Firmament Sword

”Why should I be the one to yield?”

”Why should I be the one to consider the bigger picture?”

”Why should I have to give up?”

”I admit it’s thanks to Senior Brother that I’ve gotten this far, and I’m grateful to him, but I want to go even further!”

”I am a Celestial Brilliance Disciple! I have my own dignity and pride, my own dreams and future! Why can’t I pursue them instead of just handing them over to someone else?”

”So... I won’t back down one bit! I won’t compromise! Never! Never!”

These were the heartfelt, indignant, and even furious thoughts of the eighteen-year-old boy.

For the past few days, Shao Zheng had locked himself in his room. He didn’t even join the others when they went to visit their Senior Brother.

But the pressure... it was intangible!

Although no one had said anything to him, he could imagine the scene he would face if he went all out in this battle... and won.

’The scornful gazes of my peers, my master’s disappointed sigh, and maybe other things... like my future in the Medicine Garden.’

But he still wouldn’t choose to back down!

”Because I am Shao Zheng!”

No amount of thinking could compare to experiencing it firsthand.

At this moment, Shao Zheng was feeling just how powerful his Senior Brother truly was.

When he appeared on the tournament stage, a clamor arose from the surrounding stands, but it was only because he was Luo Tian’s opponent.

That was all!

But when his Senior Brother’s figure appeared, the tsunami of cheers that erupted shook Shao Zheng to his core, and at the same time, served as a profound stimulus!

’This battle... if I win, will I... will I also receive such cheers?’

’I will prove with my actions that even though he is my deeply respected Senior Brother, I... will not yield!’

’I must win! I must win beautifully!’

’I must use my actions... to shut the mouths of all those who suspect the Medicine Garden of fight-fixing!’

Shao Zheng finally lifted his head and faced Xu Luo directly.

”Senior Brother!” Shao Zheng cupped his fist and bowed, his attitude extremely respectful.

”Don’t feel pressured. Use your full strength. If you defeat me, there’s a reward!” Xu Luo said with a gentle smile, looking at the tense youth.

For some reason, Shao Zheng suddenly felt the urge to cry.

’Senior Brother is still the same Senior Brother!’

’Even though everyone thinks I should yield, Senior Brother doesn’t!’

’Even now, he’s still encouraging me, encouraging me with sincere words!’

Shao Zheng took a deep breath. With reddened eyes, he smiled at Xu Luo and said, ”If I lose, Senior Brother, you’re not allowed to punish me!”

”Then you’ll have to give it your all!” Xu Luo laughed.

”Of course!” A surge of heroic spirit filled Shao Zheng’s chest. ”If I win, I will carry Senior Brother’s hopes and fight all the way to the end!”

”Good!” Xu Luo nodded with a smile.

The noisy stands gradually quieted down.

Everyone’s gazes toward Xu Luo turned serious.

’This is a man worthy of respect!’ The thought rose in countless people’s minds.

Few people thought Luo Tian was being hypocritical. The battle was about to begin, and if his actions didn’t match his words, his speech would become a resounding slap across his own face.

They believed that no one with even a bit of intelligence would do such a thing.

”Alright, let’s begin,” Xu Luo said nonchalantly, glancing at the Referee at the edge of the stage.

The Referee’s expression straightened, and he forced a somewhat strained smile. He couldn’t help but feel a pang in his heart. ’Jin Ming’s vision... it’s just too narrow!’

That’s right—this Referee had been placed here by Jin Ming, who had pulled all sorts of strings.

His purpose was to catch the Medicine Garden in the act of fixing the fight!

However, the goal wasn’t to interfere, but to have the Referee condone it!

”The moment they start to fix the fight, you turn a blind eye. Pretend you didn’t see anything!”

”I need him to win!”

”I will definitely face him in a later round, and I will kill him with my own hands!”

The Referee recalled the ferocious expression on Jin Ming’s handsome face as he had spoken those words. Sighing inwardly, he then loudly announced, ”Celestial Brilliance Annual Competition, round of sixty-two to thirty-one! Shao Zheng, Direct Disciple of the Medicine Garden’s Sixth Elder Cui Shu, versus Luo Tian, Direct Disciple of the Medicine Garden Grand Elder Yuwen Ji! This match is primarily a spar. Both contestants, please maintain your fellowship and do not cause harm... The match... begins!”

As the Referee yelled ”begins,” Shao Zheng’s figure abruptly vanished into thin air!

The surrounding stands erupted in an uproar, followed by a sudden burst of frantic discussion.

”Isn’t this too fake? This isn’t just fixing a fight... this is just shameless!”

”Damn it, after all that nice talk, one of them just quits the moment the fight starts?”

”This is outrageous! We demand a severe punishment for the Celestial Brilliance Medicine Garden!”

”We demand Luo Tian be disqualified!”

”So shameless! This is a mockery of the rules!”

”They won’t even go through the motions, and after all that pretty talk before...”

A group of Jin Ming’s supporters immediately began to clamor, stirring up a crowd of people who didn’t know the truth.

The Referee’s heart filled with anger. He roared, ”Silence!”

BOOM!

His voice, like a great bell, thundered above the stage.

