Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
Lin TianAo walked into the Rest House and sat down immediately, but the look on his face was not relaxed at all. Looking at Zhou Weiqing, he said seriously: “They are truly very strong indeed.”
Zhou Weiqing paused, then said: “Are you still able to fight in the top eight?”
Lin TianAo thought for a moment, then said: “If I do not have to fight again today, five days of rest should be sufficient. I was fully prepared for the blow, and his sword was weakened by my Illusory Shield and Stoneskin Armor, and I positioned it so there isn’t any serious injuries. However, if this was not a tournament and a real fight in the open, it would be extremely difficult for me to take him. In such a scenario, even if I beat him, I would have to pay a heavy price. Weiqing, what do you think?”
Zhou Weiqing understood what he was asking about, and said with a bitter smile: “I’m really unable to tell at this point. As per my plan, the real test for us will be whether or not we can take the third victory.”
At this moment, the judge called out: “Both sides, please send your second member onto the stage now.”
The members of the Fei Li Battle Team all turned to Little Four, while he in turn looked towards Zhou Weiqing. Without question, Zhou Weiqing’s plan was still in motion; despite the difficulty he faced, Lin TianAo had managed to pull of the win. This was definitely a great boost in morale to the entire team, and gave them more confidence in Zhou Weiqing’s entire strategy.
Zhou Weiqing looked towards Little Four with a serious expression, saying: “Bro Four, as I mentioned, you might be meeting their second strongest member in their team, and it will be an extremely tough fight. However, despite that, it is still a very important fight for us. Your task will be to make use of guerilla tactics, to make full use of your speed to stall the opponent. Your main task here is to ensure that your opponent uses up as much Heavenly Energy as possible, to ensure that he is unable to join the 2v2 match. If possible, try not to clash directly with him or her.”
To be able to represent the Fei Li Battle Team in the Heavenly Jewel Master, each of them were outstanding in their own right, perhaps even geniuses. Even though Zhou Weiqing did not elaborate further, Little Four quickly understood the gravity of his task. “Understood. I will do my best.”
Turning around, Little Four walked out of the Rest House towards the stage. As he did so, he saw his opponent walk out from the nearby Dan Dun Battle Team Rest House as well.
His opponent was a youth of about 26 or 27 years of age, standing tall and straight. His height was almost equal to Zhou Weiqing, but not as well built. His features were average, but had an air about him that made him seem approachable. However, if one looked closely, they might see a hint of a darkness hidden deep in his eyes, and could possibly give one an uncomfortable feeling.
The youth did not even look at Little Four, instead stepping into the air as if just strolling casually onto the stage.
Little Four’s heart gripped slightly, and he couldn’t help but feel impressed by Zhou Weiqing’s estimations. Evidently, this youth was much more powerful than Lan Feng previously.
Little Four also strode up the stage slowly, and under the judge’s instructions, both sides introduced themselves.
“Fei Li Battle Team, Xiao Si.” Little Four’s original name was indeed Xiao Si1, but his close friends all called him Little Four instead.
“Dan Dun Battle Team, Han Bing.” The youth spoke crisply and simply. At this time, the two were looking at each other, and Little Four did not see any emotions in Han Bing’s eyes.
Below the stage, in the Dan Dun Resting House, Lan Feng returned with a vexed look on his face, saying to the young lady: “Leader, I am truly not satisfied, I cannot accept that loss.”
The young lady looked at him coldly. “What do you have to be dissatisfied about? Do you know why you lost?”
Without hesitation, Lan Feng said: “I was too careless, and fell into his trap.”
The young lady shook her head, saying: “No, you’re wrong. You lost because of the difference in power. In terms of absolute strength, he is definitely much more powerful than you… Even if Han Bing were to fight him, it would be very close, and even a victory would take a heavy toll. That man’s defense is much higher than you think. If not for the fact that your speed counters his type, you would have lost in a much worse fashion.”
Seeing the look of disbelief on Lan Feng’s face, she continued. “Battle experience and strategy is also part of one’s power. Even if there wasn’t the restrictions of the tournament rules, you would still lose in the end, though perhaps you might give him some more problems. That man’s character… His tenacity… And his power… It is a perfect match, and he is definitely an outstanding talent. For a person with no Great Saint Lands background, to be able to reach such a level before the age of thirty, that is already an unbelievable feat.”
As she spoke up to this point, she paused, then said in a gentler tone. “Lan Feng, you do not need to feel so vexed. After all, you are a lot younger than he is. Furthermore, if I am not wrong, he is the Leader of the Fei Li Battle Team, and most likely their strongest member as well. Losing that fight… Will not affect the final result for us.”
Lan Feng nodded, his expression finally clearing up, and he said: “Priest will take revenge for me.” Han Bing’s nickname in the Dan Dun Battle Team was Priest, and they often called him that instead, sometimes even calling him Frost Priest. 2
The Blood Red Hell was one of the weaker of the Great Saint Lands, and in terms of overall strength they were only slightly stronger than the Heavenly Demon Sect. In fact, in terms of comparing their highest level of powerhouses, the top echelons of the Heavenly Demon Sect were even stronger than them! As such, in order to achieve a good result in the Heavenly Jewel Tournament and ensure they could enter the highly important Heavenly Jewel Island, they had sent some of their top talents in the younger generation; amongst them, both Han Bing and the young lady leader were considered the cream of the crop.
