Shortly afterward, the referee arrived.
The referee was still the same white-haired old man.
He walked slowly to the Combat Platform, his gaze sweeping calmly over the crowd, and took out a scroll from his sleeve, slowly unfurling it.
"The rules for the fourth round are the same as the day before: the winner advances, and the loser is eliminated."
He didn't say anything more and went straight to the name of the first match.
Battle after battle ensued.
Those prodigies who have reached this stage are at least at the mid-to-late stage of the Third Grade, and with their combat power capable of fighting beyond their level, every battle they engage in is quite a spectacle.
Swords flashed and shadows danced on the stage, the explosive sounds of clashing energies echoing throughout the venue.
Fang Han stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the crowd, his gaze calmly sweeping across the stage.
After several battles, he had roughly figured out the strength level of his opponents in this round.
There are quite a few Second Grade martial artists, and some even have auras that faintly touch the threshold of First Grade, reaching the true limit of Second Grade.
But for him, the real threat is still someone like Zhen Feixuan, who has already reached the First Grade.
"Next match: Fang Han from Qingyang Prefecture versus Jiang Ying from Heavenly Water Prefecture."
The voice of the white-haired old man rang out in the hall, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
Fang Han raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
What a small world!
He strode onto the Combat Platform, unhurriedly.
On the opposite side, Jiang Ying, dressed in black, also swept onto the stage at the same time.
Jiang Ying's black clothes fluttered in the morning breeze, a cold smile playing on her lips as she looked at Fang Han.
With a condescending scrutiny, as if appraising a rather interesting toy.
"I never imagined I'd actually run into you."
He spoke, his voice filled with undisguised contempt.
"The opponents you faced a few days ago were too weak, which is why you've come this far. Today, your good luck ends here."
He tilted his head, his voice laced with mockery.
"Don't worry, I won't defeat you immediately; that would be too boring. I'll treat you the same way I treated your companion."
A low murmur arose from the audience, and many eyes, filled with a strange light, darted back and forth between Fang Han and Jiang Ying.
Someone lowered their voice and said to their companion:
"This Jiang Ying... does he not know Fang Han's strength? How dare he provoke Fang Han like this?"
The companion also lowered his voice, his tone tinged with amusement:
"Who knows? Maybe they really don't know, or maybe they do know but think they're stronger. This is going to be interesting."
The white-haired old man glanced at Fang Han and Jiang Ying, then retreated to the edge of the Combat Platform, his voice calm:
"Start."
The moment the words fell--
Jiang Ying made the first move.
He took a step forward, his black clothes rustling in the wind, and his Second Grade Mid-Stage Internal Qi erupted without reservation.
The longsword in his hand emitted a sharp whistling sound, and a pale blue sword light condensed on the blade as if it were solid.
With a sharp, tearing force that seemed to Void Sundering, it transformed into a straight blue ribbon, piercing Fang Han.
That sword strike was incredibly fast.
As the sword passed, the air emitted a piercing shriek, and the fine dust on the table was stirred up by the Sword Qi, leaving a visible white trail behind the sword light.
Many people in the audience had a slight change in expression, and some gasped in surprise.
"The power of this sword strike... is already comparable to that of Early First Grade first-rank martial artist!"
"With a cultivation level at the Second Grade Mid-Stage, he unleashed combat power comparable to Early First Grade martial artist, leaping across two minor realms!"
"One of the minor realms is actually a minor realm between major realms. The difference in combat power is incomparable to that of ordinary minor realms. Heavenly Water Prefecture truly lives up to its reputation as one of the Central Thirty-Six Prefectures; the geniuses it produces are indeed extraordinary!"
"No wonder Jiang Ying dares to be so arrogant; she certainly has the right to be."
Fang Han still, without dodging.
Just as the blue sword light was about to touch him, he slowly raised his right hand, placed it on the hilt of the sword at his waist, and drew his sword.
The Cloudsplitter Sword was drawn from its sheath, its Dark Cyan blade gleaming with a restrained radiance.
He casually slashed diagonally with his sword.
He didn't use his full strength; he merely swung his sword casually.
Even so, it still unleashed an extremely terrifying power.
"Clang--!"
A deafening clang of metal clashing against metal exploded on the stage.
A visible shockwave emanated from the point where the two swords clashed, spreading rapidly outwards.
It stirred up the dust that had accumulated on the table overnight, creating a murky ripple in mid-air.
Jiang Ying felt an overwhelming force emanating from the sword. The force was condensed and tangible, carrying a domineering and destructive power that surged into her body through her arm.
He groaned, his body involuntarily sliding backward several feet, his feet carving two shallow tracks on the white jade surface.
He steadied himself and looked down at his sword-wielding hand—a tingling sensation ran through the web of his thumb, and his fingers trembled slightly.
He looked up at Fang Han, the cold smile on his lips gone, replaced by incredulous astonishment.
"You..."
"You're incredibly arrogant. I thought you were something special?"
Fang Han did not pursue, but simply stood with his sword in hand, calmly watching Jiang Ying.
He wasn't in a hurry to defeat Jiang Ying, but instead planned to use the same method Jiang Ying had used on Luo Yuntian on Jiang Ying.
"Stop your arrogance!"
Jiang Ying gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and unleashed her inner Internal Qi once again.
