Volume 1 Chapter 28

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Volume 1 Chapter 28: Qingling

Before the competition, under the fifth stone platform, the onlookers were waiting for the match to start, chatting among themselves.

"Senior brother, who do you think will win this time?"

"It must be Dongfang Qingling; she has always been the favorite to enter the final sixteen."

"Not necessarily! You haven’t seen Xu Qingfan’s performances in the earlier matches; his skills are unique and dazzling, unlike anyone before; plus, he moves really fast and is incredibly strong. I think, even though Dongfang Qingling has been the most favored, she is definitely not Xu Qingfan’s match."

"Isn’t Dongfang Qingling amazing? You’ve seen her in the last three matches; she defeated her opponents effortlessly, and none could last even three incense sticks long. Plus, as Martial Uncle Dai Huajie’s favorite disciple, she has many powerful magical tools. I say Xu Qingfan has no chance against her at all."

"Xu Qingfan is at the late stage of the Inedia Stage, while Dongfang Qingling is only at the middle stage of the Inedia Stage, so in terms of power, Xu Qingfan has the advantage."

"Even though Xu Qingfan is slightly stronger than Dongfang Qingling, she has many more magical tools. And Dongfang Qingling’s control of Taoist spells is among the best among the lower-level disciples at Jiuhua Gate."

As the lively discussion continued, Xu Qingfan slowly walked to the area in front of platform five. The onlookers, seeing his arrival, automatically made way for him, allowing him to reach the front of the platform and quietly wait for his match to begin.

Today, Xu Qingfan’s match will be his last contest at platform five. If he wins, he will advance to the final sixteen, getting one step closer to reclaiming Lu Huayan’s relics.

However, his opponent is no simple challenger; she is the most famous contender at platform five, Dongfang Qingling.

Dongfang Qingling is known for her strange temper and fierce loyalty as the favorite disciple of Jiuhua Gate master Dai Huajie, who is part of the "Hua" lineage. He dotes on her daily and has gifted her many magical tools. It is said that Dongfang Qingling’s personal treasures are enough to make an ordinary Fake Golden Core Stage expert feel deeply ashamed, which shows just how remarkable she is.

Dongfang Qingling has not disappointed Dai Huajie’s high hopes. In a short time, she has made a big name for herself in Jiuhua Gate, regarded as a genius second only to Jin Qinghan and Feng Qingtian, especially in her mastery of water-based Taoist magic. At just twenty-eight years old, she has already reached the middle stage of the Inedia Stage. With several powerful magical tools in her possession, she is considered one of the few who is hard to defeat among her peers at Jiuhua Gate.

In the final matches on each stone platform, platform five is different from the others. On the other platforms, there is only one seed candidate, so the final round is quite predictable. For example, platform two will surely see Feng Qingtian win, while platform three is guaranteed to be won by Jin Qinghan.

Compared to other platforms, the suspense of Platform Five is much greater. Everyone thought Dongfang Qingling would easily stand out and enter the final sixteen. But unexpectedly, Xu Qingfan, who had no fame, suddenly emerged and became well-known, showing his clearly superior skills in the second and third matches. His dazzling and terrifying abilities, along with his swift and strange movements, earned him great popularity and many supporters. Thus, who will win on Platform Five and enter the final sixteen has recently become a hot topic of debate among the lower-level disciples of Jiuhua Gate, with Xu Qingfan and Dongfang Qingling’s supporters arguing passionately.

Because of this, the audience around Platform Five, where Xu Qingfan was, was far more numerous than that of other platforms.

When Xu Qingfan arrived at Platform Five dressed in plain clothes, he attracted countless surprised and curious gazes from the crowd around the platform.

In Jiuhua Gate, although there are no strict rules, by convention, disciples should wear the long robes provided by Jiuhua Gate. Unless you reach the Condensed Core Stage, no one dares to care what you wear.

However, Xu Qingfan paid no attention to the surprised looks from those around him; he hadn’t yet recovered from the sorrow of Yue Qingru’s passing the night before and had no mood to care about what others thought.

When the elder acting as the judge announced the start of the match, Xu Qingfan slowly walked onto the platform. After bowing to the elder, he quietly stood on the platform, waiting for his opponent to appear.

But what puzzled Xu Qingfan was that his opponent was unusually slow to arrive.

Three cups of tea’s time later.

"Dongfang Qingling is here!"

