Chapter 1651: Unexpected Weapon

Zu An suddenly felt a bit coy. "How could I possibly? But if Sister Yan were willing, I wouldn't be entirely opposed to it..."

Yan Xuehen: "..."

She was almost infuriated into laughter by his shamelessness. She had never imagined he would say something like that.

Rage value from Yan Xuehen +444444444...

She took a deep breath, reminded herself to maintain emotional detachment and not give in to anger. Then, a charming smile suddenly appeared on her face. "Given my relationship with Chuyan, such a thing is simply out of the question. Now, I'm giving you one last chance to clarify: if you absolutely had to choose between the two of us, who would you pick?"

She secretly mused, if this fellow genuinely chose her, it would prove he was a heartless ingrate. Even if it meant incurring Chuyan's resentment, she would sever their ties to prevent Chuyan from being deceived by such a shameless wretch.

And if he chose Chuyan...

Wouldn't that be as it should be? I would give them my sincere blessings, and my heart would finally return to its former tranquility.

"If I chose you, would you be mine?" Gazing at her face, as pristine and translucent as ice and snow, Zu An suddenly asked.

"Yes." Though Yan Xuehen replied thus, her heart was slowly growing cold. He was indeed a scoundrel who would abandon an old love for a new one. Surely, he'd choose anyone else if it meant currying favor, wouldn't he?

Zu An scrutinized her carefully for a moment, then slowly spoke: "Only children make choices. Adults... want it all."

Yan Xuehen's eyes instantly widened in disbelief. She had never imagined he could state something so shameless with such righteous conviction.

"Get out!"

She left, her face stern, flicking her sleeve. Yet for some reason, she felt a strange sense of relief.

Watching her depart with an icy expression, Zu An knew he had pushed her too far this time. He mused, "I really can't bring myself to speak against my conscience. If only I'd known, I would've just said I chose her to appease her first..."

Time flew by, and soon it was time for the semi-finals.

A group of referees took their seats on the high platform. After several days of interaction, even those who had been strangers before now recognized each other by sight at least. They exchanged smiles and nods.

Guan Chouhai of Lihentian suddenly chuckled, "Gentlemen, who do you think is more likely to win the first match?"

His previous defeat had caused him to lose significant face, but after so many days, and with so many dark horses emerging, his mood had gradually recovered.

Wan Tongtian chuckled, "Of course it's Wu Xiaofan. He effortlessly dealt with Luo Dongjiang, the chief disciple of Mount Luofu, whereas Wan Guiyi struggled so much to defeat Qiu Chanzi of Qingxu Manor."

Elder Xu of Mount Luofu and Deputy Manor Lord He of Qingxu Manor, who were nearby, glared at him. They thought, "Thanks for that. You just *had* to emphasize their respective statuses, didn't you?"

Zu An thought to himself that Wan Tongtian's emotional intelligence was truly abysmal. No wonder he and Abbess Huoling, despite clearly harboring affection for each other, ultimately became enemies.

Wang Wuxie smiled faintly, "Brother Wan, you exaggerate. Xiaofan's victory that time was merely due to luck. Nephew Luo's true strength isn't that low; it might just be a clash of styles that prevented him from performing optimally. As for Qiu Chanzi of Qingxu Manor, his 'Chilling Cicada's Lament' technique greatly impressed several of us. Among his peers, very few can surpass him. Nephew Wan's eventual victory proves that his sword intent has reached the realm of acting with complete freedom. Therefore, his chances of winning this match are quite high."

Elder Xu and Deputy Manor Lord He's expressions instantly brightened considerably. Receiving Wang Wuxie's affirmation made them feel exceptionally pleased.

Even Wan Tongtian's lips curled into a slight smile. This fellow named Wang is handsome and speaks so well; he's truly worth befriending.

Zu An's expression was odd. He had originally thought that in his previous life, people would try to accumulate good karma during exams. He hadn't expected people in this alternate world to be exactly the same.

At this moment, the presiding elder of the Zhengyang Sect announced the start of the semi-finals. Wan Guiyi and Wu Xiaofan were already standing on opposite sides of the arena, their gazes locked, and even the surrounding air seemed to thicken.

Below the stage, apart from the Zhengyang Sect and Biluo Palace, who supported their own disciples, the rest of the audience was clearly split into two factions.

One group supported Wu Xiaofan. After all, he was the most renowned, and his gentle, courteous demeanor made it difficult for anyone to feel ill-will towards him.

However, a significant portion also supported Wan Guiyi, with a larger proportion of female cultivators among them. Although Wan Guiyi was a bit conceited and arrogant, his handsomeness was undeniable.

The combination of youthful arrogance and handsomeness actually created a unique charm.

Wan Guiyi frowned, seeing Wu Xiaofan's empty hands. "Are you not planning to use a weapon against me?"

Simultaneously, he inwardly cursed Luo Dongjiang as useless for failing to uncover Wu Xiaofan's true capabilities. Now, he didn't even know what weapon Wu Xiaofan used.

