Chapter 1910 - Serpentine Formation

The conduct of Zhu Gaoyang, Li Baoshu, and the others, who would employ any means to achieve their goals, thoroughly enraged the surrounding spectators and sparked outrage throughout the venue.

Zhu Gaoyang ignored the hostile gazes directed at him, especially with the next event about to begin.

After Shi Wa and his companions descended from the arena, they bowed toward Liu Wuxie before sitting down to replenish their immortal energy.

Zhuang Fang sprang into motion and leaped onto the arena. As before, however, the Celestial Moon Dao Hall delayed sending out its representative.

More than a hundred students had already withdrawn from the Celestial Moon Dao Hall, crushing the morale of those who remained. Whatever sense of belonging they once felt toward the Dao Hall had nearly disappeared.

Roughly fifteen minutes passed before a slightly older student finally emerged and entered the arena to confront Zhuang Fang.

"You may begin," Zhuang Fang said, politely gesturing toward his opponent.

Compared with the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's behavior, the Azure Flame Dao Hall's magnanimity immediately earned widespread praise from the crowd.

A talisman rune shot into the sky and transformed into a razor-edged sword, streaking straight toward Zhuang Fang's face and officially opening the battle.

Zhuang Fang swept his right hand across the air and tore the approaching rune apart, reducing it to countless fragments.

After that first exchange, neither competitor left his position or produced any prepared talismans. Both relied solely upon their hands to inscribe runes in mid-air. Strange runes appeared rapidly before them, weaving together to form entirely new talismans.

Talisman art shared certain similarities with blacksmithing, since both competitors needed to refine something whose quality would determine the victor. The individual and team events differed greatly, however. The team event measured both sides' overall strength and allowed competitors to attack with talismans, while the individual event focused entirely upon the quality of the talismans they created.

Without showing the slightest urgency, Zhuang Fang continued inscribing runes. Every motion of his hands sent subtle ripples through the air and drew countless surrounding runes toward him.

"What a profoundly intricate talisman-inscribing technique!" someone exclaimed.

The crowd's attention rapidly converged upon Zhuang Fang, leaving the Celestial Moon Dao Hall student all but ignored.

A dark-brown talisman gradually formed before Zhuang Fang and hovered silently in the air. His opponent's talisman, by contrast, shone scarlet red and radiated powerful fire-attribute energy.

The two talismans appeared to sense each other's hostility and released increasingly formidable auras. A crimson curtain unfurled from the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's side and swiftly swallowed the entire arena.

Raging flames engulfed Zhuang Fang in an instant, threatening to consume him at any moment. Even beneath that crushing pressure, he remained perfectly composed and continued inscribing with both hands. Unlike Shi Wa, Zhuang Fang lacked the Ancestral Talisman's aura, leaving him entirely dependent on his own abilities.

A deep hum suddenly resounded between heaven and earth. The dark-brown talisman expanded rapidly, transforming into a ferocious rhinoceros.

Watching a talisman assume the shape of a living creature overturned everything the spectators understood. The memory of Shi Wa transforming a talisman into a crane remained fresh in their minds, yet after several months, Zhuang Fang's attainment in talisman art had reached a similar height.

The Celestial Moon Dao Hall student's talisman could produce only flames and couldn't transform them into a fire-attribute divine beast. That difference alone exposed the vast disparity between the two competitors.

Powerful energy erupted from the rhinoceros after it took form. It opened its enormous mouth and devoured the surrounding flames, rapidly clearing the space around Zhuang Fang and restoring his vision.

Even the Azure Flame Dao Hall's mentors failed to conceal their shock as they exclaimed, "Holy shit! Only a few days ago, Zhuang Fang's talent in talisman arts was average at best. After training under Liu Wuxie for barely a few days, he has already reached this level?!"

At that moment, every one of them felt fortunate that they had never chosen to become Liu Wuxie's enemy.

Silence fell across the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's contingent. The instant Zhuang Fang's talisman assumed a physical form, they knew defeat had become inevitable. No meaningful comparison remained between the two talismans.

