword Sect, the young disciple, and the hulking brute covered in muscle.

The spectators below eagerly discussed the matches, all guessing who would ultimately emerge victorious. The atmosphere grew ever more heated.

As the semifinals progressed, Tan Yin and Wang Rong finally faced each other.

Although Tan Yin had narrowly defeated Gu Xiaoyue in his earlier battle, the residual poison had yet to clear. His limbs remained stiff, and spiritual power flowed through his meridians like a boat struggling upstream, halting and stumbling instead of moving smoothly. Obstructions surfaced from time to time, making it exceptionally difficult for him to use his techniques.

Wang Rong, on the other hand, might have been slightly inferior to Tan Yin in cultivation, but he carried numerous magical artifacts and could use talisman stones to enhance his strength. Fully armed, he now had the power to contend with Tan Yin.

The instant they exchanged blows, the battle fell into a deadlock, with neither side able to gain the upper hand. Tan Yin gripped the broad, heavy greatsword tightly in both hands. Every swing drew upon all his strength. Sword winds howled, and wherever the greatsword passed, sharp, piercing sounds rang out, as though it would forcibly rip space apart.

Wang Rong, meanwhile, was like a nimble, elusive black shadow. With the movement technique enhanced by his Engraved Talisman Stones, he moved freely through Tan Yin's sword shadows, which came like a violent storm.

Clang—!

The greatsword collided with a talisman stone barrier in an explosive crash, numbing Tan Yin's tiger's mouth from the backlash. Enduring the sluggish spiritual power in his meridians, he turned his blade, and heavy Sword Qi came slashing down upon that flickering black shadow like Mount Tai bearing down.

Wang Rong lightly tapped his toes. The Jade Talisman Stone at his waist gleamed faintly, and his body instantly shifted several feet sideways like a ghost. His pale fingertips brushed another Crimson Talisman Stone, and three fire snakes immediately howled toward Tan Yin's face.

"Cough..." Tan Yin's internal injury was tugged when he turned aside, slowing his movement by half a beat. A lock of hair by his temple was scorched into ash by the flames. He abruptly drove his greatsword into the ground, sending Sword Qi rippling outward and shredding all the following fire snakes.

A wave of startled cries immediately rose from below the stage.

Talisman stones needed to be charged beforehand, but Wang Rong, who had originally come from the Azure Rock Sect, naturally did not lack them. With the stones' enhancement, a continuous barrage of attacks flew toward Tan Yin like sharp arrows without the slightest pause. For a time, the entire arena flashed with light as multicolored spiritual power overflowed in every direction.

Tan Yin hurriedly cut and slapped them aside with Sword Qi. The Sword Qi carried by his greatsword collided again and again with the spiritual power released from the talisman stones, erupting in deafening roars like a grand fireworks display between heaven and earth.

As they fought, perhaps the intensity of the battle stirred them, or perhaps the long-standing resentment between their two sects had been thoroughly ignited. Bit by bit, both men began to fight with anger.

By all reason, the Azure Rock Sect had repeatedly insulted and mocked the Heavenly Sword Sect, so Tan Yin should have been the first to let fury cloud his heart. Yet in reality, Wang Rong was the first to lose control and give in to anger.

His movements became increasingly vicious. Every attack carried a reckless, crazed force, as though endless hatred had accumulated in his heart and he would not rest until he had torn Tan Yin to pieces.

His attacks no longer followed any order as before. They were nothing but a mad outpouring, every move and every stance filled with fury.

Below the stage, the disciples of the Azure Rock Sect had long since fallen silent as cicadas in winter.

Their eyes were wide as they stared in disbelief at the unfamiliar figure onstage, unable to connect him with the elegant and graceful senior brother they knew.

At first, they had eagerly cheered him on, but by now, even the dullest among them could sense that something was wrong.

One timid disciple could not stop himself from trembling as he said softly, "What is wrong with Senior Brother? He was never like this before..."

Another disciple was just as pale as paper. His lips trembled slightly as he replied, "I... I don't know either. It feels like Senior Brother suddenly became a different person..."

Faced with Wang Rong's sudden onslaught of madness, Tan Yin's breathing gradually grew heavy. The greatsword in his hand became increasingly sluggish, and every block numbed the bones of his arms. He stared fixedly at the nearly crazed figure before him—this was nothing like Wang Rong's usual fighting style!

