The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 17: Hengwu Small World | Chapter 336: Fierce Battle

The venue was a massive arena, surrounded by many elevated seats, layer upon layer, resembling a giant tower.

Several Xiantian experts were seated on one of the towers, while the remaining towers were designated seats for the participants.

Xu Ziqing glanced around. Though the grandeur of this place didn’t quite match the magnificence of the large-scale competitions held by cultivators, it was still impressive for the mortal world.

Many people already occupied several of the towers, but the highest position at the peak was left vacant.

After Yun Tiangang entered, a servant came forward and said, “Senior Yun holds 956 Xuanwu Invitations, the highest in the competition, and thus deserves the top seat.” He gestured to the highest position in the central tower.

Xu Ziqing, observing this, felt it was only natural.

When his senior brother was still Yun Lie, he had swept through numerous experts below the Nascent Soul stage single-handedly. Now reborn as Yun Tiangang, it was only fitting that he should hold such a position.

The servant, experienced and knowledgeable, noticed how calm both of them appeared and became even more respectful toward them.

Soon, the group arrived at the base of the tower.

On either side were long ladders leading straight to the top.

Anyone who practiced martial arts possessed considerable strength. If someone were to slowly climb up on foot, wouldn’t that be shameful?

Thus, most would leap up in a single bound, touching the ground with their toes no more than three times before reaching their seat.

However, there were those present who knew that Yun Tiangang had no inherent strength.

Without inherent strength, no matter how powerful his physical body, he couldn’t leap into the air or move as lightly as a swallow.

With the number of Xuanwu Invitations Yun Tiangang held, he undoubtedly deserved the highest seat, but his situation was awkward. Those aware of it either felt pity, resentment, or calculated against him… Yet Yun Tiangang himself seemed utterly unconcerned.

If Xu Ziqing wished, he could easily use his true essence to send his senior brother straight to the top, unnoticed by anyone. But if he were to do so, it would be an insult to his senior brother.

Yun Tiangang’s expression remained indifferent, paying no mind to the stares directed at him. He simply walked towards the right ladder and began ascending step by step. As he took his first step, those gazes intensified.

Those who had never fought Yun Tiangang wore mocking expressions, while those who had fought and lost to him but were narrow-minded felt a sense of schadenfreude.

What good were his many Xuanwu Invitations in such a situation? He was no better than a defeated foe!

The weak-hearted would take the thoughts of others as their own;

The strong-hearted would brush aside external praise or blame as mere dust, insignificant;

The hollow-hearted, though burdened with a thousand praises, would feel weighed down as if carrying heavy stones, unable to find relief;

The resolute-hearted would be unwavering, seeing external matters as non-existent.

Yun Tiangang was a man of resolute heart, his will like steel, never swayed.

Thus, the words and gazes of others were nothing but illusions to him.

Xu Ziqing followed behind, smiling faintly.

His senior brother had never changed, and as his junior brother, he would naturally follow wherever he went.

His own steps were leisurely, in contrast to Yun Tiangang’s straight-backed, forceful pace. The longer outsiders watched, the more their mocking expressions faded.

In the end, the crowd fell into near silence.

Perhaps a long time had passed, or perhaps it was just a fleeting moment, but the two had already reached the top.

Yun Tiangang sat down directly, while Xu Ziqing, being slightly lower in rank, sat on the steps beside him.

Qiu Yuchen and Qiu Hu, as the Xiantian experts presiding over the event, had excellent vantage points. Upon seeing this scene, they couldn’t help but raise their eyebrows slightly.

By rights, someone as powerful as Xu Ziqing, even if following another, could have easily found a seat among the towers reserved for Xiantian experts. There was no need for him to sit close to his master like an ordinary attendant. Yet Xu Ziqing, disregarding his own status, sat casually… His relaxed demeanor, showing no reluctance and without feeling any loss of face, was truly extraordinary.

As a cultivator, Xu Ziqing practiced the path of life and death cycles. To him, imperial authority, mundane wealth, life, and death were all just aspects of reincarnation. No matter how much one possessed in a previous life, it would all turn to dust in the next. All such intangible things were within the laws of the heavenly way. Since that was the case, why should he care too much about gains and losses, harming himself in the process?

Even for those who pursued the Dao, not everyone could attain immortality. One should follow their true nature to achieve the Great Dao.

Some of the other Xiantian experts who sensed Xu Ziqing’s unfathomable aura saw his behavior as well, each reacting differently in their hearts.

