“Lin Yun, finally a chance for us to face off one-on-one, your fight with Jiang Cheng surprised me, but you’ll still lose to me!” Gao Yuan’s face twisted into a snarl as he made a throat-slitting gesture.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you lose too badly,” Lin Yun said lightly.
With that, Lin Yun turned and left the draw table.
“Arrogant bastard! I’ll cripple you!” Gao Yuan glared at Lin Yun’s retreating back, his eyes venomous, his face dark.
Back at the Heavenly Sword Sect’s seats.
“Lin Yun, this Gao Yuan’s strength, probably above Gu Dong’s, be careful facing him,” the sect leader cautioned.
“Sect Leader, don’t worry, I’ll be cautious,” Lin Yun smiled.
First match, Jiang Fengyu versus Liu Jun, Jiang Fengyu crushed it.
Second match, Li Shi versus Wan Yongyi, Li Shi won, left Wan Yongyi gravely injured, nearly dead, his ruthlessness unmatched.
Third match, the result shocked everyone again.
Lu Yuan versus Wang Luo, Lu Yuan, third on the Ten Thousand Flowers Leaderboard, his strength undeniable, everyone thought it’d be a breeze.
Yet, after a fierce battle, Lu Yuan lost to the dark horse Wang Luo!
Sure, Wang Luo caught eyes in the first round, 71st beating 31st, then in the second, topping a mid-20s ranker, drawing more attention.
But who’d have thought he’d take down third-ranked Lu Yuan?
Lu Yuan, a prodigy of the Lu family, mentored by a fearsome Tribulation Crosser, countless people bet on him, his master held high hopes.
And yet, he fell.
“Good heavens, Wang Luo beat Lu Yuan, this guy’s an absolute dark horse!”
“Never heard of this Wang Luo before, where’d this freak come from?”
…
Wang Luo’s record sent shockwaves through the crowd.
This guy, just 71st in the first round’s barrier match, his strength was terrifying!
Even Emperor Xingwu and the immortals took notice, started discussing him.
The matches rolled on.
“Next match, Soul Refining Sect’s Gao Yuan versus Heavenly Sword Sect’s Lin Yun! Both to the stage.”
The referee’s voice boomed.
“These two factions, feuding since the Thousand Sects Battle, where Heavenly Sword Sect snatched first, Soul Refining Sect’s been stewing, this round’s got some juice.”
“Yeah, Lin Yun’s been a stunning dark horse, just not sure if his shine ends here.”
“This one, Lin Yun winning again, that’ll be tough, Gao Yuan’s way stronger than his last two foes, Lin Yun’s First-Order Great Vehicle Realm, he’s at a huge realm disadvantage, even with strong divine sense and tricks, there’s still a gap.”
…
Lin Yun versus Gao Yuan, clearly piqued everyone’s interest, Lin Yun being one of the tournament’s dark horses.
Lin Yun stood, leapt to the arena.
At the Soul Refining Sect’s seats.
“Senior Brother, you’ve got to cripple this jerk in front of everyone!” Hao Yuntian spat viciously.
“Don’t worry, I will,” Gao Yuan’s lips curled.
Then, Gao Yuan leapt to the arena.
Onstage.
“Lin Yun, finally our showdown,” Gao Yuan grinned menacingly.
“You in such a rush to get beaten?” Lin Yun’s lips ticked up.
“Beaten? Haha!”
Gao Yuan laughed loud, “Last time in the ruins, I could’ve taken you one-on-one, today’s no different!”
Last time in the ruins, Lin Yun started solo against him, only unleashed Little Qinglong when he couldn’t win.
That ruins fight, just over a month ago, but Lin Yun’s frequent One Thought Clarity Tower training made it feel longer.
To cultivators, a month’s a blip, what could change?
With that past win, Gao Yuan’s confidence to beat Lin Yun, rock solid!
“Afraid you’ll be disappointed, also, you shouldn’t even be here, just a cheater, a disgrace to cultivators, let me end this match you don’t belong in.”
Lin Yun’s words fell, he drew his Saint Spirit-grade Qingfeng sword.
The Grudge Sword only shines after wounding, for this fight, Qingfeng’s better.
“Hmph, a beaten foe dares talk big, without that Qinglong, you’re nothing to me!”
Gao Yuan’s words dropped, his war blade flared with dazzling light, two mysteries slowly fused, divine sense and tricks layered on.
He tapped the stone floor, shot forward like a cheetah, war blade carrying a towering aura, swept at Lin Yun, leaving a long scar in the air, power stunning!
Having fought Lin Yun before, he knew his strength, so he went all out from the start!
“Heavenly Rainbow Sword Art, Eighth Form!”
Facing the incoming slash, Lin Yun’s inner power surged, unleashed a sword strike with raw might.
Divine sense, mystery fusion, Taixu power, demon bone, all erupted!
Clang!
The war blade slammed the sword, the sword’s spilling force, shattered Gao Yuan’s blade energy.
He didn’t lose ground, but this move, did nothing.
“How’s that, Gao Yuan? Still think I’m stuck at a month ago?” Lin Yun smiled.
Gao Yuan’s face, darkened.
He noticed, not just Lin Yun’s realm grew, other areas had jumped too.
“Don’t get cocky too soon, I’ve got more up my sleeve, last time in the ruins, I didn’t even use all my tricks before you lost.”
“Next, watch me crush you!”
“Soul-Extinguishing Slash!”
Gao Yuan’s war blade, power condensed wildly.
Back then, this move, left Lin Yun spitting blood, flying back.
“Holy Light Extinction Art!”
Lin Yun took a deep breath, winds howled, energy within fifty li, surged into him at a crazy pace!
Light flared around Lin Yun, his aura spiked sharp.
By now, Gao Yuan’s blade, with unstoppable force, slashed down, blade light ripping space, closing in at terrifying speed.
“Gao Yuan, this move once hurt me, now, it’s useless!”
Lin Yun’s sword streaked out.
On the arena, dazzling blade and sword light, clashed hard, their earth-shaking power, burst forth!
Boom!
The whole arena trembled, rippling space.
Shock flashed in Gao Yuan’s eyes, his blade swung at Lin Yun again.
Clang!
Another fierce clash, Gao Yuan didn’t back off, instead his left hand, snapped a palm at Lin Yun, a close-range sneak attack!
“Qinghuang Palm!”
His palm turned green, countless patterns emerged, the power within, brutal and terrifying, space collapsing under the palm wind, shrieking loud.
