One cultivation teacher’s expression grew extremely bad. He was the teacher of Eastern Sky Sword Sect who had led Gong Muyu to attend the Min Mountain Sword Trials.
However, his expression was not bad because of Lin Suixin’s random arrangements but Gong Muyu’s reaction.
While Ding Ning had displayed great combat ability previously, especially a shocking grasp of sword moves and timing, Gong Muyu’s vital energy cultivation was higher than Ding Ning. In his eyes, there was a possibility of victory. He could not panic just because he heard Ding Ning was his opponent.
Also, there were forty-five students who had passed the sea of brambles. Since Lin Suixin had said he had a bye in the first round, if he won against Ding Ning, Gong Muyu would reach the last twelve.
If he could reach the last ten, he would obtain the chance to study in Min Mountain Sword Sect. In the view of this cultivation teacher, Gong Muyu had an unprecedentedly good opportunity. If he could grab such an opportunity, this could change his fate. And yet, Gong Muyu’s display disappointed him. Being afraid before even fighting. A cultivator like this could not become a truly powerful swordsman, only a stepping stone for other people’s path to fame.
“Did you see clearly?” Amidst the silence, Dugu Bai walked in front of Ding Ning and the others. Looking at Ding Ning preparing to enter, he nodded and asked.
Ding Ning nodded calmly and said, “I did.”
Upon hearing the duo’s simple exchange, Zhang Yi’s body shook unconsciously. He said in shock, “Brother Dugu, your attack just now …”
Dugu Bai glanced at Zhang Yi and smiled in a tacit agreement.
“Amazing!”
Xu Lianhua frowned, unwilling to admit, nonetheless had to.
Xia Wan, Xie Rou and the others inhaled instinctively, admiration surging within.
They had finally realized that Dugu Bai’s attack just now had not been to establish his authority and attitude, but to force all the students at the other end of the hut to draw their swords and fight back.
When one had to draw one’s sword in panic, it would expose more things. Dugu Bai had acted it out, Ding Ning who had realized this beforehand had managed to see what he needed.
Dugu Bai and Ding Ning were undoubtedly terrifying people.
They felt lucky and joyful that both of them were in their camp.
Ding Ning started to walk.
Each and every gaze had gathered again on this quiet wineshop youth.
The imperceptible smile on Lin Suixin’s lips had disappeared and he returned to his inscrutable self. However, when Ding Ning walked into the spot drawn by the sword marks, he suddenly said slowly, “The winner of this match will get a bye for the next round.”
“What!”
Gasps rose in waves. These gasps were even louder than when Dugu Bai had attacked previously.
“How can it be like this!”
A student could not help but shout in anger.
The winners of this round could enter the top twelve. After a bye in the next round, they would reach the top six, and could get the opportunity to study in Min Mountain Sword Sect.
“Why not?” Lin Suixin turned around. While his facade remained expressionless, his orbs betrayed amusement. “After the second round, they will not be the ones to have a bye. Many people will have a bye.”
He paused. Seemingly able to discern the thoughts around him, he said with slight ridicule, “Do you think that I will have you first determine the top six and then arrange battles for the losers to decide the last four? I do not have any interest in watching the losers fight. I will arrange the competition to gather the ten final victors.”
Hearing the word “gather”, many students were even angrier, but none dared to shout.
No one could change Lin Suixin’s wilfulness. Who would be the person to get a bye in the next round was in Lin Suixin’s hands. He could have anyone fight an extra round even.
You do not even have the courage to express your anger. How do you qualify to become a disciple of Min Mountain Sword Sect?
Seeing the students flushed red but afraid to make a sound, Lin Suixin shook his head and thought coldly. He then turned around to look at Ding Ning and Gong Muyu, saying, “You may begin.”
At those words, a sickly flush appeared on Gong Muyu’s face. While he was afraid of Ding Ning’s strength, Lin Suixin’s words greatly stimulated him. If he won this match, if he only fought one battle in the entire competition, he could obtain the opportunity to study in Min Mountain Sword Sect!
Compared to Gong Muyu’s excitement, Ding Ning still maintained his calm.
He only wanted to be first. Entering the top ten early or late did not make a difference to him. Since Lin Suixin wanted to make the competition more interesting, he would make the competition more interesting.
So he raised the Last Flower sword without any extra movements, holding it across his chest, and spoke calmly towards Gong Muyu, “Please.”
