Chapter 39: A Mantis Trying to Stop a Chariot

As the time for the match approached, the youth in black long sleeves gracefully flew up from the side and landed lightly on the arena.

He stood a few meters away from Meng Yingxing and slowly closed his eyes, as if resting.

The temperature today was no different from yesterday.

But facing Mò Kǎimíng, who stood before him as still as a solid rock, Meng Yingxing felt a slight chill as the breeze blew past.

“This Mò Kǎimíng is clearly only sixteen, yet he acts like an old man,” Xiu Qingcheng looked at the silent Mò Kǎimíng and complained with disdain.

‘Damn it, she hated these pretentious people the most.’

‘Especially when it’s a handsome pretty boy being pretentious.’

She looked down on him!

Even if they couldn’t win, Meng Yingxing had to at least punch him in the face!

Xiu Qingcheng would absolutely not admit that the jealousy of her male soul was at work!

“Later, you go and punch this whatever-his-name-is Mò Kǎimíng in the face!” Xiu Qingcheng issued a command to Meng Yingxing.

Meng Yingxing gave a wry smile in his heart, ‘Master, you think too highly of me.’

The sect deacon responsible for judging the outcome walked between Meng Yingxing and Mò Kǎimíng as usual and raised his hand.

“Divine Weapon Trial, second round, arena number three, Meng Yingxing versus Mò Kǎimíng.”

“Arena number three, Meng Yingxing, weapon Ting Tian Sword, versus Mò Kǎimíng, weapon Wutan Sword. First match of the Divine Weapon Trial, begin!”

As the sect deacon’s words fell, Meng Yingxing drew the Ting Tian Sword.

But strangely, there was no movement from Mò Kǎimíng’s side. He didn’t even open the eyes he had closed to rest.

“Why isn’t he making a move? He’s not even opening his eyes? Is he looking down on us?”

Seeing Mò Kǎimíng’s inaction, Xiu Qingcheng immediately became angry, “Disciple, go, give him a slap right now! If there’s anything strange, I’ll be watching for you!”

Although the saying goes, ‘if the enemy doesn’t move, I don’t move; if the enemy moves, I move first,’ Xiu Qingcheng couldn’t stand it any longer. She had to make Meng Yingxing attack and test the waters immediately!

Meng Yingxing took a steadying breath, and in the next second, his entire being shot out like a bolt of black lightning!

He swung his sword towards Mò Kǎimíng. The light reflecting off the sword flashed across Mò Kǎimíng’s face, and in an instant, the Ting Tian Sword was right before his eyes.

At that moment, Mò Kǎimíng opened his eyes, his gaze reflecting Meng Yingxing’s movements.

A grayish-white longsword fell from his long sleeve and into his hand—

“Lower left!!!”

In Meng Yingxing’s ear, Xiu Qingcheng’s warning sound rang out.

He immediately gritted his teeth, retracted his sword’s momentum, and shifted into a defensive posture. Immediately, a sword edge, too fast to be seen clearly, scraped upwards against the body of the Ting Tian Sword that Meng Yingxing had just raised.

In the corner of his eye, Meng Yingxing saw the two swords clash, creating a dazzling spark that illuminated the expressionless face of Mò Kǎimíng.

The sword edge carried a strong astral wind. Meng Yingxing was blown back by the force, flipping in the air before landing on the ground to Mò Kǎimíng’s side, temporarily halting this attack.

Mò Kǎimíng slowly turned towards Meng Yingxing. His hands were still hanging down, but in the hand not covered by his long sleeve, he was now holding a grayish-white longsword named Wutan.

“His sword… is so fast. He is indeed worthy of being called a genius of his generation, huh?”

Xiu Qingcheng’s voice no longer had as much emotion as before.

It was also the first time Meng Yingxing had heard her praise someone else, and a strange feeling inexplicably welled up in his heart.

“Hmph, but he’s not that great either.”

Xiu Qingcheng sneered.

“He’s just a genius nurtured by his family’s resources. If you had also been fiercely nurtured since you were a child, your sword speed would definitely be faster than his.”

Meng Yingxing didn’t say anything.

A genius’s aptitude and a rich family background could indeed nurture a genius. It wasn’t as bad as Xiu Qingcheng made it sound. Meng Yingxing knew his master was trying to encourage him.

But… his master had praised someone else. He still felt a little uncomfortable.

Meng Yingxing held up the Ting Tian Sword, its tip pointing at Mò Kǎimíng, but he did not make another reckless move.

At this moment, Mò Kǎimíng, who had been silent all this time, spoke.

“You are Meng Yingxing?”

“I am.”

Meng Yingxing didn’t know why Mò Kǎimíng was suddenly talking to him.

“I have heard of you. Your spirit is commendable.”

“But you are still too weak. You are not worthy of being my opponent.”

Mò Kǎimíng’s tone was cold and indifferent. Just as he had shown before, he looked down on Meng Yingxing.

“If you have the guts, turn into a sword and fight me. I’ll give you what’s coming to you!” Xiu Qingcheng was so angry at this arrogant guy that the Ting Tian Sword was about to turn into the Sword of Joyful Fire.

