Volume 7, Chapter 428 – Pitiful, Eliminated Twice (Part 3)

The arena trembled violently under the impact, and as the tremors spread, faint cracking sounds echoed from Cheng Hongling’s Profound Ice, like the earth scorched under a blazing sun, its surface splitting into spiderweb-like fissures.

“This bell actually has such power? It can even shake Profound Ice?”

Qi Huang was astonished.

At this moment, Cheng Hongling had already charged toward Jin Shu. However, with cracks forming on the surface of the ice, her Dancing Butterfly Movement Technique was severely affected, her speed dropping significantly.

Jin Shu twisted and dodged, evading Cheng Hongling’s attacks again and again, taunting loudly, “Too slow! Pathetic! Did you skip breakfast?”

Cheng Hongling’s delicate brows furrowed as she channeled her True Qi, continuously reinforcing the ice beneath her feet.

Creak! Creak!

With the replenishment of energy, the cracks on the Profound Ice began to mend, and her speed increased once more.

Boom!

At that moment, Bao Gang struck the Celadon Demonic Sound Bell again from behind. A deafening chime, louder than before, erupted, sending the entire arena into another violent tremor.

Crack! Crack!

The Profound Ice shattered once more, the fissures even more numerous than before.

Simultaneously, the talismanic inscriptions on the bell transformed into phantom shadows, swirling around Jin Shu like stars encircling the moon before merging into his body.

Empowered by these inscriptions, the golden armor formed by his Metal Qi grew denser, gleaming with a metallic luster.

“Earth begets Metal, that’s the Celadon Talismanic Armor, an incredibly fearsome defense. Even Cheng Hongling’s Blue Scale Sword might struggle to pierce it!”

“If she can’t break through that armor, her sword won’t draw blood. Doesn’t that mean she can’t use Heavenly Thunder Sword anymore?”

“Exactly. Cheng Hongling is probably on the verge of defeat!”

Knowledgeable cultivators in the audience quickly deduced the situation.

With the ice fracturing again, friction increased, and Cheng Hongling’s speed dropped once more.

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“Let’s see how you dodge now!”

Jin Shu leaped high, his Celadon Talismanic Armor-reinforced legs slamming down like thunderbolts, each step causing the arena to groan in protest.

Crack! Crack!

The Profound Ice, weakened by the bell’s vibrations, shattered like glass beneath his stomps.

Without the ice’s support, Cheng Hongling’s speed plummeted by another twenty percent, now slightly slower than Jin Shu.

“Now, what will you fight me with?”

Jin Shu roared, kicking off the ground and charging at her like a raging bull.

Cheng Hongling barely managed to evade by soaring into the air.

But Jin Shu feinted, suddenly pivoting and smashing his fist into the icy barrier sealing his broadsword, Ironhide.

As the barrier shattered, the countless fragmented metal pieces trapped within instantly reassembled, flying back into the sword’s hilt.

Sensing danger, Cheng Hongling flashed toward Bao Gang, aiming to cut off the snake’s head.

Bao Gang sneered, lifting the Demonic Sound Bell and ducking beneath it.

“Hiding under there? Aren’t you afraid of shaking yourself to death?”

Qi Huang scoffed, then transmitted a message to her main body: “Attack the bell directly, let the vibrations finish him off!”

Cheng Hongling didn’t respond, she was already thinking the same. Her Blue Scale Sword struck the bell with a simple, direct slash.

Clang…

To everyone’s surprise, the bell emitted only a faint, almost imperceptible sound, completely drowned out by the thunder above.

“Save your strength. This is an Earth-Attributed Celadon Bell, only Earth Qi can activate it.”

Jin Shu’s mocking voice rang out as he lunged from behind, his broadsword swinging in a brutal arc.

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Cheng Hongling had no choice but to abandon her assault and retreat into the air again.

Jin Shu pressed his advantage, punching his sword again. The metallic coating shattered into countless shards, shooting toward Cheng Hongling like a storm of blades.

She dodged frantically, using her Divine Sense to evade while deflecting unavoidable shards with her sword. The situation looked dire.

“Junior Sister! Go help your main body!”

Miao Xiang urged Qi Huang anxiously.

“Don’t panic. We have to trust her!”

Qi Huang remained calm. Given her strength, she could intervene at any moment to ensure her main body remained unharmed.

“Let’s see how long you can stay airborne. That Heavenly Thunder Sword must’ve drained you. The moment you land, you’re finished.”

Jin Shu grinned smugly, controlling the metal shards to harry Cheng Hongling relentlessly.

“Here’s the question, why wait for me to land? As an Incarnation Realm expert, why don’t you just chase me up here?”

Cheng Hongling’s voice was calm.

