Chapter 1646: Unexpected Weapon

Zu'an suddenly seemed a little shy. "How could I possibly impose? But if Sister Yan were willing, I wouldn't be entirely opposed..."

Yan Xuehen: "..."

She was almost angered to laughter by his shamelessness, completely unprepared for such a statement.

Yan Xuehen's rage level increased by +444+444+444...

She took a deep breath, diligently reminding herself to remain detached and not succumb to anger. Then, she suddenly flashed a captivating smile. "My relationship with Chuyan means such a thing is simply impossible. Now, I'll give you one last chance to be clear: if you absolutely have to choose between the two of us, who would it be?"

She secretly mused, if he truly chose her, it would prove him to be a faithless and disloyal scoundrel. Even if it meant incurring Chuyan's displeasure, she would sever their relationship to prevent Chuyan from being deceived by such a scoundrel.

If he chose Chuyan...

"Wouldn't that be as it should be? I would offer them my sincere blessings, and my heart should then fully return to its former tranquility."

"If I chose you, would you be with me?" Zu'an suddenly asked, gazing at her face, as pure and translucent as ice and snow.

"Yes," Yan Xuehen replied, though her heart gradually grew cold. He truly was a scoundrel who cast aside the old for the new. She was certain he would choose any other woman just to curry favor.

Zu'an studied her carefully for a moment, then slowly stated, "Only children make multiple-choice decisions. Adults... want everything."

Yan Xuehen's eyes widened instantly. She never imagined he could utter such a shameless statement with such conviction.

"Get lost!"

With a stern face, she flicked her sleeve and departed. Yet, for some reason, she felt a strange sense of relief in her heart.

Watching her depart with a frosty expression, Zu'an realized he had truly pushed her too far this time. He thought to himself, "I really can't bring myself to speak against my conscience. I should have just chosen her to humor her first..."

Time flew by, and soon it was the semi-finals.

A group of judges took their seats on the high platform. After several days of interaction, even if they had been strangers before, they now at least recognized each other, nodding and smiling in acknowledgment.

Guan Chouhai of Lihantian suddenly chuckled. "Who do you all think is more likely to win the first match?"

His previous defeat had caused him significant loss of face, but after so many days, and with frequent upsets occurring afterward, his mood had gradually recovered.

Wan Tongtian chuckled. "Of course, it will be Wu Xiaofan. He effortlessly dealt with Luo Dongjiang, the chief disciple of Mount Luofu, while Wan Guiyi had such a difficult time defeating Qiuchanzi of Qingxu Manor."

Elder Xu of Mount Luofu and Deputy Manor Lord He of Qingxu Manor, who were standing nearby, glared at them, thinking, "Thanks a lot for pointing out their identities."

Zu'an mused that Wan Tongtian's emotional intelligence was truly low. No wonder he and Abbess Huoling, despite clearly harboring feelings for each other, ultimately became sworn enemies.

Wang Wuxie smiled faintly. "Brother Wan, you're overstating it. Xiaofan was merely fortunate that time. Nephew Luo's true strength isn't so limited; perhaps their styles simply countered each other, preventing him from performing optimally. As for Qiuchanzi of Qingxu Manor, his 'Winter Cicada's Cry' technique greatly impressed us. Few among his peers could surpass him. Nephew Wan's ultimate victory demonstrated that his sword intent has reached a state of complete freedom, so his chances of winning this match are very high."

Elder Xu and Deputy Manor Lord He's expressions immediately brightened. Receiving Wang Wuxie's affirmation made them feel incredibly pleased.

Even Wan Tongtian's lips curved upward slightly. This "Wang" person was handsome and articulate, truly someone worth befriending.

Zu'an's expression was odd. He had always thought that people would try to "accumulate good karma" during exams in his previous life, but he hadn't expected the people in this different world to be the same.

At this moment, the elder presiding over the Zhengyang Sect announced the start of the semi-finals. Wan Guiyi and Wu Xiaofan stood on opposite sides of the stage, their gazes locked, causing the surrounding air to subtly thicken.

Below the stage, aside from the Zhengyang Sect and Biluo Palace supporting their respective disciples, the other spectators were clearly divided into two factions.

One group supported Wu Xiaofan; after all, he was the most renowned and treated people with warmth and politeness, making it difficult for anyone to feel animosity towards him.

However, a significant portion of the audience also supported Wan Guiyi, with a notably larger percentage of female cultivators among them. While Wan Guiyi might have been a bit overly theatrical and arrogant, his undeniable good looks made up for it.

This blend of theatricality, arrogance, and handsomeness, in fact, created a unique charisma.

Wan Guiyi looked at Wu Xiaofan, whose hands were empty, and frowned, "You're not planning to use a weapon against me either?"

Simultaneously, he silently cursed Luo Dongjiang for being useless, having failed to uncover any of Wu Xiaofan's true capabilities. Now, he didn't even know what weapon Wu Xiaofan used.

Wu Xiaofan's expression was mild. "Most of my martial arts skills reside in my hands; there's little difference whether I use a weapon or not."

