Chapter 254: A Life-or-Death Challenge, Small Blessing, What the Heck!
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Catching Stars Peak, Tiandang Mountain.
The disciples of the Daoist Pavilion felt like their hearts had been gripped by some unknown force.
That energy was dreadful!
Li Sansui ran out of the room as soon as the energy showed up. What could the energy mean?
It meant Li Sansi had been saved!
That evil spirit had left Li Sansi’s body!
Li Sansui was pleasantly surprised. However, when she had run out of the room and saw what had happened on the field, her pleasant surprise was gone. She was terrified instead.
That dreadful evil spirit extended countless sere vines into the air like a blooming flower, and each sere vine was aimed at the center of the forehead of each disciple of the Daoist Pavilion.
Once the vines really touched them, the Daoist Pavilion would be littered with dead bodies.
However…
All of a sudden, Li Sansui was shocked. She looked up at the sky.
She saw the thick clouds turn into a giant palm and swatted the evil spirit.
That woman was astonished. She used all of the sere vines to form a s.h.i.+eld over her head.
She intended to parry this palm from heaven with this s.h.i.+eld.
This palm put her extremely terrified and pressured.
It turned out that dreadful existence had been paying attention to this place all the time. And at this moment, he finally acted?!
The woman was not happy with the situation.
She screamed in a biting voice.
But when she screamed, Lu Fan’s palm swatted down.
Tong!
The clouds exploded.
The Cloud Dragon flew and excitedly tumbled in the sky. It lifted its head to let out a chime.
All of the clouds in the sky seemed to be thrilled. Countless clouds piled over Catching Stars Peak, making this scene spectacular.
It suddenly exploded below the clouds.
That woman’s soul was visible and touchable like a real thing. It flew out of her and hit the field of Catching Stars Peak hard.
In an instant, there were several cracks on the field, spreading like a spider web.
The disciples of the Daoist Pavilion hurried to run away.
Xie Yunling was directing them to retreat.
In the air.
The giant hand transformed by clouds swatted again.
The woman’s soul emerged over the field. She roared in anger, letting out a piercing voice.
“You…”
“You have gone too far!”
Numerous vines grew out of the woman’s body. The field at Catching Stars Peak instantly became a sea of vines. The many sere vines piled together into the shape of a hand.
Tong!
The cloud palm hit the vine hand.
Countless sere vines exploded and fell on the ground in a scattered manner.
The sere vines piled together into the figure of the woman. She got to her feet. Although her soul was all she had left, she still would not allow anyone to treat her arbitrarily.
She snarled at the clouds in the sky. Then, countless sere vines rose to hit the cloud palm in the sky once more.
The cloud palm kept swatting.
It just did not stop swatting.
The impact of the sere vines could not smash the cloud palm at all. Although it was actually made of floating clouds, it was as solid as something made of thoroughly tempered steel.
Finally…
The cloud palm fell at Catching Stars Peak.
The woman’s biting scream was gone…
The field at Catching Stars Peak was somewhat erased from the world. Patches of messy dirt were all that was left of the field.
The cloud palm turned into a red bead after vanis.h.i.+ng.
In the bead, that miserable woman was still roaring, but no one could hear her.
This dreadful fight happened all of a sudden and also ended all of a sudden.
The disciples of the Daoist Pavilion were all stunned.
Even Xie Yunling was feeling a lingering fear.
He supposed this woman’s strength was even beyond Internal Organs. Once she started to kill, the Daoist Pavilion would be reduced to a dead place.
Fortunately…
Xie Yunling cupped his hands and bowed at the cloud palm in the sky that had disappeared. The palm had been closed with the bead at its center.
“Thank you for your help, Young Master.”
“No problem.”
A flat voice vaguely came from behind the Dragon Gate.
It was the Young Master Lu indeed!
The disciples of the Daoist Pavilion were all very excited. Some of them even knelt down.
Li Sansui looked at the sky that had restored its peace in a daze. She let out a sigh. That man was so strong…
He was so strong that she felt despair.
Not until then did she think of Li Sansi. She ran up to him. Li Sansi, who had lost his soul and been struggling, was in a coma again.
