Surprisingly Enough(NOT), Common Sense Is Overpowered in a Cliché Cultivation World (Patreon)

71. Secret Technique~

With the resonant sound of the gong, the moment for the competition to officially commence had arrived. 

Unlike a friendly or sect competition, there were no formal speeches by the two qi-perfected leaders. How could there be when they were busily sizing up each other? The attention of the Wei Family was undeniably drawn to the arrival of a new figurehead in the city.

Thus, the match swiftly got underway.

"Both parties, please send in your participants," the referee announced. He hailed from the neutral side, seemingly approved by both leaders to preside over the tournament. His eighth-stage qi cultivation undoubtedly played a significant role in his selection.

Following the announcement, two representatives from each side stepped onto the stage. Both participants were approaching the age of forty with fifth-stage qi cultivation.

"It's Brother Wei Shuang!" Wei Ling introduced to the group. "He is the son of the third uncle and is a veteran in the fifth stage. He has led many missions for our Wei family, and his strength is quite formidable."

"His aura is remarkably stable." Murong Shuo noted. "It's evident he has refined control over his qi."

"He is quite strong."

The group echoed these sentiments. A veteran certainly possessed tricks that surpassed them by the virtue of age and experience. Especially, since even Murong Shuo who was the oldest of them was only 24 years old.

Ning nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the field while his thoughts simulated strategies for victory if he were the one on the stage. A standard procedure really.

"His opponent, on the other hand, seems a step below Brother Wei Shuang. He appears to have just broken through the fifth stage. Brother Wei Shuang has the upper hand." Surprisingly, Xiao Fan seemed to have a favorable impression of Wei Shuang.

Oh my, was that not a good sign? Not.

Ning narrowed his eyes and elbowed the protagonist. "Brother Fan, having a good impression of someone, that's a surprise."

The group chuckled at that, having long realized that Xiao Fan, for some odd reason, had a very high vision. It was hard for normal people to be acknowledged by him.

"So rude," Xiao Fan snarled. "It's just that I got acquainted with him when I was fighting other Wei family members. Unlike others, he seemed to have some sense since he stopped them from harassing me."

"Your days were too eventful." Ning sighed. 

"Well, he did say that Miss Wei had sent him. So, thanks, Wei Ling." Xiao Fan turned towards Wei Ling, flashing her a smile.

"N-no problem, Brother Xiao Fan." Wei Ling blushed slightly, sending a grateful glance toward Ning, who chose just to smile, his thoughts turning quickly. Naturally, it was him who supported Wei Ling from the shadows. 

At the same time, the battle in the ring commenced.

"Four Razor Slash: First Slash!" Wei Shuang charged forward, his sword gathering the wind current and launching it towards his opponent.

The cultivator from the alliance tried to dodge but to no avail. He dodged the first swing only to be met by the second. In panic, he could only block with his sword, getting overpowered.

"Ugh!" The opponent spat out blood, his hand shaking from the impact of the technique.

"Always remember that Four Razor Slash never ends with a single slash." Wei Shuang continued to launch slash after slash. As one of the profound-grade arts passed down from their family's foundation-building ancestor, its power was not to be underestimated.

Slowly but steadily, his opponent was getting overpowered. There was no escape from the endless barrage to launch his technique, so the match seemed settled.

In fact, it did not surprise the spectators; after all, Wei family were the leaders of the entire city.

"Brother Shuang is going to win," Xiao Fan commented, not realizing the power of Murphy.

Ning's brows scrunched up hearing that. Did this guy really have to jinx it now?

"What?" Xiao Fan, noticing the expression, couldn't help but ask.

"I wish you hadn't said so, Brother Fan," Ning answered, his eyes glazed, glancing at the ring.

A friend of the protagonist, the first to fight, all but guaranteed victory. Individually, all these factors were nothing to be worried about, but together they painted a flag so red that he wouldn't want to come across it.

Especially after that comment, Wei Shuang looked more and more like the perfect person to light the fire under the protagonist after somehow losing. He was the guy who would be sent out first to showcase the tricks of the opponent so that the protagonist could gain some insight.

