飘零影音

Chapter 85 - Arc 7: Dragon Ascension Gate | Chapter 85: Thunder Infusion

Translator: Lynn

Sponsored chapter (3/10)

Xu Ziqing intended to warn Su Xin with good intentions, but even though Su Xin knew it was well-intentioned, he felt overwhelmed upon hearing it and wished he hadn’t spoken earlier.

Meanwhile, the lottery cylinder trembled once again in mid-air, and two more tokens flew out to determine the opponents for the second match.

Excitedly, Su Xin exclaimed, “Brother Ziqing, look! The opponents for the second match have been chosen!”

Xu Ziqing turned his head to see and indeed two individuals had emerged from the seats and stood in the hall.

Relieved that the subject had changed successfully, Su Xin wiped off his sweat discreetly and smiled, saying, “Brother Ziqing, guess who will win this match.”

Thinking that Su Xin was still unconvinced, Xu Ziqing smiled amicably and agreed, “Alright.”

The two returned their attention to the battle, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of each side.

This time, two men at the tenth level of Qi Refining stepped forward, causing the Juling Tongbao to emit a purple light.

One of the men was a towering and proud figure, unable to hold a weapon, while the other was slender with thin eyebrows and lips, with a long red whip coiled around his waist.

The burly man clasped his fists and introduced himself, “Qingtian Sect’s Luo Hou.”

The thin-browed man played with his long whip and snapped it, saying, “Leihuo Sect’s Diao Zimo.”

Luo Hou and Diao Zimo, both men, seemed to have a history with each other, and their eyes remained vigilant throughout the encounter.

Their spiritual power surged, gradually forming two enormous vortexes of air that collided in mid-air!

“Boom!”

The two vortexes collided, causing Luo Hou to bend forward, his fists striking the ground. However, he remained firmly rooted, without budging. On the other hand, Diao Zimo took a step back but straightened himself soon after.

It was a perfectly matched clash, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

Intrigued, Xu Ziqing focused and immersed his consciousness in the ring, asking Yun Lie, “Brother Yun, this is the first time I’ve witnessed such a battle. Are they testing each other?”

Yun Lie confirmed his suspicion and replied, “The cultivation bases of the two individuals are similar, so momentum plays a crucial role.”

Xu Ziqing made a mental note of this insight, thinking to himself, “Indeed, in a battle, if one can establish an initial dominance, they will likely gain the advantage. It is incredibly challenging for the opponent to regain control. I recall when my good friend Yun Lie engaged in fights before, his aura alone could freeze the souls of others. It’s not just about resisting; even struggling becomes difficult under such a powerful presence. Perhaps there’s more to it than mere strength. I need to study harder.”

After Luo Hou and Diao Zimo’s initial confrontation, Diao Zimo stood his ground, flicked his wrist, and made the first move.

The long red whip swiftly created afterimages, transforming into countless whip shadows that enveloped Luo Hou from all directions!

Luo Hou, still without deploying his magical weapon, clashed his fists together, unleashing a tremendous force that formed a spiritual power dragon. With its head held high, the dragon lunged into the midst of the whip shadows, seeking to strike!

The dragon was agile, unaware of which whip shadow was real or false, but it attacked recklessly without any hesitation. Soon, it found itself surrounded by a multitude of whip shadows!

The whip shadows were dense, and just as the spiritual power dragon raised its head, the thousands of paths instantly merged into one. Everyone’s vision blurred, and when they regained their focus, they witnessed the long dragon tightly bound by the red whip, struggling in futile resistance.

Diao Zimo sneered, “Hang on tight!”

The whip immediately constricted, forcibly tearing apart the spiritual power dragon’s form, rendering it unable to reassemble!

Luo Hou’s face darkened. He knew that the spiritual power dragon couldn’t contend with Diao Zimo, but he didn’t expect it to be dispersed so effortlessly. The outcome surprised him. However, those who uphold the Qingtian Sect fear no magic weapons!

The two fighters exchanged several more rounds, leaving Su Xin captivated. He said to Xu Ziqing, “Let’s make another bet, Brother Ziqing. Make your choice!”

Having observed the battle closely, Xu Ziqing nodded and said, “I’ll bet on that crafty Taoist fellow.”

Su Xin, who favored Luo Hou for his ferocity, quickly responded, “I’ll bet on fellow cultivator Luo. With his strength and toughness, he’s bound to win!”

Xu Ziqing smiled faintly and replied, “We’ll find out soon enough.”

The two fell silent once more, fixing their gaze upon the arena.

The battle between Luo Hou and Diao Zimo was now in full swing.

The disciples of Qingtian Sect were known for their unwavering reliance on their fists rather than magic weapons. Luo Hou, with his solid approach, swung his fists high, aiming to strike Diao Zimo’s head.

However, Diao Zimo remained calm. He skillfully maneuvered his long whip, forcefully intercepting the fist. Luo Hou bent down and staggered slightly, managing to dodge the attack.

“Ha!”

Unfazed, Luo Hou shouted and his right fist made contact with the long whip. Simultaneously, his left fist changed its trajectory, tightly gripping the whip’s tail with all his might.

In the next moment, Luo Hou’s body stiffened, and he fell to the ground, retreating seven or eight steps.

Everyone was stunned. Diao Zimo’s long whip was undoubtedly a high-grade magic weapon, incredibly formidable. However, after Luo Hou struck it forcefully, not only did he retreat, but his fist was also charred black!

The corners of Diao Zimo’s lips curled up slightly, and a crackling sound emanated from the red long whip. Upon closer inspection, one could see blue and purple arcs coursing through the whip, crackling incessantly.

Only now did everyone realize that his whip was imbued with thunder.

