Chapter 523 - 506: Ghost Crown Prince
Fan Hong’s stealth, granted by his Netherworld Dark Emperor Body, was astonishing. In his previous battles, no one had been able to break it. It was completely silent and impossible to predict; his opponents had been forced to use Array Techniques just to make him reveal himself. But against Bu Qingyun, Fan Xiaoniao was truly getting a headache.
He struck again. The instant the Sword Qi shot out, Bu Qingyun reacted. BOOM...
Another miss. Bu Qingyun’s expression remained placid; he hadn’t even moved from his spot.
Wang Meng sighed softly. Fan Hong’s foundation was still a little too weak. He was unable to fully bring out the unique strengths of the Netherworld Dark Emperor Body.
Bu Qingyun was the most traditional of Sword Cultivators. Meticulous since childhood, he was naturally talented, hardworking, and disciplined. He had reached his current heights step by step. It would be no exaggeration to describe him as the Sword Cultivator with the most solid fundamentals.
Against a Sword Cultivator like him, unless one’s abilities were heaven-defying, a direct confrontation was unavoidable. And that kind of opponent was Fan Xiaoniao’s precise nemesis.
BOOM...
A series of assassination attempts from the Netherworld Dark Emperor were all blocked by Bu Qingyun’s flawless Sword Screen. Bu Qingyun’s Elemental Power was also clearly superior. Fan Hong’s only chance of victory lay in the silent, stealthy assassinations of his Netherworld Dark Emperor Body, but that seemed utterly useless against Bu Qingyun.
Fan Hong knew that fortune favored the bold. Bu Qingyun just stood there, locking onto his aura with every exchange. Although his Netherworld Dark Emperor Body could conceal his presence, it wasn’t perfect—at least, not at his current level. ’It’s only on a battlefield like this that I realize I have so many weaknesses,’ he thought.
Fan Hong moved stealthily. ’I need to get closer. It has to be a single, fatal strike. I absolutely can’t afford a war of attrition with Bu Qingyun.’
It was silent. All five major cities were silent. The stealth of the Netherworld Dark Emperor Body was terrifying. No one had any idea how Bu Qingyun kept finding him.
It was clear that the longer this suffocating silence lasted, the more ferocious the coming attack would be.
Bu Qingyun, however, wore a placid expression. Those who knew him were aware that this Sect Leader’s Disciple from the Cyan Cloud Sect was wise beyond his years. Yet he wasn’t flamboyant like Jii Wanli. He carried the pride and reserve of a prestigious sect, the perfect heir to the traditions of the Classical Sword Cultivator.
Fan Hong held his breath, concealing every trace of his aura. ’Just a little closer,’ he thought. ’Close enough that he’ll have no way to block my strike!’
’Even a Sword Screen has a limited range!’
The specialty of the Netherworld Dark Emperor Body was silent assassination. Direct confrontation was not his forte.
’One last step... I’m in position!’
Just as Fan Hong was about to materialize, his vision blurred. The gleaming tip of a sword was pressed against his throat. If it moved forward even slightly, his life would be forfeit.
A single drop of crimson blood appeared. Fan Hong’s stealth faded, and he materialized at Bu Qingyun’s side. They were incredibly close. A short sword had appeared in Fan Hong’s left hand, but alas, he had lost his chance to strike.
Vast Sea raised a hand. "The first match goes to Bu Qingyun of the Cyan Cloud Sect."
He then smiled. "Qingyun, would you care to say a few words?"
Though he was the Master of the Star Alliance, Vast Sea had always kept a low profile. This Battle of the Other Shore was a stage for the younger generation, and he had no intention of stealing their spotlight.
Bu Qingyun sheathed his sword. "Classical Sword Cultivators are the only true Sword Cultivators!"
His gentle tone belied a domineering arrogance, dismissing all other types of Sword Cultivators in a single breath. In the waiting area, a group of fellow Sword Cultivators broke into smiles.
Fan Hong could only manage a bitter smile. Sometimes, just advancing to the next stage wasn’t an opportunity at all.
This was a chasm. Once you reached the Pure Land, luck and good fortune meant nothing. One couldn’t assume that having a Holy Statue made everything fine. In the face of truly powerful experts, such things were not even worth mentioning.
Absolute power was the key to victory.
