Chapter 105 Declaration of War Weren't you going to take on all the geniuses of the Nine Provinces by yourself? And yet…
The waiter, looking annoyed, took away her teacup, grabbed a rag and wiped it haphazardly on the wooden table, urging her impatiently, "Sir, you've had your tea, but you haven't even tried the cakes. You should hurry up and go into town. The time is perfect now. Find a decent tavern for a hot meal, get a tub of hot water for a bath, and have a good rest. That would be better than anything else."
Bai also looked at her with a smile: "You little waiter, don't think I didn't hear you cursing me."
"How dare I!" The waiter slung the rag over his shoulder, subtly rolling his eyes, but his words remained barbed. "What you say, I certainly believe. In this entire land, those who admire our Sect Master Zhong are more numerous than carp crossing a river, but..."
As she spoke, she looked Bai Ye up and down and said, "I've never seen anyone as confident and self-aggrandizing as you, sir. My family has been selling herbal tea outside Sanqing City for generations. If one day I can drink your and our Sect Leader Zhong's wedding wine, then my life will not have been in vain."
After the waiter finished speaking, he didn't give Bai Ye a chance to refute him. He turned around and walked into the teahouse, clearly feeling that saying another word would be a waste of breath.
Bai watched the waiter's departing figure and found it amusing. This girl, even her back view exuded a sense of disdain. It seemed she really thought he was daydreaming.
She childishly called out to the waiter who had already entered the teahouse, "My name is Bai Ye. You must come to the wedding banquet on the day I marry your Sect Leader Zhong. Just say I invited you."
Having said that, she didn't linger any longer. She got up and joined the crowd, following the line as they slowly walked into the city.
Stepping into the city, looking at the enormous city and the dense crowds before him, Bai was momentarily at a loss, unsure of where to begin searching for his mother's whereabouts.
She thought to herself, "Xiao Wang, can you check if Mother has arrived yet?"
Okay, I'll scan it.
The result was achieved almost instantly.
"We've found Mother!" Xiao Wang's voice was filled with surprise.
【You're so lucky, kid! It's a good thing you came in through the west gate. Your mother is on the arena in the west of the city right now, only a few dozen miles from the city gate. Let's hurry over.】
Upon hearing this, Bai Ye chuckled, "My mother is quite energetic. Is she going to watch someone's martial arts competition?"
[It's not about watching others fight in the arena, it's about watching Li Shoumo fight in the arena.]
"No wonder Mother wanted to join in the fun. She and Li Shoumo were drinking together before." Bai Ye quickened her pace as she spoke, eager to join the commotion.
"Hey kid, things don't seem to be as you think. I snipped a conversation among the onlookers, and it sounds... like the people from the Wilderness State have been bullied by people from other states, and today this big battle finally broke out. Li Chengfeng and the others are here, and it seems like Ayu, Dayue, and Ahua are here too."
"What's going on? Did they cause trouble? Or are they simply being targeted?" Bai asked in his mind.
I'm not entirely sure of the exact cause; everyone has their own version, but ultimately it boils down to this: if you fall behind, you'll be vulnerable to attack.
"If you fall behind, you will be attacked?" Bai repeated this sentence, then suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Yes, that's absolutely right," she muttered to herself. "If we fall behind, how can we avoid being beaten?"
Before the words had even finished, Bai Ye's figure had already transformed into a streak of light, rushing towards the western arena at the center of the storm.
Thus began a war destined to be recorded in history, the rise of the Wilderness State.
Since then, in countless Kyushu Genius Battles, when young geniuses gather at this time, they are always warned by elders not to provoke cultivators from the Wilderness State.
......
The arena in the west of the city was filled with deafening noise.
The enormous arena was packed with people, layer upon layer, and cultivators from the city who had received the news continued to pour in.
