Designated third!

Zhao Shanhe secretly transmitted his voice to Su Bai, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness. "Be careful of this woman, the Chief the Fire Court, Dongfang Luoyu."

"Don't let her alluring appearance fool you; she's incredibly cunning."

"Rumor has it that she can instantly unleash multiple different First-Tier Superior-Grade fire techniques, and the combined power is astonishing, making her notoriously difficult to deal with among those at the Qi Refining Layer Nine."

At this moment, the handsome junior brother from the Water Court, "handpicked" by Dongfang Luoyu, was clearly a new face like Su Bai, making his first appearance in the second round.

Being teased like this in public by Dongfang Luoyu, his handsome face immediately turned bright red. He was flustered and stammered, "Fine... fine!"

Seeing his embarrassed yet forced composure, Dongfang Luoyu covered her mouth and let out a series of silvery laughs. With a flicker of her eyes, the Jade Token token flashed, and the challenge was initiated.

Buzz!

The teleportation beam swept the two into the hundred-foot-tall arena.

The two appeared at opposite ends of the arena, more than three hundred feet apart!

This distance is quite far for the Law Technique range and effective attack range of most Qi Refining Stage Cultivator, giving both sides ample time to prepare and observe.

But the junior disciple from the Water Court, who had seemed shy and awkward outside the Battle Arena, instantly transformed into a sharp and calm person the moment his feet touched the solid ground of the ring.

Without any probing or hesitation, his right hand flashed out a complex and precise Law Seals, and he uttered a low shout:

"Fog rises!"

In an instant, a thick, almost viscous, milky-white mist suddenly appeared around him, spreading wildly in all directions like a tidal wave!

Wherever the fog passed, visibility was completely blocked, and even Spiritual Sense perception was significantly interfered with and weakened, becoming blurry and unclear.

Tier 1 High-grade Spell – [Great Water Mist Technique]!

This technique is an enhanced and advanced version of the Tier 1 Middle-grade [Water Mist Technique]. Not only is the mist concentration and coverage greatly increased, but it also has the wonderful effect of disrupting and shielding the opponent's Spiritual Sense.

To master this technique during the Qi Refining Stage requires not only a great deal of time spent in arduous training, but also considerable Water Attribute Spell Talent.

This junior brother is clearly not as simple as he appears.

The billowing white mist instantly engulfed most of the arena, completely shrouding Dongfang Luoyu on the other side.

From the outside, all that could be seen was a swirling, thick white mist, making it difficult to discern the actual situation on the arena.

Within the white mist, the caster, through his subtle control over Water Attribute Spiritual Power, could vaguely perceive the approximate location and outline of other life forms within the mist's shroud.

This is the home-field advantage of the creator of [Great Water Mist Technique].

The Water Court disciple moved swiftly, like a fish entering water, silently traversing the thick fog and rapidly approaching the location of Dongfang Luoyu as he sensed it.

His movements were light and swift, clearly indicating that he had mastered excellent Movement Method.

When the distance closed to about a hundred feet, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his hands formed a seal once more.

"Disease!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Dozens of [Water Arrow Technique], formed from pure Water Spiritual Power, were azure in color and as sharp as real arrows. They tore through the thick fog, emitting a sharp whistling sound, and shot towards the blurry figure deep in the fog from several tricky angles!

This [Water Arrow Technique] technique was also instantaneous, numerous, and covered a wide area, demonstrating his solid spellcasting skills and ability to control Spiritual Power.

Deep within the fog, Dongfang Luoyu, whose vision should have been obstructed and whose senses blurred, showed no sign of panic in the face of this sudden and intense attack.

A slightly lazy chuckle pierced through the layers of mist, clearly reaching the ears of the Water Court junior brother. "Although your senses are blocked... the trajectory of Law Technique and fluctuations of Spiritual Power can still reveal your location, little junior brother~"

Before he finished speaking, Dongfang Luoyu quietly formed a strange and intense Law Seals with his left hand within the wide sleeve of his robe.

Immediately afterwards, a violent, scorching, and intense aura that seemed capable of burning everything erupted from where she was!

"Burning Heaven... Furnace!"

Of course, she didn't use the true Tier 2 Spell, the [Sky Burning Furnace], which is capable of melting gold and iron.

Instead, it was a "castrated version" created by the senior experts of the Fire Court, painstakingly researched and specifically for Disciple in the Qi Refining Stage, with its power greatly reduced but still retaining its rudimentary form.

Even so, its momentum and power are far beyond what ordinary Tier 1 High-grade Spell can match!

Boom!

Several thick, crimson streams of fire, as thick as giant pythons, suddenly shot out in a radial pattern from the ground beneath Dongfang Luoyu's feet, twisting and rising, precisely meeting the dozens of water arrows that were shooting towards them.

When water and fire clashed, a series of hissing sounds erupted as the white vapor rose wildly, briefly creating several gaps in the thick fog.

The four streams of Dao Fire did not dissipate in mid-air; instead, they connected end to end with remarkable spirituality, instantly forming an inverted dome with a diameter of over ten zhang, entirely composed of raging flames!

