Chen Jingzhai was watching the teary-eyed Li Yifei with a surprised and uncertain expression.
The divine stone rarely made any kind of motion. Generally speaking, the divine stone would only initiate the attack when it was being attracted.
This time, it stirred only because of the black and white chains.
Or, more precisely, it was for its innate power of Yin and Yang.
His thoughts were moving at the speed of light. So much so that Chen Jingzhai didn’t even go up to check on Li Yifei’s condition.
His divine mind entered the space inside the divine stone space. Indeed, he found that something was different.
The space inside the divine stone had expanded some more. But most importantly, its inspiration had changed.
There was also a third divine pattern, which was becoming a little more apparent.
Just as Chen Jingzhai was observing the changes in the space of the divine stone, a mysterious power flowed out of the divine stone space along with Chen Jingzhai’s divine mind.
Chen Jingzhai was taken aback and instinctively retracted his divine mind.
A gentle force settled back into the core of his body just like that.
Seamlessly and silently, it had merged with the Yin Yang Pattern inside of him.
It was also at that time that Chen Jingzhai discovered, for the first time, that the pattern inside of him could actually glow.
But the light only lasted for a while, and it soon disappeared again.
It seemed a little different, but Chen Jingzhai couldn’t tell what about it felt different.
He secretly put this feeling aside as he put away his sword and went to Li Yifei.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“I’m okay for now,” Li Yifei said with a wry smile, his eyes closed. “Little Master-Uncle played it well.”
“I am the one who encouraged you to give it a try,” Chen Jingzhai said in a low voice. “I only wanted to use the vigor of the body to remove the lock. I didn’t expect the impact to be so great. It was my fault.”
“Ultimately, Yifei was not up to the challenge. Master-Uncle should not feel bad about it!” Li Yifei shook his head.
Although his eyes were closed, his divine mind was perfectly intact.
His defeat was indisputable, of course. He was an arrogant and proud individual, but he, too, very much approved of his Master-Uncle.
Although his eyes were in pain and his heart was sad, he felt inexplicably tranquil.
It was not a shame to lose in the hands of the Master-Uncle.
The only thing that made him a little disappointed was that he found out his innovative formation technique was not invincible.
With this realization, his pride was a little hurt.
Nonetheless, the failure this time was not necessarily a bad thing.
At least now, he knew about the power of vigor, which has significantly influenced his innovative techniques.
After pushing Chen Jingzhai away, he walked out of the Eight Trigrams Platform under his own power.
The jade token flew out and took him to the battle forum.
In this round, Chen Jingzhai was clearly the winner.
But no one knew what was happening, and they all felt very puzzled.
As they looked at each other, Chen Jingzhai activated the jade token again.
This time, the opponent he picked was Zhao Qinghe, of the Dream Celestial lineage.
“Master-Uncle, why not Feng Liuyun or Lin Feiyang?” Zhao Qinghe asked.
“Defeat could be had at any time,” Chen Jingzhai said with a smile, “but I most wanted to experience the ways of the Dream Celestial lineage, especially the Ephemeral Butterflies, which are said to be very curious.”
“Then, I’m afraid Master-Uncle is about to be disappointed. I have not yet mastered the Ephemeral Butterflies,” Zhao Qinghe said with resignation. “I concentrated on mirage vapor, and it was not the same path!”
“It doesn’t matter,” Chen Jingzhai said with a smile. “Just give me all you’ve got!”
“All right then!” Zhao Qinghe nodded.
At that moment, the jade token fell, the Restriction lifted, and Zhao Qinghe made his move first.
He didn’t do anything but merely bowed to Chen Jingzhai.
Everyone was stunned!
On the stands, everyone looked blankly at the two people standing on the Eight Trigrams Platform.
None of them had any idea what these two were doing.
The two were standing face-to-face, motionless, and there was no sign of either doing anything.
“These two have already entered a duel of illusion techniques,” Feng Liuyun said casually on the side.
“That’s right!” Zhang Kui suddenly realized. “Zhao Qinghe is an expert at luring people into dreamscapes.”
“Then, does that mean we can’t see anything?” Lin Feiyang asked in amazement.
No one cared to give him a second look, and no one bothered to answer him.
Naturally, no one could see the process of this kind of battle, but this battle had to be more dangerous than the other ones.
The nature of this kind of competition was more ferocious than simple physical battles.
