On the plaza, countless young clansmen gazed up at the enormous projection in the sky, their faces filled with shock.
Such a thing was exceedingly rare. It was said that a live projection was triggered only when two "Special Grade Elites" met, so it could inspire the younger generation and let them witness a true battle of geniuses.
"That's... that mysterious female swordswoman! She really is a Special Grade Elite. No wonder she's so powerful!"
"And it's not just her. Bai Yuan is there too. That guy really is a Special Grade Elite as well!"
"Bai Xingyun is there, too. Could he be a Special Grade Elite?"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, but their eyes never left the image stretching across the sky.
Special Grade Elites were a once-in-a-century sight, and now two had appeared at once—perhaps even three. A scene like this was rarer still.
While the crowd's emotions churned, the three people in the projection had already begun fighting.
What astonished everyone was that the female swordswoman could actually suppress two peerless geniuses all by herself.
"H-how is this possible? I thought that even if Bai Yuan couldn't beat her, he could at least put up a fight. But look at the gap between them..."
"Even First Grade Elites have different levels of strength, so naturally, some Special Grade Elites are stronger than others. This female swordswoman's talent must be in the upper-middle range even among Special Grade Elites."
"It's a shame Bai Yuan's realm is still a little too low. If he were also a ninth-stage Apprentice, he might well have been able to fight her."
Amazement, regret, envy... all sorts of emotions rippled through the crowd.
Bai Yuan's friend Bai Guanren felt especially conflicted.
If Bai Yuan had been willing to use the resources offered by his second uncle to raise his strength to the ninth stage of the Apprentice Realm, perhaps things would have turned out differently today.
But Bai Guanren also knew that if Bai Yuan had done that, he wouldn't be the Bai Yuan he was now.
In the Blade Tomb World, Bai Yuan and Bai Xingyun were brimming with fighting spirit.
Suddenly, Bai Xingyun stepped forward and said to Bai Yuan, "You made the first move just now. This time, I'll go first!"
Before he had finished speaking, light swirled beside him, and a strangely shaped Telekinetic Weapon appeared.
"A Telekinetic Weapon? Don't tell me you're also training as a Psychic Master?" Bai Yuan asked curiously.
Bai Xingyun smiled and answered frankly, "No. I've always been a Psychic Master. Martial Artist is the path I'm training in on the side!"
At his command, thirty-three flying blades shot forth. Silver patterns shimmered across them like rippling water as they circled around him, resembling a living ring of silver stars.
"Zone One, Bai Xingyun, twelve years old. Comprehended the Water Moon Concept. Force Amplitude: 4.5 times. His blade techniques combine strength and flexibility, with an amplitude level of 33. Awarded the title of Special Grade Elite."
As the Intelligent Life's voice rang out, the Universe Realm powerhouses watching the battle gaped in astonishment.
Three Special Grade Elites had appeared in a single competition!
The last time such a grand spectacle had occurred was 790,000 years ago.
Quite a few of the Universe Realm powerhouses present hadn't even been born back then.
"His Brain Domain Width is thirty-seven... So his true talent lies in being a Psychic Master!"
"I never expected our clan's fortunes to be so strong in this generation. Three Special Grade Elites—perhaps they'll become three Domain Lords one day. And if they're lucky... one of them might even become a World Lord!"
Having a Brain Domain Width of thirty-seven at the Apprentice Realm was undeniably the mark of a peerless genius on the Psychic Master path.
Among the other Psychic Masters competing this year, not one had a Brain Domain Width of thirty, let alone thirty-seven.
Most were around eighteen. Those with somewhat better talent were just over twenty, while the strongest had barely reached twenty-eight.
And that was the highest talent among this year's Psychic Masters apart from Bai Xingyun. The next highest had only reached twenty-five.
Among the Psychic Masters who had attacked Bai Yuan earlier, two had a Brain Domain Width of twenty-five.
Without them, Bai Yuan's battle would not have been so difficult.
"Go!"
With an angry shout from Bai Xingyun, the thirty-three blades shot forward, covering Bai Luoyan like a shower of blossoms.
Bai Luoyan's expression turned unusually grave.
Those thirty-three blades were practically like thirty-three powerful opponents. They worked together seamlessly, covering for one another, and moved as fast as lightning. They were a genuine threat to her.
"Gentle Breeze!"
Sword light flashed like a sudden breeze, light and precise, deflecting each incoming blade.
But under Bai Xingyun's control, the deflected blades spun through the air. In an instant, they regrouped and attacked her again!
For a time, the two fought to a standstill.
Bai Luoyan had wanted to close the distance and end the fight quickly, but the thirty-three flying blades pursued her relentlessly, blocking her at every turn. Bai Xingyun was also strong in his own right—not an opponent she could easily defeat.
"Good! Pressure is what lets you break through!"
Bai Luoyan's eyes shone brightly. Her sword grew faster and faster, and she pushed her footwork to its limits.
Afterimages filled the battlefield as sword light crisscrossed through the air, making it seem as if several versions of her were swinging their swords at once.
The onlookers in the plaza couldn't help drawing in sharp breaths.
When Bai Luoyan had fought them earlier, she had clearly been holding back.
Now, facing Bai Xingyun, she was finally giving it her all.
Watching from the side, Bai Yuan smiled lightly. "They're really going at it. If I wait until they've both worn each other down before stepping in, couldn't I take them both out in one move?"
As soon as he finished speaking, his words were transmitted through the projection to the outside world.
"Bai Yuan is truly shameless! He actually wants to take advantage of them while they're distracted!"
"Even if it doesn't break the rules, someone who's a Special Grade Elite but lacks the courage to fight head-on probably won't amount to much."
"Heh. I praised him so highly before. I really misjudged him."
Of everyone there, Bai Kashan was the most pleased.
The harsher the insults, the more delighted he felt.
"Bai Yuan, you said I wasn't good enough? You've been hiding your own strength just as well. At least now we've finally seen your true colors!"
Even those who didn't openly mock Bai Yuan looked at him with varying degrees of contempt.
Only Bai Guanren remained silent. He had always believed in Bai Yuan, but he also understood that trying to defend him now would be pointless.
In the end, what mattered was what Bai Yuan actually did.
It wasn't only the younger generation who discussed him. Even some of the Universe Realm powerhouses showed a flicker of disappointment in their eyes.
But the very next second, Bai Yuan changed his tune and said with a smile:
"But that would be far too boring. Fighting a true genius is a thrill in itself!"
"You two! Save me a spot!"
Before his words had even faded, Bai Yuan suddenly attacked.
This time, he held nothing back. Sharp Metal Eleventh Layer Slash erupted, and he became a golden meteor streaking across the battlefield!
He drove the Sharp Metal Concept to its utmost limit, brilliant golden light blazing as its edge tore through the air.
Although Bai Luoyan had comprehended three concepts, her mastery of any one of them couldn't compare to Bai Yuan's Sharp Metal Concept at that moment!
In an instant, the entire arena fell silent. Everyone froze, so stunned their jaws nearly hit the ground.
It was only natural for Bai Luoyan to have hidden her strength, since no one had been worthy of making her go all out—not even when she was surrounded.
It was also understandable that Bai Xingyun had held back. The people who had attacked him had fled too quickly, giving him no chance to use his full strength.
But Bai Yuan?
Twenty-six people had surrounded him, and he had fought so desperately—yet he had still been holding back!
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