Chapter 244 – Blue Lightning
Translated by: Ting
Edited by: XRCO, Earl, Natsuriayuko and De Andre
The entire field was dead silent.
Regardless of whether it was the surrounding onlookers who were watching the fun, Cen Xuan, the staff members in charge of registration, or Sai Lei; all their mouths were wide open staring in a daze at the blurry yet majestically blue silhouette in the middle of the flying dust.
Their minds were a complete blank.
“Excuse me, did I pass?”
The deep voice permeated the dust and reverberated throughout the set.
The staff members were jolted awake. They hurriedly turned their heads, saw the timer at the side, and appeared as though they had seen a ghost. 17.6 seconds!
How… … how could it be… …
The fellow had wasted 10 seconds earlier. Does this not mean that he only used 7.6 seconds?
To pass the Grade A Preliminary Test in 7.6 seconds, this must be a joke. This definitely was a joke! They stared in daze at the digits on the timer. In that moment, they were all absent-minded.
“Erm? Are there any problems?”
The deep chilly voice was akin to a slow prowling tiger. It suddenly paused in its steps, and turned back slightly.
A wave of hideous and murderous intent swept over.
The staff members felt as though a basin of ice water was poured over them. The blood in their entire body almost froze, their faces turned as white as sheet. The elder leader was the most experienced. The murderous intent revealed by the opposition was aggressive. And their behaviour just now had already brought trouble upon themselves. At the slightest hesitation, it was feared that… …
The elder suppressed his wildly palpitating heart, and hurriedly replied with a tremor in his voice, “No problem, no problem! Pass!”
The trace of blood in Tang Tian’s eyes faded. The raging fire in his heart had been nearly extinguished, and he regained his usual demeanour.
“Well done, ThunderSnow!”
He encouraged ThunderSnow.
ThunderSnow’s motives made Tang Tian slightly surprised. ThunderSnow seemed to have changed as well.
However, Tang Tian did not take it to heart and took his strides.
Hua la hua la.
The sound that came from ThunderSnows rags no longer seemed funny to the ears of the crowd. They no longer thought that ThunderSnow was a big walking hanger with numerous rags on him. The piercing ‘hua la hua la’ sounds were filled with deadly intent, and everyone involuntarily connected it to the sound of valiant warriors in armour charging onwards.
The slowly approaching ThunderSnow, hua la hua la, was suppressive and stifling.
The torn and tattered ThunderSnow, people no longer found him ugly. No one found him torn and tattered. The numerous wounds, the dents, were the mark of an elite who survived numerous wars.
Those torn and tattered wounds seemed to have an unspeakable magic, involuntarily attracting everyone’s gazes.
It was fearsome.
“May I know Senior’s name and the mechanical weapon’s name?” The elder respectfully said, “According to the rules, Senior, you will be the 99th seeded player.”
He did not forget his duties. Although his previous behaviour could highly possible bring trouble upon him, but now, the birth of an absolute record-breaker made him truly proud instead.
He hurriedly explained, “There are 98 seeded players before you. As it was long prearranged, Senior has to rank 99 for the time being. Seeded players need not take part in the preliminaries, and would directly enter the main round.”
“I am Thunder.” Tang Tian’s voice diffused throughout from the mechanical weapon, clearly for the entire set to hear, “This is Snow.”
ThunderSnow’s thoughts were full of protest. It was rather unhappy with Tang Tian for separating and occupying half of its name. And the half of the name that he left for it was so feminine!
Of course, the protests was directly ignored by Tang Tian.
In the midst of the silence, Tang Tian controlled Thundersnow, took the proof of seeded players from the elder’s hands, walked to Sai Lei’s side, picked up the dumbfounded Sai Lei, and vanished from the field of sight of the crowd.
To Tang Tian, as this was just a preliminary test, he was not too bothered about it.
He was completely clueless that the uproar caused by this preliminary test was far beyond his imagination.
On the same night.
The grounds of the Grade A Preliminary Test was full of people. The staff members at the side were respectfully guarding at the side.
As a silvery white-as-snow mechanical weapon flew to the destination, a handsome young man alighted, and he shook his head with a grave expression, “No, I can’t do it.”
Although they had already personally witnessed the result, when the young man personally confessed, it still caused a commotion.
This man was the 23rd seeded player in this friendly match, Jia Ming Wei from the Phoenix Constellation, and his mechanical weapon was named White Phoenix. Jia Ming Wei’s prowess was widely famed. In the entire Southern Sky’s 42 Constellations, he was highly reputable.
Jia Ming Wei glanced at the time on the timer, the amount of time he spent, was 18.3 seconds.
If it was a normal day, he would have been satisfied with this result. To pass the Grade A Preliminary Test was definitely a proof of his prowess. But upon thinking of the fellow named Thunder, who only spent 7.6 seconds, he could hardly be happy about it.
If not for the numerous witnesses, he would even suspect that the result was fake.
7.6 seconds! Despite racking his brains, Jia Ming Wei still could not think of what kind of mechanical martial artist paired with what kind of mechanical weapon could then produce such results.
18.3 seconds was already the best result out of his repeated six attempts, and was also the best result of today, second to Thunder. He was filled with curiosity about this mysterious Thunder and that torn and tattered Snow.
“Since when was there such a formidable expert?” Another young man had an odd expression, “Could it be an expert from the 12 Ecliptic Palaces?”
He was the 65th seeded player, Wei Zhi.
Jia Ming Wei came back to his senses, shaking his head, “Never heard of it.”
