Chapter 14: Big Battle Against Zhao Feiyun

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Five days flew by, and the assessment day arrived. This time, the Asura Sect had enlisted another 100,000 new disciples, among them Zhuge Xiang. All the disciples who had already comprehended Qi Force had received a prior notification from the sect, informing them of their participation in the competition on the assessment day.

For this competition, the sect had prepared a total of 17 valuable items. Some were pills capable of advancing one’s cultivation by a year, others were two-star Dharma artifacts, and there were even martial arts techniques surpassing those found in the Martial Storage Pavilion. The array of prizes was truly enticing.

The first-place winner would have the privilege of selecting five items from the seventeen options. The second-place winner could choose three, while the third-place winner could choose two. The remaining individuals ranking fourth to tenth would each be entitled to one selection. The rewards offered by the sect were exceedingly generous, with all the items being of exceptional quality. However, considering that only the top ten disciples would be chosen out of the thousands participating, it was evident how fierce the competition would be.

Assessment day buzzed with excitement. Nearly 200,000 disciples filled the area, the ones from the previous batch who had not yet comprehended Qi Force feeling somewhat disheartened. As for the disciples from the subsequent batch, they were filled with curiosity and anticipation for the competition.

Boohoo…

Asura Sect’s horn sounded. It was a treasured Dharma artifact of the sect, capable of being heard within a radius of hundreds of kilometers. The horn served as the signal for all the competitors to gather. All the disciples who had been training in the Endless Mountains could hear it. Naturally, since they were aware of the assessment date, these disciples hadn’t strayed too far. Most of them had already assembled at Asura Sect’s base.

“Is the battle about to commence?” In the vicinity of a serene lake in the Endless Mountains, the flickering afterimages suddenly vanished, revealing the figure of a young man—Zhao Feiyun. He gazed at Asura Sect’s base, a ferocious glint shimmering in his eyes.

Zhao Feiyun had been fortunate. While training in the Endless Mountains, he had fortuitously encountered an outer sect steward of the Asura Sect who had passed away over a decade ago. Though the steward had only reached the Meridian Opening stage, the pair of Dharma artifact boots and a short Dharma artifact knife he left behind had significantly bolstered Zhao Feiyun’s abilities.

Zhao Feiyun had already reached the second level of the Qi Nourishing stage. Coupled with the two Dharma artifacts, he not only had absolute confidence in killing Zhuge Xiang, but he also aspired to secure a spot in the top five of the competition.

While those ranked below fourth place would only receive one prize, those at the top had the advantage of choosing first. This was a significant benefit. The farther back they were, the more prizes they would obtain, some of which might not even be suitable for their needs.

“Blood Lightning Slash!” Zhuge Xiang swung the Blood Refined Saber in his hand, transforming it into a crimson streak of saber light. He swiftly slew a demon wolf equivalent to the second level of the Qi Nourishing stage in front of him, earning 50 EXP. Upon hearing the sound of the horn, he turned his gaze toward the Asura Sect base, knowing that the major battle had commenced.

For five consecutive days, Zhuge Xiang had spent his time in the Endless Mountains, slaying demonic beasts and ferocious creatures to accumulate EXP. However, he refrained from engaging monsters above his level, resulting in no increase in his EXP. Moreover, killing ordinary ferocious beasts only granted him one or two EXP. This made Zhuge Xiang realize that vanquishing monsters above his level provided him with more EXP, while slaying beings much weaker than him yielded minimal gains. Consequently, in those five days, he had managed to amass just over 1,000 EXP, leaving him approximately 500 EXP short of reaching the third level of the Qi Nourishing stage.

In the past five days, it seemed that Zhuge Xiang had exhausted all the luck he had accumulated. No valuable items dropped from the creatures he defeated. The two Energy Recovery Pills were used to replenish his Qi Force. The sole noteworthy acquisition was a pair of boots that increased his movement speed by 30%. It appeared that killing monsters above his level not only increased his EXP but also improved the drop rate of items.

Previously, when he had killed the demon fox, he had gained a skill point from leveling up. After careful consideration, Zhuge Xiang decided to allocate it to the Bloodthirst Technique, directly advancing it to the advanced level. Once utilized, the Bloodthirst Technique would enhance all his attributes by 50%. Although augmenting the Blood Lightning Slash would greatly increase his attack power, Zhuge Xiang believed that in the long run, raising the level of the Bloodthirst Technique sooner would make his trump card even stronger.

