In the White Tiger School, the ones that made it to the top 32 were Wei Muchen, Yu Tao, Han Lingyun, Wang Yimo and unexpectedly Lai Meihui. The Cheng Huang School still dominated with 7 disciples still in the competition but their Elders didn't seem that delighted.
It was apparent that in recent years the Cheng Huang School had tried to push back against the White Tiger Sect. At some point, they had been the ones with the most seats at the council.
After this was lost, they still aimed to dominate the disciple competitions. However, during the last decades, the 4th years of the White Tiger Sect have consistently been improving. During the last few editions, the 4th years from the White Tiger Sect have been outperforming the competition and triumphantly emerged ahead. There was a couple of reasons for this. First, disciples from the White Tiger School were making faster progress individually at this stage. The other reason was that the competition between 4th years didn't follow the same format as for the 2nd years. It put more emphasis on the strength of a whole sect rather than on individual performances.
Once again, this time the competition on the 4th year's side was going in favor of the White Tiger Sect. To counteract that downward trend, the Cheng Huang School wanted to crush the competition with the 2nd years. The fact that the White Tiger Sect was still with 5 disciples at this stage was perceived as a threat to their usual top result.
To the Elders of the Cheng Huang School, it was sickening and disgraceful that 3 disciples were eliminated in the round of 128 when they all had a cultivation of the mid condensation level. Their opponents had all been at the early qi condensation realm, and even worse, one of them was Lai Meihui from the White Tiger Sect.
However, most of the disciples still in the game didn't bother with these political considerations from behind the scenes.
On the other side of the fence, The White Tiger Sect Elders tried to portray a neutral and detached air. But when Wei Muchen easily dispatched another Cheng Huang School's disciple to enter the top 16, they had trouble hiding their curling lips.
It was now time for the rank 10 to face the rank 23 according to the bracket. Yu Tao versus Han Lingyun!
They both stepped on the stage. From her seat, Wang Yimo held her breath. She didn't know why but she was terrified at this moment. Her hands were moist and her heart was beating as if she was herself facing a disaster.
Yu Tao's eyes were cold and he prepared his special move.
"I give up. I admit defeat."
Yu Tao froze, stunned by Han Lingyun's words and by the figure already exiting the stage. Then Yu Tao started laughing heartily.
The audience was wondering what was going on at this junction. The one giving up didn't seem that strange, both were from the same sect after all so it was expected that one would admit defeat before the match started. It would have been more surprising if they actually fought.
After his good laugh. Yu Tao straightened back and turned triumphantly towards Wang Yimo. His smile dropped.
Han Lingyun had just been taken by surprise by Wang Yimo who had jumped into his arms as he came back. After a brief shock, he had accepted her hug.
"He wanted to kill you; I saw it in his eyes. Maybe I was being ridiculous, but I was scared that you would do something stupid to try to impress me you know."
Han Lingyun pressed her further to his chest. "Yimo… I don't know what to say. Thank you for caring for me. But you need to regroup yourself, it's your turn to duel."
She escaped from his embrace. "Hehe don't worry about me. I'll show you how to enter the top 16."
Yu Tao, who was still on stage, walked away with a dangerous gaze. Han Lingyun could only sigh at this view as one of his greatest fears had materialized. Yu Tao seemed to have developed a deep grudge.
He was looking forward to seeing Yu Tao's next combat though, especially with the bracket format arranging a juicy next match where sparks would most certainly fly.
'For a spot in the quarter finals, rank 10 will fight rank 7. Yu Tao against Wei Muchen.'
But at this moment, Han Lingyun was more concerned about Wang Yimo's duel.
Wang Yimo firmly arrived on the stage. Her mood had changed entirely in a couple of seconds and she now appeared completely focused and determined, like a wild tigress sizing up her opponent.
This time, she wasn't the favorite. Against her was Xiang Shu of the Cheng Huang School that accumulated 138 points to reach the 9th rank during the first phase by teaming up with the one that came 4th named Gong Hai. Xiang Shu was already at the late qi condensation stage. This provided an advantage in cultivation and weapon level. His own fighting style was similar to Wang Yimo, using a sword with a mix of different attacks.
This duel would be another confrontation between the Cheng Huang School and The White Tiger Sect and many looked forward to it.
