Banshee Family Training Record

Page 288

As he suspected, the barbarian, though seemingly unrestrained in his fighting style, lacked the support of weapons and magical artifacts. Although he was adept at using the stone axe in his hand and it matched his wild and unrestrained fighting style, it was, after all, a crudely made weapon, far inferior to the masterpiece in Sima Lixin's hands.

After several rounds of weapon clashes, even though the barbarian's attacks remained fierce, several barely perceptible cracks appeared on the stone axe.

These cracks accumulated, and finally, in another clash between the two, he swung his battle axe with all his might, while Sima Lixin lashed out with his whip—

click -

A crisp cracking sound echoed across the battlefield. The barbarian was immediately stunned. His prized stone axe shattered with a crash, while Sima Lixin's steel whip struck him directly!

click -

In an instant, his chest was whipped away by the whip, his chest cavity collapsed and his ribs shattered. He flew back a thousand meters away and crashed into the barrier, which even shook three times.

Standing in the center of the high platform, Sima Lixin had thoroughly enjoyed the fight. He was drenched in sweat, let out a long breath, and bowed to the barbarian, saying, "You flatter me!"

He was elegant and refined, like a true gentleman. At the edge of the arena, the barbarian struggled to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood, staring at Sima Lixin with eyes full of resentment: "He only got the advantage of having better weapons!"

He looked defiant and added, "If I were armed with an equal weapon, I might not necessarily lose to you!"

Sima Lixin's expression stiffened upon hearing this, slightly annoyed. Fortunately, there were plenty of his Sima family's vassals in the audience, all eager to curry favor with their master.

Upon hearing the barbarian's words, they immediately booed. Several men, hiding in the crowd, shouted, "What kind of twisted logic is this? If you went to the battlefield, would you demand that the enemy use the same weapons as you before fighting?"

"That's right, and having a divine weapon by your side is also a skill. Divine artifacts have spirits and will recognize their masters on their own. You think you're so powerful, why don't any divine weapons come to you to recognize your master?"

"If you can't handle losing, then get out! If you're so capable, then don't even participate in the first place!"

……

Waves of mockery and even insults swept over the barbarian, who knew his chances were slim and, filled with resentment, had no choice but to turn and leave the stage.

Sima Lixin remained standing on the stage. Although he was a little annoyed by this little incident, he quickly cheered up, perked up, and looked up with longing towards the direction of the Duke of Jin above the clouds.

He didn't speak up this time, but his meaning was clear: now that he had won the championship, it was time for the Duke of Jin to marry his daughter to him.

Above the clouds, Sima Zongzheng and other ministers were also waiting anxiously, their eyes filled with anticipation, waiting for the Jin state to make its public announcement.

The latter, however, remained completely unhurried, calmly saying, "No rush. Lixin has just gone through a fierce battle. Let him go and rest for a while. Once he's rested, I'll ask if anyone intends to challenge him."

"If not, then he will be the ultimate champion."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, but Sima Zongzheng was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, fearing that delay would lead to unforeseen changes.

He quickly praised, "Your Majesty is wise," then turned back and quietly instructed his servants to take some jade marrow to Sima Lixin so that he could recover to his peak condition as soon as possible.

Below, on the stage, Sima Lixin received a telepathic message from his grandfather, understanding his good intentions. He stepped down from the stage, sat in meditation, ingested jade marrow, and regulated his breathing. In less than half an hour, he had returned to his peak condition.

Then, he went back onto the ring and stood there, anxiously waiting for the Duke of Jin to announce the result, his mind unable to calm down at all.

Above the clouds, Sima Zongzheng could no longer contain himself and walked up to the Duke of Jin: "Your Majesty, look, this..."

It seemed that he had been forced to announce all of this, yet the Duke of Jin remained calm and composed.

He nodded slightly, then looked down and said loudly, "Is there anyone who wants to come up on stage to challenge Sima Lixin, the champion of the late-stage Golden Core competition, in order to win the overall championship?"

His voice resounded throughout the arena, yet both inside and outside the arena were eerily silent. Seriously? Everyone had witnessed Sima Lixin's performance; even some veteran Golden Core cultivators might not be his match, let alone those under two hundred years old.

