Rise of Humanity

Chapter 105 - The Contest Between the Two Maidens

Although her voice was not loud, it reverberated to every corner of the valley and the Starry Palace. As of now, there were already a few hundred Qi Practitioners gathering in the Starry Palace, most of who were cheering for Xiao Chuqing as she defeated Tian Xiangzong. When they have suddenly heard Qiu Jin’er’s voice, and they all turned and looked at her.

As Qiu Jin’er seldom found herself in the warm sunlight all year round, her countenance was sickly pale, but her beauty was nonetheless no lesser than Shui Qingyan or Xiao Chuqing’s. In addition to her soft and tender appearance, she had a magnetism that seemed to incite people’s desire to protect her.

The wooden wheelchair hovered on the top of the valley, the acclamations for Xiao Chuqing gradually stopped and a dead silence eventually blanketed the crowd; countless pairs of eyes fixated their sights on her, and many Qi Practitioners were praising the young lady’s otherworldly beauty.

“Qiu Jin’er of Qiu Tan Clan? Isn’t she the fifth innate spirit body of Swords Gate? That Innate Wood Spirit Body?”

A round of commotion took over the Starry Palace and the stone stages, the crowd was thrilled. The Innate Wood Spirit Body against the Innate Moon Spirit Body - this battle would be a remarkable duel between a dragon and tiger!

And moreover, it would be a duel between two young and beautiful ladies, just thinking about it would cause their hearts to thump with great excitement.

But Qiu Jin’er was still sitting in her wooden wheelchair which made the crowd pessimistic towards her performance. In addition to the rumors of the Qiu Tan Clan young lady being naturally weak in body and that she was lying sick in bed all year round recuperating in the Yang God Palace, she seemed inexperienced in combat and would most probably not be of Xiao Chuqing’s match.

“Senior Martial Sister Qiu, Innate Wood Spirit Body?”

Xiao Chuqing rose from the bottom of the valley, she stood in midair and faced squarely with Qiu Jin’er, the bright moon behind her emanated pale rays of light, saintly and holy. She smiled and said, “Senior martial sister, your legs aren’t that convenient, it’s not very good if this little sister hurts you.”

Qiu Jin’er smiled and responded, “Don’t worry junior martial sister, I have measures of my own to protect myself.”

On the stone stage where Zhong Yue was on, Grandmother Lu was cheering for Qiu Jin’er, she swiped her hands across the neck in a slashing motion, gesturing to Qiu Jin’er to give her best shot in exterminating her “rival in love”.

Qiu Jin’er blinked her eyes and asked, “Is Junior Martial Sister Xiao accepting my duel request?”

“A duel among the martial siblings for the purpose of learning, how can I avoid and decline?”

Xiao Chuqing knew very well that this duel would the be the duel that would elevate her reputation to a new peak within Swords Gate. If she defeats Qiu Jin’er, she would surely be enthroned like a goddess among the Swords Gate Qi Practitioners, her fans would be multitudinous!

All of these followers and fans would form the foundation for her to step on her way to the top of Swords Gate, and the weapon she would wield against the celestial envoy!

The envoy’s clout in Swords Gate was deeply entrenched, it was unshakeable. But if she were to fastidiously handle the person that had escaped from the moon and with the support of a massive crowd of followers standing behind her. the Xiao Mang Celestial Race would definitely recall the celestial envoy and appoint her to the post. Her status and power would then soar with her rise in status!

In the Starry Palace, ‘Shui Qingyan’ suddenly burst into laughter and said, “Dear envoy, it seems like your position is coming under threat, if Xiao Chuqing defeats Qiu Jin’er and acquires the support from the Swords Gate Qi Practitioners, as well as find that human Qi Practitioner, I’m afraid that your position of the great celestial envoy will be stripped off from you.”

Behind her, a cloud of shade appeared out of nowhere, a pair of eyes like ghostly fire burning in an emerald green emerged from the darkness The messenger’s nonchalant voice could be heard, “He-he, is Tian Mother going to support her? Xiao Chuqing is showing off too much, it’s still too early for her to replace me in my position.”

“But if her performance were to satisfy your Xiao Mang Celestial higher-ups, it’ll only need but a sentence on their part to replace you, isn’t that so?” ‘Shui Qingyan’ laughed and said.

The voice gave a cold sneer, “If you, Tian Mother, value her so much and look down on me, then I can only say, your intelligence … is disappointing!”

‘Shui Qingyan’ turned and looked behind, the shades billowed away and disappeared into thin air. She shook her head and said, “What an enigma of a person, impossible to see through…”

“Senior Martial Sister Qiu, please!” Xiao Chuqing smiled and said.

“Alright!”

Qiu Jin’er’s psyche moved, —Hua-la hua-la— the sounds of roaring could be head as the vines sprouted up crazily. In a trice, the vines shot up like dragons towards Xiao Chuqing who was in midair, the thick vines were engraved with marvelous totem patterns that glistened in a metallic luster!

Xiao Chuqing stood unmoving, the bright moon on the back of her head spun. One after another, skills blasted out and slashed at the vines. She smiled and said, “Senior martial sister, your legs aren’t convenient, then I will also stand still and fight with you!”

Qiu Jin’er smiled humbly as a planet emerged behind her, it was the Celestial Wood Star; the Celestial Wood Star revolved as one Sword Qi after another shot out from the planet, shaped like innocuous saplings and yet containing immense power —Shua!— and slashed right at Xiao Chuqing!

She had learned the sword totem patterns of the 【Great Boundless Sword Qi】 from Zhong Yue and her attainments in the Wooden Sword Qi were far higher than Zhong Yue’s. As she cast the Wooden Sword Qi, Xiao Chuqing’s countenance experienced a huge turn, the moon behind her flared up immensely and the Moonlight Sword Qi blasted out to ward off the Wood Celestial Sword Qi!

A cacophonous din of sounds burst out in the air, the two young ladies’ Sword Qi clashed into each other and caused the valley to tremble. The countenances of the Qi Practitioners around blanched, they knew that if it were them, they would be abjectly helpless in the face of such formidable powers!

The vines grew more and more numerous and encroached like a relentless jungle, interlacing together forming into a net. The facade of the Starry Palace soon transformed into a primeval forest, the leaves of the vines were big while the stems were thick and strong - a person walking in it would find themselves overtaken by a sense of diminutiveness…

Qiu Jin’er’s wooden wheelchair alighted onto a piece of green leaf, even the textures on the leaf itself were laden with totem patterns.

She placed her pale-white palm on the leaf, and the vines lashed out like dragons and pythons thrusting endlessly at Xiao Chuqing. Almost simultaneously, the Sword Qi burst out everywhere from the vines that had covered half of the sky, and shot right at Xiao Chuqing. The attacks were furious and intense, dazzling the eyes of the audiences!

Vines weaved like net, Wooden Sword Qi could blast out from every corner of the vines net, Xiao Chuqing was like a tiny bug that was entrapped in the net, with her life at the mercy of the evergreen!

Xiao Chuqing’s face changed drastically again, this was the first time she felt that the situation was devolving out of her control. The Innate Wood Spirit Body was too difficult to deal with, she could tell for sure that Qiu Jin’er’s cultivation base was deeper than hers and the power of the Wooden Sword Qi was incredibly powerful. If she remained in the moon spirit’s first form, her defeat would only be an inevitability!

“Moon spirit second form — the Star Moon Jade Toad!”

Xiao Chuqing mumbled lowly, the moon behind her was glaring, one after another, bright moons flew out from the beaming moonlights and a total of six bright moons hovered in mid-air, and in the moons, totem carvings in pentagram patterns emerged.

The crowds stared at the pentagram patterned totem carvings, and soon they realized that the six bright moons were not moons, but rather, eyes!

Behind Xiao Chuqing, her atman, the Star Moon Jade Toad Yuan Shen appeared, it was the second form of her moon spirit - the Star Moon Jade Toad!

As the Star Moon Jade Toad made its appearance, its six eyes opened and the air rumbled, moonlight billowed like cascading water and the Wooden Sword Qi and vines thrusting at her all suddenly grinded to a halt.

Xiao Chuqing heaved a breath of relief and she immediately returned the favor, the Star Moon Jade Toad opened its mouth wide, its long tongue that was shaped like sword flashed across the air like a burst of lightning towards Qiu Jin’er.

Almost simultaneously, the Celestial Wood Star behind Qiu Jin’er also changed, it morphed into a Xuan Bird, extending out its wings with its feathers slashing out like swords!

Celestial Wood Spirit second form, Xuan Bird Yuan Shen!

The two Yuan Shens clashed with each other and cacophonous sounds burst out. Xiao Chuqing staggered back as the strong impact force slammed into her body. She forcibly repressed a ray of blinding light that flashed across her eyes. She then smiled and said, “Stop, Senior Martial Sister Qiu, little sister is pushed back by you, I concede to my defeat!”

Qiu Jin’er quickly recalled her Xuan Bird Yuan Shen, she smiled and responded, “Junior martial sister has yet to unleash your true strength, and furthermore, you’ve stood still while fighting with me, this can’t be considered as a defeat.”

Xiao Chuqing answered with alacrity, “I’m defeated as long as I’ve moved, senior martial sister’s cultivation foundation is stronger than mine, Chuqing admits that I’m weaker.”

Qiu Jin’er retraced the peculiar vines from the valley, the wooden wheelchair hovered in the air and flew back to Zhong Yue. Xiao Chuqing cast her gaze over at Zhong Yue, smiled sweetly and also left the valley back to the Starry Palace.

One after another, the sounds of praise ringed out from the stone stages. Some applauded and said, “Junior Martial Sister Qiu Jin’er is indeed strong, worthy of one who has the Innate Wood Spirit Body. After all, she had joined the inner hall a few years ago, her cultivation base is stronger!”

While others praised and said, “Junior Martial Sister Xiao is also natural and poised, upholding an elegant demeanor. She stood still and dueled with Junior Martial Sister Qiu, conceding defeat as soon as she was pushed back two steps, showing her benevolence and magnanimity without any subterfuge. If it were others, they would most probably argue and kick up a fuss!”

The two sides had their own supporters, but nevertheless, the crowd was unianimous in their praise for the two young ladies.

“She kept a hand in the shadows.”

Qiu Jin’er whispered to Zhong Yue, she said, “When I’ve pushed her back in her moon spirit second form, I can sense a strange power surging in her body, attempting to escape. But it was immediately suppressed by her. If she were to release that power, I might not be able to win the duel.”

“A strange power? Even junior martial sister wouldn’t have been able to win?”

Zhong Yue’s heart stiffened up, as of now, Qiu Jin’er’s Wood Sword Qi was vastly mutable and way stronger than his own rendition of it. Even Zhong Yue dared not say that he could defeat Qiu Jin’er with all his might and the 【Fourth Sword Styles】.

And yet, Qiu Jin’er said that there was a strange power residing within Xiao Chuqing’s body that was unfathomably strong. That said, Xiao Chuqing had deeply buried her true prowess, to depths that were extraordinarily deep!

It was still uncertain whether or not the 【Fourth Sword Styles】 could slay the young lady!

“Brat Yue, the power she has concealed, it’s the power of the Xiao Mang Celestial Race, it is very very strong!”

Xin Huo’s voice suddenly appeared, “The celestial power in her body is way stronger than the power of her moon spirit!”

Zhong Yue inhaled in a deep breath of air and calmed himself down.

Qiu Jin’er asked curiously, “Why did Senior Martial Brother Zhong want me to probe her prowess?”

Zhong Yue laughed and answered, “If I say that I want to kill her, you can’t possibly believe me, right?”

Qiu Jin’er head nodded like a chicken pecking rice, she said, “Senior Martial Brother Zhong is a good man, how will you kill people? Furthermore, Junior Martial Sister Xiao is so beautiful, and she is a nice person…”

Zhong Yue scratched his head while a smile climbed his face, “I’m just joking with you, I only wanted to see how strong have Junior Martial Sister Jin’er has cultivated to … Ha-ha, what nice weather this is. Junior martial sister, it’s a rare occasion when we can be together, why don’t I accompany you to a walk, shall bring you on a tour around the Swords Gate?”

Qiu Jin’er’s heart thumped in bliss and she quickly nodded her head, she turned to Grandmother Lu and said, “Grandmother, Senior Martial Brother Zhong will accompany me to a walk, you can go back first.”

Grandmother Lu’s countenance was emotionless, as Zhong Yue pushed the wheelchair, the old lady followed behind while keeping a distance away. Qiu Jin’er could not help but voice out her grievances again, “Grandmother, Senior Martial Brother Zhong will send me back…”

“Missy, I’m worried that he might bully you.”

The expression on Grandmother Lu’s countenance was the epitome of doubt and distrust. She threw a death stare at Zhong Yue and said, “What if he releases the inner beast in him. Missy, your body is not well, you can’t even defend yourself if he decides to act, then you can only follow him forever. That’s what tragically happened to madam many years ago…”

Zhong Yue don’t know whether to laugh or cry. He said, “Grandmother Lu, this is the inner hall, there are so many people here, how is it possible for me to mess around?”

“That’s why I said, if you release the inner beast in you…” Grandmother Lu squinted her eyes, gazed at him and said.