He mused, “This competition seems to be getting interesting.”
“No matter how powerful he is, could he be better than Liu Ya Zhi?” Wei Zhi said in disapproval, his eyes flashing a burning flame. “Blood Meridians Weapon will still be the true winner in the future! I must think of how to purchase a Blood Meridians Weapon. Seems like I have to follow the footsteps of Liu Ya Zhi.”
Jia Ming Wei shook his head. “I don’t like the Blood Meridians Weapon. It’s too extreme that it is no longer a mechanical technique!”
Jia Ming Wei’s words raised the same sentiments in many others. Liu Ya Zhi with his King Kong was unparalleled. The might of the Blood Meridians Weapon was demonstrated brilliantly and effectively, but such powers that came from using blood meridians and Star Spirit Beasts were as similarly detested by many mechanical lovers.
Those were no longer mechanical techniques.
This was the common thought of these people.
Wei Zhi was unfazed, “It’s sufficient as long as it is powerful.”
Jia Ming Wei glanced at Wei Zhi, and blandly said, “If you just want to become stronger, why be a mechanical martial artist?”
The surrounding gazes casted at Wei Zhi were filled with contempt. Mechanical techniques had declined for a long time and the mechanical martial artists now, even the machine engineers, were mostly doing it out of pure love for mechanical techniques.
The battle power of mechanical martial artists were a far cry compared to normal martial artists.
Once finished, Jia Ming Wei turned and left without a glance at Wei Zhi who was flushed red.
Jia Ming Wei’s result of 18.3 second was soon spread far and wide. Even Jia Ming Wei could only achieve 18.3 seconds. That fellow named Thunder must be formidable!
Many people were filled with regrets for not being able to witness such a legendary moment. On the other hand, those fellows who were at the scene completely forgot how they ridiculed Tang Tian and ThunderSnow, and described to the surrounding crowd with much gusto that lightning-like blue figure.
And thus, the 99th seeded player Thunder had a brand new nickname, Blue Lightning!
Needless to say, the identity of seeded player was rather useful. Tang Tian and Sai Lei effortlessly rented a house with a warehouse, and Sai Lei seemed as though she was injected with chicken blood, full of fighting spirits.
After being stunned by Tang Tian’s amazing performance at the Grade A Preliminary Test, she saw the opportunity to make money, and began to immerse in work.
“I have already checked, the inner structure is very stable.” Sai Lei then became a little helpless, “I didn’t imagine that ThunderSnow would be tossed around by you guys like that. I didn’t bring many materials, hence I’m unable to repair the outer appearance, but the inner structure is not affected.”
“The appearance does not matter.” Tang Tian was not in the least bothered.
Upon hearing that from Tang Tian, Sai Lei then said no more, and changed to another question, “Are you really not going to insert the Spirits Cards? Thundersnow can support 3 Level Five Spirit Cards, or 1 Level Six Spirit Card.”
Tang Tian shook his head, “No need.”
Based on capabilities, Thundersnow was totally unable to demonstrate Tang Tian’s full powers. For example, Tang Tian’s Fire Scythe Ghost Claw was a Level Seven Martial Technique. Thundersnow was unable to withstand it at all. If Tang Tian forcefully execute the Fire Scythe Ghost Claw, Thundersnow would disintegrate due to its inability to withstand such a huge burden.
Thundersnow was created to withstand level five martial techniques. If it was level six martial techniques, it would be quite a strain.
Luckily, Tang Tian had level five martial techniques like [Great Monument Palm], [Tan Tui] and [Scattering Vortex].
Now that he has great rapport with Thundersnow, once the might of the three martial techniques were executed, the prowess would be shocking, almost comparable with level six martial techniques. This was the might of the mechanical weapon. Within the scope of its bearable load, it could greatly increase the powers of the martial techniques.
Upon mentioning of the Spirit Cards, Tang Tian recalled the card that he obtained from the Crypto-sword saint. Everyone was guessing that it may contain the inheritance of Swallowing Light Steel Fist, but he had never used it.
He took out that card. On the card surface was a pair of angry eyes.
This was probably the weirdest Spirit Card that he had ever seen.
However, it was inappropriate to use Spirit Cards in the Spirit Region. After much consideration, he kept the card again.
And once he started training with ThunderSnow, Tang Tian instantly noticed the change in ThunderSnow. Its martial spirit seemed to have become stronger.
Could it be that the martial spirit of a mechanical weapon can be strengthened as well?
Tang Tian was spurred. If it was really possible to strengthen it, then ThunderSnows prowess would greatly increase.
Tang Tian hurriedly seeked out Sai Lei, and asked this question.
Sai Lei explained, “Indeed you can strengthen it. The new mechanical weapon is like a Star Treasure. Some Star Treasure can be strengthened, naturally ThunderSnow can also be strengthened.”
Tang Tian seemed even more excited. He thought of his Fornax Fist Gloves, it had evolved before, so had the Peacock Set.
If he used his own martial spirit to train Thundersnow, would it not strengthen Thundersnow?
As though she could read Tang Tian’s thoughts, Sai Lei was not shocked, “This is only a mechanical weapon for this competition. If you want a mechanical weapon in future, I can make a stronger one for you. Its capabilities have a limit, no matter how much you strengthen, the effects is limited.”
Tang Tian, however, was serious, “Raising it a little is good as well.”
Upon finishing, Tang Tian excitedly ran to Thundersnow. He needed to ponder over on how to strengthen Thundersnow.