117: Chapter 116 Defeat

A bolt of purple lightning fell.

Two bolts, three bolts, ten bolts, a hundred bolts—

The sky full of lightning poured down like a rainstorm, enveloping the entire mountaintop!

Jiang Yueling's pupils shrank sharply.

She bit her teeth, circulating her spiritual power with all her might, as Lightning Spears met the sky one after another. The Lightning Spears collided with the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder, exploding into circles of terrifying ripples; lightning splashed and electric arcs darted about, turning the entire world into an ocean of thunder!

More and more, denser and denser.

The Lightning Spears and purple lightning intertwined, devouring and annihilating each other. The aftershocks of the explosion swept through the surroundings, leveling several nearby mountaintops, with gravel flying and dust billowing. Those low-cultivation Disciples were scared pale; fortunately, the Old Ancestor acted in time, a light barrier protecting everyone so they wouldn't be affected by this terrifying thunderstorm.

Jiang Yueling's face began to turn pale.

Her spiritual power consumption was too high. Every Lightning Spear cost a lot of spiritual power, while the opponent—that person whose name she didn't even know—was like a monster with endless spiritual power, and the lightning showed no signs of weakening.

She didn't want to lose.

She couldn't lose.

If she lost to such a bumpkin from a remote place, what face would she have to return to the Shenduan Sect?

Jiang Yueling gritted her teeth and exerted all her strength.

A sky full of Lightning Spears fell like a rainstorm, even denser and more violent than before! Every Lightning Spear carried all her strength and her unwilling roar, pouring toward Yun Ming!

Yun Ming took a deep breath.

Thirty percent power.

Enough.

He raised his hand with a wave, and the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder suddenly intensified. The lightning and Lightning Spears collided again, erupting in an earth-shattering roar. The two terrifying forces intertwined, biting and devouring each other, finally annihilating simultaneously.

The violent explosion kicked up a rolling thick mist.

The entire mountaintop was enveloped in thick mist, so dark one couldn't see their own hand.

Jiang Yueling stood in the mist, gasping for breath. Her spiritual power had hit rock bottom; if this continued, she would undoubtedly lose.

Should she... use a Magic Treasure?

She hesitated.

If she used it now, she believed she would definitely win.

But this was a spar; if she used a Magic Treasure...

At the moment she was hesitating—

A scream rang out.

In the thick mist, Yun Ming's figure flew backward, crashing heavily onto the ground and stirring up a cloud of dust.

Yun Ming lay in the ruins, motionless.

Thunderous applause.

The Disciples below didn't know the truth; they only saw Yun Ming flying out from the smoke and dust, falling to the ground unable to get up, and naturally assumed Jiang Yueling had won. This spar was spectacular, with lightning filling the sky and mountains crumbling, and a last-minute counterattack—what a great scene.

Applause and cheers rose one after another.

Yun Ming chuckled inwardly. Acting well isn't as good as lying down well; this move was solid.

He was waiting for a Disciple to come and carry him down, and he would groan a bit to fake weakness, and this matter would end perfectly. Then he could return to his seat and continue eating, blissful.

But footsteps came straight toward him.

And those footsteps carried a sense of anger.

Yun Ming's heart skipped a beat, and he secretly opened a slit—

Jiang Yueling was standing in front of him, looking down at him, her chest heaving violently, her eyes full of resentment and unwillingness.

She certainly knew what had just happened.

In that sky-filling lightning clash, she had exerted all her strength, her spiritual power almost exhausted, while the opponent was like a bottomless pit with endless lightning techniques. If they kept fighting without using Magic Treasures, she would undoubtedly lose.

But just as she was ready to accept her fate, this person suddenly screamed and flew out.

He was letting her win.

He knew she was going to lose, so he took the initiative to admit defeat to save her face.

Jiang Yueling was not grateful.

She would rather be defeated fairly and squarely than be "let off" like this. She, Jiang Yueling, didn't need charity, much less this hypocritical preservation!

"Get up!" She grabbed Yun Ming's collar, "Let's keep fighting!"

Yun Ming was startled; why wasn't this girl following the script?