In the center of the arena, Li Shoumo stood clad in black armor, stained with blood—some of her own, some of her enemies'. She held a heavy hammer in one hand, panting heavily, sweat trickling down her forehead along with the blood, while a thick, reddish-white mixture slowly dripped from the hammerhead.
Her opponent lay motionless on the ground, like a lump of mud.
Li Shoumo won another match, but there was no joy on her face. She didn't know how many more matches she could win.
"Haven't you always wanted to fight me?" A male voice broke through the air.
Everyone looked up at the sound and saw the young master of Sword King Valley, dressed in red and carrying a long sword, walking through the air. He was elegant and his clothes fluttered, showing off his grand style.
"Then I'll grant your wish. I just don't know if you, Princess of Li, still have the energy to play with this young master."
As he spoke, he drew his longsword, the tip slightly raised, pointing directly at Li Shoumo's blood-stained armor.
Li Shoumo looked up at the newcomer, a mocking smile playing on his lips. This person was extremely strong, yet he still waited until his opponent was exhausted before daring to step onto the field; he was undoubtedly a coward.
Upon seeing this, the eldest disciple of the Zixiao Dao Palace, who had recently been kicked off the stage, stood up and said, "Fellow Daoist Li, let me take your turn!"
Li Shoumo did not turn around, but waved his hand and said, "No need, recover well, there are still many battles ahead."
"Li Shoumo, don't be reckless!"
Ignoring his own unhealed injuries, Li Chengfeng flew down to Li Shoumo and said in a low voice, "Go down and recuperate. I can only hold out for a quarter of an hour at most. In the end, we still have to rely on you."
Li Shoumo gave her a deep look, then stopped insisting and flashed back off the stage.
Bai Shu, who had intended to go on stage, stopped when she saw Li Chengfeng enter. She was actually hesitant; she represented the Bai family and had to be mindful of her actions.
Among the crowd, Jiang Lian and the others were also watching. Lin Xia looked at Li Chengfeng rushing onto the stage and whispered, "I wonder if these people know Da Bai?"
Chu Erniang rubbed her head: "The territory of the Wilderness State is so vast, how can everyone know your Da Bai? Let's observe first, and then we'll inquire after they've finished fighting."
"Mm." Lin Xia nodded emphatically, turning her gaze back to the arena.
The young master of Sword King Valley smiled contemptuously: "If that princess were to fight me, she might have a chance of winning. You, a sword cultivator from the Heavenly Sword Sect, are not even worthy of carrying my shoes in front of Sword State."
"Arrogant!" Li Chengfeng shouted, his long sword suddenly unsheathed, a silver-white sword light soaring into the sky, the chilling sword intent cutting the faces of the onlookers.
"A mere acquired sword bone dares to challenge me?" The young master of Sword King Valley's eyes flashed with killing intent, and a blood-red sword light rose behind him as well.
Two sword intents clashed in the air above the arena, and the two swordsmen had already collided.
"Today I will show you why Sword State is named after swords." The young master of Sword King Valley spoke harshly, and his sword moves were extremely ruthless, each move aimed directly at Li Chengfeng's dantian.
Li Chengfeng struggled to parry with his sword. If she hadn't been injured, the two might have been able to hold their own. But now, with her injuries still unhealed, she was like a lone bamboo in the wind, helpless against the fierce attacks.
“She can’t withstand it. Her injuries haven’t healed, and her sword intent has been suppressed by the opponent. Ultimately, there’s still a gap in their cultivation levels,” Jiang Lian said, shaking his head.
Sure enough, in just a moment, several sword wounds appeared on Li Chengfeng's body, and his white clothes were instantly stained with blood.
The young master of Sword King Valley sneered, his longsword thrusting straight at the sword bone in Li Chengfeng's body. "It's a waste that the sword bone is in someone like you. It's better to destroy it."
If this sword strikes, Li Chengfeng's foundation will be completely destroyed.
"Watch out!" Bai Shu exclaimed, trying to rush onto the stage to help.
