6kv Chapter 145 But You Didn't Win
Chapter 145 But You Didn't Win
"That's all."
Lu Yuan's voice was dry and rough, each word sounding as if it were being forced out from the depths of his throat.
"I lost."
He lay paralyzed beside the boulder, the congealed blood from his seven orifices making his face contorted in a grotesque grimace, his complexion as white as snow.
His eyes had completely lost their sparkle.
But the triumphant smile on his lips was now twisted into an indescribable bitterness.
Admit defeat.
The two words he uttered sounded light and airy, yet they seemed to carry a thousand pounds of weight.
In the distance, the figure standing atop the ruins, upon hearing those two words, finally...
Finally, things have changed.
The next instant, his body swayed violently.
That straight spine, that proudly standing posture, seemed to have had its last bit of support drained away.
"Bang"
Shen Jizhou's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.
Pebbles flew everywhere, and dust billowed.
He braced himself on the ground with both hands, panting heavily, each breath accompanied by a hissing sound like a broken bellows, as if countless shards of glass were rubbing against each other inside his chest.
His head was bowed, and his hair was disheveled and covered his face.
You can't see their expressions.
In the distance, the Taoist disciples watched this scene with a final...
It finally started moving.
"Quick! Go up there and save them!"
The crowd surged towards the ruins like a tidal wave, screams and shouts mingling together, shattering the deathly silence that had just passed. Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable flashed forward, the first to reach Lu Yuan's side.
He grabbed Lu Yuan's swaying body and his fingers flashed to his wrist.
With a touch of his fingertips, He Xun's brows instantly furrowed into a tight knot.
"Nonsense!"
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable uttered a furious rebuke, but his voice was filled with barely suppressed heartache.
"My true understanding is exhausted, my soul is burned out, and my meridians are on the verge of bursting!"
"If you don't have six months of rest and recuperation, even if you survive, you'll be a cripple!"
Lu Yuan forced a smile, his chapped lips bleeding, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He Xun said no more, and with his left hand forming a hand seal, he cast a gentle "Meridian Opening Technique".
Bring your index and middle fingers together and press them on Lu Yuan's dantian.
A deep and lingering stream of true knowledge, like a warm current in early spring, carefully poured into Lu Yuan's nearly dried-up meridians.
Lu Yuan's body trembled instinctively as he greedily absorbed the life-saving rain.
He Xun frowned, and while steaming, he took out a blue and white porcelain bottle from his bosom.
He bit open the bottle stopper with his teeth, and a refreshing herbal fragrance instantly burst forth.
Open your mouth.
Lu Yuan opened his mouth as instructed, and He Xun poured all the viscous liquid from the bottle into him.
The medicine tasted slightly bitter at first, but as it went down the throat, it transformed into a warm sensation that instantly traveled throughout the body, forcibly suppressing some of the excruciating pain that was tearing at the bone marrow. He Xun then took out a roll of white cloth from his robes and began to bandage Lu Yuan's exposed wounds.
The cuts on his arms, the abrasions on his forehead, and the countless bloody scratches on his back from the rubble.
On the other side
Shen Shulan rushed to Shen Jizhou like a madwoman.
She knelt on the ground, her hands trembling, wanting to help her father up, yet afraid to apply any pressure, lest she touch his horrifying wounds. "..."
Her voice choked with sobs, and tears had already streamed down her face.
Shen Jizhou slowly raised his head.
That face was no longer recognizable.
His face was covered in blood, dust, and wounds.
His lips were chapped, his eyelids were swollen, and there was a deep, bone-revealing gash on his forehead, the blood already congealed into a gruesome black scab. But the moment he saw his daughter, a gentle light appeared in his eyes.
His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, as if it were being squeezed out of a broken bellows:
"Father...it's alright..."
Shen Shulan could no longer hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes and spilled out.
While crying, she quickly pulled out various bottles and jars from her bosom.
Wound medicine, hemostatic powder, bone-healing plaster, were laid out one by one on the ground.
