Chapter 22: Sect Tournament (V)

After a day had passed, each person had made their own gains. At the break of dawn the following day, they all gathered at Arena One, waiting for Bai Ke’s match. Bai Ke, as a direct descendant of the Spirit Sword Peak’s master, possessed the Wind Spirit Root. By rights, as a mutated single spirit root, his cultivation should have been nothing short of miraculous. Unfortunately, he was a bookworm, finding his greatest pleasure in reading—any and every book. Whether Daoist classics, alchemy and sword manuals, travelogues of predecessors, or even simple storybooks, he read them all. So much time was devoted to reading that, despite his Wind Spirit Root, there was little progress to show. Though he had reached the age of ten, he was only at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement. The master of Spirit Sword Peak, Daoist Yue Yuandao, had always indulged his studies, but…

In truth, some of the blame could be laid at Hansu’s feet. For a single spirit root, starting to draw in spiritual energy at age three and reaching the fifth layer of Qi Refinement by age ten was quite normal. Meditation and cultivation are lonely endeavors, and it is rare for such young children to practice with the dedication of adults. Moreover, the second generation cultivators enjoy abundant resources and countless temptations. Even the prodigious girl with the Thunder Spirit Root reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement only at ten, then formed her foundation within four years. So, Bai Ke’s progress could be considered above average among his peers. However, Hansu, a rare mutated dual spirit root, lacked a suitable cultivation method and was thus no better than an ordinary dual spirit root. Even with top-tier potential, she was only on par with a single spirit root. What’s more, she was said to be lazy and indifferent to cultivation. Yet, unexpectedly, she suddenly reached the fourth layer of Qi Refinement, then leapt two more layers in quick succession to the seventh layer! At once, all the elders became anxious, urging their juniors to apply themselves to their training.

Because of this, Bai Ke had been forced into seclusion for over half a year. Now, he was made to participate in the Inner Sect Competition, in hopes he would learn from combat and make progress.

Bai Ke’s opponent was a dual spirit root male disciple at the fourth layer of Qi Refinement, appearing to be about ten years old as well. He seemed to hail from the Spirit Talisman Peak, his hands filled with talismans of every sort. Though none were of high grade, he managed to keep Bai Ke scrambling. Bai Ke, naturally a sword cultivator, though still young, had—thanks to his Wind Spirit Root and love of books—vaguely grasped the essence of the Way of the Sword. His swordplay was swift and unpredictable, always catching his opponent off guard. No two strikes were ever the same; he was like a gust of wind darting across the dueling platform, his blade capable of attacking from any angle or direction. The talismans his opponent wielded were many, but their number dwindled faster than Bai Ke’s attacks. With a well-off background, Bai Ke wore a treasure robe and a protective jade pendant at his waist, both offering him ample defense. Many low-grade talismans he ignored entirely, focusing solely on offense. Before long, when his opponent’s talismans were finally spent, it marked his defeat.

With a graceful cupped-fist salute, Bai Ke stepped down from the stage. The crowd below showered him with congratulations before hurrying off to Arena Two to watch Zhu Shaoyi’s match.

Their timing was perfect; after a brief wait, Zhu Shaoyi’s turn came. Also a sword cultivator, his style differed markedly from Bai Ke’s. As one of the outstanding inner disciples of Spirit Sword Peak, Zhu Shaoyi had already comprehended Sword Intent at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement. Both his sword and his demeanor were reserved, refined, gentle. His blade was not the sharpest, but it was the most resilient. When he struck, his sword intent was like a lover’s hand, softly brushing past, making it nearly impossible to rouse the will to fight. Yet, once engaged, one sensed a killing intent hidden within the gentleness. Once ensnared by him, it was like falling into an endless abyss, impossible to escape. A sword cultivator who had grasped Sword Intent could easily triumph over opponents even a minor realm above. At the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, Zhu Shaoyi was virtually unmatched among mid-stage disciples. This bout, unsurprisingly, ended in his effortless victory.

On the third day, Tao Xinjin was defeated. In truth, this was entirely expected. She had only just reached the eighth layer of Qi Refinement. Among mid-stage disciples, her cultivation was neither at the bottom nor the top. Unfortunately, she drew a senior who had been at the ninth layer for years, his foundation solid and unshakable. Before she could even lay out her formation, she was knocked off the platform in a few moves. Luckily, she had only wanted the experience, caring little for victory or defeat. With the match over, she could devote herself to watching others compete.

Hansu even went to watch Su Yunmo’s match. To her surprise, Lu Tanxian also came to observe. It seemed she held a grudge after being repeatedly upstaged by Su Yunmo in recent days.