Chapter 231: Ning Hao—The Innocent Bystander
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"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wins!"
The referee’s voice echoed through the arena, but Tang San could no longer hear it.
He lay on the ground outside the ring, wracked with excruciating pain; it felt as though his internal organs had been shattered. Blood oozed from the corners of his mouth, staining the front of his robes crimson.
His vision was blurred, allowing him to see only a faint, aquamarine silhouette standing upon the ring.
She stood atop a platform of crystallized ice shards, looking down from her lofty perch like a goddess of ice and snow.
Two disciples from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect rushed down from the stands to help the fallen Tang San to his feet.
"Tang San, wake up!"
"Tang San! Tang San! Are you alright?"
Tang San groggily opened his eyes.
His vision gradually cleared.
On the ring, Shui Bing’er was turning around to walk back toward the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect’s seating area. Her posture was erect, and her steps were light—as if the battle that had just taken place were nothing more than a trivial, insignificant trifle.
Tang San’s heart felt as though it had been struck by the Titan Giant Ape itself—the sensation was agonizing.
How could this happen...
My Clear Sky Hammer... it actually couldn’t overpower her Ice Phoenix!
Damn it! If only I hadn’t felt that constant, throbbing ache in my meridians whenever I tried to circulate my soul power—an affliction that prevented me from unleashing my full strength...
Otherwise, given the sheer power of the Clear Sky Hammer, how could I possibly have lost?!
His hands clenched tightly into fists.
His fingernails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood.
No... I haven’t lost yet!
I still have my Tang Sect hidden weapons—I haven’t used them yet!
He glanced down at his left hand.
Strapped to his left wrist lay a Silent Sleeve Arrow, sitting there in quiet readiness. It was a hidden weapon he had meticulously crafted himself; loaded with steel needles, it could be fired silently with just a slight exertion of force.
A glint of ruthless ferocity flashed through Tang San’s eyes.
Under the bewildered gazes of the two disciples standing beside him, he slowly raised his left hand.
"Tang San, what are you doing?"
Tang San offered no reply.
A violet glow flickered within his eyes as he attempted to circulate his Mysterious Heaven Skill and activate his Purple Demon Eye.
However, following his recent clash of Soul Skills with Shui Bing’er, he had been utterly outmatched; not only was he knocked clean off the arena stage, but he also sustained severe injuries. His body was left in an extremely fragile state, compounded by the existing issues with his meridians.
The moment he attempted to circulate his Mysterious Heaven Skill, a sharp, piercing pain suddenly flared through his meridians!
That agonizing sensation felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing his heart, instantly aggravating the internal injuries he had sustained!
"Pfft—!"
Tang San spat out a mouthful of blood!
His body went limp, and every ounce of his strength drained away in an instant!
At the same moment, his left hand—which had been held taut—suddenly went slack.
"Click!"
The crisp sound of a mechanical trigger snapping rang out!
A sleeve arrow shot forth!
"Aaaah—!"
A piercing scream tore through the air!
The sleeve arrow had, against all odds, struck the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple standing right beside him—Ning Hao!
Ning Hao: Feed me peanuts!
The poison-tipped steel needle had buried itself deep into his arm, nearly passing straight through to the other side!
Clutching his wounded arm, Ning Hao howled in agony: "Tang San! What the hell are you doing?!"
Another disciple, startled by the sudden turn of events, hurriedly withdrew the hand he had been using to support Tang San and took several steps back.
Deprived of his support, Tang San’s body went completely limp and slumped to the ground.
He had fainted once again.
...
Meanwhile, the spectators in the stands had also witnessed this entire scene unfold.
They had seen Tang San raise his left hand; then, for some inexplicable reason, his body had gone slack.
A faint, dark blur had flashed past in the blink of an eye, followed immediately by a piercing scream from one of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples.
The crowd erupted into a clamor of speculation.
"What just happened? What’s wrong with that Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple?"
"I have no idea—he just suddenly let out a scream."
"I saw it! It was that Tang San! He raised his left hand, and right after that, the disciple got injured!"
"What the hell? Just because he lost, does he have to go attacking his own teammates?"
"I don’t think that’s it. He has a weapon hidden in his left hand—I bet he was trying to use it to launch a sneak attack on Shui Bing’er, who’s still up on the stage!"
"What?!"
"Is this Tang San such a sore loser?"
"He’s completely dragged the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s reputation through the mud!"
The murmurs of the crowd rose and fell in waves.
...
