Chapter Eighty-Three: When Will the Grudges of the Martial World Ever End

Qin Yi strode slowly to the center of the stone plaza, then sat cross-legged on the ground and waited quietly for Qian Fu to arrive.

The new disciple smacked his lips when he saw Qin Yi. He had watched Qian Fu’s match the day before, so he had already guessed that this man before him must be Brother Qin Yi. He had not expected to end up speaking at length with him about himself, and could not help feeling a little embarrassed.

When the people on the stone plaza saw Qin Yi, most of them more or less guessed who he was. And with Senior Brother Mu looking at Qin Yi in that way, there was no mistake about it. If that was not the look of a man seeing a love rival, then what else could it be?

The hour had not yet arrived, and Qian Fu had not come. So Qin Yi simply sat there the whole time, waiting for him.

At last, after a long wait, Qian Fu finally arrived. From the moment he appeared, he kept his eyes fixed darkly on Qin Yi, because this man was inexorably tied to the deaths of his grandfather and his uncle, and to the sharp decline of the Qian family’s standing in the South Sea. The Qian family of today was no longer the Qian family that had once controlled half the South Sea’s economy after that upheaval. For that reason, he hated the man before him.

Qin Yi opened his eyes and said to Qian Fu in a calm voice, “I said before that your grandfather’s death had nothing to do with me.”

Qian Fu curled his lip in disdain. “Then what about my uncle’s death? Did that have nothing to do with you too?”

Qin Yi no longer argued. Qian Qing’s death was indeed not something he could disown. Qin Yi rose to his feet and, looking at Qian Fu, who seemed ready to pounce on and devour him at any moment, said with solemn composure, “But you are not my match.”

Qian Fu paid no heed to those words. Clearly, he had no intention of letting this matter rest.

Qin Yi shook his head helplessly. It seemed further words would be useless.

After all, in his previous life he had been an orphan. To him, the closest people were his master, the senior and junior brothers of Cloud Soaring Island, and Jiang Yao. He had never known the agony of losing those dearest to him. Yet if the grudges of the martial world could truly be settled so easily, then there would not be so many feuds and resentments in it.

Qian Fu had not yet launched his attack, but black flames were already spreading around his body. Qin Yi began circulating his energy. Snowfall was instantly drawn from its sheath, and Qin Yi advanced, the sword thrusting straight toward Qian Fu. He could not guarantee that he would defeat Qian Fu within five moves, but he was certain that Qian Fu would never withstand ten in his hands.

Seeing Qin Yi thrusting straight at him with Snowfall, Qian Fu let the black flames spread outward, then condensed them before him into a black fireball, which he slapped toward Qin Yi. Qin Yi showed no sign of stopping; instead, he intended to force straight through it. Since the man wanted to deal with him, he might as well give him a lesson he would not forget.

Qin Yi tightened his right hand on Snowfall, and a burst of white sword qi erupted around the blade.

The black fireball was split apart by a single strike, yet Snowfall’s momentum remained undiminished.

Qian Fu immediately grew wary and swiftly summoned his magical instrument, a black bronze cauldron.

A clear ring echoed out as Snowfall’s white blade and the sword qi around it smashed heavily against the black cauldron, the sound reverberating across the stone plaza and into everyone’s ears.

After the exchange, Qin Yi borrowed the force to spring backward at once. He had been guarding against Qian Fu’s black flames. As expected of a noble clan’s young master, his cultivation might not have amounted to much, but the quality of that black cauldron was truly excellent. In this way, Qian Fu’s defenses were greatly strengthened, and it would not be easy to break his tortoise shell and then tear through the black flames.

But that was only difficult for others. Not for him.

Again and again, Qin Yi attacked Qian Fu while leaving only a trace of strength in reserve for defense. He wanted to test the endurance of their energy circulation. As soon as Qian Fu revealed even the slightest flaw in his defense, Qin Yi would strike without leaving a shred of mercy and subdue him in a single move. This was experience forged through countless battles, something Qian Fu did not possess. When experts exchanged blows, a single move could be fatal.

