Star Gate

Chapter 205: Duel (I)

“Sword Sect, Hong Qing!”

“Red Moon, Sun Hongxiu!”

Martial masters did not exchange an abundance of greetings when they sparred, just brief self introductions. Hong Qing unsheathed her sword and stabbed forward. Smoke and mist coiled around the two opponents, kicking up sand and dust in a massive wave of pebbles.

“Break!” Hongxiu grunted and slammed her staff into the ground. The earth trembled—the entire surface shook. Within the haze, she raised her staff and brought it down on Hong Qiu’s head.

The two young women instantly shifted to combat readiness and met each other in battle. They didn’t exchange probing moves as both sides knew they were evenly matched at a similar cultivation level. It would come down to experience and proper usage of their arts.

Sword light shot in all directions while the staff danced through the air. Their moves were fast and ferocious! Some Darkmoons on the side were bewildered by the sight.

......

The Night Watcher delegation.

“They’re so strong!” Sharp gasps abounded. “Why does it feel like they’re much stronger than the martial masters we met before?”

Why?

Because these were true martial masters with a heritage to draw from, not dabblers. Whether in terms of secret arts or physique, the two on the field were in peak condition. These kinds of martial masters were nothing that amateurs in martial dojos could compare to. Neither were secret arts available by the side of the street.

Currently, inside the clearing.

Hongxiu spun her staff so quickly that not even water droplets would touch her body. She swiftly advanced on Hong Qing. Longsword and staff clashed against each other; sparks flew in all directions amid a cacophony of clinks and clangs.

Two late Sunderers occupied a lot of space when they fought. The clearing created by Sun Yifei was instantly pockmarked with holes.

Outside the clearing.

Someone exclaimed with surprise. Hong Qing’s sword stabbed forward, past the qimei staff, and traveled straight for her opponent’s throat. Sun Hongixu’s eyes glinted coldly as her staff spun fiercely like a meat grinder. It rotated at high velocity, seeking to envelop Hong Qing’s longsword and the right arm that wielded it. It wanted to churn her arm to pieces!

Plainly, the opening for Hong Qing’s sword was a weakness purposefully showcased by Sun Hongxiu.

The two young women fought with extreme viciousness despite their youth. Many supernaturals held their breath and watched with wide-open eyes. Some wore expressions of worry, as if unable to bear the thought of either of them being injured.

......

The Night Watcher delegation.

Liu Long, Wang Ming, and Liu Yan impassively watched the fight. Wang Ming observed with a rapt look in his eyes, quite worked up by the battle. After a while, he turned around to see Liu Long and Liu Yan watching with blank expressions.

“Aren’t you guys nervous?” he asked curiously.

“It’s just an opening match,” Liu Long replied after a moment. “It looks pretty enough!”

What does that mean?

“They’re being so vicious to each other,” Wang Ming responded with bafflement. “Look, that Hong Qing’s arm is about to twisted apart. How is that pretty?”

From his perspective, this battle represented the might of martial masters and how dangerous it was to cross paths with one. It was very exciting!

“Vice Captain Liu, what do you think?” Wang Ming looked at Liu Yan. Liu Long was too strong as a Dominator, it was normal that he didn’t think much of the fight. Then what about Liu Yan?

The woman flicked a glance at him and paused for a beat before saying, “They’re sparring!”

Wang Ming turned the response over in his mind. Sparring? So Liu Yan also wasn’t too impressed by the perilous fight that was beautiful in a deadly sort of way?

“This is the most amazing martial encounter that I’ve ever witnessed!” the handsome young supernatural said after a while. “Listen to the hum of the sword and the staff breaking through the air. Sand and rocks fly everywhere and the ground splits open... It seems so precarious! Director Liu, aren’t real martial masters supposed to be like this?”

“You’ll see soon!” Liu Long said calmly.

“Professor Yuan and Sun Yifei?”

“Maybe not!” Liu Long didn’t say much. Who says that Li Hao won’t bring a real martial master fight to you?

The captain didn’t have much experience facing off against martial foes, but he’d fought Li Hao plenty of times. Li Hao bore the demeanor of a martial master. If Sun Yifei’s disciple was also a real martial master, then the assembly today would be blessed with a sensational fight below Dominator.

......

Inside the clearing.

The harrowing battle continued. Supernaturals around the perimeter gasped and exhaled sharply, like they were the ones who would die at any time.

......

Immediately around the clearing.

Sun Yifei furrowed his brow. Although they’d said it was a sparring match, it still didn’t quite satisfy him. He looked at Sun Moxian standing next to him. “What do you think?”

“Not bad.” Sun Moxian chuckled. “Junior sister has solid foundations.”

“And?”

The young man fell silent. There was no and. That was it. She was performing acceptably and her foundations were solid. What else was there to say?

Sun Yifei laughed when his disciple didn’t say anything else. Very good! As it should be, as he expected. Other than a pretty fight and solid foundations, there was nothing else to point out. Of course, Sun Hongxiu was less experienced than Sun Moxian and hadn’t killed many enemies yet. She was to be commended for matching her opponent to this degree. The girl would have no problems handling ordinary supernaturals. Just listen to those reactions around them!

Derision appeared deep in the depths of Sun Yifei’s eyes. It wasn’t targeted at anyone; he simply scorned all supernaturals that were not born of martial masters. They were all trash!

The battle continued, but Sun Yifei wasn’t interested in it anymore.

Neither was Sun Moxian. They looked into the distance at the same time, at Yuan Shuo and Li Hao.

......

Li Hao and Yuan Shuo happened to be looking at them as well. Four pairs of eyes met. Li Hao smiled bashfully and quickly ducked his head. Yuan Shuo jeered and smirked at Sun Yifei.

The four swiftly retracted their gazes.

“Sun Moxian will not be an easy person to handle,” Yuan Shuo muttered. “Martial masters can discern a thing or two from posture and the look in one’s eyes. Don’t treat his junior sister’s strength as a barometer for his strength.”

“Mm, I understand.” Li Hao nodded. He wouldn’t underestimate the other; he’d only treat his opponent like the captain. He would put himself in the mindset of their last battle, when the captain nearly beat him to death.

Li Hao wanted to coalesce the sword aura before the fight. Once battle commenced, he would only have one goal. The goal of a martial master was simple—kill the enemy! Everything else could be set aside in pursuit of killing the opponent.

Master and disciple on both sides were deep in hushed conversation while grunts and shouts abounded inside the clearing. A massive collision rang through the air, followed by two muffled thumps.

Hong Qing was struck square in the chest and flew backward, blood welling from her mouth. The ground fractured when she slammed into it. Sun Hongxiu wasn’t better off. Her arm was pierced through and blood gushed from it. She took a dozen steps backward before stabilizing her footing. She breathed heavily, maintaining a tight grip on the staff. A proud look gleamed out of her eyes.

She was the victor! Although injured, she had indeed won. The Qimei Staff had defeated the Earthturner Sword!

“I concede!” A depressed Hong Qing spat out another mouthful of blood. She’d made a name for herself in the modern day martial world of Silver Moon. Even the older generation of martial masters numbered on her list of challenges. She won more often than she lost. Thus, Hong Qing considered herself to be very strong in martial dao.

But today, a disciple of the Qimei Staff King on par with her cultivation level had defeated her in a sparring match! It was a tough pill to swallow.

Off in the distance, Hong Yitang didn’t say anything. It was normal to win or lose. A disciple of the Qimei Staff King was no ordinary person. As strong as his Earthturner Sword was, neither was the Qimei Staff for show. So his daughter had lost. It wouldn’t have a great effect since she was yet to gather her aura. One failure was just as well. It would teach his daughter that there was always someone better.

“Big brother Sun teaches his disciples well! I wholeheartedly concede defeat!” Hong Yitang offered pleasantries while beckoning to his daughter. Hong Qing walked off in low spirits.

For some reason, she suddenly muttered when she passed Li Hao, “Don’t you lose too. Our Silver Moon martial world has already lost once. Another loss would be humiliating!”

She left with large strides, still hopeful that Li Hao would win. He was also of Silver Moon’s martial world. Who knew where that Sun Moxian was from? He wasn’t of Silver Moon, in any case. His master had long left the province.

......

Li Hao was caught off guard by the sudden exhortation, but didn’t pay attention to it. Instead, he thought for a bit and asked, “Um... can I borrow your sword?”

He recalled that he only had Stellaris; there were too many people present and the sword was too sharp. It wasn’t ideal to expose it. No one else he was with had a good sword, but this woman’s was quite nice. He watched it pierce through a piece of rock and emerge undamaged.

Nice sword!

“My sword?” Hong Qing blinked. Wasn’t he of the Five Styles discipline? That was a discipline that was skilled at the fist, palm, and claw. It wasn’t adept with the longsword!

Despite those thoughts, she handed the sword to Li Hao. This was for the glory of Silver Moon’s martial world!

Hong Yitang frowned and sighed inwardly. His daughter... was too naive. This wasn’t good! It might give rise to unnecessary trouble if Li Hao used the sword to defeat or even kill Sun Moxian.

Of course, Sun Yifei might not mind—Hong Yitang was just too used to being cautious. He immediately quelled the slightest bit of dissatisfaction. The sword had been lent out, he might offend Yuan Shuo before Sun Yifei if he took it back.

......

Li Hao flicked the blade with his finger when he received the weapon. He smiled at the ensuing crisp sword hum. Good sword! He took off his jacket, leaving a vest paired with Inspectorate issued leather boots. It made for an odd outfit, but he didn’t care.

Across from him, Sun Moxian took down the staff he wore on his back and nodded at Li Hao. The two walked toward the center at the same time.

“Disciple of the Qimei Staff King, Sun Moxian!”

“Disciple of the Five Styles King, Li Hao!” The two were very polite in the arena.

Around them, supernaturals watching the fights were regretful that the first had concluded. Someone wondered in a carrying voice, “Apparently, Li Hao hasn’t been a disciple for long and learned martial dao for less than three years. Is he just going to his death?”

“What a pity, that first match was a sight to behold. But it’s no loss either way, we saw a great martial master fight!”

The conversation among supernaturals was that the upcoming fight would be nothing worth watching. It wouldn’t be as exciting as the first one, in any case.

Within the clearing.

Li Hao and Sun Moxian looked at each other, not paying attention to anyone else. They had eyes only for each other. Li Hao’s gaze was solemn. This was his first time truly meeting a half step Dominator—and in a duel, not a sparring match.

This was not an ambush, it was direct combat!