Volume 1 Chapter 35
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Volume 1 Chapter 35: Water and Fire
The spring breeze suddenly became a little ambiguous, and the sunlight in front of me was dazzling.
When Xu Qingfan stepped down from the stage, he saw Dongfang Qingling’s bright smile.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu," Dongfang Qingling said with a light laugh.
"Thank you, Junior Martial Sister Dongfang, it was just luck," Xu Qingfan replied.
What they said was exactly the same as last time, but last time Xu Qingfan was mostly polite, while this time he spoke the truth. If Sheng Yushan hadn’t been too eager to win or used that terrifying power from the start, Xu Qingfan would have ended up with a terrible defeat.
"Last time you also said it was luck. Is your luck really that good?" Dongfang Qingling asked, her bright and lively eyes staring at Xu Qingfan with a smile.
"Um… I must have embarrassed Junior Martial Sister Dongfang," Xu Qingfan was taken aback by Dongfang Qingling’s question and felt very awkward, especially when Dongfang Qingling kept staring at his face. Although he was usually calm, he had no experience dealing with women, let alone someone as clever and bold as Dongfang Qingling. The fact that he hadn’t blushed or stuttered so far showed he was trying very hard to stay composed.
"What should I be embarrassed about? Are you laughing at my good luck?" Dongfang Qingling smiled and countered, her large eyes narrowing into a line.
Seeing Dongfang Qingling’s smiling face, Xu Qingfan suddenly thought she looked very beautiful, something he had never noticed before. For a moment, he lost his focus, and the tension of the past few days seemed to ease unknowingly.
"I am just letting Junior Martial Sister Dongfang laugh at my old-fashioned ways." But Xu Qingfan, being calm and composed by nature, took a deep breath and finally pushed down the strange flutter in his heart, regaining his usual graceful demeanor, and said with a gentle smile.
Seeing Xu Qingfan return to his usual calm demeanor, a hint of disappointment flickered in Dongfang Qingling’s eyes, but it quickly vanished, and her smile grew even brighter. Just as she was about to say something, she changed her mind and said, "Senior Brother Xu, your friend has arrived, so I will take my leave now."
Xu Qingfan turned to look and found Jin Qinghan and Bai Qingfu walking towards him from a distance. When he turned back to say something to Dongfang Qingling, he realized she had already turned and left.
Watching Dongfang Qingling’s graceful figure fade away, Xu Qingfan suddenly felt a sense of loss.
"It seems I have truly been lonely for too long," Xu Qingfan thought to himself with a touch of self-mockery.
Shaking his head, Xu Qingfan pushed aside the inexplicable sadness from his mind.
"Congratulations to Junior Brother Xu for making it to the top four!" Bai Qingfu said from afar, cupping his hands and smiling at Xu Qingfan.
"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu," Jin Qinghan also cupped his hands and said as he approached.
"Senior Brother Bai, please don’t laugh at me. Sheng Yushan is still stronger than I am; he just doesn’t know why he was so eager to defeat me, which led to excessive depletion of his Spirit Qi, making him unable to continue. Otherwise, if he had played it safe, I would likely be the one who lost," Xu Qingfan said with a bitter smile.
Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Bai Qingfu smiled sarcastically and said, "Don’t be fooled by Sheng Yushan’s calm appearance; he doesn’t have much sense and acts on impulse. He has always followed Li Yuhan around, so nothing unexpected has happened. Now that Li Yuhan has been defeated by you and is in seclusion, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sheng Yushan does something foolish with no one to guide him."
Hearing Bai Qingfu’s words, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but remember his recent match with Li Yuhan. Although he won in the end, it was a thrilling battle with close calls. His insight was indeed far beyond that of Sheng Yushan, so he sincerely said, "Li Yuhan is truly a clever person."
"Feng Qingtian is about to enter the arena," Jin Qinghan suddenly said.
