Chapter 25 An Unexpected Win?
The green glow of the sword attack lit the sky!
Ling Hua gathered all of his xuan strength upon his hands, tightening his hold on to the hilt, causing the blue veins to stand out on the back of his hands and forcing him to grit his teeth in pain. When Ling Xing’s green sword light was almost upon him, he roared, “Bring it on!”
In the wake of his roar, Ling Hua’s long sword swung to meet Ling Xing’s green light.
“Clang!”
“Boom!”
“Ah!”
The sounds of swords colliding reverberated, again and again, to be immediately followed by an anguished scream, only to see a person sent flying out of the high stage. Fortunately, Ninth Elder Ling Fu displayed a masterful control of his strength to prevent that person from suffering further misery.
The person that had been thrown out was none other than Ling Hua, who had directly received Ling Xiao’s attack. Even more alarmingly, his first-grade, high-level long sword had been split in two, and he was bleeding profusely from the torn thenar s.p.a.ce on both of his hands. If he does not receive a medicinal pill soon, it will take at least three months for him to recover.
As Ling Hua was being carried away, Elder Ling Fu declared the winner, “Ling Xing is victorious!”
Immediately after the announcement, the crowd of Ling Family children cried out.
“Ling Xing is too powerful. He sent Ling Hua flying with one move!”
“I couldn’t even see when he attacked and Ling Hua was already flying out. I’m afraid Ling Hua would have been killed if this was a battle of life and death.”
“I don’t know who is stronger this year, Ling Xing or Ling Li?!”
……
Seeing Ling Xing defeat his opponent with one move, a joyful expression appeared on Fifth Elder Ling Yan’s face. He was clearly pleased with Ling Xing’s performance.
In the middle of the viewing platform, Patriarch Ling Cang frowned slightly, a trace of concern appearing between his brows.
On the platform, Ling Xing had long received his sword, gently brushing aside a few loose strands of hair from his face before he let out a cold laugh and said, “You overestimate yourself!” He glanced over at Ling Xiao’s direction and then proceeded swiftly off the stage.
“Ling Tian and Ling Xiao, please come up on stage.” Elder Ling Fu’s voice echoed out once more.
Ling Tian acted with the same confidence and ease as he did in his previous match as he leaped onto the stage, appearing clever and light of foot. In sharp contrast, Ling Xiao just calmly ascended the steps to the stage. It’s not that he doesn’t have a desire to make a grand entrance; rather he couldn’t be bothered since there are too few beautiful women in attendance and the ones that are present are members of his family.
“Ling Xiao’s luck has finally run out this time. It’s a miracle that he’s even in the second round as a low-rank xuan pract.i.tioner.”
“The man just has an incredible luck to be able to practice cultivation as a cripple. It’s not unusual that he’s able to reach where he is today.”
“Ling Tian has already learned a yellow-order sword skill, and he’s always one for the dramatics. He will not like lightly let off Ling Xiao like in the previous match.”
Below the stage, the Ling Family children discussed Ling Tian and Ling Xiao’s upcoming fight.
The match is finally starting!
“Come, let me see just how exceptional our Ling Family’s genius is. I’ll let you have three moves.” Ling Tian remarked with disdain as he beckoned Ling Xiao with his fingers.
“He’s intentionally causing trouble. It seems that this child is too arrogant and willful. After we return home, I must give him a lecture.” On the viewing platform, Fourth Elder Ling Wei slammed on a table in anger. He glanced over at Ling Cang as if afraid his grandson’s behavior might have offended the Patriarch.
Second Elder Ling Mo interjected, “It’s normal for young people to be a little impetuous and proud now and then; they never think things through. He meant no harm.” Second Elder Ling Mo set himself up against Patriarch Ling Cang with this statement. On the surface, he pretended to be a moderator for Ling Wei, but his true intentions are self-evident.
Ling Cang nodded his head and said, “We were all young once. Ling Tian is a good kid. Old Four, you do well to nurture him and let him become a pillar for the Ling Family as soon as possible!”
