Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 220 Life and Death in One's Hands, The Cycle of the Great Void

Looking at the broken and weak woman on the stage, Gu Xuyang felt no shame or anger at losing in this unexpected way. On the contrary, he was quite respectful: "Sect Leader Shen is remarkable."

Shen Tang smiled slightly: "I took a shortcut."

Gu Xuyang shook his head: "I was too conservative in my fighting style and lacked flexibility. Rules are rules, you won."

He then switched to telepathy: "The Imperial Supreme Scripture is truly a supreme divine skill. Now I understand why His Majesty issued such a strange decree, ha..."

Shen Tang simply cupped his hands in greeting: "Thank you for your kind offer."

The Huangji Jingshi Jing cannot be hidden. As long as there is a conflict with someone, it will be recognized by those who know about it sooner or later... But Gu Xuyang's attitude is strange. Instead of publicizing it, he transmits his voice. Could it be that he wants to use this to control him?

Gu Xuyang didn't care what she was thinking, nor did he say goodbye to Shi Tielong. He simply flew away on the clouds.

Damn it, it's not easy to save face and act cool even after losing. Now that my natal magic weapon is destroyed, I have to find a place to repair it immediately, otherwise I'll be doomed if I run into my enemies.

Seeing that the fighters had conceded defeat, Lu Xingzhou rushed onto the stage, immediately stopped Shen Tang's bleeding and gave her medicine, then called for a wheelchair and helped Shen Tang sit up.

Shen Tang's face was pale. She turned to look at Lu Xingzhou's stern face, her beautiful eyes glancing unintentionally at Ye Tinglan in the stands, and said in a low voice, "The last sword... I'm not confident."

Ye Tinglan knew what she was talking about.

If she hadn't switched to a palm strike for that final sword strike, she actually had a chance to truly defeat her opponent, unlike now where she resorted to trickery by following the rules.

However, that approach offered much less certainty... The opponent had only suffered a backlash injury, not been rendered powerless, so the final outcome was uncertain. After all, this wasn't a life-or-death battle, but a contest in the arena, so Shen Tang ultimately chose the more prudent approach of pushing the opponent off the stage and winning first.

But Shen Tang still felt regret that she couldn't truly do what Ye Tinglan did back then.

This girl probably recognized me... You recognized me and you still tore me apart!
Ye Tinglan stared blankly at Shen Tang's pale face, thinking to herself that the sword techniques of the Heavenly Path Sword Sect perfectly corresponded to the Qian hexagram and also closely matched the Huangji Jingshi Jing. From the perspective of the hexagram, Shen Tang hadn't even asked for help when facing a first-rank opponent, yet he had actually won, truly embodying the spirit of a gentleman striving for self-improvement.

The Qian hexagram...

Without a doubt, it is the hexagram of the emperor.

This observation seems to have yielded results.

What Shen Tang thought in her heart didn't matter; at this moment, in the hearts of all the onlookers, she had won.

Even if you're covered in wounds and blood, even if you cheat the rules, a win is a win.

At this moment, Shen Tang was like a celestial being in the eyes of the onlookers.

Lu Xingzhou remained silent, focusing solely on stopping the bleeding and treating his wounds. Shen Tang whispered, "Are you blaming me for pushing myself too hard?"

"No," Lu Xingzhou finally replied, "I just feel sorry for you, but I'm proud of you."

Shen Tang smiled brightly.

After examining the wounds, Lu Xingzhou said in a low voice, "You look covered in blood, but they're all external injuries, easy to treat. Internally, you're just exhausted; a few pills and a short rest will do the trick. To be honest, Gu Xuyang's injuries are more serious than yours. The backlash from the shattered natal magic weapon is much more troublesome than yours... In that respect, you win too."

Shen Tang retorted, "How can you make such a comparison..."

Zhang Rongzhi's voice came from the stage: "Seeing that Sect Leader Shen is like this, he should rest first... Chief Shi, have you chosen your third fighter yet?"

Shi Tielong let out a long sigh of relief.

Aside from Shen Tang, Zhang Shaoyou was the most capable fighter in the Heavenly Sword Sect. He was somewhat confident in facing Zhang Shaoyou, so he stood up and stepped onto the stage: "Then I will challenge the esteemed members of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Who from your sect will fight? Hall Master Zhang?"

Before Zhang Shaoyou could speak, Lu Xingzhou on the stage responded first: "Chief Shi is quite amusing. Can't you see that there are already people on the stage?"

Shi Tielong was dumbfounded: "You?"

“That’s all I am.” Lu Xingzhou straightened up and said calmly, “Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? Chief Shi is only fit to play with me.”

The crowd was in uproar.

Lu Xingzhou's cultivation level is only at the middle stage of the fourth rank, while Shi Tielong's is at the middle stage of the third rank.

It seems like they're only one rank higher, but there's a huge gap between them—the upper three ranks, a distance as vast as a heavenly tribulation!

This is a completely different level. They can fly while you can't. Isn't that like beating your son? How dare you?
Lu Xingzhou could only say that those who are ignorant are just making a fuss over nothing. Is being a third-rank official really that impressive? I've been there before. It does sound good when you shout it out.

