Chapter 352: Using the Sword, I Admit Defeat

The venue for this sparring match was a lake on an island, situated at the very heart of Jumang Daoist Academy, where the Great Chinese Scholar Tree stood. This lake, home to the Immortal Gate's foremost spiritual plant at its center, would serve as their battleground.

Chen Mobai had believed he arrived early, but to his surprise, Kunpeng Daoist Academy was already there. A group of ten, dressed in flying fish robes, stood on a platform extended and supported by a thick branch of the Great Chinese Scholar Tree.

As hosts, Jumang Daoist Academy was naturally also already present.

“Friends from Wuqi Daoist Academy, please come this way,” said a steady-looking youth in a green shirt with a yellowish complexion, greeting Chen Mobai and his group.

“Senior Brother Chen, this is our Jumang chief,” Song Yuexin, who was leading the group, immediately introduced. However, Chen Mobai had already seen videos of the chief's duels in the Small Crimson Heaven, so he recognized the chief of Jumang Daoist Academy.

“Greetings, friends from Jumang and Kunpeng, on our first meeting,” Chen Mobai said, addressing the twenty people from both academies already on the platform. He then led his own academy's members, flying towards their designated branch platform.

But the moment his feet left the ground, he felt a subtle, weighty pressure settle on his shoulders.

“This Azure Lake is within the domain of the Great Chinese Scholar Tree. The higher you fly, the more pressure you'll experience. It's said that only Spirit Transformation Grand Ancestors can reach the tree's fruiting top,” Song Yuexin, as the host, promptly reminded him. Chen Mobai glanced at the platforms of the other two academies, noting they were very close to the lake surface, about three meters high.

Their Wuqi Daoist Academy’s branch platform, however, was slightly lower, about two meters from the water.

“It's precisely the minimum they can withstand,” Sun Daoji remarked softly, after feeling the pressure and glancing at Zhuang Jialan, Jiang Yuyuan, and Zhai Jianbai, who had the weakest cultivation among them.

“Let's go, get on my Red Glow Cloud Mist Robe.” Chen Mobai nodded, not bothering with such trivialities. The red bracelet on his wrist transformed into a misty cloud, carrying all ten people, including Song Yuexin and Wang Mengyuan, to their academy's platform.

“President, are we holding you back?” Jiang Yuyuan asked, visibly embarrassed. Beside him, Zhuang Jialan also wore a look of self-reproach. From this opening alone, the sparring match had effectively already begun.

“It doesn't matter; we'll come out first anyway,” Chen Mobai said, waving his hand dismissively. He didn't forcibly raise the branch platform, instead choosing to stand at its edge, observing the clear, emerald-green lake below. The Great Chinese Scholar Tree's massive, well-developed root system was even clearly visible through the lake surface.

This foremost spiritual plant of the Immortal Gate was rooted at the center of this Azure Wave Lake, which was also the core of a Fifth-Tier water vein.

“Butian is here too,” Sun Daoji said, as Chen Mobai continued to observe the Great Chinese Scholar Tree.

Perhaps due to an unwritten rule, or pre-arrangement by Jumang Daoist Academy, the ten great academies began to appear one by one only after all four major daoist academies had arrived.

Following Butian was naturally Chunyang Academy, led by Xiahou Weihuan. After them, Taiyuan, Shanhai, Guanxing, Zhenling, Ziran, Tianshu, Lingbao, Taiyi, and Wulei academies all arrived.

“This time, it's a match exclusively for Foundation Establishment cultivators,” Sun Daoji remarked, subtly surveying the fourteen branch platforms and the 140 cultivators from the participating academies. He nodded slightly.

“Oh, did Qi Condensation cultivators participate before? Were they unable to even gather ten Foundation Establishment cultivators?” Chen Mobai asked, somewhat incredulous.

“Yes, sometimes academies lower in rank had a shortage of talent for a few generations. With no other option, they could only send Qi Condensation disciples to make up the numbers,” replied Chi Shicheng, the oldest among them. He took out a monocle, stepped off the platform, and stood on a branch of the Great Chinese Scholar Tree, carefully observing as he answered Chen Mobai’s question.

His primary reason for attending was to observe the Immortal Gate’s foremost spiritual plant.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai nodded with a look of realization. Although Wuqi Daoist Academy was considered the lowest ranked among the four, its average Foundation Establishment success rate of 70-80% still gave him the illusion that Foundation Establishment was easy.

He had completely forgotten examples like Meng Huang'er, who were still struggling to even cross the threshold of the critical cultivation method.

Ninety-nine percent of cultivators in the Immortal Gate would remain at the Qi Condensation level throughout their lives.

“This time, graduates can be sent, allowing even lower-ranked academies to gather a full team of Foundation Establishment cultivators. If this sparring match is successful, it might become a regular practice in the future,” said Bian Jingchun. As a civil servant from Chicheng Grotto-heaven, she had a keen sense and subtly perceived that this was likely an experiment initiated by the higher echelons.