The slightest carelessness would result in the mind being damaged, which would then damage the soul.
As for not being able to see anything, it is a subjective view based on who was speaking.
After about a quarter of an hour, Zhao Qinghe’s spiritual power was in disarray, and blood was coming out of the corners of his mouth.
After he bowed to Chen Jingzhai, he left the Eight Trigrams Platform silently.
Chen Jingzhai looked at Zhao Qinghe, expressionless. But inside, he was cussing him out.
None of these celestial disciples’ minds were pure.
The Dream Celestial lineage had been playing with illusions and dreams for so long that they had sullied their hearts.
Damn, this guy, Zhao Qinghe, was clearly just acting by himself.
Chen Jingzhai didn’t feel anything and had not been pulled into any dreamscape.
He didn’t even make a move, and Zhao Qinghe was already vomiting blood over there.
He had really underestimated Zhao Qinghe in the past; he was a good actor more than anything else!
“Junior Brother Zhao, how was it?” Wang Yao asked.
“Master-Uncle is indeed the true disciple who has passed the test of the twenty-eight,” Zhao Qinghe shook his head with a wry smile. “Master-Uncle’s mind is hard to shake. I’ve exhausted all my skills and found it challenging to try to lure him into a dream.”
“Yes, the test of the twenty-eight!” Kong Guang said softly on the side.
“Master-Uncle has also comprehended the Dharma Intent!” Tian Feng couldn’t help but say.
After comprehending the Dharma Intent, one’s mind becomes resilient and tenacious, and one’s divine mind becomes powerful and free.
It was not easy, almost near impossible, to confuse someone of that caliber.
Everyone was silent for a while, wondering where this kind of genius talent came from!
Clearly, he was a cultivator in the Beginning Foundation Plane, but several genius talents in the Advanced Foundation Plane could not do anything to him.
At this time, another burst of light flashed through.
Chen Jingzhai picked Feng Liuyun next.
Feng Liuyun’s face was indifferent, and he chose to accept the fight.
And then he lost.
His methods had already been seen through by Chen Jingzhai.
And he was not alone. Even Lin Feiyang, who was in possession of the Golden Raiment, lost in the battle.
Chen Jingzhai didn’t even bother to use the Great Heaven Mirror.
Three swords flew out in unison, easily finishing the two of them.
Afterward, it was Jiang Lin and the others from the Wine Celestial lineage with whom Chen Jingzhai was familiar.
They either held back their strengths and deliberately lost to Chen Jingzhai, or they were defeated by Chen Jingzhai.
In the end, Chen Jingzhai had accumulated 95 victories, and there were just four left for him to fight.
They were: Wang Yao, Kong Guang, Jiang Youning, Shen Yurong.
On the Eight Trigrams Platform, Chen Jingzhai did not hesitate and chose to challenge.
Soon, Shen Yurong appeared opposite him.
This woman was not as charming as Mrs. Yang, nor was she as gorgeous as Senior Sister Su.
However, she was full of an aura that Lin Zhiyao did not have.
“Master-Uncle, why did you choose me first?” Shen Yurong asked.
“Why would you think you’re the first?” Chen Jingzhai smiled. “A better question is, why have I waited until now?”
“So, why did you wait until now?” Shen Yurong looked at him with a little curiosity in her eyes.
“Disciples from sword branches always need to be cautious,” Chen Jingzhai said. “More importantly, you were in the top five last time, and your cultivation has improved even more since then.”
Shen Yurong was in the top five in the last forum.
At the time, she was still in the Intermediate Foundation Plane like Tian Feng.
Now that she was the first to break through her cultivation, she was, naturally, more powerful.
Chen Jingzhai even thought that she might be stronger than Qiao Haisheng.
When Shen Yurong heard these words, she smiled as before, and her face seemed to be lit by a bright white light.
The jade token fell into the black and white fish eyes, and the Restriction disappeared.
Chen Jingzhai took the chance to deal out the first strike and instantly moved next to Shen Yurong using the earth escape technique, going in for the kill.
The metal spell was the edgiest, and this one-finger strike was just right.
Shen Yurong didn’t move as a sword vapor exploded from her.
This sword vapor was different from the sword vapor of the Golden Jade Sword Branch.
It was full of sentience.
This sword vapor was like a bird, which flew out and collided with the metal spell. After one blow, a trace of the sword vapor remained.
The remaining sword vapor gathered together again as it rushed toward Chen Jingzhai.
