Chapter 79
Luo Buqi had embarrassed himself badly.
A faint flush crept across his face, but it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. In the next breath, he straightened his back and looked coldly at Tan Sheng.
"My name is Luo Buqi. Fellow Daoist Tan... do you dare spar with me?"
If he wanted to win the beauty's heart, then Luo Buqi would first have to see whether he even qualified.
Everyone could hear the hostility hidden beneath his seemingly courteous tone. The challenge sounded less like an invitation and more like a declaration that Tan Sheng was already beneath him.
Tan Sheng met his gaze calmly.
"Why wouldn't I?"
Wu Fengshu didn't stop him.
Truthfully, she had wanted to beat Luo Buqi herself for a long time already. Unfortunately, Luo Buqi's personality was rotten, and his cultivation happened to be one level higher than hers.
Tan Sheng gently squeezed the soft hand in his grasp and said quietly, "Leave it to me."
The day Wu Fengshu complained about Luo Buqi, he had already memorized the man's name. If Luo Buqi hadn't been hiding inside the sect the entire time, they would have fought long ago.
"Mhm."
The man Wu Fengshu chose was naturally no useless waste.
Watching the intimate exchange between them, Luo Buqi felt his eyes sting sharply.
Once they stepped onto the dueling platform, Wu Fengshu would finally understand who was the dragon... and who was the worm.
Tan Sheng shifted half a step, deliberately blocking Luo Buqi's line of sight toward Wu Fengshu and pulling all of that hostility onto himself instead.
Their gazes collided in midair, sparks practically crackling between them.
Off to the side, Lou Yuqing and the others exchanged eager looks.
"Junior Sister," Si Nidie transmitted with a grin, "a duel without spectators loses half the fun. We're a little short on people. I'm thinking of calling more over. What do you think?"
Lou Yuqing's eyes immediately lit up. "Senior Sister, you mean we're backing Tan Sheng?"
"Obviously." Si Nidie crossed her arms with a snort. "Tan Sheng may not be a disciple of our Wendao Sect, but if the Bailing Sect wants to bully him on our turf, are we supposed to just watch? Otherwise people will think Wendao Sect can't even protect its own guests."
Wu Fengshu and Luo Buqi were both from the Bailing Sect. If it were only the two of them involved, that would be internal business.
But Tan Sheng was different. He was a guest staying at Wendao Sect.
Si Nidie absolutely could not sit back and do nothing.
Once enough people gathered, even if they couldn't help in the fight, at least the pressure alone could crush Luo Buqi flat.
Lou Yuqing immediately volunteered, brimming with confidence. "Then I'll go call people."
A short while later, the group arrived at the arena.
The moment Luo Buqi stepped inside, his expression darkened.
Blue-robed Wendao Sect disciples had already gathered around the stage in dense layers, and floating above the crowd was a massive cloud banner with four bold characters written across it:
After all, this was Wendao Sect territory.
"Well played," he said meaningfully.
A duel was supposed to be a duel, yet this bastard had no martial ethics whatsoever.
Luo Buqi valued face more than anything else. There was no way he could tolerate starting off already at a disadvantage.
His expression immediately shifted, and he secretly sent a voice transmission to his followers, ordering them to come support him.
Tan Sheng, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea he was being mistaken for a Wendao Sect disciple.
Hearing Luo Buqi's fake praise disguised as sarcasm, he merely looked back with a calm expression that practically screamed: Yes. I arranged it.
Luo Buqi nearly exploded on the spot.
Despicable.
Absolutely despicable.
Grinding his teeth, he sent another transmission, this time ordering all the Bailing Sect disciples to come as well. He directly elevated the matter to sect honor, declaring that anyone who refused to show up was disgracing the Bailing Sect.
Once those words spread, even the disciples who originally couldn't be bothered had no choice but to come.
But after arriving, many immediately realized Luo Buqi had exaggerated things on purpose.
This was obviously just a jealous idiot fighting over romance.
Several disciples who already disliked Luo Buqi instantly turned around and left without hesitation. Still, most remained behind.
Partly for the sect's reputation. The Wendao Sect disciples had gathered in force. Leaving now would make them seem intimidated.
And partly because Luo Buqi's backing was too powerful. His master was a Nascent Soul elder. Being remembered negatively by him wasn't worth the risk.
Besides, Wendao Sect had sat atop the seven sects for years. If the Bailing Sect could dampen their momentum before the Seven Sects Competition, that certainly wouldn't be a bad thing.
And just like that, the arena naturally split into two camps.
Wendao Sect disciples stood behind Tan Sheng.
Bailing Sect disciples stood behind Luo Buqi.
Lou Yuqing stared at the scene, momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected things to escalate this far.
