CHAPTER 239: CHAPTER 238 LUO XIBAI_1

"You were only wary of the sword in my hand, but you never guarded against the one at my waist."

Ling Chen paused, then said lightly, "It’s not that I didn’t guard against it, but that I simply couldn’t."

Lin Mo rubbed his aching neck. He felt dizzy, yet he got up from the ground and said, "I’ve lost! And I willingly admit defeat. Your swordsmanship is not only extremely clever, but it also possesses an aggressive edge, which you always keep hidden."

"Calling you the World’s Number One Swordsman may be a bit exaggerated, but among those present, perhaps only Xue Jingfeng, the ’Ghost Killing Sword,’ can compete with you in terms of swordsmanship."

"The Martial World is vast, and there are many experts. The younger generation is also filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. For people like us, all we can do is continuously explore and progress, rather than become arrogant and indulge in our minor achievements."

Ling Chen replied, his expression calm.

"Well said. Dustless, I hope we will have the opportunity to fight again in the martial arts assembly."

Lin Mo cupped his hands towards Ling Chen, then soared off the platform, alighting on the pool like a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface, and returned to his seat.

The next moment, from within the Guantian Pavilion, a dozen Lovebirds flew out, their colors bright and vibrant. They all landed on the platform and circled around Ling Chen. Strikingly, each of these Lovebirds bore a name.

"Zhao Clan, Zhao Yingying."

"The Grand Marshal’s daughter, Lu Yunqi."

"Princess Chang, Shen Ning."

...

Seeing the dense flock of Lovebirds encircling Ling Chen, all the young talents were green with envy.

Who could have imagined that such an obscure individual could repeatedly defeat well-known geniuses from the Aqua Country? Even Lin Mo had been defeated by Ling Chen.

Now, all he had to do was arbitrarily pick up a gold leaf from the ground, and he could gain the support of a powerful force. Such an opportunity was not available to everyone.

The Second Prince’s expression turned gloomy. He had originally planned to deal with Ling Chen later, but if Dustless gained the support of an aristocratic family, even he would not dare to touch Dustless.

However, Dustless was completely indifferent to these Lovebirds, taking not even a single dip from the vast ocean of favor.

"So many beauties have expressed their feelings for him, but Dustless has completely ignored them. Could it be that he is not interested in beautiful women?" ’Reckless Scholar’ Luo Xibai touched his chin and said with a smile.

"He’s not uninterested. His reluctance to take the bait is likely because he intends to catch an even bigger fish," Xue Jingfeng maintained his aloof demeanor.

"A bigger fish?"

Luo Xibai glanced in Xu Ruoyan’s direction, quickly understanding who the "big fish" referred to. His smile broadened. "Well then, I can’t let him succeed. Today’s ’big fish’ is mine, Luo Xibai’s."

With that, Luo Xibai moved, executing a Light Skill technique and circulating True Qi within his body. His body rose as if stepping on a rapid stream, leaping over twenty meters high.

"Luo Xibai, you can get a good measure of this little guy for me."

Watching Luo Xibai leap onto the platform, Xue Jingfeng’s eyes flickered slightly.

BOOM!

Luo Xibai’s steps seemed light, but when he landed on the platform, a loud sound erupted from beneath his feet, causing the platform to tremble slightly. A wave of True Qi surged out from under his feet, spreading in all directions.

Luo Xibai was handsome and possessed an elegant, dashing demeanor, especially while holding his folding fan. He became an instant crowd favorite the moment he stepped onto the stage, and squeals could be heard from the Guantian Pavilion.

"’I, Luo Xibai, a humble scholar, wish to ask Brother Wuchen for a few pointers.’" Luo Xibai smiled and cupped his hands towards Dustless, exuding a refreshing aura, like a spring breeze.

"You are Luo Xibai, ninth on the Heavenly List," Dustless, also somewhat knowledgeable about the Reckless Scholar before him, said calmly. "It is said that you excel in Light Skill, coming without a shadow and leaving without a trace. Coupled with your Carefree Fan, no one among the younger generation in the Aqua Country has been able to defeat you."

