Chapter 544 - 527: Saintess
Even Yuu Kunlun was stunned, and Mo Chen just shook his head. Apparently, he didn’t know either.
While others idly chatted and rested, Xie Tianhua seized every minute to cultivate. He believed that this steady accumulation would eventually pay off.
It was because of this quiet, unassuming diligence that Mo Chen had taken notice of him.
He persisted in his cultivation daily, living each day with a grateful heart. He was content and treated everyone around him with sincerity.
He knew that no one had high expectations for him in the Battle of the Other Shore, but he didn’t dare to slack off. He didn’t know if his efforts would make a difference, but he persisted all the same.
The act of doing was a mindset in itself. He didn’t think about the outcome.
Man acts, and Heaven watches.
Having reached Great Perfection, Xie Tianhua was still his old self, without a shred of pride. At this level, he could more clearly sense the terrifying Dragon Power concealed within Linglong’s body.
From a higher vantage point, one sees more. Xie Tianhua never saw pressure as a burden.
’To live is to sin, and that is why one must cultivate. Only the dead have the right to rest.’
His composure was truly unmatched among the younger generation.
Who could have imagined that this fellow, who was only moderately well-known and not considered a favorite among the younger generation, would be the first to reach Great Perfection?
But even his ascension to Great Perfection seemed to mean nothing to Linglong.
The Dragon Princess made her move.
Having reached Great Perfection, Xie Tianhua should have been able to put up a fight against the Dragon Maiden, but the reality was the exact opposite.
Linglong unleashed her power. With a single punch, the heavens and earth seemed to spin. Her speed was astonishing, and for a moment, all Xie Tianhua could do was desperately defend himself.
Despite having reached Great Perfection, his situation was now even more dire.
’It’s no use being resentful; I know the truth of it.’ Xie Tianhua was well aware of the gap. ’But no matter what, I can’t damage the Taiyin Sect’s prestige.’
With a Critical Strike, Xie Tianhua was sent flying. But Linglong knew he had merely used the force of her blow to create distance. She didn’t pursue. Her previous assault had already sent a clear message.
VMMMM...
A spinning wheel appeared in Xie Tianhua’s hand. This was his Life Artifact—the Yin-Yang Wheel!
Xie Tianhua’s Elemental Power surged into the wheel. He drew upon the power of heaven and earth with the might of his Great Perfection cultivation, causing the Yin-Yang Wheel to spin faster and expand. The humming sound it produced was chilling to the bone.
The entire Yin-Yang Wheel was wreathed in Lightning, its power and presence awe-inspiring.
This was Xie Tianhua’s ultimate move.
The Life-taking Yin-Yang Wheel!
It shot toward Linglong like a phantom ray of light.
In an instant, Linglong’s figure vanished.
BOOM...
A massive gash was torn into the Dueling Platform. The Yin-Yang Wheel roared as it hurtled toward Linglong, its power simply staggering.
This terrifying Life Artifact, fueled by the power of Great Perfection, was already beyond Xie Tianhua’s current ability to control.
Its high-speed rotation amplified its destructive power several times over.
The most frightening part was that the Yin-Yang Wheel locked onto Linglong like a shadow—a Shadow-Following Form. Even with her incredible speed, she couldn’t shake it.
Linglong’s figure shot toward Xie Tianhua. Almost everyone knew what she was planning.
Xie Tianhua’s expression changed. While he controlled the Life Artifact, its power had reached a level where its sheer momentum was difficult to reverse.
In a flash, Linglong zipped past Xie Tianhua. The Yin-Yang Wheel was now hurtling toward him. If it hit, he would undoubtedly be sliced in two.
Just then, Xie Tianhua clasped his hands together and pointed. The Yin-Yang Wheel... teleported!
Xie Tianhua’s face turned pale, but the Yin-Yang Wheel was now bearing down on Linglong at point-blank range.
This wasn’t high-speed movement, but a true Space Skill!
Someone of Xie Tianhua’s caliber could actually comprehend Space Magic?
