FIMA Ch76: The Final Battle

“It seems that this year, the standout from the Special Management Bureau will clash with the four major families?”

“The Special Management Bureau is really a joke. Although the previous participants were mostly mediocre, at least they had Beidao Tianlang to uphold their reputation. Did they just pick a random useless person from the street this time?”

Someone lightly coughed, “This person is Gu Beilin’s younger brother.”

“…” The speaker paused for a moment, then said, “A tiger brother and a dog brother, not uncommon.”

A nearby friend, not wanting him to embarrass himself further, explained, “Although this person is not an orthodox disciple of the Xuanmen, he can’t really be called useless. His name is Gu Siyuan. It’s said that he once teamed up with the eldest son of the Han family to kill a half-ghost king on Luojun Mountain. The current large-scale production of talismans by the Special Management Bureau is also his doing. Recently, he solved a major supernatural case in Lingnan…”

The person was silent for a long time before lowly responding, “Oh… Let’s watch the competition!”

People sitting nearby couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Those who didn’t know Gu Siyuan before now developed some interest in him, thinking that the younger brother of Beidao Tianlang must have some skills.

Maybe his wild talisman-throwing was just a tactic to confuse others, preventing competitors from seeing his true strength.

However, the next few consecutive matches severely slapped them in the face.

It turned out that Gu Siyuan was indeed just a rich guy who relied on throwing talismans all the way to the top eight.

Among the top eight, he was the only one from the Special Management Bureau. Six others were from the four major families, with Han Mingye naturally among them; the remaining one was an impressive rogue cultivator.

At this point, the morning combat matches were almost over, and the crowd began to disperse, with some heading for the restrooms and others taking a break.

In a private box on the east side of the arena sat the Han family, the leading family among the four major families.

The leader, dressed in loose hemp robes with white hair and beard, sat in a wheelchair and said softly, “This child, judging by his appearance alone, is extraordinary, beneficial to both his master and guests. But looking deeper, I can’t see more, probably because of his unusual fortune. No wonder he’s clashed with Ye’er and Chen’er several times.”

Han Mingye’s expression changed slightly, and he said coldly, “Don’t worry, Ancestor. In the afternoon’s quarterfinals, if this person isn’t eliminated, Ye’er will definitely avenge our shame.”

Xie Yuchen also nodded, “Don’t worry, Ancestor, Chen’er will not let you down either.”

The Han family ancestor’s face was kind and gentle, speaking warmly, “Fortune can be contested. If you win against this person, you will gain part of his fortune, which may increase our odds in the important matter tonight. If you lose, your fortune will be taken by him. So, you must win no matter what; this is crucial.”

Both of them, faces solemn, responded in unison, “Yes.”

“Let’s go!”

Most of the audience had left, and Gu Siyuan and Xie Xuanxing were among the last to leave.

As for his great brother and sister-in-law, who claimed to be hungry and rushed off to eat, they actually couldn’t bear to be seen with Gu Siyuan, the star who relied on throwing talismans, so they left early.

Xie Xuanxing quietly complained, “We won’t go on double dates with them anymore; they’re so disloyal.”

Gu Siyuan nodded slightly and said, “As you wish.”

The little follower was standing up for him, so naturally, he would agree to everything.

Xie Xuanxing’s mouth curled into a smile, continuing, “Next time, when big brother asks you to spar, don’t go with him.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, “Okay, as you wish.”

Xie Xuanxing became even more pleased, “Then next time Luo Chuan argues with me, you have to help me against him.”

Gu Siyuan: “As you wish.”

…

Xie Xuanxing’s eyes turned, and he said softly, “Then during my match this afternoon, you have to cheer loudly for me, ‘Go, Brother!'”

Gu Siyuan stopped walking, looked at him indifferently, and said, “…”

“…,” Xie Xuanxing.

Alright, he’s been exposed. No matter what, Boss Gu can always stay clear-headed, not even with a conditioned response.

Gu Siyuan raised his hand to pinch Xie Xuanxing’s soft, slightly puffed cheek, speaking in a low voice, “Alright, I’ll satisfy you. Not only during the competition but also in bed tonight.”

