Cultivation: From Poor Peasant to Celestial Lord

Chapter 56: Chapter 55: The Outcome is Decided

Lei Lie’s bronze bell-like eyes scanned the new students below, who were all holding their breath in concentration. He cracked a somewhat feral grin. ”Not bad. Looks like no one wants a break.”

He swung a large hand, pointing at Zhang Shan, who had been leaning against a stone pillar, watching the show with utter boredom. ”Today, your Senior Zhang Shan will give you a real practical combat lesson!”

”Zhang Shan, get down there! Loosen up these newborn calves a bit and show them what’s what!”

Zhang Shan, who had seemed rather listless, heard this and shrugged helplessly. He casually put away the Jade Scroll that recorded the battle results, and with a slight flicker of his body, he floated down like a weightless leaf, landing softly in the center of the Martial Arts Arena.

He still looked as if he hadn’t quite woken up, but the moment his feet stood firm, a faint Spiritual Pressure spread out like an invisible tide.

The aura was solid and full of vitality, like a lush, green hill pressing down heavily on the hearts of all the new students.

”Qi Cultivation Second Layer!” a knowledgeable student in the crowd exclaimed in a low voice, his eyes filled with envy.

The advantage of enrolling a year earlier was naturally significant.

”Come on, which junior brother wants to be the first to experience this?” Zhang Shan beckoned with his finger, a confident smile on his lips, looking completely at ease.

”I’ll go!”

With a grunt, Jiang Kuo was the first to step forward.

He knew his defense was formidable, making him the best candidate to test the opponent’s depth.

Besides, he’d have to go up sooner or later. Going early might even leave a good impression on the Instructor.

”Good courage!” Lei Lie nodded in approval.

At the command, the familiar earthy-yellow halo on Jiang Kuo’s body lit up again, more solid than ever before.

A faint Spiritual Light even swirled at his feet. He had pushed the power of the Defensive Jade Pendant at his waist to its absolute limit, preparing to endure to the very end.

However, Zhang Shan, standing opposite him, just chuckled and shook his head.

”Junior Brother, that’s a nice turtle shell you’ve got...”

He formed a seal with one hand and softly chanted a Spell, his movements as smooth as flowing water, full of a pleasant, aesthetic beauty. ”Withered Wood Acceleration!”

A seemingly withered and lifeless vine emerged from his palm. The moment it left his hand, it grew with the wind, like a living Spiritual Serpent, silently coiling around Jiang Kuo’s Protective Spiritual Light.

A bizarre scene unfolded. The indestructible earthy-yellow halo began to dim and thin at a visible rate, as if its Spiritual Light was being completely absorbed by the vine for nourishment!

”This is... a spirit-absorbing Magic Technique specifically designed to counter Earth Element shields?!” Jiang Kuo’s face paled in shock, and alarm bells screamed in his mind.

Before he could break free or think of a countermeasure, Zhang Shan had already waved his other hand and calmly spoke two words: ”Vine Prisoner!”

BOOM!

Countless cyan vines burst from the ground like crazed pythons. In an instant, they bound the Spiritual Power-depleted and slow-to-react Jiang Kuo tightly, hoisting him high into the air. Only his round head was left exposed, his face a mask of disbelief.

One move. With just a single move, Jiang Kuo, who was known for his defense, was utterly defeated!

The crowd below fell into a dead silence, which was immediately followed by a series of sharp gasps.

’Is this the strength of a senior?’

The exquisite coordination of multiple Magic Techniques was naturally different from students like them, who were still honing their primary techniques.

Next up was Chen Shi.

Relying on his astonishing Resilience and willpower, he stood like a reef in the sea, managing to withstand several rounds of Zhang Shan’s probing attacks and lasting a full ten breaths.

But in the end, he was still cornered by a sky full of dancing vines, and with a suddenly materialized wood spike at his throat, he had no choice but to admit defeat.

Several other new students who had performed well took their turns, but all were defeated cleanly and decisively.

Zhang Shan hadn’t even moved his feet a single inch. Relying solely on the five Wood Element Techniques he knew like the back of his hand, he toyed with everyone, making them deeply understand the meaning of ”a hopeless gap in strength.”

The atmosphere in the Martial Arts Arena grew heavy, even oppressive.

”Last one! Chu Bai, get up here!” Lei Lie bellowed, his gaze holding a mix of scrutiny and expectation.

Chu Bai took a deep breath, moved through the crowd, and walked step by step onto the Martial Arts Arena.

His pace was not fast, but it was exceptionally steady. Each step seemed measured, revealing the calmness of his heart at that moment.

Zhang Shan finally showed some real interest. His slightly lazy eyes narrowed as he sized Chu Bai up. ”You could be considered the best performer just now.”

Although Zhang Shan had fought several consecutive matches, his breathing was still steady and deep. He had clearly consumed some energy, but it wasn’t a significant drain.

”Begin!”

With Lei Lie’s command, the battle erupted in an instant!

Zhang Shan’s casual demeanor vanished, his expression turning much more serious. A cyan light flashed at his feet as he activated the Thorn Technique. Countless thorny vines with sharp barbs instantly shot up from the ground, surging toward Chu Bai like a great green net.

This was his usual opening move, used to restrict the opponent’s movement and create an opportunity for a stronger follow-up attack.

But Chu Bai was already prepared.

He tapped his toes lightly on the ground, and his figure drifted backward like a weightless leaf.

