Chapter 307: An Irrational Beheading That Chills Even Ghost Gods To The Neck! Seed Battle Champion Shangshan Che!
The Guī Yuān sword light capable of erasing all things was far faster than before, and far more abundant.
Sword lights filling the sky, every single one equivalent to the sword that had landed on Nishaku earlier, or perhaps the heavenly light that had slain the Great Demon in the mountain at night.
But this shocking rain of swords all missed entirely.
The figure wearing the Red Hannya Mask had vanished.
Minamoto Shizuka had yet to react when her entire body was suddenly slammed onto the arena floor by a ferocious Violence from who-knows-where, forcibly pressing the entire arena several inches into the ground.
The Qi Circulation far superior to before could only barely maintain her body without being crushed in an instant.
Gotta go…
Though she didn’t understand what had happened, Minamoto Shizuka didn’t even think before preparing to enter the Spatial Quality Sea to seize a chance to catch her breath.
But this thought had only just formed when it was severed in two by the descending Kaga Kiyomitsu.
Viscous white and black split Minamoto Shizuka in half from the middle of her neck.
Decapitation.
The speed of his falling blade was so fast that even Little Jia’s own blade didn’t react.
Where am I? What did I do?
This eerie scene even made the necks of those Ghost Gods on the high platform, who had just recently advanced due to the aftershocks of the Tide, feel a chill.
Because the speed of this blade was simply too fast, and too traceless.
Even they didn’t dare say they had a hundred percent certainty of dealing with it.
Beneath Ghost God… able to threaten a Ghost God?
The worldviews of some newly advanced traditional Ghost Gods, who had been educated since childhood that “Ghost Gods are invincible,” were slightly shaken.
They had spent decades, even over a hundred years, some pouring in everything, some abandoning all they had before, to barely become the long-dreamed-of Ghost Gods.
But now, someone had actually used actions to prove that Ghost Gods aren’t necessarily absolutely stronger than those beneath Ghost God…
“Spatial Quality Sea, didn’t enter?”
Minamoto Shizuka extremely rarely blanked out in the midst of combat.
The next moment, she finally realized that she had somehow already been decapitated.
In Minamoto Shizuka’s field of view, those eyes beneath the Red Hannya Mask were joyless and sorrowless, as if they had glimpsed all the truths of the world; Kaga Kiyomitsu’s blade shook off droplets of mercury-like blood, silver light gleaming coldly.
Truly, overwhelming Violence.
She sighed softly in her heart.
Compared to me, Shangshan Jun is more like a Ghost God.
Eldest Sister’s eyesight is as accurate as ever.
Minamoto Shizuka suddenly remembered that just now, she had actually regained her sense of self from the Sea of Tribulation because of a perfectly ordinary “encouragement.”
So the girl couldn’t help but smile.
“Turns out… I’m still a child.”
Kaga Kiyomitsu’s blade fell, stabbing straight toward Minamoto Shizuka’s brow.
The earlier mishap had taught Shangshan Che that he must deliver the finishing blow.
The blade tip had just pierced Minamoto Shizuka’s skin when it was firmly gripped by a hand wearing a black leather glove.
It was Nanjo Emi.
At the same time, the very familiar voice of the Ghost God Judge rang out: “Champion match ends!”
“Winner—”
The Referee deliberately dragged out the note, giving the audience ample time to react.
Then, he roared out this final, and only, name with an utterly terrifying volume,
“Shangshan Che!!!”
“Shangshan Che… Shangshan Che…”
The Referee’s words echoed lingeringly in the Sky City Arena, refusing to fade for a long time.
The venue’s audience were still dazed and stunned, seemingly yet to react.
Clearly just moments ago it looked like they were set for a three-hundred-round fierce battle, how did it end in an instant?
—But some had already voiced different sentiments.
Lili Zi narrowed her eyes, recalling those tumultuous dozen seconds, and tsked twice.
These two are still only three-and-a-half star… how are ordinary three-and-a-half star demons supposed to feel?
Below her, Saito Ryuichi had a face full of ease.
As expected, his strategy of “befriending Shangshan Che” had been right from the start.
It was just that he had few chances to actually speak with Shangshan Che, so up to now he had only barely gotten to a face-familiar level with him.
Kamo Kiichi was delighted, greatly delighted.
His mouth was nearly hooked up to the sky.
If not for so many people watching around him, he might have even jumped up from his seat to belt out a song.
Didn’t you see that even Minamoto Shizuka, the Fourth Daughter of the Gen Family who was nearly becoming a Ghost God, was utterly defeated under the current Seed Battle Champion Shangshan Che’s hand!
—That him, having used all his trump cards, was defeated by a monster like Shangshan Che, wasn’t that only natural! What’s more, he had persisted even longer than Minamoto Shizuka!
Win! Huge win!
This way, even if someone at home had reason to blame him, who else could?
