Layered Selections, The Top Five Are Decided

Chapter 12: Layer Upon Layer of Selection, the Top Five Decided

The next day, the Xuntian Guard training grounds were thick with a killing intent that felt almost tangible. The twenty qualifiers stood like twenty blades about to be drawn, sparks flying where their gazes clashed. On the high platform, Vice Commander Shen Cangyun's voice rang out like cold iron striking iron, carrying clearly across the field:

"The final ranking battle begins now! The rewards are as follows:"

"First place: one Yellow Grade Supreme technique manual, one Yellow Grade Upper technique manual!"

"Second place: two Yellow Grade Upper technique manuals!"

"Third place: one Yellow Grade Upper technique manual!"

"Fourth through tenth place: a bottle of 'Bone Tempering Pills'!"

The moment these words fell, the training grounds erupted! A Yellow Grade Supreme technique! That was the pinnacle of the Yellow Grade, its power rivaling even some crude Xuan Grade Lower techniques! Even Yellow Grade Upper was far beyond Middle or Lower Grade! And the Bone Tempering Pills were invaluable for Bone Refining Realm martial artists tempering their skeletons! These rewards were enough to make any Body Tempering or Meridian Opening Realm martial artist fight to the death!

Li Yifan took a deep breath, a sharp light blazing in his eyes. His Burning Wood Saber Technique was only a Yellow Grade Upper fragment. If he could obtain a complete Yellow Grade Supreme technique—whether saber or internal—it would be a qualitative leap in his strength. He had to fight for it! At least break into the top three!

First Round: Twenty-to-Ten Elimination Match

The draw was completed, and ten arenas erupted into battle simultaneously. The roar of qi bursts, the clash of weapons, and shouts and screams blended into a single cacophony.

Li Yifan stepped onto Arena Three. His opponent was a Bone Forging Initial martial artist wielding a staff. His staff technique was steady, his strikes heavy and forceful. Li Yifan did not underestimate him. He activated Spirit Fox Steps, his form flickering like a ghost, and executed Burning Wood Saber Technique with his waist saber. The "Flowing Fire Style" was swift as lightning, targeting the gaps in his opponent's staff transitions. In just seven moves, he seized an opening, slashing down with "Prairie Fire Style" at the man's wrist. The staff fell, and the man was defeated. A quick victory to conserve stamina.

[Skill: Burning Wood Saber Technique proficiency +5. Steady and methodical, saber technique application growing more skilled.]

Other arenas:

Arena One: Zhao Song faced a Bone Forging Middle saber artist. His Riftwind Saber Technique was savage and fierce. Within three moves, he directly severed his opponent's weapon and crushed him to victory.

Arena Two: Liu Ruyan's opponent was an assassin with bizarre footwork. Her Ice Palm covered a wide area, chilling the air, easily freezing her opponent's legs and winning with ease.

Arena Four: Lei Zhen encountered an opponent who trained in a hard-body technique. Mad Tiger Fist met force with force. With even more violent power, he blasted the man off the arena, spitting blood, his ferocity unmatched.

Arena Five: Han Li, from Linshan County City, had Bone Forging Middle cultivation. His Yellow Grade Middle technique Immovable Stone Technique was already at Minor Success, and his Yellow Grade Middle Breaking Formation Spear Technique was also at Minor Success. His spear moved like a dragon, precise and ruthless. Within five moves, he knocked his opponent's weapon away, calm and efficient.

Han Li hailed from "Linshan County City," under Qingzhou Prefecture. He was the senior disciple of the local "Zhenshan Martial Arts Academy." Linshan County City was near the mines, its people fierce and rugged. Han Li had trained at the academy since childhood, with a solid foundation and rich combat experience. Steady and resolute by nature, he spoke little. He had come to this selection to bring glory to his academy and to carve out a future for himself.

In addition, several stronger Bone Forging Middle martial artists also advanced. Twenty to ten—half eliminated. The competition was brutal.

