Chapter 117: Confrontation
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Chapter 117: Confrontation
Not only had the Deputy Headmaster of the Three Masters Martial Academy arrived, but the deputy headmasters of the Diamond Martial Academy, the Five Elements Martial Academy, and the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy had also personally come to oversee the martial field.
The four deputy headmasters were all elderly men over a hundred years old. Some had youthful faces with white hair, some appeared to be only in their forties or fifties, while others had disheveled hair and sloppy attire, bearing no resemblance to the dignified image of deputy headmasters.
The top ten geniuses of this year's competition stood below in a single row. Each of them exuded powerful Martial Arts Profound Qi, and despite their youth, they carried an air of confidence and superiority, as if they could command the world with a single gesture.
A servant of the academy stepped forward before the ten prodigies, sweeping his gaze over them as he announced, "All who have entered the top ten of this year's competition will receive a prize bestowed by the academy. Of course, the final rewards will depend on your performance in the upcoming matches—the higher your ranking, the richer the rewards. The Champion who secures first place will not only receive generous rewards but also gain the privilege to cultivate in the Heavenly Palace for seven days."
The Heavenly Palace was renowned as the foremost cultivation holy land in the Yulan Empire. A single day of cultivation inside was equivalent to a year of cultivation outside.
One day in heaven, a year on earth.
It was a place all martial artists dreamed of. Even just one day of cultivation there could leave one's competitors an entire year behind.
Becoming this year's Champion and cultivating in the Heavenly Palace for seven days would mean leaving martial artists of the same age seven years behind.
This was an immense temptation, far more alluring than any treasure.
Not only did it stir excitement among the top ten geniuses, but even the distant spectators erupted in fervent admiration upon hearing the announcement.
The academy servant presented a bronze tray holding ten jade balls and declared, "Now, you will each come forward in turn to draw a Number Tag. The two adjacent numbers will determine your opponents in the upcoming matches."
Ning Xiaochuan also stepped forward to draw a jade ball. At the bottom of the ball was inscribed the number "four," meaning his opponent would be the holder of number three.
Who would Ning Xiaochuan face in his first match?
Many in the audience were eager to see Ning Xiaochuan and Ming Yang clash early, as Ming Yang had already vowed to take Ning Xiaochuan's life, while Ning Xiaochuan's cultivation was no weakling either.
If these two were to meet, it would undoubtedly be a spectacle worth watching.
Ming Yang glanced faintly at Ning Xiaochuan, pinching the jade ball between his fingers and revealing the bottom to him.
Ning Xiaochuan did the same, turning the base of his jade ball toward Ming Yang.
Ming Yang clasped the jade ball with five fingers and withdrew it, saying indifferently, "You're lucky."
At the bottom of Ming Yang's jade ball was inscribed the number "ten."
"Ning Xiaochuan, your luck might not be as good as you think," He Jia said, retrieving his jade ball and showing the bottom to Ning Xiaochuan—it bore the number "three."
Though He Jia's cultivation was formidable, Ning Xiaochuan felt no pressure. He replied calmly, "Is that so? We'll settle it on the martial field."
The match pairings were quickly finalized:
First Match: Yu Tiadi vs. Lu Qing
Second Match: Ning Xiaochuan vs. He Jia
Third Match: Yu Lanfei vs. Yin Sanyue
Fourth Match: Xie Mengyao vs. Hu Han Yeli
Fifth Match: Ming Yang vs. Nan Shuiyi
The first battle would be between Yu Tiadi and Lu Qing.
Yu Tiadi, clad in golden battle armor, strode into the martial arena atop a Third-Grade Ice Lizard, gripping the Halberd in his hand. His entire presence resembled that of a war god.
Lu Qing, a young genius from the Lu Family of the Demon Ridge Domain, was hailed as the region's foremost ghostly genius, having suffered almost no defeats among his peers. He had already reached the Fourth Level of the Divine Body Realm. In his hands, he wielded a Dragonback Greatsword—two meters long, crimson-red as if forged from flame crystal, and weighing a staggering 4,600 kilograms. Yet, he held it effortlessly.
Lu Qing channeled his Profound Qi into the blade, causing a 10-meter-long blade aura to surge from the weapon. With a single slash, the yellow sand on the ground erupted, coalescing into a massive sand dragon that let out a deep, resonant roar.
"Raaah!"
