Begin!
The moment the referee's voice fell, Su Yu's sword flashed from its sheath.
He held his cultivation at Qi Refining Level 6, but his sword momentum surged out like a raging tide.
The Azure Edge Sword traced seven afterimages through the air. Each carried a fierce Gale Sword Momentum, and sand and stones flew across the arena.
"Gale Sword Momentum!" Su Tianheng shot to his feet in the stands, his eyes blazing.
"That's the Gale Sword Style at the Perfected Realm!"
An uproar swept through the audience.
A Human-grade Low-tier martial skill at the Perfected Realm was no easier to cultivate than a Human-grade Mid-tier Martial Skill at Great Accomplishment.
Throughout the Su Family's history, those who had brought a basic sword style to the Perfected Realm had all been talents of breathtaking brilliance.
"Interesting." Lin Tian opened his eyes slightly in the Lin Family seats, then soon closed them again to rest.
To him, swordsmanship at this level was not worth his attention.
On the arena stage, Zhang Yong's expression changed drastically.
He had thought facing a Su Family disciple whose cultivation was propped up by pills would be an easy win. Instead, his opponent opened with Perfected Realm sword momentum!
In haste, he unleashed Forcefully Splitting Mountains with his Mountain-Splitting Axe. The heavy blade came crashing down toward Su Yu's head with a howl through the air.
Su Yu drifted with the wind like willow fluff, lightly evading the mighty blow.
Sudden Storm!
The Azure Edge Sword became dozens of sword shadows that poured down, every thrust aimed precisely at one of Zhang Yong's vital points.
Zhang Yong hurriedly raised his axe to block. Metal clashed as densely as rain striking banana leaves.
Clang, clang, clang—
Just as Zhang Yong struggled to fend off the assault, Su Yu's sword momentum changed again.
Swift as Wind, Fast as Lightning!
A sword qi honed to its utmost pierced forward like lightning and struck the face of the axe.
Zhang Yong felt a tremendous force hit him. He flew backward like a kite with its string cut and landed heavily beyond the arena stage.
He struggled to rise, only to discover that the sword qi had torn a neat slit through the clothes over his chest without leaving so much as a trace of blood on his skin.
What precise control of force!
"Su Yu wins!"
The referee's verdict rang across the grounds.
In the audience, those who had been waiting for a laugh now gaped.
This Su Family disciple, rumored to be a walking medicine jar, had shown strength utterly unlike the rumors!
In the Lin Family seats, a fine crack spread across the teacup in Lin Xuan's hand.
Third Young Master Lin stared fixedly at the arena stage, his expression shifting between light and dark.
The blazing noon sun baked the Training Ground. After a brief rest, the round of sixteen officially began.
"First match: Su Yun versus Xu Chuan!"
The instant the referee finished speaking, the entire Training Ground erupted.
No one had expected two favorites for the title to meet so early in the round of sixteen.
Su Yun walked slowly onto the stage, his white robes outshining snow. The crimson sword sheath at his waist gleamed blood-red in the sunlight.
Across from him, Xu Chuan wore fitted indigo clothes. Tall and slender, he landed as lightly and silently as a feather.
"I didn't expect to meet Brother Xu so soon." Su Yun's sword remained sheathed, but a hunger for battle curved his lips.
Xu Chuan gently waved his folding fan and smiled with easy composure. "Just what I wanted. Now I won't have to guard against Brother Su's Blazing Flames Sword Style all the way to the final."
Before his words had faded, Su Yun's sword left its sheath.
Where its edge swept, three crows formed of flame beat their wings and flew forth. It was the Opening Stance of the Blazing Flames Sword Style—Fire Crow Soaring Through the Sky!
Xu Chuan's figure suddenly blurred, leaving an afterimage where he had stood.
The three fire crows missed him and blasted three charred pits into the bluestone floor.
"So fast!" someone cried from the stands.
Xu Chuan appeared at Su Yun's flank like a ghost, cold light glinting along the edge of his folding fan.
That seemingly elegant weapon concealed a sharp blade!
Su Yun raised his sword to block, and sparks scattered.
His sword momentum shifted abruptly as he unleashed Blazing Flames Burn the Heavens. Scorching sword qi swept across the entire stage like a tidal wave.
Yet Xu Chuan's movement was uncanny. Each time the sword qi was about to reach him, he dodged at an impossible angle.
"The Xu Family's Dragon-like Movement lives up to its reputation." Su Yun's eyes flashed. The flames on his sword suddenly turned from red to azure, and the heat soared.
Xu Chuan's expression changed slightly as he dodged again and again.
But Su Yun's sword strikes were faster this time. Nine Azure Fire Wheels suddenly sealed every escape route!
