Chapter 918 - 482: Disciples Under the Master (Part 2)

Chapter 918: Chapter 482: Disciples Under the Master (Part 2)

Right at that moment, the situation on the arena suddenly shifted.

Lin Maosan slashed out a fierce streak of sword light, yet it was instantly dissolved by the opponent’s Nascent Soul force. Instead, the opponent seized the opening and slammed a palm toward his chest. Lin Maosan dodged in time, but was still swept by the palm wind, his whole body flung backward, crashing heavily at the edge of the arena.

Fang Shixin’s expression turned ugly; he was just about to say something.

Li Mu merely gave a faint smile and said, "Battle is the best teacher. Let him comprehend it on his own."

On the arena, Lin Maosan struggled to his feet. He wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth and was just about to use the Five Elements Escape Technique to evade, but the Nascent Soul disciple gave him no chance to resist. A single Dragon Flame Technique blasted him off the stage.

"Chen Yang, victory. Lin Maosan, defeated!"

With the host referee’s announcement, a brief silence fell around the arena. Everyone’s gaze converged on that young figure who had just been blasted down.

"Golden Core against Nascent Soul... in the end, it’s still too forced!"

"Lin Maosan, I know who he is. He’s one of the Sect Master’s disciples."

"So it’s him. Five Elements Cultivation—no wonder he could fight Senior Brother Chen to a draw with just a Golden Core Realm cultivation."

...

Voices of discussion rose and fell around the arena. Some sighed over the gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul, some expressed admiration for Lin Maosan’s strength... Meanwhile, Lin Maosan himself struggled up into a sitting position, replaying the battle just now. He looked toward Chen Yang on the stage, his eyes full of regret.

This defeat had little to do with the disparity in their Cultivation Realms; it lay far more in his lack of response strategy and insufficient battle experience.

Lin Maosan turned his head toward his master seated at the center of the venue. By coincidence, he met his master’s gaze, and a hint of shame unconsciously surfaced on his face.

Li Mu smiled slightly and sent a thought, "Step down. You’ve already done your best in this fight. Just cultivate well from here on."

Li Mu’s voice transmission poured into Lin Maosan’s heart like a clear spring, easing his originally dejected mood a little. He took a deep breath, stood up, bowed respectfully toward Li Mu, then silently walked to the side of the arena to watch the other disciples’ matches.

On all eighteen arenas, there were two Nascent Soul disciples dueling.

Very soon, Lin Maosan spotted several familiar figures—Zhao Tianchen, Ji Hao, and Su Hongxiu—who had taken Li Mu as their master at the same time as he had.

A hundred years had passed, and they had all already successfully promoted to the Nascent Soul Realm.

Zhao Tianchen possessed a Gold Attribute Celestial Spirit Root, Su Hongxiu a Fire Attribute Celestial Spirit Root, and Ji Hao an Earth Attribute Celestial Spirit Root. Relying on the Spirit Root Talent they each bore, they raced down the cultivation path, stepping into the Nascent Soul Realm earlier than he did, and had already reached Mid-Stage Nascent Soul, not far from the next Realm.

The Nascent Soul disciple facing Zhao Tianchen had Late-Stage Nascent Soul Cultivation and specialized in Wood Magic. As soon as the battle started, he cast a large-scale Technique—Cyan Wood Entanglement.

Only to see countless verdant vines surge up from the floor of the arena, like living things, in their thousands and tens of thousands, shrouding and twining toward Zhao Tianchen.

Yet Zhao Tianchen’s expression did not change. He responded calmly, wielding a Golden Longsword in his hand, Sharp to the extreme. Innumerable Cyan Wood Spirit Soaring vines were cut down in an instant, falling like a rainstorm.

Zhao Tianchen seemed like a sword cultivator born for the blade, his Sword Heart Clarity perfected, Sword Intent razor-sharp. Whatever change in Technique the opponent made was like nothing before him. His figure moved like the wind, weaving freely through the mass of vines. The golden sword light drew graceful arcs through the air, every flash of light accompanied by a crisp cutting sound.

The Nascent Soul disciple who specialized in Wood Magic turned pale. He unleashed Technique after Technique without gaining any advantage; clearly, he had not expected Zhao Tianchen’s Swordsmanship to be this sharp.

The Nascent Soul disciple hurriedly brought out a Defensive Treasure, activated the Wood Seal Treasure, and stirred his Spiritual Power to form a Cyan Yuan Cage, attempting to trap Zhao Tianchen.

However, Zhao Tianchen had already seen through his intent. His figure moved, and the Golden Longsword in his hand swung violently. A dazzling streak of sword light shot straight toward that Nascent Soul disciple.

The Nascent Soul disciple was shocked and turned deathly pale, hastily using Wood Escape Technique to dodge.

But Zhao Tianchen’s Swordsmanship was simply too sharp. The Sword Aura clung to him like a shadow, pursuing him relentlessly. In the end, with a scream of misery, that Nascent Soul disciple was struck by the sword light and collapsed on the arena.

Zhao Tianchen sheathed his sword and stood, his gaze calmly resting on the opponent lying on the ground. He cupped his hands lightly. "Junior Brother, thanks for letting me win."

"Senior Brother Zhao is formidable. I admit defeat wholeheartedly!" The other man gave a bitter smile, rose, and cupped his hands in return.

"In this bout, Zhao Tianchen is victorious, Qingmingzi is defeated!" The presiding referee Elder solemnly announced.

"Impressive! Senior Brother Qing actually lost. This Senior Brother Zhao will definitely contend for the top three."

"This Senior Brother Zhao feels so unfamiliar! Did he just enter the sect?"

"Senior Sister Ning, that you don’t know. This Senior Brother Zhao also belongs to the Sect Master’s lineage and has rarely appeared within the sect."

"Exactly! The few Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the Sect Master’s line are all terrifyingly strong. It’s said they all achieved Nascent Soul Realm within a hundred years. Right, apart from that Junior Brother Lin, who cultivates all Five Elements and is a bit slower, though he’s already Mid-Stage Golden Core."

"So amazing? They all formed Nascent Souls within a hundred years?"

"Of course it’s true. Senior Sister Su on arena No. 3, Senior Brother Ji on arena No. 6, and Senior Brother Xiao who’s waiting to go up on arena No. 11—they all belong to the Sect Master’s lineage!"

"Yes! When they took their master, they were only at the Qi Refining Stage, and now they’ve all ascended to the Nascent Soul Realm. Truly, it makes the rest of us green with envy."

...

Below the arena, the crowd of disciples watching the fight buzzed with discussion, marveling at Zhao Tianchen’s strength and the sharpness of his Swordsmanship. Some disciples who normally had no dealings with Zhao Tianchen now looked at him in a new light. At the same time, the topic gradually shifted to the Seven Profound Sect—the Sect Master’s lineage.