Lin Yun’s words dropped, then his sword struck!
The blade, carrying the same fierce power as before, whistled toward Jiang Cheng, as if tearing the heavens apart!
“Qingyun Illusion!”
As Lin Yun closed in, a powerful wave of divine sense, surged instantly at Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng, mid-move, his eyes glazed over, clearly hit.
That dazed look, lasted just a split second, Jiang Cheng snapped out of it.
But in a clash of masters, a moment’s lapse, decides too much.
“Damn it!”
Shaking off the illusion, Jiang Cheng saw the terrifying sword bearing down, his face paled, he swung his blade in a frantic block!
Clang!
The fearsome might of Lin Yun’s strike, erupted like a volcano, blasting at Jiang Cheng.
“Pfft!”
Jiang Cheng flew back uncontrollably, crashed off the arena with a “boom.”
“This match, Lin Yun wins!” the referee bellowed.
The result sparked a uproar across the crowd.
“Blood Calamity Lin Yun, he actually won!”
“This guy’s strong, at First-Order Great Vehicle Realm, beating Third-Order Jiang Cheng, and so cleanly, his cross-realm fighting power’s insane.”
“And he’s only about forty, they say, didn’t expect him to be this fierce without his pet, he’s a talent!”
“Looks like we totally underestimated him.”
…
Before, people knew Lin Yun from the Thousand Sects Battle, sweeping Mountain-Sea Realm with his pet.
This fight, it’d flip everyone’s view!
He was a young prodigy, terrifying in his own right!
“How’s this guy so strong!” The famous sects, all stunned.
Lin Yun’s display, shocked them, rewrote their take on him.
The Heavenly Sword Sect leader and crew, seeing Lin Yun win, beamed with joy.
The Wanderer grinned wide.
“Old Dog Di, how’s that? My disciple won!” The Wanderer stroked his beard with one hand, held his wine gourd with the other.
“This guy, bit of a surprise,” Di Yong sighed.
Up front.
“Wow, he really won!” Jin Yao’er cheered, practically dancing.
“He actually won,” Emperor Xingwu’s deep eyes, rippled faintly.
His old take on Lin Yun, stuck at needing a pet, weaker than Hao Yuntian.
This fight, shifted his view big time.
Second-tier godly divine sense, fused mysteries, forty years young, insane cross-realm fighting, all screamed Lin Yun’s brilliance.
An immortal spoke, “Emperor Xingwu, this Lin Yun kid, seems decent, beating someone two realms up, sure Jiang Cheng’s not the top of Third-Order, but winning so easily across two levels, that’s damn rare.”
“Cross-realm skill’s solid,” Emperor Xingwu said.
Jin Yao’er smiled, “Father, see? His strength’s good, right?”
“Among this generation, he’s passable, enough for a proper look, but to truly catch our eye, he’s far off, let him hit top ten first, then I’ll take him seriously.”
Emperor Xingwu finished, lifted his cup, sipped the celestial brew.
His standards, sky-high, with endless years, countless geniuses seen, to truly impress him, you had to shine among peers, and stack up against generations of elites.
Below, at the arena.
“Cough, cough…”
Jiang Cheng, sprawled off the stage, hacked dryly.
Then he looked up, at that lean, young figure.
“I lost to him? How?!” Jiang Cheng’s pale face, twisted with disbelief and defiance.
Lin Yun leapt down, approached him.
“You okay?”
Lin Yun offered a hand, gesturing to help him up.
“You… what’s this? Mocking me? I admit you’re stronger, but don’t insult me!” Jiang Cheng’s face darkened.
“Arena’s for sparring, victory’s by skill, we’ve got no grudge, no need to make enemies over a match, right?” Lin Yun smiled faintly.
Jiang Cheng hesitated two seconds, grabbed Lin Yun’s hand, stood.
“Conceded,” Lin Yun cupped his hands, turned to leave.
The next match, already kicking off onstage.
Matches moved fast, but at the 31st, a dark horse emerged, Wang Luo, ranked 71st, crushed his 31st-ranked foe, stunning the crowd.
Wang Luo, the second bottom-fifty winner after Lin Yun.
Clearly, in the first round, he’d just aimed for top hundred, low rank didn’t mean weak.
At the 38th, 45th, 49th matches, lower ranks upset higher ones too.
Mo Qing drew the 42nd, facing 42nd-ranked, fought hard, but lost predictably.
She’d had a big break, but too little time to digest it, same age as Lin Yun, super young.
…
When the 50th match ended, the first round closed, top fifty locked in.
Second round draw, kicked off.
Lin Yun drew Kong Qi, 34th-ranked, a stranger.
Lower than Jiang Cheng, no suspense, Lin Yun crushed him, hit top 25.
With Jiang Cheng’s defeat on record, this win didn’t shock as much.
“Top twenty-five! Getting closer to top ten,” Jin Yao’er beamed.
“Yao’er, little sis, these top twenty-five, all prodigies of the young generation, not a weakling among them, Lin Yun climbing higher, that’s a brutal slog,” Prince Jin Yi said.
Third round draw, began.
Top twenty-five, gathered at the draw table, picked randomly.
This round had one bye, the rest of 24 fought, advancing to top 13.
Draw started.
“Jiang Fengyu versus Liu Jun.”
“Li Shi versus Wan Yongyi.”
“Lu Yuan versus Wang Luo.”
…
“Gao Yuan versus Lin Yun!”
Results rolled out.
“Gao Yuan!” Lin Yun froze, glanced at Gao Yuan nearby.
They hadn’t met in the first round’s barrier, but here they were.
For this draw, not bad, at least Lin Yun dodged first-ranked Jiang Fengyu, second-ranked Li Shi this round.