Ling Wei glanced at Ling Mo before replying to Ling Cang, “Ling Wei understands.” Ling Wei was very proud in his heart. Both Ling Lin and Ling Tian’s talent could be considered among the best in the younger generation. Even if Ling Tian is too proud and conceited, Ling Wei thought nothing of it. He’s a young man! His show of concern just now was only to show consideration for Ling Cang.
Turning back to the stage, a sly smile twisted Ling Xiao’s lips before he said loudly, “So what you’re saying is, you’ll allow me three moves?”
When the audience heard Ling Xiao’s words, they couldn’t help but ridicule him.
Ling Tian naturally thought that Ling Xiao’s experiencing stage fright and deliberately spoke in a loud voice to get over his fears. He immediately replied in disdain, “Of course, I’ve always kept my word. If you can force a reaction out of me within three moves, then I lose.” Ling Tian had spoken just as loudly, for fear that the audience cannot hear.
Ling Xiao laughed and said, “Well then, you should prepare well. I’m about to attack.”
Ling Tian extended his hand and made a beckoning gesture. “Give me all you got! Don’t even mention three moves. In fact, you wouldn’t be able to put a scratch on me even if I allow you thirty moves.” Ling Tian had the utmost confidence in himself because he’s an intermediate-rank xuan pract.i.tioner. Even if he had just entered the intermediate-rank xuan pract.i.tioner rank, his strength is such that five low-rank xuan pract.i.tioner is no match for him five on one. Besides, he has already comprehended two yellow-order sword skills; it would be a child’s play to deal with a person such as Ling Xiao who had barely entered the low-rank xuan pract.i.tioner rank for half a month.
“In that case, here I come.” Even as Ling Xiao spoke, he advanced toward Ling Tian at a steady pace. He looks as if he was taking an idle stroll in the courtyard, and showed no sign that he was going to attack.
Watch carefully.” Ling Xiao said. To everyone’s surprise, he only used the most ordinary of skills: a straight punch to Ling Tian’s face.
Ling Tian folded both arms in front of his chest and leaned slightly to one side, easily avoiding Ling Xiao’s fist. “You think you can touch me relying on this sort of p.i.s.s-poor punch? Dream on.”
Ling Xiao pulled back his fist and casually shook it out. “G.o.d d.a.m.n! You’ve actually dodged my punch. Let’s try one more time.” Ling Xiao swung his fist toward Ling Xiao, only this time slightly faster. Not surprisingly, Ling Tian dodged the attack without difficulty.
The Ling Family children below the platform were taken aback by Ling Xiao’s performance.
“How-how can this be considered as the strength of a low-rank xuan pract.i.tioner? Even a casual punch from a fifth-rank martial apprentice is faster than him.”
“Could it be that he knows he is no match for Ling Tian, so he intends to forfeit after throwing out a few punches?”
“There’s no way he could be this spineless, can he?”
……
In the audience, Ling Zhi was also staring at Ling Xiao with a stunned expression. In the past, he had been knocked out by Ling Xiao with one move, so he doesn’t believe that Ling Xiao lacks in courage. In his opinion, these two punches is an attempt to lull Ling Tian into a sense of negligence just to make the final attack more disconcerting.
The elders on the viewing platform were equally perplexed by Ling Xiao’s antics and arrived at the same conclusion as Ling Zhi that the actual attack will come on the following move. However, they all believed that even if Ling Xiao can catch Ling Tian unawares, it would still be impossible to defeat Ling Tian. After all, the disparity in strength of the two sides cannot be so easily overcome.
“Whatever you have planned for your last move, I don’t care. Just get on with it.” Ling Tian sneered. Although he’s conceited, he’s not a brainless moron; he can certainly guess at Ling Xiao’s intention.
Ling Xiao rubbed his nose and said, “You’re right, you’re right. Since you can avoid two of my punches, I guess you do have a little bit of skill. It seems that I’ll have to take it up a notch and see if you really cannot be knocked down.”
Ling Tian replied, “Stop talking so much nonsense. You have one last opportunity, so use it wisely.”
