284 - Elasia Saga

--- With the piercing clang of a sword, Du Wen Xiong's eyes widened suddenly. Shui Liu Qing had unexpectedly summoned her life-bound puppet, catching him off guard. Sensing an attack of a strength comparable to his own sweeping towards him, he instinctively rolled back, barely managing to evade by angling his body. "This is... a puppet!" Du Wen Xiong steadied himself, his gaze quickly fastening on the puppet before him. There was a look of genuine shock in his eyes; it seemed he hadn't anticipated such a scenario. Meanwhile, the onlookers drawn to this contest wore expressions of astonishment as the unexpected revelation unfolded before them. "What? That's actually a puppet? Who would have thought the women of Frost Blossom Palace held such a trump card? No wonder she's remained calm all along." "Wait a moment, the aura from this puppet... it's at the pinnacle of the Illusory Phase stage!" In truth, puppets were not particularly rare across the continent; many sects and prestigious families collected them to aid their disciples in practical combat training. However, most puppets crafted by ordinary puppet masters typically only reached the Harmonization Phase, making them valuable but not formidable enough to be relied upon by esteemed geniuses as a crutch. Hence, puppets with power exceeding the Illusory Phase became immensely precious, often fetching prices upwards of several million high-grade spirit stones at auction. For many cultivators, seeing a puppet nearing Transcendence Phase strength was a first, igniting a spark of wonder. "It's truly a puppet nearing Transcendence Phase! Its value must be worth several hundred million high-grade spirit stones!" "What's there to envy? Using a puppet is a mere trick; in the path of cultivation, one's true strength is what truly counts. Facing a Transcendence Phase opponent, it still stands powerless!" Amidst the astonishment surrounding Shui Liu Qing’s sudden revelation of her life-bound puppet, a multitude of dialogues erupted among the onlookers. Yet, regardless, their excited curiosity remained unshaken. However, these voices were swiftly drowned out by roaring waves of continuous action, for the spectacle was but one of many breathtaking contests taking place, attracting attention from only a fraction of the crowd. On the test stage, Shui Liu Qing was undistracted by the external commotion. Positioned behind her puppet, she stared intensely, eyes ablaze with focus on her opponent. "So this is your trump card," Du Wen Xiong murmured, the surprise fleeting. A cold, calculating gaze locked onto Shui Liu Qing and her puppet, his eyes chillingly frosty. Even when confronted with a puppet on par with his prowess, Du Wen Xiong remained unfazed. After all, a puppet could never compare to a living person. In an instant, Du Wen Xiong launched forward, his figure racing across the wide platform. A massive surge of sword intent hurtled towards Shui Liu Qing. Yet, she showed no intention to dodge. With a mere thought, the puppet's vacant eyes flared bright red. Suddenly, the aerial currents whirled dramatically. The puppet, ghostly in its movements, intercepted Du Wen Xiong's charge effortlessly, unleashing a deluge of power with a mere lift of its hand. "Buzz—" With vibrations reverberating loudly, two figures clashed intensely. Amidst the chaos, Du Wen Xiong unexpectedly smirked. In a swift motion, he twisted his sword backhand, pivoting half a turn with his rear foot against the ground. This agile maneuver directed the dueling forces straight towards Shui Liu Qing. It was an unforeseen speed—swift and unforeseen. However, Shui Liu Qing didn't waver. With a swift flick of her finger, a talisman spun into the air, bursting into flames that soared skyward. The blazing energy gathered restlessly, channeling into her Dripping Water Sword with explosive force. Instantly, dual surges of potent Illusory Phase pinnacle energy surged towards her. Du Wen Xiong's grin widened further. Yet, just when the situation teetered on a knife's edge, he noticed the puppet vanish beside him, reappearing abruptly before Shui Liu Qing. How could this be? A puppet, responding to its master's command and swiftly executing it, wasn't capable of movement akin to teleportation. What Du Wen Xiong failed to understand was that Shui Liu Qing, a master of puppet arts, wouldn't wield control akin to an ordinary practitioner. In this fleeting moment, the puppet's stored energy burst forth, intercepting the vengeful strike aimed at her. Although appearing lengthy, this sequence unfurled within the span of a mere breath. As Du Wen Xiong finally regained composure, Shui Liu Qing’s Dripping Water Sword surged forth, emboldened by the talisman’s power. With no time to react, Du Wen Xiong desperately raised his sword to intercept Shui Liu Qing's