The scene unfolding at that moment...
Made everyone start in shock!
The Southern Region was called the land of southern barbarians by the other three regions.
Its martial inheritance lagged behind, its resources were scarce, and Spiritual Qi was even more lacking.
Thus, very few powerful cultivators emerged from the Southern Region.
In the academy exchange between the four regions held every ten years, the Southern Region had finished dead last every time in recent years!
This had led the other three regions to look down on people from the Southern Region.
Yet now, Xin Hongyi had crushed her opponent.
And they were even at the same cultivation realm.
It was truly a shock.
The people from the Eastern Region also wore looks of disbelief.
"What... Junior Brother Li was crushed by a southern barbarian?"
"Junior Brother Li might not be among the strongest, but surely he shouldn't have been crushed?"
Tian Cheng, however, was not surprised at all.
He knew that Ye Qiubai had casually given the Yin Dragon blood to the woman on the platform.
Yin Dragon blood was excellent for tempering the body, and exceedingly precious!
If he obtained it, his body-refining technique would break through again.
Tian Cheng was even confident he could fight Jian Chaomian!
At that moment, the elder announced the result. "Xin Hongyi of the Southern Region wins this match! The Eastern Region will send another contestant up. Xin Hongyi may choose to step down or continue."
Hearing this, Xin Hongyi hesitated briefly. Then she recalled the sight of Ye Qiubai slaying the Yin Dragon and nodded despite herself. "I'll continue."
Her tone was firm!
Seeing this, the elder nodded. "Xin Hongyi of the Southern Region will continue fighting."
With that, he withdrew from the fighting platform.
On the other side, the Eastern Region sent another contestant up.
"I know that man!"
"Yes, he's second only to Tian Cheng in the Eastern Region academy."
"I think his name is Zheng Huai. He seems to be at the peak Purple Mansion Realm."
Zheng Huai looked at Xin Hongyi and smiled easily. "I'll let you recover first. I wouldn't want people saying I bullied someone weaker."
Xin Hongyi replied coldly, "No need."
With that, she charged at Zheng Huai, sword in hand!
Seeing this, Zheng Huai said nothing more. He met Xin Hongyi's charge and struck out with his palm!
In an instant, palm imprints covered the entire fighting platform!
Xin Hongyi could not fend them all off and was soon injured.
After all, he was at the peak Purple Mansion Realm, and he was no ordinary cultivator either, but another academy prodigy.
Had she not absorbed the Yin Dragon blood, she would probably have lost long ago!
Xin Hongyi bit her lip, then bit through her finger, sending blood essence flying from it!
This was a secret art of her secret clan!
Sacrifice Blood to the Sword!
She had used this move when fighting Ye Qiubai before.
Now that she was stronger, Sacrifice Blood to the Sword was even more terrifying!
"Oh?"
Zheng Huai's expression grew slightly grave. He sensed danger in this sword strike.
Then Xin Hongyi slashed at Zheng Huai!
His face solemn, Zheng Huai struck out with his palm!
He held nothing back in this strike!
In just an instant!
The Sword Qi shattered, and the palm imprint dispersed!
Xin Hongyi was sent flying backward!
Zheng Huai also retreated several steps, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He had clearly suffered some minor injuries as well.
The elder stepped onto the platform. "Zheng Huai of the Eastern Region wins this match."
Huo Qingming and the others approached her and asked, "How are your injuries?"
Xin Hongyi shook her head. "Not too bad."
Huang Yuan, however, frowned. "You should have withdrawn when you knew you couldn't win. Even if we make it to the next round, you won't be able to fight now!"
Xin Hongyi bit her lip.
Lin Ce frowned. "Hey, isn't that a bit harsh?"
Huang Yuan shot him a sideways look. "I'm only thinking of the academy!"
Ye Qiubai handed Xin Hongyi a pill, then said, "I'll take the next match."
Unexpectedly, Huang Yuan shook his head. "I'll go. You're in no condition to fight right now. Besides, you're only at the late Purple Mansion Realm."
Hearing this, Ye Qiubai shrugged and said nothing more.
Across from them, Zheng Huai remained on the platform.
Huang Yuan walked up.
"Oh? The team leader is coming up himself?" Zheng Huai smiled. "Don't lose to me too, or your Hidden Dao Academy will have no one left..."
His words had barely fallen when his expression froze.
Huang Yuan's presence erupted!
The presence of the early stage of the Qi Sea Realm was fully revealed!
Clearly, Huang Yuan's strength was on the same level as Tian Cheng's!
Huang Yuan looked coldly at Zheng Huai, then took a light step and vanished from where he stood.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Zheng Huai. Before Zheng Huai could react, his palm had already struck his chest.
Pfft!
In an instant, Zheng Huai's chest seemed to cave in!
Blood sprayed wildly from his mouth as he flew backward and crashed heavily below the fighting platform!
A single blow had severely injured Zheng Huai!
Tian Cheng looked coldly at Huang Yuan. "Was it necessary to strike so viciously?"
Huang Yuan retorted, "Did he hold back when he knocked Xin Hongyi off the platform?"
Although Huang Yuan's words were harsh, they stemmed from his anxiety.
After all, if the Southern Region's Hidden Dao Academy finished dead last again, his master would lose his position as dean!
Tian Cheng snorted coldly and stepped onto the fighting platform himself.
"Are the two team leaders starting their showdown?"
"They're at the same realm. Who knows which one will come out on top?"
"Do you even need to ask? Tian Cheng, of course. He has a constitution blessed with innate divine strength. How could that southern barbarian withstand him?"
"The Southern Region seems to have only one person left after this, right? Ye Qiubai, the one ranked first in points?"
"I wonder how strong he really is."
At that moment, on the fighting platform, Huang Yuan and Tian Cheng unleashed their might.
Their Qi Sea Realm presences clashed continuously!
Then Huang Yuan snorted coldly and thrust out his palm!
A palm imprint flecked with green light shot toward Tian Cheng!
Tian Cheng showed no fear either. He stamped hard on the ground, making even the fighting platform seem to shake!
Raising his fist, he smashed it toward the green-lit palm imprint!
For a moment, sonic booms rang out wherever his fist passed!
Even space seemed to be compressed!
Boom!
A tremendous crash rang out!
His fist slammed into the palm imprint.
An immense wave of aftershocks swept outward!
The palm imprint shattered!
Tian Cheng also retreated several steps in succession!
For the moment, neither could get the better of the other!
On the elevated stand.
Wu Deshi smiled. "Dean Qin, this disciple of yours is quite good. It seems the Southern Region might have a chance to climb the rankings this time."
Qin Tiannan took a sip of tea, his expression unchanged, and said mildly, "You flatter him."
The dean of the Eastern Region academy smiled. "But Dean Qin, he's the only one your Southern Region academy has left, isn't he? I'm afraid this is as far as you'll go."
"Is that so?"
Qin Tiannan chuckled.
How could they know that Qin Tiannan's trump card was not his own disciple, Huang Yuan?
With Huang Yuan alone, they could not advance any further.
The one he had faith in... was Ye Qiubai.
Elsewhere, Jiang Chan watched the platform, but her gaze kept drifting almost imperceptibly toward where the Southern Region academy's students were.
"What, you still can't forget him?"
Beside her, Huang Tian Ming smiled. "Then why don't you go find him?"
Although he spoke with a smile, his tone was filled with icy menace!
Besides, do you think I'll let him leave the Northern Region alive?
Of course, Huang Tian Ming did not say those words aloud.