The young man in brocade had long approached. Initially, he had intended to mock Yun Tiangang, but upon seeing Yun Tiangang’s stubbornness, he suppressed his disdain. He hadn’t seen Yun Tiangang in person before, but now that he had, he realized that the elaborate preparations he’d made were indeed not in vain.

This Yun Tiangang, so young yet with such determination—if not eliminated, he would surely become a grave threat!

Soon, all those holding Xuanwu Invitations arrived, and those with enough invitations took their seats according to the number they held.

With this, the Xuanwu Tournament officially began.

At the sound of a bell, two martial artists leaped onto the stage.

According to the tournament rules, unless someone issued a personal challenge, the duels would start with those holding a single Xuanwu Invitations. The loser would leave the stage, while the winner would continue fighting. After three consecutive victories, the victor could rest before resuming. This continued until all had fought. The fewer Xuanwu Invitations one had, the earlier they would have to fight, facing more opponents. Those with many Invitations could choose when to enter the fray. However, once they stepped onto the stage, they too would have to fight three consecutive matches. During the duels, participants were responsible for their own lives and deaths. A group of Xiantian experts overseeing the tournament would judge the results, with final decisions made by the presiding Xiantian experts.

Yun Tiangang watched intently, even though the two martial artists on stage were of average skill. He observed them carefully and did not underestimate them.

Xu Ziqing, after a glance, shifted his gaze elsewhere.

A group of people sat together on one side, appearing close and engaged in some sort of discussion.

With a slight pause, Xu Ziqing extended his divine sense, gathering their words.

Sure enough, they were plotting against his senior brother.

It turned out these people were from the Thunder Sect. One of the elders from the Wu Ao Sect was related to a disciple from the Thunder Sect and had cozied up to the young master of the Thunder Sect. They had long been offering tributes to curry favor, earning a bit of respect. After the Wu Ao Sect suffered a loss at the hands of the Yun family, they were greatly displeased. They gathered considerable wealth and begged this young master to eliminate Yun Tiangang during the tournament. The young master, having some ties with them and being arrogant, agreed. He had orchestrated all the prior schemes to kill Yun Tiangang in a just and open manner on the arena stage!

However, during his plotting, the young master realized Yun Tiangang was difficult to deal with. He then continuously used various methods to weaken Yun Tiangang’s strength. Now, he was determined not to give him more time to rest. After a few more rounds, he planned to personally step onto the stage and kill him.

Xu Ziqing frowned slightly.

The schemes and plots of ordinary people are indeed difficult to guard against, but if one’s strength is far superior, there is no need to fear.

Shixiong is now honing his sword to the utmost limit, and his physical body is approaching its peak. That young sect master is undoubtedly much more dangerous than ordinary opponents, and he also knows more about Shixiong’s techniques… But could this pressure become the opportunity for Shixiong to awaken his sword intent?

Logically, the moment between life and death should be the best opportunity. However, if it doesn’t happen, this physical body will be destroyed.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Ziqing decided to let things unfold naturally.

In any case, Shixiong’s primordial spirit is already intact. Even if his physical body collapses, Xu Ziqing can intervene and guide him, sending his primordial spirit back to his immortal demon body.

It’s just a pity that Yun Tiangang’s body, with its single metal spiritual root, will be lost if Shixiong doesn’t awaken. He wasn’t sure how to handle that.

If the opportunity for sword-intent awakening doesn’t arrive at this moment, then there’s no need to dwell on it.

As Xu Ziqing thought this over, several rounds had already passed in the arena.

At this moment, a young man in a brocade jumped down from the top of another tower, landing at one side of the arena.

His movements were swift, and he quickly knocked the previous victor off the stage. He clasped his hands in greeting and spoke, “I have long heard of the famed Swift Sword Yun Tiangang and wish to seek guidance. Today, I stand on this arena and hope that Young Hero Yun will not hesitate to offer me pointers!”

The young man’s voice was sonorous and confident, but not arrogant, and it immediately earned the approval of many Xiantian experts.

Looking at his strength, he was at the ninth level of the Houtian stage, with an aura even more robust than most martial artists at the same level.

Those who recognized him gasped, “The young sect master of the Thunder Sect, Lei Li!”

“So it’s him. I heard he’s only twenty-five this year and has already reached the ninth level of the Houtian stage!”

“No wonder he has such presence. The Thunder Sect has a promising future!”

Lei Li was inwardly pleased but showed no sign of it on his face. His gaze fixated on Yun Tiangang, who stood atop the other tower.

