Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2230 - 1036: Traitor (2)

Even this type of "melee" adheres to certain "rules" and gets separated by "rank".

The feeble ones fall first.

Lower-ranked sects depart the arena early.

This mirrors an ancient custom from the Asura battle era.

And this elimination adheres to the "one sword" guideline.

Prodigies from each major sect lead their groups in sweeping the area, and upon facing disciples from inferior-ranked sects, they deliver a single "one sword" strike.

Just one sword strike.

Should the foe endure it, they earn the right to remain and press on with the battle.

If they fail to endure, they must exit right away.

This weeds out the feeble.

It also stops the mighty from diving into deadly clashes prematurely, which would let the weak exploit the disorder in what would be nothing but "a farce".

In a way, this reinforces the rankings of every sect.

By purging based on predefined rankings, it keeps the sword discussion standings from straying too far.

All sects, the four great ones included, quietly agree to this custom.

This holds vital importance for the sect sword discussion.

Not even the four great sects will boldly defy the rules, lest they invite needless uncertainties.

Therefore, the Asura battle reveals its ruthless side at the outset, kicking off the initial phase of straightforward "butchery".

Across the mountains, above the streams, within the marshes.

Swords gleam, spells ignite, and fists collide with feet.

Yet everything remains mere testing, pulling back right after the clash.

Against the feeble, they swiftly claim lives without mercy.

Facing the mighty, they halt precisely and hold back.

Before long, across the entire Asura battle grounds, disciples from the weaker sects and those lacking power were all purged.

That said, certain individuals weren't truly feeble but got dragged down due to associations with specific figures.

A few disciples versed in concealment techniques attempted to evade detection through their arts.

It helped if they could last a while more, secure a better position, and gather extra points.

In earlier times, such tactics worked to some degree.

But nowadays, they prove pointless.

The reason lies in Mo Hua's exceptional mastery of concealment.

As a result, all prominent sects now scrutinize "concealment" methods intently, eager to slay Mo Hua.

They've devised countless counters aimed squarely at breaching Mo Hua's hiding skills.

Mo Hua has essentially trapped himself in this bind.

These folks find themselves with nowhere to turn.

Disciples who hid, be it via techniques or spirit tools, paled far in comparison to Mo Hua's prowess.

They couldn't stay "hidden" for much time before getting spotted and struck down by a blade.

Furthermore, the concealment technique stirs up intense resentment.

For some sect prodigies, getting "toyed" with by Mo Hua's concealment left them seething with humiliation, so they refuse to let anyone else hide before their eyes.

Shi Tiangang stood out especially.

Witnessing concealment right in his presence drove him to fury.

"Out of everyone, you dare mimic Mo Hua?!"

During the Asura battle, he made a point of pursuing hidden cultivators.

On top of that, disciples skilled in movement techniques faced backlash on account of Mo Hua.

Ever since Feng Zichen of the Carefree Sect nearly twisted his wrist that day while swirling sword flowers into snowflakes, failing to even nick Mo Hua's robe, he grew intolerant of anyone flaunting movement skills around him.

In the Asura battle, if disciples from lesser sects faced Feng Zichen squarely with a single sword duel, he wouldn't take issue.

But fleeing via movement techniques directly before Feng Zichen?

That struck his raw nerve immediately.

He'd pursue relentlessly, hunting you to the world's edge just to end you.

As for the Fireball Technique, that's obvious.

The Fireball Technique has turned into a standard "forbidden technique" throughout the Sword Discussion Conference.

No disciple but Mo Hua may employ it; all others face strict bans.

Particularly during the Asura battle.

Any fool who hurls a fireball carelessly becomes an instant mark, swarmed and chopped apart by furious cultivators.

As they hack away, they'd yell:

"How dare you cast the Fireball Technique!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"I can't stand the Fireball Technique!"

...

In the opening round of purging, Mo Hua stayed out of sight.

Still, his influence lingered in every corner.

Hence, following this swift massacre and "filtering", after two hours, the initial "clearing" round wrapped up.

All the weak and those echoing Mo Hua's style got ousted.

Disciples from Qian Learning Hundred Gates were nearly entirely eradicated.

Plenty from the lower-tier Twelve Streams met elimination.

The Eight Great Gates suffered minimal losses.

The Four Great Sects emerged unscathed.

At this juncture, a new dilemma surfaced:

Keep hunting for Mo Hua?

Or push forward with the contest?

Each sect's leading prodigies pondered quietly.

Ye Qingfeng of the Daluo Sect declared:

"I propose that every sect halts combat and, no matter what, prioritizes slaying Mo Hua first."

"Once Mo Hua is dead, we can settle the victor among ourselves."

"Remember, this Mo Hua poses a massive lurking danger."

"Though his cultivation seems trivial, he excels at concealment and rules supreme in movement; within this vast battlefield, he glides effortlessly like a fish through water. Unless we band together to eliminate him upfront and allow him to 'endure' till the finish, we'll struggle to handle him."

The Daluo Sect boasted two prodigies.

One honed the Daluo Flying Sword Skill, only to perish by Mo Hua's blade, marking his sharp decline—the once-top sword control talent of Qian Learning, Ye Zhiyuan.

The other, Ye Qingfeng, mastered the Daluo Unification Sword Skill.

Ye Qingfeng cuts a tall, striking figure, boasting profound cultivation, yet the Unification Sword Skill keeps his presence subdued and unassuming.

Insiders, however, recognize Ye Qingfeng's power as formidable, nearly topping all below the four supreme prodigies.

Moreover, akin to Ye Zhiyuan, he ranks as a "seed" prodigy, bearing the Daluo Ancestor's great expectations, inscribed with the unique Eternal Life Rune.