Chapter 48: Mountain Barbarians

“Opponent, Lin Zhengli of Wangjiang City, and Zhao Tiehe of Sanshan City. Begin!”

The referee's command echoed, and in a flash of brilliance, both combatants began weaving complex seals. The only divergence in this initial dance of power lay in their approach: Lin Zhengli remained rooted to the spot, his demeanor tranquil as a still pond, while Zhao Tiehe, even as he formed his seals, surged forward like a tempest.

This was a clash of opposing philosophies, a collision of styles as distinct as mountain and water. The outcome hung in the balance, unknowable before the inevitable impact.

Earth elemental energy coalesced, and sharp stone thorns erupted from the soil. Employing the same foundation technique, the earth spike, Yang Xingyong had previously used it for defense, while Zhao Tiehe wielded it as a weapon of offense.

From seemingly nowhere, a wave formed, lifting Lin Zhengli skyward, just beyond the reach of the earth spikes’ deadly embrace. This was "Wave Crest," a fourth-grade superior Taoism, a technique powered by the very essence of water to manipulate movement.

Zhao Tiehe's seals were now complete. With a flick of his hands, the earth spikes that had risen from the ground now shot towards the airborne Lin Zhengli! Unlike Yang Xingyong's crude application of force to propel the spikes in a second-stage attack, Zhao Tiehe’s was a true, inherent second-stage transformation of the Taoism itself, a testament to its refined mastery!

Lin Zhengli remained suspended, Wave Crest already expended, seemingly devoid of further options. Yet, his fingers, which had never ceased their intricate dance, suddenly flicked. The wave carrying him intensified, and from its heart, another wave arose, propelling Lin Zhengli away from the hailstorm of earth spikes at the very last instant.

He, too, had unveiled the second-stage transformation of the Wave Crest Taoism!

The battle between Zhao Tiehe and Lin Zhengli was a true demonstration of the power and ingenuity inherent in a Taoism duel. The advanced transformations displayed by both combatants were a direct reflection of the deep foundations of the Sanshan City Taoist Academy and the Wangjiang City Taoist Academy. Such reforms of fundamental Taoisms were paramount, capable of elevating the overall might of an academy.

Lin Zhengli evaded again and again, yet Zhao Tiehe's assault remained relentless. With a tap of his foot, he launched himself into the air. From below, he delivered an upward strike, but his fist was already encased in layers of stone – a "Stone-Covered Fist!" He had mirrored Yang Xingyong's earlier technique, a blatant retort to Lin Zhengli's previous words of "weaklings pecking at each other."

Lin Zhengli still had not landed, seemingly with no escape, but his fingers flicked once more. Within the waves, yet more waves arose, pushing him away from the attack again.

Wave Crest, Triple-Layered!

A mere Wave Crest, an ordinary shifting Taoism, had today displayed a three-stage transformation. If the previous two-stage transformation of the earth spikes had pushed the earth spike Taoism to the very limits of a fourth-grade superior technique, then the Wave Crest, Triple-Layered, had elevated a fourth-grade Taoism into the ranks of a third-grade technique. This was a qualitative leap, a fundamental improvement!

Zhao Tiehe's Stone-Covered Fist missed its mark again, and he had no time to register his shock, for Lin Zhengli's counter-attack had arrived. Relying on the trump card of the Wave Crest, Triple-Layered, he had miraculously evaded strike after strike, finally completing his intended Taoism in this critical moment.

All the water elemental energy within the arena suddenly erupted, water flowing in all directions, waves surging. From every side, crashing waves descended; Zhao Tiehe found no escape and was struck by a wave head-on. He was hit as if by a colossal punch, flying backward uncontrollably. And in the air, another wave struck him, sending him spiraling, vomiting blood.

Waves crashed back and forth; Zhao Tiehe was like a broken sandbag, being battered from one side to the other, the dull thuds echoing through the arena. This was the raw power of a third-grade Taoism, "Raging Waves!"

Lin Zhengli's expression remained calm, devoid of the slightest trace of the levity he had displayed before the battle. Instead, there was a profound composure, a sense of everything being under his control. Swiftly, he pinched the Taoist gesture, and at the very moment the Raging Waves subsided, he drew forth an extraordinarily long vine whip and whistled as he brought it down.

Zhao Tiehe, almost defenseless within the Raging Waves, had only managed to cover his head and curl up, minimizing the area of impact. The moment the Raging Waves ceased, his body also stretched out, and he suddenly reached out and seized the vine whip. Blood still trickled from the corners of his mouth, his clothes were tattered, revealing the bruised and swollen parts of his body. But he seemed to feel no pain; it was as if all the cultivators from Sanshan City possessed this same indomitable spirit. He grasped the vine whip and pulled with all his might, intending to drag Lin Zhengli directly in front of him!

