Free Web NovelChapter 177: Chapter 177: Wait, Say That Again?
For the sake of fairness, the subsequent matches would be held the next day, giving everyone a full day to rest and prepare.
After Zhao Wufeng’s announcement, the crowd leapt down from the Cloud Platform one by one and returned to their respective rooms.
Shen Daoxing saw Lv Yunsheng’s worried expression and shook his head.
"For a thousand years, we Martial Artists of the East Continent have always swum against the current. Among millions, we walk a solitary path of the Martial Dao toward longevity. This is, in itself, an act of defying the heavens and changing one’s fate. And now, all that stands before you is a single Shen Mo Feng."
Shen Daoxing gazed calmly at Lv Yunsheng.
"But I can’t beat him!"
Lv Yunsheng’s expression was hesitant.
"You’re afraid just because you think you can’t beat him?"
Shen Daoxing countered coolly, "Our ancestors from the East Continent all defied the heavens through countless failures to forge the path of the Martial Dao we walk today. If they had stagnated out of fear, how would we have ever reached this point?"
"Lv, do you remember why you started down this path of cultivation? It’s because this is the only path that can change our original destinies! Otherwise, a peddler will always be a peddler, and a foot soldier will always be a foot soldier. Our fates would be forever in the hands of others, with no chance to ever rise above."
Shen Daoxing’s thoughts turned to the Shen Family. If he’d had enough power, he wouldn’t have been plotted against by the old ancestor. The Patriarch wouldn’t have been harmed because of him, and he wouldn’t be on the run in such a sorry state.
Lv Yunsheng was stunned. He stood there blankly for a moment before falling silent, seemingly lost in thought.
"Lv, do you remember what you told me when we first met on the Cloud Ship? What is your purpose for coming to Daqian? What is your purpose for wanting to enter the Celestial Profound Sacred Land?"
Shen Daoxing continued.
Lv Yunsheng paused, then his eyes suddenly hardened with resolve as if he’d understood something. "That’s right! I came to Daqian to enter the Celestial Profound Sacred Land and make a name for myself! One day, my reputation will echo throughout the entire East Continent, and I’ll become a grandmaster! What’s a single Shen Mo Feng in the face of that!"
As realization dawned on him, Lv Yunsheng gave Shen Daoxing a respectful bow. "Thank you for your guidance, Yang!"
"Come on. Get some good rest and prepare for tomorrow."
Shen Daoxing nodded.
The two then walked down from the Cloud Platform and returned to their rooms. Shen Daoxing went to his bed, sat down, and began to meditate, focusing on his cultivation.
The sun and moon traded places in the sky. The sun slowly set in the west, only to rise again from the east.
「The next day.」
Shen Daoxing arrived at the veranda early in the morning. By then, many people had already gathered in the elegant seating areas on the Cloud Platform.
Lv Yunsheng came to Shen Daoxing’s side, his eyes firm. Yesterday’s dejection was completely gone.
The first to take the stage today was Xu Hu, ranked nineteenth on the Martial Arts Ranking. He was a man with a burly build and a fierce, menacing appearance.
His opponent was Ma Yan’Er, ranked twentieth on the Martial Arts Ranking. She was a petite-looking woman, her bright eyes constantly scanning her surroundings with great alertness.
As soon as the match began, the petite woman immediately created distance between herself and Xu Hu.
Xu Hu seemed to have the advantage, but he appeared incredibly clumsy in front of the petite woman. After dozens of exchanges, he hadn’t managed to land a single touch on her.
In the end, Xu Hu exhausted his Spiritual Power. With a THUD, the petite woman attacked him from behind and kicked him right off the veranda.
"Ma Yan’Er wins!"
Zhao Wufeng announced the result.
Following that, prodigies from the Martial Arts Ranking took the stage one after another. The endless stream of unique Martial Techniques left the other geniuses from the East Continent completely dazzled. However, aside from the first match, there were no more upsets where the weaker opponent triumphed.
When it was the Ancient Sword Marquis’s turn, a streak of brilliant light shot over from the distance, and his figure appeared on the veranda.
