Overcoming Every Obstacle, Puppet Technique!
"The winner!"
"Qin Mingzheng of the Beichuan Qin Family Clan!"
The judge announced the winner, revealing the outcome of the battle...
Qin Mingzheng respectfully from a distance, a gesture of respect to the other party. Tong Hu gave a bitter laugh but returned the bow in return.
A win is a win, and a loss is a loss.
If you lose and are not satisfied, you can challenge them to a rematch. However, if your opponent treats you politely and offers you a way out, it would be ungrateful of you to refuse...
Accepting this kind offer will at least save face for myself.
To deny it would be petty!
And on the viewing platform—
The various factions chatted amongst themselves, showing considerable interest in the rising star of the Qin Clan. After all, Tong Hu was a highly accomplished disciple of the Jinxuan Dao Sect!
She is one of the ten participants in this competition, representing the disciples of the Jinxuan Dao Sect...
How could it be weak?!
Any one of them, taken individually, would be enough to crush a whole host of geniuses and prodigies...
Especially the Ten Thousand Metals Body Refinement Technique, which can shatter a First-Tier Mid-Grade defensive magic Law Artifact with a single punch—how can such power be considered weak?
Let alone being in the same territory...
Many high-level Warrior wouldn't dare say they're guaranteed a victory against Tong Hu; even a draw would be considered a testament to their exceptional strength...
This is the difference between disciples of major sects and those of Rogue Cultivator!
This difference may seem insignificant, but it encompasses various resources, perspectives, meticulous refinement of skills, and superior Cultivation Method...
That's enough to create distance between the two sides!
Even within the True Martial Realm, there can be vast differences...
"Puppet Technique..."
"That's quite rare. The last time I saw puppetry was during the siege of the Flower Willow Courtyard. It seems the rumors about Ancestor Qin accidentally obtaining the Flower Willow Courtyard's inheritance..."
"It's probably true!"
"Looking at this child again, the rudimentary form of the Metal Dao is already complete. His divine soul is abundant and manifest, showing signs of weapon forging. It seems that after a few more years..."
"It seems the Qin Clan is about to gain another exceptional talent, skilled in both weapon crafting and puppetry!"
"Such a prodigy..."
"If we can form a united front through marriage, it will also benefit the Nangong Clan..."
An old cultivator from the Nangong Clan sighed, while Wu Yanmian, standing beside him, lowered his head and listened attentively, saying:
"Elder Ming's considerations are valid, but the Qin Clan is, after all, a barbarian clan with shallow roots. How can they be compared to the Nangong Clan..."
"If a marriage alliance is to be formed, it should be the Qin Clan's daughter who is marrying off!"
"Qin Mingxi is as beautiful as a flower, with a gentle and kind nature. Although her talent is only average, she is more than enough to be the Young Patriarch's concubine..."
"Only when both sides act in this way can they be considered equal."
Upon hearing this—
Elder Ming chuckled wickedly, but shook his head, denying what Wu Yanmian had said...
Others might not know, but how could he not?!
My nephew, Nangong Qinghong, had already clashed with Qin Lu, albeit briefly, but Qin Lu was a figure that even Nangong Qinghong feared...
How can we possibly guess using common sense!
Even now, he still remembers what his nephew said, "[The ancestor of the Qin Clan was no ordinary man; he possessed Kingly Qi that would kill anyone who touched him!]"
This was a thunderbolt!
Anyone who dares to provoke him will likely suffer a swift and devastating blow. A broken bone would be a minor matter; the real danger would be the annihilation of their entire clan and lineage...
That would be a grave sin, a disgrace to one's ancestors!
"Don't mention that again..."
"The prestige of Dao Foundation must be respected, and the direct descendants of Dao Foundation must not be insulted."
"After this competition concludes, we will select a few direct descendants to marry into the Qin Clan. If we can forge a good relationship, that would be ideal..."
Upon hearing Elder Ming speak, Wu Yanmian was somewhat surprised, but still bowed and agreed.
Prior to this, the Nangong Clan had never taken the Qin Clan seriously, so their sudden change of attitude was truly perplexing...
But as a subject, he naturally couldn't ask too many questions; he simply had to obey orders.
A good dog shouldn't have too many thoughts; if it does, it's not far from death, especially in the cultivation world...
Knowing too much isn't necessarily a good thing.
After giving Wu Yanmian a nonchalant glance, Elder Ming turned his gaze back to the factory, where many talented individuals had emerged this time...
As a rising power, the Nangong Clan naturally needed to gather intelligence on various major forces.
"Let's keep watching..."
"I wonder if this little Qin Clan fellow can make it to the end. Judging from the situation, he probably still has some trump cards up his sleeve..."
"Look at this kid's insidious and despicable nature, he really does have some of my old-fashioned style..."
After saying that --
A hint of approval flashed in Elder Ming's eyes—the excitement of meeting someone like him!
The next day, early morning.
The opening rounds, rounds three and four, will be completed on this day, consisting of two rounds of competition: one for advancing from 64 to 32, and the other for advancing from 32 to 16...
After the top 16 are selected, the top 10 will be chosen tomorrow!
This fortuitous opportunity to enter the Heart-Refining Pagoda could very well be a major turning point in this generation's life, setting them apart from others...
Therefore--
The intensity of each match now is far greater than that of the previous two rounds, by an entire level...
The chance to turn things around is just around the corner!
At this moment, perhaps everyone is wondering if this is the only chance they will ever have in their life...