Jiang Lian conjured a wisp of light at her fingertips, preparing to make her move as well. Although she and Li Chengfeng were complete strangers, she still wanted to help her.
There's no real reason, but if I had to say, it's probably because that guy is also from the Wilderness State. Since we're from the same state, I shouldn't be humiliated like this.
However, before they could make a move, someone was faster than them.
A travel-worn figure descended from the sky like a shooting star, landing on the sword blade of the young master of Sword King Valley.
This extraordinary divine weapon, radiating spiritual light, was nearly broken by this person's foot.
"You're both stupid and wicked—that's exactly what you mean by trash." Bai Ye's eyes were filled with killing intent that almost materialized. "You think fighting in the arena can destroy a person's foundation? If I don't make you crawl off the arena on your knees today, I'll write my name Bai Ye backwards!"
"It's Baymax, Baymax is here!!!" Lin Xia's voice was so excited that it was almost split.
"Yes, it's her." Jiang Lian stared at the figure on the stage, and even though her appearance was not quite the same as when she was on Storm Island, she recognized her at a glance.
Those flamboyant eyebrows and those bright, star-like eyes are clearly still the same as I remember.
From the direction of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Ayu, Dayue, and Ahua all stared intently at Bai Ye on the stage.
"Is this our young clan leader? He's grown up to be so handsome." Dayue said with delight, "Then I still want to marry the young clan leader."
"Shut up." Ayu covered her mouth helplessly, but her eyes were also full of joy. The young clan leader is really growing up. He is no longer the fluffy little tiger he used to be.
Not far away, Bai Shu looked at Bai Ye, who was so arrogant that he was out of control, and shook his head. "No wonder Grandmother said you were a troublemaker. You are so arrogant and do not know how to restrain yourself. You really need some backing. It seems that Mother has to work harder."
Li Chengfeng, standing on the ring, was overjoyed to see the person suddenly appear in front of him. "Little Tiger, what brings you here?"
Bai replied, "Sorry I'm late, you guys got bullied."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Li Chengfeng smiled weakly. "As an older sister, do you think I need you, this little tiger, to protect me?"
"Who are you, daring to interfere in the arena battle!" the young master of Sword King Valley roared angrily.
These two dared to ignore him and talk to each other as if no one else was around, which made him very angry!
He gripped the sword hilt tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and pulled back with all his might, but the sword didn't budge.
It felt as if he was stepping on a mountain, not just a foot. No matter how much he channeled his spiritual power or gritted his teeth, his natal sword remained completely immobile.
"Did I tell you to move?" Bai looked up at the man and threw a punch with his backhand.
The punch was as powerful as a dragon, accompanied by the roar of a tiger and the cry of a dragon. The young master of Sword King Valley was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string by this punch.
Bai didn't even glance at the limp figure. Instead, he turned to Li Chengfeng and said, "Now, go and summon all those who have bullied you and challenged you on the stage these past few days, regardless of which sect or continent they come from."
"Huh??" Li Chengfeng's eyes widened upon hearing this. "This... in that case, a war of attrition could wear us down, right?"
"Don't worry, just tell me who the people are, and I'll take care of the rest."
Looking at the seriousness on Bai Ye's face, Li Chengfeng knew that she wasn't just saying things out of anger. But, but, could the Wilderness State really stand up to the other states?
Bai also understood Li Chengfeng's gaze. She chuckled and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "In my hometown, a great man once said something that I think makes a lot of sense."
"Today, I will deliver this punch and make everyone stop daring to bully the cultivators of the Wilderness State."
After Bai finished speaking, he didn't wait for anyone else to relay the message. He directly raised his voice and shouted, "Bai Ye from the Wilderness State is here. I have set up an arena to challenge the geniuses of the Nine Provinces."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire West City Arena fell into a deathly silence. Many people wondered if they had misheard.
This white-haired cultivator who suddenly appeared dared to make such a boastful statement on the arena of Sanqing City. Once these words were spoken, there was no going back.
