World of Cultivation

Chapter Ninety Seven – Lin Yuan’s Plotting

Lin Yuan’s entire body was still, beads of sweat sliding off his face, his eyes filled with terror. He could clearly feel the bone-aching coldness from the sword energy that was just touching his skin. All the hairs on his body were raised. He didn’t tremble. It wasn’t that he was bolstered by his bravery, but that he didn’t dare to. He did his best to maintain his posture, afraid that the slightest bit of movement would cause the sword energy to move.

For some unknown reason, he kept on feeling that if there was an accident, the sword energy at the tip of the flying sword would unhesitatingly cut into his neck.

Maybe it was the steadiness of the flying sword, maybe it was Zuo Mo’s eyes, maybe… …

It didn’t matter that he knew Zuo Mo didn’t dare to kill him but he didn’t dare to gamble.

“I surrender.” Lin Yuan’s voice was dry and raspy, nothing remaining of the past conceit and proudness. It echoed in a patch of silence and could be heard clearly.

The coldness disappeared from his neck without any warning.

Lin Yuan’s heart finally settled down. He swallowed, looking in terror at Zuo Mo and the Water Drop sword that was peacefully floating in front of his chest. There was only one thought in his head. This person couldn’t be provoked!

The spectators finally managed to react, dissolving into noise. Disbelief was on everyone’s faces. No one could have thought that the entire battle would finish so quickly! When Lin Yuan took out the fourth-grade [Yang Emperor Sword], the great majority had already assumed his victory.

The gap between fourth-grade and third-grade flying swords was an extremely large one!

But, one move, and Lin Yuan lost.

In the crowd of spectators, a cold light flashed through a pair of eyes hidden in the shadows.

Lin Yuan focused. He pretended to be generous and opened, “I lost. You can take down any of the talismans on my body.” People like him, what they were afraid of losing was both the fight and their honor. Losing in battle wasn’t major. He hadn’t created his power based using physical power. But if he lost his reputation, then it was really sweeping the floor.

His heart was still beating heavily. Please do not pick… …

“Then the ling armor on Brother Lin’s body.” Zuo Mo said.

“Alright!” Lin Yuan rushed to answer, afraid Zuo Mo would take it back. He had been afraid that Zuo Mo would pick the fourth-grade [Yang Emperor Sword]. The [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor] might be a fine third-grade ling armor, and he had put a lot of effort into getting it, but it couldn’t compare to [Yang Emperor Sword]. [Yang Emperor Sword] had been bestowed down by the sect leader. If it was lost, it would be bad for him.

Lin Yuan rapidly took the ling armor off his body, throwing it to Zuo Mo, deliberately pretending to be forthright, “Brother Zuo really is skilled, Lin Yuan has no compunctions about losing. I’ll take Brother Zuo as my friend. In the future if you need any help, please speak!”

Zuo Mo raised his hands in a greeting, “Brother Lin’s demeanor is extraordinary, this little brother admires it. To be able to interact with people like Brother Lin, this little brother feels very honored!” His hands, however, were extremely fast and impolite in putting the [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor] onto his body.

The [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor] was entirely black, constructed of thirty six black turtle shells, and forged with essence of moonwater. It was extremely durable. Zuo Mo could tell as he put the armor on that this was far better than the ling armor that Yan Le Shibo had given him. It was both comfortable and breathable, and the ling energy inside the Black Turtle armor slowly seeped into Zuo Mo’s body, extremely pleasurable.

Zuo Mo felt extremely good inside, disregarding the sighs that came from the surroundings. Of course, he knew that, based on just the price, the fourth-grade [Yang Emperor Sword] that Lin Yuan had far surpassed this [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor]. However, this was also where he was the smartest. If he demanded the [Yang Emperor Sword], even though Lin Yuan would give the [Yang Emperor Sword] to him due to face, but that way, this incident would increase in severity. A fourth-grade flying sword, there wasn’t many of those in Wu Kong Sword Sect. In all of the disciples, only Wei Sheng Shixiong’s [Splitting Rainbow] was fourth-grade.

Coveting this flying sword, that was waiting for the other’s elders to come find him!

Not just that, he would also enter into an unsolvable disagreement with Lin Yuan. The other would certainly hate him! Also, [Yang Emperor Sword] wasn’t suited for Zuo Mo. At most, he could sell it for some jingshi. But [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor], he could use it right now. Wearing it on his body, his defensive power would increase dramatically. He would have more confidence in making a profit this time.

On someone else’s territory, being too arrogant meant a terrible death!

Zuo Mo got a bargain and gave Lin Yuan enough face. Lin Yuan managed to keep possession of [Yang Emperor Sword] and got face, his mood instantly rose. As for the [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor], just a third-grade talisman, he didn’t care that much.

Lin Yuan threw a jade scroll at Zuo Mo, generously saying, “This jade scroll has the directions to use this [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor]. For this armor to land in the hands of a hero like Brother Zuo, this little brother is very honored.” He then scanned the surroundings, and said clearly, “Brother Zuo is one against five. Everyone should admire his courage. However, is our Ling Ying Sect those that take advantage of others? This unskilled one suggests that, after each of Brother Zuo’s fights, he can rest for an hour to recover his ling energy, and be fair. How does everyone feel?”

Lin Yuan’s actions instantly aroused the agreement of many people.

“Lin Shixiong is really a honest person!”

