Chapter 1018: Dì-Character Division (Earth) Sword Tournament
The Earth Sword Tournament had begun.
In the secluded forests of Tàixū Mountain, under towering ancient trees, Mò Huà sat in a circle with the disciples participating in the Dì-character tournament, preparing for battle.
The elimination rate in the Xuán-character division was typically around ninety percent.
For the Four Great Sects, the elimination rate was slightly lower.
However, due to its large number of disciples, Tàixū Sect actually had a higher elimination rate than even the Eight Major Sects.
The number of teams that successfully advanced was not large, roughly on par with the Eight Major Sects.
So far, Tàixū Sect's advantage had come from its sheer numbers.
At the lower disciple levels, thanks to Mò Huà's arrays, spirit artifacts, and tactical coordination, an initial "Heaven's Proud Elite Army" had taken shape, displaying strong combat effectiveness.
However, at the higher levels—especially in the Xuán-character and Dì-character tournaments—this advantage gradually weakened.
The top talents of Tàixū Sect were far fewer than those of the Eight Major Sects, let alone compared to the Four Great Sects like Jīngāng Sect, Xiāoyáo Sect, and Língxiāo Sect.
Because of this, seeing the current elimination rate, Mò Huà was already quite satisfied.
Based on his initial expectations, the elimination rate should have been even worse.
Yet, Tàixū Sect still ranked third overall at this point—
A ranking that was already quite high, even beyond Mò Huà's expectations.
The reasons behind this were complex:
On one hand, he and Línghú Xiào's team had won numerous matches, securing many victory points and stabilizing the sect's position.
On the other hand, they owed some thanks to Duànjīn Sect.
After the core techniques of Duànjīn Sect leaked into Mò Huà's hands, this monster of an array master, their sect suffered crushing defeats against Tàixū Sect during the Xuán-character tournament, essentially handing over a large number of points.
Another important reason was the efforts of the so-called 'insignificant junior disciples'.
Some of these disciples, previously unremarkable within the sect, had undergone tempering through the tournament battles, just like iron being forged in fire.
Match after match, they had begun to shine.
These disciples, under the leadership of their senior brother Mò Huà, united as one, fought tooth and nail in every battle, giving their all.
Although most of them were ultimately eliminated in the Xuán-character division,
they still earned many victory points for Tàixū Sect.
Otherwise, Tàixū Sect would have never been able to maintain its third-place ranking.
These seemingly ordinary disciples, after enduring the trials of the Sword Tournament, had begun to show signs of a transformation.
Among them, the most notable in their transformation and performance came from a team in Tài'ā Sect.
This team consisted of five brothers, all sharing the surname Ouyang. Their names were auspicious, each named after a symbol of prosperity: Fú (Blessing), Lù (Fortune), Shòu (Longevity), Xǐ (Happiness), and Cái (Wealth).
However, despite their auspicious names, their backgrounds were impoverished.
They were from a collateral branch of the Ouyang clan, originally not even bearing the surname Ouyang.
Having lost their parents early, they struggled to survive, while their clan could barely support these five orphaned siblings.
"Too many mouths to feed, too few resources."
Moreover, they were cultivators—
They didn't just need food, they also needed resources for cultivation.
Cultivation techniques, spiritual herbs, spirit stones—everything required money.
This was an impossible burden for a collateral branch of the Ouyang clan.
Yet, all five brothers had remarkable talent—
It would be a waste of fate to let them wither away without proper cultivation.
Thus, the clan elders pulled some strings and had them adopted into the main Ouyang family, under the lineage of a deceased elder who had no descendants, allowing them to continue the bloodline.
The Ouyang clan was vast and wealthy, so providing for these five extra children wasn't an issue.
However, because they were adopted, their cultivation resources were limited.
Having suffered hardship, they understood the rarity of this opportunity,
so they trained even harder than anyone else.
Their talent, combined with their shared determination as brothers, led to rapid cultivation progress.
Without any special care or assistance from elders, they relied solely on their strength to pass the entrance examination for Tài'ā Sect, which was an astonishing feat.
However, their humble origins meant their foundations were weak.
After entering Tài'ā Sect, they remained diligent,
but compared to the true bloodline geniuses in the sect,
they inevitably faded into obscurity.
Until the Sword Tournament, when Mò Huà noticed them.
He elevated the five brothers—
He gave them each a full set of heavy armor and a massive greatsword,
then told them one simple command:
"Don't think about anything—just cut down whoever you see."
From that moment, the fate of the five brothers changed forever.
They had no noble lineage, no powerful backers, no elders to guide them.
In Tài'ā Sect, where prodigies gathered like clouds,
it was inevitable that they felt inferior and reserved.
Their personalities were even a bit dull and simple-minded.