blow—a split-second maneuver. Yet despite his hasty defense, some of the sword qi punctured his chest. "Ugh—" A thin rivulet of blood trickled from Du Wen Xiong’s lips. His frustration boiled over, glaring daggers at Shui Liu Qing as if to slice her to shreds a thousand times over. But at that precise moment, the puppet's figure struck out with a punch, hitting Du Wen Xiong squarely before he could react or reposition himself defensively, forcing him to absorb the blow. "Whoosh—" His body was flung five or six meters, coughing up blood as he collided with the churning air currents. Yet, that wasn't the end. Shui Liu Qing wasn’t inclined to allow him respite. Pairing with the puppet, they attacked from opposite sides, intending to swiftly end the contest. After all, felling an Illusory Phase pinnacle cultivator wasn't an easy feat. The battlefield transformed in an instant, with Shui Liu Qing seizing the upper hand, eager to capitalize on this advantage. Seeing this, Du Wen Xiong inhaled deeply, quickly ingesting something. In a mere blink, his whole body surged with power, escalating alarmingly until he appeared terrifying. Du Wen Xiong had now attained strength nearing half a step into the Transcendence Phase. Yet Shui Liu Qing and her puppet did not relent. Anticipating his holding of hidden cards, such as utilizing pills to momentarily boost his power, was common. In a heartbeat, the spacious platform witnessed Shui Liu Qing brandishing her Dripping Water Sword again. Her inner energy burst wide open. The formidable power shot forward, while her puppet mirror-reflected her stance, unleashing a fearsome wave of might. Caught amidst this dual offensive, Du Wen Xiong's eyes bulged wide. His face twisted into a grimace, possibly due to the side effects of the pill causing his body's immense power to spiral uncontrollably, coursing in unnerving surges. In a fleeting breath, Du Wen Xiong finally flung open his arms, releasing a tremendous energy blast from his hands. Instantly, he became deadlocked in midair with Shui Liu Qing and her puppet. Despite her strength securing early Illusory Phase, Shui Liu Qing found matching the power-swelling Du Wen Xiong extremely arduous. Clutching her sword hilt tightly, the aura surrounding her weapon quaked visibly. Conversely, the puppet held steady. As the red gleam deepened in its eyes, it marshaled power that rivaled Du Wen Xiong's augmented might, even surpassing it slightly. "Pow!" Two breaths of time couldn’t pass before Shui Liu Qing's power dissipated. Fortunately, she had anticipated such an eventuality, vanishing promptly and escaping substantial harm. Unfortunately for Du Wen Xiong, the swirling forces between him and the puppet formed a massive vortex on the verge of engulfing the entire platform, set to erupt violently. Sensing imminent danger, Shui Liu Qing quickly reinforced her protective energy barrier, preparing for the explosive event. And true to her intuition, the vortex detonated in a dazzling, deafening spectacle. A blinding flash enveloped the entire test stage, with such intense brilliance that no onlooker could bear uncovering their eyes. Yet the external environment remained unperturbed, thanks to the protective barrier around Yunyi Stage, crafted by celestial beings of immense power, guaranteeing no outside disruption regardless of the internal destructive forces. As the blinding light began to wane, another shimmer of sword light emerged. Once the platform settled into silence once more, the audience could clearly discern the scene: Shui Liu Qing and her puppet were still standing firm on the stage, while Du Wen Xiong lay sprawled, disheveled and defeated. The result of this contest was unmistakable. Moreover, those with a keener eye noticed that several of Du Wen Xiong's meridians were damaged. Though his foundation remained intact, complete recovery would require considerable quantities of precious elixirs. Witnessing this, even those who initially underestimated Shui Liu Qing couldn't help but take a sharp breath, realizing that the Illusory Phase pinnacle puppet was far more terrifying than any had imagined. With the conclusion of the match, Shui Liu Qing finally relaxed her guard—this was merely the first round, and she was reluctant to reveal both of her puppets. Nonetheless, she claimed victory smoothly. Despite the impact from the final energy vortex’s explosion, Shui Liu Qing was slightly affected. She wiped the trace of blood from her lips and gestured to recall her life-bound puppet before turning to leave. The puppet had also sustained some damage, and with more matches ahead, she needed to return to reinforce and refashion it. "Congratulations, Sister Shui! You were amazing!" Mingxi rushed over the moment Shui Liu Qing returned to the Frost Blossom Palace's ship, her praise enthusiastic