"Those are just rumors in the Jianghu; they can’t be completely believed." Luo Xibai’s lips curved slightly as he said, "Whether my strength is profound or shallow, won’t we know everything after a match?"

Although he said so, he inwardly dismissed it. If he exerted his full effort using his Light Skill, even the ’Tianxin Swordsman’ Feng Piaoliu wouldn’t be able to catch up with him. This effectively placed him in an invincible position, meaning others naturally couldn’t defeat him.

"Make your move." Dustless remained unmoved, standing his ground. He extended his palm in a gesture of invitation.

Luo Xibai stood composedly in the center of the platform, holding his sword and looking at Dustless opposite him. "No need to rush. True martial arts require the use of True Qi to be fully displayed. Brother Wuchen, how about we both suppress our True Qi cultivation to the Martial Artist First Realm? This way, we can use a certain amount of True Qi and ensure the fairness of the match. What do you think?"

After the previous three fights, Luo Xibai had realized that Dustless’s mastery of swordsmanship was extremely high; even he wasn’t fully confident of defeating him. Therefore, he proposed using a certain amount of True Qi for the fight, as this would increase his chances of defeating Dustless.

It is worth noting that he practiced the Superior Sky-grade Cultivation Technique—the Three Days Green Lotus Technique. The True Qi cultivated through it was extremely robust and powerful. Its quality and purity were several times greater than that of ordinary people, giving him a significant advantage in this respect.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you. Let’s not use True Qi and fight fairly." Dustless shook his head. If he really elevated his cultivation to the Martial Artist First Realm, using the Lingtian True Qi cultivated from the Saint-level Cultivation Technique, the Ling Tian Sword Scripture, perhaps no other True Qi in the Martial World could stand against it. If they really proceeded as Luo Xibai suggested, Dustless suspected Luo Xibai wouldn’t last more than a few moves against him.

"No need. I am willing to be at a disadvantage. Besides, Brother Wuchen, you might be underestimating me. Even if we use True Qi, it won’t necessarily be beneficial for you." Luo Xibai merely thought Dustless was feigning weakness with such polite words. This, in turn, solidified Luo Xibai’s belief that using True Qi would increase his chances of winning.

"Alright then." Dustless nodded. Since his opponent was convinced that using True Qi would benefit him, there wasn’t much he could do. However, this match was just going to become easier for him.

"Watch out!"

Luo Xibai executed a footwork technique, displaying astonishing speed with a Lower-grade Heaven Level Light Skill. Three phantom shadows appeared behind him as the folding fan in his hand swiped towards Dustless.

WHOOSH!

Just as his figure burst forth, a mechanism seemed to operate at the tip of his folding fan. Suddenly, five sharp blades extended, gleaming coldly and aiming at Dustless’s throat.

Yet Dustless, watching the three figures rushing towards him, remained still and even closed his eyes.

WHOOSH!

Dustless took a slight step to the left, dodging the attack of one figure. Then he moved two steps to the right, avoiding the attack of the second figure. Immediately after, he took a step back, evading the fan of the third figure.

From the perspective below the stage, Luo Xibai’s figure was like an illusion, the fan in his hands slashing and stabbing rapidly, each move exquisite.

But Dustless was even more astonishing. He had his eyes closed, yet he could accurately judge the location of Luo Xibai’s attacks, as if he had seen through all of them.

"Luo Xibai has already used True Qi, and his strength has surged accordingly. However, even under such circumstances, all his attacks were seen through! How did this Dustless do it?" a young talent exclaimed, deeply puzzled.

Next to him, another slightly older genius’s eyes lit up as if he had realized something. "It’s Mental Power! It is said that strong Mental Power can condense a Mind’s Eye, which allows one to see further and more accurately than the naked eye. This Dustless most likely has already condensed a Mind’s Eye. Therefore, even with his eyes closed, it doesn’t affect his judgment and response."

"A Mind’s Eye?" The first young talent was even more surprised. "Isn’t that something that can only be condensed when Mental Power reaches at least level ten? This Dustless actually cultivates Mental Power as well?"

"Yes." The slightly older genius shook his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes as he watched the platform. "I originally thought Luo Xibai was bound to win, but now it seems the outcome is still uncertain!"