Chapter 593: Bluffing (Part 2)

Below the stage.

“Master Zhang, did you… see all that?”

Hall Master Kang and the others stared wide-eyed at the young man before them.

He knew very well how capable his own students were.

He hadn’t even understood the martial technique Qin Lei had just used, yet Young Master Ruohuan explained it so thoroughly that the other was left speechless. Unless Master Zhang had guided him, it would have been impossible.

“That’s right!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

“He… just circulated his true qi and raised his palm once, and you saw all that?” Even after confirmation, the crowd still couldn’t believe it.

Earlier, Young Master Ruohuan had run over and splashed meat soup in the other’s face, enraging Qin Lei, but in the end, no fight broke out, and almost no moves were used… Under these circumstances, seeing so many problems in the opponent—was it real or fake?

What kind of eyesight was that?

“Then… what martial technique is Qin Lei actually practicing? How can it lock the soul and prevent breakthrough?” Master Su couldn’t help asking.

As a four-star peak master teacher, he at least had basic discernment. How could someone practice a martial technique that locks the soul without knowing it?

“I don’t know either…” Zhang Xuan shook his head.

“Don’t know? Then…” Everyone frowned.

If you don’t know what technique it is, how did you know the sensations from stimulating those acupoints?

The Bihai acupoint corresponds to the soul, and the Qinzhen acupoint is the junction of body and soul. If it’s hard, it means the cage is tightly locked.

This is common knowledge among peak Mortal Transformation realm fourth-stage experts. Normally, when the acupoints open, true breath resonates, nourishing the soul and allowing it to grow. If this situation occurs… saying there’s no problem wouldn’t convince even them.

But… you don’t even know what technique he’s practicing—how can you know his Qinzhen acupoint is closed and his soul is damaged?

“I tricked him!” Zhang Xuan said calmly.

“Tricked him?” Everyone was stunned.

“The White Sun True Qi that the White Sun Sect cultivates is one of the yang-attribute true qis. When Bai Kaizhi besieged my residence back then, the teacher explained it to me!”

Zhang Xuan said.

“Mm…” Hall Master Kang and the others nodded.

The White Sun Sect’s White Sun Art is indeed a yang-attribute technique. After cultivation, it is grand and powerful, with boundless might.

They had fought against it before, suffered greatly, and had studied it specifically, knowing it well.

“In the food provided by the Alliance Lord’s Mansion just now, there were mostly beast meat and medicinal herbs to replenish energy—that’s correct, right?” Zhang Xuan continued.

Because the competition was held in the square outside the Alliance Lord’s Mansion, not only Zhang Xuan’s food but also the meals of other sects and forces were all provided by the Alliance Lord’s Mansion, almost identical.

Various spirit beast meat, savage beast meat, and even some precious medicinal herbs, rich in spiritual energy, could greatly replenish consumption.

“Yes!” Zhao Feiwu nodded.

She had even participated in selecting the ingredients, knowing better than anyone.

“What happens when someone practicing a yang-attribute technique eats heavily nourishing food and medicine?” Zhang Xuan continued.

“The whole body’s muscles become active, true qi circulation speeds up…” Hall Master Kang said.

It’s like taking a stimulant—if one is already very fiery and then consumes heavily nourishing things, they become even more excited and full of strength.

But… that would only improve the combat state, right?

“Normally, it does improve the state, but you forgot the bowl of soup I drank earlier. If I’m not mistaken, the soup contained [Yinjue Grass]!”

Zhang Xuan continued.

“There was Yinjue Grass. Although it’s yin-cold in nature, it can refresh the mind and make thinking sharper—it’s a famous delicacy…”

Zhao Feiwu said, then stopped mid-sentence, realizing something, her eyes widening.

“Famous it may be, but it’s indeed yin-cold in nature. Right before a match, already excited, having eaten heavily nourishing things, practicing a yang-attribute technique, with all acupoints wide open… then being stimulated by a yin-attribute soup—what happens, I think I don’t need to elaborate!” Zhang Xuan smiled.

“When yin and cold meet, to protect the body, the acupoints automatically close. And at that time… Qin Lei was in a rage, his spirit highly focused, his soul wandering in the Qinzhen acupoint. When the acupoint closed, blocking the soul became normal… Did you design all this?”

Hall Master Kang, Master Su, and the others quickly caught on, their faces turning pale, almost going mad.

They had thought what he said was true, but from the moment the soup was splashed, this Qin Lei had been step by step falling into the young man’s scheme.

This scheme was methodical, leaving no trace. If not explained, even they couldn’t see it. Qin Lei, caught in the situation, naturally knew even less… Being bluffed was already a foregone conclusion.

This was… too incredible!

“Just thought of it occasionally!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

No matter how well these designs were, they were useless. Without the earlier claim that he had failed to break through to the Harmonious Spirit realm and his soul was damaged, making him fall for it would have been nearly impossible.

People are like that—once they believe the first thing, it’s much easier to make them believe the rest.

Plus, the reasoning was sound, making it hard not to believe.

“Since it was a trick, then… Ruohuan also said there was a solution…”

Seeing him admit it, Hall Master Kang remembered what Young Master Ruohuan had said, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.