It was too fast to dodge, but just as it was about to strike, Linglong’s figure vanished as well.
The Yin-Yang Wheel hit nothing but air, burying itself deep into the Dueling Platform. It continued to spin, nearly slicing the entire platform in two.
Xie Tianhua no longer had the Power of Heart Spirit to control it. That single teleport had consumed all of his strength.
But in the end, it was all for naught.
Linglong’s figure emerged from the void. She looked quietly at Xie Tianhua. "Who taught you Space Magic?"
Xie Tianhua gave a bitter smile. ’My greatest ultimate move was so pathetic in front of the Dragon Princess.’
’But even though I lost, someone will eventually win.’
"My martial uncle taught me," Xie Tianhua said with a wry smile. ’I thought that move would at least give her some trouble, but it ended like this. I still have a long way to go.’
The members of the Taiyin Sect looked at each other in confusion. They didn’t have a martial uncle.
Yuu Kunlun looked toward Mo Chen, who just shrugged. "Nothing to do with me. He probably figured it out from watching Wang Meng train."
Hearing this, Yuu Kunlun and the surrounding Sect Leaders were left speechless. ’Is that even possible?’
’Comprehending the Power of Laws just by watching someone else train?’
Dragon Princess Linglong was victorious.
All that could be said was that the power of the Dragon Race had been proven once again. That instantaneous Space Magic was completely useless against Linglong. Judging by how effortlessly she handled it, did this not mean that any attack would be useless against her?
This was the Power of Space Law from the Dragon Emperor’s lineage, a power that allowed them to roam the world uncontested.
Bathed in Linglong’s glory, Xie Tianhua was once again relegated to a supporting role. He couldn’t help but feel a little dejected.
As his master, Mo Chen patted Xie Tianhua on the shoulder. "Look ahead. You’ve done exceptionally well. Look around you. No one here will look down on you."
Yes, Xie Tianhua had lost, but he had lost to Linglong—a cultivator destined to be one of the strongest in the Cultivation Realm, perhaps even the strongest in the world.
Xie Tianhua was already incredibly formidable. Who would dare underestimate the leading disciple of the Taiyin Sect?
"Thank you, Master."
"Kid, you’re much stronger than we were back in our day," Yuu Kunlun said, "Don’t be discouraged. You have a long future ahead of you." Xie Tianhua’s performance had truly been far beyond their expectations. It seemed he, too, had underestimated Xie Tianhua in the past.
The main event was over. The thirteenth match followed, where Hu Jing’s Dawn Goddess Holy Statue completely overwhelmed Song Ma’s Eternal Flame Holy Statue. The number two figure of the No Illusion Demon Sect couldn’t gain the slightest advantage against the number two figure of the Holy Hall.
This battle was the first glimpse of Hu Jing’s dominance. Her Holy Statue was highly unusual, one of the special types with limitless potential.
And with that, all five members of the Holy Hall had fought their way into the top sixteen, accomplishing an unbelievable, miraculous feat.
The moment Hu Jing was declared the winner, Starlight City erupted. Hearing the thunderous cheers of the Holy Hall Disciples, cultivators from other sects finally realized that a terrifying new power had been born.
The Holy Hall Beings were becoming increasingly steady, increasingly powerful.
At this point, their glory was self-evident. The facts spoke for themselves.
In the final match, Zou Chuang of the Taiyin Sect faced Song Yifan of the Jiuling Sect.
As one of the top contenders, Zou Chuang did not disappoint. He easily defeated Song Yifan, bringing the Jiuling Sect’s journey to a predictable end.
And so, the top sixteen were decided.
Bu Qingyun of the Cyan Cloud Sect, Zhang Xiaojiang of the Holy Hall, Suo Ming of the Holy Hall, Longyue of the Holy Light Sect, Purple Dragon of the Dragon Race, Celestial Dragon of the Dragon Race, Zhou Qian of the Holy Hall, Mengg Lord of the Demon Race, Lin Jinghao of the No Illusion Demon Sect, Jii Wanli of the Ten Thousand Spirits Sect, Mingren of the Pure Land, Li Xishui of the Wind God Sect, Wang Meng of the Holy Hall, Linglong of the Dragon Race, Hu Jing of the Holy Hall, and Zou Chuang of the Taiyin Sect.
