Chapter 1642

The crowd around the arena burst into laughter. The scene on the stage was simply too comical; no one had ever imagined that the chief disciple of Tai Xuan Cave would be such an amusing character. Some people even started private bets, wondering if he was truly that naive or if he was merely feigning ignorance to provoke Lou Wucheng. Most leaned towards the latter, as it seemed too incredible for a dignified chief disciple to be genuinely that foolish.

Zu'an wanted to laugh, thinking that if this guy had a keyboard system, he'd probably generate anger points faster than anyone.

While some were amused, others were decidedly not. Lou Wucheng on the stage was one of the latter. He prided himself on being courteous and well-mannered, but this youngster from Tai Xuan Cave was simply too infuriating. Furious, he struck without holding back, thrusting his sword directly forward. The entire blade seemed to vanish, leaving only a pinpoint of cold light at the tip, like a viper's tongue, aiming straight for Shi Dingtian's major acupuncture point on the shoulder.

Wan Guiyi, Wu Xiaofan, and others nodded subtly. Lou Wucheng indeed lived up to his reputation; his swordsmanship was quite impressive. Only Li Changsheng frowned slightly, feeling that his disciple was currently too impetuous, and the swordsmanship he employed deviated from the true essence of the Long-Life style.

Shi Dingtian, startled, hastily dodged. His movement technique wasn't refined, but his speed was incredible; his dodges and turns seemed to push the limits of human agility. Yet, no matter how fast he moved, he couldn't outpace Lou Wucheng's sword. A pressure, like an immortal's touch, constantly enveloped his vital points.

Seeing no way to evade, Shi Dingtian met the opponent's long sword head-on with a punch. His fists were as hard as metal and stone, clashing with the sword tip dozens of times in the blink of an eye. The powerful elemental energy of both combatants collided, sending out ripples of air and producing deafening explosions. Fortunately, the arena had been specially reinforced, otherwise the disciples standing nearby would likely have been injured by the sheer force of the sound.

"This Shi Dingtian's physical body is truly formidable; he can actually use his bare fists to withstand Lou Wucheng's Long-Life Sword!" many spectators exclaimed in surprise.

As it concerned a disciple of White Jade Capital, Yan Xuehen paid closer attention, wondering how someone of his cultivation could have trained his body to such an extent. Still, when it came to toughness, no one could compare to *that* guy... Who knew what she was thinking, but a faint blush appeared on Yan Xuehen's usually serene face.

Wang Wuxie, who had been discreetly glancing at her, happened to witness this scene and was momentarily entranced. She looked so radiant today. So many years had passed, and she seemed to grow more beautiful, while he, by contrast, felt he was aging... A mixture of emotions filled him, his expression one of profound melancholy.

Just then, amidst a chorus of gasps, new developments unfolded on the stage. The two combatants, who had been entangled moments before, were now separated. Lou Wucheng stood pristine in his white robes, one hand behind his back, the other holding his long sword pointed diagonally downwards, a faint bead of blood clinging to its tip. Across from him, Shi Dingtian appeared far more disheveled. His fists were already bloody, and his clothes on his shoulders, chest, and thighs were torn, revealing shallow sword cuts.

"If you don't use a weapon, you might die," Lou Wucheng said. After the rapid, storm-like series of attacks, much of his anger had subsided. He not only wanted to win but to win elegantly. With Shi Dingtian unarmed in front of everyone, even a victory wouldn't be glorious.

Shi Dingtian scratched his head. "You're a bit stronger than those guys in the group stage. I really can't beat you with bare hands." All those who had fought him in the group stage immediately darkened their expressions. *How could this kid be so insulting?*

At this point, Master Mu from the referee's stand called out, "Dingtian, since Senior Brother Lou is so magnanimous, you should use a weapon and learn from him." The decennial Daoist Sect Grand Competition was a major event for every sect, and he didn't want to lose so easily.

Shi Dingtian looked troubled. "But I didn't bring a weapon." Master Mu also looked troubled. His own weapon wasn't a saber, and if he gave Shi Dingtian a weapon now, it would seem like excessive interference. White Jade Capital would surely protest.

Just then, a helpful disciple near the arena called out, "I have a saber here; you can borrow it!" Those participating in this grand competition were elites from their respective sects, none of them afraid of a little excitement. They would have loved for the two on the stage to fight until their brains spilled out. But someone nearby quickly scoffed, "That's not even an Earth-tier weapon. How can you be so shameless as to offer it against the Long-Life Sword?" The man, his neck reddening, retorted, "As the saying goes, a copper coin's tinderbox can light the most precious incense. Why can't my weapon be used in a match?"

As the two argued, Shi Dingtian grinned foolishly. "That's enough, that's enough! Any saber will do." Lou Wucheng's face darkened. *Any saber will do? Is he looking down on me that much?*

The man in the audience, seeing his offer accepted, flushed with excitement and held up the saber. "Here, take it!" Just as Shi Dingtian reached for it, he suddenly turned back to Lou Wucheng and said, "I'm going to get the saber now. Don't ambush me from behind, okay?"

