Chapter 435: The Momentum of Defeat
Wang Tuo had learned from Li Yuanâs match and wanted to focus his efforts on defense.
Wu Chen was strutting on about counting the match as a loss if any of the three sects could hold out for longer than ten moves. Although Wang Tuo intensely despised Wu Chenâs arrogance, given Li Yuanâs previous example, Wang Tuo didnât dare take things lightly and decided to first make it past ten moves.
When he saw Wang Tuoâs posture, a trace of contempt filled Wu Chenâs eyes. He grasped at his waist and pulled out a whip.
This whip was a good ten meters long and sent a hum through the air when Wu Chen shook it slightly. It was as if he held a green, legendary water dragon in his hand. It seemed to come alive with Wu Chenâs infusion of spirit qi and gave off a vitality that was as doughty as a dragon and lively as a tiger.
âWill cowering in your shell take you past ten moves?â Wu Chen smiled coldly and stepped forward, the long whip drawing out a beautiful arc through the air.
The whip whistled through the air and churned up countless air currents, sending rocks and dust flying and closing off all space.
Wang Tuo had wanted to close in on Wu Chen with a pincer movement with his contract beast, but he couldnât see any openings as Wu Chen brandished his whip.
The attacks of a long whip were very difficult to defend against.
Especially as its attack range was quite large. It would be a nightmare to a defender once the attacker started exerting himself.
Wang Tuo was absolutely suffering unspeakably at the moment.
Heâd thought that Wu Chen would continue using the mysterious gloves and had planned on employing a defensive strategy. He hadnât thought that Wu Chen would have so many tricks up his sleeve and took out a long whip instead.
The whip continuously narrowed the space he could move in as it cracked down. Spirit power formed into shadows of the whip as each image partitioned the air further.
Wang Tuo could only feel that his range of movement was becoming more and more constricted. He knew that his downfall would be the same as Li Yuan and he wouldnât make it past even one move.
He whistled and exchanged some messages with his contract beast. Wang Tuo suddenly howled lowly the contract beast actually drilled into the ground, vanishing without a trace.
Wang Tuo shifted his hand and brought out a treasured blade with a tigerâs head at the hilt.
The blade danced furiously as beams of light spurted forward, sweeping away all of the afterimages of the whip in an attempt to widen Wang Tuoâs range of movement.
As his blade carved the way, he knew that his attack wouldnât threaten Wu Chen at all. However, there was hope in him gaining a bit of space of himself.
As long as the contract beast could leverage Wang Tuoâs aura to distract Wu Chen, then Wang Tuo would have a chance after all.
Wu Chen smiled coldly as his ears suddenly twitched, as if heâd caught something.
His gaze suddenly grew frosty as a sliver of a smile appeared on his lips. He shook the whip and suddenly stabbed it into the ground as hard and as durable as metal.
The whip seemed to be alive as it sank into the ground with ample spirit power.
In the next instant, Wu Chenâs arm shook once, with he flinging it viciously upwards after that. The long whip broke free from the earth like one pulling out a daikon root and bringing out chunks of earth as well, hauling the contract beast out of the ground
The long whip was wrapped tightly around the contract beast like itâd trussed up a chicken.
The contract beast was whining and growling, fear and panic in its eyes as it kept crying out for Wang Tuo to save it.
Wang Tuo and the contract beast had stuck together and helped each other through difficulties. They were as close as brothers. And now that he saw the contract beast being tied up, Wang Tuo was enormously shocked and didnât care for his own safety at all as he rushed up crazily, raising a blade to chop down at Wu Chenâs face.
âHmph, one couldnât do anything to me and neither can two!â
Wu Chenâs tone was grave as a layer of golden radiance suddenly washed over his arm. The radiance instantaneously reached the whip and flashed, a tremendous explosion sounding afterwards.
The contract beastâs body immediately broke apart into pieces like a chunk of tofu being crushed, flinging blood and flesh into the air.
