C47 (1/2)

Deep into the night, Qiu Xuan came by once to ask me what I planned on doing in this competition. I told him indifferently, ”I want to fight with Ling Kong. I want to know his strength. I want to know the gap between us.”

Qiu Xuan said, ”I'm too weak, so I don't have the qualifications.”

”Xu Cangyuan, who is this person?”

Qiu Xuan shook her head and looked at me, but didn't answer my question.

Some things would naturally be known when the time came.

As Qiu Xuan left, I had a bad feeling about this.

The rules for today's competition are different from yesterday's match. The only people who remain today are me, Ling Kong, and Xu Cangyuan.

The three people drew lots. Those who drew red lots first would compete on the stage. The victor would fight with the remaining person tomorrow. They said that this would prevent those from the Sky Sect from joining forces. After all, two out of the three of them were from the Sky Sect.

Looking at Ling Xuan's and the others' indifferent expressions, I knew that their plans were probably like this in the first place. If I did not guess wrong, they must have wanted me to fight with Xu Cangyuan, and if I win, Ling Kong would be the person worthy of the title of number one. If I lose, the two of them will have another match that would shake the entire competition, and in the end, Ling Kong would win, showing their powerful strength. But it's also possible that they wanted Xu Cangyuan to defeat me, and then admit defeat. That way, Ling Kong, who was also Qiu Xi, wouldn't have to reveal his true strength, and thus reveal some flaws. Even though I am unable to see through his intentions, but no matter what, today's match will definitely be a battle between Xu Cangyuan and I.

A child took out three slips of paper and handed them to each sect's head for verification. After placing a drop of cinnabar onto each of the three slips, he placed them into a box that had also been tested.

Pu Xuan looked at me and I nodded lightly. Then, together with Xu Cangyuan, I walked up to him. One of them drew a slip of paper. I looked down and saw the bright red cinnabar mark, just as I had guessed, faintly announcing the result with sarcasm.

Turning his head, the slip of paper in Xu Cangyuan's hand was also marked with a cinnabar mark.

”In this competition, Xu Cangyuan from the Sky Sect versus Chen Ziming from the White Jade Sect!”

”Master, what if I lose?” I turned my head and said, pouting.

”Hmph, you little bastard. If you lose, I'll punish you to guard the sect for ten years!” Pu Xuan glared at me and said unhappily.

I had a bitter look on my face, ”Sigh, I have to give it my all …”

On the stage, Xu Cangyuan was standing about a hundred feet away from me. He had a faint and sorrowful aura about him, as if he wanted to infect the minds of the people around me. Was this the characteristic of his cultivation technique? But, it didn't look like … I stared at him for a while and shook my head. Both the appearance and body, the aura, they were completely different from the man's.

However, it's impossible to find the answer to some of the questions without taking a risk. I slightly released my aura to show that it was extremely weak. Can he remember the familiarity of what happened many years ago?

Slowly drawing my sword, I looked at the absent-minded Xu Cangyuan and smiled, ”This Senior Brother Xu, I have made my move.”

”Yes.” Xu Cangyuan looked at me, and with a slight movement of his hands, he slowly grew bigger. However, after a while, it had actually become twice the size as before.

Without any hesitation, I waved my long blade and charged forward. Xu Cangyuan however, waved his hand and grabbed my blade.

My right hand that was grabbing onto the hilt of the blade felt numb. Surprised, I quickly withdrew it. Xu Cangyuan who could not grab hold of it was also a little surprised. His eyes were staring straight at me, as if he was trying to see through me.

With a wave of his right hand, the saber was covered with a layer of spirit armor as he once again charged forward.

”Why are you so sad?” I whispered as we fought.

Giving me a deep look, Xu Cangyuan was actually a little despondent: ”I can't find the way.”

”The path is below your feet, in your heart. Why are you alive?”

”I, I don't know...”

”What about your goal? What about the will you're carrying?” I was still very soft, but I was extremely serious. I mixed a bit of Spiritual Energy with my Spiritual Qi and encouraged my mind. During the clash of moves, it was impossible for others to hear anything.

”My goal, the will I carry …” Xu Cangyuan was somewhat at a loss. The power of his moves had also dropped quite a bit, but I did not take the opportunity to attack. Instead, I maintained the same level of strength as him, fighting one move at a time. It wasn't that I didn't want to take advantage of him, but I wanted to know if he was him.

”Once, I carried the will of a person, but, but …”

My body jolts. Indeed, from those words, I am more than half certain that he is him. However, he is no longer the same person as before.

”But what?”

Xu Cangyuan looked up at me. His eyes revealed a hint of bitterness, and even a hint of apology!

”But, I have my difficulties, you can't know, he can't know …”

Did he guess me?

I pushed him back with a single slash. The excitement in my heart made me tremble a little. The way Xu Cangyuan looked at me was actually a little complicated.

He, was him! And it was him!

For a long time, we did not move. We did not care about the bewilderment and astonishment of the people below the stage.

Opening his mouth, Xu Cangyuan did not speak, but turned and punched towards me instead. I knew he had something to say, so without hesitation, I brandished my blade and engaged him in close combat.