Hearing Jin Qinghan’s words, Xu Qingfan and Bai Qingfu both looked up to the arena. They saw Feng Qingtian slowly walk onto the stage, his aura proud and otherworldly. He stood tall and straight, a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes were as cold as ice. The spring breeze gently swayed his robe; under the sunlight, his white robe shone brightly. Combined with his handsome features, he gave off an extraordinary charm.
As Feng Qingtian stepped onto the arena, the crowd quietly watched him walk forward, and the once noisy square fell silent. This showed how popular Feng Qingtian was at Jiuhua Gate, even more so than the elders and protectors within it.
Meanwhile, in the arena, Wang Qingjun, who had only barely defeated his opponents, was silently waiting there.
"Is this my next opponent?" Xu Qingfan thought to himself as he looked at Feng Qingtian standing proudly in the arena.
"Feng Qingtian, a remarkable person, and Wang Qingjun, who hides his strength. Who do you think will win this match?" Bai Qingfu asked with a smile, looking at the two figures in the arena.
"Feng Qingtian," Jin Qinghan said firmly, his gaze on Feng Qingtian shining with a burning intensity. "I hope it’s Feng Qingtian; he is the only one I want to defeat."
It seemed that Feng Qingtian felt Jin Qinghan’s gaze on him, and he suddenly turned to look at Jin Qinghan. The two sharp eyes collided fiercely in the air. Then, Feng Qingtian revealed a hint of a dismissive smile and turned away to continue sizing up his opponent. Meanwhile, Jin Qinghan’s expression had turned cold.
Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but sigh softly. He knew that Jin Qinghan still remembered the crushing defeat from ten years ago. But knowing his character, he did not want his friend to keep striving to defeat someone. Influenced by Lu Huayan and Yue Qingru, Xu Qingfan thought that a cultivator’s efforts should focus on seeking immortality and freedom, not on fighting. Usually practicing and nurturing feelings during leisure time, like the deities in myths.
"I also think it will be Feng Qingtian," Xu Qingfan said with a sigh. Xu Qingfan felt that Feng Qingtian would win; it was purely a feeling. He couldn’t explain it, but some people really do give an impression of being unbeatable, and Feng Qingtian was one of them.
"I also believe Feng Qingtian will win. He is different from Wang Qingjun; he does not bother to hide his strength, nor does he need to," Bai Qingfu agreed with them, chuckling as he said, "But perhaps Wang Qingjun will surprise us."
As Bai Qingfu spoke, a strange expression flickered across his face, seeming both mocking and expectant.
While they were talking, the competition had already begun.
"I have long heard of Junior Brother Feng’s great name, but I have never had the chance to meet you. Now that I see you today, your charm is even more remarkable than the rumors! I, Wang, am honored." The voice was low and hoarse, but the words were elegant, polite yet confident.
Wang Qingjun was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, always expressionless, giving the only impression of his long, narrow eyes. He was previously unknown at Jiuhua Gate, and no one expected him to reach the top eight this time. Although everyone thought he would soon be defeated by Feng Qingtian, he showed no signs of nervousness on the stage.
"Please, Martial Brother Wang, give me your guidance." Feng Qingtian seemed to not understand what politeness meant and straightforwardly initiated the challenge. A hint of a mocking smile still lingered at the corner of his mouth.
"Junior Brother Feng, please go ahead."
Feng Qingtian nodded but did not hesitate. Slowly raising his hands, he interlocked his fingers. Instantly, waves of fire more than ten feet high surged towards Wang Qingjun from beneath Feng Qingtian’s feet, each wave higher than the last. Before long, the stone platform used for the contest seemed to be engulfed in a sea of flames. Under the glow of the fire, Feng Qingtian appeared even more imposing, like a god of fire come to earth. Xu Qingfan and the others, standing several feet away, felt the incredible heat around them, and the intense warmth on the stage was easy to imagine. Many who lacked power quickly retreated, unable to bear the heat, as fierce flames surrounded them. Wang Qingjun, overwhelmed by the rolling waves of fire, was completely submerged.