But this time, he was much better.
His toughness won him his own body back.
Looking at Li Sansi, the disciples of the Daoist Pavilion had a complicated feeling. Some of them were excited, and some felt helpless, while others did not know how to describe their feeling.
Li Sansi was still alive, but he looked completely different. He was not so graceful as before. Currently, he was neither a human nor a ghost.
Although his face still looked the same, his body was covered with sere vines that pierced out of his pores like hair. The sight of him was a little terrifying.
However, at least he was still alive, and his breathing was already stable.
As to how he would be in the future, no one knew.
Looking at Li Sansi, Xie Yunling let out a sigh.
Li Sansi had been continuously risking his life, and this time, he ended up like this.
******
Lake Island, Beiluo.
Countless energies had acc.u.mulated in Lu Fan’s hand. He was leaning on the back of the Thousand Blades Chair.
The bead flew out of the Dragon Gate at high speed and abruptly stopped, suspended in the air before Lu Fan.
Inside the bead, that woman’s soul was still struggling.
Holding the bead, Lu Fan looked at the woman in it indifferently.
He was a little surprised because, in theory, that woman should have been dead after having been attacked by his ma.s.sive palm made of clouds.
She was only a soul by then. Her strength was even weaker than some strong Golden Elixir cultivators.
But still, she was not dead. Instead, she turned into a bead.
“What on earth is this bead?”
Lu Fan frowned.
And he found this bead seemed to be isolating him from the woman so that the two could not communicate.
Lu Fan held the bead between his fingers with more effort. The bead did not seem very hard. Lu Fan could smash it into pieces if he held it with a little more effort.
Soon, Lu Fan released his fingers. He did not break the bead.
He threw the bead into Beiluo Lake after thinking.
When all this had been done, Lu Fan started to communicate with tiny Lu Fan on Tengen Continent.
******
Monster Realm.
It was a forbidden area on Tengen Continent.
Righteous powers, such as Wudi City, the Great Qian Matriarchal Empire, Kufo Temple, and evil powers like Tianxu Palace and the Supreme Knife School, were all a little scared of the Monster Realm.
At the edge of the Monster Realm, several strong people from various powers had been stationed to guard the area.
And the Heavenly Monster PaG.o.da was located at the center of the Monster Realm. According to the strong people from Tengen Continent, extremely terrible demons were sealed in the paG.o.da.
On the state highway on the territory of the Great Qian Matriarchal Empire.
Tiny Lu Fan was crossing his legs on a big tree and slightly shaking them. He seemed to be enjoying his time there.
But soon, Lu Fan’s consciousness surged, and tiny Lu Fan straightened up. He nodded seriously as if he was taking commands.
After quite some time.
Tiny Lu Fan clutched a handful of Spirit Qi, which then turned into a hat. After putting the hat on, Tiny Lu Fan flew into the air, heading toward the Monster Realm.
He saw a running river after flying over a mountain. He was excited.
He jumped into the river. In an instant, the river split into many currents.
He kept traveling following the currents.
Spirit Fluid could travel many times faster in water than on the ground.
Therefore, as long as there was water, Spirit Fluid could arrive very quickly.
He was traveling at top speed in the water like a light.
******
Wudi City.
Mo Tianyu was wearing a bamboo hat. The veil of the bamboo hat covered his face.
However, despite that, the veil did not block his sight.
He looked at the city gate of Wudi City. There, in spite of his advice, Nie Changqing, carrying his knife, walked through the gate determined.
Mo Tianyu sighed to himself.
He had advised Nie Changqing out of good intension. If it were not him, Mo Tianyu would not have bothered to do that at all.
Why…
Nie Changqing just would not listen to him.
There was nothing Mo Tianyu could do. Nie Changqing would have to take care of himself and pray for good luck.
Nie Changqing certainly caught the attention of the disciples as soon as he entered the city.
The guards of Wudi City did not stop him. They opened the gate for him instead.
It was empty on the long street.
Carrying his knife, Nie Changqing showed a smile that tugged at the corners of his lips.
It was snowing, and it felt a little cold. The snowflakes fell before Nie Changqing.
