Chapter 32 : Chapter 32
Chapter 32: An Easy Victory
The lazy-looking young man did not react at first. It was only when someone beside him nudged him that he finally came back to his senses.
“Duanmu, stop spacing out. Hurry up and get up there,” someone shouted.
The young man froze for a moment, then looked around in confusion. He also glanced toward the arena. When he did, he realized that Yun Cheng was staring directly at him.
“Huh? Me?” The young man with the surname Duanmu stood up in complete surprise.
“Yes, you. Come down here. Quickly. Do not waste time,” Yun Cheng called out again.
Hearing this, the young man immediately pulled a long face. He flew down reluctantly from the disciples’ spectator seats and landed on the arena with clear unwillingness.
“Deacon Yun Cheng… may this disciple surrender?” the young man asked seriously after giving Lin Aoxue an awkward smile.
When Yun Cheng heard that, he immediately rolled his eyes.
“Enough nonsense. You are only sparring with Lin Aoxue. It is not as if I am sending you onto a battlefield,” Yun Cheng said. “Let me explain the rules first. No lethal strikes. Stop once the point is made. If necessary, I will intervene to stop the fight.”
After announcing the rules, Yun Cheng stepped off the arena.
At the same time, he activated the protective formation on the arena. This was a safety measure to prevent their attacks from flying out of the arena and injuring other disciples.
The young man scratched his head helplessly, then politely cupped his hands toward Lin Aoxue.
“Hehe… um, Senior Sister Lin, this is our first meeting. My name is Duanmu Xiaorong,” the young man introduced himself.
Lin Aoxue had originally been quite serious, but when she heard his name, she almost burst out laughing. However, she managed to hold it back. After all, hearing a grown man named Xiaorong sounded rather strange.
Outside the arena, many disciples could not help laughing when they heard his name.
“Every time I hear Duanmu’s name, I want to laugh. Xiaorong… Little Rong… I cannot take it. His parents really had the nerve to give him such a feminine name,” a disciple who knew Duanmu teased.
After hearing the discussions about his name from the crowd, Duanmu Xiaorong looked slightly embarrassed.
“Silence!”
“You two, stop standing there. You may begin. There are still many people waiting to go on stage, so do not waste time,” Yun Cheng called out.
He first quieted the disciples outside the arena before urging Lin Aoxue and Duanmu Xiaorong to start the match.
Lin Aoxue no longer wasted time. However, just as she was about to make her move, Yun Yun’s voice suddenly sounded in her ears.
“Aoxue, do not use your ability again,” Yun Yun reminded her.
Lin Aoxue, who had been about to attack, suddenly froze when she heard this. If she was not allowed to use her ability, then she could only rely on the Wind Intent Sword Heart Art.
Duanmu Xiaorong also drew a sword.
“Senior Sister, please excuse me,” Duanmu Xiaorong said before taking the initiative to attack.
Cultivators at the Spirit River Realm could release small amounts of spiritual power outside their bodies, producing far stronger attacks. As he swung his sword, a streak of white light shot toward Lin Aoxue from dozens of meters away.
When Lin Aoxue saw him attack, her body instantly rose into the air, easily dodging the strike.
“Divided Light Wind Spirit Sword.”
After leaping into the air, Lin Aoxue formed a sword seal with her fingers. A faint cyan glow spread across her sword, and six sword phantoms shot out in succession.
These six sword phantoms seemed almost alive, attacking Duanmu Xiaorong simultaneously from six different directions.
“What? You are using a top-grade Wheel Sea Secret Realm technique right from the start? And six sword shadows?” Duanmu Xiaorong exclaimed as he hurriedly tried to defend himself against the incoming attacks.
Under Lin Aoxue’s control, the six cyan sword phantoms continuously attacked Duanmu Xiaorong.
After blocking several strikes, Duanmu Xiaorong also used a powerful technique.
“Swift Wind Sword Art.”
His body left behind a trail of afterimages as he vanished from his original position, escaping the encirclement of Lin Aoxue’s sword phantoms. He then leaped into the air and slashed his sword toward Lin Aoxue.