But Qian Fu was not a fool to be taken lightly. Though he never had the chance to take the offensive, that tortoise shell of a defense seemed extremely solid, and it had already blocked several of Qin Yi’s moves in succession.

Qin Yi was not the least bit anxious, because he had already noticed that Qian Fu was nearing exhaustion.

At last, just before the tenth exchange, Qin Yi found the flaw. Right after one attack, as he prepared to press forward again without restraint, Qian Fu’s energy circulation began to falter and run ragged. Though the black cauldron instinctively blocked, it was no different from having no defense at all. What made cultivators different from ordinary people was precisely this: they could sense the world’s vital energy through every meridian in their body and use it as their own. Their cultivation determined how far they could go in wielding that energy.

Qian Fu naturally also realized that his breathing and circulation were becoming ragged, and he instantly sensed trouble. He tried his utmost to circulate his energy again.

But how could Qin Yi possibly let such an opportunity slip away?

The blade tip of Snowfall, gleaming all over with light, pierced the black cauldron, which at that moment was dim and dull because Qian Fu had not yet gathered his energy again. It broke through brutally in an instant, then entered the area within Qian Fu’s defense. Qin Yi could not possibly kill Qian Fu with one sword strike, so he halted the tip, then swept sideways. Snowfall’s sword qi surged violently at once, rushing madly toward Qian Fu and sending him flying beneath his horrified gaze.

Qian Fu’s plump body crashed heavily onto the stone plaza, producing a dull, forceful impact that rang across the entire square.

Snowfall returned to its pale sheath with a clear metallic note. Only then did Qin Yi lift his head and smile toward Mu Fengqing not far away. “Senior Brother Mu, should the result be announced now?”

When the crowd on the stone plaza saw this scene, someone finally began to understand that Qin Yi was far from ordinary. Qian Fu might not have been especially strong in this session of the interline martial contest, and perhaps even surviving the first round had involved some measure of luck. But everyone present could see that his black cauldron was no ordinary thing. Yet Qin Yi had defeated him in fewer than ten moves. It seemed this peerless Dao embryo truly carried real weight.

Mu Fengqing frowned, but did not speak immediately.

Qin Yi only laughed inwardly at the sight. Keep waiting, then. Let’s see how long you can keep waiting.

Cough, cough.

No sooner had that thought surfaced than a somewhat abrupt fit of coughing sounded out over the otherwise silent stone plaza. Qin Yi followed the source of the sound with the speculation in his heart, and sure enough he saw that plump figure once again rising to his feet. Blood was plainly seeping from the corner of his mouth, yet the aura around him was no longer as unstable as before. Instead, it gave off a sense of rising power and momentum.

Feeling this change, Qin Yi could not help frowning. Suddenly he thought of something and looked again at Mu Fengqing not far away, only to find that the latter’s gaze no longer held the expression one would see from a discipline hall disciple encountering an unruly disciple of Mount Supreme Purity. Rather, there was a trace of amusement flashing in his eyes.

Qin Yi knew there was no point in saying it aloud today, even if he did.

He looked at Qian Fu, who had been injured moments before yet now radiated a soaring, vigorous presence, and sneered, “Despicable tricks. Only someone as mediocre as you would use such pathetic methods.”

Then, with some curiosity, he asked, “To be honest, I really do not understand why you would go this far just to injure me. Was it worth it?”

Qian Fu’s round face immediately broke into a mocking smile. “I have to thank your senior brother for figuring it out in time!”

Qin Yi shook his head helplessly. “Third Senior Brother, since you did not mean it, I will not hold it against you this time.”

Then he turned to Qian Fu with a fierce, dark look. “I’d like to see whether your lowly little tricks can actually hurt me.”

At the next instant, Snowfall’s sword light surged. Since you want to play, then I’ll play along.

Qian Fu felt the boundless power within his body and sensed that his cultivation had practically reached the peak of the Divine Transformation realm. His soul was strong enough to command even greater force.

He glared at Qin Yi in the distance, his eyes bloodshot, and roared, “Die!”

Then his energy surged violently all over him, even making his swollen cheeks tremble.

He once again summoned the black cauldron, controlling it from afar as it smashed viciously toward Qin Yi. This time, however, its momentum was far beyond what it had been before.

