Chapter 361 – Surrounded by Six Sects
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“Lin Ming, I’ll kill you!” Ma Junhui was burning with anger from the shame he had received. He gripped the longsword in his hand, a purple layer of light covering the blade. His entire body emitted a blue glow; he was about unleash his full force.
Lin Ming was calm as before. He held the Heavy Profound Soft Spear straight in his hands, waiting for Ma Junhui to come.
“Enough!” At this time, Storm Valley’s Valley Master gave a cold cough. “A loss is a loss, fall back!”
Ma Junhui’s gathering of true essence was disrupted by Storm Valley’s Valley Master’s cold cough, his face flushing red. He argued, unwilling to accept this outcome, “Honorable Sect Master, I merely underestimated the enemy. I still haven’t even used the ‘Wind Conversion Art’, and I still have the Concept of Wind. I…”
“Shut up!” Storm Valley’s Valley Master was finally angry. “An 18 year old challenging a 16 year old and being sent flying back with a single strike is already disgraceful enough, and yet you still have the face to give an excuse! Hurry up and get out of the way, you are shaming me on that stage!”
Ma Junhui gulped, then glared at Lin Ming with bitter hatred in his eyes as he stepped down in humiliation.
“Boy, just you wait. I will definitely return the favor someday!” Before Ma Junhui left the stage, he sent Lin Ming a sinister true essence sound transmission. When he had fought a moment ago, he hadn’t used the ‘Wind Conversion Art’ or the Concept of Wind. In his haste, he didn’t even fully summon his true essence. In his own foolish self-confidence, he had hypnotized himself into thinking he could never lose to Lin Ming, and this was the reason for his sudden and immediate loss.
Only thinking this made Ma Junhui feel a bit better. He had lost today’s match in too miserable a fashion, he didn’t even have any face left at all. If he scavenged some reasoning from somewhere, it would have a major effect on his future martial cultivation and confidence.
Lin Ming didn’t bother to respond. Against a blithering idiot like Ma Junhui, then there no reason to bother with him. What he was more concerned was just who had spurred Ma Junhui and Zhou Xiaoling to deal with him.
“This boy!” Yan Fuhong clenched his teeth under the stage. Lin Ming’s combat strength was secondary. It was Lin Ming’s talent that was too terrifying. Ma Junhui was a core disciple of Storm Valley and his talent could be arranged around the upper middle reaches of all the core disciples, yet he was actually swept away by a single one of Lin Ming’s spears.
Although Ma Junhui said he had underestimated his enemy and hadn’t used his complete strength, didn’t Lin Ming not use his complete strength too?
That meant that Lin Ming’s talent was at least at the likes of Mu Dingshan and Mu Xiaoqing! Maybe he surpassed them! In another two or three years, Lin Ming would become the second Mu Dingshan.
This caused Yan Fuhong to have a feeling of profound crisis. He had a likely chance of being one of the people able to enter the main Ancient Phoenix Hall of the Divine Phoenix Mystic realm. But if Lin Ming came, then his chances of being selected would be greatly reduced.
By the time Lin Ming walked offstage, Zhang Zhen was stunned. Sitting by Lin Ming, he gulped and said, “Big Brother Lin, you are really fierce!”
Big Brother Lin?
Lin Ming had an amused expression. Zhang Zhen was older than him by two years and was someone that was naturally arrogant to the bones. This was not a good state of mind for anyone to have. To be more accurate, it could be said that this was a condition that every disciple of Divine Phoenix Island had: in the reaches of their hearts, they all looked down on those from smaller sects.
But when meeting a truly amazing individual, such as Mu Dingshan, the Sunfire Princess, and so on, Zhang Zhen lost all of his proud nature and arrogance. If that person was even more amazing, such as Mu Qianyu or Mu Bingyun, then Zhang Zhen would even fall over in worship.
The higher one’s cultivation was, the more they understood just how terrifying these characters were.