Like the lid of a real furnace, carrying the terrifying power to incinerate everything in all directions, it ruthlessly pressed down towards the location sensed by the junior disciple of the Water Court!

Before the flames even arrived, the scorching heat wave caused the surrounding thick fog to churn violently and thin rapidly!

"What?!"

The Water Court Disciple's expression changed drastically. He never expected that Dongfang Luoyu's counterattack would be so decisive, violent, and precise!

She didn't need to "see" herself at all; by simply deducing the trajectory of the incoming water arrows, she locked onto her approximate area and crushed her with this wide-ranging, all-encompassing attack!

Who says water can overcome fire? When the power and intensity of flames reach a certain level, they can turn the tables and evaporate rivers!

In haste, he had no choice but to abandon his original plan to harass and wear down the enemy. He gritted his teeth and forced all his Spiritual Power to circulate. He waved his hands rapidly, and a hastily formed, slightly illusory, azure Water Dragon Roll, only a few feet long, roared towards the fiery dome.

Tier 1 High-grade Spell - [Water Dragon Roll]!

However, due to insufficient preparation and hasty execution, the spell's power was greatly diminished.

The seemingly powerful Water Dragon Roll crashed into the fiery dome, but it only lasted for less than a breath before being completely torn apart and evaporated by the terrifying heat and violent Fire Spiritual Power, dissipating into an even more turbulent white wave of air.

The fiery dome was unstoppable, continuing its downward press!

A deadly threat triggers the teleportation mechanism.

With a flash of light, the Water Court Disciple vanished from his spot and appeared in the crowd of Disciple outside the arena, his face pale, his breathing disordered, and his eyes still filled with fear.

"You flatter me, junior brother~"

Dongfang Luoyu's figure also emerged from the gradually dissipating mist and remaining firelight, and was teleported back to the pillar of light.

She smiled sweetly, waved her slender hand at the distraught Disciple of the Water Court in the distance, then immediately took out a Vermilion Pill, swallowed it, and sat cross-legged to regulate her breathing.

Clearly, while the weakened version of the [Sky Burning Furnace] was powerful, it also consumed a tremendous amount of her Spiritual Power.

With Dongfang Luoyu's stunning "opening show," the atmosphere of the second round of eliminations was instantly ignited, and it became even more brutal.

The Top Grade geniuses from each academy stopped watching and began to compete for the ten available seats.

Qin Lin, the Chief the Wood Court, remained calm. With a wave of his hand, vines spun like dragons, easily binding his opponent, absorbing their Spiritual Power, and forcing them to admit defeat.

Xiao Yifei, a Movement Method from the Wind Court, moves with the agility of the wind. His Wind Blade are invisible yet incredibly sharp, often defeating opponents before they can even see his movements clearly.

Xu Qing, the Chief of the Earth Court, Immovable as a Mountain, his defense as solid as Copper Wall. Despite the relentless bombardment from his opponents, he eventually exhausted his Spiritual Power and retreated in disgrace.

Yu Jiangying, the Chief the Water Court, is a female cultivator with a Clear and Cold and aloof temperament. She controls the water flow with ease, combining offense and defense, and calmly sends her opponents away.

Zhang Feifei from the Talisman Crafting Court has the most "extravagant" fighting style. With a wave of his hand, he can unleash several valuable First-Tier Superior-Grade attack Talisman at once, overwhelming his opponents with resources and leaving them helpless.

Lightning Court's Chief, Yang Guang, had reached the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Layer Ten. His attacks were accompanied by thunderous roars, domineering Forceful, and almost no one could withstand more than three of his moves head-on.

There was also Su Bai's old acquaintance, Zhao Hanshuang, the Chief the Ice Court.

His fighting style is concise and efficient. Often, it is just a seemingly ordinary Ice Cone, but it can always accurately seize the opponent's weakness, or use extreme cold to delay the opponent's movements, and then win with a single blow, revealing a kind of cold elegance and confidence.

Faced with these top geniuses from various academies, those Elite Disciple who were lucky enough to achieve ten consecutive victories but were slightly inferior in strength were like fallen leaves in a storm, being eliminated one by one with decisive ease.

Most of the battles ended quickly, with a clear difference in strength.

Zhao Shanhe also took to the field once, facing a Disciple was skilled in metal-based Law Technique and possessed fierce attacks.

Zhao Shanhe did not overestimate himself and directly summoned High-grade Magic Sword.

He unleashed the Compressed Sword Qi cultivated from the "Profound Sword True Essence Art" to its fullest extent, delivering three consecutive head-on strikes.

With a more concentrated and penetrating Sword Qi, he forcefully tore through the opponent's layers of golden light defense, "sending" his opponent out of the arena and earning himself a place in the Top Ten.

Su Bai, however, never made a single move throughout the entire process, yet he remained firmly within the final pillar of light, Top Ten.

The reasons for this are complex.

Firstly, with Zhao Shanhe, a veteran Sword Cultivator with a "fierce reputation," leading the charge, some of the firepower and attention were drawn.