Nine Revolving Flame Wheels!
At the critical instant, Xu Chuan snapped his folding fan open, sending dozens of Silver Needles shooting out.
Strangest of all, the needles curved through the air, attacking Su Yun from every treacherous angle.
Boom, boom, boom!
The fire wheels collided with the needles, unleashing a deafening roar.
When the smoke and dust cleared, most of Xu Chuan's sleeve had been burned away, while three Silver Needles protruded from Su Yun's left shoulder.
"Excellent!" Su Yun laughed. Ignoring his wounds, he changed his sword momentum once more.
This time, his entire sword became an Azure Fire Dragon that lunged at Xu Chuan with the force to destroy heaven and earth.
With nowhere to dodge, Xu Chuan held his folding fan across his body.
With a tremendous crash, he flew backward and barely steadied himself at the edge of the stage. A thread of blood had already seeped from the corner of his mouth.
"I concede." Xu Chuan gave a rueful smile and cupped his hands.
"Brother Su, I've had the honor of witnessing your Blazing Flames Sword Style."
The crowd fell silent for a moment, then burst into thunderous cheers.
This clash of dragon and tiger would surely rank among the most thrilling matches of the Grand Tournament.
"Su Yun wins!"
As the matches continued, Su Family disciples won one after another.
Su Mei's Gentle Water Sword Style flowed like clouds and water. Seven streams of Water Mark Sword Qi flashed in turn, forcing a peak Qi Refining Level 7 fighter wielding twin sabers back step by step.
After thirty moves, her opponent could no longer withstand the unbroken sword assault. A solid stream of Water Mark Sword Qi knocked him out of the arena.
"Su Mei wins!"
Before long, Su Yan's Flowing Cloud Sword Style also shone.
Eight Cloud Patterns flowed along his sword's edge. Though he had not reached Great Accomplishment, he still pressed his opponent so hard that he could barely breathe.
After fifty moves, Su Yan caught an opening and settled the match with a single strike.
"Su Yan wins!"
Dusk deepened, and the setting sun stained the stage at the center of the Training Ground blood-red.
"Next match: Su Yu versus Lin Xuan!"
As the referee's announcement fell, Lin Xuan's face turned deathly pale.
His hand trembled slightly around his sword hilt. The scene of Zhang Yong falling to Su Yu in a single move played over and over in his mind.
Only when he stood on the stage did Lin Xuan realize his legs had gone weak.
He forced himself to stand straight, but his voice still shook. "Su Yu, don't get smug! Even if you beat me, you'll never be a match for my brother Lin Tian! If you know what's good for you—"
Before he could finish, Lin Xuan sprang into a sudden attack.
His sword became seven afterimages. It was the Spirit Snake Sword Style's strongest killing move, Spirit Snake Dances Wildly.
He poured everything he had into the strike. A faint azure glow even flickered along his sword's edge.
But to Su Yu, the flashy, hollow move was riddled with openings.
Lin Xuan's aura wavered unsteadily. Clearly, pills had been used to force his cultivation higher.
His sword strikes were fast but lacked staying power. He had not even managed to gather basic sword momentum.
Su Yu did not draw his sword. He merely lifted its sheath in a light block.
The seemingly casual move struck precisely at the weakest point in Lin Xuan's attack.
Lin Xuan felt a tremendous force hit him. He flew backward and crashed heavily near the edge of the stage.
"You let me win."
Su Yu cupped his hands with a calm expression, then turned and walked away.
The whole exchange had flowed like clouds and water. He had not even spared Lin Xuan another glance.
Lin Xuan struggled to get up, but rage surged to his heart. He spat a mouthful of blood and passed out on the spot.
Lin Zhentian watched the unconscious Lin Xuan on the stage, a sinister glint passing through his eyes.
The hand hidden inside his sleeve clenched involuntarily, his knuckles making a faint crack.
Useless fool... he cursed inwardly, though his face retained the composure expected of a family head.
Yet when his gaze swept over Su Yu, the knife-sharp look in his eyes still betrayed his anger.
At the front of the Lin Family group, Lin Tian's expression had turned frighteningly dark.
He stared at Su Yu's retreating back, dangerous undercurrents roiling in his eyes.
All his life, he had been free to discipline this disappointing younger brother. But if an outsider dared lay a finger on Lin Xuan, he would make them pay dearly.
Lin Tian suddenly gave a low laugh, his voice as cold as poisoned ice. "Su Yu, was it? I'll show you the price of touching a Lin Family disciple."
"That concludes today's matches!" Shen Wuya rose at the right moment to make the announcement.
"The Quarterfinal Battle continues tomorrow morning!"
Before you continue