CH 18

After the disciples rested for the night, the official matches began on the next day.

The first match was Lu Ziyao against Wang Qingqiao. Wang Qingqiao was in quite some bad luck. Not only did he lose against Yi Xichen yesterday and bring shame upon the Sword Refining Hall, but his opponent today was Lu Ziyao, who was ranked first in the Sword Refining Hall. During the match, the strength difference between Wang Qingqiao and Lu Ziyao was very obvious, and it only took a few moves for him to lose.

The second match was Bian Liang from Sword Guardian Hall against Shi Xi from Sword Cultivation Hall. Although Shi Xi was ranked high in the Sword Cultivation Hall, it was still difficult for him when fighting against a disciple from the Sword Guardian Hall. After struggling and attempting to counterattack, he was still mercilessly beaten.

Next was Xiao Kui and Medicine Hall’s Zhao Ping.

Originally, Xiao Kui already looked down on the disciples of the Medicine Hall. In addition to the loss against Yi Xichen and Zhangsun Zijun recently, he was desperate to let out all his anger. The second he stepped onto the platform, he unleashed the lethal move: Thousand Sword Rain! How could Zhao Ping withstand such a strong sword aura? If he attempted to block, he would definitely be severely injured!

But before Xiao Kui’s sword aura could reach Zhao Ping, it was broken into pieces by a ray of sword.

Qiu Jian, staring coldly at his disciple, appeared on the platform and blocked in front of Zhao Ping.

Xiao Kui immediately bowed, “M…master!”

Although this assembly was a competition, it was mainly to practice and learn, severely injuring or killing was strictly not allowed. The elders would be beside the platforms watching the matches. If they come across a disciple who didn’t know how to control his or her power, they would step forward to stop them. Xiao Kui’s move has already crossed the line. Although he still won in the end, it would be inevitable for him to receive some criticism.

In the first few matches, there were quite some strength gaps between the competitors, so they weren’t anything that was worth watching. The more exciting one was the fifth match: Gong Sundi from Sword Guardian Hall versus Jin Cheng from Sword Refining Hall.

Jin Cheng was ranked number three in the Sword Refining Hall, and Gong Sundi was ranked number one in the Sword Guardian Hall; their cultivation level was almost identical. The Sword Refining Hall and the Sword Guardian Hall were like exact opposites. Sword Refining Hall, whose offense could be said to be unmatched, and Sword Guardian Hall, who’s defense could be said as indestructible. This match lasted for nearly four hours, and in the end, Jin Cheng used up all of his spiritual energy and was beaten off the platform by Gong Sundi.

At the seventh match, it was finally Yi Xichen and Sun Xiaoqian’s turn.

The Sword Assembly was the grand event of Heavenly Sword Sect, even the disciples who were not chosen to compete would come and watch. And the match that had the most spectators must be this one. After all, it was a competition between Yi Xichen and Sun Xiaoqian, two disciples of the Medicine Hall. This never happened before.

Yesterday, Yi Xichen also beat Wang Qingqiao, which was also unprecedented in the thousand-year history of Heavenly Sword Sect. Unfortunately, during yesterday’s match, their Sword Shadow separated them from the outside world, and the disciples didn’t get to see how the match went. Having the chance to see him perform today, everyone was excited to see how strong this Medicine Hall disciple actually was.

But what made them disappointed was that from the beginning until the end, Yi Xichen and Sun Xiaoqian have just been using side techniques and tricks; they almost never used their sword aura. In the end, Yi Xichen set up a maze-like puzzle on the platform, which made Sun Xiaoqian lose his sense of direction. Before he knew it, he already accidentally walked off the platform himself.

Of course, the audience “boo”-ed.

However, Yi Xichen’s win wasn’t at all easy. Because he couldn’t arrange anything on the platform beforehand, he had to set up the maze bit by bit slowly before Sun Xiaoqian’s eyes. The process it took to fool him could be considered very exciting, but this wasn’t what the disciples wanted to see.

Yi Xichen didn’t feel bad at all and was very calm facing the negative exclamations from the audience. He only cared about the result, not the process.

