CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55: ZHAO YUNSHENG’S CONFLICTED PERSONALITY

Zhao Yunsheng appeared humble and even friendly on the surface, but in truth, his mind was stubborn to an unimaginable degree.

The sect’s number one prodigy, the position of Sect Leader—these were his obsessions, or one could say, the ideas instilled in him since childhood.

He must be the "child of other families"!

He could sacrifice for honor, he could save others, but... he would not allow anyone to take his honor away!

With this mindset, he gradually developed a certain hostility towards his dear Junior Brother Qin Zi.

Although he knew it wasn’t right, he couldn’t control his emotions, just like he couldn’t control his feelings of joy, anger, sadness, and happiness.

His heart was truly strange.

He knew that as long as Qin Zi lost to him, stayed a notch below him, he would still regard Qin Zi as his dear junior brother.

He would even extend genuine kindness.

But if Qin Zi surpassed him, there would be no room for reconciliation; they could only become adversaries!

And on this day,

their confrontation began.

The Death Canyon Test!!

This was one of the major exams within the Seven Martial Sects, capable of accurately measuring the disciples’ strength, and was held almost annually.

The Death Canyon was divided into twenty-three levels, and the further in one ventured, the stronger the mechanisms and puppet warriors became.

Generally speaking, passing thirteen levels was considered quite good, and even the strongest batch of sect disciples could only average up to fifteen levels.

Yet last year, Zhao Yunsheng made it to the seventeenth level!

In fact, for consecutive years, Zhao Yunsheng had been far ahead, firmly occupying the position of the sect’s number one prodigy.

But this year, it might be different.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Ah!!"

"My waist is broken!"

"I can’t go on, I’m quitting!"

"I give up!"

Voices of various kinds came from within the Death Canyon, ranging from sounds of combat, explosions of mechanisms, to cries of agony.

There were people secretly monitoring every level of the Death Canyon, ready to extract any disciple who couldn’t persist.

Many were injured, but few died.

As time passed, more and more disciples were carried out of the Death Canyon, each with a tag hanging from them.

Inscribed on these tags was a number, representing their score.

"Hahaha, finally made it to the tenth level this year, seems like there’s hope for me to enter junior sister’s inner circle."

"Hehe, junior sister is good. Ever since I got into her inner circle last year, I’ve conquered two more levels this year!"

"Junior sister Huang Die seems not to be light; is your waist alright?"

"Well... to tell you the truth, it was my waist that let me down earlier. If I hadn’t twisted it last night, I might have conquered another level."

Some disciples were discussing.

At the same time, they kept their eyes glued to the exit of the Death Canyon, eagerly anticipating the scores of those brilliant talents.

"Senior Brother Wu Cen, eighteen levels!"

"Senior Brother Wu Xiu, seventeen levels!"

"Senior Brother Lu Chong, seventeen levels!"

"Senior Sister Zuo Xuan, eighteen levels!"

...

As the geniuses kept coming out, the anticipation grew stronger. This year’s most anticipated, of course, were Senior Brother Zhao Yunsheng and Senior Brother Qin Zi!

Some even privately started setting up bets.

Would Senior Brother Zhao Yunsheng retain the title, or would Senior Brother Qin Zi catch up? They waited to find out.

"Here he comes, Senior Brother Zhao Yunsheng is coming out!"

At last, they saw a figure slowly walking out. He leaned on his sword with his right hand, and his body was still bloodstained.

His steps were somewhat unsteady, causing the tag hanging from his neck to sway side to side. The crowd squinted intently and could just barely make out the number on the tag... twenty-one!

"Twenty-one levels!!"

"Senior Brother Zhao Yunsheng reached the twenty-first level!"

"I heard that the twentieth level equates to the power of the first tier of the Nirvana境, and the twenty-first level is equivalent to the second tier of the Nirvana境!"

"He crossed that huge chasm between the Pure Yang境 and Nirvana境 and took an additional step!"

"Truly terrifying!"

"I think there’s no suspense about the first place this time; Senior Brother Zhao deserves his reputation."

The crowd excitedly discussed among themselves.

Those worshipful gazes made Zhao Yunsheng involuntarily reveal a slight smile.

This was the feeling he desired.

He glanced back at the Death Canyon and thought, Qin Zi shouldn’t have made it further than him, right?

Although he had heard before that Qin Zi once escaped from five Nirvana境 level experts, that was merely escaping with his life.

Who doesn’t have a few life-saving tricks?

Escaping doesn’t necessarily mean one can fight.

And besides, those five Nirvana境 were likely just newly broken-through rookies, not necessarily that formidable.

Thinking of this, his hostility towards Qin Zi diminished, and he once again added the words "Junior Brother" to how he addressed Qin Zi in his heart.

"Junior Brother Qin Zi probably had a hard time; after all, it’s his first time. Maybe he got stuck at the nineteenth level and wasted time..."

