Chapter 64

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Chapter 64: Eastern Sky Arena

“Number Nineteen.”

Ming He glanced at the faint inscription on the light blue bamboo stick in her hand and returned to her original position. Nineteen—it was a good number.

“The arena matches will now commence. For the Young Dragon List, Arena One will face Ninety-Seven, Arena Two against Eighty-Eight, Arena Three against Fifty-Four, Arena Four against Forty-Four, and Arena Five against Six.

For the Young Tiger List, Arena One will battle Fifty-Five, Arena Two against Sixty-Six… and Arena Five against Eighteen.

Friends who have drawn these numbers, please step onto the arenas.” Guan Shan Feng announced lightly from the circular platform in front of the Eastern Sky Arena.

Almost immediately, Ming He noticed a cultivator passing by her, leaping onto the arena with a black disciple token dangling from his waist. The arena to the left, bathed in golden light, was designated for the Young Tiger List battles.

“Clang!”

The Eastern Heaven Bell, a treasure of the Eastern Region, was struck heavily by an armored guard clad in black, signaling the start of the arena matches.

Ten arenas stood in two rows. The left side hosted the Young Tiger List battles, while the right side was reserved for the Young Dragon List. Both sides were filled with youthful and spirited cultivators, though separated by a significant gap in cultivation realms.

Ming He’s attention was drawn to the left arenas. The Young Dragon List held no relevance to her, so she had little interest in watching those matches.

Her gaze settled on the fourth arena of the Young Tiger List, where two young men stood facing each other. The one on the left, dressed in white and wielding a sword, was Yu Wen Xi, the young sword cultivator who had fought alongside her during the Secret Realm Trial.

At the Seventh Level of the Xuan Wei Realm, Yu Wen Xi was the fourth son of the Yu Wen clan. His sharp mind and strategic thinking were matched only by his fiery spirit, making him a formidable opponent.

The young man opposite him was unfamiliar to Ming He, but his attire and the aura he exuded suggested he was likely a scion of a prominent family. It was no secret that disciples from prestigious clans and sects dominated the Small Dragon and Tiger Rankings, far outnumbering rogue cultivators.

Yu Wen Xi’s opponent was also at the Seventh Level of the Xuan Wei Realm, but from the flow of the battle, it was clear he was no match for Yu Wen Xi.

After observing for a moment, Ming He shifted her focus to the first arena, where the match had concluded in just fifteen minutes. The victor was a young woman clad in a soft yellow brocade skirt, roughly the same age as Ming He.

At the Ninth Level of the Xuan Wei Realm and nineteen years old, she wielded a silver-white jade flute. Moments earlier, she had effortlessly defeated her opponent, who was at the Seventh Level of the Xuan Wei Realm, using her flute as a weapon. Now, she stood calmly on the arena, her gaze drifting lazily over the other four arenas, though her peripheral vision occasionally flicked toward the battles on the Young Dragon List side.

Ming He studied her face—sharp features, skin as pale as snow, and long black hair cascading down her back in an elegant yet carefree manner. Her beauty was undeniable, but it was her aura that truly captivated Ming He. It reminded her of someone she had once known.

Graceful and poised like a towering pine tree, her posture was always upright, and her expression radiated calm confidence. For a fleeting moment, Ming He felt as though she was gazing at a younger version of her Master.

Qu Yanran—her Master’s… daughter?

Ming He’s eyes lingered on her. Qu Yanran was a true disciple of the Floating Cloud Sect, a prodigy trained by her Shishu, Xie Dan Chen. Renowned for her jade flute, the exquisite wines of Spirit Wine Peak, and her striking beauty, Qu Yanran was one of the Three Exceptional Talents of Floating Cloud, alongside Qin Chu Yi.

Could she also be considered her Senior Sister? Ming He quietly calculated Qu Yanran’s age and concluded that, based on her physical appearance, the woman on the arena was likely a few months older than her.

Just as Ming He prepared to look away, Qu Yanran, who had been intently watching the Young Dragon List battles, turned her gaze toward Ming He. Their eyes met, and a flicker of surprise passed through Qu Yanran’s expression.

