Free Web NovelChapter 1247: Chapter 420: Then and Now
Jiang Wang slowly descended from the high ground.
Uncle Deng was watching him.
On the ground, Xie Ai from Snow Country lay dying, with just a breath of life remaining.
In front of her, there lay a scattering of ice-like fragments—these were her shattered sword.
Clearly, she had given it her all.
Such a beautiful woman of extreme beauty and sorrow naturally elicited pity, yet Uncle Deng had been merciless in the skirmish, truly a perfect example of ruthlessness.
Helian Yunyun in the spectators’ seats, naturally watched with a smile.
Yellow Sheri from the neighboring Martial Arts Field, however, was filled with deep hatred, having warned Uncle Deng several times with her gaze. Victory on the field naturally depends on each’s skill, no need for mercy. But once the outcome is decided, couldn’t you at least show some respect for the lady? Would it hurt to help her up or to cover her with an outer garment?
Of course, if Uncle Deng had actually done that, Yellow Sheri would have inevitably felt that his intentions were suspect and disdainful.
After all, Miss Yellow has a kind heart and can’t bear to see a beauty suffer.
The only pity was...
Uncle Deng had never once looked her way, his attention was entirely fixed on the Qi Chu titan battle and so he never noticed her threatening stares.
This infuriated Yellow Sheri...
She had no choice but to shift her attention to the Qi Chu titan battle as well.
Her gaze moved from one nuisance to another.
Of course, after this battle, the "misunderstanding" was unilaterally resolved, and the nuisance from Qi Country wasn’t so bothersome anymore.
But the nuisance from Mu Country was still unbearable. And each glance at Xie Ai’s miserable state made the person from Mu Country even more detestable to her.
With such an ugly mask, the person beneath must certainly be even uglier!
It’s hard to say whether Uncle Deng felt the hostility from Jing Country’s Yellow Sheri, but he clearly didn’t care at all.
Today, his goal at the Yellow River Gathering was to emerge as the champion; everyone at the Inner Court were his opponents.
Except... Third Brother Jiang.
He hoped Jiang Wang would make it to the end, to meet him in the final, yet he was reluctant to fight Jiang Wang personally.
His feelings were indeed complex.
Among all the fights of the quarterfinals, the first to end was between Uncle Deng and Xie Ai.
Followed by Yellow Sheri against Compassion.
Jiang Wang defeated Xiang Bei, but his battle ended third in terms of speed.
Of course, in terms of significance, the Qi Chu titan battle undoubtedly surpassed the others.
Jiang Wang’s brilliance had not escaped Uncle Deng’s notice.
Xu Xiangqian’s hoarse cries, he also heard.
Beneath the thick bronze mask, no one could see his expression.
Somehow, this highest-standard battle among the titans of Various Countries reminded him of a competition in a small city years ago.
That was... Three Cities Debating.
Back then, he had only wished to survive the calamity without hopes on anything else, hiring a dozen strong men to chant slogans for Third Brother Jiang outside the venue.
He even had two large flags set up!
The words on them were specially commissioned with gold!
The standard of that single broken voice was hard to compare to.
Back then, Third Brother Jiang was also competing for supremacy.
The significance of the two champions was, naturally, as different as heaven and earth, with absolutely no room for comparison.
Yet, curiously, the person standing on the stage was still the same.
The one watching was also the same. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
This felt good, but also deeply saddening.
The good was that he was still here, and he was still himself.
The sadness was...
The people from that day, those interesting, troublesome, annoying... and lively people of all sorts, only these two remained on the Martial Arts Field.
Even Uncle Deng, who had helped him escape from Fenglin City, was no longer here.
That time and this time, it all seemed like a dream.
Back then, he had been laughing from below the stage, treating it all as a game. Even though for Third Brother Jiang back then, that competition was crucial concerning his future fate...
Now.
He also stood on the stage, feeling the weight of standing there.
He knew how he had reached the Martial Arts Field, which is why he could understand exactly how Third Brother Jiang had arrived at this point today.
It was so difficult...
Zhao Rucheng, going by the alias Deng Qi, couldn’t help but wonder, did anyone know how hard it was for him?
Now he quietly watched the figure in the blue shirt, wanting to cry and laugh at the same time.
There was no need for tears anymore.
The reason for the laughter was because...
Third Brother Jiang was now doing well, very promising, no worse than anyone else.
More importantly, he had found a new path and made new friends. There were people cheering for him in victory, and comforting him in defeat.
This was truly wonderful.
Zhao Rucheng remained silent, hiding all his thoughts beneath the cold bronze mask. When he saw Jiang Wang’s gaze seeming to shift toward him, he immediately shifted his own gaze nonchalantly, looking towards the final battle on the field.
A gaze has weight.
And with the continuously strengthening Divine Soul Strength and after mastering the Eye of Qian Yang...
Jiang Wang could already feel that weight.
Thus, although the prodigy of Mu Country turned his head so naturally, Jiang Wang still felt his gaze.
He just did not know if that intensely focused, unremitting gaze was observing his opponent, or...
Hope was the root of pain.
But without hope, how could one continue a life that has walked out from the abyss?
Jiang Wang tried not to think about it, yet couldn’t help but think.
It was finally the end of the fight, defeating a powerful enemy, securing a spot in the top four, briefly relaxing his mind. That’s why such unrealistic torment was happening.
He also looked at the last fight on the field, concentrating his mind on the battle and seriously observing his opponents.
Being one step ahead was an advantage he could not ignore.
As for other matters, they could be verified after the competition...
In the fight from the top eight to the top four, the only one still ongoing was between Qin Zhizhen of Qing Country and Beigong Ke of Yong Country.
Theoretically, this battle was expected to be the quickest to end before the competition started.
Not for any other reason, but because, with the Supreme Emperor dead in battle and successive defeats in foreign conflicts, Yong Country’s strength had long been unacknowledged by Various Countries. Not to mention comparing with Summer Country, even compared with the very cold Snow Country, few thought Yong Country was stronger.
Although Yong Country had the support of Mo Gate and was undergoing significant reforms, the effects were yet unproven...
And Qing Country was undoubtedly the Overlord Country.
In the previous dispute at the Outer Building, Gan Changan had stopped at the top eight. However, in the battle with Dou Zhao, he too demonstrated his formidable strength.
And being only nineteen years old, his use of Divine Travel and Patience were very powerful Divine Skills, his mastery of Fate Sword Technique impeccable, his talent beyond reproach.
Thus, at the Inner Court, Qin Zhizhen, coming from the same Great Qin Empire, surely wouldn’t struggle against a prodigy of Yong Country.
But having seen the actual battle could make one understand why.
On the field, Beigong Ke was displaying a very powerful killing technique, wielding a pair of swords, swinging swiftly and fiercely like thunder and lightning, his Sword Qi enveloping the whole Martial Arts Field.
This wasn’t the reason why the fight had lasted so long.
The reason lay with Qin Zhizhen.
He stood there, like a silent boulder, uttering not a word, without any expression.
Just punching, punching, and punching again.
When the sword came, he punched; when the person approached, he punched; even when Dao Techniques bombarded, he punched.
From start to finish, he just stood there, not moving an inch, only defending, not attacking.
It seemed he had made up his mind to let his opponent fully showcase his skills.
This was too presumptuous!
At the Yellow River Gathering, who wasn’t a prodigy?
Climbing up the Martial Arts Field, the only aim was to fight for victory. The chance to demonstrate skills to an opponent usually occurred when seniors mentored juniors, or masters guided disciples.
Things like the Overlord Country being overthrown halfway during a battle wasn’t unprecedented!
If this were Xiang Bei’s doing, it would coincide with his typical arrogant demeanor.
But the one doing this was Qin Zhizhen. freewebnσvel.cѳm
From his face, you couldn’t see any mockery, any disdain.
He had only his silent fists, punching at a nearly constant speed, taking all attacks.
And bearing, all the attention.
