“Ding!”
Amidst another resonant sword cry, Ye Xuan, who had carved the Qingxuan Sect’s Seven Laws on the cliffside, steadily retracted his flying sword and sheathed it.
“Thank you for your efforts, Black Dragon Elder.”
Ye Xuan respectfully handed back the iron weights of 262 jin to the Black Dragon Elder.
“Not bad.”
The Black Dragon Elder, who rarely praised competing disciples, nodded in satisfaction.
If the questioning of swords a few months ago had plummeted Ye Xuan’s reputation to rock bottom, then his swordsmanship today had pulled him back from the abyss.
For a moment, the Cloud Pavilion was filled with exclamations of admiration.
Among the disciples present, there might be many who could lift over 300 jin of iron, but there were very few as young as Ye Xuan who could nearly lift 300 jin.
“Hu…”
Hearing the praises around him and feeling the envious gazes, Ye Xuan let out a long sigh. His face, once clouded with gloom, now radiated pride once again, as if declaring to everyone—I, Ye Xuan, have returned!
Then, his gaze once again fell on Xu Taiping, as he loudly said:
“Xu Taiping, it’s your turn!”
With Ye Xuan’s call, all eyes once again converged on Xu Taiping.
“I should have checked the almanac before leaving home today.”
Facing Ye Xuan’s intense gaze, Xu Taiping quipped expressionlessly.
“Go on, just do your best, no pressure.”
Qingxiao patted Xu Taiping on the back.
After seeing Xu Taiping’s performance in the previous round, he no longer persuaded him to withdraw from the competition.
“This round was not in our original plan.”
Senior Sister Jiang Zhi also smiled at Xu Taiping.
In fact, not only Xu Taiping’s round but also Zhao Linglong’s was not part of their plan.
According to the original strategy, she and Qingxiao intended to support the competition with their combined strength.
So, it was better if Xu Taiping won, but it wouldn’t matter much if he didn’t.
“I will do my best.”
Xu Taiping nodded.
Although he felt that he could probably lift 262 jin of iron if he gritted his teeth, he had never actually tried and thus wasn’t sure.
Regardless of whether he could or couldn’t, he had made up his mind to support his Senior Sister and Senior Brother as long as he could bear the weight.
Watching the previous rounds, the sight of the two alone and unsupported on the stage made him inexplicably sad.
“So it really is Xu Taiping.”
“He’s actually going up.”
As Xu Taiping walked towards the stage, many disciples from the other peaks on the Cloud Pavilion started to jeer.
“Xu Taiping, are you planning to lift 263 jin of iron this time?”
“What a pity, you need at least one more jin. If only you had an extra liang.”
These people had been humiliated by Xu Taiping in the last round, and now seeing an opportunity, they began to mock him with renewed vigor.
“Yeah, if only you had an extra liang.”
Hearing their ridicule, Xu Taiping didn’t get angry; instead, he mocked himself in his heart.
If he really could add an extra liang, he would undoubtedly ask the Black Dragon Elder to hang 262 jin and one liang for him, making it a bit easier.
“Xu Taiping.”
Ye Xuan, who had not yet left the stage, suddenly called out to Xu Taiping.
Xu Taiping stopped and turned to look at Ye Xuan.
“Don’t disappoint me.”
Ye Xuan’s eyes burned with intensity as he looked at Xu Taiping.
It was clear he really wanted to win against Xu Taiping just once.
Xu Taiping met Ye Xuan’s gaze, then turned without a word and walked towards the Black Dragon Elder.
Such a bluffing strategy had no effect on him.
“Seventh Peak disciple Xu Taiping, greets the Black Dragon Elder.”
After standing before the Black Dragon Elder, Xu Taiping bowed as usual.
“Xu Taiping, you must choose iron weights of more than 262 jin.”
The Black Dragon Elder was straightforward.
“I choose iron weights of 263 jin.”
Xu Taiping stated without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, another round of laughter erupted from the Cloud Pavilion.
However, compared to the first round, the jeering and mocking had diminished significantly.
Even many disciples now looked at Xu Taiping with anticipation.
Ye Xuan’s lips curled up slightly.
After watching Xu Taiping’s previous round, he was convinced that Xu Taiping could at most lift 150 jin. Now, suddenly attempting over 200 jin, the soul-crying affliction would surely flare up severely, and he might end up embarrassing himself on stage.
Not just him, many disciples were also looking forward to this scene.
“Are you sure about this?”
The Black Dragon Elder had no ill feelings towards the young man before him, so instead of announcing immediately, he confirmed once more.
“I’m sure.”
Xu Taiping nodded.
Seeing Xu Taiping’s resolute decision, the Black Dragon Elder said no more and loudly announced to everyone:
“Seventh Peak disciple Xu Taiping, lifting 263 jin.”
After the Black Dragon Elder’s official announcement, the noise from the Cloud Pavilion grew even louder.
“I should have persuaded Taiping a bit more just now.”
Zhao Linglong looked at Xu Taiping’s figure on the stage with concern.
“Do you still not understand your junior brother’s temperament? If he’s not competing, he wouldn’t reach for treasures laid before him, but once he’s determined to compete, even if there are mountains of blades and seas of fire ahead, he will not give up.”
Qingxiao spoke without turning his head, his gaze fixed on the stage.
“Perhaps it’s we, his useless senior brothers and sisters, who have made him so determined?”
Senior Sister Jiang Zhi smiled wryly and helplessly.
Qingxiao and Zhao Linglong both showed a hint of shame in their eyes.
After all, this competition was not something that a junior brother who had just entered the sect should be risking.
“Zeng!” A sword cry suddenly erupted.
Everyone cast aside their distractions and looked towards the stage in unison.
They saw Xu Taiping’s rusty sword flying out from behind him and finally hovering quietly in front of the Black Dragon Elder, waiting for the iron weights to be hung.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Linglong suddenly became so nervous that she dared not even breathe.