Free Web NovelChapter 365: Chapter 174: Encounter
The entire Haisa Sect Martial Arts Arena fell into a dead silence, as if frozen in time.
The sounds of the wind and of breathing seemed to have been completely severed by that one spear strike.
Hundreds of gazes were nailed to the figure standing tall with his spear, and to Chen Lin, who lay in a pathetic state more than a hundred feet away.
"Cough... COUGH COUGH..."
Chen Lin’s violent coughs and heavy gasps were exceptionally jarring in the profound silence.
He barely managed to prop himself up, the color drained from his face, leaving only horror and disbelief.
The brief dead silence was shattered by a deafening uproar.
"N-No... Impossible! Senior Brother Chen Lin... lost?!"
"The Vast Sea of Immeasurable... was... was broken by a single spear strike?!"
"What am I seeing?! Senior Brother Chen Lin’s sword was knocked from his hand!"
"That Chen Qing... What kind of Spear Technique was that?! What kind of Power?!"
The buzz of discussion was like a bursting dam, instantly washing away the silence of the Martial Arts Arena. The wave of noise was almost enough to overturn the sky.
Many disciples subconsciously pushed forward, craning their necks to get a better look, their faces filled with immense shock and confusion.
In the crowd, Zhao Yun had lost all ability to think. Her mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg, and she gripped Zhou Yu’s arm tightly.
"He... he beat Senior Brother Chen Lin? He beat Chen Lin, the ’Sea-Covering Sword’?!"
She murmured this over and over, as if unable to comprehend the meaning of her own words.
Zhou Yu was even more stunned, as if struck by lightning. She stood frozen in place, her mind a complete blank.
The young man before her, standing with his spear, his presence as immovable as a mountain, overlapped with the image of the boy from deep in her memory, the one who trained silently and diligently in the small courtyard. The two images clashed violently, bringing on an intense sense of dizziness and unreality.
Her heart hammered so hard it felt like it would burst from her chest. An indescribable mix of shock and confusion grew wildly within her.
In the front rows, in the Core Disciple area, there was a similar state of horror.
Mao Cheng subconsciously tightened his grip on his saber’s hilt, his palm slick with cold sweat. His Adam’s apple bobbed as his eyes filled with dread.
"What... what a domineering spear strike! Mountainous Momentum... He actually trained his Spear Technique to the Realm of condensing ’Momentum’?!"
The composure on Shao Wenxuan’s face had long since vanished, replaced by a grave expression. His gaze was fixed on Chen Qing’s movements as he retracted his spear, as if trying to discern some profound secret.
"It’s not just ’Momentum.’ His physical strength, his grasp of timing, and his control over his own body to dissolve the Vast Sea True Qi... This kid is definitely a monster secretly raised by the Wutai Sect!"
Even Mo Xia’s pupils constricted slightly. She saw deeper than the others. "It’s not just power... It’s his ability to seize an opening. Chen Lin’s loss was not undeserved."
She muttered to herself, her tone carrying an unprecedented solemnity.
On the high viewing veranda, the few Haisa Sect Elders who had quietly appeared also had varied expressions.
An old man with a white beard and hair froze with his hand halfway to stroking his beard, a sharp glint in his eyes. "The Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear... Someone at his age actually managed to cultivate ’Mountainous Momentum’? The Wutai Sect... they hide their secrets deep!"
Another middle-aged Elder with a stern face snorted coldly. "Hmph, that old fox Shen Xiuyong, he brought his people here to put on a show! Qiao Hongyun has lost a great deal of face this time!"
Yet another person had a profound look in his eyes and said in a low voice, "This boy is no small fry. It seems Yunlin Prefecture... is about to produce a remarkable figure. Send word to re-evaluate all our intelligence on the Wutai Sect, especially on this Chen Qing!"
In the main seat, a muscle in Qiao Hongyun’s face twitched. The relaxed air he’d had while bantering with his old friend just moments ago was completely gone, replaced by a trace of astonishment.
He subconsciously glanced at Wu Hui beside him. freewebnoveℓ.com
The smile on Elder Wu Hui’s face had completely vanished. Her expression was as still as water, and it was clear she was relying on her formidable mental fortitude to compose herself.
She obviously hadn’t expected this outcome either. Chen Lin’s defeat was far beyond her expectations and had also caused the Haisa Sect to lose face.
Shen Xiuyong took in Qiao Hongyun’s reaction, feeling immense satisfaction. However, he forced a straight face and cleared his throat. "Ahem, it’s common for young people to spar, and victory and defeat are just part of the game. Elder Qiao, Elder Wu, don’t take it to heart, don’t take it to heart at all, ha!"
His words sounded like comfort, but anyone could hear the smugness in his tone.
Hearing this, Qiao Hongyun’s face darkened several shades. He shot Shen Xiuyong a harsh glare but was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to offer a rebuttal.
Actions speak louder than words. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Chen Lin had indeed lost, and it was a clean and decisive defeat.
With a flip of his wrist, Chen Qing silently retracted the Cloud-Coiling Spear behind his back.
"Senior Brother Chen, thank you for letting me win. During that final exchange, the backlash from your Vast Sea True Qi was astonishing. I was almost unable to dissolve it completely. I am impressed."
This was the Haisa Sect’s territory, after all, so Chen Qing naturally had to be somewhat restrained in his words.
Especially with hundreds of gazes fixed on him, the ’outsider.’
Besides, while his words were polite, they weren’t entirely false.
Chen Lin’s final strike, "Vast Sea of Immeasurable," was incredibly powerful. If his Eight Extremes Vajra Body hadn’t reached the Tiger Elephant Realm, he likely would have suffered minor injuries.
’I only showed sixty percent of my strength in this duel, leaving me with room to maneuver later. My true trump cards remain hidden.’
Chen Qing thought to himself.
A complex look flashed through Chen Lin’s eyes. He finally gave a bitter smile and pushed himself to his feet.
"Junior Brother Chen, your Martial Arts are superb and your Spear Technique is divine. I... am thoroughly convinced of my defeat!"
He steadied himself and cupped his fist, saying, "I have learned much from this battle today. If there is a chance in the future, I will ask for your guidance again, Junior Brother!"
Chen Lin’s words were sincere. That final spear strike had been a great revelation to him.
