“Ten Thousand Ancient Killing Formation, activate!”
With a thunderous shout, Ma Bi’s emerald glow surged, his aura like a bursting dam, unmatched killing intent enveloping the arena. His opponent felt suffocated.
The arena’s defensive array flickered, activating its protection.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!” Countless sword qi shot from Ma Bi’s body, forming tangible longswords that slashed at his opponent.
“Array power—and he’s engraved the array on his body!” Baili He on the main platform jolted, his face etched with shock.
Array mastery was rare, even rarer than Spirit Controllers.
And engraving arrays on one’s body? Almost unheard of in history.
For Ma Bi to achieve such array mastery at his age marked him as an array genius.
The crowd was equally stunned.
Even Lin Xiao was astonished.
He never imagined Ma Bi had such talent. Engraving arrays within oneself could amplify destructive power far beyond one’s cultivation.
The array’s power didn’t rely on cultivation but on the materials and patterns engraved. As long as Ma Bi’s body could withstand it and the materials were strong enough, the power was limitless.
Of course, a powerful array was needed.
But engraving arrays on the body indirectly tied to cultivation—the stronger the cultivation, the greater the body’s endurance.
As Ma Bi claimed, in that moment, he did exude a dashing, heroic charm.
Well, his aura was dashing…
“Bang!” “Bang!” “Bang!”…
After relentless sword qi assaults, the formidable disciple finally fell, his body slashed in several places, blasted out of the arena.
Arena One, Ma Bi victorious.
“For the next hundred years, you’ll remember the name of Master Ma Bi!”
As his aura faded, Ma Bi’s smug expression was as sleazy as it got, his gloating clashing with the fierce aura he’d just displayed.
The plaza buzzed with thrilling battles. The top hundred were a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with phenomena and physiques emerging, drawing constant cheers.
At Arena Ten, though intense, the battles weren’t as dazzling.
Lin Xiao’s opponents all conceded, and regrettably, he didn’t face Xia Jianren.
Fortunately, Hu Yue won her other matches and conceded to Xia Jianren.
With seven wins and one loss, she advanced smoothly.
Her wins included Wei Yanjie and Zhu Jian, counted as victories.
During Hu Yue’s fight with Wu Ke, she unleashed the Heavenly Spider Demon Silk inheritance, shocking many and triggering Lin Xiao’s Undying Skeleton Technique, mysteriously etching another bone rune into his skeleton.
Later, at another arena, Ji Mo indeed used the Winged Serpent inheritance, further deepening Lin Xiao’s bone rune to completion.
Lin Xiao found it miraculous. Each rune transformed his bones, as if undergoing a qualitative leap, becoming incredibly sturdy and generating vast, evil power within.
He couldn’t gauge how powerful this evil bone force would be if unleashed.
The round-robin ended amid constant cheers.
At Arena Ten, Lin Xiao, Hu Yue, and Xia Jianren advanced to the first tier.
Qi Muba, Yu Jingge, and Tu Bubai reached the second tier.
The rest, including the unlucky Wei Yanjie and Zhu Jian, were relegated to the third tier.
Even in the third tier, fighting for the top ten to challenge the second tier’s bottom ten, their best outcome would be around fiftieth place.
A tough break for two geniuses, with many pitying them.
They’d been poised for the top ten, but Lin Xiao crushed them into incapacity…
One could imagine their hatred for Lin Xiao upon waking.
Other first-tier advancers included Gu Xuanyuan, Xiahou Jing, Lei Kuang, Luo Zhong, Ji Chen, Mo Fei, Zhao Jing, Li Yuantuo, Lai Shufeng, and Xia Jianren.
All seeded contestants advanced.
Worthy of the high-ups’ joint endorsements.
But not all seeds advanced undefeated.
In Group Six, Mo Fei was defeated by Gu Juejin.
In Group Seven, Zhao Jing, drawing the Shura Butcher in the final match, chose to concede.
Gu Juejin, the Shura Butcher, and Lin Xiao were the round-robin’s three biggest dark horses.
They were listed among the top ten.
But only the top ten—not the top five, as few believed they could break through.
The seeded contestants were too strong, with cultivation advantages.
Others advancing included Hong Feng, Yu Long, Bu Xi, Duan Cangsheng, Ma Bi, Niu Bi, and ten other veterans.
This time, eleven new disciples advanced—an unprecedented feat in the Holy Academy’s history.
In past competitions, few new disciples reached the top hundred, with at most one or two prodigies making the finals.
Now, ten advanced, three undefeated, capable of challenging seeds, overturning all expectations.
Even more bizarrely, two Heavenly Martial disciples—Hu Yue and Tu Bubai—made it, a true miracle.
With so many geniuses emerging, Baili He sensed the dawn of a grand era.
The round-robin ended, and the next day’s finals betting opened, with the championship bet the hottest.
Bets on specific rankings had high odds but low probability, drawing few wagers.
All eyes were on the championship.
Xiahou Jing and Gu Xuanyuan, both at 1.8:1 odds, were the highest, reflecting immense expectations.
Most believed the champion would be one of them.
Next was Lei Kuang at 3:1.
Luo Zhong, Ji Chen, Gu Juejin, the Shura Butcher, Li Yuantuo, Lai Shufeng, and Xia Jianren were at 5:1.
Mo Fei and Zhao Jing, one defeated by Gu Juejin and the other conceding to the Shura Butcher, were replaced by them.
Mo Fei’s odds plummeted to 20:1.
A single loss nearly eliminated his chances, unless he broke through or had hidden trump cards.
Or if Gu Juejin, who beat him, was so battered that Mo Fei could counter-defeat him.
This drove Mo Fei to near madness. One loss tanked his value—a humiliating blow.
