Chapter 101 (1/2)

In the distance, the Qing ambassador saw that both men had stopped. He yelled, “Why are you standing still? Defeat him quickly!”

Leng Ningfeng stretched out his hand and stared coldly at Xiao Chen. “I have told you I will concede you three moves! There are two more! After you!”

Xiao Chen gave a little start. If he had sneaked an attack on Xiao Chen, he would have caught him unawares. Although he was a Fallen Devil, why did he sense that this man prefered not to associate with despicable people?

However, he ought not worry about this man’s character now but how he should play his next two notes. That earlier string pluck had exerted almost half his True Qi. If he could not vanquish him with his next two plucks, he would surely lose.

“Why? Have you run out of energy to pluck your zither strings?” Leng Ningfeng smiled faintly upon seeing him freeze by the zither.

Xiao Chen ignored him and settled his Qi to his abdomen’s elixir field. He placed two fingers again on the zither string. True Energy started to fluctuate all around. Surprised gasps rose from under the platform. “Is he plucking the second string?” The Qing side were extremely anxious. They yelled, “Leng Ningfeng! Why are you standing still?”

Xiao Chen understood that with his second pluck he would exert almost all his True Qi. If he could not uproot him, it would be the same for the final pluck. Was he only capable of unleashing the Fuxi Zither’s potential this much?

As he pondered, he released the zither string. Immediately, a powerful force hurtled over, causing further cracks to the platform. Yet Leng Ningfeng still stood rooted to the spot. Although he seemed a little injured, his injury was not serious.

“One final pluck. If you can’t kill me, the one to fall will be you.”

Xiao Chen kept panting. The two string plucks had exerted too much of his True Energy. If he plucked again, he would fall down without the other man retaliating. This man exhibited the strengths of both Immortals and Devils. Was he only a middle-stage Core Forming Realm Cultivator?

Outside, Liu Yunzheng and the rest looked solemn. If this final string pluck could not down Leng Ningfeng, the Zhou State would surely be beaten. Looking at Xiao Chen now, he seemed to lack the energy to send out his third note.

Just at this moment, Xiao Chen was seen leaping into the air. He plucked a zither string facing the duel platform. This was beyond everyone’s expectations. What was he trying to do?

Incessant booms resounded. The duel platform was about three meters high. The tremendous force now disintegrated it into smithereens. Before the crowds could react, Xiao Chen played another zither note. He plucked this string with every ounce of his energy at Leng Ningfeng.

There was merely a brief instant between the two notes. The platform suddenly collapsed. Leng Ningfeng’s body suspended in mid-air as the power of the divine zither assailed him. He raised his arms and struck back forcefully. However, he had no concrete backing to help his strike. His entire body was thrown dozens of meters backward.

Xiao Chen landed on the same spot on the platform. His pallor was extreme and he seemed to have used up all his internal True Qi. Leng Ningfeng, on the other hand, had crashed outside the duel platform.

“I don’t need to make you collapse. I just need to hurl you off the platform.”

The crowds finally understood. He had taken advantage of the competition rule stating that a competitor would be the loser once he landed outside the platform. Hence, the strike to throw his opponent off. Although this was opportunistic guile, they must still consider him the winner.

Leng Ningfeng smiled faintly. “I’ve underestimated you, lad! Very well! Since I can concede you three moves, I can afford to lose as well. I hope to see you again in the future!” With these words, he gave his sleeve a downward flick and suddenly disappeared.

The Zhou side immediately started to rejoice wildly. The gloom on the faces of Yu Wenji and his men lifted as they guffawed continuously. The Qing competitors did not concede defeat. They all rose and yelled, “Obviously, he had used some outside item to assist him! You can’t count this duel!”

The crowds quietened down. The rules of the competition stipulated that no one could compete with the help of an outside item, mainly referring to pills. Yet this rule also disqualified the use of divine weapons, they reasoned. In other words, the rule would disqualify Xiao Chen’s Fuxi Zither string.

The Qing side began to clamor, while the retorting voices on the Zhou side gradually weakened. They made a strong case out of it. If he had not used the Divine Archean Zither, Xiao Chen might not have survived three moves.

Suddenly from amongst the crowd came a stirring, sonorous voice. “I have already passed down my divine zither to my disciple Han Chen. It now counts as his personal magic weapon. So how can it be an outside item?”

Xiao Chen turned his head and gazed over. It was Liu Yunzheng stepping out. Every cultivator had a choice of his own weapon. Most of them chose Immortal’s Swords, but some others preferred something rare and peculiar. He made everything sound reasonable. Gradually, the dissenting voices from the Qing side were silenced.

Xiao Chen could vaguely sense that Chu Lingjiao had got someone to incense the Qing competitors, forcing Liu Yunzheng to reveal this secret. Liu Yunzheng would have no more reason to reclaim the divine zither after that. These were all part of her ploy. Just as well though; this suited Xiao Chen.

What followed would be the matter concerning Luo Shangyan. If he could keep her from marrying Yu Wenmu, he would not need to run away from the Zhou State or implicate the Teal Jade Sect. Now, he no longer needed to leave the sect, since the zither string was already in his hands. He had won great honor for the state; it now depended on the Emperor to grant his request.

In the evening, dance and songs continued uninterrupted in the palace. It was a scene of bustle and excitement. Other than Zhang Qinglian, who had left with his disciples claiming an urgent sect matter at home, the other Sect Leaders had all congregated in the hall.

Yu Wenji’s face lit up with joy. “Everyone has worked hard in the past three days. Your support is a blessing from Heaven… ” He kept mouthing compliments and his eyes finally landed on Xiao Chen. “Of course, Young Master Han is one astonishing talent… ”