At first light, the Training Ground in Skywind City was already roaring with noise.
Today's battles would determine the final four, and might even produce this year's Grand Tournament champion outright. The spectators were even more fired up than yesterday, and warriors filled the grounds outside, all craning their necks in anticipation.
The eight who had advanced yesterday now stood on either side of the arena—
Four from the Su Family: Su Yun, Su Mei, Su Yan, and Su Yu;
Three from the Lin Family: Lin Tian, Lin Mo, and Lin Yan;
One from the Chu Family: Chu Feng.
On the high platform, City Lord Shen Wuya stroked his beard and smiled faintly. His gaze swept over the Su Family's group, and he said to Su Tianheng beside him, "The Su Family certainly has no shortage of talent this time. Four of the eight spots belong to you. It looks like you're about to overtake the Lin Family."
Su Tianheng remained composed and cupped his hands. "You flatter us, City Lord. The youngsters have simply trained hard. It was just good fortune."
His words were modest, but a trace of satisfaction still flashed in his eyes.
Beside him, Lin Zhentian's expression darkened, and his hands clenched tight.
The Lin Family had always been Skywind City's foremost lineage. Yet this time, they had one fewer contestant in the eight than the Su Family—a silent humiliation, without a doubt.
"Hmph. They were just a little luckier."
Lin Zhentian sneered inwardly, but his gaze nonetheless fell on Su Yu.
This Su Family disciple, once regarded as a good-for-nothing, had now become the biggest variable.
Below the platform, Lin Tian folded his arms and swept a cold gaze over the Su Family's group. At last, his eyes settled on Su Yu, and a sinister smile curled his lips. "I hope you last long enough to face me..."
Boom—
As the war drums thundered, Shen Wuya rose and announced, "The Quarterfinal Battle begins now!"
First match: Su Yan versus Lin Tian!
Two figures stood facing each other in the Training Ground.
A cold smile hung from Lin Tian's lips as his gaze slithered over Su Yan like a venomous snake.
The person standing opposite him wasn't Su Yu, but as long as he was from the Su Family, Lin Tian would make him pay.
"I'm going to make you suffer."
Lin Tian lowered his voice and lightly tapped the ground with his sword tip.
"If you want someone to blame, blame Su Yu."
Su Yan snorted, Flowing Cloud Sword already drawn. "Enough talk! You think you've already got me beat?"
At the referee's signal, Lin Tian's figure suddenly blurred.
He executed the first stance of the Spirit Snake Sword Style, Spirit Snake Emerges from Cave. Compared with Lin Xuan's, it was like heaven and earth.
Before the sword's edge even arrived, its fierce Sword Qi had already torn through the air with a sharp hiss.
"Cloud Rise!"
Su Yan hastily raised a wall of energy, but it crumbled to dust the instant it made contact.
The remaining Sword Qi blasted him several yards back, and a mouthful of blood spattered across his clothes.
Su Yan endured the agony and slowly pushed himself upright, using his sword for support.
He wiped the blood from his mouth. The spiritual energy within him surged wildly, and eight brilliant Cloud Patterns suddenly bloomed across Flowing Cloud Sword, forming a spiraling vortex of energy around the blade.
"Eight-Layered Cloud Vortex: Cloud Scatter!"
With a furious shout, the eight Cloud Patterns burst apart, unleashing a storm of Sword Qi.
This was the ultimate killing move of the Flowing Cloud Sword Style. Wherever the Sword Qi passed, it gouged deep furrows into the blue-stone ground.
"Tricks for children."
Lin Tian sneered and gave his wrist a slight flick. His long sword swept like a Spirit Snake Wags its Tail, tracing a bizarre arc.
The strike seemed effortless, yet it cut precisely into the weakest point of the Cloud Patterns.
The instant their spiritual energy collided, Su Yan's Sword Qi scattered like bubbles.
The remaining shockwave hurled him away again, slamming him hard against the Protective Formation at the edge of the arena.
"So the Su Family's people are all this useless?"
Lin Tian strode closer, his sword tip scraping along the ground and throwing off sparks.
"You're not even worth a second move."
Su Yan's vision swam, and reason told him he should admit defeat.
But when he heard the words "Su Family good-for-nothings," a surge of hot blood rushed to his head.
As the Su Family's young master, he could lose—but he would never allow himself to be humiliated!
"Again!"
He roared and leaped up once more, Flowing Cloud Sword shining with its last glimmer.
But what met him was a merciless horizontal slash from Lin Tian.
Su Yan hit the ground hard once again, blood seeping through the gaps in his armor.
Yet he still trembled as he tried to rise, his fingers gouging five bloody furrows into the blue stone.
"Interesting."
Lin Tian narrowed his eyes and deliberately slowed his steps.
"I want to see how long the Su Family's hard bones can hold out."
The seventh time... The referee kept count in secret. According to the rules, as long as a contestant didn't admit defeat, the match had to continue.
Yet everyone could see that this was already a one-sided beating.
In the stands, Su Tianheng sprang to his feet and glared at Lin Zhentian. "Hasn't Lin Tian gone too far?"
Lin Zhentian leisurely sipped his tea. "It's within the rules. What's wrong with that? Blame your boy for not knowing when to quit."
Shen Wuya suddenly cleared his throat. The authority of Skywind City's lord brought the tense atmosphere to a pause. "According to the Grand Tournament rules, if there's no winner in another quarter of an hour, the contestant with the advantage will be declared the victor."
The Su Family's section was so tense it was almost suffocating.
Su Yun's face was livid, cold light flashing in his eyes, but he didn't say a word.
Su Mei bit her lip, clutching the hem of her clothes so tightly her hands shook. Her gaze darted away, and she could hardly bear to look at the one-sided beating in the arena.
And Su Yu—his eyes were terrifyingly cold.
Since crossing over, he had always kept a detached mindset. Even when faced with mockery and provocation, he had never truly lost his temper.
But now, watching Lin Tian knock Su Yan down again and again, only for him to struggle back to his feet each time, fury churned in his chest like molten lava.
After merging with the original owner's memories, he was no longer just a transmigrator.
He was Su Yu now!
And Su Yan was one of the few people in this world who truly treated him well.
A quarter of an hour later.
"The winner is Lin Tian!"
The moment the referee's voice fell, the Su Family members rushed into the arena and carried the battered Su Yan down.
His body was covered in bruises, and blood stained the corner of his mouth. His foundation wasn't injured, but he would clearly need several days of rest to recover.
"Brother Yu... I..." Su Yan struggled to speak, his voice weak.
Su Yu pressed a hand to his shoulder, his expression more resolute than ever. "Don't talk. Rest and recover."
He slowly lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over the Lin Family's seats like a blade. He spoke each word distinctly:
"What Lin Tian did to you, I'll make the Lin Family pay—"
"Tenfold!"
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