This year’s Eastern Continent Grand Competition was nothing short of spectacular.
Not only did geniuses gather, but… there were also frequent upsets?
However, once the number of upsets became too many, they could no longer really be considered upsets.
Everyone gradually began to realize that those two coarse yet good-looking Body Cultivators, along with that peerlessly beautiful junior sister who resembled a female Sword Immortal, all possessed extraordinary strength!
From the perspective of highlights alone, the matches between those three seemed even more worth watching.
As a result, every time Chu Huaixu and the others took the stage, the area around the arena would be packed to the brim, drawing the largest crowds.
And indeed, people were, after all, visual creatures.
It was just like at the Olympics—everyone might be strong, but if an athlete happened to be particularly attractive, then without question, they would receive far more attention.
The three of them—one was handsome, one was peerlessly beautiful, and one was… androgynous?
They had practically covered all possible aesthetics.As for people like Lang Yue and Shen Miaoyun, they now looked very much like die-hard fans of Chu Huaixu.
Boasting about him to anyone they met had become their basic operation.
This made Dead Fox sigh with emotion: "Alas, with this kind of personal charm on display, what else can anyone do?"
Today was the fifth round of matches.
Han Shuangjiang’s draw number was relatively early, so her match was scheduled for the morning.
As before, all twenty arenas in the Martial Performance Ground were open, with many matches taking place simultaneously.
Thus, whichever direction the crowd flowed would reveal which cultivators had the most popularity.
Big Ice Block’s looks were the type that conquered both men and women—even those of the same gender would fall for her—so much so that the area around her arena became crammed with people.
Fortunately, Chu Huaixu was a Body Cultivator. If he insisted on squeezing in, no one could stop him.
"Little Xu is really something—he only shows up when it’s time for his own match."
"I wonder what kind of special training he’s undergoing every day," he thought.
Jiang Zhi openly giving him private lessons was an obvious sign of favoring him more.
Chu Huaixu, however, did not mind this.
Rounding it up, didn’t this mean that this Dao Gate’s Little Martial Uncle was doing his best to cultivate a fighter just for him?
"Little Xu will always be my man," this angel investor thought to himself.
Han Shuangjiang’s match officially began at this moment.
Her luck with the draw was still extremely poor.
And for some unknown reason, she always seemed to draw opponents from the Dao Gate.
Today’s opponent, named Ruan Qiu, was even someone listed on the first edition of Chu Huaixu’s 《Kill List》.
This woman did possess some beauty, but in front of Han Shuangjiang, she appeared utterly lackluster.
One could doubt the strength of the 【Joyous Sect】, a third-rate sect, but one could not doubt the 【Joyous Sect】’s sense of aesthetics!
This Senior Sister Ruan Qiu also possessed cultivation at the peak of the First Realm, with an overall strength equivalent to about 1.4 Ding Bolins.
Without using her 【Reincarnation Sword Intent】, Han Shuangjiang only had a slight advantage.
Only when she employed a single thread of Sword Intent could the match be decided.
Up until now, she had never recklessly used her 【Reincarnation Sword Intent】.
Chu Huaixu had witnessed her "complete form" before, and he was well aware of just how terrifyingly strong Big Ice Block could become under those conditions!
"The Second-generation Temple Master, Yan Shen, was the strongest among Dao Ancestor’s disciples," he thought.
"The Sword Intent she passed down truly is terrifying."
Ruan Qiu was utterly defeated, and she admitted it wholeheartedly.
In the Dao Gate’s Outer Sect, the male-to-female ratio was six to four.
With great poise, she said to Han Shuangjiang: "Junior Sister Han, you must strive hard. If a female champion were to emerge in this year’s Eastern Continent Grand Competition, I would be absolutely delighted."
Big Ice Block had clearly already placed her bets in the casino on Chu Huaixu becoming champion, but in front of Ruan Qiu, she still solemnly nodded so as not to embarrass her.
At noon, the main topic of tea-time chatter was none other than Han Shuangjiang once again stunning everyone.
The rumor that she had mastered Sword Intent had already spread completely.
Many Dao Gate disciples had previously believed that Chang Le and Ji Sikong were the strongest contenders.
Now, however, many felt that Han Shuangjiang was truly the number one of this Dao Gate generation!
This was still despite her not having reached peak First Realm yet, and others not knowing that she possessed the Body of Profound Yin. Otherwise, public opinion would likely have been entirely one-sided.
At the dining table, Big Ice Block looked at Chu Huaixu and said: "Weren’t you always waiting to spar with a sword cultivator? Well, you’ve finally drawn one."
The Swordless One nodded and said: "You’re not exactly the most suitable point of reference, and 【Zhegutian】’s rank is too high. I need to spar with more sword cultivators to gauge the approximate range of my suppression ability."
Han Shuangjiang roughly understood the meaning behind these words, and she gave a slight nod.
In her heart, she had already observed a moment of silence for that sword cultivator who was about to face him.
Of course, she also felt a small bit of schadenfreude.
The reason was simple—the opponent came from the Sword Sect!
Having already spent some time in the Dao Gate, she had begun to assimilate into its internal culture.
Seeing a Sword Sect cultivator being suppressed by a Dao Gate cultivator always brought her a certain satisfaction.
As the match time drew near, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang arrived together at the Martial Performance Ground.
Now that it was already the fifth round, occasionally even sect leaders could be seen among the spectators, and sometimes even Major Cultivators appeared.
However, those terrifying existences of the Eighth Realm had yet to make an appearance here.
At this very moment, high above in the clouds, a Major Cultivator stood in the air, gazing down upon the Martial Performance Ground.
They would not get too close, so as not to interfere.
Among them was the leader of the First-class Sect Wuyou Valley, a Fifth Realm peak cultivator named Mo Tenglong.