Sensing that aura, which seemed to be that of someone at the peak of the Divine Transformation realm, Qin Yi did not choose to meet it head-on. Instead, he chose to fight while retreating. Since forcibly raising one’s cultivation with pills could not possibly sustain such a state forever, no matter how effective the pills were, all he needed was to endure until that moment arrived. Then Qian Fu would be defeated without question.

And with the long-lasting energy circulation of the One Breath Transforms into Three Pure Ones technique, Qin Yi had that confidence.

On the stone plaza now unfolded a scene of one chasing and the other fleeing. Qian Fu, who had been attacking relentlessly, began to grow agitated, and many spectators, though they knew Qin Yi’s choice was the best one, still could not help feeling bored.

Qian Fu seemed to be losing patience, because he also knew he could not maintain this state for much longer.

Boom.

Black flames burned fiercely atop the black cauldron, and its momentum instantly surged to several times what it had been before, then crashed toward Qin Yi with overwhelming force.

Qin Yi narrowed his eyes. It seemed Qian Fu had realized he could no longer sustain this state and wanted to defeat him with a single blow. As long as he blocked this attack, it would be time for his counteroffensive.

Snowfall’s sword radiance surged, forming a sky-shaking pressure over the stone plaza. Even the surface of the flagstones below was being mercilessly cut apart by the razor-sharp sword qi.

The black cauldron, carrying that overwhelming force, smashed viciously toward Qin Yi on the stone plaza. Qin Yi, meanwhile, used sword qi as a shield and attempted to block it.

The next moment, the black cauldron slammed heavily into the shield of white sword qi. The stone plaza was instantly thrown into turmoil, and some of the weaker cultivators hurriedly retreated, unable to endure such an aura.

Die!

Suddenly, Qian Fu’s furious roar rang out across the stone plaza. To everyone’s shock, he actually ceased caring about controlling the black cauldron and charged straight at Qin Yi as well.

Seeing this, Qin Yi’s expression grew grave, because only he himself knew how much strength he had left. In truth, after blocking that strike, he was nearly spent. But seeing that Qian Fu now wanted so badly to kill him, and had even abandoned his own magical instrument and his bodily condition to attack him so recklessly, Qin Yi’s face darkened. Still, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and force out the last of his energy.

In the next moment, the black cauldron and Qian Fu’s fist struck the sword qi shield together.

Feeling those two powers from different directions, yet clearly originating from one and the same person, Qin Yi immediately saw Qian Fu in a new light. At the same time, Qian Fu looked back at him with a gleefully savage expression. Qin Yi understood at once. This was not something that could be done by a single pill. The duration and increase in cultivation could never be this great from just one pill alone. As he was sent flying, Qin Yi still thought to himself that this man had no regard for his own life.

Even if the side effects of the pills had been greatly reduced, flesh and blood were still flesh and blood. How could they bear such a burden?

With a heavy crash, Qin Yi slammed into the ground on the stone plaza, raising dust into the air.

At that moment, everyone on the plaza looked in astonishment at Qian Fu, who still showed no sign of his energy weakening. Even a fool could now see that Qian Fu had definitely cheated. As for why he had shown no side effects for so long, no one there knew.

But when they looked at him again, what filled their eyes more than anything else was still contempt.

A cultivator trained in the Dao. What difference was there between crooked paths and a heart unfaithful to the Dao?

Just like that senior brother of theirs who had once been hailed as a prodigy of the human race. No matter how formidable he was, whether among humans or at Mount Supreme Purity, was he not still someone people reviled?

Qian Fu’s mouth curled into a ferocious grin. Right now he cared only about killing Qin Yi or crippling him badly. He would not concern himself with anything else.

Mu Fengqing’s expression finally changed as well. It was a smile. Then he stood up, ready to announce the result of the martial contest.

Cough, cough.

Yet just as he had risen and was about to speak to declare the outcome, a faint coughing of blood, though soft, rang out clearly before him and beat him to it.

The crowd immediately turned toward the source of the sound, all eyes looking together into the dust that had still not yet settled, each gaze full of astonishment.