Secondly, the Jade Pendant Chief swordsman of the Sword Academy on Su Bai's chest itself represents a certification of strength and a potential threat.

When the situation is unclear, no one wants to easily touch this unknown.

Thirdly, Su Bai's previous "one-sword-defeats-the-enemy" style, while swift, was so fast that it was difficult to fathom its true depth, adding a touch of mystery and intimidation.

No one wants to test the mettle of a Sword Academy's Chief at this crucial moment in the competition for the Top Ten.

When the last Disciple was eliminated, leaving only ten standing figures, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator dressed in the robes of Inner Sect Hall Steward, Steward Li Zhao, flew Sky-Flying, his loud voice echoing throughout the arena:

The Top Ten are out!

"Lightning Court, Yang Guang!"

"Ice Court, Zhao Hanshuang!" "Sword Academy, Su Bai!" "Sword Academy, Zhao Shanhe!" "Fire Court, Dongfang Luoyu!" "Wood Court, Qin Lin!" "Wind Court, Xiao Yifei!" "Earth Court, Xu Qing!" "Water Court, Yu Jiangying!" "Talisman Crafting Court, Zhang Feifei!"

"Congratulations to the ten individuals who have won the title of 'Top Ten Elite ' in this year's Inner Sect Grand Competition, and will enjoy corresponding benefits for one year!"

A murmur of envy arose among the Disciple watching from the sidelines.

Steward Li Zhao paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the ten young and spirited faces below the stage, before continuing in a clear voice, "Next, we will proceed to the third round, the final ranking of this competition, a crucial battle that will determine Foundation Establishment Pill and... the qualification for True Disciple!"

The champion will be directly recognized as a true Disciple of the Sect True Disciple! The second and third place winners will each receive a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward!

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the ten people on the stage, even the most aloof Zhao Hanshuang and the most domineering Yang Guang, suddenly became incredibly fervent and sharp.

Foundation Establishment Pill! True Disciple Qualification! This is a crucial resource and status that can change their future Dao Path in the cultivation world!

Especially for those like Yang Guang, Zhao Hanshuang, and Qin Lin, whose cultivation has reached the Peak the Qi Refining Layer Nine or even the Great Perfection, a Foundation Establishment Pill might be the most important opportunity for them to open the door to Foundation Establishment and transform from a carp into a dragon!

Steward Li Zhao, having observed everyone's reactions, stopped his suspense and directly announced the rules, "The rules for the third round will be personally drafted by the Hall Master." "First, three Disciple will be randomly selected to become the 'temporary top three' of this competition." "The remaining seven Disciple may choose to challenge any of these three. A successful challenge will replace the challenger in the 'temporary top three' position; a loser will be eliminated and lose their ranking." "After the seven-person challenge round, if any of the 'temporary top three' have objections to each other's rankings, they may initiate mutual challenges after this round. The winner will replace the loser's ranking, and the loser will remain in their original position." "Now, the list of the 'temporary top three' randomly selected by the formation will be announced—"

He deliberately drew out his voice, and the entire room fell silent instantly, with everyone's eyes focused on him.

"First place, Ice Court, Zhao Hanshuang!" Zhao Hanshuang's expression remained unchanged, but a slight icy blue light flashed in her eyes.

"Second place, Lightning Court, Yang Guang!" A confident smile curved Yang Guang's lips, and faint crackling lightning crackled around him. "Third place..."

Li Zhao Steward's gaze swept over Su Bai, then he announced loudly, "Sword Academy, Su Bai!"

Whoa--!

A murmur of barely suppressed discussion immediately arose from the sidelines.

Zhao Hanshuang and Yang Guang ranked first and second, which was expected by many. But Su Bai... a newcomer from the Sword Academy participating in the competition for the first time, with a cultivation level of "only" the Qi Refining Layer Eight, was actually "randomly" assigned to third place?

Su Bai himself was slightly moved upon hearing this result.

He remained outwardly calm, but his mind raced with calculations.

Random assignment? Probably not entirely random.

Zhao Hanshuang and Yang Guang are widely recognized as the strongest, so it's understandable that they were directly guaranteed a spot in the top two.

"I'm third..." He glanced at the other seven people, especially Zhao Shanhe, Dongfang Luoyu, Qin Lin, and others.

Do you think I'm strong enough to secure third place?

Or... was I deliberately placed in this most vulnerable position as a test, or... to maintain balance?

He's in a defending position, and his "third" spot seems the most tempting, yet also the easiest to challenge.

Logically speaking, among the remaining seven people, those who believe they have the ability to compete for the top three will most likely choose to challenge him, who seems to be the "weakest" third place.

Most importantly, the challenges between the top three can only take place after the other seven have finished their challenges.

Su Bai frowned almost imperceptibly. This meant that if he didn't want to reveal too many of his trump cards in advance, he would have to deal with the challenges that might follow, needlessly consuming his Spiritual Power and mental strength.

If you want to directly compete for first place, you'll have to wait until the very end... That's troublesome.

He could almost foresee that he would soon become the target of public criticism.

This "random" third place instantly thrust him into the spotlight.