Little White Hair even killed a Rank 3 opponent in the Demon-Slaying Domain without taking any damage. It can only be said that after seeing so many monsters, his own standards have become abnormal as well; otherwise, he would always have self-doubt about whether he is worthy of them.

He had already accumulated a great deal of good fortune; his immortal bones alone far surpassed those of Shi Tielong, and he practiced a superior-grade cultivation technique. If he didn't dare to fight, how could he be worthy of Shen Tang's celestial-like performance just now?

Lu Xingzhou ignored Shi Tielong, who was furious on the stage, and pushed Shen Tang to the stands first, saying in a low voice, "I'll be right back."

Shen Tang didn't say anything like "You shouldn't be so stubborn." She knew what the man was thinking, and simply hummed in agreement: "Be careful."

Lu Xingzhou returned to the stage and gave a slight bow: "Chief Shi, please."

Shi Tielong's expression was somewhat disdainful. He lightly pushed off with his feet and flew up, hovering high in the air looking down at me: "You... can you hit me?"

Lu Xingzhou: “…”

Many people around were laughing, and someone whispered, "This is not fair of Chief Shi. I thought he would defeat his opponent head-on, at least he would have some class. But he actually resorted to this humiliating trick."

Another person replied, "Shi Tielong has lost his temper; he can't afford to lose again."

Those who overheard were nodding in agreement; it was indeed true.

Shen Tang's two consecutive victories against second- and first-rank opponents were awe-inspiring, leaving the spectators thrilled. If Shi Tielong were to be defeated by someone of a higher rank again, even winning the next seven matches would be meaningless; the true king in people's hearts would only be the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Shi Tielong must use the most humiliating method to weaken his opponent's momentum and regain control of the situation.

Lu Xingzhou looked up and sighed: "Does it have to be done this way?"

"Not only that." Shi Tielong summoned his flying sword: "Because you can't hit me, but I can hit you."

Lu Xingzhou laughed: "Old Shi, if you had been this cheeky earlier, I might have actually liked you."

"Then there's no need for your approval. You can just like your own sect leader." Shi Tielong grinned and waved his hand casually.

The sword flashed brightly and charged straight down at Lu Xingzhou.

To be fair, Shi Tielong's flying sword was quite powerful, renowned and dazzling.

However, since everyone had just recovered from Shen Tang's grand feast, the sheer quality of the sword light made them somewhat unenthusiastic.

"Boom!" The sword light pierced the floor next to Lu Xingzhou, and the arena, which had been reinforced by the array, was still pierced, causing stones to fly and dust to rise.

"Huh... why is it embedded in the floor? I didn't see Lu Xingzhou move at all?"

"Chief Shi held back?"

"Fools, Lu Xingzhou moved, you just didn't see it."

Those in the know could see that Lu Xingzhou's steps shifted slightly, seemingly without him moving much, yet the sword light grazed past him. He appeared relaxed, displaying extraordinary confidence and judgment.

If Shi Tielong wanted to humiliate someone, then he would naturally have to act arrogantly.

Amidst the smoke and dust, Lu Xingzhou suddenly stomped his left foot.

Countless people stared dumbfounded as Lu Xingzhou's feet emitted flames, shooting into the sky like a firework. It was more like a rocket, not very elegant, but the posture was undeniably beautiful…

Launched into the sky.

In fact, martial arts practitioners who reach the fourth rank can all achieve this, but it cannot be sustained, nor can they maintain self-control in the air. It's not on the same level as true flight after the third rank. Logically speaking, this kind of uncontrollable ascent to the heavens would be futile against someone who can actually fly.

Shi Tielong laughed, and with a wave of his hand, the flying sword on the ground rushed back, aiming straight for Lu Xingzhou's lower body. At the same time, he slapped Lu Xingzhou's head with a palm: "Get down."

Lu Xingzhou made a lightning-fast move, slicing Shi Tielong's wrist with a palm strike.

Logically, such an obstruction should have caused him to fall. But everyone watched in disbelief that he not only didn't fall, but instead floated to the side, just barely avoiding the flying swords rushing up from below, as if he could actually fly.

"How is this possible!" A roar erupted from below: "He hasn't even reached the third rank, how did he manage that?"

"It's a levitation talisman!" someone with sharp eyes noticed. "He has a levitation talisman on his back."

"The levitation talisman can only hold him aloft in the air; it doesn't provide any support. How can it withstand Chief Shi's attacks?"

"I don't know, it's like seeing a ghost..."

Only Ye Tinglan knew that a single floating talisman wasn't enough, but with his fully developed immortal bones and the power of the water-fire spiral, it would be barely enough.

The so-called shedding of mortal form is a prerequisite for ascension to immortality; one's bones are naturally light and pure. The immortal bones, combined with a levitation talisman, allow him to fly, while the water-fire spiral provides support and adjusts direction. With his mid-fourth-grade cultivation, he accomplished something typically only a third-grade cultivator could do.

It just requires a lot of concentration to control and you can't kick, which might not be advantageous in the battle... but as for showing off, he succeeded.

Even the discussions and reactions sparked by Shen Tang didn't seem as enthusiastic as his, leaving Ye Tinglan both amused and exasperated.

