Victory Without a Fight, Advancing to the Top Eight

In an instant, everyone was left so tense beneath the Gale Sword Technique that they could barely breathe.

With a strange cry of "Yah!", Chen Sanying's momentum surged again. Gripping his staff, he charged straight into the Gale Sword Technique. Everyone could see that his face was deathly pale; he was already at the end of his tether, making a final struggle before death.

He leaped into the gale, his figure almost swallowed by the raging wind. No one could make out what was happening within it.

Just a few seconds later came another miserable scream—"Ah!"

Chen Sanying's body reappeared, but the gale had flung him out. He fell from the arena like a cannonball, covered in severe injuries, with not a shred of his clothing left intact. Though his life was not in danger, he had fallen unconscious.

Lin Jingyu had already been utterly astonished, unable to believe that his Senior Brother had failed to defeat Su Changqing in three moves. Now, seeing Su Changqing defeat Chen Sanying with a single move, he found it even more unbelievable.

How could Su Changqing be this strong? Wasn't he only at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm? How had he crushed and defeated Senior Brother Chen, who was at the peak of the second level of the Foundation Establishment Realm?

Clearly, all of this had gone beyond Lin Jingyu's understanding.

"Changqing, you!"

He shouted sharply at Su Changqing.

After giving him an indifferent glance, Su Changqing leaped down from the arena without saying a single word to him.

Lin Jingyu shot Su Changqing a vicious look, then barked at his followers beside him, "Why aren't you hurrying to help Senior Brother Chen up?!"

The second battle ended with Su Changqing's victory, without any suspense.

The others crowded around him, offering their congratulations.

"Junior Brother, how can you be this strong? So you've been hiding it from us all along, haven't you?"

"Exactly! Junior Brother, that sword strike of yours just now was simply earth-shattering! I saw the shocked looks from the people of the other peaks. You've brought immense glory to our Little Bamboo Peak!"

"Junior Brother—"

At that moment, Lu Xueqi, Zeng Shushu, Zhang Xiaofan, and several other friends who had been cheering Su Changqing on from the side also came over.

"Junior Brother, you truly were concealing your abilities."

Lu Xueqi smiled as she spoke to Su Changqing.

She had watched the entire battle. Su Changqing had dissolved three moves before defeating his opponent with one strike. Others might have merely been astonished by that Gale Sword Technique, but Lu Xueqi was profoundly shocked. If she encountered that sword herself, she might not necessarily be able to withstand it. So Junior Brother had always been the one who hid himself the deepest.

"Fellow Daoist Changqing, you actually possess such strength. Why had there never been any rumors about you within the sect before?"

Zeng Shushu asked Su Changqing in surprise.

He had come to know Su Changqing because of the Little Flood Dragon Snake, but he had never imagined that Su Changqing's own strength would earn such high praise from him. Yet there had not been the slightest rumor about Su Changqing in the sect. Even when his name was mentioned, it was only in connection with such trivial matters as his joining Little Bamboo Peak.

To fight across realms and win—he should have been one of the sect's renowned prodigies.

"Changqing, congratulations!"

Zhang Xiaofan congratulated Su Changqing with a somewhat wooden smile, though his expression was incomparably sincere.

Su Changqing repeatedly waved his hands and modestly told them, "It was only Changqing's luck. Please don't praise me any further, or Junior Brother will start floating on air."

"We don't even know who my next opponent will be. Perhaps this is as far as I'll go. Your concern is only putting more pressure on me."

It could be said that Su Changqing had stirred ripples on the water yesterday, but after today's battle, towering waves had risen. Countless people spread word of how Su Changqing had defeated an opponent across realms.

Naturally, Shuiyue had watched this battle in real time as well.

When Su Changqing unleashed that Gale Sword Qi, Shuiyue, who had always been cold and tranquil, with a heart undisturbed by waves, was too astonished to speak.

This was clearly the sword move used by that mysterious person who had acted on Nine Yin Mountain.

Connecting it to the fact that Su Changqing had been on Nine Yin Mountain that day, and that she had not seen him at all, it was highly possible that Su Changqing had secretly acted to save her and Tian Buyi before hiding away.

But that person had been in the Foundation Establishment Realm. This also meant Su Changqing had reached Foundation Establishment six months ago, merely using some means to conceal his true Cultivation Level. Looking at it now, that really was something Su Changqing would do.

Foundation Establishment in six months?!

Even Shuiyue, a Peak Lord of the Qingyun Sect, did not dare imagine it. Such a thing had simply never been heard of from ancient times to the present!

"The world is vast, and strange things abound. Perhaps Changqing is that one destined by fate?"

Dao Xuan Zhenren forcefully suppressed the shock in his heart and slowly consoled Shuiyue. "It seems our Qingyun Sect is about to produce a peerless powerhouse. Shuiyue, it was truly our great fortune that you accepted Su Changqing back then!"

Su Changqing had no idea that his battle had earned such praise from Sect Leader Dao Xuan Zhenren. He was currently seated at the arena where Lu Xueqi was competing, watching the matches.

As expected, Lu Xueqi, Zhang Xiaofan, Zeng Shushu, and the others all advanced to the next round.

Once all the match results were out, opponents were randomly selected again. Su Changqing drew Senior Sister Liu from his own Little Bamboo Peak—the Senior Sister who had taken him to Sword Peak that day.

Just as Su Changqing was considering how to stop here and hand victory to Senior Sister Liu without leaving any trace, she unexpectedly came to find him herself.

"Junior Brother, I'm voluntarily withdrawing from this match."

Before Su Changqing could speak, Liu Ling stated it directly.

"Huh?"

Su Changqing paused slightly. He had not even figured out how to give her the victory, yet Liu Ling had voluntarily withdrawn. Puzzled, he asked, "Senior Sister, why is that? Don't hand me the victory just because I'm your Junior Brother."

"Junior Brother, that isn't the reason. I've seen your strength with my own eyes. You were able to fight Junior Sister Lu to a draw that day, and today you used such a fierce Gale Sword Technique. Senior Sister already knows she would find it difficult to defeat you."

"Being able to enter the top sixteen has already satisfied Senior Sister. Rather than standing on the arena to fight you, it would be better to withdraw early and avoid draining your strength, so you can fight those stronger opponents with everything you have."

"Besides, we're both from Little Bamboo Peak. Whoever wins or loses, isn't it all glory for Little Bamboo Peak? Compared to me, you can go farther and bring even greater honor to Little Bamboo Peak."

Liu Ling slowly explained to Su Changqing.

"Senior Sister, but you—"

Su Changqing was about to say more when Liu Ling interrupted him. "Enough. I've already made up my mind, so don't say anything else, Junior Brother. I only hope you can keep fighting, achieve a better ranking, and bring honor to Little Bamboo Peak."

After saying that, Liu Ling hurried off again, not giving Su Changqing the slightest chance to refuse.

Sure enough, not long afterward, news came that Liu Ling had voluntarily withdrawn. Without even fighting, Su Changqing advanced directly into the top eight.

Everything caught Su Changqing completely off guard. He had clearly already decided to withdraw from the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament—who could have imagined his rhythm would be thrown into disarray like this?

This was truly troubling!