Chapter 0766: Mental Energy Combat

Chapter 0766 Mental Energy Combat

Qin Yun heard Shui Tianzi's words and gave Xiao Xuanqin a puzzled look.

Xiao Xuanqin said, "Cultivating together in an Immortal Pool indeed yields the best results! But we don’t have one here, so don't even think about it! Even if there were an Immortal Pool, we’d still keep our clothes on while cultivating with you!"

"After the Runes Masters competition ends, I might be able to create an Immortal Pool!" Qin Yun had two Immortal Essences, which were more than enough to make one.

"If there really were an Immortal Pool, wouldn’t wearing clothes be uncomfortable, heh?" Shui Tianzi giggled.

"You don’t have to wear any if you don’t want to, tch!" Xiao Xuanqin snorted lightly.

After a night of joint cultivation, Qin Yun felt that his Mystic Dao Crystal had expanded noticeably.

Progressing at this speed, it was entirely possible for him to refine a Dao Mystic Pill in a short time.

Just thinking about it made him excited.

If he could refine the Dao Mystic Pill and become a Martial Lord, he would be able to defeat Jian Nanhu again in the Sword Martial Conference.

Xiao Xuanqin knew that Qin Yun was participating in the competition, which is why she was so anxious.

She didn’t want to see Qin Yun at a disadvantage during the tournament, so she was doing her best to help him break through.

As dawn broke, a new day began.

New Sword Island buzzed with activity from daybreak, with many people heading toward the Seven Swords Center in the middle of the island, entering an enormous cube-shaped building within the Sword Immortal Villa.

The second round of the Runes Masters competition was about to begin.

Xiao Xuanqin, Shui Tianzi, and Zi Qingcheng had slipped away at dawn to return to Mother Yun Yao’s side.

Meanwhile, Qin Yun and Xiao Yuemei went straight to the Sword Immortal Villa.

Upon entering the competition grounds, Qin Yun spotted Mu Fengxiao.

Mu Fengxiao, Fatty Mu, was only a Runes Master, yet he had managed to advance to this round—proof of his capability.

Out of the hundred Runes Masters present, only Qin Yun and Mu Fengxiao were not Mystic Rune Masters; the other ninety-eight were all Mystic Rune Masters.

The competitors stood beside crystal balls bearing their names.

Among the hundred Runes Masters, Qin Yun stood out like a sore thumb—just a kid standing alongside so many renowned masters was completely out of place.

Jian Shitian announced, "Next, we will begin the pairing process!"

Someone carried in a large box with a small hole at the bottom. When tapped, the box would release a numbered ball.

"Those who draw the same number will form a pair!" Jian Shitian declared.

This confused everyone.

In previous Runes competitions, there had never been a case of pairing two people together.

"If you're unlucky, you could get stuck with Fatty or the brat!"

"That fat guy at least has his Runes Master certification! But that brat's got nothing—right now, all he's got going for him is strong mental energy!"

"Let's see who gets stuck teaming up with that fat guy and the kid!"

The hundred Rune Masters began queuing up to draw the beads.

Jian Linglong drew the number twenty bead.

Apart from Jian Linglong, no one else had drawn the number twenty bead yet—Qin Yun had rigged this.

In other words, he had a chance to team up with Jian Linglong.

Then, Qin Yun rigged the box to prevent the number twenty bead from falling for anyone else, ensuring he could team up with Jian Linglong.

He still didn’t know how the teams were formed. If a Mystic Rune Master from the Jian family teamed up with one from the Long family, the Jian family’s Mystic Rune Master would inevitably get the short end in the end.

When Qin Yun stepped up, Jian Shitian patted the large box, and a bead fell out—number twenty, which Qin Yun had secretly controlled.

When Jian Linglong saw the young boy draw the number twenty bead, her flawless face instantly turned pale!

The crowd burst into laughter upon seeing Jian Linglong’s stunned expression.

Because she was the poor sap!

Xiao Yuemei and the others, however, knew this was Qin Yun’s deliberate arrangement.

Even the Mystic Rune Masters from the Jian family were loving her misfortune.

They were aware of Jian Linglong’s serious skills, but since she had joined the Immortal Blade City, they secretly didn’t want her to obtain those high-level runes.

Moreover, Jian Linglong possessed the Dao Lord Rune Soul. If she acquired enough Dao Runes, she would become the most outstanding Mystic Rune Master.

This would instantly outshine the veteran Mystic Rune Masters of the Jian family.

Those old Mystic Rune Masters couldn't stand Jian Linglong, believing her high precision in carving Dao Runes relied solely on her Rune Soul rather than genuine skill, which was why they secretly excluded her.

Jian Linglong had originally thought she could make waves in this competition, showcasing her extraordinary rune mastery.

But now, she was saddled with a deadweight. This would undoubtedly drag her down, preventing her from reaching the final rounds.

Hearing the taunting laughter around her, Jian Linglong angrily shouted, "Shut up, all of you!"

