Free Web NovelChapter 179: Chapter 179: Revealing Prowess
The second match was between one of Chi Yan’s senior sect brothers and a Cultivator from the Beast Taming Sect.
Their fight was also thrilling, as their strengths were evenly matched.
However, the Beast Taming Sect Cultivator ultimately had multiple Spirit Beasts to assist him, while the Golden Elephant Sect’s Body Cultivator was more adept at close combat.
Held back by the Spirit Beasts, he could barely get close to his opponent and was forced to continuously expend his energy on them.
Thus, after a period of stalemate, the Golden Elephant Sect Body Cultivator’s stamina was severely depleted. The Beast Taming Sect Cultivator seized the opportunity and ultimately defeated him with a Magic Treasure.
Lu Sangjiu watched the entire match intently. After all, if nothing unexpected happened, she would face the victors of these two matches in the finals.
As she watched, however, she suddenly realized something.
She had seen disciples from seven of the Four Great Sects and Four Small Sects in this competition, so why hadn’t she seen a single Cultivator from the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect?
Lu Sangjiu had spent too little time watching the matches over the past few days, so she was only just now realizing this.
With the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect’s power, firmly established as one of the Four Great Sects, it was impossible that none of their disciples could make it into the top ten. The more likely explanation was that they simply hadn’t sent anyone to participate.
Thinking of this, Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but lean over and ask Feng Lin in a low voice, "By the way, why haven’t I seen any Buddhist Practitioners from the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect?"
Feng Lin looked a little surprised. "You don’t know?"
Lu Sangjiu was baffled. "Was I supposed to know?"
Seeing her complete confusion, Feng Lin began to explain in detail.
"The Buddhist Practitioners of the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect have always considered saving the world their personal responsibility. They generally don’t participate in large-scale, competition-focused events like this."
"Especially after their Buddha Son was injured by the Demon Cultivator, Venerable Gu Huang, several hundred years ago. He went into seclusion and hasn’t been seen since."
"The rest of them rarely venture into the outside world anymore, focusing solely on combating Demon Cultivators."
"After the two sides reached a truce and the Demon Cultivators withdrew to the Western Demon Realm, the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect even volunteered to guard the border. So, naturally, we see even fewer Buddhist Practitioners from their sect over here."
Lu Sangjiu fell silent after hearing Feng Lin’s explanation.
’In the beginning, the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect hadn’t specifically targeted Demon Cultivators. Even when they captured them, it was only to spread the Buddhist Law and attempt to convert them.’
’But after the incident with the Buddha Son, who knows what happened internally, but the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect became convinced that *she* was the one who had harmed him. From that point on, they grew to despise all Demon Cultivators.’
’In the subsequent Immortal Demon War, the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect’s contribution was enormous.’
’But she never expected that even after the Immortal Demon War ended, the Ten Thousand Buddha Sect would insist on guarding the Western Demon Realm to the death... Just how deep does their hatred run?’
’And yet, while they acted so fanatically on the Buddha Son’s behalf, Xie Ningyuan himself clearly didn’t hold the same attitude toward Demon Cultivators.’
Lu Sangjiu felt she was onto something, but before she could think it through, Chi Yan slapped her on the shoulder.
"Lu Fairy, what are you spacing out for? It’s your turn!"
Lu Sangjiu snapped back to her senses, only to find that Shi Feng was already standing on the arena platform.
Seeing her delayed arrival, he sneered at her, "What, are you scared? It’s not too late to surrender now!"
Lu Sangjiu merely glanced at him without a word and walked silently onto the platform.
She cupped her fist toward Shi Feng. "Mr. Shi, please enlighten me."
Shi Feng’s lip curled. "Such a hypocrite."
With that, he flicked his hand, and a cloud of purple poison smoke shot rapidly toward Lu Sangjiu.
Lu Sangjiu summoned Duoduo, who immediately cast the Ice Condensation Technique, freezing the poison smoke solid in mid-air. It fell to the platform with a CRACK and shattered into fragments.
