I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 189 - 187: Unexpected Complications

Hu Jing had no time for shock. As her opponent acted with brazen abandon, her second Ice-Fire Melting Break was ready. But when Gang Lian turned, he clearly saw it, yet paid it no mind.

Hu Jing gritted her teeth. ’I have to win this match. I have to advance. Only by advancing can I...’

Ice-Fire Melting Break!

It was another strike, its power undiminished. Hu Jing had split her full-power Ice-Fire Melting Break in two, greatly reducing its casting time. She had thought such power would be sufficient, but she never expected to face an opponent like Gang Lian.

A cold sneer curled Gang Lian’s lips. He clasped his arms together and slammed them violently toward the ground.

WHOOSH...

A ripple of power tore through the ground, rushing toward Hu Jing as if it were a physical wave.

BANG...

The Ice-Fire Melting Break was torn apart the instant it collided with this force.

The force from the ground rushed toward Hu Jing.

SHING...

Hu Jing had just taken a step when her body felt as if it had been slashed by a blade, and she was sent flying.

A Power Cultivation Skill—Earthquake Wave!

Absolute power can tear through space and sunder the earth.

It was true that Body Cultivators couldn’t use complex Life Mark Combination Skill Techniques, but they could use direct, uncombined skills. The development of Body Cultivation had given rise to some crude and direct Elemental Power outburst skills that could unleash a torrent of power in an instant, causing various types of force-based damage.

However, this required absolute talent and comprehension.

Not all Body Cultivators were simple-minded brutes with more brawn than brains. Exceptionally talented elites also chose Body Cultivation, for they could push its power to the absolute limit.

Magic had its intricacies, and power had its own brand of tyranny.

BOOM...

Another tremor. Hu Jing’s body was thrown into the air, and by the time she landed, she had already lost consciousness.

An absolute rout.

Gang Lian turned toward the disciples of Thunderlight Hall, raised his little finger, and wiggled it dismissively.

Second match: Gang Lian of Hengshan Hall is the victor!

But the victor, Gang Lian, showed no sign of leaving the stage. Instead, he brazenly walked over to the Thunderlight Hall’s section.

"Are all the men in Thunderlight Hall dead? Sending a woman up to fight... Who dares to face me? As long as someone steps up, that last match won’t count!"

Gang Lian directed his words at Wang Meng. It was face-to-face, utterly direct!

’What’s the fastest way to make a name for myself? No question about it—take down Wang Meng!’

This was Gang Lian’s true goal. Who gave a damn about some stupid Sub-Hall battle? It meant nothing to him. Even if they won, all the glory would go to Tang Wei, and he couldn’t care less. He wanted to defeat Wang Meng in the Grand Competition and use that as a springboard to dominate the individual ranking matches.

For any Cultivator, individual rankings were paramount. They determined one’s status, future prospects of becoming an Elder, and the resources and authority one would be granted upon achieving that rank.

Faced with Gang Lian’s flagrant provocation, the disciples of Thunderlight Hall were naturally furious. The disciples of Hengshan Hall, however, were thrilled. They loved breaking the rules; they loved a good provocation!

It had to be said, Gang Lian was exactly their kind of guy. This was the way—crush Thunderlight Hall so badly their own mothers wouldn’t recognize them.

There was one person, however—Tang Wei. An extremely pleased expression flashed across his face, but it vanished in an instant. He quickly regained his composure and didn’t directly reprimand Gang Lian for his insolence. With an Elder present, it wasn’t his place to speak.

Hong Pan snorted coldly. "Gang Lian, enough of this nonsense. The Grand Competition is not a game."

No matter how audacious Gang Lian was, he wouldn’t dare disrespect Hong Pan. He turned respectfully toward the Elder. "Elder, I heard our younger generation has produced an Elder of its own. Frankly, this disciple has endured countless hardships and faced death many times while cultivating in the outside world. I want to know just who this person is, who became an Elder a mere three years after joining the Sect. By what right? Who the hell does he think he is? This disciple demands to know!"

Gang Lian’s voice echoed across the entire arena. The arrogance was palpable.

A group of elite disciples who held similar thoughts couldn’t help but sneer. They, too, had been looking for a chance to deal with Wang Meng, they just weren’t as audacious as Gang Lian.

"This Gang Lian is really biting off more than he can chew. A stunt like this is a direct slap in the face to Tang Wei."

Fang Lufei couldn’t hide his surprise. "Every Sect emphasizes seniority—not based on age, but on rank. Gang Lian has shown great disrespect twice today. First, by ignoring the Senior, and second, by ignoring an Elder. Even though Wang Meng is competing as a disciple in the Grand Competition, this stunt is clearly outside the official proceedings."

Song Zhong slowly shook his head. "It would be a grave mistake to dismiss Gang Lian as a simple-minded brute. The man is cunning beneath that rough exterior; he knows exactly what he’s doing."

"You can’t be serious, Senior. The guy’s got a death wish," Yao Yuan interjected.

Song Zhong smiled. "Hengshan Hall has always revered strength above all. Gang Lian has been training in the outside world for years; his power is considerable. Now that he’s back, how could he be content to stand in another’s shadow? To gain status, you have to prove yourself. And right now, what could possibly elevate his standing more than defeating Wang Meng? If he wins, what are a few broken rules? They’ll mean nothing."

Gang Lian appeared arrogant on the surface, but his eyes were perfectly serene. He was stoking the flames of his opponents’ anger while remaining utterly calm himself.

Since their return, both Gang Lian and Huang Feng had been uncharacteristically low-key, biding their time. A stage like this, an opportunity like this—Gang Lian would never let it pass. As long as he defeated Wang Meng, he could at least challenge Tang Wei’s authority. And he was certain that, given Elder Hong’s disposition, he would be granted this chance.

