I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 177 - 175: A... Sparked by Caution

Fire Cloud Hall’s strongest fighter had been taken out. Although it was a blow to their morale, they felt they had at least gained something from the fight. And as for the rest of Thunderlight Hall’s members, they weren’t even worth mentioning.

Wang Meng walked down and embraced everyone. A person had to rely on their own strength. The whole world could look down on you, but you could never look down on yourself.

After these few matches, everyone in Thunderlight Hall had gained a new sense of confidence.

Wang Meng looked at Hu Jing. "Well?"

Hu Jing nodded solemnly. "Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I have to try!"

"Go on, then. The last match is up to you!"

Although they were currently in the lead, this was indeed the final match. If Hu Jing lost, Ma Tian’Er and Liuu Mei were certainly no match for the remaining two disciples from Fire Cloud Hall.

But the one Hu Jing had to face was...

Song Zhong was taking the stage!

Fire Cloud Hall’s Senior was about to attempt a Reversal of Heaven and Earth!

Perhaps Wang Meng was destined to be the star of this event, but Fire Cloud Hall could still walk away with the victory and crush this miracle right here and now.

"I don’t know why, but I actually find myself wanting Thunderlight Hall to keep winning," Jia Shidao said with a wry smile.

Qiao Qian shrugged helplessly. "Maybe we’re just gluttons for punishment. I also want to see what happens when those high-and-mighty Sub-Halls run into Thunderlight Hall."

"Sigh. It’s a shame. Thunderlight Hall’s foundation is still a bit too weak."

"A miracle might happen. Thunderlight Hall has built up some serious momentum now."

"A miracle? One can hope!"

The third battle: Fire Cloud Hall’s Senior, Song Zhong, versus Thunderlight Hall’s Senior Sister, Hu Jing.

This was a battle between Talisman Cultivators. Song Zhong leaned toward being a Technique Cultivator, while Hu Jing leaned toward being a Pill Cultivator. Hu Jing’s talent in Pill cultivation was decent enough, but when compared to Wang Meng, it really wasn’t worth mentioning.

Elemental Power, experience, Skill Technique—Song Zhong had an overwhelming advantage in every aspect!

Unless Hu Jing could also pull off a heaven-defying feat like Wang Meng... but was that even possible?

There was only one Wang Meng in the entire Holy Hall. In the last fifty years, the only other person to cause such a frenzy was the current Senior, Ning Zhiquan.

For a single Hall to produce one person like that was already incredibly rare. To produce two would be an absolute gusher of talent.

But as Song Zhong took the stage, his expression was anything but relaxed. He glanced at Wang Meng below the stage. ’How can that guy be so confident, so at ease?’

’On what grounds?’

’Is he counting on Hu Jing?’

’But I can’t be careless. It’s easy to imagine that Jia Shidao and Qiao Qian lost precisely because they were careless. The fact that Wang Meng dared to fight in the second match means he must have a backup plan. There’s definitely something up with this Hu Jing. Could she have received some Magical Artifact from an Ancestral Master?’

Song Zhong’s gaze shifted to Hu Jing. Her stance was steady, clearly full of confidence. This was completely different from her disastrous defeat in the previous round. In her match against the Beast Hall, Hu Jing had been knocked from her pedestal and brought crashing back to reality. ’By all rights,’ he thought, ’she should be timid when facing me. Why is her gaze so resolute?’

Adhering to the meticulous and steady style of Zhao Tianlong’s faction, Song Zhong abandoned his initial plan of an all-out assault. Attacking aggressively could easily lead him into an opponent’s trap, whereas with his level of strength, he only needed to be a little cautious, and Hu Jing would have no chance at all.

In just that brief moment, Song Zhong’s mind raced, analyzing the situation over and over. ’Although the Elders aren’t supposed to interfere in the competition, who could guarantee they wouldn’t?’

’That Zhou Feng is thick as thieves with Wang Meng—they call each other brothers. And among the Elders, Zhou Feng has always been a rule-breaker, even daring to talk back to the Ancestral Master. It’s hard to say he didn’t secretly give her some kind of Pill.’