The cultivators from the Wildlands watched with a mixture of excitement and tension as the proud figure stood in the center of the arena. They whispered among themselves, asking about Bai Ye's identity, "Which sect's prodigy is this? We've never seen him before."
Li Shoumo chuckled and explained, "He's not a disciple of any prestigious sect. He's a rogue cultivator, the kind of rogue cultivator who could overturn the entire Nine Provinces and still have people risking their lives to protect him."
On the stage, Bai ignored the burning gazes of the crowd and walked step by step toward the dead dog that couldn't get up for a long time.
She stopped in front of the young master, looking down at him as if he were an ant. "Do you admit defeat?"
The young master of Sword King Valley looked up at the person in front of him. The pressure emanating from the person made his soul tremble. He opened his mouth, and the word "acknowledge" almost slipped out.
But Bai Ye's fist was faster than his words.
"I was just kidding." Bai Ye's fist, imbued with the force of wind and thunder, slammed into his jaw.
With a crisp "crack," the jawbone shattered!
The young master's mouth was wide open, and he was gasping for breath. Blood mixed with saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were filled with fear.
"He's a young master, after all. He's definitely tougher than others. How could he easily admit defeat? Right?" Bai Ye's voice was somewhat mocking, and his punches were merciless.
"Snap!"
A broken hand bone.
"Snap!"
Leg bone fractured.
With each punch she threw, a bone snapped with a crisp sound. In less than a hundred punches, the once arrogant young master lay limp in a pool of blood, his groans barely audible.
"He's really stubborn, refusing to admit defeat even now." Bai muttered to himself, a golden light flashing in his eyes as he instantly locked onto the sword bone within the other's body, which was flowing with sword intent.
"Since you want to sever Li Chengfeng's sword bone, then you shouldn't leave your own sword bone behind either." Bai said, and his fist fell again.
Just then, a strange black shadow landed on the arena and blocked Bai Ye's falling fist.
Bai was also knocked back several steps by the old man's attack before she could regain her footing. She stared at the person opposite her. The person was an old man with a sword on his back, wearing a gray robe. At a glance, it was clear that he was the kind of old monster sent by a sect to protect the younger generation.
"I am the protector of Sword King Valley, junior, know when to stop," the old man shouted sternly.
"Looking at your old bones, you can hardly be considered a young genius anymore, can you?" Bai Ye said, then turned around without hesitation and raised his voice towards Bai Shu, asking, "Mother, can an old woman interfere in the arena battle?"
"Of course not!" Bai Shu shouted, leaping into the air to block Bai Ye's path. She looked directly at the old man and revealed her identity:
"The Bai family of Guzhou, Baizhu (a type of atractylodes)."
"Fellow Daoist, do you intend to interfere in the arena battles of the young people? If so, my Bai family is not without its own people."
Before the old man could reply, Liu Xianyue, who had rushed over after receiving the message, had already landed on the arena.
"Who dares to break the rules of Sanqing City?" Liu Xianyue looked coldly at the old man. "If you want to fight, you might as well move to the central arena. I will accompany you there and fight you to your heart's content."
The old man quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, City Lord Liu. I had no intention of breaking the rules. It was just that this junior was too ruthless and tried to destroy my young master's foundation. I had no choice but to intervene."
"You old codger, all you've got at your age is shamelessness, huh?" Bai retorted. "When your young master was about to break my friend's sword bone, why didn't you jump out and say he was ruthless?"
The old man looked at Bai Ye with arrogance, "My Sword King Valley's young master is born with sword bones, one in ten thousand. How can he be compared to ordinary sword bones cultivated later in life?"
"In my eyes, even if I smashed a hundred of his bones, it wouldn't be worth a single hair on my friend's head. Alright, old man, if you want to fight, go fight somewhere else with City Lord Liu. If you don't want to fight, then get off here. Don't delay my arena fight. Those geniuses who received the news should be arriving soon. I'm busy." Bai also started waving people away.