Since the little follower wanted to take initiative, he might as well give him some incentive.

Just hope the little follower… won’t cry too pitifully then!

“…,” Xie Xuanxing blinked blankly.

He felt a lot of pressure.

He imagined Gu Siyuan, with his large frame, lying beneath him, adorably saying: Brother… cheer up, Brother, use some strength…

Xie Xuanxing touched his own waist. Maybe after the competition, he should buy some yang supplements like lamb kidneys.

Being at the top for the first time, he couldn’t let the person below be disappointed.

The short noon break quickly passed, and at 1 PM, the new competition began.

However, it was no longer a ring battle but a competition of various skills in metaphysics. The final eight combat matches were scheduled as the grand finale.

In the current age of declining magic, there were already a few people who practiced cultivation, and even fewer who had learned multiple skills.

Therefore, the total number of participants in the talisman, pill, and artifact competitions was only around a hundred.

The advancement method also differed from the martial arts competition.

The Metaphysics Alliance determined the competition items and the standardized assessment content. All participants then took the stage, and within a fixed time, those who produced the best talismans or pills would advance to the next round.

In this way, several groups were repeatedly filtered.

In the first round, they had to create Thunder Talismans.

When the time was up, the judges directly activated the participants’ freshly drawn talismans, determining the rankings based on their power.

Some failed to complete their talismans and were immediately disqualified.

Xie Xuanxing, of course, advanced successfully.

Among the contestants, his and Xie Yuchen’s talismans were the best, both achieving a near-perfect level, almost indistinguishable from each other.

Then came the second round, the third round… The types of talismans tested became increasingly complex and difficult, and people kept getting eliminated.

By the end of the fifth round, there were only seven people left on the talisman competition stage. However, Xie Xuanxing and Xie Yuchen consistently tied for first place.

Xie Yuchen gave Xie Xuanxing a deep look.

The talisman in the fifth round was the Concealing Spirit Talisman, which could hide a cultivator’s spiritual energy and cultivation level. It was not only complex but also quite obscure. Without the method from the “Nine Mystical Talisman Techniques,” he might not have been able to perform so perfectly.

But how did Xie Xuanxing…

Xie Xuanxing naturally felt the gaze but pretended not to notice, instead giving Gu Siyuan a soft look from the viewing platform.

Thanks to the Han family, who had designed a trap at Hongtan Manor, Gu Siyuan learned the method of spiritual sense attack. Being someone who always innovates and extrapolates, Gu Siyuan was no exception in developing his spiritual sense.

Afterward, he taught this method to Xie Xuanxing. Since all cultivation skills involve spiritual sense, Xie Xuanxing’s proficiency in talisman making improved tenfold.

Gu Siyuan sat in his seat, exuding a cold and proud demeanor like a pine tree on a cliff.

He slightly raised his eyes and saw his little follower still making eyes at him during the competition. He felt speechless and helpless but also quite warm, so he nodded slightly.

Xie Xuanxing thought: I must win the championship, and then tonight, I’ll properly take care of Boss Gu. He deserves part of the credit too.

“…,” Gu Siyuan.

Time passed again.

The alchemy and artifact refining competitions being held simultaneously had already produced their final results. Alchemy and artifact refining required much more resources than talisman making, so aside from the children of major families, others couldn’t afford the costs, resulting in fewer participants.

The first place in alchemy went to a member of the Chen family, one of the four major families. Unexpectedly, the champion of the artifact refining competition was someone from the Special Management Bureau named Mu Lin.

It was said that the Mu family was once a family of artifact refiners, but due to covetous desires for their ancestral artifact refining methods, the family eventually fell apart, and Mu Lin had to join the Special Management Bureau, handing over the artifact refining methods to the state.

This time, Mu Lin represented the Special Management Bureau in the competition and won the final championship.

He Pan was overjoyed with this result. If Gu Siyuan or Xie Xuanxing could win another championship, the Special Management Bureau’s performance would surpass that of the previous term.

