Time slipped by, and a year passed in the blink of an eye.
The atmosphere within the Seven Mysteries Sect grew increasingly feverish. A sea of people surrounded the martial arena, their voices rising in a deafening roar. On the raised platform, the sect master, the elders, Nangong Wan, and the other senior figures of the sect were all seated. Today was the Sect Grand Tournament-the day that would decide who received the five places in the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land!
All disciples below Foundation Establishment could register. After several rounds of brutal elimination, only ten remained on the largest central platform. Every one of them was an outstanding Qi Refining disciple of the sect. Even the weakest had reached the twelfth level of Qi Refining, while three had attained Qi Refining great perfection, their auras robust and their gazes sharp. Among them was a sturdy man named Zhang Tie, renowned for his fiercely powerful "Gold-Splitting Sword Art"; a female cultivator, Chen Qiaoqian, who excelled at laying formations and possessed an endless array of tricks; and a tall, thin young man named Wu Jiuzhi, whose uncanny footwork and hidden weapons were almost impossible to guard against.
Han Li stood quietly in a corner of the platform, dressed in a plain blue-green Core Disciple Uniform, his aura restrained and his expression calm. Over the past year, he had rarely ventured out, devoting himself to honing his cultivation. Though he remained at Foundation Establishment early stage, the purity and concentration of his spiritual power were far beyond what they had been a year ago. He made no deliberate show of himself, yet his abyss-deep composure still made him stand out among the ten like a crane among chickens.
On the raised platform, Elder Li stroked his beard and smiled, speaking softly to the sect master beside him. "This young Han Li's aura has grown increasingly deep and steady. It seems he hasn't wasted this past year. He should secure a place in this tournament."
Elder Wang, sitting nearby, gave a cold snort. "He is only at Foundation Establishment early stage. There are three disciples at Qi Refining great perfection out there; who will bring down the deer remains to be seen. Besides, cultivation alone doesn't decide a tournament. Combat experience, spells and divine abilities, artifacts and talismans-all are crucial. This young man is too bloodthirsty. If he fails to restrain himself on the platform, he may cause trouble."
Nangong Wan swept her cool gaze across the ten contestants, pausing briefly on Han Li, but said nothing.
The sect master nodded slightly. "Let us see how they perform. The forbidden land is perilous. We need disciples who can truly survive and bring opportunities back to the sect."
At that moment, Elder Zhao, who was presiding over the tournament, announced the rules in a ringing voice. "The final ten will draw lots to determine their opponents and fight in pairs. The winners will advance to the top five and receive places in the forbidden land! The five losers will then compete in a round robin to determine the final two places! Matches must stop short of serious harm. Deliberately crippling or killing an opponent is forbidden! Violators will be severely punished! Now, begin drawing lots!"
The ten stepped forward in turn to draw their numbered tokens. Han Li drew number four.
The first match pitted Zhang Tie against a disciple at the twelfth level of Qi Refining. Zhang Tie's swordplay swept wide and struck hard, blazing with golden light and astonishing power. In fewer than ten moves, he defeated his opponent with overwhelming superiority, drawing waves of cheers from below.
In the second match, Chen Qiaoqian faced another disciple at Qi Refining great perfection. Rather than rushing into a forceful attack, she deftly laid a small trapping formation, caught her opponent inside, and wore down their spiritual power. She ultimately won with ease, demonstrating just how troublesome a formation cultivator could be.
In the third match, Wu Jiuzhi faced a disciple at the peak of the twelfth level of Qi Refining who specialized in defense. Wu Jiuzhi moved like a phantom, his hidden weapons appearing and disappearing without warning. Though his opponent's defenses were formidable, the disciple struggled to keep up and ultimately suffered a bitter defeat when a poisoned flying needle pierced the protective Spiritual Light.
"Fourth match: number four, Han Li, against number five, Sun Hao!" Elder Zhao's voice rang out.
Sun Hao was the last of the three disciples at Qi Refining great perfection. Renowned for his powerful Fire Cloud Spell and a high-grade defensive artifact, the Black Tortoise Shield, he was not an opponent to be taken lightly.
Sun Hao leaped onto the platform and cupped his hands to Han Li, his expression solemn. "Senior Brother Han, please instruct me!" He knew Han Li's strength was unfathomable and dared not let his guard down in the slightest.
Han Li returned the salute. "Junior Brother Sun, please."
With a low shout, Sun Hao struck first! His hands formed seals, conjuring a vast bank of scorching fire clouds before him. They rolled toward Han Li, threatening to engulf him in oppressive waves of heat! At the same time, he deployed the Black Tortoise Shield to protect himself.
