Chapter 501 - 484: An Insult?
A powerful Demon Cultivator at the Great Perfection stage, one who practiced the Enchantment Technique, had once seized control of the situation. Princess Longyue had nearly fallen under his control, but the moment the Lofty and Refined Holy Statue appeared, the Evil Technique was forced to retreat.
The most thorough form of Purification is to be reduced to nothingness, to have both body and soul annihilated.
This was the first time Princess Longyue had displayed the tyrannical might of the Lofty and Refined Holy Statue, and her move had truly shaken the world.
Who would have thought that the seemingly gentlest Princess Longyue would possess such an overbearing Holy Statue?
When the Battle of the Other Shore first began, many previously unknown masters emerged. Some of them even became more famous than the established ones, with their flashy moves and strange abilities. A number of traditional powerhouses were overshadowed. However, as the Battle of the Other Shore progressed, talents like Princess Longyue began to gradually reveal their true might!
The saying is true: you don’t know what’s good until you make a comparison!
At the same time, everyone was growing to appreciate the Star Alliance’s standards more and more. Anyone on the Star Alliance’s lists was undoubtedly powerful.
Every standard set by the Star Alliance was deeply meaningful. Besides those with great comprehensive strength, even specialized masters of Sword Intent like Mu En were not overlooked.
On anyone recognized by the Star Alliance, you could absolutely find a power that lived up to their name.
Over in Starlight City, Zhou Qian became the first of the Holy Hall Beings to take the stage.
A great number of Cultivators had come specifically for the Holy Hall Beings. In addition to those from the Four Directions Small Thousand World, many who had some connection or relationship with the Holy Hall had also arrived.
The second round could only be described as grueling. The number of participants had dropped sharply, and the chances of encountering a top-tier master were very high.
Zhou Qian had thought he’d be scheduled later on. That way, even if he lost, it wouldn’t be too conspicuous. But fate had other plans, and he was the first to fight.
And his opponent’s reputation was astonishingly great.
Feng Pan, a master from the Power Sect. The Power Sect was ranked thirteenth in the Star Alliance, but its prowess in body cultivation was number one. Unlike most Sects with their mix of Cultivators, all disciples of the Power Sect were Body Cultivators.
This Feng Pan was even ranked third on the body cultivation potential list. He was a disciple the Power Sect was heavily invested in. Rumor had it that he came from a very poor background and was discovered by chance by a Power Sect Supreme Elder.
When Zhou Qian heard his opponent was a Body Cultivator, his face darkened. ’I’ll have to just take a beating again,’ he thought. ’How am I supposed to withstand this? The odds are not in my favor.’
And his opponent was such a formidable character. Many specialized experts had appeared in this Battle of the Other Shore, and their techniques were so incredible it was despair-inducing. Take Mu En from the Heart Sword Sect. Although his Sect wasn’t in the top ten, his Skill Technique and realm in his own field were unparalleled. ’What a headache, what a headache.’
Before even stepping onto the stage, Zhou Qian was already smiling bitterly.
Standing on the stage, Zhou Qian waited for his opponent to appear. ’What a big shot, making me wait.’
However, Zhou Qian didn’t feel too much pressure. Wang Meng had already counseled him. For Zhou Qian, all that mattered was fighting with his own style. Some people fought for fame, others just loved to fight; everyone had their own reasons.
Zhou Qian himself had no desire for fame; he was fine with just getting by. But he was here for the honor of the Holy Hall, so he would definitely give it his all. He would take it one victory at a time, but if he truly couldn’t win, there was nothing to be done about it.
With that thought, Master Zhou’s expression relaxed considerably. He was, by nature, the optimistic Little Master Zhou. While his opponent hadn’t yet arrived, Master Zhou started greeting the surrounding Holy Hall Disciples with the air of a cheerful optimist, and the crowd returned his greetings with cheers and smiles.
Zhou Qian’s opponent walked onto the stage. Instantly, Zhou Qian froze as if petrified, his movements completely stiff.
Feng Jin!
It was actually Feng Jin. Once upon a time, Zhou Qian had thought he had forgotten, that he had moved on. Just when he truly believed he had forgotten, Feng Jin appeared, and he had even changed his name to Feng Pan.
Zhou Qian’s expression was rigid.
"Feng... Jin... Long time no see." Zhou Qian’s voice was bitter.
Feng Jin stared at Zhou Qian intently, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "Are you implying that we know each other?"
Zhou Qian opened his mouth, but no words would come out. Back then, if he had just been a little more resolute, maybe Feng Jin wouldn’t have been driven out of the Holy Hall. Even if they couldn’t prove anything, they should have left together. But his cowardice in that moment had led to all of this. He had no explanation.
"I’m sorry."
That was the only thing Zhou Qian could say.
Hu Jing and the others were also shocked. Zhou Qian had let slip the matter buried deep in his heart one night when he was drunk. The incident had affected him so deeply that it still hadn’t changed him. Hu Jing had even searched for Feng Jin privately but couldn’t find him in the Four Directions Small Thousand World. Who would have thought he would reappear, transformed into a representative master of the famous Power Sect?
The name Feng Pan was renowned in the Star Alliance, especially among Body Cultivators, as a famous young master. His talent for body cultivation had already begun to show back then, but his expulsion was caused by running into a jealous man named Zhao Guang.
Feng Pan laughed. "You did me a great service. If I hadn’t been expelled back then, how could I have achieved what I have today? I just never expected you to be able to stand here as well."
"Zhao Guang... *Sigh*. There’s no point in talking about this now."
Zhou Qian said bitterly.
Feng Pan stared at Zhou Qian. "I originally wanted to take care of that guy, but I didn’t expect his life to be so short. But Heaven always has its eyes open. Today is the perfect day for us to settle this once and for all!"
