Chapter 10: The Overpowered Protagonist's Power Fantasy (9)

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On this day, Su Bai fought nearly five consecutive matches on the arena stage, emerging undefeated. Every cultivator who faced her, regardless of their cultivation level, was defeated within three sword strikes. The final strike always unleashed an unstoppable sword intent, like a gale sweeping through, powerful and unyielding.

One strike, one kill. One move, victory.

Truly worthy of the name "Soul-Piercing Sword"!

The most terrifying thing was that this sword strike did not even rely on her most familiar water elemental affinity.

Everyone assumed that she had been exceptionally admitted to the inner sect due to inheriting the Saint Sovereign’s legacy. Their eyes were filled with envy and resentment, but now it seemed this quiet, modest girl really had some serious skills. Deep down, they silently prayed not to face her in the next match.

The arena competition ran for three full days, with about fifteen rounds. Only on the final day did Su Bai meet Qin Yang.

Previously, disciples of the Outer Sect of the Boundless Sect always linked Su Bai and Qin Yang together. They overlooked that she, too, possessed the Heavenly Water Spirit Root and an extraordinary cultivation speed.

These two were once engaged but had now grown distant and estranged.

One was a rising star, the other no less formidable.

One had caused alarm throughout the Boundless Sect by sweeping through all the righteous task halls with an Inner Sect senior, Shen Xing.

The other had gained great renown by inviting the chief disciple of the Rejuvenation Valley’s master.

Moreover, they both vied for the Saint Sovereign’s legacy and were the only two never defeated on this arena.

Such a tangled drama of love turned hate between a couple attracted not only many Inner Sect disciples who had already competed, but also numerous senior brothers and sisters who couldn’t resist bringing small stools to watch these two stormy figures of the Boundless Sect.

“Front row, selling small tables and chairs! Spirit stones, herbs, spirit ores, and melon seeds for sale!”

“Come, come! Place your bets! Bet on Su Bai’s victory on the left, or Qin Yang’s on the right!”

Yue Nianxin curiously leaned in. “What are the odds for this match?”

The bookmaker twirled his pasted-on mustache and chuckled, “Not much, just six to one.”

Yue Nianxin’s interest grew. “Su junior sister is six?”

She wondered silently why suddenly so many could recognize a gem when they saw one.

The bookmaker looked at her like she was an idiot. “Early-stage Heart-Excitement versus peak-stage Heart-Excitement—think a bit, who can win?”

“But Su junior sister once defeated Liu Zongyu at mid-stage Heart-Excitement!”

As a fervent fan of Su Bai, Yue Nianxin couldn’t stand anyone badmouthing her and retorted, “She later defeated several mid-stage Heart-Excitement opponents undefeated!”

“Why should that matter?” The bookmaker shrugged helplessly. “Calm down, friend. Exactly because of what you said, these six-to-one odds for early-stage versus peak-stage are already very low... Normally, it’d be more than twenty to one.”

Yue Nianxin ignored all that.

She pulled out a pile of spirit stones from her dimensional pouch and declared fiercely, “No nonsense! Here are two thousand high-grade spirit stones. I bet on Su junior sister’s victory!”

Behind her, the poor Shen Xing stared blankly.

How could someone be so extravagant?

He rummaged through his pouch and reluctantly put up five hundred high-grade spirit stones.

Five hundred spirit stones were almost his entire fortune.

No choice—sword cultivators were always poor!

“I also bet on Su junior sister’s victory!”

Unlike Yue Nianxin’s carefree attitude toward money, Shen Xing spoke with a hint of frustration, each word seeming to jump out one by one.

The bookmaker was delighted, loudly accepting the pile of spirit stones.

See, they still loved nothing more than making easy money from their friends’ bets.

Not only were the Boundless Sect disciples highly attentive to this match, but even the elders of the sect paid special attention.