“I don't think that's good,” Chen Mobai said, shaking his head and stating his opinion. “The future paths and rankings should be decided by our junior brothers and sisters. If we win everything ourselves, there will be no room for growth in the future.”

His words met with the approval of most, but the nature of this sparring match could no longer be changed.

Feeling over ninety percent of the gazes from the fourteen branch platforms of the Great Chinese Scholar Tree fall upon him, Chen Mobai smiled faintly and stepped to the very front, allowing everyone a clearer view.

“If everyone's here, can we start? I'm getting a little impatient,” Chen Mobai declared. No one had expected him to speak first.

Did he really consider himself number one?!

Sharp gazes, like swords, pierced towards the platform where Wuqi Daoist Academy stood. The one that made Chen Mobai feel most like a thorn in his back was naturally from Shanhai Academy: a dashing woman in a dark green tight-fitting dress, with a sword at her waist and rounded, long legs.

This person must be Pei Qingshuang. She was indeed worthy of being second only to him on the rankings.

Feeling the sword intent in Pei Qingshuang’s gaze, condensed as if tangible, Chen Mobai suddenly felt an urge to spar with her.

Their mutual gaze naturally attracted everyone's attention.

“Cough, cough!” Seeing discussions erupt, the Sect Master’s Son, as the host, could only step forward and clear his throat at Wenren Xuewei’s subtle signal. He drew everyone’s attention to himself, then began reminiscing about the past and looking forward to the present.

“The offline sparring matches between Daoist Academies and Academies originated five thousand years ago. Initially, only our four major Daoist Academies participated, with the goal of fostering exchange, promotion, and self-improvement among outstanding talents.”

“Later, Taiyuan, Shanhai, Guanxing, Ziran, Tianshu, and Wulei — six great academies — joined.”

“To this day, it has become the greatest event encompassing the young generation of all Daoist Academies and Academies. Furthermore, this year, to showcase the most outstanding cultivators of the same realm, many graduated senior brothers and sisters were specifically invited to participate. As hosts, we feel very honored…”

After a lengthy speech, the Sect Master’s Son reiterated the sparring rules, finally announcing the start of the match.

“The sparring arena is this Azure Wave Lake. We have designated ten distinct areas, each with a different shape. Each participant will choose one as their stage and select an opponent they wish to spar with. Of course, your chosen opponent also has the right to refuse.”

“However, each academy’s student representative is required to participate in at least one sparring match per day.”

“The event will last a total of ten days. Personal scores will accumulate into team scores, which will then determine the rankings of the Daoist Academies and Academies for the next few years.”

After speaking, the Sect Master’s Son bowed slightly to the other thirteen branch platforms, then scattered a talisman into the Azure Wave Lake beneath them.

The previously clear lake water began to glow with golden light, and along the periphery of the Great Chinese Scholar Tree, half of the lake surface was divided into ten arenas of various shapes: quadrilaterals, triangles, hexagons, and more.

“Since I have the honor of being the host, allow me to begin…”

No sooner had the Sect Master’s Son finished speaking and taken half a step off Jumang Daoist Academy’s branch platform than a fiery red sword light from Chunyang Academy had already landed on the lake surface.

“Sima Xingyu of Chunyang Academy wishes to experience the esteemed techniques of the Wuqi Daoist Academy chief,” Sima Xingyu announced. He landed on a rhombus-shaped lake arena, holding a broad-bladed longsword with both hands, and loudly called out towards the Wuqi Daoist Academy's platform.

The moment he stepped forward, many Foundation Establishment True Cultivators from other academies who had also intended to challenge Chen Mobai had to halt. What a pity, they thought; the chance to make a name for themselves had been seized first.

This was the thought in most people's minds at that moment.

“I refuse.” Chen Mobai’s crisp three words, however, made those people’s eyes light up, only to then gaze at him with disdain.

Although they knew that Wuqi Daoist Academy’s chief had only reached the third layer of Foundation Establishment, and had even brought three graduates as bodyguards to secure the academy's ranking, seeing Chen Mobai—who was invincible in the Small Crimson Heaven—retreat in such a manner still gave them a sense of disillusionment, as if a myth had been shattered.

However, it was understandable. After all, Sima Xingyu was at the eighth layer of Foundation Establishment and a sword cultivator who had mastered sword light.

“What, are you scared?” Sima Xingyu asked with a sneer, tilting his head.

“No, it's just that I promised Daoist Master Ling that I would let him fight you,” Chen Mobai explained. He had always been a man of his word, always fulfilling what he promised others.