With a slow, enigmatic smile, Qu Yanran turned and leaped down from the arena, rejoining her group of clan disciples with an air of pride and indifference.

The match on the arena concluded just as Ming He was still processing Qu Yanran’s glance. She looked up to see Yu Wen Xi standing victorious on his arena, his opponent retreating dejectedly. A stream of golden dragon energy, about half a foot long, emerged from the defeated youth and flowed into Yu Wen Xi’s body.

Combined with the dragon energy he had gained from the Dragon Gate and the token from the Secret Realm Trial, Yu Wen Xi now radiated about three feet of golden dragon energy. In contrast, Qu Yanran, the woman in the soft yellow brocade skirt, had accumulated five feet.

The disparity between them was evident from the start.

A top contender for first place.

Ming He exhaled deeply and leaped onto the second arena, where her opponent, number thirty-one, awaited. He wore no disciple token, suggesting he was a participant from a sect or clan, and his cultivation was at the Sixth Level of the Xuan Wei Realm.

“Fourth Level of the Xuan Wei Realm? A rogue cultivator?” The young man sneered as he assessed Ming He’s cultivation. “With such meager strength, you’ve made it this far? The standards for the Dragon Gate and Secret Realm Trial must be slipping.” His tone dripped with contempt.

Ming He smiled. This was precisely the effect she desired. The more he underestimated her, the more amusing his shocked expression would be once she defeated him.

She had no interest in idle chatter with someone like him, so without hesitation, she executed the Unsheathing Style. Her sword tip arced gracefully, performing the Liu Yun Dance. Fighting amidst the mist, it was effortless to draw the clouds onto her blade. With this strike, Ming He barely exerted any effort as she effortlessly disarmed her opponent and pressed her sword against his neck. “You lose,” she declared.

Her voice carried a note of triumph, savoring the thrill of her first victory. The stunned disbelief on her opponent’s face only deepened her smile. “If it were you,” she added, “you probably wouldn’t even make it past the Dragon Gate.”

She wasn’t taunting him; she truly believed it. The Dragon Gate tested strength, resolve, and endurance. A cultivator like him, who judged others so harshly without leaving room for error, might not even reach the first hundred miles to the cliff before being expelled by the gate’s spirit.

Ming He watched as the dragon energy emanating from him gathered above her head. With this addition, her dragon energy now measured four and a half feet—still less than Qu Yanran’s, but not far behind.

“Number Six, Nineteen, Forty-Seven, Nine, and One Hundred One win. Proceed to the next round of arena matches,” Guan Shan Feng’s steady voice announced.

Then Ming He heard her own number called.

“Number Twelve versus Nineteen.” Perfect—still on the second arena. She didn’t even need to move.

Ming He watched as her defeated opponent leaped down from the platform, replaced by her next challenger: a young man clad in red, wielding a curved knife… Shadow?

She was momentarily stunned, her gaze locking onto the cold, silent figure before her. The golden token at his waist matched hers, confirming his identity. Shadow, at the Eighth Level of the Xuan Wei Realm. Yu Wen Xi had mentioned that the competition for the top spot on the Young Tiger List was between him, Qu Yanran, and Duan Qing Ying.

Had she really encountered a top contender so soon?

Ming He’s mood grew heavy. Back in the secret realm, she had been at the Fifth Level of the Xuan Wei Realm, chased by Shadow until she was forced to leap off a cliff in desperation. After tumbling into a cave, her cultivation had broken through to the Sixth Level, and her Star Technique had advanced to the Second Level. Her swordsmanship had also improved…

Her strength had indeed grown, but defeating Shadow would be no simple feat. Even if she could win, it would require her to exhaust all her tricks and hidden cards. Yet, some strategies could only be used once. If she used them against Shadow, she’d have nothing left for the battles to come.

And her opponents weren’t limited to Shadow—there was also Qu Yanran and others.

