Of course, with the House Entrance Examination just days away, it wasn’t unusual for candidates to appear in the Eight Palaces Deer Battle Hall. After all, every year around this time, new candidates would enter the hall for a trial run.
However...
It was one thing for other people to run into a candidate, but for Bai Jincheng to be matched with one was incredibly strange.
After all, Bai Jincheng’s power rating was 11,636, placing him at rank 1,155.
The Eight Palaces Deer Battle Hall always matched opponents based on strength. No matter how the system tried to pair them, there was no way Bai Jincheng should have been matched with a candidate!
What candidate could possibly have a power rating of 11,636? What candidate could reach the level of an Eight-Star, or even a Nine-star Battle Spirit, before even being admitted to the mansion?
No matter how he thought about it, Bai Jincheng found the whole situation incredibly bizarre.
’Could it be? Did the Eight Palaces Deer Battle Hall make a mistake?’
Bai Jincheng muttered to himself.
Regardless, for the sake of his record and his honor, he was determined to win this match.
So, after only a moment of confusion, he charged toward his opponent.
’Doesn’t matter who he is or how strange this is. I just need to win.’
However, as Bai Jincheng charged toward the masked candidate, the candidate just stood there, completely still, as if he were scared stiff.
Seeing this, Bai Jincheng sneered inwardly. ’So the Eight Palaces Deer Battle Hall really did screw up the match. A candidate is just a candidate, after all. What real power could he possibly have? Look at him, completely frozen just from seeing a strong opponent. Heh.’
As he thought this, Bai Jincheng grew even more contemptuous.
He had originally planned to use a Profound Tier Upper Grade Sword Skill to defeat his opponent in a single blow. But seeing the situation, he decided not to use it and switched to a Profound Tier Lower Grade Sword Skill instead.
The difference in power between two grades of a Sword Skill was immense, but in Bai Jincheng’s eyes, this was more than enough to deal with a candidate.
"Purple Sky Demon Sword Technique!"
SWOOSH!
Bai Jincheng gripped the longsword in his right hand, twirling it in a dazzling flurry. A streak of sword light cut through the air, trailing an intimidating, cold gleam.
Although Bai Jincheng was currently using a mere Profound Tier Lower Grade Sword Skill, with his exceptional Sword Technique Cultivation, even a Profound Tier Lower Grade skill could erupt with the power of a Profound Tier Middle Grade one.
An ordinary Nine-star Battle Spirit Warrior wouldn’t dare to meet the edge of this sword head-on, let alone his opponent, who was just a masked candidate!
But!
Faced with this thrust, the masked candidate remained rooted to the spot, completely motionless. Only when the tip of the sword was about to pierce his body did the candidate casually raise a hand and flick a finger.
CLANG!
His finger struck Bai Jincheng’s longsword.
That single flick made Bai Jincheng’s face drain of all color in shock.
The power of just two fingers was as terrifying as an abyss. Bai Jincheng felt an incomparably immense force travel up his longsword. It was a power so great his body couldn’t withstand it, forcing him back more than ten steps before he could barely regain his balance.
The powerful rebound almost knocked the longsword from his grasp. Fortunately, Bai Jincheng clenched his jaw and held onto the blade for dear life, managing to keep it from flying out of his hand.
Otherwise... he would have been too ashamed to continue the fight.
The Lii Palace Training taught that for a Sword User, ’where the sword is, so is the man; when the sword is gone, so is the man.’ In a fight, the sword was fundamental. Without a sword, there was no point in continuing the battle.
However, by forcing himself to hold on to the sword, Bai Jincheng ended up spitting out a mouthful of blood, having sustained significant internal injuries.
"Who are you? How are you so strong? Are you really a candidate?"
Bai Jincheng stared at the masked candidate in shock. In that brief exchange, he had been completely overpowered, unable to fight back at all. It seemed his opponent hadn’t even used his full strength. With just two fingers, he had sent him flying back more than ten steps and inflicted internal injuries.
From start to finish, his opponent’s feet hadn’t even shifted an inch!
That level of power was simply too immense.
’How could a person like this be a candidate? Could it be someone deliberately wearing a candidate’s uniform as a disguise? Just to confuse his opponents?’
However, Bai Jincheng shook his head and dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared.
’The power the masked candidate just showed was absolutely crushing. With that kind of strength, he could have defeated me fair and square. Why bother pretending to be a candidate?’
’In other words, this person in front of me isn’t faking his identity. He really is just a candidate!’
At this thought, Fierce Waves of shock crashed through Bai Jincheng’s mind.
Heavens!
’A mere candidate possesses such immense power! He’s even stronger than me, and I’m ranked 1,155th in the West Mansion Outer Mansion!’
’Just what kind of Demon is he?!’
"Is this the standard of the Outer Mansion’s disciples? You’re not all that impressive, are you?"
The masked candidate spoke, his voice carrying an air of utter disdain, as if he looked down on the entire world.
Feeling the masked candidate’s scornful gaze, Bai Jincheng frowned, deeply irritated. He felt he was being mocked. Tightening his grip on his sword, he said, "Hmph! You’ve just arrived at the West Mansion, and you’re already acting so high and mighty? Have you no sense of etiquette, no respect for your seniors? I entered the West Mansion before you, which makes me your senior brother, does it not? You don’t even know to call me that, yet you dare to be so arrogant and conceited!"
"Heh," the masked candidate said with a sneer. "If you were stronger than me, you would naturally be my senior. But since you’re weaker, why should I call you that? On the Saint Martial Continent, strength earns respect. For the weak to demand respect based on seniority... isn’t that a little childish?"
"Hmph! ’Strength earns respect,’ is it? Fine! Then let me see what skills you, this ’expert’ who hasn’t even been admitted yet, truly possess!" Bai Jincheng snorted, unconvinced. He tightened his grip on his longsword once more and charged at the masked candidate.
"Pangu’s Three Slashes!"
"One Slash Heaven Opening!"
"Second Slash Earth Creation!"
"Three Slashes of Creation and Transformation!"
"DIE!!"
Bai Jincheng poured his Power into his blade, activating the various inscriptions on the longsword and causing it to erupt in a dazzling light.
Gripping the longsword in his right hand, he swung it in a flurry so dense it seemed impenetrable as he charged swiftly toward the masked candidate.
In that moment, Bai Jincheng erupted with an incredibly powerful aura, one that was several times stronger than that of a typical Nine-star Battle Spirit. He was performing far beyond his usual limits, as if he had reached the level of a Quasi-Battle King, making him look utterly terrifying.
Bai Jincheng had gone all out, unleashing an Earth Tier Lower Grade Sword Skill that he hadn’t even fully mastered yet!
And this time, though he was still unpracticed with the Sword Skill, his execution was surprisingly flawless—perhaps fueled by his rage.
Its power was several degrees greater than when he normally practiced it.
Bai Jincheng’s Martial Technique was terrifying and his sword was fast, but...

Comments

Loading...