Chapter 26 You’re Still Not Qualified!
Ling Xiao glanced over at Ling Tian and then let out a hearty laugh, “Haha! Thanks for letting me win. If you did not allow me the three moves, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you in a fair fight.” He paused for a second before continuing, “So this is the best an intermediate-rank xuan pract.i.tioner like you can do.” Having said his piece, he leisurely walked down from the platform.
Ling Tian angrily glared at Ling Xiao and roared, “I’m going to kill you!” He instantly unsheathed a long sword behind his back and exploded towards Ling Xiao.
“How presumptuous!” The Fourth Elder let out a quiet snort on the viewing platform, releasing an intense and formless pressure pressed down on Ling Tian’s head.
Ling Tian immediately froze where he stood, sweat rolling down his face. Not even a moment later, the Flaming Sun Sword fell out of his hand, and his knees gave out as he kneeled heavily on the ground.
“Why haven’t he been taken away yet? Do I have to do everything myself?” Ling Wei thundered at the bodyguards.
Straight away, two guards helped the ashen-faced Ling Tian to his feet and quickly withdrew from the platform.
Ling Wei turned around to bow to Ling Cang and said, “Patriarch, it was this old man’s failing for not disciplining him well enough. When I return home, I’ll be sure to punish this ingrate child. Please show leniency, Patriarch.”
Ling Cang waved his hands and said, “It was just a fight between the children. There’s no need to be too harsh on him; a few words will do. Let us continue with the compet.i.tion.”
“Thank you for your leniency, Patriarch.” Ling Wei returned to his seat after bowing deeply. Whether or not Ling Tian’s loss was a fluke is immaterial; Ling Tian had threatened to kill Ling Xiao in front of so many witnesses, not to mention that Ling Xiao is the grandson of Patriarch Ling Cang. Wasn’t this equivalent to a slap in the Patriarch’s face? His palm has been sweating nonstop. Ling Cang may seem very gentle from the way he usually carries himself, but that man’s strength is far above his own and kills with steadfast and unwavering resolve. He remembered back in their younger years, he had seen Ling Cang single-handedly exterminate an entire army in the Desolate Chaparral Mountains. He still has lingering fears thinking back now.
Throughout the years, Ling Cang had constantly been undermined by Ling Mo and his brother’s above board as well as covert maneuverings. He had remained neutral through all this, paying particular attention not to offend either party. Therefore, he had astutely been focused, concentrated, on his job as the punishment elder and nothing else. He could not have imagined that this carefully formulated balance would be shattered by Ling Tian’s thoughtlessness because either way he leans will be a path of no return.
This incident with Ling Tian was only a momentary distraction. When the next match started, the audience soon forgot the mishap.
Ling Hu versus Ling Li: the first collision of high-rank xuan pract.i.tioners. No one was optimistic about Ling Hu’s chances; he had only broken through to high-rank xuan pract.i.tioner a month ago, but Ling Li had broken through more than a year ago and already reached the peak of xuan pract.i.tioner. It should not take him longer than a few months to project xuan strength externally and thereby breaking through to the rank of xuan warrior. The gap between the two sides is not small.
However, Ling Hu is not the kind of person who would forfeit without trying. At the very least, he intends to give it his all and put up such a fight, as to be worthy of recognition.
Following Ninth Elder Ling Fu’s announcement, the last match of the second round was set to begin!
Ling Hu and Ling Li exchanged niceties and commenced their fight in earnest without further ado.
Ling Hu took the initiative and attacked first. He bellowed out loud, just like the roar of a tiger, as both his fists pounded mercilessly toward Ling Li like two dragons rising from the sea.
Ling Li leaped back as he reached behind him with one hand and drew his weapon swiftly. A sparkling and translucent silver pike appeared in his hands.
This is also a second-grade, low-level weapon, Greedy Wolf Silver Pike; forged from the bones and sinew of a second-grade Snow Wolf, extremely st.u.r.dy and durable, and emanating a bloodthirsty, murderous aura that causes terror to form in people’s heart.
With the Greedy Wolf Silver Pike in hand, a hard light gleamed in Ling Li’s eyes. He brandished the pike and pressed in with a series of low thrusts at Ling Hu, moving even greater speed than Ling Hu.
Ling Hu knew he held no advantage with regards to weaponry. He did not dare to take it head on; rather, he sidestepped to dodge Ling Li’s deft a.s.sault and punched several times at Ling Li’s waist.