Meng Yingxing’s grip on the sword tightened, “What do you mean by that?”

This feeling of unwillingness after being looked down upon had never changed.

“What I mean to say is, I will still give you my all and show no mercy.”

As Mò Kǎimíng’s words fell, a fierce spiritual energy burst forth from his body. The blade of the Wutan Sword was shrouded in abundant spiritual energy, coated with a faint white light.

The spiritual energy that swept out even forced Meng Yingxing back a few steps.

Is this the strength of the Faint Star level?!

If Meng Yingxing had only heard of the chasm between the Star-like and Faint Star levels before, now, he was truly feeling how huge that chasm was!

As if to prevent the spiritual energy emanating from Mò Kǎimíng from affecting the other arenas, the sect deacon used a spirit talisman to envelop arena number three in a formation that isolated energy.

Perhaps faced with this chasm that was like a natural moat, an ordinary person would have already lost their fighting spirit.

But Meng Yingxing did not want to lose here.

He wanted Xiu Qingcheng to see a stronger version of himself.

He strode forward and rushed towards Mò Kǎimíng. The Ting Tian Sword in his hand created a flourish, and then the sword light flashed, stabbing straight at Mò Kǎimíng.

“Hey! Take it easy!!” Xiu Qingcheng became a little anxious seeing Meng Yingxing being so reckless.

She once again tried her master substitute service, but just like in the alley in Yongning City, she was still unable to provide any substitute service for Meng Yingxing.

Xiu Qingcheng watched as Meng Yingxing engaged in the first round of clashes with Mò Kǎimíng. She saw the sword shadows he created being annihilated upon contact with the sword qi emanating from Mò Kǎimíng, and then he was sent flying by a few of Mò Kǎimíng’s strikes.

This was no longer a matter of whether the sword moves were powerful or not. This was simply overwhelming force!

One was a mantis trying to stop a chariot, the other was using a cannon to shoot a mosquito.

“Turn around!”

“Block the right side!”

“There’s an opening after this move of his!”

Although Xiu Qingcheng felt that Meng Yingxing’s chances of winning were slim, she still silently used her familiarity and experience with combat to provide him with a little bit of cheating service.

If a person doesn’t have the courage to go all in, what’s the difference between them and a salted fish?

Besides, isn’t the word that humans like the most “what if”?

Meng Yingxing was repeatedly battered by Mò Kǎimíng’s majestic spiritual energy and sword qi. In just a few moves, he was knocked back several meters before he could even get close to Mò Kǎimíng.

Meng Yingxing continuously got up from the ground, was knocked down again, and then got up once more to swing his sword at Mò Kǎimíng.

The wounds on his body grew larger, but his attacking movements did not slow down in the slightest.

In the blink of an eye, Meng Yingxing had already endured dozens of moves. Mò Kǎimíng’s face seemed to gradually show some emotion.

He stopped his swinging motion, and with his other hand, he formed a sword seal. As a white light flashed, three spirit swords condensed from spiritual energy had already formed around his body.

The spirit swords began to fly all over the sky, intertwining like cutting machines, actively tracking Meng Yingxing at an extremely fast speed, swiftly cutting open his skin.

Meng Yingxing’s body was covered in wounds, dripping with blood.

He paid no heed to his injuries and then let out a fierce shout. The Four Swords of Cloud’s Arrival were executed in one go, shattering all three spirit swords.

“You are indeed… commendable in spirit.”

Before Meng Yingxing could even take a breath, Mò Kǎimíng’s voice came from above.

Meng Yingxing looked up and saw Mò Kǎimíng surrounded by spirit swords. The grayish-white sword named Wutan was now also held high by him.

“He’s gathering spiritual energy, a killing move is coming! Brat, raise your sword quickly, I’ll help you block it!!”

Xiu Qingcheng shouted urgently.

Just as she had said, Mò Kǎimíng’s spiritual energy was gathering above, gradually condensing into a sword edge three to four times the size of a normal sword.

If this move were to be unleashed, Meng Yingxing would find it hard to withstand if he didn’t defend in time.

“Cloud-Covering Sword!”

Mò Kǎimíng shouted lightly, and with a raise of his hand, the giant sword descended.

However, to Xiu Qingcheng’s surprise, after hearing her words, Meng Yingxing not only did not assume a defensive posture, but instead charged towards the gradually descending sword edge!

“Are you crazy!? Block it! It’s okay to lose one round!”

Amidst Xiu Qingcheng’s shouting, Meng Yingxing swung the Ting Tian Sword and collided with the descending sword edge with all his might!

“I don’t want to lose here yet!”

“I want Master… to never be disappointed in me!”

Xiu Qingcheng suddenly felt a strange sensation.

It was as if something scorching hot was flowing out from Meng Yingxing’s body.

It surged into her body, dyeing her entire being in an instant—

Meng Yingxing’s blood continuously dripped onto the ground.

The sword light flickered, and that blood suddenly took on a deep purple hue.