Chapter 1021: Offensive and Defensive Battle (Thank You, Black Eyed for Your Support)
Chapter 1021: Offensive and Defensive Battle (Thank You, Black Eyed for Your Support)
The next day, the Earth Division's Lun Jian between Tai Xu Gate and Tianjian Gate began.
Outside the Lun Dao Shan arena, the crowd was still dense, but the number of spectators had significantly decreased compared to before.
They found it boring.
Tai Xu Gate's strongest team had suffered consecutive defeats in the Earth Division's Lun Jian, performing terribly with almost no standout moments.
Many people no longer held any expectations.
Moreover, this Lun Jian was an offensive and defensive battle, with the opponent being the top sword cultivation sect—Tianjian Gate.
Tianjian Gate inherited the ancient Celestial Sword Technique.
This Celestial Sword Technique was one of the most advanced sword doctrines in Qian Xue Prefecture, with formidable power.
If Tianjian Gate took the offensive and unleashed their Sword Qi, even the Longding Gate, one of the Four Great Sects, and the Jin Gang Sect, one of the Eight Great Sects, both known for their defensive prowess, might struggle to withstand it in the entire Qian Xue Prefecture.
Let alone Tai Xu Gate.
Tai Xu Gate lacked any truly top-notch body cultivators.
And there was Mo Hua, who was “fragile at the slightest touch.”
In the minds of most cultivators, this was a Lun Jian match with almost no chance of winning and no highlights to watch.
Tai Xu Gate was at a disadvantage, and the situation was only getting worse, making a loss inevitable.
Of course, there were still some spectators who held out hope.
Their hope was that Tianjian Gate would find Mo Hua's weakness and kill him with a single sword strike in this Lun Jian.
It was a simple hope.
“I want to see Mo Hua die once.”
From the Yellow Division's preliminary rounds, or even from the beginning, this had become a fixation for many spectators.
They didn't ask for anything else; they were driven by this fixation, which kept them coming to watch Mo Hua's matches.
After all, Mo Hua, the little rascal, had committed countless misdeeds and was incredibly infuriating.
Without seeing him die once, it was hard to let go.
...
On the elevated platform of the Shangguan family.
Yu'er hung her head, occasionally lifting it unwillingly to glance at Fangtian Huayin.
She didn't dare to look.
During Xuan Zibu's Lun Jian, Brother Mo had outsmarted a group of “big fools,” and she had enjoyed it.
But in the Earth Division's Lun Jian, Brother Mo had been losing consistently.
She felt increasingly uncomfortable with each match and really didn't want to watch anymore.
But this was Brother Mo's match, and she couldn't bear to miss it.
What if he wins?
If she didn't watch, wouldn't it be a pity?
Yu'er frowned, clutched her dress hem, and forced herself to look at Fangtian Huayin.
Apart from Yu'er, Wenren Wan, Gu Changhuai, Zhang Lan, Murong Caiyun, and Hua Qianqian, Mo Hua's “friends and family,” were a bit more at ease.
At first, the losses were heartbreaking, but as they continued, they became accustomed to it.
Victory and defeat are common in battles.
While they hoped Mo Hua would win, they also knew that human effort has its limits, and some things are simply impossible.
After all, this was the Qian Study Lun Jian Conference, with countless challenges.
Mo Hua had already done remarkably well to reach this point.
So, they came to support Mo Hua.
Moreover, they had a clear understanding of the match's situation, so they weren't holding out too much hope.
The situation soon confirmed most people's expectations.
From the start, Tai Xu Gate was on the defensive, suffering continuous setbacks.
This was an offensive and defensive battle, modeled after the “siege” and “defense” in cultivation wars.
Tianjian Gate was the attacker, and Tai Xu Gate was the defender.
Of course, the format was “simplified.”
After all, with only five participants in the Lun Jian, it was far from the grand scale of actual cultivation wars, which could involve thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of cultivators. It was a simplified “prototype” for disciples to compete and practice.
There was no real “city.”
Instead, a “camp” was built in the Lun Jian arena, divided into an outer and inner city by walls, with a “city lord” statue in the inner city.
The attacking side had to breach the outer city, enter the inner city, and ultimately destroy the city lord statue.
The defending side had to protect the statue.
The siege had a time limit.
If the city was breached within two hours, the attacking side won. If the city was defended, the defending side won.
Tai Xu Gate needed to hold out for two hours against Tianjian Gate's Sword Qi.
It wasn't that simple.
Defending the outer city, in essence, meant defending the “city gates.”
The outer city had two gates, each requiring a defender.
The inner city had one gate, which also needed to be manned.
This dispersed the manpower, which was even more fatal for a team like Tai Xu Gate, which was "incomplete" or "crippled".
