Chapter 76 - A Display Of Hidden Strength (2/2)

He and Bai Fulong had fought her before they all got separated by the fireball she had launched.

Despite his impressive victory, Bai Xuengen only left a strong impression on the other fighters. The only person who was completely speechless was Rui Keshin.

He simply couldn't fathom what he had just seen. His eyes were still stuck on the platform when something obscured his field of vision.

Yan Yan's petite hand was laid out flat in front of him. With a twitch of her finger, she implied what she wanted.

”Pay up.”

Rui Keshin had lost his bet and Shin Sumi wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to gain two new techniques.

She hadn't heard of the Rui Clan but it was obvious that any technique passed down for a few generations was bound to be somewhat useful.

”F-fellow Sister, as promised here are the two scrolls I talked about, from my Rui Clan. As for the spirit stone... I'm a little low for now but I swear I'll give it to you in less than a week's time!”

Shin Sumi was at a loss for a second. She had completely forgotten about the high grade spirit stone. As it turned out it was Rui Keshin's biggest complaint and yet she couldn't care less.

She raised her shoulders and took the two scrolls who looked ancient and impressive without having even been opened.

”Ca-can you give me back the scrolls after you've understood the technique as well? If I truly lost them, my Father and Grand-Father would definitely kill me...”

Shin Sumi had expected no less. Even if they were the purpose of the bet, at no point had she expected to truly own the two scrolls. Clan techniques were usually a rare prize with only a few copies in existence if more than one.

Shin Sumi agreed and pocketed the scrolls, only in appearance. To Rui Keshin it definitely looked like she put them in her bag of holding when in fact she used the folds of her sleeves to hide her wrist.

In a quick move she had actually activated the leaf pattern on her wrist, making the scrolls disappear within where the Lion Bat Nuan was resting.

It was an unexpected ability she had discovered recently, that Nuan could absorb and eat resources even without leaving the leaf imprint on her skin.

And just like that Shin Sumi now owned two more magical techniques, ”it really is too easy when men are fooled by their l.u.s.t.”

***

By the end of the day, only sixteen contestants remained. A wave of relief washed over the tired fighters. From then on, they knew they were in the clear, having avoided the Dark Fortress, the terrifying punishment imposed by the Cloud Master for the losers of the two previous rounds.

Yan Yan had had no trouble at all winning her fight, apparently going against one of the weakest remaining disciples. Or maybe she would have struggled a bit more had she not broken through to the second step of the Liquid Realm a few days earlier.

After three days time, the third round was going to happen but Shin Sumi couldn't care less. Now that she had avoided the Dark Fortress she only had to lose her next fight to get out of the Cloud-Formation Pavilion ranking tournament.

She was also really excited for the fights to come. Jun Qian and Chu Erlong were still in the race, as was Fu Xue. But more interestingly, the latter's next opponent... was Bai Xuengen!

Shin Sumi wondered what the outcome would be, ”Surely Fu Xue is stronger but how much more strength has Bai Xuengen hidden until now?”

With these thoughts in her head, Shin Sumi exited the Cloud-Formation Pavilion main building. She didn't go to her courtyard though, unstead going in the direction of the Third Star Arena.

She had received a divine sense message from Xiao Yue, prompting her to come.

”What?! Sui Lin is going to fight Mua Lin!!” She anxiously replied. ”I'm on my way there now.”

Shin Sumi sped up, only stopping once before she reached the arena. She had gotten used to setting up a hiding formation quickly and efficiently in order to change her robes and appearance.

When the Third Star Arena was in view, Yan Yan was already nowhere to be seen, replaced by the ordinary looking Bai Fulong.

Contrary to the Cloud-Formation Pavilion, the Star-Sword Pavilion didn't hold an organized tournament in order to decide the disciples' rankings. It was all left to the disciples themselves, as long as the ranking was decided before the Cross Branch Arena.