The people from Wuqing Temple also gathered around and began to treat Shen Jizhou's wounds.
Shen Jizhou looked at his daughter, his eyes filled with love and heartache.
"Why are you crying...?"
His voice was soft, with a hint of helpless laughter:
"Father isn't dead yet."
Shen Shulan raised her head, glared at him, her eyes red-rimmed, and said in a tearful voice:
"You still dare to talk back!"
"You're in this state!"
Shen Jizhou grimaced, as if he wanted to laugh, but the movement aggravated his wound, causing him to gasp in pain.
He didn't speak again, his gaze passing over his daughter's shoulder and looking at Lu Yuan not far away.
At this moment, Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable had finished bandaging Lu Yuan.
Lu Yuan's face was still as pale as paper, but his eyes finally regained a sliver of clarity.
The arrival of Zhenxi and the life-extending pill at Hexun Ferry finally saved his life.
Lu Yuan's gaze also fell on Shen Jizhou.
Two gazes met once more amidst the ravaged ruins.
silence.
The air still carried the stench of battle and the scent of destruction.
After the battle, there was no tension between the two.
It was as if these two weren't the ones who had just fought a life-or-death battle.
Finally, Shen Jizhou spoke first, his voice still hoarse.
"So small..."
"I almost...you really killed me..."
Lu Yuan forced a complex smile and replied:
"I didn't mean to kill you."
"It was your own choice to stand there and refuse to leave, risking your life to take the hit."
This is true.
Lu Yuan never had any intention of killing.
He had calculated countless possible outcomes, the best one being that Shen Jizhou would back down at the last moment and admit defeat.
After all, this was just a "challenge to the heavens," and his withdrawal simply meant he lost the challenge.
There's absolutely no need to risk your life.
This old man is just too tough.
Hard bones make a hard person.
In the end, they stubbornly refused to leave and endured the ordeal.
For a moment, Lu Yuan felt a sense of lingering fear.
That old man is really something...
In that situation, you should have just left; there was no need to stubbornly resist.
Thankfully, the old man didn't get hurt in the end...
If something happens, I'll become Shen Shulan's enemy.
Shen Jizhou grinned, then gasped again, his face contorted in pain.
He glared at Lu Yuan and cursed irritably:
"That shot of yours was fucking cheating!"
"Which Taoist sect is having a magical duel, pulling a Ma brand pistol from their crotch?!"
As for this matter, Lu Yuan felt no shame whatsoever, nor did he see anything wrong with it. He simply raised an eyebrow and said:
"How is that cheating?"
"If anyone's cheating, it was you who cheated first. You clearly agreed on one hand, but ended up using both hands."
"As for my use of a gun..."
"What's wrong? Does the 'Challenge to Heaven' include a rule against using guns?"
Shen Jizhou naturally couldn't find anything wrong with Lu Yuan's words.
It was Shen Jizhou who first switched from using one hand to using two.
As for whether the "Challenge to Heaven" rules include a rule against using guns...
That's naturally not the case.
The rules for the Celestial Venerable Ceremony were established hundreds of years ago. Back then, let alone Mauser pistols, even muskets were rare items.
Who would put this in the rules?
And over the past few centuries, very few people have actually come to "challenge the heavens".
The rules have naturally remained the same as the earliest ones.
If you really want to use the rules as an excuse, then there's absolutely no reasoning behind it!
Shen Jizhou didn't have much to say about Lu Yuan using a gun; he just mentioned it casually.
It seems like Lu Yuan is really being shameless.
But thinking about it carefully, it's not so bad. If you replace the gun with some kind of concealed weapon, isn't it the same?
can only say……
Every era has its own hidden weapons.
The earliest was the hidden crossbow, then the throwing dart, and later the horse-shaped pistol.
It's just that Shen Jizhou didn't think of this at the time.
Or rather, even if you figure it out, there's nothing you can do.
After all, Shen Jizhou was fully engaged in fighting against the Emperor's Seal at that time.
