It was impossible for the wind generated from the movement of the other party's sleeve to sever the air. There was only one possibility to the current situation-Zhang shi's previous movement wasn't just a single cut... it was dozens of cuts!
However, these cuts didn't sever the strand of hair entirely, making it seem as though it was still whole. It was only under the tug of the light breeze that they came to the limit of their durability and broke into dozens of segments.
Glancing downward to look at the floating segments of the strand of hair, he realized that each segment was of equal length, and the point of severance was smooth.
Even slicing a strand of hair with a sword was extremely difficult even for a Sword Heart realm expert, to consecutively cut a strand of hair dozens of time without severing it... How insane must one's level of control be?
Liao Wuzhi's body trembled uncontrollably. No words could express his emotions at this moment.
He'd thought that he had understood the other party's pointer, but from the start to the end... he was merely scratching at the surface!
This wasn't just mere control anymore. Rather, his sword had become a part of his body and gained 'sensitivity'. That was the only plausible reason as to why he could accurately gauge the depth of each cut so it could be split apart with a slight breeze instantaneously...
Coming to a realization, he quickly lifted his head, only to realize that Zhang shi had already left the stage.
'I'll work hard so as to not let you down!'
Replaying the motion of Zhang Xuan's sword in his head, Liao shi realized that this was a huge opportunity for him. Clenching his fists tightly, he walked down the stage and returned back to his group. In an instant, numerous elders of the Frigid Gale Sect immediately surrounded him.
"How did you lose just now? He didn't seem to be holding a sword just now, what did he use to defeat you?"
The group was still bewildered by the happenings before.
Zhang shi didn't seem to have even taken out his sword at all. But if that was the case, why did Liao Wuzhi admit defeat?
"What did he use to defeat me?"
Remembering the sight from before, Liao Wuzhi smiled bitterly before saying, "A finger..."
"A finger?"
Everyone was dumbstruck.
...
Luck no longer played as heavy a role in the battle for the top four. Song Chao and Ruohuan gongzi were forced to stop at this point. Other than Zhang Xuan, the other three who managed to qualify for the next round were all 4-star pinnacle master teacher, Transcendent Mortal 4-dan pinnacle experts.
As if trying to not let the expectations of the crowd down, they were all the most popular contenders for the champion seat as well.
This was especially so for Luo Xuan. In the fight against Ruohuan gongzi, he had achieved a near perfect victory.
While it was regrettable that Ruohuan gongzi had to stop here, he was already content. If not for Zhang shi, he might have been eliminated in the selection round. How else could he have possibly gotten into the top eight and gain the opportunity to study at Hongyuan Master Teacher Academy?
"For the next round, Luo Xuan of Fleeting Cloud Sect will be fighting against Bi Jianghai of Gazing River Sect, and Huang Zheng of Cascading Sand Sect will be fighting against Zhang Xuan of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance!"
Hong shi revealed the matching for the round.
"Huang Zheng of Cascading Sand Sect? The fellow who is placed fourth on the list of potential contenders for champion?"
Zhang Xuan glanced at the young man on the stage.
Placed in the fourth rank, this fellow was in no way inferior to Liao Wuzhi, be it his strength or his cultivation.
"Un. Zhang shi, be careful. Even though the dueling format Huang Zheng proposed in each match has been different, he still won every one of them with ease. His true capability is fearsome! In fact, I'm even thinking that he might have hidden his true strength!" Pavilion Master Kang said with a grim expression.
He had been paying attention to Huang Zheng's duels, and even though the latter had chosen different dueling formats for each round, he was still able to triumph over his opponent easily. The latter's capability seemed to be greater than what he had predicted.
In fact, the latter didn't seem to lose out to Luo Xuan at all.
"It matters not who he is; having to face Zhang shi, he should be the one who's worried!" Zhao Feiwu smiled.
"You're right..." Pavilion Master Kang laughed awkwardly.
He had been worried that Zhang shi would be unable to survive the full tournament due to his lacking cultivation, but after the duels with Wu Tianhao and Liao Wuzhi, such a thought had vanished completely from his mind.
Zhang shi was just like an invincible God of War. Those who faced him in battle would meet tragic ends that would totally shatter their confidence.
While Huang Zheng had shown spectacular results in his previous matches, that was only because his opponents were someone else. Against Zhang shi... it was unlikely he would fare any better than the others.
Seeing the group's confidence in him, Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly before walking up to the stage.
Huang Zheng was already on the stage at this point. Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, he clasped his fist and greeted, "Zhang shi!"
"Huang shi!" Zhang Xuan also returned the gesture.
"I wish to challenge Zhang shi to a match of knowledge impartation!" Huang Zheng said impassively.
"Knowledge impartation?"
"Un. The rules are simple. A hundred people will be randomly chosen from the square, and we'll conduct our lectures simultaneously. Impartation of Heaven's Will is banned in the duel. At the end of the lecture, whoever manages to awe more people to acknowledge him as their teacher will be the victor!" Huang Zheng revealed the rules.
Even the same dueling format could have different types of rules. But of course, if one were to find it unfair, they were allowed to reject it.
"I'll accept your challenge!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
...
"Knowledge impartation? And Impartation of Heaven's Will is banned? Isn't this a little too much!"
"Indeed. Impartation of Heaven's Will is a symbol of master teacher's power, as well as their greatest strength. How could a match of knowledge impartation do without it?"
"Huang shi surely has it planned out well. Based on the previous experiences, it would be difficult to win against Zhang shi in any type of dueling format. However, knowledge impartation is different. Sometimes, no matter how good a teacher's lecture is, if a student doesn't simply doesn't like it, he wouldn't benefit much from it. As such... luck plays a significant role in this challenge as well. On top of that, Impartation of Heaven's Will is banned in the challenge as well... It's hard to tell who will win!"