At this moment, Wang Rong was even fiercer than Tan Yin had been in the previous match, when the poison had flared and left him able to rely only on brute force. He was completely unlike the Azure Rock Sect's senior disciple who always wore a mocking smile and handled everything with ease. Instead, he resembled an out-of-control beast, every strike ruthless and every move staking his life.

Amid the ghostly blue light of exploding talisman stones, Wang Rong's Bone Fan lashed out like a venomous snake, grazing past Tan Yin's ear. Several severed black strands of hair had not even reached the ground before the violent spiritual power around him ground them into dust.

Tan Yin's blade caught another fan edge sweeping toward him. The two stood close enough to touch, and he could clearly see something like desperate rage churning in the scarlet depths of Wang Rong's eyes—that was not hatred, but an emotion sharper and more scorching.

"Have you gone mad?!" Tan Yin barked. With a twist of his wrist, he violently knocked Wang Rong away with his greatsword, only to be forced back by the recoil himself. His sword tip scraped against the stone slabs with a piercing shriek. "Is this how the Azure Rock Sect taught you to throw your life away?"

Wang Rong staggered back two steps, but those words seemed to completely enrage him. His lips twisted into an almost savage smile.

"You are very pleased with yourself, aren't you?"

Wang Rong suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse as though rubbed raw by sandpaper. Though he spoke very softly, it still made Tan Yin's chest feel stifled amid the humming roar of clashing spiritual power.

Tan Yin saw the lashes Wang Rong had lowered cast shadows over his pale face. Loose hair covered the emotions churning in his eyes, like two heaps of ash not yet fully extinguished, carrying a rage suppressed to its very limit.

His voice was so soft that even Tan Yin, standing right before him, nearly thought he had imagined it.

"What?" Tan Yin frowned instinctively as he deflected a blade of spiritual power flying at him. The gust lifted Wang Rong's loose hair, revealing startled brows and eyes. He had no idea where Wang Rong's words had come from.

"The Heavenly Sword Sect's chief disciple... heh." Wang Rong suddenly raised his head. Moisture shimmered in his bloodshot eyes, but the corners of his lips curved upward in a twisted smile. "Bright and noble, perched high above everyone else."

His eyes were red as a wild beast driven to fury. He glared at Tan Yin with hatred, every word seemingly squeezed out through clenched teeth.

"From beginning to end, I was the only one who looked this pathetic. Funny, isn't it?" As the words left his mouth, his attacks grew even more relentless. The magical artifact in his hand flared brilliantly, and an especially fierce blade of spiritual power abruptly pierced through Tan Yin's defenses, cutting a line of blood along his neck.

Tan Yin frowned. Wang Rong's words were truly a thief crying thief. It had always been the Azure Rock Sect causing trouble for the Heavenly Sword Sect; the Heavenly Sword Sect had never taken the initiative to provoke them.

But there was no time for further thought. Wang Rong's storm-like barrage forced him to focus all his attention on defending himself.

He turned aside to evade a blade of spiritual power that grazed past his ear, holding his greatsword horizontally before his chest. "The Azure Rock Sect has provoked the Heavenly Sword Sect time and again, and somehow we are the ones at fault?"

His greatsword whirled so tightly that not even water could pass through, blocking every incoming strand of spiritual power while he searched for a chance to strike back. Yet Wang Rong seemed trapped in some frenzied state. His attacks were disorderly but incomparably savage, making it difficult for Tan Yin to break free for the moment.

An eerie silence suddenly descended beneath the stage. Everyone had expected an evenly matched and spectacular contest, but it had unexpectedly turned into Wang Rong's one-sided, mad outpouring.

The cheers of the Azure Rock Sect disciples caught in their throats. They had never seen Wang Rong like this—the senior brother who wore a cold, mocking smile before outsiders and always smiled warmly among his own sect now resembled a vicious beast cornered beyond all escape, every blow carrying the resolve to perish together.

"Senior Brother, he..." One disciple instinctively grabbed his companion's sleeve. "Has he suffered qi deviation?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" The senior brother beside him hurriedly covered his mouth. Qi deviation was no joking matter, especially not on an occasion like this.

Among those below the stage, aside from a handful of highly cultivated elders and seniors with keen senses, almost no one heard the quiet exchange between the two men.

