You Are Strong

Boom! Boom!

The volcano erupted, firelight soaring into the sky, boulders flying, and lava covering the ground. The earth cracked, tearing open terrifying fissures as scorching red magma flowed through them, forming lava streams of various sizes.

Two figures moved without touching the ground, constantly clashing amidst the billowing smoke of the lava streams and the deep chasms of the earth.

"Wind-Slaying!"

Swish. Qianshan Huo struck again with his blade, whipping up a thousand wind blades that swept across the land and shrouded every direction. The blade energy was violent, churning the surging lava; two other contestants caught in the crossfire were accidentally torn to shreds.

Lin Huang's expression turned grim. He flicked his palm, unleashing a hand-blade strike, his fingers pointed like the heavens, slicing through the void.

Qianshan Huo did not stop his long blade, letting out a hearty laugh. Before the Wind-Slaying strike had even faded, he moved his hands to swing again, his expression fanatical, one strike following another.

"Water-Slaying!"

"Earth-Slaying!"

Lin Huang let out a muffled grunt, his fingers shifting as he rapidly unleashed two palms and a punch. He stomped his foot, standing firm on the edge of the Lava Lake, the billowing smoke behind him obscuring the expression on his face.

Qianshan Huo performed a flip in mid-air, plunging his long blade into the ground. With a metallic clang, he retreated three feet, half his foot stepping into thin air and landing in the Lava Lake.

Qianshan Huo rubbed his shattered wrist, pointed his long blade at Lin Huang, and looked at him with arrogance. "You. You are strong, but you will still be defeated."

Lin Huang's eyelids twitched, feeling a sense of shame. Being told he was "strong" by a junior at the Marquis rank was, to him, by no means a compliment.

But soon, Lin Huang's state of mind stabilized, and he looked down at his own palms. His palms, once smooth as mirrors, were now covered in dense blade marks and dripping with blood.

Clenching his fist suddenly, Lin Huang's heart truly calmed. To know shame is to find courage. Three Holy Mothers, perhaps this is the true intention behind having me participate in this First Martial Arts Tournament.

Qianshan Huo was a good opponent, allowing Lin Huang to truly understand his own strength. Excluding his Saint-level soul, his combat power in the cultivation of the Six Paths as One was currently only comparable to the mid-stage of the Marquis rank.

This fact made Lin Huang feel ashamed, followed by a sense of calm.

A person's value lies in knowing oneself, and then knowing others.

At this moment, Lin Huang clearly saw his own strength, and his plans for the future shifted accordingly.

"In the end, I must return to the path of the Six Paths as One." Lin Huang smiled faintly. In fact, this had been his plan from the start, but he had first faced gods, then suffered fluctuations in his state of mind over the past few days, nearly breaking through his Human Tribulation. Furthermore, having learned of the Three Steps of Treading God from the Three Holy Mothers, Lin Huang had become impatient and had somewhat forgotten the fact that his foundation was unstable.

But after today's battle, Lin Huang finally awakened, completely understanding the truly important path laid out before him.

"Soldier, Warrior, General, Marquis, King, Saint. The six ranks and eighteen stages divide soul strength, but true power still depends on the mastery of the Six Paths as One. If I am to become a god, these means of protecting the path are indispensable. At the very least, I must be stronger than Dream God Machine, otherwise, how can I become a god?"

Lin Huang muttered to himself, his heart filled with great shame, but also great joy.

With his heart completely at peace, Lin Huang moved his feet and initiated an attack for the first time.

"I didn't expect to meet an opponent like you in just the first preliminary round. Truly exhilarating, exhilarating!" Qianshan Huo raised his long blade and laughed loudly. The blade edge twisted and turned a hundred times before suddenly descending in a downward slash, carrying the momentum of sweeping through earth, water, fire, wind, Yin, and Yang. The moment the blade moved, it was already at Lin Huang's face.

"This strike: Earth-Slaying! Wind-Slaying! Water-Slaying! Fire-Slaying! Yin-Yang Slaying! Take this move of mine: Blade Slashing the Six Paths!"

As the strike was unleashed, Qianshan Huo's momentum grew even more intense. The surging blade power whipped up a hundred-foot flame, the blade light crisscrossing and ravaging the earth, water, fire, wind, Yin, and Yang. It shook the entire Volcano Valley, and every contestant felt a jolt in their hearts.

"Such powerful blade light. Such powerful blade momentum. With one strike, he slashes all six paths; it is wild and domineering. Who is this person?!"

"Damn it. To encounter such an expert in just the first preliminary round."

"Run, run, run. Don't get caught in the crossfire."

With a single strike, everyone was shocked, retreating three feet and daring not to touch the edge of Qianshan Huo's blade.

Lin Huang was also startled, realizing that there were indeed countless geniuses in this First Martial Arts Tournament. This strike had already grasped the essence of the six paths; it was tyrannical and domineering, almost comparable to the strike of a King.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Huang rapidly threw a punch. In mid-air, the punch suddenly changed, extending into a palm before backhanding to suppress.