"When he comes out, how should I comfort him? Hmm, I can say he’s still young, no need to rush... Huh?!"

Suddenly, his brows furrowed.

Still too young?

Thinking about it, Qin Zi seems to be only eighteen, and he is already nearly twenty, almost two years apart!

So, at the same age, Qin Zi has actually surpassed him, and by quite a bit...

After a long time, he took a deep breath.

Then he consoled himself, "It’s fine! I’m two years older than him now, and I’ll still be two years older than him in the future, I’ll be two years older than him for my whole life!"

"As long as my absolute strength is greater than his, he won’t be able to catch up to me, not to mention... I’m the kind who matures late."

He tried his best to suppress the dark side within him.

He didn’t actually want to turn to the dark side.

Who wouldn’t want to be an open and upright, united and friendly, guilt-free, and respected person?

"Look quickly, Senior Brother Qin Zi is coming out!"

"Look at his tag!"

"Hiss!! That... that is..."

"Impossible, this can’t be!!"

The incredulous voices of the crowd erupted, almost everyone turning upside down.

Zhao Yunsheng’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly having a bad premonition, he took a deep breath and slowly turned his head to look.

He only saw Qin Zi limping out of Death Canyon, his body also covered in blood, and the tag around his neck saying... twenty-three!

Cleared!!

At this moment, Zhao Yunsheng’s mind went blank, like he was struck by lightning, a sense of unprecedented shame washed over his entire body.

He lowered his head and looked at his own tag, the golden "twenty-one" appeared so glaring.

Clearing twenty-one levels, which originally was an honorable achievement, yet at this moment, made him feel so humiliated!

He lost to Qin Zi, and he lost thoroughly.

His eyes reddened.

Feeling his eyes burning, seemingly as if blood was about to drip out, even possibly tears ready to burst forth.

Yet, he gritted his teeth and held it back.

He told himself, he must hold on, even if he lost the achievement, he couldn’t lose his composure in the public eye!!

"Junior Brother Qin Zi, congratulations, on clearing the twenty-third level, I heard the sect will have a special reward?"

Zhao Yunsheng walked over with a smile.

"Ah? Really? I didn’t know."

Qin Zi scratched his head, smiling awkwardly, "I was just practicing a Martial Arts skill, got into a state of oblivion, and muddled my way through."

Zhao Yunsheng only felt his heart contract intensely, a reverse flow of blood rushed to his throat, making his mouth taste sweet.

But he swallowed it back down.

"Haha, really, Junior Brother Qin is really diligent, no wonder you cleared it, Senior Brother should also learn from you."

Zhao Yunsheng said with a smile.

"Cough cough, you flatter me, you flatter me."

Qin Zi coughed a couple of times, feeling a bit uncomfortable, his instinct telling him now was not the time to be arrogant.

"During my fight earlier, I had a sudden insight, I’m going back to seclusion to digest it, you keep up the good work." Zhao Yunsheng patted Qin Zi’s shoulder with a smile, then turned and left.

"Goodbye Senior Brother Zhao."

Qin Zi quickly said, he could feel that Senior Brother Zhao was not very happy, which was understandable.

No one would be happy about losing.

But how unhappy Senior Brother Zhao was, he didn’t know, after all, everyone’s mindset, personality, and tolerance levels are different.

"Senior Brother Qin Zi, majestic!"

"Senior Brother Qin Zi, sign an autograph for me, just write it here."

"Senior Brother Qin Zi actually cleared the twenty-third level, unprecedented and unique, the sect’s top prodigy can be none other than you!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, simply unimaginable."

A group of disciples surrounded him, showering Qin Zi with flattery, their compliments endless.

And these voices, word for word, reached the ears of Zhao Yunsheng who hadn’t yet walked far, quickening his steps.

His steps grew faster and faster.

Finally, he walked to a place where no one was paying attention, leapt into the air, and arrived in a desolate valley.

The scope of the Seven Martial Sect is vast, with many such unnoticed valleys, often becoming places of rendezvous for many couples.

"Ah ah ah! How could I lose, I’m not willing!!"

He roared in rage, his power bursting out uncontrollably, unleashing it in all directions!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Crash! Crash!

The stone walls on both sides continued to explode, masses of rocks rolling down, crashing into the small river in the center of the valley, splashing high waves.

Even as his power rampaged, the waters began to explode violently, emitting great puffs of steam.

After a long time, he finally finished venting, his knees on the ground, palms on the earth, panting heavily.

"Why, why!!"

He hissed softly, filled with unwillingness, yet also with a thick sense of powerlessness—since Yu was born, why was Liang also born!

"Enough, it’s time to stop."

At this moment, a calm and elderly voice sounded, tinged with a sense of sighing.

Zhao Yunsheng slowly raised his head, looking forward.

He saw an elder in blue, with an extraordinary demeanor, standing with hands behind his back, on top of a protruding boulder in the middle of the river.

"Grandfather."

Zhao Yunsheng pursed his lips, calling out softly.