They didn't understand complex battle strategies
nor were they skilled at executing intricate maneuvers.
But Mò Huà's four words—"Just cut down whoever you see"—were simple and direct, clear and unmistakable.
The moment they stepped into battle, they just had to repeat those words in their minds—
And suddenly, their hearts surged with endless courage and fighting spirit.
No fear. No hesitation. No doubts. No confusion.
They ignored everything else—
All that mattered was "Just cut down whoever you see."
It didn't matter who stood before them.
It didn't matter which sect they were from, if they were a prodigy, whether their status was high or low, or if their cultivation was strong or weak.
They only had one job—to cut down whatever stood in their way.
Once their greatswords were raised, the fight was decided—life or death, victory or defeat.
And the five brothers, who had grown up suffering together, trained together, practiced the same techniques,
refined their skills through constant sparring, shared both fortune and hardship— were truly united in heart and soul, bound by blood thicker than water.
Their teamwork was flawless.
The moment they stepped into battle, standing in formation in their heavy armor, wielding their massive greatswords, they resembled five towering "War Gods," radiating an aura so fearsome it shook the battlefield.
Then, in perfect unison, the five brothers swung their greatswords.
Five moved as one—one moved as five.
Once battle erupted, their killing intent surged, and their greatswords became like butcher knives, swinging wildly like a storm, hacking and slashing in every direction.
With their shared battle cry, echoing Mò Huà's words—"Just cut down whoever you see"— it was as if they had fallen into a battle trance, their minds empty of distractions, their charge unstoppable, exuding the terrifying presence of demons in battle.
During the Sword Tournament, countless disciples from other sects were stunned.
As soon as they clashed, five towering figures charged in, not saying a single word, raising their greatswords straight to the face—
slash, slash, slash—without hesitation.
In an instant, the opponents saw darkness, and by the time they regained their senses, they had already been "killed" and eliminated from the match.
No reasoning. No mercy. No escape.
As the saying goes, "A chaotic flurry of swords can take down even a master."
Do they have tactics? Their five-man team, well-organized, neatly structured, and even their spiritual weapons are well-equipped.
If you really say they have tactics...
Other than the word "hack," there is nothing else.
Engaging in battle feels incredibly frustrating.
A giant sword sweeps across, chaotic sword strikes like a swarm, vast and overwhelming, no rules, no particular technique.
If you can withstand it, you can try to fight; if not, you're simply done.
To be honest, these five brothers don't necessarily win all their matches—there have been quite a few losses.
But because Mo Hua specifically selected enchanted heavy armor that is immune to most spells and slashes, along with giant swords infused with spiritual power, slightly weaker teams have absolutely no ability to resist. A single clash, and they are instantly crushed by the giant swords.
Stronger teams, at least, have a chance at victory.
Even the strong teams, when facing the Tai Ah Five Brothers, must be extremely cautious.
Otherwise, if they expose a flaw, a chaotic flurry of giant sword strikes might directly hack them into a daze.
As for these five brothers, their thinking is very simple.
Listen to their senior brother's words, go up and hack away.
If they win, they win. If they lose, they lose. They don't even think about it.
Precisely because they have no worries, no doubts, their slashes are executed decisively.
After dozens of sword duels, fighting against various sect teams, the five brothers' experience in dueling has only grown richer. Their swordsmanship has been refined battle after battle, and the destructive power of their giant swords has only increased.
And just like that, in this competition, without anyone noticing, without anyone paying attention to the "Tai Ah Five Brothers," they unexpectedly fought their way into the Elite Division from the Mystic Division.
Mo Hua was also surprised.
Aside from the Tai Ah Five Brothers, the other teams advancing to the Elite Division were mostly well-established.
For example, Yang Qianjun's "Infantry Team."
Yang Qianjun comes from a family of military strategists, born into the Yang Clan. From childhood, he was immersed in military strategies and is proficient in battlefield formations.
After the three sects merged, he also recruited disciples from Tai Ah Mountain and Chong Xu Mountain, gathering those from military families to form a true "Infantry Team."
This is a genuine and pure "Infantry Team," not the kind of military prototype Mo Hua had promoted before.
Everything was strictly arranged according to military tactics, with formations and configurations in place.
Additionally, with Mo Hua's support, they were provided with complete battle formations and an ample supply of spiritual weapons.
Yang Qianjun's team also advanced to the Elite Division.
The other teams that advanced were all top-tier disciples from the Three Mountains.
Even Hao Xuan and his team managed to advance.
His team relied entirely on their movement techniques—chasing, running, and seizing opportunities to pick off weakened opponents, winning one match at a time.
Their advancement was purely due to good luck.
Mo Hua found it unbelievable.
