Chapter 552: Thoroughly Seeing Through

Chen Mobai called Lian Maozhi, the first contestant, to his side and gave him a few instructions. Although Lian Maozhi didn't fully understand, he nodded and stepped onto the stage.

As expected, Bai Si was formidable. Although Lian Maozhi relied on his powerful body-refining defense and maneuvered for a long time, he was ultimately defeated by her ever-changing Time-Rain Sword Art, which shattered his physical body.

"Sect Leader, I have disappointed you," Lian Maozhi said with a bow after being knocked off the stage.

"No, you have excellently completed the task I assigned you," Chen Mobai replied. As he spoke, faint golden lines began to form in his clear, bright eyes.

"Yes," Lian Maozhi acknowledged, then returned to his original position.

Chen Mobai looked at the other seven Foundation Establishment cultivators from various sects. They all looked up, hoping to be chosen. Although they knew their chances against Bai Si were slim, with one person having already lost, they felt less psychological pressure. Moreover, losing early might make a stronger impression on the Sect Leader.

However, Chen Mobai had already arranged the combat roster in his mind. He estimated that about four people would be enough to completely uncover Bai Si's true capabilities, after which Mu Yuan would be the fifth and final contender, ensuring her complete defeat. Even though Bai Si was now facing eight opponents, he decided to stick to his original plan.

"Junior Niece Ding..."

Ding Ying jolted at Chen Mobai's words, immediately stepped forward, and respectfully bowed her head.

"When you go up, focus primarily on steady defense..." Chen Mobai used a voice transmission to meticulously inform her of what he wanted her to do. He even pointed out the flaws he had observed in the Time-Rain Sword Art during the previous match, instructing her to try and verify them during her own fight.

"Yes, Sect Leader!" Ding Ying quickly nodded after hearing Chen Mobai's instructions, indicating she had committed everything to memory and would do her utmost to complete the task.

Once on stage, Ding Ying exerted herself even more than Lian Maozhi. She channeled her Cultivation of Immortality Sutra to an unprecedented peak, skillfully deploying a Spirit Leaf Art. Under Bai Si's torrential rain of sword qi, she appeared disheveled but stubbornly held her ground, refusing to retreat a single step.

After three rounds of attacks, seeing no way to break the Spirit Leaf Art with conventional methods, Bai Si's clear eyes glowed with a pale blue light. Her sword qi then ascended, transforming into a pale blue Sword-Rainbow that shot skyward like a flowing blade, emanating a sharp, cold gleam.

Upon seeing this, Ding Ying frowned, but gritted her teeth and pricked her fingertip. Using her blood as ink, she drew a talisman in the air, maximizing the power of her Spirit Leaf Art. Bai Si, with an arrogant expression, directly guided her flowing blade to strike the very center of the Spirit Leaf Art, determined to cleave through her opponent's strongest shield with her sword.

But where Bai Si couldn't see, Ding Ying, with her other hand behind her back, also pricked a fingertip and drew a Clear Wind Talisman. With a splashing sound, the flowing blade and the Spirit Leaf Art clashed, erupting in a brilliant blue-green radiance. At this moment, Ding Ying unleashed the Clear Wind Talisman she had secretly formed behind her. A gust of wind, infused with longevity spiritual power, surged from her back, whistling past the center of their engagement, sweeping in a semicircle across the arena, and landing beside Bai Si.

"Huh?" Bai Si uttered, slightly surprised. Being of a higher cultivation level, she circulated her spiritual energy, and with a wave of her slender, snow-white right hand, another Sword-Rainbow appeared. It resembled clear water forming a swirling vortex, rotating around her in mid-air, creating a flawless defense. The gust of wind struck the swirling water, dissipating completely within a few breaths. At the same time, Ding Ying's Spirit Leaf Art also ran out of power and was shattered by the flowing blade.

Just as Ding Ying was about to be struck down by the pale blue flowing blade, Bai Si immediately channeled her spiritual energy, preparing to alter the direction of her Sword-Rainbow strike. Suddenly, a point of golden flame light flickered on the arena. A scorching heat current, making all the cultivators from Blowing Snow Palace present feel a chill down their spines, as if encountering their natural nemesis, dispersed in all directions. In an instant, Bai Si's flowing blade was completely vaporized. And precisely after nullifying the Sword-Rainbow that threatened Ding Ying's life, that point of Golden Flame also vanished. It seemed as if that single flame was just enough to counteract Bai Si's flowing blade.

"I acted in haste; please forgive me, Sect Leader Zhu and Junior Niece Bai," Chen Mobai said with a hint of embarrassment to Zhu Jin-yu beside him and Bai Si on the stage. At this moment, both were still reeling from the frantic spiritual energy warning they had just experienced, as if terrified by the meeting of sworn enemies.

