Chapter 777: When the Sect Is in Crisis, How Can We Sit Idle?
The Duel of Ten Decisions is scheduled to take place over five days.
Two rounds a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
When the time reached the afternoon, on the Battle Platform at Lingtian Pass established by the Nascent Soul True Master himself, the second internal contest of Luotian commenced.
One participant was Min Longyu from the same lineage as the current Sect Master, Yao Mingyue, known by the title Lei Zhenzi. It is said that when he first entered the Foundation Establishment, he crushed five peers with a lightning array! Over the years, Lei Zhenzi's cultivation level has surpassed what it once was, reaching the Golden Core Period. He is now the foremost Array Master of the Luo Tian Sect, renowned even within Lingtian Pass.
And his adversary was Hong Ling, personally invited by Si Wenjun!
The titles associated with this woman are numerous, but ultimately just two words suffice to describe her – "Sword Cultivator"!
This battle was highly anticipated by everyone.
But the direction of the battle was destined from the very start.
Chit! Chit! Chit!
On the Battle Platform, amidst a thousand waves of Sword Qi, Min Longyu's attacks crumbled under the fierce assault of sword energies. His meticulously prepared arrays were torn apart, shattered into pieces.
He could only trap himself within a defensive array, struggling to hold on.
"You are no match for me!"
"Back when I sparred with your Supreme Elder, you hadn't even formed your Golden Core. Why persist in your struggle?"
"If you remain so obstinate, do not blame me for showing no mercy!"
A fierce shout echoed from all directions.
The overwhelming sword force did not diminish. Instead, it continued to intensify, causing Min Longyu's shield to sway like a storm.
With his white hair, Min Longyu gritted his teeth continuously, exerting his Qi Power to maintain his pre-made defensive array from shattering.
Yet, because of this, he already exhausted all his mental energy.
Seeing his opponent's dominance, he clenched his heart and took out an array disk from his arms.
Then, just at this moment.
"We surrender!"
A voice came from below the platform.
The sword force instantly vanished, and a multitude of sword energies constricted in an instant, transforming into an elixir pill that slipped into Hong Ling's mouth.
Before leaving the stage, she took a deep look at the array disk in Min Longyu's hand, which was not yet activated, with a hint of apprehension on her face.
Min Longyu walked angrily down the Battle Platform and looked at Gu Caiyi.
"Give me an explanation!"
"You cannot die on the stage," Gu Caiyi said, appearing calm.
"Why can't I? Li Yingzhang dared to risk injury to his Dao cultivation and suffer a severe realm decline to forcefully take down the enemy, why can't I? Do you trust me so little?" Min Longyu's face twisted, his hand grasping forcefully, even dropping blood from the palm.
Obviously, for this battle, he was already prepared to lose everything.
For this, he was ready to use his full Blood Essence to activate his life array disk and perish together with the Sword Cultivator!
"That Hong Ling was once a rival contemporary of my husband. Your specialty is in arrays, which require pre-arrangement. The Battle Platform is just not suitable for you. Losing to her is no shame."
"You know that I don't care about shame!"
Gu Caiyi no longer wanted to argue on such an occasion, with just a simple sentence to talk about it later, then led the crowd away.
And as the people of Luo Tian Sect departed, the discussions surrounding the match did not cease but instead became more heated.
"Was that the fourth match?"
"Indeed, we lost the fourth match. With Lei Zhenzi's defeat, Sha Dragon Child's regained confidence was almost completely eroded. Just two more losses and the power of Luo Tian Sect will transfer to Si Wenjun. Then, perhaps, this Golden Core Sect will no longer exist and be annexed by the Five Elements Divine Sect. Even if it ends in a five-five tie, with the pressure from the Five Elements Divine Sect and Mount Sky Cliff's joint forces, Fenghua Palace wouldn't forcibly protect Luo Tian Sect."
"A pity, Xu Huanzhen Upper Master opened with such a promising start, yet the subsequent development turned out this way."
"There's nothing to pity. Behind Si Wenjun stand two major Nascent Soul Ascendant Sects, and those two sects can bring in powerful allies from other declining sects. Luo Tian Sect cannot possibly win with just their own strength."
"Yes, from the moment the Duel of Ten Decisions started, Luo Tian Sect was already doomed. It's just a formality to save face for Fenghua Palace."
"Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, War Devil Wang Yuan will definitely make a move. That's the battle I'm most looking forward to!"
"Me too, everyone's betting heavily on the overall score, there's hardly any profit. I just hope for an upset in the War Devil's match tomorrow, then I'll make a fortune!"
"Haha, dreaming of the War Devil causing an upset, keep dreaming!"
"Yes, keep dreaming!"
The name of War Devil Wang Yuan has grown more resounding over the past century.
It is a reputation forged through numerous unequivocal battles of blood and fire.
Once, he single-handedly protected the Luo Tian Sect, breaking through the Xiao Yue Mountain Range; he also daringly broke into a sect's mountain gate amidst a barrage of attacks to eliminate a traitor ally.
Recently, when the front line was collapsing completely, he displayed his full capabilities, actually holding off a Fourth Order Demon Emperor.
Although only for a moment, it captured the world's attention.
Inside Lingtian Pass, a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator once humbly approached him, inviting him for a drink.
In short, as long as no Nascent Soul appears, people cannot imagine how Wang Yuan could lose?
...
Gu Caiyi and Wang Yuan walked quickly within Lingtian Pass, not leaving the city to return to Luo Tian Sect's temporary residence in the Fenghua District, but instead headed toward an inn they rented.
Min Longyu, now with white hair, walked among the crowd, feeling the occasional gaze falling upon him.
This caused his face to flush red, feeling somewhat humiliated.
But gradually, he began to realize that those looks were not mocking nor questioning but simply out of concern from fellow disciples.