Chapter 1032: The Blood of the Qilin
Chapter 1032: The Blood of the Qilin
Chapter 1032: The Blood of the Qilin
At the same time, cultivators from various factions who learned of the Lunjian list had mixed reactions.
Some felt a sense of relief, others gloated, and still others sighed in despair, lamenting the misfortunes and poor luck of the Taixu Sect, unable to seize even the one opportunity they had.
In the Taixu Sect’s main hall, the heads of the three mountains gathered, their faces grim.
"If only we had a bit more luck in the last two rounds, we might have had a chance to avoid those few strong opponents and win", one of them mused.
But fate had other plans.
They feared what they feared the most, and it came to pass.
They faced the most formidable opponents of all.
"Our ancestors are not protecting us..." the Chongxu Sect Leader sighed softly.
The Tai'e Sect Leader pondered, "Do you think there's any chance of winning?"
The Chongxu Sect Leader glanced at him, "You're the Sect Leader. Don't you know the background of that Shen Linshu?"
The Tai'e Sect Leader's gaze faltered, and he remained silent.
The Chongxu Sect Leader whispered, "The Four Prodigies of Qianxue are, in theory, on a completely different level from ordinary disciples."
"Superior spirit roots, superior cultivation techniques, and the pinnacle of spiritual energy circulation."
"Their innate talent, lineage, and resources are simply too far apart."
"These are already the cream of the crop."
"But this year's Four Prodigies are even more extraordinary than usual..."
The Chongxu Sect Leader frowned deeply and continued, "They all... have hidden bloodlines..."
The mention of bloodlines cast a somber mood over the room.
The Chongxu Sect Leader paused, sighed, and then continued:
"The Duanmu family's Phoenix Bloodline, the Ao family's Near-Dragon Bloodline, the Xiao family's Dustless Sword Bloodline, and the Shen family's Qilin Bloodline..."
"In the past, even having one of the Four Prodigies awaken a bloodline in the entire Qianxue Prefecture was already remarkable."
"But this year, there are four... It's something that was once unthinkable."
"This is why the Four Major Sects are so confident."
"Bloodlines are something the Dao Court doesn't publicize, and the noble families keep secret, but they are very real."
"There are people in this world who are naturally superior."
"From the moment they are born, they are blessed by the heavens, with extraordinary bloodlines that awaken as their cultivation deepens."
"In a sense, these people might not even be considered 'human'."
"Those who bear bloodlines, if they practice magic, can shatter the heavens; if they practice physical techniques, their bodies are indestructible; if they practice sword techniques, their hearts can reach the realm of immortals..."
"Compared to ordinary cultivators, these bloodline prodigies are vastly different, separated by a chasm of heaven and earth."
"More importantly..."
"Each of them has been marked with a Life-Extending Talisman by their clan's Void-Transcending Ancestor."
"A Life-Extending Talisman—can any ordinary thing compare to it?"
"Even in the main branches of some noble families and major sects, it's a privilege that comes only once in a few hundred years."
"Protecting their lives and ensuring their immortality, it's a symbol of the high regard for these prodigies."
"The common people watching the Lunjian might see it as a lively spectacle, but few understand the deeper intricacies."
"We, as Sect Leaders, cannot be oblivious to these facts."
"How can it be easy to defeat such top-tier prodigies?"
The three Sect Leaders remained silent.
The higher their status, the more secrets they knew, and the more they understood the gravity of the word "bloodline."
But despite this, there was still a lingering sense of unwillingness.
Especially the Tai'e Sect Leader, who said:
"This is a defensive battle. The Taixu Sect is defending the city, and Mo Hua is extremely skilled in array formations. Perhaps..."
The Chongxu Sect Leader shook his head, "There's a slight chance, but don't have too much hope."
"To be honest, even when you and I were at the peak of our power, we might not have been able to defeat a prodigy like Shen Linshu."
"Indeed, it's too much to ask of these young disciples..." the Taixu Sect Leader sighed, "Let them do their best."
The Tai'e Sect Leader nodded, "Winning would be great, but if they lose... we must accept it."
"The ancestors are not protecting us, not because the disciples are not trying hard enough..."
...
In the Taixu Sect's disciple quarters, Mo Hua looked at the Lunjian list and sighed softly after a moment of contemplation:
"Such bad luck..."
He had already faced the Four Prodigies of Qianxue in the Earth Rank Lunjian: Xiao Wuchen of the Tianjian Sect, Ao Zhan of the Longding Sect, and Duanmu Qing of the Wanxiao Sect, and he hadn't won a single match.