Just when Xu Qingfan and the crowd had waited for a long time and were starting to feel a bit impatient, someone suddenly shouted loudly.

Facing an opponent who could be so late to the big match inside the door, Xu Qingfan couldn’t hold back his curiosity and turned to look at the crowd below.

In the distance, a group of women surrounded two ladies like stars around the moon. Among them, one lady appeared middle-aged, but her eyes were filled with deep experiences. She had a subtle aura of power and had a serious expression. The other lady seemed about twenty-eight, with a beautiful face and bright, large eyes. She was not wearing the standard long robe of Jiuhua Gate but rather a light yellow long dress. As she walked, her eyes would wander around restlessly, showing a lively and mischievous personality.

"These two must be Martial Uncle Dai Huajie and Junior Martial Sister Dongfang Qingling," Xu Qingfan thought quietly as he stood on the platform.

When the group of women arrived near the stone platform, the onlookers instinctively cleared the best spot, clearly concerned about the women.

Just as Xu Qingfan expected, the lady with the bright complexion quickly exchanged a few words with the middle-aged woman and then hurried up to the stone platform. She casually bowed to the elder serving as a judge, indicating that the match could begin.

The elder was clearly displeased with Dongfang Qingling’s tardiness and rudeness but still managed to nod and announce the start of the match. He didn’t say much more, evidently because he was wary of Dai Huajie, which showed how powerful Dai Huajie was in Jiuhua Gate.

As Xu Qingfan observed Dongfang Qingling closely, he was even more amazed. Her brows were like delicate willows, her eyes like stars, her face like peach blossoms, graceful like a startled swan, and elegant like a swimming dragon.

While Xu Qingfan was examining Dongfang Qingling, she was also closely studying him. She had heard about her opponent’s sudden rise to fame, but upon closer inspection, she found his face was handsome yet ordinary. Only his refined and calm demeanor slightly revealed his uniqueness. Unlike her previous opponents, he remained relaxed and calm when he saw her. The most striking aspect was that his eyes held a hint of sadness and depth that did not match his age.

"I am Xu Qingfan. Please be kind to me." Xu Qingfan said to Dongfang Qingling with a slight bow.

"My name is Dongfang Qingling." Dongfang Qingling said while curiously looking at Xu Qingfan. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and her cheeks had two light dimples, as if she was smiling.

"Perhaps Junior Martial Sister Dongfang should attack first." Xu Qingfan thought they would start their match after the introductions, but after waiting for a long time, he noticed that Dongfang Qingling was just curiously examining him and had no intention of attacking, so he urged her helplessly.

"Why should I go first?" Dongfang Qingling asked with a mischievous smile.

"Because Junior Martial Sister Dongfang, you are a girl," Xu Qingfan explained.

"Why do I have to go first just because I’m a girl?" Dongfang Qingling giggled and asked again, her bright, lively eyes forming two slender crescents from laughter.

"I was born in the Southern Wasteland, and that is the custom there." Xu Qingfan furrowed his brow slightly at Dongfang Qingling’s question but still patiently explained.

"But I am not from the Southern Wasteland, so why should I follow your customs?" Dongfang Qingling asked, revealing a proud look in her eyes.

As Xu Qingfan listened to Dongfang Qingling’s continuous questions, he couldn’t help but feel a bit impatient. Normally, he would patiently explain everything to her, but today he was not in the mood to waste time with his younger martial sister who was clearly teasing him, especially since his senior brother Yue Qingru had just passed away.

What he really wants to do now is to finish the competition quickly and return to the back mountain to be alone and quiet.

So Xu Qingfan said calmly, "Since Junior Martial Sister Dongfang, you do not want to make the first move, I will reluctantly make the first move, please do not blame me, younger martial sister."

"Wait! One last question." Just as Xu Qingfan was about to make his move, Dongfang Qingling interrupted.

"What do you want to ask, younger martial sister?" Xu Qingfan asked helplessly.

"Why are you wearing those clothes? They look like mourning attire." Dongfang Qingling asked curiously.

"Just last night, my senior brother passed away," Xu Qingfan explained softly.

"Oh, I see. I’m truly sorry," Dongfang Qingling apologised. But Xu Qingfan could not sense much sincerity in her voice.

"It’s okay," Xu Qingfan replied. "Can we start the competition now?"

"Of course…" As Dongfang Qingling spoke, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she made her move halfway through her sentence. She raised both hands, and a sea-blue ribbon-like magical tool flew swiftly towards Xu Qingfan, trying to bind him.

