"What? This brat actually … agreed?!" Third Elder and Fifth Elder exchanged glances and saw the disbelief in each other's eyes.
All the other Heaven Dao disciples were flabbergasted. After all, they weren't stupid, and could naturally see that Fang Zhengzhi was exploiting the 'promise' made to him by the elders. This way, on account of the elders' dignity, they would have no choice but to allow Fang Zhengzhi to participate in the third round of the selection test despite their personal grievances.
However, Fang Zhengzhi accepted Kong Qing's challenge out of the blue! They couldn't wrap their heads around Fang Zhengzhi's intentions no matter how hard they thought about it.
"Can he still participate in the third round after his battle against Senior Kong Qing?"
"Is he stupid?"
"I thought this brat was incredibly smart and witty with his words. I never thought he'd make such a foolish blunder at this key juncture! But it's better this way - we'll just let Senior Kong Qing butcher this brat and save us the trouble later!"
The Heaven Dao disciples couldn't believe their ears, but they were still elated about this decision. In fact, even Kong Qing was a little disoriented, as he never expected Fang Zhengzhi to accept his challenge without any qualms.
"You accept?" Kong Qing glared at Fang Zhengzhi with his eyes almost bulging out. He had originally prepared to goad Fang Zhengzhi into a match, perhaps giving Fang Zhengzhi three priority strikes or something along those lines. He didn't think that Fang Zhengzhi would agree to his little showdown so quickly.
"Yes, I've accepted it. Not only that, I'll give you the first three moves!" Fang Zhengzhi nodded with certainty.
"You'll give me the first three moves?!" Kong Qing was irate.
"That's right. You're already so weak - if I don't give you the first three moves, it'll look as though I'm just bullying you, won't it? If that's not enough, I can give you a few more moves. What about five? Or six, seven? Just choose whatever number you'd like!" Fang Zhengzhi nodded decisively, appearing extremely generous.
"You, you …." Kong Qing's jaw dropped, completely speechless.
The Heaven Dao disciples surrounding them were similarly dumbfounded, completely suspended in disbelief. They could not comprehend what was going on at all.
He's giving Senior Kong Qing the first three moves?!
That bastard actually gave Senior Kong Qing the first three moves!
The Heaven Dao disciples glanced at each other. This was almost like seeing pancakes drop from the sky - no one could believe what was going on.
And Fang Zhengzhi still wants to participate in the third round of the selection test afterwards.
Unbelievable.
Third Elder and Fifth Elder looked at each other, then gazed back at Kong Qing and Fang Zhengzhi, unable to comprehend the situation.
If Fang Zhengzhi was stupid, then they wouldn't be this surprised. However, Fang Zhengzhi's performance - from eliminating the respective candidates and ascending the cliff of Sword Peak, to the series of decisions and actions he made after arriving at the Heaven Academic Altar - told them one thing: Fang Zhengzhi was freakishly smart.
Yet for someone so devilish smart, he has made such an unfathomable decision that would trap himself in an disadvantageous situation. The elders were baffled, yet precisely because they couldn't comprehend Fang Zhengzhi's decision, they grew even more anxious, crossing their brows tightly.
Nan Gongmu also looked at Yan Xiu with his mouth agape. He let out a meek little voice, "Is it him?"
"I can't ascertain that." Yan Xiu shook his head, "I've never seen him offer his opponent so many advantages in a battle before, and to an opponent at the peak of the Rebirth State no less."
"Um, I think so too. If it really was him, he would have taken the cheap deal. He should be able to tell how eager Kong Qing is to challenge him." Upon hearing Yan Xiu's explanation, Nan Gongmu nodded slowly.
Yan Xiu stopped here and continued observing from his current location, gluing his eyes to Fang Zhengzhi's face, attempting to decipher something from his expression.
"He's really playing with fire!" Qian Wu let out a cold cough.
Yan Qing, on the other hand, kept mum as though nothing had happened. He just stood there quietly, as though preparing for something.
As for Kong Qing … he suddenly cracked a laugh. He broke into maniacal laughter, cackling so hard that his body shuddered.
"You disgusting little brat, do you really think I'm such a pushover?! Let me warn you - I may not be the strongest disciple of the Heaven Dao Pavilion, but I can still take a shameless ingrate like you in three moves!" After his outburst, his body radiated with a blue glow.
It was a shade of blue between that of water and the sky. It wasn't as dark as the blue of water, but it wasn't as azure as the blue of the sky. It sat in between the two, seeming extremely strange yet emanating an overpowering aura.
"That's enough nonsense. I said I'll give you three moves, so I will give you three moves!" Fang Zhengzhi looked at Kong Qing, unfazed, and gestured at him flippantly without radiating any light from his body.