Han Li's gaze remained calm. Facing the surging fire clouds, he neither ducked nor dodged, but simply thrust out a palm! The gust from his strike was not fierce, yet it carried a cold, supple hidden force. It was Profound Yin Palm, a move from the Profound Fiend Asura Art!
Hiss, hiss, hiss!
When the scorching fire clouds met the icy palm wind, they melted and vanished as swiftly as snow doused with boiling broth! With their attributes countering one another, Han Li's pure dark spiritual power gained an overwhelming advantage!
Sun Hao's expression changed. He hurriedly activated the Black Tortoise Shield, and Spiritual Light blazed across its surface, forming a thick wall of light.
Han Li's figure flickered as he unleashed Shadow Step, appearing instantly at Sun Hao's flank. A dark gleam flashed at his fingertip, and he aimed a Soul-Eroding Finger strike at a weak point in the wall of light!
Pfft!
The Black Tortoise Shield's wall of light rippled violently. Though it did not break, Sun Hao felt his soul tremble slightly, as though pricked by a needle, and the circulation of his spiritual power immediately faltered!
What an uncanny finger technique! Alarm surged through Sun Hao. He hastily changed tactics, turning his Fire Cloud Spell into several fire serpents that coiled toward Han Li from different angles.
Han Li moved like smoke, weaving through the gaps between the fire serpents and evading each attack by a hair's breadth. All the while, his fingers struck repeatedly, sending streams of icy force to steadily weaken the Black Tortoise Shield's defenses. He used neither the Shadow Blade nor any stronger killing moves, clearly intending to probe his opponent and control the fight.
They fought for roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn. Though Sun Hao maintained a tight defense, he was entirely on the back foot. His spiritual power drained rapidly, and the Black Tortoise Shield's Spiritual Light dimmed considerably. Han Li, by contrast, maintained a steady aura and handled the battle with ease.
On the raised platform, Elder Li nodded. "This young Han Li reads the battle precisely and controls his spiritual power down to the finest detail. Neither arrogant in victory nor discouraged in defeat-his temperament is truly excellent."
Elder Wang snorted but offered no further argument.
At last, Han Li spotted an opening. He abruptly accelerated, evaded a fire serpent, and closed in on Sun Hao, pressing a seemingly weightless palm against the Black Tortoise Shield! The strike appeared feeble, yet it contained a peculiar, vibrating hidden force!
"Profound Yin Shock!"
Buzzz! The Black Tortoise Shield let out a mournful hum, its Spiritual Light collapsing in an instant. Sun Hao staggered backward several steps as though struck by a heavy blow. His face turned pale, his blood and qi churned, and he could fight no longer.
"Thank you for the match." Han Li withdrew his palm and stood still.
Sun Hao gave a wry smile and cupped his hands in surrender. "Your cultivation is profound, Senior Brother Han. You have my admiration."
A chorus of astonished exclamations rose from below. Han Li had won cleanly and decisively, displaying strength far beyond that of an ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. His application of his cultivation art was exquisite to the finest hair.
In the subsequent matches, Han Li easily defeated two more formidable opponents who had fought their way out of the losers' bracket, firmly securing a place in the top five. His composure, precision, and seemingly bottomless strength left a deep impression on everyone watching.
At last, the top five were confirmed: Han Li, Zhang Tie, Chen Qiaoqian, Wu Jiuzhi, and a disciple at the twelfth level of Qi Refining who had scored an upset victory in the losers' round robin.
The tournament ended, and the crowds gradually dispersed, but discussion of Han Li's strength boiled throughout the Seven Mysteries Sect. Everyone realized that this disciple with a dark spiritual root had already become the undisputed leading figure of the sect's younger generation.
Night fell. Han Li returned to the Cold Pool Cave and resumed cultivating, as though his eye-catching performance that day had nothing to do with him. To him, the Sect Grand Tournament was merely a stepping stone toward the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land. The true challenges and slaughter still awaited him within that forbidden land.
He sat cross-legged and turned his awareness inward to his dantian, where the wisp of pseudo core flame flickered gently. He had not used his full strength in today's battle; he had not even unleashed Profound Yin Binding. Concealing his strength meant keeping one more life-saving trump card for more dangerous circumstances.
The Black Fiend Cult... the Shadow Killer Sect... and all the geniuses from the various factions in the forbidden land... A cold gleam gathered in Han Li's eyes. Just wait. I, Han Li, am coming.
One year remained before the Blood-Colored Forbidden Land opened. The final preparations had begun.
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