Moreover, by this stage of the tournament, nearly all the slightly weaker contestants had already revealed their abilities in previous fights. Ability-based Holy Statues held no more secrets, which made things even more difficult. It was highly likely that their opponents had already seen through their tricks.
For someone like Bu Qingyun, as long as he didn’t know your ability, you had a chance. The moment he figured it out, you would have no opportunity to use it.
This was true for abilities like Fan Hong’s and even for someone like Zhou Qian. The simplest way to deal with Zhou Qian’s bizarre Holy Statue Ability was to launch an all-out assault from the start, giving him no chance to use it, or to maintain distance and stay out of his Holy Statue’s control.
None of them were to be trifled with.
Of course, Bu Qingyun’s words drew thunderous cheers from the Cyan Cloud Sect disciples. This was the style of their Senior!
This stage was not just for showcasing strength, but also personal charisma. It was the perfect moment to display oneself to the myriad Small Thousand Realms.
Of course, such a moment only belonged to the victor.
The second match: Wu Wang of the Ghost Sect versus Zhang Xiaojiang of the Holy Hall.
As one of the most prominent figures among the younger generation of Human Cultivators, Wu Wang, with his Night Parade of Hundred Demons Body, held an absolute advantage. He belonged to the faction of the truly powerful—and, of course, the truly ruthless.
In Starlight City, Zhang Xiaojiang’s appearance was met with countless cheers from the Cultivators. The city had practically become the Holy Hall’s home turf, as a massive number of Cultivators from the Four Directions Small Thousand World had converged here.
This was because among the top thirty-two Cultivators, the Holy Hall undisputedly held the top spot with five members.
It was a truly dominant number.
"Brother Zhang’s opponent is so strong!"
"Yeah, but Brother Zhang will definitely win!"
Everyone clenched their fists, and Liuu Mei was also sick with worry.
"Don’t worry, Senior Sister Liuu. Brother Zhang is the best! He’ll definitely defeat that sinister-looking creep!"
A group of her junior sisters gathered around Liuu Mei. Liuu Mei herself never would have imagined that the fatty from back then could one day stand on such a grand stage.
Although the Holy Hall Disciples were united in their support, deep down, everyone knew the score. They didn’t hold out much hope for this battle; it would be enough for him to simply represent the Holy Hall’s spirit with honor. After all, Wu Wang’s power was undeniable.
Wu Wang stared at Zhang Xiaojiang. "Are you going to forfeit, or should I send you to hell myself?"
Clearly, Wu Wang didn’t consider Zhang Xiaojiang a worthy opponent. ’The Eye of Truth is useless against me,’ he thought. ’It’s a disgrace that this kind of trash managed to stumble his way into the Battle of the Other Shore.’
Wu Wang’s contempt was blatant. Faced with his opponent’s direct provocation and disdain, Zhang Xiaopang just wore that same old awkward smile of his.
"I’m a pretty lazy guy, and the road to hell sounds like a lot of work, so I’ll pass. Though, I have to say, with a face like yours, you wouldn’t even need makeup for the part."
When it came to slinging insults, Master Zhang was a practiced hand. ’If I can’t beat him in a fight, can’t I at least beat him with my words?’
The one thing Wu Wang hated most was people commenting on his appearance. His Night Parade of Hundred Demons Body had taken its toll on him, altering not only his temperament but also his face.
"You’re courting death!"
Wu Wang hurled a Talisman wreathed in black flames. Zhang Xiaojiang dodged in an instant—he was a surprisingly agile fatty.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Wu Wang must have been enraged. He flung one Talisman after another, though either his aim was terrible, or Zhang Xiaojiang was simply too nimble.
But the crowd soon realized something was wrong. Wu Wang’s Talismans weren’t aimed at Zhang Xiaojiang at all.
BOOM...
The entire Dueling Platform erupted in black flames, its surface charring as if it were being coked.
A smirk like a cat playing with a mouse touched the corner of Wu Wang’s lips. Zhang Xiaojiang, meanwhile, discovered that his Earth Escape Skill had been nullified.
It was a Hell Burning Flame Array, and it had completely sealed off Zhang Xiaojiang’s Earth Escape Technique.
Wu Wang was not one to be passive. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a barrage of Ghost Talismans hurtling forth—each one designed for Soul Hooking and Soul Capturing.
