Chapter 140 : The Genius Takes the Stage

Chapter 140: The Genius Takes the Stage

On the martial arena, as Si Ling watched her puppet legion steadily retreat in defeat, she finally revealed a trace of bitter laughter.

She gently stroked the last damaged Colossus puppet before her and slowly raised her hand to concede.

As a Mechanism Master, there was no need to struggle any further at this point.

Engaging in close combat would only make things uglier and more embarrassing.

“The victor has been decided! Xu Mingyuan wins!” The elder had already seen how the situation was unfolding.

The moment Si Ling raised her hand, he immediately announced in a loud voice.

On the Commentary Platform, Long Tao slumped back in his chair, looking drained.

“She even lost that! I can’t keep commentating like this!”

Fang Wuqi watched Long Tao’s world-weary expression and recalled how passionately he had been directing the battlefield just moments ago.

He could not help but want to laugh, but instead patted his shoulder in consolation.

“That’s the charm of a match. Until the very last moment, no one knows what might happen.”

In the spectator stands, cheers once again erupted just like after the first match ended.

This Mechanism puppet battle, full of twists and turns, had concluded in an unexpected way, yet it left everyone exhilarated.

Especially when paired with Long Tao’s brimming confidence that ultimately fell just short—many were both thrilled and amused.

For quite a few people, the commentary of Long Tao and Fang Wuqi—their voices, their insights, even their mistaken judgments—had gradually become somewhat indispensable, though the audience themselves had yet to realize it.

On the arena, after the soundproof barrier dissipated, Si Ling and Xu Mingyuan were both stunned by the thunderous cheers.

As Mechanism Masters, they were long accustomed to being regarded as oddities in the arena.

After all, those who came here wished to see Immortal Arts and Martial Dao in direct confrontation.

Neither of them had expected such treatment.

After all, few Mechanism Masters had participated in the Grand Competition in the past.

And due to their comparatively weak personal combat strength, even if they managed to assemble their puppets, they would quickly be knocked down by their opponents.

Those puppets had often become little more than decorative wastes—an inherent limitation of one-on-one matches in such settings.

Yet today, by sheer coincidence, two Mechanism Masters had encountered one another.

They had agreed beforehand that for a short period after the start, neither would interfere with the other.

Each would assemble a portion of their puppets and mechanisms first, then engage in a hearty head-on clash.

Unexpectedly, it had produced such an epic battlefield spectacle.

Not only the ordinary spectators—even the Golden Core True Persons had found it deeply satisfying.

One elder clapped his hands in admiration.

“Even children’s mechanism duels can be this exciting. I think we can organize more of this kind of competition within the sect in the future!”

Many disciples from various sects present were shocked by this battle.

Especially Burial Sword Cliff, a sect that looked down upon Mechanism Arts.

Aside from Cloud Vessels, which genuinely improved daily life, they rejected most mechanisms—particularly combat-oriented ones—believing they would tarnish the purity and elegance of Sword Cultivators.

But now… many male disciples of Burial Sword Cliff wore unmistakable expressions of yearning and curiosity.

After all, how many men could witness a scene like that and remain unmoved? If even the most conservative Burial Sword Cliff reacted this way, one could imagine the effect on other factions.

The one with the least reaction was Starfall Sword Sect.

This Sword Cultivator sect had long fought alongside Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect against the Extraterritorial Heavenly Demon Battle Group in the northwest.

They were accustomed to various mechanism puppets.

For them, nearly everyone having stepped onto a battlefield before, this match could only be considered a minor drill.

On the arena, the two Mechanism Masters who had just fiercely exchanged blows walked down side by side, almost without injury.

Though Xu Mingyuan had won, his mind was not on victory at all.

Instead, he excitedly discussed with Si Ling the performance of the various mechanism puppets in real combat.

“Opportunities like this to comprehensively test mechanism performance are far too rare.” Xu Mingyuan’s eyes still shone with excitement.

“Under normal circumstances, Master would never allow us to squander materials and Spirit Stones like this.”

Upon hearing this, Si Ling lowered her voice and whispered to him,

“It actually wasn’t a coincidence. I specifically asked Junior Brother Long Tao to help adjust the match bracket beforehand, so we could meet in the first round.”

“That’s possible?! Junior Brother Long must be busy enough already—preparing commentary and helping you with this. But… would True Person Shi allow him to do that?”

“Under normal circumstances, definitely not.” Si Ling smiled lightly.

“But Mechanism Masters have always only been supporting characters in the Grand Competition, so Long Tao managed to persuade True Person Shi to make a few arrangements. It seems now that our efforts were not in vain.”

By the time they finished speaking, they had returned to the area where disciples of Tiangong Pavilion gathered.

Their fellow disciples immediately came forward with smiles, taking the damaged mechanism puppets and beginning repairs while enthusiastically discussing the combat data they had just collected.

…

This novel Mechanism puppet battle pushed the atmosphere of the venue to a new climax.

As a result, although the following matches were somewhat more ordinary, they still maintained considerable heat.

Combined with the faster pace of these bouts, even if they lacked the previous brilliance, the audience’s excitement remained high.

When the schedule reached the fifteenth match, the moment Long Tao announced the competitors’ names, the cheers across the arena grew even louder.

At the same time… almost all the visiting prodigies truly focused their gazes upon the center of the arena for the first time.

Because the genius who had risen out of nowhere three years ago—Nan Yuchen—was finally about to formally display his strength before the eyes of many factions and his fellow prodigies.

And naturally, Long Tao did not wish Nan Yuchen’s grand first official debut to have any blemish.

So he intended to praise him generously.

After all, with that kid’s temperament and Destiny Luck being so strong, a little flattery would not hurt.

“Everyone present must already know,” Long Tao’s voice spread throughout the venue through the Speech Pivot Pearl.

All could sense that his tone carried an emotion unlike before, as if something were brewing.

“Three years ago, Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect welcomed an unprecedented genius. Not only does he possess a Heavenly Spiritual Root, he ascended nine hundred steps of the Heavenly Ladder. His temperament and comprehension are both peerless. At the time, before he had even officially entered the sect, three Golden Core True Persons were already vying to accept him as a Personal Disciple.”

Nan Yuchen, who was just about to leap into the arena, heard Long Tao’s lavish praise and immediately stopped in embarrassment, retreating back to stand beside his master, True Person Mingzhu.

As True Person Mingzhu listened to the introduction, however, a rather satisfied expression appeared on her face.

Exactly—say more.

“A newly admitted disciple who was still a mortal three years ago should not possibly appear on the stage of this Grand Competition.” Long Tao’s voice and tone gradually grew louder and more impassioned.

“However, what we mediocre mortals deem impossible has never been an obstacle to a true genius! In merely three years, he cultivated from a common mortal to Foundation Establishment Third Layer, standing shoulder to shoulder with the sect’s other prodigies! Now, fellow disciples and fellow Daoists—let us greet Moon-Washing Peak’s… Nan, Yu, Chen—with the most enthusiastic applause!”

Thunderous cheers instantly erupted throughout the arena.

A genius had always been the most pride-worthy banner of any sect.

No one felt that Long Tao’s special introduction—different from all others—was inappropriate.

A genius deserved such treatment.

As for his opponent, they could talk after winning.

Under the gaze of the entire crowd, Nan Yuchen took a deep breath and leapt directly from Moon-Washing Peak’s seating area into the martial arena.