532: Chapter 42 Final

The first match of the quarter-finals to determine the top four: Dazhu Peak versus Xiaozhu Peak.

Song Da Ren against Lu Xueqi.

Song Da Ren was defeated!

Although Song Da Ren had made progress over the years, reaching the sixth level of the Yuqing Realm, Lu Xueqi had surpassed him with a cultivation at the ninth level of the Yuqing Realm, far exceeding his own. Even if Song Da Ren had an extra Magic Treasure or two, it would be difficult to bridge such a gap; after all, the Tianya Sword was one of the Nine Heavens Divine Weapons, possessing extraordinary power.

Second match: Lin Jingyu of Dazhu Peak against Liu Yun of Luoxia Peak.

Both sides were at the sixth level of the Yuqing Realm, but Lin Jingyu possessed stronger combat experience, exerting 120% of his fighting potential to secure a smooth victory.

Third match: Zeng Shushu of Feng Hui Peak against Chu Yuhong of Chaoyang Peak.

Zeng Shushu won narrowly by relying on a Magic Treasure.

Fourth match: Tian Linger of Dazhu Peak against Chang Jian of Tongtian Peak.

Chang Jian was also at the seventh level of the Yuqing Realm, but Tian Linger caught him off guard using a Five Thunder Talisman and won.

Thus, the top four were decided: Lu Xueqi, Lin Jingyu, Zeng Shushu, and Tian Linger.

Dazhu Peak occupied two spots, making Tian Buyi beam with joy.

To the point that when the semi-finals resulted in another match between Dazhu Peak's own Disciples, he wasn't even that frustrated or upset anymore.

In the semi-finals, it was Lin Jingyu against Tian Linger, and Zeng Shushu against Lu Xueqi.

Then, something interesting happened: Lin Jingyu and Zeng Shushu conceded one after another.

This took many by surprise, but upon further reflection, it seemed reasonable. The reward for the top four this time was a transmission of techniques from the Kunlun Nine Instruments Cauldron. What Cultivation Techniques or secret arts one could obtain depended entirely on their own luck and affinity; it had little to do with their final ranking. As such, there was no need to force a fight just to determine a winner.

Both Lin Jingyu and Tian Linger were Disciples of Dazhu Peak. Tian Linger was the Senior Sister with higher cultivation, so Lin Jingyu's choice to step down was not hard to understand.

As for Zeng Shushu...

Hardly anyone in the entire Qingyun Sect was unaware of her persistent pursuit of Lu Xueqi. Coupled with the fact that her cultivation was indeed inferior to hers, her concession was also quite logical.

Thus, the final match took place between Tian Linger and Lu Xueqi.

On the day of the finals, the sun shone brightly.

Mysterious Dao, Tian Buyi, Water Moon True Person, and other high-ranking figures gathered and sat upon the high platform.

Meng Li was also among them.

Below the stage, many Disciples gathered in groups according to their respective peaks.

Upon the arena stage.

Lu Xueqi was dressed in simple blue and white robes, holding the Tianya Sword.

Tian Linger was in red, with the Amber Red Silk wrapped around her.

After a brief exchange of courtesies, Tian Linger looked at Lu Xueqi with a bit of emotion. "Senior Sister Lu, I really didn't expect that the final duel would be between the two of us."

Lu Xueqi nodded slightly. "I didn't expect it either. However, since we've met here, please give it your all, Junior Sister."

"Then be careful, Senior Sister!"

Tian Linger gave a warning, then pointed her finger at Lu Xueqi. The Amber Red Silk on her body immediately lengthened with a whoosh, lunging at Lu Xueqi like a spirit snake hunting for prey.

Lu Xueqi's heart tightened, and she quickly dodged to the side.

The Amber Red Silk missed its mark but didn't stop; instead, it lengthened further, curving to pursue her closely.

Seeing the Amber Red Silk chasing her relentlessly like a living creature, Lu Xueqi frowned slightly. She immediately accelerated to create distance, then took the opportunity to draw the Tianya Sword and slashed at the silk.

A sword is inherently a Sharp Weapon, and the Tianya Sword was a Nine Heavens Divine Weapon, exceptionally sharp.

While the Amber Red Silk was agile, it could not compare to a Nine Heavens Divine Weapon.

Therefore, Lu Xueqi believed that facing the Tianya Sword, the Amber Red Silk would either have to be retracted or be cut in two.