For Wu Wang to be considered a top-tier Cultivator, his Talismans naturally had to be unique. His ability to use such Talismans indicated that the transformation from his Night Parade of Hundred Demons Holy Statue was nearly complete.
These were no ordinary Fire Talismans; they burned with Ghost Flame, and they attacked both the Sea of Fate and the Sea of Heart simultaneously. They weren’t something an average Cultivator could hope to withstand.
Zhang Xiaojiang brought out his Blast Bow. If that ghostly fire so much as touched you, it would be a death sentence; it was incredibly difficult to extinguish.
A Bow Cultivator, if utilized well, could counter a Talisman Cultivator—especially one with a weapon like Zhang Xiaojiang’s Blast Bow. But in a battle of this caliber, such simple counters hardly mattered. After all, his opponent was the Ghost Crown Prince, Wu Wang.
At first, Wu Wang paid Zhang Xiaojiang’s Blast Arrows no mind. But when his Ghost Talismans were all intercepted by them, completely unable to break through the Arrow Net, Wu Wang began to lose face.
Zhang Xiaojiang was like a crafty, fat rabbit. He used the range advantage of a Bow Cultivator to deny Wu Wang any chance of cornering him. The lethal array on the platform had a limited attack range, and whenever Wu Wang sent out a Ghost Talisman, Zhang Xiaojiang would immediately counter with a Blast Arrow, targeting the Talisman instead of Wu Wang himself.
Hu Jing and the others smiled. A battle wasn’t just a contest of strength, but also a battle of wits. Zhang Xiaopang had matured.
In the past, his poor mentality often got him caught and beaten senseless. Now, facing an expert like Wu Wang, he knew how to lay traps of his own.
It was obvious that Wu Wang was a renowned expert—a top-ranked one, to be precise. In comparison, Zhang Xiaojiang was a complete nobody. Therefore, Zhang Xiaojiang had no reason to be anxious or feel any pressure to perform.
Unlike the flawless Bu Qingyun, Wu Wang’s personality was full of holes. He was impulsive, obsessed with his reputation, and cruel. It would be foolish of Zhang Xiaojiang not to exploit such weaknesses.
Wu Wang’s power was on full display; it wasn’t something Zhang Xiaojiang could overcome with a frontal assault. He had to be patient and wait for an opportunity to present itself.
Wu Wang probably never imagined that a little punk like Zhang Xiaojiang would dare play mind games with him. ’He truly doesn’t know what it means to be alive or dead!’
Wu Wang’s Ghost Flame erupted in all directions as Ghost Talismans flew out one after another. A full one hundred and eight of them formed the Heavenly Demon Talisman Array, surrounding Wu Wang like an iron fortress.
Zhang Xiaojiang’s Blast Arrow arrived, only to be completely blocked by Wu Wang’s Heavenly Demon Talisman Array.
Even such a formidable Life Artifact was unable to breach Wu Wang’s powerful Defense Talisman Formation.
From within the Talisman Array, Wu Wang revealed a sinister smile. His cruelty was unconcealed, which was the signature style of the Ghost Sect. They were Demon Cultivators who loved to plunder. Once they seized an opportunity, they would sink their teeth in down to the bone, never pretending to be virtuous while committing evil deeds.
Having a unique style wasn’t a problem; having no style at all was. The Ghost Sect’s strength was definitely in the top ten, but they were so ruthless and disliked that they were ranked eleventh. From the highest-ranking member to the lowest, none of them made any effort to conceal their desires.
Fatty Zhang didn’t resume firing a frantic barrage of Blast Arrows. He had known from the very beginning that his Life Artifact wasn’t among the strongest. Against these truly powerful opponents, his Blast Bow was merely a useful tool, not a decisive advantage. If he panicked now, all hope would be lost.
A silver light flashed in his eyes. Zhang Xiaojiang’s trump card was his Eye of Truth.
Through the Eye of Truth, the Heavenly Demon Talisman Array appeared as a completely different scene.
Wu Wang grinned, revealing a set of ghastly white teeth. "Those eyes of yours aren’t bad. I like them!"
His Heavenly Demon Talisman Array was a seamless, integrated whole. He refused to believe that some so-called Eye of Truth could possibly break it!