Section Eight: The Arena of a Hundred Battles (Part Two)

On the stage, Bai Yue also felt apprehensive, knowing well that the Evening Glow Sect was leagues behind the Northern Spirit Sect, incomparable in every way. The opponent before her seemed utterly invincible. Yet with the arrow drawn, she had no choice but to face the battle. Steeling herself, she forced her nerves into calm, cupped her fists in greeting, and invited her adversary to make the first move.

Chen Yu from the King’s Resolve Sect regarded her with disdain. “Sect Leader, please make your move. I’ll allow you three attacks.”

Bai Yue gritted her teeth, anger surging within. She knew he looked down on her. Since retreat was impossible, she resolved to go all out, drew her sword on the spot, and activated the Dusk Technique, unleashing the Immortal Glow Sword Art. A dozen sword blossoms swept toward her opponent!

To her surprise, her adversary remained indifferent, lazily striking with his unsheathed sword. With a casual wave, he scattered her internal force and forced her to retreat three steps. Though unhurt, Bai Yue’s confidence shattered completely. Still, she was compelled to press on; this time, she employed agile footwork, darting in and out to avoid a direct clash of energy.

From the balcony above, Ling Luo shook his head and sighed, “A pity, truly a pity… She possesses a treasure without knowing it. Judging by her sword technique, it’s clear her internal arts are formidable, but their creator had no true understanding of their power. The accompanying moves only harness seventy or eighty percent of its might—let alone enhancing the mind technique’s offensive and defensive capabilities. Such waste!”

Chu Gaoge nodded in agreement, laughing, “With these skills, Junior Brother Chen will defeat her in less than three moves. Her superb internal strength is wasted. Even the techniques are so lacking—I doubt she knows how to fully utilize the Divine Spirit effects…”

While they spoke, Bai Yue had unleashed three attacks, and her opponent let her continue for ten more.

Each time, her advances were effortlessly smashed by a single unsheathed strike. She circled him, but he stood unmoved in indifference. Even when she launched a surprise attack from behind, he seemed to anticipate it, flicking his sword behind him to block.

“Sect Leader, be careful!” he warned.

Bai Yue immediately adopted a defensive stance, not daring to be careless.

Her adversary shouted, his hair bristling, internal energy surging outward, enveloping him in a golden glow. The twin swords, shimmering with gold, shot forth like lightning.

Bai Yue dared not parry, springing upward with her lightness skill. Just as she thought she’d evaded the strike, the sword below suddenly soared after her, chasing her feet. She hastily propelled herself higher, gaining another six meters.

Her lightness skill amazed everyone—her opponent hadn’t expected it.

Even Ling Luo and Chu Gaoge on the balcony exclaimed in admiration. “What extraordinary agility!”

When the twin swords fell, Chen Yu from King’s Resolve Sect caught them, his breathing deep and steady, golden light intensifying with internal force. He launched the Dragon Soaring Move, man and sword shooting skyward.

In an instant, he closed in on Bai Yue, who hurriedly tried to retreat. But before she could move, a sword shot toward her face. She could only defend with all her strength.

The clash of energies revealed that, though his internal force could not injure her, his attack sent her tumbling out of control.

As she plummeted, her opponent spun rapidly in the air, descending with uncanny speed, sword thrusting at her. Unable to control her fall, she could only block with her sword.

“Flying Dragon Enters the Sea—”

Before the words faded, their swords collided. Bai Yue felt an overwhelming force from his blade, her treasured sword wrenched from her grip and sent flying. Her chest tightened with breathless anxiety as his sword pressed on. Desperate, she clapped her palms together, trapping the blade, somehow preventing it from driving further.

In that moment, Bai Yue tasted the terror of mortal danger: her mind went blank, fearing he’d push the sword with greater force. She felt utterly powerless and hopeless.

Meanwhile, Chu Gaoge on the balcony shouted, “Excellent!”

Chen Yu knew Chu Gaoge had no wish for him to kill, yet believed that to demonstrate the might of King’s Resolve, he ought at least inflict serious injury—even if he showed mercy.