The eighth match was Zhangsun Zijun and Yue Xiaorou.

The number of audiences did not decrease at all.

Zhangsun Zijun. The moment this disciple arrived at Heavenly Sword Sect ten years ago, his name had been known throughout the sect. For the past thousand years, there have only been three disciples with a Heavenly Spirit Root. The first was Zhenren1 Yun Zhang, who reached the Golden Core Stage in just a short thirty years, which shocked the entire world. Unfortunately, he was killed along with Ancestor Feng Lian in the battle against the Demon Lord five hundred years ago. The second was Zhenren Hua Ya. During the battle against the Demon World two hundred years ago, his powers have already been acknowledged by the world, and now, he has already become a respected sect leader. And the third was none other than Zhangsun Zijun.

At first, everyone thought that Zhangsun Zijun would become just as famous and powerful, or even inherit the position of the Sect Leader. But none of them expected that in less than a year, he have already been evicted from the sect due to breaking of the rules. Although, in the end, he managed to stay, he was still sent to the hall that was regarded as the least prospect.

In these ten years, everyone has been curious about Zhangsun Zijun. They either came to test him or waited to hear news about him. Surprisingly, Zhangsun Zijun has been exceptionally cold toward others. Except for Yi Xichen, he almost never talked with others. In the past ten years, he hasn’t done anything worth noting either. The news of such a rare talent has since then been buried like this.

This Sword Assembly was the first time Zhangsun Zijun appeared in front of everyone. And his first match was against Yue Xiaorou, who was ranked number two in the Sword Refining Hall. For the past thousand years, Yi Xichen has been the first person who was from the Medicine Hall and defeated someone from the Sword Refining Hall. Everyone was extremely hopeful that Zhangsun Zijun would be the second one.

Before Zhangsun Zijun stepped onto the platform, Yi Xichen was even more nervous than he was.

“Damn, you could have got anyone but her… have you thought of a way to win yet?”

Unexpectedly, Zhangsun Zijun replied firmly, “She won’t attack me.”

“What? Why?” Yi Xichen looked at him in disbelief. Did he mean the other way? He’s the one who will never attack a young lady, why would she be afraid to attack him?”

“Because she is secretly in love with me.”

Yi Xichen: “……”

In the OCC fanfic version, all the males of the ML’s age group adored him, and all the females of similar age liked the MC. But as a character designed to be face-slapped, Xiao Kui got an extra privilege after the fanfic author felt pity for him.

Seeing the calm face on Zhangsun Zijun’s face, Yi Xichen asked again with doubt, “You sure?”

Zhangsun Zijun tilted his head and thought for a while, “No.”

Yi Xichen: “……”

Although Yue Xiaorou was a woman, she was still ranked number two in Sword Refining Hall, second only to Lu Ziyao. A normal spirit root would be one of the five elements: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. But Yue Xiaorou’s was a rare Ice type. Although her Ice Spirit Root was not as good as Zhangsun Zijun’s Heavenly Spiritual Root, nor as good as Lu Ziyao’s Body of Three Yang, she was still a top-notch disciple.

As for her personality, just like her spirit root, was cold as ice. Her cold attitude wasn’t like Zhangsun Zijun’s though. Zhangsun Zijun wasn’t at all heartless, he was just more introverted. But Yue Xiaorou was different, she was a real heartless woman. She never cared about anyone and never feared anything. Out of the hundreds of disciples, she was the only one who managed to achieve unity with her sword. She herself was the sharpest sword.

Yi Xichen recalled all those fierce rumors he had heard about Yue Xiaorou, then looked back at Zhangsun Zijun who claimed that “she is secretly in love with me”. He couldn’t help but remain doubtful.

“In fact, she even gave you abortion pills,” Zhangsun Zijun added.

Yi Xichen: “……”

“Even though it was just mere wishful thinking.”

“Then don’t say it!” Yi Xichen gave him a vicious glare.

