Chapter 130: Small Competition

On the first day of entering the martial arts hall, while regaining that familiar, fully engaged, and fulfilling training rhythm, this kind of provocation and conflict that could never be avoided did not fall behind.

In fact, not only in the martial arts hall, as long as it is a place that vents blood and energy and takes martial fighting as the theme, many people inevitably overflow with some fierce energy, and it is common for sparring to turn into real fire.

Although the masters taught martial etiquette in detail on the first day of learning martial arts, and also emphasized not bullying the weak and not fawning over the strong, since it appeared at the beginning and end of sparring, it could only be a way for the strong to show their style, and could not be a way for the weak to win respect.

Many grandsons, before being beaten, would think they were grandfathers.

Back in the martial arts hall in Fenghuai, Pei Ye also only enjoyed the harmonious time afterward after fighting a few hard battles.

So at this time, Pei Ye was not too angry. He was not a person easily angered. In fact, the youth's temper could be called generous and gentle.

He was just a bit annoyed. This annoyance was not the irritability that was suppressed to the extreme on that night in Fenghuai, but merely the annoyance of facing a mosquito flying around—if you don't give it a slap, it will keep buzzing and buzzing.

The narrow-eyed youth walked away with a white face, holding his pants without saying a word. This scene happened on the martial arts field and was reflected in the eyes of many people.

After the meal, there was half an hour of rest. Pei Ye hugged his sword case and lay in the shade of a tree for a while, then started the afternoon training.

This section was self-practice of martial arts, with several masters patrolling and guiding. Although they would not practice the saber, sword, fist, and palm techniques that the students practiced, they had the eyesight to distinguish whether the exertion and movement were in place. Moreover, for many relatively common martial arts, the things in martial principles were all connected.

Pei Ye, who had already entered the Clumsy Realm, no longer needed this kind of basic guidance, so he went to the side to continue practicing the Cicada Sparrow Sword.

The following moves became more and more difficult, but within an hour, he still learned the next two moves, 【Supporting Tree】 and 【Shedding Shell】, and familiarized himself with 【Flying Copper Shadow】 once.

When he put away his sword, the masters were already standing on the martial arts field, calling them over.

More than twenty people scattered and sat down, forming a huge circle in the middle. Pei Ye also sat down with the crowd, the case on his knees, put his hand in, and then covered it with his lapel.

On the left was Zhang Junxue, on the right were Zhang Dingyun and Chang Yue. Further to the right was a thin-faced man with long hair, sitting very steadily, looking about the same age as Zhang Junxue, both in their twenties or thirties.

The majestic man who opened the session in the morning was the instructor. At this time, he stood in the middle, with a wooden frame with paper posted on his side, on which a list of names was written.

This should be the ranking of the big competition Zhang Junxue mentioned. Pei Ye took a look. At the head was an unfamiliar name "Xiao Qiu," the second was "Chang Yue," and the ones further down were all unrecognized, until the last one, where there was another familiar name—Zhang Dingyun.

At this time, Pei Ye caught a glimpse of a familiar figure who had changed his pants walking over and sitting beside the long-haired man just now.

The narrow-eyed youth lowered his head and said something. The man's voice came over: "I told you to go apologize to others. You can't control your mouth, isn't it asking for trouble?"

Sensing Pei Ye's gaze, the man turned to Pei Ye, cupped his hands, and nodded to show his apology.

Pei Ye also smiled and returned the salute.

"Is everyone here?" The instructor looked around, opened a folded piece of paper in his hand, and smiled, "The reward rules I told everyone in the morning have just been received."

"Woo—" A few people on the field cheered, and everyone sat up straight unconsciously.

"I won't keep everyone in suspense. Before the small competition starts, let's read this first. Remember," the instructor's voice was solemn, "this document has not been announced yet, do not spread it."

He lowered his head and began to read: "As of the end of the 'pre-competition competition' yesterday, the quota for this Wu Bi is initially set at 128 people, with 128 people implemented, among whom three cannot participate due to reasons. This Wu Bi is still seven rounds, with gifts given according to the rank."

"64 people who win one round, 1 tael of silver."

"32 people who win two rounds, 5 taels of silver."

"16 people who win three rounds, 10 taels of silver, awarded the Iron Fish Talisman."

"8 people who win four rounds, 20 taels of silver, awarded the Iron Fish Talisman, credential inscription 'Bowang Jin Qiu · 8'."

"4 people who win five rounds, 50 taels of silver, awarded the Iron Fish Talisman, credential inscription 'Bowang Jin Qiu · 4', one Ascension Pill."

"2 people who win six rounds, 80 taels of silver, awarded the Copper Sparrow Talisman, credential inscription 'Bowang Jin Qiu · Double', one Ascension Pill, a Ding-grade top sword from the East Sea Sword Furnace."