Speaking of which, it's about Shen Jizhou's one-handed versus two-handed approach...
There's really no way to explain it.
After all, Shen Jizhou himself said he would only use one hand.
result……
They even used both hands in the end, and still almost lost...
Knowing he was in the wrong, Shen Jizhou grunted twice and then fell silent.
The two remained silent for a moment.
Lu Yuan looked at his right arm, which was wrapped in bandages like a rice dumpling, and asked:
"Is your hand alright?"
"Stop wasting your time."
We mustn't let Shen Jizhou develop any chronic illness.
If something big happens outside the pass in the future, and the highest mountain outside the pass is no longer effective, that won't do.
Shen Jizhou raised his right hand, gritted his teeth, and curled his five fingers with difficulty.
"It's nothing serious, there shouldn't be any broken bones or muscles."
Then, Shen Jizhou looked at Lu Yuan and asked:
"Where are you, kid?"
Lu Yuan nodded directly and said:
"I'm fine, I'll just go back and rest."
Hearing this, Shen Jizhou nodded slightly, then sighed somewhat:
"It's good that you're alright."
"I never expected it to end like this. You're really something, kid, you were just a hair's breadth away..."
Before Shen Jizhou could finish speaking, Lu Yuan waved his hand to interrupt him:
"No need for formalities. It's not that I can't accept defeat; a loss is a loss. There's no such thing as being a little short or a couple of points short." Lu Yuan's words made Shen Jizhou's eyes light up slightly, and then he revealed an expression full of approval:
"Good lad!"
"good!"
"Be able to accept defeat, and be able to let go!"
"It's best if you think that way!"
"I'm just afraid you'll get stuck on this one thing. If you lose this battle, your Dao heart will be clouded, and you'll never see the light again."
Before Lu Yuan could reply, Shen Jizhou suddenly raised his head and said in an unquestionable tone:
"Your True Dragon Temple will not be able to obtain the title of Celestial Venerable of this generation."
"But I, Shen Jizhou, guarantee you that in five years, in the next session, you will definitely have a place in Zhenlongguan!"
These words were spoken without any attempt to conceal their true intentions.
The disciples of Tianlong Temple and Wuqing Temple nearby heard it all clearly; it was practically an open pre-arranged decision.
Shen Jizhou seemed to realize his mistake and quickly tried to smooth things over:
"Given your momentum this year, your potential five years from now is immeasurable."
"The next one will definitely be yours."
"Focus on recovering."
Shen Jizhou was trying to make amends for what he had just said, but Lu Yuan didn't respond.
Lu Yuan looked at Shen Jizhou opposite him, a strange expression appearing on his face.
However, Shen Jizhou did not notice the expression on Lu Yuan's face.
Or rather, he no longer had the energy to perceive it at that moment.
With the support of his two disciples and Shen Shulan, he mustered his strength and stood up straight.
The stretcher was brought over.
Shen Jizhou's eyes sharpened, and his voice, though hoarse, carried an undeniable authority.
"Take it!"
"I, Shen Jizhou, haven't reached the point where I need to be carried out lying down!"
The disciple carrying the stretcher trembled and retreated dejectedly.
Shen Jizhou's gaze swept across the battlefield, and when he saw the five top-tier magical artifacts, their spiritual energy completely severed and reduced to mortal objects, his heart clenched. These five top-tier magical artifacts were utterly useless.
Unlike the Emperor's Seal, which, after being taken back and nurtured, returned to its original state.
For Shen Jizhou, a top-tier enthusiast of magical artifacts, this scene was truly heartbreaking.
For a moment, Shen Jizhou couldn't help but look at Lu Yuan, who was slumped on the ground, and gritted his teeth, saying:
"You little rascal... you really went all out to win!"
"Five top-tier magical artifacts, rendered useless just like that!"
Lu Yuan leaned against the boulder, twitched the corner of his mouth, and revealed a gleaming white tooth through the cracks of blood on his face.
