483 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Chapter 483: The Boundless Starry Sky "Attack!" Ying Zhong's face lit up with delight as he tossed a dark-colored pearl into the air. The pearl expanded until it was taller than a person by the time it reached Qin Changfeng, clashing with a loud metallic sound as it was intercepted by Qin Changfeng's protective weapon—a brass shield that automatically appeared to block it. After a few breaths, the dark pearl recoiled without a scratch. Qin Changfeng's brass shield, however, was covered in cracks, on the verge of breaking. "Attack again!" Qin Changfeng was injured, his body bent into a bow shape within the brass shield, appearing to be in great pain. Taking advantage of his opponent's weakness, Ying Zhong pushed his right palm forward, sending the rebounding pearl back with even more force, a blow the already half-ruined brass shield stood no chance against. "Changfeng!" Nangong Yanran screamed in horror. This wasn't the Black River Dao Palace's combat arena; they were exposed, drawing the attention of nearby cultivators and mocking laughter from those on the opposing flying shuttle. She suddenly felt a comforting energy that calmed her. Looking up, she met the kind gaze of Qi Xiu, who reassured her, "Don't worry, it's fine." These words seemed to work like magic, calming her significantly. Indeed, Qin Changfeng, born and raised in Chu Qin, was no novice to battles. Taken by surprise by the strange star-absorbing fan, his escape technique was hindered, but his mind remained clear. He immediately summoned his [Meteor Death Sword], positioning it just in time as the brass shield shattered, blocking Ying Zhong's dark pearl. The third-grade high-quality flying sword bent under the impact, nearly snapping, but fortunately, the pearl's momentum was spent, and it bounced away again. "Sea winds, assist me!" With the upper hand, Ying Zhong gave no respite. A faint cloudlike vapor emerged behind him, carrying the peculiar salty scent of the ocean and the powerful force of wind magic that hurled the dark pearl at his opponent for a third time. Even the spectators felt the overwhelming, rampant power of heaven and earth, impossible to underestimate. "A petty trick!" Despite his bravado, Qin Changfeng was in a tight spot. He dared not use his flying sword directly, so he deftly threw a second-tier [Stone Turtle Summoning Talisman]. The ill-fated stone turtle bore the brunt of the pearl's impact and shattered into countless spiritual light fragments almost instantly. Thankfully, Chu Qin Sect disciples, deeply influenced by Qi Xiu, held a strong affinity for 'talismanism,' often carrying powerful talismans rather than stocking up on elixirs or mystic arts. With an excellent talisman to buy some time, Qin Changfeng immediately invoked his skills, summoning tiny snowflakes around him. His second innate skill, [Rootless Snow], began to activate. As Ying Zhong's fourth strike approached, a vast snowfall descended and froze into an ice mirror beneath, stars glittering within. Qin Changfeng stepped into the mirror's stars. "Damn it! Ran away! Star Absorption!" The vicious outer sea man, quick-witted and ruthless, responded with stringent strategy. Within a short span, Ying Zhong split his focus three ways: redirecting the dark pearl to smash the ice mirror, accelerating his innate sea wind to scatter the snowflakes, and frantically waving the star-absorbing fan. The alien star chart on the fan shifted again, distorting the stars within the mirrors. Yet Qin Changfeng wouldn't be caught again. The snowflakes might scatter, but they wouldn't vanish; scattered east or west, every fragment formed new ice mirrors. While one shattered, another's constellations emerged, undisturbed by the fan. Beneath each shattered mirror, another's organized constellations reignited. 'The Infinity of Stars,' as he theorized about the endless stars above—how could he not discover their application? A thousand mirrors meant a thousand constellations; infinite mirrors meant endless starlight. "This..." Han Yanlao, Ying Bo, and Zhong Xingjun all simultaneously sensed danger. Opposite them, Qi Xiu, observing the scene, knew the situation was secured. Among countless dao techniques, stealth techniques were paramount. In the cultivation world, it was almost a law derived from forebears' experiences: killing a cultivator adept in stealth was difficult; failing to kill them, they stood invincible. "Walking among the stars—no wonder it's walking among the stars!" The three exchanged glances, with Zhong Xingjun softly murmuring praise, stirring discomfort among his peers from the Dan Alliance. Meanwhile, Ying Zhong, desperately busy, was engaging in a comical futility. Winds, pearls, and the long fan proved ineffective, prompting him to pull out a series of fire talismans in a flurry of attacks, hoping to melt the endlessly multiplying ice mirrors. "Changfeng's flying sword..." Qi Xiu, settling into a more relaxed posture, began pondering trivial matters. "The sword is excellent, but I