Lin Qing knocked Chen Juan into the water.
Three fish-dragon demons, twisting their plump, muscular bodies, charged over. Ripples kicked up a spray of high water, causing many cultivators standing on the lily pads to lose their balance and fall.
"Him again!"
Many people glared at Lin Qing, but they could only stare. Taking action was impossible.
As the foremost genius in the Daoist tradition before Zhao Qingdong and Zuo Mingqiu, Lin Qing's strength far surpassed theirs.
"Boom!"
The might of the fish-dragons was fierce, charging towards Chen Juan.
Chen Juan, holding his sword, slightly hunched his body, drawing a circle on the ground to form a prison. From the center of his body, the pond water was stripped away, spreading outward like a continuously forming tornado.
The outer water vortex churned violently, but the inside was devoid of a single drop of water. Chen Juan stood at the center of the vortex, countless fine, pale blue sword intents drifting into the water like threads.
"Crack!"
Those fish-dragons were all reduced to foam.
Seeing this, Lin Qing slightly raised an eyebrow.
The pond water gradually calmed.
Chen Juan stood at the bottom of the pond, his daoist robe not even slightly wet.
"Senior Brother, well done!" Chen Sheng clapped from the shore, calling out excitedly.
Lin Qing had said they were unworthy to share the stage with him. He had attacked from the shadows to push Chen Juan into the water, but now that Chen Juan's robes were bone dry, it was equivalent to slapping Lin Qing squarely across the face.
The people from Dragon Tiger Mountain also wore smiles. Lin Qing's setback brought them joy.
Lin Qing's brow furrowed. He extended his right little finger and gently tapped the pond water.
Suddenly, a transparent small hole appeared in the water curtain around Chen Juan. Like a leaky balloon, the pond water gushed in, gradually soaking Chen Juan's clothes.
Chen Juan raised an eyebrow, then waved his hand to disperse his sword intent, allowing the pond water to drench him.
His clothes were still wet.
Seeing this, Chen Sheng on the shore stopped clapping. His eyes turned cold as he stared at Lin Qing. Chen Sheng, standing steadily on his lily pad, also tightened his grip on his long spear, staring intently at Lin Qing, as if he would rush out to fight him the next second, but he held himself back.
Everyone knew it was better to let the individual handle such matters. The others felt the same way, all curious about Chen Juan's reaction, wanting to witness a grand battle between Daoist geniuses.
Chen Juan of Tianxing Sect, born from humble beginnings yet clearly possessing formidable strength, against the long-renowned Lin Qing.
"He's gathering his strength!"
Suddenly, Zhou Le of Dragon Tiger Mountain shouted.
Everyone looked towards the pond. Chen Juan's expression was solemn. The pond water in the Golden Lotus Pond was pushed aside by his movements, revealing the ground like trenches. Countless cracks were carved by sword qi.
Sword intent surged towards the heavens. Lin Qing's brow furrowed slightly.
Three breaths later, Chen Juan drew his sword.
However, it was not aimed at Lin Qing.
He swung his sword towards an empty spot at the bottom of the pond. The sword qi was terrifying, leaving behind mottled scorch marks on the lily pads in that area.
Everyone present was stunned.
What was going on? Did he miss?
Before Chen Sheng could even ask, Chen Juan rapidly charged forward, reached into the pond, and pulled out a golden carp demon more than two meters long. It was panting its last breath, with a long sword wound across its body and shattered scales.
"This is the fish that knocked you in just now!" Chen Juan held the carp demon high, turned towards Chen Sheng, and after a moment of observation, added, "No, it doesn't seem to be just one."
"However, they are of the same species. Consider it revenge for you, little junior brother!"
Chen Juan said this with an excited and smug look, as if the fish he held was some supreme treasure.
Seeing this, Chen Sheng burst into laughter.
Chen Guo also smiled knowingly. Since Chen Juan left Black Horn City, he had seemed like a changed person, his temper much improved. Apart from his fellow disciples, he seemed unconcerned with everything else.
This casual and uninhibited mindset also led to his rapid improvement in strength, as it perfectly aligned with his Dao of the Sword – freedom.
"Plop!"
In the Golden Lotus Pond, more demons swarmed towards Chen Juan. Chen Juan had fallen into the water and could no longer pick lotuses from the lily pads, so he could only retreat the way he came.
"Third Junior Brother, the task of picking the flowers falls to you. Don't disappoint our youngest junior brother."
Chen Juan said this, his hands behind his back as he flew from the pond and landed on the shore with a gentle smile.
Throughout the entire process, he did not glance at Lin Qing.
"Don't worry, it's simple." Chen Sheng agreed with a cold expression, then looked towards Lin Qing, who stood alone on the other side. He spoke, "Senior Brother might not care about you, but that doesn't mean I don't."
"Boom!"
As Chen Sheng spoke, he suddenly gripped the coiled dragon spear, and terrifying, overbearing spear intent spread out, shaking the entire Golden Lotus Pond.
Seeing this, Lin Qing silently made a hand seal, seemingly a form of Daoist magic.
"This Chen Sheng seems even stronger than that Chen Juan!"
Someone by the lotus pond exclaimed.
Chen Sheng's spear intent was truly terrifying, several times stronger than the sword intent displayed by Chen Juan. However, that was just a feeling. Chen Juan had appeared so nonchalant; who knew what his full power looked like!
"Whether he cares or not, and whether you care, what does it have to do with me?" Lin Qing looked at Chen Sheng and said calmly.
Then, he reached out and tapped the pond water beneath Chen Sheng's feet. Fiery-red energy surged into it, and the entire Golden Lotus Pond instantly began to boil.
"Plop!"
A group of great demons charged towards Chen Sheng.
The onlookers on the platform watched with grave expressions.
Lin Qing was in the late third stage. The demons encountered after entering the water were the strongest below the fourth stage.
And now, these demons, instigated by Lin Qing, were all attacking Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng's cultivation realm was only at the peak of the second stage.
Although his strength was immense, and he could repel numerous demons across realms with a sweep of his spear, sparks flying from the tip of his weapon, it was ultimately futile. His cultivation realm was simply too low.
Moreover, two fists are no match for four hands. There were more than one demon besieging Chen Sheng. Standing alone and unsupported on the lily pad, he was almost instantly at an absolute disadvantage.
Seeing this, Chen Juan spoke:
"Chen Sheng, come back."
Chen Sheng, however, did not react. His face was red with exertion, unwilling to stop here. He gritted his teeth and pressed forward step by step towards Lin Qing.
Meanwhile, Lin Qing stood on the lily pad, smiling and instigating more demonic beasts to attack Chen Sheng.
Soon, Chen Sheng was injured. A fish-dragon demon struck him in the abdomen. His robust physique was sent flying back several meters, and he fell into the pond.
Seeing this, Chen Guo instantly leaped into the Golden Lotus Pond. Terrifying sword intent soared into the heavens. He swung his left hand, unleashing a sword strike. The pure white sword qi divided the pond into two from beneath his feet, surging forward with a roar, cleaving all the fish demons in front of Chen Sheng in half.
No matter how thick their scales, they could not withstand it.
"Roar!!"
Then, before the demons challenging Chen Guo could emerge from the water, he abruptly retreated to the shore, sheathed his sword, and appeared calm.
"Such powerful swordsmanship!"
Everyone present was shocked by Chen Guo's strike. The terror of this single sword strike had already reached the realm of the peak third stage.
Yet, Chen Guo was only in the late third stage.
Although Chen Guo was a few years older than others, at his age, the late third stage was not uncommon. But the problem was that the sword strike he had just unleashed was casual, without any preparation.
The people from Dragon Tiger Mountain, Wudang Mountain, and various other Daoist temples looked at Chen Guo and Chen Juan beside him with surprise.
The humble Tianxing Sect had produced four geniuses. Chen Guo's and Chen Juan's swordsmanship, one fierce and the other casual, along with Chen Sheng's peerless spear technique, based on their current performance, any one of these three might have had a chance to fight the strongest of their peers in their respective sects.
Even Chen Sheng, who was eliminated at the beginning, had performed admirably.
"Tianxing Sect... Tianxing Sect..." From the direction of Baiyun Daoist Temple, a young Daoist cultivator with clear features muttered the three words, then realized with a joku, "I remember now, their Sect Master is a direct disciple of True Master Pingyang."
The youth's face was tender, but his demeanor was remarkably mature. Looking at the arched formation of the people around him, it was clear he was an ancient True Master who had used magical arts to regain his youth.
"It's True Master Pingyang, then it's not surprising at all!" An elder in the crowd from Baiyun Daoist Temple exclaimed. Others also began to recall the name, and everyone was astonished.
True Master Pingyang, before his ascension, was the Grand Elder of their Baiyun Daoist Temple. Later, due to some trivial matters, he had a conflict with the Sect Master and left the temple.
His only disciple, Daoist Jingmu, also chose to leave three years after Pingyang's departure. He established a sect in the Land of Ten Thousand Races, named Tianxing Sect.
The youth with white hair and a childlike face continued with emotion:
"Daoist Jingmu abandoned Daoist arts and focused on water magic. However, after all, he is the disciple of the Grand Elder of Baiyun Daoist Temple."
"It is not strange that he can teach such talented disciples."
As he spoke, Chen Sheng had retreated to the shore.
He lowered his head, looking at his abdomen where blood was seeping out, then frowned slightly.
Seeing this, Chen Juan's casual expression vanished. He stared icily at Lin Qing in the pond and said:
"Come out and fight, do you dare?"
Lin Qing heard this and said with a faint smile:
"If it were the fellow carrying a sword, I might have some interest in playing with you. But you... I have no regard for."
Lin Qing said this, then lightly turned around, plucked the cute, seven-colored glazed lotus, along with the one Chen Juan had picked earlier, totaling two, and ate them in front of everyone.
"It tastes good." Lin Qing smiled faintly, looking at Chen Juan and the people from Dragon Tiger Mountain. He mocked, "It's a pity that you weaklings cannot taste it, nor are you worthy."
On the scene, disciples from countless Daoist temples gritted their teeth and stared at Lin Qing. They admitted defeat in skill, and not being able to pick the lotus was acceptable. But Lin Qing had repeatedly insulted them. Did he truly not fear incurring the wrath of the masses?
"Wudang Mountain and Dragon Tiger Mountain have had a long-standing feud. The two sects hold a martial arts gathering every two years, resulting in countless casualties each time. If not for the mediation of intermediate forces in recent years, they would have long been locked in an unending conflict."
The True Master with white hair and a childlike face continued, speaking with a hint of amusement, clearly enjoying the spectacle of such confrontational events.
Dragon Tiger Mountain and Wudang Mountain both split from Tianshi Mountain. Their orthodox traditions were noble and pure, so disputes were inevitable.
However, the conflicts were too intense. Wudang Mountain had been restricted in many ways over the years, which is why Lin Qing, in this generation, had targeted Dragon Tiger Mountain so fiercely.
Lin Qing consumed the lotus.
The people from Dragon Tiger Mountain looked displeased. Just as they were about to retort, Lin Qing's expression suddenly changed. He clutched his throat and suddenly fell into the pond.
"Plop!"
Water splashed, and countless great demons swarmed towards him.
"What is he doing? Is he deliberately imitating us and mocking us!" On the shore, countless people were slightly stunned. A disciple from Dragon Tiger Mountain who had just fallen and been eliminated looked displeased.
Lin Qing's action was akin to a normal person imitating a cripple walking, a great mockery to them.
Therefore, a considerable number of Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples decided that once Lin Qing surfaced, regardless of whether they could win, they would challenge him.
But as time passed, Lin Qing's thrashing in the water grew weaker and weaker. The fish-dragons gathered in increasing numbers, and blood dyed the pond water red. Only then did someone notice something was wrong.
"Is he... acting a bit too much into character?" A disciple from Wudang Mountain looked slightly stunned. Lin Qing's distinguished Daoist robe already had several tears, and his Dao sword had even been snatched away and devoured by a lotus-themed great demon.
To mock the people of Dragon Tiger Mountain, was he really going this far?
"No, something seems to have actually happened to him!"
An elder from Wudang Mountain's pupils contracted, and he stood up abruptly, shouting in alarm.
"Quick, save him!!!"