“A major battle? Is my goal to secure first place?” Anticipation lit up Zhuge Xiang’s face as he quickly made his way back. With the 30% movement speed boots, Zhuge Xiang’s swiftness had noticeably improved.

It was no wonder that Zhuge Xiang harbored such thoughts. Despite currently being at the second level of the Qi Nourishing stage, he possessed the Blood Refined Saber and a pair of mobility-enhancing boots. With two one-star Dharma artifacts and two skills, including the Bloodthirst Technique at the Advanced level, he might even emerge victorious against a disciple at the third level of the Qi Nourishing stage.

Furthermore, if luck favored him, Zhuge Xiang could earn 500 EXP points in the competition, elevating him to the third level of the Qi Nourishing stage and propelling him forward. Thus, it was not impossible for him to secure first place in the competition.

“The major battle has begun? I wonder how much that fellow’s strength has improved in the past few days,” remarked Lu Yuling upon hearing the sound of the horn. Anticipation gleamed in his eyes, but he quickly shook his head. Having recently advanced to the second level of the Qi Nourishing stage, any improvements he made would likely be insignificant. Nonetheless, Lu Yuling held high expectations for Zhuge Xiang, clearly regarding him as a formidable contender.

One by one, the disciples still training in the Endless Mountains hurried back. Some had just comprehended Qi Force, some were geniuses like Lu Yuling, while others carried conflicts and intended to settle them through duels witnessed by all. The disciples of the Asura Sect harbored the least fear of combat. Despite knowing that entering the top ten would be a challenge, they remained fervent about the competition.

Underneath the colossal stage of the Asura Sect’s performance, nearly 200,000 disciples gathered. As they stood on the stage and looked down, a massive crowd unfolded before them. Given the nature of the competition, it was impractical for thousands of disciples to step onto the stage individually. Hence, the extensive martial arts arena was divided into 32 platforms.

Having trained for a year, the 100,000 disciples included many who had yet to comprehend Qi Force. However, the sheer numbers proved to be a challenge. After some rough calculations, it was estimated that over 5,000 disciples had achieved Qi Force comprehension this year. Thus, the first place on each of the 32 dueling platforms had to secure a spot in the top 32.

“Alright, that will be all. Before the competition, according to the rules, disciples who have conflicts may engage in combat on the stage. Of course, let’s try to avoid any fatalities,” the host explained, outlining the basic rules.

A duel between demonic sects, particularly the Asura Sect, held great significance. They merely emphasized the intention to minimize casualties. Orthodox sects, in contrast, would likely urge participants to halt when necessary and even intervene if danger loomed. However, the Asura Sect operated differently. In a duel, life and death were left to fate.

As soon as the host concluded his speech, he descended from the stage. Instantly, many disciples who had long harbored grudges could not resist jumping onto the stage. It was evident they had already made prior arrangements. Simultaneously, Zhao Feiyun, leveraging the advantage of Ghostly Steps, was the first to ascend the stage, bellowing, “Zhuge Xiang, come out!”

Beside Niu Geng, Zhuge Xiang smiled at him upon hearing Zhao Feiyun’s challenge. “Alright, you have your Blood Spirit Fruit. It’s not too late to comprehend Qi Force now.”

“Be cautious. I’ve heard that Zhao Feiyun has already made a breakthrough to the second level of the Qi Nourishing stage,” Niu Geng expressed his concern, unable to conceal his worry on his face. Despite being aware of Zhuge Xiang’s advancement to the second level, he remained deeply concerned about his friend’s well-being.

“Don’t worry, what can he do to me? My objective this time is to secure first place,” Zhuge Xiang assured Niu Geng, nodding with determination. With those words, he leaped onto the arena and positioned himself in front of Zhao Feiyun. Carrying the blood saber on his back, he stood tall and resolute, resembling an unwavering standard.

“Zhao Feiyun? I hope he can force Zhuge Xiang to use some tricks.” Below the arena, Lu Yuling’s calm eyes lit up as he watched Zhuge Xiang go on stage.

Although Zhuge Xiang had already exhausted his arsenal of trump cards during the battle against the fox demon, in Lu Yuling’s opinion, it was unlikely that he hadn’t made any improvements over the past few days. As for whether Zhuge Xiang could emerge victorious, Lu Yuling harbored no doubts. She simply wished that Zhao Feiyun could pose a challenge to Zhuge Xiang.