World Controlling God - Chapter 24

Chapter 24 You’re Retarded!

Observing on the sidelines, Fourth Elder Ling Wei said to the Sixth Elder, “Old Six, I didn’t think you’d cherish Little Hong this much, to give her this pair of blades to play with.”

The Sixth Elder laughed and replied, “That child is fond of daggers and practices cultivation very diligently. I don’t think it’s too excessive to give her a small reward for her efforts.”

In the Ling Family direct branch, the younger generation can receive at most a first-grade high-level weapon for entering the xuan practitioner rank. This is how things normally are. It is definitely not the usual run of things for the Sixth Elder to gift Ling Hong with a second-grade, low-level weapon.

Fourth Elder gave a sly smile and said, “I agree. We should be generous to our children. They should be afforded the reward they deserve.”

Sixth Elder looked at Fourth Elder’s false smile and then turned his gaze to Ling Tian’s body on stage. This time around, he paid particular attention to the sword on Ling Tian’s back, causing his mind to tremble. “Don’t tell me…”

On the stage, Ling Tian seems unfazed when Ling Hong drew out the Twin Moon Swords. Instead, he said, “Did you think you can bridge the gap between us with your weapons? You’re too naïve.”

“Humph! I won’t know unless I try.” Ling Hong let out a cold snort as she flipped her hands. Both blades were like the crescent moon as they slashed toward Ling Tian.

“You don’t know what’s good for you, girl! I’ll make you understand that even your weapon cannot compare to mine.” Ling Tian said, apparently displeased. His body began to tremble as the slender sword behind his back flew out like a soaring dragon.

A red beam of light radiated above the high stage.

“It’s a second-grade, low-level sword!” Someone cried out below.

“It’s the Flaming Sun Sword; the Flaming Sun Sword that can emanate fire-attribute sword energy! Its power is even above that of the Twin Moon Swords!”

“Looks like Ling Hong is going to lose without a doubt.”

……

Ling Xiao looked curiously at the two weapons. He never expected the two of them would be using second-grade weapons. The second-grade swords he saw at the weapon shop cost at least several thousand gold coins! Damn it! I would never have thought that other people will be able to spend this sum so wantonly. It seems like I’ll have to ask Grandpa to give me one or two to play around with.

Ling Li seem to be aware of Ling Xiao’s thoughts and lightly said, “Wait until you’ve become a xuan warrior. Who knows, maybe Grandpa will give the Gold Emperor Spear to you as a reward.”

Gold Emperor Spear—a second-grade intermediate-level weapon—was rewarded to Ling Xiao by Lang Cang two years prior for breaking through to xuan warrior rank. Afterwards, Ling Xiao’s meridians advances and the weapon was returned to Ling Cang.

Ling Xiao’s lips twitched slightly and said, “Once I’ve become a xuan warrior, I’d need a xuan weapon at the very minimum. Why on earth will I be using this kind of second-rate garbage?”

Ling Li’s face twitched ever so slightly but did not respond since he considered Ling Xiao’s words as nothing more than empty drivel.

Only a third-grade weapon can be regarded as a xuan weapon. The number of xuan weapons in Falling Stone City can count on the fingers of one hand with the Ling Family possessing one such weapon as its family inheritance. All of these weapons were obtained from the hands of Falling Stone City’s single third-rank forging master, Master Li. For Ling Xiao to speak so frivolously, could this be anything more than the ravings of a lunatic?

On the stage, Ling Hong was caught completely off guard when Ling Tian took out a second-grade sword. Ling Tian had still been using a first-grade high-level sword last year, but it seems that he had obtained a reward no less than her own for his promotion to intermediate-rank xuan practitioner. She had intended to rely on her weapon superiority, but that advantage has disappeared in a flash. Nevertheless, her competitive nature would not allow her to admit defeat—not without first putting up a fight. She tightened her grip on her Twin Moon Swords and attacked.

However, Ling Tian is better that Ling Hong in every category and zeal alone is not sufficient in overcoming the disparity in strength or experience. Ling Hong very quickly found herself forced into dire straits.

At this moment, Ling Hong had been pushed back by Ling Tian’s sword to the edge of the platform and had very nearly been thrown outside of the stage.