“Brother Lin, you’re so strong! Do you think you can win against that Zhou Xiaoling girl?” Zhang Zhen asked as he rubbed his hands, it seemed that he had taken his loss to that little girl to heart.
Lin Ming laughed, “You want me to challenge her and gain back some face for you?”
Zhang Zhen smiled, a bit embarrassed, “I just think that little girl is a bit too rampant…”
Earlier, Zhang Zhen has narcissistically assumed that Zhou Xiaoling had challenged him onstage because she had taken a fancy to him. But after he went onstage, he was defeated in a few blinks of the eye. Finally, Zhang Zhen understood that the reason that little girl had called him up was especially to defeat him; this greatly damaged Zhang Zhen’s self-esteem.
Lin Ming said, “Don’t worry about that Zhou Xiaoling. Even if I don’t bother with her, she will challenge me.”
“Ah?”
Lin Ming didn’t speak any more. He glanced over at Zhou Xiaoling and smiled. She was impishly smiling back at him, and her eyes held mischievous provocation. This girl, she definitely wasn’t someone who was easy to deal with.
Although Lin Ming had sent Ma Junhui flying back with a single spear, he didn’t look down on the seven great sects of the Five Element Region. Normally, a fourth-grade sect would have around 10 direct disciples and even more core disciples.
Ma Junhui was only a core disciple ranked around the upper middle reaches, and he was ranked around 20th or so among the disciples of Storm Valley.
The difference between the first disciple and the 20th disciple was humongous. For instance, taking the Seven Profound Valleys as an example, the Total Faction Martial Meeting’s tied second and third ranking were Mugu Buyu and Jiang Baoyun, and the 11th place was Fang Qi – the difference in their strength was evident.
But, Ma Junhui’s status in Storm Valley was even less than that of Fang Qi in the Seven Profound Valleys. Lin Ming wouldn’t look down on Zhou Xiaoling because of Ma Junhui, even if she was only 17 years old.
At this moment, a voice resounded in Lin Ming’s ear, it was Mu Qianyu’s true essence sound transmission. “Good job! But don’t be so hasty next time. Before you figure out your opponent’s strength, just have a steady fight with them.”
Lin Ming followed the voice and looked at Mu Qianyu, seeing a happy smiled touching her lips. He replied, “Don’t worry. This Ma Junhui was just too rude, I only wanted to give him a little lesson.”
If he defeated Ma Junhui according to proper rules and conduct, then even if he spat blood it wouldn’t mean much. To a martial artist, being injured was a normal event. After recuperating in bed for a few days and taking some pills, they would be spirited soon enough.
But, if he swept away his opponent’s face and struck his confidence, this was the most vicious method that left a pressuring mark on his heart. This was the only way that Lin Ming would feel better.
Mu Qianyu knew that the reason Lin Ming had sent Ma Junhui into such a miserable state was because of those words claiming he had whored himself out to become a core disciple of Divine Phoenix Island. Not only did these words castigate Lin Ming, but they also slandered Mu Qianyu’s pure reputation.
Lin Ming probably did all this as a means of avenging her honor. Thinking of this, Mu Qianyu smiled, and didn’t say anything more.
After that fight a moment ago, Mu Yuhuang’s complexion was finally a bit better. Lin Ming truly hadn’t disappointed her, it would be no problem for him to enter the top of the second rank talents. If this generation of Divine Phoenix Island could have the trifecta of Mu Dingshan, Mu Xiaoqing, and Lin Ming supporting them, that would truly be a fortuitous event.
As old lady Yuhuang was thinking this, she accidently caught a glimpse of Lei Jingtian’s bright smile, and her face sunk.
“That old fox!”
She hated Lei Jingtian’s smile that seemed to think he had everything within his grasp. A few days ago at the negotiation table, this old man had been blocking her at every turn.
“Could this old man have something that he can rely on?”