Wu Xiaofan's expression was mild. "Most of my skills lie in my hands. Whether I have a weapon or not makes little difference."

Wan Guiyi snorted and said nothing further. He flicked his finger on his sword's guard, and his long sword sprang from its sheath. A flash of lightning seemed to streak across the arena.

A collective gasp instantly rose from the entire Golden Summit, as most disciples couldn't even discern his sword draw.

Qiu Chanzi also stood up abruptly. He noticed that Wan Guiyi's sword strike was three points faster than when they had competed.

So, he had held back his strength then, only unleashing his full power against Wu Xiaofan...

At this thought, his expression immediately grew somber. He couldn't help but grab his head with both hands, mussing his hair into a tangled bird's nest.

"This Wan's swordplay is truly excellent," Yun Jianyue couldn't help but exclaim. "If he's given another ten years to grow, he's bound to become a formidable enemy to our Holy Sect."

Qiu Honglei was startled. "Master, you're not planning to eliminate the threat prematurely, are you?"

This place is teeming with Daoist masters. If you were to act against such an important disciple as Wan Guiyi, your identity could easily be exposed.

"What are you thinking? How could I, your master, be the kind of person who bullies the young?" Yun Jianyue said. "These are conflicts among your juniors; I will not get involved."

Qiu Honglei then recalled that although her master originated from the Demonic Sect, she had always been proud and disdained such despicable acts. In some respects, she was more honorable than some individuals from the righteous path.

At this moment, intense elemental energy fluctuations emanated from the arena. Wu Xiaofan had previously witnessed his sword drawing technique. Although the speed was greater this time, he remained composed despite his surprise.

He wielded powerful palm winds with both hands; faintly discernible vortexes of energy swirled around him, neutralizing each of his opponent's incomparably sharp sword energies.

Palm winds and sword energies collided, generating powerful aftershocks. The hard arena ground cracked and shattered, with the debris eventually sucked up by the strong winds. This left the entire arena filled with flying sand and stones.

Feng Wuchang, the Peak Master of Guanxin Peak, watched, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. He was perpetually in charge of arena matters.

The arenas were constructed from special, precious stone, and reinforced with protective arrays. However, these prodigies fought so fiercely that the arena was almost ruined after each round. This was all money! The Grand Preceptor, not handling the finances, didn't understand the true cost of resources.

Calculating the expenses of the past few days, Feng Wuchang was on the verge of tears.

"Huh, Wan Guiyi has actually gained the upper hand!" Many disciples were utterly surprised. Most had favored Wu Xiaofan, but now Wan Guiyi was completely dominating him.

Wan Guiyi's figure had entirely dissolved into afterimages. He hadn't touched the ground from start to finish, hovering and circling above Wu Xiaofan. Numerous afterimages of Wan Guiyi periodically descended, striking with their swords.

Wu Xiaofan's bare hands were wielded so seamlessly that they were impenetrable, forming a terrifying storm above his head, neutralizing Wan Guiyi's attacks again and again.

However, discerning observers could see that his situation was quite unfavorable. As the saying goes, "Prolonged defense inevitably leads to loss." He was now defending far more than attacking, and a single opening could easily lead to the collapse of the fight.

Sure enough, amidst the myriad sword shadows, a flash of sword light appeared. Wan Guiyi's true body emerged from the side; a magnificent sword light bloomed, stabbing towards Wu Xiaofan's ribs like a phantom.

The energy around Wu Xiaofan was visibly cleaved by the sword light, and then the sword pierced into his ribs.

However, Wu Xiaofan reacted swiftly. He struck the side of the sword blade with his palm, deflecting it to one side. He then tapped his toe and instantly put distance between himself and his opponent.

Wan Guiyi did not pursue. Instead, he stood still, sword in hand, and coldly stated, "If you don't use a weapon, you're no match for me."

Qiu Honglei couldn't help but retort, "Master, I've noticed that these Daoist disciples aren't particularly clever. Each of them clearly seizes the initiative but fails to press their advantage, insisting on putting on a show for the sake of face. They are utterly pedantic."

Yun Jianyue responded, "You're right about the others; they waste opportunities and deserve their fates. However, this Wan Guiyi's temperament is exceptionally devoted to the sword. He disdains victories won by trickery. It is precisely because of this that his sword is so formidable, and his future potential is limitless. Of course, he's not without flaws. If he encounters a master from the Demonic Sect, it's easy to exploit his straightforwardness with tactics, leading to his premature demise and preventing him from realizing his talent."

At this moment, Wu Xiaofan on the arena sighed. "I originally refrained from using a weapon because I thought Brother Wan was injured. I didn't expect Brother Wan to be so formidable. Instead, I've fallen to a disadvantage."

As he spoke, his palms suddenly lowered, then slowly rose as he circulated his internal energy. A golden light flew out from just below his lower abdomen.

Once the golden light dispersed, everyone clearly saw a toothpick floating before him, pointing in Wan Guiyi's direction.

Wu Xiaofan said with a solemn expression, "Mine is very big; you'll have to endure it."