"Juling Sect, fight on!"
"Juling Sect, fight on!"
The moment both sides took their positions, the stands erupted with deafening cheers, shaking like a tidal wave.
The disciples of Wushuang Sect: "???"
Was this supposed to be a cheer or some kind of sonic attack?
Still, they stayed fairly calm.
Down below, the disciples of other sects were stunned to see Gao Jingxuan and several others also shouting loudly, cheering for Juling Sect.
Cheering for their opponent? Was this the kind of camaraderie unique to Wushuang Sect disciples?And the strangest part—those on stage showed no signs of anger at all. One of them even looked as if he was enjoying it.
Were Wushuang Sect disciples all a little unhinged?
The scene was so bizarre that the crowd didn't know if they should keep chanting for Juling Sect or stop.
They had meant to humiliate Wushuang Sect.
But instead, the Wushuang Sect disciples seemed proud to accept it.
As a result, the cheers gradually weakened.
The Wushuang Sect disciples: "???"
Where was the hatred? Where was the fury? Why did it vanish all of a sudden?
One disciple couldn't help but shout, "Don't stop! Keep cheering!"
"Exactly, exactly! If you stop, we'll lose the mood for the fight."
"How cruel. Brothers and Sisters of Juling Sect, if I were you, I'd be furious. Who ever heard of cheering that sputters out halfway like a leaky oil lamp?"
The disciples of Juling Sect: "…"
The referee glanced at the Wushuang Sect disciples hopping about and said darkly, "It seems both sides are ready. The match will begin after ten breaths." He stepped off the platform.
Ten breaths later, the barrier rose around the stage, and the battle began.
This time, before the match, Lin Xiao had announced a new rule: within the span of one incense stick, both sects must attack.
If one side refused to attack, they would be declared the losers.
When the rule was announced, everyone thought Yun Jin would kick up a fuss. After all, the reason they beat Ziyun Sect yesterday was entirely thanks to their turtle-like formation.This new rule completely erased their biggest advantage.
And Yun Jin was never one to swallow grievances. Lin Xiao had altered the rules mid-tournament, giving her a perfect excuse to protest.
Many sects had already prepared themselves to unite and enforce the change. Otherwise, not only this Foundation Establishment team battle, but all the upcoming matches would fall apart.
Even Lin Xiao, after reading the rule aloud, turned to watch Yun Jin cautiously.
But unexpectedly, Yun Jin didn't resist at all. She even clapped first, smiling as she praised, "Excellent rule, truly ingenious, perfectly done. I, Yun Jin, fully support it!"
Her response left the entire crowd suspicious.
Did she simply recognize she couldn't resist the greater tide, and chose to lay low? Or… was Wushuang Sect about to pull another trick?
When the battle started, everyone felt a tension they hadn't before. Though it was merely a clash between Foundation Establishment disciples—a stage that normally didn't attract attention—today, all the higher-ups were watching with solemn faces.
"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, everyone relax." Yun Jin grinned. "Friendship first, competition second."
No one answered. All eyes were locked on the stage.
Yun Jin immediately tugged at Lin Xiao's sleeve, whining, "Pavilion Master Lin, look! They're ganging up to ignore me. This is bullying! You have to stand up for me!"
Lin Xiao's face stayed expressionless.
Was it possible that Yun Jin alone had been bullying everyone else all along?
But Yun Jin didn't care. She kept chattering endlessly to Lin Xiao. Even when he deliberately ignored her, she happily rambled on by herself.
Only when the fighting began did she quiet down, turning to watch the match.
On stage, the Juling Sect disciples sneered. One disciple mocked, "Weren't you quite content being turtles yesterday? Today, let's see if you dare not to strike back."
Today, anyone who failed to attack would be judged the loser.
"If you don't attack, we naturally won't retaliate," one Wushuang Sect disciple replied cheerfully. "How about this—we sit down and chat, maybe play cards. Since the rule says whoever doesn't attack loses, let's see what happens if neither side attacks. Who will be judged the loser then?"
"That's not a bad idea. Brothers and Sisters opposite, think it over."
"I agree. Worst case, we both lose. Doesn't that make it a draw again?"
"That's true friendship—friendship first, competition second."
The Wushuang Sect disciples spoke in unison.
Yun Jin's face broke into a satisfied smile. Excellent. These disciples had finally matured. They now showed even one percent of her own shameless charm.
The other sects were utterly exasperated.
"Juling Sect, just attack already! Stop wasting time!"
"They're nothing but trash!"
"Other than hiding like turtles, what else can they do?"
The crowd roared, and surprisingly, the loudest voices belonged to Wushuang Sect disciples who weren't even fighting today.
The Juling Sect disciples couldn't endure it any longer and unleashed their assault.
On Wushuang Sect's side, their disciples immediately activated the Hun Yuan secret art, raising the same protective barrier as before.
If Ziyun Sect couldn't break it, Juling Sect surely couldn't either.
But this time, the Juling Sect disciples weren't anxious.
Heh.
It was only a turtle formation. Once the incense burned out, Wushuang Sect would be forced to attack, and then their defense would crumble. That would be Juling Sect's victory.
So they struck wildly at the shield, turning the match into a performance stage for their flashy combinations.
"Nice strike!"
"That move was gorgeous!"
"Brothers and Sisters, keep it up!"
Meanwhile, the Wushuang Sect disciples kept cheering enthusiastically.
Juling Sect assumed it was their surrender and only got flashier with their attacks. As incense ash reached its end, Wushuang Sect would soon have to attack—or lose.
Everyone's eyes shifted toward Yun Jin.
Yun Jin, calm as ever, caught their stares and smirked. "What are you looking at me for? Watch the match. Do I have a flower on my face?"
The crowd ignored her and turned back.
At the very last moment, Wushuang Sect's disciples finally stirred.
All ten activated another secret technique. The barrier shifted, rippling strangely.
Then—
A sharp strike burst forth, slashing at Juling Sect's disciples.
The power wasn't overwhelming.
They blocked it easily and sneered, "That's your attack? More like a tickle."
But a tickle is never just one touch.
Before their words had even fallen, a flurry of identical attacks rained down on them.
Though each strike wasn't especially powerful, the sheer density left them overwhelmed.
And more than that—something about these moves felt familiar.
Lin Xiao's eyes narrowed, his voice turning cold. "These are Juling Sect's own attacks."
Somehow, Wushuang Sect was reflecting them one by one, only slightly weaker than the originals.
"Return the opponent's methods in kind." Yun Jin chuckled. "Well? Do you like it?"