Wang Tuoâs momentum had been exceedingly fast. He was caught up in the gory rain and ended up drenched in the bloody remnants of his contract beast.
There was even a strand of intestines hanging off his neck.
His eyes almost split apart with their pain amidst this blood and gore. Wang Tuo almost fainted away.
The contract beast that had followed him for some many years had been made into meat paste with one move and had been flung all over him!
Wang Tuo had been in the world for so long and dominated the four sectsâwhen had he ever come off this worse for the wear in a match?
He ground his teeth and almost sank into insanity, bellowing like a tigerâs roar, âI will fight to the end with you!â
Wang Tuo waved his treasured blade as his momentum was like a mad tigerâs, charging his opponent with an air of laying his life out on the line. The blade flashed and sliced down with devastatingly frosty qi, cutting down at Wu Chenâs neck.
However, without the contract beastâs cover, Wang Tuo was like a fierce beast with no claws. He posed no threat at all and was even slightly less than Li Yuan.
Wu Chen stepped out lightly like he was taking a stroll in his backyard. He leaned backwards, out of the way of Wang Tuoâs blow. He then lifted his foot and stomped it directly onto Wang Tuoâs buttocks.
Wang Tuoâs body shot high into the air like a rubber ball.
Forefather Ninelion could no longer bear to watch as his body wavered in his quick dash upwards. He reached out with a hand and grabbed Wang Tuo.
It was a good thing that although this kick had been fierce, it hadnât been fatal. However, it was still enough to confine Wang Tuo to bed for several months.
Ninelion had a fiery temper. He glared fiercely at this overweeningly proud young man with his head held high. âSo vicious at such a young age?â
Wu Chen smirked contemptuously. âIt wasnât that Iâm vicious, but that theyâre too trashy. Do I show mercy to even trash?â
He then completely ignored forefather Ninelion and looked in the direction of the Flowing Wind Sect. âWho else?â
The head elder on the Flowing Wind Sect whoâd been readying to take the field completely lost her will to fight after seeing Li Yuan and Wang Tuoâs defeat.
She knew that it would be just self humiliation if she stepped forward as there was no chance of winning at all. With a soft sigh, the elder moved soundlessly behind Venerated Icemist. It was apparent she wasnât going to fight.
The scene sank into awkwardness in that moment again. No one had the guts amongst the three great sects to answer the call. This made the forefathers both infuriated and resigned.
Wu Chen was so dominating that almost no one in the ninth level spirit realm could fight him. Whoever did so was asking to be humiliated and even courting death.
âForefather, only I can take the field now that things had come to this.â
Precious Tree Sect head Xie Tianshu smiled ruefully. He knew that itâd be unrealistic for him to look to others to make a move instead of himself.
A gray-clad man behind Wu Chen sneered when Xie Tianshu stepped forward and jumped out himself. âWu Chen, you can go rest now.â
There were two stars embroidered on the newcomerâs chest. His position was obviously higher than Wu Chenâs.
Wu Chen chuckled when he saw the otherâs move. âBrother Gu, you couldnât hold back anymore huh? Thatâs just as well, this trash is yours!â
Xie Tianshu was of the peak of the spirit realm, as was the two star gray-clad man. They were the ones who should face off, logically speaking.
âSky Sect second rank inspector envoy Gu Xiong. Challenger, report your name! I do not hit nameless pawns.â This gray-clad man was tall and stocky with firm muscles. Although he wasnât as childish or biting with his tone as Wu Chen, his words were still filled with pride.
âEnvoy Gu, this person is Xie Tianshu, the head of the Precious Tree Sect.â
Spiritual Master Zixu on the Purple Sun Sect side seemed to offer a reminder in a fawning manner.