In the dim lighting, Yagyu Oshi and Akechi Yuya both looked up together, gazing at the man on the arena who was the center of all attention.
One pleased, one reverent.
“Holy shit! Sis, did you see, Elder Brother Uesugi won this too!”
Tamamo wrapped her arm around Chisa’s neck in cheer, not even noticing her mobile phone falling through her legs to the ground: “Straight-up insta-killed the opponent! How insane is that! Who could’ve guessed!”
“Cough cough cough! Sis… let go, I’m gonna suffocate!”
After a good struggle, Chisa finally escaped from this strongman-locking-woman Rear Naked Choke.
Tamamo beside her quickly picked up the mobile phone, directly pulling out her photo with Shangshan Che and pointing at it to brag to those around: “Look look look, that’s me!”
Then she got the passersby’s evaluation of “whose kid potato.”
Chisa, meanwhile, deepened her resolve to take him as master.
She understood this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a fork in the road of life, a critical turning point of fate.
Chisa had made up her mind—
No matter how difficult the trials or hurdles Shangshan Che gave her, she would overcome them with all her might!
Hozoin Inrai beside the girl was stunned, forgetting to eat the snacks in his hand.
What the hell?
Skyrocketing his strength to a level even he couldn’t comprehend in mere seconds, then directly ending it?
The little monk’s throat couldn’t help but twitch.
Shangshan Benefactor, Minamoto Benefactor.
You two benefactors are… a bit too delicious.
—Okabe Motonobu said nothing, and no surprise flashed in her eyes.
Che is still as strong as ever.
Strong beyond everyone’s expectations.
This is him… or rather, this is who he is.
Great Onmyoji Che winning is only natural.
Okabe Motonobu had never doubted “Che’s” strength.
She was only wondering, since Che is this strong, why didn’t he save the Lord?
Even… unwilling to see him one last time.
The four adjacent seats in the same row truly achieved four seats, four thoughts.
…
Sunset afterglow once again bathed the room fully after several months.
Satiated Ye Chun sat calmly before the large screen.
Only her index finger clicking residual images on the mouse left button, the Golden Rockets flying out in flocks, and the irrepressible curve of her mouth proved Ye Chun’s great mood.
“Who knows if all these gifts I sent… helped him any.”
Ye Chun was somewhat worried.
Since she couldn’t send other things, she could only send money.
“—Ryuji, prepare a gift… no, two.”
Tokugawa Motoyasu rarely laughed out loud, as if he were the one standing on stage having won the Seed Battle Champion.
The old man said unhurriedly: “One for Lili Zi, one for Shangshan young friend, to be placed together.”
“Yes, Great-Grandfather.”
Tokugawa Ryuji looked straight ahead.
…
Nanjo Emi released her grip, skillfully reattaching Minamoto Shizuka’s severed head to her body, calming the fidgety Hotarumaru nearby.
She explained in passing,
“Shangshan Jun, if that blade of yours went down, it’d make saving her a lot harder…”
But before Nanjo Emi could finish, a drop of scalding viscous blood splattered on her cheek.
Sizzle…
Nanjo Emi wiped it with her other hand and lifted her gaze.
Blood like a gurgling stream flowed from Shangshan Che’s eye sockets, but immediately more blood overflowed from the edges of the Red Hannya Mask.
In the blink of an eye, the Shangshan Che in Nanjo Emi’s eyes became a blood-soaked figure, with blood uncontrollably pouring from his pores every moment.
As if backlashed by something.
—This scene had the audience cheering excitedly; they hadn’t expected the Seed Battle Champion’s metabolic ability to be this fierce too.
Noticing Nanjo Emi’s gaze, Shangshan Che sheathed his blade and explained nonchalantly,
“A bit overtaxed.”
—First time obtaining Hundred-Eyed Demon Incarnation, opening all hundred pupils without preparation.
The body could barely hold up.
But it was Shangshan Che’s first contact with Telekinetic Force at full power, and his first time “seeing” the world through the Hundred-Eyed Demon’s vision.
The vast sea of information nearly burst his skull.
Shangshan Che closed all Hundred-Eyed Demon’s Eyes, then dispelled the Hundred-Eyed Demon Incarnation and caught his breath.
The omnipotent feeling vanished, weakness surging through his limbs.
A bit?
“At a time like this, don’t say such tough-guy words, okay?”
Nanjo Emi said as she subtly supported Shangshan Che’s nearly collapsing body, pretending to perform normal healing.
In just a dozen breaths, Shangshan Che recovered from the intense backlash and disorientation.
“Sister Nanjo… thanks.”
“No biggie, go claim your prize, I won’t bother you.”
Seeing Nanjo Emi not even out of breath, Shangshan Che couldn’t help but gripe inwardly.
