Chapter 541 539: Lend Me a Bow

When Luo Tian learned that the last participant who hadn't arrived was Hall Master Shang's chosen candidate, he used his Inference Skill.

Luo Tian deduced that Sun Ku was behind it. In a way, that meant it was related to him!

So, Luo Tian stepped forward and decided to participate in the Archery competition.

"Hm? It's that kid!"

Hua Feng Hall Master's eyes narrowed.

He naturally remembered Luo Tian, the one who had benefited from the Treasure of the Thief King.

Outside the Thief King Secret Realm, Luo Tian had publicly humiliated his guest. He had been about to punish Luo Tian slightly, but the Grand Elder of the Tai Yuan Sect had stopped him.

"It's him?"

The Green Skin Hall Master stared at Luo Tian, his eyes filled with undisguised hostility.

「A few years ago.」

He had sensed a Celestial Level aura near the Martial City Spirit Hall and had rushed over to investigate.

In the end, all he found were dilapidated ruins, mangled corpses, and shattered bones.

At the time, he had also discovered the body of a high-ranking member of the Spirit Hall, who was both a relative and his most capable subordinate.

A later investigation strongly linked the death of that high-ranking Spirit Hall member to Luo Tian.

"Luo Tian? What's he doing here?"

The other Hall Masters of the Martial City Spirit Hall exclaimed one after another.

Hall Master Shang's domain was far from the Tai Yuan Sect, so he was unaware of the specifics concerning Luo Tian.

However, a few of the Hall Masters were located relatively close to the Tai Yuan Sect.

They were all shocked to learn that Luo Tian was here.

After all, Luo Tian was a monster of a prodigy, with a terrifying track record that included defeating an expert at the Celestial Pool Realm!

Hall Master Shang was surprised by the other Hall Masters' reactions. 'So many of them actually know Luo Tian.'

"But Luo Tian's greatest strength is the Sword Dao!"

"I've never heard that Luo Tian knows Archery, either."

As the Hall Masters discussed among themselves, they also began to relax.

When it came to Archery, the candidates they had sent would surely be able to crush Luo Tian.

The Hua Feng Hall Master and the Green Skin Hall Master thought the same.

Luo Tian's appearance wouldn't affect them in the slightest. 'If anything, he's just here to make a fool of himself.'

...

"Alright, next up, Luo Tian will demonstrate his Archery!"

The referee announced.

Luo Tian walked onto the Martial Arts Arena.

"It's Luo Tian!"

Many in the audience recognized Luo Tian. He had once won first place at this very Martial City Spirit Hall.

First place was always memorable.

"But even if it's Luo Tian, his Archery can't possibly compare to the descendant of the Arrow King!"

"Still, his performance probably won't be too bad. He might have a shot at the top five, or even the top three!"

The audience still had some expectations for Luo Tian's performance.

"Ready yourself!"

The referee prompted Luo Tian.

In the next instant, the Array on the arena activated. Round targets, shimmering with a cyan light, materialized in the air and shot around like meteors!

"Wait!"

Luo Tian shouted immediately.

"What is it now?" the referee asked impatiently.

"Can I borrow a bow?"

"..."

The referee was speechless. The entire audience was speechless!

'You came to an Archery competition without even bringing a damn bow?'

Besides, how good at Archery could someone who didn't even own a bow possibly be?

BOO!

A wave of booing swept through the entire arena.

The referee didn't have a bow and arrow either, so his gaze swept over the other nine contestants.

But because of the incident with the Crow, they all held a grudge against Hall Master Shang's candidate. Not a single one was willing to lend Luo Tian a bow and arrow.

Left with no other choice, the referee sent someone to buy a very cheap bow and arrow from outside the arena.

"Heh heh!"

The one-eyed man and the other Archery contestants couldn't help but laugh.

Luo Tian's "cheap," ordinary bow and arrow, worth no more than 10,000 Spiritual Essence Coins, was so crude and low-quality that it would be impossible to perform any difficult techniques with it.

Even the one-eyed man would probably only be able to display sixty or seventy percent of his true strength with such a bow.

Luo Tian was a little embarrassed, but figured he would just have to make do.

"Alright, Luo Tian, please get ready!"

The referee said in a solemn voice.

Finding a bow and arrow for Luo Tian had caused a long delay, and he was not happy about it.

"Mhm!"

Luo Tian nodded, then drew the bowstring and nocked an arrow.

The nine contestants offstage were all Archery masters. They could tell at a glance that Luo Tian's posture was that of a complete novice.

"Hahaha, I'm dying of laughter! A complete amateur is actually competing against me in an Archery competition!"

"Tch, I bet he won't hit a single target!"

A few of the contestants began to jeer openly.

The descendant of the Arrow King, the one-eyed man, also shook his head, his eyes filled with utter disdain.

The audience also erupted in derisive laughter.

The Hall Masters of the Martial City Spirit Hall laughed as well.

Dark lines appeared on Hall Master Shang's forehead. He had assumed Luo Tian knew at least a little, but it was obvious this was the first time he'd ever touched a bow and arrow.

