I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 155 - 153: To Throw or Not to Throw

His head bowed, Suo Ming gasped for breath, then suddenly raised his hammer and brought it down toward his own head...

ROAR...

He had to snap himself out of it. Explosive Steel Body—a High-Level Skill that only one in a hundred Defensive Body Cultivators could ever hope to master.

Jin Zhigang was thrilled. ’Well, I’ll be damned. This is getting interesting. To think a place like Thunderlight Hall, a gathering of washouts, could produce a genius like this.’

With a low growl, Jin Zhigang extended his right arm. It swelled, growing a size thicker. He flexed, and it swelled again, transforming into a colossal limb.

Now, he looked even more domineering as he brandished the giant axe.

Power Cultivator’s Blast Killing Skill—Mighty Divine Arm.

Jin Zhigang poured all of his strength into that arm. This was the true finishing blow. The Hundred Herbs Hall plaza fell deathly silent.

Mighty Divine Arm. Explosive Steel Body. These were both Secret Skills that only a Body Cultivator genius could master. They were rarely seen even in Dao Guang Hall, yet here they were, clashing in this arena.

Jin Zhigang had clearly never intended to use his Mighty Divine Arm in a match like this, but he no longer had a choice.

ROAR...

Body Cultivators were like wild beasts, always in pursuit of that extreme, savage strength.

BANG... BANG...

The two vanished from their spots simultaneously, reappearing in the center of the plaza in an instant. BOOM...

This time, Suo Ming didn’t block. The War Axe slashed toward his neck. Against any other Cultivator, this blow would have surely split them in two, but this was the ultimate technique of the Holy Light Thorn Stream—Explosive Steel Body.

The giant War Axe cut into his flesh, but was instantly caught fast by his muscles. At the same time, Suo Ming’s hammer smashed viciously toward Jin Zhigang.

’This strike is for everyone I’ve failed, for everyone who trusted me! I would rather die than live with regret ever again!’

KILL!

BOOM...

In complete contrast to the elegant and flashy first match, the battle between Body Cultivators was a visceral, blood-pumping affair fit for warriors, awakening the primal pursuit of power buried deep in a man’s bones.

PTHOO...

Jin Zhigang released his axe and staggered backward. He looked down at his caved-in chest as blood sprayed from his mouth. All of his ribs were broken.

’How can this be...? My goal is Dao Guang Hall... I was going to show them... show them that I’m even stronger since leaving Dao Guang Hall...’

THUD.

Jin Zhigang only managed two steps back before he collapsed. With the nearly 450-pound War Axe still embedded in his shoulder, Suo Ming remained standing.

After a moment of stunned silence, the Thunderlight Hall disciples erupted, leaping to their feet. Hex Ziyuan was so overwhelmed he burst into tears. ’Damn it all! This is the first time I’ve realized how badass Body Cultivators are. I’ve been wasting my goddamn life with my own cultivation!’

Wang Bodang floated out and slapped Suo Ming’s body. The War Axe was dislodged from his shoulder and crashed to the ground with a tremendous BANG, carving a crater in the stone.

Suo Ming had already passed out on his feet, his sheer will the only thing keeping him from collapsing. The brutal intensity of the fight had left everyone else deeply stunned.

This was Thunderlight Hall. We might be weak, but you won’t get an easy victory from us.

The Hundred Herbs Hall disciples carried Jin Zhigang away. His condition was even worse than Suo Ming’s, and he was in need of immediate medical attention.

Wang Bodang was genuinely moved. ’To be honest, I didn’t think he had any chance of winning this match. The Holy Light Thorn Stream is one of the most masochistic Cultivation Techniques for a Body Cultivator. Very few can endure it. Even though Suo Ming practiced it, and I felt he was suited for it, I never expected he could make it this far.’

By comprehending Explosive Steel Body, Suo Ming had truly crossed the threshold into mastery.

"Well done, kid!"

Unlike the others, who were merely excited, perhaps only Wang Meng truly understood Suo Ming. Jin Zhigang was strong, yes, but when it came to willpower and life experience, his perseverance and Suo Ming’s were on completely different levels.

’In this world, only those who persevere can survive.’

Thunderlight Hall now had two consecutive victories.