Everyone felt that the Duke of Jin's statement was merely a formality to complete the ceremony, and then he would be announced as the champion.

Although the Duke of Jin did not actually think that way.

He called out, and was surprised to find that no one responded.

Then, he turned his head slightly and looked at his daughter beside him.

Sheng Linglong felt ashamed and indignant. She gritted her teeth and looked at Yun Chuan sitting in the audience below, her fists clenched tightly.

I refuse to believe that you are truly so heartless towards me.

"Is there anyone who wants to go on stage and challenge Sima Lixin?" she asked, her voice trembling with barely concealed resentment.

Her eyes were fixed on Yun Chu'an. With the perception of a Golden Core cultivator, this was tantamount to calling him out by name.

In the audience, Yun Chu'an heard her call and stood up, announcing loudly, "Yes!"

Chapter 576 Fierce Battle, Rise to Fame

Before he finished speaking, Yun Chu'an leaped into the air, his body tracing a huge parabola across a distance of over a thousand meters, and landed steadily on the arena. He then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Sima Lixin and said, "Yun Chu'an from Weihe Prefecture has come here to seek your guidance."

Seeing that someone actually dared to step onto the stage to challenge, the ministers on the clouds and the surrounding cultivators watching the battle were all shocked and began to whisper among themselves, discussing, "Who is Yun Chu'an?"

"I don't know, have you heard of it?"

"Me neither? Are you some stinking outsider coming to our capital to embarrass yourselves?"

……

Many viewers were discussing it, although a few who had just paid attention to the early stage of the Golden Core competition knew that he was a formidable opponent who had fought six consecutive matches in a row and won them all without injury.

However, this doesn't prove anything. So what if someone is invincible at the early stage of the Golden Core realm? Sima Lixin is a prodigy at the late stage of the Golden Core realm. The difference in their realms makes this battle seem like a joke.

Everyone was pessimistic, but Sheng Linglong, who had been looking sullen and in a bad mood, suddenly smiled when she saw him enter.

She didn't know if she was laughing out of anger or genuinely happy. At this moment, her feelings were extremely complicated. Looking at Yun Chuan standing on the arena, she both hated and loved him. She bit her lip, but couldn't help but smile.

Ha, men... ha...

She sneered. Beside her, the Duke of Jin secretly glanced at his daughter and could roughly guess what she was thinking at that moment, which was probably a bit naive.

Sigh, young people...

On the arena, neither of the two men knew what Sheng Linglong was feeling at that moment. They faced each other from a distance. Sima Lixin frowned slightly, his expression momentarily puzzled. He didn't understand why his opponent, who was two minor realms lower than him and knew she was bound to lose, would still come up to be beaten.

He felt that the name "Yun Chu'an" seemed somewhat familiar. After thinking for a while, he suddenly realized that a few days ago, Sheng Linglong and Ge Xiang went out together and recommended a young man with extraordinary talent when they returned. It seemed that this was the name of the young man.

It seems the other party also wants to express their goodwill towards the princess?

With this thought in mind, Sima Lixin's gaze narrowed slightly, and a cold laugh escaped his lips. "A toad trying to eat swan meat? Truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth! Well then, today I'll let you know that the lineage of a thousand-year-old family is not something a rogue cultivator like you from some remote mountain village can challenge."

He assumed a fighting stance, but his gaze toward Yun Chu'an was full of mockery: "I am Sima Lixin from the capital. Fellow Daoist Yun, please give me your guidance."

Saying "Please give me more guidance" to someone whose cultivation level is lower than your own is obviously sarcastic.

Across from him, Yun Chuan remained calm and composed. With a flick of his wrist, the Yin Hu Zheng Lei Zhen Dao appeared in his hand. The dragon pattern on the hilt shone with golden lightning light, and for a moment it seemed to come alive, as if a golden dragon was truly coiling and circling on it.

The blade of the Guan Dao reflected the sunlight, gleaming brightly. Even though he had never actually seen blood, its sharp aura already made Sima Lixin tremble with fear.

