Jacques got popular at the All Peaks Competition when he rose to the top last time, a clear black horse
in the running. As a personal disciple who was only at grade two of the nature level, Jacques making to
the list of top 100 had shocked the disciples of Cloud Sect.
He managed to overturn the status quo and did well in the more difficult challenges against the higher-
level disciples.
His miraculous performance had long been discussed by many delighted spectators.
It was largely assumed that nobody else would be able to achieve the same feats as Jacques, for it
was truly difficult to face someone who had been in the higher level.
Nobody thought his record would be bested after three years. The young man, Zen, broke it easily with
his fierce postures and astounding strength.
At grade two of the nature level, Jacques had made an impressive record at the All Peaks Competition
when he got into the top 100. But in the same competition, Zen had broken records again and again to
make it to the lists of the top 100, top 50, and then to the top 5. The records he made were nothing
short of a miracle in the present and past combined.
Latecomers could only marvel at the records in shock. In the years to come, some people found it hard
to believe that Zen had really achieved all that. After all, they hadn't been there to witness it.
Jacques was arrogant. For him, it was no big deal to be one in the top 100 list when one belonged to
grade two of the nature level. He had steeled himself to face every tough challenge at the All Peaks
Competition three years ago. He didn't care about his record, but it bothered him that Zen broke it.
Because of that, everyone would compare him to Zen.
Jacques wanted to quash such comparisons straightaway, so he decided to defeat Zen in a match. It
was why he challenged Zen as soon as he got to the competition field. Unfortunately, they hadn't drawn
each other's names on the round robin before.
"It's destiny. You can't escape it," Jacques spoke as he stood before Zen.
"Hmm? When did I escape?" Zen asked him with curiosity.
Jacques laughed. "Perhaps you didn't, but you are still afraid to compete with me. Am I wrong?"
"Afraid?" Zen smirked casually as if he had heard a great joke. After thinking for a moment, he said,
"Why should I be afraid? Didn't you offer to fight me by lowering yourself to the nature level? Even if
you decide to lower yourself to the consummation of nature level, I would outmatch you. Do you really
think I'd be afraid of you then?"
"Yeah, I do remember Jacques saying that. At that time, I thought his proposal was well-meaning, but
now... now I think it's funny," one of the spectators whispered.
"That's true. Zen may lose to Jacques with all his strength, but he can't lose to Jacques if he's at the
nature level. Jacques was just showing off," his friend said.
"But didn't Zen refuse the offer? Why is he bringing it up now?"
Jacques did say that. But after some thought, he realized that although he could unquestionably crush
Zen with his current strength, he would not best Zen if he lowered himself to the consummation level,
let alone the nature level.
Zen had rejected the offer before, but he hinted at it again. His only purpose was to embarrass
Jacques. Jacques certainly wouldn't be tricked. He huffed, saying, "I did give you such an offer, but you
refused it. It's not that I didn't give you a chance! You missed out. Your bad!"
"But I don't want that opportunity. I just want to let you know that I am not afraid of you or hiding from
you, so you don't need to lower your cultivation level. Now do you understand?" Zen laughed at him.
Jacques grimaced. He had no interest in arguing with him.
In fact, this kind of verbal back-and-forth between warriors was part of the battle.
It was just like when two armies went to war, the general of one side would provoke or abuse the other.
They did it to frustrate the other's spirit and indirectly weaken their opponent's fighting resolve.
Warriors did the same. It was all about momentum. If an opponent was in bad spirits, the momentum
shifted to the other. A warrior, when rightly motivated, put forth his best foot in battle.
"You have a ready tongue, but it doesn't matter. When you face my full wrath, Zen, your tongue alone
will remain!" As he said thus, Jacques's life vitality started to spread about, layer upon layer of blood-
fog erupting, that at once turned into a sheet of thick and solid armor.
The law of conservation could never fail. A person gained as much as he paid for. Balance of energy
was to be maintained. Jacques's cultivation methods were evil, for which he had paid a huge price.
Many of the evil cultivation methods were far stronger than others from the same tier.
Case in point: the evil method of Bleached Bone Distilled Soul. It was a tier four cultivation method, but
it was more powerful than the ordinary methods of the tier. The best of those ordinary methods could
not eclipse the Bleached Bone Distilled Soul.
The set of white bone armor had an ominous defensive power, and even Zen's body, which was a
spiritual weapon in itself, was inferior to it.
After Jacques summoned the white bone armor, Zen released his demonic phantoms.
Jacques didn't expect to see the six demonic phantoms. "Won't you use a sword?"
Zen's unnaturally good basic swordsmanship had left a deep impression in Jacques, which was one of
the reasons he didn't dare to lower his cultivation level.
In the past, he wouldn't have cared about what Zen thought. Even if Zen didn't need him to, Jacques
would have lowered himself to fight Zen. After all, Jacques had formed a habit of challenging those who
belonged to higher levels of cultivation. A youngling of a low level challenging him? It seemed ludicrous
to him. Jacques was so conceited that he refused to accept it.
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