Chapter 62: The Quasi-Heavenly Prodigy

The first seven petals of sword qi were utterly unable to withstand the force of that arrow. Even the eighth petal, battered by the golden arrow's fierce impact, shattered instantly, and the billowing waves of energy continued to surge, like a tsunami crashing against the final petal. The sound of glass breaking echoed through the air as the last petal succumbed to the storm; its surface was etched with countless fine cracks, overlapping like spiderwebs.

The overpowering force drove Mu Yue back several steps, nearly knocking him from the arena.

Qingxi released his grip, panting heavily, his body racked with exhaustion and pain. Beneath his feet, the stone platform had been pressed into a depression, and cracks radiated outward in all directions. He had not anticipated that drawing the Blazing Sun Bow would demand such tremendous strength, nor that its backlash would be so fierce. For an ordinary cultivator at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, managing three echoes would already be the limit, and the backlash would be even more severe.

But Qingxi, with his abundant blood and qi and his willingness to pour forth every ounce of his strength in a desperate gamble, managed to draw the bow to its fifth echo.

Five echoes meant fivefold power.

This was Qingxi’s current limit. Though he had fully mastered the Blazing Sun Arrow technique, the physical and vital energy required to draw the bow remained immense. Only when he advanced to the Innate Realm could he hope to attain the highest seven echoes.

Gasping for breath, Qingxi fixed his gaze on the sword qi petal before Mu Yue, now riddled with cracks. He was uncertain whether he had fully broken through her defense, but this was his utmost effort; if not, he would accept defeat with equanimity. At worst, he would reclaim victory another day.

Mu Yue’s condition was far better. Aside from a few disheveled strands of hair, she bore no injuries.

The crowd, stunned, stared in disbelief at the lone surviving petal, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Some gazed at the two on the platform in a daze, muttering, “Did Mu Yue block it?”

“It seems she did, but she’s at her limit,” someone croaked, their throat parched and voice hoarse.

Wang Shuiling, Li Xingyao, Wan Hu, Hua Rui, Ru Hong, and the others all breathed a sigh of relief, murmuring that Mu Yue’s skill was indeed superior.

Yet all of them cast admiring glances at Qingxi.

To push a prodigy to such lengths, Qingxi had proven himself formidable. Unfortunately, his opponent was someone who, even across the entire Yun Chuan Prefecture, could be ranked among the very top tier of prodigies.

On the rooftop—

Hong Jiu exhaled deeply, his eyes filled with respect for Qingxi. “That lad is truly strong, stronger than either myself or that old fox Ouyang Changfeng was in our day.”

Qiu Yingying shook her head. “It’s still a pity. You’ve taken on a fine disciple; I wasn’t as good as her at the same stage.”

“You flatter me—”

Hong Jiu’s words were cut off as a sharp, clear cracking sound issued from the sword qi petal before Mu Yue, which had held for so long. A moment later, with a crash, the entire petal exploded, fell to the ground, and quickly dissipated into smoke.

“It actually broke!”

“How terrifying!”

The crowd gasped, taken aback. They had thought Mu Yue had won, but in the end, the sword qi petal had shattered.

For many, the result was difficult to accept. Especially the male disciples, who felt an urge to rush up and thrash Qingxi. In their hearts, Mu Yue was a goddess; now, she could not withstand even a single arrow from Qingxi. The shock reverberated within them, leaving them unsettled.

Mu Yue’s lips curved into a smile, as if she had foreseen this outcome. “It seems you have broken through the third layer of my Thousand Blossom Blade. According to our wager, it’s a draw.”

“Yes, a draw,” Qingxi nodded, still surprised by the result. By his calculations, his arrow was powerful but perhaps not quite enough. If his physical strength was greater, if he could hold the bow drawn a bit longer before releasing, the power would be sufficient.

Yet, regardless, in the end, he had breached her defense.

A draw.

But Qingxi felt no pride, only a heavy weight. He had exhausted himself merely to break through Mu Yue’s casually arranged defense. It was a draw in name, but he was spent, unable to fight further.

Mu Yue, on the other hand, remained calm and composed.

In truth, he had lost.

Only, he had lost honorably.

Qingxi felt grateful to Mu Yue; had she not been so kind, he would have been utterly defeated.

On this day, he felt he had grown much.

Even with the system, even with the ability to pay for power, he was still far from his goal.

“Hold on, we can win!” the system’s assistant cheered, timely encouragement that lifted Qingxi’s spirits and drew a smile from him. He cupped his hands to Mu Yue. “Thank you for your mercy.”

“And thank you for giving your all. Next time, if the chance arises, let’s fight again.”

Mu Yue smiled gracefully, turned, and returned to the Water Immortal Sect’s camp.

Thus, their challenge came to an end.

Everyone’s mood was somber; their eyes toward Mu Yue were full of respect. As for Qingxi, most looked at him with hostility, though some with admiration.

Wan Hu, seated at the head of the Lingyuan Sect’s table, breathed out. “Qingxi’s strength is not inferior to a prodigy. Though he isn’t one himself, he deserves the title of quasi-prodigy. I cannot compare!”

In the Scarlet Flame Sect’s camp, Li Xingyao unclenched his fists and sighed. “I have to admit, Lingyuan Sect is overflowing with talent. First prodigy Qiu Yingying, then quasi-prodigy Li Kantian, and now Qingxi... Our Scarlet Flame Sect is lagging behind!”

In the Bliss Sect’s camp, Hua Rui and Ru Hong exchanged glances, each shaking their head, conceding defeat.

At the Water Immortal Sect’s camp, Wang Shuiling looked at Mu Yue with admiration and spoke softly, “You held back.”

Mu Yue merely smiled, saying nothing.

“Farewell, everyone.”

Qingxi did not linger. His task was done; it was time to leave. Besides, someone was waiting on the rooftop.

With Qingxi’s departure, it felt as though something essential had vanished from the grand hall. The Qi Refining peak geniuses sat quietly in their seats, feeling diminished after witnessing Qingxi and Mu Yue’s duel, unwilling to step onto the stage and risk embarrassment.

As for the crowd, they returned to their usual pastime—eating and fervently discussing the night’s events. Compared to previous years, tonight’s stories carried much more weight.

Qingxi, leaving the hall, set his sights on the rooftop and leaped up. Yet, unable to control his strength properly, he crashed through the roof, landing with a thunderous bang in the hall, startling everyone.

“Ahem, well... it seems we meet again!” he said, then slunk away, leaving behind a crowd staring at each other in confusion.

This time, Qingxi carefully controlled his strength, landing smoothly on the rooftop. He cupped his hands to Hong Jiu and Qiu Yingying. “Thank you for waiting.”