Ling Li did not antic.i.p.ate that Ling Hu would react so quickly and so decisively, but his eyes shone with a cold disdain. His pike suddenly changed direction as he shouted out loud, “Arrow Rain!”
Instantly, countless pike shadows descended upon Ling Hu like dense raindrops, bringing about a biting cold aura that cut at people’s faces.
Ling Hu couldn’t dodge in time, so he intercepted each pike shadows with powerful punches of his own.
“Clang! Clang!” The sounds of weapons colliding rang out in the air.
Ling Hu mounted a fierce defense, repulsing one attack after another, yet even this proved not enough, and several gaping holes soon appeared on both of his shoulders, spattering blood everywhere.
Many of the younger Ling Family children in the audience became pale in fear.
Even so, Ling Hu remains undaunted. He could care less about a few flesh wounds; He’s still holding out for an opening to strike back.
“Stubborn!” Ling Li saw the tenacity in Ling Hu’s eyes, momentarily pulling back his pike to begin a new series of moves. The pike shadows that had been like raindrops a moment ago have now transformed into a serpent shadow, shooting toward Ling Hu with its b.l.o.o.d.y mouth wide open.
“The might of this Serpent Spear Transformation is vastly improved compared to last year. It seems that Ling Li will be moving on to the next round.” Ling Kuang narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself.
Nearby, Ling Xing’s expression was dignified. The gap between Ling Li and himself had originally been negligible, but Ling Li’s zhaoshi right now seemed almost like he was channeling the Heavens itself and made Ling Xing realize that he still fall short of Ling Li. On the dueling stage, even the smallest gap in strength can be the difference between winning and losing.
“Just you wait, Ling Li. The only rival you have left is me.” Ling Xing thought with deep conviction as he clenched his fists.
In his final act of desperation, Ling Hu put his fists together, eyes opened wide, rapidly gathering all the xuan strength in his body to execute “Tiger’s Leap in the Mountain Forest.”
The two fists were just like an enormous hammer as they smashed into the serpent-like pike.
“Bang!”
“Ah!”
Ling Hu let out a blood-curdling screech as his fists fractured on impact, blood gushing out. But even so, Ling Hu did not fall back one step.
“Oh?” Ling Li frowned and couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
Sure enough, Ling Hu wasn’t finished. He grabbed Ling Li’s Greedy Wolf Silver Spear with one hand, and poured the last of his xuan strength into the other as he roared, “You’ve lost!”
Like a ferocious tiger descending the mountain, the fist landed directly on Ling Li’s kidney.
Ling Hu’s voice shook the heavens, emanating an astonishing aura, and shocked everyone in the crowd!
Ling Li not only lost control of his pike, but he also underestimated the lengths Ling Hu would go to win, and thus suffered the blow to his flank.
“b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” A searing pain shot up his side as Ling Li was forced to retreat for a dozen steps. He shook the pike and then twirled it in a masterful motion, breaking free of Ling Hu’s grasp.
“Greedy Wolf’s Bite!” In his anger, Ling Li used his full strength for the first time as he thrust the pike at Ling Hu’s throat.
A fierce and malicious looking wolf charged toward the defenseless Ling Hu.
Seeing that Ling Hu was about to get impaled by Ling Li’s pike, Elder Ling Fu shouted and wanted to stop the fight, but he was too far away, and there wasn’t enough time.
The audience can only watch in horror as they await Ling Hu’s violent demise.
Fortunately, Ling Li was very sensible and changed the trajectory of the thrust at the last possible moment, guiding the pike into Ling Hu’s shoulder instead.
Blood sprayed out as Ling Hu’s body was sent flying backward.
The silence that had taken over the field was broken by everyone’s collective sigh of relief. The Ling Family forbids internecine strife. The punishment for such a crime is only death regardless of who the offender is. Even the Patriarch’s grandson is no exception.
Elder Ling Fu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and let out a breath he had unconsciously been holding in. He had nearly been frightened to death by Ling Li just now. He would have committed a great sin if he had allowed someone to die before his eyes.
Ling Hu’s appearance was extremely wretched as he lay on the ground, and it was with great difficulty that he managed to say a few words, “Thank-thank you…for going easy on me.”