Instead of retreating, Yu Tiadi advanced, his Halberd erupting with golden Profound Qi as he struck the sand dragon, shattering its head into scattered grains. Amid the swirling sand, Lu Qing swung his blade downward—his strike as swift as lightning.
Yu Tiadi's palms erupted with golden Profound Qi as he unleashed nine consecutive palm strikes against the Dragonback Greatsword, forcing Lu Qing back. The Ice Toad Beast beneath Yu Tiadi let out a piercing cry before charging madly toward Lu Qing. The two clashed once more, their Martial Arts Profound Qi flooding the arena and stirring up clouds of yellow sand.
"Just a month ago, Yu Tiadi's cultivation was only slightly superior to Ning Xin'er's. But now, he has far surpassed her. He must have encountered a great opportunity in the Fire Demon Mountain Range. After returning, he undoubtedly received focused training from the Kirin Prince's Manor—otherwise, his progress wouldn’t have been so rapid."
This wasn’t to say Ning Xin'er’s talent was inferior to Yu Tiadi’s, but rather that Yu Tiadi had access to far greater resources, allowing his cultivation speed to outpace hers by a significant margin. Had Ning Xin'er been the one to train in the Jian Pavilion Pagoda, her current combat prowess would likely rival Yu Tiadi’s.
"Is it fair for other participants if someone brings a mystic beast Battle Pet into the fight?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.
A woman standing beside him replied, "Theoretically, it doesn’t violate the rules. After all, a mystic beast Battle Pet is part of a warrior’s strength. Take the Dragon Elephant warriors, for example—their Dragon Elephants are integral to their combat power. Without them, their strength would drop significantly."
Ning Xiaochuan glanced at the woman beside him and couldn’t help but feel a flicker of admiration.
She was one of the top ten contenders, strikingly beautiful despite being only fifteen or sixteen years old—more mature than other girls her age. Her figure was voluptuous, with a full bust and a slender waist, perfectly proportioned and exuding grace.
Tall and elegant, she stood just half a head shorter than Ning Xiaochuan. Her legs, visible beneath her short skirt, were snow-white, slender, and incredibly supple. Ning Xiaochuan hadn’t meant to stare, but even a passing glance left him stunned—especially by those long, delicate jade-like legs, which somehow felt faintly familiar.
Why did he feel that way?
"Xie Mengyao, from the Yunmeng Martial Academy," the woman said, her lips curving into a faint, seductive smile as her eyes locked onto Ning Xiaochuan.
"Ning Xiaochuan." It had been a long time since Ning Xiaochuan had been stared at so intently by a woman that he felt compelled to avert his gaze. He quickly turned his head, composed himself, and focused his attention on the battle in the martial arena.
The fight between Yu Tiadi and Lu Qing had reached a fever pitch.
"Heaven and Earth Single Blade!"
Lu Qing's hair billowed wildly as his eyes swept disdainfully across the field. His body soared into the air, and with a single slash, he unleashed a massive blade aura over 20 meters long, condensing into the shape of a colossal blade that crashed down toward Yu Tiadi's head.
This strike seemed to possess the power to split heaven and earth, filling the entire martial arena with swirling blade energy.
Yu Tiadi crossed his Halberd horizontally, his entire body enveloped in golden light, forming a massive golden sphere three meters in diameter.
"Boom!"
The Halberd clashed with the Dragonback Warblade.
A tremendous force surged into Yu Tiadi's body and then transmitted to the Ice Toad Beast, instantly crushing it to the ground with a pained shriek.
Enraged, Yu Tiadi let out a furious roar. A golden Kirin phantom rose behind him, growing as large as a small hill, charging toward Lu Qing alongside Yu Tiadi.
"Boom! Boom!"
Yu Tiadi's power became overwhelmingly immense, each strike forcing Lu Qing back several steps.
"Yu Tiadi actually mastered the Kirin Battle Qi—he's been hiding his cultivation." Xie Mengyao's lips curled into a faint smile.
Ning Xiaochuan nodded. "Yu Tiadi's martial arts cultivation must have already reached the Fifth Level of the Divine Body Realm. He's deliberately suppressing his strength, not unleashing his full combat power."
Xie Mengyao said, "To cultivate the Kirin Battle Qi, one must at least reach the Fifth Level of the Divine Body Realm."
"You seem very familiar with the Kirin Prince's Manor?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.
"I memorize the details of all formidable opponents. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles," Xie Mengyao replied with a starry-eyed smile.
Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly. Where had he heard those words before?
The battle between Yu Tiadi and Lu Qing had concluded, with Yu Tiadi ultimately defeating Lu Qing using the Kirin Battle Qi. The Halberd pierced through Lu Qing's chest, leaving him severely wounded.
Next was the battle between Ning Xiaochuan and He Jia.
This was also a highly anticipated match—one contestant from the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, the other from the Yiyuan Sect, the leader of the Ten Thousand Sects.
If not for the emergence of the monstrous genius Ming Yang, He Jia would have had the strength to contend for this year's Champion.
He Jia's face was as pale as paper, his body frail, exuding a sickly aura. Yet no one dared to underestimate him, for his condition was tied to the martial arts scripture he cultivated.
He practiced the "True Yin Ancient Scripture," converting the yang energy in his body into Martial Arts Profound Qi, leaving only yin energy behind. The imbalance of yin overwhelming yang gave him the appearance of a chronically ill man.
In truth, for those who cultivated the "True Yin Ancient Scripture," the more severe their illness, the stronger their cultivation—yet they remained ill without dying.
This was an extremely sinister martial technique, harming oneself before harming others. The yin energy in the body would grow heavier, eventually drawing closer to undead creatures. While granting immense martial power, it also stripped away many things a normal person should possess.
He Jia stood at the center of the martial arena, his body frail, yet exuding an arrogant aura that disregarded the entire world. "Ning Xiaochuan, you should thank me," he said.
Ning Xiaochuan replied, "Why?"
"Because in this martial contest, you will inevitably lose to me and be eliminated. This is a good thing for you—at least you won’t die by Ming Yang’s sword," He Jia declared.
Ning Xiaochuan remained calm. "Many say you are strong. I’d like to see just how strong you truly are."
"If I’m strong enough to kill you, I won’t hesitate in the slightest."
A chilling Profound Qi condensed in He Jia’s palm, forming dozens of tiny ice swords, each no larger than a sewing needle. The ground beneath his feet froze into a thick layer of pale blue ice, covering a 10-meter radius of sand, from which sharp, sword-like ice spikes emerged.
Not only had the Deputy Headmaster of the Three Masters Martial Academy arrived, but the deputy headmasters of the Diamond Martial Academy, the Five Elements Martial Academy, and the Heavenly Phenomenon Martial Academy had also personally come to oversee the martial field.
The four deputy headmasters were all elderly men over a hundred years old. Some had youthful faces with white hair, some appeared to be only in their forties or fifties, while others had disheveled hair and sloppy attire, bearing no resemblance to the dignified image of deputy headmasters.
The top ten geniuses of this year's competition stood below in a single row. Each of them exuded powerful Martial Arts Profound Qi, and despite their youth, they carried an air of confidence and superiority, as if they could command the world with a single gesture.
A servant of the academy stepped forward before the ten prodigies, sweeping his gaze over them as he announced, "All who have entered the top ten of this year's competition will receive a prize bestowed by the academy. Of course, the final rewards will depend on your performance in the upcoming matches—the higher your ranking, the richer the rewards. The Champion who secures first place will not only receive generous rewards but also gain the privilege to cultivate in the Heavenly Palace for seven days."
The Heavenly Palace was renowned as the foremost cultivation holy land in the Yulan Empire. A single day of cultivation inside was equivalent to a year of cultivation outside.
One day in heaven, a year on earth.
It was a place all martial artists dreamed of. Even just one day of cultivation there could leave one's competitors an entire year behind.
Becoming this year's Champion and cultivating in the Heavenly Palace for seven days would mean leaving martial artists of the same age seven years behind.
This was an immense temptation, far more alluring than any treasure.
Not only did it stir excitement among the top ten geniuses, but even the distant spectators erupted in fervent admiration upon hearing the announcement.
The academy servant presented a bronze tray holding ten jade balls and declared, "Now, you will each come forward in turn to draw a Number Tag. The two adjacent numbers will determine your opponents in the upcoming matches."
Ning Xiaochuan also stepped forward to draw a jade ball. At the bottom of the ball was inscribed the number "four," meaning his opponent would be the holder of number three.
Who would Ning Xiaochuan face in his first match?
Many in the audience were eager to see Ning Xiaochuan and Ming Yang clash early, as Ming Yang had already vowed to take Ning Xiaochuan's life, while Ning Xiaochuan's cultivation was no weakling either.