Chen Jingzhai raised an eyebrow and disappeared in a flash. However, Yurong seemed to have detected it beforehand.
A sword appeared in her hand. The sword was without a sheath, and its entire body was silvery white.
There were hundreds of birds flying. Patterns of birds and animals, with traces of flowers and plants, manifested, and their colors were pleasing to the eyes.
It was a strange sword vapor and did not seem to contain a strong aura.
Chen Jingzhai was not in the habit of underestimating people, let alone the sword in the hand of a disciple from the sword branch.
[Buzz!]
A sword vapor rushed into the sky. At the same time as it slashed toward Chen Jingzhai, Shen Yurong was already on the move.
As soon as she took a single step, the illusion of a white long-tailed bird appeared behind her.
The silvery-white sword in her hand was even more brilliant, and the sword vapor it displayed was a bit sharper.
“The White Luan bird!”
Chen Jingzhai looked at the white illusion, and his expression sobered slightly.
Since he wanted to take the first place in the forum, naturally, he had to have a good understanding of the top cultivator from the last time.
Shen Yurong was a disciple of the Azure Sparrow Sword Branch, and she cultivated in Bird Sword Spirit.
It was precisely because of the sword spirit of the White Luan bird that she was able to enter the top five of the battle forum while her cultivation was still in the Intermediate Foundation Plane.
Shen Yurong, at the moment, had not yet completed her cultivation of the sword spirit. But, even so, just the illusion alone was enough to demonstrate that her heart and aptitude were definitely superb.
The White Luan bird also belonged to the genus of Phoenix.
And the White Luan bird was more precious than the Blue Luan bird, as it was considered extremely rare.
Some even believed its existence was pure myth.
If Shen Yurong could conjure up the illusion of the White Luan bird, it was a good indication of just how outstanding she was in the Azure Sparrow Sword Branch.
She had now become the lead female disciple of the sword branch.
“Master-Uncle, do not be distracted!” Shen Yurong’s voice reached his ears.
[Psst!]
The sword vapor bisected Chen Jingzhai’s body. Fortunately, Chen Jingzhai had cast the Water Illusion Shadow in advance.
But the spilled water was recovered and absorbed by Shen Yurong.
She learned from Qiao Haisheng’s exchange and refused to give Chen Jingzhai any time or opportunity to arrange any setup.
Chen Jingzhai didn’t pay any attention to that but focused on the battle at hand instead.
He had taken out the Five Bamboo Sword.
Compared with the White Jade Sword and the Golden Flame Sword, the Five Bamboo Sword of Grade 3 was way handier for Chen Jingzhai.
It worked well with the Fire Raven Burning Sky Sword Technique and the Jade Toad Swallowing Moon Sword Technique.
The White Jade Sword and the Golden Flame Sword were used for practice, but the Five Bamboo Sword was more suitable for serious combat.
A cold light flashed through Chen Jingzhai’s eyes. He did not dodge it but got closer instead.
The Five Bamboo Sword broke through the White Luan bird sword vapor, and a mellow but substantial power burst out from the Five Bamboo Sword.
“What’s this…” Shen Yurong stared at the Five Bamboo Sword, feeling a little incredulous.
In the initial exchange, she discovered the uniqueness of Chen Jingzhai.
But her White Luan bird sword vapor was nothing to mess with. Everything within the Azure Sparrow Sword Branch was the very best.
But the Five Bamboo Sword broke through it so simply and easily.
Something that could dispel the White Luan bird sword vapor like a cloud was something she had never encountered before.
“The Five Bamboo Sword embodies the five elements,” Chen Jingzhai said softly. “Ever since it came into my possession, I have been cultivating it until now and am gradually in control of its power. That’s when I discovered that it has other fantastic uses.”
“Five elements in one!” Shen Yurong said solemnly.
“That’s it,” Chen Jingzhai smiled. “You are a disciple of the sword branch, so you can sense the changes within the sword. It is the power derived from the unity of the five elements so that the vitality is continuous and without end. It is the power from the rotation of the five elements.”
As soon as he spoke those words, a sword strike thrust out, and a mighty force erupted from the Five Bamboo Sword.
The colorful light flashed and was gone as a bright green bamboo shoot came into view.
The bamboo had five sections, complete with branches and leaves. It revealed its supremacy and directly pressed forward in the direction of Shen Yurong.