“An early-stage Heart-Excitement cultivator who has consecutively defeated several mid-stage opponents—this girl’s future is limitless,” the Supreme Elder remarked as he observed the tense atmosphere in the octagonal arena. “The young truly inspire awe, the young truly inspire awe.”

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Elder Yaoguang said calmly, “Qin Yang has the Heavenly Thunder Spirit Root and has broken through two minor levels of Heart-Excitement in just two years. Such cultivation speed is unprecedented. Under the Saint Sovereign’s guidance, he’s been training swordsmanship for a year. Compared to him, this young disciple still lacks in innate talent.”

Elder Xianyun countered, “Yet the ‘Soul-Piercing Sword’ technique this girl created herself is truly exquisite. The sword intent is sharp, stretching like a rainbow, unstoppable. That she can form such precise sword intent so quickly shows her resolute Dao heart and exceptional mastery of spiritual energy flow.”

Since the mysterious formation incident, Elder Xianyun had pored over countless ancient texts and grew ever more convinced that the runes Su Bai formed within that formation were without doubt Dao patterns.

Not yet an alchemist, yet already on the path!

Elder Xianyun knew this disciple’s future was boundless.

“But I wonder, who would win between this sword intent and Qin Yang’s?”

The Supreme Elder stroked his beard and joined the discussion, “Qin Yang is two minor levels ahead, but no matter how exquisite the sword intent, the gap between realms is like a chasm.”

“Qin Yang’s two years outside the sect have honed his sword intent through real battles; it may not be inferior to this girl’s,” Elder Yaoguang agreed. “Fortune and danger go hand in hand. Since he has received such a blessing from the Heavenly Dao, how could he be compared to a disciple raised within the sect?”

“That ‘Soul-Piercing Sword’ is not something a privileged disciple could wield,” said the usually reclined and eyes-closed Free Sword Sovereign, unusually joining in. His tone was calm, but his words carried great weight, causing even Elder Yaoguang’s expression to change.

As the current foremost swordmaster, the Free Sword Sovereign rarely involved himself in worldly affairs, but when he did, no one dared object.

He glanced lightly at the girl in the octagonal arena.

“The Heavenly Water Spirit Root is no poor talent. As sword cultivators, we strive to contest with Heaven and Earth. How can we be confined by mere talent, cultivation, or aptitude?”

**

On the arena, the elder in charge of order, having learned from Su Bai’s previous clash with Liu Zongyu, announced the match as soon as the two stood on the stage, without waiting for words.

[Coming from the hot recommendations! Who is that big shot so generous as to drop this live stream to the top spot on the hot list?]

[Still front-page recommended! That must have cost over a hundred thousand spirit stones!]

[A local dog is stunned—who’s that boss?]

[Isn’t this the Dragon Soaring Heaven script? Why is it from a female perspective? Wouldn’t a male lead version be way more popular?]

[Heard the Dragon Soaring Heaven system is quite interested in this script.]

Qin Yang had faced Su Bai before and, though he hadn’t unleashed his sword qi, had already experienced her sword moves.

Watching the past few days, even the Saint Sovereign couldn’t help but marvel at her uncanny timing.

Qin Yang dared not underestimate her, yet being two minor levels higher, he would neither lose nor could afford to lose.

“Junior Sister Su, I concede to you,” Qin Yang bowed respectfully.

Su Bai nodded in response.

Drawing the Unity Sword, Qin Yang first used the Thunder Control Technique to attach thunder to his blade, then launched the first form of the Ten Thousand Swords Returning Sect sword technique, striking swiftly from behind Su Bai.

The girl was prepared.

Her longsword arced in a perfect, snowy white curve. Su Bai lightly twisted her wrist; the sword followed her will, and the Lone Solitary Sword swiftly unsheathed to block the rear attack with a clear clang.

At first, Qin Yang still had some lingering feelings and held back his full strength in that first strike.

But seeing Su Bai actually countering his sword qi, a flicker of fear crossed Qin Yang’s mind.

