Dugu Bai’s sword was once Wei Liaozi’s sword. Xia Wan and the others had learned this when he had asked Ding Ning for help. But the students on the other side of the hut did not know what sword Dugu Bai had. So when he started to draw his sword, these students stopped breathing, wanting to see the true appearance of this sword immediately.
Yet, Dugu Bai’s draw was extremely slow. After many breaths, he had just pulled out a short inch and the scabbard only showed a bit of green. But all the students unconsciously started to breathe faster.
Visible white vital energy was flowing over Dugu Bai’s entire right hand. These vital energies gave off unusually domineering presences as they flowed steadily into the sword hilt.
The sword was mostly in its scabbard but started to give off a buzz like ships moving on a large river. As the vital energy poured in, Dugu Bai’s right hand was as steady as stone. The hilt moved slowly as it had before but the blade struggled furiously in the scabbard. Light flashed inside the scabbard, and was brighter than the section of exposed blade.
Sensing Dugu Bai’s domineering vital energy, Zong Jingqiu had an even harder time breathing as sweat dripped off his face.
He did not know what the meaning in Dugu Bai furiously channeling vital energy into his sword was, but he felt the longer he waited, the more dangerous it was. Even so, he did not dare to attack. For him, the only hope was to wait and use some targeted sword forms before Dugu Bai’s sword presence took form.
Dugu Bai’s sword drawing was still extremely slow, but the scabbard at his waist could no longer contain the light inside. The entire scabbard became transparent, and cracks of light appeared.
At the same time, Dugu Bai’s right foot suddenly lifted up and stepped heavily on the ground. His accumulated sword essence exploded!
With a crack, the sword in his right hand finally left its scabbard, and stabbed towards Zong Jingqiu like lightning.
Unstoppable gasps resonated.
No one could find words to describe the speed of Dugu Bai’s attack.
The moment Dugu Bai attacked, the power accumulated in the scabbard formed a terrifying flow of energy along the mouth of the scabbard. It pushed the tip out of the scabbard, providing great momentum to the sword as it turned around.
At the same time, the ground in front of Dugu Bai exploded. The power produced by his step gathered the vital energy in his body and the primal energies of the universe, flooding into the sword hilt and producing more power that perfectly merged with the sword stab.
The blade only drew a crescent through the air, the tip just advancing a few feet towards Zong Jingqiu but visible sound waves were already appearing around the tip of the sword.
Also, as the sword tip left the scabbard, the tip had trailed along the mouth of the scabbard. The scabbard spun and flew out, exploding entirely like fireworks.
The pieces of the scabbard blasted out, and flew ahead of the sword. The power of the sword turned the scabbard pieces into smaller pieces that moved so swiftly that they ignited and attacked Zong Jingqiu like small meteors.
Zong Jingqiu’s gaze was filled by the fireworks, and even his terror drowned out. He had been focused on preparing a defense sword form. When he saw Dugu Bai’s attack, he still could not think of a move that could block this attack.
At this time, he gritted his teeth, and curled up his body in a strange posture. His vital energy flooded into the sword in front of his chest. The layers of jade light overlapped in front of him, and formed the shape of a jade toad.
The jade toad formed from sword lights was not large, and could not even obscure his body. He did not hope that he could block all the flying sword scabbard pieces. He only hoped he could fend off Dugu Bai’s sword, and that these pieces would piece through non-fatal parts of his body and he could still stand up after this.
He only had to last one attack. If he was standing after Dugu Bai’s attack, he could win.
Most of the powerful and knowledgeable cultivators present had very accurate judgement of the power of vital energy and primal energies of the universe. Seeing Zong Jingqiu perform such a move, many people frowned unconsciously. They all felt that Zong Jingqiu could withstand this attack.
In the next moment, several small pieces would pass through Zong Jingqiu’s body, but Zong Jingqiu could shield the vital parts of his body and not fall down.
But something unexpected happened.
Dugu Bai put his sword away.
Dugu Bai, who had been advancing violently, put his sword away. His right hand drew his sword back at incomprehensible speed towards the nonexistent sword scabbard. As he drew his sword back, all the air in front of the sword tip was pulled away, and an unique seal seemed to form.
Pang pang pang pang….
Countless splashes seemed to form in front of him.
These small splashes were the tracks of the scabbard pieces accelerating. The pieces stabbed through Zong Jingqiu’s sword lights and the shadow of the jade toad, buzzing as they pierced into his body.
The small splashes were still blooming in the air like flowers, but the pieces of the scabbard had passed through Zong Jingqiu’s body and created bloody splashes behind him.
Zong Jingqiu’s eyes were wide to their limits. He seemed to be struck by lightning. All of his mind told him to stand upright. He had to still raise his sword. But the strength that had penetrated him did not allow his body to do this. His body uncontrollably fell backwards towards the ground.
Gasps sounded in waves, mixed with a shout of excitement.
Then sword lights flashed in the darkness, followed by piercing metallic sounds.
Dugu Bai stopped, his left hand covering his nose to avoid inhaling dust and coughing.
The pieces of the scabbard had sprayed into the crowd of students behind Zong Jingqiu. Some unaware students were wounded before they could draw their swords.
“He did it on purpose?”
Seeing the chaotic scene on the other side of the hut, and listening to the shocked voices, Yi Xin could not help but gape, having been silent all this time out of tiredness.
Xia Wan was also speechless.
No one could see Dugu Bai had done it on purpose. But the scene looked like Dugu Bai had attacked Zong Jingqiu and the crowd behind him.
Zhang Yi was stunned. “This…”
“If you do, do it thoroughly, this is the pride of the Dugu Family,” Xu Lianhua sneered and turned to look at Zhang Yi, saying, “learn from Dugu Bai, do not be so sentimental.”
Dugu Bai turned like he did not see a thing, and walked towards Ding Ning and the others with his hand still over his nose.
But all of the students on the other side read his meaning from his back. Many people could not help but curse.
Since we are not friends we are enemies. It is not a big deal to take the opportunity and attack you.
In the darkness, Lin Siuxin’s eyes grew brighter, he was more surprised and found the trials more interesting. But at the wave of curses, his brows furrowed in displeasure.
The people of Min Mountain Sword Sect liked direct tactics and speaking with their sword. So most members of Min Mountain Sword Sect disliked useless verbal arguments, especially Li Suixin. All of his arrangements were random. Because he was displeased, his arrangements grew more random.
So he randomly picked a student from the cursing lot, and then shouted a name: “Ding Ning.”
Then he shouted that student’s name: “Facing Gong Muyu.”
All voices cut off.
Zhang Yi looked in shock at Ding Ning and then turned to Lin Suixin.
“Why is it me?”
In the moment of silence, a disbelieving voice sounded. “I have not fought in the first round.”
Many people recovered and looked at Lin Suixin.
The speaker was obviously Gong Muyu.
Gong Muyu had not even fought once. Why would he fight Ding Ning who had fought in the first round?
Facing the doubting gazes, Lin Suixin coolly said, “You had a bye in your first round.”
In the darkness, Gong Muyu was dumbstruck.
It was deathly silent again.
Many were speechless but unable to object.
Because a hundred and forty five students had passed the sea of brambles. Someone had to have a bye in the first round.
A bye was originally the luckiest thing, but now, the student with the bye was arranged to face Ding Ning.
