Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 107 - 106: Subduing the Enemy with One Sword

Hearing the thunderous cheers from outside, Yu Xiaoyan knew the second match was over.

Qing Yueqiu would be up next.

Yu Xiaoyan tilted her head to look at her calm and composed senior sister. After a moment's thought, she decided to give her a reminder.

"Senior Sister, you've drawn a tough opponent. It's Zhao Wenping from the Dragon Roar Sword Mansion. He's at the Golden Core Peak and specializes in the heavy sword. His aggressive, wide-open fighting style is quite famous among the younger generation of the Sect.

Are you sure you can handle a Cultivator of the same rank with your injuries?"

Qing Yueqiu was gently wiping the blade of Luminous with a white handkerchief. Once the crystalline, glazed blade was polished until it was spotless and translucent, she spoke softly.

"He is no cause for concern."

WHOOOO—

The somber call of a horn echoed, signaling that it was time for the two combatants to enter the arena.

Yu Xiaoyan watched as Qing Yueqiu walked onto the dueling grounds, Glazed Longsword in hand, and wondered what the source of her senior sister's confidence was.

She looked across from Qing Yueqiu and saw a giant of a man walking toward her, built like an iron tower or a great bear—a typical Body Refining Cultivator. He was dragging a ridiculously large heavy sword, as wide as the trunk of an ancient tree.

A silver-haired young woman who looked as if a gust of wind could blow her over, and a human giant whose physique rivaled that of a Demon Beast.

The shocking difference in their sizes created a powerful visual impact, and the crowd's cheers grew even louder.

"Zhao Wenping of the Dragon Roar Sword Mansion. I have long heard of the great fame of your master, the Cold Sun Sword Immortal. I have come today to test the swordsmanship of his prized disciple."

Zhao Wenping plunged his heavy sword into the ground and cupped his hands in a salute to Qing Yueqiu.

"Qing Yueqiu of the Cold Palace Sword Mansion."

Qing Yueqiu stated her name as well, then added after a moment of silence, "My skills are unrefined. I am unworthy of being called my master's prized disciple, and I cannot demonstrate even a fraction of a Sword Immortal's swordsmanship."

Zhao Wenping cracked his neck, which was as thick as an average person's thigh, and it sounded like a string of firecrackers.

"I hope you're just being humble. The swordsmanship of our Dragon Roar Sword Mansion is all about wide, sweeping strikes. It's merciless. If your skills truly are unrefined, I suggest you forfeit now to avoid any accidents."

Qing Yueqiu shook her head. "There's no need. Though my skills are unrefined and I am a poor disciple of the Sword Immortal Sect, no one in this Sect tournament can best me."

"Not even the Dust Saint Son's True Disciple?"

"No."

Zhao Wenping couldn't help but sneer. He had thought this Female Cultivator, with her otherworldly, transcendent aura, would have an admirable character. He never expected her to be so—

"Arrogant!"

DONG—

High in the clouds, the Honglu Grand Bell was struck, releasing a solemn, resounding toll.

The martial competition had officially begun.

Zhao Wenping took a single step, and the hard granite floor gave way like soft mud, a deep footprint forming beneath his foot. The next instant, his massive body lunged like a python striking its prey, bearing down on the slender figure before him.

SCRAPE—

The edge of the heavy sword scraped across the ground at high speed, kicking up a trail of sparks and smoke. The closer it got to his opponent, the more intense its terrifying, murderous Sword Qi became.

It was as if the bloodthirsty sword couldn't wait to see its enemy hacked to pieces.

Watching the fight, Yu Xiaoyan broke into a cold sweat. Honestly, she knew she wouldn't be able to take a head-on blow from that overwhelmingly powerful heavy sword.

'Senior Sister, why aren't you using Sword Control to get away? You could just avoid the brunt of the attack from the air!'

As the heavy sword—larger than the silver-haired girl's entire body—drew closer, the rowdy audience fell silent, holding their breath.

In their eyes, Qing Yueqiu was clearly not a Body Refining Cultivator. But she wasn't dodging or evading. Could she possibly intend to block this heavy sword, brimming with menacing Evil Qi, head-on?