"Why?" Xiao Fan had gotten used to the weird antics of the guy, but that didn't mean that it didn't raise questions.

"It's nothing. I hope I am wrong." Ning shook his head as he watched Wei Shuang get closer to defeating his foe without finishing the job swiftly.

As time passed, the keen ones noticed something amiss.

The Cultivator Alliance was made up of loose cultivators with no real bond to speak of. So why was the cultivator from the alliance still persevering, even though it was clear he had lost?

The answer revealed itself eventually.

"COUNTER!!" Blood permeated the air, and a tyrannical power swept and exploded, flashing a deep scarlet light. The injured cultivator roared aloud, his attack zeroed in on Wei Shuang.

"Ugh!!!" Wei Shuang was injured. The attack was too fast to dodge, too heavy to block. Wei Shuang, who had not received a single scratch until now, spurted out blood and kneeled over from the unexpected attack. Deep gashes could be seen through his torn clothes.

Wei Shuang's opponent didn't look much better himself, his face pale, his hands trembling slightly.

The uproar among the audience intensified at the unexpected turn of events.

"A counter technique?"

"Such power!"

"This..."

The clamor from the spectators indicated that the match had taken a vastly different course than they had envisioned. 

The surprise was heightened when the referee, after scrutinizing both participants, declared, "Winner: Cultivation Alliance." 

Wei Shuang was visibly too injured to engage in another round, and his opponent while injured, looked like he could launch one last attack. The match was decided.

"Such a technique! No wonder they challenged us in this format," Wei Ling gnashed her teeth, realizing they had been strategically outplayed.

"A technique that unleashes a potent attack using the caster's own health as collateral," Ning mumbled.

"Yes," Xiao Fan nodded, shocked by the sudden reversal. Usually, he was the one orchestrating reversals, so being on the receiving end startled him.

"How do we beat that?" Liao Ting, seated beside Wei Ling, asked the group.

"Just hit them before they could use the technique, Ling. As long as I hit them until they faint, it's my victory." Pan Xue answered. Her solution was applicable to her, whose attack with halberds certainly possessed the destructive capacity.

"That's one way. Another way is to finish the battle in an instant. Such a technique usually needs a few seconds to execute." Murong Shuo, an experienced cultivator, explained the critical aspects of the technique. "This is going to be harder than I thought. Keep your guards up, everyone."

"Yes," everyone nodded, their expressions serious.

"Did you know about such a technique?" Xiao Fan asked Ning, remembering the worried look Ning had projected during the match.

"How could I? It's just that I had a feeling things were not simple since Brother Shuang's opponent seemed to be waiting for something throughout the match," Ning shook his head, explaining.

"I will avenge Brother Shuang, even if it is to repay that slight favor." As expected, Xiao Fan embodied the Xianxia protagonist, his eyes ablaze with readiness for battle.

Ning nodded at that. It seems Brother Shuang was really the fodder necessary for the protagonist to turn his gears up to eleven. Ah! The woe of being a fodder...

...

Despite everyone's thoughts, the match continued as scheduled. 

The second match unfolded with both contestants possessing early fifth-stage cultivation. After a fierce battle, the alliance claimed victory once again. 

In the third match, the Wei Family barely managed to secure a draw against the opposing party. 

The sour expressions on the faces of Wei Family elders indicated their realization that they had been manipulated. Patriarch Wei sent a message to Wei Ling, signaling the next move.

"The next match is going to be against a sixth-stage cultivator; Father just contacted me to send in Brother Murong Shuo," Wei Ling announced.

"Alright," Murong Shuo stood up, his expression serious as he walked towards the stage.

Sixth Stage vs. Sixth Stage.

As the wind seemed to favor the alliance, people's thoughts also began to shift. If the downward trend continued, it would affect the mentality of the Wei Family participants. So, Patriarch Wei had no choice but to play his hands and sent in Murong Shuo.

Fortunately, Murong Shuo delivered. His opponent's cultivation was not as refined, nor did he possess superior techniques. The only concern was the secret technique, which, although powerful, was tanked by Murong Shuo's formidable defenses.

"Victor: Wei Family," the referee announced, checking the downed cultivator.

