Chapter 163 - 160: Winning

Chapter 163: Chapter 160: WinningA grueling battle finally had its outcome. In the end, Fang Ziyue, the strongest True Disciple of the Wildfire Sect, admitted defeat. Atop the messy high platform, as if swept by the autumn wind, some scattered stones and withered leaves rolled up, everyone stared blankly at the two figures on the stage, and after a long while, complex expressions emerged in their eyes. His opponent was Fang Ziyue, the most formidable member of the Wildfire Sect, whereas Ye Xuan was merely an Inner Hall Disciple from the Yang Hall. This newcomer, who had entered the Heavenly Martial Hall barely two months ago and had not even reached the threshold of a True Disciple, had won this most difficult battle. With both Leng Ruofeng and Yang Ting, two major True Disciples, defeated, Ye Xuan, the newcomer, managed to turn the tide and won this most arduous and crucial match. Such an outcome was clearly unexpected by anyone. "This guy... is really incredible." Many disciples of the Heavenly Martial Hall looked at each other, seeing a sincere admiration in each other’s shocked eyes. This was indeed the demeanor of a peerless genius. Today, they at the Heavenly Martial Hall had ultimately won. The people from the Wildfire Sect looked rather displeased; today’s competition, whether it was the first round or the second, was almost solely determined by Ye Xuan. Today, rather than saying they lost to the Heavenly Martial Hall, it was more accurate to say they lost to Ye Xuan alone. This guy was just too monstrous. A freakish genius like this emerging from the Heavenly Martial Hall, their loss today was undeniable. Ding! After Fang Ziyue had uttered the words of admission, Ye Xuan could no longer sustain himself and fell backward. The Spiritual Edge Sword in his hand plunged fiercely into the ground but couldn’t stop his fall. However, just as Ye Xuan’s body was about to hit the ground, he suddenly felt a pair of cold jade-like hands catching his body. Then, a fragrant and charming scent hit him, and he realized he was lying in a woman’s arms. This soft and comfortable sensation almost made Ye Xuan instantly fall asleep, but he still struggled to try to stand up, though his effort ultimately failed. His exertion only made him faint faster, and then he heavily fell into that fragrant embrace. Vaguely, he seemed to see a rare blush bloom on that stunningly beautiful face, breathtakingly beautiful. "Let’s just lay here then..." Ye Xuan closed his eyes, a slight curve forming on his lips as he let fatigue overwhelm him and he fell asleep. ... The next day. When Ye Xuan woke up, he found himself lying in his own bed, but this time, it wasn’t Tang Xiaoyan taking care of him, but Xiang Qing. As he got up, Ye Xuan also felt a soreness throughout his body; this fight had indeed been too fierce. Had he not cultivated the Nine Heavens Thunder Scripture, his injuries would have been even more severe, and winning would have been even less likely. "I asked the Outer Hall Disciples of the Yin Hall before, the last time you were absent, Junior Sister Tang Xiaoyan went out to gain experience and is unlikely to return soon. Now, I can only take care of you," Xiang Qing walked up to the bedside, arms crossed over her chest, and said with a smile. "Never mind, it’s just a minor injury. I’ll be alright after a few days of rest. What about Miss Ling? Why not have her come?" Ye Xuan propped himself up from the bed, then took out a few Pills and ingested them before he continued speaking. He didn’t have a clear memory of what happened, but he was certain the woman who appeared behind him last was Ling Qianxue. As a disciple of the Heavenly Martial Hall, stepping forward to battle was his duty, but his decision to intervene was partly because of her. Ironically, as soon as the match ended, she just left him here. At the very least, she could have shown some gratitude by bringing him some tea, offering him medicine, or taking care of him for a few days. "You really dare to say it. If it weren’t for your injuries, there might be hundreds of people outside wanting to duel you right now." Xiang Qing clicked his tongue a few times, and continued speaking under Ye Xuan’s somewhat astonished gaze, "In front of so many people, you so comfortably lay in Senior Sister Ling’s arms and even deliberately rubbed against her a few times. You’ve defiled the sacred body of the goddess like that. Ordinarily, you’d be dead for sure, but luckily, you saved the reputation of Heavenly Martial Hall yesterday. You were yesterday’s hero, and your merit made up for your mistake, so no one came to settle scores with you." "Is it that exaggerated? Did I intentionally rub against her? Even if I did, it was accidental..." Ye Xuan was somewhat speechless at this comment. Why did everything that came out of this guy’s mouth sound so sleazy? He had no strength left at that time, let alone any inclination to do such trivial things. Besides, since when did a mere touch amount to defilement? It’s not like one could get pregnant from it. "Alright, alright, everyone already accepts it as fact so don’t try to justify it. Don’t tell me you have no interest in Senior Sister Ling at all." Xiang Qing didn’t care for Ye Xuan’s explanations, but