That Golden Flame... could it be...?

Zhu Jin-yu recalled the Extreme Yang Slash, a legendary technique used by Patriarch Hunyuan when he rampaged across the three Eastern Domains. It was a skill so powerful it could make even the Rank 4 Great Demon of Yunmeng Marsh flee in terror, and it was especially effective against ice attributes. The Sect Leader Chen of Divine Wood Sect had only just formed his core, yet he had already elevated his Azure Flame Sword Evil to "Golden Flame" so quickly?! If it were anyone else, Zhu Jin-yu would certainly not believe it. But she had personally felt the tremor in her own spiritual energy just now. That extremely scorching Golden Flame was absolutely a sign that the Scarlet Flame Sword Art had been cultivated to grand perfection!

Moreover, Chen Mobai had already dominated the Eastern Wilderness with his Azure Flame Sword Evil during his Foundation Establishment stage. After forming his core and gaining core flame, it was conceivable that Divine Wood Sect might possess secret methods for quickly condensing Golden Flames, along with various precious spiritual materials to assist in its cultivation. But... to have just cultivated the Golden Flame and already master it with such proficiency, his talent was simply terrifying! Zhu Jin-yu's heart was shaken, unable to calm down, as she recalled the scene where Chen Mobai's single Golden Flame precisely counteracted Bai Si's Sword-Rainbow and vanished together.

On the arena, Bai Si first frowned, then seemed to recall the Golden Flame. A trace of horror suddenly flashed in her clear eyes, and she looked incredulously at the handsome young man sitting below the stage, eyes narrowed in a smile. "Is this the strongest sword cultivation talent in the Eastern Wilderness in a thousand years?! Why would such a prodigy be in the Eastern Wilderness?"

"I lose," Ding Ying said with a sweet smile, seemingly relieved after losing the match, as if a long-standing burden had been lifted.

"Mm, well done," Chen Mobai told Ding Ying after she stepped down. She was exceedingly happy. With her almond eyes and rosy cheeks, she was already beautiful, and now, having received praise, knowing that she was truly regarded like any other disciple in the Sect Leader's eyes, she glowed with even more charm and allure.

"Jinghuo, you're next, the third one," Chen Mobai said. Among all the disciples, Xi Jinghuo had the best relationship with Chen Mobai; his tone was different, like friends talking.

"Alright," Xi Jinghuo replied without demur. Before he went on stage, Chen Mobai called him over and instructed him for much longer than the previous two. At this moment, no one noticed that the golden light in Chen Mobai's left eye, which had initially been just a few lines, was now nearly forming a complete humanoid outline.

"Please guide me!" Xi Jinghuo said after stepping onto the stage. He then clasped his hands together and pulled them apart, a crimson sword-like rainbow of light, fiery and vibrant, appearing between his palms. Scarlet Flame Sword-Rainbow!

With his talent, though he couldn't unleash a Sword-Rainbow during the Qi Cultivation stage like Chen Mobai, he easily mastered it after reaching Foundation Establishment. Moreover, as friends, the two often drank together in Divine Wood City at Mount Xiaonan. Chen Mobai would share his insights on sword cultivation with him. Xi Jinghuo initially avoided it, but after more frequent occasions, he happily and justifiably began to seek advice. With Chen Mobai, the Eastern Wilderness's foremost sword cultivator, by his side, Xi Jinghuo's path of cultivation had a clear and distinct goal from the very beginning. He aimed to become a second Chen Mobai, so Xi Jinghuo's Scarlet Flame Sword Art bore Chen Mobai's imprint everywhere.

Upon seeing the Scarlet Flame Sword-Rainbow, Bai Si forced herself to recover from the terrifying Golden Flame that had shaken her spirit. She focused her mind and directly propelled her Time-Rain Sword Art to the Sword-Rainbow level as well. In a water-fire sword art confrontation, theoretically, the water-attribute sword art would have the advantage. However, because Xi Jinghuo had received Chen Mobai's guidance, he knew of the numerous unfixable flaws in Bai Si's sword art due to her incomplete mastery. Thus, even when suppressed by the Time-Rain Sword Art, he seized the initiative and managed to suppress her flowing blade.

The longer Bai Si fought, the more uncomfortable she became. She hadn't even realized that her Time-Rain Sword Art contained such flaws. If not for her higher cultivation level and more powerful divine sense, allowing her to constantly adjust her sword moves and Sword-Rainbows with spiritual energy, she might have been defeated by Xi Jinghuo in the very first move.