Now, he was up against Shen Linshu of the Qian Dao Sect.
This time, he had encountered all four of the Four Prodigies of Qianxue.
His luck was truly abysmal.
The Lunjian was already difficult, and his current challenge was nothing short of "hellish."
It was no surprise for the Heaven Rank Lunjian to be this challenging.
But being assigned these opponents by the Lunjian system was truly absurd.
"Could it be that the Dao Discussion Heavenly Instrument has been tampered with, specifically targeting me?"
Mo Hua frowned and muttered.
Of course, at this point, it was pointless to dwell on these thoughts.
The key was tomorrow's Lunjian.
How was he going to fight?
Could he really defeat Shen Linshu?
Mo Hua furrowed his brow, lost in thought.
Shen Linshu, whom he had only met once, exuded an extraordinary aura and cultivation from first glance.
Battling Shen Linshu would be extremely challenging.
But that wasn't the biggest problem.
The biggest problem was, even if he won against Shen Linshu, what then?
Winning against Shen Linshu, and then another victory, and with a bit of luck, if any of the four major sects lost two consecutive matches, Tai Xu Sect might barely make it into the top four of the Lunjian.
But then what?
What about the Heavenly Lunjian?
From the current promotion rate, it was clear that very few disciples from Tai Xu Sect could advance to the Heavenly Division.
The Heavenly Division would be entirely dominated by the four major sects.
Tai Xu Sect would face immense difficulties.
Every step forward would be met with the encirclement of the four sects' prodigies.
Even if Mo Hua didn't lose a single match in the Heavenly Division, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
The weight of victory in the Heavenly Lunjian was too significant.
Tai Xu Sect's foundation was far too weak, and its top disciples couldn't compete with the four major sects. The final ranking would inevitably be low.
It seemed that Tai Xu Sect was gradually approaching the position of the "four major sects"...
But the closer Tai Xu Sect got to the "four major sects", the farther Mo Hua's goal of being the "first in the Lunjian" seemed to be.
It was so far that it made him feel a sense of despair.
Mo Hua's brows were tightly knitted.
What he wanted was to be the first in the Lunjian.
That meant his opponents would be all the top prodigies of Qianxue Prefecture.
His intuition told him that there was still a glimmer of hope...
But now, the hope of the Earth Division advancing to the top four seemed quite slim.
And the Heavenly Division was practically a dead end...
If things continued to develop this way, there would be no real chance of winning.
Mo Hua, lying on his desk, felt restless and even helpless.
Despite his considerable strength and skills, he still felt a sense of powerlessness.
The future was uncertain, and the path ahead was unclear.
A wave of confusion swept over Mo Hua, and he took out a copper coin, rubbing it in his palm, muttering to himself:
"Master, how... can I save you..."
But the coin remained calm, showing no sign of any causal fluctuation.
...
The next noon, the Lunjian with Qian Dao Sect began.
Outside Lundao Mountain, the crowd was as dense as ever.
The number of cultivators watching the match was even greater than during the previous Lunjian between Tai Xu Sect and Dalu Sect.
The previous Lunjian between Tai Xu Sect and Dalu Sect determined whether Tai Xu Sect could secure the position of the "top of the eight sects."
Today's Lunjian, however, was about whether Tai Xu Sect had any chance of advancing to the status of one of the four major sects.
Both matches were of great significance.
The debates over the outcome were endless.
Most people believed that Tai Xu Sect was bound to lose.
A few cultivators thought that Tai Xu Sect still had a fighting chance.
The main reason was that for Tai Xu Sect, this was a "defensive battle."
In others' defensive battles, the odds were against them.
But in Tai Xu Sect's defensive battle, they had an advantage.
"Mo Hua, though he's annoying, has a mastery of formations that rivals the top prodigies of the four major sects in a defensive battle."
"You have to admit that."
"Plus, he has the skill of 'sword control'..."
"Come on, that's not even 'sword control.'"
"He doesn't have sword techniques or cultivate sword qi; he just has a sword that he can control and then self-destruct..."
"How is that related to a 'sword'?"
"Is that even worthy of being called 'sword control'? Don't embarrass yourself."
"Even if it's not called 'sword control,' at least it's powerful, right? Didn't he kill someone from the Dalu Sect with one strike?"
"That's true, that someone was indeed killed with one strike..."
"One strike, indeed..."
Because of this Lunjian, Ye Zhiyuan of the Dalu Sect, once a famous Qianxue Prefecture sword control prodigy, became just "that someone."
