Too weak. Not even good enough for practice. Baili Xuance shook his head, his expression unsatisfied.
"Seriously? Defeated with a single punch!" Near the fourth dueling platform, many of the younger generation were left stunned. This bearded youth was ranked 28th on the Heavenly List, yet he was no match for this country bumpkin’s one punch. It appeared the country lad hadn’t even used his full strength. Indeed, only he knew how much effort he had truly exerted.
"This man could be a dark horse, one with the strength to compete for a top-ten spot," an older warrior with a keen eye remarked.
Ling Chen wasn’t surprised by this outco. Having sparred with Baili Xuance before, he was well aware of his strength. This man’s power is on par with the top three experts on the Heavenly List. A formidable opponent indeed.
However, despite the many strong competitors in this martial arts tournant, the one who most piqued Ling Chen’s interest was Young Master Ye from the Night King Clan. The Night King was a Sky Apex Realm Strong with a legendary reputation who had left a prominent mark on the Martial World. His na was inscribed on the Martial Arts Monunt, recognizing him as a two-ti Martial Arts Supre—a legendary expert. Young Master Ye, the champion of the previous martial arts tournant, was incredibly mysterious and exceptionally powerful. However, he hadn’t made an appearance for three years. After securing first place in the last tournant, he had all but vanished until this current one comnced. My intuition tells that this Young Master Ye will be my greatest adversary in this martial arts tournant, Ling Chen thought.
"Group Five, eighth match: Ling Chen versus Li Tianhan!"
The matches in Group Five quickly progressed, and soon it was Ling Chen’s turn. His opponent was a young prodigy, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, likely a disciple from one of the major Aristocratic Families. This opponent’s cultivation had reached the Ninth-level Martial Master. His weapon was a silver long spear, its tip glinting with a chilling light.
This first match is mine! Li Tianhan thought, clearly underestimating Ling Chen. With a tap of his foot, his figure flickered, movents erratic. The long spear in his hand struck like a viper lunging from its den, its point radiating an intimidating chill.
Ling Chen stood his ground, releasing his Mountain and Water Sword Intention, which enveloped his opponent’s mind. Instantly, an illusion of thousands of mountains and rivers materialized around Ling Chen, seeming both illusory and real.
What is this?! It was impossible for thousands of mountains and rivers to appear on the dueling platform. Li Tianhan’s mind fell into disarray; his spear technique lost its accuracy, his power waned, and his defense was riddled with openings. With a seemingly casual stride, Ling Chen appeared before his opponent at an ordinary pace and landed a punch squarely on Li Tianhan’s chest.
"That fool! How could he daze out at such a critical mont?!" mbers of the Li Clan in the audience exclaid, stamping their feet in frustration. They had clearly seen Li Tianhan get distracted just as he was about to strike Ling Chen, causing his spear to miss. But how could they know? It wasn’t that Li Tianhan *chose* to be distracted; Ling Chen’s Sword Intent had forced his mind to cope with the illusion. Moreover, Ling Chen’s Mountain and Water Sword Intention only enveloped the central area of the dueling platform, making it difficult for others to detect its presence.
However, the referee for Group Five noticed the anomaly. After a mont of contemplation, he arrived at a conclusion. So, it was Sword Intent. This boy is likely a strong contender for the top ten. The Group Five referee quietly made a ntal note of Ling Chen. It seed that within this group, Ling Chen held the greatest promise.
Only ten matches into the competition, an outstanding contender had already erged. After a few more rounds, it should beco clearer who possessed the strength to prevail in the end.
"Wei Qingyi versus Leng Wu Xue!"
As the referee’s voice faded, Group Five fell silent for a mont before erupting into a tidal wave of incessant discussion.
"Leng Wu Xue, ranked 13th on the Heavenly List, the ’Bloodless Sword’! I can’t believe he’s up already."
"There aren’t many experts in Group Five. Barring any surprises, Leng Wu Xue should secure first place in this group. I just wonder if this contestant nad Wei Qingyi can hold on long enough to force Leng Wu Xue to reveal so of his true strength."
"Difficult! Lasting even three moves against him would be impressive. Leng Wu Xue’s reputation in the Jianghu is widespread; he’s no ordinary young expert."
Amidst the crowd’s murmurs, the two combatants had already appeared on the martial arts competition stage. Leng Wu Xue, clad in black, stood with a sword clasped in both hands. His gaze was sharp, his deanor chillingly cold. A palpable murderous aura emanated from him, deterring anyone from approaching. Facing Leng Wu Xue was another young man, approximately twenty years old. He was tall and slender, draped in a cyan robe, his long hair casually tied back with a thin cord. He appeared both elegant and refreshingly unburdened, yet carried an air of unrestraint. Despite facing a formidable opponent like Leng Wu Xue, his expression remained impassive, as if he were rely facing an ordinary adversary.
"That Leng Wu Xue is likely your greatest opponent in Group Five." As Ling Chen was pondering, a woman’s voice suddenly sounded beside him. He turned towards the sound and was surprised to see it was Xiao Muyu.
"It’s hard to say. This Wei Qingyi... he might not be so simple!" Ling Chen’s assessnt differed from the crowd’s. In his eyes, although Wei Qingyi was not well-known, he possessed a strong yet reserved aura. Furthermore, Ling Chen sensed a ntality in Wei Qingyi similar to his own: a mindset unfettered by convention, one that carved its own path. It wasn’t difficult to surmise that Wei Qingyi’s techniques likely mirrored this ntality—unconventional and untraceable. Such individuals, possessing creativity, could often produce unexpected results.
"If even you say so, then this Wei Qingyi must truly be far from simple," Xiao Muyu said, nodding thoughtfully.
"Why do you say that?" Ling Chen asked, sowhat surprised. It seed there was indeed sothing more to this situation.
"Look at Wei Qingyi’s sleeve. There’s a cyan feather emblem on it," Xiao Muyu said.
"An emblem?" Ling Chen’s gaze sharpened, his pupils constricting slightly as he focused on Wei Qingyi’s sleeve. Indeed, there was a cyan feather insignia.
"That’s the emblem of the Cyan Robe Association." A gleam flickered in Xiao Muyu’s beautiful eyes. She turned her head towards Ling Chen. "Do you rember the Cyan-robed Guest who appeared at the Tienzong Ruins? Rumor has it he’s the leader of the Cyan Robe Association."
"The Cyan Robe Association is incredibly mysterious, always operating outside the notice of the major sects in the Martial World. No one knows the extent of its power, but it’s certain that the association itself is very strong. Moreover, every mber of the Cyan Robe Association is a one-in-a-million elite talent, and their leader, the Cyan-robed Guest, possesses unfathomable strength."
"The Cyan Robe Association has only recently begun to make its presence known in the Martial World. I didn’t expect them to make such a bold move in this martial arts tournant, with mbers appearing so openly before everyone."
"Since this Wei Qingyi is from the Cyan Robe Association, his strength is likely truly remarkable," Xiao Muyu concluded.
Then this battle will certainly be worth watching, Ling Chen thought, his eyes brightening slightly. If, as Xiao Muyu suggested, every mber of the Cyan Robe Association was an elite talent, then the perceived strength comparison between the two on the martial arts competition stage would indeed need reevaluation.
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