They were both at the Golden Core Peak. To meet an opponent's strength with your own weakness—was she insane? What on earth had her master taught her!

"You really are—too arrogant!"

The utter lack of emotion in the silver-haired girl's eyes finally provoked Zhao Wenping's anger. He put his full strength into his tree-trunk-like arms, engaged his core, and swung the heavy sword up with the power of his entire body. Billowing Blood Evil Qi converged on the blade, vaguely forming the illusion of a skeletal blood dragon.

It came crashing down toward the delicate woman!

Dragon Roar Swordsmanship, Fifth Stance—Blood Dragon Sword Roar!

Zhao Wenping's eyes were completely bloodshot. Without any hesitation, he unleashed his most ferocious killing blow on a fellow sect member.

Meanwhile, Qing Yueqiu tightened her grip on her sword's hilt and took a deep breath. The cold air she exhaled turned into visible frost.

She drew her sword, a cold light thrusting forward!

VMMMM—

A piercing hum from the sword suddenly erupted across the silent arena.

Zhao Wenping stared at the bright, cold light hovering less than a hair's breadth from his brow. He swallowed hard. Under that soul-freezing chill, the killing intent in his eyes vanished completely, leaving them clear.

One strike. The victor was decided.

CRASH—

The heavy sword was dropped to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"I surrender."

Zhao Wenping wasn't a fool. This silver-haired girl's Swordsmanship was on a completely different level. She had struck his vital point in a single move; there was no reason to continue.

Their understanding of the sword was simply worlds apart.

Following Zhao Wenping's sudden defeat, the arena was silent for a moment before erupting into thunderous cheers.

Qing Yueqiu sheathed her Luminous Shadow Sword and turned to leave.

Her expression remained completely placid, showing not the slightest ripple of emotion over her victory. She looked just like a textbook Sword Cultivator who practiced the Supreme Forgetful Sword.

But only she knew just how intensely the fires of her passion burned.

'I wonder if Master is awake yet...'

'He won't have any breakfast when he gets up. Should I bring some back for him?'

...

Pei Yuhang groggily opened his eyes, feeling like he had a bad hangover.

'Ugh... I was careless. I didn't expect Qing Yueqiu's Sword Bone constitution to react to my Pure Yang True Qi. It even started actively siphoning it...'

Faced with his "hungry" beloved disciple, what else could Pei Yuhang do but let her have her fill?

And so, he had been drained until he passed out. It was hard to believe Qing Yueqiu's body could contain such a vast amount of Spiritual Qi.

Of course, the biggest headache for Pei Yuhang now was—

Qing Yueqiu probably knew how he had transferred his energy to her last night.

Pei Yuhang looked down at his neatly arranged clothes and gave a wry smile. He certainly hadn't been wearing anything when he'd passed out.

Which meant Qing Yueqiu must have dressed him.

'Ah, how embarrassing. For my disciple to see me in such a sorry state...'

'Maybe I should go back to the Cold Palace Sword Mansion for a few days to be with Liyuan, just to avoid her for a bit?'

'No, wait. I'm her master. I'm an upstanding person, why should I hide? Anyone who didn't know better would think I'd done something shameful...'

Pei Yuhang stared blankly at the ceiling, his thoughts a tangled mess.

Just then, a commotion in the living room caught his attention.

"Bai Jingjing, what are you doing?"

"I'm watching the martial arts tournament on the projection crystal! It's all your fault, you lazy pig! You slept almost until noon, so you couldn't even take me to see it in person."

Bai Jingjing's tone was full of resentment. She was starting to think her master was getting lamer by the day.

"..."

Pei Yuhang was still exhausted and didn't have the energy to argue with the little brat, so he decided to just ignore her.

But Bai Jingjing, who had sworn she would never speak to Pei Yuhang again, couldn't stand the silence and asked, "Aren't you even curious if your two disciples won?"

"Of course they won. They're my disciples, after all."

"Tch, what's there to be so smug about... Sword Spirits can take on disciples too, can't they? I'm going to get a disciple, and they'll definitely be better than yours!"

"You don't even have arms or legs. What could you possibly teach a disciple? The Soul Spirits from the Ten Thousand Souls Banner?"

"..."