Gu Xiong gaze was arrogant as his well built body gave him the advantage of one in a superior position surveying all that before him. He sized up Xie Tianshu and laughed coldly, âDo the so-called sects have this little bit of foundation to them? The sect head himself has to take the field? Heh heh, you call yourselves a sect? What an insult to the name! If you come to your senses, you should joint he Purple Light Division earlier rather than later. Otherwise, the fact that you dare call yourself a sect is the greatest blasphemy of all, worthy of death!â
The sect head of the Precious Tree Sect was one in which all the attentions and fortunes of the sect were focused on. He wasnât someone that the vice sect head could measure up to.
The sect headâs strength, cultivation level, and equipment were all at the apex of the sect.
Xie Tianshu was unassuming before he made a move, but soared to the top of the skies when he finally did. The light from his sword dancing was filled with spirit power, as if a spirit snake on the prowl, attacking with uncanny moves.
Gu Xiong was firmly rooted in his posture and faced Xie Tianshu with empty hands.
He punched out with his fists and could actually block Xie Tianshuâs fierce sword qi by that alone.
Xie Tianshuâs heart was calm. He knew that he was shouldering an important mission that heâd never held before. It had to do with the life and death of the sect! Therefore, his every stroke was filled with the all of his comprehension of the dao of swords in his life.
He actually let go of all pressure in that moment and began to slowly deploy all the meanings behind the sword that he had yet to comprehend.
Xie Tianshuâs sword technique was named the âTender Rain Swordâ. It was as gentle as the spring winds and rain, as if all things on earth were coming back to life, as if spring revisiting the world, as if a drizzle of light rain.
When the meaning behind the stroke was finished, the battle situation became embroiled in the conception of gentle rains drifting through the air.
The sword qi was as if strands of silk, permeating every bit of the air with countless numbers of thin rain drops.
Gu Xiong was at a disadvantage because heâd been empty handed to behind with, having given first mover advantage to Xie Tianshi. Gu Xiong was actually forced backwards in the face of Xie Tianshuâs display of uncommon skill. The former actually had to defend passively.
âGu Xiong, can it be that this little bit of meaning behind the sword is enough to make you lose the guts and courage of a cultivator?â Blue-clad Zuo Lan was exceedingly put out by what he saw and roared lowly.
Gu Xiongâs body trembled as he seemed to attain some sort of inspiration, some kind of clarity from Zuo Lanâs words.
Pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft!
Gu Xiong shook as several strokes in a row connected with him, drenching him in his own blood.
The Precious Tree Sect erupted in a hubbub and cheered when they saw Gu Xiong harmed by the sword qi.
Zuo Lan however, revealed a mocking smile. He knew his methods of provocation had worked.
Gu Xiong reached out with his tongue and licked off the blood that had sprayed onto his face, his expression becoming even more of a grimace.
âIs the power behind the sword qi of a so-called sect head this mediocre?â A broadsword with a rather ridiculous design appeared in Gu Xiongâs hand.
When he gripped the sword, Gu Xiongâs presence suddenly increased multiple times. He was like a violent beast awakening from slumber as man and blade became one, his form as if a demon god from ancient times and his aura dominating.
Gu Xiong leered, raising his hands up high and brandishing the sword over his head. He seemed to have gathered all the forces in the galaxies for this stroke as he cleaved through the air, like a bright wheel of sun ripping through the dark of the night and forcing down a beam of light. Xie Tianshuâs carefully nurtured atmosphere was completely shattered by this stroke.
Blades collided with each other as the dominating presence of the sword qi actually increased by three, four times and hurtled towards Xie Tianshu.
Xie Tianshuâs chest felt muffled as the sword qi invaded his body.
He spat out fresh blood and fell down backwards.
Gu Xiong had been locked in by Xie Tianshuâs sword qi a moment ago, but a mysterious power seemed to have awakened in him in the next. The momentum of his blade formed spontaneously as it crashed forcefully and suppressed the meaning behind Xie Tianshuâs sword. Gu Xiong broke apart Xie Tianshuâs defenses and wounded him!