Chapter 1645

Everyone was utterly astonished. During the group stage, Qiu Chanzi had always been polite and amiable; even those he defeated had conceded gracefully. Why had he suddenly transformed, as if possessed by a demon?

Noticing the questioning glances from the others, the Deputy Head of Qingxu Manor wiped cold sweat from his brow and explained, "He's not possessed. It's just that Qiu Chanzi has a peculiar nature, almost like a dual personality. Coupled with his unique cultivation method, he activates this state whenever he encounters a dangerous situation."

The sect masters and elders finally understood. It turned out Qiu Chanzi had been holding back during the group stage. Now, facing a formidable opponent like Wan Guiyi, he had no reason to conceal his true abilities, thus revealing this unsettling aspect of himself.

Still, Qiu Chanzi's current state was quite unnerving.

At that moment, Yun Jianyue was so gleeful she was practically slapping her thighs. "This young man is impressive," she chuckled. "If the opportunity arises, I'll recruit him into the Demonic Cult. He has the potential to become a great demon overlord."

Qiu Honglei rolled her eyes. "Master," she said, "you lectured me just recently about not calling it the Demonic Cult."

Yun Jianyue's smile froze. "What your master says is different from what I tell you to say," she retorted.

"Are you using double standards?"

"Oh, shoo, shoo. Just watch the match seriously."

Meanwhile, Wan Guiyi, standing in the center of the arena, was equally startled. He finally realized: how could cicadas be chirping in the dead of winter?

Though he was naturally proud, he wasn't typically so easily agitated. That inexplicable feeling of irritation was clearly a result of the cicada sounds around him.

With a flick of his finger, his longsword shot from its scabbard. He didn't grip the hilt; instead, he allowed the entire blade to fly backward, hilt first, directly at Qiu Chanzi.

Even though only the hilt faced Qiu Chanzi, a surge of sword energy permeated the entire arena. Wherever it passed, the sharp aura carved a long gash into the very floor of the stage.

The disciples from various sects watching were incredibly shocked. Wan Guiyi's sword energy seemed excessively powerful; could a casual strike really possess such destructive force?

Even Wu Xiaofan's gaze sharpened, carefully observing the unfolding battle.

Wang Wuxie then turned to Zu An. "Lord Zu," he asked, "what do you think of Wan Guiyi's swordsmanship?"

The sect masters and elders from the other factions also looked towards him.

Previously, no one would have cared about his opinion, let alone sought his advice.

However, his astonishing performance in the previous battle made everyone hesitant to treat him as a mere junior. Furthermore, at such a young age, he already held a crucial position in the imperial court, indicating limitless potential. Naturally, everyone wanted to curry favor with him.

"He stands there as if he himself is a sword, a natural born talent for swordsmanship," Zu An commented, a trace of ironic amusement in his voice. He had to chuckle inwardly; in previous tournaments, he was always the one fighting for his life on the stage, subject to the critiques of elder masters at the judging panel. He never would have imagined that he would now be one of those doing the judging.

Wang Wuxie couldn't help but remark to Wan Tongtian, "Brother Wan, you've raised an excellent son."

As he spoke, he subtly glanced at Yan Xuehen nearby, a pang of regret in his heart.

"Oh, not at all," Wan Tongtian said modestly, though the barely contained pride was evident in his demeanor.

Grandmaster Huoling snorted, clearly growing more irritated the more impressive Wan Guiyi became. "Both are swordsmen," she scoffed, "but I'd say he's nowhere near Lord Zu's level."

Everyone's expressions immediately stiffened.

Meanwhile, changes were already unfolding on the stage. Qiu Chanzi slightly bent his knees, then shot several yards into the air, narrowly evading Wan Guiyi's piercing attack.

Seeing him suspended in mid-air, many astute observers in the audience frowned, deeming his maneuver unwise. Without reaching the Grandmaster realm, one could only float briefly, and agility was severely compromised in the air. Wouldn't this turn him into a vulnerable target?

Wan Guiyi's sword hilt missed its target and ultimately struck the protective barrier at the edge of the arena. The barrier shimmered, and the sword rebounded along its original trajectory. As if anticipating this, he casually snatched it, his longsword now firmly in his grasp.

This move was incredibly graceful, eliciting gasps of admiration from many female disciples. Unfortunately, Wan Guiyi was a complete stoic and found their excited cheers rather noisy.

He looked up at Qiu Chanzi in the sky, clearly having spotted his weakness. "You're truly asking for death!" he declared.

He transformed into a streak of light and surged directly towards Qiu Chanzi in the air. He was confident that at this sword's speed, Qiu Chanzi, with no leverage in the air, would be utterly unable to dodge.

Wu Xiaofan had just dispatched Luo Dongjiang with two palm strikes; he figured two moves from him should be equally effective.

However, his expression quickly froze when his seemingly certain sword strike missed its mark!

Having already reached the Grandmaster realm, he could float freely in the air. He spun around abruptly, looking behind him.

He saw Qiu Chanzi had already appeared several dozen feet behind him, and around him, rings of cyan ripples suddenly began to spread.

