strictlysupreme Chapter 78 The Arena 6
Chapter 78 The Arena 6
As the first match ended, everyone was still immersed in the afterglow of the intense battle, and the atmosphere in the square became increasingly high.
Next, the two disciples who would compete in the second round took the stage. One was Lin Yue, a female disciple from the Lingxiao Sect. She wore a light purple dress and had a graceful figure. She held a spiritual staff that emitted a faint light. The other was Zhao Xuan, a male disciple from the Cangshan Sect. He was strong and agile with a resolute look. He carried a heavy spiritual longsword on his back.
Lin Yue stepped lightly onto the arena. A gentle breeze blew, causing her skirt to flutter. She gave a slight bow and said in a clear, melodious voice, "Lin Yue of the Lingxiao Sect has come to seek guidance."
Zhao Xuan returned the greeting with clasped hands, his voice booming: "Zhao Xuan of the Cangshan Sect, I apologize for the offense!"
The competition began, and Lin Yue launched the first attack.
She waved her staff and chanted a spell: "Soaring Spirit, Rise!"
In an instant, she seemed to control the air around the arena. A gale arose, carrying tiny wind blades that swept towards Zhao Xuan like a group of invisible daggers.
The howling wind filled the entire square, and the flags on the stands fluttered in the wind, as if cheering for the battle.
Zhao Xuan remained calm and composed. He drew his long sword with a backhand, and the moment the sword was drawn, a dazzling blade of light pierced the sky.
"Cangshan Wind-Breaking Slash!" he shouted, charging towards Lin Yue against the raging wind. He brandished his long sword, the blade light shining like a blazing sun, dispelling the wind blades.
"The Cangshan Sect's swordsmanship is so fierce that it can directly break through the Lingxiao Sect's wind technique. Amazing!" A rogue cultivator couldn't help but exclaim.
Seeing that the wind blades were ineffective, Lin Yue remained calm. She stomped her staff heavily on the ground and said, "Lingxiao Illusion Array, activate!"
Instantly, countless phantoms of Lin Yue appeared on the arena, centered on her, each holding a spirit staff and surrounding Zhao Xuan.
"Hmph, a mere trick!" Zhao Xuan snorted coldly, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy rose from his body.
"Cangshan Spiritual Awareness, Break!" He suddenly opened his eyes, which flashed with a sharp light. The long sword in his hand spun rapidly, forming a huge vortex, and slashed at the surrounding phantoms.
"This Fellow Daoist Zhao's Cangshan Spiritual Sense can actually see through illusions. His perception of spiritual power is so sharp!" Xu Xiaoxiao said in surprise.
Mu Zhusheng nodded and said, "That's right. This requires extremely high spiritual power and combat experience. Neither of them should be underestimated."
Seeing the illusion shattered, Lin Yue frowned slightly. She poured her spiritual power into the staff, and the eerie light at the tip of the staff grew stronger.
"The Holy Light of Lingxiao shines!" She raised her staff high, and a huge purple beam of light shot out from the top of the staff, heading towards Zhao Xuan.
Wherever the beam of light passed, the arena floor was scorched, and the air was filled with a burnt smell.
Zhao Xuan's expression was solemn. He gripped his longsword with both hands, held it horizontally in front of him, and shouted, "Cangshan Shield, Condense!"
A thick, earthen-yellow shield emerged from the longsword, enveloping his entire body.
The purple beam of light struck the shield, producing a deafening roar and causing spiritual energy to splatter everywhere. The spectators in the surrounding stands quickly raised their defensive magical artifacts to avoid being affected.
"Both of their attacks are incredibly powerful. The shields and beams of light are locked in a stalemate, and it remains to be seen who will give out first," Tu Minglang said nervously.
At this critical moment, Zhao Xuan suddenly removed his shield, threw his longsword into the air, and quickly formed hand seals.
"Cangshan Heaven and Earth Slash!" With his shout, the long sword in the air instantly transformed into a huge light blade, dozens of feet long, which slashed towards Lin Yue.
As the light blade fell, it seemed to cleave the sky in two, creating a massive crack in the air. Sunlight streamed through the crack onto the arena, intertwining with the spiritual energy to form a spectacular yet dangerous scene.
A resolute glint flashed in Lin Yue's eyes. She planted her staff into the ground and drew a complex rune in front of her chest with both hands.
"Lingxiao Guardian Talisman!" A huge purple rune appeared in front of her, shimmering with a mysterious light, and collided with the falling light blade.
With a deafening roar, the entire arena shook violently, and the light was so bright that it was impossible to open one's eyes.
As the light gradually faded, everyone saw Lin Yue kneeling on one knee, breathing slightly, while Zhao Xuan stood not far away, his face slightly pale.
"The match is a draw!" the referee announced loudly.
A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted in the square. Whether it was Lin Yue's wonderful spiritual techniques or Zhao Xuan's powerful swordsmanship, the audience was treated to a visual feast and were even more excited for the upcoming competition.
