At dawn, the morning sun had just risen, and the mist had yet to disperse.
Inside the room, Su Mo sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, a powerful aura surging continuously from his body.
Su Mo was attempting to break through to Qi Cultivation Level Eight.
A few days earlier, he had reached the Peak Seventh Level of Qi Refining. For the past three days, he had been relentlessly attacking the bottleneck of his realm.
After a long while, Su Mo opened his eyes, a trace of helplessness flashing through them.
He still had not broken through.
His cultivation had risen too quickly lately. In the Youfeng Mountain Range, he had devoured a great amount of essence and blood, soaring directly from the Peak Qi Refining Fifth Layer to the Peak Seventh Level of Qi Refining.
The rapid surge in his realm had also left his foundation insufficiently solid, making it difficult for him to break through again in a short time.
However, although he was only at the Peak Seventh Level of Qi Refining, his strength was comparable to that of someone at Qi Cultivation Level Eight.
Coupled with a physical body possessing Eight Tiger Strength, even a Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation martial artist would not be his match.
In today's tournament, he was determined to take first place.
After leaving his room and bringing Xi'er along, Su Mo followed the clan elders with the other clan members toward the City Lord's Mansion.
The venue for this tournament was the City Lord's Mansion.
Linyang City's City Lord's Mansion was located in the northern part of Linyang City and covered an enormous area. The entire estate resembled a miniature imperial palace, imposing and majestic.
The mansion gates stood five meters tall and had been cast from refined steel, no less impressive than the city gates.
At this moment, crowds of people poured into the City Lord's Mansion. They were members of Linyang City's various large and small factions, all invited by the City Lord's Mansion to watch the tournament.
"Look, the Su family is here!"
The arrival of the Su family immediately stirred up a commotion among the crowd.
"Look, that is Su Tianhao, one of the favorites to win this tournament."
"The one beside him is Su Hai. He is also very strong, second only to Su Tianhao."
The topics of everyone's discussion were none other than Su Tianhao and Su Hai. The two of them were the strongest among the Su family's younger generation.
Just then, another group of people approached from afar.
This group was none other than the Wei family.
"Haha! Su Hong, in this tournament, your Su family will suffer a crushing defeat."
Wei family Patriarch Wei Wankong approached and spoke.
"Wei Wankong, martial contests rely on real skill, not a sharp tongue!"
Su Hong glanced at him and sneered.
"Hmph! Then let us wait and see!"
Wei Wankong snorted coldly.
Beside Wei Wankong stood a young man in purple robes whose features somewhat resembled his own.
This young man was Wei Wankong's eldest son, Wei Rufeng.
Wei Rufeng's gaze swept over the Su family crowd before finally settling on Su Mo.
Step! Step! Step!
Wei Rufeng lifted his feet and walked straight up to Su Mo.
"Hmm?"
Su Mo raised his brows and glanced at him.
"Ant, you'd best pray that you do not encounter me during the tournament. Otherwise, you will wish you were dead."
A faint smile hung on Wei Rufeng's lips as he spoke in a chilling voice.
"Impudent! Wei Rufeng, you actually..."
Seeing Wei Rufeng threaten his son right in front of him, Su Hong immediately shouted in fury. Before he could finish, however, Su Mo interrupted him.
"Wei Rufeng, I return those words to you as well!"
Su Mo narrowed his eyes and replied coldly.
A mocking curve rose on Wei Rufeng's lips. He then shifted his gaze to Su Tianhao, battle intent flickering in his eyes.
"Su Tianhao, you are the only one in the Su family qualified to fight me. I hope you will not disappoint me!"
Wei Rufeng looked utterly arrogant, his words brimming with confidence.
"Hmph! What a boastful tone. Wei Rufeng, I have long wanted to experience the tricks of your Blazing Sun Sect!"
Su Tianhao sneered, his battle intent equally surging.
Wei Rufeng was a disciple of the Blazing Sun Sect, which was likewise one of the Four Great Sects of Tian Yue Kingdom. Its overall strength was no weaker than that of the Heavenly Origin Sect.
"I'll be waiting for you!"
