My Master Knows It All

29: Chapter 26 Thank You_1 29: Chapter 26 Thank You_1 “Master of Starshine Peak, may I ask if you will be the one to fight first?” The judge hurried over to inquire when he saw Li Xingyao rise to her feet.

Li Xingyao smiled as she glanced around at the crowd that had gathered and then nodded, “Everyone is eager to exchange their betting slips for money, how can I delay the time for you to make a profit?

Besides, I have placed a large bet myself and am in a hurry to exchange it for cash.”

“That’s right!

That’s right!

Hurry up and fight!

May those from Four Treasures Peak lose quickly!”

“Exactly!

If you lose, we can go collect our money!”

“Or better yet, just admit defeat!”

“How can admitting defeat be acceptable?

I haven’t yet seen a Peak Master get thrashed!

Come on, fight!

Smash Four Treasures Peak!”

“Master of Four Treasures Peak!

I bet that your Four Treasures Peak can’t last the time it takes an incense stick to burn!

Hurry up and get knocked down!”

Listening to the incessant clamoring from the audience, the judge also looked at Cao Zhen with a complex expression, one that contained sympathy, but also a hint of excited anticipation, as even he himself had placed a large bet on Starshine Peak.

As the only combatant for Four Treasures Peak, Cao Zhen stepped forward and curiously asked Li Xingyao, “Speaking of which, with so many people having placed large bets on you, if Starshine Peak loses this combat, have you considered how these gamblers might react?”

Li Xingyao, with a smile, spread her arms wide as a surge of spiritual energy from the nine Taoist platforms enveloped the entire arena.

Two Immortal Bridges extended from within the platforms, and the wide Peak Master robe flapped in the spiritual energy like a battle flag in the wind.

“I am very curious to know, how someone with only four Taoist platforms, intends to win in this combat?” Li Xingyao brought her open arms around to her back, imagining herself as a war deity, “Is it with the few Thunder Talismans your master left you?

That might suffice for fighting those cultivators at the Taoist platforms.

But to fight me?

I can stand here motionless, and if you can break through my protective aura, you win.”

“You said it, breaking through the protective aura means I win,” Cao Zhen said as he flexed his shoulders, and a Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platform rose behind him…

A stir arose in the spectator stands; the creation of Taoist platforms by a Foundation Establishment cultivator was not remarkable, but the appearance of anomalous platforms was completely different.

They represented the rare existence that could only emerge from the fusion of one’s foundational talent and enlightenment.

Amidst the murmuring, a second Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platform appeared behind Cao Zhen.

Before the crowd could react, the third, fourth, fifth…

eighth…

ninth…

The quiet murmurs were quickly replaced by a collective gasp of shock…

and as the tenth Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platform materialized, the spectator stands went silent.

A Perfect Tao Foundation!

A perfectly anomalous Tao Foundation!

Li Xingyao felt that her earlier words were somewhat boastful, no wonder the opponent dared to accept this combat challenge; it turned out he had been feigning weakness!

Ten Perfect Anomalous Tao Foundations!

They were reputed to be invincible among their peers and even capable of combat across different realms!

Defeat?

Li Xingyao knew that she probably would not lose to someone with ten Perfect Anomalous Tao Foundations, even if their foundations included innate divine skills; her two Immortal Bridges would still be unafraid!

Only the protective aura…

facing the Perfect Anomalous Tao Foundation…

Cao Zhen lifted his palm, and tiny sparks of lightning danced between his fingers, crackling with the sound of leaping thunderbolts.

Despite being tens of meters away, Li Xingyao could still feel the jumping power of the thunderbolt, strong enough to penetrate the protective aura.

“Don’t move, let me gather as much Power of Thunderbolt as I can and see if I can blast through your Protective Aura,” Cao Zhen spoke as the force of the dragon and tiger on the Taoist platform behind him roared and began to generate threads of thunderous energy, which flowed into the center of his palm.

