The Grand Tournament Begins

The banners above Skywind City's Training Ground snapped in the wind.

The circular stands, built to hold ten thousand, were packed to capacity, with even the aisles crammed full of watching martial artists.

At the central gilded viewing platform, Skywind City Lord Shen Wuya sat in a dark brocade robe, exuding authority without a word.

Since taking office three years ago as a Fourth Level of Essence Transformation Realm expert, he'd used an iron fist to clean up city affairs, barely maintaining balance in Skywind City amid the open strife and covert scheming of the four great families.

"Elder Lu has traveled far; Shen's hospitality falls short—I hope you'll forgive me." Shen Wuya clasped his hands toward the old man on his right.

He deliberately suppressed his aura, but the true essence faintly flowing between his knuckles still revealed his profound cultivation.

Lu Yue, an outer elder of the Yunlan Sect, had a youthful face with white hair, his plain white robe spotless.

He stroked his beard and smiled. "Lord Shen is too modest. This old man saw merchants gathering and markets thriving all along the road here—clear proof of your capable governance."

As the two exchanged pleasantries, the four family heads sat on either side.

Lin Family head Lin Zhentian's hawk-like eyes flashed sharply as he occasionally murmured with the Chu and Xu family heads beside him.

Su Tianheng sat upright, his gaze fixed on the Su Family disciples in the arena.

"Speaking of which..." Shen Wuya's tone suddenly turned wistful.

"Back when Shen was training at the Yunlan Sect, if I hadn't hit a bottleneck at the Essence Transformation stage, I wouldn't have..."

Lu Yue caught his meaning and replied, "The sect always welcomes wandering sons home. If Lord Shen has time, you might return for a visit."

Time quickly reached the third ke of the Chen hour.

When Shen Wuya rose, the entire Training Ground fell silent instantly.

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached every ear clearly: "Today, talents gather. I hope all of you..."

After a brief opening speech, he gestured to Lu Yue.

Lu Yue stepped forward slowly, his sleeves billowing without wind. "The Yunlan Sect has stood for a thousand years, always valuing the cultivation of talent. Anyone who enters the sect will receive one High-grade Human-tier Martial Skill."

Before his words faded, gasps erupted from the audience.

After all, a High-grade Human-tier Martial Skill was worth hundreds of thousands of gold on the market—and even then, it was a treasure rarely found for sale.

Lu Yue's gaze swept over the burning eyes of the young martial artists below, and he continued, "The top four of this Grand Tournament may each choose an additional High-grade Human-tier Martial Skill."

The stands erupted in uproar, and many family elders sat up straight.

Though sect martial skills were strictly forbidden from being passed outside—violators would have their cultivation crippled and be expelled—such an opportunity still made eyes red with envy.

Once the noise settled, Lu Yue suddenly raised his voice. "As for the Grand Tournament champion..."

He paused deliberately, then pulled an embroidered pouch with cloud patterns from his sleeve. "They will receive a first-grade Storage Bag!"

Hiss—a wave of sharp intakes of breath swept the arena.

That unassuming pouch was a spatial treasure capable of holding five cubic meters!

In Skywind City, even the great families only equipped their Spirit Condensation Realm experts with such items.

More astonishingly, Storage Bags could only be traded with spirit stones, costing a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones.

And on the Nine Heavens Continent, the exchange rate between gold and spirit stones was ten thousand to one—but in some black markets, it could spike to twenty thousand gold, meaning this Storage Bag was worth at least a million gold!

Su Yu's pupils contracted, and his right hand unconsciously touched the sword at his waist.

If he got that, he'd never have to worry about carrying Beast Cores after hunting demonic beasts again.

"Victory and defeat aren't the only criteria!" Lu Yue suddenly raised his voice.

"Even if you lose, as long as you show enough potential, you still have a chance to enter our sect!"

Shen Wuya took over, signaling guards to bring up two gilded lottery boxes. "To prevent seeded contestants from meeting too early, we'll divide into two groups based on cultivation."

He personally opened the left box, revealing jade tablets neatly arranged inside, engraved with names like Lin Tian and other Qi Refining Realm martial artists. The other group held...

Su Yu stood in the contestant area, his gaze sweeping across the opposite stands.

In the Lin Family camp, Lin Tian sat with his eyes closed, regulating his breath.

This Number One Genius of Skywind City was utterly oblivious to the surrounding noise, as if in another world.

Beside him stood Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan's eyes were bloodshot, fixed on Su Yu's figure.

Ever since that defeat, he'd endured ridicule within his clan, even from the branch disciples who used to flatter him, whispering behind his back.

After ten days in seclusion, he'd forced his way to the peak of Qi Refining Level 7 with his father's pills, all to wash away his shame today.

Further off, a few disciples from minor families had already turned pale with nerves.

"Now, the draw begins!"

"First match: Xu You versus Chu Feng!"

At the referee's command, heavy footsteps sounded from the east side of the Training Ground.

Chu Feng strode onto the platform, a Nine-Ring Broadsword on his shoulder.

