The arena battle proceeded vigorously. After the hundred contestants were eliminated in the first round, only fifty remained. Then came the even crueler second round draw and confrontation. Relying on his keen combat wisdom and ghostly movement technique, Xiaoqi again bloodlessly defeated a wind-attribute swordsman specializing in speed, successfully advancing to the quarter-finals. His performance drew increasing attention. That wok yet to appear on the arena and the Red Flame Sword behind him also became focal points of speculation.
Mu Xue needless to say. Her opponents didn't even make her move before being instantly ice-sealed. She advanced easily. Her displayed absolute strength had already been publicly acknowledged as the conference's top contender for championship.
Zhao Tiezhu had good luck. In the second round, he encountered a cultivator specializing in illusions. By using force to break cleverness, one staff strike shattered the illusion, sweeping his opponent off the arena. Though sustaining minor injuries, he advanced successfully, making him beam with joy.
Yan Feng, in the first two rounds, also displayed the fierce strength of the Scorching Sun Sect's young lord. His opponents were not weak, yet all were defeated by his violent Scorching Sun True Fire. Though the process wasn't as casual as Mu Xue's, he won cleanly and decisively. Especially his ruthless means left opponents either dead or disabled, drawing endless discussion yet no one dared say more. The anger and frustration accumulated in his heart seemed vented on these unlucky opponents.
However, luck seemed exhausted after two rounds.
The third round draw, determining the key battle for entering the top thirteen (one person had a bye). When the lot results were announced, a soft uproar rose across the entire plaza.
Yan Feng's drawn opponent was—Situ Hong!
"Situ Hong! Situ Hong, ranked forty-third on the Hidden Dragon Chart!"
"Situ family's sword genius! His 'Light-Splitting Shadow-Separating Sword' has received family tradition. It's said he once sparred with Nascent Soul cultivators without defeat!"
"Done for, Yan Feng encountered a hard opponent! Situ Hong's strength absolutely surpasses Batu's!"
"This will be interesting!"
The audience below instantly became excited. On one side was the arrogant, powerful Scorching Sun Sect's young lord; on the other was the renowned, steadily ranked top fifty Hidden Dragon Chart sword genius. This confrontation had sufficient (selling points).
Yan Feng's expression darkened to the point of dripping water upon hearing his opponent was Situ Hong. He naturally knew Situ Hong's reputation—a extremely troublesome opponent whose strength was absolutely not comparable to the likes of Batu. He originally planned to stride forward triumphantly, settling accounts with Mu Xue, Tang Xiaoqi and others in the finals or at least later stages. Yet unexpectedly, he encountered such a powerful obstacle in the third round.
Situ Hong was a young man with ordinary features but extremely sharp eyes. He bore an ancient plain long sword on his back, his aura restrained, standing there like a hidden sword in its sheath—blade edge unapparent yet even more dangerous.
The two ascended the designated Arena Three.
Without superfluous words, after the elder judge announced start, battle instantly erupted!
Yan Feng knew his opponent was strong. From the start he held nothing back, directly deploying Scorching Sun Sect's ultimate techniques. Flames raged around him, transforming into several ferocious fire serpents, attacking Situ Hong from different directions. The scorching heat made the arena edge's protective light barrier ripple violently.
Yet Situ Hong, facing this violent assault, merely formed his hand into a sword shape, pointing gently.
"Clang!"
The ancient sword behind him suddenly unsheathed. The sword light wasn't one beam, but split into three upon sheathing, three into nine! Nine condensed, real-fake hard-to-distinguish sword lights, as if possessing spirituality, precisely and fiercely met those fire serpents!
"Hiss-hiss-hiss—!"
Sword light and fire serpent collided. No earth-shaking explosion. Those violent fire serpents were like meeting their natural enemy, easily penetrated, torn, and shredded by those seemingly delicate sword lights! Sword light momentum undiminished, like bone-attached leeches, directly stabbing toward Yan Feng's vital points!
"Light-Splitting Shadow-Separating Sword! Truly deserving its reputation!" Someone below exclaimed.