“If that’s the case, Senior Brother Chen, why don't you leave today’s fight to me? I've never been satisfied with the outcome of our last encounter in the Small Crimson Heaven,” said Nangong Xiu from Kunpeng Daoist Academy, who had long considered Chen Mobai his primary target, upon hearing Chen Mobai's refusal.

“Hahaha, I didn't expect you to be so popular. I wasn't satisfied with our last fight in the Small Crimson Heaven either. If you don't want to fight those two, you can fight me,” said Lu Qiulong of Zhenling Academy. He sat on the platform, his Second-Tier Peak Taizhao Fierce Tiger majestic beside him, its powerful aura making the companion spirit beasts of Zhenling Academy’s other nine Foundation Establishment cultivators cower in the corners of the platform.

“Hmph, if you're scared, just say so. Don't use someone from Butian Daoist Academy as an excuse. Wuqi Daoist Academy has long been ranked fourth precisely because of cowardly people like you. The true banner of Chicheng should be carried by our Chunyang Academy,” Sima Xingyu scoffed. Seeing someone jump out to snatch his opponent, he felt a sudden urgency, fearing Chen Mobai might choose them to avoid facing him. He immediately launched a verbal attack, his words practically a direct insult to Wuqi Daoist Academy.

Anyone with a bit of temper wouldn't let this slide.

“You’re seeking death!” Bian Jingchun’s face turned cold, and she took a step forward, ready to descend and deliver Sima Xingyu a defeat he would never forget.

But Chen Mobai raised his right hand, stopping her.

A year ago, Bian Jingchun would have definitely gone down without hesitation, but after being defeated by Chen Mobai’s sword aura ten times, she had grown accustomed to obeying the commands of this refined young man.

So, she halted her steps.

“Brother Ling, if I defeat him here today, and you defeat him again tomorrow, that shouldn't count as me breaking my promise, right?” Chen Mobai asked Daoist Master Ling calmly, looking towards Butian Daoist Academy, not far away.

“Whatever you want,” Daoist Master Ling replied, too lazy to get involved in the grievances between Wuqi Daoist Academy and Chunyang Academy. If not for needing to maintain his composure, he would have actually wanted to spar with Chen Mobai himself.

“It seems your number one ranking on the Foundation Root List has drawn a lot of hatred for him. Is that your revenge?” On Guanxing Academy’s platform, Ding Chunzhi listened to the girl beside him, touched his right eye—which had healed but still bore a scar—and smiled faintly.

With a gentle splash, Chen Mobai’s figure descended from the platform, his toes touching the lake surface and causing ripples to gently spread.

“Draw your sword! I’ll crush you in the domain you're most proud of and give you a defeat you’ll never forget!” Seeing that Chen Mobai indeed couldn't resist provocation, Sima Xingyu laughed heartily. He raised the broad-bladed longsword planted before him, and a fiery red sword light glowed as an extremely condensed, blazing sword light emerged on the wide blade.

As the sword light pulsed, the Azure Wave Lake began to ripple outward, centered around Sima Xingyu. The Foundation Establishment cultivators from all the academies present felt a heavy suppression in their hearts the moment they witnessed the Primordial Yang Sword Light.

“Sword?” Chen Mobai heard Sima Xingyu’s words, but a look of confusion appeared on his face; he had no intention of drawing his sword at all.

He extended a finger and gently shook it at Sima Xingyu. “To deal with you, if I use a sword, then I lose.”

As soon as this sentence was uttered, Sima Xingyu’s face turned ashen. The Foundation Establishment True Cultivators watching, except for those from Wuqi Daoist Academy, were all greatly astonished. Some even thought Chen Mobai was trying to return the earlier humiliating words before his inevitable defeat.

“I’ll tear your mouth off!” Sima Xingyu roared. The Juyang Sword in his palm swung up, and a dazzling Primordial Yang Sword Light accompanied his two-handed strike. Like a thunderbolt illuminating the sky, it carried a terrifying might that could cleave through anything, heavily striking down towards Chen Mobai’s head.

Then, to everyone's disbelief, two slender fingers extended, carrying faint traces of green electric light, and clamped onto the Juyang Sword.

“It seems I’ve been too low-key. A character of your caliber actually dares to challenge me,” Chen Mobai said. As he spoke, his index and middle fingers on his right hand gently twisted. The shimmering Verdant Wood electric light, accompanying his words, burst forth in an instant, as if a heavenly lightning bolt had struck from his fingertips.

The lightning, resembling a tree, directly shattered the Juyang Sword with its terrifying power. With two fingers still clamping the broken blade, Chen Mobai flicked it gently towards the right side of the lake surface, sending up massive waves like an electromagnetic cannon.

Had that strike landed on Sima Xingyu, it would likely have pulverized him instantly.

“You don't even have the right for me to point a sword at you.” After saying this, Chen Mobai launched a kick that sent Sima Xingyu flying out of the rhombus-shaped lake arena.