Chapter 510: Jiang Chen Wins the Bet
Mu Gaoqi frantically gesticulated beneath the ring, as if he wanted to lend Jiang Chen every iota of his strength to withstand Rong Zifeng’s final blow. In Mu Gaoqi’s eyes, a minor origin realm facing a sky origin realm was very much the heroic efforts of a rabbit against a lion. If Jiang Chen could remain undefeated after ten blows, it would be an absolutely epic battle.
“Mu Gaoqi, you’re starting your victory parade a bit early. Do you think that this is all that Rong Zifeng, number six of the Sovereign Area, has to him?” Nie Chong, ranked fourth amongst the four kings, sneered coldly from his seat.
Shen Qinghong’s lips curved slightly, a hint of smile tugging at them. “To think that a mere peak of the minor origin realm could force Zifeng to use his trump card, what a rare sight. What a pity that he’s simply too young.”
Ling Bi’er also sighed softly, seeming to pity Jiang Chen. At the same time, she seemed to despise Rong Zifeng even more. Her sexy lips moved slightly, but she said nothing.
It was rather the genteel Jun Mobai who chuckled. “That Jiang Chen is quite interesting. Rong Zifeng has his trump cards, but who knows whether Jiang Chen has any trump cards hidden away? Would someone be personally chosen by the Palace Head or be this valued by Elder Yun Nie without having some trump cards? Would he be able to enter our Sovereign Area?”
Jun Mobai was always the one most at odds with Shen Qinghong since the two fought over the first ranking within the Sovereign Area. The two were similar in potential and strength, but Jun Mobai was just slightly inferior to Shen Qinghong in one area, birth. Although Jun Mobai had a renowned master, that background paled in comparison to the Hallmaster of the Hall of Might, not to mention Shen Qinghong’s grandfather, the Hallmaster of the Hall of Spring and Autumn.
A tinge of arrogance colored Shen Qinghong’s smile. “Mobai, your potential is high, but you are far too radical at times. You’re always dreaming of a star rising from the masses that can topple a genius, but do you think ludicrous events like that happen so often beneath the heavens?”
These words were confident and relaxed, but held poisonous insinuations within. They implied that Jun Mobai was as lowly as dirt, and elevated Shen Qinghong to the pedestal of a noble genius. It was a thinly veiled warning for Jun Mobai to forsake any thought of challenging him, Shen Qinghong, because Jun Mobai was unworthy!
Jun Mobai was no fool, and naturally understood the meaning that was concealed within those unassuming words. Then again, so did the others. He smiled gallantly, noncommittal as he turned his attention back to the ring. “Time will tell. After all’s said and done, I still favor Jiang Chen.”
Mu Gaoqi threw a grateful look at Jun Mobai when he heard these words. Only Jun Mobai dared to openly support Jiang Chen apart from himself in the Sovereign Area. Although his support may not be sincere, he had still spoken the words.
At this moment in the ring, the earthen colored air current had coiled itself in the ring. Under the influence of the dirt colored runes, Rong Zifeng’s enormous arms were healing rapidly as they flew into and out of his arms. He held up the air above his arms, as if he was a giant holding up a mountain overhead.
Streams of soil colored air currents constantly gathered in his hands, condensing into a chain of mountains. The origin energy of each mountain was thick and powerful, giving off an overpowering aura. Rong Zifeng cackled as every tendon on his body expanded to cartoonish proportions, as if they would explode at any moment.
“Jiang Chen, let’s see how you escape from the gravity of my Skymountain!” Rong Zifeng’s enormous arm trembled as he flung the mountain range down on Jiang Chen.
The enormous power descended from the skies with awe-inspiring momentum, forming a gravitational cage that fully trapped Jiang Chen inside.
“Meet your doom!” Rong Zifeng roared as he pushed downwards with both arms. The mountain of origin energy pressed down like the heavens themselves, combined with stunning, earth shattering momentum.
Wham!
The impact of the origin mountain threw up great clouds of dust, completely obscuring Jiang Chen’s form. It looked like he hadn’t managed to escape the gravity cage of the origin mountain, and had been crushed beneath the mountain. Rong Zifeng’s eyes were bright as he stared at the mountain resting amidst the dust cloud. He threw back his head in a laugh as he struck a victor’s pose, “Jiang Chen, you’re the first minor origin cultivator to have forced me to use my trump card. But this is where it ends. Ten moves exactly!”
Rong Zifeng laughed proudly, knowing that even if Jiang Chen hadn’t died beneath this move, he was almost definitely crippled. He exerted his origin power again, raising the origin mountain into the air with just his arms. A crater several feet deep was revealed, but there was no sign of Jiang Chen’s carcass within. He seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
Rong Zifeng cocked his head. His Skymountain was indeed strong, but not to the point of crushing someone into oblivion. It was certainly possible to crush Jiang Chen into meat paste, or leave all his bones and tendons broke. It was even possible to reduce him to a morass of mud, but definitely not the point of dust.
Suddenly, unease flashed through Rong Zifeng’s heart. A cold sneer sounded from right behind him, sending a shiver down his back, “Rong Zifeng, are you unilaterally announcing victory?”