Nie Changqing touched the handle of the Dragon Slaying Knife. He walked ahead into the city, stepping on the snow.
Maybe the news of Nie Changqing’s challenge had spread.
Nie Changqing stopped walking after only a few steps.
The ground was slightly quaking.
Nie Changqing squinted.
He lifted his head and looked at the end of the long street. There, in a corner, he saw snow kicked up from the ground and killing intent thundering in the air.
Densely packed, the inner-order disciples of Wudi City walked out in an orderly fas.h.i.+on.
Their steps were heavy. The ground was violently shaking while they were walking.
So many inner-order disciples came together.
It felt like a gangster fight.
Under the immense pressure, Nie Changqing could not help but grasp the Dragon Slaying Knife tightly. He was really afraid that these Wudi City disciples would rush at him madly.
If they did, it would be impossible for Nie Changqing to flee.
Nie Changqing did not know the leader.
But he guessed it should be the inner-order disciple ranked 15th that had been mentioned in the challenge letter sent to him…
Because Nie Changqing felt a little pressured by that person’s strength.
“You are that number 15th of the inner order?” Nie Changqing asked flatly as he looked at the leader.
“Exactly. I’m Yang Kun from the inner order of Wudi City,” the man said.
Nie Changqing nodded and cupped his hands at Yang Kun. “Please.”
However…
When he had finished speaking, voices came from the crowd of inner-order disciples.
“You think you can fight whenever you want?”
“You killed so many inner-order disciples of Wudi City. You must take a life-or-death challenge today!”
“Learning from each other? Since you are here, don’t you want to go? See you in the life-or-death challenge.”
The inner-order disciples of Wudi City spoke, on after the other.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Yang Kun coldly stared at Nie Changqing.
“Killers will always be killed. They intended to kill me. Should I have let them do that without fighting back?” Nie Changqing said.
“They were not good enough, so no one should be blamed for their deaths. But they were after all our brothers. We used to sleep on the same shared bed. It’s our job to avenge them…”
“All of your trials will be life-or-death challenges,” Yang Kun said.
“Although the City Master forbade us from killing you, if you are killed in a life-or-death challenge, even the City Master won’t say anything.”
Turning his neck, Yang Kun kept staring at Nie Changqing.
“Take the life-or-death challenge if you have b.a.l.l.s!”
“Don’t be a coward who is afraid of death!”
“You want to use the disciples of Wudi City for training? Don’t flinch then! Accept the challenge!”
Yang Kun took a step ahead every time he finished speaking, and his energy got a little bit stronger. He even spit on Nie Changqing’s face while speaking.
A gale started. Nie Changqing’s white robe stuck to his body tightly.
The inner-order disciples of Wudi City around them all smiled coldly.
“Life-or-death challenge?”
Nie Changqing looked neither happy nor sad.
The corner of his unshaved lip slightly raised.
“Okay.”
“I’ll do a life-or-death challenge then.”
When he had finished speaking…
The whole long street suddenly went quiet.
“You really have some b.a.l.l.s!”
“Please,” Yang Kun said after turning sideways and then staring at Nie Changqing.
Carrying his knife, Nie Changqing walked ahead calmly, without showing any fear.
A life-or-death challenge was even rare in Wudi City.
It would not happen unless it were for a deep hatred.
In a life-or-death challenge, no one would care about your life or death. Only the winner could leave the arena alive.
It was exactly because of such a cruel rule that few disciples of Wudi City would trigger a life-or-death challenge.
And this time, an uproar resounded in Wudi City. The inner-order disciples and outer-order disciples all got the news.
The stowaway from the Void Gate accepted a life-or-death challenge.
The disciples went around spreading the news.
The entire city got excited. Many disciples in the middle of cultivating all stopped. They headed for the arena instead.
The arena for life-or-death challenges was not a common one. The number one formation master in Wudi City, who was a formation master in the Nascent Soul Realm, had deployed the arena.
The two parties would have to use their blood as a pa.s.s to open the arena for life-or-death challenges when they went inside there.
