Chapter 214

“You lost.”

On the arena, Ye Ruoshui stood bathed in flames, her entire body radiating scorching heat, her robes fluttering like a fairy of fire, her presence unparalleled, her aura transcendent.

She looked down at Han Li from above, her voice clear and melodious, yet carrying an undeniable authority.

“I lost.”

Han Li smiled bitterly, his heart filled with frustration, but he had nothing to say.

In the next moment, Han Li’s figure vanished from the arena.

“Han Li conceded. He clearly hadn’t reached the end of his rope, so why did he surrender?”

“Han Li didn’t give it his all, but did Ye Ruoshui go all out? From start to finish, Ye Ruoshui only threw one punch, yet she severely injured Han Li. The gap between them is too vast. Han Li’s loss is not unjust!”

The match on the third arena concluded, and the spectating cultivators began to leave, heading to the final arena.

Only Su Changge did not leave. Instead, he stepped forward.

“Fellow Daoist Ye, I am Su Changge of the Eastern Ridge Su Clan. May I have a word with you in private?”

Su Changge stood tall and graceful in his light cyan robe, a gentle smile on his face, exuding the refined elegance of a noble young master.

“If you have something to say, speak plainly.” Ye Ruoshui frowned slightly. She despised these outwardly refined but inwardly rotten hypocrites the most.

Su Changge’s expression turned awkward before he replied, “Well, there’s no need to hide it. I noticed that you, Fellow Daoist Ye, have perfectly fused with the Innate Fire at such a young age, which suggests extraordinary talent in alchemy. Would you be willing to refine a certain pill for me?”

He didn’t state his request directly but instead took a roundabout approach.

After all, possessing a large quantity of Flame Fusion Pills was something almost unbelievable—even major factions rarely had such resources.

Flame Fusion Pills were only Earth-grade pills, not particularly high in rank, but refining them required an alchemy master who had perfectly fused with the Innate Fire. The Su Clan had no one who met both conditions.

The Holy Academy might have such masters, but convincing one to take action would likely require rewards far beyond what he could offer.

“Not interested. Find someone else.”

Ye Ruoshui spoke indifferently and turned to leave.

“Ah! Fellow Daoist, please wait!” Su Changge hurried after her, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture. “Don’t be so hasty. Won’t you at least hear the rewards I can offer?”

“No matter what benefits you propose, I don’t need them. I have matters to attend to—don’t disturb me!”

Ye Ruoshui shot him a cold glance before walking away.

In an instant, Su Changge felt as if he had been plunged into scorching magma, his body burning in raging flames. Beads of sweat poured down like a waterfall, and he nearly collapsed from exhaustion!

It took several breaths before he recovered, his eyes filled with terror.

“Ye Ruoshui… how terrifying!”

“That kind of flame… it must be the Innate Fire.”

He took a deep breath, and the fear on his face vanished, replaced by determination and joy.

…

Arena No. 4.

A slender figure in pale green stood on the stage, wreathed in faint blue mist that swirled around her like smoke, making her appear hazy and indistinct.

Opposite her, the scene was entirely different.

A young man in white robes hovered midair, his body radiating a blazing golden light so intense it seemed almost solid.

The stark contrast between the two auras was striking.

“This match is interesting. Both of them share the surname Lin—is this an internal battle of the Yangzhou Lin Clan?”

“Don’t overthink it. Lin Wanqiu hails from the Southern Border, while Lin Tianyang is from the Lin Clan of Hundred Saints Province, a long-established noble family. They’re not even in the same league!”

“Trying to compare herself to the Yangzhou Lin Clan? This Lin Wanqiu isn’t qualified!”

“Looking at their ages, if this girl were to request marriage into the Yangzhou Lin Clan, given her talent, the Lin Clan probably wouldn’t refuse.”

Lin Wanqiu paid no attention to the murmurs from the crowd below. Her focus was entirely fixed on the jade pendant at Lin Tianyang’s waist—one that looked eerily familiar.

The shape of this pendant was identical to the one her mother had left her, but while Lin Tianyang’s was golden, hers was blue.

Lin Wanqiu’s delicate brows furrowed. Could there be some connection between the two?

She bore the surname Lin, and so did Lin Tianyang—it was hard not to speculate.

Moreover, she knew that her mother, who had passed away shortly after her birth, had also been a Lin.

“Heh… Little lady, staring at me so intently—could it be you truly wish to marry into my Yangzhou Lin Clan?”

A playful smirk hung on Lin Tianyang’s lips. He had never paid much attention to any woman, but after meeting Lin Wanqiu today, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this girl. That’s why he deliberately teased her, though he didn’t harbor any serious intentions.

“Hmph!”

Lin Wanqiu composed herself, letting out a cold snort. A frosty expression appeared on her delicate face.