'Oh, well. The first competition was embarrassing enough, so what's a little more?' Hall Master Shang could only console himself with this thought.

「On the Martial Arts Arena.」

After drawing the bowstring, Luo Tian felt extremely awkward.

"Begin!"

As the referee gave the signal.

Luo Tian simply "tossed" the bow aside and "threw" the arrow in his hand!

This action left the entire audience dumbfounded.

What kind of move was that?

"Hahaha, is this an Archery competition or a comedy show?"

"If that hits a target, I'll castrate myself!"

The audience roared with jeers.

But then, an unbelievable scene unfolded!

SWISH!

The thrown silver arrow emitted an incomparably sharp aura, instantly and with perfect precision piercing through a target!

And then...

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The silver arrow changed direction, piercing one target after another with lightning speed!

The silver arrow flew a full circle in mid-air, practically encompassing the entire arena.

BANG!

As the silver arrow hit one final target, it suddenly exploded!

And all this happened in less than three seconds.

The entire area fell silent.

Everyone's eyes swept over the pierced targets.

Fifty of them in total!

And it was a single arrow that had hit all fifty targets!

Many in the audience were simply stunned into a stupor.

'How did he do that? Does such terrifying Archery actually exist in this world?'

The ten Hall Masters of the Martial City Spirit Hall were also stunned.

"Is that... the technique for Controlling the Sword with Thought?"

Hua Feng Hall Master asked.

'Normally, only someone at the High Tier Celestial Pool Realm can do that. How does Luo Tian know how?'

"Controlling a sword?"

another Hall Master said, perplexed. "But this is an Archery competition!"

Hall Master Shang was slightly taken aback.

'Luo Tian's performance has absolutely nothing to do with "Archery," but he hasn't broken any rules, either.'

'That means Luo Tian's score is valid!'

Fifty targets with a single arrow!

The descendant of the Arrow King had been instantly overshadowed!

And that was only because the arrow was of such poor quality that it had disintegrated from the strain.

Otherwise, that single arrow would have hit even more targets!

...

"Referee, go ahead and announce the results,"

Luo Tian said with a smile.

He had never learned to use a bow, knew nothing about Archery, and even his stance had been wrong.

That was why Luo Tian had felt so awkward.

So he had simply tossed the bow, thrown the arrow, and then used his 'Controlling the Sword with Thought' technique, treating the arrow as if it were a sword.

"But you..."

The referee was dumbfounded, unsure of how to rule.

"The process doesn't matter, only the result. Isn't that right?" Luo Tian asked.

The referee felt that Luo Tian had a point and, for a moment, found himself unable to argue.

Finally, after receiving a nod from the Spirit Hall Masters, he announced the result:

"Luo Tian, fifty targets with one arrow! First place!"

BOOM!

The entire arena erupted.

The other nine contestants cried foul.

They were all masters of Archery, yet they had all lost to a complete novice. If word of this got out, how could they ever show their faces again?

However, Luo Tian's actions hadn't violated a single rule of the competition.

The descendant of the Arrow King was so furious that he stormed off the stage.

The Archery competition concluded, followed by a short break to prepare for the final event.

"Not bad, but still a ways off from me. I, on the other hand, got a perfect score,"

the Crow cawed.

Everyone nearby stared, their eyes wide.

The Crow was Luo Tian's Spirit Pet!

This master and his Spirit Pet really knew how to stir things up, didn't they?

「On the high platform.」

The other nine Spirit Hall Masters all shot unfriendly glares at Hall Master Shang.

Hall Master Shang's Cultivation was on the lower end of the ten Hall Masters, and he felt an immense amount of pressure.

At the same time, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He was usually the most inconspicuous one at these events, but this time, thanks to the commotion caused by Luo Tian and the Crow, he had become the center of attention.

Overall, he was still quite pleased with this outcome.

'It would be even better if Luo Tian and the Crow's methods weren't so... unorthodox.'

'I hope Luo Tian doesn't pull any more crazy stunts in the final event...'

Hall Master Shang sighed to himself.

"Hall Master Shang? Did you just say that for the final event... it's Luo Tian?"

the Green Skin Hall Master suddenly asked, turning his head.

The Hua Feng Hall Master and the other Hall Masters also fixed their gazes on him.

"That's right. Is there a problem?"

Hall Master Shang, not understanding their reaction, nodded slightly.

"Ai! Why is it him?"

"If that's the case, my candidate is going to have a rough time in the Martial Arts competition..."

"What's that kid doing here instead of staying in the Tai Yuan Sect?"

All the Spirit Hall Masters sighed in lament.

A storm of shock churned in Hall Master Shang's mind.

'What's going on?'

'When they heard Luo Tian was participating in the fourth event, several Hall Masters actually grew worried!'

Hall Master Shang looked toward the Hua Feng Hall Master and the Green Skin Hall Master.

These two Hall Masters had the highest Cultivation among those present. Their candidates' performances in the first three events had been astonishing, nearly always placing in the top three.

And yet, at this moment, Hall Master Shang could also see a flicker of worry on their faces.