and sincere. Noticing Shui Liu Qing’s pallor, Mingxi added with concern, "It’s still early; Sister Shui, you should go recuperate first." Shui Liu Qing wasn’t at her best, and with no interest in observing others' duels, she nodded to Mingxi, offering a few words before heading to the back of the ship. Others shared in the excitement but refrained from interrupting her. Meanwhile, across at Flower Spirit Valley, Ji Qingjue had also noticed Shui Liu Qing had sustained some minor internal injuries. Her worry was evident, but the circumstances prevented her from approaching directly. After a pause, Ji Qingjue reached inside her robes to grasp a tiny puppet figurine, quickly sending a message to Shui Liu Qing. As Shui Liu Qing settled down, she took out a few recovery pills to swallow. She felt the puppet in her robe subtly stir—recognizing it as Ji Qingjue reaching out, a warmth flooded her heart. The others on the puppet ship, upon seeing Shui Liu Qing recovering at the back, withdrew their gazes, redirecting focus to the other disciples’ contests. Fu Yan's face remained composed, though thoughts swirled within as Bai Yueli sent a telepathic message. “Do Frost Blossom Palace and Tianji Pavilion have a grudge?” Du Wen Xiong's blatant hostility had been palpable. “Yes, there was an incident at the bottom of Youxin Lake,” replied Fu Yan, recounting the brief conflict Shui Liu Qing had with them plainly to Bai Yueli. Hearing this, Bai Yueli's gaze froze for a moment, brows furrowing in contemplation before she continued telepathically, “Regardless, expect Tianji Pavilion to keep a close watch on you.” Fu Yan understood this well enough. Nonetheless, worry was minimal since the draw for matches was random, reducing the likelihood of encountering Tianji Pavilion disciples often. Soon, two elders in the Illusory Phase from Frost Blossom Palace also took the stage. Meanwhile, the preliminary rounds for the Harmonization Phase were nearing their conclusion. Out of Frost Blossom Palace's ten disciples, three had failed; Fu Yan speculated that two of the remaining ones might barely make it past the elimination rounds. Five days of preliminaries had already passed—each disciple needing to compete in three matches, and against formidable opponents, victories weren't easily secured. Finally granted a day's rest to recuperate, the atmosphere atop Yunyi Stage was still vibrant, though a brief respite was necessary. Returning to the mountain, Fu Yan summoned Yi Tu and Liu Bei, instructing them to advise the remaining seven disciples against recklessness. When facing Tianji Pavilion, they should fight only if the odds were in their favor; if not, it was wise to withdraw. After all, someone might harbor malicious intent. Once the two departed, Bai Yueli approached, clasping Fu Yan’s hand. "We only need to stay vigilant, no need to worry excessively." Indeed, with countless eyes on this grand tournament, significant issues were unlikely. “Yes.” Fu Yan nodded. "I merely want them to remain alert." She had no fear of Tianji Pavilion. The rest day passed quickly, and the next morning, Yunyi Stage buzzed with excitement once more, reminiscent of the bustling crowds of previous days. The preliminaries continued. It seemed nobody anticipated that at the beginning of this round, a disciple from the Xuanyuan clan would quickly ascend above the rest—a disciple nearing the Illusory Phase despite being only in the late Harmonization Phase. Winning effortlessly upon entering the stage, the victory was swift, yet left onlookers in awe. The disciple was soon hailed as a seed contender within the Harmonization Phase ranks—a term used to describe those expected to rank among the top ten across the nine formidable factions. From then on, everyone's attention would be on them. However, Fu Yan took little note of such matters. She knew it wasn't likely for Frost Blossom Palace disciples to reach the top ten, not out of false modesty but due to a lack of prodigious talents among them. Her goal was merely for someone to reach the finals. On the other hand, for Illusory Phase and Transcendence Phase matches, achieving commendable results was imperative. While deliberating, the next Illusory Phase contest was Mingxi's turn. It was her first time participating in such a grand-scale competition, and she felt a surge of nerves. Fu Yan chuckled softly at Mingxi's anxious demeanor, assuring her, “Don’t worry, the Five-Headed Snake's strength rivals that of Transcendence Phase masters. In the Illusory Phase, few can match your level.” Feeling reassured, Mingxi drew a deep breath and nodded emphatically. "Yes, Palace Master, I’ll definitely win!" Buoyed by newfound confidence, Mingxi exchanged fists of encouragement with the others before stepping off the puppet ship. In an instant, she was on the competition