"The champion who wins seven rounds, 100 taels of silver, awarded the Copper Sparrow Talisman, credential inscription 'Bowang Jin Qiu · Champion', one Ascension Pill, a Bing-grade bottom sword from the East Sea Sword Furnace, sword art 'Snow Collapse', and the title of Divine Capital Martial Scholar granted by the Han Pavilion."

After the instructor finished reading, there was already a discussion on the field.

People like Pei Ye who were participating for the first time might not be able to read anything from it, but for many who had been paying attention to the Wu Bi for many sessions, although since the Bowang Prefecture began to attach importance to the granted Wu Bi in recent years, the rewards for each session were becoming more generous, the increase in this session was still surprising.

Mainly because of the addition of things like "Ascension Pill," this was the first time such a pill had appeared in the "Three Competitions."

It was actually the first time it had appeared in Bowang Prefecture.

Wu the Occultist, who took office at the Bowang Prefecture Immortal Platform at the beginning of the year, was from the Quanzhen Sect. Benefiting from this path, Bowang Prefecture was able to purchase two furnaces of Ascension Pills.

One furnace had five pills. The first furnace arrived in early August and did not flow out; the second furnace would arrive in four or five days. The prefecture government had already ordered four pills, which were used for this Wu Bi.

Listening to Zhang Dingyun's explanation beside him, Pei Ye nodded slowly, and at the same time, a question surged into his mind—where did the Ascension Pill that the old man used as a prize that night come from?

Was that old man a local?

Putting this aside, the rewards for the last two items made Pei Ye couldn't help but look at Chang Yue and Zhang Junxue beside him.

And their sabers.

Needless to say, the top rewards did not leave a place for such weapons.

The prosperity of martial arts lies in the sword. This is a common sense that has been accepted by people.

It is hard to trace when it was, but it seems that from the beginning, it has been far ahead among all weapons, ruling the martial arts.

It is also unknown whether it was because a few geniuses pushed the sword path to an unprecedented realm that attracted people to learn the sword, or because countless people with uneven levels went to learn the sword that piled up achievements far higher than fist, palm, saber, and spear.

Or perhaps the two were complementary.

In short, among the cultivators in the world today, if you want to pick the strongest, it must be someone who uses a sword; if you want to pick the weakest, it is mostly someone who uses a sword. When choosing weapons at the beginning of martial arts, ten children probably have nine who will choose the sword, and the remaining one will be forced by their parents to change to the sword—nonsense, resources and future are all there.

Returning to the present, for the last two rewards, the prefecture government actually predicted the "winners" first and then set the awards according to these few people.

Among the three sects, two use long swords and one uses short blades. Among the two counties, Zheng Shou also uses swords. Xu Gu is strong in sabers, and the prefecture government also specially set up two options of saber and sword for the champion in last year's winter competition. But this year, Zhang Junxue's information had already been placed on the desk, and it was almost impossible to fight into the top two.

This judgment was not wrong. Chang Yue and Zhang Junxue were relatively stable top-eight levels, and also had a 20% to 40% probability of entering the top four, but after entering, they would definitely be the two who were about to be eliminated.

Waiting until the discussion sound grew smaller, the instructor stopped them: "If you have anything to say, wait until after class. We have to finish today's small competition first."

The atmosphere quieted down.

"Two newcomers came today. Before the small competition starts, we must first rank them." The instructor looked around, "The two are Zhang Junxue from Xu Gu and Pei Ye from Fenghuai."

Pei Ye stood up and cupped his hands to everyone: "I am Pei Ye."

Zhang Junxue raised her head and looked at him blankly, and only then stood up in the increasingly quiet atmosphere, cupped her hands dully, didn't say a word, and was about to sit back.

"No need to sit." The instructor said, "Zhang Junxue, you come up, fight Xiao Qiu first and see."

Zhang Junxue carried her saber onto the stage, and on the other side, the long-haired man who had just greeted Pei Ye stood up.

When he stood up, Pei Ye realized that not only was his face thin, but his body was also thin, and even the sword he used was thin.

He was like a sharpened bamboo.

He walked up behind Zhang Junxue and stood on the other side.

He drew his sword first.

Only then did the instructor say: "You can start."

Zhang Junxue still performed the martial salute move by move, and only then lifted her broadsword.

Xiao Qiu held his sword and looked at her, without any intention of returning the salute.

Seeing Zhang Junxue was ready, he straightened his sword and stabbed up.

As soon as he made a move, Pei Ye couldn't help but "Hmm?"—because of the unusual stiffness of the sword.

This sword actually had no resilience at all?

Although the weapons hadn't collided yet, Pei Ye, who was very familiar with swords, had sensitively noticed this point. Others might not be able to see it, but in Pei Ye's eyes, it was as awkward as a person who had lost all joints.