Not everyone remembered his name, but they remembered his "feat."
It was a simple execution with one strike.
"Therefore, this battle at Lundao Mountain still holds some suspense for Taixu Gate."
"Even if they ultimately lose, at least it will be a good show to watch."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
...
Amidst this anticipation, the battle at Lundao Mountain began.
It was a battle of attack and defense.
Qian Dao Sect attacked, while Taixu Gate defended.
The city walls, protected by defensive arrays, had been replaced by the elders of Lundao Mountain with third-grade Golden Stone Arrays to prevent Mo Hua from blowing up the walls again.
Fortunately, the elders of Lundao Mountain had the foresight.
Otherwise, Mo Hua would have truly considered blowing up the walls once more, burying Shen Linshu along with them.
The only thing to be mindful of was ensuring the position of the life gate was reserved for the city lord's statue.
As long as the city lord's statue remained unharmed, even if the walls were destroyed and everyone inside perished, Taixu Gate would still be the victor.
Unfortunately, the elders of Lundao Mountain had preemptively blocked this "unconventional" strategy.
With no other choice, Mo Hua had to defend head-on.
However, it was clear that everyone, including Mo Hua himself, had underestimated the strength of Shen Linshu, the heaven's pride with the Qilin bloodline.
Shen Linshu, wielding the Purple Qi Golden Scale Sword Technique, was brimming with spiritual energy like the sea. He wore a brocade-embroidered black and white Daoist robe, his hair as black as midnight, his face as fair as jade, and his eyes glowing with a purple light. His sword strikes were grand and majestic, the purple qi rising from the east, making him seem like a celestial being.
The Purple Qi Golden Scale Sword Technique of Qian Dao Sect.
This was a top-tier, supreme sword technique that had been lost for a long time.
It had fallen into obscurity because cultivating this technique required ancient Qilin blood.
The Shen family, and even the entire Qian Dao Sect, hadn't seen a Tianjiao with Qilin blood in several hundred years.
Thus, this technique had been sealed away for centuries.
Until this generation of the Shen family produced Shen Linshu.
At the Fangtian Huayin, all the cultivators watching the battle saw Shen Linshu for the first time, seriously engaging in combat, and his unique Purple Qi Golden Scale Sword Technique, which was different from others due to his special bloodline.
The purple qi rising from the east, his bloodline transforming into a sword.
A cloud of auspiciousness, the Qilin spirit attached to him.
A seemingly simple strike, the purple and golden sword qi surged like a rainbow piercing the sun, invincible.
Ouyang Xuan was no match for him.
Linghu Xiao's Chongxu Sword Qi couldn't withstand it either.
Cheng Mo and Situ Jian dared not face his might.
The outer city gate was breached, and Taixu Gate was forced to retreat to the inner city.
The inner city walls towered high, with five-colored spiritual energy flowing over the gates, and the array patterns shimmering with the deep glow of high-tier arrays.
There were five arrays, each a second-grade, nineteen-line high-tier defensive array, covering the entire city wall.
Inside the city walls, Mo Hua sat on the ground, his expression solemn.
Before him were three Ta'e Kai Shan Spirit Swords, each capable of being remotely controlled by divine perception for long-range assassination.
On one side were the top sect, the top-blooded Tianjiao, and the Golden Scale Sword Technique.
On the other side were the True Dao Overlords, second-grade high-tier defensive arrays, and the peculiar divine perception-controlled swords.
Everyone's hearts tightened.
They knew that this battle at Lundao Mountain had only now truly begun.
Taixu Gate would fight to the death to maintain their position among the four major sects.
The old grudges between Qian Dao Sect and Taixu Gate would also be settled.
This was a battle that everyone had been eagerly anticipating.
But the subsequent developments were not as satisfying as expected.
Qian Dao Sect, or rather, Shen Linshu, was simply too strong.
In comparison, Taixu Gate seemed "fragile and vulnerable"...
The disciples of Taixu Gate couldn't withstand Shen Linshu.
Mo Hua's arrays and "sword control" also failed to make much of an impact.
His flying sword, controlled by divine perception, rose before him, and with a flick of Mo Hua's finger, it shot through the air, leaving a faint trail of light as it aimed for Shen Linshu's heart.
This flying sword was fast, accurate, and powerful.
However, this wasn't the first time Mo Hua had used this technique.
His sword control had been recorded through the Mo Ying Tu and studied extensively by the elders. They had even devised countermeasures, which were detailed in the "Defending Against Mo Hua's Sword Control" section of the guidelines.
