System's First Mission

The sect had already issued its notice. There was no way he could go back on his word now. He had already entered the top eight, and he carried Liu Ling's expectations with him.

Not for himself, but for Liu Ling and for Little Bamboo Peak, he could no longer entertain the thought of conceding in the top eight.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out in Su Changqing's mind.

Emergency Mission: If the host claims the championship of this Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament, you will receive the reward of independently comprehending the "Sky Covering Method"!

The Sky Covering Method?!

The moment he heard that name, Su Changqing's heart jolted.

He knew it all too well. It was the cultivation art practiced by a Heavenly Emperor protagonist in a certain story—so heaven-defying that no other cultivation art could compare.

That Heavenly Emperor protagonist had cultivated this very art and risen directly to become the foremost Heavenly Emperor of all worlds, shielding the myriad heavens and worlds all by himself. His battle prowess crushed ancient times, the present, and the future alike; he stood proudly above the Nine Heavens, looking down upon the cycles of eternity.

The most heaven-defying aspect of this cultivation art was this:

The path of cultivation was always about cultivators seizing the creations of heaven and earth, prying into the secrets of the sun and moon. No matter what, they had to rely on this world and depend upon the vast Heavenly Dao to defy fate. Yet this came with a flaw: if heaven and earth ceased to exist, the Great Dao collapsed, and spiritual energy ran dry, then the ten-thousand-year age of Daoist Magic would ultimately decline. Cultivators, too, would no longer be able to find an opportunity to defy heaven.

As the saying went: cultivating Dao to become immortal for a million years, yet when the age of Dharma's end arrived, all eternity would be empty. No living being in the world could escape this cycle.

But the Sky Covering Method was different. It emphasized walking the opposite path.

It cast off the shackles of cultivation entirely. What it cultivated was oneself, and what one relied upon was also oneself. On the Dao path, all centered on the clarity of one's true self; all revered the strength of one's true self. Even if heaven and earth and the universe withered away, even if the world's Heavenly Dao collapsed, even if the rules of the Great Dao, living beings, and spiritual energy no longer existed, it could still allow a cultivator to remain in the world, undying and indestructible.

Take the Qingyun Sect as it was now. In the end, it could not escape the constraints of the Taiji Xuanqing Dao. Everything depended on the spiritual laws of heaven and earth, wielding the power of heaven and earth to unleash Divine Abilities.

The Sky Covering Method, however, relied upon one's own limitless potential. The flesh itself contained endless supreme truths. Once one forged one's own Great Dao, one would stand above countless universes. Let heaven and earth change and turn—I alone would stand lofty and indestructible.

"To think I can obtain a cultivation art like this? System, why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Snapping out of his shock, Su Changqing angrily berated the system in his mind.

Had he known there would be such benefits, why would he have bothered thinking of an excuse to withdraw? He would have swept through everyone and seized first place long ago.

What genius or not genius, what hiding his strength or not hiding it—nothing could stand in the way of his determination to obtain the Sky Covering Method.

Missions are determined according to the events experienced by the host. Even if it is announced now, it is not too late. The host only needs to give it your all and claim first place.

The system explained in the same icy voice.

"That makes sense. There are only two more rounds before the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament reaches its final match. As long as I win that final bout, the Sky Covering Method will be mine for the taking."

Su Changqing muttered to himself.

Having advanced into the top eight without a fight, he did not know whom he would face in the following rounds, but he had a general idea of who would fill the remaining slots.

Lu Xueqi, Zhang Xiaofan, Zeng Shushu, and the others would certainly advance, along with Qi Hao and the other prodigies from each peak.

He only hoped he would not encounter Lu Xueqi and the others too early!

Qi Hao was now at the Foundation Establishment Ninth Realm. Whether in terms of strength or the development of the story, he was the champion of this Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament, and the greatest obstacle to Su Changqing taking first place.

If that was truly the case, Su Changqing realized that his current Foundation Establishment Fifth Realm strength was still nowhere near enough against Qi Hao. He needed to raise his realm over the next two days.

Thus, Su Changqing returned to his residence and began cultivating.

On the third day of the tournament, because Liu Ling had conceded, he had no match. He simply spent the entire day in secluded cultivation.

After just that day of seclusion, when Su Changqing opened his eyes again that night, he had already broken through another realm and successfully reached the Foundation Establishment Sixth Realm.

However, Su Changqing was still not satisfied. Every additional increase before the final battle meant a greater chance of victory, so this was not the time to relax.

By the fourth day, Su Changqing cultivated through the night and finally raised his Cultivation Level to the peak of the Foundation Establishment Sixth Realm, only a step away from the seventh realm.

The matchups had also been decided. Just as Su Changqing had hoped, he had not encountered any of his friends. Instead, his opponent was a Senior Brother from Chaoyang Peak at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Realm.

When Su Changqing appeared at the arena, everyone turned their eyes toward him.

A person at the Foundation Establishment First Realm had somehow forced his way into the top eight. Not only had these disciples never heard of such a thing, even the Peak Lords, despite having gone through several Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournaments, had never encountered anything so absurd.

Had this kid hidden his strength, or was he simply lucky?

Today would serve as the battle that proved it.

Under everyone's watchful gaze, Su Changqing leaped onto the stage and stood facing that Senior Brother, swords in hand.

"Junior Brother Changqing, blades and swords have no eyes. If Senior Brother happens to injure you, concede early. Do not force yourself, or Senior Brother will find it hard to bear the blame."

The Senior Brother spoke first in greeting.

"Senior Brother, forgive my offense!"

Su Changqing did not exchange a single polite word. With only that brief apology, he struck first, slashing out with the Gale Sword Technique.

Just as yesterday, violent winds instantly rose across the arena. Gust after gust of howling wind swept toward that Senior Brother. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the fierce assault. At first, they had worried for Su Changqing, who had been at the Foundation Establishment First Realm; now, they eagerly waited to see how the Senior Brother from Chaoyang Peak would take this move.

Feeling the gale Sword Qi tear through the ground and cleave the air as it surged toward him, that Senior Brother gritted his teeth and raised his long saber to receive the attack—only to be swept into the gale Sword Qi in an instant.

A few seconds later, a figure was flung out from the gale and fell straight beneath the arena. Without question, it was that Senior Brother from Chaoyang Peak.

The entire venue instantly fell silent. It was so quiet that even a needle hitting the ground could be heard clearly.

One move?!

The victor had been decided in a single move?!

Everyone sank into a frenzied silence. The sight was simply too horrifying—Su Changqing, at the first level of Foundation Establishment, had defeated a Senior Brother at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment with a single move, decisively settling the victor.

And it was not only the disciples who reacted this way. The Qingyun Sect's Peak Lords, men of vast experience and knowledge, also looked around at one another in astonishment.

Dao Xuan narrowed his eyes as he watched Su Changqing. This child had brought him greater shock with each passing day. Though he had served as Sect Leader for hundreds of years, he had never witnessed anything so staggering.

After unleashing that move, Su Changqing gave a slight cupped-fist salute and bowed to the Senior Brother who had fallen to the ground. He dropped an apologetic, "My apologies for the offense," then leapt down from the platform and calmly strode toward the edge of the martial arena, as light as wind and drifting clouds.

He left beneath the stunned gazes of the crowd, as though the outcome of this match meant nothing to him—as though he had merely drawn his sword for a casual bit of practice.