"Ah!! You brat, die!" Kong Qing finally attacked.
After all, very few people could endure such humiliation from Fang Zhengzhi. Even a mighty Heaven Dao disciple at the peak of the Rebirth State was still looked down upon by him.
He thrusted the long sword in his hand straight out. The blade was cloaked in a resplendent glow, revealing a chilling murderous intent.
Just seconds ago, it still left a blurry shadow behind Kong Qing, but in the next instant, it was already right in front of Fang Zhengzhi aiming straight for his throat.
"Is this even an attack?" Fang Zhengzhi sighed as he saw the razor-sharp tip of the sword in front of his face. Then, he simply leaned his head to one side and dodged Kong Qing's strike.
"An attack?" Kong Qing's lips twitched subconsciously. He wanted to retort: How the f*ck is this a single attack? Which one of your eyes told you that I'm finished? Yet, he was not that particular about these things.
After noticing Fang Zhengzhi avoid his attack, a sinister glint flickered in Kong Qing's eyes. He twisted the hand wielding the sword and slashed it downwards. At the same time, the blue light cloaking the blade burst forth in full resplendence, morphing into numerous swirling petals.
The Falling Flowers Sword Technique!
Its name just meant that this sword technique could only unleash its full might when flower petals are falling.
If Fang Zhengzhi avoided the attack earlier than he did, Kong Qing certainly wouldn't have summoned the flowers down so soon. But with Fang Zhengzhi jerking his neck so forcefully … how could Kong Qing let this chance slip?
Countless blue petals rained down on Fang Zhengzhi and at the same time, Kong Qing's sword became even more sinister, brimming with murderous intent.
"Eh? So this is the complete move!" Fang Zhengzhi finally realized what was going on after noticing the fluttering blue petals.
But … his voice travelled from five steps away.
"What's going on?!" The pupils in Kong Qing's eyes contracted, completely astonished. After all, he was supremely confident of slaying Fang Zhengzhi with a single slash at such close proximity. But in fact, Fang Zhengzhi managed to escape right as the petals came fluttering down? It was mind-boggling.
"What speed!"
"He didn't use the Dao of All Creation, did he? He actually avoided Senior Kong Qing's Falling Flowers Sword Technique so easily?!"
"This brat may be shameless to the core, but he's definitely no weakling!"
The surrounding Heaven Dao disciples naturally witnessed how Fang Zhengzhi already retreated backwards when Kong Qing struck his sword down, but it looked as though he had strangely teleported away.
And what was even stranger was, in the instant that Fang Zhengzhi retreated, there was a temporary shadow still remaining at his original position. If Kong Qing was not directly in front of Fang Zhengzhi, he should have realized this much earlier, but Kong Qing still released the flower petals.
It was very simple - it was a blind spot.
Fang Zhengzhi used the shadow to impede Kong Qing's vision, tricking Kong Qing into believing that he simply twisted his neck while remaining at his spot.
"Ah … how weak! You still have two more chances, make use of them wisely!" Fang Zhengzhi gazed at Kong Qing five steps away, reminding him as he sighed and shook his head.
"Ah!" Kong Qing let out a furious bellow.
He clenched the handle of his sword tightly as blue light surged explosively from his body, as though his entire body was being wrapped in a giant ball of clouds.
"If this brat didn't give Kong Qing the first three moves, Kong Qing might very well lose!" Fifth Elder let out a sigh after witnessing this scene.
"Mm. Kong Qing is really agitated, unable to maintain his composure. This way, he has already lost half the battle. If his opponent actually retaliated, Kong Qing would have been utterly defeated!" Third Elder nodded and gently flicked his finger, sending out a faint ray of white light.
Instantly, the ray of white light penetrated the back of Kong Qing's skull and disappeared without a trace.
Kong Qing's body jerked and the explosive blue light emanating from his body retracted abruptly, as though the clouds were all absorbed into his body.
In the next moment, his body stopped shivering.
"Brat, do you know what's the Heaven Dao?" After pausing for a brief moment, Kong Qing raised his head up slowly, gradually lifting his sword up and pointing it straight at Fang Zhengzhi.
The glow on his body had faded, but his eyes were still flickering with a sparkling blue radiance like two blue crystals.
"Senior Kong Qing has finally calmed down!"
"Now this is Senior Kong Qing's true potential!"
"Senior Kong Qing, let this shameless traitor taste the true strength of a Heaven Dao disciple!"
The Heaven Dao disciples buzzed with sheer excitement upon noticing the blue glint in Kong Qing's eyes. This indicated that Kong Qing was now at the peak of his strength.
He was withholding his power!