Using such a stiff sword, what kind of sword moves were used?

The answer was already in front of him—a sword move that was too rigid.

Just like a person without joints can only jump straight, this sword also lost the possibility of many changes, but every remaining move became more powerful.

This was the first time Pei Ye saw someone fight head-on with Zhang Junxue!

What a hard sword!

What a hard bone structure!

The instructor told Zhang Junxue to fight this Xiao Qiu, which meant he should also be in the Fourth Life Realm, yet he could fight head-on with Zhang Junxue, who was born with divine strength.

One could see the power condensed in this thin body.

The subsequent fighting was very simple. Zhang Junxue's saber path was extremely simple, fast, and light or heavy as she pleased, while Xiao Qiu's was a hard sword that would rather break than bend, clean and fierce. Zhang Junxue didn't try to use her floating and fast saber to mislead Xiao Qiu, but only chose the heavy sword, so the competition between the two became a collision that was more powerful than the last.

The huge sound of gold and iron echoed on the martial arts field. It was hard to say whether it was a test of the two people's strength or a test of the quality of this pair of saber and sword.

The intensity of the saber and sword collision was still rising, gradually reaching the upper limit of the two. After another collision, Zhang Junxue didn't immediately meet it again, but borrowed the force of the collision to retreat a step.

But this step was not a concession, but for a larger space to exert force.

That saber from outside the inn that day appeared again.

A formless wind vortex suddenly circled around Zhang Junxue. The students who hadn't seen this saber had already let out exclamations. Such a heavy saber could actually be fast into a ring? How heavy would such a fast saber be?

A saber met Xiao Qiu.

However, when Zhang Junxue took a step back to leave space for herself to accumulate strength, she also left a larger space for Xiao Qiu to exert force.

Xiao Qiu also didn't waste this distance. His sword pulled out a sharp whistle in the air.

Another collision, but Zhang Junxue's saber was deflected further away.

Xiao Qiu used this distance more effectively.

It seemed the outcome was decided.

But Pei Ye, who had fought with the woman for a while, sensitively felt that this deflected saber was not crooked, but was still under the woman's control, and could even accumulate strength.

Pei Ye's eyes brightened, looking forward to the explosion in the next instant. That saber didn't have a chance to be used in front of Cheng Jiang Hong that day, but now it was different.

But that saber didn't slash back as he imagined, but fell to the ground along the force of being deflected. Zhang Junxue retreated a step, stopped her figure, still cupped her hands move by move, and said: "I lost."

Xiao Qiu sheathed his sword, didn't look at her, and turned to leave the field on his own.

The instructor nodded: "In this way, Zhang Junxue did not win against Xiao Qiu. Next round, want to fight Chang Yue, how about it?"

Before Zhang Junxue could speak, Chang Yue had already stood up and said in a rough voice: "Instructor, I have sparred with Zhang Junxue, I am not her opponent."

"Oh, good, then put Zhang Junxue in the second position. Is there anyone else who wants to challenge?"

No one on the field responded. Zhang Junxue's performance just now was obvious to all, and Chang Yue's strength had also been recognized long ago.

"Good, you go back." The instructor patted Zhang Junxue's shoulder, then looked at Pei Ye and said, "Pei Ye, what is your cultivation?"

Unlike Zhang Junxue who showed off Xu Gu, he obviously didn't know this unknown transfer student.

"First Life." Pei Ye said.

"... Oh." The instructor looked around, "Then, do you still want to fight—with... Zhang Dingyun?"

"Ah?" The little fat boy who was leaning comfortably against Chang Yue straightened up blankly and looked at Pei Ye, "Me? No need to fight me, just rank me directly above."

"..." The instructor seemed to be used to it, nodded, looked at Pei Ye, and said, "In this way, I will rank you in the twenty-third position, how about it? Or, do you want to try your hand with the brothers and sisters above?"

"I want to fight, instructor." Pei Ye said.

"Good, then Zheng Yuan?" The instructor read a name ranked twentieth.

"No, instructor, I want to choose someone myself." Pei Ye said, "But, I have to trouble you to wait a moment."

"Hmm, good."

Then the whole field quieted down.

There were a full dozen breaths.

The instructor finally tapped the wooden board full of names: "Haven't you chosen yet? There are only names on this, and you can't see anything."

"Ah, no. I chose it from the beginning." Pei Ye stood up and said.

"I want to fight with Brother Xiao Qiu."

"......"

The whole field looked at him.

"... You are in the First Life Realm, this kind of competition has no benefit for either of you." The instructor said.

"I'm in the Second Life." Pei Ye said.

Damn, I could have written another chapter today, but there was a gathering, so I will update normally, and add more in the next few days.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 131 =====