Releasing a thunderous roar, the rhinoceros tore through the air and appeared before the Celestial Moon Dao Hall student. One powerful charge blasted him from the arena and sent him crashing to the ground, ending the match.

Zhuang Fang had claimed an overwhelming victory.

By then, the surrounding spectators had almost become numb to such outcomes. Two days of competition had passed, yet the Azure Flame Dao Hall still hadn't lost a single match.

The mentors under Zhu Gaoyang's control turned deathly pale at once. They knew the reaper's scythe had descended on them again.

Without hesitating, Zhu Gaoyang grabbed one of those mentors and snapped his neck.

Many spectators turned their faces away, unable to endure another brutal execution. Then again, none of those mentors could claim complete innocence after willingly swearing the oath upon their souls.

With the talisman art competition concluded, the alchemy category followed.

While everyone remained distracted, more Celestial Moon Dao Hall students quietly fled, dropping the Dao Hall's numbers even further.

On the Azure Flame Dao Hall's side, Xiao Qian led the alchemy representatives forward. As with several previous categories, alchemy included both team and individual events. Luo Chu would lead the team event, while Xiao Qian would personally enter the individual event.

Zhu Gaoyang’s earlier arrogance had vanished, replaced by an expression of even greater malice.

"Hall Master, end this competition here. If it continues, countless innocent people will die," several clan patriarchs urged, trying to persuade the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's hall master to stop the conflict.

At this stage, the identity of the eventual victor no longer mattered. Continuing the competition would inevitably inflict devastating losses upon both Dao Halls.

"Hmph! The Azure Flame Dao Hall has already killed so many of our people, and now you expect us to stop? How could we possibly end things here?" the elder beside the hall master replied coldly, while the hall master himself remained silent.

Had the Celestial Moon Dao Hall not suffered such catastrophic losses, de-escalation might still have been possible. Now, however, no path of retreat remained. Stopping would amount to publicly admitting inferiority to the Azure Flame Dao Hall.

Furthermore, the withdrawal of so many students had significantly weakened the Celestial Moon Dao Hall. Its only remaining chance to reverse the situation lay in destroying the Azure Flame Dao Hall and monopolizing the surrounding resources, then using those gains to recover everything it had lost.

"Liu Wuxie is too monstrous. If you stop now, the Celestial Moon Dao Hall might still recover. But if this continues, I fear..." one of the patriarchs said. The patriarchs attempting to persuade the hall master all maintained close relations with the Celestial Moon Dao Hall. Otherwise, they wouldn't have spoken so openly.

Liu Wuxie had already declared his intention to destroy the Celestial Moon Dao Hall, and no one dared doubt him now. The Wen Clan and the Shadow Divination Gate stood as the clearest warnings, both having been destroyed only recently.

"Losing the student competition changes nothing. The mentor competition still remains. Liu Wuxie is merely a third-level Spirit Immortal, and we have countless ways to kill him," the elder continued. His tone made it clear that the Celestial Moon Dao Hall had already abandoned any hope of winning the student competition.

The patriarchs could only sigh in response.

Luo Chu led nearly twenty students into the arena for the team alchemy event. As in blacksmithing, both the quantity and quality of the pills they refined would determine victory.

The Celestial Moon Dao Hall fielded fewer students this time, and their overall quality fell far below that of the Azure Flame Dao Hall's representatives. Their morale had already been thoroughly crushed before the event even began.

Just as everyone had anticipated, the Azure Flame Dao Hall secured another complete victory three hours later.

That defeat cost the life of yet another mentor held captive under the Celestial Moon Dao Hall.

By now, blood covered Zhu Gaoyang's hands, and a pile of corpses had accumulated across the ground. Mentors and students alike lay among the dead.

The individual alchemy event followed. Xiao Qian overwhelmed every opponent placed before her and once again displayed the pill fluid technique.

As expected, Xiao Qian secured victory. By this point, the Celestial Moon Dao Hall students had lost all morale. Many could have performed far better, yet none could draw out their full abilities anymore.

Once the alchemy competition concluded, only the martial path competition remained. Like several previous categories, it contained team and individual events. Most students would enter the arena together, and whichever side knocked out every opposing participant would claim victory.