A soon as the start was announced, the two rushed towards each other and both launched powerful attacks in a head on collision. Wang Yimo immediately slashed crescents behind her moon gaze as a little bonus. There was a loud explosion as the qi attacks crashed together, bathing the audience in shockwaves.
The two paused as they faced the aftershock and rolling residual qi.
Both had some form of defensive qi barrier. Xiang Shu's barrier was further pierced by Wang Yimo's crescent as he was preparing a second attack, forcing him to dodge. He hadn't anticipated that during their first exchange, they would be on the same level. On paper he had a superior cultivation and sword.
In fact, the two had qi at a similar density but during that exchange, Wang Yimo had to use a greater percentage of her qi reserves. She would inevitably lose if they continued to exchange their greatest attacks so she continued to close the distance and flung crescent after crescent to force Xiang Shu into a corner, as he couldn't afford to let these short and dense qi blades strike him.
However, Xiang Shu was doing more than simply defending. With great agility he managed to parry all the threatening attacks while linking his moves in various counterattacks.
In that high intensity fight, the two came so close that they actually crossed swords multiple times as they each channeled qi capable of cutting through houses.
For a time, it was hard to say which one had the upper hand. Wang Yimo seemed to have more favorable position due to more refined techniques but Xiang Shu countered with speed and superior power. Then suddenly, a large qi attack discharged in every direction threw Wang Yimo away. Xiang Shu had used his special move which created a large shockwave all around him, manifested by his foot crashing on the reinforced ground.
If Wang Yimo hadn't activated her defense art to the maximum at the last instant, she would have at the very least suffered from severe internal injuries. A large portion of the blast was absorbed by the qi shield and the majority of the qi was dispelled but it was enough to launch her backwards.
Han Lingyun stood up from the stands as he helplessly witnessing everything. He was extremely tensed and struggled to keep watching this dangerous duel involving Wang Yimo.
Before she could regain her footing, Xiang Shu pushed on with a wide area attack with another qi blade behind. Performing an impossible contortion, Wang Yimo managed to exert a sudden unimaginable force on the ground and throw herself to the side while her sword completed a perfect crescent to overturn a qi blade still heading in her direction. Wang Yimo was shaken and felt ill from the collision but the young girl wasn't going to back down now. She had to prove to herself that she wasn't a coward that broke so easily. The cave accident couldn't form a precedent.
Emotions and state of mind do play a role in cultivator's fights, as they help push the spirit to its limits, effectively turning into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
With a roar, she rushed back towards Xiang Shu who was finishing another powerful attack. Still heading in his direction, Wang Yimo responded with a condensed moon gaze. This time, not only did Xiang Shu's attack not roll over her qi discharge, it was even pushed back and he had to endure most of the blast.
Xiang Shu was caught unprepared but hastily leapt to circle the approaching Wang Yimo as he executed another sword dance to produce a series of qi blades.
Wang Yimo had to evade and counterattacked precisely while anticipating her opponent's actions. Feeling cornered, Xiang Shu once again stomped the ground and pulled off his shockwave in every direction.
But Wang Yimo had noticed his foot movement and was ready for the contact. Because she was further away from Xiang Shu compared to last time, Wang Yimo tried to take it head on with a moon gaze strike and her defensive art activated at its peak.
This was a mistake. She had underestimated the force of the strike in over eagerness. For an instant she lost her footing and rhythm. Xiang Shu jumped on the occasion and dashed at close range to finish the duel with a qi blade that couldn't be blocked.
As if she had predicted this, while unable to use her sword in time, Wang Yimo's left arm completed its rotation before Xiang Shu finished his movement and a massive qi gash emerged, instantly passing through the disciple and his defenses.
Xiang Shu was chopped in half before realizing what was happening. With their momentum, his two parts passed by Wang Yimo and rolled on the ground, mixing blood and dirt. Xiang Shu was lying there, mouth agape and eyes full of shock. He hadn't died yet but was already frozen by the fear gripping his failing heart. It only took a couple seconds for Xiang Shu to take his last breath and the Elder was already cleaning the scene.
Under the applause, cries, cheers and boos of the crowd, Wang Yimo gradually raised her head and her two hands. The right one was still gripping her favorite sword while the other was holding a simple fan.
She let out another roar. It was a mix of fury, relief and pride. More than an enemy, that day she had overcome herself.