The Martial Contest Began

The morning sun spilled across the Martial Arena of Qingcang Academy's Outer Prefecture, where the vast square was already buzzing with people.

Today was Month-End Martial Day. According to academy rules, disciples with higher rankings could challenge those ranked below them, and the winner would claim half the loser's Battle Merit. The rule had been created to spur the disciples to strive harder, but in many people's eyes, it looked more like a one-sided harvest of the weak by the strong.

And today, everyone's attention was focused on one thing—

Ning Zhiyuan's challenge to Qin Jue.

The area around the Martial Arena was already packed tight. Of the tens of thousands of disciples in the Outer Prefecture, at least several hundred had come after hearing the news. Some were there to watch the spectacle, some to witness Ning Zhiyuan's strength, and even more wanted to see whether Qin Jue, whose name had been on everyone's lips, would actually show up.

A short, thin disciple craned his neck to peer toward the entrance, curiosity written all over his face. "Hey, do you think that Qin Jue will really dare to come?"

His companion curled his lip and let out a scornful laugh. "Who knows? I heard he's been cooped up in his courtyard for the past three days. He hasn't even stepped outside."

"Heh, maybe he's so scared he's hiding?"

Someone in the crowd chimed in mockingly.

Another disciple crossed his arms and sneered, his gaze sweeping over the empty entrance. "Can he hide forever? If he doesn't come today, how will he ever hold his head up in the Outer Prefecture again?"

The crowd murmured among themselves, their discussions rising and falling.

Beneath a Stone Pavilion at the edge of the Martial Arena, Su Jin and Shen Zhiqiu stood together.

"Jin Jin, do you think Qin Jue will come?"

Shen Zhiqiu tugged at Su Jin's sleeve. "I heard he hasn't even gone to the Deacon Hall in the past three days, and he hasn't accepted any missions either. Could he really be too scared to come?"

"I don't know..."

Su Jin gently shook her head and gazed toward the Martial Stage, her eyes full of conflicting emotions. "Knowing his temperament... I'm afraid he'll still come."

Shen Zhiqiu sighed at that. "But... even if he does, what can he possibly do?"

She didn't finish her thought, but her meaning was clear.

Su Jin fell silent.

Of course she knew how difficult Qin Jue's situation was.

But she also knew that deep down, that young man had a stubborn streak. He'd been just the same back when he'd said he wanted to enter Qingcang Academy—his gaze had been firm and unwavering.

Su Jin sighed softly, her gaze distant. "I hope... he'll be safe."

Two middle-aged men stood beside the Martial Stage, both dressed in Steward Robes.

The slightly plump steward on the right, Ma Chen, glanced at Lin Xiuyuan, whose features were stern and upright, then spoke with a cheerful smile.

"Steward Lin, what do you think of today's match?"

Lin Xiuyuan didn't even raise his eyelids. His voice betrayed no emotion. "We'll just follow the rules."

"Ah, Steward Lin, there's no fun in putting it that way."

Ma Chen shook his head as if to himself, then leaned closer and lowered his voice. "If you ask me, there's nothing worth watching in this match. Qin Jue's resources and talent are both mediocre, and he's been shut away for the past three days. He's probably scared out of his wits by now. Ning Zhiyuan, on the other hand, has exceptional talent with the saber, and his cultivation art and martial techniques are all Mortal Tier Upper Grade... This is nothing but a one-sided crushing!"

Seeing that Lin Xiuyuan had only furrowed his brow slightly and had no intention of replying, Ma Chen chuckled to himself again. "Still, it might be for the best. If Qin Jue loses today, it'll be a kind of release for him. With his meager talent, staying in the Outer Prefecture would only mean suffering more."

At last, the string of remarks drew a reaction from Lin Xiuyuan. He turned his head, his gaze like a blade, and stared coldly at Ma Chen. "The match hasn't even begun. The outcome is still unknown. Aren't you getting ahead of yourself, Steward Ma?"

Ma Chen's smile froze under that look, but he quickly returned to his usual genial expression and laughed it off. "Steward Lin, don't tell me... you're betting on Qin Jue?"

Lin Xiuyuan looked away and turned his gaze back to the Martial Arena. His voice had grown a few degrees colder. "The path of martial cultivation is full of twists and turns. Declaring defeat before a fight is nothing but the shortsighted view of a frog at the bottom of a well."

The fat on Ma Chen's face twitched, and his smile stiffened. In the end, he could only give a dry laugh. "All right, all right. I'll wait and see what kind of waves Qin Jue can make."

On a high platform overlooking the Martial Arena, where the view was excellent—

In a corner of the platform, a slender young man in plain gray clothes leaned alone against a stone pillar.

His eyes were slightly closed, and no one dared approach within three feet of him.

The young man looked to be around eighteen or nineteen. He was lean, but his brows held a keen, sharp edge.

Third-ranked in the Outer Prefecture, Chu Hanjiang.