The key was still Mo Hua.
This setup further exposed the drawbacks of Mo Hua being a "Magic Cultivator."
Before the Lun Jian began, some had already noticed this:
"In this kind of situation, Mo Hua is completely useless, right?"
"I can't imagine what he could do..."
"In a siege battle, there's no room for trickery..."
"No matter how good his Hidden Art is, others won't even pay attention to him."
"No matter how good his Body Technique is, he can only run, but this is a city defense—where can he run to?"
"Low-level Elemental Techniques can't withstand the Sword Qi of Tianjian Gate."
"His frail body would be cut down with a single strike..."
"Either way, he's useless. I think he should just hide in the inner city at the start of the battle and let his teammates buy time..."
"After all, the outcome doesn't depend on him..."
Someone joked.
When the Lun Jian began, the image on Fangtian Huayin confirmed everyone's suspicions.
Everyone saw that Mo Hua indeed did nothing, just hiding behind the inner city wall, his back to everyone, furtively doing something that looked somewhat "creepy"...
This stirred up more anger.
"Wait... I was just joking, but he really did hide in the inner city?"
"His teammates are fighting to the death, and he's hiding?"
"At least he could cast a few fireballs. What's he doing, hiding here and being so sneaky?"
"Is he just afraid to die?"
...
Amid the chatter, a few keen-eyed cultivators noted:
"Mo Hua is setting up an array, right?"
Someone sneered, "How much effort does setting up an array take?"
"They're all pre-made."
"The arrays for the Lun Jian are pre-drawn, reviewed by the elders, and then brought in. Setting them up during the battle is just a formality. Why is he squatting there, fiddling around for so long..."
Arrays are powerful, but they take a long time to prepare.
In the history of cultivator battles, arrays have always been prepared in advance and set up beforehand.
Otherwise, preparing arrays during the battle would be too late.
The Lun Jian was no exception.
Mo Hua squatted there, "fiddling" for a long time, claiming to be setting up an array, but to others, it looked like he was just "wasting time", thoroughly "slacking off."
"Is Tai Xu Gate really going to let him be so negligent and lazy?"
"Can Tai Xu Gate really tolerate this?"
"I think it's not that the sect leader is his illegitimate son; it's that he's treating the sect leader like his illegitimate son, otherwise, he wouldn't be pampered like this..."
...
The Lun Jian continued.
Tai Xu Gate was already at a disadvantage in terms of strength.
The competition format also put them at a disadvantage.
In this doubly disadvantageous situation, a certain "prince" was being "negligent and lazy."
The outcome of the battle was obvious.
Tianjian Gate's Sword Qi was like a rainbow, unstoppable, breaking through two city gates, crossing the outer city, and heading for the inner city.
This process was simple, easy, and natural.
Ling Hu Xiao and his group fought with all their might, struggling to resist.
But their efforts only delayed the inevitable, causing no significant impact.
Soon, they were forced back into the inner city, losing ground step by step.
The five disciples of Tianjian Gate gathered outside the inner city gate.
This was the last line of defense.
As long as they broke through the gate, entered the inner city, charged into the hall, and slaughtered the remaining Tai Xu Gate disciples, then destroyed the city lord's statue, they would win the Lun Jian.
Another crushing victory for Tianjian Gate, bringing them one step closer to the top spot among the four major sects.
"Tai Xu Gate is going to lose again..."
This thought crossed the minds of most spectators.
And the loss seemed increasingly inevitable.
There was no dramatic turn of events.
Some spectators outside the arena sighed, feeling the match was becoming boring.
"This kind of Lun Jian is a waste of time..."
"I can predict what will happen next with my eyes closed..."
"Basically, the Tianjian Gate disciples will break through the gate, charge in, and after a fierce battle, cut down Ling Hu Xiao and his group..."
"Mo Hua will use the Lun Dao Jade to escape."
"Then Tianjian Gate will destroy the city lord's statue, and it will be over..."
"The gap between the four major sects and Tai Xu Gate is still too large. Tai Xu Gate has no chance of winning..."
On the viewing platform of the Shangguan family,
Yuer was dejected, her little face full of disappointment.
Wenren Wan patted Yuer's head, comforting her softly.
Zhang Lan and others also looked somber.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Inside the Lun Jian Arena, the Tianjian Gate disciples had already activated the Celestial Star Sword, their pure white Sword Qi carrying tremendous force, slashing at the city gate.
Cheng Mo, Situ Jian, and Ou Yang Xuan all moved to block them.
Ling Hu Xiao also activated the Chongxu Sword Qi, trying to counter the Sword Qi of the Tianjian Gate disciples.
But the Sword Qi of Tianjian Gate was too powerful. The five of them, working together, their Sword Qi drawing on the power of heaven, were overwhelming, and it was impossible to hold them back.