In the stands, most spectators didn't think much of it, except for the old man in the late Golden Core stage who had just hosted the early Golden Core stage competition, whose eyes flashed with a sharp light.

He knew that this was the moment when Yun Chu'an would finally unleash his true abilities!

Below the stands, the female rogue cultivator who wielded six wooden puppets was also watching the match. Her minor injuries had healed, and when she saw Yun Chu'an enter the arena, she too showed surprise. Then, as she watched him draw his weapon, her face turned pale, and she felt a pang of anguish.

So that's how it is. He hadn't been using his full strength the whole time...

On the platform, Sima Lixin watched Yun Chuan from afar. Although surprised by his courage, he didn't take him seriously. As soon as the referee gave the signal, he leaped forward and charged towards him: "Take this!"

He shouted, and although the two were about 500 meters apart, he arrived in front of Yun Chuan in less than a second, and lashed out at him with his whip.

Yun Chu'an remained expressionless, sweeping his Guan Dao horizontally to clash with the other man's double whips. A piercing metallic clang rang out, causing some nearby spectators to feel a dull ache in their ears. At the same time, the two men in the arena were immediately separated, both feeling numbness in their hands and unable to control themselves.

Yun Chu'an understood very well that his cultivation level was lower than his opponent's, and in a direct confrontation of strength, he was no match for him, and he couldn't even withstand the force with his bare hands.

But he remained calm; his greatest fighting strength was not physical brute force!

On the other side, Sima Lixin also felt a tingling sensation in his hands, which greatly surprised him. But then his gaze fell on his opponent's weapon. Golden lightning flowed across the surface of the guandao, as if it were alive. He immediately understood that his opponent's weapon was better than his own!

His hand was numb from the electric shock!

Sima Lixin's gaze immediately narrowed, and he thought to himself, "This is troublesome." He didn't understand what was going on with the other party. How could a rogue cultivator from the countryside with no family heritage be able to wield such a powerful divine weapon, turning his greatest advantage into a disadvantage?

If that's the case, it might not be easy to defeat him quickly. After all, if he uses his superior weaponry to launch a desperate counterattack, I will be in a very sorry state, which would leave a bad impression on the princess.

But my overwhelming advantage in cultivation level is an absolute advantage. It's better to slowly grind him down like a frog in boiling water!

With a new plan in mind, Sima Lixin immediately changed his tactics. He no longer attacked head-on as before, but instead stirred up his spiritual power, took advantage of his higher cultivation level, and shifted his position, moving around Yun Chuan, always making sure to get to his side or even behind before launching an attack.

His intention was quite clear: to force Yun Chu'an to catch up with his speed, and then exhaust him in such a high-speed battle.

In his view, Yun Chuan's cultivation level was even lower, and he couldn't withstand such exhaustion and fierce fighting. Once Yun Chuan collapsed on the ground, victory would be his for the taking.

then……

Yun Chu'an then saw that his opponent had suddenly gone mad and wanted to wage a war of attrition against him.

Uh... Mei, Mei Yongkong, Lin Zaizai, are you there...?

Brother, brother.

Is this something you can compare to?

His Heavenly Spiritual Root was shining brightly, and a massive amount of spiritual energy was surging into his body. Moreover, the sun was shining even brighter, with the golden crow directly overhead, and the spirit of the sun was flowing continuously into his body along his long, black hair. Although this spiritual energy couldn't allow him to cultivate or improve his cultivation level, but…

But that allows him to keep fighting like this!

He wielded his Guan Dao without any panic, and also urged his own spiritual power, sparing no effort to increase the speed. Although he was two minor realms behind Sima Lixin, he steadily caught up with his pace. The blade constantly clashed with the steel whip in the latter's hand, and each collision produced a crisp sound that could almost tear one's eardrums.

The two clashed back and forth on the arena, their battle sending sparks flying. The Golden Core cultivators below, who were maintaining the protective barrier, were terrified, fearing that if they weren't careful, the barrier would be breached and they would be punished.

Above the clouds, Sheng Linglong looked down at everything below. Although she was still angry, the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, clearly indicating that she was actually quite happy.

