Hu Ying let out a hearty laugh, revealing teeth as white as pearls. He was truly a flamboyant Young Man, with fair skin and red lips.
He continued, “Chu Yun’s second defeat was in his state of mind. His long winning streak in the arena must have made him arrogant, causing him to unconsciously look down on his opponents. Furthermore, the plague in Emerald Sea has broken out, and Shu Tianhao’s decision-making errors have put Shu Island on the verge of economic collapse. As a filial son, he must be extremely anxious. I, on the other hand, am calm and collected.”
“Brilliant! Master Hu has such foresight, to even consider the sea salt of Shu Island. I am nowhere near your level.” Ning Yiyi, who had been flattering him, now found his words to be quite reasonable. She praised him, her eyes shining brighter.
“Chu Yun’s third defeat is due to his strength. In terms of Demon Soldiers, the Drunken Snow Saber only has 45 years of cultivation, while my Hundred Blossom Bow has 50 years! In terms of Cultivation Method, his Shu Family Saber Techniques are monotonous and lack variation, with no long-range attack capabilities, which is a major weakness. He will inevitably be led around by my archery. As for the Monster Tamer himself, I have been observing him secretly these past few days and have already grasped the variations of the Shu Family Saber Techniques. I know myself and my enemy. Conversely, Chu Yun has no understanding of my Hu Family archery techniques whatsoever.”
“These three defeats and three victories have already placed me in an invincible position. I can gain the upper hand within two rounds. I can suppress the opponent in about four rounds. In eight rounds, I will expand my advantage. In ten rounds, I will secure the victory!”
Hu Ying spoke eloquently, with a natural flair for conversation. His demeanor was calm and composed, elegant and dashing. He exuded an extraordinary aura of control and strategic planning.
Ning Yiyi trembled as she listened to his analysis, her heart surging with excitement. “Master Hu, your wisdom and strategy are always outstanding. Today, I have truly witnessed it. It seems that defeating Chu Yun will depend on Master Hu’s intervention.”
Faced with the genuine admiration of the beautiful woman, Hu Ying smiled with pride. “Not at all. In fact, so-called strategies are merely about human nature. Historically, successful strategies have always exploited human nature. If people are blinded by anger or greed, they will fall into even the most superficial traps. By understanding human nature, one can be invincible.”
“The power of human nature is terrifying. Chu Yun completed his inheritance mission and only obtained a single World-Turning Elixir Essence Tree. Yet, because he is considered an outstanding student, many people have found excuses to stop challenging him. This is human nature!”
Hu Ying spoke with emotion, his eyes twinkling like stars. His gentle appearance now possessed a touch of extraordinary handsomeness.
Ning Yiyi’s heart trembled as well, filled with anticipation.
Although she disliked Yan Que, she knew that the two most outstanding individuals in the Academy were Yan Que and Hu Ying.
Now that Yan Que had pledged allegiance to Chu Yun as his Lord, Hu Ying was the only one who truly had a chance to defeat Chu Yun.
“He can win, he will definitely win this time! Chu Yun, why aren’t you dead yet! With Master Hu making his move this time, what chance do you have? You dare to be arrogant and look down on me! This time, I will savor your despair and misery!”
Hu Ying’s analysis was profound and insightful. Ning Yiyi’s emotions were stirred, and she could barely wait to witness Chu Yun kneeling on the arena, his face filled with defeat.
Half an hour later, Chu Yun appeared before everyone on time.
His first words shook the entire arena: “No more drawing lots today. Hu Ying, come and battle.”
Although his intention hadn’t been seen through, Chu Yun decided to stop playing games and directly challenged Hu Ying.
“Heh heh, you indeed want to fight me first. Just as I expected. If that’s the case, then let your defeat come sooner.” Hu Ying, dressed in white, holding the Hundred Blossom Bow, and with an Immortal Pouch at his waist, strode confidently into the arena.
“Whoosh—!”
The crowd of spectators erupted.
“What’s going on? They’re changing the rules.”
“It seems like this morning, outside the Hall of Miscellany, Hu Ying said something to Zhi Hu.”
“This is going to be good! One is the Young Island Master of Hu Island, Hu Ying, and the other is the Young Island Master of Shu Island, Chu Yun. Oh my, we’ve been waiting for this exciting spectacle…”
“Both are top-tier fighters among the scholars. This will surely be a long and intense battle!”
Hu Ying gracefully walked up to Chu Yun, his expression extremely calm. He smiled slightly and said, “Chu Yun, I must commend you. You are strong. As a newcomer, you have stirred up quite a storm since enrolling. You have indeed impressed me.”
“However,” he changed his tone, “I can’t let you continue to develop. Once you establish your authority and influence people’s hearts, these scholars who ascend to high positions in the future will have your shadow in their minds. At that point, the Archipelago will be implicitly suppressed by Shu Island. This ends here, Chu Yun. I will be the one to extinguish your star.”
He stood tall, a confident smile on his lips, completely relaxed, giving the impression that victory was assured and the situation was under his control.
Chu Yun raised an eyebrow, his tone flat. “You talk too much. Fight.”
Hu Ying’s smile faltered for a moment, then spread. He laughed heartily, “Hahaha, such a tough mouth. I’m curious to see how many of my arrows you can withstand.”
As he spoke, he gently strummed the bowstring, elegant and graceful, looking more like he was on an outing than about to fight.
Hu Ying narrowed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting shadows over his deep eyes, revealing his delicate beauty. He sighed leisurely, “This sound wave arrow of mine is formless. Let’s see you take it first.” Saying this, he flicked the bowstring.