At this moment, the talisman competition had reached its final stage.

The two finalists were naturally Xie Xuanxing and Xie Yuchen.

“These two both have the surname Xie. It’s said they came from the same family?”

“Hmph, this family must have some luck…”

“But weak places can’t retain people. In the end, aren’t these two representing the Han family and the Special Management Bureau?”

“Hahaha…”

On the competition stage.

Xie Yuchen looked at Xie Xuanxing with a slight smile and asked, “Doesn’t this scene look like four months ago? Also in S City, there was also a talisman competition, and just you and me in the finals…”

Upon hearing this.

For the first time since the competition began, Xie Xuanxing, who had been ignoring him, finally turned his gaze to him and leisurely said, “Are you trying to say that the outcome will be the same as then?”

Xie Yuchen stared at him and said, “It certainly will.”

Xie Xuanxing’s expression remained unchanged, and he said calmly, “Then let’s wait and see.”

“We will now begin the final round of the talisman competition. The final test talisman is the Boundary Breaking Talisman.”

With the judge’s announcement, the entire venue erupted in excitement.

The crowd buzzed with chatter.

“Boundary Breaking Talisman? How can it be the Boundary Breaking Talisman?”

“Sigh, the structure of the Boundary Breaking Talisman has been lost for a long time, right?”

“Many people have never even seen it. Even talisman masters might not be able to draw it. How could it appear in the finals?”

“Yeah, is this going to be a total wipeout?”

At this moment, the judge raised his hands and said, “Quiet, please. The decision to test the Boundary Breaking Talisman in the final round was made unanimously by the elders of the Metaphysics Alliance. Both participants have profound foundations and exceptional talent, remaining neck and neck throughout the competition.”

“Therefore, the Alliance is willing to provide the recently acquired structure book of the Boundary Breaking Talisman for their reference. After the time of one incense stick, they don’t need to successfully activate it; the one who draws the talisman with the fewest mistakes and the most stable structure will be the winner of this year’s talisman competition.”

“I see…”

“Watching all the way through, these two are indeed evenly matched.”

“This way, it truly tests their talents. It makes sense.”

“They’re lucky too. The talisman heritage is extremely rare. The Metaphysics Alliance is willing to provide the Boundary Breaking Talisman structure as a test. Later, it will be their own inheritance.”

“Yeah…”

“Boundary Breaking Talisman.” Gu Siyuan leaned lazily against the back of his chair and muttered, “What a coincidence.”

On the test stage, Xie Yuchen looked at Xie Xuanxing, satisfied, “I told you the result wouldn’t change.”

At the talisman conference in S City, the final test was also an obscure talisman. He used a method from the “Nine Heavenly Talisman Techniques” to slightly modify the talisman structure, resulting in double the power of the original talisman, narrowly defeating Xie Xuanxing.

This Boundary Breaking Talisman was even more obscure than the last one. Xie Xuanxing surely had never seen it before.

And with the “Nine Heavenly Talisman Techniques” in hand, he could simplify the complex once again.

This was also the outcome that the elders of the Han family greatly facilitated for the final competition item.

Xie Xuanxing gave him a cold glance, walked to the table, and said indifferently, “Do you remember what you used to say when you were a cripple, something about how the river changes course every twenty years?”

Xie Yuchen’s face suddenly darkened.

Cripple? This word had been far from his world for a long time.

Xie Xuanxing continued, “Do you think that saying only applies to you? Let’s begin; no more nonsense!”

The judge placed the talisman book between the two of them and said indifferently, “Time starts now. You have one incense stick’s worth of time, including both reference and talisman-making.”

One incense stick’s worth of time was enough for the audience below to start dozing off;

But for the people on stage, it passed in the blink of an eye.

The judge lightly tapped a small brass bell and said, “Stop.”

Then he and two talisman masters stood before Xie Xuanxing and Xie Yuchen.

First, they checked Xie Xuanxing’s talisman. The two masters exchanged glances and nodded, “Not bad, the overall structure of the talisman is very stable, with only four errors.”