It was an undeniable fact that no one had seen coming. This was nothing like that ridiculous battle against Hengshan Hall. Everyone knew Hengshan Hall hadn’t even used half of its strength; they were just messing around. But Hundred Herbs Hall, no matter how foolish, would never treat the grand competition as a joke.

Qiao Qian was known for being meticulous and calculating, and he’d been completely confident in his lineup. The first loss wasn’t a total shock—there are no certainties in this world, and you have to allow for a certain probability of an upset. But losing the second match was something completely beyond his control.

One more loss, and it would all be over. Qiao Qian’s original plan had been to sweep his opponents three-to-zero and claim a swift, bloodless victory.

But now he was being forced to make his move early, and right under the nose of that bastard Jia Shidao, no less.

Qiao Qian cleared his head. ’This is no time to be thinking about Jia Shidao. I have to win this match. Thunderlight Hall’s two strongest fighters have already gone. The next one up has to be Wang Meng. That dumbass Elder is just a Pill Cultivator. Crushing him would be the perfect way to win back some face.’

This was undoubtedly an opportunity. Many people were waiting for a chance to crush Wang Meng. The opportunity to defeat an Elder didn’t come around often. Whoever won would instantly gain both fame and status.

"For the third match, Hundred Herbs Hall sends forth Qiao Qian!"

All eyes turned to the Thunderlight Hall contingent, with nearly every gaze fixed on Wang Meng.

"Junior Sister Zhao, who are you sending up?"

Jii Fei was about to lose his mind. Thunderlight Hall—the same Thunderlight Hall that got swept three-to-nothing every single damn year—was now serving them a two-to-nothing lead. Jii Fei felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

"It’s time for Elder Wang to step up!"

"Yeah! What, are you looking down on Hundred Herbs Hall?"

"Exactly! As an Elder, how can you be so timid? Who are we disciples supposed to look up to in the future?"

A few of the Hundred Herbs Hall disciples suddenly started shouting. Qiao Qian’s expression remained neutral; this was all part of his plan. He had to provoke Wang Meng into fighting. If Wang Meng refused, the momentum would shift back to their side. If he accepted, it would be Qiao Qian’s time to turn the tide.

The Hundred Herbs Hall Senior stood tall against the wind, exuding the calm and ethereal air of an immortal. He was the picture of ease and composure, and the unfavorable score hadn’t affected his confidence in their ultimate victory in the slightest.

According to the strategy of Tian Ji’s horse race, the smart move now would be to send up their weakest fighter to be sacrificed against Qiao Qian. That would secure Thunderlight Hall’s overall victory. The other two remaining fighters might not be weak, but there was no way either of them was stronger than Qiao Qian.

"Brother Meng, how about you let me go? A no-pressure match like this is perfect for me."

Zhang Xiaojiang volunteered. He loved these kinds of fights where winning or losing didn’t matter. He could just go up there, unleash a frantic barrage, and surrender if it didn’t work.

Zhou Qian gave a wry smile. ’That kid is fast,’ he thought. He had also wanted to be the one to go up and be "sacrificed" to Qiao Qian.

The Thunderlight Hall side was also in an uproar. Some wanted Wang Meng to go up and teach Qiao Qian a lesson, while the more level-headed ones didn’t want to fall into the obvious trap. It was clear that the momentum and the overall situation were currently against Hundred Herbs Hall.

Wang Meng just smiled and walked forward. A sharp glint flashed in Qiao Qian’s eyes, gone in an instant.

"Thunderlight Hall sends forth Wang Meng!"

So what was Wang Meng really made of?

The disciples had heard so much about him. He was the talk of the town recently, but it was all about his talent in Alchemy. As a Cultivator, during the grand competition, nothing mattered except for strength. Everything else was just noise.

Either you don’t participate, or you come ready to fight. Don’t show up just to posture.

"Elder Wang, this disciple won’t be holding back," Qiao Qian said, though his tone held not a shred of respect.

Wang Meng smiled faintly. "In the grand competition, seniority doesn’t matter. I’ve been wanting to test the skills of Hundred Herbs Hall for a long time."

Qiao Qian’s face was all smiles, but his heart sank. ’This bastard really thinks he’s hot stuff, doesn’t he? What an arrogant prick. Test the skills of Hundred Herbs Hall? Are you even worthy?’

