Chapter 597: Seeing Bai Zhenzhen Again

Chapter 597: Meeting Bai Zhenzhen Again

"Kuang Tianqing actually received guidance from eight Divine Lords across the four major universities?"

Yan Qianji stared at the proud figure standing before him, his heart seized by shock as he processed her words: "How did she manage that?"

"No, for eight Divine Lords to tutor her together, this is certainly not something she could have achieved on her own."

"It wasn't her who chose the eight Divine Lords; it was the eight Divine Lords who chose her."

With this realization, Yan Qianji understood: "Heavenly Demon, Bone, Netherworld, Joyous Union... this is a coalition of the four, and the depth of their cooperation far exceeds anything seen before."

"Perhaps... perhaps they are even cultivating Kuang Tianqing together, throwing their full weight behind her to secure the championship?"

At this thought, Yan Qianji’s heart sank, for the depth of the alliance between Wanfa, Heavenly Sword, Vajra, and Immortal Armament clearly paled in comparison.

"Compared to them, our side is at best a mutual exchange of resources; in reality, we remain competitors."

Yan Qianji offered a bitter smile, realizing that before the Ten Great Leagues had even officially begun, his side had already fallen into a subtle disadvantage.

Meanwhile, Wen Wuyah, watching the high-and-mighty Kuang Tianqing, felt an uncontrollable surge of envy.

To be guided by eight Divine Lords simultaneously—what kind of treatment was that?

Just thinking about it made Wen Wuyah tremble with excitement.

Then, reflecting on his own inability to even satisfy his own master, he felt the chasm between himself and Kuang Tianqing widen.

"Both my master and I have lost..."

"I am inferior to Kuang Tianqing, and my master is inferior to Kuang Tianqing's master."

Dao Qiankun looked at Kuang Tianqing with a heavy gaze, feeling an unprecedented pressure radiating from her aura.

"This woman..."

Observing her predatory stare, Dao Qiankun thought to himself: "She has marked me as prey as well."

"Is she trying to drain my cultivation through the path of dual cultivation?"

"If we were to fight head-on, the outcome would be uncertain."

"But a dual cultivation duel pulls me into a track where I am unskilled, using her superior experience and advanced techniques to defeat me."

"I must not be dragged into this arena..."

Elsewhere, Zhang Yu looked at Kuang Tianqing’s alluring figure, his mind drifting to another question.

"Joyous Union University... guidance from a Transformation Divine Lord?"

"Did Kuang Tianqing also receive guidance from Divine Lord Qiongjiang?"

Zhang Yu recalled information regarding Divine Lord Qiongjiang, the Five Taxes of Heaven and Man, and the reincarnation of great beings.

He remembered the words of the Evil Gods: Divine Lord Qiongjiang used her immortal techniques to help sect members store their cultivation, returning it to them after reincarnation to evade taxes like the Five Taxes of Heaven and Man.

Zhang Yu mused: "Is this Kuang Tianqing a reincarnated great being? Could this so-called guidance from eight Divine Lords just be a cover for her tax evasion?"

Zhang Yu could not confirm this, but the suspicion took root in his mind.

From Kuang Tianqing, he felt an even heavier pressure.

"Kuang Tianqing, Dao Qiankun... the contestants in these Ten Great Leagues are truly becoming more monstrous by the minute."

"To seize first place..."

At this moment, Zhang Yu’s resolve wavered slightly.

"Can I really take first place?"

"To defeat monsters like Dao Qiankun and Kuang Tianqing... and claim the top spot?"

Meanwhile, following Kuang Tianqing’s declaration, her aura, bolstered by the eight Divine Lords, seemed to suppress the entire field, leaving no one her equal.

Wherever her gaze fell, students instinctively retreated, a sight that only widened the smile on her face.

But in the next moment, a crimson sword aura suddenly soared into the sky, and amidst the shocked, surprised, and bewildered gazes of the crowd, it struck directly at Kuang Tianqing’s position.

With a casual wave, as if swatting away a fly, she shattered the sword aura. Kuang Tianqing looked at the attacker with interest and said: "Oh? I didn't expect that among you immortal dregs, besides Dao Qiankun, there was someone who could be considered human."

As she spoke, her divine eyes had already scanned the attacker’s name, school, and records, including data on the Extreme Emotion Sword Path and the Seven Emotions Divine Lord.

Kuang Tianqing said lightly: "Bai Zhenzhen of Heavenly Sword University."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Bai Zhenzhen met her gaze without flinching, scarlet sword aura swirling in her eyes.

"You’ve babbled so much nonsense that I couldn't help but want to cut you down."

Bai Zhenzhen said coldly: "Those Transformation Lords from your schools—whether they take money to tutor or spend money to drain others—which one of them is actually clean? Which of their disciples hasn't practiced together?"

"Isn't it just throwing money at the Transformation Lords to get the job done? Those who don't know might think the Transformation Lords are paying you to let them have their way with you."

Wen Wuyah, standing nearby, was shocked and sighed helplessly: "The Extreme Emotion Sword Path is far too reckless." Not far away, Zhang Yu watched the scene, the image of a girl from his high school days resurfacing in his mind—the girl who had stood with him to resist the oppression of the city's wealthy, vowing to fight fate and enter the Ten Greats.

