Chapter 1647

Everyone around the arena burst into laughter; the scene was simply too comical. They had never imagined that the chief disciple of Taixuan Cave would be such a delightful character. Some began to place private bets, wondering if he was truly so naive or merely feigning it to provoke Lou Wucheng. Most, however, leaned towards the latter, finding it too incredible for a dignified chief disciple to be genuinely so foolish.

Zu An watched, wanting to laugh. He thought that if this guy had a keyboard system, the speed at which he earned rage points would probably be no less than his own.

While some were amused, others were not. Lou Wucheng, standing in the arena, was among the latter. He considered himself a courteous and well-mannered individual, and felt that this youngster from Taixuan Cave was being utterly insolent. Enraged, he struck without mercy. He thrust his sword directly forward, and the entire blade seemed to vanish, leaving only a pinpoint of cold light at its tip, like a viper's tongue, aimed straight for a major acupoint on Shi Dingtian's shoulder.

Wan Guiyi, Wu Xiaofan, and others nodded in approval, acknowledging that Lou Wucheng truly lived up to his reputation and possessed considerable skill in swordsmanship. Only Li Changsheng secretly frowned, feeling that his disciple was currently too impetuous, and the swordsmanship he employed deviated from the true essence of Changsheng.

Shi Dingtian, startled, dodged frantically. While his movement technique wasn't particularly refined, his speed was extraordinary; his evasive twists and turns seemed to push the limits of human agility. Yet, no matter how fast he dodged, he couldn't outpace Lou Wucheng's sword. An oppressive force, as if an immortal was pressing down, relentlessly enveloped his vital points.

Realizing he couldn't evade, Shi Dingtian launched a punch, directly confronting the opponent's long sword. His fist was as hard as metal, and in the blink of an eye, it clashed dozens of times with the sword tip. The collision of their powerful *qi* created ripples of air and deafening explosions. Fortunately, the arena had undergone special reinforcement; otherwise, the disciples in close proximity might have been injured by the sheer force of the sound.

"This Shi Dingtian's physical body is incredibly strong!" many exclaimed. "He can actually block Lou Wucheng's Longevity Sword with his bare fists!" Many spectators cried out in astonishment.

As the matter concerned a disciple of White Jade Capital, Yan Xuehen paid closer attention. Given his cultivation, she wondered how he had trained his body to be so incredibly resilient. But in terms of sheer toughness, he was still far from that guy... A faint blush appeared on Yan Xuehen's usually cold face, though no one knew what she was thinking.

Wang Wuxie, who had been secretly glancing at her, happened to witness this scene and was slightly taken aback. *Her complexion is so good today,* he thought. *So many years have passed, and she seems to have grown even more beautiful, while I, on the other hand, have aged...* A mix of emotions overwhelmed him, leaving his face etched with a look of profound regret.

Just then, with a burst of exclamations, new developments unfolded in the arena. The two combatants, who had been locked in a fierce struggle, were now separated. Lou Wucheng, clad in snow-white robes, stood with one hand clasped behind his waist, his long sword pointed diagonally downwards, a faint bead of blood slowly dripping from its tip. Shi Dingtian, in contrast, appeared far more disheveled. His fists were already covered in blood, and his clothes were torn at the shoulder, chest, and thigh, revealing shallow sword wounds beneath.

"If you don't use a weapon, you might die," Lou Wucheng stated. After the recent flurry of attacks, much of his initial anger had dissipated. He wanted not only to win but to win gracefully. With Shi Dingtian unarmed and under the gaze of so many spectators, even a victory wouldn't be glorious.

At this, Shi Dingtian scratched his head. "You are indeed a bit stronger than those in the group stage," he admitted. "I truly can't beat you with bare hands." Everyone in the arena who had previously faced him in the group stage instantly frowned, thinking, *How could this kid be so insulting?*

At that moment, Master Mu, from the referee's stand, called out, "Dingtian, since Senior Brother Lou is being so magnanimous, you should use a weapon and learn from him." The decade-long Daoist Grand Competition was a major event for every sect, and he certainly didn't want to lose so easily and be eliminated.

Shi Dingtian looked troubled. "But I didn't bring a weapon," he said. Master Mu also looked troubled. His own weapon wasn't a saber, and if he were to provide one at this moment, it would undoubtedly be seen as undue interference, prompting protests from White Jade Capital.

Just then, a mischievous disciple near the arena shouted, "I have a saber here; you can borrow it!" All participants in this grand competition were elites from their respective sects, and none shied away from excitement. They eagerly hoped for the two combatants in the arena to fight with all their might. But soon, someone nearby scoffed, "Your weapon isn't even an Earth-tier artifact! How can you possibly think of using it against the Longevity Sword?" The person retorted, his neck flushed. "As the saying goes," he argued, "even a copper coin's tinder can light the most precious incense. Why can't my weapon be used in this competition?"

As the two debated, Shi Dingtian chuckled foolishly, "That's enough, that's enough, any saber will do." Across from him, Lou Wucheng's face darkened. *What does he mean "any saber will do"? Is he looking down on me that much?* The person in the audience, emboldened by the support, flushed with excitement and raised the saber. "Here, take it!" he shouted.