When Dongfang Qingling suddenly attacked, Xu Qingfan muttered "despicable." But he reacted quickly and moved out of the range of the blue ribbon’s attack in an instant, leaving only an afterimage behind for the blue ribbon to bind.

"Hmph…!" Xu Qingfan snorted coldly, and without pausing after moving out of the blue scarf’s attack range, he quickly charged at Dongfang Qingling again.

Xu Qingfan was so fast that by the time Dongfang Qingling realized what was happening, he had already appeared beside her, reaching out to grab her.

Just when Xu Qingfan thought he was about to win, the light yellow long dress on Dongfang Qingling suddenly flickered, and Xu Qingfan felt a great resistance coming from around her, making his right hand ache.

Dongfang Qingling was pushed back by Xu Qingfan’s great force but managed to stop just at the edge of the stone platform. She waved her hands, and several charms turned into huge fireballs that flew toward Xu Qingfan.

Seeing that Dongfang Qingling was prepared, Xu Qingfan sighed helplessly. He did not continue to press the attack but instead dodged the incoming fireballs, moving around the arena, ready to find another opportunity to strike.

Once Xu Qingfan moved away, Dongfang Qingling breathed a sigh of relief, patting her chest and saying, "That was close! Thankfully, I remembered to wear the ‘Ni Hong Dress’ today, or you might have defeated me just now."

"I apologize for making younger martial sister laugh," Xu Qingfan said calmly as he steadied himself.

"However, although I heard long ago that you are very fast, I didn’t expect you to be this fast. Thankfully, I had already thought of a way to counter it," Dongfang Qingling said with a charming smile, taking out a crystal-clear magic artifact from her sleeve and adding, "This artifact is called the Ice Sealing Ball, so be careful, senior brother."

As she spoke, Dongfang Qingling raised the "Ice Sealing Ball" and shouted loudly, "Ice sealed for a thousand miles!"

In an instant, the crystal ball emitted brilliant white light. Wherever the light touched, a thick layer of ice formed on the ground, smooth and sparkling.

After doing all this, Dongfang Qingling put away the "Ice Sealing Ball" and smiled proudly, saying, "What do you think? My ‘Ice Sealing Ball’ is amazing, right? The ground is frozen now, so slippery, can you still run that fast?"

"Indeed, that means I can’t move quickly," Xu Qingfan said casually. "If that’s the case, then I’ll use another way to defeat you."

Saying this, Xu Qingfan’s fingers danced like blooming orchids, and countless flowers and plants sprang from his fingertips, rushing towards Dongfang Qingling.

"So beautiful!" Dongfang Qingling gazed at the colorful flowers and plants coming towards her, her eyes sparkling with wonder. Yet, her hands moved quickly as her Water Spirit Qi surged, creating walls of water to shield her. In the midst of this, she still expressed her amazement, leaving Xu Qingfan speechless.

Seeing that his Explosive Flame Flower and Blade Grass were all blocked by Dongfang Qingling’s water walls, Xu Qingfan suddenly had an idea. He revealed his magical tool "Ruler of Wither and Flourish," which joined the colorful flowers and plants to attack Dongfang Qingling.

As a human-level middle-class magical tool, the "Ruler of Wither and Flourish" was much more powerful than the Explosive Flame Flower and Blade Grass. It moved more flexibly, slipping past the water walls and reaching Dongfang Qingling quickly. Dongfang Qingling reacted just as swiftly; noticing the danger, she pulled out a small blue sword and blocked the sneak attack from the "Ruler of Wither and Flourish." Though she appeared a bit flustered, she was safe.

Watching the Explosive Flame Flower and Blade Grass unable to break through Dongfang Qingling’s water walls, and the "Ruler of Wither and Flourish" also tangled up by her magical tool, Xu Qingfan stopped his attacks. He withdrew the "Ruler of Wither and Flourish," not wanting to waste energy. With a frown, he looked at Dongfang Qingling, pondering how to break through her defenses. He had used a lot of Spirit Qi in the previous fights and had not recovered, so he could not keep attacking like this, or his Spirit Qi would be exhausted too soon.

It seems the rumors are true; Dongfang Qingling indeed has many magical tools. In a short period, she used four or five different ones. It’s clear that people can make each other feel small.