Yan Feng's expression changed. He hadn't expected his assault to be so easily broken. He roared, palms (in succession) striking out, forming a thick fire shield while his body rapidly retreated, trying to create distance.
But Situ Hong's sword, like shadow following form!
His footwork wasn't particularly uncanny, yet extremely efficient. Each step landed precisely on the nodes where Yan Feng's force transformed. His hand seal guided, the nine sword lights vertical and horizontal crossed. Sometimes forming a net, sealing all directions; sometimes forming a cone, concentrating force at one point; sometimes manifesting more phantom images, confusing the eye. Within the sword lights, not only was extreme penetrating power contained, but also a sharp sword intent that tore at souls!
Yan Feng had abundant violent Scorching Sun True Fire, yet was constrained and restricted by these exquisite, swift-as-wind sword lights. His fire attacks often hadn't fully launched before being interrupted or deflected by sword lights. His protective spiritual aura, facing those condensed sword lights, also seemed fragile, constantly being pierced, leaving wounds though not deep, yet (disgraceful) beyond compare.
"Scorching Sun Burns Heaven!" Yan Feng was truly provoked to fury. Not hesitating to consume large amounts of essence blood, he deployed a stronger secret technique. His entire person transformed as if into a small sun, exploding with dazzling light and terrifying heat wave, attempting to crush the opponent with absolute power.
Yet Situ Hong's gaze remained calm. His sword seal changed. The nine sword lights suddenly merged as one, transforming into one plain yet condensed-to-extremity gray sword aura. Like a master butcher dissecting an ox, it precisely cut into the weakest point of that violent energy!
"Break!"
Situ Hong shouted lowly.
The gray sword aura instantly erupted, like a hot knife cutting through butter, actually splitting that "small sun" open from the middle!
"Pu—!"
Yan Feng felt as if struck heavily, vomiting a large mouthful of blood. His surrounding flames instantly collapsed. His aura rapidly weakened. His entire body flew backward, heavily crashing at the arena's edge. He struggled several times yet couldn't immediately rise.
Victory and defeat already decided!
The elder judge immediately announced: "Situ Hong wins!"
Below the arena, after a silent moment, various discussions erupted. Some sighed at Situ Hong's exquisite sword technique. Others mocked Yan Feng's outward strength being merely flash.
Yan Feng struggled to sit up, his face pale as paper. His chest heaved violently. His gaze at Situ Hong held full of unwillingness and resentment, yet more was a sense of defeat. He knew he had lost, completely and thoroughly. There truly was a gap in strength.
However, when he stumbled to stand, his gaze sweeping below, hegood (coincidentally) saw Tang Xiaoqi standing not far away, gazing peacefully at the arena!
In an instant, all the defeat, unwillingness, humiliation found an outlet, transforming into (billowing) resentment! Why?! Why could this trash from a rural minor sect still stand here, while he, the Scorching Sun Sect's young lord, had to stop at the third round?! It's all because of this Tang Xiaoqi! If not for having his spotlight stolen and mindset disturbed by this person in the realm, perhaps... perhaps he wouldn't have lost so miserably!
Old grudges and new hatred surged. Yan Feng's eyes instantly covered in blood threads, staring fixedly at Xiaoqi. That hatred in his gaze nearly solidified into substance, as if wanting to dismember Xiaoqi with his gaze.
Xiaoqi felt that full-of-malice gaze, peacefully looking back. Yan Feng's defeat was within his expectations. This person's temperament was proud and wild. Though his foundation was solid, he lacked steadiness. Encountering truly powerful opponents, defeat was inevitable.
Seeing Xiaoqi's calm appearance, Yan Feng grew so angry he nearly vomited blood. He violently turned his head away, no longer looking. With several Scorching Sun Sect disciples' support, he left dejectedly, carrying full chest of hatred and unwillingness.
But his defeat didn't reduce the conference's intensity in the slightest. On the contrary, as strong ones continuously collided, the battle situation grew more white-hot. Xiaoqi knew every battle ahead would be even more difficult. And Yan Feng's resentful gaze also reminded him—even leaving the arena, this person's troubles probably wouldn't easily end.