Jin Shu’s brow twitched. He wanted to, but a few days ago, his soul had been suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, leaving a lingering injury. Moving too vigorously now would trigger splitting headaches.

“Could it be… your soul injury hasn’t fully healed?”

A faint smirk touched Cheng Hongling’s lips as she whispered, “Corpse-Measuring Marsh”.

Instantly, the shattered Profound Ice beneath Jin Shu and Bao Gang liquefied, seeping into the ground.

Creak! Creak!

Even solid granite cracked under the freezing liquid, and within moments, their side of the arena collapsed into a muddy swamp.

Jin Shu paled, forcibly activating his Divine Sense to levitate. Bao Gang, too, hastily stowed his bell and barely managed to hover.

But the strain aggravated their soul injuries, their heads felt like they were splitting open.

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“Agh—!”

Both screamed in unison, their bodies swaying uncontrollably.

Seizing the opportunity, Cheng Hongling darted forward like a ghost, delivering a swift kick to each, sending them flying out of the arena.

“Wow! Junior Sister won!”

Miao Xiang jumped up in excitement, and the surrounding disciples erupted in cheers.

“Finally, it’s over. Now it’s my turn to warm up!”

Qi Huang cracked her knuckles eagerly.

“She actually did it, eliminating an entire sect twice in one tournament. That’s unheard of in the history of the Evergreen Conference!”

“Not just unheard of. It’s unprecedented and unlikely to ever be repeated. At least in the Western Radiance Dynasty, this is a first. Both her and the Jinliu Sect will go down in history now.”

“After this, the Jinliu Sect’s reputation will take a massive hit. The third-ranked immortal sect of the dynasty will likely decline rapidly. How pitiful.”

“In contrast, the Honghua Sect has made a name for itself overnight. Cheng Hongling practically carried the entire sect on her back. A peerless genius like her, comparable to Wen Jing of Shuiyu Valley or Ye Donglai of the Donglai Sect, will surely become a hegemon in the Western Radiance’s cultivation world.”

The crowd buzzed with awe.

In stark contrast, the Jinliu Sect’s members looked as if they were mourning their own deaths, especially Elder Jin, who had completely forgotten about his son’s condition. He knelt on the ground, wailing in despair. He knew that he and all the sect’s participants would be remembered as the ones who doomed Jinliu Sect.

Jin Shu and Bao Gang writhed on the ground, howling. Whether from frustration or pain, no one could tell.

“I said I’d eliminate you twice. And I delivered.”

Cheng Hongling declared coldly, wiping the blood from her sword. The dark clouds above dissipated, and sunlight bathed the arena once more.

“The winner is Contestant Number Seven!”

An Immortal Alliance disciple promptly announced.

“Alright, let’s pack up and prepare. We still have to face the Huxiao Sect next, they’re even tougher than Jinliu Sect.”

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Ruan Lingyu, the eldest disciple, instructed swiftly.

“No need. I’ll handle them myself. You all stay seated and enjoy the show. Senior Sister Miao Xiang is too short, I won’t allow anyone to block her view.”

Qi Huang waved her off. She was about to put on a performance, and she needed her junior sisters to witness it properly.

The disciples all glanced at Cheng Hongling. Seeing no objection from her, their excitement surged, because everyone knew Qi Huang’s true strength. She was the Honghua Sect’s real trump card.

Cheng Hongling didn’t stop her for two reasons: First, she had already settled all grudges. Second, she hadn’t lost. So even if her doppelgänger stole the spotlight, no one could mock her.

“Not bad. Heavenly Thunder Sword, the deadliest technique for water-attributed cultivators. In the entire cultivation world, the number of female cultivators who’ve mastered it can be counted on one hand. You’ve surprised me yet again. With your current strength, you’d probably rank in the top ten among my concubines.”

Lü Er’s arrogant voice rang out once more.

Cheng Hongling’s pretty face twisted in disgust, she loathed womanizers like him.

“What? Only top ten? That’s way too low!”

Qi Huang feigned shock.

“It’s plenty high. Do you know who I, Lü Er, am? Not just any woman qualifies to be my concubine! Every single one of them is a peerless fairy, one in ten thousand!”

Lü Er boasted proudly.

“Then if I defeat your main body, wouldn’t that mean you’re unworthy of me?”

Qi Huang teased.

“Defeat me? Worry about reaching me first. If you can’t even make it to the Yongning Prefecture finals, I might reconsider taking you as a concubine.”

Lü Er’s tone was almost kind in its condescension.

“Finals? Young Master Lü, you jest. Now that she’s exhausted all her trump cards, how will she fare against my Huxiao Sect’s elite in the next round? I’m afraid this is as far as she goes.”

Elder Zhou’s confident voice cut in.