"Indeed..."
Hearing the content of the competition, discussions broke out amidst the crowd.
Knowledge impartation didn't hinge solely on the reputation and capability of the teacher only, there were many other factors in play as well. It was just like how even the most perfect of beings couldn't possibly win the amity of everyone.
Human emotions are fickle, and this would be the greatest variable of them all.
Zhang shi might be able to win with absolute certainty in other types of duel, but this... it would be hard to say for sure.
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As expected of one of the most popular contender for the champion seat, Huang Zheng was able to come up with a countermeasure swiftly and propose a dueling format that was the most advantageous to him.
Otherwise, he probably wouldn't stand a chance at all.
...
The rules were simple, and since both sides had no objections, they started making preparations for the duel.
Soon, a hundred people were seated on the stage. Some were the guards from Myriad Kingdom Alliance while some were just ordinary spectators.
Having been chosen to listen to the lectures of two great master teachers, the eyes of the hundred people glowed in excitement.
This was a godsend for them. It was not every day that one got to listen to the lecture of two genius 4-star master teachers.
"The cultivation realm of the group ranges over a wide spectrum, so why don't we just talk about some of the more fundamental knowledge behind cultivation instead? Otherwise, if we were to decipher a specific cultivation realm instead, those with lower cultivation realm would not understand, and those with higher cultivation realm would find it pointless!" Huang Zheng said.
The cultivation realms of the hundred people chosen ranged from Fighter 1-dan to Transcendent Mortal 3-dan. If they were to lecture on the cultivation of Transcendent Mortals, those still in the Fighter realm wouldn't understand. On the other hand, if they were to decipher the cultivation of Fighters, the ones who had transcended that realm would simply yawn in boredom.
Only fundamental knowledge applicable to cultivation in general could pique all of their interest simultaneously.
"Alright!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
He was fine with this decision. He might be lacking in other topics, but in terms of fundamentals in cultivation... even Kong shi might not necessarily be able to speak better than him if he were here.
The fundamentals compiled by the Library of Heaven's Path was completely devoid of flaws, and this was one feat that no master teacher could possibly achieve.
"Alright. The both of us will use telepathy to relay our lecture to the group, and they'll be allowed to listen to the lecture of whoever they prefer. The time limit is an incense's time, and whoever wins the acknowledgement of members of the group after the time is up will be the winner!"
Huang Zheng explained the content of the duel before waving his hands. "Let's begin then!"
"Un. You go first!"
Zhang Xuan gestured patiently with a smile.
"I won't stand on ceremony then!"
A glint flashed across Huang Zheng's eyes, and he began on his lecture.
As he used telepathy to relay the content of his lecture, there was no one beneath the stage who could hear anything.
After listening to the other party's lecture for a while, Zhang Xuan felt that the other party's deciphering of the fundamentals wasn't too bad and nodded his head in commendation. Only then did he step forward and begin as well.
...
"The duel has begun!"
"But given that the both of them are lecturing simultaneously, how does the listening group decide on whom they should listen to?"
"Simple, they'll just listen to the lecture which content attracts and benefits them!"
"You're right. Although most cultivators are incapable of multi-tasking, it isn't too difficult for them to filter off the words of one side!"
Seeing that the duel had begun, discussions immediately sounded from the crowd.
"Who do you think will win this match?"
"It's hard to say, but my bet is on Zhang shi again!"
"If Impartation of Heaven's Will was allowed, Zhang shi surely wouldn't have any problem. But given the rules, it'll have to depend on whose fundamental knowledge of fundamental is stronger..."
"Considering the larger collection of profound books in the Cascading Sand Sect, Huang Zheng seems to be in a far better position!"
...
There was no one below who wasn't curious about how this would turn out. Since they were unable to listen to the content of the lecture, they focused their attention on the group on the stage in hopes of being able to discern something.
But it was a pity that their hopes fell flat.
The group listening to the lecture seemed to have been hypnotized. They were indeed listening attentively with a look drunk in pleasure, but it was impossible to tell whether the cause of it was Zhang shi's lecture or Huang shi's lecture.
Just as everyone was curious to see the results of the duel, someone amidst the crowd suddenly shouted, "Luo Xuan and Bi Jianghai's duel has ended..."
The crowd immediately turned their sights to the other stage and saw that the duel had come to an end.
Bi Jianghai's eyebrows were arched upward. He was carrying a disposition reminiscent of a majestic dragon, unassailable by any.
On the other hand, Luo Xuan, the most popular contender for the champion seat, was standing opposite to him. He was shaking his head with slightly disappointed expression.
"What happened?"
"Who won?"
Seeing this sight, everyone was taken aback.
Bi Jianghai came from humble origins, and he wasn't even among the top ten contenders for the champion seat. As such, everyone thought that he would surely end in defeat against Luo Xuan. But why does the scene tell a different story instead?
"Luo shi lost!" a master teacher who was spectating the duel said. His voice was tinged in disbelief, as though he found his own words hard to believe as well.
"Luo shi is the strongest contender for the champion seat, how could he possibly lose?"
There were many among the crowd who found this conclusion inconceivable.
"The both of them competed in a duel of cultivation. The both of them are equals, or rather, Luo shi was in a slightly more advantageous position. Logically speaking, he should have been able to win. Who could have thought that... with a stroke of good luck, Bi shi managed to achieve a breakthrough in the midst of the duel, reaching Consonant Spirit realm!"
That master teacher smiled bitterly.
"Achieve a breakthrough?"
"Consonant Spirit realm?"
Everyone was stunned.