The crowd sat down excitedly, eager to witness the Ancient Sword Marquis’s Martial Arts and hoping to glean some enlightenment from it.
But before anyone could even react, the Ancient Sword Marquis’s opponent had already been sent flying off the veranda.
Then, with a WHOOSH, the Ancient Sword Marquis transformed back into a streak of brilliant light and vanished into the distance, not even waiting for the result to be announced.
"???"
"So fast!"
The crowd looked on with baffled expressions, having not seen how the Ancient Sword Marquis had even attacked.
’Another one-move victory.’ Shen Daoxing had clearly seen a sliver of Sword Intent, as fast as a thunderclap, shoot out unstoppably from the Ancient Sword Marquis’s body. It was even faster than it had been the day before.
"Ancient Sword Marquis wins!"
Zhao Wufeng announced the result.
It had happened so fast that many people still hadn’t processed it.
"Next match: Shen Daoxing versus Chen Luo."
Zhao Wufeng came to the center of the veranda and announced the participants for the next match.
With a flicker, Shen Daoxing’s figure appeared on the veranda.
On the other side, Chen Luo glanced at Shen Daoxing, paused, and then slowly leapt down from the Cloud Platform.
"Crown Prince Chen Luo, teach that little brat a good lesson! Make him understand his place! A toad lusting after a swan’s flesh!"
"How dare he covet our Fairy Shangguan?"
In the eyes of the crowd, Shen Daoxing was just some nobody who had appeared out of nowhere. He wasn’t even on the Martial Arts Ranking. If he hadn’t gotten lucky with a bye, he would have been eliminated long ago.
Facing Chen Luo of the Martial Arts Ranking this time, he had no chance of victory.
And yet, this very same obscure figure had somehow won Fairy Shangguan’s favor, which made everyone uncontrollably jealous.
At that moment, Shangguan Yiran was gazing at Shen Daoxing with rapt attention, a look of anticipation in her eyes. This only fueled the jealousy of the prodigies on the Martial Arts Ranking, especially Shen Mo Feng.
"Chen Luo, if you can make this brat permanently bedridden, my Great Yong Empire will return the land we seized from your Chen Kingdom thirty years ago."
A young noble, adorned in gold and silver and dressed in resplendent clothes, stepped forward. He glanced at Shen Daoxing and spoke coldly.
This was Zhu Yingde, the Second Prince of the Great Yong Empire and one of Shangguan Yiran’s suitors. He had long wanted to teach Shen Daoxing a lesson himself. If he hadn’t suffered a crushing defeat against the Ancient Sword Marquis in the first round and lost his chance, he definitely would have taken matters into his own hands.
"..."
Chen Luo.
"Chen Luo, if you can cripple one of his arms, my Liu Family of Daqian will offer you a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Ginseng."
Another richly dressed young master with a noble air stepped out.
This was Liu Wancheng of Daqian’s prominent Liu Family, the third son of Daqian’s Prime Minister and also a disciple of the Imperial Academy. He too had pursued Shangguan Yiran in the past, but his luck had been even worse than Shen Mo Feng’s; Shangguan Yiran hadn’t even given him a passing glance.
"..."
Chen Luo.
"Chen Luo, if you can cripple Shen Daoxing’s Dantian, once I enter the Inner Sect of the Sacred Land, I will personally recommend you to the Saint Master."
Not to be outdone, Shen Mo Feng stood up from his elegant seat on the Cloud Platform and made his offer.
"..."
Chen Luo.
"Enough! The match for the round of sixteen, Shen Daoxing versus Chen Luo, begins now!"
With Zhao Wufeng’s command, all eyes in the arena focused on Chen Luo, filled with anticipation.
Then, in front of everyone, Chen Luo raised his hand high.
"I forfeit!"
Chen Luo shouted.
"Huh!?"
Zhu Yingde.
"!?"
Liu Wancheng.
"!?"
Shen Mo Feng.
"???"
The crowd.
"Hmm?"
Even Zhao Wufeng was stunned. He turned to Chen Luo to confirm, "Wait, say that again?"