Honestly, she didn't care much about competition between sects, but the problem was—Tan Sheng wasn't even from Wendao Sect.
Looking at the increasingly excited crowd, she swallowed the words sitting at the tip of her tongue.
Forget it.
As long as everyone was having fun.
They could explain it after the fight.
Tan Sheng clearly thought the same thing.
This duel was between him and Luo Buqi alone. It had nothing to do with either sect. If Luo Buqi insisted on dragging sect pride into it, then he would simply clarify things himself.
"Shall we begin?" Tan Sheng asked calmly.
Luo Buqi was just about to speak when he suddenly noticed Wu Fengshu standing on Wendao Sect's side.
His entire body nearly jumped from anger.
"Wu Fengshu!" he barked. "Don't forget you're a disciple of the Bailing Sect!"
He had deliberately turned this into a matter between sects to hide the fact that he was making a fool of himself over love.
But now Wu Fengshu openly stood beside her lover in front of everyone.
How humiliating was that?
What would the Bailing Sect disciples think afterward?
Probably that Luo Buqi simply wasn't charming enough to win her.
The thought alone made his scalp tingle.
Wu Fengshu glanced at him sideways with a half-smile. "Luo Buqi, are you sick in the head? Since when did I become your sect mascot? I can stand wherever I want. Tan Sheng is my man. Of course I'm supporting him."
Luo Buqi's face darkened instantly. Just as he was about to accuse her of disregarding the sect, Wu Fengshu cut him off mercilessly.
"Also, don't try to use 'sect honor' to pressure me. That trick doesn't work on me." She sneered. "You probably still don't know this, but Tan Sheng is only a guest at Wendao Sect. If you want to compete against a Wendao Sect disciple, go find someone else."
Luo Buqi froze.
The disciples behind him exchanged looks.
They had originally assumed Tan Sheng was from Wendao Sect too. In that case, saying it was a matter between sects sounded reasonable enough—just a friendly competition between juniors.
But now that his identity changed... that excuse collapsed on the spot.
Ignoring Luo Buqi's increasingly ugly expression, Wu Fengshu continued mercilessly, "So tell me—what exactly are you using as your reason to challenge him now? Don't expect me to support you just because you slapped the sect's name onto it."
With his little scheme exposed, Luo Buqi simply stopped pretending altogether.
"Fine!" he snapped. "Then let's make it personal!"
He pointed at Tan Sheng. "He's not worthy of you. If I win today, he's never allowed to bother you again!"
Call it competing for a woman.
Call it jealousy.
Call it refusing to accept defeat.
At this point, Luo Buqi no longer cared.
He had already climbed onto the tiger's back. The only thing left was to win publicly and shut everyone up.
Otherwise, he would become the laughingstock who "lost the woman and still couldn't beat the rival."
Wu Fengshu's brows immediately knitted together.
"Who do you think you—"
Before she could finish, Tan Sheng looked at her steadily. "Shu'er. Everything else can be negotiated—except this."
His voice remained gentle, but utterly firm. "Trust me. I'll beat him so badly he cries for his parents."
Wu Fengshu stared at him for a moment before snorting softly.
"What nonsense are you saying?" she said, though the corners of her lips lifted. "You're my man. If I don't trust you, who would I trust? Just be careful not to get hurt."
Their casual intimacy nearly drove Luo Buqi insane.
The woman he liked had never treated him this way.
Not even once.
One day—
"Hold on!"
A voice suddenly interrupted him.
"No one-sided bets allowed! If Tan Sheng loses, he gets punished. But if you lose, you pay up too!"
The speaker was Nangong Wen, arriving alongside Chen Mujian and Nangong Ying.
The red marks on Nangong Ying's face were already gone, revealing delicate and refined features beneath.
Not long ago, Tan Sheng's flamboyantly dressed master had personally visited Wendao Sect and removed both the Spirit-Absorbing Gu and the Red Beauty Gu from Nangong Ying's body.
She had regained clarity immediately and was now nearly fully recovered.
The two mutated Gu worms had been taken away by the man in flower-patterned robes.
According to him, the Gu worms had inadvertently strengthened Nangong Ying's physique instead, so not only had she not suffered severe damage, her cultivation had even improved.
Still, after everything she experienced, the once lively Nangong Ying had become noticeably calmer and steadier, almost resembling Nangong Wen now.
Standing side by side, the sisters looked practically copied and pasted.
At that moment, Nangong Ying nodded firmly. "Yes."
Tan Sheng and his master were her benefactors.
The moment she heard Tan Sheng needed support, she rushed over without hesitation. Seeing her benefactor being pressured naturally meant helping him regain the advantage.
At the same time, all the friends and acquaintances Lou Yuqing and the others had called over also arrived one after another.
Ling Yunxiao.
Shi Xiuxiu.
Ruan Qingzhu.
Yuan Chenxing.
As well as the Enforcement Hall disciples Si Nidie and Si Nanren had dragged over.
Luo Buqi never believed he would lose anyway. Since these people insisted on humiliating themselves, he naturally wouldn't stop them.
"If I lose," he declared proudly, "I'll stay away from Wu Fengshu from now on. Satisfied?"
Tan Sheng answered calmly. "Deal."
The moment the wager was settled, the atmosphere in the arena tightened instantly.
Then—Luo Buqi moved first.
A burst of spiritual energy erupted skyward and blasted the floating cloud banner into pieces.
Lou Yuqing clicked her tongue.
For a second there, she thought he was about to launch a sneak attack.
"Who calls the start?" Luo Buqi asked coldly.
"At the same time," Tan Sheng replied.
"Fine."
The two stared at each other.
Then, in perfect unison—
"Start!"
Boom!
Their auras exploded outward simultaneously.
Instant-cast spells shot forth at nearly the same moment—techniques that required no preparation at all and could be activated instantly to seize the initiative.
A dazzling golden light collided violently against a heavy yellow glow.
The impact exploded with a thunderous bang, spiritual energy tearing through the air in rippling waves.
Luo Buqi frowned slightly.
He had always been extremely confident in his combat power among cultivators of the same level.
Seeing his probing attack fail to gain any advantage, he immediately abandoned further spellcasting and instead drew out a triangular banner.
The banner shone gold, covered in countless tiny sword patterns so vivid they looked alive, as though they might fly free at any moment.
Lou Yuqing blinked. "What's that?"
"One of Senior Brother Luo's signature artifacts—the Golden Sword Banner!" a Bailing Sect disciple immediately answered proudly.
Lou Yuqing turned toward the voice.
The tense atmosphere between the two sects had eased considerably after Luo Buqi clarified that this was a personal duel.
Honestly, outside of competition matters, the disciples of both sects actually got along fairly well.
Still, their loyalties remained obvious.
Naturally, the Bailing Sect disciples hoped Luo Buqi would win.
If he succeeded, they could share in the glory.
If he lost... well—then they'd simply lose face together.
On the dueling platform, Luo Buqi flicked his wrist and sent the golden banner soaring into the air. It hovered above him, rippling violently as spiritual power flooded into it. His fingers blurred through a series of hand seals so quickly they left afterimages behind.
A dazzling golden flash swept across Lou Yuqing's vision.
The next instant, the tiny swords engraved across the banner trembled violently before bursting free one after another, spiraling into the sky like a swarm of furious dragons erupting from the sea.
Sword light crisscrossed overhead, sharp qi sweeping outward and forcing nearby disciples to instinctively retreat half a step.
"Go!"
Luo Buqi slashed his hand downward.
The countless golden swords shrieked through the air at once, streaking toward Tan Sheng like a torrential storm of blades. Their edges gleamed with icy light, sword intent so fierce it felt capable of tearing straight through flesh and bone.
Yet Tan Sheng did not move.
He stood rooted in place, sleeves fluttering wildly beneath the pressure of the sword wind.
At some point, a pair of black-gold scissors had already appeared in his hands.
With a single thought, spiritual light erupted from the artifact. The scissors instantly expanded dozens of times over, their enormous phantom projection looming above the arena like the jaws of some ancient beast.
Then—the giant scissors vanished.
No warning.
No transition.
One moment they hovered above Tan Sheng's head, and the next they appeared directly within the heart of the incoming sword formation.
Clang—!
The collision exploded like thunder.
The giant blades snapped shut with terrifying force, trapping several golden swords between them. Violent tremors rippled through the air as the swords let out sharp metallic cries. Cracks spread rapidly across their surfaces, spiderwebbing along the blades.
The spectators' expressions shifted.
Was Luo Buqi's attack about to break already?
But Luo Buqi's face remained completely calm.
He stepped forward abruptly and seized the banner with one hand. Spiritual power surged from his body in a roaring wave as he swung the banner fiercely through the air.
Boom!
Golden radiance erupted from the banner like a blazing sun.
The burst of light caught up to the damaged swords almost instantly, pouring into them in streams of dazzling qi.
Then an astonishing scene unfolded before everyone's eyes.
The fractured swords began vibrating violently. The cracks covering their blades rapidly disappeared beneath the golden glow, restoring themselves in the blink of an eye.
Their sword aura surged once more, even fiercer than before, as they forcefully resisted the enormous phantom scissors head-on.
