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墨書 Inktalez
Today is the day of the decisive battle, and the champion of the Liuxiang Immortal Path Conference, held once every ten years, will be determined. The Six Great Sects will also be re-ranked after this battle.
As the sun reached its peak, representatives from each sect arrived at Huiwu Island and entered the designated area. The Meeting Platform had been freshly arranged; the battle-scarred bluestone was removed and replaced with pristine marble.
The Seven Great Leaders took their seats in order. Hua Guinian appeared to be in average spirits; after a century of dominating the competition, he felt somewhat fatigued by it all. In recent editions of the Immortal Path Conference, he had struggled to muster enthusiasm for the finals.
This time, Hua Guinian was even less spirited because just yesterday afternoon, three individuals had come to him for tea. As they chatted, the conversation turned to the competition and then to an unexpected withdrawal incident.
Then, they announced their decision to withdraw.
The first to arrive was Qian Tuo. He expressed that Jin Dalai, a disciple of the Guo Shan Sect, had fought valiantly against strong opponents but had not yet recovered from his injuries. Rather than compete while unwell, it would be better to gracefully concede the fight for third place.
Hua Guinian agreed; third place was a ranking that could be easily dismissed, and they enjoyed a pleasant conversation.
The second visitor was Half-Dead Bao. He indicated that Xu Feng had experienced a streak of bad luck recently and decided to forfeit his bid for third place to maintain his image. Additionally, he mentioned having severe tooth pain yesterday.
Hua Guinian found himself in a dilemma. After some deliberation, they reached an agreement: during the competition, Xu Feng, who was suffering from tooth pain, would make an appearance on stage. Since Jin Dalai had withdrawn, he could simply announce that Xu Feng would take third place and that Jin Dalai would be fourth.
The third visitor was Chu Wushang. Hua Guinian felt uneasy; he wondered if this Birdman was also there to withdraw. Unfortunately, his suspicion was confirmed. Chu Wushang explained that due to Hua Du's overwhelming strength, Cai Shujun recognized her inability to compete and decided to withdraw. He cited an example where Huang Chang had been struck by Hua Du and could no longer walk; girls care about their appearance, and such injuries are unacceptable.
Feeling overwhelmed, Hua Guinian realized that while previously there had been fierce competition for rankings, now with three withdrawals from the Final Four, it couldn't be interpreted as a straightforward victory for Wuhua Island. Who knew what kind of tricks were being played behind the scenes?
After some negotiation, Chu Wushang made a concession and agreed to let Cai Shujun perform on stage; whether or not she would actually compete would depend on her attitude at that moment.
After sending off Chu Wushang, Hua Guinian went to the Elder Council to discuss this matter with them. After a complex and thorough discussion, the elders concluded that they should let things unfold naturally.
Everyone had arrived; although some were still missing, time had moved forward.
The match for third place was scheduled first as a preliminary contest before determining the champion. Both sides' disciples were informed in advance and remained calm as they observed their surroundings.
“Loose Cultivator Alliance Yan Da versus Guo Shan Sword Sect Jin Dalai,” the referee announced loudly.
As expected, Jin Dalai did not appear; he couldn't even be found among the ranks of the Guo Shan Sword Sect. Xu Feng stepped onto the stage and bowed politely all around.
Other sects began murmuring among themselves, puzzled by Jin Dalai's automatic withdrawal. However, withdrawals during competitions were not uncommon; it was just unfortunate for such an important match to end this way.
“Guo Shan Sword Sect concedes; therefore, Loose Cultivator Alliance wins.” The referee only announced the result without declaring any rankings.
The disciples below focused their attention on the Loose Cultivator Alliance, which had unexpectedly become a dark horse this time. In previous competitions, they had always ranked at the bottom, but this year seemed to be different.
The major figures on stage noticed something was off, but they chose not to comment.
"Wuhua Island's Hua Du against New Moon Sect's Cai Shujun."
