Chen Yuntian's Trump Card

"Among those who enter the Myriad Phenomena Hall, Third-Grade Martial Souls are commonplace. Even Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Martial Souls are hardly rare." The Grand Supreme Elder spoke coldly. "You're trash with a First-Grade Martial Soul. Even if you enter the Myriad Phenomena Hall, what good will it do?"

A Martial Soul was determined at birth!

The cultivation speed of someone with a First-Grade Martial Soul could be tens or even hundreds of times slower than that of someone with a Fifth-Grade Martial Soul.

That vast difference in cultivation speed meant a vast difference in future achievement.

At the Grand Supreme Elder's words, the Qin disciples gradually calmed down. They looked at one another, unsure what to do.

"Foolish. Ignorant."

Qin Hao looked at the Grand Supreme Elder and said coldly, "Grand Supreme Elder, don't use your shallow understanding to judge my future. You can't imagine what lies ahead for me. Entering the Myriad Phenomena Hall is only my starting point. My goal is the pinnacle of martial arts."

"And Grand Supreme Elder, I don't think you're suited to managing Qin affairs anymore. Once you return, you should focus on cultivating in seclusion."

Qin Hao could not be bothered to say more.

"You... how dare you!" The Grand Supreme Elder was beside himself with rage, his face flushed crimson.

Qin Yuntian said coldly, "Grand Supreme Elder, we've given way to you time and again. Don't push your luck. From now on, you will remain the Grand Supreme Elder in name, but you are not to interfere in Qin affairs again."

The other Qin elders kept their mouths shut.

Qin Fang had been crippled, Qin Gaochi had no heart left for the struggle, and Qin Hao had shown extraordinary strength. His entry into the Myriad Phenomena Hall was now all but certain. The elders understood the situation and dared not contend with Qin Yuntian anymore.

"Good. Good. Good!" The Grand Supreme Elder's face turned livid. With a fierce sweep of his sleeve, he shouted, "I'll be watching to see how far you get in the Myriad Phenomena Hall, Qin Hao—and what a mess you make of the Qin!"

With that, the Grand Supreme Elder slowly closed his trembling eyelids, anger still plain on his face, and said no more.

"Blind as a bat."

Qin Yuntian glanced at the Grand Supreme Elder, then turned back to Qin Hao with a faint smile. "Hao, I know it hasn't been easy for you to come this far. But once you reach the Myriad Phenomena Hall, you must never slack off. You'll need to cultivate harder than ever."

Qin Yuntian smiled. "There are two matches left. If you can take first place, go for it. If you can't, don't lose heart. Given more time, I know you'll only grow stronger."

Three months!

Qin Yuntian knew better than anyone that Qin Hao had only truly been cultivating since the day his Martial Soul was tested.

Even counting every last day, it had been just three months.

Whatever happened next, Qin Yuntian was already satisfied with how far Qin Hao had come.

Just then, a deep voice rang out as a middle-aged man announced the next match.

"This match: Chen Yuntian versus... Liu Xiao!"

Almost at once, Chen Yuntian looked across at Liu Xiao, and Liu Xiao looked back at him.

"Chen Yuntian, first place is mine. I'll defeat you!" Fierce fighting spirit flashed in Liu Xiao's eyes. He sprang to his feet, raised the long spear in his hand, and charged toward the arena.

"Liu Xiao, you're only barely qualified to be my opponent."

Sensing Liu Xiao's fighting spirit, Chen Yuntian smiled faintly and walked toward the arena at an unhurried pace.

He was as serene as drifting clouds and a gentle breeze. He did not take Liu Xiao seriously at all.

"Arrogant! Let's see if you have the strength to back it up." Already on the arena, Liu Xiao saw Chen Yuntian's casual manner, and anger flashed in his eyes. He could feel the contempt coming from him.

The fight had yet to begin, but sparks were already flying between them.

In the Martial Arts Arena, the crowd had barely recovered from Qin Hao's fight with Liu Kuang before excitement swept through it again.

"Chen Yuntian against Liu Xiao! The fight we've been waiting for is finally here!"

"Neither of them has gone all out since the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament began. I can't wait to see which one is stronger!"

"Do you even need to ask? Chen Yuntian has the edge. Liu Xiao's talent is frightening, but he came from a small place. He hasn't had nearly as many resources growing up."

Two heavyweights!

Though the crowd had already settled on its expected top three, everyone was still eager to see the two of them fight.

Perhaps Liu Xiao had an even stronger trump card of his own.

"Neither Chen Yuntian nor Liu Xiao has shown his full strength." Qin Hao also turned toward the arena. "At least one of them will have to go all out in this fight. This is my chance to see what they can really do."

The leaders of Tianshui City's major powers were watching the arena intently now as well. Even warriors who had cultivated for years and possessed formidable strength wore grave expressions.

Thud!

As the crowd spoke, Chen Yuntian stamped his right foot, shot into the air, then landed steadily in the center of the arena.

"Liu Xiao, since the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament began, you're the only one who's come close to making me take a fight seriously."

A faint smile rested on Chen Yuntian's face. "To show my respect, I'll use thirty percent of my strength and defeat you within ten moves!"

With that, Chen Yuntian's aura began to surge.

Early Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm!

Middle Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm!

Late Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm!

"What? Chen Yuntian's true cultivation is at the late Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm?" As Chen Yuntian's aura shifted, Liu Xiao's expression changed with it. He was stunned.

"My heavens! Chen Yuntian was hiding his cultivation!"

"Late Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm! Chen Yuntian really knows how to keep his strength under wraps. Looking back at previous Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournaments, the highest cultivation ever seen was the early Eighth Stage—but that was only in that one tournament! Most years, the strongest contestants were at the early or middle Seventh Stage!"

Since the Myriad Phenomena Genius Tournament began, the highest cultivation anyone had displayed was the early Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

Chen Yuntian and Liu Kuang were both at the early Seventh Stage. Next came Liu Xiao, Qin Xiongfeng, Qin Hao, and the others at the peak of the Sixth Stage.

Though both were within the Seventh Stage of the Body Tempering Realm, the gap in strength between early and late Seventh Stage was enormous. A punch from an early Seventh Stage warrior generally carried seven thousand jin of force, while one from a late Seventh Stage warrior approached eight thousand jin!

Add to that Chen Yuntian's mastery of the Chen's signature martial technique, the Two-Yi Sword Art, and his strength was easy to imagine.

Liu Xiao swept his spear around and aimed its tip at Chen Yuntian. "Cultivation isn't everything," he said in a low voice. "Even if you're at the late Seventh Stage, I'll still defeat you!"

"You're no match for me. Why struggle for nothing?" Chen Yuntian said calmly.

"We won't know who wins until we fight!" Liu Xiao roared. "Today, I'll show you the true power of my Wave-Breaking True Spear Art!"

"Wave-Breaking True Spear Art, First Form: Threefold Waves!"

Liu Xiao spun his spear, raising three waves. Each was like a vast ocean surging against heaven and earth, one crashing atop another. Standing upon the three waves, Liu Xiao swept toward Chen Yuntian.

"What? His spear art can summon waves? Is this the essence of the Wave-Breaking True Spear Art? It's so powerful!"

As the three waves appeared, the warriors closest to the arena went pale. They felt the might of the sea rolling toward them, and shock spread across their faces.