Chapter 28: The Five Champions Emerge

And so, in the ranking battle for the top ten of the outer sect, it was once again Gu Xiaopang, using his shameless tactics, being the last to start and the first to finish with victory.

"Utterly shameless!"

"Who could disagree?"

"Did you notice? Gu Xiaopang’s opponents all seem to be female disciples."

"Exactly, he only bullies his senior and junior sisters."

"It’s true. Do you think there’s something fishy going on?"

"Shh! Don’t say such things carelessly!"

"Yes, yes, I appreciate your guidance, senior brother. I spoke out of turn."

...

"Gu brother isn’t nearly as bad as you all say..."

In the corner of the stands, the pretty little junior sister, thinking of how Gu Xiaopang had treated her with a specially tender kindness, felt a strange happiness well up in her heart. Her pulse quickened, her cheeks flushed...

"Gu Fifth, Elder Sun really took the fall for you this time."

"What do you mean, 'took the fall for me'?!"

"How not? When all the disciples cried out in protest, it was he who declared the results valid... Tsk tsk, he was taking the blame for you."

"No, he was taking the blame for Gu Xiaopang."

"You two are father and son. If he takes the blame for him, isn’t it the same as taking it for you?!"

...

Gu Fifth felt a chill in his heart at this moment, and at the same time a peculiar discomfort. Why was a perfectly proper contest, even if his own Xiaopang’s behavior was a bit odd, subjected to such endless criticism and accusations?

He could only quietly comfort himself: 'Most of the disciples’ opinions are insincere, just echoing the crowd... yes, that’s it.'

...

Having lost their target of criticism, the disciples quickly refocused their attention on the remaining contests atop the dueling platforms.

The inner sect battles continued in fierce deadlock.

The outer sect matches were fast approaching their conclusion.

"Look at Platform Two!"

"Brother Shang and Brother Lu both seem exhausted."

"Not good! Sister Qin just took a direct hit from Brother Zeng’s axe, she’s coughing blood from internal injuries!"

"Brother Li Chenglong has been stabbed by Sister Chu Ling at least a dozen times, hasn’t he?"

"Sister Chen Xue was just forced to the edge of the platform, right? Did anyone see how she managed to get back to the center?"

...

The heated discussions continued alongside the matches...

On the dueling platform at this moment.

"Junior Brother Lu, I’ll deliver one last strike. If you withstand it, you win."

"Alright, Brother Shang, I was thinking the same. Let’s settle it in one blow."

Shang Yu, whose shirt had long since been reduced to tatters, stood bare-chested, his muscles vibrating at high frequency, as if an overwhelming strength barely contained within him was about to burst forth.

Lu Zifeng, no better off, faced him without fear, shaking off his earlier fatigue as his momentum soared higher and higher.

For madmen like them, body cultivators, defense meant nothing; their hearts knew only attack!

When they charged at each other like cannonballs and collided, the gold-steel floor beneath their feet cracked and splintered...

The outcome was unexpected: both spat blood and collapsed unconscious.

...

Qin Mengyun, battered by yet another blow from Zeng Hu’s axe, was forced back dozens of steps. Her Cloudwalking technique lost its grace, her hands trembled violently, blood spurted from her palms...

Still silent, Zeng Hu pressed forward, gathering his true energy with savage force...

The axe fell, and Qin Mengyun was knocked from the platform.

...

Li Chenglong, already losing too much blood, staggered with shaky steps; the flaming blade he swung now held barely a tenth of its original power.

Chu Ling parried with one dagger, her other pressing directly to Li Chenglong’s throat...

Swallowing with difficulty, Li Chenglong had no choice but to admit defeat.

...

Though Chen Xue managed to return to the center of the platform, she still could not prevail.

Forced into defense again and again, she remained unable to gauge Leng Zikang’s true strength.

Driven once more to the platform’s edge, she was soon forced off...

...

And so, the dazzling contest of ten advancing to five in the outer sect came to a close.

The disciples erupted in shouts and cheers beneath the stage.

The elders and stewards watching from the floating stands nodded in approval.

The battle between the top ten inner sect disciples continued.

...