Sister Nanjo’s healing skills were leagues beyond that previous physician Ghost God… just like her combat ability, a total Hexagonal Warrior.
As he was healed, the previously decapitated Minamoto Shizuka touched her intact neck and sat up again.
Staring at Minamoto Shizuka, who surprisingly didn’t look too downcast, Shangshan Che removed the Red Hannya Mask and asked her directly by name,
“Minamoto Shizuka, why didn’t you continue breaking through to Ghost God just now?”
“—Because I didn’t want to.”
The unhesitating answer caught Shangshan Che off guard; Minamoto Shizuka reached out and picked up the motionless Hotarumaru nearby: “In this world, where are there so many whys?”
“Eldest Sister’s encouragement happened to let me, on the verge of losing myself in the Sea of Tribulation, find my sense of self again… that’s when I suddenly understood.”
Minamoto Shizuka lowered her head, lightly sniffing the lingering viscous bloody scent on Hotarumaru,
“Turns out all these years, I haven’t grown at all.”
Shangshan Che heard her say,
“If I want to catch up to Eldest Sister’s pace, I can’t treat her as the goal to chase, but must surpass her.”
“—So I rejected the mistaken promotion.”
These words reminded Shangshan Che of the sword light that had flown from the horizon earlier.
Coming like rolling Heavenly Thunder, yet landing light as a feather.
And that speed from the edge of his vision to right before him in an instant… not even knowing where the sword was swung from.
Shangshan Che opened his mouth, then honestly asked: “What if Miss Minamoto, you never surpass your Eldest Sister in your lifetime?”
“Then I won’t.”
To his surprise, this Minamoto Shizuka, who refused to lose no matter what, was utterly open-minded.
Minamoto Shizuka stood from the ground and smiled at his expression: “Shangshan Jun, I just want to hold the possibility of surpassing that Minamoto Shinsui in my hands, that’s all.”
“After all, the future… no one can say for sure.”
Because of one encouragement, she had narrowly escaped death, and because of that encouragement, gained the key to the Ghost God gate.
But now, Minamoto Shizuka had voluntarily discarded that key.
Thinking of this, Shangshan Che suddenly asked,
“What if Your Excellency Minamoto Shinsui hadn’t said encouragement, or it hadn’t come, or came too early or too late?”
“Then I’d be dead.”
There was a tranquility in Minamoto Shizuka’s eyes that had peered into the great terror between life and death: “Once fully fallen into the Sea of Tribulation, no one can save you.”
In other words, unlike others.
What Minamoto Shizuka faced was real, tangible death.
“People must pay the price for their choices and bear the corresponding consequences.”
Minamoto Shizuka said: “For victory, I was prepared to face death.”
“—I didn’t know this simple ‘encouragement’ would have such an effect; probably Eldest Sister didn’t either…
Maybe she just saw how hard I was trying and impulsively wanted to encourage me.”
At this, the girl smiled with relief,
“So, me still being alive and talking to you, Shangshan Jun, is purely good luck.”
Shangshan Che shook his head: “Good luck is a kind of strength too.”
“If Shangshan Jun says so, then it is.”
Minamoto Shizuka didn’t argue with him.
Her entire being was like a deflated balloon, her Qi returning from the so-called “Half-step Ghost God” back to three-and-a-half star.
But without the backlash from a failed Ghost God breakthrough.
Luck, huh…
Shangshan Che touched the Golden Ball Bell hanging at his waist, then looked at the Referee staring at him fervently and the audience throughout the venue.
He was about to step forward when he heard an upbeat call from behind,
“Shangshan Jun.”
There was Minamoto Shizuka, cradling the motionless Hotarumaru, her cheeks flushed red, giving him a brilliant smile from the heart,
“Getting to fierce battle and clash hands with you to this extent was truly pleasant.”
“Yeah.”
Brushing aside the flood of prompts popping up, Shangshan Che replied sincerely too,
“Me too.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the eager Referee and the center of the entire venue.
With the Seed Battle’s end, the prompts suddenly popping in his peripheral vision had piled up endlessly.
Mountains of proficiency gains, breakthrough prompts, attribute boosts to Bloodthirsty Crimson from the Red Hannya, strange changes in the gacha pool after obtaining three-and-a-half star Hundred-Eyed Demon Incarnation, changes in Sword Skill and Sword Principle, and Seed Battle rewards…
And so much more.
But these prompts wouldn’t run away; they’d wait quietly in place, so for now they were irrelevant.
Right now, what mattered was—
Shangshan Che slowly walked to the Referee’s side, to the First Place seat that had fallen in the venue’s center, now plated in golden light…
No, now it should be called beside the Champion seat.
The other 127 seats radiated from him like densely packed stars.
Shangshan Che looked up calmly.
Thus, hundreds of thousands of audience members rose as one, cheers crashing like a tsunami.
Champion takes his place, stars surrounding the moon!