What a joke! Liu Xianyue and her mother are right here, would they just stand by and watch her be bullied?
At this moment, here, she is the most dazzling person in the whole place!
"You!! Arrogant brat!" The old man trembled with rage, but because Liu Xianyue was present, he dared not forcefully attack Bai Ye.
Liu Xianyue is not only the head of the Wanxiang Pavilion, but also the city lord of Sanqing City. Within Sanqing City, one must abide by her rules.
"Please!" Liu Xianyue waved her hand to the audience below the stage.
The old man's face turned ashen, but he dared not disobey and could only jump off the stage with a resentful expression.
He could only watch helplessly as Bai Ye relentlessly smashed the innate sword bone within his young master's body to pieces, punch after punch.
At this moment, the old man had only one thought in his mind: Fortunately, the Valley Master was able to give birth, and there was a backup young master in the family, otherwise, his role as a protector would have come to an end.
While Bai was busy dealing with the young master of Sword King Valley, Liu Xianyue had already pulled Bai Shu off the stage.
Upon seeing this, the crowd below bowed respectfully. Everyone knew of this city lord, but they had been in Sanqing City for quite some time and had never seen her before. It seemed that the events at the West City Arena today had caused such a stir that even the city lord had been drawn out.
Liu Xianyue and Bai Shu stood in front of the arena, pretending to be complete strangers, watching Bai Ye beat someone up on the stage with calm expressions, as if they were just two spectators who were quite interested in boxing.
At the same time, Bai Ye's extremely arrogant challenge declaration had swept through the entire Sanqing City like wildfire.
Upon receiving the news, the various elites were first taken aback, then burst into laughter.
"What arrogance!" The young master of Liangyi Island in the Northern Border State looked at the guard and asked, "What is this person's background? Who is his master?"
"Young Master, this person just entered the city today and seems to be a rogue cultivator," the guard replied in a low voice.
The young master of Liangyi Island snorted coldly, his robes fluttering even without wind, and his aura became extremely sharp. "A rogue cultivator? So arrogant, wanting to fight all of us? Another show-off. Then let's go and meet her!"
On the other side, the young master of the Ghost Control Sect from Youzhou blinked his green-glowing eyes and asked his subordinate, "Oh? The challenge also includes us?"
"Young Master, some time ago, your disciples did indeed have several conflicts with cultivators from the Wilderness State," the guard replied, bowing.
"That's perfect. I was just looking for a reason to kill people. These so-called geniuses are excellent materials for refining ghost servants."
This scene was playing out simultaneously in every corner of Sanqing City.
The prodigies from all sides, whether they were in seclusion cultivating or feasting and playing, were all alarmed by this sudden challenge.
One after another, figures transformed into streaks of light, rushing towards the arena in the west of the city. A great battle was about to unfold in the west of the city.
Above Sanqing City, Zhong Jiuli's figure was hidden in the flowing clouds. Her gaze was fixed on the arena and also on the city.
Countless cultivators surged in like a tide, and at this moment, the other three districts of Sanqing City were almost deserted.
The western part of the city was teeming with people, so densely packed that it was almost impossible to move an inch. Even the eaves and treetops were covered with cultivators.
Seeing this, Zhong Jiuli shook her head with amusement and muttered to herself, "This stinky tiger, after not seeing him for a few years, has become even more capable of causing trouble. He's turned Sanqing City upside down as soon as he arrived."
After a moment's thought, she took out a communication jade talisman and whispered a few words to the other end.
Beside the arena in the west of the city, Liu Xianyue held a communication jade talisman in her hand. After listening to the message sent by Zhong Jiuli, the corners of her lips slowly curled up, and her eyes gleamed with a light that seemed to thrive on chaos.
"Everyone!" Liu Xianyue gracefully took to the air, her clear voice resounding in all directions, causing countless cultivators to look up at her.