Beside him, the Duke of Jin glanced at his daughter out of the corner of his eye, smiling silently. Then, looking down at Yun Chu'an, he nodded slightly.

Indeed, this young man is quite remarkable. He's very responsible, and at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, he's actually able to fight against opponents at the later stages. That's quite an achievement...

The Duke of Jin's eyes were full of affection.

Behind him, Sima Zongzheng was watching the battle below, his face showing great anxiety.

No, you're a late-stage Golden Core cultivator fighting an early-stage opponent. You killed him instantly without even exchanging blows, so why are you still locked in a prolonged battle?

Even if we win in the end, it won't be honorable. We should have used swift and decisive methods to completely crush him from the start!

He was extremely anxious, wishing he could personally step into the arena and fight in place of his grandson. Seeing the battle below becoming increasingly intense, with the two men a thousand meters apart in a single step, and each clash causing lightning to flash on the stage, drawing cheers and exclamations of the many cultivators in the audience, Sima Zongzheng's anxiety grew even stronger.

In the audience, the reactions varied. The elderly referee, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, looked on in amazement; Yun Chu'an's fighting style was completely different from his earlier performance in the early-stage Golden Core arena.

He was old and had a sharp eye. After a moment's thought, he was horrified to realize that even he probably couldn't fight for that long.

And yet, he, a mere early-stage Golden Core cultivator, was able to do it. This was truly remarkable. He had a premonition that this young man named Yun Chu'an could directly disrupt the political landscape of the Jin Kingdom's court!

The female cultivator who was manipulating the puppet felt increasingly ashamed as she looked at it. Her battle with him just now probably wasn't even a warm-up.

I'm truly sorry I couldn't get Lord Yun Chu'an to use his full abilities...

The female cultivator sighed inwardly.

The audience members had different thoughts, and some couldn't understand the situation. However, the fact that an early-stage Golden Core cultivator could fight a late-stage Golden Core cultivator to such an extent already made them feel confused.

On the field, the grueling battle continued. After each exchange, Sima Lixin felt his hands go numb from the electric shock, and his body was constantly being injured.

He gritted his teeth and endured the pain, resolutely implementing his previous strategy and continuing to fight in this highly mobile manner, trying to exhaust Yun Chu'an's spiritual power.

However, he soon realized something was wrong.

As a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, he had already exhausted most of his spiritual power, yet this man before him... how could he...?

Instead, they became even more courageous in battle?!

Chapter 577 The Princess's Admiration

Sima Lixin was shocked. To confirm whether it was all an illusion, he took a step back and retreated 800 meters before quickly lunging forward and striking Yun Chuan's head with his steel whip as a test!

Ke Yun Chu'an immediately flipped over and swung his sword to defend himself. After repelling his steel whip, golden lightning surged across his body as a counterattack.

In that instant, he saw Yun Chuan's face glowing red and his aura at its peak, and he realized that what he had just experienced was not an illusion. He had made a mistake, or rather, a misjudgment. This guy's endurance was his greatest strength!

Who is Yun Chuan?

Sima Lixin was unaware of the situation. He stepped back, his brows furrowed deeply. A sense of unease lingered in his mind; he knew he had not only wasted too much time but also taken a heavy toll on himself.

No, I need to fix this and then finish this quickly.

Let's defeat him with just one move!

“Not bad.” Suddenly, Sima Lixin spoke up, saying loudly, “It hasn’t been easy for you to get to where you are today, Yun Chuan.”

"Now that you have demonstrated your best skills, I believe that the ministers on the clouds must have come to admire you greatly."

Having said that, he lowered his center of gravity and raised his double whips: "Now, it's time to end this farce!"

The implication is that he already had the ability to kill his opponent with a single blow, but he deliberately held back to allow Yun Chu'an to show his full strength and talent!

Upon hearing this, Yun Chu'an was stunned for a moment, then didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

But since the other party was more powerful, he didn't bother to argue. He simply gripped his Guan Dao tightly and stared coldly at the other party.

Above the clouds, the Duke of Jin chuckled and teased, "This kid certainly knows how to make excuses for himself."