Two flashes of gold clashed back and forth in the arena. Neither fighter gave ground.
“How much wealth does Seven Stars Peak still have in reserve? Just how much did the Seventh Elder leave Qin Xiao?”
Eighth Elder Zuo Hongcai was astonished too. As the Elder overseeing the competition, he had to watch every exchange and intervene at critical moments to prevent casualties.
Low Grade Dharma Treasures were precious. The whole sect had only a little over ten. It had just two Middle Grade Dharma Treasures, one held by the Sect Leader and the other by the Great Elder. The other Peak Masters held the Low Grade Dharma Treasures.
Usually, only disciples at Nascent Soul or above were granted Low Grade Dharma Treasures. Now two late Golden Core disciples each wielded one. How could he not be surprised? He himself used only a Low Grade Dharma Treasure.
“Who exactly is this disciple of mine? Even her weapon gives off golden light. From everyone’s expressions, it must be pretty powerful.”
Qin Xiao had never seen a Low Grade Dharma Treasure, so he had no idea that was what she held. He had no spiritual qi himself and could not sense its qi or pressure.
“Everyone used to say Seven Stars Peak was penniless. That must have been a rumor. With cultivation advancing this fast and a Low Grade Dharma Treasure too, it clearly deserves to be a peak in its own right.”
“Seven Stars Peak declined after the Seventh Elder died in battle. Who would have thought he’d left so much behind? The disciples who left must be bitterly regretting it now.”
“Exactly. If I’d been there, I’d never have left. It’ll be hard to join now. A Heavenly Spirit Root is the bare minimum, and their disciples are at Golden Core!”
The spectators envied Yun Man’s cultivation and the Low Grade Dharma Treasure she held. Only a month after joining the sect, she could hold her own against Immortal Sword Peak’s Holy Son. It was frightening.
The longer they fought, the less certain Yao Kaidong became. Yun Man countered every attack. With her cultivation fully unleashed, he was startled to discover that she too was at late Golden Core.
“Yun Man, I don’t know how you managed it, but advancing so fast must mean you’ve taken a shortcut. You should know those come at a cost. If you join Immortal Sword Peak now, I can ask my father to put your cultivation back in order. Otherwise, your Heavenly Spirit Root talent will be ruined.”
After an exchange, Yao Kaidong quickly pulled back and called to Yun Man.
“Don’t trouble yourself. I know whether I took any shortcuts, and whether my talent is ruined is none of your business. Fight if you want to fight. Stop wasting words.”
Yun Man certainly wasn’t going to tell Yao Kaidong how she had raised her cultivation.
“If you insist on being blind to reason, I’ll stop holding back.”
Yao Kaidong grew angrier at yet another rejection of his good intentions.
He took out a pill and swallowed it. His spiritual power surged until it reached the peak of Golden Core.
“What? He actually ate a Spirit-Burst Pill? Then Yun Man is bound to lose.”
“A match is decided by who wins, not how. The sect allows this sort of thing, as long as the methods aren’t dishonorable. It’s part of his strength too.”
“This Immortal Sword Peak is nothing special, actually using such methods.”
Yao Kaidong’s surge in strength set the spectators talking. Yun Man’s admirers even dared to insult Immortal Sword Peak.
“Damn, you can take pills in the middle of a fight? Why didn’t I think of that? I’d have bought some for my disciple. I missed a trick there. Still, she can always concede.”
Seeing Yao Kaidong’s aura surge after the pill, Qin Xiao slapped his thigh in regret at his oversight.
“A pill? To be certain of winning now, I’ll have to reveal some of my trump cards. But that could easily expose my identity. Should I use them?”
Yun Man hesitated. She didn’t want to reveal too much, but with Yao Kaidong so much stronger, she might not win without fighting in earnest.
“Disciple, fight if you can. If you can’t fight, just concede. I don’t care about this ranking.”
Still afraid Yun Man might be hurt, Qin Xiao called out from below the platform.
The competition had already served its purpose: Seven Stars Peak was safe. A high ranking would be a bonus, but a lower one would cost them nothing. An injury to his disciple would be a real loss.
“Master, I understand.”
Yun Man looked at Qin Xiao’s worried face and replied.
Master may not care about the rankings, but I can’t let him down. My cultivation is all thanks to everything he’s given me. I’ll stall for now. The pill must wear off eventually. If I have no choice, I’ll reveal a little of my strength. I have to win.
She had agreed aloud, but her mind was already made up. She would defeat Yao Kaidong and vindicate her master.
“You still won’t concede? Then I’ll cripple you now.”
Yao Kaidong’s aura had stopped rising, and he was drawing out the full power of his Low Grade Dharma Treasure. He was confident he could defeat even Lin Shimeng now.
Yun Man’s spiritual qi began to rise as well. She had taken no pill; she simply hadn’t been using all her strength.
Unable to dodge, she raised her sword to block. The golden light of her Low Grade Dharma Treasure intensified.
The sword qi struck her. There was no enormous shockwave, but it drove Yun Man steadily backward. This was no ordinary attack.
She struggled to hold it back. This wasn’t a casual slash, but Yao Kaidong’s full-power strike, and it was no easy thing to block.
Finding an opening, Yun Man turned her block into an upward sweep and redirected the sword qi overhead.
The sword qi struck the Barrier above the stone platform, nearly shattering it.
Yun Man’s earlier strike had only left a sword mark. Yao Kaidong’s had almost broken the Barrier. The difference in power was plain.
Zuo Hongcai saw the danger and immediately stabilized the Barrier. Without him, it would have broken.
“What a terrifying slash, almost breaking open the barrier.”
“This is the strength of the Golden Core stage peak plus a Low Grade Dharma Treasure? How terrifying.”
“Terrifying, my ass. Junior Sister Yun Man dealt with that mighty slash easily enough, didn’t she? We still don’t know who’ll win.”
“Struggling hard, retreating step by step-this counts as easily resolved? Ridiculous.”
The remarks angered Immortal Sword Peak’s disciples, and an argument broke out.
Yao Kaidong was more stunned than any of them. If his full-power strike hadn’t killed Yun Man, it should at least have gravely injured her. Yet she had deflected it. He could hardly believe it.
“How is this possible? I’m at the Golden Core stage peak, and wielding a Low Grade Dharma Treasure. How could she block it?”
He could not accept it. He was at his best. Why could he still not defeat her?
“Why not? You’re not even truly at the peak of Golden Core. And even if you were, you still couldn’t beat me.”
Yun Man had struggled, but she had treasures on her as well. They had allowed her to just barely withstand the strike.
“You’re courting death. You blocked one strike by luck. Do you think you’ll be lucky again?”
Yao Kaidong quickly regained his composure and slashed several times in succession. More sword shadows flew at Yun Man.