He didn’t try to force his way through or dodge clumsily; instead, he weaved through the impenetrable thicket of thorns.

His steps seemed slow, yet he always managed to evade the sharp thorns by a hair’s breadth. His movements were elegant, like an elf dancing on the edge of a blade.

”Such an exquisite Body Technique! No, wait, that’s prediction!” Instructor Jii Yu, who had appeared at the edge of the arena at some point, had a brilliant light shining in her eyes.

’A little interesting.’ Zhang Shan’s eyes flashed with a trace of surprise.

He flicked his fingertips, activating the Wood Spike Technique. Several sharp wood spikes, far more solid than before, shot through the air with a piercing whistle, attacking all the vital points on Chu Bai’s body.

Chu Bai’s eyes narrowed, but he still didn’t dodge or evade. He knew that if he fell into a reactive pattern of dodging, he would be worn down and killed by the opponent’s endless stream of Magic Techniques.

With a flicker of his thoughts, three Spirit Water Needles materialized from thin air. They were crystal clear and exuded a biting chill.

He didn’t use these Water Needles to clash head-on with the wood spikes. That would be like throwing an egg at a rock—the least effective method.

With a subtle manipulation of his Divine Sense, the three Water Needles traced three bizarre arcs in the air, almost too fast for the naked eye to follow. Though launched later, they arrived first, striking the weak points on the sides of the three wood spikes with pinpoint accuracy.

TING! TING! TING!

Three crisp clashing sounds rang out. The three powerful wood spikes, forceful enough to pierce iron armor, were knocked off course by the clever, spinning force of the Water Needles. They grazed the corner of Chu Bai’s clothes before flying past and embedding themselves deep into the distant stone wall!

”Four Catty Move Thousand Pounds! What exquisite control over Magical Power!” an adept new student exclaimed from the crowd.

Zhang Shan’s eyebrow twitched, and the disdain in his heart completely vanished.

’This kid is a tough nut to crack! Not only is his foundation solid, but his combat intelligence is terrifyingly high!’

The battle that followed turned into a spectacular tug-of-war that left all the new students dumbfounded.

Zhang Shan’s Magic Techniques were varied, and his attacks were relentless.

He had already reached the Skilled Realm in five Magic Techniques, and their combination made him extremely difficult to deal with.

But Chu Bai was like a bedrock in the deep sea; no matter how the wind and rain battered him or the waves crashed against him, he remained unshakable.

He maintained extreme composure throughout, utilizing the enduring Magical Power and powerful Divine Sense from his Guiyuan Technique to their fullest extent.

He wasn’t aiming to inflict damage, only to interrupt.

Whenever Zhang Shan tried to use a high-powered Magic Technique that required charging, preparing to form a seal and chant a Spell, Chu Bai’s unpredictable Spirit Water Needles would strike like a maggot clinging to bone. They would aim for his wrist or his throat’s vital points, forcing him to interrupt his casting and defend himself first.

The two went back and forth on the stage, locked in a stalemate for the time it takes an incense stick to burn!

”Heavens! Chu Bai can actually fight Senior Zhang Shan for this long?”

”Hasn’t his Spiritual Power run out yet? If it were me, I’d have been drained dry long ago!”

”This... is this really something a Qi Cultivation First Layer can do? The depth of his Magical Power is far beyond ours!”

The crowd gasped in amazement one after another. Even Lei Lie’s stern face revealed a hint of unconcealable approval.

In the center of the Martial Arts Arena, Zhang Shan’s mood shifted from initial appreciation and surprise to growing impatience.

’To be pushed this far by a new student who just enrolled a little over a month ago... if word of this gets out, where am I supposed to put my face as a senior?’

”Junior Brother, you are indeed strong. Stronger than I ever imagined.”

Zhang Shan took a deep breath, his gaze suddenly turning sharp. The Spiritual Power in his body began to circulate at an unprecedented speed. ”But this is where it ends!”

He held back no longer. He frantically channeled his Magical Power, and a fluctuation of Spiritual Power far exceeding what he had shown before erupted from him.

He decided to use his absolute advantage in Cultivation to end this somewhat embarrassing fight.

”Watch out!”

Zhang Shan slammed his hands together and let out a low shout, his voice carrying a metallic ring. ”Cyan Wood Bone-Piercing Nail!”

Between his palms, a light so intensely cyan that it was almost tangible rapidly condensed and compressed, finally forming a wooden nail just three inches long and as green as jade.

The aura of that Bone Nail was so sharp it was terrifying.

This move was clearly his ultimate trump card, one that he had not yet fully mastered and whose power he couldn’t even perfectly control!

With a flash of cyan light, the wooden nail vanished from its spot.

’Too fast!’

It was so fast that by the time Chu Bai’s Divine Sense had just caught a trace of its trajectory, the bone-chilling killing intent was already upon him!

This strike—whether in speed, power, or the trace of a Breaking Technique attribute it contained—had already surpassed the limits of what he could currently handle!

’Unavoidable! Inescapable!’

The shadow of death instantly engulfed Chu Bai.

In that instant, he could even feel a sharp, stinging pain on the skin between his eyebrows, as if the wooden nail had already pierced through.

”Hm?”

Down below, Lei Lie’s expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet, cursing, ”That little bastard doesn’t know how to hold back! Who uses a killing move in a practical combat class!”

With that, he gave a slight wave of his hand, instantly knocking the wooden nail out of the air.

The battle having reached this point, the victor was naturally decided.