The Five Great Saint Lands could not directly enter the Tournament, but in truth it was just a matter of naming. When representing the Empires they did, as long as they didn’t use the top power of their Great Saint Lands, it was still not easy to tell. After all, it was easy for a powerful Heavenly Jewel Master to hide their true strength should they chose to do so.
As such, the entire Dan Dun Battle Team team had absolute confidence in Frost Priest taking this fight. Even if Lin TianAo were to face him, they was barely a thirty percent chance of victory, perhaps even only a ten percent chance, let alone the other members of the Fei Li Battle Team.
As the judge proclaimed the start of the fight, Little Four instantly felt a huge pressure upon him. He could clearly see that with a wave of his hands, Han Bing’s Heavenly Jewels appeared, and six red Physical Jewel appeared around his wrist.
The Red Jade Physical Jewel represented the Coordination Attribute, but that was not the focus of Little Four’s attention; naturally, it was the number of Jewels that worried him.
In all the twenty four Battle Teams that had fought so far, the highest cultivation level was Five-Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Masters. Any team who had one was already considered above average, and those with two or more was already considered extremely powerful. The Bai Da Battle Team had been such a case. In fact, about half the teams did not have a single Five-Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master!
Yet, the four Great Saint Lands showed their true power, not just in terms of their combat experience and fighting abilities, but even the superiority of their cultivation level. Han Bing was one such example indeed. He was an Upper Level Zun Stage Heavenly Jewel Master with six sets of Heavenly Jewels!
For Heavenly Jewel Masters, each set of Jewels was a massive difference in power levels. It wasn’t just the difference in Heavenly Energy, quality of it, as well as the number of skills and even the strength of the skills!
Of course, those monsters like Zhou Weiqing who ‘broke’ such ‘rules’ existed, but were extremely rare. After all, the majority of Heavenly Jewel Masters only had a single Elemental attribute, and their Skills were thus extremely limited.
Six Jewels versus Five Jewels, under any ordinary circumstances, the Six-Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master would have more than a seventy percent chance of winning. That was even so under the assumption that both had equal experience and normal combat skills. As for Six Jewels versus Four Jewels, ordinarily the Four Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master would have no chance at all.
Han Bing looked coldly at Little Four, and as soon as the fight started, he lifted his right hand, and a red staff appeared in his hands.
The staff looked as if it was crafted from red coral, glimmering with a brilliant crystalline light. What was shocking to Little Four was that on the tip of the staff, there were three sockets!
Indeed, there was no mistake. Three sockets.
For a Consolidated Equipment to have three sockets, its scroll had to be created by a Zong Stage Consolidating Equipment Master or higher. This youth was truly worthy of being one of the top talents of a Great Saint Lands, and as soon as the fight started, he showed off some of his terrifying power.
Three resplendent Elemental Jewels immediately filled the sockets. Han Bing did not even bother to use any other Consolidated Equipment or skills, and the three Star Sapphire Elemental Jewels of his shone from the staff, adding to its brilliance. An icy blue colour formed a shield of light, enveloping his entire body.
Little Four’s combat experience was not to be underestimated, and he could instantly tell that the powerful shield of light was not one of the Skills from the Socketed Elemental Jewels, but rather one of the automatic abilities of the staff when the three sockets were filled with Elemental Jewels.
Han Bing’s nickname was Priest, and his expertise was mid-long ranged combat. Lifting his staff, thirty six blue spots of light appeared outside his blue shield of light. In the next instant, they all sped towards Little Four from all directions, as if blotting out the very atmosphere.
It was thirty six ice cones. Silent, deadly, bringing with it a swift cold wind.
Cone of Cold, or ice cones, was not a particularly powerful Skill amongst the Water Attribute Skills, with only a four star rating. Yet, it had one benefit, the number of ice cones created. Even a one-Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master was able to release six ice cones when using the Skill.
In terms of explosive power, the ice cones were definitely unable to compare to fireballs. However, their strength was in their piercing power. More importantly, with a nickname like Frost Priest, the ice cones that Han Bing released were no ordinary ones!
As the thirty six ice cones appeared, Little Four felt as if his breathing was being smothered, almost suffocating, as the temperature in the air dropped dramatically. Although Han Bing did not release any other supporting Skills, just the presence of the ice cones alone actually caused the temperature of the entire surrounding air to drop, almost like Ye Paopao’s Freezing Field skill! This would also reduce his opponent’s speed and reaction.
The thirty six ice cones were not white, but blue, as if they were blue crystals. At this point, the very skies seemed to turn overcast as the ice cones hovered in the air, causing a brilliant contrast as compared to the gloomy skies.
Little Four could sense that those ice cones were definitely powerful, almost deadly, and he could not judge them like any ordinary Heavenly Jewel Master’s Cone of Cold. Not only were they cast by someone like Han Bing, Six-Jeweled, and with his own understanding, control and compressed improvement of the skill, it was also highly boosted by the staff in Han Bing’s hands. The ice cones were clearly much smaller than the ordinary ice cones produced by the usual Cone of Cold.
Remembering Zhou Weiqing’s instructions, Little Four did not attempt to take the attacks head on. As soon as Han Bing released the staff and the shield of light, Little Four’s body was already speeding backwards in a hasty retreat. At the same time as he did so, he released his Consolidated Equipment Wings, though he did not release any of his offensive Consolidated Equipment.
