Chapter 34: Secret Art
Chapter 34: Secret Art
“That youth from the Yu platform, what exactly is going on?” Hua Lianxing’s gaze was full of doubt. “Zhangsun Shenji follows the path of cultivating to reach the sky, but this boy’s cultivation is only half-step to the fourth layer? Then how did he enter the top eight?”
Hua Lianxing’s question also voiced Nie Zheng’s confusion. He agreed, saying, “This youth has a weak mana fluctuation, and his body looks frail. Could it be that his bloodline quality is extremely superior?”
“Bloodline quality? Hehe…” You Qiushui glanced at Gu Yan, her sharp, cold laugh as unpleasant as ever. “Look at the Dragon Ascension Records yourself…”
The Dragon Ascension Records were the evaluations of the top eight by the observing elders, made for elders who did not watch the matches to analyze, so as not to miss talented individuals.
Of the three observing elders, two gave an evaluation of “Average-Middle.” You Qiushui’s evaluation was “Average-Lower.”
Evaluations were divided into nine grades. “Upper-Upper” and “Upper-Middle” meant “could become Heaven’s Pride.” “Upper-Lower” and “Middle-Upper” meant “could become an Outer-Disciple.” And “Average-Middle” was an extremely awkward evaluation, tasteless to eat, like chicken ribs.
Looking at the detailed evaluations, what Gu Yan wrote was “clever.” What Qin Yue wrote was “has schemes, path is not righteous.” You Qiushui, in heavy strokes, wrote “crooked path and evil ways” and even added an extra note, writing about Li Yi’s inferior bloodline.
As elders, Hua Lianxing and Nie Zheng were both seasoned figures. Who couldn’t understand the meaning behind these evaluations?
Even the most carefully worded Gu Yan—didn’t “clever” just mean petty shrewdness?
Hua Lianxing immediately understood. It seemed that youth had used some unorthodox method to forcibly boost his cultivation, barely managing to enter the top four.
“Thinking that by using trickery to enter the top eight, he could win the elders’ approval? How foolish!”
Though they had never met, her first impression already gave rise to a bit of disdain.
…
The first match: Zhangsun Shenji versus Tong Xian.
“Number one Heaven’s Pride? Zhangsun Shenji, in just a little while, I will step on your neck and make you answer with your own mouth, who exactly is the number one Heaven’s Pride!”
Tong Xian’s malicious words were cold. Under his disheveled hair, his yellowish-brown pupils emitted a chilling killing intent.
“Fine, then come on.” Zhangsun Shenji said little, his face calm and unruffled.
Little did he know, it was this indifferent expression that made Tong Xian hate him even more!
“You think you can win for sure?” He laughed in extreme anger, saying sharply.
“Exactly so!” Zhangsun Shenji’s face said it was only natural.
“Die!”
Tong Xian could no longer restrain himself. Clenching his fists, his mana fluctuations surged wildly. Violent ripples spread outward from his body like cylinders, layer upon layer!
“This kid, he actually has half-step to the ninth layer?”
Li Yi was truly shocked. His Turtle Hibernation Art and Alligator-Resting Art were definitely top-tier meditation arts, and he also had the help of the “Star-Slaying Knot.” But at his peak, he only reached half-step to the sixth layer.
“This guy must have taken some secret drug that overdrafts his life potential! Short-sighted, utterly foolish!” Yan Zhao took one look and sneered. “If Zhangsun loses to him, that would be truly unbelievable!”
The elders on the high tower also kept shaking their heads.
“Drinking poison to quench thirst, foolish!” Hua Lianxing shook her head and said with a cold laugh.
“Still think you can win for sure?” Tong Xian, however, did not know his evaluation had already hit rock bottom. Instead, he wore a smug expression.
“Of course!” Zhangsun Shenji raised a finger. A gleaming, brilliant rune floated up—”Vigor.”
Immediately after, like bamboo shoots after rain, a vast and mighty surge of runes filed out from the depths of his white robe! Among them, there were ordinary runes like “Vigor,” “Morale,” “Recovery,” “Agility,” and even advanced runes like “Mana Surge,” “Light Shield,” and “Brilliant Blessing”!
Needless to say, it was the Eternal Dawn Radiance!
“How is this possible?”
Li Yi knew too well. Morning Duck’s Eternal Dawn Radiance was indeed powerful, but it could last at most one day. Moreover, someone like Gu Huanzhang, who wore the “Flaming Demon Horn,” due to conflicting attributes, it only lasted half a day.
And this was already the third day!
“What exactly is his ‘Green Lotus’ bloodline’s Bloodline Ability?” Li Yi’s voice was hoarse, and he pursed his lips.
Thousands of runes intertwined into a net, pulling on the Elemental Tide, transforming into a multicolored, mighty giant tide!