Ling Tian no longer attacked but rather stuck his chin up arrogantly to say, “Are you going down yourself or do you want me to send you down?”

“Asshole!” Ling Hong shouted. She stomped her feet onto the ground and gathered all of her xuan strength to slash down with her two swords, transforming into many interweaving sword lights that caused people to feel a sense of crisis. Even a short lapse in concentration could prove deadly.

This is Ling Hong’s most powerful killing move, “Entangling Moon.”

Sixth Elder stood up from his seat and said, “Ling Hong is too willful. How could she resort to such a desperate, all-out attack?” Sixth Elder is acutely aware of what Ling Hong’s attack is capable of—any ordinary intermediate-rank xuan practitioner will undoubtedly suffer losses. This is only a competition, so there’s no reason to fight to the death. Moreover, Ling Tian is the grandson of the Fourth Elder sitting next to him. If anything untoward happens to him, then all hell would break loose.

Fourth Elder did not get stirred up like Sixth Elder, but said rather confidently, “A competition depends only on one’s ability. If Little Hong can force Little Tian off the stage, then he can only blame himself for not developing his skills well enough. You don’t need to be so concerned, Old Six.”

Sixth Elder let out a light sigh and returned to his seat, but before he had settled in, he had jumped back up once more.

This was because he saw Ling Tian sent Ling Hong flying out of the stage.

On the platform, Ling Hong had been infuriated by Ling Tian’s repeated condescending remarks, so she used her killing move with the intention to smack Ling Tian around a bit. However, Ling Tian is not the kind of person to wait for his demise; rather he immediately retaliated with a powerful move of his own.

Faced with her killing intent, Ling Tian’s ruminating smile only grew stronger. Immediately after, he jumped high up in the sky and shouted, “Flaming Sun Shining High!”

The Flaming Sun Sword emanated a strong murderous aura; its dazzling red glow became even more vigorous. His sword seems as if a rainbow as it streaked toward Ling Hong’s two swords; the red sword light was as beautiful as a sunflower in blossom.

“Clang!”

“Bang!”

Ling Hong’s Twin Moon Swords and Ling Tian’s Flaming Sun Sword collided together, and the slightly weaker Ling Hong was sent flying out of the stage. Fortunately, Ninth Elder Ling Fu waved his large hand, causing invisible xuan energy to wrap around Ling Hong and soften her fall, but she had still received internal injuries from the collision. Even as blood seeped out of the corners of her mouth, her eyes filled with an unyielding determination.

Ling Tian made it look easy as he threw the Flaming Sun Sword in midair with confidence and ease, turning around just in time for the sword to land perfectly in its scabbard.

“You overestimate yourself!” Ling Tian coldly snorted and then stepped down from the stage.

Down below, there was a momentary silence before it was shattered as the crowd went into an uproar.

“D-Did Ling Tian just use a yellow-order sword skill?”

“Isn’t a xuan warrior rank the lowest requirement to cultivate a yellow-order sword skill?”

“Theoretically speaking, it is possible to cultivate with just a xuan practitioner rank, but it’s impossible to showcase its true might without the ability to project xuan strength externally. Ling Tian can currently only exert one percent of this move’s power. When he reaches the xuan warrior rank and his natural attribute is in harmony with the attribute of his sword skill, he could have instantly killed Ling Hong with this move.”

“This-this is incredible! I can’t wait ‘til I enter xuan practitioner rank. Then I’ll cultivate a yellow-rank xuan skill too.”

“Humph! Did you think this is some secret new way to practice? It’s best for you to give up on this thought, or else you might just practice a skill that’s incongruous to your natural attribute and destroy your cultivation base. Ling Tian’s entire family has fire attribute, so he’s certain to have fire attribute once he advance to xuan warrior rank. That is the only reason why he dares to cultivate ahead of time!”

Ling Xiao closed his eyes and recalled Ling Tian’s move just now. After a moment, he revealed a knowing smile and thought to himself, “It was nothing more than an opportunistic move, but the execution was not bad.”

The first round of competition concluded with the end of Ling Tian’s match and so the drawing for the second round commenced.

Since one of the victors from the first round is out of action because of his injuries, there were an even number of competitors in the second round, and Ling Xiao no longer can get a free pass. No matter what, he will have to fight someone in the second round.