“That… that’s thunder!”

“Diao Zimo can infuse lightning into a magic weapon. How did he do it?”

“Senior brother, you have terrible luck!”

Witnessing this, the monks began buzzing with conversation.

Even Tang Wenfei appeared somewhat surprised.

Xu Ziqing asked in astonishment, “What kind of technique is this?”

Yun Lie pondered for a moment before replying, “It should be derived from fragments of the ‘Thunderheart Sutra.\'”

Listening to Yun Lie’s explanation, Xu Ziqing finally grasped the situation. Most thunder techniques were derived from the legendary “Thousand Thunderheart Sutra.” However, the complete sutra had been lost for ages, leaving behind fragmented remnants that various sects managed to piece together, giving rise to numerous thunder-based methods. Nevertheless, not everyone could learn thunder techniques.

As it was widely known, all formulas in the world essentially fell under the five elements. Thunder methods were particularly challenging, requiring exceptional aptitude and spiritual roots. Firstly, one needed both water and fire roots, with the fire root being stronger than the water root; otherwise, the practice of thunder was impossible. Secondly, those who pursued thunder methods had to initially channel natural thunder into their spiritual roots, enduring the burning of thunder and fire. Through numerous trials, they had to comprehend the ways of natural thunder to continue progressing. These requirements depended not only on talent but also on ruthlessness and perseverance. Consequently, only a select few were capable of learning thunder methods. Once they achieved even a modicum of success, they would gain an advantage in future tribulations and dominate their peers at the same cultivation level.

With the introduction of thunder techniques, the outcome of this competition became clear.

Luo Hou possessed considerable power and a resolute character, but Diao Zimo had mastered the thunder method. After a few exchanges, Diao Zimo unleashed a thunderous whip, ultimately defeating Luo Hou.

Diao Zimo put away his long whip, and the corners of his eyes twitched slightly. “Once you have mastered your sect’s ‘Vajra Indestructibility Technique,’ then you’ll be qualified to face me.”

Luo Hou took the loss in stride. If he lost, he lost. He clasped his fists nonchalantly and said, “We will have another battle when the time comes!”

Diao Zimo smiled and said, “By then, I will have made significant progress in thunder and magic. Don’t let me surpass you again.”

Luo Hou’s eyes gleamed with determination, refusing to yield an inch. “Today’s winner won’t be tomorrow’s loser.”

After exchanging these few words, the two competitors returned to their seats and received their victory or defeat tokens.

The back-to-back matches were exhilarating, characterized by graceful performances from both sides without resorting to any underhanded tactics. The spectators thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle.

Next up were the last two Qi Refining cultivators at the tenth level. Yan Boshang, the young sect leader of Tianyan Sect, had a deep purple glow emitting from his Juling token, indicating he was on the verge of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage. The other contender was Zhuo Hanyan, the sole female among the top participants, representing the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

Both contestants had flying swords hovering above their heads, radiating a sense of inspiration. They appeared ordinary at first glance, yet their exceptional qualities were easily discernible.

Su Xin, who had been in high spirits earlier, let out a sigh for this moment.

Xu Ziqing initially assumed that Su Xin was upset about losing the bet earlier. However, he refrained from offering consolation for fear of appearing boastful, so he didn’t know how to respond.

Unaware of Xu Ziqing’s predicament, Su Xin expressed his distress. “Brother Ziqing, I lost two consecutive bets, and I’m afraid I will lose this one too.” Xu Ziqing was taken aback. So, it wasn’t because of the lost bet… but why did Su Xin say that?

Before he could ask, Su Xin wryly smiled and continued, “This time, Senior Sister Zhuo is destined to lose.”

It suddenly dawned on Xu Ziqing.

Indeed, Zhuo Hanyan possessed profound cultivation. During the earlier round, the Juling tokens displayed one person in deep purple, three in medium purple, and two in light purple. Both she and Ji Banlian were women, with Ji Banlian only having a light purple token. On the other hand, Zhuo Hanyan had a medium purple token, signifying her exceptional prowess, not inferior to any man. Unfortunately, luck was not on her side.

The previous two matches featured light purple vs. light purple and medium purple vs. medium purple, but for Zhuo Hanyan, it was medium purple vs. deep purple.

Considering Yan Boshang’s current cultivation, he could be considered the top individual below the Foundation Establishment stage. Given the circumstances, Zhuo Hanyan had little chance of winning against him. Su Xin’s concerns were not unfounded.

Su Xin added, “Senior Sister Zhuo is the most formidable figure among the younger generation of the Loose Cultivator Alliance and the league’s current shining star. Although I know her defeat is certain, I still want to bet on her victory. Even if I have to engage in a nine-day practice duel with you, Brother Ziqing, I am willing.”

Upon hearing these words, Xu Ziqing sighed. After contemplating for a moment, he responded, “Brother Ah Xin, you’re mistaken.” Without waiting for Su Xin’s reply, he continued, “Of course, Brother Ah Xin is a member of the Loose Cultivator Alliance, but am I not? Since it’s a match between members of the alliance, I naturally want to bet on her to win.” He smiled and added, “So, the bet for this match is on the same side. Regardless of the outcome, we’re tied.”

Shock flashed in Su Xin’s eyes, and he also smiled. “Then… it’s a tie!”

The two of them guessed correctly—Zhuo Hanyan did indeed lose.

Surprisingly, the outcome of the competition was swiftly determined.

As soon as the match began, the two flying swords barely made contact when Yan Boshang flicked his finger!

A gust of strong wind blew by, and an invisible force struck Zhuo Hanyan’s chest, causing her to cough up blood and her expression to turn vacant.

“True Qi!” someone exclaimed.

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