Ling Xiao had only used his bare fists to attack Ling Tian just now, but the strongest attack for any martial artist is accomplished with the use of a weapon. Only a weapon can give an opponent that sense of intimidation and allow a person to bring his full might to bear.
A crafty expression flashed across Ling Xiao’s eyes and then immediately chuckled, “A tiny little intermediate-rank xuan pract.i.tioner like you is not worthy of my sword.”
Ling Tian blanked out for a second, before laughter erupted from his belly, “Haha! You think you’re still that xuan warrior from back then? You’re a n.o.body who’s barely even relevant. Can you hear what you’re saying? Can you hear how stupid it sounds?”
On the viewing platform, Fifth Elder Ling Yan laughed and said, “Kids nowadays just have no sense of propriety.” Fifth Elder had been the victim of Ling Xiao’s ploy in the inner chamber and had his grandson Ling Rui had nearly been banished from the family. He held a deep hatred for Ling Xiao to say the least.
Fourth Elder Ling Wei restrained himself from laughing. He is also convinced that his grandson can’t be beaten even if Ling Xiao can practice cultivation again.
But will things turn out as they imagine?
In the following moments, Ling Xiao will use action to prove that everyone else is wrong, so incredibly wrong.
“Get ready,” said Ling Xiao lightly. “I’m making my move.”
“Stop with the bulls.h.i.t and just come already. Don’t waste my time.” Ling Tian said with confidence.
Even as the words came out of Ling Tian’s mouth, Ling Xiao begins to move. He appeared to be moving in slow motion but is, in fact, moving incredibly fast. His footsteps were no more than a blur, as if a burst of wind, as he arrived before Ling Tian in a flash.
“Flowing Water Element Cloud!”
“Chasing Wind and Clutching Shadows!”
Ling Xiao showed no quarter; both palms moved as swift as flowing water as he struck toward the chest of the still stunned Ling Tian. He quickly followed it up with several Wind G.o.d Kicks, not giving Ling Tian any room to breathe.
Ling Tian only felt the world in front of him blur, and Ling Xiao was already upon him in a vicious attack. Before he had time to attack, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and then another. He was like a sandbag, sent flying with no opportunity to strike back.
Whether on the stage or off, everyone was stupefied. They could only stare foolishly as Ling Tian was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut.
None of the Ling Family children could figure out how Ling Xiao attacked. Only the spectating xuan warrior ranked honor guards and the elders on the viewing platform could clearly see each and every one of Ling Xiao’s eighteen kicks and punches landing on Ling Tian’s body.
“This-this is impossible!” Off the stage, Ling Zhi cried out with eyes wide open.
Off to the side, Ling Xing revealed an expression of astonishment but not excessively so, thinking to himself, “Ling Tian is an arrogant idiot, but this outcome is also good. Now I’ll have the chance to destroy this guy the upcoming match.”
Sitting together among the honor guards, Ling Kuang and Ling Lin also wore a startled expression, because they could see that Ling Xiao’s phenomenal footwork was incredibly quick—so fast, in fact, that he could definitely hold his own against their speed as xuan warriors.
On the platform, both of Fourth Elder Ling Wei and Fifth Elder Ling Yan’s complexion turned green. One of them did not expect his grandson would end up losing while the other had been shocked by Ling Xiao’s display of speed.
Sitting in the center, Patriarch Ling Cang finally exposed hints of a gratified smile.
Back on the stage, Ling Xiao said to Ninth Elder Ling Fu, “Elder, shouldn’t you declare the winner?”
Ling Fu came back to his senses and said, “Oh! Ling Xiao is victorious!”
At this moment, the crowd exploded into an uproar, screaming and yelling. Who would have thought that a low-rank xuan pract.i.tioner like Ling Xiao will triumph over an intermediate-rank xuan pract.i.tioner like Ling Tian.
“Im-impossible! There’s no way I could have lost. I demand a rematch!” Ling Tian bellowed, unable to accept reality, as he struggled free from supporting arms of the bodyguards.