If these two were to meet, it would undoubtedly be a spectacle worth watching.
Ming Yang glanced faintly at Ning Xiaochuan, pinching the jade ball between his fingers and revealing the bottom to him.
Ning Xiaochuan did the same, turning the base of his jade ball toward Ming Yang.
Ming Yang clasped the jade ball with five fingers and withdrew it, saying indifferently, "You're lucky."
At the bottom of Ming Yang's jade ball was inscribed the number "ten."
"Ning Xiaochuan, your luck might not be as good as you think," He Jia said, retrieving his jade ball and showing the bottom to Ning Xiaochuan—it bore the number "three."
Though He Jia's cultivation was formidable, Ning Xiaochuan felt no pressure. He replied calmly, "Is that so? We'll settle it on the martial field."
The match pairings were quickly finalized:
First Match: Yu Tiadi vs. Lu Qing
Second Match: Ning Xiaochuan vs. He Jia
Third Match: Yu Lanfei vs. Yin Sanyue
Fourth Match: Xie Mengyao vs. Hu Han Yeli
Fifth Match: Ming Yang vs. Nan Shuiyi
The first battle would be between Yu Tiadi and Lu Qing.
Yu Tiadi, clad in golden battle armor, strode into the martial arena atop a Third-Grade Ice Lizard, gripping the Halberd in his hand. His entire presence resembled that of a war god.
Lu Qing, a young genius from the Lu Family of the Demon Ridge Domain, was hailed as the region's foremost ghostly genius, having suffered almost no defeats among his peers. He had already reached the Fourth Level of the Divine Body Realm. In his hands, he wielded a Dragonback Greatsword—two meters long, crimson-red as if forged from flame crystal, and weighing a staggering 4,600 kilograms. Yet, he held it effortlessly.
Lu Qing channeled his Profound Qi into the blade, causing a 10-meter-long blade aura to surge from the weapon. With a single slash, the yellow sand on the ground erupted, coalescing into a massive sand dragon that let out a deep, resonant roar.
"Raaah!"
Instead of retreating, Yu Tiadi advanced, his Halberd erupting with golden Profound Qi as he struck the sand dragon, shattering its head into scattered grains. Amid the swirling sand, Lu Qing swung his blade downward—his strike as swift as lightning.
Yu Tiadi's palms erupted with golden Profound Qi as he unleashed nine consecutive palm strikes against the Dragonback Greatsword, forcing Lu Qing back. The Ice Toad Beast beneath Yu Tiadi let out a piercing cry before charging madly toward Lu Qing. The two clashed once more, their Martial Arts Profound Qi flooding the arena and stirring up clouds of yellow sand.
"Just a month ago, Yu Tiadi's cultivation was only slightly superior to Ning Xin'er's. But now, he has far surpassed her. He must have encountered a great opportunity in the Fire Demon Mountain Range. After returning, he undoubtedly received focused training from the Kirin Prince's Manor—otherwise, his progress wouldn’t have been so rapid."
This wasn’t to say Ning Xin'er’s talent was inferior to Yu Tiadi’s, but rather that Yu Tiadi had access to far greater resources, allowing his cultivation speed to outpace hers by a significant margin. Had Ning Xin'er been the one to train in the Jian Pavilion Pagoda, her current combat prowess would likely rival Yu Tiadi’s.
"Is it fair for other participants if someone brings a mystic beast Battle Pet into the fight?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.
A woman standing beside him replied, "Theoretically, it doesn’t violate the rules. After all, a mystic beast Battle Pet is part of a warrior’s strength. Take the Dragon Elephant warriors, for example—their Dragon Elephants are integral to their combat power. Without them, their strength would drop significantly."
Ning Xiaochuan glanced at the woman beside him and couldn’t help but feel a flicker of admiration.
She was one of the top ten contenders, strikingly beautiful despite being only fifteen or sixteen years old—more mature than other girls her age. Her figure was voluptuous, with a full bust and a slender waist, perfectly proportioned and exuding grace.
Tall and elegant, she stood just half a head shorter than Ning Xiaochuan. Her legs, visible beneath her short skirt, were snow-white, slender, and incredibly supple. Ning Xiaochuan hadn’t meant to stare, but even a passing glance left him stunned—especially by those long, delicate jade-like legs, which somehow felt faintly familiar.