Sword control relies heavily on the element of surprise.
The more unexpected and unprepared the target, the more lethal the flying sword's strike.
Conversely, the more anticipated and prepared, the less threatening the long-range "sniper" sword becomes.
Especially when facing a top-tier Tianjiao like Shen Linshu.
Mo Hua's flying sword, halfway through its flight, was detected by Shen Linshu.
Shen Linshu's expression was indifferent as he swung his long sword, releasing a purple-gold sword qi that intercepted Mo Hua's flying sword.
The flying sword exploded on impact.
However, Mo Hua's flying sword was too fast, closing the distance to within ten paces of Shen Linshu before the explosion.
The flying sword exploded, and the sword formation disintegrated. The unleashed sword qi, along with the fragments of the spirit sword, scattered in all directions, engulfing Shen Linshu.
But when the dust settled, Shen Linshu was unharmed.
A protective layer of spiritual energy enveloped his body.
Faint golden patterns, interwoven and flashing, covered his skin.
The blood of the qilin protected him.
The residual sword qi from the exploding flying sword couldn't even scratch Shen Linshu, let alone break through the golden qilin patterns on his body.
Subsequent attempts by Mo Hua to control his flying sword met the same fate, all being thwarted by Shen Linshu.
Mo Hua's formations were equally ineffective against Shen Linshu.
A high-ranking formation with nineteen patterns, indeed, was impregnable for Zhu Ji cultivators, and even for most Zhu Ji prodigies.
But top-tier prodigies were a different story.
Especially Shen Linshu, whose sword qi, enhanced by his bloodline, had nearly reached the power of a Jin Dan.
Powerful purple-gold sword qi, one after another, struck the formations Mo Hua had set up.
The formations trembled, the patterns dimmed, and the city gate shook continuously.
Shen Linshu's spiritual energy, like an endless ocean, flowed without end.
Finally, all of Mo Hua's high-ranking formations were shattered by Shen Linshu.
The city gate broke apart, shattering into fragments.
The Qian Dao Sect stormed into the inner city, heading straight for the statue of the city lord.
Cheng Mo and the others gritted their teeth and tried to block them, but they were no match for the Qian Dao Sect's Tianjiao.
Soon, Cheng Mo, Situ Jian, and Ouyang Xuan were all defeated.
Linghu Xiao, after enduring a series of battles on Lundao Mountain, had transformed in both his sword techniques and mindset.
Now, he could stand his ground against Shen Linshu for a few exchanges.
But even so, it was clearly far from enough.
Linghu Xiao quickly exhausted his strength and was defeated by a purple-gold qilin sword technique, losing his life.
This one-sided battle on Lundao Mountain was exceedingly brutal.
By the end, only Mo Hua remained of the Tai Xu Sect.
Shen Linshu, with his handsome face, walked slowly to Mo Hua, who looked at him calmly.
The two finally faced each other on the Lundao Arena.
Despite the prolonged battles, Shen Linshu still had abundant spiritual energy, his breathing steady, his face unchanged, and his gaze indifferent, with a hint of supreme arrogance.
Throughout the Lundao, Shen Linshu had not spoken a single word.
But now, standing alone before Mo Hua, Shen Linshu's indifferent gaze could no longer hold back his words, and he slowly opened his mouth:
"Is this your formation?"
"Is this your sword control?"
"Is this the legacy of the Tai Xu Sect?"
"Is this... your strength?"
"Is this why you came to the Lundao?"
"Do you think it's fun to use a bit of trickery to win against those ordinary Tianjiao?"
Mo Hua remained silent, saying nothing.
Disappointment flickered in Shen Linshu's eyes. "Forget it, preaching to the deaf..."
His voice, though calm, carried a sharp edge. "A lack of capacity means you can't stand at the top."
"The position among the four major sects is not something your Tai Xu Sect can aspire to."
"The Lundao Conference is not a place for you. You should go back to being your Zhen Dao Kui Shou and draw your formations..."
"Now..."
Shen Linshu raised his long sword, the tip enveloped in purple-gold sword light, pointing directly at Mo Hua's forehead. "Do you want to die by your own hand, or by my sword?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then pointed to the jade on his forehead.
Shen Linshu's disappointment deepened.
"This is a crucial match for the Tai Xu Sect."
"All your teammates are dead."
"And you, at this point, still refuse to fight to the death? Just to preserve a bit of your dignity?"
"Are you truly so afraid of death?"
"I truly... overestimated you..."
Shen Linshu's indifferent voice now carried a hint of condescension.
