Chapter 19: Li Luo's Phantasm

Around the wooden platform, the crowd surged.

Yet at this moment, the atmosphere had fallen into an eerie silence; everyone stared with wide eyes, faces filled with shock, at Liu Yang, who had slid out of the arena.

This result was obviously beyond their expectations.

Liu Yang, of the Six-Seal Realm, had actually been defeated by Li Luo with a single strike of his staff?

How is that possible?!

The silence lasted for a few breaths before suddenly erupting into a roar of boiling fervor and clamor.

"What happened?"

"How did Liu Yang lose in one move?"

"That doesn't make sense; Liu Yang's Phantasm Power is at least at the Six-Seal level. Even if he was caught off guard, with Phantasm Power defense, Li Luo shouldn't have been able to win."

"Is that guy Liu Yang taking money to throw the match?"

"If so, this fake performance is too insulting to our intelligence!"

"."

Over at the First Academy, Ti Ti Faqing's rosy little mouth opened slightly, as if question marks floated above her head; a moment later, she frowned and said, "What is that guy Liu Yang doing? This is way too weak."

Song Song Yunfeng's brows also furrowed, then he said calmly, "He must have underestimated the opponent too much, so he didn't even have time to unleash his Phantasm Power."

"Too stupid," Ti Ti Faqing shook her head.

"Next time, he probably won't be so lucky."

Beside them, Lu Qing'er gazed at the tall figure in the arena holding the iron staff, standing tall and proud; she was slightly dazed, as if she saw the youth from back when they were in the First Academy, full of spirit and smiling, who had mocked her Phantasm Arts as inaccurate and then corrected them bit by bit for her.

"Next time..."

Lu Qing'er's red lips parted slightly as she whispered, "He will probably win again; in fact, he might win the remaining two matches as well."

Upon hearing this, many outstanding students of the First Academy exchanged glances, and some young men immediately felt dissatisfaction and jealousy.

"Impossible... You're so optimistic about him; do you have feelings for Li Luo?" someone in the crowd shouted provocatively.

Hearing this, Song Song Yunfeng's expression immediately darkened as he barked, "Who is speaking nonsense?!"

His sharp gaze swept across the crowd, and everyone fell silent, daring not to provoke him further.

Then Song Song Yunfeng looked at Lu Qing'er, who completely ignored the provocation, and said calmly, "Qing'er, he cannot win."

"Li Luo, well done!"

In contrast to the shock on the First Academy side, Zhao Kuang immediately shouted excitedly, and soon cheers erupted from the Second Academy side as well.

Regardless of whether Li Luo won because Liu Yang was too overconfident, one thing was certain: the Second Academy had won the first match.

The surrounding clamor made Liu Yang's face pale; he struggled to get up, mumbling something like "I was careless, I didn't dodge," but no one paid him any attention now.

"Idiot."

Hearing the cheers from the Second Academy, Bei Kun's expression became much worse; he angrily glared at Liu Yang, who was lying on the ground with a pale face, then said to another person, "Lu Tai, you go; be careful not to capsize in a ditch again."

The youth named Lu Tai was somewhat thin but exuded a sharp, shrewd air; hearing this, he didn't say much, merely glanced at Li Luo, then took up an iron sword and stepped into the arena.

On the high platform, Xu Xu Shanyue smiled and praised, "Li Luo's Phantasm Arts are indeed quite proficient and exquisite; it's truly a pity. With his mastery of Phantasm Arts, once his Phantasm Power reaches the Fifth Seal, he will likely be able to challenge most opponents of the Sixth Seal."

Lin Feng's expression remained calm as he said, "No matter how much of a pity it is, it serves no purpose."

"Let the second match begin."

However, it was clear that due to Liu Yang's crushing defeat, Lin Feng was somewhat displeased, so he had no desire to argue with Xu Xu Shanyue and directly announced the start of the second match.

As his voice fell, Lu Tai in the arena immediately activated his Phantasm Power; red Phantasm Power rose from his body, like a thin layer of flame, radiating intense heat.

This was the Grade Five Fire Phantasm that Lu Tai possessed.

After Liu Yang's previous failure, Lu Tai obviously dared not underestimate his opponent again.

Boom!

As the flame Phantasm Power surged, Lu Tai gripped his long sword and shot forward without hesitation; red Phantasm Power swirled on the blade's edge, like flames.

Swish! Swish!

Countless red sword shadows directly swept toward Li Luo.

"Li Luo, no matter what tricks you have, as long as I crush you with Sixth-Seal Phantasm Power, you will surely lose!" Lu Tai shouted lowly.

Li Luo's proficiency in Phantasm Arts was no secret at Nanfeng Academy, but no matter how exquisite the Phantasm Arts, without sufficient Phantasm Power to support them, they were merely a moon in the water, scattering at the slightest touch.

As the scorching sword wind roared toward him, Li Luo slowly tightened his grip on the iron staff, then stepped back with agile footwork, dodging the sword wind entirely.

"You think you can dodge?"

Lu Tai sneered; in the next instant, his wrist flicked, and red light surged, transforming into streaks of fire roaring toward him like a rain of flames, brilliant yet dangerous.

That was the Intermediate Phantasm Art, Fire Rain Sword, which was also Lu Tai's most skilled Phantasm Art.