Ling Li put away his pike as he glanced over at Ling Hu apathetically, and then leisurely stepped off the stage. No one discovered the blood seeping down the corner of Ling Li’s mouth. Apparently, he had sustained internal injuries from Ling Hu’s final counterattack just now.
Along with Ling Li’s victory, the strongest three xuan pract.i.tioners have been determined at last. These were, of course, Ling Xing, Ling Xiao, and Ling Li. These three, along with the xuan warrior ranked Ling Kuang and Ling Lin, will partic.i.p.ate in the compet.i.tion between the younger generation of Falling Stone City at year’s end. Furthermore, they will be able to enjoy the same treatment afforded to an honor guard, while one among them can even gain Elder Taishang’s good graces and become his successor disciple.
Below the dueling platform, the children of the Ling Family were not angry by Ling Xiao’s selection. For there to be a low-rank xuan pract.i.tioner the top five finishers meant that he could at most become an intermediate-rank xuan pract.i.tioner by next year. This level of strength is quite lacking as a representative of the Ling Family. In former years, only a handful of small families would send out intermediate-level xuan pract.i.tioners, while the lowest rank that the other two major families would send out is a high-rank xuan pract.i.tioner. This event can affect the family’s honor; there’s no room for half measures.
Putting this matter aside for the time being, the compet.i.tion still hasn’t ended. The third round will determine the final ranking.
Ling Xing, Ling Xiao, and Ling Li went up separately to draw lots. The single-elimination format will no longer be used in the third round; rather, a round-robin format will be implemented. The person to win both of their matches will be crowned as the strongest among those of the xuan pract.i.tioner rank, while the other two will fight it out in a decider match for the last two places.
For fairness sake, anyone who sustains injuries during the following matches will be provided a Moisture Returning Pill by the family to restore their combat effectiveness. Naturally, there’s always the option to forfeit.
The drawing finished very quickly, with the first match set between Ling Xing and Ling Xiao. Ling Li will rest in the meantime.
Ling Li warned Ling Xiao once more, “You mustn’t bite off more than you can chew.”
Ling Xiao felt warmth rise up in his heart, and then replied with a laugh, “I should be saying the same to you; you don’t have to hold it in. Find a place to spit out the blood, and you’ll feel a lot better.” As soon as he had finished speaking, he walked up onto the stage without looking back.
Others may not have noticed Ling Li’s unusual condition, but it could not escape Ling Xiao’s watchful gaze. Ling Li had been resisting the urge to vomit up blood with great difficulty, and continuing to do so can easily lead to future complications. If he spits out the blood he has been keeping down without further delay and then circulate his xuan strength, the injuries shouldn’t leave behind any sequelae.
Ling Li revealed an astonished expression and then hesitated for a moment before quietly taking his leave.
Elsewhere, Ling Xing was about to go on stage but was stopped by Ling Zhi, “Brother Xing, you can’t let that mutt off easy.”
“That is natural unless he’s too much of a coward and concedes. Otherwise…” Ling Xing said, licking his lips as he smiles his sinister smile.
Once Ling Xiao and Ling Xing made their way on stage, spirited discussions broke out everywhere in the audience, but not one person thought Ling Xiao will pull off another upset. It is all but inevitable that Ling Xiao will lose.
Ling Xing wore a splendid smile and said, “You should forfeit now. Your rank is lower than me and your strength is not worth mentioning. Let’s just skip the part where you put up a bit of a struggle.”
Ling Xiao blanked out for a moment, shortly breaking into laughter and said, “Haha. You’re just as full of yourself as the last guy, and you’ll lose to me just the same.” He continued after a brief pause, “That guy just now was one lesser rank higher than me and allowed me three moves. Since you’re two lesser ranks higher than me, allowing me six moves is more than reasonable, is it not?”
Those who heard Ling Xiao’s words couldn’t help but silently curse. This kid is too shameless! He had the gall to make such a demand in front of everyone present and actually thinks this is as it should be.
Ling Xing’s face turned slightly green but immediately responded, “On this stage, there is no fair fight, there is only victory or defeat. If you don’t have the confidence, then just go ahead and concede. Otherwise, all that awaits you is a world of pain.”
Ling Xiao let out a sigh and then said disdainfully to Ling Xing. “It seems that you’re not as generous as that guy from before. But then again, I don’t need you to give me a chance to deal with a small fry like you. You…are still not qualified.”
When these words came out, everyone present revealed strange expressions on their faces.