The battles in the rounds to come would clearly be even more brutal.
A rest period began. All competing cultivators would receive seven days of rest, which was crucial. The upcoming battles were certain to be more difficult, making it essential to maintain peak condition.
Clearly, a little bit of luck would be needed as well.
The Star Alliance was also busy making arrangements. For the upcoming quarterfinals, some of the major disciples from various sects would be permitted to enter the Pure Land. Naturally, a considerable number from the Demon Race would also be allowed into Sky City.
Every step forward was a tremendous honor.
As the biggest winner of the Battle of the Other Shore thus far, the Holy Hall was naturally granted this special honor. Yang Ying, Zhou Feng, Thunderbolt, and others all received qualifications to enter Sky City.
In the Four Directions Small Thousand World, they were undoubtedly major figures, but here, they were somewhat lost in the crowd. It didn’t matter, though. With the Holy Hall, their glory was shared, and they too could reach the Other Shore.
Moreover, the top performers from the Holy Hall’s Jiufen Hall were also given the opportunity, rather than reserving it all for the older generation of cultivators.
These disciples were the future of the Holy Hall. One must stand tall to see far.
The horizons and perspective of any cultivator who experienced this Battle of the Other Shore would be forever expanded.
And for a cultivator still in their developmental stages, this was an incredibly precious experience.
All the contestants were accommodated in the beautiful Sky City.
The matches ended, and so did the clamor. All that remained was quiet anticipation.
While regulating his breathing, Wang Meng suddenly opened his eyes. The door had opened, and a plump, round little creature poked its head in, curiously sizing up the room.
Upon seeing Wang Meng, its round body immediately squeezed through the door. It let out a whimper and pounced, burying its head in Wang Meng’s embrace.
Even with his well-honed, calm temperament, Wang Meng couldn’t help but laugh. "Sanmao, it looks like you’ve been living the good life! Hey, don’t wipe your snot on me!"
Sanmao was already frantic with anxiety. It hopped and gestured wildly, tugging at Wang Meng to get him to follow.
Wang Meng followed Sanmao, flying over vast seas of flowers before landing in a quiet, secluded manor.
Sanmao excitedly pointed inside. Wang Meng could already sense it: in the garden, there was a slender figure with a very... fragile life force.
"You’re here." The young woman turned to look at Wang Meng.
Master Wang’s resistance to beauty was considerable, yet upon seeing her for the first time, he felt the heart-stopping thrill of a first love.
The young woman’s beauty was heartbreaking. Any man who saw her would want to cradle her in his hands and protect her. Her bare feet, translucent and flawless, dangled from a swing, swaying gently. The sight was enough to stir an impulse to kiss them tenderly.
"Have we met before?" Wang Meng’s stupor lasted only an instant, but for someone like him, even that was unprecedented.
"Does it matter if we’ve met before? You can call me Zhen’Er."
The young woman said, beckoning to Sanmao. The little creature immediately trotted over, its rear end wiggling excitedly.
Wang Meng sat on a large rock opposite the swing, his eyes fixed on the young woman. A look of pity suddenly crossed his face, and he sighed softly. "The Star Alliance Saintess, with a Ninefold Heaven Saint Body... why is your life in peril?"
The young woman tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, completely unsurprised by Wang Meng’s perception. "There are always gains and losses. Perhaps I simply know too much."
"I’ve heard the Ninefold Heaven Saint Body can perceive the past, present, and future," Wang Meng said, looking at this legendary figure with great interest. "What do you see when you look at me?"
The young woman smiled, pressing her lips together. "Are you sure you want to know?"
Wang Meng paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. "Actually, it doesn’t really matter. The beauty of life lies in the thrill of the unknown."
"Spoken like the true Wang Meng."