This was an achievement that they couldn’t reach when they were young.

Xie Xuanxing immediately nodded in acknowledgment.

Xie Yuchen’s lips curled into a cold smile.

The two talisman masters then moved to Xie Yuchen’s table. After a while, their smiles grew, “Very good, only two errors.”

The audience buzzed.

“Amazing, truly amazing, only two errors!”

“In just one incense stick’s time, and with such an obscure and difficult talisman as the Boundary Breaking Talisman!”

“Only two errors, if they’re not at critical points, this talisman might even work.”

Xie Yuchen immediately beamed and said, “Please, judge, activate it to see the effect.”

The judge’s spiritual power emerged, and the Boundary Breaking Talisman flew forward and exploded halfway.

As a result, the space ahead seemed to ripple as if it were about to tear open.

Of course, it didn’t in the end, and everything quickly calmed down, but the talisman’s effect had already stunned everyone.

The judge nodded and stood at the front of the stage, loudly announcing to the audience, “Now, I declare the final winner of this talisman competition is…”

Xie Yuchen clenched his fingers. His previously triumphant and joyful expression gradually returned to normal.

This was his moment of glory, and he should appear more composed, perfect, and graceful, impressing everyone with his demeanor.

However, just as the judge was about to announce his name, a clear and pure voice rang out, “It seems my talisman hasn’t been activated yet?”

Everyone’s eyes turned to him.

Xie Xuanxing calmly looked back.

The judge’s face turned extremely unpleasant as he said coldly, “Young friend, your talisman has four structural errors. If you made it this far, you should know that a talisman with more than three structural errors cannot be activated, right?”

Xie Xuanxing remained calm, “Is it four errors, or just four differences from the original Boundary Breaking Talisman structure?”

The judge’s expression changed, “You mean you modified the talisman structure, and the talisman itself has no issues.”

Xie Xuanxing slightly nodded, “Please activate the talisman.”

The people below, either wanting to see the excitement or hoping to see Xie Xuanxing embarrassed, immediately voiced their agreement.

“Oh, judge, just activate it and see!”

“Yeah, it won’t take much time anyway.”

The judge, with a green face, coldly said, “Let’s see what you, a youngster, can come up with.”

A flash of white light passed, and the talisman rose with the wind, then exploded with a bang.

Afterward, “Tsss… tsss…”

The piercing sound of tearing echoed in everyone’s ears.

In the air, a clear, slender, diamond-shaped crack appeared and slowly expanded, sharp and terrifying, as if it were about to swallow people, as if it were about to cut through space.

After a few moments, the crack slowly closed.

“Oh my god…” The crowd was astonished.

“That… is really a Boundary Breaking Talisman.”

“My god, it really tore open space.”

The judge’s face alternated between green and white.

But at this moment, with public opinion boiling, he could only step forward again and loudly announce, “The champion of this talisman competition is Xie Xuanxing from the Special Management Bureau!”

In the private room, the Han family members’ faces were as dark as could be.

Xie Yuchen looked incredulously at the calm-faced Xie Xuanxing beside him, shaking his head frantically, “Impossible. How could it be? Just you, how could it be…”

Xie Xuanxing squinted his eyes and, very rarely, showed him a sweet smile, “All thanks to the Han family.”

Because they were tormented by that trapping formation at Hongtan Manor, neither he nor Gu Siyuan were convinced.

Gu Siyuan thought about creating new technological weapons to break through it directly.

He, on the other hand, pondered what kind of talisman could break formations.

Generally, breaking formation talismans worked by activating them to find the weaker points of the formation through the flow of spiritual energy, allowing everyone to concentrate their attacks there.

However, Gu Siyuan thought this method was too inefficient and asked if he could directly create an opening at the weak point, bypassing the barrier entirely.

At that time, Xie Xuanxing wanted to beat him up. This was essentially space traversal, very similar to the Boundary Breaking Talisman.

Even in today’s era of waning magic, where space is unstable, this was not an easy feat.

But afterward, he subconsciously began to ponder this direction.

