Advancing to the Top Eight

Begin!

The moment the referee's words fell, Su Yu's sword was already out of its sheath.

He suppressed his cultivation to Qi Refining Level 6, but his sword momentum surged forth like a raging tide.

The Azure Edge Sword traced seven afterimages through the air, each one wrapped in a fierce Gale Sword Momentum, and the entire arena was instantly filled with flying sand and shifting stones.

Gale Sword Momentum! Su Tianheng on the viewing stand shot to his feet, a sharp light bursting from his eyes.

This is the Gale Sword Style at the Perfected Realm!

The audience erupted into an uproar.

A Human-grade Low-tier Martial Skill at the Perfected Realm—its training difficulty was in no way inferior to mastering a Human-grade Mid-tier Martial Skill.

In the Su Family's history, every one who had brought a basic sword technique to the Perfected Realm was an extraordinary talent.

Interesting. Lin Tian in the Lin Family seats cracked his eyes open slightly, but soon returned to his posture of resting with eyes closed.

To him, this level of swordsmanship was still not enough to warrant attention.

On the arena, Zhang Yong's face changed drastically.

He had originally thought that going up against this Su Family disciple, who relied on pills to build his cultivation, was an easy win—but he never expected the other party to unleash a Perfected Realm sword momentum right from the start!

The Mountain-Splitting Axe hastily executed a move, Forcefully Splitting Mountains, and the heavy blade came crashing down with a sound of splitting air.

Su Yu's body moved like willow fluff drifting in the wind, deftly dodging this powerful, heavy strike.

Sudden Storm!

The Azure Edge Sword transformed into dozens of sword shadows pouring down, each one precisely aimed at Zhang Yong's vital points.

Zhang Yong hurriedly swung his axe to block, and the clang of metal striking metal rained down like a sudden storm.

Clang, clang, clang—

Just as Zhang Yong was struggling to parry, Su Yu's sword momentum shifted again.

Swift as Wind, Fast as Lightning!

A highly condensed Sword Qi shot out like a bolt of lightning, striking the axe head dead-on.

Zhang Yong felt a tremendous force slam into him, and his entire body flew backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing heavily outside the arena.

He struggled to get up, only to find that the front of his clothes had been sliced open by the Sword Qi into a clean slit, yet there wasn't even a trace of blood on his skin.

What precise control of force!

Su Yu wins!

The referee's announcement rang out across the arena.

On the viewing stand, those who had been waiting to laugh at him now had their mouths wide open.

This Su Family disciple, rumored to be a medicine pot, had shown strength completely different from the gossip!

In the Lin Family seats, a fine crack split the tea cup in Lin Xuan's hand.

This Third Young Master Lin stared fixedly at the arena, his face shifting between light and shadow.

The midday sun blazed down on the Training Ground. After a brief rest, the battle for the top sixteen officially began.

First match: Su Yun versus Xu Chuan!

The moment the referee's voice fell, the entire Training Ground erupted.

Two of the championship favorites meeting in the top sixteen—this caught everyone off guard.

Su Yun stepped slowly onto the stage, his white robes as pure as snow, the crimson scabbard at his waist gleaming with a bloody light under the setting sun.

Across from him, Xu Chuan wore a dark blue form-fitting outfit, his figure tall and slender, landing as lightly and silently as a feather.

I didn't expect to meet Brother Xu so soon. Su Yun's sword had not yet left its sheath, but a fighting spirit curled at the corner of his mouth.

Xu Chuan gently fanned himself with a folding fan, his smile unhurried: Just as I wished—saves me from having to guard against Brother Su's Blazing Flames Sword Style before the finals.

Before the words faded, Su Yun's long sword was already out of its sheath.

Where the blade passed, three crows formed of flame flapped their wings and flew out—the Opening Stance of the Blazing Flames Sword Style: Fire Crow Soaring Through the Sky!

Xu Chuan's figure suddenly blurred, leaving an afterimage in place.

The three fire crows struck empty air, blasting three scorched black pits into the bluestone ground.

So fast! someone on the viewing stand exclaimed.

Xu Chuan appeared like a ghost at Su Yun's flank, the edge of his folding fan glinting coldly.

This seemingly elegant weapon was actually hiding a sharp blade!

Su Yun swung his sword to block, sparks flying everywhere.

He abruptly changed his sword momentum, unleashing Blazing Flames Burn the Heavens, and scorching Sword Qi swept across the entire arena like a tidal wave.

But Xu Chuan's movement technique was truly bizarre—every time the Sword Qi was about to hit, he could dodge at an impossible angle.