"Even someone like you is interested in this farce?"

A cool voice rang out.

Chu Hanjiang opened his eyes slightly and turned his head. Not far away stood a young woman in a moon-white dress.

She looked to be around seventeen. A sword was strapped to her back, and she was breathtakingly beautiful, with a cool, aloof air.

Seventh-ranked in the Outer Prefecture, Yun Qianyue.

"Ning Zhiyuan's saber has some polish."

Chu Hanjiang's tone was flat, betraying no emotion. "But it's only a little interesting."

Yun Qianyue's cool gaze swept over the Martial Stage below. Her voice held no inflection. "A fourth-layer Hundred Refinements cultivator against a third-layer one, with his cultivation art and martial techniques superior in every way. You'd watch a match this utterly one-sided?"

"Who knows?"

Chu Hanjiang closed his eyes again. "But that Qin Jue..."

He left the rest unsaid.

Just then, the entrance to the Martial Arena suddenly fell silent!

Every voice in the crowd abruptly cut off!

A figure slowly approached from the far end of the road.

It was a young man with delicate features and a gentle air. He wore the academy's standard robe, washed until its color had faded, and a rust-speckled iron sword hung at his waist.

It was Qin Jue.

"He really came!"

"That guy actually dared to show up!"

He's got guts, at least. The question is whether he's got any real skill."

As people murmured among themselves, every gaze in the arena turned toward Qin Jue.

Qin Jue paid no heed to the chatter around him. His expression was calm, his steps steady, as he walked toward the Martial Stage.

When he passed the Stone Pavilion, his steps slowed for a moment.

Su Jin stood there, and their gazes briefly met.

"Qin Jue! You actually dared to come!"

Shen Zhiqiu pulled Su Jin behind her and glared at him, both anxious and angry. "Have you lost your mind? You can still admit defeat to the steward! Why throw your life away over a moment of pride?"

With Shen Zhiqiu holding her back, Su Jin looked up at Qin Jue.

They hadn't seen each other for three days, and the young man she'd grown up with seemed... different.

He was so calm now that she hardly recognized him, like an ancient well so deep she couldn't see its bottom. No matter how the wind and rain beat upon it, not a ripple stirred.

Su Jin's lips moved, but in the end she said only one thing. "Qin Jue... Senior Brother Ning's saber is very fast. You... be careful."

Qin Jue looked at her. At last, a ripple appeared in his calm eyes.

Memories belonging to the original owner surged into his mind like a rising tide—the warm days he'd spent with his childhood friend—then slowly ebbed away.

He sighed inwardly, and his gaze steadied once more.

"Miss Su."

He gave a slight nod. His voice was even, but carried a trace of distance. "Thank you for your concern."

Then he withdrew his gaze and walked straight toward the Martial Stage without stopping again.

Su Jin stood frozen, a strange sense of loss welling up inside her.

Shen Zhiqiu had seen it all. She couldn't help asking in a quiet voice, "Jin Jin, is he..."

"It's all right."

Su Jin shook her head and spoke softly. "Perhaps this is for the best."

Qin Jue climbed onto the Martial Stage, where someone was already waiting.

Ning Zhiyuan.

He wore a luxurious robe tailored to fit him, a jade pendant engraved with the character "Ning" at his waist, and a gleaming saber in his hand.

Ning Zhiyuan looked Qin Jue up and down. The mocking smile at the corner of his mouth grew more pronounced. "I thought you'd be too scared to show your face. I didn't expect you'd actually have the guts to come here and die."

Qin Jue's gaze remained calm.

Fourth layer of Hundred Refinements, Jade Bone Realm.

His qi and blood were full, and his bones were sturdy.

Judging by his stance, breathing, and the way his energy circulated, his foundation was fairly solid. He was much stronger than those trash who only knew how to rely on their Lineage's resources to pile on strength.

But that was all.

Qin Jue had already reached his verdict.

Though Ning Zhiyuan's qi and blood far surpassed those of any martial artist in Qin Jue's former world, in the eyes of a Grandmaster of the Sword Dao like him, it still wasn't enough to impress.

When Qin Jue didn't reply, Ning Zhiyuan took it as a sign that he was afraid, and his disdain grew. He rolled his wrist, setting off a series of sharp, crackling pops from his bones. "Fine. Since you're here, let me see what makes you think you have the right to stand before me!"

The moment he finished speaking, his qi and blood surged!

Rumble—

A deep rumble echoed from within his body—the sound of his bones vibrating, the mark of the fourth layer of Hundred Refinements, the Jade Bone Realm!

The thunderous resonance shook the air. His imposing presence surged like a tide, pressing down until it was hard to breathe.

The watching disciples changed color in alarm.

"That's Senior Brother Ning's Hundred Bones Thunderous Sound Art!"

"That aura... It's terrifying!" someone beside him said, swallowing hard. "Qin Jue probably won't even last one move!"