Without withdrawing, he suddenly channeled his force.

Sword energy struck Bai Yue’s chest, and as she fell, her back slammed hard against the stage. Had the platform not been made of resilient wood, the impact would have been unbearable.

Struck by the sword energy, Bai Yue felt unwell at first, but soon realized she suffered no internal injury. She guessed he had held back, quickly rising to cup her fists in thanks.

Chen Yu, surprised and displeased, refrained from further action. “Sect Leader, to withstand two King’s Resolve moves is already remarkable.” He then turned to survey the Evening Glow Sect’s disciples. “If no one else can step forward, then today’s founding ceremony may have to be postponed for another ten years.”

Chu Gaoge on the balcony blamed himself, “It’s my fault—I never imagined Evening Glow Sect’s skills would be so bizarre. I only wanted to test their strength, not ruin their founding ceremony!”

Ling Luo, too, felt guilty, though he couldn't blame Chu Gaoge. Judging by Bai Yue’s performance, the outcome should not have been so dire. No one could have expected that the moves of a martial sect would be less effective than bare-handed combat.

“No need for remorse, Junior Brother. In time, you may offer some guidance to Evening Glow Sect. Compared to the founding itself, such gains are more precious.”

“Indeed, Senior Brother, I was foolish! Foolish!” Chu Gaoge brightened, believing this would remedy the situation. He began calculating how best to win over Evening Glow Sect for his own purposes, moved by their internal arts.

All assumed the Hundred Battle Stage was ending in unexpected defeat when Bu Jingxian and the Evening Glow Sect elders arrived, pushing through the crowd and striding onto the platform.

He first inquired about Bai Yue’s condition; learning she was unharmed, he said, “Losing to King’s Resolve is no disgrace; defeat lies in technique, not in strength.”

Bai Yue still could not rally her spirits, murmuring, “The martial arts of Northern Spirit Sect are truly formidable.”

Bu Jingxian walked to the center of the stage, cupped his fists, and declared, “I am Mo Fei Bai, Guardian of Evening Glow Sect.”

Chen Yu secretly thought the man reckless, but responded mildly, “Please, make your move. I’ll allow you ten attacks.”

“Thank you, but that’s unnecessary. Challengers should strike first.” Bu Jingxian had already assessed this Chen: eightfold King’s Resolve, stamina five hundred, internal force five hundred, spirit ten, agility five, combat power two thousand, absolute fighting strength ten thousand. He knew Bai Yue had lost due to the King’s Resolve technique’s enhancement of destructive power.

Chu Gaoge, fearing his junior brother might be careless, quickly cautioned, “Don’t be rash, Junior Brother. In a match, one ought to go all out as a sign of respect.”

He then asked Ling Luo, “This Evening Glow Sect is truly remarkable. This man’s technique is purely external, with stamina at nine hundred—rare and astonishing—and five spirits protecting him. Could you tell anything from the colored light in his meridians, Senior Brother?”

“I cannot,” Ling Luo replied, gazing at the man on stage. He felt a strong urge to befriend him, an impulse so peculiar it bewildered him, yet he could not suppress it.

Bu Jingxian saw his seventh junior brother’s angry demeanor, knowing he felt insulted and would attack with full force.

“Weapons, please.”

“I am not skilled with weapons.” Bu Jingxian could not wield Chu Gaoge’s sword before him, nor did he wish to reveal his knowledge of King’s Resolve moves, so he faced the stage bare-handed.

The dark silver dragon-scale armor he wore shimmered with a faint red glow under the blazing sun. His black hair was tightly bound, a dragon-scale headguard across his brow, his expression calm and steady as water. He casually planted one foot, standing firm. The stage echoed with a deep boom and trembled for a long moment before settling.

His presence was overwhelming; the audience was astonished.

Chen Yu was moved by the display. He saw Bu Jingxian’s handsome features and well-proportioned build—not the physique of a powerhouse—and assumed he was skilled in internal arts. Suppressing his anger, he drew his sword and focused intently, quietly strategizing: he would exploit his strengths, attack with external moves, and avoid direct clashes of internal force.