A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 472: Chapter 430: Exhibition Matches

The disciples shouted in unison, responding with a roar.

The bronze bell rang three times, the golden gong resounded explosively, and several layers of protective arrays rose around the martial arts arena.

The Shuangye Alliance martial arts tournament began.

Lu Qian’s opening speech had just inflamed the blood of the cultivators, filling them with passion. They clenched their drawn numbers into crumpled pieces, eager to showcase their skills and do their utmost to uplift the martial virtues of the Shuangye Alliance.

Only the upper echelons of the Shuangye Alliance knew that Lu Qian’s words about ”the day of Xuanguang Sect’s invasion not being far away” were no empty statement; it was truly not far off.

Lin Le’s intelligence team had sent information, showing that in nearby marketplaces like Meihua Square, Baojing Square, Fanglan Square, and Jiuzhi Square, Xuanguang Sect was increasing its procurement of supplies and recruitment of loose cultivators, which was highly suspicious.

Thus, Lu Qian’s earlier speech served both as an opening address and a pre-war mobilization, encouraging everyone to strengthen their resolve and boost morale, and it seemed to have worked well.

Even Jiang Qingfeng thought the effect was a bit overdone; some disciples were too excited, raising concerns that once they were on stage, they might regard their opponents as enemies and go all out, damaging camaraderie among fellow disciples, which would be undesirable.

Fortunately, the first six matches were pre-notified demonstration matches where participants had ample preparation.

This tournament would last a month, and with Lu Qian and the Shuangye Alliance leadership being busy with affairs, they couldn’t stay here long-term.

Lu Qian only planned to be present at the opening, the finals, and the awards ceremonies. At other times, Sect Leader’s Disciple Wu Yan would sit in for the sect leader.

So today, the six opening matches, including solo Early-Stage Qi Cultivation, Mid-Stage, and Late-Stage as well as team Early-Stage, Mid-Stage, and Late-Stage, were pre-notified demonstration matches with guidance from both sides’ mentors.

The main purpose was to demonstrate rules to the audience and waiting contestants, while making the matches vibrant and exciting to fully engage the tournament atmosphere.

The Early-Stage Qi Cultivation solo contestant was Cui Linglong at level four, and her opponent was a Zhou family cultivator, also at level four.

Originally, Early-Stage Qi Cultivators lacked spiritual power and divine sense was insufficient to wield magical artifacts. Their attack and defense modes were mainly talismans and magic techniques, with limited use, making them not worth watching.

However, as the opening demonstration, both sides made ample preparations and received special guidance from their mentors, which did add some spectacle.

See the chubby-cheeked, round-eyed twelve-year-old girl Cui Linglong, using a quicksand technique cleverly, not against the opponent but at her own feet.

A sweep of quicksand carried her swiftly around the arena, and her opponent’s consecutive ten talismans all missed. ℯℯ𝑙.

On the platform, Cui Shanyan waved his dirt-covered sleeve, shouting loudly, ”That’s my daughter! That’s my daughter!”

But he moved too much, flinging mud onto the head of a cultivator in the front row, leaving his apprentice Liu Zaijiu to offer apologies non-stop.

No wonder Cui Shanyan was so proud. His own spiritual root was not good, and he had devoted almost all his energy to spirit medicine cultivation. Now nearly eighty years old, he remained at Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation.

But Cui Linglong was different. She possessed three-element spiritual roots, with a Spirit Root Five Inches talent, ensuring a bright future under Yunshan Sect’s vigorous cultivation.

However, Cui Linglong’s opponent wasn’t an ordinary hand either. He quickly retreated into the rock-laden arena, successfully limiting Cui Linglong’s movement and using a few talisman traps to set fire to one of her pigtails.

Both exerted full effort, but ultimately, it was Cui Linglong who, with a Nascent Soul Level fifth-rank cultivation technique and slightly more spiritual power, secured the victory.

The referee loudly announced, ”Winner, Yunshan Sect disciple, Cui Linglong!”

The cultivators on the platform applauded strongly, not expecting such an exciting match from Early-Stage Qi Cultivation competitors.

Cui Linglong clambered onto a boulder with her hands and feet, waving vigorously towards the center of the stands, shouting loudly, ”Junior Martial Uncle, Junior Martial Uncle, can I join the Four Heroes of Yunshan now?”

Jiang Baitao shouted with hands on her hips, ”Don’t be arrogant, Linglong. For now, I allow you to become a reserve for the Four Heroes of Yunshan. To join officially, wait until you advance to Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation! Also, you forgot again, don’t call me Junior Martial Uncle, call me Junior Martial Uncle Jiang!”

Cui Linglong cheered, ”Understood, Junior Martial Uncle Jiang!”

Right after the two young girls finished showing off, Jiang Baitao’s ear was pinched by Jiang Qingfeng.

She said with a headache, ”Jiang Baitao! Don’t you see the occasion? Still calling me Junior Martial Uncle—when will you be more steady?”

Jiang Baitao waved her arms around wildly and shouted to Lu Qian, ”Sect Leader Senior Brother, save me!”

Lu Qian laughed heartily but ignored her. Jiang Qingfeng noticed the bracelet like fire and sunset on her arm and couldn’t help but ask, ”Where did you get that bracelet? I don’t remember you buying jewelry?”

Jiang Baitao rubbed her fiery red ear: ”Shitou gave it to me, but I turned around and gave him the money for the bracelet.”

Jiang Qingfeng’s gaze turned playful, ”Oh?”

Even Lu Qian was intrigued and laughed, ”Oh, I never expected it, Ruo Yu actually gave a gift? Since it was a heartfelt gesture, why give him money back?”

Jiang Baitao snorted, ”I cannot accept something for nothing, of course, I can’t take his things for free.”

Li Da, who was always proactive and sat closest to the teachers, heard this, and raised his head in surprise, staring dumbfounded at Jiang Baitao.

Baitao felt his gaze, glared at him, and made him turn away in a panic, ”How come every one of you is so strange.”

Lu Qian and Jiang Qingfeng exchanged glances, wondering if the little girl had read so many stories in vain?

Speak of the devil, the next Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation demonstration match was Wang Ruoyu at level six against a fellow Yunshan Sect disciple at level seven.

This disciple was one of the cultivators Yunshan Sect recruited at Shuangye Square and was willing to join as an Outer Disciple. Joined midway, so although he was Wang Ruoyu’s junior brother, his cultivation was a small tier higher.

However, facing the shield-bearing and focused Wang Ruoyu, he couldn’t afford the slightest laxity.

He naturally knew this Senior Brother Wang had the top-grade six-inch spiritual root, with spiritual power storage twice that of ordinary people.

In addition, all the fellow disciples knew that although Wang Ruoyu was naturally thick-headed and unremarkable, his steady cultivation and diligent practice brought impressive combat power.

Sure enough, at the onset of the battle, it was almost a crushing situation.

Mid-Stage Qi Cultivation cultivators typically can only control one magical artifact, interspersing talismans and magic techniques while attacking with the artifact.

However, Wang Ruoyu simply didn’t care. Whether facing his junior’s flying sword or various talismans and techniques, he would swat them all away with his shield!

He wielded that expanding triple round shield, glowing brightly, with overwhelming force, swatting away flying swords, dispersing fireballs, breaking earth spikes, wood spears, seemingly slow but actually rushing towards his opponent.