The Xu Family's Dragon-like Movement truly lives up to its reputation. Su Yun's eyes blazed with sharp light, and the flames on his sword blade suddenly shifted from red to blue, the temperature skyrocketing.

Xu Chuan's expression flickered as his figure flashed repeatedly.

But this time, Su Yun's sword strike was faster—nine Azure Fire Wheels suddenly sealed off every escape route!

Nine Revolving Flame Wheels!

In the nick of time, Xu Chuan's folding fan snapped open, and dozens of Silver Needles shot out.

The strangest part was that these needles curved through the air, striking at Su Yun from every tricky angle.

Boom boom boom!

The fire wheels and silver needles collided, erupting in a deafening roar.

As the smoke cleared, Xu Chuan's sleeve was half-charred, while three silver needles were lodged in Su Yun's left shoulder.

"Excellent!" Su Yun laughed heartily, ignoring his injury as his sword stance shifted again.

This time, the entire blade transformed into an Azure Fire Dragon, charging at Xu Chuan with earth-shattering force.

With no room to dodge, Xu Chuan blocked with his fan.

CRASH!

He was sent flying backward, barely steadying himself at the edge of the arena as a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"I concede." Xu Chuan cupped his hands with a wry smile. "Brother Su's Blazing Flames Sword Style—I've learned my lesson."

The arena fell silent for a moment, then erupted in thunderous cheers.

This clash of titans would surely become one of the most thrilling matches of this Grand Tournament.

Su Yun wins!

As the matches continued, the Su Family disciples scored victory after victory.

Su Mei's Gentle Water Sword Style flowed like Flowing Clouds and Water, seven Water Mark Sword Qi flickering in turn as she forced a Qi Refining Level 7 peak martial artist wielding Twin Blades into steady retreat.

After thirty moves, her opponent finally couldn't withstand the relentless sword momentum and was blasted out of the arena by a solid Water Mark Sword Qi.

Su Mei wins!

Soon after, Su Yan's Flowing Cloud Sword Style also shone brilliantly.

Eight Cloud Patterns swirled along his blade edge—though not yet perfected, they still suffocated his opponent.

After fifty moves, he seized a flaw and ended the match in one decisive strike.

Su Yan wins!

Dusk deepened, and the central arena of the Training Ground was stained blood-red by the setting sun.

"Next match: Su Yu versus Lin Xuan!"

As the referee's announcement fell, Lin Xuan's face turned deathly pale.

His hand gripping the sword trembled slightly, his mind replaying the scene of Zhang Yong being defeated by Su Yu in a single move.

When he finally stood on the arena, Lin Xuan found his legs had gone weak.

He forced himself to straighten his back, but his voice still carried a tremor: "Su Yu, don't get cocky! Even if you beat me, you're no match for my brother Lin Tian! If you know what's good for you—"

Before he finished, Lin Xuan suddenly launched a surprise attack.

His long sword split into seven afterimages—the Spirit Snake Sword Style's deadliest move, Spirit Snake Dances Wildly.

He poured every ounce of strength into this strike, faint Azure Light flickering at the blade's edge.

But in Su Yu's eyes, this flashy technique was riddled with holes.

Lin Xuan's aura was unsteady, clearly a cultivation forcibly boosted by pills.

The sword strike was fast, but lacked follow-through—it couldn't even condense basic sword momentum.

Su Yu didn't even draw his sword. He simply blocked with the scabbard.

A seemingly casual move, yet it struck the weakest link in Lin Xuan's technique.

Lin Xuan felt a massive force slam into him, sending him flying to crash heavily at the arena's edge.

"You're too kind."

Su Yu cupped his hands lightly and turned to leave.

The whole process flowed like water, without even a glance back at Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan struggled to rise, but rage rushed to his head, and he spat blood before collapsing unconscious.

Lin Zhentian watched his fainted son on the arena, a shadow of malice flickering in his eyes.

His hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched unconsciously, knuckles cracking softly.

Useless waste... he cursed inwardly, while keeping the composed demeanor of a clan head on his face.

But when his gaze swept over Su Yu, the sharp, knife-like look betrayed his inner fury.

At the forefront of the Lin Family camp, Lin Tian's face was dark and ominous.

He stared fixedly at Su Yu's retreating back, dangerous undercurrents churning in his eyes.

He could bully his worthless little brother all he wanted growing up, but if an outsider so much as touched a hair on Lin Xuan's head, he would make them pay dearly.

Lin Tian suddenly let out a low laugh, his voice cold as poison-coated ice. "Su Yu, is it... I'll make you understand the price of touching a Lin Family disciple."

"Today's matches end here!" Shen Wuya rose at the right moment to announce.

"Tomorrow at the Chen hour, the Quarterfinal Battle continues!"