The baptism of Third-Tier Law Treasure —such fortuitous opportunity, if it were in the outside world, would probably have led to a bloodbath and a mountain of corpses. It has the effect of helping people gain enlightenment.
Let alone those at the True Martial Realm, even Qi Condensation cultivators would fight each other!
Let's look at Qin Mingzheng's opponent in this round.
Although not from a prestigious sect, it is backed by a large clan that has been established for over four hundred years, with several Qi Condensation Ancestors within the clan!
Although he is not as good as Tong Hu, his fighting strength is unparalleled and his killing power is considerable!
Judging from this technique, it's clearly a swordsman's killing move, no small matter!
On the stage--
The two exchanged blows, and although Qin Mingzheng was passively dodging, he seemed to be handling the situation with ease—this was the advantage of having a strong spiritual power...
His insight far surpasses that of other cultivators at the same level!
The reason why, despite the extremely small number of cultivators skilled in the Four Arts during the Great Zhou-Liang War, they still fought on the front lines was precisely this...
Firstly, as cultivators of the Four Arts, they rely on their powerful spiritual souls to gain an advantage among those of the same realm!
Secondly, cultivators of the Four Arts possess far more varied and unpredictable fighting methods than other types of cultivators, making them difficult to counter and arguably among the strongest in their realm...
Therefore.
The fact that the four arts practitioners were on the front lines actually minimized casualties...
Because he's strong enough!
Just like the current duel, although the sword cultivator possessed exceptional combat power and was a carefully nurtured prodigy, he was no match for Qin Mingzheng...
On the contrary, it's not quite good enough!
There's no advantage in cultivation level, and the quality of the Law Artifact is even worse than the opponent's. Before a sword cultivator reaches the Qi Condensation and masters Sword Intent...
To a cultivator of the Four Arts, they are like a brute with nothing but muscles in his head!
That's downright ridiculous!
In the end, Qin Mingzheng didn't even release his puppet beast; he easily won the duel with just a hand-held dagger-like magical Law Artifact...
My clothes were slightly dirty after the fight!
Even in terms of combat experience, Qin Mingzheng was superior to his opponent...
I wonder if a swordsman who has never seen blood can be considered a true swordsman, and if an unpolished sword, whose sharpness is unknown, can be considered a truly good sword...
Raw jade still needs carving, and beautiful tools still need polishing.
This wasn't a good duel, but it was enough to make this swordsman realize...
His sword still needs further honing!
As the saying goes, "A beast leaves its skin as it runs away, a goose is plucked as it flies by; only after slaying thousands and drinking the blood of millions can it be considered a peerless sword..."
Without killing, a sword is no longer a sword, and a person is no longer a person.
"Your sword is too soft..."
"Wen Zheng is humble; he is a ruler, not a swordsman. If a swordsman doesn't forge ahead bravely, then you are still quite a distance from being a true swordsman..."
What do you think?
At that moment, Qin Mingzheng's words proved fatal. The young swordsman had no choice but to clasp his sword and bow in farewell, as a sign of respect...
To cover one's face with one's hair signifies being ashamed to face others; to observe the proper etiquette of a disciple signifies that a wise person is a teacher.
"I have been defeated..."
"I accept my defeat wholeheartedly!"
After completing the disciple's ceremony, the young swordsman withdrew and disappeared into the shadows...
Perhaps they don't truly know each other at this moment, but I believe they will have the chance to meet again in the near future!
Subsequently--
The third round of the opening competition has ended, and the fourth round will begin immediately afterwards...
Compared to the previous round, this round almost exclusively features disciples from powerful sects, with only a very small number coming from ordinary Qi Condensation forces!
Qin Mingzheng's opponent in this round was a disciple of the Xiashang Dao Academy...
A seemingly ordinary young man, dressed in a light blue summer robe and with a lazy expression, exuded an unusually strange aura!
It resembles a demon, yet is not a demon; it resembles a beast, yet is not a beast!
It resembles a human, yet is not a human; it resembles a soul, yet is not a soul!
It lacks the six senses and five vital energies, or perhaps due to the special nature of its Cultivation Method, its aura is so weak as to be imperceptible, yet a faint chill is revealed...
It made one tremble involuntarily, a chill running straight to the back of the head!
The moment the duel began, the simple-minded youth made hand Method Formula, his profound True Essence seemingly transforming into layers of heavy armor!
Point a finger.
Once the magic sword is in hand, True Essence adheres to it. Relying on the power of the Law Artifact, the True Essence can be released externally, thus forming Sword Qi...
Upon seeing his raised hand, Qin Mingzheng immediately realized what was happening!
With a flick of his sleeve, [Wooden Puppet - Kui Wood Wolf] suddenly materialized, its cyan giant wolf phantom flashing and transforming into a shield of True Essence energy...
This reaction speed is all within a single breath!
Before the Sword-Ray could even strike, Qin Mingzheng had already prepared to defend. It was precisely this split-second reaction that allowed him to successfully anticipate the next move...
A flash of sword light struck the Law Artifact, then vanished without a trace!
This step determines that if either side wants to win, they must make a choice: whether to conceal their true strength or not...
Or perhaps we're waiting for the right moment to decide the outcome in one fell swoop!
(As everyone suggested, I just quit my job today. I'll resume updates tomorrow with two chapters a day!!!)
(This is the first time Canghai is asking for gifts. From now on, I'll make a living from writing novels!!!)