After speaking, Wei Rufeng turned and strode toward the City Lord's Mansion.
The Wei family members entered the City Lord's Mansion as well.
"Tianhao, how confident are you if you face Wei Rufeng?"
The Su family's Third Elder asked.
"The odds are about even!"
Su Tianhao continued, "However, the City Lord's daughter, Lin Qiong, cannot be underestimated either. The two of them are both my opponents in the fight for the championship."
Everyone nodded. In this tournament, only those three had reached the Peak Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation.
It seemed there would be a fierce struggle between dragons and tigers.
Soon after, the Su family also entered the City Lord's Mansion.
Within the City Lord's Mansion, the enormous martial arts arena was boundlessly spacious, easily able to hold ten thousand people without seeming crowded.
At the center of the vast arena, a huge square battle platform had been erected.
At the same time, spectator stands had been built around the battle platform in the east, south, west, and north.
The eastern, western, and northern stands were already filled with people: the City Lord's Mansion, the Wei family, and the Su family respectively. Before the members of those three factions stood ten extraordinary young disciples.
As for the people from the other minor factions, they did not even have the qualifications to sit in the stands. They were all gathered below them.
"Look, that beautiful young lady is the City Lord's daughter, Lin Qiong."
Someone pointed toward the northern stand. At the front of the younger generation there stood a girl dressed in blue, with a graceful figure and exquisite features.
"She is so beautiful! And so talented too—she reached the Peak Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation at only seventeen."
"Yes! The champion of this tournament will basically come from among her, Wei Rufeng, and Su Tianhao. There is no real suspense!"
"..."
The discussions of the people below rang out without end.
Yet only a sparse handful of people sat on the southern stand.
In the central seat sat an exceptionally beautiful woman with a seductive figure and charming features, drawing frequent gazes from all around.
She was none other than the Purple Gold Pavilion's Pavilion Master, Luo Huan.
Standing on the eastern stand, Su Mo looked toward Luo Huan, unable to hide his astonishment.
It seemed the City Lord's Mansion did not dare show the Purple Gold Pavilion the slightest disrespect. The Purple Gold Pavilion's background truly was enormous!
Perhaps sensing Su Mo's gaze, Luo Huan turned her eyes toward him, the corners of her lips lifting into a soul-stirring, seductive smile.
Su Mo hurriedly shifted his gaze away and did not dare look further. She was a temptress who could steal one's very soul.
At this moment, Lin Sheng, the tall and imposing City Lord on the northern stand, rose to his feet.
His gaze swept over the crowd. Lin Sheng smiled faintly and said in a clear voice, "Today is the Linyang City Martial Arts Tournament. I, Lin Sheng, welcome you all to my City Lord's Mansion. I will not waste any more words now. Let the competition begin!"
After speaking, Lin Sheng nodded toward the Su and Wei families before sitting back down.
A middle-aged man beside Lin Sheng stepped forward and leaped onto the central battle platform.
This middle-aged man was the City Lord's Mansion's chief steward, Lin De.
"There are thirty participants in this tournament, and an elimination format will be used. To ensure fairness, everyone, come up and draw lots now."
Holding a box of wooden lots, Lin De shouted, "These thirty wooden lots contain only fifteen numbers. Those who draw the same number will be matched as opponents."
Upon hearing this, the participating young disciples stepped forward one after another to draw lots.
Su Mo also stepped forward and drew a wooden lot.
He drew the final number—wooden lot number fifteen.
Once everyone had finished drawing, Lin De loudly announced, "The tournament now begins. The two number one contestants will remain on the platform. Everyone else, wait below the stage."
One of the two number one contestants was a Wei family disciple named Wei Cheng, who possessed Qi Refining Realm Seventh Level cultivation.
Yet his opponent was actually Su Hai.
"I concede." Wei Cheng raised his hand gloomily.
Su Hai won without a fight.
No one mocked Wei Cheng. He was only at the Qi Refining Realm Seventh Level, while Su Hai was at the initial stage of the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation. There was no need to compete at all; competing would only bring humiliation upon himself.
PS: I recommend a book, "Strongest Berserk Upgrade." Readers suffering from a book drought can check it out.
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