Chapter 220: Chapter 131: Grand Celebration (3)

His gaze swept over the young faces below, his tone turning solemn:

“However, the demonic presence has not been pacified, and evil forces still surround us. The battle at Nine Waves Island may have wiped out the bandits’ nest and dealt a heavy blow to the Zheng Family, but the Demon Sect remnant Zuo Feng escaped, and the whereabouts of the Zheng Family’s own Zheng Hui are unknown. These are grave threats we cannot afford to ignore! What’s more, the old demon ’Heart Devourer’ lurks in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Yunlin Prefecture is far from a time when we can rest easy!”

“On this joyous occasion, we must remain ever vigilant, hone our Martial Arts, and unite with a common purpose to protect our Sect and preserve the peace of our lands!”

“May our Wutai Sect’s foundation be everlasting, and its martial legacy endure forever! Let the celebration—begin!”

“May our foundation be everlasting! May our martial legacy endure forever!”

“May our foundation be everlasting! May our martial legacy endure forever!”

A cheer like a roaring tsunami erupted, soaring into the heavens and sending ripples across the surface of Dingbo Lake. The atmosphere instantly reached a fever pitch.

The celebration proceeded in an orderly fashion.

First came the grand ancestral worship ceremony.

He Yuzhou personally presided over it, with Elder Sang Yanping assisting. Before the Sect’s Ancestral Hall, they burned incense, offered prayers, and recited the ceremonial text to honor the spirits of the past ancestral masters.

Incense smoke curled into the air as bells and chimes rang in unison, enveloping everyone in the solemn, dignified atmosphere.

“…The path of Martial Arts is one of inheritance, but even more so, one of refinement and progress.”

He Yuzhou’s tone shifted, a note of encouragement entering his voice. “On this joyous occasion, to commend the diligence of our Wutai disciples, and to provide an opportunity for you to spar and learn from one another, we have organized a martial tournament! Any disciple from any institute who has reached the Embracing Pill Force Cultivation realm may take the stage to compete. The Sect has generous rewards for the victors!”

As soon as he said this, a glimmer of excitement appeared in the eyes of the young disciples on the viewing platforms.

The main event of the celebration had begun!

In the celebration plaza, as Sect Leader He Yuzhou’s voice faded, the atmosphere instantly shifted.

The young disciples’ eyes filled with eagerness. This tournament was both a chance to display their strength and a golden opportunity to compete for the Sect’s resources.

“Liu Mang of the Geng Metal Institute, here to ask for instruction from my fellow brothers!”

A burly disciple from the Geng Metal Institute was the first to leap onto the central, elevated stage.

He cupped his fist in salute as Geng Metal True Qi circulated around him. His palms faintly glowed with a golden luster, a clear sign he had achieved some proficiency with the Vajra Armor-Breaking Fist.

“Zhao Yan of the Li Fire Institute! I’ve come to test my skills against yours, Brother Liu!”

From the Li Fire Institute’s side, a lean, capable-looking young man rose to answer the call.

With a flash of movement, he landed gracefully on the stage. The long saber at his waist hummed as he drew it, its blade glowing crimson as Li Huo True Qi was channeled into it. This was the opening stance of the Tribulation Flame Sky-Splitting Saber.

The two exchanged no needless pleasantries; the battle was joined the instant their eyes met.

Liu Mang let out a low roar and stomped his right foot hard on the stage.

Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he shot forward, wrapped in a tyrannical and ferocious power, executing a Vajra Mountain Impact straight at Zhao Yan’s core!

The force of the punch surged forth, a pure, sharp aura that seemed ready to pulverize anything in its path.

Zhao Yan’s gaze hardened. Instead of retreating, he advanced!

The crimson saber in his hand slashed out, drawing a searing arc of fire.

The blade’s edge precisely struck the side of Liu Mang’s incoming Fist Edge, attempting to use finesse to overcome brute force and divert its Momentum.

CLANG—!

A tremendous clash of metal erupted! Sparks flew everywhere!

The two fought for dozens of exchanges. Although Zhao Yan’s Body Technique was fast and his Saber Technique was quite refined, Liu Mang’s temperament was clearly calmer. His Vajra Armor-Breaking Fist had already reached the Minor Achievement Realm.

Zhao Yan, unable to break through after a prolonged assault, began to show signs of impatience in his breathing. During a hasty attack, his footwork faltered slightly, and Liu Mang spotted the opening.

“Break!”

A sharp glint flashed in Liu Mang’s eyes as he unleashed the left fist he had been charging with power.

This punch concentrated all the Power in his body and his Geng Metal True Qi. Before the fist even arrived, the terrifying pressure it generated compressed the air in front of Zhao Yan, causing it to crackle explosively!

Zhao Yan hastily brought his saber across to block.

BOOM!

An immense, irresistible force transmitted through the saber blade. The webbing of Zhao Yan’s hand instantly split open, dripping with blood. As if struck by a massive boulder, he grunted, flew backward, and landed heavily on the edge of the stage.

The match was decided!

“I was fortunate.”

Liu Mang withdrew his fist and stood straight, panting slightly.

Their Cultivation levels were not far apart; he had won because his Vajra Armor-Breaking Fist had reached Minor Achievement, and he had more practical combat experience.

Elder Sang Yanping’s voice rang out at the opportune moment: “Geng Metal Institute’s Liu Mang is the victor! The reward is three high-quality Quenching Essence Pills and five days of Cultivation in Langya Pavilion’s Calm Room C!”

HISS…

Suppressed whispers of envy rose from below the stage.

“Five days in Langya Pavilion! And it’s even Room C! That’s equivalent to five thousand taels of silver!”

“Quenching Essence Pills are great stuff too. They can save you a lot of bitter effort!”

“Brother Liu really hit the jackpot this time!”

Among the Cyan Wood Institute disciples, everyone’s eyes were filled with fervor.

The stage was quickly cleared.

Liu Mang did not choose to remain on stage and defend his position. He collected his reward and stepped down.

’After one match, my True Qi consumption was considerable. My chances of successfully defending the stage again aren’t high; it’s better to retreat for now to advance later.’

“Zhou Peng of the Gui Water Institute, asking for instruction from my fellow brothers!”

A calm, steady voice rang out, and a disciple dressed in water-blue Martial Attire floated gracefully onto the stage.

’Zhou Peng!?’

Wu Yuanhua had mentioned this person to Chen Qing before. He’d said Zhou Peng’s foundation was solid, he was highly experienced, and that his Thousand Layered Wave Sword Technique had perfectly captured the essence of being continuous and unrelenting, with inexhaustible follow-through. He was also extremely skilled in Body Techniques; his Wave-Treading Technique had already reached Great Success, a rare feat even among the disciples of the Gui Water Institute.

Zhou Peng’s appearance on stage drew even more attention.

As a veteran disciple, his strength carried considerable weight in everyone’s minds.

Xu Qi took a deep breath, a flicker of fighting spirit appearing in his eyes.

His figure flashed, and like a streak of cyan fire, he landed steadily across from Zhou Peng. He cupped his fist and said, “Xu Qi of the Cyan Wood Institute, here to ask for instruction from Brother Zhou!”

“Go, Brother Xu!”

“Go, Brother Xu!”

The Cyan Wood Institute disciples all began to shout and cheer for Xu Qi.

A pecking order also existed within the Wutai Sect, and the Cyan Wood Institute was undoubtedly at the very bottom.

Therefore, its disciples were exceptionally united when facing those from other institutes.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep