Chen Mobai vaulted over the subterranean currents and soared to the plaza where the Student Council was located.
The place that was bustling with noise yesterday was now eerily silent and deserted.
Only one person was waiting for him.
Chen Mobai landed and sized up Zuo Qiushi, noting his burly figure, square face without eyebrows, and shoulder-length hair that was half red, half black. He was clad in a red and black robe from the Refining Department.
A large ring-pommel saber was thrust into the ground, propped up by his right hand, making him look as solid as if he were cast from bronze, exceptionally imposing.
"You've arrived."
Zuo Qiushi's greeting lacked the malice Chen Mobai had expected; his expression was calm.
"I've long admired the Council President's reputation. The reason for challenging you is simply to test what level my own strength belongs to."
Seeing him like this, Chen Mobai naturally responded with courtesy, clarifying his intentions right from the start.
"Oh, you want to know your own strength? Could it be you've also heard about the 'Minor Red Heaven'?"
"Minor Red Heaven? What's that?"
The unfamiliar term in Zuo Qiushi's speech surprised Chen Mobai. What kind of big event was this?
"It's something that will be introduced at the millennium celebration of the Red City Cave Heaven. The big shot from the Immortal Gate is coming over to preside over the Minor Red Heaven affair. According to my teacher's guess, it might be related to another world."
Hearing this, Chen Mobai's brow furrowed slightly. Due to the scarcity of resources on Earth, the Immortal Gate would launch wars every so often to sustain the numerous cultivators.
And the highest level of these wars was "World Opening."
The last war of World Opening level was two thousand years ago. The Immortal Gate lost half its population and almost let otherworldly beings invade Earth.
Although they eventually won, it was a pyrrhic victory.
"Is there any other news?"
Chen Mobai couldn't help but ask further, and Zuo Qiushi was taken aback.
"I called you here to fight, not to chat."
"Oh, sorry, I've been somewhat obsessed with World Opening wars since I was young. Hearing about a possible World Opening just got me carried away."
Zuo Qiushi couldn't be bothered to say more and drew his ring-pommel saber.
As the blade left its sheath, it shone with a cold light. About 1.3 meters long, slender and straight, with an arc at the tip of the blade, it illuminated half the plaza as it swung.
"Why are you alone? Where are the other members of the Student Council?"
At this moment, Chen Mobai noticed something odd – on this plaza, there were only their two presences.
"To avoid others knowing the exact outcome of the fight, it's easier to manage with just the two of us."
After Zuo Qiushi uttered these cryptic words, he swung his saber, sending out a bright arc of light, like a crescent moon tearing through the sky.
Hum!
Chen Mobai didn't say anything more. The Divine Wood Sword flew out from his sleeve, shattering the saber light and, like a swimming fish, carried a long rainbow of sword qi as it sped towards his opponent.
Sword rainbows filled the sky.
Yet Zuo Qiushi merely crossed his long saber, and the intersecting cross of saber light already cut through the incoming sword rainbows.
"Are you trying to probe first?"
From what he had heard from Hua Zijing and others, Zuo Qiushi knew that Chen Mobai was a powerful sword cultivator who had mastered the Sword Rainbow Splitting Light. However, his first move was a sword rainbow, which made Zuo Qiushi frown slightly.
"Then I'll make the first move."
Zuo Qiushi gripped his saber in his right hand and suddenly formed a seal with his left. Chen Mobai then felt the surrounding fire spirit energy become active. In an instant, a sea of flames ignited around him.
The "Fixed Fire Technique" was cast, and the dark red sea of flames that was about to engulf him suddenly stopped in place. Then, as if controlled by Chen Mobai, it condensed into a crimson lightning bolt in his palm.
Bing Fire Divine Thunder Technique!
After some time of cultivation, Chen Mobai had mastered this thunder technique. It was his first time using it against an opponent, and Zuo Qiushi was a worthy adversary.
With a thunderous roar, the lightning streaked across the void, bringing a hint of burnt smell, and struck above Zuo Qiushi's head, breaking through his three defensive spells, but ultimately blocked by the spiritual light of his red and black robe, disappearing silently.
At this moment, Chen Mobai pulled out his hairpin.
After three probing moves, he had a rough estimate of his opponent's strength.
His own cultivation time was short, and the power of his spells was not strong. To Zuo Qiushi, they posed no threat at all.
Indeed, the only thing he could rely on to ignore the gap in realms was his Sword Rainbow Splitting Light.
Thinking of having to go back to listen to Meng Huang'er sing, Chen Mobai no longer held back and directly used his strongest technique.
Brilliant deep purple sword light flickered, centered around the hairpin in his palm, shooting out like a laser, cutting through Zuo Qiushi's twelve saber lights, and even penetrating the protective spiritual light of the red and black robe.
This was the first time Chen Mobai's sword light had been blocked.
It was unclear whether Zuo Qiushi was truly formidable or if the Refining Department's defensive robe was powerful.
As the saber light shone, Zuo Qiushi, withstanding the sword light, charged towards Chen Mobai.
The Green Scale Armguard shone, countless dark green spots flew out from his sleeve, forming a solid shield that blocked the opponent's long saber.
At the same time, Chen Mobai's left hand, which had been behind his back, stretched out, holding a golden jade axe, seemingly waiting for Zuo Qiushi to come to him.
The axe fell, and facing the strikes of two attacking magical instruments, the protective light of the red and black robe finally reached its limit.
Zuo Qiushi swung his saber to block the golden jade axe.
But he found his wrist tightened, and for a moment, he couldn't withdraw his saber.
Looking down, he saw green scales had attached themselves from his wrist to his elbow on his bronze skin, paralyzing him with spiritual power at a critical moment, causing a flaw.
As the golden jade axe was about to fall, Zuo Qiushi had no choice but to spit out a fiery red bead.
With a BANG!
Chen Mobai felt as if his axe-wielding hand had been hit by a massive blow. The intense pain in his palm made him involuntarily let go, allowing the axe to fly into the air and stick into the cave wall.
At this time, he was wide open.
Zuo Qiushi let out a shout, his abundant spiritual power far surpassing Chen Mobai's, bursting forth and shattering the green scales on his arm. He reversed the saber in his hands and aimed the back of the blade at Chen Mobai's shoulder and chest.
At the critical moment of victory or defeat, Chen Mobai's eyes suddenly shone with a clear light, his spiritual sense operating at its peak.
Zuo Qiushi was indeed a formidable opponent as a seventh-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, a long-standing first among the Refining Department students, with three magical instruments and combat skills far superior to others. He was the strongest opponent Chen Mobai had ever faced.
If he had already achieved Unity of Spirit and Body, he could have used the "Divine Command Slash" with his spiritual sense to confuse his opponent and dodge the saber.
But unfortunately, his relationship with Meng Huang'er hadn't developed enough, and he hadn't listened to many of her songs.
Even so, Chen Mobai still had one last card to play.
A crimson sword qi erupted behind him, as if another powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator was lying in wait, seizing this rare opportunity to stab at Zuo Qiushi's brow.
This saber strike could incapacitate Chen Mobai, but Zuo Qiushi would also be severely injured by this sword.
It was just a spar, so Zuo Qiushi naturally made the safest choice.
He flicked his wrist, diverting the saber to block the fiery sword qi, and at the same time, kicked towards Chen Mobai's chest.
His shoes were also a second-tier magical instrument called "Cloud-Stepping Boots," capable of flight and formidable power.
If this kick landed, even a body cultivator would spit out a mouthful of blood.
But Chen Mobai had already regained control of his body, extending his right hand forward. The armguard, reattaching the scales, perfectly blocked the Cloud-Stepping Boots with its cold iron nature.
With a "clang," a dull sound followed, and both figures retreated explosively.
At this time, the hairpin and the Divine Wood Sword, under Chen Mobai's spiritual control, had once again turned into sword light and sword rainbows.
The Divine Wood Sword's sword qi rainbow crisscrossed into a sword net, slashing towards Zuo Qiushi.
The latter retreated in mid-air, the Cloud-Stepping Boots flashing with spiritual light. Accompanied by the Divine Wood Sword's attack, he constantly adjusted his posture, swinging his long saber in a very short time, defending flawlessly.
"This guy is tougher than I thought."
Seeing this, Chen Mobai finally made up his mind and activated the "Ascending Sun Technique."
He breathed out his primordial yang energy towards the hairpin in mid-air. The Qingyang fire seed, which was originally one with the small flying sword, suddenly blazed like oil had been poured on it.
The color changed from deep purple to half purple, half green.
With the Purple-Green Fire Seed enhancing the hairpin, the already sharp purple fire sword light ascended to another level.
Dazzling light erupted!
Suddenly, a purple sun appeared in this ancient cave, illuminating all darkness, carrying a terrifying sword intent capable of cutting through anything, and flew above Zuo Qiushi, who had just landed.
Seeing this, Zuo Qiushi's expression changed drastically.
His face first turned pale, then flushed red, as if he had activated some kind of potential-stimulating technique. His already abundant spiritual power surged to a new level.
Then, it was the same fiery red spiritual bead that had knocked away the golden jade axe and made Chen Mobai lose control. This time, however, it revealed its true power.
The fiery red light shone brightly, carrying a hint of profound truth, and collided with the hairpin.
In the thunderous explosion.
As the center of the two colliding forces, Zuo Qiushi was sent flying backward again, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Chen Mobai used the last of his spiritual power to activate the Crimson Dawn Cloud Mist, enveloping his body with the power of this magical instrument to block the aftermath, while his spiritual sense took action.
The shadow-like Formless Puppet sprang out from hiding.
"Cough cough…"
***
Half a quarter of an hour later, the aftermath of the collision between the spiritual bead and the sword light finally dissipated. Zuo Qiushi waved his wide sleeves, wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth and clearing the dust around him.
Gradually, Chen Mobai's figure emerged in his view.
Wisps of misty clouds dissipated, revealing his unharmed, calm demeanor.
In contrast, although Zuo Qiushi had promptly wiped away the blood from his mouth and his red and black robe remained unstained, his overall demeanor was somewhat disordered.
However, as the Refining Department's top figure for years, he had no intention of admitting defeat so easily.
Although using a third-tier magical instrument seemed a bit overbearing, compared to the result of defeat, Zuo Qiushi was willing to temporarily set aside that bit of pride in his heart.
"You lost."
But just as Zuo Qiushi was about to unleash the true power of his fire spirit bead, Chen Mobai's voice came.
"Lost? Impossible…"
As Zuo Qiushi retorted, he felt a bone-chilling coldness on his back, as if a sharp sword was pressed against his heart, making him dare not move.
[Did he resort to trickery? Or call for other help?] this thought flashed through Zuo Qiushi's mind first.
Then he remembered that he had previously pushed Chen Mobai into a corner, but a mysterious fiery sword light had stabbed from behind, forcing him to turn back to defend and miss the chance to win.
"I admit defeat, but what's going on?"
At this point, Zuo Qiushi was not a sore loser. He put down his long saber and dissipated the liquid spiritual power he had gathered, staring straight at Chen Mobai's clear Bright Mirror Law Eyes.
"Didn't you inquire about my reputation before fighting me?"
Chen Mobai curiously countered.
"I did. You're the top of the 5012 class, second only to Zhong Li Tianyu. First in talismans, first in swordsmanship, first in puppetry…"
As Zuo Qiushi spoke the last three words, he suddenly stopped.
His eyes slowly widened as he finally understood.
"So that's how it is."
No longer caring about the flying sword at his back, Zuo Qiushi turned his head and indeed saw the Formless Puppet holding the Divine Wood Sword, sighing with realization.
"Who would have thought, you, a sword cultivator, are also a puppet master."
"You're quite formidable. If you hadn't underestimated me at the start, you might have had a chance to win."
Chen Mobai's voice came from behind Zuo Qiushi. He snapped his fingers, and the Formless Puppet sheathed its sword and jumped to his side.
"I thought I took you very seriously and used all my strength. Why do you think I underestimated you?"
Zuo Qiushi turned around again, looking directly at Chen Mobai, asking somewhat puzzled.
"That bead of yours is a third-tier magical instrument, right?"
Chen Mobai pointed to the fire spirit bead in mid-air, which had been motionless after colliding with the hairpin.
At first, he hadn't noticed, but now thinking about it, a magical instrument that could withstand a top second-tier golden jade axe and make his body uncontrollable, if not third-tier, what else could it be?
Moreover, the entire Refining Department knew that Zuo Qiushi practiced the Mutual Convergence Pact and had a third-tier Mutual Convergence magical instrument.
"Correct, but a loss is a loss. Your Formless Puppet is also a third-tier puppet. If you had activated it from the start, facing two opponents, even if I had unleashed the true power of the fire spirit bead, I might not have been your match."
Zuo Qiushi's demeanor turned out to be better than Chen Mobai had expected, openly admitting his defeat.
"It's different. My Formless Puppet, due to the spirit stone, only has three strikes. If we were to do it again, you would likely win."
Chen Mobai shook his head, but his words were half-true. Indeed, there was a medium-grade spirit stone in the Formless Puppet, which only had three strikes.
If he didn't care about the consumption of the high-grade spirit stone, the power that the Formless Puppet could exert would probably not be inferior to Zuo Qiushi's third-tier magical instrument.
"I'm not someone who can't afford to lose. I'm graduating this year, and I was wondering who would take over. Are you interested?"
After losing, Zuo Qiushi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and made an invitation that surprised Chen Mobai.
"Me? Student Council President? Isn't that a bit too casual?"
"It's fine. As long as you agree, I'll take care of the rest."
Chen Mobai originally had no interest in joining the Student Council because he didn't want to deal with trivial matters.
But if he were to become the president directly, it seemed worth considering.
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan