Chapter 610: Hanging In There (Part 2)

Below the stage.

“Teacher Zhang, did you... figure all this out yourself?”

Hall Master Kang and the others stared, looking at the young man before them. He knew his own student’s capabilities very well. He hadn't even understood the martial art Qin Lei displayed earlier, yet Young Master Ruohuan had explained it so clearly that Qin Lei was left speechless. This wouldn't have been possible without Teacher Zhang's guidance.

“That’s right!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

“He... just circulated his vital energy and raised his hand a moment ago, and you saw all that?” Even after the confirmation, everyone still found it hard to believe. Earlier, Young Master Ruohuan had rushed over and splashed soup on Qin Lei, infuriating him. But in the end, no fight broke out, and hardly any moves were made. To discern so many issues in such a situation—was it true? What kind of insight was that?

“Then... what martial art is Qin Lei cultivating exactly? How can it lock the soul and prevent breakthroughs?” Teacher Su couldn't hold back anymore. As a four-star peak master teacher, he at least had basic discernment. How could someone cultivate a martial art that trapped the soul without realizing it?

“I don't know either...” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

“You don't know? Then...” Everyone frowned.

If he didn't know what martial art it was, how did he know the sensations of stimulating those acupuncture points? The Azure Sea acupoint corresponds to the soul, and the Diligent Truth acupoint is where the body and soul meet. If it's rigid, it means the cage is tightly locked. All peak Ethereal Mortal 4-dan experts knew this: under normal circumstances, acupoints open, vital breath circulates, nourishing the soul and allowing it to grow. If this situation arose... even they wouldn't believe it was fine. But... if he didn't even know what martial art Qin Lei practiced, how could he know that his Diligent Truth acupoint was closed and his soul was damaged?

“I lied to him!” Zhang Xuan said calmly.

“Lied to him?” Everyone was stunned.

“The White Yang True Qi cultivated by the White Yang Sect is a type of Yang-attribute true qi. My teacher explained it to me when Bai Kai attacked my residence back then!” Zhang Xuan stated.

“Hmm...” Hall Master Kang and the others nodded. The White Yang cultivation method of the White Yang Sect was indeed a Yang-attribute art. After cultivation, it allowed for grand, sweeping movements and possessed infinite power. They had fought against it before, suffered great losses, and had specifically studied it, so they knew it very well.

“The food provided by the Alliance Leader's Manor earlier mainly consisted of beast meat and herbs for energy replenishment, right?” Zhang Xuan continued. Since the competition was held on the plaza outside the Alliance Leader's Manor, not only Zhang Xuan's group but also other sects and forces received their meals from the Manor, and they were almost identical. There were various kinds of spiritual beast meat, savage beast meat, and even some precious herbs, all rich in spiritual energy, which could greatly replenish consumed energy.

“Yes!” Zhao Feiwu nodded. She had even participated in selecting the ingredients, so she knew more about them than anyone else.

“What happens when someone cultivating a Yang-attribute art consumes highly nourishing food and medicine?” Zhang Xuan pressed on.

“Their muscles become active, and their true qi circulates faster...” Hall Master Kang replied.

It was like taking a stimulant. Someone already full of vigor, consuming such potent supplements, would surely become even more excited and powerful. However... wouldn't that just improve their combat state?

“Under normal circumstances, it would indeed improve their state. But did you forget the bowl of soup I drank earlier? If I'm not mistaken, it contained Yin Jue Grass!” Zhang Xuan continued.

“It did have Yin Jue Grass. Although it's of a Yin-cold attribute, it can refresh the mind and quicken thought, making it a famous dish...” Zhao Feiwu said, then halfway through her sentence, she realized something and her eyes widened.

“It's famous, yes, but its Yin-cold attribute is undeniable. Before a match, one is already excited, then consumes highly nourishing food, and cultivates a Yang-attribute art, causing all acupoints to open wide... At this point, what do you think would happen if stimulated by a Yin-attribute soup? I probably don't need to elaborate!” Zhang Xuan chuckled.

“When Yin and Yang attributes clash, the acupoints automatically close to protect the body. And at that time... Qin Lei was furious, his mind highly concentrated, and his soul was moving through the Diligent Truth acupoint. The acupoints closing, blocking his soul, would then be normal... You... you designed all of this?” Hall Master Kang, Teacher Su, and the others quickly understood, their faces turning pale, almost going mad.

They had thought the opponent's words were true. They never expected that, right from the moment the soup was splashed, Qin Lei had been falling step-by-step into the young man's scheme. This calculated plan was executed meticulously, leaving no trace. Without an explanation, even they couldn't have seen through it. Qin Lei, being directly involved, was naturally even more oblivious... Being conned was probably already a foregone conclusion. This was... too formidable!

“It just occurred to me!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

No matter how well these designs were crafted, they would be useless without the initial premise: the lie that he had failed to break through to the Spirit Integration realm and suffered soul damage. Without that, tricking him would have been almost impossible. People are like that: once they believe the first thing, it becomes much easier to make them believe subsequent claims. Furthermore, with sound reasoning and evidence, it was hard not to believe.

“Since you lied to him, then... Ruohuan also mentioned a solution...” Seeing him admit it, Hall Master Kang recalled Young Master Ruohuan's words earlier, and a sudden ominous premonition arose within him. All these things were lies, yet a solution was offered? How could it be solved?

