Chapter 157.1 : Mu Qinglan (Part 1)
Chu Ge observed the two men for a moment, then nodded inwardly.
The prodigies of the Wanqing Imperial Dynasty truly lived up to their reputation.
The two before him were no more than twenty years old, yet both were at the peak of the Fourth Heaven.
Moreover, their auras were heavy and firmly condensed—clearly, their actual combat strength exceeded their realms, fully deserving the title of prodigy.
As Chu Ge was appraising them, the two men on the platform had already begun to clash.
The man in green robes, wearing a frivolous expression, wielded a slender sword. His sword techniques were insidious and vicious, lethal intent hidden within every move, each strike aimed squarely at vital points.
And with every thrust of his blade, a strand of dark, subdued spiritual power clung to the sword like rippling water, silently eroding and swallowing his opponent's techniques.
Facing him was the solemn-looking man who wielded a saber. His moves were wide and open, aggressive like blazing fire.
Every chop and slash was accompanied by flashes of crimson flame—grand, domineering, and astonishing in might!
One was like dark, sinking water; the other, like raging, unrestrained fire.
In no more than a brief span of time, the two had already exchanged over a hundred blows. Sword light, blade light, and surging spiritual power ravaged the arena.
If not for the protective formations in place, the violent aftershocks of their clash alone would have been enough to take the lives of many in the crowd below!
Even so, though the battle appeared fiercely contested, neither had yet gone all out.
Chu Ge was watching with rapt attention, unaware that a girl in pink had quietly drawn near.
Mu Qinglan slipped to Chu Ge's side without a sound. She instinctively glanced over—only to unexpectedly meet a pair of eyes filled with profound meaning.
In an instant, her heart tightened. It felt as though a child caught doing something naughty had been discovered by a teacher, a surge of nervous unease rising within her.
Ying Qingjue merely cast her a brief glance before withdrawing her gaze.
Yet in her heart, she had already guessed Mu Qinglan's intentions seven or eight times out of ten.
Only after Ying Qingjue looked away did Mu Qinglan finally feel somewhat relieved.
She glanced at the two fighters on the platform, then once more at Chu Ge, who was watching with keen interest, and spoke in a voice just loud enough for him to hear:
"Wu Xiao ranks fourteenth on the Heavenly Prodigy List, while Xu Yan is fifteenth. The two have crossed blades several times before, and every time it ended without a clear victor."
"Presumably, this match won't turn out any differently."
The lively, pleasant voice reached Chu Ge's ears. He turned his head, and what entered his view was a girl clad in pink, with a slender, graceful figure.
She had bright eyes and pearly teeth, charming and lovely. Her delicate face was like flowers just beginning to bloom in spring—beautiful enough to stir the heart.
When Chu Ge looked over, Mu Qinglan met his gaze as well.
Her eyes were like stars fallen into a secluded lake, shimmering with clear, rippling light—pure, lively, and radiant with every glance.
Her brows were like distant inked hills, fine and softly curved, adding a gentle elegance to her features.
Her nose was refined and straight, delicate and petite; her lips were like cherries, naturally red without adornment.
Her skin was fair as snow, smooth like mutton-fat jade, glowing faintly under the sunlight.
A head of black hair, glossy as dark gold, fell loosely over her shoulders.
A few stray locks curled playfully by her ears, making her appear all the more spirited and alive.
"May I ask, young master—are you also here to participate in the Heavenly Prodigy Ranking Battle?"
Mu Qinglan asked with an open, generous smile.
Hearing this, Chu Ge shook his head, then replied,
"Do you think these two will end in a draw?"
Mu Qinglan nodded. "Does the young master hold a different view?"
She turned her gaze back toward the platform.
At this moment, the two on the arena had already begun to fight in earnest.
All manner of spiritual techniques were unleashed from their hands, ravaging the entire platform with thunderous explosions, like rolling heavenly thunder that made the heart tremble.
Yet even so, the two remained evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand—the battle still intensely deadlocked.