The Outer Sect's promotion tournant received relatively little attention.
For a tournant of a hundred thousand participants, the Cyan Nether Sword Sect only sent one Inner Sect Elder to supervise the Outer Sect promotion tournant alongside Elder Bai, who was in charge of the Martial Arts Hall.
The two elders sat atop a high tower in the center of the Martial Arts Hall.
They sat opposite each other, a stone table carved with a ga board between them, pieces in hand as they played a match.
"Playing the center. Your move, Old Bai!"
The Black Robed Elder from the Inner Sect chuckled.
Elder Bai raised his grizzled white eyebrows, his expression calm. "Playing the center... So you're taking the royal road this ga! But no matter how powerful your strategy, it won't stop from slaughtering your dragon..." As he spoke, Elder Bai placed a stone.
"You old coot, still as stubborn as an ox, never willing to give an inch."
The Black Robed Elder shook his head and placed another stone. While Elder Bai was thinking, he glanced down at the Martial Arts Arena below. "Old Bai, are there any promising prospects among the Outer Sect disciples competing this ti?"
"There is one who is very promising!"
Elder Bai said nonchalantly, placing a stone.
The Black Robed Elder raised an eyebrow. "Oh? In all these years, very few disciples have earned your approval. Even among this generation's True Disciples, there was only Feng Xue Xin. Even Hong Renjie, whom the Sect Leader himself thinks highly of, you only rated as 'acceptable'. I'm quite curious now, just who is this 'very promising' little fellow you speak of?"
Elder Bai grinned, revealing a set of pearly white teeth that didn't match his age. "The boy's na is Hong Yu!"
"Oh? It's him?"
The Black Robed Elder was taken aback.
He glanced to the side, his dark pupils constricting as his gaze, seeming to pierce through the void itself, quickly found Hong Yu among the hundred thousand people waiting to be assigned to their groups.
In the crowd...
Hong Yu's expression faltered for a mont. He subconsciously looked toward the high tower, a green light flashing in his left eye. He was slightly puzzled. 'Hmm? Who is that? Why is he spying on from amidst a crowd of ten thousand people?'
Atop the tower, the Black Robed Elder was also startled for a mont, then he chuckled. "This little fellow has keen perception, but..."
The Black Robed Elder shook his head and sighed. "On the path of the Martial Dao, keen perception alone isn't enough to succeed. I've had people look into this Hong Yu before. When he first reported to the Sect, he was already at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm, but several months have passed and he's still stuck at the sa level. You must know, the Sword Sect's resources are countless tis richer than those in the secular world. One can only imagine that this boy's potential is diocre at best!"
"Oh? Are you really so certain this young man is that hopeless?" Elder Bai asked, his eyes narrowed. His voice was calm, betraying none of his thoughts.
The Black Robed Elder nodded. "I've determined that this boy won't go far in the future."
"First, not long after arriving at the Sword Sect, he managed to provoke both the Heaven and Earth Alliance and Guo Fei. That was unwise."
"Second, when Guo Fei challenged him to a fight, he ignored the huge gap in their strength. That is arrogance. Third, I've heard that after months of cultivating in the Sword Tower, his cultivation has remained stagnant. His potential must have already reached its limit. His future achievents will likely stop at the Earth Soul Realm!"
The Black Robed Elder listed several of Hong Yu's shortcomings in one breath, his words firm as he delivered his verdict. "Compared to him, Duan Hong and Dongfang Lang are countless tis more outstanding! And that's not even ntioning that Demon Fiend, Ling Tian... Back then, we old geezers fought tooth and nail for him, only for the Sect Leader to snatch him away."
The Black Robed Elder sighed, filled with regret.
Elder Bai's expression remained unchanged. He said flatly, "That boy Ling Tian is indeed excellent. His talent surpasses even Feng Xue Xin's, and even our Chief Disciple is sowhat inferior to him. But..." After a pause, Elder Bai's every word rang with conviction, "in my eyes, he too is no match for Hong Yu!"
"Oh? Old Bai, you really have that much confidence in Hong Yu?" the Black Robed Elder asked in surprise.
Elder Bai nodded.
The Black Robed Elder's eyes glinted, and he said with a smile, "How about you and I make a little wager?"
"What's the wager?"
"Let's bet on what place Hong Yu can get in the promotion tournant."
A crafty light shone in the Black Robed Elder's eyes. "I bet he won't make it into the top three. If I lose, I'll give you this set of ga pieces made from 'Dark Blue Rhino Horn'! But if you lose, you have to give that 'Taicang Purple Clay Teapot' set of yours. How about it?"
"You old fox, you're really willing to put up high stakes! Both my purple clay teapot and your rhino horn pieces are precious Treasures, comparable to Spirit-Level Primordial Weapons!"
For the first ti, a smile appeared on Elder Bai's face. He stared intently at the Black Robed Elder and nodded. "However, since you're so insistent on gifting your prized rhino horn pieces, I certainly won't refuse. The bet is on!"
Hong Yu, of course, had no idea that two rather distinguished figures were secretly making a bet on him.
At this very mont...
It was his turn to be assigned to a group!
"Hong Yu, Group Seven, Number Thirty-eight!"
An Outer Sect Steward in charge of assignnts announced indifferently.
The Cyan Nether Sword Sect had a great many disciples. The Outer Sect alone had three hundred thousand, so managing them was naturally a monuntal task.
Therefore, the Cyan Nether Sword Sect would often select disciples with average talent or whose path on the Martial Dao had co to an end to serve as Stewards and assist with managing the Sect.
"Thank you!"
Hong Yu cupped his hands at the Steward.
The Steward was taken aback for a mont, and his impassive expression softened considerably.