“On the stage, you should watch your words. Don’t end up in a humiliating position when it’s time to act!”

Her tone was icy and sharp, devoid of any hint of jest.

“Oh? I’d like to see just how capable you are, Wanqiu!”

Lin Tianyang dropped his frivolous tone and suddenly became serious.

A deep voice rang out.

“Radiant Splendor!”

As the words fell, his figure transformed into a streak of light, charging toward Lin Wanqiu. His right fist clenched, delivering a powerful strike with astonishing speed. The force of the punch roared like a raging storm, shaking the surroundings.

“Hmm? What formidable fist technique!”

The crowd below the stage paled in awe. This punch was truly earth-shattering, leaving them in fear and admiration.

“Radiant Splendor is a supreme divine ability derived from the 《White Emperor Golden God Technique》 of the Lin Clan of Yangzhou. It is said that this move can unleash several times, even dozens of times, its normal power in an instant!”

Lin Wanqiu’s brows furrowed slightly, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light. A surge of dense Yin energy gathered in her palm.

In the next moment, a cyan-blue longsword materialized in her hand. The blade emitted a chilling cold light, its sharp sword energy raging as if it could tear through everything.

With a flick of her wrist, the sword shot out, transforming into a dense rain of cyan sword rays that blotted out the sky.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…

The dense rain of sword rays instantly enveloped Lin Tianyang. Countless sword shadows intertwined, leaving no gaps to be seen.

The vast sea of sword rain surged like an ocean, overwhelming and oppressive, making it difficult for Lin Tianyang to even breathe.

Thousands of sword shadows, condensed from Yin energy, rained down, instantly engulfing the streak of light that was Lin Tianyang.

Lin Tianyang’s pupils contracted. His body swayed abruptly, transforming into a golden radiance that shot toward the left.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…

The Yin sword rain obliterated the golden light, but it continued to fall on the stage, causing deafening explosions.

“This… how is this possible?”

Lin Tianyang retreated rapidly, barely dodging the attack. His face was filled with shock and disbelief.

He was, after all, a genius disciple of the Lin Clan of Yangzhou, his cultivation having reached the Hua Gang realm. He was undoubtedly one of the top talents among the younger generation.

Moreover, he practiced one of the Lin Clan’s five Emperor-level legacies, the 《White Emperor Golden God Technique》!

“This Lin Wanqiu… she’s something else.”

Lin Tianyang’s expression grew more serious. Perhaps he had underestimated her from the start.

Her ranking in the top ten of the Trial Tower was already proof of her capabilities.

Moreover, he could sense that Lin Wanqiu’s physique was extraordinary, seemingly an innate constitution, though he couldn’t determine exactly what kind.

“Still, with just this, she’s far from defeating me!”

Lin Tianyang sneered inwardly. With a light tap of his toes, he darted toward Lin Wanqiu.

“White Emperor Transforms into Dragon!”

He let out a low shout, and his entire body radiated a golden brilliance, resembling a golden statue, impervious and unbreakable.

In the next moment, the golden light surged like a rainbow, transforming into a golden dragon that soared into the sky, baring its fangs and claws as it pounced forward.

“Hmph! Mere child’s play!”

Lin Wanqiu’s lips curled slightly as she raised her wrist gently. A sharp, indomitable aura erupted from her entire being, an unstoppable sword intent that could shatter anything in its path!

In an instant.

A brilliant azure-blue sword light burst forth from her blade, like a streak of lightning, carrying a chilling sharpness as it slashed toward the oncoming golden dragon.

Boom!

The two attacks collided, erupting into a deafening roar. A visible ripple spread out in all directions, radiating across the area.

Crack…

A crisp sound rang out as the golden dragon was cleaved in two, shattering into pieces. The golden light dissipated completely, leaving only a few remnants scattered in the air, blown away by the fierce wind.

“What just happened?”

Lin Tianyang was utterly shocked, his face filled with disbelief.

“This is… the Perfection of Sword Intent!”

As soon as these words were spoken.

The entire crowd was stunned!

Everyone’s eyes widened, their expressions filled with incredulity.

It was well known that advancing in the realm of sword cultivation was far more difficult than advancing in the realm of divine abilities.

There were hundreds of divine abilities, and mastering one could lead to mastery of many. But the path of the sword was singular, and the deeper one delved, the more arduous it became.

To draw a comparison, a genius who could grasp the true essence of divine abilities in the Spirit Seed Realm would at least need to reach the Nascent Soul Realm to comprehend the true essence of sword intent.

Thus, the path of the sword was more challenging, but its power was also far greater.

In this entrance trial, or rather, in this generation, the only one who had clearly demonstrated the Perfection of Sword Intent was Jian Chen.

But now, there was another—Lin Wanqiu.