Zhangsun Shenji was like a giant treading the tide. Stepping on colored light, he rose from the ground as if climbing a celestial ladder, ascending step by step!
The tide surged wildly until it reached the top of the overhead barrier. He stood on the crest of the wave, looking down from a high position, his face cold. “You said you wanted to step on me?”
This scene not only made Tong Xian’s face turn ashen but also made everyone else gasp in shock.
Zhangsun… he seemed gentle, but inside, he was prouder than anyone…
Li Yi thought, quite immodestly, a bit like me?
…
“Zhangsun Shenji, are you willing to enter my tutelage and become a Direct Disciple?”
Once the battle ended, Gu Yan stroked his beard and smiled, his voice drifting down leisurely.
“I am willing!” Zhangsun Shenji was neither humble nor arrogant, clasping his fists in salute.
The second match: Su Xuan’er versus Yan Zhao.
“No need to test each other! Fussy, dragging games are boring…” Yan Zhao grinned, a sharp light bursting in his eyes. “Let’s fight to our heart’s content!”
“That’s exactly what I want…” Su Xuan’er got what she wished for, her gaze not yielding in the slightest.
She raised a hand. Two shining apertures on her body, like living things, left her body and transformed into two paper kites, shifting up and down.
The Spirit-God Aperture, dormant spirits—this saying was indeed true!
“I don’t know many spells, only the Mana Missile, that’s all.”
Su Xuan’er gave a playful smile, a subtle gleam appearing in her lovely eyes.
Her five fingers moved fluidly, precise as machinery. Also Mana Missiles, but from her palm, she actually condensed four at once!
Even more bizarre, the paper kites flitting around her outside also condensed two each!
That made eight Mana Missiles at once!
“This little girl is practically a human rocket launcher!” Li Yi’s heart suddenly tightened.
The name “human rocket launcher” was novel, but Zhangsun Shenji could understand the gist. His expression didn’t change at all. “Yan Zhao might not necessarily be afraid of her! He is heaven-born and earth-nurtured, one of the Six True Bodies—Child of the Earth, the Body of Breathing Soil!”
“Child of the Earth, the Body of Breathing Soil?” Li Yi muttered, suddenly remembering something, his eyes moving.
The eight Mana Missiles did not strike directly. Instead, they shot upward, first hitting the Echo Barrier, creating an exaggerated arc of impact before pouring down vertically like a torrential rain!
Su Xuan’er was also a disciple of Wu Yi. The art of adapting to the terrain—she, like Li Yi, was very familiar with it.
Yan Zhao crossed his arms to block his eyes, actually not dodging or evading.
Boom!
The bluish-green wind dispersed, elemental currents overflowed, completely submerging Yan Zhao’s figure. The entire barrier flickered incessantly!
Under the violent, heavenly might-like force, Li Yi’s heart also couldn’t help but pound wildly.
“These guys really live up to the name Heaven’s Pride…” Li Yi had to admit, these few Heaven’s Pride were indeed fearsome.
“What?”
The one who voiced surprise was not the audience below, because they were already speechless. It was Nie Zheng on the platform, who stood up in shock.
“Is this… magic immunity?”
Yan Zhao’s clothes were completely torn, but on his body, there were only faint greenish smoke and slight burn marks. His body stood proudly, like a human-shaped Dragon, awe-inspiring beyond words!
On his exposed upper body, yellowish-brown patterns, like the Nine Cauldron inscriptions, spread across every inch of his skin. Even at the torn areas at his knees on his pants, the patterns extending there could be seen.
“Child of the Earth, the Body of Breathing Soil!” Nie Zheng slapped his thigh, exclaiming in sudden realization. “No wonder he’s named Yan Zhao! Probably born in the Yan-Zhao region! We came to the right place, truly the right place. No wonder even the Dawn Dragon was stirred. This year’s batch indeed has hidden dragons and crouching tigers!”
“Child of the Earth?” Hua Lianxing’s eyes flickered. Though a woman, she reacted unusually quickly and said urgently, “I want this boy!”
“Impossible! I remember I still have one Direct Disciple slot left. It’s him!” Nie Zheng would not yield, stating bluntly.
“You have one, and I don’t?” Of course, Hua Lianxing refused to back down, saying coldly.
Qin Yue looked covetous but had no way. Forget a Direct Disciple slot, he didn’t even have any Outer-Disciple slots left.
The people on the platform actually started arguing over Yan Zhao.
Below, the heated battle was in full swing.
“Earth Thorns!”
Yan Zhao showed no pity for the fragrant and the jade-like. He punched the ground, and countless stone thorns burst forth, pushing forward rapidly!
Secret Art!
“Secret Art? You think I don’t have any?” Su Xuan’er’s figure danced gracefully, her small waist swaying as she turned half a circle, shouting loudly, “Sparse Shadows Shaking Trees!”
A dragon of forest and wood burst out from the spot on the ground where her fingertip pointed!