At the critical moment back then, Zhou Qian had chickened out and failed to stand up for him. This was a wound in Feng Pan’s heart that he couldn’t get over, even after reaching his current glorious status.
The Power Sect was ranked thirteenth in the Star Alliance, truly placing it high above others. In the field of body cultivation, it reigned supreme, so they certainly had reason to be arrogant.
The Power Sect disciples were also quite surprised. They never expected the usually taciturn Feng Pan to have such a talkative side. When the Supreme Elder first brought him back, he was ecstatic. The Supreme Elder, who never drank, even got thoroughly drunk. At first, some people were suspicious, as Feng Pan’s origins seemed to be very humble, but Feng Pan’s strength quickly silenced everyone.
He was a Body Cultivator with a natural inclination for attack. One could only say that a golden fish is not meant to stay in a small pond.
Shan Lin didn’t give them much time to chat. The battle began.
Feng Jin attacked. In an instant, with a violent strike and a thunderous roar, Zhou Qian was sent flying.
Zhou Qian truly didn’t know how to fight back. Both in terms of fighting style and mentally, this battle was a nightmare for him.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t imagined reuniting with Feng Jin, but he never thought it would be in a place like this, under these circumstances.
The Shield of Sighs opened. Feng Jin sneered, "A few years apart and you’ve even cultivated a Life Artifact. The Holy Hall really is a comfortable place to be nurtured. Looks like you’ve been living quite well."
BOOM...
A powerful chop cleaved forward, and the ground exploded. Zhou Qian’s Shield of Sighs deployed a Defensive Array, which trembled violently.
The Holy Hall Disciples grew anxious. Zhou Qian was the most popular among them; he would help with basically any problem brought to him. He was famously soft-hearted. But Zhou Qian’s defense was completely passive, with no intention to counterattack. If this continued, something bad was bound to happen.
Hu Jing and the others understood. Zhou Qian was wracked with guilt. But back then, how many people would have had that kind of courage? It was a matter of timing and fate. They really couldn’t interfere in something like this.
Feng Jin sent Zhou Qian flying five or six meters with a heavy kick, causing the Shield of Sighs to vibrate continuously.
"Who would’ve thought you’d get yourself a turtle shell. Did you get to where you are now in the Holy Hall by sucking up to people? How come I never noticed you had a talent for that back then!"
BOOM...
Every word was probably more ferocious than Feng Jin’s actual attacks, striking Zhou Qian heavily. His face was already deathly pale.
Deep down, Zhou Qian was not an assertive person. Some people were born domineering, while others just wanted to live a peaceful life without grand ambitions. But in life, especially as a Cultivator, one was often not in control of their own destiny.
Zhou Qian had no choice. Others were always making demands of him, wanting him to do so much. What was he to do?
He wasn’t strong. On the contrary, he had always felt that he was very weak.
BOOM...
The Shield of Sighs was kicked aside by Feng Jin, and Zhou Qian was sent flying. His defense was full of holes; even with the Shield of Sighs, it was useless. A Life Artifact was an inanimate object. Its power depended on Zhou Qian’s state of mind.
And Zhou Qian had completely lost his will to fight.
But Feng Jin didn’t pursue. "Is this all you’ve got? So pathetic. Is this what you got for betraying me back then? I’m so happy for you. A garbage place really does take in garbage, and can only raise more garbage!"
Victory was in sight, but for some reason, Feng Jin couldn’t feel happy at all. The heart he thought had calmed down was once again boiling with anger.
When he had hit rock bottom, when he thought everything was over and he had been abandoned by the entire world, he met his master, Wang Zhongtian. At first, he thought the old man was just a clown. But when that old man saw him, it was as if he had found a priceless treasure. "Child, you are a natural-born Body Cultivator. Come with me, and I will make your name known throughout the world."
No one wanted Feng Jin anymore, so when someone did, he went. As it turned out, the old man hadn’t been lying. In fact, he had been quite modest. The Power Sect, ranked thirteenth in the Star Alliance. At that time, the Holy Hall was ranked nearly two hundredth. This was a truly famous Major Sect, the strongest Sect for any Cultivator who wanted to become a Body Cultivator.
And it seemed that surviving a great disaster was indeed followed by good fortune. Once he arrived, his master protected him fiercely and provided him with the best cultivation conditions. But no matter what, he couldn’t seem to fit in with his other martial brothers and trained alone in solitude.
Until today. Standing on this grandest stage of the Star Alliance, he was going to prove that he had been right.
He was truly strong, but why couldn’t he feel the slightest bit of happiness? Once upon a time, he had dreamed of this day. But looking at the pathetic state of Zhou Qian, his anger only grew more intense.
Zhou Qian staggered to his feet with a bitter smile on his face. ’This must be fate,’ he thought. ’You eventually have to pay for what you’ve done.’
"I was wrong back then, I’m sorry. But the Holy Hall is a great place!"
Zhou Qian said.
Feng Jin was stunned for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed. "Great? Are you kidding me? Look at you now, you’re just a piece of garbage! After all these years, you’re still so cowardly. In my eyes, the Holy Hall is the most garbage Sect of all! Everyone there, that Wang Meng, that Hu Jing, they’re all garbage!"
Zhou Qian’s mouth twitched. "You can insult me, but you can’t insult my brothers."
"Brothers? Are you worthy? Look at me!" Feng Jin roared. "I was your brother! Do you remember our oath back then? To live and die together! And what happened? You coward! And now you have the nerve to talk to me about brothers!"
Zhou Qian gave a bitter smile. "The timing was wrong. I understood some things too late. But even if time could be turned back, I still wouldn’t leave the Holy Hall."
Wrong is wrong, but you can’t make countless more mistakes because of one past mistake.