Ming He reached up to touch the little beast, Chirp Chirp, perched on her head. She considered leaving it with Yu Wen Xi to avoid the chaos of the impending battle. She knew it was no ordinary creature, but she wasn’t sure if it could withstand the aftermath of such a fierce fight.

Just as she tried to remove it, the little beast clung stubbornly to her hair, as if sensing her intentions. Ming He sighed; she was too young to risk going bald.

Fine, she thought, letting it be.

She tightened her grip on her sword, her sharp gaze fixed on the red-clad young man across from her. His fighting spirit was palpable, and the tension between them was electric. The battle was about to begin.

“Friend…” Shadow’s voice was hoarse, tinged with restraint as he rubbed his forehead. “That day at the cliff… I didn’t actually intend to kill you.” He had chosen the path of death, but he didn’t kill the innocent. His blade was reserved for foreign races and human traitors.

As for others, he wouldn’t act unless they committed grave wrongs.

“I just… lost control. That golden token is important to me, so…” He lowered his head slightly, offering a silent apology. “This ranking battle is also important to me. I’ll give it my all, but—”

“You’re strong. Fighting you might require me to go all out, and when I do, I might lose control. So… perhaps you should concede.” Shadow’s gaze was earnest, though his words might have sounded condescending to others.

Perhaps you should concede!

Ming He almost laughed—not in mockery, but in genuine amusement. The sincerity in his eyes, mixed with a hint of awkwardness, revealed his true intent. He wasn’t seeking an easy victory; he genuinely feared losing control and harming an innocent.

A man who walked the path of death, yet didn’t treat lives as expendable. His cold exterior seemed like a mask, a way to avoid unnecessary complications.

Ming He stared into his clear, dark eyes. After the hardships Yu Wen Xi had described, how could someone like him still possess such clarity? She felt she barely understood the man before her.

Joining the Domain Lord’s mansion to slay foreign races—Shadow. The name and his aspirations seemed at odds.

Ming He met his gaze with equal seriousness. “Shadow, this ranking battle is important to me too. I won’t concede.” She had never backed down from a challenge.

She looked at him, his eyes a mix of clarity and conflict, and spoke solemnly, “In a cultivator’s battle, we don’t ask about life or death. We seek to fight with all our might, to grow through combat. Our battle today will be no different. Regardless of life or death, victory or defeat, we’ll settle it with our blades. If I fall to your blade, I’ll accept it.”

“Friend, I challenge you.” Ming He bowed slightly, her peach blossom eyes sharp and clear, the softness replaced by a rising tide of battle intent. She gripped her sword firmly, her expression calm. This battle was for the ranking, but it was also so much more.

Ming He glanced at the clouds and moon above, feeling as though she was growing fonder of this world.

Below, Qu Yanran, who had been watching Ming He intently, was momentarily taken aback. A flicker of contemplation crossed her clear, bright eyes as she observed Ming He’s blue attire swaying in the wind. She began to understand why Ming He had been chosen as his disciple.

On the Eastern Sky Arena, Guan Shan Feng, who had been closely observing Shadow, paused for a moment. Seeking progress through battle, was it?

He vaguely recalled that the initial purpose of the Small Dragon and Tiger Rankings was just that. Back then, when the human race was emerging in the heavens, the Sword Master established the Martial Gate and created the Dragon and Tiger Rankings. The original goal was to enable cultivators to comprehend the Great Path through combat, advancing together to strengthen humanity against foreign races. However, as time passed, the focus of the rankings shifted increasingly toward victories and standings.

That Sword Cultivator in Blue, was her name Ming He?

Guan Shan Feng looked at her Fourth Level of Xuan Wei cultivation and doubted she could defeat Shadow, likely unable to withstand even a single strike, given the significant difference in their cultivation levels.

Yet today, her words hinted she wouldn’t remain weak for long. Her understanding of the Great Path could not be measured by her cultivation alone.

There were many talents among the human race, and more would emerge in the future. She might be one of them.

"Unconcerned with life and death, seeking progress in battle?" Shadow appeared taken aback but then seemed to realize something, his eyes lighting up. "Very well, Friend, I accept your challenge."