Damn it!

Li Xingyao cursed inwardly.

When she had been showing off before, she knew it was because you had four Taoist Platforms, or was it ten, or was it some sort of extraordinary phenomenon?

And it wasn’t even a spell, but Divine Skill!

The difference between the ten layers of spell and a single layer of Divine Skill was something Li Xingyao, as a Peak Master, understood very well—a spell cultivated to the tenth layer was still not as powerful as a Divine Skill cultivated to the first layer!

“Master of Four Treasures Peak, the duel agreement you signed wasn’t to break through defenses but to determine a true victor,” the referee, unable to hold back any longer, called out from below the stage.

If he didn’t speak now, the money he had bet could truly be wasted!

That was several years’ worth of savings.

Upon hearing the referee’s words, Li Xingyao laughed and said, “It’s not that I disagree, but the duel agreement we signed that day indeed demands a clear victory.”

“Understood,” Cao Zhen nodded, and as he did, an Immortal Bridge appeared atop one of the Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platforms behind him.

A gasp swept through the audience once more because atop this Immortal Bridge, there were the supernatural phenomena of dragons’ roars and tigers’ cries.

Ten Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platforms, plus one Dragon and Tiger Immortal Bridge!

The hearts of the crowd began to sink rapidly.

Although it appeared Cao Zhen still had one Immortal Bridge fewer, both his Immortal Bridge and Taoist Platforms were extraordinary!

Theoretically, the strength of the Master of Four Treasures Peak was already above that of the Starshine Peak Master.

Now, they could only pray that the Master of Four Treasures Peak lacked combat experience, while the Starshine Peak Master had been through countless battles, to emerge victorious in this duel.

When the second Dragon and Tiger Immortal Bridge appeared above the Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platforms behind Cao Zhen…

The audience’s just recently kindled hope for a lucky victory began to fade…

and they could only pray that the previous Master of Starshine Peak had left Li Xingyao some sort of trump card talisman, perhaps still a chance for a struggle.

As the third Dragon and Tiger Immortal Bridge emerged above the Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platforms behind Cao Zhen…

even those few in the audience who had still harbored a sliver of luck had now completely extinguished any thought that victory might still be possible.

Cao Zhen, who was originally planning to release all the Immortal Bridges, seeing this situation, decided not to release the fourth and fifth Dragon and Tiger Immortal Bridges.

A deathly silence fell over the spectator seats, many even forgetting the significant bets they had placed, staring blankly at the perfect ten extraordinary Dragon and Tiger Taoist Platforms and the three extraordinary Dragon and Tiger Immortal Bridges behind Cao Zhen.

Such strength, in the entire Hundred Peaks Sect, was still quite far from being genuinely powerful, but it was more than enough for the current duel!

The most important were the Perfect Illusory Taoist Platforms!

These were the fundamental roots that accompanied the talented!

The only mystery now left in this duel was whether Starshine Peak Master Li Xingyao’s attack could break through the Protective Aura of Master of Four Treasures Peak.

“Brother Xingyao, I’m ready,” Cao Zhen said as a purple thunder, as thick as an arm, formed in his palm.

This thunder coiled around his entire arm like a dragon, crackling and echoing like the roar of a dragon, “Are you ready?”

Ready for what?

Ready to die?

Dammit!

Li Xingyao’s mind was filled with questions.

Suddenly hearing Cao Zhen’s question, she reflexively replied, “Ready for what?”

“Of course it’s to meet your end…” Cao Zhen slowly lifted his palm towards Li Xingyao and said, “Thank you.”

“Thank you?” Li Xingyao, facing the sudden shock, felt her mind couldn’t keep up, not even grasping the implication of ‘meeting your end,’ but simply curious why she was being thanked.

“Were it not for you, where would I get such high odds?

How could I win so much money?” Cao Zhen didn’t wait for Li Xingyao to react and immediately enveloped her with the Five-thunder Righteous Method in his palm.