Previously, when his disciple from Wuyou Valley had lost to this Body Cultivator’s martial arts, he had been furious.
But as Chu Huaixu made a greater and greater name for himself, Mo Tenglong began to realize that this youth was certainly extraordinary, and today he could not resist coming to take a look.
"Body Cultivators’ means have always been the most limited among all types of cultivators."
"I want to see just what kind of surprise you can bring me today."
As for Geng Tianhe and the others, since it was now Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang’s matches, they would come to watch every single one.
For Zhao Xinghan and Kui Muquan, this was a task entrusted to them by their sect elders. Moreover, this man and woman were indeed quite unusual.
But as for Geng Tianhe, he faintly sensed that Han Shuangjiang and Chu Huaixu shared an extraordinary relationship!
"They really do look a bit like Dao Companions？" His heart felt somewhat sour.
Sword cultivators were among the proudest people under heaven.
From his knowledge and worldview, he could not imagine that this female sword cultivator who had astonished even him would take a liking to such a coarse Body Cultivator?
"Could it really just be because he’s handsome？" Geng Tianhe did not believe that such a Heaven’s Daughter would be so shallow!
So now, his mindset was more about finding out what kind of substance this Chu Huaixu truly had!
As expected, today this pair of man and woman once again appeared side by side, arriving together.
"His opponent today is my Sword Sect’s Junior Brother Mo. His strength is not weak！" Geng Tianhe thought.
Chu Huaixu walked onto the arena platform and began registration.
After completing the whole process, he clasped his fists in salute toward his opponent, Mo Lingfeng.
Mo Lingfeng had slightly dark skin and a resolute face.
The sword in his hand was rather unique in design, its hilt longer than that of an ordinary sword.
The match officially began. Mo Lingfeng reached out and drew his sword.
The next moment, he could not help but let out a sound:
"Hm？"
A mountain wind blew across the arena.
The sword had not come out.
Mo Lingfeng’s sword was named Heavenly Stone.
The material of this sword contained extraterrestrial meteorite iron, hence the name.
As his Life-bound Spiritual Artifact, it was nourished by him day and night.
For a sword cultivator, the sword was the most important companion of their life!
He lowered his head in confusion to glance at the Heavenly Stone Sword, then lifted his gaze to Chu Huaixu.
Chu Huaixu simply stood there with hands clasped behind his back, having done nothing at all.
At first, Mo Lingfeng also looked down on crude Body Cultivators.
But the other’s magnanimity—refraining from making a move before he had drawn his sword—made his favorability rise!
He lowered his head again to pull the sword.
"Hm?！"
It still would not come out!
This made him realize the gravity of the situation.
On this arena, the only one who could have interfered with his sword was, without doubt, the opponent across from him!
So it really was a crude Body Cultivator using some lowly trick?
"What have you done to my sword？" Mo Lingfeng could not hold back from asking.
Chu Huaixu looked at him and only smiled faintly.
Below the arena, the crowd looked at one another, completely baffled. How could this Mo Lingfeng, a sword cultivator of the Sword Sect, be unable to draw his own sword?
Geng Tianhe’s brows furrowed even tighter, feeling that the scene on the stage was extremely strange!
Mo Lingfeng held the sword crosswise in front of him, right hand gripping tightly onto the already long hilt.
With a low shout, he began to circulate the spiritual energy within his body!
"Zheng一一！" The spiritual sword came out by an inch.
Clad in black robes, Chu Huaixu stood facing the wind. Then, as he stepped forward, the small sword within his Sea of Consciousness was once again activated.
At the very instant his foot landed, that long sword which had been drawn an inch suddenly slid back into its sheath!
Mo Lingfeng’s pupils trembled violently. He looked toward the other in utter disbelief.
From beneath the arena, cries of astonishment erupted one after another.
The scene before them was simply too shocking.
This Body Cultivator had merely taken one step forward, and the sword could no longer be drawn?
That sword spirit, normally in perfect resonance with Mo Lingfeng, was now like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.
It gave him no response whatsoever!
"What evil trick have you done to my Heavenly Stone Sword！" Mo Lingfeng’s heart immediately became restless, anxiety welling for his Life-bound Sword.
Since the Dao Gate and Sword Sect were already at odds, Chu Huaixu naturally regarded him as the best test subject.
Yet he remained silent, standing amidst the wind, his robes flapping noisily.
Mo Lingfeng let out a furious roar, fully circulating his spiritual energy!
"I don’t care what lowly trick you used, what crooked method you relied on！"
"But this is when you should strike！"
"Showing such arrogance, your defeat will still be inevitable！"
His spiritual energy surged wildly, forcing the Heavenly Stone Sword from its sheath.
He suddenly thrust forward, yet found that the sword in his hand was not as responsive as before?
Normally, for a sword cultivator, one’s Life-bound Sword should respond like an extension of their own body.
But today was the complete opposite—even the sword techniques in his hand became somewhat distorted!
The sword spirit still gave no response, yet it seemed stubbornly uncooperative.
At this moment, that thrust of the sword was full of flaws in the eyes of this 【Swordless One】 with Sword Heart Clarity.
Chu Huaixu sighed softly.
Toward this Sword Sect opponent, he felt somewhat disappointed. This was not the result he wished to test.
And that sigh made Mo Lingfeng nearly lose his mind, his shame and anger intensifying.
As the sword reached before him, this crude Body Cultivator lifted his right hand, lightly flicking the blade with a finger.
"Zheng一一！"
The Heavenly Stone Sword was sent flying!
Mo Lingfeng, having lost his spiritual sword, shrank his pupils sharply.
The shock and shadow left in his heart by this scene was unprecedented in his life.
"How… how could this be！"
Seeing his appearance, Chu Huaixu revealed the truth.
"Because your sword… fears me," he said.