Chapter 497 - 441: Showdown

Chapter 497: Chapter 441: Showdown

In the arena, two young men stood facing each other.

One had a jade-like face and a tall figure, while the other had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a sturdy build.

Li Da’s expression was emotionless and stern, while Wang Ruoyu clenched his fists, pursed his lips tightly, and his face was full of anger and stubbornness.

The support and encouragement each received were starkly different.

Many junior cultivators shouted loudly, "Go, Senior Brother Li!"

"Supporting Senior Brother Li!"

Quite a few young female cultivators waved their ribbons, which had "Senior Brother Li Da, may your martial fortune be prosperous!" written on them.

Faced with such enthusiasm, Li Da cupped his hands in salute towards the panel of judges and the elders, and waved to his junior brothers and sisters. Some junior sisters blushed, and some even screamed.

On the other hand, Wang Ruoyu’s side was cold and deserted, with no one cheering for him or waving ribbons.

In fact, after one round after another, wielding his Triple Round Shield and sending opponent after opponent flying, Wang Ruoyu had already gained considerable admiration from his peers and acknowledgment from his mentors.

Unfortunately, he himself was not particularly attractive, and coupled with his generally solitary nature—his life revolved around three things: cultivation, eating, and his Junior Martial Uncle Jiang Baitao, he seldom interacted with his fellow disciples and was always seen as Jiang Baitao’s follower, therefore not very popular.

Now faced with the idol Li Da, it seemed inevitable that he’d lose miserably.

Even the Shuangye Alliance cultivators, who had originally placed their bets in a sixty-forty split, saw the overwhelming support and hurriedly added to their bets.

"Senior Brother, Senior Brother, I bet on Li Da to win."

"I’m betting on Senior Brother Li too, the situation on the field is too unfavorable for Senior Brother Wang."

"Shh, keep it down, if we attract the discipline team, we’re finished."

Jiang Baitao looked at the majority of the audience fervently supporting Li Da, while Wang Ruoyu stood there alone, and sighed, thinking to herself, "This is too unfair, Shitou is so pitiful."

So she waved her fair arm, adorned with bright colors that were exceptionally eye-catching.

"Shitou, hang in there, knock that arrogant Li Zi to the ground!"

Wang Ruoyu’s eyes glinted, suddenly filled with energy, his wide-open mouth could hardly close as he nodded vigorously.

Meanwhile, Li Da felt as if he’d been punched hard in the heart, both pained and sour, his face fell, suppressing the urge to explode on the spot, he gritted his teeth and glared at Wang Ruoyu.

He angrily panted, squeezing out a sentence from between his teeth, "Wang Shitou, remember our promise."

Wang Ruoyu rotated his wrist confidently, saying, "Li Zi, just watch me blossom your butt!"

With a clang, the gong rang, and the drums immediately thundered. The referee announced loudly, "The match begins!"

Wang Ruoyu’s right arm shook, with a whoosh, a shimmering round shield unfurled, three concentric round shields of different sizes stacked together, emitted a deep hum with a gentle wave.

Then, they heard Li Da say softly, "Follow me!"

He turned and rushed towards the swampy area, and Wang Ruoyu followed without hesitation.

This move caused the cultivators who had bet on Wang Ruoyu to lament, while Jiang Baitao rolled her eyes and covered her face with a slap.

"Shitou, oh Shitou, do you have to do whatever they tell you? When will you wise up?"

The swampy area was clearly chosen by Li Da after some observation, as it restrained Wang Ruoyu’s activities, but Wang Ruoyu seemed oblivious, stepping heavily into it. Although his spirit-infused legs did not sink into the mud, splashes of water scattered everywhere.

But Li Da was noticeably much lighter on his feet. He performed a Water Element Technique, and with a light step, a spray of water lifted him, allowing him to glide over the marsh effortlessly, elegantly like an immortal, drawing cheers from the junior sisters.

The two of them quickly reached the core area of the swamp, where the water was deep enough to submerge one’s thighs, beneath which lay thick mud.

Li Da turned around, stepped on the crest of the waves, and performed a spell, unleashing a surge of waves.

Around Wang Ruoyu, water surged with a roar, and seven or eight thick water whips rose up like spirit snakes, entangling towards him.

This wasn’t all, Li Da performed the Kan Water Technique with his right hand, while his left hand changed postures rapidly, conjuring a sudden burst of fire.

With crackling sounds, the air twisted, and six three-foot-wide scarlet fireballs traced bright arcs towards Wang Ruoyu.

This was a stunning display, and the panel of judges frequently nodded. Normally, a mid-stage Qi cultivator, due to limited divine sense and spiritual power, could only control one magical artifact, and it was challenging for most to wield two techniques simultaneously.

Li Da not only accomplished this but also used water with his right hand and fire with his left, naturally and smoothly, showcasing his cultivation power.

The water whips had already surrounded him, and the fireballs came crashing in, but Wang Ruoyu let out a loud shout, and suddenly a yellow light flashed beneath his feet, and he leapt up with considerable force.

As he stomped heavily and spun around, he shattered the encircling water whips with brute force akin to a wild bull. Simultaneously, he sent the round shield flying, with several slaps, either deflecting or blocking, he sent the fireballs flying at an angle, causing massive masses of mist and mud to explode in the water.

The audience focused their gaze, only to see that beneath his feet, a half-person-high mound had risen.

Cui Linglong, having reached the spectator stands, brightened up and clapped, "Who says Senior Brother Wang is stupid, isn’t he quite clever?"

As it turned out, he had long hidden a handful of simple Earth Element Talismans on his calf. At the critical moment, by channeling his spiritual power, he had created a simple earthen platform beneath his feet.