Chapter 430 - 228: Champion Zhang Mountain

Chapter 430: Chapter 228: Champion Zhang Mountain

Thousands of spectators looked back and forth, from Yao Tianchuan on the stage to the members of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect in the Wangjiang Building. Their eyes followed his gaze, filled with great anticipation.

Sure enough, after a brief moment of silence, Yao Tianchuan announced in a loud voice:

"I, Yao Tianchuan, disciple of the Sword Storage Pavilion and of the Jinling Yao family, ask for guidance from my peers of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect!"

His cold, sharp voice pierced the autumn wind by the riverbank, reaching the ears of every single person present.

It was happening!

The crowd instantly grew excited.

This Yao Tianchuan had actually challenged the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect by name!

Normally in a tournament, lots were drawn, and the stronger opponents would inevitably meet in the later rounds.

But Yao Tianchuan clearly couldn’t wait. He issued the challenge directly from the stage, without even taking a break to rest!

The spectators, who loved nothing more than a good spectacle, began to whisper among themselves, all eagerly anticipating this confrontation.

Before Yao Tianchuan appeared, the performance of the two senior disciples from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect had been quite eye-catching.

But after Yao Tianchuan took the stage, many believed there was a new, undisputed strongest contender among the Qi Blood First Transformation Realm participants.

It suddenly dawned on many people. No wonder the Yao family had also offered a spot for Jianzhen Lake to a First Transformation Realm martial artist. They had an ace up their sleeve with Yao Tianchuan all along. They were so confident that it was like moving something from their left hand to their right, all while earning a good deal of prestige.

But for Yao Tianchuan to issue a challenge to a Sword Sect disciple right away—wasn’t he afraid of using up too much energy, only to be defeated by someone else later on?

Or perhaps, he was so confident that he didn’t even see the people from the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect as a threat!

"Does this Yao Tianchuan have a grudge against the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect? This makes no sense. Or does he just want to take first place with an invincible momentum?"

"I heard a rumor... They say that last year, during the sword debate between the Sword Storage Pavilion and Cloud Mountain, Yao Tianchuan suffered a major defeat. He was plagued by a Heart Demon, and for a long time, he didn’t even dare to practice with his sword. He had to seek out doctors and diviners and only recovered after much difficulty."

"For real? How do you know?"

"My grand-uncle’s third daughter-in-law’s older sister-in-law is a spirit medium, and she was the one invited to the Yao Mansion to perform the ritual to get rid of his Heart Demon. With a connection that close, how could I *not* know!"

"Really? My second aunt’s husband’s cousin’s daughter’s brother-in-law is a guard at the Yao Mansion. I’ll have her ask him if it’s true."

"...Don’t. Don’t go asking."

"Heh, spreading rumors about the Yao family... you’ve got a death wish!"

"But I’ve also heard that Yao Tianchuan suffered a huge loss at Cloud Mountain; it’s probably not a baseless rumor. Seeing how he’s acting, he must be trying to wipe away his past humiliation!"

"Maybe he’s also taking this opportunity to salvage some of the reputation Yao Yilong lost... losing to a Grandmaster of the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm, *pfft*."

"Regardless, Yao Tianchuan isn’t just making noise; he came prepared. The Cloud Mountain Sword Sect had better watch out."

A clamor of discussion rose from below the stage, swelling into waves of sound. Clearly, everyone was eagerly awaiting this clash of titans.

However, considering their performances so far, and factoring in Yao Tianchuan’s supreme confidence, many people were not optimistic about the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect’s chances.

「On the third floor.」

Xie Yuan and the others had become the center of attention for everyone, both upstairs and downstairs. Qin Zhenyang furrowed his brow slightly and thought to himself:

’This Yao Tianchuan’s strength is impressive. He’s only half a step away from the Qi and Blood Second Transformation Realm. I’m afraid Junior Brother Huang is no match for him.’

Losing in itself was not the problem; the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect could always afford a loss.

But judging by Yao Tianchuan’s demeanor, it was clear his intentions were malicious.

Ning Zi let out a cold snort and said through gritted teeth:

"This brat is still as arrogant as ever? Junior Brother Huang..."

She had wanted to tell him to teach his opponent a harsh lesson, but after opening her mouth, she only managed to say:

"Do your best, and be careful!"

Objectively speaking, Yao Tianchuan had been invincible among the First Transformation Realm disciples during last year’s debate between the two sects, and his strength had clearly improved significantly since then. While Huang Zifeng was talented, he hadn’t made his breakthrough very long ago. He wasn’t even a match for Xing Zhi, who had lost to Yao Tianchuan last year. Now, facing an even stronger Yao Tianchuan, his chances of victory were slimmer than ever.

Huang Zifeng knew this himself. Just from seeing that last sword strike, he had no confidence that he could have dealt with it.

His brow furrowed tightly, and his heart sank.

He wasn’t afraid of losing due to being less skilled. But seeing how Yao Tianchuan looked down on them, he couldn’t accept the idea of losing badly and bringing shame upon his Sect.

Steward Wang of the Jinling Villa was dead, and the conflict between Senior Brother Qin and the Yao family elder had worsened, making the relationship between the two sides tense. The Yao family had been very enthusiastic and had shown great respect when they first invited the Sword Sect, but now the atmosphere was completely different.

’Under these circumstances, I can’t afford to lose...’

Huang Zifeng took a light breath, glanced at Ning Zi, and nodded.

’During last year’s debate between the two sects, even though Senior Sister Ning was outmatched, she fought desperately for victory and nearly defeated a stronger opponent. I should follow her example.’

He moved, about to stand up, when a voice came from beside him:

"Senior Brother Huang, how about you let me take your place for this match?"

Huang Zifeng froze for a moment. He looked at Lin Zhen beside him and saw her speak with a serious expression:

"This Yao Tianchuan is arrogant, but his strength is indeed extraordinary. Normally, a Martial Artist’s victory or defeat in a duel is their own to bear, a form of training. But here, we are representing the Sect, and he is clearly acting with malice.

"Let me go test him first and see just how much substance is behind his confidence."

Lin Zhen’s expression was calm, but her eyes were shining faintly.

Huang Zifeng subconsciously shook his head:

"Junior Sister Lin, how can I let you put yourself in danger? Just now, that Yao Tianchuan showed no mercy to the disciple from the Quning Academy. It’s clear how ruthless he is..."

"I am a cultivator, not some delicate little girl who can’t handle getting hurt."

Lin Zhen said with a determined gaze: