Chapter 119: Love in Zhongzhou
The competition for geniuses has entered a white-hot stage. There are less than a hundred geniuses left. Each of them is a peerless genius who can stand on his own and represents the highest level of the younger generation in the Thousand Realms Spirit World.
Ye Li's next opponent is Xuanyuan Potian, the descendant of the Xuanyuan Imperial Clan from Zhongzhou. He is known as the foremost of Zhongzhou's younger generation. His cultivation has reached the peak of the Yuandan stage, and he's only one step away from condensing his Nascent Soul. He also carries the blood of the Imperial Clan, making his strength unfathomable.
On the stage, Xuanyuan Potian stood with his hands behind his back, his golden robe gleaming in the sunlight. His brows held an air of an emperor who looked down upon the world. He sized up Ye Li across from him, his tone tinged with natural arrogance: "From the Northern Territory? You've made it this far, you're quite impressive. But, this is the end."
Ye Li was dressed in black, his expression calm and composed. He pointed his Xuanbing Sword at the ground, the blade emitting a faint cold light. "Stop talking nonsense."
As the referee announced the start, Xuanyuan Potian put his fingers together like a sword, and a golden sword energy condensed to the extreme broke through the air! The sword energy contained the majesty of an emperor, as if to suppress all those who disobeyed in the world!
Ye Li raised his Xuanbing Sword lightly, and an extremely cold sword energy burst out, colliding with the golden sword energy in the air! The sharp sound of metal clashing resounded throughout the venue, and the aftermath of spiritual energy caused the protective light shield to ripple violently. The two men each retreated three steps, surprisingly evenly matched!
"Interesting." A hint of surprise flashed across Xuanyuan Potian's eyes, and then turned into a fiery fighting spirit, "Looks like we have to be more serious."
He formed seals with his hands, and golden light shone brightly around him. Behind him appeared a huge shadow of an emperor who was ten feet tall, wearing an imperial crown and a dragon robe - it was the Xuanyuan imperial family's magical power, the "Emperor's Dharma Image"!
As the Dharmakāya appeared, the air in the arena seemed to freeze. The terrifying pressure made it difficult for the monks watching from afar to breathe. Everyone held their breath, knowing that the decisive moment had arrived.
Ye Li took a deep breath, and the fragments of the Samsara Mirror in her sea of consciousness slowly spun, emitting a soft and profound light. She knew that facing such a powerful enemy, she could no longer hold back.
"The Ice Emperor has arrived, reincarnation—Ice Wheel Reincarnation Sword!"
With a clear shout, she seamlessly merged the Ice Emperor's Heaven Sealing Art with the power of the Samsara Mirror. The icy blue aura of the Mysterious Ice Sword intertwined with the pale golden light of Samsara. A phantom of the Ice Emperor, more ancient and majestic than even the Heavenly Emperor, coalesced behind her! Though slightly blurry, it emanated a terrifying aura that froze everything and solidified time and space!
"What kind of martial arts is this?" Xuanyuan Potian's face changed drastically. He felt the fear from the Ice Emperor's shadow that came from the instinct of life!
The two giant figures collided in mid-air, icy blue and golden light intertwined and exploded, the entire arena shook violently, the protective formation hummed under the heavy burden, and cracks spread like spider webs! A violent energy storm swept out, forcing the referee to use all his strength to stabilize the formation!
In the end, the Ice Emperor's phantom was even more powerful. Its extreme coldness, laced with a hint of the power of reincarnation, froze and shattered the Heavenly Emperor's form inch by inch! Xuanyuan Potian spat out a mouthful of blood, flew backward, and slammed heavily onto the edge of the arena, his face as pale as paper.
"I... lost," he said with difficulty, his eyes filled with disbelief and frustration. He couldn't accept that he had been defeated by a woman from the Northern Territory, of little repute.
The whole place was dead silent, and then it erupted into the most enthusiastic cheers and discussions since the start of the game!
"Win! Ye Li defeated Xuanyuan Potian!"
"Zhongzhou's number one genius has been defeated!"
"Northern Territory Ice Phoenix, reaching the pinnacle!"
"What kind of magical power does that Ice Emperor's phantom have? It's terrifying!"
This battle spread Ye Li's name across Zhongzhou like a whirlwind. Everyone knew that the biggest dark horse of this year's Tianjiao Conference had appeared, a peerless dark horse capable of overturning the traditional pattern!
In the following matches, Ye Li was unstoppable. Relying on his powerful strength and strange power of reincarnation, he defeated many famous and powerful enemies in succession and advanced to the finals.
On the other side, Qin Yixuan's performance was equally stunning. She perfectly combined the Nine Heavens Mysterious Water Scripture with the power of her divine essence and the Buddha's rosary. The Mysterious Water Dao in her hands was ever-changing, sometimes gentle, sometimes hard. She triumphed throughout the competition and also reached the finals.
For the first time in the history of the Tianjiao Conference, both teams in the finals were from the Northern Territory, and both were women! This news was like thunder, shaking the entire spirit world.
On the eve of the finals, the moonlight shone like water, cascading down onto the highest observatory in Tiandi City. Qin Yixuan found Ye Li standing alone there, and they stood shoulder to shoulder, overlooking the ancient city below, ablaze with lights and bustling with activity.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" Qin Yixuan asked softly, her voice sounding especially gentle in the night breeze. "In the Xuanyun Sect market, you were still an insignificant outer disciple, arguing with someone over a few stalks of Condensed Dew Grass."
Ye Li raised the corners of her lips slightly: "Remember. At that time, you were already the Holy Maiden of the Bishui Pavilion, riding a crane, dazzling and high above, attracting countless people to look up to you." At that time, she had just been reborn, and was confused about the future. The appearance of Qin Yixuan was like a ray of starlight passing through the darkness.
"But now, we're standing here." Qin Yixuan turned to look at her, her cold eyes reflecting the stars in the sky, the lights of countless homes, and Ye Li's figure. "Standing at the pinnacle of the younger generation of the entire spiritual world, receiving the attention of all realms."
Ye Li was silent for a moment, her gaze shifting from the distant lights to rest on Qin Yixuan's flawless profile. The moonlight cast a silver edge on her, a beauty that seemed unreal. Suddenly, she spoke in a deep, clear voice, "On this journey, I've explored secret realms, fought life-or-death battles, gained opportunities, and improved my cultivation... But if you ask me what my greatest reward is," she paused, her gaze deep and focused on Qin Yixuan, "it's not my increased strength, nor my rising fame, but... meeting you."
Qin Yixuan's heart skipped a beat, as if struck hard by something. An uncontrollable blush spread across her cheeks, spreading all the way to her ears. She subconsciously tried to avoid Ye Li's overly direct and penetrating gaze, but she couldn't bear to look away. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, yet it carried undeniable sincerity: "Me...me too."
Ye Li watched her rare shyness, and the frozen surface of her heart felt like a warm stone had been dropped into it, rippling across it. She slowly extended her hand, a subtle hesitation in her movements, before gently placing it on the back of Qin Yixuan's cool hand. Then, firmly grasping it, her ten fingers slowly weaved into hers, interlocking tightly.
Qin Yixuan's hand trembled slightly, but she didn't break free. Instead, she gently grasped it. Their palms pressed together, their warmth blending, and an indescribable sense of security and excitement washed over them simultaneously. The evening breeze ruffled their clothes and hair, and the air was filled with a silent, yet powerful, ambiguity and warmth.
"After the Tianjiao Conference is over, let's continue our travels." Ye Li looked at the endless night sky in the distance and said softly, with a longing for the future in her tone, "Go to more places we have never set foot on and see more scenery we have never seen."
"Okay." Qin Yixuan raised her head, a bright and determined light flashing in her eyes, and a faint but very real smile spread across her lips. "Wherever you go, I will go."
At this moment, no further words were needed; a bond beyond friendship, an intimate one, had already connected their hearts. They relied on each other, trusted each other, and would walk hand in hand on the road ahead, no matter the storm.
The next day, the finals arrived as scheduled. The venue was packed, the atmosphere intense, even those veterans, secluded for years and uninformed by the world, were alerted and emerged to watch. Everyone wanted to witness with their own eyes which of these two miraculous women from the Northern Territory would ultimately triumph, and what kind of legend would unfold.
On the stage, Ye Li and Qin Yixuan stood facing each other. One dressed in black, cold and pure, like a deep pool of ice; the other dressed in white, ethereal and graceful, like a secluded orchid in a valley.
"We're finally here." Qin Yixuan looked at Ye Li with a smile on her lips and light in her eyes.
"Yes." Ye Li also rarely showed a light smile, like ice and snow just beginning to melt. "In this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, I just want to have a good time and live up to our acquaintance."
The match began, and the two struck simultaneously. The Mysterious Ice Sword and the Flowing Water Sword clashed in mid-air, icy blue and azure spiritual radiance intertwining and colliding. But unlike the bloody ferocity of all previous matches, their moves were less murderous and more filled with appreciation and tacit understanding. Ye Li's swordsmanship was fierce and domineering, yet she always left room for maneuver at crucial moments; Qin Yixuan's sword intent was dense and tenacious, yet permeated with a protective spirit.