Sure enough, after reprimanding Gang Lian, Elder Hong’s tone suddenly shifted. "The rules of the Grand Competition cannot be changed lightly. However, if you, in your personal capacity, wish to seek instruction from an Elder, no one will stop you—provided Elder Wang is willing to grant it."

Hong Pan said, looking at Wang Meng. His eyes, however, betrayed his disdain. ’A mere disciple, getting to be an Elder just by kissing up to the Pill Cultivators. Now he’s on our level. What fucking terrible luck.’

All eyes turned to Wang Meng. The Thunderlight Hall disciples, intimidated by Elder Hong’s presence, didn’t dare to shout their objections, but they were cursing him endlessly in their minds. ’So shameless! This is just a plot to wear Wang Meng down! There’s no upside to winning, but if he loses, he loses everything. How can they have the gall to suggest this?’

The members of the other Sub-Halls also stared at Wang Meng. ’Well, you’re the Elder, aren’t you? And such a controversial one at that.’

You could find ten thousand reasons to refuse, but could you really say no?

Gang Lian’s gaze was filled with obvious scorn, which was definitely part of the act. He didn’t care who his opponent was; he only cared what this opponent could give him.

Wang Meng understood Gang Lian’s intentions perfectly. In fact, Wang Meng’s state of mind was quite stable, perhaps a side effect of merging with the Godhood. A provocation of this level was just the normal behavior of a disciple desperate to climb the ranks. He didn’t see anything particularly wrong with it. ’Should I fight him or not? If I do, the guy will probably end up half-dead.’

Gang Lian saw Wang Meng’s "hesitation." He had gone to all this trouble; he couldn’t have his opponent turn out to be a coward.

"Tsk, tsk. To see a disciple from your own hall beaten to a pulp and not even show a shred of anger... I must say, Elder Wang, you have a wonderful temper. Haha! Brothers, I think we should all be a little more ruthless from now on. Cultivators can’t be a bunch of pansies!"

Gang Lian roared with laughter.

Zhang Xiaojiang had already run over and whispered a few words to Wang Meng. The expression on Wang Meng’s face immediately shifted.

Hu Jing was bleeding heavily. Her injuries were severe. Her opponent had intentionally struck to maim.

Wang Meng stood up. All this time, he had been trying to embrace the Saint’s Will of a Saint Cultivator, but there were always fools looking for trouble.

"The score is now one-to-one. Since so many friends are here to liven things up, I might as well get some exercise."

Wang Meng walked up to the stage, one step at a time.

Gang Lian paused for a second, then made no effort to hide his delight. "Heh heh. After you!"

Hong Pan watched Wang Meng. Their eyes met, and Hong Pan thought he felt a flicker of killing intent. It wasn’t intense, but a distinct chill washed over him.

"Elder Wang, are you certain? This is a personal sparring match between the two of you, unrelated to the Grand Competition. If, by some chance, something were to go wrong..."

Hong Pan said, wanting to cover his own ass.

"If you’re going to be a whore, don’t pretend to be a saint. Wouldn’t you agree, Elder Hong?"

Wang Meng gave him no face whatsoever. Why would he care about a mere head Elder?

Hong Pan’s face turned livid. He never expected a newly promoted Elder to dare speak to him that way.

"Gang Lian, you’d better cherish this rare opportunity. Learn everything you can from Elder Wang!"

"Don’t worry, Elder. I’ll give Elder Wang a memory he will never forget!"

Gang Lian said, his whole body trembling with excitement. He had cultivated bitterly for years, waiting for just such a moment. This was a god-sent opportunity. He even caught a glimpse of Tang Wei’s expression—it was priceless.

’The position of Senior belongs to the one most capable. Did he really think a little parlor trick would be enough to intimidate us? What a sheltered fool. Truly green.’

Unexpected situations were common in the Grand Competition. This wasn’t the first time, nor was it the most extraordinary. There had even been mass brawls.

But this was certainly one of the most anticipated. Faced with such a tyrannical Power Cultivator, what would Wang Meng do?

"He’s too impulsive!" Yang Ying couldn’t help but sigh.

Mingren glanced at Yang Ying. "Junior Sister Yang seems quite worried about him. Heh. He has to face this sort of test sooner or later."

According to everyone’s analysis, a Power Cultivator was Wang Meng’s natural counter. Their tyrannical strength and high-frequency attacks were the perfect foil for a technical fighter.

Brute force trumps a thousand techniques.

Seeing Wang Meng just standing there, striking a pose like an Elder, Gang Lian couldn’t help but laugh. ’What a moron. He really thinks he’s some big-shot Elder.’

"Gang Lian, the Elder has struck a pose for you. What are you waiting for? You expect him to send you a written invitation?"

A mocking voice rang out—it was Huang Feng.

Gang Lian let out a deafening roar. He lunged forward in a single bound, sending stone fragments flying. His massive frame shot out like a cannonball, and in an instant, he was before Wang Meng, a vicious punch hurtling toward his head.

As fast as lightning!

BOOM...

The punch landed squarely on Wang Meng’s face.

The entire arena fell silent. But Wang Meng’s head had merely tilted to the side. He wiped his cheek, glanced at Gang Lian, and asked, "Are you trying to scratch an itch for me?"

Gang Lian froze. That punch should have sent Wang Meng flying—it should have snapped his neck. ’He’s fine???’

He threw another punch with his left.

Wang Meng’s head tilted again. Zhang Xiaojiang knew. This was the sign. This was when Brother Meng was about to get truly vicious. He would use his own body to memorize the pain of the attack, only to pay it back several times over. Only by knowing exactly how much it hurt could he know how much pain Hu Jing had endured. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)