Up on the arena stage, Shui Bing’er was still gazing over toward Jiang Bai, waiting to receive praise from her Sect Master. However, upon hearing that piercing shriek, she turned her head to look.
Yet, all she saw was the unconscious Tang San—who had collapsed once again—alongside Ning Hao, who was clutching his arm, and another disciple wearing a completely bewildered expression.
Shui Bing’er frowned slightly, though she didn’t give the matter much thought.
What business did the people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have with her?
Before long, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect dispatched someone to the stage to formally concede defeat to the referee.
The referee announced: "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect concedes! The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is victorious!"
Only then did Shui Bing’er withdraw her gaze; she turned around and walked back to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s seating area.
...
Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect’s lounge.
True to their immense wealth and resources, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect always traveled with a dedicated healing-type Soul Master in tow.
A white-haired healing-type Soul Saint was urgently summoned to the scene.
He began by attending to Ning Hao.
Grasping Ning Hao’s arm to examine the injury, he exclaimed in astonishment: "It’s nearly pierced straight through the arm!"
He scrutinized the area surrounding the wound and noticed a faint discoloration—a slight darkening of the flesh. Although the tint was subtle, it was undeniably a sign of poisoning.
"Wait... is this a toxin?"
Ning Hao gritted his teeth in fury: "It was that damn Tang San!"
The healing-type Soul Saint spoke to him: "I’m about to begin; brace yourself!"
With that, he gave a sharp tug and yanked the steel needle free.
"Aaaah!" Ning Hao let out a piercing scream, his entire body trembling in agony.
The healing-type Soul Saint raised his hand and activated his Soul Skill to heal the injury. A flash of white light swept forth, enveloping Ning Hao’s wound. The light felt warm and gentle, and the torn flesh at the site of the injury began to slowly knit back together.
Ning Hao’s complexion improved significantly.
"There. Just get a few days of rest, and you’ll be fine."
The healing Soul Saint stood up: "I’ll go take a look at that Tang San now."
Ning Hao nodded, his eyes burning with resentment.
Just then, the door was pushed open.
Ning Fengzhi walked in, his expression grim and somber. Upon seeing Ning Hao, he spoke in a deep voice: "Ning Hao, what exactly happened?"
Ning Hao hurriedly replied, "Sect Master! It’s all that Tang San’s fault! He actually tried to use a Silent Sleeve Arrow to launch a sneak attack on Shui Bing’er!"
Ning Fengzhi was startled. "What?!"
The referee had already announced the results; Tang San actually still intended to make a move and launch a sneak attack?
Ning Hao continued, "He tried to use his sleeve arrow, but for some reason—I don’t know why—he coughed up a mouthful of blood and then collapsed. And collapsing wasn’t the end of it; his sleeve arrow actually discharged and struck me!"
Ning Fengzhi frowned, his expression turning grim.
Fortunately, the attack hadn’t succeeded.
Otherwise, things would have become truly troublesome.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have completely lost face.
They would inevitably become the laughingstock of the entire continent, accused of being sore losers!
"Sect Master, you simply must see that justice is done for me!" Ning Hao pleaded, sounding aggrieved.
Ning Fengzhi cast a glance at him, his voice flat: "I understand. You may go and rest now."
Ning Hao wanted to say more, but seeing the dark look on Ning Fengzhi’s face, he swallowed his words.
"Yes, Sect Master!"
He turned and left.
As he reached the doorway, he looked back at Tang San, who lay on the bed; a flicker of resentment flashed in his eyes.
Damn you, Tang San! To think the Sect Master would show you such blatant favoritism...
Just you wait!
...
After Ning Hao had left, Ning Fengzhi turned to the healing Soul Saint. "Elder Li, what is Tang San’s condition?"
Elder Li, who was currently examining Tang San, looked up at the sound of the question.
"It’s not too serious. I’ve already applied several healing Soul Skills to him; about a month of rest should be sufficient."
"A month?" Ning Fengzhi frowned.
The Rookie Tournament would conclude tomorrow, and three days after that, the second stage—the Team Battles—would begin.
In the Team Battles, it was customary for one or two Elders to lead a small group of core young disciples into combat.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect certainly possessed high-ranking Elders.
But as for the disciples...
On the support side, they could only field disciples whose Martial Souls were the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
But among their other disciples, who could possibly hope to rival Tang San?
He lowered his gaze, looking down at the unconscious Tang San. The dark face was now pale.
A hint of complexity flashed in Ning Fengzhi’s eyes.
...