Chapter 357: The Duel Begins

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense. The guards were sweating profusely as they watched Zhao Changhe draw his saber, unsure whether they should step in to stop him.

It did not seem to them like Zhao Changhe was confronting the cult leader with hostility. It felt more like he wanted to have a sparring match. It was akin to a public duel on a bustling street, where others could watch with admiration rather than being offended. A well-fought match often ended in mutual respect.

This kind of internal challenge was even more private than a public duel. Zhao Changhe had first offered guidance, clarifying that what he was after was mutual verification. It seemed like nothing more than a sparring match within an ordinary martial sect, and the outcome was thus unlikely to be announced by the Tome of Troubled Times.

Instructor Sun suddenly had a thought:

Could this guy be acting so gracefully and generously on purpose? Could it be that he’s doing all this because he doesn’t want to replace Cult Leader Xue on the rankings and end up being laughed at by his wife?

Clearly, others would not think of this. In fact, at this moment, Xue Canghai felt deeply moved. He took a deep breath and said seriously, “Young Hero Zhao, if you don’t mind, you and I can spar in the grand martial arena. That way, the others can observe and learn from our battle.”

Zhao Changhe reversed his grip on his saber and cupped his hand. “Cult Leader Xue, you truly are a respectable leader.”

Xue Canghai slightly shook his head and gestured, “Please.”

A nearby cult member urgently whispered, “Cult leader, the envoy from the Maitreya Cult...”

Xue Canghai blinked. He had almost forgotten about the presence of the envoy.

However, he did not see it as a big deal. The envoy from the Maitreya Cult was in the cult’s secret chambers and would not know about what was going on outside. He whispered instructions to the cult member beside him, “Send a few people to make sure that the envoy does not wander around. And remember, do not mention that Zhao Changhe is here.”

The cult member looked a little distressed, “But cult leader, we want to watch the battle too.”

Xue Canghai chuckled. “With your level of cultivation and understanding of saber arts, what good would that do to you? This is why you should have trained diligently in the past, trying to catch up now is pointless. Now go.”

He again gestured to Zhao Changhe. “A minor matter has delayed me. Let us continue.”

Zhao Changhe had heard the words “envoy from the Maitreya Cult” but simply did not care. He returned the polite gesture. “Please, lead the way.”

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

When they reached the grand martial arena, Zhao Changhe realized that the layout of the mountain stronghold at Beimang was modeled after his place, but this place was simply much larger. The martial arena here was large enough to accommodate thousands of people training at once, ensuring that no one would be accidentally injured during the fight. The surrounding area was packed with onlookers, their numbers seemingly endless.[1]

Hmm, given the crowd, this at least means there aren’t any traps here... Fuck, there are at least ten thousand of them!

The Blood God Cult had been secretly growing to such an extent that they could rise up at any moment.

Where did they get their resources and supplies? Did they raid the granaries of nearby counties?

No wonder an envoy from the Maitreya Cult was sent here. The Blood God Cult is clearly a well-developed rebel force. The problem is, they must have received support from Vermillion Bird. Vermillion Bird is a rebel herself, and she supports the cult so that she can use them when the time is right. Does the Maitreya Cult think they can actually use them? Hah, wishful thinking...

Zhao Changhe did not bother to think too much about it. There were more important things on his mind—this was actually the first time in his life that he was going to be part of a grand public duel like this.

Shng!

Xue Canghai drew his saber and said, “This saber is named Blood God, and it’s forged with... uh...”

He paused and laughed. “Never mind. I was going to say that it’s forged with materials and forging techniques best suited to our cult’s martial arts, but since you already pointed out some things, that doesn’t seem to mean much now. Although I don’t entirely agree with your views, I’ll use this saber to verify my path.”

Zhao Changhe did not introduce Dragon Bird. It did not need an introduction. He just stood there, holding his saber, quietly observing the blood-red blade in Xue Canghai’s hand.

A spring breeze blew, but the atmosphere instantly became deadly.

Swoosh!

In the next moment, as if they had planned it, both of them swung their sabers horizontally, at the same time.

The Vicious Blood Saber Art, unlike other martial arts, did not have any ceremonial moves like “Welcoming Pine.”[2] Every single one of its moves was aimed to kill.

Both of them used the first move of the Vicious Blood Saber Art, which could be considered a starting salute. This move had no name, but it could be seen as an advanced version of a basic horizontal slash, containing more follow-up variations and energy-utilizing techniques than basic saber arts. The differences in this move among various schools lay in these follow-up actions.

Although Zhao Changhe’s moves now seemed completely free, there was actually still a pattern. His foundation was in the Vicious Blood Art, and his follow-up variations and energy-utilizing techniques were based on its principles. An expert could discern his roots in the Vicious Blood Art after just a few moves.

Studying someone’s martial techniques and figuring out how to counter them works the same way. Every move they make will follow certain patterns, and with proper preparation, you can anticipate their following moves and obtain the upper hand.

In a duel between fellow practitioners with comparable cultivation levels, it all came down to who had mastered the saber art more thoroughly.

Before the eyes of the crowd, the two sabers clashed.

The most puzzling thing for the spectators was that, although this was just the first move, both men’s eyes turned red at the moment of contact, and their sabers emitted a red glow. Xue Canghai’s originally blood-red blade shone a brilliant scarlet, while Zhao Changhe’s previously dull blade glowed with a dark red light.

“Scattering the Gods and Buddhas!” someone exclaimed in a low voice. “How are they able to exhibit the effects of Scattering the Gods and Buddhas without actually using that move?”

Clang!

There was no way to pause for an explanation. The two sabers clashed forcefully. Before that spectator could even finish saying his sentence, the sabers had already clashed a dozen times, each strike ringing out loudly.

At that moment, Instructor Sun explained to the others, “Their Scattering the Gods and Buddhas has transcended the requirement of using specific moves. As long as they have the intent to use it, each one of their strikes is able to embody the effects of the technique.”

If Zhao Changhe heard this question, he would explain it in more modern terms:

My Scattering the Gods and Buddhas has become a kind of buff, increasing my attack power by 20%, with a special fear effect.

The basis of this was the use of vicious qi. When Xue Canghai still practiced the Blood God Art, he could not infuse every strike with Scattering the Gods and Buddhas, and his combat power had been much lower than it was now.

High-level observers like Instructor Sun and other skilled practitioners could see that while Xue Canghai’s and Zhao Changhe’s saber intents seemed identical, there were subtle differences between them.

This was exactly the distinction that Zhao Changhe had mentioned earlier.

Xue Canghai’s Scattering the Gods and Buddhas was bloody and violent, with a deep and malevolent vicious qi. Just looking at it from a distance struck people with heart-pounding fear. Those with lower cultivation or weaker nerves could not even bear to look, and they averted their gazes.

In the earlier stages, Zhao Changhe’s Scattering the Gods and Buddhas had a similar nature, though less bloody as he had not killed as many people. Nevertheless, the fear effect and sudden burst of power were enough to turn the tide in many battles.

But now, Zhao Changhe’s saber had subtle differences from Xue Canghai’s, as well as from his past self.

The bloodthirstiness and ferocity in his saber were comparatively muted, and his blood-red eyes were not as terrifying as Xue Canghai’s. If Xue Canghai seemed like a bloodthirsty demon god striking with ferocity and anger, Zhao Changhe was more like... not a demon god, but a man standing on a battlefield filled with corpses and rivers of blood, the landscape around him a vast expanse of red, and the stars in the sky far above observing him silently.

Among the stars, a god’s eye appeared faintly, looking coldly at the slaughter that had been carried out on the battlefield. To the gods and demons, human lives were no more special than grass, their struggles mere entertainment for the bored.

So amidst the sea of corpses and blood, the man still standing raised his wild saber, not to cut down his fellow man, but to strike at the heavens.

Scattering the Gods and Buddhas!

Bang!

A thunderous explosion resounded, and the two separated in the arena.

Zhao Changhe took three steps back.

Xue Canghai took five steps back, his expression filled with extreme shock. At the same time, he seemed to fall into contemplation.

At that moment, he was like a demon god, while Zhao Changhe seemed to embody the essence of Scattering the Gods and Buddhas.

He began to truly wonder with which intent that technique was supposed to be carried out.

1. Just a note that when he’s referring to how the layout is similar, it’s because the grand martial arena in Wushan would be the equivalent of the training ground in Beimang. I translated it to “grand martial arena” here as the wording is more appropriate in the context, but it really is just a large space where people practice martial arts. ☜

2. Not sure where exactly this is from, but it’s basically just brandishing one’s sword to greet the opponent. ☜