But Duoduo’s assault didn’t stop, as it continued to launch the Ice Condensation Technique at Shi Feng.
A flicker of surprise appeared in Shi Feng’s eyes as he looked at Duoduo. "This Snow Cloud Beast is quite interesting."
He moved with great speed, dodging Duoduo’s attacks. At the same time, several needle-like hidden weapons flew from his hand, "fairly" targeting both Lu Sangjiu and Duoduo, leaving neither one out.
Seeing this, Duoduo hastily cast its Ice Condensation Technique again, successfully intercepting the hidden weapons.
However, it had no time to protect Lu Sangjiu as well. Unflustered, Lu Sangjiu revealed an ordinary Flying Sword that had somehow appeared in her hand.
Though she wasn’t a Sword Cultivator, she knew a few Swordsmanship techniques. Her arm now moved in a rapid dance, just barely managing to deflect the silver needles.
She had blocked Shi Feng’s attack yet again, but she couldn’t fend off the sheer quantity of his hidden weapons.
Lu Sangjiu had no time to launch a counterattack before a chain tipped with a sharp iron hook flew toward her.
The iron hook glimmered with an ominous blue light, a clear sign that it was also highly poisonous.
This time, Lu Sangjiu didn’t block with her sword. Instead, she used the Flying Cloud Step to dodge while simultaneously taking out a jade-green leaf, which she placed against her lips and began to play.
Instantly, a melody filled with killing intent rushed toward Shi Feng. Frowning slightly, he was forced to retract his chain and summon a shield-like Magic Treasure to defend himself.
He activated the Magic Treasure by infusing it with Spiritual Energy, and an invisible barrier instantly formed to protect him.
When the melody filled with killing intent struck the barrier, it was as if it had physical substance, producing a continuous screech of clashing metal and even showering sparks.
Shi Feng was inwardly shocked. He hadn’t expected Lu Sangjiu to actually have a few tricks up her sleeve.
Still, with this shield in his possession, he was highly confident that Lu Sangjiu’s attacks couldn’t harm him.
Staring at Lu Sangjiu, Shi Feng’s lips twisted into a cruel smile.
"You’ve succeeded in angering me. Now, have a taste of my pervasive poison mist!"
After speaking, he formed hand seals, using a Spell to make the poison mist spread rapidly across the platform.
Seeing how fast the poison mist was spreading, Lu Sangjiu immediately recalled Duoduo and retreated swiftly, not stopping until her back hit the arena’s Barrier.
Shi Feng let out a wild laugh. "You can’t escape! Surrender now, and you still can. Otherwise, once my poison mist envelops you, that pretty little face of yours will corrode and rot. It’ll be too late for regrets then!"
Lu Sangjiu’s face paled on cue, but she remained defiant. "Make me surrender...? In your dreams!"
’Hmm... I don’t just need to win. I also have to make everyone think I’m a person of excellent character. So, a bit of acting is necessary.’
So, she didn’t rush to counterattack, instead feigning the appearance of being cornered by the poison mist.
Only when she had nowhere left to retreat did she suddenly raise a barrier. With the desperate posture of someone going all-in, she raised her sword and charged swiftly toward Shi Feng.
Instead of being alarmed, Shi Feng laughed, his eyes gleaming with the certainty of victory. "It seems this is the end of the line for you."
He raised his palm, and three exquisite Flying Knives shot straight for Lu Sangjiu’s face.
In Shi Feng’s eyes, Lu Sangjiu charging him now was a death wish. At such close range, she would have no way to dodge his hidden weapons.
And the shield she had condensed from her Mana was nowhere near strong enough to block his three Flying Knives.
Unexpectedly, however, Lu Sangjiu didn’t try to dodge. Instead, as if she had been prepared all along, her hands suddenly flew through a rapid series of seals. "Vast... River of Stars!"
In an instant, countless points of light converged. Wherever they passed, the poison mist instinctively recoiled and gave way.
And when the three Flying Knives reached her, they were struck as if by countless sharp blades, shattering with a deafening CRASH and falling to the ground in pieces!
