Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The rules for determining the Nine Supremes were simple.
Ten of them would be divided into five pairs and they would draw lots to decide their first round of opponents. There would naturally be five winners and five losers when the first bout of battles was completed with the winners advancing into the next round.
Five of the winners would draw lots again in the second round and fight once more in pairs. The remaining person would then wait for his turn. When the round ended, winners from the two battles would advance while the remaining one would draw lots to fight with either one of the two who lost in the second round of battles. Ultimately, there would be three final battle candidates.
The third round would be commenced by the three final contenders in the round-robin style. The fittest of all would then become the second Supreme coveted by everyone – the second-in-command of the Residence of Nine Supremes, the Second Supreme!
After the Second Supreme, the other two contenders would be ranked third and forth according to their results while the rest of the group would continue their battle by drawing lots and subsequently decide the fifth to ninth Supreme.
Removing the last two ranks, the Residence of Nine Supremes’ Nine Supremes would thus be produced. As for the two members left, they would be tasked with other responsibilities like the punishment hall or the battle hall and other miscellaneous items.
The rules were straightforward, effortlessly understood once stated.
No one doubted if there was the component of luck because luck itself was already a crucial aspect of a cultivator’s average capability. There was even an old saying that everyone wholeheartedly believed in –”When luck is here, it can’t be stopped, even by a city wall; even a pig can fly!”.
Shi Wuchen was the first to stand out.
“I’ll go first!”
He stepped forward with anger simmering within him.
“Don’t all of you disapprove of me? I’ll be the first to draw the lots then! Let me tell all of you, no matter who I get, I won’t show mercy! Just you all wait!”
The rest of the nine people burst out in laughter instead of being intimidated. “Who wants your mercy? Worry about yourself!”
With a furious glare, Shi Wuchen took a big step forward and drew a name without hesitation. Opening the paper, he guffawed. “Kong Luoyue! Come over and call me big brother!”
The man named sprung out, huffing and rubbing his palms. “I’m about to teach you, bastard, a lesson!”
Thereafter, Shi Bujia drew Tie Qingcang, Ren Qingkuang drew Guo Nuanyang, Lan Ruojun drew Wu Menghuan, and the last ones, Luo Dajiang, was matched to Ping Xiaoyi.
When the pairs were set, Luo Dajiang’s face fell. Everyone else looked at him in glee, reveling in his misery. Amongst all of them, it was Ping Xiaoyi whom everyone was the most reluctant to meet. His nickname, Vicious Physician, was not one he had made himself, as he had said previously; it was a living reputation. He was venomous; one whose cultivation base was higher than his own would not be saved from it if they were distracted.
Therefore, everyone else sighed in relief when Luo Dajiang drew Ping Xiaoyi in the preliminary bout. After all, this round would affect the Supreme standings directly. Losing it meant an unswerving disconnection to the highest Supreme ranks.
The initial plan was for the first five battles to start simultaneously, but Yun Yang suddenly changed his mind right as the competition was about to begin.
“Let’s start pair by pair. We still have much time to spare.”
“We can watch and learn from the fights, understand and familiarize ourselves with how our brothers do battle. I believe that we’ll gain some insight and tacit synergy when we fight together in the future,” said Yun Yang.
The group nodded, agreeing to the suggestion as they, too, thought that it was sound. Only Dong Qitian turned to glance at Yun Yang, a faint wash of admiration flashing across his eyes.
The first two people to engage in battle were Shi Wuchen and Kong Luoyue.
The pair of life and death brothers leaped forward respectively. Shi Wuchen wielded his famed Tri-Autumn Sword without surprise while what was in Kong Luoyue’s grip was not the long sword he used in previous battles; what had replaced that blade was two inky, strange-looking weapons.
They looked like two sharp awls with an unusual pattern scrawled across the weapons’ tips.
Kong Luoyue introduced them faintly. “Shi Wuchen, your bad luck is soaring today. These two weapons in my hands have never greeted others. They’re called the Stealth Marker. Not only are they pointed and sharp, countless needles are hidden inside. They could shoot out at any time, which poses a challenge to avoid.”
“So… Shi Wuchen, you must be very careful. Pay attention. Don’t be deceived later and complain that it’s unfair,” he finished with a smile.
Shi Wuchen exploded in rage. Pointing at his opponent with the tip of his sword, he bellowed his challenge. “Any more rubbish you want to say? Come and accept your beating otherwise!”
The other nine people had been intentionally provoking Shi Wuchen throughout this period of time all because he had arrived a step earlier. For this, the latter was already close to combusting internally from his wronged anger.
This time, it was a legitimate opportunity for his counterattack. Of course, Shi Wuchen was going to vent his fury. What was more, he had a killer trump card boss had specifically prepared…
‘Hmph! Do you really think my Tri-Autumn Sword is still the old Tri-Autumn Sword?’
Shi Wuchen was confident of his success!
Dong Qitian was initially rather absentminded. After all, the battle between two Saint-level cultivators was not yet the battle of life and death to the level he was in; it was only the intra-sect context. He was honestly not too interested, only peering at the men’s current aura, their flaring battle intent, and concentrated looks.
As the judge to such a level of battle with his cultivation base, it was not required of him to be overly focused on the details of the fight. Even if there were accidents, they could be easily overcome.
Coming to the Demiurge-Flawed Ten’s standard, when a hair’s breadth of difference would determine the final outcome, risks of danger still existed as any move was easily shattering even if they were sparring for a ranking and not for survival.
Nevertheless, Dong Qitian was not too concerned. At most, he dared not be too careless. Yet, as Shi Wuchen and Kong Luoyue moved, the vibe they exuded was far from the battle atmosphere of ordinary Saint cultivators, thus causing Dong Qitian to stop and carefully observing the proceedings.
Why was their aura so… strong?
Yun Yang, on the other hand, was watching the pair’s gazes and expressions closely, especially subtle movements that did not belong to the battle.
Dong Qitian’s responsibility was to referee, dictating the victory and defeat as well as stopping the match once there were accidents. Yun Yang was judging the group’s personality and temperament through this sparring session in addition to their general attitude towards winning and losing.
Individual cultivation base and capability, along with today’s result, were important, affecting the Demiurge-Flawed Ten’s onwards status and standing in the Residence of Nine Supreme, but it was uncalled for to overly emphasize it. Instead, one’s character and heart were the keys to achieving great things.
With a clear cry from the ring, Shi Wuchen and Kong Luoyue moved at the same time, marking the start of their battle.
Shi Wuchen’s sword swung, a lonesome vibe that was like the bleak starkness of three autumns added together which surged and rapidly engulfed the field.
It was the third month now, the start of spring where grass grew and birds sang, but as Shi Wuchen’s sword light glimmered, the spectators felt a sense of desolation.
It was like the cold of autumn. Melancholic and barren, like one was alone in this vast world.
