Chapter 1019: You Know Me Best
Proofreader: Papatonks
Hum~
Ye Lin and Ouyang Changqing stood on the wide stage, with the executives present doing their duty in erecting a barrier to isolate their fight.
The loud and raving cheers cut off as well, unable to reach the two fighters.
“One is a great talent of western lands youth, the other is the best disciple in northern lands. I wonder how it will turn out? Ha-ha-ha, this’ll be good!”
“I put my money on Changqing. He’s been training in Heaven Sealing Sword Art since he was young and he also had brother Lingtian to nurture him all these years. While Double Dragon Manor trains the most elite disciples, they have lost the best period in life, starting too late. And with the loss of Vaulting Sword, the kid had no chance of learning of the Vaulting Sword Art. The ending is obvious.”
“That’s too soon to tell. Yes, being trained early will help correct any bad habits that might form, but the way western lands selects its disciple is from their very best, with each having a specialty. After all, Vaulting Sword Art’s character is one of harmony. Western lands does it so that every disciple gets to further amplify their strengths when they learn from the Vaulting Sword. It’s the best way of training in the Vaulting Sword Art and bring about the greatest talent ever seen!”
“But their Vaulting Sword is lost.”
“Be that as it may, I heard that the best disciple in western lands has such an outstanding talent that makes not learning the Vaulting Sword Art a moot point…”
“How reliable is that info? Now I’m really eager to see how far talent alone can get him against a disciple having learned from a divine sword…”
Ouyang Changqing did such a great job at spreading the news of his fight that, just like Zhuo Fan predicted, many elders from Beyond Heaven Island came over as well. They hovered above, with eager and hopeful eyes.
Just like the roaring mob of disciples below, they were just as interested to see who the best disciple among these two was, but without all the fanaticism.
Ye Lin took a deep breath looking at Ouyang Changqing with a smirk and invitation, “After you, lest people say I pick on the weak.”
“You got some nerve acting all smug before me when you’re only in the 2nd layer of Soul Harmony Stage! How in the world did you even get to be the first disciple with that kind of cultivation is anyone’s guess.”
Ouyang Changqing mocked back, although focused on looking around the audience, “Not here still? I even had to insist for two hours to get her to agree. Why isn’t she here yet?”
Ouyang Changqing hesitated.
Ye Lin’s brow shook, “Where are you looking? Scared?”
“Get over yourself! I am a great 8th layer Soul Harmony Stage expert. You must be dreaming if you think I’d be scared of someone in the 2nd layer!”
Ouyang Changqing huffed with disdain, but still scanned the crowd, “Such a grand performance comes by rarely. You’re turning all my effort and grand heroic performance into wasted effort with your absence, sister Xue…”
“Sister Xue, quick, it’s about to start!”
Meanwhile, in another area, Shangguan Qingyan kept pulling Murong Xue’s arm, running over to the hustle and bustle heard for miles.
Murong Xue rolled her eyes, “It’s just that pompous p.r.i.c.k showing off, what are you getting all excited about?”
“I know Ouyang Changqing is the best disciple in northern lands with hardly anyone lasting five strikes, but his opponent this time is the best disciple in western lands. Maybe it’ll be a great fight for once. You don’t want to see if there are such experts among our peers?”
Shangguan Qingyan had a very good reason, yet when she arrived at the show, her eyes were everywhere but the stage.
She had even less interest in Ouyang Changqing’s high cla.s.s act. The only reason she came was because she heard Zhuo Fan’s group was here to cheer for him. So she thought of an excuse to get Murong Xue to come as well.
Was she worried at all that maybe Murong Xue would figure Zhuo Fan out? Absolutely not. She believed Zhuo Fan had taken precautions since he chose to come here. And two, once she spotted him, she’d dump Murong Xue and would s.h.i.+eld him from anything. This way they’d also get close. What could possibly go wrong?
Having run her plan countless times through her mind, no matter how shallow, she would have Murong Xue as an excuse when coming to the fight anyway.
Murong Xue had no clue of her intentions, beginning to a.s.sess the fight, “Yan’er, Ouyang Changqing is strong in the end. While he always carries himself with flair and idles away like a true pompous fool, his upbringing has been perfect. He had started seclusion with his father when he was five, to understand the Heaven Sealing Sword Art. Not even I can last more than twenty moves against him.”