As numerous fire streaks shot toward him, the iron staff in Li Luo's hand suddenly began to spin like a windmill, forming an impenetrable defensive barrier.

"Without Phantasm Power, how can you block my Phantasm Art?" Lu Tai scoffed at Li Luo's action.

Bang! Bang!

Numerous fire streaks exploded before the iron staff; the high temperature eroded it, causing the staff in Li Luo's hand to quickly become scorching hot, but just then, a blue light emerged from the iron staff.

Hiss! Hiss!

Smoke rose, obscuring Lu Tai's vision.

Whoosh!

But in that very instant, the steam-like smoke was violently torn apart, revealing an iron staff flashing with blue light that thrust out with lightning speed, directly aiming at Lu Tai's forehead.

The sudden attack startled Lu Tai; his Phantasm Art had actually been completely blocked by Li Luo?

Impossible!

Though shocked in his heart, Lu Tai's hand did not slow; red Phantasm Power surged on his long sword, and he threw all his strength into clashing directly with the thrusting iron staff.

Clang!

The clear ring of metal rang out.

【2】 But what unfolded left everyone stunned. Under that clash, the crimson resonance force on Lu Tai's longsword seemed to be crushed by an overwhelming pressure, dimming almost in an instant.

【3】 Bang!

【4】 Under the erosion of the high temperature and water vapor, the iron sword shattered in an instant. As fragments flew, the iron staff shimmering with an azure gleam came to a halt right at Lu Tai's brow.

【5】 Feeling the sting at his brow, Lu Tai's face went deathly pale.

【6】 This exchange had lasted no longer than a spark of flint, and by the time the crowd came back to their senses, Li Luo's iron staff was already hovering at Lu Tai's brow.

【7】 Li Luo won again?!

【8】 If the previous match had only left them astonished, then this time, it was genuine, bone-deep disbelief.

【9】 Because this time, Lu Tai hadn't held back in the slightest. He'd poured out every last drop of his six-seal-grade resonance force, and even so, he'd still lost to Li Luo?!

【10】 How could that be?!

【11】 Under those countless incredulous gazes, the water-vapor mist curling around the other end of the iron staff slowly dispersed, and Li Luo's figure emerged into full view of the crowd.

【12】 Hiss!

【13】 One after another, long-absent gasps of cold air rang out, laced with shock, rising and falling in waves.

【14】 Over at the First Courtyard, Di Fa, Ti Ti Faqing, and Lv Qing'er's beautiful eyes all went wide and round at the same moment. Beside them, Song Song Yunfeng slapped the wooden railing in front of him so hard it cracked with a web of splits.

【15】 On the high platform, Xu Xu Shanyue, Lin Feng, and the other instructors of South Wind Academy all wore a similar flash of astonishment on their faces.

【16】 The old headmaster at the front narrowed his eyes to slits.

【17】 Because every one of them saw that, at this moment, blue resonance force was slowly rising from Li Luo's body, like layer upon layer of azure waves.

【18】 With their trained eyes, they could tell at a glance that it was the power of the water resonance.

【19】 But it was common knowledge that Li Luo was born with an empty resonance, making it extremely difficult for him to cultivate resonance force.

【20】 Yet right now—

【21】 Where had this water resonance power come from?!

【22】 Or could it be… the current Li Luo was no longer empty-resonanced, but had instead… been born with a water resonance?!

【23】 (End of chapter)

Then something shocking happened — under that clash, the crimson phase force on Lu Tai's long sword seemed to be suppressed to an extreme degree, and in almost an instant, it all dimmed away.

Bang!

Under the erosion of the high temperature and water vapor, the iron sword shattered in an instant; amid the flying shards, the iron rod shimmering with an azure gleam came to a stop right at Lu Tai's brow.

Feeling the sting at his brow, Lu Tai's face went deathly pale.

This clash took no more than a flash of lightning; by the time the crowd came back to their senses, Li Luo's iron rod was already hovering at Lu Tai's brow.

Li Luo has won again?!

If the previous match had only left the crowd astonished, then this time, it was genuine, bone-deep disbelief.

Because this time, Lu Tai hadn't held back in the slightest — the phase force of a six-seal tier was unleashed without reserve — and even so, he still lost to Li Luo?!

How could this be?!

Amid those countless incredulous gazes, the water-vapor mist curling around the other end of the iron rod gradually dispersed at this moment, and Li Luo's figure appeared before the watching eyes of all.

Hiss!

One after another, long-missed gasps of cold air rang out in succession, laden with horror.

Over at the First Academy, both Di Fa and Lv Qing'er's beautiful eyes went round at the same instant; beside them, Song Song Yunfeng slapped the wooden railing in front of him outright, cracking a series of splits into the wood.

On the high platform, Xu Xu Shanyue, Lin Feng, and the other South Wind Academy mentors likewise had a shade of astonishment surfacing on their faces.

The old dean at the front narrowed his eyes even further.

Because every one of them saw that, at this moment, blue phase force was slowly rising over Li Luo's body, like layer upon layer of azure waves.

With their eyes, they could naturally tell at a glance — that was the power of the Water Phase.

Yet, as everyone knew, Li Luo was born with an Empty Phase, making it very hard for him to cultivate phase force.

But right now—

Where did that Water Phase power come from?!

Or could it be… the current Li Luo is no longer an Empty Phase, but has instead been born with a Water Phase?!

(End of this chapter)