Volume 1, Chapter 76 – No, the Feminization Continues (Part 2)

“Next match—Contestants Eighteen and Nineteen!”

As the two fighters on the stage concluded their battle, a disciple from the Immortal Alliance announced the next pair.

The moment the words fell, a figure strode onto the platform from the opposite side. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with rough, masculine features and an overwhelmingly muscular build. His short sleeves and trousers strained against bulging muscles that formed visible, block-like ridges. Every step he took sent tremors through the ground, as if an earthquake followed in his wake.

“Look! It’s Jin Hu, the Golden Flow Sect’s top prodigy! They say he’s a once-in-a-century genius from that super sect—he’s aiming for the top three this time!”

“His father is the Golden Flow Sect’s leader, a peak Divine Realm cultivator and one of the Western Radiance Dynasty’s Ten Great Experts. Of course his son would be monstrous!”

“I wonder who his opponent is? If it were me, I’d forfeit immediately. No point ruining my foundation and crippling future cultivation.”

The tens of thousands of spectators erupted into chatter.

Hearing the discussions, Xu Mei’s face grew even more uneasy. She turned to her disciple and urged, “Hongling, why don’t we withdraw? You’re still young—there will be other chances. If your foundation is damaged now, the loss would far outweigh the gain.”

“Master, you once told us that a cultivator’s strength isn’t just about realm—it’s also about combat experience. Since joining the Evergreen Conference, I’ve never lost. Facing an opponent like this is the perfect chance to test my limits. If I back down at the first sign of difficulty, how can I ever grow?”

Cheng Hongling’s reply was resolute. Without hesitation, she stepped onto the stage.

“Everyone, look! That female cultivator is stunning!”

“Heavens, her beauty rivals even the Holy Maiden of the Jade Water Valley! How have we never heard of her before?”

“Look at her skin—so fair and delicate. She must be a prodigy from some southern super sect.”

“No, no! With that tall, slender figure? Definitely a northern sect. Southern women don’t grow that tall!”

“Who says southerners can’t be tall? You’re shorter than me! Stop bragging!”

The crowd was once again sent into an uproar—this time over Cheng Hongling’s appearance. Some even came to blows arguing whether she was from the north or south.

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Unfazed, Cheng Hongling ascended the stage with graceful steps, her bearing ethereal as she faced the Golden Flow Sect’s top disciple.

Jin Hu—for that was his name—seemed momentarily stunned that his opponent was such a delicate beauty. Recovering, he cupped his fists and said, “Jin Hu of the Golden Flow Sect. May I ask which esteemed sect the fairy hails from?”

“Huangtian County, Honghua Sect—Cheng Hongling.”

She returned the courtesy, openly stating her origins without concealment, even though her homeland was infamous throughout the Western Radiance Dynasty.

“What? Huangtian County? That notorious rat’s nest?”

“How is that possible? I heard people from Huangtian are short and ugly. How did they produce such a peerless beauty?”

“Well, maybe the sect recruited her from elsewhere. She must have noble blood!”

The crowd buzzed with disbelief, refusing to accept that Cheng Hongling could be a native of Huangtian.

“Huangtian County? That cesspit everyone knows about?”

Jin Hu’s brow furrowed, his earlier admiration replaced by open disdain.

“Watch your words.”

Cheng Hongling’s willow-leaf eyebrows knitted slightly.

“Respect?” Jin Hu sneered. “Respect is earned with fists, not demands. If you want my respect, prove you deserve it!”

Cheng Hongling wasted no more breath. In an instant, her sword flashed into her hand. Qi erupted beneath her feet, and a sheet of ice spread rapidly from her position, covering the stage.

“Freezing the ground? Trying to limit my mobility?”

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Jin Hu smirked as dense metallic qi surged from his body, condensing into a liquid state before solidifying into plates of armor that encased him completely.

At the same time, Cheng Hongling moved. Gliding effortlessly across the ice, her tall figure vanished—only to reappear two zhang away. Like a butterfly flitting between flowers, she flickered in and out of sight, her movements impossible to track.

“Incredible footwork! I can barely see her!” someone gasped below.

“Fast, yes. But I never planned to move.”

Jin Hu remained calm. His metallic qi had already formed an impenetrable suit of armor.

Cheng Hongling closed in, her sword weaving afterimages as she struck at Jin Hu from all angles.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A relentless barrage of metallic clashes rang out.

True to his word, Jin Hu stood immovable, relying entirely on his armor to block her attacks.

Cheng Hongling poured all her strength into each slash, yet the most she could leave were shallow scratches. Her breathing grew ragged.

“Water qi is inherently weak in offense, while I specialize in the sturdiest metal qi. You never stood a chance.”

Jin Hu shook his head almost pityingly. Suddenly, his armor disassembled, reforming into a massive, pitch-black bell covered in mystical runes.

Seizing the opening, Cheng Hongling lunged at his now-unprotected form.

“Fool. I baited you on purpose.”

Jin Hu’s lips curled as he flicked the bell with a single finger.

BOOM!

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A deafening chime exploded outward. The bell shattered, releasing visible soundwaves that ripped across the stage, shattering the ice like autumn leaves in a gale.

Cheng Hongling, caught mid-charge, recoiled as the sonic assault stabbed into her eardrums. She barely managed to clamp her hands over her ears.

Qi Huang, experiencing everything through their shared senses, writhed in silent agony—her own eardrums felt ready to burst.

“AHH!”

Even spectators at the edges of the plaza clutched their ears in pain.

Jin Hu seized the moment. One step brought him before Cheng Hongling, and a casual-looking punch followed.

She barely raised her arms in time.

CRACK!

The seemingly effortless blow contained terrifying force. Cheng Hongling was sent flying, her left arm bending at a grotesque angle.

As she hurtled toward the stage’s edge, she gritted her teeth and stabbed her sword into the platform, trying to slow her momentum.

Screeeech—

The friction sent sparks flying, but her body refused to stop. Blood trickled from her lips—the punch had not only broken her arm but also inflicted internal injuries.

Jin Hu pressed his advantage. The shattered bell fragments reassembled into a colossal sword several zhang long.

Gripping the hilt, he swung it like a flyswatter.

THUD!

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Before Cheng Hongling could recover, the massive blade connected, launching her like a cannonball into the spectator stands.

CRASH!

Stone seats crumbled on impact, debris scattering as nearby cultivators fled in panic.

Qi Huang felt as if her entire body had been pulverized. Excruciating pain devoured her consciousness.

“As expected. A rat’s nest can’t produce a phoenix—at best, a pretty vase.”

Jin Hu’s mocking voice drifted faintly into the darkness.

A sliver of dawn light peeked through the eastern clouds, but the mist-choked skies here refused its warmth.

In her bed, “Qi Huang” suddenly opened her eyes. Unlike previous awakenings—filled with confusion—her gaze was now sharp and clear, cold as a moonlit night.

She rose, dressed with deliberate grace, and descended the stairs. Every movement was icy precision, devoid of her usual dimples or warmth—identical to Fairy Hongling herself.

Without pause, she headed straight for the door.

“I said—you don’t leave this house without my permission.”

Cheng Hongling’s voice rang out sharply from within.

“Qi Huang” ignored her completely. Her steps never faltered.