I stepped forward, bowing towards the crowd. "Thank you! Don't worry, I have more strange techniques up my sleeve!"
The referee, who now looked a little better, gestured for me to leave the stage. I walked back to the participant area, passing Wang Lei who was still in shock.
"You... you're crazy," Wang Lei whispered, his face still slightly green from the faint smell lingering in the air.
I just smiled at him. "That's the highest compliment, Sir Wang Lei. See you in the next round!"
Long'er looked at me, then shook her head. "You... you are truly unpredictable, Chen Ming. But... it worked."
Of course, it worked! This is the Dao of Strangeness! I knew this was just the beginning. I still had many fights ahead. And I couldn't wait to see how many Strangeness Points I could get from this tournament.
The foul odor from the 'Dragon Foot Odor Pill' was not lethal, but its effect was very persistent. Even after Zhao Wu was knocked off the stage and the arena was cleaned with some Qi cleansing talismans, the faint aroma still lingered, making some spectators occasionally wrinkle their noses. This was a victory that would be remembered, not for its brutal power, but for its disgusting absurdity.
Wang Lei, who had been very arrogant, now looked at me with a gaze mixed with disgust and disbelief. He no longer openly mocked me, but the expression on his face showed that he considered me a disgrace to the cultivation world. Good. Wang Lei's confusion surely gave me points, even though I couldn't see the notification directly.
The other participants also began to look at me differently. Some looked scared, perhaps thinking I had other disgusting techniques. Some looked curious, trying to analyze how the 'Dragon Foot Odor Pill' worked. And others, especially the younger disciples, looked amused, holding back laughter.
[Detection: User successfully creates an aura of mystery and madness among participants. Collecting Strangeness Points from absurd speculation...]
[+12 Strangeness Points.]
My Strangeness Points soared to 346.
The first round of the tournament continued. I watched several fights. These young cultivators were indeed geniuses. Sword techniques that split the wind, fire spells that burned the sky, and impenetrable Qi shields. They fought gracefully and lethally, true to the image of cultivators I read about in novels. I felt a little... out of place. I was like a glitch in their matrix.
Long'er remained calm by my side, occasionally giving brief comments. "That sword cultivator has a strong foundation, but is too rigid. That fire cultivator has fluctuating Qi, but lacks control." She spoke like the strictest martial arts critic.
When my turn came again, I stepped onto the stage confidently. My opponent in the second round was a young woman in a green robe, holding a long whip made of spiritual vines. She was a disciple of the Wind Flower Sect, known for her plant control techniques.
"You are that Strange Cultivator?" she said, her voice cold. "I will not let you insult the honor of my sect with your disgusting tricks!"
I smiled at her. "Miss, I only use effective techniques. Would you like to see my 'Spiritual Chewing Gum Spit Technique'?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Disgusting!"
The referee signaled, and the fight began. The woman immediately unleashed her whip, which extended and tried to coil around me. I dodged, jumping around with strange movements, making her whip often miss.
Damn, her whip is too fast! I need something to trap her!
I opened the System Shop. I had 346 Strangeness Points.
[Sticky Spider Web (Disposable)]
Price: 70 Strangeness Points
Description: A web made of sticky spiritual Qi. Can temporarily trap enemies. Not very strong, but very annoying.
Sticky Spider Web! This is it!
"I'll buy Sticky Spider Web!"
My Strangeness Points decreased to 276. A small scroll containing a sticky web appeared in my hand.
As the woman unleashed her whip again, I threw the web at her. The web shot out, spinning in the air, then stuck to her whip, making the whip sticky and difficult to move.
The woman gasped, trying to pull her whip, but the web stuck firmly. "What is this?! Why is it so sticky?!"
I smiled. "That's the 'Absurd Spider Web'! Very effective for trapping enemies who rely too much on weapons!"
[Detection: User successfully traps the enemy with an unorthodox method. Collecting Strangeness Points from a ridiculous trap...]
[+15 Strangeness Points.]
My Strangeness Points soared to 291.
The woman was still trying to free her whip. I didn't waste the opportunity. I focused Qi into my leg, then launched a mini version of 'Heaven-Opening Punch' towards her. The woman, who was still busy with her whip, couldn't dodge. The punch didn't hurt her, but pushed her to the edge of the stage.
"Surrender!" shouted the referee.
The woman, who now looked frustrated and disgusted, sighed. "I surrender!"
Cheers mixed with laughter erupted from the crowd. I stepped forward, bowing. "Thank you for the fight, Miss! I hope you find strong soap to clean your whip!"
Long'er shook her head in the participant area, but I could see a very wide smile on her lips. Li Hua looked at me with an increasingly amazed expression.
I won the second round. And so on.
In the third round, I fought an old man who used illusion techniques. I defeated him with the 'Absurd Eye-Wink Technique' (which involved me winking excessively and strangely, making his illusions flicker slightly and giving me an opening to attack).
In the fourth round, I fought a female cultivator who used sound techniques. I defeated her with the 'Spiritual Karaoke Singing Technique' (which involved me singing Earth pop songs off-key, disrupting her concentration and making her cover her ears).
Every fight was a spectacle in itself. I never fought in a normal way. I always used the most absurd, most unexpected, and most disgusting techniques. And each time, I succeeded, and each time, I gained a lot of Strangeness Points. My reputation as the 'Strange Jade-Faced Cultivator' grew stronger, spreading throughout Bright Sky City.
Now, I had reached the quarterfinals. Only eight cultivators remained. I had accumulated a total of over 500 Strangeness Points. My strength had also increased rapidly. My Half-Dragon Meridians felt stronger, and I could feel my Qi pulsing with abundant energy.
The night before the quarterfinals, Grand Elder Lin called me. He looked more serious than usual.
"Chen Ming," he said. "You have done an amazing job. You have brought honor to the Sky Cloud Sect in your unique way. But... your opponent in the quarterfinals will not be easy."
I nodded. "Who is he, Grand Elder?"
"He is... Xiao Feng, from the Immortal Sword Sect," Grand Elder Lin said, his voice slightly tense. "He is the strongest inner disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect. He is called 'Shadowless Sword'. I heard he has never lost a fight. And he... he is a true sword genius."
Xiao Feng? Shadowless Sword? Sounds like the final boss in a game!
"He also has a very stable aura, and his heart is as hard as steel," Grand Elder Lin continued. "Your absurd tricks probably won't affect him. He won't be easily confused."
I swallowed. Not easily confused? That's a big problem for my Dao of Strangeness!
Long'er, who stood beside me, looked at me. Her golden eyes radiated a hint of worry. "Be careful, Chen Ming. Xiao Feng is a different kind of opponent."
I nodded. This will be my biggest test so far. Fighting a sword genius who cannot be confused. I have to think of something very, very strange.