When they had gone inside…
No one would be able to intervene. Even Nascent Soul cultivators would have to go through a formation first if they wanted to save someone. And it would take Nascent Soul cultivators at least five minutes to go through the formation.
Therefore, there were only two options of a life-or-death challenge—to live or die.
“Once a stowaway, always a stowaway. Even though the City Master had pardoned you, you are still that garbage from that dirty place behind the Void Gate,” Yang Kun said sarcastically as he continued looking at Nie Changqing.
Nie Changqing was quite calm. He looked at Yang Kun and realized it was not just Yang Kun’s trash talk. The latter did not even try to hide the sarcasm and disdain in his eyes.
He was genuinely disdainful for Nie Changqing, who came from the other side of the Void Gate.
Ranked 15th among inner-order disciples in Wudi City, he felt humiliated by Nie Changqing’s challenge.
He felt Nie Changqing had challenged him in order to insult him.
“Let’s resolve all the problems in the life-or-death challenge,” Nie Changqing said.
Then the two pressed their hands against the stone disk formation. Their blood seeped out.
The gate of the arena was opened.
The life-or-death challenge was usually held on a giant round arena with spectators stands on both sides.
Nie Changqing went onto it. He chose the left side.
Yang Kun went onto it. He chose the right side.
The two stood far apart, looking at each other.
As the two stood there and got ready, the gate of the arena was tightly closed.
Outside.
The inner-order and outer-order disciples of Wudi City were extremely thrilled on the spectator stands. They kept shouting and screaming.
This life-or-death challenge had completely inspired them.
Many inner-order disciples died while chasing Nie Changqing.
As a result, these disciples of Wudi City actually hated him.
The noises were so loud that it seemed they wanted to dismantle Wudi City.
Meanwhile, inside the hall, Du Longyang, the Empress, and the others were discussing the Immortal Slaying Plan. They were stunned to hear the noises.
“Why is it so noisy there?” the Empress asked, frowning.
Du Longyang released his Spiritual Sense. He found out what had happened after sensing for a while.
His eyes narrowed. It was a surprise for him that Nie Changqing was so brave.
“Young Master Lu’s apprentice is doing a life-or-death challenge with an inner-order disciple of Wudi City…”
Du Longyang was a little helpless.
It was the first Martial Sovereign who made the rule of a life-or-death challenge. Even Du Longyang could not break it.
It would be tricky for him if Nie Changqing died in the life-or-death challenge. He did not know how to explain it to Lu Fan by then.
If the Immortal Slaying Plan failed because of this incident, Du Longyang would be extremely annoyed, but he could not blame anyone.
Everything in a life-or-death challenge would depend on fate. No one could intervene.
But Du Longyang felt maybe he would have to intervene this time. To ensure the smooth process of the Immortal Slaying Plan, he might make an exception…
After all, he could only communicate with Young Master Lu through Nie Changqing.
Compared to the Immortal Slaying Plan, the life-or-death challenge was really nothing.
“Oh?”
The Empress’s eyes lit up when she had heard that.
“Young Master Lu’s apprentice?”
She sent her Spiritual Sense toward the life-or-death challenge too.
Master Yuanshang hesitated. Then he sent his Spiritual Sense out as well to watch the fight.
On the arena.
Nie Changqing unsheathed the Dragon Slaying Knife slowly. The knife spirit surged.
In the distance.
Holding a spear, Yang Kun was looking at Nie Changqing coldly.
“You challenged me because I’m only a third-level Golden Elixir cultivator, didn’t you?”
“Unfortunately, your information isn’t up-to-date. I’m now a fourth-level Golden Elixir cultivator!”
“Get ready for your death!” Yang Kun said with a cold and sarcastic smile. He stopped restricting his energy.
He shook the tip of the spear when he had finished speaking. A noise suddenly came. He rushed at Nie Changqing.
Nie Changqing turned serious as soon as he heard Yang Kun’s claim.
Fourth… Fourth level?!
Mo Tianyu’s fortune-telling was not reliable indeed!
Although Mo Tianyu did tell him to give up the challenge because it would be dangerous…
Nie Changqing still wanted to add one thing…
Small blessing… What the heck?!