“I challenge you. Do you dare to accept?” His eyes conveyed this unspoken message.

Yun Lie had never feared a challenge, and Yun Tiangang was no different. He simply stood, leaping down from the tower.

Yun Tiangang’s body had long been tempered to be extremely strong. Although his meridians couldn’t fully contain his inner force, with subtle adjustments to his body, he could push off mid-air several times, allowing him to land smoothly. It was far easier than trying to rely on raw physical strength to stay airborne.

After dissipating some of the impact mid-air, Yun Tiangang landed on the stage without much noise.

Seeing this, Lei Li narrowed his eyes. This person was indeed extraordinary, controlling his body with a precision rarely seen. At this point, he said no more. His figure flickered, and two long blades appeared in his hands!

The blades had thin backs, with the hilts reversed in his palms. When he wielded them, they almost seemed like extensions of his body, so precise and skillful that he had mastered the technique to its peak.

Lei Li’s eyes gleamed, his movements fierce, and each strike with the blades was deadly. He wanted to see whether Yun Tiangang could leave this arena alive today!

Yun Tiangang’s long sword vibrated as he engaged Lei Li. After just two exchanges, he noticed the difference.

Lei Li’s blade technique was incredibly fast, faster than the Gale Sword technique he had seen from someone who had taken drugs, and the intricacies of his blade work far surpassed those of ordinary challengers. This was clearly a formidable opponent. However, Lei Li’s blade movements targeted Yun Tiangang’s weaknesses, which was far from normal. That’s right—Yun Tiangang currently had weaknesses.

In terms of swordsmanship, no one in this world could compare to him. However, after days of continuous sword sharpening, his body was fatigued, and he could no longer perfectly execute his sword moves. This caused slight flaws when he switched between techniques.

Ordinary people couldn’t detect these small weaknesses, and even those who did were slower than Yun Tiangang, unable to exploit them.

But Lei Li was fast. It seemed he had already identified these weak points before the fight began.

From then on, every one of Lei Li’s strikes was a killing blow, with both blades coming at him simultaneously.

One blade would break Yun Tiangang’s defense, while the other aimed for a fatal strike.

Yun Tiangang’s posture was steady, and the sword in his hand was even steadier. He had a firm, unwavering nature—not dull or ignorant.

When many people challenged him before, even without them speaking, he could sense something strange. But because he was honing his sword, he never turned anyone away. Others might see it as trouble or a scheme, but to him, it was just sharpening. The closer he got to his limit, the more clarity he gained.

So now, with Lei Li pressing him, what should he do? Face the blades head-on, of course!

Either I sharpen my sword and progress, winning the fight, or I lose and leave my life behind.

Yun Tiangang’s gaze remained calm, and in his sword technique, there seemed to be a faint trace of a certain profound intent.

Lei Li’s blade technique was fast, and Yun Tiangang’s fatigued body couldn’t fully keep up, leaving many small cuts in his flesh.

After only a few exchanges, Yun Tiangang’s body was half-covered in blood, and it seemed he was on the verge of defeat.

Yet, Lei Li’s mood was heavy. Despite having the upper hand, he could sense Yun Tiangang’s unyielding, determined heart. Beneath that heart was a powerful will that flowed through each sword move, making his hands feel light but placing a heavy weight on his mind.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more ominous Lei Li’s premonition became. Steeling his resolve, Lei Li unleashed his family’s ultimate technique, his deadliest move! His body spun like a whirlwind, and his twin blades whirled about like ghostly shadows!

Kill—

In an instant, one blade aimed for Yun Tiangang’s abdomen, while the other sought to slit his throat.

The cold gleam of the two blades was like two icy stars, suddenly right before his eyes!

It seemed that Yun Tiangang was about to be cut down, with all his escape routes sealed off by the blade’s momentum, leaving no chance for survival! Could it be that he was truly about to die here?

Lei Li, filled with ruthless determination, believed victory was within his grasp. His eyes gleamed with ferocity, confident that his Thunder Sect’s secret technique would not fail him here!

Yun Tiangang remained motionless, closing his eyes as if resigning himself to his fate. Was he about to… offer his neck to the blade? In the next moment, his eyes suddenly snapped open!

Lei Li abruptly saw a flash of black and gold light streak across Yun Tiangang’s pitch-black eyes. Almost immediately, he felt an overwhelming pressure crashing down upon him. Under this pressure, it was as though he had been imprisoned in an invisible domain. Cold and pure killing intent poured into his senses, flooding his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose… And then, he knew nothing more.

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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