Not just Lu Xueqi, but most people present thought so, including Su Ru, the former owner of the Amber Red Silk.

But Su Ru was not worried that the Amber Red Silk would be damaged.

Because when she originally refined this Magic Treasure, she had considered this issue and specifically added regenerative Materials.

Even if the Amber Red Silk was cut, as long as the main body remained, it would automatically recover after a period of time.

However, unexpectedly, when the Tianya Sword struck the Amber Red Silk, flowing golden flame patterns suddenly appeared on the red silk, easily withstanding the blade without a single scratch.

This greatly surprised everyone except Meng Li and Tian Linger.

Below the stage, Zeng Shushu exclaimed, "Earth Fire Red Gold!"

"This red silk Magic Treasure had the extremely strong defensive material Earth Fire Red Gold added during its refinement. No wonder it could withstand a strike from a Nine Heavens Divine Weapon."

The Disciples on the field finally realized what was happening.

On the high platform, Mysterious Dao, Tian Buyi, Water Moon True Person, and the others were filled with confusion.

The Amber Red Silk was originally Su Ru's Magic Treasure from her youth; as her contemporaries, they naturally knew it well.

Especially Tian Buyi and Water Moon True Person—one was Su Ru's husband and the other was her Senior Sister—they were intimately familiar with this treasure.

The two were certain that when the Amber Red Silk was in Su Ru's hands, it did not contain Earth Fire Red Gold.

And as the person involved, Su Ru was even clearer on this point.

After a moment's thought, she turned her gaze toward Meng Li beside her and asked with a smile, "Old Seventh, this is your handiwork, isn't it?"

Meng Li nodded. "When I went down the mountain for experience with Senior Sister before, we had good luck and found some Earth Fire Red Gold; Senior Sister had a share too. Later, seeing that the Earth Fire Red Gold was compatible with the Amber Red Silk, I used it along with some other Materials to help Senior Sister re-refine the Amber Red Silk."

"Looking at it now, the effect is quite good."

Su Ru laughed. "Why didn't you tell me and your Master about this?"

Meng Li said, "It's just a small matter, not worth mentioning."

Immediately, he changed the subject. "Senior Sister and Senior Sister Lu are about to decide the winner in one move."

Su Ru and Tian Buyi originally wanted to say something, but hearing this, they immediately swallowed their words and turned their attention back to the stage.

Mysterious Dao, Water Moon True Person, and the others did the same.

The Disciples below the stage also held their breath in anticipation.

Meanwhile, upon the stage.

After a period of entanglement, Lu Xueqi seized an opportunity to pull away and immediately began to perform the Divine Sword Control Thunder Technique.

In an instant, the world around them changed color.

Dark clouds gathered, and lightning churned within them.

Seeing this, Tian Linger knew that with Lu Xueqi's ninth-level Yuqing Realm cultivation performing the Divine Sword Control Thunder Technique, it would be difficult for her to resist with her seventh-level Yuqing Realm cultivation. She wanted to interrupt the other's casting, but Lu Xueqi had already set up a protective barrier that she couldn't break with the Amber Red Silk.

In desperation, Tian Linger had no choice but to retract the Amber Red Silk, take the hairpin from her hair, and channel her magic power to activate it.

Instantly, the hairpin glowed brightly, and two butterflies—one black and one white—flew out from it, chasing and intertwining around Tian Linger to form a protective light shield.

Not long after the black and white butterfly shield formed, Lu Xueqi finished gathering power, channeled all the lightning energy into the Tianya Sword, and then thrust the sword toward Tian Linger.

White lightning poured out from the sword tip in a straight line, crashing fiercely against the light shield, yet it only stirred a few ripples. It couldn't even shake the shield, let alone break it.

Seeing this scene, the Disciples below the stage instantly erupted into an uproar.

"How is this possible?!"

"Senior Sister Lu has the cultivation of the ninth level of the Yuqing Realm, and with the boost from the Divine Sword Control Thunder Technique, the power of this strike is comparable to an expert of the Shangqing Realm. How could Junior Sister Tian, who is only at the seventh level of the Yuqing Realm, block it so easily?"

"There's a problem, definitely a problem!"

"A Magic Treasure! The hairpin in her hand is an extremely powerful defensive Magic Treasure!"

"No matter how powerful a Magic Treasure is, its effectiveness still depends on the owner's strength!"

"Something's fishy; that Magic Treasure definitely has something strange about it!"

...