Luo Jianqing spoke with tremendous power. His thunderous words shook everyone to the core.
Silence fell on the edgeless competition ring. Maybe it was because that Luo Jianqing defeated all of his rivals in just a blink, even the Elders who was sitting in front of the Ling Yun Palace was unable to utter a single word.
They were all at the Nascent Soul Period. Bai Chi had cultivated for seventy years; Yun Rong used seventy years as well, while Luo Jianqing only spent forty years to reach this level. The difference of their cultivation length didn’t provide Yun Rong and Bai Chi the slightest advantage when fighting with Luo Jianiqng, not to mention the Seventh Childe of Bai Family didn’t even make Luo Jianqing draw his sword!
Luo Jianqing was way better than them.
On the bleachers, Ming Hua Fairy of Fei Hua Sect lowered her head and sighed. She was there when several years ago Luo Jianqing and the other young cultivators had a fight in the Liu Yan Valley. Ming Hua was the Second Senior Disciple of the Fei Hua Sect, ranked right after her twin sister – Miao Yin Fairy – who insisted coming to Tai Hua Mountain to “politely” talk with the Elders about the fight, but was refused by Ming Hua. For what she had seen, Ming Hua thought, that was a wise decision.
Gui Yuan Sect was the Buddha Sect among the Four Sects. Fo Zi Yu Chen – one of Xuan Tian’s Four Legends – belonged to Gui Yuan Sect as a disciple. This time, Yu Chen didn’t come to watch the competition, but his younger brothers, after seeing Luo Jianqing stood there incandescently, all mumbled “Amitabha” and sighed, “compared to Senior Brother Fo Zi, Cultivator Luo is probably… better.”
The last one of the Four Sects – Shen Jian Sect – was standing on Tai Hua Mountain’s side all the time. It was the weakest sect, but it was the only pure Dao Sect.
As for those from Bai Family and Yun Family who was horribly embarrassed, some of the older members even left the square, but there were still some young disciples waiting there desperately for one man to help them revenge.
That man was, of course, Yan Su.
Duan Hun Sect, the assemble of all the Ghost Cultivators in the world, was a shrine of the Ghost cultivators.
One had to be much favored by destiny to be a Ghost Cultivator. Not every ghost can be a Ghost Cultivator, but almost all the Ghost Cultivators were very talented and unbelievably determined.
Among Xuan Tian’s Four Legends, Yun Rong was a gifted sorcerer; Bai Ji was a born genius, and he also took advantages of Family’s cultivation resources; Fo Zi Yu Chen cultivated on karma and was praised by his profound knowledge of dharma. All three of them were worth the title of “Legend”. No one could ever rank them from top to bottom, but there’s still a fact that everyone acquiesced: the most powerful one of Xuan Tian’s Four Legend was no one else but Yan Su.
After he got out of the Liu Yan Valley, Yan Su went to the forbidden place of Duan Hun Sect and went through Closed Door training for five years.
There were rumors about the forbidden place, saying that it contained tens of thousands of ghosts. Once entering it, one had to endure the heart-tearing pain caused by countless ghosts chewing one’s heart. The common Dao Cultivator couldn’t bear staying there for thirty minutes. Normal Ghost Cultivator could only stand for a few days. Yan Su, however, cultivated in there for a total of five years. He came out of the forbidden place with an already-reached Nascent Soul Period, then defeated his old rival – Fo Zi Yu Chen – in a complete victory.
Luo Jianqing heard Xie Zizhuo talking about this. His younger brother told him that before Yan Su and Fo Zi Yu Chen even started the fight, the latter stood there with folded hands and said, “Life is a theatre. You can stand on the stage for now, and immerge into the audience in a blink. Difference may look great, but I hold both the same. Thus, no delight; no complaint. I cannot deliver you from torment. Nonetheless, suffering awaits, why not convert?”
Fo Zi surrendered even before the rivalry could start.
Now, Bai Family and Yun Family put all their hopes on Duan Huan Sect’s Yan Su, who was sitting on the bleachers with an overcast expression. He fixed his eyes on Luo Jianqing, not letting loose for one second.
Bai Chi was indeed embarrassed by Luo Jianqing and was even called an “idiot” by many from the audience. Bai Family was badly ashamed. Therefore, some of Bai Family’s young disciples started to mumble Yan Su’s name, hoping he could dampen Luo Jianqing’s pride.
However, Yan Su was just sitting there and didn’t say anything.
Luo Jianqing knew what happened today won’t end this easily. Beaming winsomely, he lifted his eyes and looked at Yan Su, “Cultivator Yan, do you want to join the Grand Competition of Tai Hua Mountain?”
Yan Su heard his words, raised up his head and stared at Luo Jianqing, with a bloodcurdling look in his eyes.
Their eyes met, as if lightning were whipping the air. Yan Su said, “No. Several days ago, I happened to break through the middle-stage of Nascent Soul Period. Sir Guang Lingzi set the rule that one cannot challenge someone who is at a lower cultivation level. Therefore, if I really bully you today, our Duan Hun Sect won’t enjoy the victory but endure others’ humiliation.”
Luo Jianqing’s pupils shrunk.
Yan Su’s words caused an uproar among the audience.
“No way! Yan Su already reached middle-stage of Nascent Soul Period?! It’s only four years since he achieved Nascent Soul Period. Yun Rong already stayed at the early-stage for eight years and hasn’t made much progress!”
“I’m shocked! Middle-stage Nascent Soul Period at sixty-seven years old! He was only four years later than Xuan Lingzi, the most powerful cultivator of all!”
“I finally know why Fo Zi didn’t dare to fight with Yan Su. He knew Yan Su was much more powerful than him!”
Early and middle stage Nascent Soul Period didn’t have a significant difference. Except people like Luo Jianqing who was born with keen Spiritual Sense, only Elders who had reached Tribulation Passage Period could sense the difference. At first, Luo Jianqing didn’t pay attention to Yan Su’s cultivation base, but discovered it right after Yan Su pointed that out.
Fingers clenched tightly to hold the Floating Frost Sword, Luo Jianqing suddenly asked, “Then, dare you challenge me?”
Hearing the provocation, Yan Su stood up, obviously irritated, “I don’t want to bully you. How dare you still bring that up?!”
Luo Jianqing smiled, then said in a calm tone, “Then, Cultivator Yan, today, I will challenge you. Do you dare accept the challenge?”
“Of course!” A cast of shadow glinted in Yan Su’s eyes. He jumped into the air and landed in the competition ring.
In front of Ling Yun Palace, Yu Qingzi frowned, “What happened to Jianqing? He is not a pugnacious person. Why is he challenging the others today? He already brought honor to Tai Hua Mountain. Even if he doesn’t fight with Yan Su, Tai Hua Mountain will still be praised and admired because of what happened during this year’s Grand Septennial Competition.”
Guang Lingzi thought about it for a while and said, “Maybe Jianqing has the confidence to defeat Yan Su?”
Yu Qingzi shook her head, “Still, this is not a wise decision. When he just reached the early-stage Nascent Soul Period, Yan Su was able to make Gui Yuan Sect’s Fo Zi surrender. Now he’s achieved the middle-stage. There’s no doubt that he is more powerful than before. Jianqing is making a bold move.”
In the competition ring, Luo Jianqing didn’t hear Yu Qingzi’s complaint.
He unsheathed Floating Frost Sword and pointed it at Yan Su. Seeing this, the latter turned serious and took out his Ghost Axe.
When Yan Su’s weapon was out, the sky was suddenly overcast.
Screaming and crying of the ghosts filled the world.
“The competition… Begins!”