The collision of ice and water bloomed a brilliant and harmonious light in the air. The sword energy was like a carefully choreographed and beautiful dance with mutual understanding. The transition between offense and defense was smooth and breathtaking.
The people watching the game were stunned. They forgot to cheer and talk.
"This...this isn't a martial arts competition, it's clearly..."
"It's the meeting of soulmates, the harmony of music and melody!"
On the high platform, Mr. Muyun and Mr. Shuijing smiled at each other, their eyes full of relief.
After hundreds of rounds of fierce fighting, the two figures crossed paths and stood in the center of the ring again. Their breathing was slightly disordered, and sweat appeared on their foreheads, but their eyes were still bright.
After looking at each other for a moment, they both smiled at the same time.
"It's a draw." Ye Li put away the Xuanbing Sword, his tone calm and frank.
"Okay." Qin Yixuan also sheathed the sword with a gentle smile.
The referee was stunned for a moment, then after consulting the judges, he announced loudly: "It has been ruled that Ye Li and Qin Yixuan are tied for first place in the finals of this Thousand Territory Pride Competition!"
After a brief silence, the entire audience erupted in thunderous applause and cheers! This was the first time in a thousand years that a double championship had been achieved! From this moment on, the names of the two Northern Territory heroes would be etched into the annals of the spirit world, becoming eternal legends!
Amidst the attention of the crowd and the roar of cheers, Ye Li and Qin Yixuan stood side by side on the highest podium, basking in the glory. Their eyes met from time to time, flowing with a warmth and tacit understanding that only they could understand.
After the award ceremony, Ye Li found an opportunity and approached the organizers of the Tianjiao Conference—those powerful people from the oldest forces in the spiritual world, whose aura was as deep as the sea.
"I, a junior, have something to ask you. I'm sorry to bother you seniors." She bowed respectfully, keeping a low profile.
One of the white-bearded elders was the ancestor of the ancient Jiang family. He looked at Ye Li gently and said, "Young friend, there is no need to be so polite. If you have any questions, just ask."
"I wonder if you seniors have ever heard of the 'Mirror of Reincarnation'?" Ye Li suppressed the turmoil in his heart and tried his best to make his tone sound calm, as if he was simply curious.
The powerful men exchanged glances, each one a flicker of surprise. The white-bearded elder pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly, "The Samsara Mirror... That's the name of a supernatural artifact passed down from ancient mythology. It's said to hold the fundamental secrets of time, space, and reincarnation, and possesses incredible power. Where did you learn of this object, young friend?"
Ye Li's heart skipped a beat, knowing he had found the right person. However, he remained expressionless, "I happened to see a fragment of this record on a very ancient ruin. I was curious, so I asked this question."
The old man gave her a deep look, a gaze that seemed to penetrate a person's heart, causing Ye Li's heart to tighten slightly. Fortunately, the old man didn't delve into the matter further, simply stroking his beard and sighing, "The legend of the Samsara Mirror is so ancient that it's hard to tell whether it's true or not. My knowledge of it is extremely limited. I only vaguely remember a very ancient and rare manuscript mentioning that the mirror shattered during a great war that affected all the heavens and realms in ancient times, with its fragments scattered across the realms, their whereabouts unknown. The largest piece, or perhaps the most core piece, according to the manuscript, may have fallen into the 'Netherworld', the place where life and death meet and where all spirits finally rest."
"Netherworld Ghost Realm..." Ye Li silently recited the name in her heart, remembering it firmly. This was undoubtedly the clearest clue she had obtained so far.
"Thank you for your guidance, senior." She bowed respectfully again.
Leaving the venue, Qin Yixuan was waiting at the exit, and the afterglow of the setting sun cast a warm halo around her.
"Have you asked?" She walked forward and asked with concern, walking side by side with Ye Li naturally.
Ye Li nodded and looked towards the distant sky: "Next target, the Netherworld Ghost Realm."
Qin Yixuan didn't hesitate at all. She reached out and gently held Ye Li's hand. Her fingertips conveyed warmth and strength. Her voice was soft but firm: "I'll accompany you."
The two smiled at each other, walking hand in hand towards the distant future. The glory and honor of the Tianjiao Association had become a thing of the past, and a new journey lay before them. The road ahead might be even more difficult, and unknown challenges awaited them. But this time, they were no longer alone. With each other's company, whether it was the netherworld or the ends of the earth, they could go anywhere.
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