But Lin Zhengli loosened his grip, and the vine whip suddenly coiled back like a serpent, passing over Zhao Tiehe's entire body and binding him tightly. The Taoism Lin Zhengli had just employed was not the fourth-grade mid-grade "Green Vine Whip" as it had appeared, but the fourth-grade superior "Entangling Vine Technique!" He had used the Entangling Vine Technique, but rather than directly binding his foe, he had disguised it as the Green Vine Whip, luring Zhao Tiehe into grasping it, thereby perfectly ensnaring him.

It could be said that from the very beginning of the battle until this moment, every step Zhao Tiehe had taken had fallen precisely into Lin Zhengli's calculations. From this, one could even infer that the words Lin Zhengli had spoken to Zhao Tiehe before the battle were not without a deeper, hidden purpose.

In this moment, Lin Zhengli was poised to claim his victory. He calmly completed the Taoist gesture, and this time, he would truly bring forth the Green Vine Whip and fiercely lash the bound opponent.

But the entangling vines on Zhao Tiehe's body suddenly exploded; Zhao Tiehe rolled on the ground, evading the whip with unyielding determination. It was only then that people noticed the blood flowing down Zhao Tiehe's body and the myriad of bleeding wounds. On the ground, the dense scattering of crushed stones was mixed with the broken vines. It turned out that Zhao Tiehe had covered himself with a layer of stone armor at the same moment the Raging Waves ended; Lin Zhengli might not have noticed it, or perhaps he had noticed but dismissed it. The Stone Armor Technique itself was merely a defensive Taoism, offering no aid in escaping the Entangling Vine Technique. But the stone armor had exploded.

It instantly shredded Zhao Tiehe's form and simultaneously shattered the vines that bound him. This scene was utterly tragic, and many spectators could no longer bear to watch; Ling He even covered Jiang An'an's eyes. And Zhao Tiehe, dragging his blood-stained body, once again launched himself in a charge towards Lin Zhengli.

No one understood why he still refused to yield, why he still persisted. Was it not just a debate battle? It was not the county academy's grand examination in November; it held no bearing on their future! This was a battle between first-year students; the other participating cultivators were observing from outside.

Sun Xiaoman stared at the arena without blinking. And Lin Zhengren turned to look at her: "At this point, do you still wish to continue fighting, Little Man? Someone will die."

"Life or honor, I cannot decide for him." This seemingly small, bare-footed girl did not even turn her head.

"Pa!"

This time, Zhao Tiehe could not evade the whip. A deep whip mark appeared, the skin torn open. But it seemed he had no intention of avoiding it, but rather, taking advantage of the whip's withdrawal, he seized the whip's tip with one hand! After several turns, he wrapped the Green Vine Whip around himself.

He pulled this whip, drawing closer to Lin Zhengli; on his fist, the quality of stone slowly condensed, the speed far slower than before, but it was still that same technique, the Stone-Covered Fist.

Lin Zhengli had to let go, abandoning the whip condensed by Taoism. He leaped back, saying as he retreated, "Surrender! If you continue like this, you will truly die!"

"Surrender?" Zhao Tiehe looked at Lin Zhengli, the smile at the corners of his mouth widening, "We people from Sanshan City cannot be seen as so... weak by you!"

He suddenly charged forward several steps, and the Stone-Covered Fist crashed down!

Boom!

Lin Zhengli leaped away from his original position; the stone fist slammed into the ground, leaving a deep pit.

"Seeking death!" Lin Zhengli was in the air, his hands already forming the Taoist gesture with lightning speed; he refused to admit that in this battle he had already felt fear, but he had decided to unleash a more ferocious Taoism, even if he could not control it, even if... he would slay his opponent. As the Taoism faintly began to form, he happened to land. The timing was so perfect, he almost wanted to commend himself.

But, on the ground, for some unknown reason, there was, and no one knew when it had appeared, a pit. That was a trap Zhao Tiehe had laid long ago, guided by earth elemental energy, the ground sinking in, a Taoism of the lowest level, fourth-grade inferior, named "Pitfall." But it was timed with such perfect precision.

Lin Zhengli's foot stumbled, and his entire stance collapsed, the prepared Taoism dissipating. Although he had twisted his body in the first instant, preventing himself from falling completely to the ground.

But Zhao Tiehe had pounced over like a wild beast and knocked him down! He held him firmly pressed against the ground. The two were so close, Taoism beyond instant casting had lost its meaning.

Bang!

That was the sound of a fist connecting with a face.

"I am not a mountain barbarian!"

Bang! Bang!

"I am... Zhuang State, Qinghe County! Sanshan City cultivator! Zhao, Tie, He!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Zhao Tiehe punched again and again. Lin Zhengren's eyelids outside the arena twitched, as if each blow was landing on his own face.

"Admit defeat!" he roared.