"That Sect Leader Chen, being at the Core Formation stage, must have seen the flaws in my sword art during the previous two exchanges. I mustn't rush. The time I took to defeat my opponents earlier was very short, so even if flaws were exposed, there wouldn't be many. As long as I endure the opponent's initial aggressive assault, I can quickly turn the tide and win by relying on my higher cultivation level!" Bai Si thought.

Bai Si, renowned as a Five-Color Immortal Seed, was naturally not just a cultivator with talent. She had trained in the Eastern Wilderness during her Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment stages, engaged in countless battles, and had many rogue cultivators and bandits die by her sword. Although suppressed by Xi Jinghuo, she did not panic. She protected herself with the most secure Vortex Flowing Water stance, resisting the fierce and scorching Scarlet Flame Sword-Rainbow. As expected, with the passage of time, Xi Jinghuo's sword moves and Sword-Rainbows were no longer as difficult to parry as they initially were. Gradually, Bai Si began to counterattack. After six moves, the offensive and defensive positions had reversed, and Xi Jinghuo was, in turn, suppressed by her Sword-Rainbow. Finally, on the seventeenth move, Xi Jinghuo's face paled, his spiritual energy having been depleted. The Scarlet Flame Sword-Rainbow in his palm flickered, then was extinguished by the flowing blade, turning into wisps of green smoke. However, this time, to avoid provoking Chen Mobai into using the Golden Flame again, Bai Si had already withdrawn her attack in advance.

"I lose!" Xi Jinghuo readily admitted defeat and stepped off the stage after his Scarlet Flame Sword-Rainbow was broken. But the people from Blowing Snow Palace looked at Xi Jinghuo completely differently. After all, everyone had witnessed Bai Si's initial discomfiture, and they hadn't expected a mere early Foundation Establishment cultivator from Divine Wood Sect to be capable of such a feat. Another sword cultivation genius! Though not as monstrously talented as Chen Mobai, if he grew, he might not be inferior to Bai Si, the most gifted cultivator of Blowing Snow Palace! Thinking this, Zhu Jin-yu sighed again, wondering why all the geniuses were in the Divine Wood Sect when their Blowing Snow Palace had always been poaching talents from Yun and Lei nations...

"Junior Niece Yin..." At this moment, Chen Mobai had already called Yin Qingmei over. Since Yin Qingmei joined the Divine Wood Sect, she had only left Giant Wood Ridge once, which was to recruit disciples in Yun Nation—and she ended up recruiting Chen Mobai, a super-rare, special-grade talent. Being brought out this time was her first long journey away from Divine Wood Sect's territory, and she was very excited. She was also thinking of performing well during their journey with Chen Mobai, hoping to earn the Azure Emperor Longevity Sutra by demonstrating her obedience and powerful talent.

Chen Mobai closed his left eye. The golden figure in his pupil was almost fully formed. He had completely seen through Bai Si and her Time-Rain Sword Art. After speaking to Yin Qingmei, he gave one last instruction. "Unless she has mastered Sword Light, if you follow my instructions, she will absolutely not be your opponent."

"Yes, Sect Leader!" Yin Qingmei was still somewhat skeptical. After all, she possessed a Heavenly Spiritual Root and was full of confidence in her own talent, unable to imagine someone being able to completely see through a late Foundation Establishment stage genius with just three short duels.

Even as she stepped onto the stage, Yin Qingmei harbored some doubts, but after exchanging three moves with Bai Si, she discovered that the opponent's moves and spells were exactly as Chen Mobai had told her. The more she fought, the more confident Yin Qingmei became. As a Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator, she had been a cherished treasure protected by others since she joined the Divine Wood Sect, and her combat experience was sparse. Even though she knew all of Bai Si's moves in advance, facing a cultivator refined through life-and-death struggles, she still felt somewhat tense and serious. But after three more moves, she completely relaxed. With a clear understanding, she unleashed Heavenly Wood Spirit Light, using the Hundred Changes Spirit Light Art to dispel and break each of her opponent's Sword-Rainbow moves.

The more Bai Si fought with Yin Qingmei, the more alarmed she became. She felt as if she had no secrets before her opponent, as if all her sword art variations were being foreseen. It was as if her opponent had watched her cultivate since childhood, understanding her even better than she understood herself! After another Turbid Stream Sword Style was blocked and deflected by the Heavenly Wood Spirit Light from Yin Qingmei's palm, Bai Si gritted her teeth, knowing she had no choice but to unleash her ultimate move!

Her pale blue Sword-Rainbow instantly disintegrated, like water droplets transforming into misty rain, becoming a fine drizzle that suddenly fell upon Yin Qingmei's Heavenly Wood Spirit Light Shield. Then, a stunning deep blue Sword Light illuminated within the misty rain, as if the deep sea had risen onto land, carrying the force of a torrential downpour, and sent Yin Qingmei flying off the arena.