Lou Wucheng's eyelids twitched. He gritted his teeth and said, "Given my standing, how could I possibly do something so despicable?" Disciples from White Jade Capital also voiced their support, agreeing that the young man was utterly outrageous. In contrast, the disciples from Tai Xuan Cave were all stifling their laughter, clearly well-acquainted with such antics.

Soon, Shi Dingtian had the saber in his hand. Lou Wucheng said in a cold voice, "Can we fight now?" Having been repeatedly played by this kid, he was now truly contemplating murder.

"Yes," Shi Dingtian replied. No sooner had he finished speaking than Lou Wucheng moved. He launched himself upwards with a single push of his foot, ascending dozens of meters. Spreading his arms, he appeared like a cross embedded in the sky. Simultaneously, a vague, ethereal outline of a celestial palace suddenly appeared in the sky behind him. In the vicinity of the arena, almost all the disciples suddenly felt a chill, desolate, and solitary sensation, as if abandoned by the world. They also faintly perceived an inexplicable pressure, as if being watched by a deity.

"Heavens, is that really the legendary celestial palace?" Many were excited. Although it was a world of cultivation, no one had ever seen a true immortal. Even if this celestial palace was just an illusion, everyone felt it was what a celestial palace should look like.

In the arena, both Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue shook their heads slightly. This celestial palace was merely an empty facade; they had experienced the aura of true heavenly immortals in the Demon Race's Great Xia secret realm. Compared to that feeling, this celestial palace was vastly inferior. Both women unconsciously looked at Zu'an, musing on how incredibly lucky this man was. They knew that besides their talent, their own luck must have been exceptional to reach their current standing, but compared to Zu'an, it paled significantly. For years before meeting Zu'an, when had they ever had such wondrous encounters? Yet after encountering him, one incredible adventure followed another, leaving them no time to rest.

*Hm?* Both being Grandmasters, their senses were incredibly sharp, and they immediately realized they were both looking at Zu'an. Yun Jianyue wondered, *The Ice Maiden's gaze at this boy is rather strange. It's completely unlike her usual demeanor? Could it be that she, too, is concerned about her disciple's romantic life, just like me?* Yan Xuehen, on the other hand, secretly mused, *Elder Peng from Kongming Island wasn't well-known before, but her strength seems to be considerably greater than I imagined. And why is she staring at Zu'an like that? Is she planning something against him? Perhaps she's grateful because Zu'an helped the Kongming Island disciples earlier. Still, that gaze is truly peculiar...*

At this moment, Lou Wucheng in mid-air slowly raised his sword and pointed it at Shi Dingtian. The entire celestial palace then seemed to receive a command, pressing directly down towards his opponent. The overwhelming pressure emanating from it was felt by many nearby disciples, who instinctively trembled slightly.

"Is this the Long-Life Sword?" Wan Guiyi murmured to himself, his eyes filled with excitement, as he too was a master swordsman. Even the sect masters couldn't help but glance at Li Changsheng, acknowledging that the Long-Life Sword truly lived up to its reputation. In their eyes, Lou Wucheng's sword technique was still somewhat unrefined; for instance, many details of the celestial palace were blurry, and the overall effect lacked the desired weight and gravitas. But if Li Changsheng had executed it, could they have withstood it?

That kid from Tai Xuan Cave is finished! This was almost everyone's consensus; after all, it was impossible for the foolish young man to withstand a sword strike of such power. Only Zu'an watched Shi Dingtian with keen interest, refusing to believe he would be defeated so easily.

Just then, Shi Dingtian suddenly gripped his saber with both hands, let out a loud shout, and performed a simple "Power-Cleaving Mount Hua" strike. Yet, this seemingly casual chop generated a saber energy dozens of meters long. The saber energy collided with the celestial palace, causing violent fluctuations of elemental energy across the entire Golden Summit. The celestial palace was then cleaved in half down the middle. The saber light, too, neared collapse, shrinking significantly and flickering as if it might vanish at any moment, but it still continued its trajectory towards Lou Wucheng.

With his celestial palace destroyed, Lou Wucheng's vital energy surged wildly, leaving him temporarily unable to move. His pupils constricted sharply as he watched the saber light descend. At that moment, with a sharp crack, the saber in Shi Dingtian's hand, being mere common iron, could no longer withstand such an intense impact. It shattered with a *bang*, disintegrating into countless fragments that dispersed with the wind. The saber light vanished simultaneously.

Lou Wucheng seized the opportunity to recover, and with a flash of movement, he lunged towards his opponent, confident of victory in this situation. However, midway through, he suddenly leaped back, widening the distance between them. His pride as a swordsman prevented him from taking advantage of another's misfortune. "Brother Shi, your saber technique is truly extraordinary; I am deeply impressed. It's difficult to determine a victor today, so why don't we call it a draw and become friends?" In his view, by giving up an easy victory and offering a draw, he was already showing his opponent immense respect.

"Oh, by the way, what was the name of that saber technique you just used?" he inexplicably asked.

Shi Dingtian scratched his head. "That move? Master Long taught it to me. He said that if someone can't beat you, you should show mercy everywhere, and forgive others when you can. He also said... Hey, Senior Brother Lou, what's wrong?"

At that moment, Lou Wucheng was so infuriated that his vision went black, and he vomited blood before passing out.