This time, he pushed his cultivation to its limit, and the longsword in his hand vibrated, with layers of light blue sword shadows condensing on the blade, rippling out like water.
As he thrust out his sword, the layers upon layers of sword shadows transformed into an overwhelming sword curtain, enveloping Fang Han.
The power of this sword strike represented the pinnacle of his life's cultivation, enough to make even Early First Grade martial artist feel troubled.
However, Fang Han simply raised his hand again, and the Cloudsplitter Sword slashed upwards.
There are no fancy changes, no dazzling brilliance, only a sharpness refined to the extreme.
"Sizzle--"
With a soft tearing sound like cloth being ripped, the overwhelming blue sword curtain was torn open the moment it touched the cyan sword light.
Jiang Ying's Sword Intent was split in two, the Sword Qi dissipated, and her body involuntarily staggered backward.
Fang Han took a step forward.
The Cloudsplitter Sword was thrust out again; this time, the sword was not fast, but it landed precisely on Jiang Ying's right shoulder.
Pfft!
The sword tip pierced through Jiang Ying's black outfit and then through his high-grade soft armor, leaving a finger-deep wound on his right shoulder.
Blood seeped out instantly, staining the fabric of her clothes on her shoulder.
"Well--!"
Jiang Ying let out a muffled groan and staggered backward.
He gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself and fight back, but Fang Han's sword had already been thrust out again.
The sword struck his left rib.
Similarly, wounds were left through the soft armor, and blood soaked through the robes.
The third sword strike left a bloody gash on Jiang Ying's side.
The fourth sword strike landed on the outside of Jiang Ying's right leg.
The fifth sword strike slashed across Jiang Ying's left arm.
Sword after sword, neither fast nor slow, yet with unparalleled precision.
Each sword strike left a wound on Jiang Ying's body, each strike just enough to injure Jiang Ying but not enough to render him unable to fight, thus ending the battle.
Fang Han remained calm throughout, his eyes devoid of any emotion, displaying only a cool, almost ruthless focus.
Jiang Ying's face grew paler and paler.
He could feel his strength rapidly draining away with the loss of blood, and his power gradually leaving his body.
He tried to fight back, but Fang Han's sword was too fast, too steady, and too accurate.
Every counterattack was easily defused, leaving only a new wound.
The murmurs from the audience grew louder and louder.
"Given the strength Fang Han has displayed, he could easily defeat Jiang Ying. The fact that he didn't defeat Jiang Ying immediately suggests that Fang Han is angry!"
"If I were provoked like that, I would be angry too!"
" Jiang Ying has brought this upon herself by provoking someone far stronger than herself when she lacks the ability."
" Jiang Ying has really lost face this time."
Jiang Ying heard the whispers and her face turned ashen.
He bit his tongue sharply, unleashing his inner Internal Qi in a near-self-destructive manner. The longsword shone with a brilliant blue light, carrying all his power as it stabbed towards Fang Han's chest.
This sword strike was a desperate gamble.
Fang Han sidestepped the sword, then pressed down with the Cloudsplitter Sword, the blade striking Jiang Ying's wrist.
"Click--"
A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out.
The longsword in Jiang Ying's hand flew out, tumbled several times in the air, and landed with a clatter on the platform three zhang away.
The next moment, Fang Han raised his foot and kicked Jiang Ying in the chest.
boom!
Jiang Ying was sent flying backwards like a kite with a broken string, tracing an arc in the air before crashing heavily onto the ground below the stage, tumbling several times before coming to a stop.
A gasp of surprise rippled through the audience.
Jiang Ying struggled to get up, but the movement aggravated all the wounds on her body, causing her to groan and fall back to the ground.
More than ten wounds all over his body throbbed with pain at the same time, and blood soaked through most of his black outfit, pooling into a small, shocking dark red puddle beneath him.
Jiang Ying has lost.
The white-haired old man's calm voice rang out.
Fang Han sheathed his sword and walked off the Combat Platform at a leisurely pace.
The contestants who had been whispering among themselves immediately fell silent.
All eyes fell on Fang Han, and those eyes were filled with deep fear.
" Jiang Ying has really bitten off more than she can chew this time..."
Someone spoke in a low voice, with a hint of schadenfreude in it.
"Who told him to be so arrogant? Now look what's happened, he's completely disgraced the younger generation of Heavenly Water Prefecture."
"They don't even consider their own capabilities before provoking others."
"He probably didn't expect that a prodigy from an ordinary county could be this strong, right?"
"His defeat was not unjust. The combat power Fang Han just displayed was comparable to that of First Grade Late Stage martial artist. Moreover, judging from Fang Han's relaxed appearance, he probably didn't even use his full strength."
"This isn't even his full strength. How strong would Fang Han be if he went all out?"
The murmurs weren't loud, but they were like invisible thorns, piercing Jiang Ying, who was slumped on the ground, from all directions.
Jiang Ying lowered her head, clenching her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms.
He could feel those gazes, he could hear those discussions; every word felt like a knife stabbing into his heart.
First came the crushing defeat, then the ridicule he was being talked about; these two emotions intertwined, churning and surging within him.
He suddenly raised his head, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something—but he couldn't utter a word.
"Puff!"
A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth, splattering onto the white jade-colored ground in front of him.
He shakily stood up, head bowed, picked up his sword, turned without a word, and walked out of the venue.
His steps were unsteady, and his back cast a long shadow in the sunlight.