Just as he was about to give him some more advice on how to beat Yue Xiaorou, the bell had already been struck. Yue Xiaorou’s heroic figure appeared on the platform, and Zhangsun Zijun walked up as well at a steady pace.

The two saluted, then Yue Xiaorou said, “Looking forward to learning from you.”

Zhangsun Zijun remained silent and drew his sword in silence. In other’s eyes, his motions might make him seem very arrogant, but Yi Xichen knew that this was simply because Zhangsun Zijun didn’t know how to talk to women.

Yi Xichen didn’t even dare to keep watching. This match… I can’t imagine… the results must be terrible… I just hope he doesn’t stand there like a dummy and wait to be sliced.

On the other side, several elders were also looking at these two disciples. Sword Refining Hall’s elder, Qiu Jian, had his eyes remain on Zhangsun Zijun with complex emotions.

At first, Zhangsun Zijun was originally his disciple. He was also a person who loved talents and was eager to take in anyone with extraordinary talents. A person like Zhangsun Zijun who had the Heavenly Spirit Root, how could he give him up?

At that time when Zhangsun Zijun went into the Forbidden Land and violated the rules of the sect, although he didn’t go as far as Yao Budu who crippled a hundred years of cultivation to save him, he still knelt in front of Zhenren Yu Ying’s door for three days and nights, begging to spare this talented child’s life.

He didn’t know what Yu Ying was thinking back then. Although Yu Ying may be stubborn, the sect rules could be changed. Over the years, there have been two or three unreasonable rules that were changed. If he was the Sect Leader, let alone one forgiveness, he would forgive a disciple with Heavenly Spiritual Root a hundred times without second thought. But Yu Ying told him that everything else could be negotiated, but the Forbidden Land was strictly forbidden. Even if it was an elder with the Heavenly Spiritual Root who had entered there, they would receive the same punishment.

Because of this, Qiu Jian missed out on this talented disciple, who was taken by Yao Budu.

Suddenly, Yue Xiaorou attacked. She unleashed a swift Thunder Sword and slashed towards Zhangsun Zijun and even prepared her next move. She never underestimated her enemy. Although Zhangsun Zijun wasn’t showing his sword aura, she knew that she was facing a powerful opponent. She wasn’t expecting her Thunder Sword to do any damage, it was just to test him.

But after the light dissipated, Zhangsun Zijun, who had just been hit by the thunder and had his hair look like they exploded, stood silently in place.

Everyone: “……”

The audience was in an uproar!

“Is he really Zhangsun Zijun? The one with Heavenly Spirit Root?!”

“What the hell is he doing? He can’t even dodge a Thunder Sword?!”

“Isn’t he a sword cultivator? Where’s his sword aura?!”

Although Yue Xiaorou’s Thunder Sword was a fierce move, it was not lethal. Let alone someone eligible to attend the Sword Assembly, even many of the disciples in the audience watching could dodge that move.

“Oh my gooood,” Yi Xichen covered his face, afraid to continue watching.

Although Yue Xiaorou was a bit surprised, she would never show any mercy. Since Zhangsun Zijun didn’t dodge, she increased her sword aura and was about to take him down with one move. But suddenly, an overwhelming sword aura covered her, freezing her instantly on the spot. This was the deterrence from the strong, making her impossible to even move a muscle!

Zhangsun Zijun threw the sword in his hand towards Yue Xiaorou. The sword flew just above the ground, shoveled up the stone-like Yue Xiaorou, and brought her down the platform.

All of this happened in just a blink of an eye. The moment Zhangsun Zijun threw his sword was also the moment he released his sword aura. But no matter how strong his sword aura was, it could only make the enemy stunned for a split second. This stunning was not an intentional control, it was the result of instinct fear of any human being.

Because everything happened quickly, many of the audience who happened to blink at that moment only got to see Yue Xiaorou land on the floor with the sword under her, they had no clue what had happened.

Silence.

The great bell was struck. After a while, Qiu Jian’s upset voice came from above, “Winner, Zhangsun Zijun.”

Everyone remained silent. Even those who have already recovered from the surprise, they wanted to discuss the match, but realized they didn’t even know where to start.