Chapter 123: The Might of a Single Sword

"Don’t be so hasty, Elder Long. I haven’t finished speaking," Feng Tianrui said with a smile. "Fang Yun’s Combat Talent is actually quite strong. It only seems average when compared to his gifts for Alchemy and Artifact Refining."

"The reason a Magical Combat between a Qi Refining Seventh Layer and a Qi Refining Ninth Layer can attract so many disciples is because they believe Fang Yun, the one at the Seventh Layer, actually has a chance to win."

At this, Feng Tianrui thought for a moment before adding,

"Or, perhaps the Qi Refining Ninth Layer disciple will fail to break Fang Yun’s defense, resulting in both of them being eliminated."

According to the information he had, Fang Yun had never truly demonstrated his offensive capabilities. As an Elder, he knew he couldn’t speak in absolutes.

Although his status on Battle Peak was lower than Miao Qinghong’s, he was still the eldest of the three Elders.

「On Dueling Platform Three.」

Fang Yun arrived and leaped directly onto the platform.

His opponent, Hong Lingfeng of the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, was also swift.

Not long after Fang Yun landed, Hong Lingfeng appeared opposite him.

The Elder presiding over Dueling Platform Three watched the crowd of disciples below swell, his anticipation for this Magical Combat growing.

’A Magical Combat that can draw such a crowd must be special in some way.’

He’d heard a Steward mention this disciple, Fang Yun of the Qi Refining Seventh Layer. Apparently, the young man’s defensive techniques were particularly formidable.

"Fang Yun, Qi Refining Seventh Layer."

"Hong Lingfeng, Qi Refining Ninth Layer."

Once they were in position, they completed the customary salutations.

Unlike a sparring match, where the fight would begin as soon as the salutations were finished...

...here, they had to wait for the Elder to announce the start of the Magical Combat before they could officially begin.

"Junior Brother Fang, just defending won’t cut it this time," Hong Lingfeng reminded him.

"Today, Brother Hong will witness my offense," Fang Yun replied.

"Excellent." Hong Lingfeng nodded. "I was waiting for you to say that."

’If Fang Yun only defends, I’m worried I won’t be able to break through, and we’ll both be eliminated.’

Before the Magical Combat officially began, the Elder gave both contestants ample opportunity to speak.

Only when he saw they were truly ready and had fallen silent did he prepare to announce the start of the battle.

"Here it comes, it’s finally starting."

"To be honest, I’ve always wanted to see Junior Brother Fang’s offensive techniques, but I’ve never gotten the chance."

"Honestly? Come on, Junior Sister. If you actually got the chance to spar in Magical Combat with Junior Brother Fang, I bet you’d just be using him to hone your own offensive techniques."

Amidst the murmurs of discussion from the disciples below the Dueling Platform,

the Elder on Dueling Platform Three announced the official start of the Magical Combat between Fang Yun and Hong Lingfeng.

"It’s starting."

At that moment, the voices below the Dueling Platform died down considerably.

All eyes were fixed on the Dueling Platform, but most were trained on Fang Yun.

This was especially true for Bai Qinying and Wu Junxin. The two high-ranking members of the Inner Sect Ranking rarely watched a Magical Combat with such focus.

The moment the Magical Combat began,

Hong Lingfeng slapped the Storage Pouch at his waist. A pale golden trident materialized before him. It was an Upper Grade Magical Artifact, the most powerful one in his possession.

He was using his full strength against Fang Yun from the very beginning.

In Hong Lingfeng’s mind, he regarded Fang Yun as an opponent on his own level.

With a Foundation Establishment Elder overseeing the Magical Combat, he wasn’t afraid of accidentally injuring Fang Yun.

’If Fang Yun really gets hurt, it won’t be my fault, but the fault of the Foundation Establishment Elder on the Dueling Platform.’

"Go!"

As he attacked, he expected Fang Yun to defend for a time before looking for a chance to counterattack.

But Fang Yun made no move to defend. Instead, a pale yellow Long Sword flew from his Storage Pouch, meeting the Upper Grade Magical Artifact head-on.

Both were on the offensive.

’They’re going to clash head-on!’

That’s what many of the disciples below the Dueling Platform were thinking.

However, the result they witnessed was not what they expected.

They didn’t see an evenly matched struggle, a continuous clash between the two cultivators’ controlled Upper Grade Magical Artifacts.

As the fluctuation of Spiritual Power spread out,

the Upper Grade Magical Artifact controlled by Hong Lingfeng was sent flying.

"How is that possible!"

As the one controlling the magical artifact, Hong Lingfeng felt it most clearly. The instant his golden trident clashed with the pale yellow Long Sword,

he lost control of it.

Facing the oncoming pale yellow Long Sword, Hong Lingfeng didn’t try to regain control of his strongest Upper Grade Magical Artifact.

It was already too late.

The battle had just begun, and he was already on the defensive.

This was completely different from how he’d envisioned the Magical Combat playing out.

At this moment, any thought of winning had vanished.

’But I can’t lose this quickly, can I?’

Without a moment’s hesitation, Hong Lingfeng slapped a talisman that had appeared in his hand onto his own body.

A golden barrier instantly enveloped his entire body.

DONG—!

A loud bell toll echoed as Hong Lingfeng was sent flying backward.

The golden barrier around him didn’t shatter.

At the same time, Fang Yun recalled the Yellow Iron Sword, an Upper Grade Magical Artifact.

’I’m quite satisfied with this Yellow Iron Sword,’ he thought. ’Its extreme knockback ability, enhanced by my two-star Combat Talent, is remarkably effective.’

Hong Lingfeng didn’t fly off the Dueling Platform. The Elder intervened, pulling him back to land on the very edge of the stage.

Being knocked off the Dueling Platform, of course, also constituted a loss.

"The winner is contestant one hundred sixteen, Fang Yun!" the Elder quickly announced, giving Fang Yun a peculiar look.

’To be honest, even as a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, I didn’t see anything odd about how Fang Yun used his Upper Grade Magical Artifact at such close range. I only caught on during the actual clash.’

"Junior Brother Fang’s performance was even better than I imagined," Wu Junxin said, clearly surprised.

After what Fang Yun had said to Bai Qinying, his expectations for Fang Yun’s offense were already high. He hadn’t expected that the offensive prowess Fang Yun displayed in an actual Magical Combat would exceed even those lofty predictions.

’Based on my own estimates, Fang Yun shouldn’t have been able to reach that level.’

"Senior Sister Bai, now I truly believe what Junior Brother Fang said before."

"How interesting." Bai Qinying didn’t respond to Wu Junxin. Her gaze remained fixed on Fang Yun.

’Judging by his performance just now, he has a good chance of defeating his fifth-round opponent and facing me in the sixth.’

She was already looking forward to Fang Yun’s performance in five days.

Compared to Bai Qinying and Wu Junxin,

Song Qiaoqiao’s reaction was minimal.

When the two of them chatted, Fang Yun had verbally described much of his performance in previous Magical Combat sparring matches to her.

Based on Fang Yun’s own description of his abilities,

a performance like this seemed perfectly normal to her.