Upon recognizing Lord Liu, everyone bowed and greeted him, saying, "Greetings, Lord Liu!"
Tens of thousands of people shouted at the same time, creating a wave of sound that shook the heavens and the earth.
"No need for such formalities."
Liu Xianyue waved her hand and said loudly, "By order of Sect Master Zhong, the area of the arena in the west of the city is limited and cannot accommodate everyone watching at the same time. Therefore, the Sanqing Sect has specially granted a Sky Arena. Please move to the Sky Battlefield!"
After saying this, she leaped into the sky, flicked her sleeves, and threw out a huge, ancient and magnificent arena.
The arena grew longer as it faced the wind, and in just a few breaths, it transformed into a suspended battlefield comparable to a giant city, floating above the clouds, casting shadows that almost covered the entire Sanqing City.
The crowd below erupted in excitement, with countless cultivators scrambling to leap into the air and vie for the best viewing spots around the arena.
Meanwhile, the young masters who were about to go on stage to fight seemed unhurried. After all, they were all young masters, and who didn't have a few subordinates vying for their positions?
In the blink of an eye, the arena in the west of the city was empty, leaving only Bai Ye and his group, the young master of Sword King Valley who was still being beaten, and the Sword King Valley members who were worried about their young master and could not leave for a long time.
Bai glanced at his subordinate, who was practically minced meat, and frowned in annoyance. "He's really stubborn. Even now, he still won't beg for mercy..."
Upon hearing this, the people from Sword King Valley nearly coughed up blood. They wanted to shout: "Give him a chance to beg for mercy!"
"What should we do?" Bai Ye turned to look at Li Shoumo and asked, "If the other side refuses to admit defeat, according to the rules, can I not step down?"
Liu Xianyue heard this as soon as she landed. She smiled and said, "It's okay. Just take that pile of flesh on the ground to the Sky Battlefield and keep fighting until he's willing to admit defeat."
"We surrender!!!" the old guardian of Sword King Valley shouted almost furiously, "We surrender."
"Does it count if someone else shouted it on my behalf?" Bai asked.
"Lord Liu, please show mercy. We, Sword King Valley, concede defeat," the old man said, bowing to Liu Xianyue.
Liu Xianyue nodded, then raised her voice and declared, "Sword King Valley, retreat without a fight and be expelled from the Sky Battlefield!"
The sound surged and spread to every corner of Sanqing City in an instant, and tens of thousands of cultivators heard the announcement at the same time.
The group from Sword King Valley turned green upon hearing this. Where had they retreated without a fight? Weren't they already minced meat?
"What makes you say such a thing, Lord Liu?" The old man from Sword King Valley asked, his face contorted with anger.
Liu Xianyue looked at him with a puzzled expression, "Didn't you say you were going to admit defeat?"
"When has my Sword King Valley ever retreated without a fight?" the old man practically spat out these words through gritted teeth.
"Oh, you mean this!" Liu Xianyue nodded in sudden realization. "So you... you really did choose to withdraw before even stepping onto the Sky Battlefield."
The old man was so angry he almost vomited blood. He strongly suspected that Liu Xianyue had some private deal with the cultivators from that desolate state, and why she was so protective of that arrogant junior.
"Why are you people from Jianzhou so difficult to please?" Liu Xianyue's face showed impatience, and her voice turned cold. "I'll give you one more choice: do you want to fight or not? If you do, take your people to the Sky Battlefield and continue the arena battle from before. If you don't want to fight, then just admit defeat and leave the stage."
The old man gritted his teeth so hard they almost broke, and after a long while he finally managed to squeeze out a hoarse sentence: "We're withdrawing."
"Why didn't you just do this earlier? You've wasted my time." After saying that, Liu Xianyue turned to Bai Ye, who was watching the show, and shouted, "What are you looking at? Give him back! Didn't you say you wanted to take on all the geniuses of the Nine Provinces by yourself? Get back to the Sky Battlefield and fight!"
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