Shin Sumi had previously beaten Ken Duang, taking the fifth place for herself behind Xiao Yue, Mua Lin, Mua Jin and Mei Yunei. She was content with it as long as she was part of the top sixth.

After all she had promised Xiao Yue she would fight for the Star-Sword Pavilion.

But it was all going to change if Sui Lin and Tai Bu were starting to reclaim their places. And what a way to do it... Sui Lin was challenging Mua Lin, the current number two.

Sharing a similar name was not where the comparison stopped between the two cultivators. Both girls were haughty and with the right to be so.

Once was the number two practitioner of the Shinsoo Gathering Realm, the other was the current number two of the Star-Sword Pavilion.

They were both sizing each other up on top of the main platform of the Third Star Arena when Shin Sumi arrived.

Mua Lin was a short and petite girl with long black hair tied in a knot. Anyone who first looked at her would get the sentiment of looking at a small doll. Oftentimes men would offer her their protection when they didn't know who she was. Only a selected few, though, knew that it was a grave mistake.

With her Despairing Blossom sword in her hand, rare were the men with the qualifications to hold up their own against her in the same cultivation level. Making her really pretty but enhancing her looks as a doll, Mua Lin was wearing a pink dress with a large ribbon as a belt.

”Who is this cutie?! Wow they are both cuties?!! Who are they, are we about to watch a cat-fight?” A male disciple on the side started speaking up to his friend who immediately put his hand on the first guy's mouth before hitting his head repeatedly. ”Do you want to die?! Both of them have the qualifications to make you change your surname to Stupid is they wanted to. This is Sui Lin in white and Mua Lin in pink. And behind the platform is Mua Jin, be glad he hasn't heard you or else he could have cut your tongue before you finished your sentence.”

Shin Sumi sighed deeply. As a female cultivator herself, she knew why it was necessary for the likes of Xiao Yue, Sui Lin, Fu Xue and the others to be cold and ruthless. The Immortal World was too manly for young women. If they wanted the respect they deserved they had to own it.

As a result female cultivators would often shut themselves from the others and act cold. Not many things could reason with the l.u.s.t in a man's eyes, but fear was definitely one of them.

”Mua Lin, thank you for holding the second place until now. I'm glad you were the one to do so. But I'm afraid I'll be taking it back today”, said Sui Lin.

When Mua Lin looked like a doll girl, Sui Lin was much more of a woman already despite being younger than her by a year or so. She was taller, slender with forms in all the right places that her long ice colored dress could only try to hide. At the moment she was pointing a nameless sword at her opponent.

”Take it back?” Mua Lin replied, ”Stop holding on to your past achievements, Sui Lin. You never held second place.”

The last words were still floating in the air when the first clash of swords occured, almost too fast for the eyes to see. They both had lunged at each other simultaneously, exchanging blows that were all parried.

”Eh not bad. I hope you weren't too attached to your sword though. Now hurry up and take out your real weapon.” Mua Lin pointed to Sui Lin's hand.

Sui Lin's sword was missing its tip and had a long crack running along it. The disciples who had not paid attention during the previous exchange were flabbergasted.

”Such a difference in swords... No, in level. Mua Lin is much stronger, isn't she?”

”Wait a bit longer. She told her to take out her 'real' weapon. Does that mean it hasn't properly started yet?”

Sui Lin sighed. ”I never really thought this scrap metal would be enough to defeat you, I'm glad you're not disappointing me” she said as she threw the broken sword over her shoulder away from the platform.

”I'm going to fight you at my best, Mua Lin. The second place will be mine.”

Shin Sumi's eyes opened wide. She knew perfectly well what her 'real' weapon was. As far as she knew, Sui Lin hadn't used it once since the Rising Star Tournament, so not many people from the upper valley knew about it.

Condensing Shinsoo in the tip of her finger, Sui Lin waved her arm in the air, not attacking but writing something out of thin air.

”World Creating Paintbrush, come forth.”