The Second Round: Arena Battles!

Lin Xuan's forcefulness caught everyone by surprise. Though those disciples were resentful, they did not dare truly make a move here. They merely snorted coldly and turned away.

Not long after Lin Xuan arrived, the time for the first round ended. The ninety-nine stone platforms were shrouded in clouds and mist, becoming hazy and indistinct. High in the sky, the purple-robed middle-aged man appeared once more. With a sweep of his sleeve, over a hundred black streaks scattered downward toward the crowd.

Lin Xuan struck like lightning and caught the flying object. It was a black token bearing the number one hundred thirty-five. He looked at Yin Qingyi's token and saw that hers bore the number one hundred thirty-four.

After estimating it, he figured that he had been the one hundred thirty-fifth person to pass.

"I never thought that out of tens of thousands of disciples, only a little over a hundred would pass the first round. This selection tournament is truly strict!" Lin Xuan sighed softly.

"Congratulations on successfully passing the first round. Next, you will undergo the second round of testing," said the purple-robed middle-aged man in the clouds. "Go down the mountain. Someone there will tell you what to do."

The crowd headed down the mountain. Once everyone had reached the flat ground, Thundercloud Mountain behind them gave a thunderous boom before slowly vanishing. The others felt nothing in particular, but Lin Xuan cast it a reluctant glance. "Ah, there were still so many golden lightning arcs I didn't get the chance to absorb!"

Shaking his head, Lin Xuan pushed the matter to the back of his mind and looked ahead.

"All disciples, proceed to the Central Martial Arena!" A voice rang clearly in everyone's ears. The disciples who had successfully passed the first round then headed toward the Central Martial Arena.

It seems the second round should be arena matches, Lin Xuan thought to himself.

"Hey, you bastard, why were you so slow in the first round?" Tang Yu deliberately slowed down ahead. When she reached Lin Xuan's side, she asked angrily.

"I-I'm sorry. I held Senior Brother Lin back," Yin Qingyi said quietly beside Lin Xuan.

"That's not true." Lin Xuan hurriedly comforted Yin Qingyi, then explained to Tang Yu, "I was too excited yesterday and didn't sleep well."

With two beauties accompanying him, Lin Xuan once again drew everyone's attention. Quite a few male disciples glared viciously at him. If looks could kill, Lin Xuan would have died hundreds or thousands of times already.

The Central Martial Arena was extremely spacious. When Lin Xuan and the others arrived, they found that many people had already gathered there.

To the north stood a golden viewing platform, occupied by elder-level figures from the sect. On both sides of the golden platform were many ordinary stands arranged in a fan shape, all packed with people.

As far as the eye could see, there was a sea of people, bursting with excitement.

Lin Xuan and the other hundred forty outer sect disciples stood before the arenas and waited quietly. Yet the lively atmosphere had already ignited the fighting spirit in their hearts.

Who did not wish to defeat powerful foes before such a vast audience and display their brilliance? Besides, this was the Inner Sect Selection Tournament. If they performed well, perhaps some inner sect elder would take a liking to them. Thinking of this, the youths' hearts surged with excitement.

Soon, streaks of light flashed one after another as vast auras rolled forth without end. Several figures descended onto the arenas.

Dazzling light shimmered around them like dancing flames. Their robes fluttered despite the lack of wind, and each of them seemed like a heavenly god descending to the mortal world.

The entire martial arena fell silent at once.

Lin Xuan felt as though a great mountain were pressing down from ahead, causing the spiritual energy throughout his body to boil as he struggled with all his might against that pressure. Not only Lin Xuan—all the outer sect disciples had turned pale, staring at the figures on the arena in alarm.

"Seeing this scene, I imagine you disciples already know the content of the second round." One of the square-faced middle-aged men on the arena spoke. "That's right. The second round is arena battles."

"The numbers on your tokens represent your rankings in the first round. Each ranking comes with corresponding results and rewards. The second round will be the same."

"Now, let me explain the rewards for the second round. First place will receive one Pure Spirit Pill, one Mystic Tier mid-grade martial art, and one Human-Grade Treasure Tool."

"Second place will receive one Mystic Tier low-grade martial art and one Little Yellow Pill."

Gasp!

All the disciples sucked in a cold breath. Mystic Tier martial arts, Human-Grade Treasure Tools—these were absolutely irresistible temptations to martial artists. And there was even a Pure Spirit Pill. Every disciple would likely go mad over it!

"What is a Pure Spirit Pill?" Lin Xuan asked in confusion.

"Country bumpkin!" Tang Yu scoffed again. "The Pure Spirit Pill is a third-grade medicinal pill. The spiritual energy it contains is incredibly pure. An ordinary Meridian Condensation Realm martial artist can instantly break through to the next level after taking one. And if it is taken at the ninth level of Meridian Condensation, it can greatly increase the chance of entering the Spirit Sea Realm. It is a treasure that every Meridian Condensation Realm martial artist desires!"

"It can raise one's cultivation by a level and even increase the chance of entering the Spirit Sea Realm!" Lin Xuan took a deep breath. I absolutely have to get my hands on something this good!

Not only Lin Xuan, but the other disciples also flushed red with excitement, wishing the matches would begin immediately. Seeing that the atmosphere had been stirred up, the square-faced middle-aged man smiled and said, "Your current rankings will serve as your numbers for this round. Whoever is selected by the referees will go onto the arena to compete."

"Also, the reward for the first round is that the top ten do not need to participate in the first round of matches!"

"Now, the second round begins!"

Five highly cultivated middle-aged men stood upon five different arenas and began drawing lots.

Everyone looked enviously at the top ten from the first round and prayed that their own first-round opponents would be weak.

Before long, the five referees began announcing the participants.

"First arena: Number thirty-eight versus Number fifty-three."

"Second arena: Number seventy-seven versus Number sixty-three."

The ten disciples whose names had been called stepped onto the arenas, preparing to fight. Although their first-round rankings differed, that did not mean Number thirty-eight would necessarily defeat Number fifty-three. After all, the first round only tested perseverance and potential; it could not directly reflect a martial artist's actual combat ability.

Sure enough, the very first match produced an upset. Number fifty-three defeated Number thirty-eight, earning victory and advancing to the next round.

Lin Xuan and the others stepped aside to watch. Shangguan Liuyun simply sat cross-legged and began cultivating. Apparently, in his eyes, not a single person here was his opponent.

Soon, the matches on the arenas ended, and the referees called out names once more. This time, Lin Xuan was among them.

"Number one hundred thirty-five versus Number eighty-eight."

On the fifth arena, Lin Xuan calmly walked up step by step, while his opponent had already been standing there.

"This is awesome! My luck is through the roof! I actually got matched against Number one hundred thirty-five. Looks like I'll win this easily!" He was an ordinary-looking youth. As he looked at Lin Xuan, his eyes were full of smug delight.

Lin Xuan's face remained calm, betraying neither joy nor sorrow.

When Jiang Yulong saw Lin Xuan, he smiled disdainfully and immediately turned away. He did not think Lin Xuan was worth watching. Few of the higher-ranked disciples paid attention to the fifth arena; instead, they all looked toward the second arena, where Number fifteen was facing Number twenty-one. Rankings like those belonged to true elite disciples and were worth watching.