If all this was a lie, and he said there was a solution… how to solve it?

“Just keep watching and you’ll find out…”

Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

Everyone quickly looked over.

At this moment, on the stage, Qin Lei, after a long struggle, finally took a deep breath: “I concede. Please advise me on the solution!”

This was the round of sixteen to eight. Even if he lost, he could still compete for the last two spots among the eight losers.

But if the problem with his body wasn’t solved, he wouldn’t be able to progress in cultivation—something no one could accept.

Weighing the pros and cons, he decided to concede and accept the other’s guidance.

After all, in his mind, he would kill this guy sooner or later; he might as well let him be proud for now!

“Concede? Master Qin conceded just like that?”

“It seems Young Master Ruohuan really saw the crux of the problem!”

“So impressive! None of us recognized the technique, but he saw the flaw in the cultivation. When did Young Master Ruohuan become so powerful!”

“I saw him consulting Master Zhang earlier. Do you think Master Zhang taught him?”

…

Hearing Qin Lei concede, causing a huge upset, everyone was in an uproar.

Young Master Ruohuan’s strength was on a completely different level from Qin Lei’s, yet the result was reversed, making many people involuntarily speculate.

After all, many had seen Young Master Ruohuan consulting Master Zhang earlier.

“Good. Since you concede, teaching you the solution is no problem!”

Hearing him concede, Young Master Ruohuan knew he had entered the top eight and suppressed his excitement: “Actually, it’s very simple. Your Qinzhen acupoint was just temporarily closed due to stimulation. Have a good sleep tonight, and it will be fine tomorrow…”

“Sleep, and it will be fine tomorrow?”

His eyes bulging, Qin Lei felt his vision go dark and nearly exploded.

As a four-star peak master teacher, if he still couldn’t figure out he’d been tricked after hearing this, he really had a problem with his brain.

“I’ll kill you…”

With a roar, he was about to charge over.

“Enough. A loss is a loss. In the Master Teacher Competition, it’s not just about knowledge but also adaptability. Being fooled is your own problem; don’t blame others!”

Master Hong swept his sleeve, and Qin Lei stumbled to a stop.

The Master Teacher Competition involved many things. If you were fooled and willingly conceded, you couldn’t blame anyone else.

“I…”

With Master Hong stepping in, Qin Lei knew there was nothing more he could do. He nearly bit through his lip, so angry he could vomit blood.

What kind of thing was this? He had been so confident he would win, but after being bluffed… he conceded voluntarily!

How infuriating… Jun Ruohuan, if I don’t kill you, I’m not Qin Lei.

He roared inwardly.

…

With the match result decided, Young Master Ruohuan successfully advanced. As soon as he came down, he looked at the young man before him, filled with excitement.

After reading the content on the paper, he had thought he would definitely be beaten to death, but he actually succeeded!

Top eight in the Master Teacher Competition—a result he had never dared to dream of!

“Thank you, Master Zhang!”

He cupped his fists respectfully.

Before, he still had a competitive spirit, but now it was completely gone.

This guy in front of him looked foolish, but if you really competed with him, he would definitely trick you to death without compensation.

“You’re welcome. You’ve humiliated him so badly; he will definitely challenge you to a life-and-death duel. Don’t be too happy yet—prepare how to defeat him!”

Zhang Xuan said.

“Mm!” Young Master Ruohuan nodded.

When master teachers have an irreconcilable conflict, they can apply for a life-and-death duel, ending only when one dies.

This Qin Lei, driven nearly mad by him and humiliated in front of so many master teachers, would likely apply right after the competition. Once headquarters approved, the duel might happen directly.

However, headquarters rarely approved life-and-death duels. Even if they did, he might not lose to the other.

After reading the paper Master Zhang gave him, he had memorized many flaws in the opponent’s moves. If he used them, it was still unknown who would win.

“Master Zhang, your opponent in this round is Wei Changqing from the Purple Gold Sect. I’ve heard this guy is very formidable—be careful!”

Putting these thoughts aside, Young Master Ruohuan looked over with a serious expression.

The draw was done only once, so subsequent opponents could be inferred. The person Zhang Xuan had to face was Wei Changqing, a super genius of the Purple Gold Sect.

“You’ve heard of him?”

Zhang Xuan looked over.

“Although this man hasn’t entered the top ten of the Potential Rankings, it’s not because he’s weak, but… his cultivation is somewhat low—like you, at the peak of Mortal Transformation realm third stage! To reach the top sixteen with such low cultivation, his other accomplishments are可想而知!”

Young Master Ruohuan raised his eyebrows and said: “I watched his last match. It was a competition in the auxiliary profession of artifact forging, and he forced his opponent to concede on the spot!”

“Mm!”

Zhang Xuan also nodded.

He had watched that match too. That guy was indeed very strong.

At the peak of Mortal Transformation third stage, forging artifacts to defeat a fourth-stage expert—without real strength, it would be impossible.

However, among his auxiliary professions, he didn’t have artifact forging, so he certainly wouldn’t be challenged on that point. But… if he were challenged on alchemy… that would be troublesome.