It instantly suppressed the various noises from the stands. Many people shivered and looked at the Referee on the stage, only then remembering that anyone who could serve as a referee for this kind of competition had to be a powerful expert!

”The battle has just begun. What’s all the racket?” the Referee snapped, still annoyed.

Normally, he wouldn’t need to pay attention to such things, but hearing that noise, a sense of injustice welled up in his chest.

Just then, in the air... a vast number of black dots suddenly appeared.

Tens of thousands of various Elixirs formed a grand Elixir Array on the stage!

It trapped Luo Tian directly inside!

Only then did the people in the stands understand. The Medicine Garden’s genius disciple, Shao Zheng, hadn’t withdrawn—he had concealed his presence!

”Heavens... there’s actually an Elixir that can grant invisibility! That’s incredible, isn’t it?”

”I suspected he had withdrawn, but I never thought he’d used an Invisibility Elixir!”

”This kind of Elixir has always been the stuff of legend, but to see it appear in this battle today is truly astonishing!”

”If this Elixir could be mass-produced, wouldn’t our Celestial Brilliance be invincible in the future?”

”Shao Zheng... the genius youth of the Medicine Garden. He truly lives up to his reputation!”

”Now, the Medicine Garden’s Senior Brother, Luo Tian... is in danger!”

All sorts of discussions immediately broke out in the surrounding stands, everyone marveling that Shao Zheng could actually refine an Invisibility Elixir.

Even Xiahou Kaiyuan, in his private box, showed a look of surprise. He couldn’t help but rise from his seat, walk to the window, and look down.

Jiang Botao murmured from the side, ”If we say that Lv Di cultivating the True Dragon Armor added a fierce general to Celestial Brilliance, then... this Invisibility Elixir is equivalent to adding a full tenth to Celestial Brilliance’s combat strength!”

”Indeed. He’s worthy of being the Medicine Garden’s top genius to have actually refined such an Elixir. It seems it can even mask one’s aura... Truly miraculous!” another Elder said.

”This is a strategic resource. After this battle, this Shao Zheng... must be protected!” the refined-looking Elder said, glancing at Xiahou Kaiyuan. ”Sect Leader, it seems you might lose this time!”

”It has only just begun. The outcome is not yet known. We can wait and see,” Xiahou Kaiyuan replied. Although Shao Zheng’s Invisibility Elixir had startled him, he quickly returned to a state of calm.

Shao Zheng’s voice came from the air above the stage: ”Senior Brother, this is the Ten Extremes Pill Array I developed. It has the same capabilities as a powerful Array, with integrated offense and defense. Be careful!”

As he spoke, a cloud of smoke suddenly erupted from a portion of the Elixirs, quickly shrouding the area and making it difficult for outsiders to see what was happening inside.

”The Ten Extremes Pill Array... This kid... he really is a genius!” Xiahou Kaiyuan couldn’t help but sigh softly, a look of admiration in his eyes.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A series of loud explosions rang out as Elixirs within the Ten Extremes Pill Array detonated, creating a powerful impact!

”Senior Brother, with this Ten Extremes Pill Array, the more fiercely you resist... the stronger the attacks become!” Shao Zheng’s voice echoed through the air again, ethereal and making it impossible to pinpoint his location.

In the stands, one of Jin Ming’s men shouted, ”Cheating! That’s cheating! Who tells their opponent that kind of information?”

Someone next to him yanked the shouting man back into his seat and said coldly, ”Idiot! If you don’t understand, then shut up. Do you think that was a reminder? It was a psychological attack to influence his judgment!”

Seeing the scornful looks shot his way from all around, the man awkwardly shut his mouth.

At this very moment, on the stage, Xu Luo was completely trapped within the Grand Array formed by countless Elixirs.

However, the corner of Xu Luo’s mouth curled into a slight smile.

To others, Shao Zheng might seem like a kid who didn’t understand the ways of the world, inflexible and unwilling to yield.

But in Xu Luo’s eyes, Shao Zheng was actually quite endearing.

He had unleashed his greatest strength, but at the same time, he had used Elixirs that created a concealing effect, shrouding the battle in mist.

In other words, when Xu Luo made his move, others wouldn’t be able to see the extent of his recovery.

As such, any accusations that he might have been faking his injuries would be baseless.

Perhaps... the young man also intended to help Xu Luo save face.

But none of that mattered, because Xu Luo had already figured out how to break it!

The Ten Extremes Pill Array was a Grand Array composed of all sorts of Elixirs, sealing off every escape route for the person trapped inside!

These Elixirs complemented each other; if you touched one, dozens of surrounding Elixirs might activate simultaneously.

To break out of the Array, you would have to become a mosquito!

Otherwise, there was no escaping from beneath the dense cluster of Elixirs!

Most terrifying of all, the Ten Extremes Pill Array... had no Life Gate!

This meant that if you were trapped by the Ten Extremes Pill Array, there were only two ways out. First... brute force your way through with overwhelming power!

This was almost impossible. Shao Zheng himself was in the Saint Realm, and even a Great Saint wouldn’t dare to force their way through the Ten Extremes Pill Array he had set up!

The second way was to surrender!

Obviously, Xu Luo was not going to choose either of those paths. And so, Xu Luo himself... forged a third path!

Break the Array!