“Won’t that mean the best disciple in western lands is going to lose?”
Shangguan Qingyan giggled, “Sister Xue is the strongest disciple in southern lands, but for even you to say you’re going to lose, won’t that mean he has won over southern lands’ youth? While eastern lands’ strongest disciple was that cousin Yulin. Though even alive he wouldn’t be a match to sister Xue. That means eastern lands lost as well. Which leaves western lands, needing to defeat their best disciple to be the best disciple of the four lands.”
Murong Xue gave a helpless nod, “Yeah, now you know why he blew this fight out of proportions? He’s about to be the best disciple in the four lands, a very good reason to celebrate. And with western lands being the last among the lands, their best disciple is definitely going to fall way short. Now the entire fight had turned into a spectacle for him to look good. That’s why I don’t feel like coming only to watch his obnoxious grin getting wider.”
“He-he-he, of course he’s obnoxious.”
Shangguan Qingyan teased, “It will go along with your promise. His win will make him the best disciple in the lands and give some credence to becoming the second Invincible Sword one day in the future!”
Murong Xue sneered, “Best in the lands? Second Invincible Sword? Ha-ha, that’s rich! Even if he wins against western lands today, his winning streak will stop here. There’s one among our peers he can never defeat. He has the highest chance of becoming the second Invincible Sword!”
“Who?” Shangguan Qingyan’s brow shook, shouting eagerly.
[It can’t be him, right…]
Murong Xue turned heavy as she spoke, “Central area Sword Star Empire’s Crown Prince, Baili Jingtian!”
“Him?”
“Yeah, just another Baili.”
Murong Xue shook her head with a sigh, “I’ve once gone to the central area and met with the prince on several occasions. The Baili clan is truly incredible, filled with talents and in constant growth. I believe that even a hundred years after Invincible Sword, that clan will shock the world with another incredible figure. At the very least, their top ten princes are on par with the best disciples in the lands. With the first four being above us. I couldn’t even last a blow against Baili Jingtian. He’s really the second coming of Invincible Sword!”
Shangguan Qingyan’s eyes shook, “We really are hopeless. Our homes will all be united under Sword Star Empire’s tyranny, with everything destroyed.”
“Yeah, their strength breeds fear and despair.”
Murong Xue sighed, looking desolate, “It was Prime Minister Baili Jingwei who set up the meeting with the princes. He was then looking to persuade my brother. That’s why he put on such a display to intimidate us. I have to admit, it worked. Seeing those princes’ power and the immense potential of the Sword Star Empire made me realize with each pa.s.sing day that we are on our last leg. While we are fighting over who’s the best, the Sword Star Empire already took that t.i.tle, rising to their glory. Maybe the next time, the four lands would end up crushed under its power. That’s why I feel Ouyang Changqing’s fanfare and conceit as the best disciple in the four lands as empty words…”
Shangguan Qingyan nodded in understanding, sighing, “Sister Xue has seen much, unlike us. Being so compet.i.tive and drunk on fame is truly childish…”
“Sister Xue, you’re here at last! I’ve waited ages for you!”
Ouyang Changqing’s eager shout reached Murong Xue waving in excitement.
Shangguan Qingyan and Murong Xue had a bitter smile and shook their heads.
In such desperate times, he had the leisure to compete over who the best in the alliance was. It only helped to make his childish image in their minds more p.r.o.nounced.
Or to be more accurate, naive.
Zhuo Fan tensed seeing Murong Xue here, lowering his head.
Chu Qingcheng reached out by herself and held Zhuo Fan’s hand, gripping both of them tightly, as if to console him. Although, her eyes were still vacant.
“Sorry sir, she doesn’t know what she’s doing.” Shui Ruohua startled at Chu Qingcheng’s action, wanting to take her hand back at once.
It just wasn’t proper to do that with a stranger, especially a man. They’d really take her for a crazy woman.
Zhuo Fan stopped her, sighing as he gazed into Chu Qingcheng’s deep and vacant eyes, “After all these years, you know me best…”