His goal was to interrupt Lin Aoxue’s technique. When performing the Divided Light Wind Spirit Sword, she could not move. If she moved, she would have to cancel the technique.
When Lin Aoxue saw him rushing toward her, she immediately cut off her hand seal and raised her sword to block his attack.
However, Duanmu Xiaorong’s objective had already been achieved.
Unfortunately for him, he had underestimated Lin Aoxue.
A powerful gust of wind suddenly erupted from Lin Aoxue’s body, instantly forcing Duanmu Xiaorong backward.
“Damn! What powerful spiritual energy pressure. Are you kidding me? How can someone in the Spirit River Realm have such dense spiritual power?” Duanmu Xiaorong muttered in disbelief.
The moment Duanmu Xiaorong was pushed back, Lin Aoxue seized the opening.
She first threw her sword forward.
Duanmu Xiaorong had no way to dodge and could only swing his sword to knock Lin Aoxue’s weapon aside. However, the moment he deflected her sword, Lin Aoxue disappeared from his sight and appeared behind him.
“Not good.”
The instant Duanmu Xiaorong realized he had fallen into a trap, he immediately raised a spiritual energy barrier to protect his body.
Even so, he still had to endure Lin Aoxue’s strike.
“Floating Cloud Palm.”
A cloud-like white mist gathered around Lin Aoxue’s right hand. She then struck Duanmu Xiaorong’s back with a palm.
In the next moment, the palm force surged like clouds, accompanied by a thick fog that blasted Duanmu Xiaorong away.
“Pfft!”
Although Duanmu Xiaorong had anticipated the attack, the two of them were at the same cultivation realm. Moreover, Lin Aoxue’s Floating Cloud Palm was a top-grade Wheel Sea Secret Realm technique. The power of that palm strike shattered Duanmu Xiaorong’s defenses and struck him directly.
Duanmu Xiaorong was sent flying backward, crashing into the barrier of the formation. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
“This…”
The disciples outside the arena fell silent.
They had assumed that Lin Aoxue had only cultivated for three years. Even if her realm had reached the peak of the Spirit River Realm, her combat ability should not have been impressive.
Yet her battle experience was surprisingly rich.
In fewer than ten moves, she had defeated a senior disciple of the same realm who had cultivated for decades.
This alone was enough to demonstrate Lin Aoxue’s combat talent.
“Kid, are you alright?” Yun Cheng quickly flew onto the arena and checked on Duanmu Xiaorong, who was lying on the ground.
Duanmu Xiaorong shook his head to indicate he was fine.
Yun Cheng examined his injuries and confirmed that there was nothing serious. Only then did he announce the result.
“In the first sparring match, Lin Aoxue is the victor.”
Afterward, Duanmu Xiaorong left the arena with Yun Cheng’s support and returned to his spectator seat.
Lin Aoxue had already shown mercy with that palm strike. She had only used seventy percent of her strength. If she had used her full power, Duanmu Xiaorong would have been severely injured—if not killed.
“Duanmu, are you alright? You lost way too badly. Did you lose on purpose?” a disciple beside him asked with a puzzled expression.
They knew Duanmu Xiaorong well. Among those at the peak of the Spirit River Realm, he was considered quite skilled. Yet he had been defeated in fewer than ten moves.
Duanmu Xiaorong took out a healing pill and swallowed it.
“Why do you not try fighting her yourself?” he said while recovering. “Do you really think Senior Sister Lin became the sect’s personal disciple just by luck? What terrible luck… If I had known this would happen, I would not have come to watch the match. I ended up getting beaten for nothing.”
After winning, Lin Aoxue also returned to Ye Liuyun’s side.
“Well? Pretty impressive, right?” Lin Aoxue said with a cheerful smile.
“Not bad. But you should have at least let him lose more gracefully. Your attack was still too heavy. Aren’t you afraid he might hold a grudge?” Ye Liuyun replied. “Stay here. Do not move. I will be back in a moment.”
After saying that, Ye Liuyun calmly walked toward the place where Duanmu Xiaorong was sitting.
Lin Aoxue had no idea what Ye Liuyun intended to do, so she simply stood there and watched.