“Are you Lin Xiao? Your reputation, it seems quite grand?” At this moment, a young man in grey couldn’t hold back and walked towards Lin Xiao.
This grey-robed youth’s cultivation was at the Eighth Level Martial Venerable realm.
“So, you want to challenge me?” Lin Xiao responded calmly.
“Exactly. No matter how great my talent, I’m only at the Fifth Level Martial Venerable and a mid-grade Fifth Rank Spirit Controller. I refuse to believe I can’t defeat you,” the grey-robed youth said.
“Then let’s fight,” Lin Xiao replied simply, leaping into the air and soaring to the sky.
He knew that no matter how great his reputation, without being witnessed firsthand, there would always be doubters.
“Swish!”
The grey-robed youth, stepping on wings formed of vital energy, stood opposite Lin Xiao, cupping his hands and saying, “Please!”
“Begin,” Lin Xiao said lightly.
“No need to hold back!” With that, the grey-robed youth drew a large battle-axe, his aura erupting like a flood, raging in all directions.
“That’s Yang Hong! His battle-axe attacks are formidable. In the last round, he easily defeated two challengers!”
“It looks like Yang Hong is about to unleash his most powerful strike!”
“With two challenge opportunities, even if he loses, he can conserve strength for the next opponent. I’d do the same.”
“But he’s challenging the renowned Lin Xiao. Can he succeed?”
“Lin Xiao’s talent sounds terrifying. Let’s see how strong his solo combat ability is.”
…
The crowd buzzed with discussion, though some looked at Yang Hong as if he were a fool.
“Radiant Battle-Axe!”
With a thunderous shout, Yang Hong fiercely swung his axe, dazzling green light bursting forth. Unmatched sharpness, carrying overwhelming momentum, slashed towards Lin Xiao.
This strike was supremely powerful.
At that moment, Lin Xiao had already drawn his Shaking Light Broken Sword, the boundless power in his dantian surging. He unleashed the Great Azure Dragon Slash into the sky.
Roar!
A dragon’s cry resounded, waves of power rippling. The radiant sword light condensed into a long azure dragon, soaring through the air and colliding with Yang Hong’s attack.
“Rumble!”
A deafening boom followed. Yang Hong’s sharpness shattered instantly, and the faded azure dragon slammed into him.
“Pfft!”
A large mouthful of blood spurted from Yang Hong’s mouth, his entire body sent flying backwards.
Seeing this, everyone who hadn’t witnessed Lin Xiao’s prowess was stunned.
Was Lin Xiao’s strength truly this formidable?
Without even using martial intent, dantian phenomena, or spiritual power, he had sent Yang Hong flying?
If he unleashed his full talents, how terrifying would his true combat power be?
At this moment, the remaining ten challengers looked wary.
Now they understood: Lin Xiao’s reputation was no fluke, his combat strength was genuinely terrifying.
Earlier, they had considered challenging Lin Xiao, as his individual cultivation was below theirs.
But now, they all abandoned that thought.
They knew Yang Hong’s strength, which wasn’t much weaker than theirs.
To defeat Yang Hong so easily, even with their trump cards, beating Lin Xiao would likely be near impossible.
The internal nomination was clearly no random choice.
“Anyone else want to challenge me?” Lin Xiao glanced downwards, asking calmly.
“Brother Zi Hui, I’d like to challenge you!”
“Brother Liu, please advise!”
“Brother Bi Yanpeng, I, Bing Wenhuan, dare to fight you!”
…
Voices rang out as the youths began selecting their challenge targets, none daring to respond to Lin Xiao.
Seeing no response, Lin Xiao descended from the void to the ground.
This was the effect he’d hoped for: defeating an opponent in one strike to avoid further trouble.
Soon, battles erupted one after another, the challenges of this round far more intense than before.
It wasn’t until half an hour later that the battles concluded.
In this round, Zi Yi and Zi Ling were never challenged.
After his first fight, no one dared challenge Lin Xiao again, while the other seven were all challenged.
However, only Bi Yanpeng was replaced by Bing Wenhuan; the others successfully defended their positions.
After this round of elimination, Zi Gong conferred quietly with the other elders before stepping forward and announcing:
“Everyone, for the final round of selection, after the elders’ assessment, three of the ten will be chosen to issue challenges. Each has seven opportunities, while those challenged, if defeated, have six challenge opportunities.”
“Bing Wenhuan, Bi Ning, Yin Yunzhe, you three, please issue your challenges.”
Hearing this, the three’s expressions shifted.
Being named challengers essentially meant their strength was deemed the weakest among the ten.
As geniuses, how could they accept such a judgement?
“Lin Xiao, come fight me,” Yin Yunzhe declared angrily, shouting at Lin Xiao.
In the previous round, he’d seen the strength of the others. Though Zi Yi and Zi Ling hadn’t fought, he didn’t dare challenge them first.
Lin Xiao, having fought only Yang Hong, hadn’t fully revealed his true strength.
As a Ninth Level Martial Venerable, Yin Yunzhe was confident he could easily defeat Yang Hong.
Thus, he chose Lin Xiao first, believing him to be the weakest of the group.
Immediately, Yin Yunzhe soared into the sky.
Seeing himself challenged first again, Lin Xiao shook his head inwardly, then flew up, saying calmly, “Please!”
With that, Lin Xiao drew his Shaking Light Broken Sword, unleashed the Great Azure Dragon Slash, and struck. A radiant azure sword light formed a long dragon, charging towards Yin Yunzhe.
“It’s that move again!”
“Yin Yunzhe isn’t Yang Hong. Defeating him with this move won’t be easy.”
The young crowd murmured.
Feeling the move’s power, Yin Yunzhe frowned, rapidly channelling his energy. He pushed both palms forward, a massive palm print blasting towards the azure dragon.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion followed, terrifying waves erupting. The two forces collided, most of the shockwave surging towards Yin Yunzhe.
Shocked, Yin Yunzhe hastily summoned a vital energy shield.
But the shockwave was too strong. Blood trickled from Yin Yunzhe’s mouth, and he was sent flying backwards.
Seeing this, the non-Zi family youths were stunned.
Yang Hong, an Eighth Level Martial Venerable, had been sent vomiting blood by this move, but even Yin Yunzhe, a Ninth Level Martial Venerable, was left bleeding?
And Lin Xiao hadn’t even used his talents, relying solely on his Fifth Level Martial Venerable energy.
Was Lin Xiao’s strength truly this overwhelming?
Even the Zi family members were astonished. After breaking through to the Fifth Level Martial Venerable, Lin Xiao’s power had grown even stronger, able to repel a Ninth Level Martial Venerable with a casual strike.
“Truly formidable, but I’m not necessarily outmatched!”
Yin Yunzhe wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression growing serious. A vast, ocean-like power surged within him, a terrifying aura radiating from his body.
“Heavenly Square Seal!”
Yin Yunzhe formed hand seals, slowly pushing his palms forward. Dazzling white light bloomed from his hands, terrifying power condensing into a massive square-shaped light seal, soaring through the air with a piercing howl. The seal’s might was as if several mountains were shifting through the sky.