Wang Meng wasn’t being sarcastic in the slightest. He genuinely wanted to test the techniques of Hundred Herbs Hall. Their disciples were mostly Five Elements Wood Masters, which was why they had such a special affinity for Spirit Grass and used some very unique Magic. Dill had been a perfect example, and it had given Wang Meng some inspiration. Metal, Water, and Fire were elements he’d been skilled with in his past life, so he at least had a path to follow. But when it came to Earth and Wood, he was completely clueless.

With a flash of light, a radiant Treasure Sword appeared in Qiao Qian’s hand. It was the Hundred Spirits Sword, the most expensive sword among all the disciples. Of course, only the Senior of Hundred Herbs Hall could afford to wield such a weapon.

"The sword’s name is Hundred Spirits. I ask for your guidance."

As the Senior, Qiao Qian’s etiquette was impeccable.

"Is that the legendary Hundred Spirits Sword?"

"Damn, that’s just unfair! He hasn’t even channeled any Elemental Power into it, and it’s already radiating such strong Elemental Qi..."

"How sickening!"

The Thunderlight Hall disciples immediately erupted in discontent. The Hundred Spirits Sword was a Treasure Sword that even Elders couldn’t afford. For a disciple to wield such a treasure was simply bullying.

Jia Shidao’s eyes narrowed to slits. The Hundred Spirits Sword had always been a sore spot for him; it was an incredibly difficult weapon to face. The most crucial part was that the Hundred Spirits Sword wasn’t made of metal, but of wood—specifically, the core of a ten-thousand-year-old Spirit Steel Tree. In the hands of a Five Elements Wood Master Sword Cultivator, it was devastatingly, unfairly powerful.

Rumor had it that the reason Qiao Qian always seemed a bit short on funds was that he had sunk his entire family fortune into acquiring this sword.

Faced with the uproar from Thunderlight Hall, the Hundred Herbs Hall disciples only grew more boisterous. "Tremble, you poor bastards! This is something you could never afford in your entire lives! You should feel blessed just to witness it!"

"It’s an honor for you to be defeated by the Hundred Spirits Sword!"

"Damn, our Senior is giving them too much credit. He should just wipe the floor with him!"

The fight in the arena hadn’t even begun, but the crowd was already at each other’s throats. Thunderlight Hall and Hundred Herbs Hall were bitter rivals in the grand competition; they didn’t need a reason to start trouble. In this situation, the home crowd of Hundred Herbs Hall had never felt so aggrieved, and their tempers were running hot.

Jii Fei glanced over at Zhao Ya but had no intention of stopping the jeering. This was also a way of applying pressure.

Seeing that things had heated up enough without escalating into a full-blown riot, he finally shouted, "Begin!"

Wielding the Hundred Spirits Sword, Qiao Qian’s body slowly levitated into the air. He looked down on his opponent, his aura magnificent. Hundred Herbs Hall was in dire straits and desperately needed a morale boost. He could no longer afford to hide his true strength. He had to crush Wang Meng with overwhelming force and set an example for the junior brothers who would fight after him.

He pointed the Hundred Spirits Sword at Wang Meng, and his Elemental Power surged forth. The potent energy skyrocketed directly to the Nineteenth Layer, drawing gasps of shock from the crowd.

Elemental Power wasn’t the only measure of a person’s strength, but it was certainly the most direct and important one.

Compared to Wang Meng’s Fifteenth Layer of Elemental Power, it was a magnificent display. Combined with the Hundred Spirits Sword, Qiao Qian at this moment truly had the air of a Sword Immortal.

While levitating, Qiao Qian’s sharp gaze swept over Wang Meng. His opponent’s Elemental Level was indeed at the Fifteenth Layer, just as his intelligence had indicated. But Qiao Qian had no intention of underestimating him. The matches with Hu Jing and Suo Ming had already been full of surprises. Who would have thought that a reject from Hengshan Hall could defeat the expert he had paid a fortune to poach from Dao Guang Hall?

"Die!"

He swept the Hundred Spirits Sword horizontally, sending an arc of Sword Qi toward Wang Meng. Wang Meng’s figure drifted away as the Sword Qi exploded against the ground, leaving a crack in its wake. This was just a probing attack. Since his opponent showed no intention of drawing a sword, he didn’t need to hold back any longer.