“Didn’t think that a disciple of Ling Ying Sect could have a demeanor like this. It really isn’t easy, isn’t easy!”

No matter if it was the disciples of Ling Ying Sect or the other spectators, they all spoke praises.

Zuo Mo took the jade scroll, praising, “Brother Lin is really a genuine person!”

However, the faces of the three people who were going to fight next were extremely bad, their eyes hateful as they glared at Lin Yuan. Chang Shixiong, however, was staring at Zuo Mo, his expression pondering.

Zuo Mo hadn’t thought that the situation would change to be like this. Looking at the eyes of the other three people, Zuo Mo’s heart was like a mirror. He he, this Lin Yuan really helped him out!

With this jade scroll, he didn’t need to search on his own. One hour, it was enough for him to broadly grasp how to use this ling armor. As to recovering ling energy, the previous fight had been so quick he basically hadn’t used any ling energy at all.

Lin Yuan bowed with his hands at Zuo Mo and proudly went back to his troop. That demeanor, there was nothing remaining of his expression when he had just lost. The shidi that were dependent on him gave a flood of praise for Lin Yuan’s generosity. Lin Yuan pretended to calmly wave his hand, smirking inside. He didn’t have good intentions in giving the instructions to the [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor] to Zuo Mo. He had gone first and lost. If his competitors won, then no matter how successful his performance was, it wouldn’t make a difference.

He had been generous in giving the [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor] to Zuo Mo and suggested that Zuo Mo could rest for an hour between each fight so to undermine the people after him. Increasing Zuo Mo’s power was attacking his opponents. If those people also lost, he would have lost honorably. If the other people wanted to copy him, it definitely wouldn’t have the same effect.

The other people were not able to object to Lin Yuan’s “reasonable” suggestions. They could only stare with dark faces at Zuo Mo sitting cross legged on the ground.

An hour later, Zuo Mo finally opened his eyes. He was extremely happy inside. As expected, this [Moonwater Black Turtle Armor] was very good. There were natural seal formations on the shells of black turtles. When they were used, flying swords would have a hard time breaking through.

The second Ling Ying Sect disciple had been impatiently waiting long ago. When Zuo Mo opened his eyes, he walked out.

He threw the bright red cape off his body, revealing the tight clothes underneath.

When the other tore off the cape, Zuo Mo’s eyes became straight.

This guy… …

Disregarding the glowing ling armor on his body, not saying anything of the finest third-grade vambrace, Zuo Mo wouldn’t even look at the bright red [Crimson Blood Bull Boots], his eyes were staring fixedly at the other’s waist, wrist and chest… …

On the belt, there was a miscellany of paper seals, oh no, a collection of paper seals that would make someone think this guy sold seals for a living. Second-grade [Turtle Shell Seal], second-grade [Multiple Ghost Shadows], second-grade [Domineering Five Thunder Seal].

On the wrists, a circle of one-use talismans were tied, second-grade [Sharp-headed Prickly Snake Shuttle], second-grade [One Star Galaxy], second grade [Light Rain Twin Sparrows]… …

There were a few pouches hanging on his chest, the smell of medicine wafting out. To Zuo Mo whose main profession was dan and medicine, he was too familiar with this smell. [Ling Returning Dan] that was used to recover ling energy, definitely not lower than second-grade; [Red Flower Dan] used to stem bleeding, also not lower than second-grade; the [Plum Colored Dan] that had a special smell, second-grade miasma… …

On the outside of his legs, hanging on one of them was a second-grade [Great Sun Moon Wheel], the other a second-grade [Sky Net].

… …

Not just Zuo Mo, all the spectators were completely dumbstruck.

Yan Ming Zi snickered, “It looks like Wang Shixiong is going all out. Using his ultimate medicine-seal-style from the start.”

Hu Shan looked with fear at Wang Shixiong who was standing fully armored, “Only upon personal experience can one know the power of Wang Shixiong’s medicine-seal-style!” He had once fought against Wang Shixiong, and had been completely suppressed for the entire battle, almost to the point he couldn’t raise his head.

Yan Ming Zi nodded sympathetically, “The shixiong that use medicine and seals in our sect cannot be counted, but to be like Wang Shixiong, to use the medicine-seal-style to such a degree, it had never happened before.”

Hu Shan, “Wang Shixiong does have some real skill.”

Yan Ming Zi added, “His wealth is really abundant!”

The two couldn’t help but fall silent. The disciples of Ling Ying Sect might all have wealthy families, but there were still very drastic differences between them. Like Wang Shixiong, who dared to use seals and medicine to such a degree, if he didn’t have the wealth to back it up, he wouldn’t dare to do so. Everyone could understand the core philosophy of the medicine-seal-style – to use jingshi to win. While everyone could understand the concept, but it was another matter if they could do it.

Wang Shixiong’s seal-medicine-style once again proved a truth that had existed for countless years, this world, when you throw enough jingshi at someone, the great majority of the time, you could win.

Maybe, as a person, Wang Shixiong was not as personable as Lin Yuan but his seal-medicine-style was still very famous in Ling Ying Sect. When he tore off the cape and revealed all he owned, all of the Ling Ying Sect disciples suddenly became excited. That was because, in Ling Ying Sect, the absolute majority of disciples believed deeply in one truth, the person with the most jingshi was the one that was right!

To the xiuzhe that were passing by, this scene was an extremely heavy blow.

These days, there was someone who could armor himself to such a frightening degree?