yasinovel Chapter 8 Arena Showdown
Chapter 8 Arena Showdown
The room erupted in uproar.
"Ling Chen? Who is Ling Chen?"
"Never heard of that name. What's its background?"
"That guy in Group C! The one who eliminated seven people by himself! But he's only at the peak of Body Tempering, why is he a seed?"
"You don't understand. The Holy Maiden of the Central Continent Immortal Sect personally selected the names; there must be something more to it."
"What article? I think that kid just got incredibly lucky and somehow caught the fairy's eye."
Amidst the murmurs, Ling Chen slowly walked onto the arena.
His steps were slow, each one steady and deliberate. There was no pride, no fear, as if the scrutiny and questioning of the hundreds of eyes around him had nothing to do with him.
He stood on the tenth ring and turned to face the dark mass of people below.
"That's Ling Chen? He doesn't look particularly special."
"Peak of Body Tempering... Heh, this seed is really an easy target."
"Just wait and see, someone will definitely be the first to challenge him."
On the high platform, the three elders also turned their gaze to the young man personally named by Su Qingyuan.
The elder of the Qingyun Sect raised an eyebrow slightly: "Peak Body Tempering? Fairy Su, what's so special about this young man?"
Su Qingyuan did not answer.
She simply looked at the boy on the stage, her eyes calm and serene.
"Let's begin," she said.
The referee, not daring to be negligent, announced loudly: "The second round of the title defense battle officially begins! Challengers may freely choose their seeded opponents to challenge!"
As soon as the words were spoken, several figures rushed out of the crowd at the same time.
But their goals are almost all the same—the tenth ring.
A seed for the peak of Body Tempering—only a fool wouldn't fight for it.
The first to step onto the arena was a lean young man, at the early stage of the Qi Gathering Realm, carrying a fine iron spear.
"Zhao Chong of the Zhao family of Qingzhou." He held his spear upside down, cupped his hands towards Ling Chen, and said with undisguised contempt, "Forgive me. This kind of qualification is not something a peak Body Tempering cultivator like you should possess."
Ling Chen didn't speak, but simply assumed the starting stance of the Wind-Breaking Fist.
A low chuckle rippled through the audience.
It was the Wind-Breaking Fist again. The Ling family's beginner-level fist technique was laughably shabby when placed on the selection stage of the Qingzhou sects.
"Look down on me?" Zhao Chong's face turned cold. He flicked his spear, and three silver spear flowers bloomed from the tip, piercing towards Ling Chen's throat, heart, and dantian respectively.
The Zhao family's spear technique, the Three Flowers technique, is deadly.
Even before the spear tip arrived, the chilling aura was already palpable.
Ling Chen's gaze sharpened, and his Eye of Truth instantly captured the trajectory of spiritual energy circulation within the three spear blossoms. The one on the left was the brightest, but its spiritual energy distribution was the thinnest; the one in the middle was the fastest, but it was a feint; the one on the right was the true killing move.
Instead of retreating, he took a step forward.
This step completely disrupted the rhythm of the three spear blossoms' attack. The middle one, a feint, grazed past his ear; the left one, due to insufficient distance, was greatly weakened; and the right one—
Ling Chen reached out with his left hand and precisely gripped the gun barrel with his five fingers.
A surge of spiritual energy.
Zhao Chong felt a strange force travel along the spear shaft, his hand went numb, and the spear almost slipped from his grasp. Then, his vision blurred, and a fist was already an inch away from his face.
The force of the punch hit his face, causing the hair on his forehead to fly backward.
"Thank you for your concession." Ling Chen withdrew his fist.
Zhao Chong stood frozen in place, cold sweat instantly soaking his back. If that punch had landed, he would be unconscious by now.
"I...I give up."
The audience fell into a deathly silence; all the previous laughter had vanished.
A spear cultivator at the early stage of Qi Gathering was defeated in one move by a cultivator at the peak of Body Tempering using a basic fist technique. No one would believe such a thing if it were told to others.
But everyone saw it. And they saw it clearly: Ling Chen hadn't even used his full strength.
"Next."
Ling Chen's voice was as calm as if he had only done something insignificant.
"I'll do it!"
A burly figure leaped onto the arena, causing the arena floor to tremble, demonstrating the weight of the newcomer.
This man was burly, with bulging muscles in his arms, and his bronze skin faintly glowed with gold. He was a mid-stage Qi Gathering Realm cultivator, specializing in external strength training.
"Iron Palm Clan, Xiong Shan." The burly man clashed his fists together, producing a crisp metallic clang. "Brother, that move was beautiful. But your fist technique can't hurt me. My external martial arts can withstand a full-force attack from a peak Qi Gathering stage cultivator."
Ling Chen didn't speak, and for the third time adopted the starting stance of the Wind-Breaking Fist.
Xiong Shan grinned, and without saying a word, he clasped his hands together, condensing spiritual energy into a thick, earth-yellow light shield.
"Thick Earth Shield!"
Earth-based defensive martial arts, specifically designed to counter close-range fist techniques.
The audience members shook their heads. The combination of horizontal striking and earthen shield was a fighting style specifically designed to counter fist-based cultivators. No matter how fast or accurate Ling Chen's punches were, they were useless if he couldn't break through the defense.
With his light shield in place, Xiong Shan pressed down on Ling Chen like a mobile fortress. His tactic was simple—force Ling Chen to the edge of the arena and push him off.
Ling Chen was indeed retreating. But he wasn't retreating passively; he was observing.
In the vision of the Eye of Truth, the protective spiritual energy around Xiong Shan's body was not completely uniform. The spiritual energy originated from the dantian and flowed along the meridians throughout the body, but there was a very brief stagnation when it reached the Yunmen acupoint on the left shoulder and the Yin Gu acupoint on the right knee.
That's a flaw.
"Found it."
A glint flashed in Ling Chen's eyes. Instead of retreating, he advanced and charged head-on towards the thick earthen shield that was crushing down upon him.
"You're asking for death!" Xiong Shan grinned maliciously, thrusting his palms forward with a vengeance. The area of the thick earth shield doubled, aiming to send Ling Chen flying.
Just as the light shield was about to touch Ling Chen's chest, his figure vanished.
Instant Shadow Step.
A blur was shattered by the light shield, and the real Ling Chen appeared on Xiong Shan's left side. His left fist struck the Yunmen acupoint with lightning speed.
Xiong Shan felt a numbness in his left shoulder, his spiritual energy circulation suddenly stopped, and the light of the thick earth shield dimmed by three points in an instant.
Before he could react, Ling Chen's second punch arrived. His right knee's Yin Valley acupoint was struck, causing Xiong Shan's leg to buckle and he to kneel on one knee. The thick earth shield completely shattered.
The third punch stopped just before the throat.
"Thank you for your concession."
Xiong Shan knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. He lost even more miserably than Zhao Chong. At least Zhao Chong fired a shot; Xiong Shan knelt down without even touching Ling Chen's clothes.
"Peak Body Tempering...it's impossible for someone to have this kind of insight." Xiong Shan raised his head, his eyes filled with horror. "Unless you've activated some kind of eye technique."
Ling Chen did not answer.
He retracted his fist. He turned around.
"Next."
After defeating two people in a row, no one in the audience dared to underestimate this young man who was at the peak of body tempering.
On the high platform, the elders of the Qingyun Sect leaned forward slightly: "What are your thoughts on those two matches just now?"
The old woman from Sunset Valley stopped smiling: "In the first match, he only used one punch. In the second match, he used three punches. In total, he only used four moves. And—he only used one hand throughout."
"What's most terrifying isn't his fist technique," the burly man from the Iron Sword Sect said in a deep voice, "but his eyesight. It's true that Xiong Shan's external martial arts have weaknesses, but the location of those weaknesses varies from person to person, and even I couldn't see through them at a glance. This kid found two flaws in just two breaths. This kind of eyesight can't be explained by talent alone. He has a secret."
The three elders exchanged a glance and looked at Su Qingyuan in unison.
Su Qingyuan remained silent, her gaze fixed on Ling Chen, lost in thought.
On the arena.
"Anyone else want to take on the challenge?"
A hush fell over the audience. Two decisive victories had sobered up the previously restless challengers. An easy target? This was clearly a tough nut to crack. Rather than risk challenging an unknown monster, they'd rather compete for other seeds.
Just as Ling Chen was about to announce the end of the title defense, a voice suddenly rang out.
"I'll do it."
The crowd parted automatically, and a young man in white carrying a long sword stepped out from the crowd.
Han Tie, late stage of Qi Gathering Realm.
The top seed selected by Qingzhou.
The entire audience was astonished.
"Han Tie? He's the number one seed, why is he challenging the number ten?"
"This isn't fair! A seed challenging a seed, what kind of rule is this?"
"The rules only state that any participant can challenge a seed, but they don't say that seeds can't challenge each other."
"He's insane... Why would he do that?"
Han Tie ignored the surrounding discussions and walked step by step onto the arena. His steps were not fast, but each step carried a sharp momentum, like a sharp sword slowly being drawn from its sheath.
He stopped in front of Ling Chen, his gaze cold and stern.
"Peak of Body Tempering—no, that's not right." Han Tie stared at him. "You've been hiding your cultivation level."
Ling Chen's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm: "Brother Han, what makes you say that?"
"Because I could see that when you fought to the third match, your breathing wasn't erratic, and your spiritual energy didn't fluctuate." Han Tie slowly drew his long sword from his back, the blade as smooth as water, reflecting the sunlight. "I don't know what method you used to suppress your cultivation, and I don't care. I challenged you for only one reason."
"Fairy Su personally named you as the seed."
"I want to see what makes you so qualified."
Ling Chen remained silent for a moment, then unbuttoned his shirt.
It's not about taking off your clothes.
Instead, it unlocked the first layer of suppression.
The aura of the Qi Gathering Realm burst forth from his body, and the fluctuations of spiritual energy spread outwards like ripples on water.
"Early stage of Qi Gathering Realm".
"He was hiding his true strength! I knew it! How could someone at the peak of Body Tempering be so powerful!"
"Even at the early stage of Qi Gathering, he's still two minor realms behind Han Tie, who's at the peak of Qi Gathering. Han Tie is a top-grade metal-element cultivator, and his attack power is almost unmatched in the Qi Gathering realm."
Han Tie's gaze grew even more solemn as he looked at Ling Chen's true cultivation level.
"You were indeed hiding your cultivation. But I can sense an even deeper suppression within you." His sword pointed towards Ling Chen's heart. "Release it and fight me with all your might. Otherwise, you are no match for me."
Ling Chen met his gaze and read the fighting spirit in those cold, stern eyes.
A pure, uncomplicated fighting spirit.
Han Tie was different from the others. He didn't care about the seeded spots, the sect's favor, or why Su Qingyuan had specifically named him. He was simply a pure sword cultivator who only wanted to fight against the strong.
"it is good."
Ling Chen took a deep breath and slowly gripped the short knife at his waist with his right hand.
Po Jun.
Since leaving the Ling family, he had never used this knife in public. But now, facing a worthy opponent, he decided to no longer hold back.
"I practice swordsmanship, not fist techniques." Ling Chen drew his Po Jun sword, the blade gleaming with a cold, silvery light in the sunlight. "Fist techniques are just something I use to deal with those who aren't worthy of my drawing of my sword."
The audience was completely silent, then erupted in a collective gasp.
He used his fists to fight against spearmen in the early stages of Qi Gathering, and he also used his fists to fight against those in the middle stages of Qi Gathering. He said those people weren't worthy of making him draw his sword. What arrogance!
But ironically, he had the right to be arrogant.
Han Tie smiled. The smile appeared somewhat awkward on his stern face, yet it was incredibly sincere.
"Very well! Then I, Han Tie, will experience your swordsmanship today!"
The sword flashed.
Metal-elemental spiritual energy was infused into the sword, transforming into countless sword shadows.
The Thousand-Edge Sword Technique, a family secret passed down through generations of the Han family in Qingzhou.
The sharpness of the metal elemental energy was pushed to its limit, each sword shadow tearing through the air like a true blade. Dozens of sword shadows intertwined into a net, enveloping Ling Chen from all directions.
There's nowhere to hide.
Then let's just take it head-on.
Ling Chen used the Shadow Step technique repeatedly, weaving through the sword net. At the same time, his Breaking Army Blade drew arcs of light, shattering the unavoidable sword shadows one by one.
The clang of metal against metal rang out like a sudden downpour. Swords and blades, spiritual energy and spiritual energy clashed on the arena, creating dazzling sparks.
"So fast!"
"It's too fast, I can't even see how many moves they made!"
"Han Tie's sword net is something even a peak Qi Gathering stage cultivator might not be able to withstand, yet he blocked it all!"
The audience erupted in cheers. On stage, Han Tie's fighting spirit grew stronger and stronger.
"Not bad! Your swordsmanship is worthy of my full strength!" Han Tie roared, his sword stance suddenly changing. The countless sword shadows abruptly merged into one, transforming into a golden sword aura over ten feet long. "Take this sword strike—Thousand Edges Return to One!"
The golden sword energy slashed down, creating a sharp sonic boom in the air. The sword's pressure carved a deep trench into the arena floor, sending shards of rock flying.
A full-force strike at the peak of Qi Gathering.
Ling Chen gripped the Breaking Army Blade tightly, and the vortex of chaotic spiritual energy within his body suddenly accelerated, with extremely pure primal power surging into the blade. The Breaking Army Blade emitted a deep, resonant sound, and a layer of chaotic light emanated from its surface.
Nine Heaven-Splitting Slashes, First Form.
"Rending Wind".
A flash of light appeared.
Unlike the simple and unadorned style of fist techniques, this slash seemed to cleave the air on the entire arena. A visible cyan blade of light detached from the Breaking Army Blade, carrying an aura of annihilation, and met the golden sword energy head-on.
The blade's edge and the sword's aura collided in mid-air.
boom--!
Amidst the deafening roar, the aftershocks of spiritual energy transformed into a ring of air, sending the spectators in the front row staggering about. The bluestone slabs on the arena floor cracked inch by inch, and countless fragments of stone were swept up by the air currents and scattered in all directions like arrows.
The referee quickly erected a spiritual energy shield to block the aftershocks.
The smoke and dust slowly dissipated.
On the arena, the two figures still stood facing each other.
A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of Ling Chen's mouth, and the web between his thumb and forefinger, which was gripping the knife, split open, with blood slowly dripping down the hilt.
Han Tie's longsword was covered in cracks, and his arm trembled slightly as he gripped it. He glanced down at his sword, then did something that no one expected.
He sheathed his sword and bowed to Ling Chen.
"I lost."
"Your blade pierced through my sword aura. At the last moment, you held back three-tenths of your strength, otherwise I would be lying on the ground by now."
The entire audience was shocked.
Has Han Tie conceded defeat?
The top seed at the peak of Qi Gathering has conceded defeat to a cultivator at the early stage of Qi Gathering?
On the high platform, the elder of the Qingyun Sect gently tapped his fingers on the armrest. The burly man from the Iron Sword Sect gaped in astonishment. The old woman from Luoxia Valley narrowed her eyes.
Su Qingyuan's gaze towards Ling Chen finally changed.
The aura emanating from that blade of light could fool others, but it couldn't fool her.
That was chaos. The most primordial power at the beginning of heaven and earth, exactly the same as the aura of the Myriad Paths Returning to the Void Diagram recorded in Master's secret scroll.
She stood up.
That's enough.
The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"The multiple-choice round ends here."
"Elders of the Azure Cloud Sect, Sect Master of the Iron Sword Sect, and Valley Master of the Sunset Valley." She turned to the three elders. "He is mine. No matter what conditions you offer, this person must join the Central Continent Immortal Sect."
The three elders' expressions changed simultaneously.
The Central Plains Immortal Sects are trying to kidnap people? Kidnapping people on Qingzhou's territory?
The old woman from Sunset Valley was the first to react, chuckling dryly, "Fairy Su, this is against the rules. The sect selection is jointly organized by the three major sects, according to the rules—"
"I'm not discussing this."
Su Qingyuan interrupted her, her tone as cold as ice.
"I'm just informing you."
After saying that, she turned and left. Her white robes fluttered, leaving behind a deathly silence.
Ling Chen stood on the arena, watching the departing figure, feeling no joy at being chosen by the Central Continent Immortal Sect.
There was only a chill.
Su Qingyuan wanted him not because she admired his talent, but because of that one strike. She saw through his secret, through the Myriad Paths Returning to Nothingness Diagram within him.
"Old Master Mo," he asked in his heart, "what's the worst-case scenario?"
Old Master Mo remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.
"The worst-case scenario is that she's been ordered by the head of the Central Continent Immortal Sect to come specifically to find the Myriad Dao Returning to the Void Diagram. If that's the case, if you don't go with her, she'll use force. If you do go with her, the Central Continent Immortal Sect has countless ways to extract the diagram from your body."
"And the only way to retrieve the Myriad Paths Returning to Nothingness Diagram..."
"I'll kill you."
Ling Chen gripped the blood-stained hilt of the knife tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
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