BSI Chapter 47 Head-to-Head! A Battle Between Two Celestial Realm Masters!
Chapter 47 Head-to-Head! A Battle Between Two Celestial Realm Masters!
"Sit here." Qin Mu's voice was soft, but it brooked no argument.
Jiang Qingxue froze.
She could feel thousands of eyes on her from below the stage.
In those gazes, there was curiosity, envy, jealousy, and... disdain.
She bit her lip hard, lowered her head, and wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
Qin Mu, however, seemed to enjoy this intimacy.
He had one arm around Jiang Qingxue's waist and the other hand supporting his chin, his posture extremely languid.
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning sat a little distance away, watching this scene with complicated expressions.
A hint of sadness flashed in Su Wanqing's eyes, but she quickly concealed it, stood up, walked behind Qin Mu, placed her hand on his shoulder, and asked softly:
"Your Majesty, would you mind giving me a shoulder massage?"
Qin Mu hummed in agreement.
Su Wanqing immediately began to massage skillfully, with just the right amount of pressure.
Seeing this, Lu Wanning timidly got up, knelt down at Qin Mu's feet, took his other hand and carefully massaged it.
For a moment, the Emperor of Qin was enjoying the service of two concubines, one on each side, with another in his arms. His posture was so comfortable, so extravagant, so... muddled that many people in the audience frowned secretly.
As the rumors said, this emperor was indeed obsessed with beautiful women and debauched.
Xu Longxiang clenched his fists again as he looked at the glaring scene on the high platform.
He could see clearly that Jiang Qingxue was sitting in Qin Mu's arms, her body stiff as a piece of wood, her face as pale as paper, and her eyes red-rimmed, obviously trying to hold back her tears.
Qin Mu's hand roamed freely over her waist, occasionally whispering something in her ear, causing her body to tremble slightly.
That image, like a red-hot branding iron, burned fiercely into Xu Longxiang's heart.
He almost crushed the armrests of the chair!
"Your Highness..." Sikong Xuan reminded him in a low voice.
Xu Longxiang took a deep breath and forced himself to look away.
But that image was deeply imprinted in his mind, and he couldn't shake it off.
He closed his eyes, but even more unbearable images uncontrollably surfaced in his mind.
Deep within the palace bedchamber, under the brocade curtains, Jiang Qingxue was pinned down by Qin Mu, enduring humiliation that should not have been hers...
"Enough!" Xu Longxiang roared inwardly.
He opened his eyes again, and his eyes were filled with a cold, lifeless stillness.
But beneath that deathly silence lay a surging killing intent.
On the high platform, Qin Mu seemed to notice Xu Longxiang's gaze and looked up.
Their eyes met again in mid-air.
Qin Mu smiled slightly.
Then, he lowered his head and whispered something in Jiang Qingxue's ear.
Jiang Qingxue trembled slightly and nodded gently.
Qin Mu smiled.
He raised his hand and stroked Jiang Qingxue's cheek.
The movements were gentle, as if handling the most precious treasure.
But in Xu Longxiang's eyes, it was the most vicious humiliation.
In Xu Longxiang's eyes, Qin Mu was clearly telling him through his actions: Look, your woman is mine now. I can treat her however I want.
Xu Longxiang felt his rationality crumbling bit by bit.
At that very moment—
"Thump!"
Another heavy drumbeat.
Mo Wentian walked to the center of the platform and said loudly:
"The martial arts competition shall now begin!"
"Those who wish to vie for the position of sect leader, please come forward!"
After he finished speaking, the training ground fell into a brief silence.
Everyone is watching and waiting.
As is customary, in such competitions, the younger generation usually goes first as a warm-up.
Those truly qualified to compete for the position of sect leader often make their move from behind the scenes.
Sure enough, after a brief silence, a figure in cyan leaped out from the Sword Sect disciples' ranks and landed lightly in the center of the high platform.
He was a young man around thirty years old, with a handsome face, a long sword at his waist, and a spotless blue Taoist robe.
He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, his voice clear and melodious:
"Lin Qingshu, an inner disciple of the Qinglan Sword Sect, humbly requests guidance from my fellow disciples!"
"It's Senior Brother Lin!"
"Senior Brother Qing Shu reached the First Grade Vajra Realm three years ago and is one of the top ten inner disciples!"
Discussions arose among the Sword Sect disciples below the stage.
Lin Qingshu is indeed a top disciple of the inner sect.
As soon as he stepped onto the stage, several more people jumped onto the platform.
They were all inner disciples, with cultivation levels around the first-grade Vajra Realm.
The competition begins.
The sword flashed, and the sword energy crisscrossed.
The swordsmanship of the Qinglan Sword Sect is known for its lightness and elegance, emphasizing "the sword moves lightly and the mind follows the sword."
The fight between the people on stage was intense, but not bloody; instead, it had a pleasing aesthetic appeal.
The audience watched with great interest.
People in the martial arts world love to watch masters clash.
The Azure Mist Sword Sect is a sacred place of swordsmanship, and its swordsmanship is exquisite. Witnessing it in person is a rare opportunity for many martial artists.
On the high platform, Qin Mu seemed to have little interest in these competitions.
He still held Jiang Qingxue in his arms, enjoying the services of Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning, occasionally whispering a few words to Jiang Qingxue, his posture as languid as if he were admiring flowers in his own backyard.
Xu Longxiang had now regained his composure.
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the dueling platform, his expression focused, as if he were truly watching the battle intently.
But if someone could see into his heart, they would find that beneath that calm lay a turbulent sea of emotions.
He is waiting.
Waiting for Li Wuhen to make a move.
According to the plan, Li Wuhen will take the stage at the right time, crush his opponent with absolute strength, and intimidate the entire audience. Then... he will publicly express his support for Li Wuhen.
At that time, the deterrent force of 300,000 iron cavalry in the northern border, coupled with Xu Longxiang's personal prestige, will be enough to influence many wavering sects and inner disciples.
As long as Li Wuhen ascends to the position of sect leader, the Qinglan Sword Sect will become the most steadfast ally of the Northern Territory.
But Qin Mu's appearance disrupted everything.
The emperor's presence today, along with his words, clearly indicates he was exerting pressure.
Whom does he support?
Mo Wentian? Liu Suifeng? Or... someone else?
Xu Longxiang didn't know.
But he knew that things wouldn't be that simple today.
Just as they were thinking this, the winner was decided on the dueling platform.
Lin Qingshu defeated three people in a row, but was finally defeated by an inner disciple named "Zhao Wuhen".
Zhao Wuhen was around forty years old, with a cold and stern face and ruthless swordsmanship. His style was completely different from the orthodox light and agile swordsmanship of the Qinglan Sword Sect, instead carrying a bit of the killing aura of the military.
"This is... the sword technique of the Third Elder's lineage," a sharp-eyed person in the audience recognized.
Li Wuhen, nicknamed "Blood Sword," is a swordsman whose style is all about killing and bloodshed, emphasizing that "every stroke of the sword must draw blood."
His disciples all tend to use ruthless swordsmanship.
Zhao Wuhen, having won three consecutive matches, stood on the stage, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said:
"Are there any other senior or junior brothers who could offer guidance?"
Silence fell over the audience.
Among the inner disciples, there are not many who can defeat Zhao Wuhen.
Just then, a figure slowly stood up.
It wasn't from the disciples' camp, but from the elders' seat.
The Third Elder, Li Wuhen, finally opened his eyes.
He slowly stood up, his thin figure appearing somewhat frail in the morning breeze, but the bloodlust flashing in his triangular eyes sent chills down one's spine.
"Wuhen, step back."
Li Wuhen spoke, his voice hoarse like the friction of sand and gravel.
Zhao Wuhen bowed respectfully: "Yes, Master."
He stepped back to the edge of the stage.
Li Wuhen walked step by step to the center of the high platform.
His steps were slow and heavy, each step feeling like it was treading on people's hearts.
The whole place fell silent.
Everyone knew that the main event was about to begin.
"I am Li Wuhen, the Third Elder of the Qinglan Sword Sect."
Li Wuhen surveyed the entire room; his voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears:
"The position of sect leader concerns the future of the Sword Sect and the prospects of its three thousand disciples. I am unworthy, but I am willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility."
He paused, a flash of bloodlust in his eyes:
"If any fellow disciple has any objections, please come up on stage and exchange ideas with me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the training ground fell into a deathly silence.
Li Wuhen, a mid-stage Celestial Realm cultivator, has been famous for fifty years, and his name "Blood Sword" is renowned throughout the martial arts world.
Within the Sword Sect, only the First Elder Mo Wentian and the Second Elder Liu Suifeng could rival him.
As expected, Mo Wentian slowly got up.
"Since Junior Brother Li has this intention, I, as your elder brother, will certainly accompany you."
He walked to Taichung and stood facing Li Wuhen.
The two were three zhang apart.
The invisible sword energy collided in the air.
Below the stage, everyone held their breath.
A duel between two powerful experts at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm is something that might not be seen even once in ten years in the martial arts world.
On the high platform, Qin Mu finally released his grip on Jiang Qingxue and sat up straight.
His gaze fell on the two people on the stage, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.
Now that's starting to get interesting.
Meanwhile, Xu Longxiang clenched his fists again in the audience.
Li Wuhen, you must win!