Stewards like them didn't have a high status and were often looked down upon by the talented disciples.
He had heard of Hong Yu's na before—a formidable genius—and had instinctively felt a sense of dislike at first. But seeing how polite Hong Yu was, he naturally felt much better. He said, "The rest area for Group Seven is over here. Go on over and wait."
Hong Yu nodded and left.
The one hundred thousand participants were divided into one hundred areas. Each area had a thousand people, who were then split into ten groups for the competition.
Hong Yu's group, Group Seven, had one hundred and twenty-three people.
A quick glance revealed that the strength of these people was average. The strongest were rely three at the Half-Step Earth Soul Realm.
These three were unfamiliar faces, likely older disciples from the previous batch.
When the three of them noticed Hong Yu's arrival, their entire bodies tensed up, and they looked at him with eyes full of hostility and vigilance.
Despite the embarrassing rumors circulating about Hong Yu's failure to break through to the Earth Soul Realm, they had all heard about him defeating Chen Xing—sothing none of them could do. The expressions on their faces dimd. Of the one hundred thousand Outer Disciples, only one hundred would successfully advance and earn the right to challenge the experts of the Inner Sect!
Clearly, they didn't think they could defeat Hong Yu and stand out from the crowd.
Regardless of what these few thought, the matches proceeded as scheduled.
Soon, it was Hong Yu's turn to take the stage...
"Number Thirty-eight, Hong Yu, versus Number Sixty-five, Yuu Chenfei!"
the Steward said indifferently.
"Begin!"
the Steward said flatly.
Hong Yu made an inviting gesture. "After you, Senior Brother Yuu!"
"Junior Brother Hong, be careful!"
Yuu Chenfei let out a low roar, his brow tightened, and he thrust his fists forward, creating a sound like the Wind and the Crying of Cranes.
WHOOSH!
The fist thundered toward Hong Yu.
Hong Yu stood his ground, his eyes narrowed, calmly watching Yuu Chenfei charge at him. He abruptly stomped his feet, and as his toes pushed off the ground, his body shot up like a Flood Dragon soaring into the sky. As he rocketed forward, his five fingers clenched into an Iron Fist, which was surrounded by a faint, weak golden halo.
He didn't use any Martial Skill at all, not even mobilizing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within his body.
That faint layer of golden light was rely a basic reaction from cultivating the Eight Desolates Saint Slaying Technique.
A punch like this was incredibly simple and unadorned.
"Eh? The little fellow isn't using a Martial Skill, just the Basic Boxing Technique?"
Atop the tower, the Black Robed Elder shook his head nonchalantly. "What an arrogant little fellow! That Yuu Chenfei is the grandson of the old General from the Yuu Family in the Royal Capital. He grew up in the army, so his combat prowess is nothing to scoff at. He'll suffer a great loss if he underestimates him!"
Elder Bai said faintly, "It's not yet clear who will co out on top!"
"Hehe, it seems you old coot have a lot of confidence in this kid! But trying to defeat an expert of the sa realm with just the Basic Boxing Technique... that's not easy," said the Black Robed Elder.
"Let's wait and see."
Elder Bai twirled a ga piece in his hand, not once glancing in Hong Yu's direction from beginning to end.
On the fighting stage.
When Yuu Chenfei saw Hong Yu using the Basic Boxing Technique against him, his expression sank, and he seethed with hidden anger. "Hong Yu, you're taking this too far! Even if I'm no match for you, I will not allow you to look down on and insult like this! Qiyang Shock Body, Qiyang Eight Ridge Fist...!"
The wind from Yuu Chenfei's fists changed again.
A flurry of fist shadows flew, as if every blade of grass and every tree had beco a fist!
The power of a Half-Step Earth Soul Realm expert was indeed formidable. The mont this Martial Skill was unleashed, he transford into a peerless king of fists. His Fist Technique streaked across the sky, as if to shatter the heavens and the eight desolates, and a powerful Fist Montum suddenly condensed.
The Top-Level Martial Skill instantly transford, becoming a Mortal Level Lower Grade Martial Skill, its might increasing more than threefold in an instant.
Yuu Chenfei's face was cold. "This was taught to by my grandfather. I had planned to save it to make a big splash at the next promotion tournant. But since you dare to look down on and insult , I'll let you have a taste of my true power today!"
The Fist Technique was enhanced, its power surging. This punch was powerful enough to match a full-force blow from an ordinary Early-stage Earth Soul Realm expert.
Disciples of the Cyan Nether Sword Sect truly couldn't be judged by ordinary standards!
But Hong Yu remained unperturbed, his expression as calm as ever without the slightest ripple. His Basic Boxing Technique thundered forward!
BANG!
Two fists of flesh and blood collided in mid-air.
A direct clash!
Like the tip of a needle against a sharpened spike.
At that mont, everyone below the stage stared with wide eyes. They were desperate to know who would win and who would lose in a contest between the Basic Boxing Technique and a Mortal Level Lower Grade Martial Skill!
To be sure, the vast majority of people still favored the Mortal Level Lower Grade Martial Skill.
But...
when the one using the Basic Boxing Technique was Hong Yu, the famous 'fallen' genius, they couldn't help but start hoping for a miracle.
Under the watchful gaze of the masses, the victor of their duel was finally decided.
BOOM!
A surging wave of energy erupted from the point where their fists t, blasting out in all directions.
A figure was sent flying in a clean arc, tumbling off the stage.
Thousands of pairs of eyes watched as pupils contracted in that instant. Everyone held their breath, staring at the youthful figure on the stage. Their gazes flickered with a strange, indescribable expression...
'The winner... was actually him?'
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