If the crowd were to learn that Xiao Minghuang had also attained the Perfection of Sword Intent and could even impart it to others through dual swords, their jaws would surely drop in astonishment.

“The Perfection of Sword Intent…”

Lin Tianyang’s shock lingered, unable to subside. He couldn’t fathom how a woman from a barren land, with no notable reputation, could possess such formidable strength!

After all, Jian Chen’s ability to comprehend the Perfection of Sword Intent was due to the guidance of a supreme expert who had achieved sainthood through the sword. With such a mentor, it was entirely plausible for Jian Chen to attain the Perfection of Sword Intent before the age of fifty.

But what about Lin Wanqiu?

Could it be that she also had a supreme sword saint backing her?

Lin Tianyang couldn’t believe it.

Regardless, he had no chance of winning this match.

His strength was already inferior to Qi Mingdao.

And even Qi Mingdao couldn’t match Jian Chen.

How could he possibly contend with Lin Wanqiu, who not only possessed an innate constitution but had also achieved the Perfection of Sword Intent?

The two of them were simply not on the same level!

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Tianyang reluctantly spoke:

“I… concede…”

As his words fell.

His figure vanished from the arena.

“This…”

The crowd erupted in uproar.

“The Perfection of Sword Intent is utterly despairing! It even made a prodigy like Lin Tianyang lose the will to fight!”

“She’s mastered the Perfection of Sword Intent in the Spirit Seed Realm. Could she be aiming to comprehend the Sword Domain in the Nascent Soul Realm?”

“Give it a rest! The Sword Domain is a power that can only be touched at the Divine Transformation Realm!”

“Not necessarily. My grandmaster once said that those below the Divine Transformation Realm cannot comprehend domains because their innate talent is too poor to resonate with the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. If one’s talent is high enough, they can still comprehend a domain!”

“Not talented enough? Then what level of talent is considered high? The Third Prince of our Gu Imperial Dynasty, Gu Ruoshen, possesses the innate Ancient God Physique and a Heaven-grade spiritual root. Isn’t his talent high enough? Yet he still hasn’t comprehended a domain!”

Lin Wanqiu paid no attention to the discussions around her. She quickly left the arena and returned to her training chamber.

Her thoughts were still fixated on the jade pendant.

“Perhaps it’s time to find an opportunity to carefully inquire about the Lin Clan of Yangzhou…”

During her battle with Lin Tianyang, she had been experiencing a strange, indescribable restlessness in her heart, making it difficult for her to calm her emotions.

This matter could not be made public, so she could only secretly investigate it.

…

Above the Sky-Mirror, two elderly figures stood in the void.

One of them was the Seventeenth Water Spirit King, who had previously guided Xiao Minghuang.

“Hehe… This trial has become quite challenging. Not a single genius from the Hundred Saints Province has made it to the top four,” the Seventeenth Water Spirit King chuckled, stroking his beard. “This is a good thing. It means the Holy Academy is about to be infused with fresh blood.”

The other elder frowned and said, “The divine treasures rewarded in this trial are mainly provided by the Sword Tomb. As for the others, it doesn’t matter much, but the disciple of the Thirteen Sword Saints must take first place. Otherwise, we won’t be able to explain it.”

“King Yuanying, don’t you dare disrupt the rules of the trial!”

The Seventeenth Water Spirit King’s eyelids twitched, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

“You’re overthinking it. I’m well aware of the Holy Academy’s rules,” King Yuanying replied nonchalantly before turning and leaving.

The Seventeenth Water Spirit King sighed, feeling uneasy.

King Yuanying was not a king born of the Holy Academy but a rogue cultivator who had joined the academy two hundred years ago. He had spent most of his time fighting and killing outside, accustomed to acting on his own. When it came to the Holy Academy’s rules, he had always taken liberties.

This time, he had been assigned to oversee the entrance trial in the hope that he would calm down and shed some of his excess ferocity.

But from the looks of it, King Yuanying seemed restless and had secretly colluded with the Sword Tomb.

To maintain the Holy Academy’s impartial and transcendent status, the academy had always strictly prohibited its members from forming close ties with the sacred families of the Hundred Saints Province.

But King Yuanying seemed to have disregarded this rule.

Not only was King Yuanying slightly stronger in cultivation than him, but he also had extensive combat experience from years of battling demons. If it came to a real fight, he would certainly be no match for King Yuanying.

Moreover, King Yuanying had not yet committed any actual violations, so he had no grounds to ask the academy’s elders to intervene.

All he could do was remain vigilant and prevent King Yuanying from truly crossing the line.

…

After seven days of rest, the semifinals began.

To ensure Jian Chen’s smooth victory, King Yuanying directly arranged the matchups.

On the Sky-Mirror, two lines of golden characters appeared.

Ru Lu vs. Jian Chen!

Ye Ruoshui vs. Lin Wanqiu!