Has this contest already ended?
After a long time, the waves of fire finally receded, and the blazing sea of flames slowly shrank back to Feng Qingtian’s feet, as if the fiery sea was just an illusion.
However, the hint of a mocking smile at the corner of Feng Qingtian’s mouth faded slightly.
The onlookers focused and discovered that Wang Qingjun still stood on the stage, surrounded by a swirling blue water curtain that formed a water sphere around him.
"Junior Brother Feng is indeed extraordinary. A mere low-level high-ranking Taoist spell, ‘Waves of Fire,’ possesses such astonishing power, it’s truly impressive." After slowly retracting the water curtain back into his body, Wang Qingfeng said admiringly.
Although he spoke words of admiration, his face showed no expression, which made others feel slightly uncomfortable.
Feng Qingtian looked at Wang Qingjun’s ordinary face once more with a scrutinizing gaze and slowly said, "I apologize for the disturbance, Martial Brother Wang, please give me your guidance."
"Well, here goes my clumsy attempt," Wang Qingjun said after giving a little smile.
Xu Qingfan in the audience suddenly thought that Wang Qingjun’s smile looked a lot like Bai Qingfu’s smile beside him. He glanced at Bai Qingfu, only to find him wearing an enigmatic smile, watching Wang Qingjun’s every move.
At that moment, Wang Qingjun finally began his attack. With his fingers intertwined, the Spirit Qi inside him and the Water Spirit Qi from nature started to respond to each other. Eventually, the Water Spirit Qi slowly took the shape of a giant dragon around him, just like the "Water Dragon’s Roar" that Dongfang Qingling had used before. But unlike Dongfang Qingling, Wang Qingjun had not one, but three water dragons forming around him!
As they watched Wang Qingjun’s powerful spells, the crowd erupted in gasps of amazement, not expecting Wang Qingjun’s strength to be so incredible. They couldn’t help but look at Feng Qingtian with worry. Even Jin Qinghan, who was next to Xu Qingfan, looked shocked, but Bai Qingfu still wore an inscrutable smile, seemingly unbothered.
Meanwhile, Feng Qingtian’s face grew serious as he saw Wang Qingjun’s spells. Faint flames began to appear all over his body, slowly gathering together to take the shape of several small birds, which perched on his shoulder and chirped energetically.
Finally, after Wang Qingjun finished casting his spells, the three water dragons roared loudly and charged rapidly toward Feng Qingtian. The fiery birds on Feng Qingtian’s shoulders also took flight, diving toward the water dragons.
Fire spells rarely have defensive capabilities, but their attack power is extraordinary. They are all about attack against attack!
Although the fiery birds were tiny compared to the water dragons, they held great power. Each bird that collided with a water dragon created a huge explosion, causing the water dragon to briefly stagger, and its blue glow to dim slightly. Feng Qingtian, however, kept summoning flames to form more birds, as if there were endless flames. On the other hand, the water dragons were only three in number; while they were very powerful, the Water Spirit Qi within them was slowly consumed by the countless fiery birds’ assaults. Finally, just as the water dragons were about to reach Feng Qingtian, they could no longer withstand the impact of the fiery birds and vanished into thin air.
Under the clash of water and fire, the arena was filled with mist, and shadows danced, adding a magical touch to this competition.
After the water dragon was shattered, Feng Qingtian did not give up. The flame birds kept transforming, making bright, clear sounds as they flew toward Wang Qingjun.
Facing the sky full of firebirds, Wang Qingjun did not look nervous at all. In fact, his face showed no expression. He only moved his fingers slightly, and countless water columns shot up from the ground, hitting the firebirds and causing them to cry out as they disappeared like the water dragon.
So far, Wang Qingjun and Feng Qingtian were evenly matched.
Until this moment, the audience began to gasp in amazement; this match was definitely the most exciting so far. Wang Qingjun truly was a hidden talent, quiet until now but incredibly impressive.