“Just keep watching, and you'll see...” Zhang Xuan waved his hand. Everyone quickly looked towards the stage.

At that moment, Qin Lei on the stage, after a long period of internal struggle, finally took a deep breath: “I concede! Please guide me to the solution!” This was the round of 16 into 8. Even if he lost, he could still compete for the final two spots among the eight defeated participants. However, an unresolved physical issue meant no future progress in cultivation, which was unacceptable to anyone. Weighing the pros and cons, he decided to concede and accept the opponent's guidance. Anyway, in his mind, he would kill this guy sooner or later; he might as well let him have his moment of glory for now!

“Conceded? Teacher Qin just conceded like that?” “It seems Young Master Ruohuan really did identify the crux of the problem!” “How impressive! We couldn't even recognize the martial art, yet he saw the flaws in its cultivation. When did Young Master Ruohuan become so powerful?” “I saw him consulting Teacher Zhang earlier. Do you think Teacher Zhang might have taught him?” Hearing Qin Lei concede, a major upset, everyone erupted in an uproar. Young Master Ruohuan's strength was simply not on the same level as Qin Lei's, yet the outcome was reversed, leading many to speculate wildly. After all, many had witnessed Young Master Ruohuan consulting Teacher Zhang earlier.

“Very well, since you've conceded, there's no harm in teaching you the solution!” Hearing his concession, Young Master Ruohuan, knowing he had advanced to the top eight, suppressed his excitement: “Actually, it's very simple. Your Diligent Truth acupoint was just temporarily stimulated and closed. Get a good night's sleep tonight, and you'll be fine tomorrow...”

“Sleep, and it'll be fine tomorrow?” Qin Lei's eyes instantly widened. He felt his vision go black and nearly exploded. As a four-star peak master teacher, if he still couldn't realize he'd been tricked after hearing that, then he truly had a problem with his brain.

“I'll kill you...” he roared, about to charge forward.

“Enough! A loss is a loss. The Master Teacher Tournament isn't just about knowledge; it's also about adaptability. If you were tricked, it's your own problem; you can't blame others!” With a flick of Master Hong's sleeve, Qin Lei stumbled and stopped. The Master Teacher Tournament involved many aspects. If he had been tricked and willingly conceded, then he couldn't blame anyone else.

“I...” With Master Hong stepping in, Qin Lei knew there was nothing more he could do. His lips were almost bitten through, and he was so furious he felt like spitting blood. What a situation! He had been so confident he would win, only to be tricked... into conceding! How despicable... Jun Ruohuan, if I don't kill you, I'm not Qin Lei. A furious roar echoed in his heart.

The match concluded, and Young Master Ruohuan successfully advanced. As he stepped down, he looked at the young man before him, filled with excitement. After reading the contents on the paper earlier, he had thought he would surely be beaten to death by his opponent, but he had actually succeeded! Top eight in the Master Teacher Tournament... This was an achievement he wouldn't even have dared to dream of!

“Many thanks, Teacher Zhang!” He respectfully cupped his fist. Previously, he still harbored a competitive spirit, but now, it was completely gone. The fellow in front of him looked a bit foolish, but if one were to truly compete with him, he would absolutely trick you to death without compensation.

“No need to be polite. You've tricked your opponent so badly that he'll surely apply for a life-and-death battle with you. Don't be too happy yet; start preparing how to defeat him!” Zhang Xuan said.

“Understood!” Young Master Ruohuan nodded. When an irreconcilable conflict arose between master teachers, a life-and-death battle could be requested, ending only when one party died. Qin Lei was driven nearly mad by him and had lost face in front of so many master teachers. He would probably apply for one as soon as the tournament ended. If the headquarters approved, it was highly likely they would directly compete. However, headquarters rarely approved life-and-death battles, and even if they did, he might not necessarily lose to Qin Lei. After reading the paper Teacher Zhang gave him, many flaws in Qin Lei's techniques were now imprinted in his mind. If he utilized them, it was hard to say who would emerge victorious.

“Teacher Zhang, your opponent in this round is Wei Changqing from the Purple Gold Sect. I hear he's extremely powerful; you need to be careful!” Putting aside those thoughts, Young Master Ruohuan looked over with a solemn expression. The tournament only involved one draw for the first round; subsequent opponents could be fully deduced. The person Teacher Zhang was about to face was Wei Changqing, a super genius from the Purple Gold Sect.

“You've heard of him?” Zhang Xuan looked over.

“Although he didn't make it into the top ten of the potential rankings, it's not because his ability is weak. Rather, his cultivation is a bit low, like yours—peak Ethereal Mortal 3-dan! For someone with such a low cultivation level to reach the top sixteen, his attainments in other areas must be extraordinary!” Young Master Ruohuan raised his eyebrows and said, “I specifically watched his last match. He competed in the auxiliary profession of artifact forging, forcing his opponent to concede on the spot!”

“Indeed!” Zhang Xuan also nodded. He had watched that match too; this guy was indeed very strong. To be at peak Ethereal Mortal 3-dan and defeat a 4-dan expert in artifact forging, one certainly needed considerable strength to succeed. However, artifact forging wasn't among his own auxiliary professions, so he definitely wouldn't challenge him on that. But... if he challenged him in pill forging... that would indeed be a bit troublesome.