NOVPUB"I’m boasting, huh?" Ying Hui was instantly annoyed when he heard Xu Luobai’s words, "Do you dare to bet with me?"
Hearing the word ’bet,’ Xu Luobai immediately became alert, "What do you want to bet on?"
Ying Hui said with a smile, "10,000 points or the equivalent goods, how about it? Are you betting or not?"
"10,000 points?" Xu Luobai raised an eyebrow, "What are you thinking, Ying Hui? Do you think a third-realm student is a reincarnated deity?"
Ying Hui said, "I think even a deity reincarnate can’t compare to Zhou Bai. You simply don’t understand, this kid Zhou Bai has an iron will and a once-in-a-millennium talent. The key is he’s not disturbed by external objects and doesn’t care about the opinions of others. That’s the most important point in cultivation."
Xu Luobai smiled, not agreeing with Ying Hui at all. In his view, the students from the West Mountain Daoist School, who were stationed on the western front facing the battlefield and participated in the most actual combat, were the ones with the strongest fighting power and the most willing to fight and strive among the Four Great Taoist Schools.
This Zhou Bai could only be considered a greenhouse flower at best, not to mention he wasn’t even in the same realm as the others.
He thought to himself: ’Our Jijian Pavilion’s West Mountain Daoist School has sacrificed the most for humanity and has the strongest combat capabilities. Our entire school is stationed at the frontline; such is the spirit of our Jijian Pavilion. Over the past hundred years, how many of our Jijian Pavilion’s predecessors have sacrificed their lives on the frontline? Who else but us to take on the struggle for fortune this time?’
’Zhou Bai from the East Mountain Daoist School is just at the third realm, and the highest realm they have, Zheng Wentian, is a dandy deity offspring. What does the East Mountain Daoist School have to compete with others?’
So, Xu Luobai said, "Alright, I’ll bet the 10,000 points. Don’t go back on your word if you lose."
Ying Hui couldn’t help laughing inside: "Lose? Zhou Bai has already learned the Tianhe Star Explosion Sword and has even slaughtered a Grade 5 Heavenly Demon. There’s no way I’m losing. Prepare to pay up."
Ying Hui turned his gaze and said to the other two beside him, "Hui Jing, You Tu, how about you join the bet? Each of you put up 10,000 points to bet with me, do you dare? Just bet on whether our East Mountain Daoist School will win."
The two exchanged glances, and waves of emotion surged within them.
’Has Ying Hui gone mad? What makes him so confident?’ thought You Tu from the Evil Sect, who, after thinking it over, also felt that the East Mountain Daoist School couldn’t possibly win in the end.
’For this big competition, our Evil Sect’s higher-ups have already negotiated with the Celestial Court, and we’re determined to take first place. Not to mention Cang Ming’s abilities, even Li Gui is a genius who has cultivated in the Celestial Court for many years and has stepped into the fifth realm. With the magical treasures bestowed by the deity, how can we lose?’
Thus, he said coldly, "Fine, then I’ll put up 10,000 points."
Beside him, Hui Jing said, "Well, I’ll also put up 10,000 points." He thought to himself, ’The East Mountain Daoist School... and that Zhou Bai are of no concern. They’re far too behind in skill. Kong Chan alone might be able to take on the entire East Mountain Daoist School’s team by himself, this 10,000 points is a sure win.’
As Ying Hui and the others placed their bets and each felt certain of their victory, the competition officially began on the platform.
A light screen flashed above the square, transforming into the names of the Four Great Taoist Schools, bouncing around before suddenly stopping.
The order was Beihai Daoist School, Nanshan Daoist School, East Mountain Daoist School, West Mountain Daoist School.
Elsewhere, Zhou Bai looked toward the Beihai Daoist School and saw a group there discussing briefly before one person stood out and jumped onto the platform.
It was a big man who looked honest and thickset. Standing in one corner of the platform, he clasped his hands towards the crowd and said, "From Beihai Daoist School, second realm, Wei He please advise."
Meanwhile, Zhou Bai and the others were also exchanging messages through voice transmission.
Jiang Weishan said, "Next, it’s our turn. Who should we send up?"
Lu Wanzhen replied, "The first to go up is cannon fodder, meant to weaken the other teams. Zhou Bai is the strongest and should be reserved for last. We can send the weakest one up first." Saying this, she turned her head to look at Qian Wangsun.
Qian Wangsun exclaimed, "Why are you looking at me? I’m not the weakest... I think Liu Bingxin is weaker than me."
In the previous selection for the top ten participants, Liu Bingxin missed the cut by one spot and didn’t make it. However, this time, with Meng Ruocun withdrawing, Liu Bingxin took the spot.
Zheng Wentian’s eyebrows furrowed, then he suddenly said, "I’ll go."
Everyone looked at Zheng Wentian in surprise. Just then, a competitor from Evil Sect had already emerged and, with a whoosh, leaped onto the fighting platform.
It was a slender woman with red hair, who fist-bumped the big man on the platform and said, "Second realm from South Mountain Daoist School, Miao Ruo."
After exchanging greetings, they both went all out. The man cultivated martial arts with the Dao Tu technique, while the woman cultivated poison arts with the Tian Tu technique. After an intense exchange, the woman from Evil Sect was knocked off the platform.
However, the big man from Leiyin Temple didn’t seem too well off either. His complexion was pale, his palms trembled, clearly having been poisoned and not yet fully detoxified.
It was now East Mountain Daoist School’s turn, and just when Zheng Wentian was about to go up, he saw Qian Wangsun spring forward, beating him to the platform.
A hint of resignation flashed across Qian Wangsun’s face: ’Troublesome. I just didn’t want Zheng Wentian to go up first.’
But as he looked at the big man who seemed unsteady, a smile surfaced at the corner of his mouth, "Luckily, it’s a pushover. At least I’ll win one round."
With the ability to see five seconds into the future and Qian Wangsun’s own second realm Dongxin Tu cultivation, he could almost perfectly predict his opponent’s moves, effortlessly dodging attacks, and then exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses.
Within just a few moves, the big man could no longer hold his ground. From the other side, Kong Chan from Leiyin Temple conveyed telepathically, "Admit defeat, Brother Wei."
The big man on the platform immediately raised his hands to surrender, granting Qian Wangsun his first victory.
Next up was a second realm cultivator from Jijian Pavilion.
One could see his sword releasing a dazzling light as he, wrapped in brilliance, charged toward Qian Wangsun.
Christina said, "That’s the Sunshine Sword, capable of using light to disrupt vision and the powers of the Primordial Spirit. They’ve picked a counter after seeing Qian Wangsun’s way of fighting."
But in the next moment, within a glimmer of light, the two touched and immediately separated.
The cultivator wielding the Sunshine Sword staggered slightly, then blood flowed from his chest as he knelt on the platform, and was quickly carried off. Though he was injured, Qian Wangsun’s blow was measured; the wound was not fatal nor crippling, or the Gong Tu cultivators surrounding them would have intervened sooner.
Jian Hui approached the injured cultivator, his Primordial Spirit power scanning the wound on the chest, and felt a tinge of surprise, "He broke through your sword technique in an instant? Could this Qian Wangsun also be a skilled sword cultivator?"
Then it was Beihai Dao School’s turn. A bald monk slowly walked onto the platform, facing Qian Wangsun.
"Second realm, Wu Feng. Please enlighten me."
