Gu Xichun’s body was stiff and as he heard Xie Rou’s words, his body started to tremble. He did not want to speak and admit defeat.
There was another way to admit defeat, leaving in silence.
But, his sword had fallen by his side. If he left now, he would lose this sword.
For the swordsmen of Changling, this was a great embarrassment.
He did not want to speak, neither did he dare to pull out the sword by his side. It was a dilemma.
Due to this, he stayed where he was.
Most people’s shock had yet to fade. They would have enough patience to see what would develop, but not everyone had patience, especially when the outcome was determined.
Lin Suixin turned slightly and looked at Gu Xichun who trembled but had not moved after Xie Rou’s words. He sneered. “You still do not admit defeat. Do you really want him to stab your, or for me to find a block of tofu?”
Gu Xichun could not ignore Lin Suixin’s words. Thinking of how today’s events would appear in many history books and the expressions people would have when they discussed it, his trembling lips parted slightly and he vomited blood.
Peach flowers appeared to bloom again in front of Gu Xichun.
Gu Xichun looked blankly at the dots of red on the ground. He smiled, a smile that contained unspeakable pain. He could feel the blood reversing and surging in his body.
Ordinary cultivators would attempt to the backflow of blood in their bodies because the blood would backflow through the meridians and cause serious consequences.
But Gu Xichun felt everything was meaningless right now. He had spent so much effort, but let alone defeat Ding Ning, he could not even attack once. What was the meaning in life?
Gu Xichun turned around, distressed. He laughed hoarsely and vomited blood once again. Then, he fell to the ground in an ugly posture.
He did not hesitate in climbing up. He walked several paces, and then fell down again.
Seeing his stumbling figure in the darkness, many students felt there was only a shell left.
“Without defeat, how is there victory? Thinking you could defeat all your opponents using profound sword moves no one had seen before is the greatest fallacy.”
Jin Liuli watched as Gu Xichun’s figure faded into the darkness and shook her head without any sympathy. “This kind of person, even if he studies in Min Mountain Sword Sect, will not achieve anything.”
**
“Little Sect Brother!”
Zhang Yi charged to Ding Ning’s side and started to clumsily clean off the mercury powder stuck to Ding Ning.
Everyone could sense his excitement and joy, as well as the admiration and concern he felt towards his junior sect brother. So no one felt this was inappropriate and he was being too sentimental.
“No need.”
Ding Ning used his sleeve to wipe around his eyes and then shook his head towards Zhang Yi.
Zhang Yi stopped. He looked at Ding Ning’s eyebrows, shook his head and was stubborn for the first time. “If you win again, you will be first. How glorious will it be… How can I allow my junior sect brother to welcome that kind of glory when unkempt?”
“No need.” Ding Ning snook his head again. He looked at the students standing in the distance and slowly said, “Look at them… even if I look extremely slovenly, will they look at me differently?”
Zhang Yi stilled. He looked across the students in the distance.
Seeing their trembling gazes that unconsciously flinched from Ding Ning’s gaze, he started to understand what was different from the start of the trials, and what true glory was.
Zhang Yi thought of Xue Wangxu and choked.
Just one last step.
Everyone looked towards Ye Haoran.
Even without this battle, even if Ding Ning lost to Ye Haoran, Ding Ning would be the legend of the trials. Even after many years, many would remember this wineshop youth and the glory of him and White Goat Cave.
Yet, anyone who saw this legend with their own eyes felt that if he defeated Ye Haoran, the trials which heralded the arrival of the third freak after An Baoshi and Jin Liuli would not be perfect.
There were many in the valley who did not want to see Ding Ning win. Yet they subconsciously wanted to see such a legend. They were in great conflict.
Ding Ning and Zhang Yi’s gaze landed on Ye Haoran.
Among all the students facing Ding Ning, Ye Haoran was the only one who did not avoid Ding Ning’s gaze.
Under everyone’s eyes, this youth from Li Lingjun’s establishment had a calm expression.
“I had not thought you would reach this step,” he looked at Ding Ning and said calmly. “Honestly, when I saw you win against Gu Xichun, I hesitated about fighting you. Then you will completely become a legend. But I just realized that whether or not I did, has no meaning. Since you have enough confidence, even if I will not step aside, I may not win against you. But if I do not, I may see a stronger performance from you.”
Ding Ning nodded and did not respond. Yet Dugu Bai suddenly grew shocked and excited.
Ding Ning walked towards him and that pile of wooden swords he had carved but did not use.
“You are certain you can?”
Dugu Bai’s voice started to tremble as he saw Ding Ning come closer.
Hzzt!
Ding Ning tore a strip off his clothes and tied all the wooden swords on his back. He bowed to Dugu Bai and said, “I should be.”
“Please teach me in the future.” Dugu Bai thought of Zhang Yi and Ding Ning as good friends. But when he saw Ding Ning bow, he bowed deeply with a grave expression.
This was a bow towards a teacher. In Dugu Bai’s view, Ding Ning was sufficient to be his teacher.
The Dugu Family were famed in the world for their sword essence comprehension and use. Even Dugu Bai, the most talented in the history of the Dugu Family, was like this to Ding Ning. Most people were shocked by this.
Other than Zhang Yi and the others who knew from the start what these wooden swords represented, everyone else did not know the utility of these wooden swords, only that they belonged to Dugu Bai.
Seeing Ding Ning turn around, carry the swords, and walk towards the battlefield, all the spectacting students and teachers felt powerless.
If this meant that there was a powerful sword move, this signified that Ding Ning had absolute confidence in defeating Gu Xichun previously. He had stronger moves!
So these people could not help but think, if Gu Xichun saw this scene, he would feel even more embarrassed and humiliated.
This bundle of wooden swords were slightly heavy. Ding Ning frowned, and did not want to waste any time.
He held his sword across his chest as he faced Ye Haoran.
Ye Haoran gave a small smile.
“I must lose, I must let you win, yet I must kill you.”
A murderous voice sounded in his mind.
He did not pull out his sword like everyone was expecting. He only nodded towards Ding Ning and then closed his eyes.
Complete uproar!
His calm posture and closed eyes caused him to appear indifferent, calm, and at ease. This presence surpassed all of the previous students.
Then, he released a completely new and powerful presence in the next moment.
A new door seemed to open in the world around him. New primal energies of the universe joyfully rushed towards his body.
“Realm five.”
Most students had yet to react when Jin Liuli looked down and said coldly, “Breakthrough.”
She did not deliberately suppress her voice which swept the valley. The people who did not know what was happening reacted, and gasped.
A cultivator having a breakthrough on the spot was a difficult thing.
The higher it was, the more difficult. For each realm, there would be many more people stuck at the gate, and could not comprehend their breakthrough in their lifetime. But Ye Haoran was easily having his breakthrough in this quiet and joyful atmosphere. This meant that he could have entered realm five a long time ago, and at any time he wanted.
The difference between realm four and three was the enormous disparity in using primal energies of the universe. There was an even greater disparity between realm five and three. Realm five meant being able to use a true flying sword.
Ye Haoran closed his eyes and entered realm five. Who could guarantee that he did not know how to use a flying sword?
Ding Ning stilled slightly. He frowned.
Then an unexpected event occurred.
Ding Ning also closed his eyes.
More wind appeared in the forest.
In a flash, many novel presences leapt towards his body.
Everyone’s breathing stopped.
Even Lin Suixin’s eyes widened.
Breakthrough!
A breakthrough!
Ding Ning was also having a breakthrough with his eyes closed!