Watching Bai Zhenzhen now, a smile tugged at the corner of Zhang Yu’s mouth, and he thought: "Zhen... this time, we will fight these rich people together."

With Bai Zhenzhen’s words, the oppressive aura Kuang Tianqing had cast seemed to dissipate, allowing many students to regain their composure and look back at her without retreating.

Kuang Tianqing was slightly taken aback. A moment later, as her mana vibrated, the surrounding spirit realm shifted, and the students felt their artifacts and divine bones beginning to lose control.

"Bai Zhenzhen..." Kuang Tianqing laughed: "Your strength isn't the greatest, but your courage is commendable. I’ll remember you."

"If you come to find me tonight, I’m willing to practice with you for free."

"I am very interested in the taste of a successor to the Extreme Emotion Sword Path."

The next moment, Kuang Tianqing’s fingertips traced a high-speed pattern in the air, and a talisman was instantly activated.

Friendship Talisman!

With the activation of the talisman, Kuang Tianqing had forcibly added everyone present as a friend.

Kuang Tianqing giggled and looked at the others: "And you dregs on the path of immortality, if you can meet my requirements, I don't mind guiding you either."

Having said that, she lost interest in the crowd and turned to leave.

As she departed, the crowd gradually dispersed to arrange their accommodations.

Ye Xingli sent a message to Zhang Yu: The teams from each school have been assigned to different rest areas; come with us.

Just then, a voice called out to Zhang Yu.

"Yuzi!"

Zhang Yu turned and saw Bai Zhenzhen walking toward him with a smile, while Wen Wuyah followed, observing him with curiosity.

However, Bai Zhenzhen stopped ten meters away from Zhang Yu.

Crimson sword aura surged around her, mirroring the turbulent emotions in her mind, which she struggled to control.

"Yuzi," Bai Zhenzhen said with a helpless smile, "I can't get any closer to you. If I get any nearer, I'm afraid..."

Taking a step forward, Zhang Yu said nothing, simply walking silently toward Bai Zhenzhen.

Bai Zhenzhen couldn't help but step back: "Don't, Yuzi, the way I am now..."

"It doesn't matter," Zhang Yu said, as golden protective qi manifested around his body.

The Formless Cloud Qi, blended with the Taiyi Golden Liquid Pill and bolstered by multiple cultivation techniques, pushed his defensive power to the absolute limit.

As Zhang Yu drew nearer, the sword aura surrounding Bai Zhenzhen surged with mounting ferocity, crashing against him in relentless, rhythmic waves.

The torrential tide of blades grew ever more turbulent, mirroring the fervent intensity of the maiden’s heart as it sought to enfold him in a suffocating embrace.

Amidst a cacophony of metallic clashing, Zhang Yu stepped before her and smiled, saying, "Zhen, we have finally made it into the Top Ten Leagues together."

Bai Zhenzhen nodded, her eyes bright as she replied, "Yu, I knew you would catch up to me."

Zhang Yu sensed the depletion of his protective aura and the Taiyi Golden Liquid elixir, thinking to himself, "To withstand sword aura of this magnitude, the consumption of spirit coins will be no small matter."

"If I were to advance further and provoke an even more violent storm of blades, I would likely need to deploy military-grade defenses, burning through even more wealth."

"I must be richer... I must have more money, only then can I stay close to Zhen, only then can I remain by her side forever."

Even as Zhang Yu calculated the cost of his proximity to Bai Zhenzhen,

Wen Wuya watched from afar as the surging aura swallowed the pair whole, leaving only a glimpse of Zhang Yu’s aura, flickering like a dying golden flame amidst the raging crimson tide.

Wenya thought to himself, "The Sword of Extreme Emotion... truly a wicked path."

"Who could endure such reckless outbursts of sword energy day in and day out?"

"If this is how they converse, then if they were to do this, or that, or even that... what kind of scene would that become?"

Meanwhile, the commotion had drawn the attention of others nearby.

A scroll depicting the sun, moon, and stars unfurled abruptly across the sky, causing the air currents, temperature, humidity, spiritual essence, and gravity to shift violently.

"Bai Zhenzhen, what do you think you are doing?" Ye Xingli cried out sharply. "Cease this at once!"

Following Ye Xingli’s lead, Yan Qianji, Jiu Tianliu, and other students from Wanfa University arrived in quick succession.

Wen Wuya immediately moved to intercept them with the students of Tianjian University, saying, "Rest assured, everyone, they are not currently engaged in combat..."

Dao Qiankun, however, frowned slightly; he held a favorable impression of Zhang Yu and could not stand by while the youth was subjected to such a frenzied assault by a student of Tianjian University.

"Who dares harm the prodigies of Wanfa University?!"

Ignoring Wen Wuya’s explanation, Dao Qiankun struck out with a palm through the void, conjuring currents of chaotic energy that manifested as an invisible barrier, severing the connection between Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

Simultaneously, the Vacuum Catastrophe Map unfurled beneath Zhang Yu’s feet, shielding him as he was swiftly pulled back toward the side of Ye Xingli.