Ye Xuan himself couldn’t refute it either. Any man would definitely have some thoughts; it’s just that Ye Xuan wasn’t as fervent or blatant as others. "You’re out of things to say now, huh? Actually, I think you and Senior Sister Ling are quite suitable. Look, at the end when you were injured and fell, she actually took the initiative to rush out and help you. For someone as icy as Senior Sister Ling, that’s extremely unusual... Maybe, just maybe, Senior Sister Ling does have a bit of a liking for you, you have a good chance," Xiang Qing’s eyes gleamed as he spoke. "Pff!" Ye Xuan nearly spat out all the medicine he had just taken in, and he couldn’t help but laugh and cry, "Have you got a screw loose in your brain? Just because of that little incident, you’ve come to a conclusion? How many times have I even met Miss Ling? Besides, she used to be really annoyed with me, how could she have changed her attitude so quickly?" "As for her coming out to help me, maybe she was just a bit grateful. After all, I did help her out of a tight spot before, so I guess we’re even." Ye Xuan didn’t think someone like Ling Qianxue, an ice beauty, would be so easily persuaded by him. To conquer someone like her, it would be like thawing three feet of ice, not the work of a single day, requiring a massive amount of time and effort, and might even backfire. Of course, Ye Xuan had no such intention. "That does make some sense." Xiang Qing nodded to himself and then smiled happily, "That’s great then, at least we still have a chance." "Yeah, make sure to seize the opportunity." Ye Xuan shook his head, not believing that someone as icy as Ling Qianxue, could be easily conquered. To conquer her, one would first need to break down her pride, which would require surpassing her in strength. But he was too lazy to deflate Xiang Qing’s enthusiasm further, especially since the latter wouldn’t give up his pursuit of his goddess just because of one setback. In the following days, Ye Xuan finally took some good rest. Having been severely injured during his return from Yin Ghost Mountain, what was supposed to be a martial competition between two major sects ended up being viciously fierce. Naturally, his recovery took a bit longer, requiring a rest of seven full days before Ye Xuan eventually began to find his cultivation rhythm again. As time went on, Ye Xuan’s cultivation gradually got back on track. He had only mastered the first two levels of the Nine Heavens Thunder Scripture, and the latter two levels weren’t so easy to cultivate, which set Nine Heavens Thunder Scripture apart from the Great Sword Scripture. The Great Sword Scripture wasn’t a high-level martial art; one could master it as smoothly as flowing water with sufficient comprehension. But the Nine Heavens Thunder Scripture was different, growing increasingly difficult with each level. The difficulty of the last two levels was probably comparable to a Middle Stage Heavenly Grade martial art or even higher, which was naturally beyond Ye Xuan’s current cultivation level. Setting the Nine Heavens Thunder Scripture aside for the moment, Ye Xuan began to ponder the fifth form of swordsmanship in the Great Sword Scripture. After creating the fourth move "Sword Dragon Heavenly Journey" from the first three moves, Ye Xuan felt that the fifth form had great potential. As a continuation of "Sword Dragon Heavenly Journey," the fifth form’s power would be even more astonishing. Thus, he spent over half a month cultivating in the mountains, but Ye Xuan suddenly received a summon not from Murong Yun, but from someone he had never met before, the Hall Master of Heavenly Martial Hall, Ling Jingtian. Upon receiving the summon, Ye Xuan was also a bit suspicious; this matter couldn’t be simple. Generally speaking, the Hall Master wouldn’t easily summon disciples. Once called, it surely wasn’t just for a simple meeting but rather something significant. Not wanting to delay, Ye Xuan immediately hastened to the center of Heavenly Martial Hall upon receiving the summon. At the very center of Heavenly Martial Hall, besides the sprawling square, the most striking building was the grand hall itself, which was the core of the four halls and the place with the highest authority in the entire Heavenly Martial Hall. Upon entering the grand hall, Ye Xuan saw a middle-aged man with a square face and an imposing demeanor sitting upright on the main seat. His eyes were deep and commanding, his presence naturally exuding a vigorous aura, demonstrating his tremendous strength. Ye Xuan realized this square-faced middle-aged man must be Ling Jingtian, the Hall Master of Heavenly Martial Hall. Standing on either side were two figures, unmistakably including Murong Yun. The other three individuals must be the other three hall masters, the people in charge of Heavenly Martial Hall’s power, nearly all gathered in this hall. As he entered, two people were already standing at the bottom of the grand hall steps; they were none other than the two true disciples, Leng Ruofeng and Ling Qianxue. Leng Ruofeng greeted Ye Xuan, while Ling Qianxue remained as indifferent as ever. Only when Ye Xuan’s gaze shifted away did a flicker of indiscernible emotion flash in her icy eyes before it disappeared almost instantly.