The finals finally arrived, and Hua Du made a dazzling entrance under the watchful eyes of dozens. His hair was clearly styled with care, neat and exquisite, and he looked completely refreshed. If one didn't know he was there for a competition, they might think he was there for a matchmaking event.
Cai Shujun appeared two minutes later, just as stunning as ever. No amount of embellishment could enhance her beauty; even the most precious jewelry only made her seem gaudy.
Hua Du gazed at Cai Shujun with infatuation, as if looking at his bride.
"I withdraw." Cai Shujun's calm and melodious voice casually uttered three words.
These three words struck Hua Du's heart like a needle. Not only him, but the disciples below were also dumbfounded; this was the finals, not child's play.
The two ranking matches at the gambling house were once again canceled due to the withdrawal of participants. According to the rules of Modern Clerk gamblers, an automatic withdrawal is neither a win nor a loss.
Hua Du's expression fluctuated between dark and light. He had originally intended to secure first place through strength and gain fame at the Liuxiang Immortal Path Conference. Now, with two withdrawals in the Final Four, his first place would undoubtedly become a topic of ridicule; it no longer held any credibility.
Even if he encountered a cultivator on the road, they might sneer and point at him, claiming that his first place was merely given to him by others. If it came down to actual competition, he might not even make it into the top three. How embarrassing would it be to flaunt such a title?
Cai Shujun had already reached the edge of the stage and was just steps away from leaving.
"Cai Shujun, are you afraid?" Hua Du said coldly.
Cai Shujun paused but did not respond; she continued walking forward.
"Don't you want the Antidote from One Hundred Years of Solitude?" Hua Du blurted out something that made Hua Guinian break into a cold sweat. This kid was threatening her; that's not how one woos someone.
"Antidote?" Cai Shujun finally stopped and turned to glare at Hua Du. "Do you have it?"
"Of course I do, and I can give it to you." Hua Du was a direct disciple of Wuhua Island, and his performance had earned him an Antidote from One Hundred Years of Solitude. However, his next statement was somewhat nonsensical: "I will use this Antidote as our engagement gift."
Engagement! Was Hua Du being completely ridiculous?
The Antidote from One Hundred Years of Solitude was one of Wuhua Island's major weapons; releasing one Antidote equated to offering a chance for survival. Wuhua Island had absolute control over Square Leaf Grass and was very strict about distributing Antidotes. Using one as an engagement gift could be considered a significant gesture, but certainly not at this moment.
Chu Wushang's eyes flashed with light. Over the years, Wuhua Island had dominated the Liuxiang Kingdom, largely due to the effects of One Hundred Years of Solitude, which could often poison a mid-tier sect fatally with just one dose. To guard against the poison of One Hundred Years of Solitude from Wuhua Island, every sect invested considerable effort. A single Antidote for One Hundred Years of Solitude could be worth a fortune.
Hua Guinian was clearly dissatisfied with Hua Du's private promise of the Antidote; however, exchanging one Antidote for a marriage alliance with the New Moon Sect was still a good option.
"Do you think you can get engaged to me with just one Antidote?" Cai Shujun's voice turned cold. "Fine, I'll give you a chance. If you can take one of my swords, we can discuss the Antidote."
This was an open challenge. Just moments ago, Cai Shujun had withdrawn from the competition, yet now she was going to strike at Hua Du, and it seemed she intended to defeat him with a single blow. How could that be possible?
Hua Du was also taken aback by Cai Shujun's sudden assertiveness. Take one of your swords? What a joke! If you could defeat me, you wouldn't have withdrawn from the competition. Yet deep down, he felt a surge of joy—there was an opportunity.
Hua Guinian looked at Cao Wushang, as if asking if he had allowed her to do this.
Chu Wushang looked innocent, as if to say it had nothing to do with him.
Hua Guinian vaguely sensed something was off, as if someone had played a trick on them.
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