*Zzzzt!* An invisible sound wave pierced through space. A piercing screech suddenly rang out, stinging the eardrums of everyone present.
Gasps of surprise arose from the crowd. They could hear the screech of the sound wave arrow but couldn’t see the arrow itself!
Ning Yiyi’s eyes widened, her gaze fixed on the arena. She knew that the sound wave arrow was Hu Ying’s specialty. Few in the Academy could withstand it. Both the invisible arrow and the piercing screech could put immense psychological pressure on the opponent.
*Clang!*
Chu Yun suddenly raised his saber, sweeping it horizontally to the right. The Drunken Snow Saber vibrated, accurately intercepting the sound wave arrow by judging its trajectory.
“Listening to the sound to discern the position?” Hu Ying’s smile froze. Only those who had been through countless battles and possessed rich experience could perform such a feat. He hadn’t expected Chu Yun to be capable of it.
“Heh heh, then I’ll give you a chance to show off. Faced with hundreds of sound wave arrows, can you still discern their positions by sound?” Hu Ying smiled proudly and formally raised the Hundred Blossom Bow, plucking the strings repeatedly.
Sharp, strange whistles immediately echoed throughout the arena. The spectators winced and covered their ears.
“There must be at least a hundred sound wave arrows!” Only Ning Yiyi, gripping the hem of her skirt, endured the sound waves and the stinging in her ears. Her face was pale, but her body trembled with excitement.
“Suppression, complete suppression! Master Hu’s estimation was not wrong. He will gain the upper hand in the second round. Within four rounds, he will suppress Chu Yun.”
She was so excited she could barely control herself. Listening to the piercing noise of the sound waves, she felt a sense of enjoyment.
Yes, seeing Chu Yun suffer a crushing defeat was her most fervent wish!
Despite the cacophony of arrow whistles in his ears, Chu Yun’s expression remained calm. This display was minor, not enough to stir even a ripple in his heart. The desperate situations he had experienced in his previous life had forged his cold and resolute combat mindset.
“Silver Light Snow,” he murmured softly.
The Drunken Snow Saber in his hand vibrated slightly, then calmed. However…
Tiny snowflakes, as if appearing from nowhere, fell from the sky. This Middle grade Dao technique, with its vast area of effect, quickly enveloped the entire arena.
Snow, silvery snow.
It drifted gently in the air, slowly descending like white feathers. Soft radiance emanated, the temperature abruptly dropped, and a chilling aura condensed in the arena.
Amidst the beautiful yet desolate snowy landscape, Chu Yun stood proudly, saber in hand, a solitary figure!
“What is this?!” Ning Yiyi’s eyes snapped wide open, staring blankly at the sudden snowscape.
“You, you actually changed your Cultivation Method mid-battle?” Hu Ying could hardly believe his eyes, dumbfounded.
Shock was etched on the faces of countless spectators. Before they could recover, Chu Yun launched a fierce charge!
As the sound wave arrows flew, they vibrated the snowflakes, their trajectories exposed. Chu Yun’s evasive maneuvers were simple yet skillful, with many sound wave arrows narrowly missing him. His expression remained unchanged.
He charged, his brilliant saber held high, with an imposing aura, rushing towards Hu Ying.
The momentum was immense!
It was as if a white tiger was descending from a snowy peak, carrying a fierce icy wind, ready to devour its prey.
Hu Ying’s heart could not help but tremble. He instinctively took a step back. Then, gritting his teeth, his handsome face contorted slightly. “You’re seeking death! To learn a new saber technique at this critical juncture. You look down on me so much! Fall! Gale Arrow!”
He retrieved an arrow from his Immortal Pouch. It had a dark green shaft, a leaf-shaped arrowhead, and a slender jade feather tail. This was a Young Demon grade Demon Soldier Gale Arrow!
He drew the bowstring taut like a full moon, and the Gale Arrow shot out.
“Whoosh!”
A strong wind immediately swept up, like clouds being swept away. In the fierce gale, the arrow’s speed increased exponentially, forming a blur in the air.
Chu Yun felt a sudden resistance, the strong wind limiting his speed. He stared intently at Hu Ying, his footsteps unwavering. His expression remained impassive as he snorted, “Half Moon Slash.”
He raised the Drunken Snow Saber, and a beam of saber light flew out.
The saber light was as tall as a person, like a snow-white crescent moon, plowing through the ground and advancing rapidly.
*Boom!* The saber light collided with the Gale Arrow. The arrow immediately turned to dust, and the strong wind dissipated.
“Clash!” Chu Yun’s momentum surged again. He moved with his saber, his speed increasing dramatically. Ripping through the air, he reached Hu Ying’s side in the blink of an eye.
Hu Ying’s heart pounded nervously. Only when facing Chu Yun did he know the extent of his opponent’s power.
This power did not stem from his saber techniques or his Demon Soldier, but solely from him as a Monster Tamer.
Chu Yun’s aura was too fierce, advancing relentlessly. His saber strike carried an imposing force that seemed capable of tearing through the heavens and shattering the earth!
(PS: We’ve reached seventh place on the Xuanhuan top list, all thanks to your support, brothers! I’m asking for votes and more support. Also, accepting a suggestion from a kind reader, starting tomorrow, the update schedule will be adjusted as follows: First update at 6:00 AM, second at 1:00 PM, third at 2:00 PM. This schedule will be implemented starting tomorrow. For details, please see the relevant section of the work. Those waiting, please pay attention.)