He gripped the hilt tightly and leapt back, creating distance between himself and the girl.

That was a full two minor levels’ difference!

[This Qin Yang is really despicable... Is it necessary to exaggerate like this right at the start—peak-stage Heart-Excitement versus early-stage?]

[Is that so? If Qin Yang held back, you’d probably accuse him of lacking sword spirit.]

[That last move—honestly, I’m sweating for the streamer.]

[The streamer draws her sword! She draws her sword on the very first strike!]

[Can she still use the Soul-Piercing Sword like this?]

While the live chat buzzed with excitement, Su Bai and Qin Yang had already exchanged several rounds.

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Thunder elements naturally counter water elements. Qin Yang could attach thunder to his sword and simultaneously use thunder magic, but Su Bai could not easily wield water magic.

This was due to the overwhelming cultivation gap and elemental countering; if she erred even slightly, the water magic wouldn’t aid her but might instead attract lightning.

“Looks like Junior Sister Su is at a disadvantage.”

“Thunder elements are immensely powerful and naturally counter water. Combined with a two-level cultivation gap, how can she fight?”

“Since Qin has returned to the sect, Su Bai’s temperament has changed, though it’s probably just a quarrel with him. How can Qin take it so seriously?”

The crowd below began to murmur.

“Senior Sister Yun came to the Boundless Sect for alchemy exchange... I don’t think Qin is really at fault.”

“Exactly, after all Rejuvenation Valley is the top in alchemy now!”

“Mutated spirit roots really are superior. If she could use ice, maybe it would be a different story.”

Su Bai took another sword strike.

The two-level gap and thunder element ignited the passion long dormant in her bones.

Meanwhile, the live stream’s notification sounds kept ringing, alerting her to the massive influx of viewers.

Muscle memory guided Su Bai’s swordplay, while her mind raced.

Ice elements differed from thunder; as long as the temperature was low enough, water could freeze. Using the Frost Cold Technique to lower temperature might make this possible.

If only she had enough time.

Qin Yang felt a chill at his back and instinctively curled away just as a long sword cut through the air in a side swipe, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

Though she dared not use water magic openly, if she found even the slightest opening, who knew who would win?

In pure swordsmanship, he didn’t even have a fifty percent chance.

Qin Yang’s eyes narrowed; gripping his sword without hesitation, he struck once. Su Bai dodged sideways, but Qin Yang followed with another sword strike, giving her no chance to rest.

By her sheer strength, she managed to turn a situation of total domination into a stalemate.

And the only thing he risked losing was this arena match!

Clang—

That strike was merely a feint.

The sword’s edge shimmered, cutting through the wind. The youth moved like a gust, gathering thunder’s power in his blade and slashing out.

It sounded like a dragon’s roar amidst thick clouds. As the clouds parted, thunder condensed into a full dragon form, whiskers several meters long. The disciples below were horrified, amazed by the earth-shattering sword intent in that strike.

At that moment, they all silently thought—

Truly a prodigy of Heaven’s grace!

Elder Yaoguang’s eyes flickered as he straightened, “This is... the Heavenly Evolution Sword Technique...”

That strike was the first form of the Heavenly Evolution Divine Execution Sword, Breaking Through the Clouds.

They marveled at Qin Yang’s extraordinary swordsmanship, yet none noticed the girl’s eyes glinting within the sword light.

For many years, she had not met such a worthy opponent.

How does one break through from early-stage to peak-stage Heart-Excitement?

Water’s highest virtue is like water itself—benefiting all things without contention. How could it overcome this overwhelming thunder?

How to overcome the ancient supreme sword Dao’s Heavenly Evolution Technique?

In such a disadvantage, even if she chose to concede now, no one would dare underestimate her or mock her as a coward fleeing without a fight.

Obstacles were everywhere, restrictions constant, and her will not her own.

Heaven did not wish her to walk this path, yet she understood—

This time, the sword she wielded would carve out her own Dao!