Chapter 245: Huanhuan's Grumbling, The Top-Tier Duel Begins!
As Qi Lei's voice fell, the mountaintop erupted once more into a frenzy.
Disciples revealed jade tokens from their palms, and countless figures leapt into the air, descending toward the hundred platforms scattered across the summit.
Lin Fan also glanced at the number on his jade token, then flashed into motion. Under many watching eyes, he landed on one of the wide dueling platforms.
But as he arrived, a wave of surprised gasps swept through the crowd.
Raising an eyebrow, Lin Fan looked ahead—and saw a familiar figure gracefully landing across from him, an emerald guqin cradled in her arms.
His first opponent: Ying Huanhuan.
Seeing her sweet smile, Lin Fan couldn't help but suspect that this little fox had tampered with the match assignments.
On the spacious platform, the girl grinned playfully at him. Her lithe figure curved beautifully beneath her robes, and under the sunlight, she looked even more dazzling.
Countless eyes grew hot with envy.
"Didn't expect you to be my first opponent," Lin Fan said, shaking his head with a smile.
"Why not? I'm a contestant too. Or are you saying I shouldn't be allowed to participate?" she asked, tilting her head like a sly little fox.
"You seem happy. What, think you can beat me?" Lin Fan teased.
Ying Huanhuan frowned slightly, then her eyes sparkled. "Well… that might be hard. How about you let me win?"
"Nope. Let's go," Lin Fan replied with a shrug.
"You're so mean…" she pouted, looking aggrieved.
The crowd immediately glared at Lin Fan as if he were a villain bullying a princess.
Lin Fan rolled his eyes. "I'm not being mean. If you don't fight, I won't go easy."
He released his Yuan Power, his powerful aura pressing down on her.
"Hmph! You think I'm scared?"
With a snort, her playful demeanor vanished. She sat cross-legged in midair, her guqin on her lap, fingers resting on the strings. Her eyes turned serious, the mischievous spark replaced with razor-sharp focus.
As she strummed the strings, soft melodies surged outward. Green arcs of energy shot toward Lin Fan like blades.
BOOM BOOM!
Lin Fan crushed them easily with his bare hands.
Seeing her attack brushed aside so casually, Ying Huanhuan bit her lip, a stubborn gleam rising in her eyes.
Suddenly, she pressed her palm to the strings. Blood flowed from her hand, lacing through the guqin like crimson veins.
Buzz!
An overwhelming wave of energy burst from her. A massive Bodhi Tree formed behind her in glowing red light.
Gasps filled the air.
The Formless Bodhi Melody!
Second only to Heaven Hall's supreme art—the Heaven Emperor Scripture.
Her expression solemn, Ying Huanhuan muttered,
"Manifestation of All Beings."
A powerful soundwave rolled out. The Bodhi Tree swayed, releasing harmonics that twisted the space before Lin Fan.
From the distorted space, a duplicate of Lin Fan stepped forward.
He raised an eyebrow—and promptly shattered the illusion with one palm.
Then, he shot toward Ying Huanhuan, reaching out for the guqin.
PAH!
A crisp smack echoed. The melody shattered into silence.
"You—!"
She looked up in shock.
But she reacted. From the Bodhi Tree behind her, thousands of leaves fell like arrows, aimed at Lin Fan.
He activated a flaming red barrier. A Vermilion Bird phantom soared around him, and the leaves were incinerated on contact.
Lin Fan's palm curved, Devouring Power surged, and he snatched the guqin from her arms.
"You lost," he said with a smile.
"I didn't! Give it back!" she protested, reaching for it.
"You want it? Come get it," he teased.
He sat cross-legged midair and began playing the guqin himself.
The guqin struggled at first—but Lin Fan used Ancestral Stone Suppression to subdue it.
As he strummed, a soft heavenly melody echoed out.
Weaker disciples nearby began to feel drowsy. They quickly circulated Yuan Power to stay awake.
This was just the aftereffect.
Ying Huanhuan, the direct target, felt her eyelids grow heavy. Her body relaxed completely, and she slowly fell—fast asleep.
Like a fairy from a dream, she drifted from the sky.
Lin Fan caught her in a princess carry, holding her gently.
Her sleeping face was serene, soft—like a Sleeping Beauty from a fairytale.
GASP!
The entire crowd erupted.
If glares could kill, Lin Fan would've been ripped apart by a thousand blades.
In the Earth Hall area, Qing Ye clenched his fists tight. He swore to himself—if he faced Lin Fan next, he'd make him pay.
"Wake up."
Ignoring the hateful stares, Lin Fan flicked her forehead lightly. A soul-shaking sound echoed softly.
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