His voice was soft, yet it carried clearly throughout the ruins.
"For my master, let alone five things."
"I'd be willing to give up fifty pieces."
Upon hearing these words, Shen Jizhou couldn't help but curl his lip and say:
"Don't say I won today."
"Even if I lose today, so what?"
"Don't forget, the reason no one has ever succeeded in the 'Challenge to Heaven' is because it involves challenging four contemporary Celestial Venerables!"
Shen Jizhou's voice suddenly rose, carrying a condescending scrutiny.
"There are three more to come."
"Even if your senior master He Xun lets you off the hook, what about He Ming? What about He Cheng?"
"The same trick won't work twice!"
"They won't be like me, giving you three moves first and promising to use one hand. You wouldn't last even half a minute against the two of them!" After saying that, he took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his strength just to speak.
"Forget it, there's no point in saying anything now."
"You should reflect on yourself. Your impulsive act caused five top-tier magical artifacts to completely lose their spiritual power. This is really..." Shen Jizhou waved his hand, as if he had completely lost interest in arguing with Lu Yuan. With Shen Shulan's support, he turned to leave.
Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable also wanted to help Lu Yuan up, but Lu Yuan waved his hand and refused.
While Crane Patrol Celestial Venerable was still in a daze, Lu Yuan leaned against the cold boulder, slowly raised his head, and looked at Shen Jizhou's back, raising an eyebrow as he said:
You said something wrong.
Ok?
Lu Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange penetrating power, causing Shen Jizhou to abruptly stop in his tracks.
Shen Jizhou turned his head stiffly.
Lu Yuan slightly raised his head, looking at Shen Jizhou with a strange smile:
"Today, I have indeed lost."
Lu Yuan paused, then spoke clearly, word by word.
"But you didn't win."
Ok?
What does that mean?
Shen Jizhou's brows furrowed instantly.
Does that mean he broke his promise to use only one hand?
Or perhaps it's mocking him, a long-established giant, for being forced into such a wretched state by a mere one-star celestial master.
Shen Jizhou didn't know what Lu Yuan meant by those words.
but……
It's not important anymore; Shen Jizhou naturally wouldn't argue about this with a junior.
So, Shen Jizhou was only stunned for a moment before turning around and walking out of the ruins.
At the same time, Lu Yuan's calm voice came from behind.
"Come out quickly..."
This seemingly random statement left everyone stunned.
next moment.
"clatter."
"clatter."
"clatter."
A crisp, rhythmic sound came from beyond the ruins, growing louder as it approached.
That wasn't the dull thud of boots hitting the ground, but the unique rhythm of high heels striking the stone slabs.
In this desolate place filled only with Taoist robes, blood, and broken walls, the voice seemed so abrupt, so...out of place. All eyes were drawn to the sound, and they looked on in horror.
A figure walked slowly towards them against the dim sunlight.
She was graceful and charming, with an alluring figure.
Although walking on the chaotic ruins, it felt like walking on the center of a red carpet under the spotlight.
The person who came was so beautiful that she seemed otherworldly.
In her hand, she was carrying an inconspicuous cloth bag.
Under the gaze of countless astonished, bewildered, and shocked eyes.
She stopped, her red lips parted slightly, and her voice, though not loud, clearly drowned out the howling cold wind, resounding in everyone's ears.
"According to the first rule of the Daoist sect outside the Great Wall"
"If any disciple is dissatisfied with the election of the Heavenly Venerable, they may issue a 'Challenge to Heaven' during the grand ceremony!"
The voice of the goddess of beauty suddenly rang out amidst the ruins of the Heavenly Venerable Ceremony.
As soon as she finished speaking, she flicked her wrist.
The cloth bag fell to the ground with a thud.
"Splash!"
Countless crystal-clear, shimmering jade beans rolled out of the bag, instantly covering the ground in front of her.
"Today, I exercise my right to 'question the heavens'!"
"Challenge the Supreme Being of Our Time!"