platform. Despite Mingxi’s pure nature, the Five-Headed Snake possessed its own natural ferocity, alleviating any of Fu Yan’s concerns for the match. On the vast stage, Mingxi’s opponent—a disciple from the Eastern Domain’s Dongying Sect, named Dongfang Jiyue—stepped forward, possessing only late Illusory Phase cultivation. Curious about Frost Blossom Palace's sudden rise to first-rate status, many cultivators watched their matches closely. Seeing Mingxi, who displayed only early Illusory Phase cultivation, Dongfang Jiyue wasn’t the only one surprised. Onlookers also bore expressions of disbelief. "Putting someone at early Illusory Phase on stage? Is Frost Blossom Palace running out of people?" "It’s all just a facade—only because a reincarnated immortal returned did Frost Blossom Palace manage to stand here." Amidst the murmuring crowd, Mingxi paid little mind to the chatter, merely focusing on her opponent before easing into a more relaxed stance. "Little sister, how old are you?" Dongfang Jiyue saw that Mingxi was young yet managed to reach the Illusory Phase, recognizing she was quite a prodigious talent. However, regarding her chances of victory, Dongfang Jiyue felt assured. She cast a nonchalant smile at Mingxi, continuing, “You stand no chance against me. It’s better to concede and avoid injury.” Mingxi shook her head solemnly, firmly refusing. "I cannot concede; I must win." "Pfft—" Amused by Mingxi’s earnest demeanor, Dongfang Jiyue burst into laughter, though she quickly restrained herself, refocusing on the match. "Alright then, let's begin." As the signal echoed, Mingxi sharpened her focus, keeping her eyes locked on Dongfang Jiyue, who swiftly drew a soft sword from her waist. "If you won't concede, just know I won't hold back." Dongfang Jiyue cautioned, unwavering as she gripped her soft sword. Despite reluctance, now that the match began, Dongfang Jiyue, a dedicated cultivator, had no intention of pulling punches, preparing to swiftly finish the duel. Without hesitation, she erupted with inner energy, lunging forward like a water serpent, soft sword aimed squarely at Mingxi. In that instant, Mingxi sensed a massive ripple of spiritual pressure. She initially intended to engage, but swiftly realized her opponent aimed for a quick end. Recognizing this, Mingxi acted without delay, summoning the Five-Headed Snake. Whoosh— As Dongfang Jiyue charged forward, a vast shadow flickered past her eyes. Her soft sword halted abruptly against an unyielding body with a metallic "clang." She paused, stunned by the sight of five heads gazing coldly at her, flicking forked tongues. "Hiss—" Dongfang Jiyue was left speechless. Was her approach wrong? How had a giant Five-Headed Snake appeared? Before she could ponder further, its tail whipped towards her. Reflexively, she raised her hand defensively, but the force sent her flying. With a resounding "thud!" she slammed into the platform's edge. This scene caught the attention of everyone nearby. The crowd was collectively stunned: "..." "Am I seeing things? This young girl actually has a Five-Headed Snake as a pet? The Five-Headed Snake is notoriously vicious; how could it become a spirit pet?" "I'm having trouble processing this too. Frost Blossom Palace just has one extraordinary individual after another—first a puppet, now a Five-Headed Snake. It's terrifying!" On the competition stage, Dongfang Jiyue finally managed to stand again, staring at Mingxi with disbelief. It felt like she had been struck with a jarring realization—the opponent she had underestimated had such a trump card. She had thought she could finish the duel in a single move. Now it seemed she was right, only the match's conclusion favored her opponent. Facing a Five-Headed Snake rivaling a Transcendence Phase, losing held no shame. "No need to continue; I concede," Dongfang Jiyue announced suddenly. Given the circumstances, she saw no point in wasting effort against a Five-Headed Snake, even if she had tricks up her sleeve for an Illusory Phase pinnacle opponent. She needed to conserve energy for future matches. Her abrupt concession surprised Mingxi, causing her to watch in astonishment as Dongfang Jiyue retreated. Despite everything, she truly won! Realizing this, Mingxi's confusion quickly faded, replaced with a joyous expression, basking in the glow of victory. In the air, the spectators from Frost Blossom Palace couldn’t help but chuckle at this dramatic turn of events, though they were genuinely pleased with the outcome. Fu Yan redirected her gaze, fixing it on Yunyi Stage, as the preliminary rounds between the Harmonization and Illusory Phases were drawing to a close. The matches for the Transcendence Phase were likely next, and she would soon have her turn on stage. --- (Visit our site without pop-up ads at our permanent domain: xbanxia.com)