Murong Shuo returned, his brows furrowed.

"You won, brother."

"Congratulations."

"Yes, we needed that win, Brother Shuo," Wei Ling also heaved a sigh of relief, finally securing a victory. "Father says that you can pick an item from the treasury later, as promised. Of course, that applies to all of you as well."

Murong Shuo nodded, his brow relaxing slightly as he turned towards them. "You should not underestimate your opponents, especially since these people are quite ruthless, not only to others but also themselves."

"What do you mean by that, brother?"

"I noticed that for that technique, the caster should be grievously injured, and their blood should be used as a medium. Usually, such techniques are considered forbidden since, if extensively used, they could harm one's root. So, don't let your guard down," Murong Shuo warned the group.

"That is quite cruel..." Liao Ting, Wei Ling, and others took a sharp breath. A technique to inflict oneself with 80% damage to counter the opponent with 100% was frightening indeed.

Ning nodded as well, though he was not as averse to the technique as the others. At least, he could commend the determination of the alliance. 

Well, of course, he was not going to go easy on his opponents. That was the privilege of the strong, and Ning never considered himself strong in this world where even the sun could be snuffed out by stronger cultivators.

In the fourth match, Pan Xue was sent out. True to her words, she rushed towards the opponent, relentlessly attacking. Even when counter-attacked, she stood her ground, never backing down for a single moment. 

Her philosophy seemed to be that muscles never lie, so she flexed them to the limit, eventually defeating her opponent. It was a reckless charge by all means, but in the end, she proved her words.

"Winner: Wei Family."

Pan Xue was covered with gashes all over her body, but she still smiled at her win. Of course, it only lasted until Liao Ting got a hold of her.

"You are so reckless. Would it kill you to be a bit careful for once?" Liao Ting quickly recited an incantation, her hands glowing blue as a small ring of water treated the injuries.

"No...but that was the only way I could win." Pan Xue looked like a kicked puppy at the reprimand, her previous bravado nowhere to be seen.

Murong Shuo and others simply smiled at the interaction. It was evident that the two went way back.

In the fifth match, Wei Niang, a cousin of Wei Ling, paid a heavy price and eked out a win. When he returned to his spot, he didn't forget to smirk at Wei Ling.

In the sixth match, the group finally suffered a loss. Liao Ting couldn't overpower her opponent quickly, nor could she tank the counter. In the end, she narrowly lost. Her opponent who was vastly older and more experienced than her found a flaw and managed to overpower her.

"Don't mind, Liao Ting. We know that fighting isn't your strongest suit," Pan Xue tried to comfort Liao Ting. Of course, her words only hurt Liao Ting more.

"Mou, you still don't know how to comfort others," Liao Ting couldn't help but complain, but finally, the heaviness on her face loosened a little as she apologized. "Sorry, guys, I lost."

"Just like Pan Xue said, you did your best, Liao Ting," Murong Shuo also offered comfort.

What Pan Xue said was not false. In their group of three, Murong Shuo was the tank, Pan Xue was the attacker, and Liao Ting was the supporter. Fighting wasn't her strong suit, but she contributed to the group with her support.

"Next contestant, please come up on the stage," the referee announced.

"It's my turn." Ning stood up.

"Be careful," Murong Shuo advised.

"Do your best, junior brother," cheered Liao Ting, Luo Jing, and Wei Ling, their voices resonating with encouragement.

"Don't forget to avenge Liao Ting," Pan Xue declared with a hint of menace, naturally choosing the violent option.

Xiao Fan seemed to approve as well, nodding in agreement, "Don't lose."

"That's the least I should do." Ning smiled, assuring the group, and confidently walked towards the stage.

"I see, you are my opponent. A pity!" His opponent was none other than Lai Wen. "I would have liked to repay the favor to your other friend, but you are not bad as well." Lai Wen dressed in a sultry attire as usual and, her words carried a provocative tone.

Ning smiled, his blue eyes turning a shade darker.

...

..

It was time to throw some hands.

...

Thanks for reading~

Injured my dominant arm. It's not that serious but it hurts when I try to move it. The doc said to rest it for a while. Sorry guys.