But just showing off isn't enough; you have to win!

While the discussion below was in full swing, Shi Tielong didn't care about anything else. He reached out and caught the flying sword, then immediately unleashed a horizontal slash.

Let you fake fly!

Lu Xingzhou grabbed Shi Tielong's arm with one hand and elbowed him with the other, crashing into Shi Tielong's arms.

Shi Tielong sneered and slashed at his elbow with his left hand. The first formal energy clash exploded in the air.

To everyone's astonishment, the one who was defeated was... Shi Tielong!

A third-rank soldier fighting a fourth-rank soldier was defeated head-on!

Shi Tielong had no way to explain himself; how could Lu Xingzhou be stronger?
The black flames, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, silently adhered to Lu Xingzhou's elbow. Upon contact, they nearly burned his palm to a crisp. Fortunately, his cultivation was so strong that his inner energy suddenly erupted, dispersing the black flames.

But Lu Xingzhou had already followed closely, and with a quick movement, he delivered a punch straight to the center of the body.

Shi Tielong gathered his inner energy to protect his fist and also threw a punch to meet the attack.

With a "bang," the two fists collided.

The incredibly violent Taiji Heavenly Gang suddenly erupted.

Shi Tielong thought that Lu Xingzhou was just using the method of cultivation to cheat and that his real strength was just so-so. When he suddenly encountered such a violent outburst, he was caught off guard and was shaken backward.

People were looking up, almost dumbfounded.

Why does it look like Lu Xingzhou is completely dominating Shi Tielong?
Only the two sides in the battle knew that this was not the case. Lu Xingzhou's fists were trembling slightly, as Shi Tielong's strength was actually greater than his.

The good news is that it's not much stronger than his Tai Chi Heavenly Gang explosive power.

The health bar not only lit up, but it wasn't very thick either!

Lu Xingzhou's usually calm and refined gaze turned ferocious.

Shi Tielong's expression was very solemn: "What... exactly is this kind of technique?"

"My cultivation technique is so-so, and I don't have many skills." Lu Xingzhou smiled and made a Tai Chi gesture with his hands: "After I reach the fourth rank, I can barely use one new move, but I have never used it on anyone else before... Please, Chief Shi, give me your opinion."

Within those outstretched hands, the Tai Chi symbol of red and blue energies was clearly visible, and at the same time, the water and fire spiral beneath their feet also transformed into an extremely clear Tai Chi shape.

It was as if he stood on the edge of yin and yang, holding life and death in his hands.

A strong sense of crisis surged into Shi Tielong's heart. He dared not be careless any longer. With a shout, his sword flashed. A tsunami-like aura, strikingly similar to that of his uncle Shi Zhong, surged forth.

The Canglan Sect's ultimate flying sword technique, Canglan Wrath, was unleashed. He too had used his ultimate move.

Facing the tsunami-like sword energy, Lu Xingzhou withdrew his fist and pulled back his waist, then unleashed a powerful punch.

The sword's edge pierced through his red and blue spiral.

Shi Tielong's face was beaming with joy, but he quickly froze in astonishment.

Lu Xingzhou's punch looked violent, but it actually had absolutely no power...

The spiral was not aggressive like before; instead, it was like a whirlpool at sea, devouring everything. His sword light entered the whirlpool, but it was like a mud ox entering the sea—completely sucked away.

A look of pain crossed Lu Xingzhou's face.

This is an advanced version of the Yin-Yang Mill, the Great Void Revolving.

The so-called Yin-Yang grinding is merely a prerequisite for learning the Tai Xu Lun Zhuan (a system of internal energy rotation), and getting familiar with the feeling of letting the opponent's energy enter the body.

All power was drawn into the vortex of the void within the body's internal universe, absorbed and circulated like a form of spiritual replenishment, and then...

"boom!"

As if delayed, a breath later, together with Shi Tielong's sword energy and Lu Xingzhou's Yin-Yang Spiral, they were all blasted out of his body.

Shi Tielong didn't react for a moment, and the energy that had just been like a mud ox entering the sea had already doubled and exploded out.

With a "bang," Shi Tielong plummeted through the air like a kite with a broken string.

He couldn't understand how that was done.

Lu Xingzhou flipped and spun 360 degrees from top to bottom, delivering a vicious side whip kick.

The rotation of the void had exhausted his energy reserves, and his dantian meridians were now completely empty. This kick was all the power he could muster at this moment.

Shi Tielong fell into the air and managed to catch himself with his hand.

With a loud crash, Shi Tielong crashed into the arena like a cannonball, creating a huge crater and sending shards of rock flying everywhere.

All the bystanders who were seated stood up in utter astonishment.

Lu Xingzhou landed on the ground, staggered a couple of steps and almost fell over.

Shi Tielong lay in the pit like a rag doll, blood dripping from his mouth, muttering incredulously, "What kind of skill is this...?"

Lu Xingzhou took a few breaths and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips: "The Great Void Revolving... but I think it's not wrong to call it the Undying Seal Technique."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

PS: Fully recovered, 4K resolution delivered. Please give me some monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)