With the score tied, Lin Yue and Zhao Xuan exchanged a fist salute and left the field.
At this moment, the sunlight grew even hotter, shining on the arena. The residual spiritual energy from the previous battle had not completely dissipated, and wisps of it flickered and drifted in the air, like nimble elves.
The audience members below the stage were still discussing the matter with great interest.
A young cultivator dressed in a blue robe said to his companion, "These two matches were truly spectacular. The techniques of the Lingxiao Sect and the Cangshan Sect each have their own unique charm. I wonder what surprises the upcoming matches will bring."
His companion nodded in agreement: "Yes, I originally thought one side would win easily, but I didn't expect it to be such a close fight. This is the true style of the elite disciples of each sect."
Just as everyone was discussing, the disciple for the third competition made his appearance.
One was Ye Xing, a disciple from the Star Luo Sect. He was dressed in black, carried a long sword, and exuded a cold and aloof aura. The other was Su Yao, a female disciple from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. She was dressed in white, held a zither, and had a serene and gentle face.
Ye Xing stepped onto the arena with steady steps, clasped his hands and said, "Ye Xing of the Star Luo Sect has come to attend this gathering."
Su Yao bowed slightly and said softly, "Su Yao of Tianji Pavilion, please give me your guidance."
As the contest began, Ye Xing was the first to draw his sword. The blade gleamed coldly, and he moved with lightning speed, instantly closing in on Su Yao. His sword moved with him, creating several sword flowers that shimmered like twinkling stars.
"Starry Sword Shadow!" he shouted, his sword strikes fierce, as if to envelop Su Yao.
Su Yao remained calm and composed, gently placing the zither on the stone platform in front of her. Her jade-like hands touched the strings, and with a gentle pluck, a clear and melodious sound rang out, like a mountain spring flowing.
As the music of the zither spread, the surrounding air seemed to soften, and Ye Xing's sharp swordplay even paused slightly under the influence of the music.
"The music spells of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion are truly amazing; they can even disturb the enemy's mind and slow down their offensive," Yuan Mengyao exclaimed softly.
"She's Sister Su's fellow disciple!" Xu Xiaoxiao exclaimed excitedly as she looked at the woman on the stage.
Mu Zhusheng nodded slightly: "That's right, but the swordsmanship of the Xingluo Sect is not to be underestimated. Ye Xing will not be so easily subdued."
Ye Xing frowned, realizing the power of the zither music. He immediately circulated his spiritual energy and shouted, "Star Luo Demon-Slaying Force!"
The spiritual energy within his body surged forth and poured into the sword. The cold light on the sword intensified, instantly breaking free from the constraints of the zither music and continuing to stab towards Su Yao.
Seeing this, Su Yao's ten fingers danced rapidly on the strings, and the music became urgent, turning into sound waves that struck Ye Xing as if they were tangible.
"Heavenly Sound Illusionary Sound Kill!" Wherever the sound waves passed, the space rippled, as if they were about to crush Ye Xing.
Ye Xing flashed and used the Star Luo Sect's ultimate movement technique, "Star Luo Illusionary Step." His figure left afterimages on the arena, dodging the sonic attack.
Then, he leaped high into the air, pointed his long sword at the sky, and chanted, "Starfall!" In an instant, several meteors formed from spiritual energy appeared in the sky, trailing long flames, and crashed down towards Su Yao.
Su Yao's expression changed. She pressed down hard on the strings of her zither, and the zither emitted a high-pitched, long sound: "Heavenly Sound Protects the Realm!" A transparent spiritual energy shield formed in front of her, with light flowing across it, blocking the meteors one by one.
The meteorite struck the shield with a deafening roar, and the runes around the arena flickered violently, as if they were about to collapse under the strain.
"These two are getting more and more ferocious. If this continues, the arena might be destroyed," Tu Minglang said, his eyes wide.
Xu Xiaoxiao clutched Mu Zhusheng's clothes tightly: "Second Senior Brother, will they be in danger?"
Mu Zhusheng comforted them, "They are all well-behaved, and the defensive runes on the arena can withstand a certain amount of impact, so there is no need to worry too much."
After a barrage of attacks, both Ye Xing and Su Yao were slightly exhausted.
Ye Xing landed on the ground, slightly out of breath. He looked at Su Yao and said, "Miss Su, your musical magic is indeed powerful. I have witnessed it today."
Su Yao smiled gently: "Young Master Ye's swordsmanship has also broadened Su Yao's horizons."
At this moment, the referee stepped onto the ring, checked the condition of both fighters, and announced loudly: "This match is evenly matched, and the score is a draw!"
Once again, enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the audience. While marveling at the wonderful competition, everyone was even more excited for the upcoming matches, eager to see which other sects' disciples would take the stage to showcase their unique skills.