Chapter 162: Chu Huaixu, Champion of the Eastern Continent
On the high platform, even Lu Pan hadnât expected that after setting up the formation, the platform would still become a ruin.
Apparently, the root cause lay in that surge of dark bluish-black airflow.
The formations remained intact, but the flow had seeped through them.
Lu Pan was a formation grandmaster of the Eighth Realm. The Bronze Sword had only just unlocked its first restrictionâit shouldnât have been capable of that.
"These miasmic energies really are impossible to guard against,"thought the Enforcement Elder.
Even if he clashed with the Evil Sword, these dark bluish-black miasmic energies would still devour his powerâunresistible, with no exceptions.
Yet, everyone could see it: Chu Huaixu could actually resolve the miasma?
This was none other than the most sinister energy between Heaven and Earth!
"More precisely, it seemed like the Dao Ancestorâs Sword Scabbard absorbed it?"thought Xiang Yan and the others.
As expected of the Dao Ancestor.
To think he left behind such a contingency!
For those within the Dao Gate, anything incomprehensible would become reasonable the moment it was associated with the Dao Ancestor.
Upon the platform, Chu Huaixuâs figure was slightly hunched, propped up by his sword.
Zhegutian was not a greatswordâhe couldnât strike a bold pose by standing upright with the massive sword planted into the ground.
He was drenched in blood and seriously injured, but now, the spirit sword served as a crutch for his bent figure.
A supreme-grade spirit swordâused as a cane.
Yet the scene before them would not cause anyone to underestimate him.
In this collapsed ruin, the black-robed figure leaning on his sword etched itself deep into the hearts of countless onlookers.
Including his earlier indomitable advance, and his unwavering composure even after being gravely injured.
It didnât matter how he stood nowâwhat form, what posture.
What mattered wasââhe was still standing!
Therefore, he was the champion of the Eastern Continent!
At this very moment, Chu Huaixu wasnât even taking deep breaths, because his internal organs had suffered severe damage.
The defiant self-healing ability of the ăDao Canonă was now taking effect.
But he was too gravely wounded, and recovery would take timeâthere was no way he could heal instantly.
From his Storage Token, he took out Healing Spiritual Pills and popped three into his mouth in one go.
After that, Chu Huaixuâs gaze fell on Xu Ziqing.
Little Xu was actually hurt even worse than he was.
Xu Ziqingâs left arm was useless, and now the right arm was gone too.
His internal organs probably werenât much better off either. If not for his body training, the situation wouldâve been disastrous.
Chu Huaixu strongly suspected that, in ăBorrowed Swordă, once Xu Ziqing drew his sword, it would bring irreversible internal damage and an immense price!
Heâd hurt the junior disciple who respected him this muchâof course, he felt uneasy about it. He intended to go over and feed him a few of his own handmade Healing Spiritual Pills.
Though they might not be as high-grade as the ones the cultivation elders gave, they had the warmth of being personally refinedâmaybe it would bring him some comfort?
Of course, on the way over, Chu Huaixu had other business to handle.
The Bronze Sword he had knocked flying with one slash now lay quietly in a pile of rubble.
Twice, during the mountain-climbing trips to Hidden Spirit Mountain, simply because he had a Heart Sword in his Sea of Consciousness, simply because the spiritual energy in his body was identical to the Dao Ancestorâs, this Evil Sword had exerted oppressive mightâdemanding him to kneel.
Kneel?
Laoziâhell no! He was a team member, damn it!
Crossing over didnât mean throwing away his pride!
That day, Chu Huaixu had been pressured by the oppressive might until blood flowed from all seven apertures, and his Sea of Consciousness nearly collapsedâyet he did not kneel.
Today, he faced the first restriction of the Bronze Sword with the First Realmâand he won.
Dragging his heavily wounded body, carrying a sickly sword within his Sea of Consciousness, he trudged forward with a difficult posture.
He was going to feed Little Xu some spiritual pills.
But when he passed by the Bronze Sword, he spoke softly, tone flat as water:"You lost."
Now, it was you lying at my feet.
The Evil Swordâs sword spirit was being forcibly sealed by the restriction left behind by the Dao Ancestor, gradually falling into slumber.
The last scene it saw was this black-robed young man stepping over its body.
......
......
Past grudges repaid today.
You tried to force me to my kneesâIâll repay you with a step over your crotch.
On the high platform, Xiang Yan and the others sat in a daze at the sight.
Even Jiang Zhiâs eyelids twitched again.
And yet, for some reason, he actually felt a touch of satisfactionâa flicker of delight!
This Evil Sword always looked down from above, equally scornful of all.
Everyone who had stepped atop Hidden Spirit Mountain had felt its condescension and disdain.
But the result of this Championâs Duel defied many expectations.
Xiang Yan and Jiang Zhi couldnât help but glance at each other.
All that about the Dao Ancestorâs Maxim, all that Heavenâs Mandated Sword Attendant, all that so-called greatest sword under Heaven... all of it had been shattered by a single strike from the young disciple on the platform!
Before Little Martial Uncle returned to the sect, due to Li Chunsongâs mistake, everyone had assumed Chu Huaixu was the Heavenâs Mandated One.
Everyone had hoped he would claim the sword.
Only to end in disappointment.
But now?
For some reason, the words he had carved onto the Gentlemanâs Monument echoed once more in the minds of the Dao Gate elders.
"A gentleman uses things, not the other way around."
He had proven with his strengthââeven without that sword, so what?
As Sect Master, Xiang Yanâs mind had already begun spinning rapidlyâthere were follow-up matters he would need to preside over personally.
Back when he saw Chu Huaixu carve those words, he had already wonderedâshould we really place all our hopes for salvation in an Evil Sword?
"Perhaps... the current situation... is even better than what the Dao Ancestorâs Maxim foretold?"
The ones most excited atop the high platform were Li Chunsong and Chu Yinyin.
Dead Gamblerâs face was now red to the point of turning purple.
He looked just like someone who had drunk an entire jar of spiritual wine alone, with the alcohol hitting hard, his face flushing instantly.
He couldnât help rubbing his hands wildly, unable to hide the grin spreading across his face. The corners of his mouth just wouldnât go down.
"I won?"
"No no no! I won again!"
"Hahahaha!"
That the former Benevolent Gambling King hadnât laughed aloud already showed unbelievable restraint.
Never in his life did he imagine that after bringing back a new disciple from the mountain, his losing streak would transform into a myth of invincibility!
Even Dead Gambler himself thought it was absurd.
"Even this can win!!"
"He actually won this shit!"
Li Chunsongâs favorability toward Chu Huaixu shot straight upâhe even started thinking: Should I just humble myself and become his Third Master?
Chu Yinyin, on the other hand, was even more direct. She couldnât sit still on her big chair and immediately leapt down.
"I told you Chu Huaixu would win! None of you believed me!" The old girl opened her mouth and got in their faces.
She was simply too smug right now. Chu Huaixu had really made her proud.
And given her naturally unruly behavior, the person she feared least was Little Martial Uncle Jiang Zhi, so she continued roasting:
"Always going on about setting restrictions. Whatâs with all that 'below the Seventh Realm doesnât qualify to know' crap?"
"Did you all even understand what you were talking about?"
Chu Yinyin puffed out her flat chest with immense pride.
In her view, aside from the lucky bastard Li Chunsong, who else had the insight she did?
And yet you wouldnât let me participate?
Now, my future disciple has claimed the title of Champion of the Eastern Continent!
Whatâs more, I invested in him. I nurtured him!
"Are you all useless or what?" That baby-fat face of hers bore an expression equal parts disdain and smugness, as she thought to herself.
And yet, Xiang Yan and the others found it hard to refute her.
Jiang Zhiâs expression darkened instantly, as if his true skin tone had suddenly returned.
Meanwhile, within the Dao Gateâs inner sect, in that Purple Bamboo Forestâ
The gaunt Daoist nun seated atop a giant stone did not continue her closed-door cultivation today. Instead, she spread her spiritual sense to observe everything unfolding within the Martial Arena.
A soft smile crept across her face as well.
On the platform, Chu Huaixu had already finished feeding the pill to Xu Ziqing and briefly examined his injuries.
The two inner sect disciples assisting nearby immediately stepped forward to help.
Once all that was done, Chu Huaixu stood up with difficulty, still leaning on his spirit sword.
What should he do next?
Nothing.
"Then, enjoy the cheers, Chu Huaixu,"he told himself.
Across the Martial Arena, a thunderous roar erupted like heaven and earth trembling.
It wasnât just Dao Gate disciplesâeven many outer sect disciples were shouting loudly in celebration.
From today onward, his name would resound across the entire Eastern Continent!
Chu Huaixu, Champion of the Eastern Continent.
Who in the world would not know his name?
Amidst wave after wave of cheering, that black-robed young man revealed a trace of youthful spirit on his face.
And within his Sea of Consciousness, the black small sword was now bursting with excitement.
Today, he and it had defeated the Bronze Sword.
The Heart Sword began to tremble.
It was as though it released a soundless yet exhilarated sword cry!
This caused all the spirit swords below the platform to tremble in resonance, letting out bursts of sword cries!
Within all this clamor, Chu Huaixu leaned on his sword and looked toward her in the crowd.
"Thanks for the sword, Senior Sister Han."
"Returning it to its rightful owner,"he said to Han Shuangjiang with a smile.
ăZhegutiană, drawn by his qi, flew forward and landed back into the sword scabbard in Han Shuangjiangâs hands.
He could even sense that the sword seemed... a little reluctant?
Of course, its masterâthe Big Ice Blockâwas fully aware of this.
But now was clearly not the time to argue with the Dead Fox over such things.
Naturally, she too would offer him her most heartfelt congratulations!
On the high platform, those cultivation powerhouses from the Four Great Sects could see the youthful vigor on this young manâs face.
Yet they didnât think much of it.
Because by the rules, it would likely be this young man, basking in the cheers of tens of thousands, who would enter the perilous first layer of the ăOrigin Spirit Realmă.
If what the Dao Ancestorâs Maxim had foretold was trueâand this trial would be far more dangerous than ever beforeâthen who could guarantee the outcome? Who could say anything with certainty?
Moreover, everything regarding the Origin Spirit Realm was top secret among top secrets.
Most people wouldnât even know what this young man was about to do for the sake of the world.
So, before he departs...
ââThe world must know his name!
......