He even had a vague illusion, as if the ancestors of the Tai Xu Sect were secretly watching over him and the sect.
The crowd gathered under the tree.
And tomorrow would be the Elite Division duels.
Mo Hua briefly outlined battle tactics, selected suitable formations and spiritual weapons for them, then simply said:
"This is the situation. In the Elite Division, just do your best."
"If you can win, that's great. If you lose, don't be discouraged either."
"Understood, Senior Brother." Everyone nodded.
The upcoming duels could no longer be resolved with tactics alone.
This was something the elite disciples fully understood.
Still, those present remained grateful to Mo Hua.
Without Mo Hua, they might not have made it this far in the Elite Division duels.
Especially the Tai Ah Five Brothers, who looked at Mo Hua, their senior brother, with admiration and gratitude in their eyes.
Without Mo Hua's guidance, without his formation strategies and spiritual weapons, they wouldn't have been able to break through the Mystic Division and fight their way to this point.
Now, they had made their mark in the great duels. Even if they only reached the Elite Division, it was enough to make the elders of Tai Ah Mountain look at them in a new light.
Even the strict and serious elders of the Ouyang Clan welcomed them with smiles.
The weak are ignored.
But once one becomes strong or demonstrates enough potential, they gain more allies.
The five brothers, despite their simplicity, understood this well.
And all of it was thanks to their senior brother.
Without his help, without the opportunity he provided, they would never have made their mark in the grand duels.
Thus, while others saw them as fierce warriors wielding five menacing giant swords—so terrifying that their names made people pale—before Mo Hua, they acted with quiet humility, obediently following his every word.
Whatever Mo Hua said, they nodded repeatedly, memorizing his words, even showing a touch of unwavering loyalty.
Once preparations were complete, everyone dispersed.
Mo Hua returned to his residence and began strategizing for his own Elite Division duel.
By now, he had already revealed many of his trump cards.
The ones he had left were becoming fewer and fewer.
And in the Elite Division, he would be facing the true prodigies of the four great sects. The difficulty would be exponentially greater, and the battles would only get harder.
Tomorrow's duel was bound to be a grueling and bitter fight.
Mo Hua calculated with his fingers, silently making predictions, then sighed, his gaze growing deeper.
"This is going to be tough..."
...
Inside a grand hall of a certain sect.
A group of elder strategists gathered in one place, their expressions all grim.
After staying up for countless nights, after analyzing the shadow projections countless times, after meticulously calculating that boy's concealment, they had believed everything was set for success—that the boy was doomed without a doubt…
Yet, he suddenly revealed a bizarre movement technique.
At that moment, the group of elders could only stare in silence, their faces turning red with suppressed frustration, almost spitting blood in disbelief.
"This damn brat, he actually had such a trump card hidden!"
"He clearly possessed an extraordinary movement technique, yet he endured for so many battles without using it, just toying with his opponents like a cat playing with a mouse..."
"This boy is far too cunning, his mind too devious—I've never seen anything like it in my entire life."
"That level of patience and restraint... he's no different from an old fox."
"Patience and restraint? He's just downright sinister! His nature is vile—he enjoys manipulating others and playing tricks. His moral compass is completely rotten..."
"Such a young kid, yet already so shameless…"
A group of elders, who had lost countless nights of sleep, were now filled with righteous indignation, all taking turns to "denounce" Mo Hua.
"Enough," someone finally lost their patience. "Get to the point..."
"No matter what, we are senior elders of a great sect, respected figures with status. Yet here we are gossiping behind the back of a mere junior disciple. What kind of behavior is this?"
The hall instantly fell silent.
The elders' expressions remained just as grim.
"Have you identified the origins of that boy's movement technique?" someone asked.
"We have, but it's complicated. It carries traces of many high-level movement techniques…"
"And which high-level techniques exactly?"
"Well... it's just that..."
"This kid's sense for movement techniques is uncanny. He has fused countless styles into his own. If you ask me to pinpoint a single origin, I truly have no clear answer…"
"That's just useless talk."
"Fine, but what's the point in discussing this? With a movement technique refined to this level, even if we know its origins, how do we counter it? Who here can counter it?"
"We could try the Binding Spirit Chains…"
"Can you guarantee they'll restrain him?"
"What about the Immobilizing Spell?"
"Do you think your spells are faster than his movement?"
"Formation arrays?"
"Using a formation against a master of formations? Have you forgotten his identity?"
Everyone felt a weight in their chests.
The hall fell into another brief silence.
Ultimately, movement technique was a form of pure "hard power." Once it reached an absurd level, countering it became extremely difficult.
And countermeasures against movement techniques? Ironically, those were precisely Mo Hua's area of expertise.
Other minor tricks wouldn't work at all.
If nothing else, his sharp and powerful spiritual sense alone was already an insurmountable barrier.