Cheng Mo and the others were forced to retreat.
Ling Hu Xiao was also struggling to hold his ground alone.
Pure white Celestial Star Sword Qi rained down on the city gate, each strike like a blow to the hearts of the Tai Xu Gate cultivators.
Each sword strike made their hearts tremble.
If the city gate were to be breached, the game would be over.
Everything that followed would be meaningless.
Many did not want the city gate to be breached, did not want Tai Xu Gate to lose.
But more were waiting for the city gate to fall.
Waiting for Tai Xu Gate’s disciples to be cut down one by one.
Time passed slowly, filled with tension and anxiety.
Tianjian Gate’s disciples continued to use Sword Qi to strike the gate.
The city gate struggled to hold on.
But despite the prolonged assault, the gate remained unbroken.
On the viewing platform, everyone began to exchange puzzled glances, sensing something was amiss.
After a while, Tianjian Gate’s disciples were still hacking away at the gate.
The city gate, silently enduring all the Celestial Star Sword Qi, seemed on the verge of shattering, yet after a long time, it showed no signs of giving in.
This gate was as solid as iron.
Everyone’s faces changed.
"What’s going on…?"
"Is there something wrong with this gate?"
"It’s not the gate, but the array on the gate… It seems something is off."
Some cultivators who were skilled in array formations, or array elders from various sects, carefully examined the faint array light hidden beneath the dense Sword Qi.
Upon closer inspection, one of them was startled and stood up, exclaiming:
"High-Rank Array!!"
"Tai Xu Gate’s Lun Jian, using a High-Rank Array?!"
There was a moment of silence, followed by a wave of uproar.
Like a stone thrown into a calm lake, the crowd erupted in chaos.
"Second-Rank High-Grade Array?!"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Isn’t the limit for Lun Jian arrays Second-Rank Mid-Grade?"
"This doesn’t follow the rules…"
"Cheating?"
"Tai Xu Gate cheating?"
"Unbelievable…"
More questions arose: "When did he bring this array in?"
"Lun Jian has strict rules, and everything brought into the arena is personally checked by the elders. There’s no way any favoritism could slip through."
"Did Tai Xu Gate bribe the elders of Lun Dao Shan?"
"Is Tai Xu Gate that powerful?"
…
The elders of Lun Dao Shan were even more restless than the spectators.
Elders at Lun Dao Shan were generally old, experienced, and respected, known for their fairness.
This position was both prestigious and relaxing.
Initially, they had been sitting, sipping tea, and watching the Lun Jian competition with ease.
But the appearance of the High-Rank Array shocked them, causing some to shatter their cups in their hands.
"Something’s wrong!"
"Terrible, how did this child manage to bring a High-Rank Array in?"
"The ancestral rules have been broken…"
"Who checked him?"
"You must be senile…"
One elder, his neck stiff, protested: "Don’t talk nonsense. I searched him thoroughly when he entered, and there was no High-Rank Array."
"Then where did he get this array?"
"Quick, check it out…"
Someone began to rewind the Fangtian Huayin, going through each frame from the start of the Lun Jian to see what Mo Hua had done.
To ensure fairness and transparency, the rewound footage was also visible to the spectators.
A small screen appeared on the Fangtian Huayin, replaying all of Mo Hua’s actions from the moment he entered the arena.
Everyone, including those in the Lun Jian, stopped watching the competition and focused intently on Mo Hua’s “replay.”
The footage quickly scrolled through, stopping at the most “suspicious” moment.
Mo Hua was crouched in a corner, his back to everyone, furtively doing something.
"Quick, change the angle", an elder of Lun Dao Shan ordered.
The view shifted, showing Mo Hua’s face clearly.
What he was doing was now in plain sight.
Everyone at Lun Dao Shan was momentarily stunned.
Then the entire arena erupted in uproar.
At this moment, they finally saw clearly what Mo Hua had been doing in the corner, furtively…
He was indeed “fiddling” with an array.
But not setting one up.
He was drawing an array!
In the middle of the Lun Jian Conference, during the intense confrontation between the two sides, he had personally drawn an array on the spot!
The Lun Jian Conference did not allow the use of Second-Rank High-Grade Arrays.
So he had decided to draw one himself!
For a moment, everyone was speechless, unsure what to say.
After a moment of silence, someone asked in confusion: "But… where did he get the array medium for the Second-Rank High-Grade Array?"
Someone realized: "He took it from the other arrays he brought in."
"…"
"And his array pen?"
"Lun Jian allows the carrying of spiritual equipment. He didn’t bring a weapon, just an array pen."
"The array pen is a Zhen Shi’s weapon…"
"What about the spirit ink? Where did he get it from?"
