No one looked towards He Zhaoxi.

The cicada cries still filled the forest but they no longer belonged to him. Neither was the cicada emerging from the earth and amazing the world with a single feat was him.

It was Ding Ning.

Yet again, everyone’s gaze gathered on Ding Ning.

Some of the cultivation teachers thought numbly: if this person was not the victor, who would be?

“Vital Energy Realm cultivator is easy to improve for talented cultivators, yet instincts in fighting, sword moves, and sword essence comprehension are harder to improve for cultivators.”

Dugu Bai looked emotionally at Ding Ning who had turned around, and He Zhaoxi who had fallen to the ground. He shook his head and then looked at the smiling Lin Suixin. He bowed and said seriously, “No matter what, I forfeit in this competition.”

Yi Xin stilled and then immediately said to Lin Suixin, “Same.”

No one expressed any objections. Everyone knew what Dugu Bai and Yi Xin had in mind right now.

Ding Ning’s previous actions had expressed his absolute trust in Dugu Bai and Yi Xin. He believed if he defeated the hidden pawn He Zhaoxi, and then Gu Xichun and Ye Haoran, all of his enemies would be defeated. There naturally would be no need to fight.

Dugu Bai and Yi Xin publicly forfeiting now, other than telling Ding Ning they were trustworthy, also showed that they believed Ding Ning could defeat Gu Xichun and Ye Haoran.

Zhang Yi looked with a stiff expression at Dugu Bai and Yi Xin. He was slightly hesitant, but he still thought of what Ding Ning had said previously, Since I would do it, I will do it thoroughly.

He could not help but take a deep breath. Then he bowed to Lin Suixin. “I am the same.”

“I also forfeit,” Xie Rou bowed and said.

The air in the valley seemed to grow heavy. Many people’s breaths suddenly grew difficult.

There was no need for battles, because including Ding Ning, there were only three students left. Unless Gu Xichun and Ye Haoran also forfeited, or Gu Xichun and Ye Haoran first fought, the two of them could not avoid fighting Ding Ning.

“You mocked me constantly from when you first saw me. You are jealous of me, you do not believe that someone like me is better than you.”

Ding Ning looked at Gu Xichun who had a dark expression and slowly said, “The root cause is that you feel I am easy to bully, and White Goat Cave is easy to bully. If I were of another birth, if this were a powerful and large sect, you would not act thus.”

Hearing Ding Ning speak, almost all the students and watching cultivation teachers felt their minds shake. They felt that Ding Ning was not just speaking to Gu Xichun, but also to that Palace Attendant Rong.

Gu Xichun looked down and said coldly, “There is no more White Goat Cave.”

Ding Ning smiled and said, “Starting today, everyone will remember that Shadow Mountain Sword Cave is inferior to White Goat Cave.”

Gu Xichun sneered and looked up at Ding Ning, saying, “You are certain of your victory? Even if you wanted to save energy, did not you use up a lot of energy and vital energy in taking He Zhaoxi’s blows?”

“I still have fifteen minutes to rest.” Ding Ning smiled, his eyes narrowing. “The time is short, but enough for me to replenish the vital energy I just used up.”

After saying this, he turned and looked towards Lin Suixin, saying, “Am I allowed to rest for fifteen minutes?”

Lin Suixin smiled.

He was too lazy to even nod.

No one would have objections.

Even based on the normal rules of the sword competition, there would be fifteen minutes of resting and healing time between each battle.

Ding Ning closed his eyes.

Then everyone could see that he sank into a meditative state.

Many students felt even more bitter. They increasingly felt that Ding Ning was terrifying, and knew that he would grow even more terrifying.

**

“There are only three people left. There are no other possibilities.”

Pan Ruoye looked at Huang Zhenwei and said, “Who do you think will win in the end?”

Huang Zhenwei hesitated slightly and said with slight hoarseness, “I feel it is Ding Ning.”

Pan Ruoye’s expression grew cold. She said, “You feel she would lose this time? Her first loss… will be at the hands of this wine shop youth?”

Huang Zhenwei’s breathing grew laborious. This seemed almost impossible but it appeared to be happening in his opinion.

“Even if he does not win in the end, his performance is enough to win Baili Suxue’s preference.”

Pan Ruoye looked forward, no longer at her companion, her eyes unfocused. “If she really loses, what do you think about this youth’s fate?”

“I do not know.” Huang Zhenwei shook his head.

He really did not know. Zheng Xiu had never been defeated, so he had nothing to judge by.

**

Fifteen minutes passed quickly. Ding Ning once again opened his eyes without needing a reminder.

The crowd stirred, then descended into absolute calm.

Gu Xichun glanced at Ding Ning but said nothing. His slightly sunken eyes grew redder as though blood was filling his eyes sockets.

Then he pulled out his sword.

His sword hilt was dark red, and the blade was a bright blood red. As he pulled out his sword, blood appeared to flow out of this scabbard.

At the same time, Ding Ning started to swing his sword.

Both sides disliked each other and had said what they needed to. Now, only the fight remained.

This great performance began immediately.

Zzt zzt zzt zzt

A heavy sword essence fell from Gu Xichun on to the ground, followed by rapid chirping sounds everyone was familiar with.

Small pillars of dust rose from the ground, colliding and forming a dust storm.

Gu Xichun’s figure disappeared into the dust.

The rolling dust started to change shape, becoming countless dust swords.

Gu Xichun was still using the Ley Line Sword to hide as a starting move.

Previously, other than Nangong Caishu, no one had been able to bear his sword attack.

In Nangong Caishu and Gu Xichun’s fight, everyone saw that Nangong Caishu had received Ding Ning’s advice. At this time, everyone could see that Ding Ning did not use the same method as Nangong Caishu.

His swinging sword was extremely gentle.

He seemed to be swinging a soft flow of water.

Many glowing flows of water appeared where his sword passed, and a faint presence spread.

Disturbed by the light of his sword, the sword flows were disturbed, shattering into countless transparent pieces that looked like scales or mirror shards.

Ding Ning’s figure, under these glowing waters, became many.

“What sword form is this?”

Many students had complicated gazes.

The reason Gu Xichun’s sword was hard to guard against was because he had completely disappeared. No one could sense where he was in the dust. Now, there were many figures of Ding Ning. No one could confirm which one was actually Ding Ning.

This was hiding versus hiding.

Also, they could sense that Ding Ning’s sword move did not consume much vital energy, and saved more effort than Gu Xichun.

Gu Xichun stopped.

He could not sense where Ding Ning was.

The variation of this sword move could cause him to create thousands of dust swords and have them rush like a storm through where Ding Ning was. But he had a strong feeling that if he did such a thing, it would be a waste of vital energy.

The powerful energy vibrations suddenly disappeared.

All of the dust pillars collapsed like they had lost their lives. They spread outwards on the ground like water.

His figure appeared through the waves of dust.

Almost at the same time, the glowing water in front of him fell down in droplets.

Ding Ning’s real figure also appeared.

The two faced each other with their swords as though nothing had happened.

“You are very fortunate.” Gu Xichun looked coldly at Ding Ning and said, “You are able to see my sword… this sword has never appeared before in Shadow Mountain Sword Cave. You have never seen this sword before. So you cannot defeat this.”

At the same time he spoke, the red color filling his eyes all receded. At the same time, his left hand suddenly produced a powerful sword essence, and a thick plume of crimson smoke!