After a moment of silence, a seasoned elder slowly spoke:
"His movement technique… we have no counter to it."
With that, the matter was concluded.
"As of now, whether we admit it or not, even if he relied purely on techniques and spells, just by virtue of that elusive movement alone, this Mo Hua is already worthy of being counted among the true 'Heaven's Prides' of the sword competition."
"With Linghu Xiao and this Mo Hua, the Tai Xu Sect now has a team with two true 'Heaven's Prides.'"
The hall erupted into murmurs of discussion.
Everyone was engaged in lively discussion, clearly holding strong opinions on the matter.
However, for the moment, no one outright refuted it.
The elder who had spoken earlier cleared his throat, and the hall quickly fell silent again as he continued, "That may be so, but there's no need for concern."
"This Mo Hua, his strengths and weaknesses are equally apparent."
"His greatest advantage lies in his comprehensive abilities—combining spell attacks, control techniques, restraint, survival skills, and evasion—making him a well-rounded 'support' cultivator."
"But his biggest flaw is… he is ultimately just support."
"To a great extent, he relies on his teammates—especially that Linghu Xiao."
"When his teammates are strong, he is strong."
"But on the other hand, without teammates, his abilities alone are not particularly suited for direct combat."
"Most crucially, he lacks the independent capability to execute decisive kills."
"Without assistance, he cannot kill anyone."
"His low-level Five Elements spells may be exquisite, and their power is not to be underestimated."
"But in the Xuan-ranked division, where he's facing the elites of various sects, he's only managing to stay afloat."
"Moreover, his feeble spiritual power cannot sustain large-scale or prolonged spell combat."
The elder shook his head. "This is the Heavenly Pride Sword Debate. If he cannot rely on his own strength to defeat opponents independently and can only use spells to seize opportunistic strikes, he will ultimately remain nothing more than 'dead weight.'"
"The further he goes, the less viable he becomes…"
"If this young man's abilities remain at this level, no matter how outstanding his movement techniques are, he won't make it far."
"The Earth-ranked debate cannot be won by footwork alone."
"In fact, he won't even need to wait for the later rounds. The outcome of the very next Earth-ranked match should make things clear…"
The elder finished speaking in a deep voice, then slowly closed his eyes to rest.
His analysis of Mo Hua was precise and thorough.
His words directly struck at the core weakness of Mo Hua's cultivation path.
Support was, after all, just support.
Support alone could not kill an opponent.
Only when his teammates were strong could he shine—without them, he was nothing.
Many present nodded in agreement. Especially those who had been involved in the previous day's Daoist divination ceremony, where they had analyzed the upcoming matchups and reviewed the participant list for the sword debate. Thinking about Mo Hua's assigned opponent for the next Earth-ranked match, their eyes flickered with interest.
"This next Earth-ranked match will be a true display of dominance!"
...
The next day, after a grand and elaborate Sword Debate ceremony…
The Earth-ranked sword debate officially began.
And in the very first match, Mo Hua had to step onto the battlefield.
His opponent was a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, one of the Four Great Sects, an inheritor of the Heavenly Sword Dao.
Moreover, he was no ordinary prodigy.
He was the top disciple of this generation in the Heavenly Sword Sect, one of the most outstanding talents among countless sword cultivators, and the strongest contender of this year's tournament—
Xiao Wuchen.
This was undoubtedly the most anticipated and exciting match of the Earth-ranked debate.
The moment the match began, the atmosphere was electrifying.
Even the originally vast and boundless Debate Mountain was now completely packed with spectators.
Everyone wanted to witness the grace of the top disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
At the same time, they were also eager to see how the Taixu Sect would fare against the Heavenly Sword Sect.
This was a duel that drew the attention of all.
Outside the arena, Elder Zhang, Zhang Lan, Wen Xiyuan, Yu'er, Gu Changhuai, and many other cultivators familiar with Mo Hua—whether family members, sect disciples, or close friends—watched silently, offering their quiet blessings.
For Mo Hua, this was a true challenge against a top-tier enemy.
Their hearts were filled with anticipation for his performance, yet at the same time, they couldn't help but feel uneasy and worried.
Amidst this tense and anxious atmosphere, the first Earth-ranked sword debate began.
The debate bell rang, signaling the clash.
Figures intertwined, sword energy and spells colliding fiercely.
Yet in just a brief moment—
The Taixu Sect was utterly defeated.
Xiao Wuchen, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Heavenly Sword Sect, wielding both unparalleled swordsmanship and Dao techniques, led four of the sect's top prodigies.
With a single exchange—
In the blink of an eye—
They crushed Mo Hua and his four teammates from the Taixu Sect in an almost overwhelming manner.
(End of Chapter)