The matches onstage continued. Ever since Lin Ming and Ma Junhui’s battle, no one else competed with their skills or techniques. Now, everyone that went on stage was engaging in true battle.
“Storm Valley core disciple Zhang Lin challenges the heroic youths of Divine Phoenix Island. Does anyone dare to compete with me?” On the center of the stage, a youth in a green robe clearly spoke as he held two swords in his hands.
He was one of the top three ranked core disciples of Storm Valley.
Divine Phoenix Island’s martial artists had very ugly expressions. Normally at this sort of banquet competition, besides fellow disciples challenging each other, it was a casual affair for other sects to challenge other sects. Divine Phoenix Island would challenge the sects of the Five Element Region, but the sects of the Five Element Region would also challenge each other. For instance, Golden Bell Mountain, Thundercrest Sect, and Sunfire Sect would also compete against each other.
However, what had continually happened was that the sects of the Five Element Region had gathered today to challenge Divine Phoenix Island. Now, this Zhang Lin had already spoken words that he was aiming at Divine Phoenix Island.
Divine Phoenix Island was strong, but they were absolutely unable to cope one against six.
“Divine Phoenix Island’s Hua Hong, please advise!” A young girl in red jumped on stage. She was the fifth ranked core disciple of Divine Phoenix Island, and was about the same as Zhang Lin in terms of strength.
After the match began, Zhang Lin didn’t hold back at all. He immediately used the core cultivation method of Storm Valley, the ‘Wind Conversion Art’. It was clear that he was going to go all out from the start.
Hua Hong clenched her teeth and used the ‘Vermillion Bird Forbidden Divine Chronicle’ with determination. She already realized that this would be an uphill battle, and even if she won, she would have to do so using every possible effort, and it would be impossible for her to fight again in the near future.
True essence collided, and wind and fire swirled together onstage. A formidable true essence shockwave surged out, blowing away several nearby tables.
An elder of Divine Phoenix Island who was skilled in array formations moved and sent out several array symbols with his hands, confining all of the terrifying true essence waves within the stage.
After the two individuals exchanged dozens of moves, Hua Hong finally defeated Zhang Lin by the weakest margin. But, she had already been forced to her utter limits.
“My technique is inferior, I admit defeat.” Zhang Lin cupped his hands together across his chest and then stepped down from the stage.
Although Hua Hong had won, her complexion was very pale. She wouldn’t be able to restore her energy in a short period of time, and she could already see that the Thundercrest Sect’s Zhou Xiaoling was itching for a fight. She obviously was planning on going onstage, and the ones she would challenge would most likely be Divine Phoenix Island disciples.
The top five core disciples of Divine Phoenix Island could match up to the top three core disciples of the Five Element Region’s sects. But one against six was the same as six against 18. If this continued, Divine Phoenix Island might reach a situation where no one would be able to go onstage.
“Big Brother Lin, that little girl’s thinking of going on stage!” Zhang Zhen had sharp eyes; he had already noticed the malicious intent in Zhou Xiaoling’s devious smile.
“Mm. She deliberately waited some time to give me a break so that I could restore my condition, and so it wouldn’t appear in poor taste for her to challenge me.” Lin Ming indifferently smiled. The truth was that he hadn’t really used any energy at all in his battle against Ma Junhui. Even if he did consume a great deal of energy, he was able to quickly recover.
In terms of restorative ability, Lin Ming had absolute confidence in himself. After he had entered the Sorcerer Pagoda, his blood vitality was like a raging inferno, and his recovery power was far above and beyond any martial artist of the same level.
Afterwards, he had also completed 20% of Tempering Marrow. Now Lin Ming’s restorative strength was even more terrifying than before. Maybe even a Xiantian mater might not be able to compare with Lin Ming in terms of recovery power.
Zhou Xiaoling had wanted to give the usual opening remarks and challenge someone to come onstage, but she found that Lin Ming had already stood up. She smiled, revealing her sharp canines. “So you already knew!”