believe it's unsuited for his use." "Oh? Why so?" Xiong Shisi inquired with curiosity. "Fast as lightning, powerful as a thunderbolt, with piercing armor penetration, yet in Changfeng's hand, the suddenness of its strike remains wanting. In dueling, one must exploit their strengths against their opponent's weaknesses. He typically uses star teleportation for stealth first, securing his safety, then deploys this overwhelming flying sword, failing to utilize his own stealthy strength." "Indeed, Uncle Wuying exemplifies this perfectly," Mo Jianxin, proficient in the art of sword crafting, naturally contributed to the discussion. "His black blade moves silently, exponentially more powerful when combined with shadow techniques. Against an unsuspecting foe, one strike is usually sufficient." Nangong Yanran, listening intently nearby, silently vowed to procure a more suitable flying sword for her husband from her family. The stalemate on the battlefield created a spectacle, the lower-ranked disciples on both sides feasting their eyes. In the sky, wind and snow intermingled, with ice mirrors reflecting everywhere. Illuminated by boundless starlight, the scene turned a silvery white, dreamlike. Within this icy tableau, the incessantly bouncing dark pearl shattered with a melodic chime against each ice mirror. Those fire talismans? Useless. Melting a few mirrors didn't affect the grand scheme; worldly objects were finite, whereas innate abilities originating from oneself, limitless. Spiritual energy enduring, starlight remained unextinguished. "Damn it! Come out! Coward!" Ying Zhong's spiritual energy consumption exceeded Qin Changfeng's severalfold. Each countermeasure failed, yet he refused to admit defeat. Resolute and relentless, he cursed profusely, slowing his attacks in preparation for a prolonged engagement. "Come on! Kill me! Come out!" He finally stowed away his star-absorbing fan, cradled the dark pearl in one hand, and sat cross-legged, awaiting a moment to counterattack when Qin Changfeng revealed himself. He had yet to deploy his ultimate treasure—a trump card for victory. As Ying Zhong took a defensive stance, Qin Changfeng indeed launched an attack. However, learning from past errors, he avoided giving his opponent a free shot. Each attack momentarily exposed him, unleashing a distant strike before disappearing again, erratic and varied in timing and location, with diverse means ranging from flying swords, elemental talismans, minor artifacts, to pure spiritual force provocations, driving Ying Zhong into a furious frenzy. 'Bang!' Amidst this slight tedium for the audience, a muffled sound rang out, a small silver snake artifact striking the shell. Unlike the futile attempts before, the snake head shimmered with starlight, piercing the shell's defense like paper. "Huh? What's this?" Before Ying Zhong could react, the silver snake came to life, biting into the defense spell enveloping the cultivator. Ice-cold energy crept across his body. "A magical artifact!" He recognized the artifact housed a spirit, hurriedly discarding the shell and spitting out his treasure—a model sailboat, its triangular sail decorated with a lifelike seabird. Upon its release, the artifact attempted to suppress the silver snake. The bird spirit soared from the boat, its long beak aiming to peck the snake. Yet the silver snake avoided direct confrontation. Flickering with starlight, it disappeared just as Qin Changfeng often did. Qi-tier 5 [Secret Snake Brooch], Qin Changfeng’s artifact spirit, matched Nan Gong's gift—fitting with Qi Xiu and the others' appraisal—offering stealth and suddenness. Though Ying Zhong’s boat artifact sported a natural counter with its bird spirit, the Secret Snow Snake also traversed the astral realms, remaining uncatchable. With his treasure, Ying Zhong flailed uselessly, cold creeping relentlessly. Stubbornly refusing to concede, he was inching toward being frozen solid. "Pity Changfeng fears criticism of femininity, refusing to wear it on his chest." Everyone saw the settled outcome, Nangong Yanran smiling as she spoke to Qi Xiu. "Without him donning it, would the remarks stop?" Xiong Shisi and others chuckled silently, wisely keeping their thoughts to themselves. Qi Xiu, pleased and stroking his beard, whispered to Qin Changfeng, advising him to retract his unsheathed flying sword and spare his adversary. "We concede!" Although Ying Zhong and Ying Ji were not blood brothers, their deep bond was forged through years of hardship and trials while fleeing together. Seeing Qin Changfeng relent, they wisely decided not to press their luck further and promptly admitted defeat, swiftly retrieving their fallen comrade to administer aid. Thus, the first battle concluded with a victory for the Chu Qin sect. According to the prior arrangement, the second bout would have the other side deploying their member first. Xiong Shisi glanced at Qi Xiu inquiringly, but Qi Xiu gently shook his head, standing up to fly into the sky himself. "Qi Xiu of Chu Qin," he announced loudly. (To be continued...)