Ning Zhiyuan reveled in the feeling of being the center of attention. He watched Qin Jue like a cat toying with a mouse, chin tilted up in arrogance. "Qin Jue, kneel down and kowtow in surrender now. I might consider letting you lose with a little dignity."

Qin Jue finally lifted his head. A trace of coldness flashed through his calm eyes.

Kneel?

Ridiculous.

In his previous life, after sixty years on the path of the sword, he'd never feared death. Why would he bow to a threat like this?

"Enough talk."

He slowly gripped the iron sword at his waist. "Make your move."

Ning Zhiyuan's expression darkened in an instant, fury surging in his eyes. "You're asking for death!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, he stomped down and shot forward like an arrow!

Boom—

The bluestone ground cracked into a shallow pit beneath his foot. He closed the distance in an instant, his saber raised high, the wind around its blade roaring with astonishing force!

"Thousand Waves Saber—First Wave!"

The bones in Ning Zhiyuan's body vibrated as all his strength gathered into the blade like a surging tide!

He brought his saber down!

The strike was steady and heavy. The air compressed beneath its weight, letting out a low howl!

The watching disciples held their breath.

It was so heavy!

The strike carried immense force, crashing down like a sea wave! Even a fourth-layer Hundred Refinements martial artist at the same level would have to avoid its edge!

Just then—

Qin Jue moved.

His pupils reflected the saber's gleaming blade as it came roaring toward him.

"His opening is too high. His center is wide open."

Then he took a light step, and in that instant, the iron sword in his hand flashed from its sheath!

Shing—

The sword light was like a thread, tracing a silver arc through the air!

The first form of the Tide Rising Sword Technique—Tide Rising Stance!

His swordplay was light and nimble, sliding past the saber's edge like flowing water. At the very last moment, he slipped around the side of its attack!

"What?!"

Ning Zhiyuan's pupils contracted sharply!

His strike had clearly sealed off every avenue of retreat, yet his opponent had advanced instead of retreating—and slipped past from an angle he'd thought impossible!

Shing—

The sword's momentum flowed along the saber's edge like water!

Qin Jue's sword didn't clash head-on with the saber. Instead, it followed the flow of the strike, slipping around it until the tip tapped lightly against the blade!

Clang—

Ning Zhiyuan felt his wrist sink. The immense force behind his saber had been redirected along the sword's momentum, its power greatly diminished!

Qin Jue's sword never paused. A second strike followed close behind!

The blade swept upward at an angle, its point aimed straight at the vital point in Ning Zhiyuan's throat!

Ning Zhiyuan paled in alarm. He stamped the ground and hurriedly retreated half a step, raising his saber to block!

Whoosh—

The sword flashed. Once again, Qin Jue's blade slid along the saber and slipped around the block like flowing water!

Shing—

His sword's momentum still hadn't broken. The third strike turned smoothly with it, the tip darting like a snake's tongue, straight toward Ning Zhiyuan's shoulder!

The three strikes flowed as one, their momentum like an unbroken tide, one wave rolling in after another!

Caught off guard, Ning Zhiyuan could only block again and again. He was forced back several steps!

Seeing this, the crowd gasped in amazement. The entire Martial Arena erupted in an uproar!

"No way! That's insane!"

"W-what kind of sword technique is that?"

"Qin Jue's sword is so fast it makes your eyes swim!"

"Did I see that right? Ning Zhiyuan is being beaten back!"

On the high platform, a flash of keen interest crossed Chu Hanjiang's eyes. He opened them slightly, a trace of solemnity showing in his gaze. "Interesting. This swordplay... has some polish."

Yun Qianyue furrowed her brows slightly, surprise entering her cool voice. "His sword momentum flows without a break, three strikes as one... He actually trained the first form of the Tide Rising Sword Technique to this level? He's got some skill."

Ning Zhiyuan staggered back three steps before managing to steady himself by the skin of his teeth!

The ferocious grin on his face froze!

His eyes were filled with disbelief!

As a mighty cultivator at the Hundred Refinements Fourth Layer, with a Mortal Tier High-grade Cultivation Method and martial skills, he had actually been suppressed by Qin Jue, who was only at the Hundred Refinements Third Layer, in their very first exchange!?

Impossible!

The moment Ning Zhiyuan realized this, he felt a fire smoldering in his chest. Fury surged straight to his head!

"Impossible!"

He bellowed, and thunderous sounds erupted within his body!

"Rumble—"

The sound of his bones shuddering rolled like muffled thunder!

His aura suddenly surged. His qi and blood burst forth in full, and a faint layer of blood-red light shimmered across his saber!

"Qin Jue! You've completely enraged me!"

Ning Zhiyuan gritted his teeth. The muscles in his face had twisted, and his eyes brimmed with savagery!

"I'll show you what a true gap in strength looks like!"

As his words fell, he planted his feet and sprang forward, shooting out like a cannonball!