Gong Muyu hesitated slightly, and then seemed to put in his all, giving a scream and attacking.
His vital energy flooded into the golden sword scabbard along his left hand. Before his right hand even touched the sword hilt, the entire sword had jumped out of the scabbard.
His scabbard was a bright golden color, and so was his sword hilt. The blade that jumped out of the scabbard was also a blinding gold.
The shining golden blade was covered in serpent patterns. This sword was the former Earth Gold Python Palace’s sect master sword Gold Python Sword.
This sword was slightly larger than ordinary swords, and was for a violent style. After a moment of hesitation, Gong Muyu had a surge of courage in the face of the temptation of entering the top ten. When his right hand gripped the hilt, his vital energy immediately changed locations from the meridians in the left side of his body to the right side. His body gave off deep ringing sounds. The sword in his hand shone brightly with light like a newborn sun.
This was one of the most powerful secret sword forms of the Eastern Sky Sword Manual, “Sunrise in the East.”
Seeing the sun rising in Gong Muyu’s hand, the teacher from the Eastern Sky Sword Sect’s expression grew better. At least, the sword essence in this attack did not have many flaws, and using this move was a good choice at this time.
Offense was the best defense. While this attack was powerful, the sword essence was only a slowly rising momentum, and did not require full power, meaning that there would be some strength kept back at any moment.
Yet, in the next moment, this teacher from Eastern Sky Sword Sect and the teachers of other places had shocked gazes.
Ding Ning started to attack.
As his Last Flower sword swung forward, a dense sword light burned like wildfire.
Even Zhang Yi’s eyes widened in shock. He did not understand what his “little sect brother” was doing.
Ding Ning was displaying the “Wildfire Burning The Plains” of the Wildfire Sword Manual.
This move was one with great defensive ability, yet everyone could clearly sense that Ding Ning’s vital energy was weaker than Gong Muyu. This ordinary sword move did not seem to be able to stop Gong Muyu’s attack.
There was a clear ringing sound at the collision.
The rising sun’s light and the burning fire exchanged lights. The two attacks officially made contact.
Gong Muyu’s eyes filled with incomprehension.
The clear impact passing along to the hilt from the blade reminded him of the disparity in strength. Ding Ning could not stop the advance of his attack.
Since Ding Ning could not stop this, why did he choose such a sword form in responses?
Was this just an error in judgement? Had Ding Ning’s ability been deified by his past performance, and was not as strong in reality?
Gong Muyu could not understand at all.
But Ding Ning had no more time to change his sword form. Each vein and sinew in his body trembled. He wanted to stab his sword into Ding Ning’s chest.
His breathing almost stopped. The sword in his hand shone even more brightly as it advanced.
The sound of metal colliding once again sounded in the narrow space.
The remnant sword in Ding Ning’s hand could not stop the Gold Python Sword and was forced to the side. The great force even destabilized his body forcing him to take two steps back.
Gong Muyu’s sword essence was at full power, the tip was piercing through the afterimages of Ding Ning’s sword on the verge of stabbing into Ding Ning’s chest.
And yet, at this time, everyone felt disbelief and absurdity.
As Ding Ning moved back, with his toes, he lifted the deep red worm that was lying curled up behind him. Then his left hand landed on its neck. Like he was holding a sword in reverse, he grabbed its head, and swung it towards Gong Muyu’s sword.
This black ice worm had not expected something like this to occur. Feeling the incoming sharp sword essence, it trembled all over in terror. Almost unconsciously, it furiously sprayed the power accumulated in its body.
Gong Muyu’s breathing completely stopped as he froze all over.
Splash!
He saw the deep red long worm spray a cold flow that charged onto his sword.
This power of this cold flow was not very strong, yet most of the power in his attack had been dissipated by Ding Ning’s sword move. His sword essence was near its end, and could not muster more power. So, he was unable to stop this.
He looked on in shock as his sword was pushed upwards.
A power he could not resist arrived causing his arm to rise as well.
Crack …
Ice cracked as it formed. The cold flow that had pushed aside his sword formed a glowing icicle.
Ding Ning calmly gripped the deep red worm as he stretched forward. The glowing icicle stabbed into Gong Muyu’s chest.
Hot blood sprayed along the edges of the icicle.
Everyone froze.
Even Lin Suixin froze. He had not expected such a scene.