Why did he feel that way?
"Xie Mengyao, from the Yunmeng Martial Academy," the woman said, her lips curving into a faint, seductive smile as her eyes locked onto Ning Xiaochuan.
"Ning Xiaochuan." It had been a long time since Ning Xiaochuan had been stared at so intently by a woman that he felt compelled to avert his gaze. He quickly turned his head, composed himself, and focused his attention on the battle in the martial arena.
The fight between Yu Tiadi and Lu Qing had reached a fever pitch.
"Heaven and Earth Single Blade!"
Lu Qing's hair billowed wildly as his eyes swept disdainfully across the field. His body soared into the air, and with a single slash, he unleashed a massive blade aura over 20 meters long, condensing into the shape of a colossal blade that crashed down toward Yu Tiadi's head.
This strike seemed to possess the power to split heaven and earth, filling the entire martial arena with swirling blade energy.
Yu Tiadi crossed his Halberd horizontally, his entire body enveloped in golden light, forming a massive golden sphere three meters in diameter.
"Boom!"
The Halberd clashed with the Dragonback Warblade.
A tremendous force surged into Yu Tiadi's body and then transmitted to the Ice Toad Beast, instantly crushing it to the ground with a pained shriek.
Enraged, Yu Tiadi let out a furious roar. A golden Kirin phantom rose behind him, growing as large as a small hill, charging toward Lu Qing alongside Yu Tiadi.
"Boom! Boom!"
Yu Tiadi's power became overwhelmingly immense, each strike forcing Lu Qing back several steps.
"Yu Tiadi actually mastered the Kirin Battle Qi—he's been hiding his cultivation." Xie Mengyao's lips curled into a faint smile.
Ning Xiaochuan nodded. "Yu Tiadi's martial arts cultivation must have already reached the Fifth Level of the Divine Body Realm. He's deliberately suppressing his strength, not unleashing his full combat power."
Xie Mengyao said, "To cultivate the Kirin Battle Qi, one must at least reach the Fifth Level of the Divine Body Realm."
"You seem very familiar with the Kirin Prince's Manor?" Ning Xiaochuan asked.
"I memorize the details of all formidable opponents. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles," Xie Mengyao replied with a starry-eyed smile.
Ning Xiaochuan frowned slightly. Where had he heard those words before?
The battle between Yu Tiadi and Lu Qing had concluded, with Yu Tiadi ultimately defeating Lu Qing using the Kirin Battle Qi. The Halberd pierced through Lu Qing's chest, leaving him severely wounded.
Next was the battle between Ning Xiaochuan and He Jia.
This was also a highly anticipated match—one contestant from the Jian Pavilion Marquis House, the other from the Yiyuan Sect, the leader of the Ten Thousand Sects.
If not for the emergence of the monstrous genius Ming Yang, He Jia would have had the strength to contend for this year's Champion.
He Jia's face was as pale as paper, his body frail, exuding a sickly aura. Yet no one dared to underestimate him, for his condition was tied to the martial arts scripture he cultivated.
He practiced the "True Yin Ancient Scripture," converting the yang energy in his body into Martial Arts Profound Qi, leaving only yin energy behind. The imbalance of yin overwhelming yang gave him the appearance of a chronically ill man.
In truth, for those who cultivated the "True Yin Ancient Scripture," the more severe their illness, the stronger their cultivation—yet they remained ill without dying.
This was an extremely sinister martial technique, harming oneself before harming others. The yin energy in the body would grow heavier, eventually drawing closer to undead creatures. While granting immense martial power, it also stripped away many things a normal person should possess.
He Jia stood at the center of the martial arena, his body frail, yet exuding an arrogant aura that disregarded the entire world. "Ning Xiaochuan, you should thank me," he said.
Ning Xiaochuan replied, "Why?"
"Because in this martial contest, you will inevitably lose to me and be eliminated. This is a good thing for you—at least you won’t die by Ming Yang’s sword," He Jia declared.
Ning Xiaochuan remained calm. "Many say you are strong. I’d like to see just how strong you truly are."
"If I’m strong enough to kill you, I won’t hesitate in the slightest."
A chilling Profound Qi condensed in He Jia’s palm, forming dozens of tiny ice swords, each no larger than a sewing needle. The ground beneath his feet froze into a thick layer of pale blue ice, covering a 10-meter radius of sand, from which sharp, sword-like ice spikes emerged.
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