Chapter 244: The Stubborn Girl and the Sleeping Beauty!
As Qi Lei's voice fell, the mountaintop erupted into excitement once more.
Many disciples flipped their palms, revealing a jade token in their hands, then surged toward the platforms scattered across the peak like a tide.
Lin Fan was no exception. Glancing at the venue listed on his jade token, he vanished from sight and reappeared on one of the wide duel platforms under countless watchful eyes.
Just as Lin Fan landed on the platform, surprised murmurs rippled through the crowd.
His brow twitched slightly, and he soon saw a familiar figure descending gracefully before him—Ying Huanhuan, hugging her emerald guqin.
Clearly, she had been assigned as his first opponent.
Looking at her mischievous, smiling face, Lin Fan couldn't help but wonder if this little fox had tampered with the jade tokens somehow.
On the broad platform, the girl stood with a bright smile, her slender figure outlined beautifully beneath her robe.
Bathed in sunlight, she looked even more radiant than usual.
For a moment, the eyes of those watching grew noticeably more intense.
"Didn't expect my first opponent to be you," Lin Fan said, shaking his head with a smile.
"Why not? I'm a contestant too. Or do you think I shouldn't be allowed to participate?" Ying Huanhuan tilted her head, grinning like a little fox.
"You look pretty happy about this. What, think you can beat me?" Lin Fan chuckled.
She frowned, then her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Beating you might be hard... how about you let me win?"
"You wish. Let's go," Lin Fan said flatly, taking a step forward.
"Why are you being so mean?" she pouted with an aggrieved expression.
Immediately, many glares from the crowd turned toward Lin Fan, clearly displeased with his "bullying."
Lin Fan rolled his eyes. "I'm not being mean. But if you don't attack, I won't go easy."
He unleashed a wave of Yuan Power, pressing down on her with a powerful aura.
"Hmph! You think I'm scared of you?"
Her playful expression faded slightly. Her hands moved, and the guqin appeared on her lap as she sat floating in midair.
Her flawless, jade-like fingers rested on the strings. Her eyes grew sharp, and her expression turned serious.
A soft melody began to play, and arcs of green sound energy surged toward Lin Fan.
BOOM BOOM!
He casually reached out and crushed the green waves with his bare hands.
Seeing her attack so easily nullified, Ying Huanhuan frowned, biting her lip. A stubborn glint appeared in her eyes.
Suddenly, she pressed her palm against the guqin. Crimson blood seeped from her hand, spreading like veins across the strings.
Buzz!
A tidal wave of power burst from her, and a massive Bodhi Tree formed behind her in red light.
The crowd gasped in shock.
"The Formless Bodhi Melody!"
It was second only to the Heaven Emperor Scripture within Heaven Hall—a powerful sonic technique.
With a focused expression, she plucked the strings and whispered:
"The Faces of All Beings."
The Bodhi Tree shook, and a mesmerizing melody echoed across the sky.
As the soundwave spread, the space in front of Lin Fan warped like a mirror.
From it, a copy of himself slowly emerged.
Lin Fan raised a brow and calmly stepped forward, shattering the copy with a single palm.
Then, while Ying Huanhuan's eyes still showed a flicker of panic, he suddenly appeared before her and slapped his hand down on her guqin.
PAH!
The sound rang clear, and the soundwaves from the guqin collapsed into silence.
"You—!"
She looked up, stunned, just as leaves from the Bodhi Tree began falling like arrows toward Lin Fan.
He activated a crimson flame barrier, encircling himself in blazing heat.
A Vermilion Bird phantom circled the barrier, and the leaves evaporated upon contact.
Lin Fan reached out. Devouring Power surged as he snatched the guqin from her arms and smiled. "You lost."
"I didn't! Give me back my guqin!" Ying Huanhuan protested, reaching for it.
"You want it? Then come get it." Lin Fan chuckled and sat down in midair, placing the guqin on his lap and plucking the strings.
The guqin trembled, trying to resist—but Lin Fan activated Ancestral Stone Suppression, instantly subduing it.
As he strummed, soft, heavenly music filled the air.
The melody contained a strange power—seeping into the hearts of all who listened.
Weaker disciples around the platform began nodding off, quickly circulating Yuan Power to fight off sleep.
That was just the residual effect.
As the direct target, Ying Huanhuan's eyelids grew heavy. She struggled to raise her hand… but then completely relaxed.
Like a sleeping fairy, she gently fell from the sky.
Lin Fan caught her with a princess carry, holding her lightly in his arms.
In that moment, she was peaceful and quiet—like a Sleeping Beauty from a fairytale.
GASP!
The entire crowd of Dao Sect disciples burst into an uproar.
If looks could kill, Lin Fan would've been chopped into dust.
In the Earth Hall area, Qing Ye clenched his fists tightly, swearing that if he faced Lin Fan in the next round, he would teach him a lesson.
"Wake up."
Unbothered by their glares, Lin Fan raised a finger and flicked Ying Huanhuan's forehead gently. A voice of pure clarity rang directly into her soul.
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