He imitated Ming He’s gesture and bowed, but after ten years without anyone teaching him this, his movements looked awkward and clumsy. However, no one mocked him. They eagerly watched the duel between the Sword Cultivator in Blue and the Knife Cultivator in Red.

Even if the Sword Cultivator in Blue were defeated in one strike, it would still be worth their attention.

To their surprise, the Sword Cultivator in Blue not only did not fall in one strike but instead unleashed an impressive momentum as her sword cleaved through the air.

It was a sharp blade, wielded by a sword cultivator with immense prowess, truly deserving of the title.

The battle on the arena continued.

Ming He’s gaze sharpened with fighting spirit as she gripped the bloodthirsty Longquan Sword and executed the Rising Cloud Slash—a move she learned with the most ordinary iron sword after arriving in this world.

“Clang!”

The sound of blades clashing rang out brightly. Ming He tightened her grip on the Longquan Sword, which had been pushed back by Shadow’s blood-red curved knife. Instead of retreating, she pressed forward. Her aura shifted suddenly, revealing her Sixth Level of Xuan Wei cultivation without disguise. Although still two realms lower than Shadow, her strength surprisingly did not fall short.

She had initially planned to conceal her cultivation and other means as trump cards, but Shadow deserved her full effort. He was a worthy opponent, someone she respected.

“You can’t defeat me,” Shadow said, his tone low and his aura becoming even more intimidating. He swung his curved knife, changing directions as he collided with Ming He’s sword tip. The third stage of knife intent surged into the skies, tearing through the clouds and revealing hidden palaces behind. This was third stage knife intent and third stage murderous intent.

The realm of intent has nine stages, each with its unique understanding, just as Ming He’s first stage sword intent was Nebula Sword Art, and her second stage was Yang Light Sword Intent. However, Shadow’s path differed from others.

He embraced the path of death, and his intent and knife technique encompassed one thing: the path of slaughter, the intent of killing.

It was the murderous intent aimed at exterminating all foreign races, and it was the only obsession that supported him since he turned seven.

“Well, we’ll only know if you can defeat me once we fight,” Ming He replied calmly, revealing no further hidden depths. With a slight twist, her sword tip cut through the air in a crooked path. “First move of Nebula Sword Art: Liu Yun.”

Ming He tightened her grip around the sword’s hilt, closing her eyes for a moment as she invoked the sword intent of heaven and earth. At this moment, it was dusk, and the distant horizon was filled with rosy hues and faint moonlight. She turned the sword’s body, drawing on the clouds above, gazing at the clouds that would cloak her blade, her lips parting slightly. “Go.”

The sword tip surged forward, hidden within the clouds, pushing forward with an unstoppable momentum. Surrounded by mist, Ming He stood within the clouds, dissipating the intense murderous intent that Shadow’s curved knife radiated. With a slight tremble of her wrist, she executed another sword technique.

Second move of Nebula Sword Art: Lonely Star.

To the onlookers, it was as if stars emerged within the boundless clouds, a magnificent display of countless stars hanging in the sky and casting their light upon Ming He and Shadow. Suddenly, one by one, the stars began to fall, leaving only the central star behind.

These falling stars seemed to be guiding the lone star in the center. As the previous stars dispersed the clouds, the last star found its place at the tip of Ming He’s sword.

Ming He’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the seemingly ethereal star at the sword’s tip, her lips curling into a warm smile. “Friend, receive the sword!”

This was her second understanding of the Lonely Star, and it was the first time she was revealing it, inspired by Shadow.

In the ancient cave dwelling of the Ninth Continent, the Lonely Star symbolized a pioneer and cultivator—the arrival of one star summoned countless others, illuminating their path. Today, it was a reverse interpretation, becoming a successor.

Because the other stars illuminated its route, it could find its direction high above, but the star stood alone, for its predecessors had already fallen, and it still had to fulfill its mission.

“Clang.”

This time, Shadow’s curved knife was forced back, and he stood directly opposite Ming He, his gaze fixed on the faintly glowing star at the tip of her sword, his mind wandering. Was he the successor?

