Winning Streak

The elite tournament continued. Relying on his solid foundation as a level 6 warrior and the support of instant low-level magic, Lin Qin advanced like a hot knife through butter.

His second opponent was a level 5 warrior. The opponent's offensive was fierce, with sharp and aggressive combat techniques. Lin Qin met all changes with constancy, using his broadsword to block steadily while searching for openings. The moment his opponent exhausted his strength, Lin Qin suddenly burst into speed, his broadsword carrying heavy, powerful force to break through the defense and knock his opponent off the arena.

In the third match, he encountered a rare light-element mage. The opponent excelled in healing and defense, and his Holy Light Shield was extremely tough. Lin Qin did not grow impatient, constantly using Earth Spike Spear and heavy sword strikes to drain the opponent's mana. Finally, the moment the opponent's mana ran low and his shield began to flicker, a precise Earth Spike Spear erupted from beneath his feet. Although it was dodged in time, it disrupted his spellcasting rhythm. Lin Qin seized the chance to close the distance, tapping his broadsword against the opponent's chest to claim victory.

His combat style gradually became well-known to everyone: steady, solid, and almost devoid of weaknesses. Strong defense, precise timing, and the ability to cast low-level magic instantly at critical moments made him a massive headache for his opponents.

"This Lin Qin, his fundamentals are just too solid."

"A level 6 warrior and a level 3 mage—dual cultivation of magic and martial arts is truly formidable."

"Watching his matches isn't very entertaining, but you just can't beat him."

Lin Qin turned a deaf ear to these discussions. He focused on every battle, viewing them as touchstones to test the results of his cultivation. Victory was not the goal; discovering his shortcomings and accumulating experience were what mattered.

Aileen watched every match from the sidelines, cheering him on. Seeing his steady performance and his string of victories, her eyes were filled with pride.

On the other side, Linley's matches were even more eye-catching. As a level 5 mage, he combined powerful mental energy with wind and earth magic that he could cast with ease. His combat style was agile and powerful, and he also advanced with ease.

Soon, the tournament entered its latter stages, with only the elite students of the academy remaining. In the quarterfinals, Lin Qin encountered a formidable opponent—a peak level 6 lightning-element mage named Cain.

Cain possessed extremely strong attack power, and his lightning-element magic was swift, with astonishing destructive force. He was also one of the favorites to win the championship.

Many considered this battle to be Lin Qin's true test. Facing such powerful lightning-element attacks, would his defense still be effective?

On the arena, Cain looked arrogant: "Lin Qin, your winning streak ends here. The speed of lightning-element magic is not something your clumsy earth walls can block."

Lin Qin stood with his sword, his expression calm: "Let's find out."

The referee announced the start.

Cain waved his staff, instantly casting several Lightning Arrow spells. They moved at high speed, shooting toward Lin Qin in a web-like formation.

Lin Qin's gaze sharpened; he chose not to block them head-on. His footwork shifted and his figure swayed, managing to dodge most of the electric arrows with minimal movement at the very last second. Only two were deflected by his broadsword, the sparks dancing on the blade before being dispersed by his thick battle qi.

"Hmm?" Cain was somewhat surprised, not expecting his opponent to react so quickly. He immediately began chanting, preparing a stronger spell.

Lin Qin, however, would no longer give him the chance to cast spells at his leisure. He lunged forward, his speed erupting, while his left hand swept out.

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Several Earth Spike Spear spells did not aim for Cain, but instead appeared precisely around him and along his movement path, restricting his positioning. Although Cain easily dodged or shattered them, they effectively disrupted his spellcasting rhythm.

Cain was forced to interrupt his chant and release an instant Thunderstorm, a flash of lightning exploding with him at the center.

Lin Qin had anticipated this; his forward momentum stopped abruptly, and a thick, curved earth wall rose instantly, blocking the full force of the thunderstorm. The earth wall trembled violently amidst the lightning, covered in cracks, but it did not shatter.

Taking this opportunity, Lin Qin closed the distance again, his broadsword whistling with heavy wind as he slashed straight down!

Cain hurriedly raised a Lightning Shield.

"Boom!"

The broadsword struck the shield, and lightning clashed violently with the earthy-yellow battle qi. The shield fluctuated wildly, and Cain was forced back several steps, his face turning pale.

Just as he steadied his footing, he saw Lin Qin raise his left hand again.

This time, it was neither an Earth Spike Spear nor an earth wall. A powerful force of gravity suddenly descended upon Cain!

Level 3 earth-element magic—Gravity Technique!

Cain's body sank, his movements instantly becoming sluggish, and the circulation of mana within his body grew stagnant. Terror gripped his heart.

Lin Qin's broadsword was already striking again, the sword momentum even heavier than before, as if it had drawn upon the power of the surrounding earth.

Cain barely managed to raise his staff to block.

"Clang!"

The staff was hacked away, and the broadsword stopped right in front of his forehead, the sharp sword wind making his skin sting.

Cain froze in place, his face ashen.

"Lin Qin wins!" the referee's voice rang out.

The arena was silent for a moment, then erupted into heated discussion. Lin Qin had won! He hadn't just blocked the fierce onslaught of lightning magic; he had used precise timing and continuous control to defeat the powerful Cain!

What he had displayed was not just defense, but also offense and control! That perfectly timed Gravity Technique had been the final straw that broke Cain.

Lin Qin sheathed his sword, nodded to Cain, and walked off the arena. Aileen ran up to him, excited.

With this, Lin Qin had forcefully advanced to the final four.