Selection Begins

The next morning, at the grandstand directly in front of the martial arts arena, the Outer Sect's Grand Elder Mo Yuan stood with his hands behind his back.

He wore a black robe, his silver-white beard gently swaying in the wind. His imposing aura quieted the entire arena.

Lu Yue sat respectfully by his side, while the other elders took their seats in order.

"Do any of you have any thoughts on this year's Top Ten Outer Disciples selection?" Mo Yuan's voice was deep and powerful, amplified by true qi to reach every corner of the arena.

Elder Li Xun stroked his beard and said, "The top two places should be without suspense; Yuwen Jie and Lu Zi'ang are firmly in the first two spots. As for the remaining eight, I'm afraid they won't differ much from the current Outer Sect rankings. However..."

He paused, then continued, "I've heard that the newly admitted Su Yu defeated Zou Lintian in one move a month ago. He is certainly worth paying attention to."

A sharp glint flashed in Mo Yuan's eyes, and the image of the composed, unpretentious young man appeared in his mind: "This child... does he have the potential to aim for the top?"

Li Xun chuckled and shook his head, "Grand Elder, you jest. Even that monstrous Inner Sect disciple Ye Chen only reached the top of the Outer Sect rankings after six months. Su Yu has been here for less than three months; how can he possibly contend with Yuwen Jie? Even Lu Zi'ang, I'm afraid..."

Lu Yue sighed inwardly upon hearing this.

Although he thought highly of Su Yu, he had to admit that Li Xun's words held truth.

Three months was, after all, too short a time.

At this moment, Su Yu had arrived at the arena.

He saw Su Yan waving from afar; it turned out he had arrived early to secure a good spot.

To Su Yu's surprise, Su Yun, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, had also come.

Even more surprising was seeing Yunxi and Ye Xuan sitting with Su Mei. The three young women were chatting in low voices, their atmosphere harmonious.

"Cousin!" Su Mei's eyes lit up when she saw Su Yu approaching. "Are you competing today?"

Before Su Yu could answer, Su Yan eagerly interjected, "Brother Yu is definitely competing! I think he'll at least make it into the top five!"

Su Yu smiled calmly, "I'll do my best. The ranking is up to fate."

Su Yun, standing nearby, had a complex expression.

Once upon a time, he was the undisputed number one genius of the Su Family.

Even after Su Yu surpassed him, he had always believed that diligence could compensate for lack of talent.

Over the past two months, he had cultivated day and night, practicing the Blazing Sun Sword Style to Lesser Accomplishment. He had intended to compete with Su Yu again.

But when he heard that Su Yu had killed Zou Lintian in one move, he finally understood that some people were destined to be looked up to.

"Good luck," Su Yun took a deep breath and said solemnly.

At this moment, he had completely let go of his obsession.

Although Su Yu didn't know what Su Yun was thinking, he still thanked him sincerely.

He then turned his gaze to Yunxi and Ye Xuan, "Aren't you participating in the competition?"

Yunxi smiled faintly and shook her head, "Xuan'er and I are just spectators today."

A hint of depth flashed in her clear eyes: "You... be extra careful."

Su Yu stood still by the side when he suddenly felt a chilling sensation from behind him.

He turned his head and saw Zou Lintian, deathly pale, leaning beside Zhang Hao, his eyes filled with a venom that almost took physical form.

In front of them, a young man in black robes stood with his hands behind his back, his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes conveying a sense of coldness.

It was Lu Zi'ang, ranked second in the Outer Sect.

His gaze, like a blade, lingered on Su Yu for a moment, and a cold smile curled up on his lips.

Further away, a solitary figure drew attention.

A young man in a black robe stood alone by the edge of the arena, his eyes slightly closed. No one dared to approach within three feet of him.

Even in this bustling arena, the place where he stood seemed to be its own separate realm.

Su Yu's Soul Power stirred slightly, and he immediately felt the terrifying aura dormant within the other person, unfathomable like an abyss.

"Yuwen Jie..." Su Yu murmured inwardly, his fingertips unconsciously brushing against his sword hilt.

This number one person in the Outer Sect truly lived up to his reputation; just standing there exuded such an oppressive aura.

Just then, a bronze bell in the center of the arena rang loudly. The selection of the Top Ten Outer Disciples officially began!

In the center of the arena, an Outer Sect Deacon dressed in a gray robe stepped forward. His deep voice, amplified by true qi, reverberated throughout the entire venue:

"The rewards for this Outer Sect Top Ten Disciples selection are as follows—"

He waved his sleeve, and a golden light condensed into text in the air, clearly displaying:

"Fourth to Tenth Place: 1000 Low-grade Spirit Stones, 1000 Sect Contribution Points." "Third Place: 2000 Low-grade Spirit Stones, 2000 Sect Contribution Points." "Second Place: 3000 Low-grade Spirit Stones, 3000 Sect Contribution Points." "First Place: 5000 Low-grade Spirit Stones, 5000 Sect Contribution Points."

"Hiss—"

A collective gasp of cold air rose from the crowd below.

Such rewards would make even Inner Sect disciples envious!

One must know that an ordinary Outer Sect disciple would only earn one to two hundred contribution points for completing a dangerous mission, and Spirit Stones were even rarer resources, capable of doubling one's cultivation speed!

But soon, everyone calmed down—although the rewards were generous, they would ultimately belong only to the strongest ten.

The vast majority of disciples didn't even have the qualifications to step onto the stage and challenge.

The Outer Sect Deacon continued, "This Outer Sect Top Ten Disciples selection will adopt a brand-new competition system! It will be divided into two stages—

Stage One: Battle for Ranks 4-10

This stage will use a challenge system, with the following rules:

1. Starting from fourth place, disciples will challenge in order.

2. Each disciple will only have two opportunities to attack the arena.

3. Each rank will only be open for one challenge attempt.

4. Those who successfully defend the arena will secure that rank.

Stage Two: Battle for the Top Three

This stage will use a point system, with the following rules:

1. Participants must register in advance before the competition begins.

2. Registered participants automatically forfeit their qualification for Stage One.

3. The battle for the top three will adopt a round-robin format.

4. Winners receive 2 points, draws get 1 point, and losers get 0 points.

5. The top three will be ranked according to their final points.

Whoosh—

The crowd below immediately erupted. This competition system meant—

If you wanted to contend for the top three, you had to give up the chance to rank between fourth and tenth!

This is too ruthless. If someone registered for the top three battle but couldn't make it into the top three, wouldn't they even lose their spot in the top ten?

This was clearly designed to filter out the truly top-tier geniuses!

On the viewing platform, Elder Li Xun stroked his beard and chuckled, "This competition system is interesting. Those who dare to register for the top three battle are either true monsters or reckless fools who don't know their own limits."

Grand Elder Mo Yuan's gaze was profound. "It's a good opportunity to see how many of these disciples truly have the guts."

At the edge of the martial arts arena, Su Yu's eyes flickered with sharp light. This competition system suited him perfectly!

"Now, disciples who wish to participate in the top three battle, please come forward to register!" the Deacon announced loudly.

The entire venue instantly fell silent, everyone holding their breath in anticipation.

Who would be so confident as to directly aim for the top three?