Qin Yun walked over to her with a smile and said, "Sister Linglong, we’re teammates now!"

Jian Linglong wanted nothing more than to kick this punk kid away. She’d rather work alone than be paired with someone like him.

Of course, she had no choice but to accept it now.

"Little devil, you’d better not hold me back!" Jian Linglong whispered. "If you stay out of my way, I might just carry you to the end, where we can share the rewards of the top-tier runes!"

Jian Linglong still hadn’t seen through the boy’s true identity as Qin Yun!

Qin Yun asked quietly, "Sister Linglong, you’re from the Jian family. Do you know why this competition requires teaming up?"

Jian Linglong snorted. "Beats me!"

Qin Yun scanned the room and asked again, "I noticed many pairs are from the Jian family, while the Long family is teamed with outsiders. Do you think that’s a coincidence?"

Jian Linglong frowned. "Are you saying the Jian family fixed the draw?"

Qin Yun had also had his eye on the box earlier. The one patting it was Jian Shitian, who must have used an extremely slick trick to avoid detection.

Jian Linglong observed carefully and said, "There are eight teams composed of Mystic Rune Masters from the Jian family, and they are among the more outstanding ones!"

Qin Yun nodded and said, "Exactly. It looks like a coincidence, but it isn’t! The Jian family members who didn’t form teams did so deliberately to avoid suspicion!"

Jian Linglong immediately snapped under her breath, "So they deliberately dumped you on me?"

Qin Yun gave a slight nod. "Very likely!"

Jian Linglong instantly flew into a rage, unable to suppress the fury within her, and was about to charge at Jian Shitian.

The Rune Masters present, as well as the spectators, all felt the heat of Jian Linglong’s anger!

Jian Shitian quickly moved to stand in front of her.

Qin Yun had underestimated Jian Linglong’s temper—it was far fiercer than he’d expected.

"Sister Linglong, I’m Qin Yun. Don’t waste your energy on them!" Qin Yun hurriedly sent her a mental message.

Jian Linglong whipped her head around to look at the young man behind her, both shocked and delighted, her anger vanishing instantly.

"Linglong... Your teammate may be young, but his mental energy is quite strong. Don’t be too pessimistic!" Jian Shitian tried to console her.

Jian Linglong’s fiery rage dissipated, and she returned to Qin Yun’s side, her heart bubbling with joy.

Jian Shitian, seeing her calm down, found it strange but also sighed in relief. Everyone knew Jian Linglong had a terrible temper and was a ticking time bomb.

Jian Linglong sent Qin Yun a mental message, "You little devil, when did you come back? And why so sneakily?"

Qin Yun smiled and replied, "I’ve been back for a few days. I stayed under the radar to avoid stirring up trouble. Sister Linglong, I was the one who arranged for us to be paired! You’re not mad, are you?"

Jian Linglong pinched Qin Yun’s handsome cheek and mentally laughed, "Of course I’m not mad! Teaming up with you is fantastic! Let’s work together and wipe the floor with them!"

She knew Qin Yun possessed two rune souls—the *Flame Fury* and *Beast King* runes—and had exceptional rune comprehension, mastering many runes. He was undoubtedly an outstanding partner.

Jian Shitian announced, "Now that the teams are set, the second round will begin—still focused on mental energy!"

Mental energy again? Many were surprised, and puzzled whispers spread through the crowd.

The arena quickly erupted in chatter.

Jian Shitian boomed, "This time, it’s a mental energy battle! Rune Masters must use their mental energy to control specially crafted weapons and slay Star Beasts with them!"

A barrier then appeared, encasing the massive circular arena spanning hundreds of meters.

Jian Shitian produced a tower and grinned. "Inside this tower are 10,000 pint-sized Star Beasts. Each hour, I’ll release 2,000. You must control your weapons to kill them! The thirty top-performing teams with the most kills will advance to the next round!"

"The team with the highest kill count will take home all the cores!"

Jian Linglong asked, "The battlefield will be chaotic. How will you determine who made the kills?"

Jian Shitian produced a longsword and explained, "These specially crafted weapons are inscribed with your names. If you kill a Star Beast using mental energy control, its core will bear your name!"

He began distributing the weapons—all transparent crystal artifacts.

Qin Yun took one and saw the crudely scrawled name "Xiao Yun," a perfect match for his handwriting.

A Rune Master from the Long family complained, "We’re here for a rune competition, not to slaughter Star Beasts. This makes no sense!"

Jian Shitian chuckled. "A Rune Master’s ability to manipulate objects with mental energy proves their mastery! Only then can the weapons they forge and the runes they carve truly pass muster!"

Qin Yun, however, was quietly thrilled. He was in dire need of cores—if they took first place, he’d get 10,000!

"Sister Linglong, those Star Beast cores will boost my cultivation!" Qin Yun said. "Let’s aim for the top!"

Jian Linglong was very confident in her own strength.

Jian Shitian continued, "Next, you may engrave runes into the Crystal Artifacts to enhance them, helping you dispatch the Star Beasts!"