Chapter 0517: Three Kowtows of the Enlightened Sage
When the mysterious figure appeared behind Lan Lan, it was not just Gong Shenjun who was stunned, but all the spectators as well.
Even through the screens, they could sense the terrible pressure from that thing.
"This is a real Duke Art," Sun Dasheng thought admiringly. The one he used was an incomplete version, plus he was only a Resonant Master. The difference in strength between him and a Heavenly Dipper General like Lan Lan was as wide as heaven and earth.
But Sun Dasheng was not at all discouraged. He knew that Lan Lan simply had a headstart in cultivation. When he reached the Heavenly Dipper General Stage himself, he might well be Lan Lan's equal.
"The Enlightened Sage Scripture in the hands of someone as strong as Lan Lan could take down even a Heavenly Resonance Stage cultivator," the First Princess said seriously. "Back when I encountered him, his Enlightened Sage Phantom was not this well-defined yet."
Li Luo was closely scrutinizing the figure behind Lan Lan as well. A fight between Heavenly Dipper Generals was a rare sight indeed. There were not many of them in the Xia Kingdom.
For example, House Luolan only had the three ancestors at that level.
"The Enlightened Sage Scripture was created by the principal of the Enlightened Sage College. That phantom is none other than an echo of the principal himself, and it contains a fragment of his power," Vice Principal Su Xin suddenly told them.
Li Luo and the others turned to her in great surprise.
"The principal of the Enlightened Sage College is a King as well?" Li Luo asked curiously.
Su Xin nodded. "There are actually not many principals who have reached the King Stage among the sage colleges in the East Divine Continent, but the Enlightened Sage College's principal is one of them. In terms of experience and power, he is the equal of our own principal, and both of them are considered the finest of the East Divine Continent.
"His Enlightened Sage Scripture is notoriously difficult to cultivate, and extremely dangerous as well. One has to cultivate before the principal himself and withstand the pressure of a King. Only then can one gain a true vision of the Enlightened Sage Phantom.
"In this process, many elite students have been broken. They not only failed to cultivate it successfully, but were also haunted by a shadow on their spirits. They were mentally crushed, and their cultivation journey ground to a permanent halt."
Li Luo stared at her, stunned. The pressure of a King? He could only imagine how tremendous such a thing was.
Truly, it was no walk in the park to obtain a Duke Art.
And the fact that Lan Lan had managed to do so spoke of his grit and quality.
His resonance might not be of a high grade, but his personality was something that other cultivators with better resonances could not compare with. That strength of character had brought him to where he was today.
"Vice Principal, can Senior Gong Shenjun withstand Lan Lan's Enlightened Sage Scripture?" Li Luo asked.
Even Jiang Qing'e and the First Princess sat up straighter at this question. Vice Principal Su Xin was a Duke, and her judgment was far superior in accuracy compared to theirs. Her read of the battle would be highly reliable.
Vice Principal Su Xin was silent for a moment. "What makes the Enlightened Sage Scripture terrifying is the Three Kowtows of the Enlightened Sage. The Enlightened Sage Phantom will kowtow three times to you."
Li Luo stared at her uncomprehendingly. Kowtow to the enemy? What the hell was that supposed to do? Politely beseech them to surrender?
"Kings and Dukes are superior beings, exalted above all. Their status is higher than others of the land, and it is from this higher status that their control over nature comes. Ordinary beings do not dare cross them for fear of their lives.
"Can you imagine what would happen if one of these nobles paid obeisance before an ordinary mortal?"
Li Luo was still confused, but he tried to follow the thought through. It would probably be uncomfortable, even unbearable. The implications of such a gesture went against every social convention possible.
"Nobles abhor humiliation," Vice Principal Su Xin said with a wry smile. "Without befitting status and power, can you stand up to the kowtow of a King? That is the principle on which the Three Kowtows of the Enlightened Sage is built.
"When Lan Lan activates the Three Kowtows, it will be an inferior version of the phenomenon which you will witness. An echo of a King will kowtow to you, but nature itself will cry out at the wrongness of it all. It will create a glitch in the fabric of worldly natural energy and crush the target, seeking to test the person as worthy or otherwise.
"If you cannot withstand this, then you will be killed," she said simply.
Li Luo broke out in cold sweat. This was a really insane way of getting nature to do the fighting for you.
"And that is not the end of the Enlightened Sage Scripture. Another horror awaits. If you are unable to withstand that kowtow, then the Enlightened Sage Phantom will appear within you to terrorize your soul. If you cannot banish that phantom, it will affect your cultivation... Although, luckily, it is not permanent and will disappear in half a year or so."
Even Jiang Qing'e frowned at this.
The First Princess was unmoved—this was probably old news to her.
"The Enlightened Sage Scripture is sick. It even leaves an affliction?" Li Luo groaned.
Having one's cultivation speed crippled for half a year was not something to take lightly. One's cultivation level increased most rapidly before the Heavenly Resonance Stage. Having one's progress delayed by half a year in this crucial stage was a heavy price to pay.
Vice Principal Su Xin nodded. "That is why the horror that is the Enlightened Sage Scripture is well known throughout the East Divine Continent. It remains to be seen how Gong Shenjun will choose to deal with this."
"If he takes but one more step forward, it will activate the Three Kowtows of the Enlightened Sage. Victory and defeat will be decided in the blink of an eye," Su Xin said gravely. "We do not know what his choice will be."
All eyes at the Holy Grail Meet were on Gong Shenjun right now.
……
At the bank of the lake.
Gong Shenjun's handsome features were arranged in a serious expression. He looked at the figure behind Lan Lan with deep apprehension.
Clearly, he knew the tale of the Enlightened Sage Scripture all too well.
That was why he was hesitating.
This final was a crazy gamble.
Lan Lan had set up the stage and the stakes. It was up to him to decide whether to accept or not.
Gong Shenjun's eyes flashed, and he slowly raised his foot up.
Lan Lan closed his eyes, and the Enlightened Sage Phantom behind him stirred.
Gong Shenjun slowly put his foot back down.
He smiled and shook his head.
"Brother Lan, I choose not to roll the dice with you this time.
"But do not worry. The Holy Grail Meet is not over yet. I think there is a chance that we will meet again in the mixed-level competition."
He pulled out his anima gourd and smashed it calmly.
A column of light descended from the sky.
Gong Shenjun disappeared in a flash, leaving the audience stunned.