Mo Hua's expression remained calm. He suppressed the killing intent in his heart, reined in the sharpness in his eyes, and gave Shen Linshu a faint glance. Then, he channeled his spiritual energy, shattering the jade.
With the jade shattered, Mo Hua retreated from the arena.
Shen Linshu watched Mo Hua disappear, his gaze cold and indifferent. He then turned his sword and shattered the statue of the city lord, sealing the victory for the Tai Xu Sect.
The sound of the Dao Bell rang, signaling the end of the Lunjian.
Tai Xu Gate was defeated.
...
All those who had been watching the match from Tai Xu Gate looked dejected.
Zhang Lan and the others also shook their heads, feeling helpless.
This outcome wasn't really a surprise.
However, the reality of Tai Xu Gate's defeat and the extinguishing of their last hope still left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth.
Some of the spectators gleefully mocked Tai Xu Gate for their delusions and Mo Hua's incompetence.
Most, however, felt a sense of awe:
"This is truly the pinnacle of Tianjiao..."
"Shen Linshu..."
"Against such overwhelming strength, all tactics and tricks are meaningless. Tai Xu Gate's loss is not unjust, given the disparity in power."
"To be honest, Tai Xu Gate isn't weak, but their opponent is just too strong..."
"This is Qianxue Prefecture, the arena of sects' Lunjian..."
"Shen Linshu, Xiao Wuchen, Duanmu Qing, Ao Zhan... Ye Qingfeng of Daluomen isn't bad either..."
"Counting further, there are even more geniuses..."
"This Lunjian might be the one with the most Tianjiao in several hundred years... We are indeed living in a fortunate time..."
"Truly, it's a world of intense competition, where Tianjiao emerge in droves..."
...
The Lunjian had ended.
The atmosphere in Tai Xu Gate became somber.
Losing to Qian Dao Sect meant they had lost their only chance to advance to the Four Great Sects.
Even if the Four Great Sects lost all their remaining matches,
Tai Xu Gate would no longer have a chance.
But there was no point in complaining.
Shen Linshu was too strong.
Mo Hua and the others had done their best.
In such a match, it wouldn't have mattered who stepped up; the outcome was almost certain to be a loss.
Mo Hua, though powerful, wasn't invincible.
Pitting him against Shen Linshu was simply unfair; there was no way he could win...
But after the initial disappointment, everyone's mood gradually lightened.
Although they had lost, Tai Xu Gate was still the top among the Eight Great Sects, which was a significant achievement.
Cultivation requires contentment and joy.
There are only four spots for the Four Great Sects.
But being the top among the Eight Great Sects is a distinction that many sects can only dream of, especially for a once-struggling Tai Xu Gate.
With this perspective, everyone's mindset improved.
Meanwhile, the Earth Lunjian had one last match left.
But this final match was essentially meaningless.
Winning wouldn't advance their position any further.
Losing wouldn't be a significant setback.
In a sense, the Earth Lunjian was already over.
Next up was the Heaven Lunjian.
...
In the disciples' quarters.
Mo Hua calmed himself and reviewed the gains and losses of the day's Lunjian. He meticulously recorded Shen Linshu's sword techniques and bloodline abilities on the Jade Slab.
Then, he focused on the Heaven Lunjian.
This would be his most challenging test.
How should he approach the Heaven Lunjian?
How could he win first place?
For now, the prospects seemed extremely slim, a truly insurmountable challenge.
But no matter how difficult, he had to grit his teeth and face it, match by match.
There was still a chance if he fought.
If he didn't, he would definitely lose.
Mo Hua began listing his remaining trump cards and the necessary strategies for the Heaven Lunjian on the Jade Slab.
His entire focus was on the upcoming Heaven Lunjian.
Not just Mo Hua, but any sect in Qianxue Prefecture with a chance to advance to the Heaven Lunjian was preparing accordingly.
The final Earth Lunjian, being inconsequential, was largely ignored.
And at that moment...
On Lundao Mountain, deep into the night.
On the forbidden platform, where no one dared to approach, the Dao Heaven Instrument was operating on its own, following the laws of causality.
The final list for the Heaven Lunjian was slowly being determined.
Soon, the Dao Heaven Instrument glowed faintly, and the names for the final match were etched out, one by one, through the causal array patterns.
Suddenly, the atmosphere changed, and a crack appeared in the darkness.
An unseen poppy flower bloomed in the night.
Amidst the entangled chains, a bloodstained, purplish-black, evil, and fallen infant's hand pressed down on the Dao Heaven Instrument...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