One fist to grasp the earth, one palm to turn the heavens.

Facing Qianshan Huo's strike, which seemed capable of slashing through earth, water, fire, wind, Yin, and Yang, Lin Huang also reached his peak, fully absorbing and mastering the "Grasping the Earth" punch and "Heaven-Turning" palm of the Sages of Zhongnan.

Rumble!

The powerful energy roared, completely tearing the earth apart. The scattered lava lakes throughout the Volcano Valley were completely altered by the aftermath of their clash, the hundred streams converging into one massive lava lake.

The terrain changed, and many who were caught off guard were swept into the rolling magma, letting out miserable cries before being reduced to nothingness.

Stumble, stumble, stumble!

Lin Huang staggered, retreating three steps for the first time. He stood at the edge of the lava lake, his expression grave as he looked at Qianshan Huo on the opposite bank.

A terrifying blade mark tore across Lin Huang's chest; he had nearly been split in two by that strike.

"You're still not dead?!" Qianshan Huo's expression was grim as he spat out a mouthful of blood. A palm print was deeply sunken into his chest, having shattered his sternum.

"I didn't expect that I would have to use my trump card in just the first preliminary round. You are, indeed, very strong."

Qianshan Huo spoke with a heavy expression, enunciating every word. He raised his blade with one hand, slowly gripped the hilt with his left, and held the blade with both hands for the first time. "Very well. I shall use you to test my blade and prove my blade path."

"Take my final strike!"

"Blade Slashing the Mortal World!"

As this strike was unleashed, Lin Huang was suddenly moved. "Heavenly Blade intent. Is this the Heavenly Blade intent?"

"Correct. I learned the blade at ten years old. Aside from the blade, there is nothing else. I have finally cultivated a trace of the true Heavenly Blade intent. You cannot block this!"

Qianshan Huo's expression was cold. As he swung his blade, his face turned pale, pouring all his essence, energy, and spirit into this one strike. Because he had nothing but the blade, Qianshan Huo had cultivated this peerless strike—a strike to sever the mortal world, touching upon the true intent of the Heavenly Blade.

Although Lin Huang had not yet completed the Six Paths as One, he knew that for those who cultivated the blade path, "aside from the blade, there is nothing else" was the state that every blade practitioner dreamed of reaching.

To have practiced the blade to this point meant he had already touched the threshold of enlightenment in the Mortal World and possessed the prototype of his own Dao; as long as he refined his blade intent, he would be able to achieve enlightenment.

And this very realm was the one Lin Huang craved with every fiber of his being.

Therefore, after a brief moment of surprise, Lin Huang was filled with joy. He took a step forward, a look of delight on his face that made Qianshan Huo feel a sense of unease, and offered his own body to test the blade.

"You are arrogant!"

Qianshan Huo's pupils constricted, and he flew into a rage. Faced with this strike of his—a sublimation that touched upon the realm of the Heavenly Blade—Lin Huang had actually chosen to test the blade with his own body. It was boundless arrogance.

The momentum of the blade accelerated, slamming into Lin Huang in an instant and erupting with force. Lin Huang was sent flying into the Lava Lake, his life or death unknown.

"Excessive self-confidence is nothing but stupidity. What a pity; you are not worthy of being my opponent." Qianshan Huo snorted coldly. Irritated by Lin Huang's decision to test the blade with his body, he retracted his long blade with a cold expression. His gaze swept across the surroundings like a blade, causing the onlookers who were spying to cry out in alarm and flee in haste.

Sheathing his blade, Qianshan Huo stood proudly, waiting for the end of the preliminary round. Having witnessed his earth-shattering strike, no one else dared to come forward and challenge him.

Pfft!

With a soft sound, a look of astonishment and disbelief appeared on Qianshan Huo's face as he watched a pale hand, with half of its finger bone exposed, slowly press against the edge of the Lava Lake.

"He didn't die even after that?! This is impossible!" Qianshan Huo was shocked, staring in disbelief as Lin Huang, covered in wounds and nearly split in two, slowly crawled out of the Lava Lake.

Their eyes met, and Qianshan Huo abruptly drew his blade. "You are indeed strong, but you are still too foolish. That strike didn't kill you, but this one will ensure your death."

As the words fell, he struck. The blow, carrying a hint of Qianshan Huo's lingering frustration, tore through the air.

"One hundred survivors remain. Objective achieved. The first preliminary round has ended. The second round will begin tomorrow at ten o'clock; please arrive on time."

The voice rang out suddenly, and the entire Volcano Valley began to collapse. The first preliminary round was over.

"Consider yourself lucky. Next time, you won't be so fortunate." As his vision began to blur, Qianshan Huo spat out these words coldly, feeling a sense of unwillingness.