Though only fifteen, he was already broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, a scar running from his brow to his jaw on his rugged face, adding to his fierce air. His hawk-like eyes flashed with sharp light, and his whole body exuded a fierce momentum.

"Please, please go easy on me, Brother Chu..."

Xu You scrambled onto the training platform, his face pale, the longsword in his hand trembling faintly.

This ordinary genius of the Xu Family never expected to draw Chu Feng, one of the top contenders, in the very first round.

Boos and jeers rippled through the spectator stands. Clearly, no one had any faith in this lopsided matchup.

Three moves. Chu Feng grinned, baring his stark white teeth.

If you can take three of my moves, you win.

The words had barely left his mouth before the Nine-Ring Broadsword was already swinging!

Thunderous Saber Style, First Form—Thunder Shakes the Eight Directions!

Before the blade even arrived, the piercing shriek of its passage rattled Xu You's eardrums with pain.

He hastily raised his sword to block, only to see the broadsword suddenly shift midair, splitting into three phantom images that struck simultaneously.

With a clang of metal, Xu You stumbled back seven steps. His tiger's-mouth split open, and a trickle of blood dripped down the sword's hilt.

Before he could catch his breath, Chu Feng's second strike was already upon him.

This time, the saber's momentum was even fiercer. Faint arcs of lightning flickered along the blade—the killing move of the Thunderous Saber Style: Thunderous Might!

Xu You forced his spiritual power to surge, a pale blue glow lighting up his sword's edge as he unleashed the Soaring Dragon Sword Style with all his might.

But then—

The Thunderbolt Slash came crashing down. Xu You's sword stance was torn apart like flimsy paper.

His entire body was sent flying backward, slamming hard into the Protective Formation at the edge of the platform before bouncing back to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The referee waved his hand expressionlessly: "Chu Feng wins!"

The whole exchange took no more than three breaths.

Chu Feng hoisted his broadsword onto his shoulder, not even glancing at his unconscious opponent, and strode off the platform with long steps.

Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands, while the Xu Family members, faces ashen, carried away their own disciple.

The matches on the Training Ground continued in full swing, and before long, it was noon.

The blazing sun gilded the platform with a harsh golden edge, the reflected light from iron weapons stinging the eyes.

Su Yun stood with his hands clasped behind his back at the edge of the field, watching as yet another opponent was knocked off the platform by him in three moves.

The true flame of the Blazing Flames Sword Style flickered along his sword's edge, scorching black marks into the bluestone floor.

"Su Yun wins!"

Soon it was Su Mei's turn. Her Gentle Water Sword Style flowed like Flowing Clouds and Water.

With a light twist of her blade, seven layers of Water Mark Sword Qi stacked upon each other, driving her opponent to the edge of the platform.

Her final move, Water Moon Without a Trace, tapped out gently. Her opponent was struck as if by a surging wave, flying backward over ten yards.

"Su Mei wins!"

The biggest surprise was Su Yan.

This usually reckless youth displayed astonishing composure today.

Though his Flowing Cloud Sword Style was not yet perfected, eight cloud patterns flashed in succession, forcing a Qi Refining Level 7 opponent to retreat step by step until he finally defeated him with a single strike.

Applause rang out from the stands.

Su Tianheng nodded slightly, a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes.

Su Lie faced an elite disciple of the Chu Family at the peak of Qi Refining Level 7 and fought fiercely for dozens of exchanges.

Though he ultimately lost, every strike of his heavy sword carried immense force, forcing his opponent to go all out.

As he left the field, Su Lie, covered in wounds, still clasped his fists in salute to his opponent, earning a round of cheers.

"Chu He of the Chu Family wins!"

Amid the referee's announcement, Su Tianheng nodded slightly. The performance of the Su Family disciples today had far exceeded his expectations.

Suddenly, the entire venue fell silent.

Lin Tian stepped onto the platform slowly, his white robes spotless.

His opponent was a martial artist at Qi Refining Level 6 from a minor family. The man's legs were trembling so badly he could barely hold his sword steady.

"I... I forfeit!"

That trembling cry broke the silence.

The stands erupted into chaos. Some spat curses of contempt, but more expressed understanding.

Facing that genius who had already reached Qi Refining Level 9 at fifteen, they themselves probably wouldn't have had the courage to even step onto the platform.

Lin Tian turned and walked off the platform expressionlessly, as if he had long expected this outcome.

"Final match: Zhang Yong versus Su Yu!"

As the referee announced, a burly figure leaped onto the platform.

Zhang Yong stood eight feet tall, his muscles knotted, gripping a Mountain-Splitting Axe—a rare Qi Refining Level 7 expert among minor families.

The Su Family's waste young master?

Zhang Yong grinned.

I heard you only broke through by relying on pills? Today, let me—

Before his words ended, a cyan figure had already drifted down to the opposite side of the arena.

Su Yu, in a plain robe, his Azure Edge Sword still sheathed, yet his entire presence was as sharp as a drawn blade.

He spoke calmly, his gaze terrifyingly placid.