Second Round: Ten-to-Five Elimination Match

The ten qualifiers drew lots again. The atmosphere was suddenly tense to the breaking point. This meant someone would stop at the top five, losing their chance at Yellow Grade Upper or Supreme techniques. Every opponent in this round was battle-hardened and formidable.

This time, Li Yifan drew an opponent from a border military town, named Yan Feng. He was Bone Forging Middle, cultivated the Yellow Grade Middle Iron Blood Battle Qi (Minor Success), and his saber technique was Breaking the Blade Eight Forms (Yellow Grade Middle / Major Success). His moves were broad and fierce, carrying a grim, bloody aura honed in seas of corpses and mountains of blood!

As soon as Yan Feng stepped onto the arena, his eyes locked onto Li Yifan like a starving wolf. Without a word, he let out a low roar, drew his war saber, and with a bloody, storm-like momentum, struck with "Blood Battle in All Directions"! The saber wind was fierce, carrying the metallic clash of slaughter!

Li Yifan's heart tightened. He knew he had met a formidable foe! He pushed Spirit Fox Steps to its limit, his form drifting back like smoke, barely dodging the heavy strike. But Yan Feng pressed his advantage relentlessly. His saber technique flowed without pause—"Breaking Formation Slash," "Severing Current Style"... each strike faster and more vicious than the last, forcing Li Yifan to dodge repeatedly, unable to find an opening to counter. The opponent's killing intent and battle will formed an invisible pressure.

[Caught in a bitter struggle! Spirit Fox Steps proficiency +3! Under high pressure, footwork application grows more refined.]

Li Yifan held his breath and focused, fully circulating Basic Breathing Technique, pushing his perception to the limit. He stopped dodging blindly. His waist saber swung out, alternating between "Flowing Fire Style" and "Prairie Fire Style." The scorching saber qi clashed with the grim blade edge! "Clang! Clang! Clang!" Sparks flew! With every collision, Li Yifan felt his arm go numb. The opponent's strength and that grim momentum were immensely impactful.

Yan Feng grew impatient as the fight dragged on. He suddenly changed his move—"Sacrifice Strike"! He abandoned all defense, his war saber turning into a streak of blood, thrusting straight at Li Yifan's heart! It was a mutual-destruction tactic!

In the flash of an eye, a sharp light gleamed in Li Yifan's eyes! An opening! Instead of retreating, he advanced. Spirit Fox Steps traced a bizarre arc, his body sliding almost against the saber's edge. At the same time, his waist saber reversed upward in a rising slash—"Burning Wind Style"—aiming straight at the exposed armpit gap left by Yan Feng's full-force thrust!

"Pfft!"

The blade bit into flesh! Yan Feng screamed, his attack halted, his war saber falling from his hand! Li Yifan followed up by slapping the saber's flat against his chest, knocking him off the arena. Victory! But Li Yifan was panting heavily, his shoulder cut by the saber wind—a light wound—and his stamina heavily drained.

[Skill: Burning Wood Saber Technique proficiency +12! In life-or-death combat, timing and ruthlessness in saber technique improved!]

[Experienced high-intensity life-or-death battle, potential stimulated. Basic Breathing Technique proficiency +8.]

The battles on other arenas were equally brutal:

Zhao Song faced a fierce Bone Forging Late rogue cultivator. Their saber qi crisscrossed, carving countless grooves into the arena floor. Zhao Song's Riftwind Saber Technique was superior—faster, stronger. After over thirty exchanges, a single "Wind Sweeping Away the Clouds" shattered the opponent's defense, sending him flying to victory. Zhao Song was breathing heavily, clearly having expended significant effort.

Liu Ruyan encountered an opponent who used a fire-element palm technique. Ice and fire clashed, filling the arena with white mist and sizzling sounds. Liu Ruyan's Ice Palm qi was of higher quality, purer. Her Profound Ice Palm gradually suppressed the opponent's fire energy, and with a final "Ice Seal a Thousand Miles," she froze most of his body, securing victory.

