"Prepare well. You'll be competing in the Arena Competition soon!"
After chatting for a while, Chen Ao told them to prepare well. After all, the Arena Competition wouldn't be easy either.
Of course, that had nothing to do with Chen Ao.
Luo Feng and the other two nodded. They also felt they needed to prepare for the Arena Competition.
Since Chen Ao had said so, they definitely needed to prepare properly. They couldn't keep bothering him.
"Then, senior, I look forward to fighting you!"
At that thought, a gleam flashed through Luo Feng's eyes.
He was eager to see Chen Ao's true strength for himself.
"You'll get your chance!"
Chen Ao left, and Luo Feng and the other two went off to cultivate on their own.
In the meantime, many people came looking for Luo Feng. People from the Blue Silver Empire even hoped he could secure a spot in the Universe Finals.
They even promised him plenty of benefits.
After all, Luo Feng was several times stronger now than he had been in the original story, placing him among the universe's top-tier geniuses.
Soon, the Arena Competition began.
Luo Feng had been looking forward to it for a long time, hoping to encounter Chen Ao. But he was dumbfounded: Chen Ao wasn't there at all.
During a break between matches, Luo Feng and the other two rushed over to Chen Ao.
"Senior, did you forget when the Arena Competition started?" Luo Feng couldn't help asking.
Chen Ao was always so laid-back. Maybe he really had forgotten the time?
That would be terrible. There was no allowance for lateness in the Arena Competition. Anyone who failed to compete on time would be disqualified.
"Brother, how could you be so careless?" Lei couldn't help saying. "You actually forgot something this important? Your future is at stake!"
"Brother, hurry and submit a request. See if they'll still let you compete!"
All they could hope was that Chen Ao's match hadn't started yet, and he could still make it if he went now.
Hearing their words, Chen Ao looked hesitant. "The Arena Competition? What Arena Competition?"
The three were even more dumbfounded. "The Arena Competition to decide who gets the nine hundred spots in the finals, of course!"
"Oh, that one. I don't need to participate in that!"
Huh?
The three grew even more confused. Had Chen Ao lost his mind?
"Brother, didn't you say you barely qualified? How can you not need to participate?"
"Yes, I barely qualified-for the Universe Finals!" Chen Ao waved a hand.
Why would he enter the Arena Competition? Fighting under so many watchful eyes would only increase his chances of being exposed.
Chen Ao's words left all three of them bewildered. "Senior, do you mean you took first place in your zone and earned a direct spot in the finals?"
"That's right!"
Silence.
That wasn't what he'd made it sound like before.
Damn it, he'd managed to show off again.
Lei studied Chen Ao closely. "Brother, don't tell me... you're that Sword God from Zone 88?"
Suddenly, Lei seemed to understand a great deal.
There were only so many first-place winners, and the only one who seemed connected to Chen Ao was that Sword God everyone spoke of in such legendary terms.
"Are you an idiot? I'm from Zone 33! What does your Sword God from Zone 88 have to do with me, Chen Ao?"
Lei was at a loss for words. Right, his brother had said he was from Zone 33 from the start.
"That's a real shame. I'd hoped to have a proper fight with you, senior, but it looks like I won't get the chance now!" Luo Feng said regretfully.
Chen Ao narrowed his eyes. "Why wouldn't you get the chance? Once you reach the finals, you'll have one, won't you? Don't forget, you're the Child of Fortune chosen by Earth. One day, you'll stand at the very pinnacle of the universe!"
"Stop, stop!" Luo Feng couldn't take it anymore. Chen Ao kept calling him some Child of Fortune.
As for standing at the pinnacle of the universe, he didn't even dare to imagine it. Yet Chen Ao had the nerve to say it.
"Senior, we still have more matches in the Arena Competition. We won't stay any longer!"
With that, the three left.
"Luo Feng, make sure you put on a great show. Steal even Bolan's thunder, and let everyone know that you and Bolan are the only true geniuses in this competition. As for me, I'll just keep being an ordinary genius!"
The Arena Competition continued, one match after another.
Luo Feng's strength simply crushed everything in his path.
"Luo Feng!"
"Luo Feng!"
"That's our Luo Feng from Black Dragon Mountain!"
"He really lives up to the name Madman! So wild, so ruthless! I love it! Hahaha!"
Countless people screamed and cheered for Luo Feng, even hoping their shouts could help propel him into first place.
Finally, Luo Feng encountered the first man with whom he would share a love-hate rivalry: Rong Jun.
At that moment, Luo Feng's aura completely overwhelmed Rong Jun's.
That was because Luo Feng could unleash all nine phantom swords of the Phantom Sword Style. Compared with the original story, where he could only use the second phantom sword, he was far stronger.
The instant the nine small golden swords appeared, Rong Jun's expression changed dramatically.
He knew Luo Feng wouldn't be easy to deal with either.
So Rong Jun immediately drew his Earth-Splitting Blade.
"Originally, my goal was to take first place in the overall universe rankings. But I never imagined the contestants this time would be so strong!"
Looking at Luo Feng, Rong Jun couldn't help thinking of Chen Ao.
"During the preliminary competition, I met that Sword God. He killed me without giving me the slightest chance to fight back, so I know I have no right to be arrogant!"
Because of the blow Chen Ao had dealt him, Rong Jun was now stronger than his counterpart in the original story as well.
"I need to fight with my feet firmly on the ground and grow stronger!"
Hearing Rong Jun mention the Sword God, Luo Feng was startled. He even overlooked Rong Jun's declaration that he wanted to take first place overall.
"You met senior?" Luo Feng asked.
Although Chen Ao denied it, Lei had known him for decades. His height and other features could change, but the look in his eyes wouldn't.
So Lei still firmly believed Chen Ao was the Sword God.
Of course, Chen Ao refused to admit it.
Huh?
Rong Jun looked at Luo Feng.
"You know that Sword God!"
Luo Feng nodded.
Suddenly, the same emotion filled both men's eyes.
"I'm really envious of you, getting to fight someone that powerful!" Remembering how helpless he'd felt that day, Rong Jun clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked.
"Come on, let's fight! Show me your strength!"
"All right!"
The nine phantom swords attacked with unparalleled sharpness. Rong Jun, likewise stronger than in the original story, wielded his Earth-Splitting Blade and slashed furiously.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Golden Illusion Swords repeatedly slammed into Rong Jun's Earth-Splitting Blade.
Since Luo Feng was a Controller, he didn't have to bear the recoil from these clashes as long as he stayed out of close combat.
Thus, he gained a slight advantage with every collision.
"Hahaha! As expected of that Sword God's junior, you're truly strong!" Rong Jun laughed again and again.
"Then I'll unleash my full strength!"
Suddenly, no fewer than nine Phantom Bodies appeared around Rong Jun.
Clearly, this was the second level of Ten Thousand Line Flow.
"What?!"
At the sight of those nine Phantom Bodies, Luo Feng was shocked.
In fact, not only Luo Feng but even the watching immortals were utterly astonished.
"He can manifest nine Phantom Bodies at Star Level! No wonder he dared to say his goal was first place in the overall universe rankings!"
"His comprehension of Space Law is truly terrifying!"
"He's going to lose. Luo Feng may be strong, but he hasn't crossed the threshold of Space Law yet. Against Rong Jun's nine Phantom Bodies, he has no way to defend himself!"
Before you continue