Rong Zifeng’s body trembled as he slowly turned around to see Jiang Chen behind him. The latter had a vaguely disinterested expression as a tinge of mockery played about his lips.
“You…” Rong Zifeng was immensely startled. “How did you escape?”
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. “Did I need to?”
Rong Zifeng looked like he’d seen a ghost. He’d just seen Jiang Chen crushed with his own eyes, how had that gone wrong? Could it be that Jiang Chen could turn into a gust of wind and slip away? How was that possible? He never heard of an art that enabled one to transform their body into the wind and escape. Even a Titled Great Emperor would find that impossible.
But no matter how dejected, skeptical, or baffled he was, he couldn’t reject the facts. Jiang Chen was standing right in front of him without the slightest trace of injury.
Mu Gaoqi leaped into the air. It wasn’t the first time that he’d seen Jiang Chen deploy this art. He was fully aware that his strange lotus could transform into the figure of Jiang Chen. However, although he’d been watching from beneath the ring the whole time, he too hadn’t seen when Jiang Chen had demonstrated this sleight of hand. But then again, none of this was important now!
Mu Gaoqi leapt up. “Nice going, Brother Chen! You win hahaha!”
Clap clap clap!
Jun Mobai was applauding and laughing below. “Brilliant, simply stunning. A peak of the minor origin realm forcing an eighth level origin realm genius to the point of pulling out his trump cards, yet still able to come outunscathed. Jiang Chen, you are simply too stunning.” He smiled slightly after speaking as he glanced at Shen Qinghong.
“Brother Shen, it seemed the underdog’s victory did indeed happen. It looks like you were wrong again.” Jun Mobai hadn’t retorted when Shen Qinghong had jeered at him earlier, but now Jiang Chen had used truth itself to strike back hard at Shen Qinghong.
Shen Qinghong smile was an icy, chilling thing. “Mere smoke and mirrors. Rong Zifeng simply underestimated his opponent. If they have a rematch, Jiang Chen would lose without a doubt.”
“Don’t forget, Brother Shen; Rong Zifeng is already thirty five and Jiang Chen only twenty. Did Brother Shen have this level of fighting ability at Jiang Chen’s age?” Jun Mobai chuckled softly as he riposted
Shen Qinghong snorted lightly. “Mobai, you seem to greatly admire this foreign kid. What, does he trigger your inferiority complex and help you stand a little taller?”
Jun Mobai laughed leisurely. “He rather does strike some nerves, but it should be yours that’s been triggered, no? There goes a thousand upper rank Origin Fostering Pills and three thousand upper rank spirit stones, just like that.”
“They’re but mere items, hairs on an oxen. Only you would care about these small matters. Mobai, your cares are simply not on the same level as us, eh?” Vicious words flew as the two sparred verbally, with neither backing down.
Jiang Chen couldn’t care less about the clash of words between two half step sage realm cultivators below the stage. He cared much more about the forfeits he’d just obtained. Under the eyes of everyone, he walked down from the ring and leisurely put away his winnings. During the entire charade, Rong Zifeng watched him with eyes that could set set tinder aflame.
“Glorious, how glorious! Senior brother Shen, I must thank you for your helping hand. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been to gain so much from Rong Zifeng.” Jiang Chen wasn’t kindly disposed towards Shen Qinghong, so he decided to stoke his temper a bit more.
Although Shen Qinghong was inwardly blazing with rage, he still maintained his veneer of disdain as he casually waved, “Treat these small things as a welcome present.” His gaze flicked past Nie Chong’s face as he spoke.
Nie Chong suddenly nodded lightly and bounded in front of Jun Mobai. “Brother Jun, I’ve been practicing a couple of sword arts regarding life and death these days. I’ve had some breakthroughs and wish to spar with you.”
Nie Chong was ranked last amongst the four kings, and Jun Mobai was ranked second. Challenging Jun Mobai was naturally a bid for his position. Jun Mobai swept an indifferent gaze across Nie Chong’s face as he smiled slightly. “Nie Chong, as long as that mindset of a slave remains, your sword arts will never advance to the great perfection realm. You’ve a long ways to go to challenge me. But since you’ve asked, I’ll help crush your hopes.” He walked into the ring with ease and great magnanimity.
His words were both to take Nie Chong down a peg and incite some discontent. Nie Chong was obviously issuing this challenge on Shen Qinghong’s instructions. That’s what Jun Mobai referred to as the mindset of a slave.
Nie Chong grew incensed as Shen Qinghong’s face also changed drastically. But this was how the four kings competed with each other, and Jun Mobai had always been Shen Qinghong’s greatest rival. Even more irritatingly, a nettle like Jiang Chen had popped out today. Shen Qinghong was feeling thoroughly irked.
Jiang Chen had no desire to flaunt his victory after his match. He began watching Jun Mobai and Nie Chong’s match quite seriously. Nie Chong’s sword arts of life and death did indeed stand out as a unique set of arts. But when compared to Jun Mobai, he still lacked that all encompassing aura.
Indeed, Nie Chong began losing the upper hand when his aura peaked after ten moves. Jun Mobai then defeated him easily.
This displeased Shen Qinghong even more. His right and left hand men were Nie Chong and Rong Zifeng, but now both had been defeated in short order. This made him feel that his position was in grave danger.