Before the competition started, he actually achieved some results.

At this moment, it was just a matter of going with the flow.

Thinking of this, he no longer cared about Xie Yuchen’s reaction and instead looked proudly at Gu Siyuan in the audience.

Hmm, after going back tonight, he would no longer be the one who had to lie still. He would be the vigorous top.

Gu Siyuan could look forward to his reward.

“…” Gu Siyuan, who had been sitting motionless in the audience, couldn’t help but pat his neck. Why did he feel a chill?

It must be because his little follower was thinking about him again.

It’s just a competition, and the stage is so close to the audience, yet he’s still so clingy. What a bother!

A trace of helplessness appeared on Gu Siyuan’s stern face.

As the talisman, pill, and artifact competitions all concluded, the most heated moment of the grand competition arrived.

The final eight-strong martial arts battle was about to begin.

The eight participants would engage in a round-robin battle, fighting each other pair by pair to determine the final four and the champion.

This meant each person would have to fight at least seven matches, and the one who remained undefeated would be the final champion.

One match after another.

People kept conceding and leaving the stage, while others kept coming up, ensuring that someone was always on stage.

“No way, this guy made it to the final four just by throwing talismans? This damned, fallen world.”

“Hey, haven’t you noticed something? Talismans require spiritual power and divine sense to activate. He throws hundreds of talismans every match without breaking a sweat. Doesn’t that seem off to you?”

“Well… true, even if you gave me that many talismans, I might not be able to activate them instantly. Without instant activation, the lack of killing power would quickly get me countered by my opponent…”

“Hmph, I’ve always said this guy was hiding his strength. I’ve never seen anyone buy their way to a championship before.”

“His opponents in the final four are all from the four major families, and they are all wealthy. Throwing talismans probably won’t work anymore; he will have to show his true strength.”

Nearly an hour passed, and several intense battles followed.

The sky gradually darkened, with the sunset hanging in the western sky. The cold wind of late autumn chilled everyone’s hearts.

“Ah… I concede.” A tragic scream.

A young figure fell on the stage, clutching his head and rolling around.

Gu Siyuan used a divine sense attack for the first time.

His opponent was from the Xu family, one of the four major families, known for their talisman expertise. Naturally, they did not lack talismans to use. After a flurry of talisman throwing, his opponent’s divine sense couldn’t hold out and activated an extremely powerful defensive artifact, even attempting to use hidden weapons to sneak attack him.

Gu Siyuan had no choice but to use this last resort.

He waited quietly for the judge to announce the result, then walked off the stage calmly.

Just in time to run into Han Mingye, who was about to go on stage for the final four match.

Han Mingye’s eyes were cold, “So you can use divine sense attacks.”

Gu Siyuan’s expression was stern, “Thanks for the compliment.”

A moment later, the commotion on stage ended.

Gu Siyuan slowly opened his eyes.

Here it was, the final match.

The final two competitors were, of course, Gu Siyuan and Han Mingye.

In the private box, the Han family’s patriarch looked at Han Mingye, “Mingye, you know what to do.”

Han Mingye glanced at Xie Yuchen beside him and nodded deeply, “Patriarch, there will be no accidents.”

The Han family patriarch moved his palm slightly, revealing an object, “This, try not to use it unless absolutely necessary.”

Han Mingye’s eyes narrowed as he reached out to take it, “Understood.”

On the other side.

Gu Beilin looked down at his brother, holding his sword, “You better not perform worse than me.”

Gu Siyuan glanced at him and said, “Don’t worry, when I come off stage, the reputation of Norhtern Heavenly Wolf will be nothing but dust.”

“…” Gu Beilin.

This brother really deserved a beating.

Xie Xuanxing tightly grasped his boss Gu’s hand and said, “Good luck to you.”

Gu Siyuan scratched his palm indifferently.

Xie Xuanxing leaned in and whispered, “You can’t be the bottom in bed, and you can’t lose on stage.”

Gu Siyuan nodded indifferently.

However, halfway there, he suddenly squinted his eyes, “…”

Little follower, did you misunderstand something?