Compared to Song Zhong’s complex thoughts, Hu Jing’s were much simpler. She knew exactly why Wang Meng had fought a match early: it was so she could comprehend Five Elements Magic. Most people had only seen the spectacular Celestial Fire Dragon Transformation Technique—that was probably true even for Zhang Xiaojiang. Everyone has a different way of understanding things. Zhang Xiaojiang could only "see" himself, which was, of course, his own unique talent. But Hu Jing could perceive others.

Within the flames, Wang Meng’s comprehension of the Five Elements Flame had pushed his own Five Elements Attribute to its absolute limit, creating a state of "Fire Affinity." Otherwise, with his current Elemental Power, he would have been utterly incapable of controlling such immense power.

This had been a profound inspiration for Hu Jing. The Ice-Fire Combination Talisman required an understanding of both the Five Elements Flame and the Water of the Five Elements. Hu Jing knew her understanding was still shallow and vague, but this path was undoubtedly the correct one.

Having witnessed Wang Meng’s power, Hu Jing was even more convinced of this.

"Junior Sister Hu, please," Song Zhong said, maintaining a very polite facade. Since he had decided to counter all moves by standing firm, he naturally had to display some poise.

Hu Jing didn’t stand on ceremony either. Song Zhong was the strongest opponent she had ever faced. Just by standing there, he revealed no weaknesses. Most importantly, as a Talisman Cultivator, he was likely even more familiar with its various Skill Techniques than she was.

’How am I supposed to comprehend it?’

Hu Jing clutched a Fire Talisman in her left hand and an Ice Soul Talisman in her right. Her only trump card was the Ice-Fire Combination Talisman, which she hadn’t even had a chance to use last time.

VMMM...

Elemental Power poured into the talismans continuously. Her mind was in peak condition, still immersed in the understanding of the Five Elements Flame that Wang Meng had demonstrated.

Both Talismans began to emit a faint power, and Hu Jing’s eyes slowly closed.

Song Zhong was just about to make his move, but seeing her expression, he immediately suppressed the urge. ’I almost fell for it again,’ he thought. ’Daring to close her eyes in front of me? It’s definitely a trap.’

He looked over at Wang Meng, who was sitting there casually, without the slightest hint of anxiety.

’Cunning little brats! You’ve sorely underestimated your Grandpa Song Zhong!’

To his right, the two defeated opponents, Qiao Qian and Jia Shidao, kept shooting glances his way. All of this was within Song Zhong’s perception.

VMMM...

A Defense Talisman appeared at Song Zhong’s feet, drawing gasps of surprise from the crowd. ’A Fire Talisman and an Ice Soul Talisman... is all that really necessary?’

Song Zhong completely ignored them. From the corner of his eye, he saw Wang Meng whispering with the Little Fatty, stealing glances at him from time to time.

’There’s definitely something going on!’

Hu Jing held two of the lowest-grade Talismans, yet she stubbornly refused to attack, standing there motionless as if she were sunbathing.

But Song Zhong, the Senior of Fire Cloud Hall and the man Zhao Tianlong held in high regard, was absolutely steady and patient!

As the two remained motionless, the disciples on both sides held their breath. It seemed to be a high-level stalemate. The battles on the spiritual level were said to be even more terrifying. The gradually silencing arena felt increasingly oppressive, invisibly ratcheting up the tension.

At that moment, Hu Jing had completely zoned out from the competition. For the first time, the Water Wave Technique and Flame Technique within her body were not conflicting with each other. The reason it used to be so difficult to control the Ice-Fire Talisman, requiring a long interval between uses, was precisely because of Five Elements Mutual Inhibition. Wang Meng had made her practice these two diametrically opposed Cultivation Techniques, a process that nearly drove Hu Jing mad. She had persisted, cultivating them separately, but frankly, it had been almost completely useless. Her control over the Ice-Fire Talisman had barely improved as a result.

But now, Hu Jing could feel the two Cultivation Techniques acting like the two poles of yin and yang—mutually inhibiting yet also mutually dependent.

BOOM...

The Talismans in Hu Jing’s hands suddenly flared to life! Two streams of power appeared between her hands, surging with immense force!

Song Zhong was fully focused. ’Sure enough,’ he thought, ’I knew there was a trap! Good thing I didn’t fall for it!’ (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)