Just as he was about to dodge, a cold voice came.

"Yueling, that's enough."

Jiang Yueling's hand froze in mid-air.

She turned back and saw her Master sitting at the head, looking at her with a calm gaze. There was no blame or disappointment in that gaze, only a faint, all-seeing peace.

"Ma... Master..."

"He has already lost," True Lord Qingyue said faintly. "What more do you want?"

Jiang Yueling said urgently, "But he—"

"He lost," True Lord Qingyue interrupted her, her tone beyond doubt. "Withdraw."

Jiang Yueling bit her lip, her eyes turning red. She glared fiercely at Yun Ming, stomped her foot, turned back to her Master's side, and stood there indignantly without saying a word.

Yun Ming lay on the ground, blooming with joy inside.

He continued to play dead.

No movement, no getting up, no speaking.

Where's the reward? Where's the promised reward?

True Lord Qingyue looked at the motionless figure on the ground, a faint smile flashing in her eyes that was hard to detect.

This little rascal.

She raised her hand, and a Medicinal Pill flew out of her sleeve, hovering in front of Yun Ming.

"This is a Grade Four Medicinal Pill, the 'Azure Profound Wood Breath Pill,' a Saint Grade healing medicine, worth a fortune. It's your reward."

Yun Ming's ears twitched.

Grade Four!

Saint Grade healing medicine!

He immediately opened his eyes, struggling to crawl up from the ground, his movements difficult and slow, as if he had suffered severe injuries. He took the Medicinal Pill, bowed deeply to True Lord Qingyue, his voice weak but filled with gratitude:

"Thank you for the pill, True Lord. This Junior... this Junior has no way to repay you..."

As he spoke, he coughed twice, his body swaying as if he might fall again at any moment.

True Lord Qingyue looked at his performance, and the corner of her mouth twitched imperceptibly.

She nodded, said no more, and took Jiang Yueling back to their seats.

Only then did Yun Ming stagger toward his seat. After a few steps, a transmission entered his ears.

"Kid, nice acting."

It was the Old Ancestor.

Yun Ming paused and looked up at the head. The Old Ancestor was holding a wine cup, looking at him with a smile, his eyes full of appreciation.

"Come to my place later; I have a jar of Grade Three High Grade Spiritual Wine for you."

Yun Ming's eyes lit up.

Grade Three High Grade Spiritual Wine! That's good stuff!

He hurriedly transmitted back: "Thank you, Old Ancestor!"

Back at his seat, Sikong Gu had already leaned over, handed him a cup of wine, and whispered: "Not bad, Brother Yun Ming. Fighting a Core Disciple of the Shenduan Sect like this, you didn't lose face for our Qingxuan Sect."

Yun Ming took the wine cup, took a sip, and said modestly: "Just luck, just luck. I almost got killed."

"Come off it." Sikong Gu rolled his eyes at him, "This old man saw your lightning technique clearly. With that sky full of lightning at the end, you didn't use your full strength at all. If you really wanted to win—"

"Old brother, old brother." Yun Ming interrupted him, giving him a meaningful look.

Sikong Gu was stunned for a moment, then realized, chuckled twice, and said no more.

After this battle, Yun Ming was remembered by many.

During the banquet, gazes occasionally fell on him—some curious, some probing, some admiring, and some unconvinced. Yun Ming ignored them all, eating and drinking as he should, and conveniently put away the Azure Profound Wood Breath Pill.

The banquet lasted until the next day before dispersing.

The people from the Shenduan Sect were arranged to stay in a special area. There were independent Immortal Caves, Pill Refining Rooms, Artifact Refining Rooms, and a place specifically for posting rewards and trading. The Qingxuan Sect even sent several Disciples to wait on them, serving them very thoughtfully.

In the following days, the Qingxuan Sect became lively.

Many Golden Core Elders went to that trading area to take a look; some wanted to take on rewards, and some wanted to find good items. The Shenduan Sect had indeed brought many Heaven And Earth Treasures—Grade Four Ores, Grade Three Magic Treasures, and various rare Artifact Refining Materials, a dazzling array.

The most eye-catching thing was still that Xuan Ying Pill.