Just as Shi Dingtian reached for the saber, he suddenly turned back to Lou Wucheng. "I'm going to get the saber now," he said, "but don't you dare launch a sneak attack on me from behind." Lou Wucheng's eyelid twitched. Gritting his teeth, he retorted, "Given my status, how could I possibly stoop to such a despicable and shameless act?" The disciples of White Jade Capital also voiced their support, agreeing that this youngster was far too insolent. In contrast, the disciples of Taixuan Cave were all stifling their laughter, evidently accustomed to such antics.

Soon, Shi Dingtian took the saber into his hand. Lou Wucheng, his voice cold, asked, "Can we fight now?" Having been repeatedly played for a fool by this youngster, he was now truly filled with murderous intent. "Yes," Shi Dingtian replied, and before he had even finished speaking, Lou Wucheng moved.

He lightly touched his toes, then ascended dozens of feet into the air. With his arms outstretched, he resembled a cross suspended in the sky. Simultaneously, a vague, ethereal outline of an immortal palace suddenly materialized in the sky behind him. Around the arena, almost all the disciples suddenly felt a cold desolation, a sense of lonely isolation from the world. Simultaneously, they sensed a subtle, inexplicable pressure, as if being watched by a deity.

"Heavens, is that truly the legendary Immortal Palace?" Many people were excited. Although this was a world of cultivation, no one had ever seen a true immortal. Even if this immortal palace was merely a phantom, everyone felt it embodied what an immortal palace should be.

In the arena, Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue both subtly shook their heads. This immortal palace was merely an illusion; they had experienced the aura of true Heavenly Court immortals in the Great Xia Secret Realm of the demon race. Compared to that experience, the immortal palace before them now was truly far inferior. Both of them simultaneously looked towards Zu An, contemplating how truly prosperous his luck was. They knew that to achieve their current status, beyond their talent, their luck must have been exceptional, yet compared to Zu An's, it was truly far inferior. In all their years before meeting Zu An, they had never encountered such marvelous opportunities. Yet, after meeting him, one miraculous encounter after another unfolded, a relentless succession they couldn't stop.

As Grandmasters, their senses were incredibly keen, and they immediately realized that both of them were looking at Zu An. Yun Jianyue wondered, *The Ice Stone Woman's gaze towards this youngster is somewhat peculiar, entirely unlike her usual demeanor. Could it be that she, like me, is also concerned about her disciple's romantic life?* Yan Xuehen, on the other hand, secretly pondered, *Elder Peng from Kongming Island wasn't previously renowned, but her strength seems considerably greater than I imagined. And why is she staring at Zu An like that? Could it be that she intends to harm him? It must be that Zu An helped the disciples of Kongming Island earlier, and she feels some gratitude. Still, that look is truly odd...*

At this moment, Lou Wucheng, suspended in mid-air, slowly raised his sword and pointed it at Shi Dingtian. Then, as if receiving an instruction, the entire immortal palace pressed directly towards its opponent. The overwhelming pressure emanating from it was felt by many nearby disciples, who instinctively trembled slightly.

"Is this the Longevity Sword?" Wan Guiyi muttered to himself. As a master swordsman, his eyes were now alight with excitement. Even the sect leaders from various factions couldn't help but glance at Li Changsheng, acknowledging that the Longevity Sword indeed lived up to its formidable reputation. In their eyes, Lou Wucheng's sword strike still seemed a bit immature; for instance, many details of the immortal palace were blurred, and the overall effect was too light, lacking a sense of gravitas. But if Li Changsheng himself were to unleash it, could they withstand it?

*That kid from Taixuan Cave is finished!* This was almost everyone's consensus, for it seemed impossible for the foolish boy to withstand a sword strike of such power. Only Zu An watched Shi Dingtian with keen interest, refusing to believe he would be defeated so easily.

Just then, Shi Dingtian suddenly gripped the saber with both hands, let out a loud roar, and directly executed a simple move: "Forceful Split of Mount Hua." Yet, this seemingly casual chop generated a blade aura dozens of feet long. The blade aura collided with the immortal palace, causing the entire golden peak's *qi* to fluctuate violently. The immortal palace was then split in half down the middle. The saber light, though also on the verge of collapse, having shrunk significantly and flickering as if it might vanish at any moment, still continued its trajectory towards Lou Wucheng.

With his immortal palace destroyed, Lou Wucheng's vital energy churned, leaving him momentarily unable to move. As he watched the saber light cleave towards him, his pupils constricted sharply. Just then, with a crisp snap, the saber in Shi Dingtian's hand, being mere common iron, could no longer withstand such an intense impact. With a bang, it shattered into countless fragments that scattered with the wind. The saber light vanished simultaneously.

Lou Wucheng seized the opportunity to recover. With a flash, he rushed towards his opponent, confident of victory in this situation. However, halfway through, he suddenly leaped back, widening the distance between them. As a proud swordsman, he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of his opponent. "Brother Shi, your saber technique is truly remarkable; I am deeply impressed," he declared. "It's difficult to determine a victor today. Why don't we stop here and become friends?"

"Oh, by the way, what was the name of that saber move you just used?" he inexplicably asked. Shi Dingtian scratched his head. "That move?" he began. "My Master Long taught it to me. He said that if others can't beat you, you should always show mercy... He also said... Hey, Senior Brother Lou, what's wrong with you?"

At that moment, Lou Wucheng was so enraged that his vision went black; he coughed up blood and promptly fainted.