Even those few elders found it difficult to glean much useful information from such veiled, clouded conversation. As for everyone else, they had no idea why Wang Rong had lost control of his emotions.

Their eyes could only catch the fierce clash unfolding between the two men onstage, while they tangibly felt the tension that spread through the air as though it had substance.

As for the Profound Heaven Sect, those with high cultivation naturally had sharp eyes and ears, while those with lower cultivation had Lin Huaixu, who cultivated both talismans and arrays, helping them cheat by eavesdropping.

Lin Mumu's eyes suddenly reddened. Tugging softly on Ye Jingxuan's sleeve, she said, "They both look so sad."

"Both?" Lin Huaixu tilted his head as he watched the fight onstage. "No matter how I look at it, only one person from the Azure Rock Sect is going mad."

"They are both very sad," Lin Mumu said with certainty.

Knowing that his Sixth Junior Sister was especially sensitive when it came to emotions, Lin Huaixu did not question her further. He merely became more intrigued and increasingly curious about the matter between the two men onstage.

At this moment, Tan Yin was entirely suppressed by his opponent's fierce offensive and could only defend with all his strength. Fortunately, as time passed, the poison within him gradually lost its effect, and his movements began to regain their former sharpness.

Under such circumstances, the outcome of the match once again became impossible to predict.

Whatever Wang Rong truly intended, and whatever he was trying to imply, this battle concerned the honor and disgrace of Tan Yin's sect. He had no intention of remaining passive like this forever.

He spotted an exceptionally brief pause after Wang Rong unleashed a succession of fierce attacks, when his momentum had run out and his techniques had reached their limit.

In an instant, Tan Yin's blade tore through the air like lightning, releasing a sharp howl.

With that fierce strike, the arena's bluestone slabs instantly shattered beneath the impact of the powerful sword force. Cracks rapidly spread like a spiderweb, while flying fragments of stone shot in every direction. The force of it made Wang Rong, who stood close by, retreat half a step despite himself.

Just then, the Bronze Bell at Wang Rong's waist abruptly erupted with a piercing ring. The sound wave became a circle of invisible blades that shot straight at Tan Yin, shaking blood from his ears.

Before the shocked cries below could rise, Wang Rong—who had been cut by Sword Qi only a moment ago—ignored the lingering force of the attack. Taking advantage of Tan Yin's briefly stalled body, he charged fearlessly into the sword's encirclement. The ghostly blue flames rising from the talisman stone between his fingers nearly scorched Tan Yin's face.

At that critical moment, Tan Yin reacted with astonishing speed and viciously drove his greatsword into the ground.

In an instant, incomparably vast Sword Qi spread outward like ripples stirred across a calm lake. It shattered Wang Rong's talisman stone and sent him flying backward.

Wang Rong crashed into the protective barrier at the edge of the arena. He had indeed been too close. A dull pain surged through his chest, as though his organs had all been shaken out of place, and blood spilled from the corner of his tightly clenched lips.

Even so, he endured the agony and stubbornly attacked once more.

Clang—!

The instant the greatsword struck the Bone Fan, Wang Rong suddenly smiled. That smile twisted like crumpled rice paper, scarlet churning in his eyes as he stared fixedly at Tan Yin and said, one word at a time, "As expected, you sword cultivators have hearts forged from iron too."

Below the stage, Lin Huaixu secretly laughed. Oh-ho, now that is some indiscriminate mockery.

Among the group from the Profound Heaven Sect, five out of seven people, including True Person Yu Qing, were sword cultivators. Everyone froze for a moment, then wore varying expressions.

Shen Yuxi: "What the hell? What did sword cultivators ever do to you? You can't just launch a blanket attack like that."

Nine Domains Encyclopedia:

○ Heavenly Sword Sect

A small sect. Located within the Azure Rock Mountain region, its mountain gate was small, but the elders and instructors taught with great care, and the disciples were diligent and motivated as well.

Most disciples in the sect were sword cultivators. Due to their lack of resources, they could rely more only on their own fundamentals, and their physical abilities were no weaker than those of disciples from mid-sized sects.

The Heavenly Sword Sect emphasized self-sufficiency, and its disciples were generally highly skilled in farming. To avoid being unable to afford medical expenses, the disciples upheld the principle of not fighting if they could avoid it and rarely took the initiative to cause trouble. This instead earned them a good reputation.

It was the Azure Rock Sect's mortal enemy.