Wan Guiyi snorted, saying nothing further. He flicked his finger against the sword guard, and his long sword sprang from its sheath, a flash of lightning seeming to erupt across the stage.

A collective gasp immediately echoed throughout the Golden Summit, as most disciples couldn't even clearly perceive his sword strike.

Qiuchanzi also sprang to his feet. He noted that Wan Guiyi's sword strike was noticeably faster than when they had competed previously.

It turned out he had still been holding back his strength then, only unleashing his full power when confronting Wu Xiaofan...

At this thought, his expression instantly became somewhat crestfallen. He couldn't help but grasp his head with both hands, ruffling his hair until it resembled a tangled bird's nest.

"This Wan's swordsmanship is indeed exceptional. Give him another ten years to grow, and he will undoubtedly become a formidable enemy to our Holy Sect," Yun Jianyue couldn't help but lament.

Qiu Honglei gasped in surprise. "Master, you're not thinking of eliminating this potential threat preemptively, are you?"

Daoist masters are everywhere here. If we were to act against such an important disciple as Wan Guiyi, our identities could easily be exposed.

"What are you thinking? How could I be someone who bullies the younger generation?" Yun Jianyue said. "These are conflicts among your juniors; I will not get involved."

Only then did Qiu Honglei recall that although her master originated from the Demonic Sect, she had always been exceedingly proud and disdained engaging in such despicable acts. In some respects, she was more of a true lady than some of those on the righteous path.

At this moment, intense surges of elemental energy erupted from the arena. Wu Xiaofan had witnessed his sword-drawing technique before, and though the speed was greater this time, he remained composed despite his surprise.

He wielded his hands, generating powerful palm winds. Faintly visible whirlwinds of energy swirled around his body, neutralizing each of the opponent's incomparably sharp sword energies.

As palm winds and sword energy collided, powerful aftershocks were generated. The hard arena floor shattered into pieces, which were then drawn up by the strong winds, causing sand and stones to fly across the entire stage.

Feng Wuchang, the Peak Master of Guanxin Peak, watched with twitching eyelids. He was consistently responsible for all matters concerning these arenas.

The materials used for these arenas were special, precious stones, further reinforced with protective spell formations. Yet, these prodigies fought with such intensity that almost every round resulted in an arena being rendered unusable. This was all money! The Grand Preceptor, not having to manage expenses, didn't understand the true cost of things.

Calculating the expenses of these past days in his mind, Feng Wuchang was almost in tears.

"Oh, Wan Guiyi has actually gained the upper hand!" Many disciples were utterly astonished. Most had favored Wu Xiaofan, yet now Wan Guiyi was completely dominating him.

Wan Guiyi's form had completely dissolved into afterimages. He never once touched the ground, instead flying and circling above Wu Xiaofan's head, with countless projections of Wan Guiyi periodically descending to attack with their swords.

Wu Xiaofan's bare hands moved with impenetrable speed, creating a formidable storm above his head that neutralized Wan Guiyi's repeated attacks.

However, to a discerning observer, his situation was clearly quite unfavorable. As the saying goes, "He who defends too long is sure to lose." With his current emphasis on defense over offense, even a single vulnerability could easily cause his position to crumble.

Sure enough, amidst the myriad sword shadows, a sudden flash of light heralded Wan Guiyi's true form emerging from the side. A magnificent sword gleam erupted, piercing towards Wu Xiaofan's ribs like a phantom.

The energy around Wu Xiaofan was visibly cleaved by the sword light, and then the sword pierced his ribs.

However, Wu Xiaofan reacted swiftly, striking the side of his opponent's blade with his palm to deflect it. Then, with a tap of his toes, he instantly created distance between them.

Wan Guiyi did not pursue. Instead, he stood still with his sword, coldly saying, "If you don't use a weapon, you're no match for me."

Qiu Honglei couldn't help but retort, "Master, I've noticed that these Daoist disciples are quite illogical. They clearly gain the advantage but refuse to press their attack, insisting instead on putting on a show for the sake of appearances. It's utterly pedantic."

Yun Jianyue replied, "Others are indeed as you say; they deserve their fate for wasting opportunities. However, Wan Guiyi's temperament is exceptionally devoted to the sword. He disdains cunning victories. It is precisely this quality that makes his swordsmanship so formidable, and his future potential is immeasurable. Of course, he is not without weaknesses. Against a Demonic Sect master, it would be easy to exploit his straightforwardness and cause his early demise, preventing him from fulfilling his talent."

At this moment, Wu Xiaofan on the stage sighed. "I initially thought Brother Wan was injured, and therefore it would be unsporting to use a weapon. I never expected Brother Wan to be so formidable; instead, I find myself at a disadvantage."

As he spoke, his palms suddenly dropped, then slowly rose as he circulated his qi. A golden light flew out from his lower abdomen.

When the golden light dispersed, everyone clearly saw a toothpick floating in front of him, pointing in Wan Guiyi's direction.

Wu Xiaofan said with a solemn expression, "Mine is quite large; you'll have to bear with it."