Wan Guiyi's scalp immediately prickled. What was going on? Could Qiu Chanzi also unleash that kind of heaven-defying sword energy, just like Zu An?

Clearly, Zu An's ultimate move that day had left an indelible impression on his young mind.

Soon, the ripples expanded further, eventually forming the ethereal image of a giant cicada behind him. Its wings quivered slightly, emitting a series of heart-wrenching cicada cries.

The surrounding disciples watching suddenly felt their blood churn and their moods inexplicably turn irritable.

On the referee's stand, Wang Wuxie, sensing the abnormal situation, swiftly waved his sleeve. A faint purple glow enveloped the arena's protective shield, and only then did the surrounding disciples gradually calm down.

Wan Guiyi, who was directly exposed to the effect on the stage, wasn't so fortunate. His entire body trembled, his internal energy surged uncontrollably, his eyes began to redden, and he appeared on the verge of collapse.

"Hehe, he dodged it," Qiu Chanzi giggled, grabbing at his hair and revealing a triumphant smile, madness spilling from his eyes.

His appearance caused many in the audience a sense of unease, but only Zu An found it somewhat familiar. Such characters were common in Japanese anime from his past life. He wondered if he should label him a 'madman' or a 'yandere'.

Guan Chouhai couldn't help but exclaim, "Brother He, what's happening to him? It feels somewhat akin to a Grandmaster's domain!"

He Yuan of Qingxu Manor stroked his beard and smiled faintly. "This was a fortuitous encounter Qiu Chanzi had in his youth," he explained. "He acquired an exotic creature, a Cold Cicada. After refining it into his life-bound spiritual insect, it achieved its current effect, and he simply changed his name to Qiu Chanzi. As his cultivation has increased, the power of this Cold Cicada has also grown."

"I wonder what ancient exotic species this Cold Cicada is," several sect masters mused, beginning to discuss its origins. However, despite their extensive knowledge, none could offer a clear explanation.

Only Wan Tongtian's expression was grim, as the one trapped in a precarious situation on stage was, after all, his own son, not theirs.

Yun Jianyue, too, couldn't help but exclaim, "This Daoist sect truly boasts an abundance of talent! I never expected the previously innocuous Qiu Chanzi to be so powerful. Honglei, you absolutely must not let your guard down in your upcoming matches."

Qiu Honglei nodded. Qiu Chanzi had previously been considered among the weakest of the recognized chief disciples, yet he had hidden his true strength so profoundly. This revelation made her unwilling to underestimate anyone ever again.

"Hehe, it's my turn now," Qiu Chanzi giggled, tilting his head. As the Cold Cicada's wings behind him fluttered, he seemed to merge with the creature, surging directly towards Wan Guiyi. Wherever he passed, it was as if the very air was sliced apart.

The disciples of Biluo Palace gasped in alarm, deeply concerned for their senior brother. The Cold Cicada's wings had spread open, resembling two massive blades, dozens of feet long. If struck, he might be cut in half.

Wan Guiyi clearly wished to retaliate upon seeing this, but the overwhelming cicada cries surrounding him from all directions made him dizzy and disoriented. His reaction speed at this moment was immeasurably slower than usual.

He could only barely manage to raise his sword, gathering a core of sharp sword energy to meet the attack.

The hearts of those from Biluo Palace leaped into their throats. At this moment, Wan Guiyi's sword light was many times weaker than its usual potency.

The ethereal Cold Cicada and Wan Guiyi's sword energy clashed, erupting in a blinding flash. For that brief instant, space itself seemed to warp, and no one could discern what was happening within the brilliant light.

Just then, a longsword rapidly spun and flew out of the brilliant light, plunging directly into the arena's stone slab, a testament to its incredible sharpness.

At this sight, the faces of all the disciples changed. It was Wan Guiyi's personal sword, and for a swordsman to lose their blade, his situation could only be dire.

Had Wan Guiyi been defeated?

This was a major upset, no less shocking than the biggest surprise of the group stage!

Just then, the light on the stage gradually dissipated, revealing the two figures.

Wan Guiyi was covered in blood, seemingly barely able to stand upright.

However, Qiu Chanzi stood motionless directly in front of him, as if frozen in place.

At that moment, Qiu Chanzi was looking down at the finger embedded in his chest, his face a mask of disbelief. "How is this possible?" he murmured.

Wan Guiyi was covered in wounds from head to toe, yet his gaze was exceptionally sharp. He stood there like a rooted sword. "For a true swordsman," he declared, "every part of their body can be a sword."

"So that's how it is, hehe," Qiu Chanzi responded, a dawning realization on his face.

His response was a fist that slammed into his face, sending blood and snot gushing from his nose in two miserable arcs through the air. He was sent flying like a broken sandbag, landing outside the arena.

He Yuan of Qingxu Manor saw this and was enraged. "Wan Guiyi," he bellowed, "you had already won! Why strike so heavily?!"

Wan Guiyi replied coldly, "A grown man giggling like that all day long is disgusting, I tell you!"