At the same time, Tan Sheng's artifact trembled under the pressure. The massive scissor phantom shuddered repeatedly as shrill metallic groans echoed through the arena.
Below the stage, the Bailing Sect disciples instantly regained their confidence.
"Heh, Senior Brother Luo's Golden Sword Banner isn't that easy to break!"
"Did they really think they could suppress him that quickly?"
"As expected of Senior Brother Luo!"
"Our Senior Brother Luo is a once-in-a-century genius. How could some random nobody compare?"
"Exactly. Once Senior Brother Luo crushes his love rival, I wonder what rewards he'll give us afterward."
"I bet it'll be high-grade artifacts. Senior Brother Luo's in a good mood whenever he's chasing someone."
"When has Senior Brother Luo not been serious about love?" another disciple scoffed. "Every time he says it's true love. We just help him out and collect benefits afterward."
"Speaking of which, how was the Spirit Enhancement Pill he gave you last time?"
"Pretty good. But I want a magical weapon more. Mine got damaged in the last duel. Senior Brother Luo promised to replace it if I performed well."
Lou Yuqing finally understood.
These people weren't just admirers. They were professionally funded admirers.
No wonder they supported Luo Buqi so enthusiastically. The man practically ran a reward system.
"Wah—!"
A startled cry suddenly erupted from the crowd.
Lou Yuqing looked up.
One of the small golden swords had pierced through the giant scissors' restraints, letting out a sharp sword cry as it shot directly toward Tan Sheng.
Tan Sheng unclenched his tightly closed fist.
A streak of yellow light burst forward, rapidly condensing into a towering earth wall three zhang ahead of him.
The defensive technique had barely taken shape before the golden sword crashed into it head-on without slowing in the slightest.
The golden sword slammed into the earthen wall with unstoppable force.
Boom—!
The barrier exploded instantly.
Chunks of stone burst outward as several fist-sized holes were blasted straight through the wall, their edges jagged and terrifying under the lingering sword qi.
Tan Sheng tapped lightly against the ground and shot backward like a drifting shadow, narrowly avoiding the sword's path.
But the golden sword pursued him relentlessly.
Mid-flight, it abruptly twisted through the air, carving a sharp arc before accelerating toward him again like a predator locked onto its prey.
Tan Sheng narrowed his eyes and glanced toward Luo Buqi.
As expected, Luo Buqi still held the banner in one hand, spiritual energy continuously pouring into it as he controlled the sword from afar with precise mastery.
He really was skilled.
At the moment, Tan Sheng had been completely forced onto the defensive. If he couldn't destroy the golden sword first, he wouldn't even get the chance to launch a proper counterattack.
In the blink of an eye, the duel transformed into a frantic high-speed chase across the arena.
Sword light tore through the air behind Tan Sheng again and again, each strike close enough to shred the hem of his robes as he continuously dodged through the storm of attacks.
Below the stage, Lou Yuqing watched for a moment before casually opening the gossip panel and purchasing a piece of information about Luo Buqi.
Her first impression of him had honestly been awful.
But in terms of strength?
The man genuinely had the qualifications to be arrogant.
Then—a voice suddenly rang out clearly inside everyone's minds.
[Ugh. What a stingy cheapskate. I'm talking about you, Luo Buqi.]
The arena fell dead silent.
The Bailing Sect disciples: "..."
One of the lackeys finally snapped back to reality.
"Who just insulted Senior Brother Luo-"
But strangely enough, the words jammed in his throat. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't say them aloud.
What the hell was going on?
That was exactly what Luo Buqi wanted to know too.
Which suicidal lunatic was daring to insult him like this?!
His gaze swept toward the audience below.
Then instantly locked onto Lou Yuqing.
That voice sounded familiar.
He had definitely heard it earlier.
And it absolutely belonged to a Wendao Sect disciple.
Lou Yuqing rolled her eyes the moment she noticed Luo Buqi suddenly stop fighting just to stare at her.
[What are you looking at? Even if you win, Wu Fengshu still won't spare you a second glance.]
Wu Fengshu: "..."
Was there any possibility he wasn't looking at her?
This time, almost everyone heard Lou Yuqing's thoughts.
Almost.
The only exceptions were Gu Qinghong and Xiao Siwen.
"Why'd he suddenly stop?" Xiao Siwen tugged on Gu Qinghong's sleeve curiously.
Gu Qinghong sneered disdainfully. "Probably trying to attract his sweetheart's attention."
He despised men like this the most.
If you won, the woman would naturally be yours.
But now?
Whether Luo Buqi could even win anymore was becoming questionable.
And just as expected, the moment Luo Buqi became distracted, Tan Sheng instantly seized the opening.
He shattered the pursuing golden sword with one strike—and immediately counterattacked.