"I don't know..."
Someone shook their head, and most of the cultivators were also puzzled.
However, a cultivator who had participated in the Lunjian and studied the rules in detail explained:
"Lunjian disciples can choose to bring some 'miscellaneous items' inside, and spirit ink is one of those items."
"That's not it..." someone said, confused, "Why would spirit ink be considered a miscellaneous item? Spirit ink can't be classified as a miscellaneous item. Which fool made this rule? Do they have any common sense?"
"It was established by the founding ancestor of the Dao Lecture Mountain..."
The previous cultivator slapped his own face. "I'm sorry, I was being impertinent. The ancestor was right... spirit ink should indeed be placed among the miscellaneous items."
Someone summarized, "So... Mo Hua, this kid, dismantled the array medium, brought his own array pen, and then used the spirit ink from the miscellaneous items to draw a second-rank high-grade array on the city gate himself?"
"Is that even possible?"
"Is that reasonable?"
"What kind of head does this kid have? To exploit loopholes to this extent?"
"This isn't a loophole; this is clearly cheating?"
"At the Lunjian Conference, using a high-grade array, how can anyone play fair? Isn't this cheating?"
"You and I don't get to decide."
"At least on the surface, it is indeed in accordance with the rules."
"Let's talk about it later. For now, let's watch the Lunjian... Although a high-grade array is powerful, it's facing five Tianjiao from the Tianjian Gate. Whether a high-grade array can hold up against five Tianjiao is uncertain."
"Don't underestimate the high-grade array. That's a high-grade array, and it's from Mo Hua's hands. It's definitely a top-notch nineteen-strip array. Do you think this level of array is a joke?"
...
While everyone was discussing, inside the Lunjian Arena, the disciples of the Tianjian Gate also sensed something was amiss.
"High-grade array?"
The leader, a tall and slender Tianjiao from the Tianjian Gate, frowned and then said sternly, "So what if it's a high-grade array? I want to see today whether your array is solid or my Tianjian Gate's Sword Qi is sharp."
"Charge!"
The other four also responded in unison, "Charge!!"
The five of them no longer held back, unleashing their full Sword Qi with surging spiritual energy.
The city gate, despite being fortified by a high-grade array, began to show signs of cracking and shaking, with dust falling down.
But Mo Hua wasn't worried.
Ling Hu Xiao and the others only followed Mo Hua's instructions, occasionally going out to harass the enemy.
Previously, they had to defend against the Tianjian Gate disciples and protect the city gate.
Now, with the high-grade array strengthening the city gate, it could defend against the Tianjian Gate disciples on its own. They just needed to harass occasionally to ease the pressure on the city gate.
This made things much easier.
As the two sides fought, the Tian Star Sword Qi continued to strike the city gate, being absorbed by the high-grade Goldstone Array.
Although the high-grade Goldstone Array was strong, it couldn't withstand the relentless attacks from the Tianjiao of the four major sects for long.
Under the persistent Sword Qi attacks from the Tianjian Gate disciples, the array's cracks gradually increased.
The city gate began to look precarious.
Seeing the array about to break, the Tianjian Gate disciples were greatly encouraged. "Quickly, with one last effort, break the array and breach the city gate!"
"Yes!"
They worked together, unleashing their Sword Qi to continue their assault on the city gate.
And indeed, as the saying goes, "Heaven rewards the diligent."
After repeated Sword Qi attacks, the city gate's light dimmed, and the array patterns fractured.
The high-grade Goldstone Array was finally broken by the Tianjian Gate disciples.
The Tianjian Gate disciples were elated.
The spectators, seeing this, also nodded in approval, praising:
"Truly worthy of being Tianjian Gate's Tianjiao. A high-grade array couldn't even challenge them..."
But just as the array on the city gate dimmed and was about to disappear, Mo Hua, unhurried, reached out and slapped the wall.
Instantly, a bright light surged.
A brand new high-grade Goldstone Array was activated.
The precarious city gate, bolstered by the array, instantly became "impregnable" once more.
The spectators who had just praised the Tianjian Gate disciples felt their breath catch in their throats.
The Tianjiao of the Tianjian Gate, who had just felt a surge of joy, had that joy extinguished completely.
Seeing the golden light flowing over the "city gate", their faces paled, and their mouths tasted bitter.
One high-grade array indeed didn't stop them.
But what about two?
Were there really only two?
Who knew how many high-grade arrays Mo Hua had hidden?
How many layers of high-grade Goldstone Arrays had he placed on the city gate?
The Tianjian Gate disciples felt a sense of despair creeping into their hearts.
At this moment, they finally remembered Mo Hua's original identity clearly:
Qian Study... Zhen Dao Kui Shou.
(End of Chapter)(End of Chapter)
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