Chapter 315: True Prodigy (2/2)

“Be careful, Nate,” Silus softly reminded.

Nate frowned. “I’ve already contacted the commander. You’re no longer qualified to participate in this competition.”

Silus fell silent. He was indeed not qualified. Since he had already lost to Lu Yin, there was no meaning in him participating in the tournament. But what about Nate? Could he win against the Thirteen Swords?

Many students excitedly gathered at an empty region in Astral-3, and even Nightqueen Yanqing showed up. She did not stop this battle, as all else aside, the Sword Sect was one of the Daynight clan’s main competitors. She was looking forward to seeing the Sword Sect becoming enemies with the entire Cosmic Sea.

Nate arrived and stood a hundred meters away from Liu Shaoqiu. “You’re the inheritor of the Thirteen Swords? You have a very common look.”

Liu Shaoqiu calmly observed him. “Are you the one who defeated Senior Yanhua?”

Nate nodded. “That person’s got guts, but unfortunately, he joined the Sword Sect.”

A chilling look flashed across Liu Shaoqiu’s eyes. “Let’s go.”

Nate sneered, but he did not hesitate. Although he despised the Sword Sect disciples, he was no fool, as Liu Shaoqiu’s name and reputation as a Ten Arbiters’ Candidate had spread even to the Cosmic Sea. Despite the fact that, in the hearts of those from the Cosmic Sea, the only true Ten Arbiters’ candidate was Ye Xingchen, Nate did not dare to look down on the Thirteen Swords. Liu Shaoqiu’s strength was also equally renowned, and he was definitely outstanding in his own right.

Nate raised a hand as his star energy materialized into a bow and arrow. Lightning exploded forth, and a terrifying shockwave swept across the entire expanse, causing many students to go numb and unconsciously back off.

Nightqueen Yanqing’s face turned solemn; this was a powerful arrow shot.

Liu Shaoqiu whipped out his rusty sword to face Nate’s arrow. He raised his blade and directly chopped down in front of him. In that instant, Nate’s hair stood on end as he loosed the lightning arrow. It collided with a formless energy just two meters in front of Nate. As arcs of electricity swept out in all directions, the collision resulted in a shockwave that suddenly exploded. Nate was too close to it and was blasted back even as a giant pit opened up in the ground.

Nate looked at Liu Shaoqiu in shock. Was that just now the First Sword of the Thirteen Swords? What strong power! Suddenly, a shiver ran down Nate’s spine. His instinct for danger that had been honed over many years of fighting for survival in the Cosmic Sea caused him to look up in time to witness an inconceivable scene. The entire region was enveloped by a sea of sword qi. This was a domain.

Liu Shaoqiu’s Second Sword soon followed, unleashing a pressure upon everything as countless strands of sword qi pierced through the void and pervaded the area within a thousand meters of him.

The students retreated time and time again, as they could also feel the danger from the Second Sword.

Nate grit his teeth and chose not to defend, but to instead loose another arrow. Oddly enough, he did not aim his bow and seemingly released it at random, but Liu Shaoqiu was shocked to see that the arrow carried the sensation of a domain with it. Nate had also comprehended a domain.

Layer after layer of earth was stripped away as Nate forcibly took on the full might of Liu Shaoqiu’s Second Sword. He did not attempt to dodge or redirect it, but he was also unable to completely block this sword. Nate’s domain was an archer’s dream, as it allowed him to see what others could not. However, his domain did not directly improve his defenses, so he could only aim for mutual destruction.

Liu Shaoqiu’s Second Sword eliminated everything in its path and turned all to nothingness. Multiple spatial cracks appeared before merging back into the void. It was a long time before space stabilized once again.

Off in the distance, Silus’s eyes went wide. This was the Thirteen Swords, which not even they with reflexes honed in the Cosmic Sea could evade.

Nightqueen Yanqing’s eyes narrowed; this sword was enough to defeat Nate, but Liu Shaoqiu’s condition was unknown. She considered her options and then waved her hand, causing a gale to sweep through the battlefield. A bloodsoaked Nate was revealed. He had been severely injured. Meanwhile, Liu Shaoqiu’s right arm had received some slight damage, but he had no other injuries aside from his arm.

The onlookers were shocked; this was Liu Shaoqiu! He was the Sword Sect’s preeminent genius, the inheritor of the Thirteen Swords, the one who had used just the First Sword to defeat Kuang Wang and many others. If not for Lu Yin, he would have definitely been one of the top four in the Astral Combat Tournament.

Nate spat out a mouthful of blood, and with great difficulty, raised his head to look at Liu Shaoqiu. He could not accept this outcome. He had not underestimated the Thirteen Swords, but he had still lost. The moment the Second Sword was displayed, his defeat had been guaranteed. He did not possess the strength to match it.

Silus walked over to Nate and helped him up to his feet.

Nate felt miserable. If our Arcadian Arrow Crew had a battle technique as powerful as the Thirteen Swords, would we still have to hide? We’re nothing but stray dogs.

Silus felt helpless. “Nate, we’ve been defeated, first by Lu Yin, and now by Liu Shaoqiu. This is the strength of the top four.”

“There’s nothing more to say since we’ve already lost. Let’s go.” Nate suppressed his heavy injuries and bade farewell to Nightqueen Yanqing. The two members of the Arcadian Arrow Crew would now leave Astral-3 and return to the Cosmic Sea. There was no longer any need for them to participate in the tournament since they had already lost here.

Nightqueen Yanqing tried to convince the two of them to stay, but they left since they were too ashamed.

Afterwards, she turned to Liu Shaoqiu with a somber expression and said, “You’ve improved yet again.”

His eyes passed over her with clear disdain that could even be seen by the students who were some distance away. This caused Nightqueen Yanqing to feel unbearably furious. “Liu Shaoqiu, what are you implying?”

“In the Daynight Clan, only Zhanlong Daynight might be my match,” he softly replied.

She clenched her fists as four-lined battle force surged out from her body. “You’re too arrogant!”

Liu Shaoqiu turned around and looked at the rest of Astral-3’s students. He then said, “Pass my message on to Lu Yin: I, Liu Shaoqiu, will be waiting for my battle with him with my Fourth Sword.”