Lei Zhen's opponent was a martial artist with agile footwork wielding a soft sword. The sword flickered like a viper's tongue, targeting joints and vital points. Lei Zhen remained still, using Mad Tiger Fist with heavy force. No matter how tricky the sword strikes, he waited for the right moment. A single "Mad Tiger Roar" shattered the sword shadows, and the violent fist force directly blasted the opponent into internal injuries, spitting blood and unconscious.

Han Li faced a troublesome shield-and-axe fighter. The opponent's shield blocking was exquisite, his axe strikes heavy, his defense formidable. Han Li unleashed Breaking Formation Spear Technique, his spear like a dragon, targeting the shield's edges, joints, and other weak points. "Armor-Breaking Cone" and "Heart-Piercing Thrust" were used repeatedly, steady and composed. After over fifty exchanges, Han Li finally found a flaw. A single "Startling Thunder Flash" pierced through the opponent's shoulder blade, winning a hard-fought victory. His calm fighting style and precise spearwork left a deep impression on the spectators.

The ten-to-five battle was brutal. Almost all qualifiers were wounded and heavily drained. Finally, the top five emerged: Zhao Song, Liu Ruyan, Lei Zhen, Han Li, and Li Yifan!

Just as everyone expected the battle for the top three to begin, Vice Commander Shen Cangyun slowly rose, his voice carrying across the field:

"The top five are decided. However, on the path of martial arts, talent and effort are certainly important, but luck is also a form of strength! Only those with flourishing fortune can tread the peak and go further!"

"Therefore, next, the top five will draw lots to determine their opponents. In this lot tube, there is one 'Elimination' lot and four 'Battle' lots. Those who draw 'Battle' will face each other in pairs; the victor advances. Those who draw 'Elimination'..."

Shen Cangyun's gaze swept over the five, his tone flat but brooking no dissent: "Will be eliminated immediately, with no chance at the top four!"

The moment these words fell, the entire field was stunned! Even Li Yifan and the other four were frozen. Luck? Elimination by draw? This... was it too much of a joke? But looking at Shen Cangyun's unyielding eyes, no one dared to question.

The lot tube was presented. The five stepped forward one by one to draw.

Zhao Song drew and opened it: Battle!

Liu Ruyan drew and opened it: Battle!

Lei Zhen drew and opened it: Battle!

Li Yifan took a deep breath, drew a lot, and opened it: Battle!

Finally, Han Li looked at the bamboo slip in his hand. His face instantly turned pale. On the slip, a glaring "Eliminate" character was written!

Elimination slip! Han Li from Linshan County City, stopped at the top five!

Han Li clenched the bamboo slip tightly, his knuckles white, his face full of unwillingness and bitterness. He had fought his way here through sheer strength, only to be halted by luck, denied higher rewards and rankings. But he was a man of firm resolve after all. Taking a few deep breaths, he bowed deeply toward the high platform and silently walked off the arena. His selection journey ended here.

Shen Cangyun's face was expressionless: "Luck is also strength. Han Li is eliminated. The remaining four: Zhao Song versus Liu Ruyan, Li Yifan versus Lei Zhen! The final victors will compete for the ultimate ranking. The matches will take place tomorrow!"

The training grounds buzzed with discussion. Some lamented Han Li's misfortune, others marveled at the fickleness of luck, and many looked forward to tomorrow's two fierce showdowns.

Li Yifan looked at the "battle" slip in his hand, then at Lei Zhen's fierce aura not far away, his gaze heavy. Tomorrow's battle would not be easy. But he had to win! Only by entering the top three could he secure a Yellow Grade Upper cultivation technique, and have a chance to strive for the top-grade one!

He sat down cross-legged and began to regulate his breathing, preparing for the life-or-death battle tomorrow.