Once the dust finally settled, everyone saw Qin Yi’s figure. By then, he was no longer the elegant figure he had once been. His face was streaked with dust, his originally tied long hair was in disarray, and his flowing blue robe had become tattered and torn.

In short, Qin Yi was in utter disarray.

On the surface, however, he did not seem to have suffered any serious injury; only a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Looking at Qian Fu, who still wore a faintly smug expression, Qin Yi grinned. “You’re truly impressive. You’ve made me look this miserable!”

But this time, his tone carried a trace of coldness.

It seemed the lingering mercy in his heart had harmed him after all. Still, it did not matter. Against someone like Qian Fu, whom he had barely even looked at, what did it matter to let him have a few more rounds?

In the silence, Qin Yi lifted Snowfall with one hand and pointed the sword tip at Qian Fu, his gloomy eyes fixed on him.

Seeing this, Qian Fu merely bared his teeth in a grin. Though Qin Yi had already stood back up, he was absolutely certain that the blow he had just landed had injured Qin Yi. Qin Yi’s condition was definitely terrible. Although he had launched several attacks in succession, he had consumed two pills. He did not know what would happen to him afterward, but for now at least, he was fine. He could truly cripple Qin Yi.

Qian Fu gathered his energy again, preparing to attack once more.

Qin Yi tightened his right hand on Snowfall’s hilt. In the next instant, the sword burst with dazzling brilliance. Though no sword qi erupted from around the blade, perhaps precisely for that reason, Snowfall now seemed even more sharply exposed, its edge laid bare.

Mu Fengqing narrowed his eyes as he watched the sword in Qin Yi’s hand.

Qian Fu only felt a vague unease in his heart, but on the surface he still sneered. At times like this, the mind must not be thrown into disorder.

The next moment, Qin Yi suddenly closed his eyes, then lowered the right hand that had been holding Snowfall. The sword hovered in midair. Qin Yi stood with his left hand clasped behind his back, while his right palm faced the hilt. Slowly, he pushed out a palm strike. His movement was very slow, and Snowfall’s advance even slower. Yet even so, everyone present could faintly make out tiny sword marks appearing on the stone slabs beneath the sword.

At last, under the watchful gaze of everyone there, that sword left Qin Yi’s palm.

Whoosh.

The instant Snowfall left Qin Yi’s palm, it suddenly accelerated.

Crack.

The stone slabs through which Snowfall passed began to fracture in unison. At first it was only a little, but as Snowfall moved forward, its speed increased and the shattered area widened.

A fissure appeared across the stone plaza, growing from narrow to broad, from shallow to deep.

Clang.

Snowfall struck Qian Fu’s black cauldron and instantly knocked it away, sending it crashing onto the stone slabs with a series of loud impacts.

Ah!

Seeing that sword effortlessly break his defense in an instant, Qian Fu’s reason finally overcame everything else. He screamed miserably, his swollen face twisted beyond recognition.

Whoosh.

Just as Qian Fu was crying out in agony, everyone heard the sound of a figure moving swiftly. Then all eyes turned toward the place where Mu Fengqing had originally stood, only to find that there was nothing left there but an empty wooden chair.

Everyone on the plaza frowned at once.

Qin Yi, seeing this, first showed no expression. Then he merely smiled disdainfully and turned away with elegant ease. If his outward appearance were not so unseemly at the moment, he would indeed have had a bit of untroubled grace about him.

Mu Fengqing flashed before the terrified Qian Fu and drew his own sword to block that strike. Their master was not here now, and the senior brothers whose cultivation had reached the Golden Core realm were not here either, so it was his duty to preserve the face of South Flower Peak. But only an instant later, his expression turned to dread. Then, gritting his teeth fiercely, he shifted once more and vanished in an instant from before Qian Fu.

Qian Fu, who had just thought he had grasped the last straw and was overjoyed, stared blankly at this scene, unable to react for a moment.

The crowd was likewise stunned, then frightened.

At last, that sword fell upon Qian Fu. Though it still did not look especially eye-catching, everyone present could now vaguely discern its meaning.

Qian Fu was so terrified he could no longer even cry out, and could only stare helplessly as the sword came piercing toward him.