novelraw Chapter 314: Vine King, Lend Me Your True Form
Chapter 314: Vine King, Lend Me Your True Form
This novel is translated and hosted only on Bcatranslation.
The bamboo lodge of Tai Bai Academy.
A red-faced, short-statured elder leaned against the doorframe, constantly peering outside with an expression of unmistakable anxiety.
Nearby, an elderly woman with snow-white hair sneered unkindly at his restlessness. “I told you long ago to discipline Li Da properly, but you wouldn’t listen. Now, you’re finally worried. Just wait and see—he’s about to make a fool of himself!”
The red-faced elder shot her an angry glare.
Unperturbed, the old woman chuckled maliciously, clearly reveling in his distress.
As the red-faced elder prepared to erupt in anger, Dean Mo Xin stepped in to mediate.
The red-faced elder was still indignant. “Dean, Li Da is a disciple of Tai Bai Academy. Are we just going to sit back and watch him spar with Yu Zhao without stopping it?”
“He insisted on embarrassing himself; no one can stop him,” the white-haired elder replied with an air of indifference.
“Xian Shu! I’ve tolerated you for far too long!” the red-faced elder growled.“Funny, I feel the same way,” the old woman retorted with a wry grin.
“Enough!” Dean Mo Xin’s sharp voice cut through their quarrel.
The two exchanged a cold glance before reluctantly sitting down.
Dean Mo Xin’s expression softened as he addressed them. “Though today’s sparring match wasn’t planned, I see it as an opportunity. Realizing one’s shortcomings is the first step to improvement. Through this, our disciples can better understand their weaknesses and the harsh realities of cultivation.”
The recent grand tournament had exposed the hidden flaws beneath the outward prosperity of Tai Bai Academy. Dean Mo Xin and the elders had been alarmed to find a noticeable gap between their academy and the other six leading sects. If reforms weren’t implemented promptly, Tai Bai Academy might be the first to fall from the ranks of the top sects.
This realization had led to heavier training assignments and numerous exchange activities with external sects. The sparring match between Yu Zhao and Li Da was unplanned but a welcome occurrence in Dean Mo Xin’s eyes.
Out of destruction comes rebirth.
Tai Bai Academy needed a transformation from within.
For this reason, neither Dean Mo Xin nor the other elders intervened. They were sending Yu Zhao a signal to act without reservation.
At the martial arena, Yu Zhao scanned the surroundings but saw no sign of Dean Mo Xin or the elders. She quickly understood their intent. Her gaze shifted to Li Da, now tinged with pity.
Li Da, oblivious to his impending predicament, noticed her expression and bristled. “Yu Zhao! Don’t get too cocky. If you lose later, you’ll be the laughingstock!”
“How coincidental.”
“Coincidental how?”
“That’s exactly what I was going to say.”
Laughter erupted among the gathered disciples.
Despite Li Da’s generally good reputation at Tai Bai Academy—evidenced by Senior Sister Wei’s heartfelt pleas to stop the match—his exchanges with Yu Zhao were simply too amusing for anyone to hold back.
The laughter only fueled Li Da’s frustration. Taking a step forward, he barked, “Enough talk! Let’s settle this with action. You make the first move!”
His aura surged, his robes fluttering as if caught in a gale. The pressure unique to a Nascent Soul cultivator spread throughout the arena.
The onlookers’ laughter faded, replaced by solemn expressions.
But just as the clash seemed inevitable, Yu Zhao raised her hand. “Hold on.”
Li Da frowned in displeasure.
“Uncle Li,” Yu Zhao said evenly, “you seem to have forgotten that you mentioned earlier you would suppress your cultivation to 80% strength to avoid accusations of bullying the weak.”
Li Da froze.
Indeed, he had completely forgotten. The pressure from Yu Zhao’s presence had been so overwhelming that he instinctively treated her as a formidable opponent, abandoning his intention to hold back.
Senior Sister Wei and her companions exchanged resigned looks.
He’s doomed. Just prepare to carry him off the field.
Back at the bamboo lodge, Dean Mo Xin shook his head.
Even a lion uses all its strength to hunt a rabbit.
Underestimating an opponent is a grave error.
Li Da had already lost, regardless of the outcome.
Realizing his blunder, Li Da forced an awkward smile. “I was too arrogant before. I take back my words. You’re strong, Yu Zhao—worthy of my full effort.”
His honest admission earned Yu Zhao’s respect. She inclined her head. “Then let us begin.”
“Let’s.”
With that, Li Da reached into the void and summoned a cyan seal.
Channeling energy into the seal with intricate hand movements, he directed the surrounding spiritual energy to converge on it. The cyan seal rapidly expanded, soon covering half the arena. As it moved, its immense power and oppressive presence filled the air.
Yu Zhao, however, eschewed her usual reliance on the Fleeting Life Mirror, producing instead a smooth, round seed from her sleeve.
The moment the seed appeared, even Dean Mo Xin, observing from afar, was visibly surprised.
It seems she’s had another fortuitous encounter.
“Go!” Li Da commanded, sending the cyan seal hurtling toward Yu Zhao.
As pale cyan light enveloped her, she felt the space around her lock in place, preventing teleportation.
But evasion was not her plan.
During her time on Ten Thousand Flower Island, Senior He Huan, impressed by her affinity with plants, had gifted her this peculiar seed. Though initially a dead seed, Senior He Huan had nourished it for years, imbuing it with extraordinary abilities.
By infusing it with spiritual energy and activating it with the Illusory Tides Technique, Yu Zhao could manifest any spiritual plant she had seen before.
After nurturing the seed with her energy since receiving it, today was the moment to test its potential.
Closing her eyes halfway, she focused. As the cyan seal descended, she pressed the seed into the ground.
“Vine King, lend me your true form!”
Boom!
The ground trembled violently as a slender vine shot up, growing at a staggering pace.
Its vibrant green hues quickly turned weathered and brown, its thickness expanding visibly.
One zhang… three zhang… five zhang…
Bang!
The cyan seal struck the vine with a deafening impact.
The spectators snapped out of their stupor, gasping in awe.
“Unbelievable! Is this Yu Zhao’s illusion technique? It’s so powerful!”
“Are you sure that vine is just an illusion? It looks completely real!”
“Li Da’s Cyan Chant Seal didn’t even leave a mark!”
“Impossible!”
“See for yourself!”
Silence fell as all eyes fixed on the vine, now continuing to grow, undeterred by the earlier collision. It quickly reached the edge of the arena.
Just as the crowd considered retreating for safety, the vine finally ceased its expansion.
The arena was now dominated by two colossal figures: the brown vine and the cyan seal. The sheer size and intensity of their presence compressed the arena’s space, leaving everyone breathless.
…
In the bamboo lodge, the silence was deafening.
Dean Mo Xin surveyed the elders, his voice measured. “Do you now understand the gap between our disciples and Yu Zhao? Such realistic illusions are impossible without firsthand contact with the Vine King. Her achievements stem not only from her talent but also from her diligence and perseverance.”
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