The names of those entering the second round are as follows: Ling Xiao, Ling Hu, Ling Xing, Ling Li, Ling Hua, and Ling Tian. Among all the competitors, Ling Xiao has the lowest strength as a low-rank xuan practitioner while everyone else is at intermediate-rank xuan practitioner rank or higher.

One by one, the six of them walked up to draw lots. Ling Xiao drew the number two, unexpectedly matching against Ling Tian who drew the number six. Most people would consider this situation to be quite favorable; he would suffer a more respectable loss than if he were to go up against a high-rank xuan practitioner.

Ling Tian walked over to Ling Xiao and laughed gently, “A washed-up has-been. I’d advise you to forfeit before it’s too late, otherwise…things might turn ugly for you.”

Ling Xiao doesn’t know where Ling Tian’s animosity is coming from, but he’s not the type to back down from a confrontation, and so said indifferently, “I hope you can back up all that big talk.”

Ling Tian snorted coldly and said, “Apparently, you are just as foolish as Ling Hong.”

Ling Xiao looked Ling Tian straight in the eye and said rather blithely, “You’re retarded!” Having said his piece, he turned around and returned to his original position.

Ling Tian clenched his fists tightly, his face grim and unsightly. He wanted to beat Ling Xiao up then and there, but had enough self-control to suppress the urge and said under his breath, “Even a cripple dares to be so arrogant. You just wait and see. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll wish you were dead!”

Ling Tian had no grievances against Ling Xiao, but Ling Xiao’s former display of talent had been too astonishing. Ling Tian is younger than Ling Xiao by one year, and his natural talent was not bad but had been completely outshined by Ling Xiao’s brilliance. He had strived to catch up to Ling Xiao ever since, and looked upon Ling Xian as his role model like the rest of the Ling Family children. But he soon discovered that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t catch up to Ling Xiao and his admiration of him gradually changed into envy. When Ling Xiao finally succumbed to his disabilities, Ling Tian could not help but give rise to feelings of schadenfreude.

Ling Xiao recent meteoric rise evoked a deep sense of crisis in Ling Tian. He feared his own brilliance will be overshadowed once again, and couldn’t help but view Ling Xiao as a threat to his existence. Therefore, he intended to humiliate Ling Xiao at this competition ruthlessly, or, better yet, give him such a thorough thrashing that he can’t even move his body afterward.

This is a world of powerhouses where the strong eats the weak. Who among the older generation doesn’t wish to become one of those aloof and remote kings; who among the younger generation don’t want to become the most dazzling rising star? In a society where “survival of the fittest” is a cruel reality, you have to step on other people to make it to the top, even if those people turn out to be your own brothers and sisters. Winner take all is the rule of survival here and only by hacking and slashing through all obstacles can one become a powerhouse worshiped and revered by the masses.

The following round of competition will bear witness to the leaders of Ling Family’s new generation in action, and the first match will be fought between Ling Xing and Ling Hua.

Ling Xing hardly use any xuan strength in his first match was against Ling Zhi, and hence was able to stay in prime condition. But this was not the case for Ling Hua. He only had the strength of an intermediate-rank xuan practitioner—a lesser rank short of Ling Xing. In the previous round, he had also exchanged more than a hundred moves against an opponent of the same rank. Although he didn’t suffer any heavy, his xuan strength has been largely depleted. He knew in his heart that it would be impossible to prevail against the more powerful Ling Xing, but he continued to stand tall and dignified on the platform. Even if he cannot change the outcome of the match, he can choose the manner in which he loses.

After Ninth Elder Ling Fu had announced the start to the match, Ling Xing smiled indifferently at the pale-faced Ling Hua and said, “If you can receive one of my moves, than you can consider this my loss. Well, how about it?”

Ling Hua looked at Ling Xing, not entirely convinced by the offer, but his fist clenched on the sword hilt and staunchly agreed. “Come.” If he was going to lose anyways, he might as well try to endure this one attack.

Ling Xing said with a sinister smile, “Haha, then do try your best.”

No longer smiling, Ling Xing slammed his foot down and shot forth like an arrow, and very quickly reached behind his back placed his hand on the sword hilt. When he was fast closing in on the waiting Ling Hua, he shouted out loud, “Green Light Path!”