"You are strong," Feng Qingtian said, looking at Wang Qingjun calmly after all the flame birds were scattered by the water columns.
"I apologize for making Junior Brother Feng laugh," Wang Qingjun replied, his face showing no hint of pride.
"It’s a shame, if you hadn’t met me, your strength should have at least taken you to the finals," Feng Qingtian sighed, as flames erupted around him again, much stronger than before. In just a moment, the flames wrapped around Feng Qingtian’s whole body, roaring higher and higher, reaching nearly ten meters tall. Then, the flames slowly transformed into the shape of a phoenix, the unique Taoist spell of the Feng family called "Flame Phoenix," which Feng Qingtian had used ten years ago to defeat Jin Qinghan. This time, however, the flame phoenix was more than twice as big and its color was much deeper than the one Xu Qingfan saw last time.
In the audience.
After seeing Feng Qingtian’s flame phoenix, Jin Qinghan’s face turned serious, and he furrowed his eyebrows, clearly thinking about how to respond.
Next to him, Bai Qingfu sighed, "I have long heard that the Feng family’s unique Taoist spells are powerful. Now that I see it today, it truly is extraordinary."
On the high platform in the square, the elders sat in a row, and when they saw the "Flame Phoenix" appear, their expressions became complicated.
"I never expected that Feng Qingtian would have such great talent. This ‘Flame Phoenix’ must have taken at least ten years to master, right? The Feng family has a bright future ahead. It seems the Jiuhua Feng family is not far from revival," Zhang Hualing said with a smile, though his expression seemed a little unnatural.
"Feng family, hum…!" Supreme Protector Zhou Huahai did not agree with Zhang Hualing as he usually did, but instead gave a cold sniff.
In the arena.
After the Flame Phoenix took shape and flew out, it let out a clear cry that echoed through the sky and charged directly at Wang Qingjun. Instantly, the temperature in the square rose significantly, and the spectators could not help but take a few steps back from the heat wave.
Seeing the impressive Flame Phoenix, Wang Qingjun still wore a calm expression, but he quickly formed a hand gesture, creating a water vortex with a radius of over ten feet in front of him, with a large amount of Water Spirit Qi rapidly swirling within the vortex.
Then, a series of booming sounds erupted. The Flame Phoenix collided fiercely with the water vortex, filling the arena with mist.
The Flame Phoenix, under Feng Qingtian’s control, continued to crash into the water vortex, but the vortex’s defense was astonishing. Despite being shaken, it still managed to hold on because of the opposing elements.
But the Five Elements restraining each other is only relative. Although Wang Qingjun’s water Spirit Qi naturally counters Feng Qingtian’s fire Spirit Qi, a bowl of water cannot extinguish a sea of fire. Moreover, the unique technique Feng Qingtian is using from the Feng family is much more advanced than ordinary fire techniques.
Finally, the water vortex was shattered. Although the Flame Phoenix was only one-third of its original size, its momentum did not decrease and it crashed hard into Wang Qingjun.
Just when it seemed Wang Qingjun would be completely destroyed by the impact of the Flame Phoenix, something unexpected happened. The Flame Phoenix transformed into heavenly fire Spirit Qi and vanished into thin air just before reaching Wang Qingjun.
"I give up," Wang Qingjun calmly said as the flames faded, standing in the arena.
With that, Wang Qingjun smiled at Feng Qingtian and turned to leave.
Watching Wang Qingjun walk away, Feng Qingtian’s face turned slightly pale. The crowd believed that the Flame Phoenix’s disappearance was due to Feng Qingtian’s concern for Wang Qingjun’s life, making it vanish just before reaching him. Only Feng Qingtian knew that his Flame Phoenix suddenly lost control at that moment.
"The second match goes to Feng Qingtian," the elder on the high platform announced slowly.
Although Wang Qingjun lost this match, he gained respect. After all, he was the only one so far to withstand Feng Qingtian’s attack for more than three cups of tea time, forcing Feng Qingtian to use his ultimate move. He became famous in that battle.