Cheng Wende and Nie Zhenghao led dozens of Azure Flame Dao Hall students into the arena. Xiang Rulong would enter the individual event afterward for the grand finale.

Several formidable Celestial Moon Dao Hall students still remained. They rose in succession and charged toward the arena.

"The Celestial Moon Dao Hall may finally win this category!" people exclaimed.

The martial path differed from every preceding contest because the participants depended entirely on their combat strength. Consequently, they could employ all manner of vicious techniques during the battle.

Both sides stood facing one another across the arena, their murderous intent already surging into the sky before the match began.

"Don't decide the outcome too quickly," the Kang Clan's patriarch said, shaking his head. "The Azure Flame Dao Hall's students are far too composed." Not even a trace of anxiety appeared among the Azure Flame Dao Hall representatives. In composure alone, the Celestial Moon Dao Hall opponents couldn't compare.

"Give it everything you have! This is the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's chance to turn the situation around. Win this match, and every one of you will receive one million immortal stones," Zhu Gaoyang shouted from below the arena.

The Celestial Moon Dao Hall students' eyes turned bloodshot when they heard the promised reward. They had deliberately abandoned talisman art and alchemy, placing every remaining hope upon the martial path.

"Kill!" dozens of Celestial Moon Dao Hall students roared together. Their voices thundered across the arena and shook the ground, instantly restoring the morale they had lost.

"Take your positions and get into the formation!" Cheng Wende ordered.

The Azure Flame Dao Hall representatives didn't release an overwhelming aura, but they moved swiftly under Cheng Wende's command. Their steps appeared chaotic at first, yet perfect coordination governed every movement as each student occupied a predetermined position.

The instant their formation became complete, an invisible fluctuation swept outward from their ranks.

"They formed an array! The Azure Flame Dao Hall intends to win using a formation," someone commented.

Everyone knew that the martial path represented the Azure Flame Dao Hall's greatest weakness. Many of its finest students had defected to the Shadow Divination Dao Hall, only for their cultivation to stagnate after their destinies were altered.

The students Liu Wuxie had selected weren't exceptional prodigies either, and many possessed only ordinary cultivation. That weakness was precisely why the Celestial Moon Dao Hall had deliberately abandoned talisman art and alchemy to concentrate its hopes upon this final martial path contest.

If the Azure Flame Dao Hall wished to win, its only viable strategy was to use a formation to merge everyone's strength into one unified whole.

"Attack immediately! Don't let them finish establishing their formation," Zhu Gaoyang roared, ordering the Celestial Moon Dao Hall students.

The battle erupted at once. Artifacts in hand, the Celestial Moon Dao Hall students charged their opponents and attacked before the Azure Flame Dao Hall could fully establish its formation.

"Serpentine Formation!" Cheng Wende shouted, rotating the sword in his hand.

His entire team immediately altered its course and flowed across the arena like an agile serpent. Their movements joined seamlessly together, causing the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's attacks to strike empty air repeatedly.

"What kind of formation are they using?" spectators exclaimed.

Everyone had seen the Serpentine Formation before, but never one whose head and tail coordinated with such flawless precision.

"Kill!" Nie Zhenghao roared.

Nie Zhenghao controlled the serpent's tail while Cheng Wende commanded its head, and their coordination was flawless. When the tail swept outward, more than ten sword rays merged into a forked serpent tongue that lashed viciously toward the enemy.

"Intercept that strike!" the Celestial Moon Dao Hall's team leader shouted. He stood at the pinnacle of the True Immortal Realm, and five other students immediately joined him to neutralize Nie Zhenghao's attack.

"Venomous Viper Launch!" Cheng Wende shouted, seizing the opening and attacking from the front. This was the Serpentine Formation's greatest strength; its head and tail could strike simultaneously.

Caught between both assaults, the Celestial Moon Dao Hall students descended into chaos. Only a handful among them were truly formidable. Defending the front left their rear exposed, but dividing their forces would play directly into the Azure Flame Dao Hall’s strategy and allow them to be defeated one by one.