Victory Decided in One Move

Those two disciples had terrible luck; they had not been drawn into the same group.

That meant they had lost their chance at an evenly matched fight.

One of them had drawn Ye Xinran, while the other had drawn Xiao Yueming.

Though they had missed the opportunity for an evenly matched contest, they could at least leave the stage quickly, which made things a little easier.

Lin Tianci, meanwhile, was matched against Xuanyuan Hao.

Dao Wuhen was matched against Jin Xiaoya.

"Wuhen and Xiaoya... sigh, if this had been a month ago, the gap between them wouldn't have been so great. Looks like Wuhen is going to suffer."

This round's matchups had been randomly arranged by Xuanyuan Chen.

Thus, when he saw Dao Wuhen and Jin Xiaoya placed together, he could only feel helpless.

They were both prodigies, yet one was in the Heavenly Spirit Realm and the other in the Spiritual Power Realm. How was that supposed to be fought?

As for Lin Tianci and Xuanyuan Hao, theirs was the most anticipated match.

After all, they were at the same cultivation level, and both were geniuses capable of fighting above their realm.

Their battle could be considered the first truly eye-catching match since the grand competition began.

The first to take the stage were Ye Xinran and an Elder's Personal Disciple at the Half-Step Heavenly Spirit Realm.

On the arena stage.

"Would you like to make the first move?"

With an innocent smile, Ye Xinran looked at the youth opposite her.

Hearing this, the youth no longer cared about rules such as men not fighting women or the strong not bullying the weak.

He cupped his hands in salute, then gritted his teeth and thrust his sword at Ye Xinran.

Seeing this, Ye Xinran nodded.

"Not bad. Half-Step Heavenly Spirit Realm, and this strike carries at least the power of the third level of the Heavenly Spirit Realm."

As she spoke, Ye Xinran extended a finger.

A thunderous boom rang out. A wave of spiritual energy swept outward, whipping the clothes of the surrounding disciples until they fluttered loudly.

The sword-wielding youth looked up.

At that sight, he froze.

A jade-white finger was effortlessly pressed against the tip of his sword.

Yet it was not over.

"Retreat."

Ye Xinran softly uttered a single word.

At the same time, an immense force surged from her fingertip into the sword.

Another deafening boom erupted.

The youth was sent flying backward, crashing down beneath the arena stage.

Ye Xinran won with ease.

Even in the quarterfinals, she remained this effortless.

If she had wanted to, she could have ended it even faster and more easily.

But Ye Xinran felt there was no need.

They were fellow disciples, after all. She should at least leave him some face.

Otherwise, as an Imperial Extremes Realm cultivator, these new disciples would not even have had time to look at her.

Meanwhile, the youth had landed outside the arena.

He was still completely dazed, unable to process what had happened.

Hadn't he just been on the stage?

The other disciples present also fell silent.

Though Ye Xinran had won just as easily before, could her previous opponents compare to this Elder's Personal Disciple?

After a long while, sounds of sharp inhalation finally rose from the crowd.

Only then did the youth accept reality.

"S-So strong..."

"Next group: Xiao Yueming and Lin Yue."

At this moment, an elder called out.

Lin Yue was the other Elder's Personal Disciple.

The two stepped onto the arena.

"Will you make the first move?"

Xiao Yueming said with a smile, imitating Ye Xinran.

Lin Yue, meanwhile, made the same choice as the previous youth.

He could not win, but he still had to fight.

Surrender? Impossible!

The youth moved with astonishing speed, spear in hand as he instantly charged forward, leaving countless afterimages in his wake.

"At the same realm, this speed could be called top-tier. Unfortunately, the gap between our realms is simply too great."

Watching Lin Yue attack, Xiao Yueming nodded with an approving expression.

But unfortunately, the gap in their realms rendered Lin Yue's speed utterly meaningless.

"Cultivate well. Your future holds promise."

As he spoke, Xiao Yueming swept his sleeve.

A spear condensed from spiritual energy, carrying overwhelming might, met Lin Yue head-on.

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Spear against spear.

Seeing the Spiritual Energy Spear rushing toward him, Lin Yue's pupils contracted.

"This is... spear intent!?"

That was right. What shocked him was not the Spiritual Energy Spear's sheer power, but the spear intent it carried.

The instant the two spears collided, the victor was decided.

Just like the previous youth, Lin Yue was sent flying, landing outside the arena.

Since they had already witnessed the previous match, the crowd was not overly shocked this time.

But Lin Yue's face was filled with astonishment.

"So this is spear intent..."

Then, a trace of determination appeared in his eyes.

"I'll comprehend spear intent too. I definitely can!"

Xiao Yueming then stepped down from the arena.

The Elder's voice rang out once more:

"Next group: Jin Xiaoya versus Dao Wuhen."

At those words, the two immediately appeared on the arena.

"Have you entered the Trial Secret Realm before?"

The moment they stepped up, Dao Wuhen asked Jin Xiaoya.

Jin Xiaoya was taken aback.

What kind of question was that?

Though she did not understand, Jin Xiaoya still replied:

"All new disciples have entered it."

"Then did you see a spring?"

Dao Wuhen pressed on.

Clearly, he was asking about the Profound Heaven Treasure Spring.

At that, a glint flashed in Jin Xiaoya's eyes.

His purpose was far too obvious.

He was directly asking about the Profound Heaven Treasure Spring?

There had to be something suspicious.

Since she did not know what Dao Wuhen was after, Jin Xiaoya did not continue the topic.

"Defeat me, and I'll answer you."

With that, Jin Xiaoya flashed and vanished from where she stood.

Her speed was so fast that Dao Wuhen was startled.

He had never been able to see through Jin Xiaoya's realm, and had assumed she was merely using a treasure to conceal her aura.

After all, everyone's realms should have been about the same.

But her speed now made him doubtful.

In truth, Ye Xinran and Xiao Yueming's performances just now had already made him feel that something was off.

Now, he completely refused to believe that he and Ye Xinran were in the same realm.

"What realm is she actually in?"

At that moment, Jin Xiaoya instantly appeared before Dao Wuhen and struck at him with her palm.

Seeing this, Dao Wuhen had no choice but to circulate the spiritual power throughout his body, crossing his arms in front of him to block the attack.

A thunderous boom rang out.

Dao Wuhen was sent flying by that single palm strike, landing outside the arena.

"Hmm? Much stronger than an ordinary Heavenly Spirit Realm cultivator."

Sensing the spiritual power fluctuations Dao Wuhen had emitted just now, Jin Xiaoya murmured to herself.

But she did not pay it much mind.

After all, he was also someone who had made it into the top eight.

At the Heavenly Extremity Sacred Land, the top eight among new disciples would absolutely count as geniuses out in the world.

Being far stronger than others in the same realm was understandable.

In the spectator stands, Xuanyuan Chen watched Jin Xiaoya send Dao Wuhen flying with a single palm and shook his head ruefully.

"I only hope Wuhen's Dao heart and confidence won't be affected."

Below the arena.

Seeing that he had been knocked off the stage by a single move from his opponent, Dao Wuhen found it hard to believe.

"Th... how is this possible?!"

He had considered the possibility of losing to her. After all, in his eyes, her realm had to be higher than his—perhaps by more than just a little.

But in truth, he had not even been able to withstand a single palm strike from her.

Dao Wuhen found this impossible to accept.

"So this is what a genius is? Then what am I?"

At that moment, he began to doubt himself.

He had thought that, no matter what, he should at least be able to exchange a few moves with her.

Yet the truth was that victory and defeat had been decided in a single move.

How could that not make him doubt himself?

"Next match: Lin Tianci versus Xuanyuan Hao."

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