When Xu Qingfan stopped attacking, Dongfang Qingling sighed with relief. She did not expect Xu Qingfan’s power to be so strong. If she didn’t have so many magical tools, she would have lost already. Even so, she almost couldn’t hold on just now.

"You are done attacking; now it’s my turn."

She could no longer let him attack freely. Thinking this, Dongfang Qingling smiled at Xu Qingfan. With that, she intertwined her fingers, and the Water Spirit Qi, which had turned into a water wall, slowly gathered and gradually transformed into the shape of a dragon.

"Water Dragon Roar!" With Dongfang Qingling’s call, the water dragon roared and charged toward Xu Qingfan.

Facing the fierce water dragon, Xu Qingfan showed no fear. He merely scoffed, changed his fingers, and several large, sturdy "iron cattail leaves" appeared in front of him, barely blocking the water dragon’s impact. Seeing Xu Qingfan’s defense, Dongfang Qingling chuckled and changed her gesture, shouting, "Waves of Power!"

Instantly, the Water Spirit Qi that had formed into a water dragon transformed again into a flood, rushing toward Xu Qingfan.

There are two things in the world that can enter wherever there is a gap: wind and water. Although Xu Qingfan’s iron cattail leaves were very strong, they still couldn’t stop the invisible flood. Eventually, after holding on for a long time, Xu Qingfan could no longer resist the rushing waters and was quickly overwhelmed.

This wave of water left Xu Qingfan feeling powerless and shocked the gathered crowd. As they saw the flood rushing toward them, they feared for their safety, when suddenly the judging elder said firmly, "Stop!"

In an instant, a light yellow barrier surrounded the entire stone platform, blocking the rushing floodwater and saving the onlookers from danger.

As for Xu Qingfan, just when he seemed about to be swept off the stage by the flood, he thought quickly and activated the two energies of Wither and Flourish inside him. Countless rapidly growing trees, like "century-old wood," began to appear, helping to slow down the raging flood. As more trees appeared, the flood’s force weakened. When a small grove of trees emerged on Xu Qingfan’s side, the flood could no longer threaten him.

Finally, the flood receded, transforming back into Water Spirit Qi, which Dongfang Qingling absorbed back into her body.

"So, what do you think? Am I amazing?" Dongfang Qingling asked with a slight smile, feeling quite proud, as she looked at the somewhat flustered Xu Qingfan.

"You’re amazing! For the changes and use of magic, you are the second strongest person I have ever seen," Xu Qingfan replied sincerely.

"If I’m this strong, why haven’t you admitted defeat?" Dongfang Qingling asked playfully, with a wink.

"Unfortunately, the one who should admit defeat this time is you," Xu Qingfan said with a sigh, ignoring Dongfang Qingling’s words.

"Why should it be me?"

"Try using your Spirit Qi inside you just a little more," Xu Qingfan said with a gentle smile.

Dongfang Qingling, puzzled, tried to control the Spirit Qi inside her body, but her expression suddenly changed, and she could no longer smile.

"Do you feel like you can’t easily control the Spirit Qi? It’s stagnant?" Xu Qingfan said calmly.

"What’s happening?" Dongfang Qingling’s face showed some fear.

"This is called the Spiritual Herb, something that cultivators need when making pills," Xu Qingfan said quietly, as a small gray leaf appeared at the tip of his finger. "The main feature of this herb is that it can blend with Spirit Qi. Taking it is good for strengthening your meridians. But if you take too much, there is a side effect: you won’t be able to freely move your Spirit Qi for two hours."

"So I foolishly used a large-scale technique called ‘Buffeting Waves’, giving you a chance?" Dongfang Qingling asked.

"That’s right. If you had kept using the technique ‘Water Dragon’s Roar’, or used quick finishing techniques and single-use attacks, I really wouldn’t have been able to do much to you. But you chose to use this continuous attack, flooding the area with the Water Spirit Qi from your body, and then you pulled all your remaining Spirit Qi back, which gave me the chance," Xu Qingfan said softly. "So it’s just luck that I won this time; you don’t need to worry about it, younger martial sister."

After hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Dongfang Qingling bit her lower lip and glared at him, then turned to the referee with a sigh and said, "I give up." She walked off the stage without looking back.

Seeing his disciple leave the stage, Dai Huajie hurried over to comfort her. After a long time, he finally took Dongfang Qingling and the others away. Before leaving, he shot a fierce glare at Xu Qingfan.

"Martial Uncle Dai is really protective," Xu Qingfan said with a wry smile.