A tremor ran through him, causing a momentary pause in his murderous intent. But he did not wish to be a successor. His thoughts grew tangled and chaotic as he watched the star vanish, his expression shifting.

The star had disappeared!

Gone, just like many others who had appeared in his life, bringing a fleeting glimmer of light before vanishing—all because of the foreign races.

Foreign races!

Shadow’s dark eyes turned blood-red in an instant, and his murderous intent surged once more, far more intense than before, now solely focused on destruction.

He raised his curved knife and swung it at Ming He without hesitation, his blood-red eyes filled with unrestrained fury, the calm composure he once possessed now entirely lost.

"Shadow has fallen into madness," an armored guard near the arena exclaimed, ready to intervene.

"Wait," Guan Shan Feng said, raising a hand to stop him. "That Sword Cultivator in Blue did this on purpose." She had deliberately led him into madness. Why? Guan Shan Feng narrowed his eyes, his expression thoughtful.

Ming He had indeed acted with intent. Her goal was clear: to win the ranking battle. This was the most effective method, but her ambitions extended beyond that.

Her sharp eyes met Shadow’s as he charged toward her, unflinching and unafraid, even as her gaze took on a faintly unsettling red hue. She had seen far worse.

She leaped into the air, using the brief surge of gravity from the ground to propel herself, and unleashed her sword technique. "Third move of Nebula Sword Art: Nebula."

The heavens and earth seemed to tremble with a low, resonant rumble as the first stage sword intent sliced through the sky, its sharp resonance echoing. The blue sky above the arena shifted to orange, and a patch of starry sky emerged, tiny stars bursting forth from Ming He’s sword and shooting into the heavens. The stars intertwined with the clouds, forming a vast, celestial expanse within the depths of Shadow’s blood-red eyes.

His movements faltered; confusion and daze clouded his gaze as if he were questioning his own actions and intentions.

Ming He withdrew her sword, then with overwhelming force, she swung and knocked the blood-red curved knife from Shadow’s hand. The sword energy from the Longquan Sword sent him tumbling to the ground, leaving a faint trail of blood on his handsome face.

"You lost," Ming He said, not placing her sword at his neck. She stepped closer, looking down at Shadow as he lay on the arena floor, staring up at the lingering brilliance in the sky. She continued, "Do you see? If you were that star, you could do two things."

One was to carry forward the past, and the other was to illuminate the future.

To inherit the starlight of those who came before and to light the way for those who would follow.

Ming He spat out a mouthful of blood, her chest aching from the earlier surge of murderous intent, but she pressed on. "You walk the path of killing, but do you know what path you are truly on?"

"It is not the path of slaughter. It is the path of using killing to end killing, the path of righteous warfare." Like her Longquan Sword, which stops violence with strength, killing for the sake of future peace.

"Therefore, you must not let murderous intent control you," Ming He said firmly. "No one can control your mind." A cultivator driven by vengeance should be unstoppable, for they stand on the side of justice.

"Control?" Shadow repeated, his voice tinged with confusion. "But I lost this ranking battle." He could only recall his defeat at the hands of this Sword Cultivator in Blue, who had once been unable to withstand even a single move from him in the secret realm.

"You did lose," Ming He said with a faint smile, "but you lost to me, not to the foreign races." She emphasized the words "foreign races." "The human race can lose to its own, but we must never lose to the foreign races."

"If you wish to grow stronger, to kill more of the foreign races, you must direct that uncontrollable murderous intent toward them. If you cannot control it, at the very least, choose the right target for your rage." Ming He watched his contemplative expression, her words deliberate and clear.

"Friend, I concede," Ming He said, bowing slightly before turning and leaping down from the arena.

Behind her, Shadow’s aura shifted abruptly, like a fierce blade being sheathed, as spiritual energy gathered and surged toward him. He was breaking through, advancing to the Ninth Level of the Xuan Wei realm.

Ming He had taken a foot and a half of his dragon energy, but in return, she had given him one level of cultivation.